Lu Fan pondered for a while and said: "There are two famous restaurants in Pingjiang Mansion, one is called Hui Tower and the other is called Qingfeng Tower. Behind them are the proprietors. I heard that the proprietor's surname is Liu. It is said that he was once the author of Bianliang.
A famous grain merchant..."
"Yes! This is the person. According to the information we received, the proprietor of Taibai Restaurant is the four major grain merchants in Bianliang."
Zhong Huan asked again: "Can I get his detailed information?"
"I can give it a try!"
Lu Fan said slowly: "I know a few people and businessmen in Pingjiang Mansion who are very well-informed. Not only are they well-informed, but they also have a wide range of connections. They can find out anything they want to know. It's too late today. I'll tell you tomorrow morning."
Go find them, General Zhong will come over at this time the day after tomorrow, and there should be news."
........
Zhong Huan took Mei Wu back to the inn and had dinner at the inn. At this time, Uncle Jiang also came back.
"Uncle Jiang, have you had dinner? I'll ask the shopkeeper to bring another one."
"No need, I ate at my cousin's place."
Uncle Jiang sat down and drank some water, and said to Zhong Huan: "My cousin told me that there are a large number of powerful people and rich people in the Northern Song Dynasty here in Pingjiang Mansion. There are several people named Liu. The owner of Huilou is named Liu. Qingfeng
The proprietor of the restaurant is also named Liu. Both of them are very wealthy and may be the proprietors of Taibai Restaurant."
Zhong Huan frowned, "But Manager Lu from Changxi Trading Company told me that the proprietors of Hui Tower and Qingfeng Tower are the same person!"
"Definitely not. Moreover, these two people are enemies and have a deep hatred. My cousin is in the wine business and supplies wine to both restaurants. I know them well and there is no mistaking them."
Zhong Huan thought for a moment and then asked, "Did your cousin tell me who the grain merchant in Bianliang is?"
"The proprietor of Hui Tower is more likely. The proprietor of Qingfeng Tower is only in his early thirties. He was a child more than ten years ago."
"What's the grudge between the two families?" Zhong Huan asked again.
"I didn't ask about that!" Uncle Jiang said apologetically.
At this time, Mei Wu, who had remained silent, said: "You can ask the innkeeper, he will definitely know about this kind of thing."
"What do you want to ask me?" The innkeeper walked in with a smile, carrying a pot of hot tea.
Zhong Huan smiled slightly and said: "It's about Huilou and Qingfenglou. I heard that the two proprietors have a feud. Does the shopkeeper know?"
"Of course I know. Everyone in Pingjiang Mansion knows about this. In fact, these two people are uncle-nephew. We call them Lao Liu and Xiao Liu. They are both from Bianliang. They turned against each other because they wanted to fight for a woman. To be precise.
Said she was a famous prostitute."
I got a third statement from the shopkeeper. The proprietors of Huilou and Qingfenglou are uncle-nephew. In fact, this statement does not conflict with the news brought by Uncle Jiang.
"Can you tell me more specifically?"
Zhong Huan said with a smile: "This kind of thing is quite interesting."
"Yes, this kind of thing really arouses people's interest. The woman is Li Rufeng, the courtesan of Baidie Tower. She is more beautiful than the former Li Shishi, and meat and gold are extremely expensive. A night of spring dinner costs 500 guan. Xiao Liu is fascinated by her
He wanted to redeem her body and marry her as his concubine. Da Liu had already been attracted to her a long time ago. Then he took advantage of Xiao Liu's trip to Lin'an to redeem Li Rufeng and take her as his concubine. However, he did not expect that Li Rufeng was very strong-willed and that night
She hanged herself, and her brocade handkerchief had Xiao Liu's name written all over it."
Zhong Huan said with a smile: "I can't tell that this famous prostitute has true feelings for Xiao Liu!"
"I don't know if it's true or not. After Xiao Liu came back, he heard the news and burst into tears. He led his men to beat the old bustard half to death, then went to smash the Qingfeng Building to pieces, and personally led his men to kill Liu. He was so frightened that
Liu fled to Jiankang Mansion overnight."
