Liu Qi stayed in Zhao's house for two whole days. One day, he suddenly became furious and summoned Zhao Fan to meet him.
Zhao Fan thought that Fan Feng had already pacified Liu Qi, and he had just felt at ease, but when he heard that Liu Qi was angry, he came to see him trembling with fear.
In the study, Liu Qi's face was gloomy. He pointed at Zhao Fan and cursed: "Fan Feng is your sister-in-law, why didn't you tell me earlier? If you offer your sister-in-law to please others, wouldn't it be a great act of filial piety?"
Zhao Fan wiped his sweat when he heard that it was not about Cao Cao, and hurriedly explained: "General, calm down. This is my brother and sister-in-law's voluntary company. It has nothing to do with me! Besides, my brother and sister-in-law have been widowed for three years, so they have the right to remarry. She wants to take charge of the dancers and continue to manage my brother's business, so I can't stop her."
Liu Qi was displeased and said, "But you deliberately concealed your sister-in-law's identity and pretended to be a dancer to serve me. If it gets out, wouldn't it be said that I, Liu, am using my power to bully others? How is that different from the thief Cao bullying Zhang Xiu in Wancheng?"
Zhao Fan saw that Liu Qi was concerned about his reputation, so he smiled and said, "Don't worry, General. I will not tell anyone about this matter, and outsiders will not know about it. Moreover, my sister-in-law has long admired your great name and is willing to serve you. That is her blessing. How can it be compared to Cao Cao forcing his aunt Zhang Xiu into marriage?"
Liu Qi's expression eased slightly, and he waved his hand to signal Zhao Fan to sit down, and said slowly: "Since we are talking about Cao thief, let's settle the previous matter together!"
During these two days in bed, Fan Feng took the opportunity to talk about Cao Cao's contact with Zhao Fan and whispered a lot of advice.
This matter was also a deal for his uncle and sister-in-law. Fan Feng helped Zhao Fan to get away with the crime, and Zhao Fan gave half of his brother's property to Fan Feng, letting her manage it on her own. From then on, they each went about their own business and had nothing to do with each other.
Zhao Fan became nervous upon hearing this and said hurriedly, "I know I have made a big mistake and am willing to be punished, but I am deeply grateful to Liu Mu for taking me in, so I did not obey Cao. Chen Ying and Bao Long acted on their own initiative. Please investigate carefully, General."
Liu Qi nodded slightly and said, "You are not too stupid to turn back and stop before it is too late. Cao Cao is far away in the Central Plains. If you raise an army, can he really save you? You are just a pawn in the hands of Cao thief, and you can be used by others at will!"
Zhao Fan hurriedly said, "General, you are absolutely right. Fortunately, my sister-in-law reminded me that I didn't make a big mistake."
A hint of smile flashed across Liu Qi's eyes, and he said with emotion: "Your sister-in-law is quite knowledgeable. You are the head of a county, but you are not as good as a woman. How foolish are you?"
"General, you are right!" Zhao Fan observed Liu Qi's expression and saw that he was not angry, so he praised her: "Although my brother and sister-in-law are women, they are much more knowledgeable than me, and they understand business. They are really my brother's right-hand man. It is not an exaggeration to call them female heroes."
It turns out that Fan Feng was bought from a Kushan caravan by brother Zhao Fan when she was eight years old. They formed a dancer team and bought orphans to train them to entertain dignitaries in order to open up trade routes.
Fan Feng himself didn't know where he was born, let alone his life experience. He followed his brother Zhao Fan wholeheartedly, entertained guests, assisted in business, and was quite capable over the years.
When she grew up, she was very beautiful. When Zhao Fan's brother lost his wife, he took her as a concubine and took over the properties in Jingzhou. Now, all the arrangements in the Zhao Mansion are taken care of by Fan Feng, and Zhao Fan just sits back and enjoys the fruits of her labor.
Liu Qi tapped his fingers on the table and asked calmly, "Your sister-in-law intends to use the caravan to find out her life experience. What do you think, Mr. Ming?"
