Winter is over, spring is not yet here, last night a gust of cold wind passed by, and the new lazy young girl outside the Mingyuan wall was frozen to death again, with an ominous paleness.
Ming Qingda closed his eyes slightly.
He had already guessed that the other party would choose this plan, and if he put aside the humiliation of the family being calculated, if the owner of China Merchants Bank really bought into the shares of the Ming family, the two sides would form a group, and the funds would immediately become abundant. The development of the city is limitless... You don't even need to look at the faces of Dongyi City and Taiping Bank.
Ming Qingda's mood eased a little, and after thinking for a while, he said, "How much do you want?"
"Thirty percent." The shopkeeper heaved a sigh of relief, raised his face and said with a gentle smile: "All thirty percent will be deeded by the government, and the deed will be dead."
General Ming Qingda was in a better mood, and immediately fell into endless anger and ridicule. He looked at the shopkeeper and said contemptuously: "Thirty percent? Has your boss never seen the world? Just four million taels of silver ... just want 30% of my Ming family?"
"My lord misunderstood." The shopkeeper said respectfully: "Thirty percent of the total is the shares of the Ming family, and the total does not include the dry shares of those nobles in the court... Although my boss has ambitions, it does not have such a big appetite and courage. .”
Ming Qingda sneered, the eldest princess and the Qin family have a huge number of dry shares in their own home, if the 30% you said included the number of dry shares, that would be great, it depends on how you die in the future, but the other party wants For the remaining 30%, this amount is also extremely excessive.
"It's not worth so much." He said indifferently, ready to see off the guests.
The big treasurer smiled and said: "The Ming family is the most wealthy in the world, and they hold endless livelihoods in the south of the Yangtze River. They have vast hectares of fertile land and countless real estate properties. Of course, this mere four million taels of silver is more than this amount... However, at this time, at that time, such things as cash It’s not the same as assets, it’s the same one tael of silver, but at different times, it has different values.”
He continued: "If the four million taels of silver were used in the past, it would only be the cash income of the Ming family for a year, and of course it would not be worth 30% of the shares. But now the Ming family is short of cash and needs cash for emergencies. After my boss becomes a shareholder, he will naturally provide a lot of money support... The four million taels represents a more important value... Now that the Ming family has 30% of the shares, it is not greedy. The old man is also a sensible person, of course he knows the price that my boss called, It's pretty fair."
Ming Qingda was silent for a moment, knowing that the other party was telling the truth.
"This is a big matter. Even though I am the patriarch, I can't be arbitrary. I have to think about it again." He picked up his teacup, and the treasurer of China Merchants Bank said goodbye to the young man behind him.
…
…
Ming Lanshi walked in from the side, looked at his father and said anxiously: "Father, I can't give it to them." Then he said angrily: "Now I know that this China Merchants Bank is really filthy! We started planning our family's property a year ago."
Ming Qingda glanced at his son, shook his head with some displeasure, disagreed with his words, and said: "In the business world, if it weren't for the support of China Merchants Bank this year, our family's life would have been even worse. The IOU of four million taels of silver, plus the subsequent cash support, in exchange for 30% of the shares, is indeed a very fair price as they said."
"But… "
Ming Qingda waved his hand wearily. In today's negotiation with China Merchants Bank, he seemed confident, but he was retreating every step of the way, so deep down that he had some doubts about himself—whether it was during this year, After being repeatedly attacked by the Overwatch Council, my confidence was no longer sufficient. Did I kneel down in front of Fan Xian once, and after making countless forbearance and concessions, I already lacked a certain courage and got used to being led by the nose?
But... I am the contemporary master of the Ming family!
Ming Qingda said slowly: "We're talking about business, but since China Merchants Bank is using shady... why should we pretend that our hands are clean all the time?"
Ming Lanshi felt a burst of cold sweat pouring out of his back, and said with a chuckle, "Father, once the matter fails, it will be a capital crime of copying the family and exterminating the family."
Ming Qingda sneered and said, "With the protection of the eldest princess, even Fan Xian would not dare to mess around... What is a mere investment bank?"
"But the head office of China Merchants Bank in Dongyi must have accounts." Ming Lanshi looked at his father and suddenly felt a chill, feeling that his father, who usually seemed extremely wise, now... gradually became stupid and angry.
"Don't worry about it!" Ming Qingda's calm and wise eyes flashed a hint of ferocity, and he said coldly: "The people in Dongyi City ask Daqing for money... who cares about it?"
