C39 (1/2)
Only with the protection of the three experts did Zhang Zhou feel safer. As he left the capital with Guan Yu-niang, nothing happened. However, based on Yun Feng's words, there were at least two groups of people that attempted to get close to them and harbored killing intent. However, they all retreated in the end. Zhang Zhou secretly rejoiced. Thanks to Fu Xiang's reminder, he had made up for it. Otherwise, he would have been in deep regret.
Zhang Zhou would never view himself as a moral gentleman or a kind person! After his negotiation with the Wealth Hall's number one broke down, Zhang Zhou knew that even if the matter with the Ping Wang ended, the conflicts between them would not be resolved easily. It could even be said that they wouldn't rest until one of them was dead! Waiting for the rich and powerful to show off their muscles and start dealing with him, then thinking of how to deal with them? All that was left was to be beaten and masochized! Since there was no longer any room for reconciliation, and Zhang Zhou was anxious to grow stronger, then there was no need to be polite.
So what if you're rich? Do you really think you are invulnerable? No more fire or water? Sorry, I have a lot of things to do and people to do. How can I have the patience and time to play games with you? He would stab you in the back! Even if I don't torture you to death, I still have to skin you alive.
In his previous life, Zhang Zhou had more or less known about some of the historical events. He did not have a deep impression of anything else, but he had seen a lot of insidious plots and schemes that could harm people. He had heard quite a few things about the Emperor's hobbies from Daoist Priest Qinglin, and superstition was one of them. In terms of strength, if Wealth Hall was a vicious dog, Zhang Zhou would admit that he was just a kitten. However, don't forget that in this courtyard of the Tang Dynasty, the only real owners — the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty — were all beasts!
Therefore, Zhang Zhou immediately made a decision and began to act. This was also one of the reasons why he dared to blatantly set such a trap in front of all the merchants of the world and slap his face. It was because only he knew that the day of his misfortune would not be too far away. Zhang Zhou also understood that the matter wasn't over yet, and he couldn't afford to be complacent!
More than ten days later, in the rainy season of Fengming Prefecture, at the intersection of the Ma Tou River and the Ronghuanshui, a flash flood broke out and washed out an old stone tablet.
Zhou Yanxiang was no longer like the previous Patriarch who kept a low profile. He was full of drive and drive. He was no longer able to satisfy his desires and ambitions. He had brazenly tried to curry favor with the crown prince, and this was his first step. The failure of the management right this time had trampled on his dignity and bottom line. In the end, the two groups of assassins both came back empty-handed, so naturally, he would not hire ordinary fugitives, but a true martial arts expert. However, after discovering the three guards, he chose to retreat. Although Zhou Yanxiang was angry, he still had more or less the patience to do so! Unfortunately, the opportunity did not come. Instead, he had been waiting for a strange stone tablet.
”Seal off the news immediately!”
”I'm afraid it's too late!” At the moment of discovery, it just so happened to be seen by an official patrolling the riverbank by the Ministry of Industry. With six hundred miles of emergency, it was delivered to the capital! When we received the news, the memorial had already been handed over! ”
”Pa!” Zhou Yanxiang angrily slammed the table, causing the wound on his palm to rupture again!
”Hurry, report the situation to my father, I am making a trip to the Crown Prince's Palace!”
Zhou Yanxiang had already taken up residence in the capital, so the news had reached him at noon. As for that Ministry of Industry official's urgent letter, it had already reached the capital last night. It was simply too late for him to do anything. Zhou Yanxiang knew that there was no use in talking about anything else now. After interacting with the Emperor Family for so long, how could he not know what was taboo in the Emperor Family? The reason why Wealth Hall did not expand its operations across the country was because they did not want to arouse the Emperor's vigilance and envy. It goes without saying what the consequences of these words would be!
He directly rode to the Crown Prince's Palace on his horse, but was met with the thought of closing the door. The Crown Prince had gone out to visit him, and if he wasn't in the Palace, it was unknown when he would return!
Zhou Yanxiang had also found a few familiar elders, but they were all the same. None of them were willing to see him! How could Zhou Yanxiang not hate him? How could he not be afraid! So what if he was wealthy? In front of the absolute authority of the imperial court, he could not even lift a finger. This was also the reason why he wanted to become an official!
It took him quite a bit of money to learn what had happened that day at the assembly.
The emperor's rare report of the imperial edict making a loud sound was slammed on the desk.