Zhao Fan said generously, "Although my brother and sister-in-law didn't leave any bloodline for my late brother, they are still members of the Zhao family. Moreover, they contributed half of the wealth to this large industry. I am not good at business. If no one takes over, it will disappear sooner or later. If she can really find out her origins, help others, repay my brother and sister-in-law for their kindness in raising me, and comfort my late brother's soul, I am willing to help her."
Because Zhao Fan's brother often went out, the two of them were rarely together and had sex only a few times. Two years later, he had an accident while out, so he did not leave any children.
But after the person's death, the entire industry became like scattered sand. The industries of Jiaozhou, Nanyue and even Sindhu were completely paralyzed. They have not even had any contact with each other in the past few years. Only the territory of Jingzhou is still barely maintained.
Fan Feng mourned for three years, and thought over and over again that he had nowhere to go for the rest of his life, so he decided to find out about his own life experience, prepare to take over some of the industries, and search for the Kushan caravan that had met with disaster.
Liu Qi's arrival further strengthened Fan Feng's confidence. She had already learned a lot of information from Zhao Linger. This time, if she served Liu Qi sincerely and had his support, there would be great hope whether she was running the caravan or reviving the industry.
Liu Qi smiled and said, "In the past, there was a Kushan caravan that came to Jingzhou, but they have disappeared in recent years. I think it's a pity. Have you ever thought that if you can open up the Nanyue trade route and trade with the Kushan, this move may not be as good as Zhang Qian's opening up of the Western Regions, but it is second only to this. This is a move that will be passed down to future generations. It's a pity that your brother was unlucky and missed it."
"Hiss—" Zhao Fan gasped and looked at Liu Qi in disbelief, "How can this be compared?"
His elder brother was just a businessman of humble status. If he had not bribed Liu Biao and became the prefect of Guiyang, the two brothers would have had a hard time gaining a foothold in Jingzhou, Hebei. It is really incredible that Liu Qi compared him with Zhang Qian.
Liu Qi smiled and said, "Exploring unknown lands and spreading Chinese civilization will benefit the present and future generations. Although your brother is pursuing money, his overseas contacts have made great contributions. It's just that he lacks an imperial edict. If he succeeds, this feat will surely be remembered by future generations."
Zhao Fan suddenly came to his senses. After a long pause, he suddenly shed tears and said, "It's a pity that my brother has a poor fate and is unable to take on this great responsibility."
Liu Qi also sighed helplessly. Such regrets were countless in history. There were also people who were ridiculed at the time but were hailed as saints in later generations. The limitations of the concepts of the times were not something that the authorities could break through.
Seeing Zhao Fan's deep regret, Liu Qi said: "Your brother left behind a large estate. It is really a pity if it is abandoned. Fortunately, your sister-in-law still has ambitions, and I also want to open up the South China Sea trade route. If we can join forces, we will surely expand your brother's estate and pass on his name to future generations."
Zhao Fan was stunned and asked in astonishment: "What does the general mean?"
"If you want to achieve great things, leaving only half of the property to your wife is far from enough!" Liu Qi looked at Zhao Fan and slowly clenched his fist: "I want it all!"
"Ah, this?" Zhao Fan was shocked and looked hesitant. If so, wouldn't he be handing over the family business left by his brother to someone else
Liu Qi smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir. If I give you those properties, it will only be in exchange for some money. This is tantamount to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. When the caravan returns to the right path in the future, you will also get a share of the profits. In addition, this caravan will be named after your brother and his wife, 'Feng Xiang Hao'. Your brother's name will coexist with the business for a long time."
Zhao Fan looked at the young man in front of him in surprise. He not only understood military strategies, but also knew how to do business. His brother Zhao Xiang had mentioned this in the past.
A caravan without a name is like a nameless person or a country without a name. It is difficult to accomplish great things. It is a pity that they died before making a decision. However, Liu Qi brought it up at this time.
In shock, Liu Qi continued, "Since you are loyal and reliable, you can succeed me as the governor of Guiyang. You will gain both fame and fortune. What else is there to doubt?"
Seeing that Liu Qi not only did not punish him, but also took such good care of his brothers, Zhao Fan knelt down excitedly and said: "Zhao Fan is willing to go through fire and water for the general, even if he dies!"