"Or...or else..." Ming Lanshi murmured, "Shall we sell the land and the house? Although the money is a lot, it's not that I can't pay it back."
Ming Qingda said gloomyly: "What you can think of, they can't think of? The imperial court strictly forbids the private sale and purchase of fields. If it belongs to Xiaozong, it's fine, but so many fields are going to be sold, how can we not disturb the government? Once the formalities are completed, At least one year later... China Merchants Bank would rather lose 30% of the debt than repay the debt in advance, what is the reason? Isn't it to force us to split the shares?"
The old man's heart suddenly sank, thinking that the court's strict control over land sales was one of the new policies that the Ye family's mistress enforced when she was alive.
Minglan left with a grim face. He guessed what his father would do, but he didn't know what his father would do. He only knew that his father finally lost his mind under the pressure of this year when the Ming family was facing a storm... and he Although it is still extremely difficult to maintain a sliver of clarity, he thinks that it is better to cooperate with China Merchants Bank, but because of the matter that he has not reported all the time, he dare not speak out to persuade him.
—————————
That night, on the bluestone-built street in Suzhou City, there were suddenly some rustling sounds, like a mouse trapped in a hole in winter for a long time, suddenly smelling the smell of delicious pastries, and borrowing the light of night. The cover came out in full force.
However, there were only three mice, and the three masters in black night clothes easily broke through the defense of China Merchants Bank and directly entered the back hall.
The security force of the bank has always been strict, and with China Merchants Bank's identity behind the scenes, many experts in the world have been secretly hired. However, such a defense force cannot stop the thunderous strike of the three night walkers. It can be seen from this , The super strength of these three night walkers.
The most frightening thing is the long sword in the attacker's hand. The sword seems to be imprinted with some kind of magical power. There were more than a dozen corpses and blood all over the ground.
And no one had time to send out screams and cries for help.
However, these three extremely skilled swordsmen encountered great obstacles in the backyard of Qian Zhuang. They clearly saw the box of IOUs that the treasurer of China Merchants Bank was holding tightly in his arms, but they couldn't stab the tip of the sword into the opponent's throat.
Even the supreme master among the three couldn't do it.
Because the supreme green sword in his hand, which can break mountains and rivers, is surrounded by a blue banner that looks weak but actually contains infinite power.
After three hisses, the swordsman retracted his sword and returned, clasped both hands, and bowed to the young man holding the green flag.
There is dignity in martial arts, and assassination has become a contest in martial arts at this level.
At this time, the green banner has been twisted into countless pieces by the extremely brilliant and steady sword intent, and the word "Tie Xiang" written on it has also become small black spots on the rags. It used to be named Tie Xiang, but now it is Wang Shisanlang The young man, holding the bare flag stick in his hand, looked at the man in black who was holding a green sword and looked like a master, and slowly bowed his head back.
"please."
The man in black took off the cloth towel that covered his face, his face was solemn, his three-strand beard fluttered slightly, he held the sword sincerely, poured all the energy of his body into the sword, and said with his lips parted.
With Wang Shisanlang's unafraid, free and easy mind, he couldn't help being moved when he suddenly saw this man's face!
If Fan Xian was here and saw the face of the man in black clearly, he might turn around and leave immediately without staying for a moment.
…
…
Yun Zhilan, the first disciple of Sigu Sword in Dongyi City, Yun Zhilan, a master of the ninth-rank swordsmanship of a generation!
Wang Shisanlang tightly held the banner stick in his right hand, his pupils shrank slightly, and he was very nervous.
The two night walkers who followed Yun Zhilan into the backyard of China Merchants Bank were the masters of Dongyi City. When they saw Yun Zhilan facing the chaos with a sword, they stepped aside respectfully. Although the young man's cultivation is extremely unpredictable, as long as he is not a perverted figure like the Grand Master or Fan Xian of the Qing Kingdom, then he must not be Yun Zhilan's one-sword chaos.
Wang Shisanlang looked at him blankly, and suddenly said: "Is your... injury healed?"
Yun Zhilan frowned slightly, and said slowly, "Do you know me?"
Last spring, Yun Zhilan went to Jiangnan alone. On the one hand, he secretly watched his female apprentices practice, but the most important goal was to assassinate Fan Xian, the imperial envoy of Jiangnan Road. However, the ending of the matter was a bit painful. Master Fa, actually just sat on the fishing boat and took a long look at Fan Xian upstairs before being ambushed by the Overwatch Council.
