The city of Suzhou is full of prosperity, and the tender green color that can be seen everywhere is not much different from other places in Qing Dynasty. But there are many shops, busy wharves, endless crowds, a large area of government offices in the south city, the rich and powerful mansion of salt merchants in the west city, girls with red sleeves on the street in the east city, and young masters and brothers who lightly fold Zhangtai willow on the road. , those fierce, sinister and cunning brothers on the road in Beicheng, all of these constitute a scene that is different from all places in the world, that is, adventure, excitement, wealth, and desire.
Here, there is much less cover for knowledge and sophistication, and the pressure of the millennium dynasty is much less. Although no one dares to challenge the majesty of the government, due to the large floating population, the goods entering and leaving the port are huge, and the citizens have a lot of money in their pockets. If you have money, you will have a lot of confidence to do things. Not to mention those businessmen who have deep ties with the government, but those brothers on the road who live on the water have also begun to follow the example of the students of the Kyoto Imperial College, wearing blue gowns, and no longer blindly fighting and killing.
There is a large area downstream of the Suzhou Wharf, which is owned by the Ming family. At this time, those long-clothed men are honestly listening to a young gentleman's lecture. These long-clothed men seem to be the generation of martial arts, but in this name they are soft-faced. In front of Zhongzheng's Young Master, there was no hint of arrogance, because that Young Master was the biological son of the old man of the Ming family—Ming Lanshi, and those people who hung out on the pier were basically relying on the Ming family for food, and they were considered half servants.
After Master Ming left, these guys pulled their gowns and wiped the sweat from their foreheads, whispering to each other, wondering why Young Master Ming came here today to remind these people that they should be more honest in Suzhou these days , is it possible that with the strength of the Ming family, are you afraid of someone who will pull your pigtails? The governor is capable of this, but hasn't Mr. Ming fed him enough in the past few years
Long shirts are convenient for wiping sweat. These brothers on the road are not genuine students from Kyoto after all. However, some smart people among them vaguely guessed that it should have something to do with the upcoming New Year opening of the inner library... Haven't you heard? The dignified Cui family, the Cui family, which is also known as the two great families along with the Ming family, was snatched up by the imperial court on the occasion of the New Year! It is said that this matter was arranged by the young commissioner of the Overwatch Council, and the commissioner...is the imperial envoy who is now in Jiangnan!
No wonder Young Master Ming was so cautious, he was afraid of being caught by the government as an excuse. It turned out that he was afraid of Mr. Fan, who refused to recognize his relatives and refused to enter.
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"It's not that I'm afraid of him." Ming Lanshi was sitting in the car at this time, unable to maintain his composure in front of outsiders and subordinates, and said with a calm face: "It's Mr. Fan, who is really the same as anyone in the court. Every officer is different."
If Fan Xian saw the person he was talking to Young Master Ming at this time, he would definitely be shocked. Because the person sitting on the opposite side of the carriage was unexpectedly the host of the martial arts conference by the West Lake in Hangzhou, that official from Jiangnan Road!
At that time, Fan Xian watched the official's words and actions, and secretly admired him. I'm afraid he never guessed that the relationship between this official and the Ming family was so deep. Ming Lanshi didn't shy away from speaking in front of the other party. It was obvious that this official was someone the Ming family absolutely believed in. At that time, if Fan Xian had been more careful, he would have been able to find out the relationship between the other party and the Ming family, and he would have been more vigilant about the so-called martial arts conference.
The official's surname is Zou Minglei, and he is the censor of the Jiangnan Road of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He only heard him ask in confusion: "Cousin, what is the difference between the imperial envoy and other officials in the court?"
Ming Lanshi sneered and said: "Master Fan is so young, but holds such great power in his hands, can other officials compare? The Overwatch Council is different from your procuratorate. Now he has the status of an imperial envoy, and he is ready to do things." There is no obstacle, the governor will give him some face. You should have also received the news that this little Lord Fan cut off the heads of five troublemakers as soon as he arrived at the inner treasury, including two big shop owners What happened! Now all the officials who put the eldest princess in the transfer department have been pulled out! Which official in the court has the confidence to use such a pungent method?"
Zou Lei sighed and shook his head: "Without internal support, it will be much more difficult for the clan to do anything in the future."
