When Fang Xie returned to Sanjinhou Mansion, the sky was already dark. When the carriage stopped at the gate, Fang Xie found that the Hou Mansion was a little different from usual. The courtyard was brightly lit and people were coming and going, which was completely opposite to the usual quietness and desertedness. . Qilin stared blankly at the yard, and couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"
Fang Jie thought for a while and said, "Nine times out of ten, the true owner of this yard has returned."
Fang Jie guessed right, the reason why the servants in the yard became busy was because Wu Yiyi, Marquis of Sanjin, came back from the northwest, and it was only a short time since he entered the door. The servants were busy boiling water for him to take a bath, and they were also moving down the things they brought back. It was very lively. As soon as Fang Jie entered the door, he saw the fat man Jiu Se Cai standing in the yard gesticulating, directing the servants to do things.
"Oh, isn't this Master Xiaofang, it's impolite for not being able to welcome far away."
Jiu Se Cai greeted him with a smile.
Fang Jie rolled his eyes at him and said, "I paid the rent."
Jiu Se Cai was stunned, and then remembered that Fang Jie and the others had been living in Sanjinhou's mansion all this time, blushed and said with a sneer, "Isn't it a long time since I've been away and I forgot, since I paid the rent, it's a family. Don't worry, I will take care of you until you feel at home."
"Running thousands of miles back and forth in the northwest, how come you haven't lost weight?"
Fang asked.
Wine and lust said with a smile: "I gained weight with great difficulty. Wouldn't it be a waste of all the good things I ate before if I lost weight? I'm the most simple person and I don't want to waste things, so it's really hard to eat in order to keep the results." Hard."
"Master Hou asked you to be his helper just to make him more handsome, right?"
Fang Jie made a malicious guess.
Jiu Se Cai chuckled and said, "No, no, Hou Ye asked me to be his helper to show that he is really rich."
Fang Jie burst out laughing: "You really did not take the name of Jiu Se Cai for nothing, Jiu Se Cai is not angry, this good temper really makes people like it, I like you so much."
Jiu Se Cai blushed and said: "Don't... I still like girls more."
Fang Jie laughed loudly, and asked as he walked in, "Where is Lord Hou?"
"Taking a bath, after this trip, Lord Hou has lost a lot of weight. However, Lord Hou is also very happy to be able to do the errands assigned by His Majesty smoothly. You have never seen such a huge team with such huge supplies , It was all transported to the northwest by our Huotongtianxia. The fleet stretches for dozens of miles, with masts like forests. You don’t know how proud I am when I look at this scene. Since ancient times, which trading company can have such strength? "
"Tens of millions of materials and hundreds of thousands of troops were transported by our Hutong Tianxia from various places in the Sui Dynasty to the northwest. After they converged on the Shandong Road, I will never forget the spectacular scene in my life. Let the world know the strength of my goods through the world, who would not give a thumbs up?"
After listening to him finish speaking, Fang Jie's expression obviously stiffened for a moment, but he stopped joking: "Trouble, if it's convenient for Master Hou to wash up, I want to see him."
"You're welcome."
Jiu Se Cai said with a smile: "You paid the rent..."
Fang Jie smiled, cupped his fists and left, his face became a little dignified. Shen Qingfan saw that his expression was different, and asked softly: "What? Did you think of something bad?"
Fang Jie shook his head slowly, and said softly as he walked: "This time, Hutong Tianxia will show its strength. The common people are shocked, and the court must also be shocked. A private firm can have such strength. People in a commercial firm have evil intentions... Isn't it a serious problem for the court? San Jinhou rushed back here in such a hurry, I'm afraid it's because someone in the court has targeted him. How could a wise man like him treat him so unreservedly? Showing his strength? Even if it is His Majesty's will, he shouldn't be like this... Now that the battle is settled, the imperial court can no longer use the goods to go all over the world, and the navy of the Sui Dynasty will naturally be used to transport troops and materials to the northwest."
"Are you worried that the emperor will kill the donkey?"
Shen Qing fan asked.