To this day, Yun Zhilan still misses the sword light that appeared like a ghost in the water, and feels chills secretly, because that sword light that appears and disappears caused him to suffer the most severe injury since his debut. However, the news of his injury has been strictly controlled, presumably the Nanqing court was unwilling to make a diplomatic disturbance, so when Wang Shisanlang asked him if his injury was healed, Yun Zhilan felt a little surprised.
Wang Shisanlang smiled helplessly, and said, "You are a swordsman of the generation, why should you be a thief for others."
Yun Zhilan smiled and said, "Why is it different, Your Excellency?"
"Even if you kill all the people in China Merchants Bank and burn these deeds, you won't be able to help the Ming family." Wang Shisanlang sighed, and said, "What is left here is only a copy, and the original is naturally not in Suzhou."
"If the original is in Dongyi City, it should be gone tomorrow." Yun Zhilan said slowly: "I don't know where your Excellency is from, but the Ming family is too important to my Dongyi City, please don't stop me."
Wang Shisanlang said: "Ming Qingda is finished."
Before he finished speaking, the man in black who had been quietly waiting beside Yun Zhilan said, "Master, this man is delaying time."
Wang Shisanlang was slightly taken aback, and found that the man in black turned out to be a woman, and her voice was extremely crisp, so he tilted his head and smiled, "Sisi is here too?"
The man in black shook his body, and Yun Zhilan also looked at Wang Shisanlang curiously, and sighed, "I didn't expect you to know my teacher so well... I'm really curious, but it's a pity that time is running out. Someone is coming."
He slowly raised the sword in his hand, the tip of the sword trembling slightly, pointing at Wang Shisanlang's throat.
"You won't kill me." Wang Shisanlang said.
"Why?"
"because… "
Wang Shisanlang suddenly looked serious, his left leg took half a step back, the Qingban lone stick suddenly fell down, his left hand held the tail of the stick behind his back, and with his right hand pressed down, the tip of the stick pressed down with a lot of strength. !
The sound of breaking the wind suddenly came and went, only cutting a line in the air!
Such a powerful sword intent!
…
…
Yun Zhilan's pupils narrowed slightly, and he asked slowly, "Who is the owner of China Merchants Bank?"
Wang Shisanlang hesitated for a moment, then slowly retracted the green banner, opened his mouth and made a silent gesture.
Yun Zhilan's astonishment appeared on his face and then disappeared, he smiled helplessly, and without saying a word, he turned around and left the backyard with the two female apprentices. When he was about to leave the backyard, he suddenly turned around and said, "Junior Brother, take care, Fan Xian is more insidious than you imagined."
Wang Shisanlang smiled bitterly and said, "Eldest senior brother, if you tell Ming Qingda, I believe I will have the opportunity to watch how Fan Xian kills me slowly."
Yun Zhilan didn't look back, his shoulders were as stable as cast iron, he said after a moment of silence: "He used such a big profit as a bet to test how loyal you are to him... I don't understand."
"I don't understand either." Wang Shisanlang said slowly: "Maybe he is very confident. Even if I betray him, he will still have a way to kill the Ming family. manner."
Yun Zhilan said: "What exactly does Master mean? Is it the Ming family that is important, or Fan Xian's trust in you? I can decide what to do."
"Lord Xiao Fan's trust is the most important thing." Wang Shisanlang said sincerely: "Even if I join hands with you to tell Ming Qingda the truth of the matter and help the Ming family survive this catastrophe, what about next time? … It belongs to Master Xiao Fan, Master does not mind establishing some kind of friendship with children from foreign countries."
"Then you shouldn't have told me just now." Yun Zhilan said slowly.
Wang Shisanlang smiled and glanced at the vigilant treasurer of China Merchants Bank holding the documents behind him: "Even if I didn't tell you, no one knows whether I will notify you secretly, so it's better to tell you in person. "
"It seems that Dongyi City won't do anything anymore." Yun Zhilan sighed, he didn't lament that he had made the trip in vain, but he was admiring the profound scheming under the foolish face of the master. Only then did I find out that the most mysterious little junior had been working with Fan Xian since he was released from the hut.
"Yes." Thirteenth Wang bowed his head and said, "I am attacking now, so please retreat temporarily, senior brother, please remain silent."
"I can retreat, but why should I remain silent?" Yun Zhilan said calmly.
Wang Shisanlang took out a small jade tablet from his pocket and showed it to him. Yun Zhilan sighed immediately when he saw the jade token, shook his head and smiled, "The sect has always known that you don't have a sword token. I didn't expect the master to give you this one."