Ming Lanshi looked at him, smiled mockingly, and said contemptuously: "I think you are confused when you are an official. What season is this? Do you still want to play tricks? Just ask the imperial envoy not to play tricks on us."
Upstairs and upstairs by the West Lake, Ming Lanshi respected the court official in front of him, but at this moment, he didn't show any face at all, but Zou Lei seemed to be very used to this kind of tone. From this scene alone, it can be seen how much power the Ming family hides in the government and the opposition.
Zou Lei frowned worriedly: "But the imperial envoy's visit to the south of the Yangtze River this time is obviously among the sword-pointing clan, what arrangements does the old man have?"
Ming Lanshi smiled wryly and shook his head: "This is what I said before, this Mr. Fan is different from other officials, and ordinary methods will not work at all... If other high-ranking officials go to the south of the Yangtze River, our Ming family has a lot of ways to deal with it." , it just happened to fall on this little Mr. Fan, and the usual methods have no effect at all."
Zou Lei tentatively said, "There is no official in this world who is not greedy for money."
Ming Lanshi narrowed his eyes, as if he had thought of something that chilled him. After a long silence, he said quietly: "This is the most common method, and it is also the most effective method in the past. Father sees things very accurately. Knowing that we have to use the golden ax... We have tried it before." He shook his head and sighed, "The other party didn't accept it at all, and returned it directly, without saying anything harsh, just like a piece of ice."
"How much did you give?" Zou Lei didn't believe that there are officials in the world who are not greedy for money. Even if you are the emperor's illegitimate child, you still have to have money.
Ming Lanshi compared four fingers.
Zou Lei asked suspiciously, "Only forty thousand taels?"
Minglan's eyebrows showed evil intent, and she cursed in a low voice: "Forty thousand taels? You didn't see that there was 130,000 taels of silver in the box in that young master's office? All the tribute money to Beijing has been suppressed, and a total of 400,000 taels has been collected!"
"Fourty thousand taels!" Zou Lei's heart trembled, and his lips trembled. With such a big price, you can buy it for a small princely country, so can't you still buy the heart of the imperial envoy
Ming Lanshi gritted his teeth and said, "There are still 20% shares."
Zou Lei couldn't believe his ears, these 20% dry shares were more terrifying than 400,000 taels, how could the clan be willing to spend such a large sum of money to buy Fan Xian? In the past, he had never been so generous in enshrining the eldest princess—this could not even be called generous, it was completely cutting flesh to ensure safety.
Ming Lanshi slowly closed his eyes, his eyelids moved slightly, his face was a little distorted, and he must be feeling extremely unhappy. Zou Lei didn't dare to say anything more, and there was a moment of silence in the carriage.
After a long time, Ming Lanshi, who has gradually been in charge of most of the Ming family's property for his father, opened his eyes and said slowly: "We all underestimated Master Fan's appetite, don't forget, his father, Mr. Chaozhong The Minister of the Household Department. Four hundred thousand can definitely buy a prince, but it can't buy him, so I said earlier that this method will not work."
"Where is the eldest princess?" Zou Lei said with slight hatred: "Our Ming family has done so much for her, she can't just ignore it, right?"
After thinking for a while, Ming Lanshi said softly: "To deal with officials, if you can't bribe them, you will be slandered. From the center to the limbs, you have to work hard in the capital, above the court, and plot against officials from all walks of life. It's a pity... this trick It doesn't seem to work either."
"Why?" Zou Lei was taken aback.
Ming Lanshi laughed at himself and said, "Who is Mr. Fan? Behind him are Mr. Chen and Mr. Fan Shangshu. Although Prime Minister Lin has resigned for a long time, his power is still there. As long as His Majesty does not show any inclination, no official would dare According to our intention, submit a letter to join him? You all have done it twice, but unfortunately, your Majesty's court rod has chilled your heart."
Zou Lei thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "It's different today. Now that Mr. Fan is far away in the south of the Yangtze River, he has no time to defend himself, and is far away from the Overwatch Council. His reaction will not be as fast as in the past... Even if he has an extraordinary relationship with His Majesty, it can be regarded as a kind of friendship." It is impossible for a real prince to cause major troubles in the south of the Yangtze River without being recalled to the capital... If we cause troubles, maybe His Majesty will recall Lord Fan back."