”Which one of our beloved officials can explain these eight words to This Emperor!”
The emperor was angry. It should be said that the current emperor was a person who dared to be decisive and knew what was right and wrong, but he was actually very superstitious! Of course, in this world, there were very few people who did not believe it! Even if one did not believe in ghosts and gods, one could not escape the saying of fate. Who would dare to step out and say that this monolith inscriptions had nothing to do with the Wealthy Class Zhou family? Are you trying to make a joke of the royal family's fortunes? As long as you dare to speak up, you have to at least prove that you are a member of the Zhou family and not one of mine. Since you are not one of mine, you don't have to stand in this hall anymore! Besides, the emperor was not the only person who was superstitious about Feng Shui! In the people, this kind of insinuation had a very survival effect!
The first person the emperor asked was the crown prince, Zhao Qili Rui!
”Crown Prince, I've heard that Zhou Yulu of the Wealthy Class is very close with you. So, what do you mean by saying these words to me?”
The Crown Prince hurriedly went out to kneel down and said in a thoughtful tone, ”Reporting to royal father, this Zhou Yulu has indeed come to your son's house a few times, but your son has never had a deep relationship with him. Your son is also puzzled by these eight words!”
”Don't understand? Humph! Do you want to say those words more so that you don't recognize them? ”
The Crown Prince was frightened and didn't dare to make a sound. At this time, a tall man in a royal robe walked out from the military general queue. It was none other than King Jing, Zhao Qi. She knelt down and started the ceremony.
”Reporting to royal father, this son has something to report!”
”Speak!”
”There are many villages and counties in the Southern Ten Prefectures. Rumors have been circulating since long ago. The imperial government decreed that this should be done in accordance with the rules of the Wealth Hall! Regardless of the meaning of these eight words, this Hall of Wealth should have taken control of it! ”
The tone of the emperor became colder and colder. His words were like he was scolding Zhao Qi for being too harsh on her. However, his gaze swept across all the civil and military officials.
”There's been a rumor about this for a long time! Rumors had already spread! Normally, he would just ignore them? You won't listen? I have also heard that the Wealth Hall is extremely wealthy, especially in the ten prefectures of the south of the capital. A human's heart is not satisfied with swallowing an elephant. Some things must wait until the end is not enough before thinking of tidying up?! If that monolith is smashed, it should be sent to the capital, not to my eyes! ”
Then he looked at his two sons kneeling below him and snorted, ”Crown Prince, you have to be more careful when doing things for people. Don't get too close with those petty people!”
”This son knows his wrongs and will definitely not do it again!”
He then looked at his eldest son, King Jing, with an unreadable look in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but just gave the order to retire from the imperial court.
A day had passed, and the Rich Hall was no different from the Branch Division of the Flying Flood Dragon Gang in Hezhou. Just like Zhang Zhou had guessed, as long as he tripped the Wealth Hall, neither the political enemy nor the business rival would miss this opportunity to add insult to injury. It would be polite to take a few steps to vent his anger, how could he be willing to let him get up again? Countless letters denouncing the wrongdoings of the Wealth Hall and denouncing its violation of the law were sent to the books of the various prefectures' yamen. The yamen's handling of the case was fake, taking advantage of the situation to fish for benefits was real! Seventy to eighty percent of the rich and powerful businesses were affected, and a large number of banks and casinos were sealed off! Countless numbers of people involved were captured!
There were also many officials who had received benefits, were grateful, and had their interests interconnected. Suppressing the pressure, they showed mercy, allowing the Wealth Hall to gain an extremely critical period of time to breathe. He had used up all his former friendship and hollowed out all the money he had to atone for his sins by donating them to the imperial government. Only then did the rich hall barely manage to survive, but all of the industries in Qi Lang Prefecture, Liang Prefecture, Gan Prefecture, Huizhou, Huizhou City, Phoenix Cry Prefecture, and the capital were all lost. Half of the other prefectures' industries had also been forcibly stolen away, and the right to manage Zeroxiang, which he had just obtained, had been forced to cede six prefectures, leaving only the two prefectures of Qing and Ying Prefectures. It couldn't be said to be a hundred years, but at least thirty years of hard work had gone into the pockets of others just like that.
The already severely ill old Hall Master Zhou fell ill, but his anger soon died down. Zhou Yanxiang was also struck so hard that he was barely able to recover.