…
…
In this world, all the people and all the powers are sitting on the wall, and Dongyi City is undoubtedly a towering tree. If it falls to any side, it may have some unexpected consequences. In the end, there is no way to return.
Therefore, the Sigu sword cannot fall, because his sword must protect Dongyi City, and he must fully judge the situation in Qing Kingdom before making a decision, or in other words, he will only make a move if there is a strong enough fatal temptation.
Because of Fan Xian's sudden rise, he had to show enough sincerity on Fan Xian's side, and part of his attitude was precisely Wang Shisanlang. And he still has some attitudes towards the eldest princess, such as Yun Zhilan.
Only in this way, in the future, no matter which side in the Qing Kingdom wins, he will be able to obtain corresponding benefits.
This is grasping with both hands, and both hands must be firm.
However, the surprise attack on China Merchants Bank tonight made Si Gu Jian's two hands face to face and began to fight. I'm afraid that even this great master didn't expect this situation.
Fan Xian made the first move, so Yun Zhilan had no choice but to back away, but he didn't have to be silent, he could tell Ming Qingda the truth and let him refuse China Merchants Bank's shareholding, but he saw Master's sword card, so he understood In the current temporary situation, which side does the great master prefer.
…
…
The China Merchants Bank was quiet, and there was a faint smell of blood from the front yard.
The shopkeeper of the bank, who had been vigilant before, had already returned to his calm and gentle face. He saluted Wang Shisanlang who was in a daze holding the green flag, and said respectfully, "Congratulations, Sir Thirteen, for passing the test."
Wang Shisanlang tilted his head a little foolishly, and sighed after a while, "The human heart is really complicated. Master and Fan Xian are really... very interesting people."
—————————
Ming Qingda once again habitually cast his eyes on the trees outside the high wall of the Ming Garden, feeling a little desolate, thinking that the winter was over, the spring breeze was already blowing, and the young and tender branches that had grown a few days ago, why were they being picked up again? Frozen to death
He knew that the situation before him and his family was like a harsh winter. The century-old foundation of the Ming family was never so easy to be played to death by others. However, since becoming an imperial merchant selling products from the inner treasury, the Ming family has made a lot of money, and it has been too deep to pull out. A place of power struggle.
No matter how strong a businessman is, how can he stand up to the teasing of the court? Whether it's the suppression this year, or the price manipulation in the past few months, and the vicious and even rogue smashing of the silver mirror with stones... The Ming family has paid too much blood and sweat and lost too much strength. operation is getting more and more difficult.
If he can escape, the Ming family can still survive.
But he can't get away, so he needs to fix things. The most urgent problem facing the Ming family right now is the poor turnover and serious lack of running water. To solve this problem, external support is needed. However, Taiping Bank is not a bottomless pit after all, and it is impossible to transfuse blood to the Ming family forever. It is said that some people in Dongyi City have begun to raise objections. And that damn China Merchants Bank...
Ming Qingda frowned and coughed, causing a tearing pain in his chest.
If China Merchants Bank did not want 30% of the shares of the Ming family, and had enough bargaining chips in his hand, Ming Qingda would not react in such a irrational way, and he would even have a deeper cooperation with China Merchants Bank. After a turmoil, both hands joined hands to earn all the money in the world.
But... want your own property? This touched Ming Qingda's bottom line, this was the family property he obtained by killing his mother, kneeling down and begging for glory, how could it be possible to give it with both hands for four million taels of silver
But... the current Ming family really can't get any silver to pay back the four million taels of silver. Even if the China Merchants Bank pays the contract with a shallow water price, Ming Qingda can't get out nearly three million taels of silver.
He coughed harder, and a gloomy sense of loss and submission flashed across his coughing eyes.
Yun Zhilan took his people away again, but last time the master swordsman was injured by the Overwatch Council, but this time he left gracefully. Ming Qingda smelled extremely dangerous of the two respectively. The night before yesterday, although many people died at China Merchants Bank, the account books and IOUs were not seized, and there was no movement in Dongyi City.
At the same time, all the private soldiers of the Ming family were closely watched by the state troops of Xue Qing, governor of Jiangnan Road.
Ming Qingda knew that he was no longer able to use thunderous means, and was stared at by the court, so he could only find a solution through the business route, and to solve the current crisis of the Ming family, he had no choice but to bow his head.
He was a little tired and said to his concubine beside him: "Go and ask the people from China Merchants Bank to come over... You go in person, the attitude is better."
The maid who was close to the old lady of the Ming Dynasty nodded, and then reminded: "Hurry up and ask Beijing for help." !)