Fang Jie nodded: "Huotong Tianxia is too big... Before His Majesty used the merchant's fleet to transport troops and food, many courtiers were dissatisfied. But His Majesty used it to the Marquis, so naturally he was very dissatisfied with those in the court. Suppress the voice more. Now that the war is a foregone conclusion, the emperor no longer needs to hide anything, and naturally he will no longer need to use the goods to communicate with the world. If the voice of the court against Lord Hou is getting louder, the emperor will not respond to it until he sees it. Master Hou will start."
"too big… "
Fang Jie frowned and said, "Huotong Tianxia is too big, it's so big that it has already made people in the court uneasy."
Shen Qingfan said: "San Jin Hou may not have thought of this. Since he can have today's wealth and status, his scheming in the city must not be comparable to ordinary people. It is expected that he must have thought about it before doing his best. .”
"My concern is..."
Fang Jie frowned, thinking of the little girl who was forced to leave Chang'an and return to Qingle Mountain because of certain things: "If Lord Hou tried his best to help His Majesty with the Northwest affairs, was it because of some threats?"
Shen Qingfan Bingxue was smart, and immediately understood Fang Jie's meaning: "San Jinhou sent his daughter to Qingle Mountain before going to the northwest. Could it be that the emperor used his daughter to blackmail him? If it is done, he will bring his daughter into the palace gate... For a little girl who is only fifteen or sixteen, entering the palace is tantamount to a disaster. Those concubines and nobles, which one is a fuel-efficient lamp."
"so… "
Fang Jie said with some seriousness: "I'm worried that Lord Hou is about to make some big decision."
"What decision?"
Shen Qing fan asked.
Fang Jie shook his head and said, "If you want to avoid disaster...of course you can only dedicate the whole of Huo Tong Tian Xing to His Majesty! In this way, it is like he donated tens of thousands of gold to repair the city wall, spending money to buy peace. Back then His Majesty forced him It may not be that there is no intention to do things in the Northwest. If Master Hou wants to be safe, he can't leave the goods to go around the world!"
Shen Qing was taken aback for a moment, then murmured: "It's so sinister to kill two birds with one stone..."
…
…
It is by no means a good thing for the court that a firm has the power to influence a war, or even the foundation of a country. Huotong Tianxia really did a good job this time. Such a huge supply of supplies and such a huge army can be safely transported to the northwest. If you don't think about it carefully, you will be shocked by the ability of Huotong Tianxia.
Fang Jie's worry was not unreasonable.
The adults in the imperial court will not allow a firm to threaten the stability of the Sui Dynasty. Moreover, the reason why His Majesty chose Hutong Tianxiahang to transport troops, food, armor and weapons was to hide the truth from the adults in the court. The emperor trusts a business owner and a businessman who can't get on the stage, but doesn't trust courtiers... Will the courtiers feel comfortable and happy? They can't do anything in front of the emperor, but they can do something to Tongtianxing.
It is not difficult for a group of adults who hold a lot of power to rectify a business.
And if the incidents against Wu Yidao by the adults in the court became more serious, His Majesty would naturally come forward to appease him. Wu Yidao has made great contributions to the Sui Dynasty. He first donated tens of thousands of gold to repair Chang'an City, and then he did his best to manage the affairs of the Northwest. His Majesty can't kill him easily... He will definitely give Wu Yidao a very appropriate reminder, that is If you want to save your life, you have to give up some things.
The world of currency exchange is big enough to make an emperor greedy, and this is the most worrying thing.
Fang Xie didn't pay much attention to it at first, but now that he thinks about it carefully, he feels the horror of it. Only then did I understand why Wu Yidao sent Wu Yinyu back to Jiangnan in a hurry. Before he went to the northwest, he was already planning a retreat, but Wu Yidao also understood that as long as he was still in the Sui Dynasty, he would have no way to resist that supreme being.
One word from the emperor can take away half of his life's hard work.
Thinking of this, Fang Xie felt very sad. Wu Yidao was the person who helped him a lot after he arrived in Chang'an City. Fang Jie thought he was not a good person but he had his own bottom line. Kindness is kindness. Let him stand by and watch...he couldn't do it. When the fat man told about his trip to the northwest, Fang Jie immediately thought of the worst possibility, that's why he was so anxious to see Wu Yidao.