Ming Lanshi said mockingly: "This is the disadvantage of you officials, you always focus on the rank and status of the official position. Yes, even if a real prince goes to Jiangnan, our Ming family can still make him ashamed." Going back in a hurry, Fan Xian is just His Majesty's illegitimate son. We don't seem to be afraid, but the family sees things differently from the officials... In our eyes, Lord Fan has power, soldiers, money, and an excellent reputation Even if he had some stains, they were all wiped clean by the Overwatch Council responsible for magnifying the stains. People couldn't catch him at all... Such a smooth pebble, who can swallow it? He But it is much more difficult to deal with than any prince."
"If you really want to incite the people in Jiangnan to make trouble..." Ming Lanshi sneered and said, "Do you believe that Fan Xian dared to recruit black cavalry into Suzhou, and directly wiped out our Ming family!"
Zou Lei gasped, and said hesitantly, "Impossible? Could it be that he really doesn't care at all... the court's face? Qinglu is not just for fun."
"That's a madman." Ming Lanshi gritted his teeth and cursed in a low voice: "A seemingly gentle madman. If you can avoid provoking him, then don't provoke him, unless you are sure to make him disappear from this world."
Zou Lei suddenly became quiet, and after a long while, he suddenly said quietly: "Wulin conference?"
This is the Ming family's secret control of the Jiangnan martial arts, but it is only wearing a court coat, so although the Ming family did not control too many masters of the rivers and lakes, they also controlled a group of desperadoes through Zou Lei. Finding that the imperial envoy of the Ming family couldn't say anything about the cobblestone, a thought flashed in his heart, and he mentioned this matter.
Ming Lanshi looked at Zou Lei pitifully like an idiot: "Don't you know that Mr. Fan is a ninth-rank powerhouse? Don't you know that His Majesty sent him a group of the most elite tiger guards? Don't you know that the Overwatch Council's special The swordsmen of the six divisions assassinated by Si are not far away from him now? Don’t you know that the girl Haitang from Northern Qi once lived with him in Hangzhou for a while?”
Ming Lanshi's voice became louder and louder, and he felt more and more that this seemingly shrewd official from the clan was really like an idiot today, cursing: "Just that martial arts conference? The cloud my father invited from Dongyi City Everyone... Just glanced at the edge of the West Lake, and I don't know who was stabbed by the sword! Now those bullshit masters in Dongyi City, being chased and killed by those strange people in the wilderness like a lost dog... That is Yun Zhilan! Dongyi City! The descendants of Sigu Jian didn't even have a chance to make a move in front of Fan Xian, do you think these warriors from Jiangnan can kill each other?"
Zou Lei's face turned green and pale, and then he realized that Fan Xian was not just a powerful minister.
In today's world, Fan Xian is definitely the richest group of people, and people who are richer than him in the world are definitely not as powerful as he is, and people who are more powerful than him are definitely not as good as his martial arts, higher than his martial arts People who are more shameless than him are definitely not as shameless as him, and people who are more shameless than him are definitely not as strong as his backing, and those who are stronger than his backing have definitely not been born yet.
He doesn't care about giving money; he doesn't worry if he wants to cut his power in Beijing;
This is a deformed existence that passed decades ago and was created decades later. He is an invisible prince, but he has the Overwatch Council and the Ministry of Households that a prince can never have, and even the one who has secretly influenced the court for more than ten years. Her Royal Highness the eldest princess, even if she wanted to deal with him, she couldn't say anything.
What can the Ming family do
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Zou Lei comforted Ming Lanshi and said, "Master Guo is also in Suzhou now. According to him, the Eldest Princess will contribute in the capital. What you said earlier is reasonable, but Fan Xian is so arrogant now. I'm afraid the Crown Prince and the Second Prince will meet." A little uncomfortable, even if he can't be transferred back to the capital, the people in the palace can always suppress his arrogance."
Ming Lanshi nodded, knowing that the current situation can only be maintained barely, but when he heard that... Guo character, he still couldn't stop the veins on his forehead, and said coldly: "Please don't let your boss get involved! He was in the Fan Xian was beaten with a stick in the yamen of the Criminal Ministry, and he was driven to the south of the Yangtze River... Does he still want revenge? Don't forget, the imperial envoy is the most vengeful young man. Tired!"