But he didn't know what he could do to help.
Therefore, when he and Wu Yi sat down face to face, he didn't know how to speak. He really regards this gentle and refined man in front of him as an elder. Although Wu Yidao always kept some distance deliberately, and even cared about Fang Xie and the others having to pay the rent when they lived in Sanjin Hou Mansion, Fang Jie was really grateful to him in his heart. When he first entered Chang'an City, without Wu Yidao's help, he knew that he would never be in the situation he is now.
And thinking of Wu Yidao's haggling, he understood something. The reason why Wu Yiyi was so clear about many small things was that he deliberately distanced himself from Fang Jie? If something really happened to Wu Yidao, Fang Xie lived in Sanjin Hou Mansion, so naturally he couldn't tell what was wrong. At that time, Wu Yidao would lightly say that this was just a business, and he would be able to kick Fang Jie out of the game. If this is the case, it can only mean that when Fang Jie first met Wu Yidao, Wu Yidao already knew what kind of situation he was going to face.
Therefore, Fang Jie felt even more sad.
No matter what the purpose of Wu Yidao's help to him was, he was sincere, and he even considered helping him escape a long time ago... With such wisdom and foresight, I am afraid that few people can match him.
But even so, he couldn't escape His Majesty's palm. Because this is the Great Sui, and His Majesty is a god in the Great Sui!
"Just tell me what you have to say, why haven't we seen each other for less than a year, are you so coy?"
Wu Yidao said with a smile while eating, he seemed to have a good appetite, although there were only some light dishes on the table, no wine, and a bowl of white rice in his hand, but he ate with relish and it was very sweet.
Fang Jie took a deep breath and decided not to test anything.
"Cargo goes well in the world, is it impossible to keep it?"
He sat up straight, looked into Wu Yidao's eyes and asked.
Wu Yidao stopped in mid-air with his hand stretched out to pick up vegetables, then shook his head and said, "It has nothing to do with you... But starting tomorrow, you'd better live in your own shop."
He pointed to a wooden box on the table with the tip of his chopsticks and said, "Here is the land deed for the shop you rented, take it. There are not many things I can give you, but at least this house can give you a place to stay." The place."
Fang Jie had a sore nose: "Irreversible?"
Wu Yiyi smiled and said, "I'm surprised that you can guess so much. As expected, you have followed the old saying that you will be treated with admiration after three days. You are much smarter now than when you first entered Chang'an City. But not smart enough. Some things you see may not be true, and some things you think you see clearly are just the tip of the iceberg. The Chang’an city you see now is definitely different from the Chang’an city you saw when you arrived. Same, but you still don't see enough."
He talked while eating, and quickly ate up a bowl of white rice. Fang Jie stretched out his hand, wanting to fill another bowl for him. However, Wu Yidao put down the bowl and chopsticks after eating the last rice grain: "Don't eat, it's enough to eat seventy percent full. Don't do anything too full, then there will be no way out."
"Have you been approaching Prince Yi recently?"
he asks.
Fang Xie was silent for a while, then nodded.
"His Majesty's will?"
he asked again.
Fang Jie obviously didn't expect Wu Yidao to be able to see through it at a glance, his expression changed and he nodded again.
Wu Yiyi smiled and said: "You don't need to worry about my affairs. If I can't handle it, you can't help me much. The reason why I gave you the shop is because I think that if I have nothing in the future, I can still help you." There is a place to stay. Of course, if you don’t take me in at that time, I can’t help it... But, how can those people who want me to bow their heads easily do so? I’m afraid they will be surprised in the end, right?”
He said in a gentle tone: "As for you, it's still what I said just now, don't be too full in everything, there is no way out if you are too full. Your Majesty trusts you by entrusting this matter to you, but you are not important, understand? What are you doing?" Success in anything is not the first goal, don't die in it."
Fang Jie nodded: "I understand."
Wu Yidao hummed, got up and said, "Go for a walk, chat while walking."
Fang Jie followed Wu Yidao out of the room, looking like Wu Yidao's student or nephew. When two people walk together, it's like... a family.