"and after?"
"Later, someone intervened on behalf of their uncle and nephew, and the two reluctantly made peace, but the enmity was forged from then on. For three years, it is said that the uncle and nephew did not even see each other, and they went to the family temple separately when worshiping their ancestors."
Zhong Huan asked again: "Is there anyone else in their family?"
"There should be! I don't know the details. Their family is quite mysterious. If it hadn't been for the famous prostitute incident, no one would have known that the first and second largest restaurants in Pingjiang Prefecture are actually owned by the same family."
Zhong Huan nodded, "Thank you so much, shopkeeper!"
The innkeeper smiled and walked away.
Zhong Huan said slowly: "If the shopkeeper's news is true, then Taibai Restaurant is funded by the Liu family. There should be a real person in charge of their family, and their family's strength is definitely more than two restaurants."
........
The next day he had a day off, and in the afternoon of the third day, Zhong Huan came to Changxi Trading Company again.
Lu Fan smiled and asked Zhong Huan to sit down, and asked the waiter to serve tea. Zhong Huan sat down and asked anxiously: "How is it? Have you found out the situation clearly?"
Lu Fan nodded, "I spent twenty guan yesterday at the county government office to see the title deeds for Hui Tower and Qingfeng Tower. Their owners are indeed the same person, named Liu Zhen..."
"Wait a mininute!"
Zhong Huan interrupted Lu Fan, "I heard from the innkeeper that the proprietors of the two restaurants are different. They are an uncle and a nephew."
"The two uncles and nephews are named Liu Xiang and Liu Shaowu, but they are not the proprietors, but the managers of the restaurant. The proprietor is Liu Xiang's father and Liu Shaowu's grandfather, named Liu Zhen, who was one of the four major grain merchants in Bianliang.
The first is Liu Zhen, who invested 100,000 gu in Lin'an and bought half of Fengle Tower. He also built a large Huilou restaurant by the West Lake. It is said that he also spent 100,000 gu in Lin'an.
Two hundred thousand gu, I heard that he recently invested a large amount of money, I guess he spent 120,000 gu to buy Yi'an Teahouse in Jingzhao."
Lu Fan is very shrewd. He understands where Zhong Huan's worries lie. He explained with a smile: "I have been dealing with big businessmen in Jiangnan all year round. Many of them have bought houses in Jingzhao, but they are very cautious.
My daughter’s name, although the Liu family invested in Taibai Restaurant and spent 120,000 yuan to buy Yi’an Tea House, they will definitely keep a low profile and do not want to be watched by the court, so this is the reason why their family does not come forward in Jingzhao.”
Zhong Huan agreed with Lu Fan's explanation. He kept a low profile and avoided risks. Even if these big families were looking for a way out in Lin'an, they would still be very low-key. They would directly take out 120,000 guan and give an extra 15,000 guan. More or less.
It was also to please King Yong.
Zhong Huan nodded, "This basically means we are facing off against the Liu family of Pingjiang Prefecture."
...........
Zhong Huan thought about it and decided not to visit the Liu family. After all, this is Pingjiang Mansion, not Jingzhao. Once his identity is exposed, he may be put in danger.
Early the next morning, Zhong Huan and two of his men were preparing to return to Jingzhao, but Lu Fan hurried over, "I just received a pigeon letter from Dangtu County. There is news from General Zhong in Dangtu.
It’s very important, General Zhong, please make sure to go to Dangtu County.”
"Thank you for telling me, let's go to Dangtu County."
It happened that Lu Fan had a batch of goods to be sent to Dangtu County, so Zhonghuan and two of his men took a cargo ship to Dangtu County.
"The situation has been clarified, why is the commander so worried?" Uncle Jiang asked with a smile.
"have no idea!"
Zhong Huan shook his head and said: "I always feel that the investigation is not solid enough, and it is still superficial. For example, I did not find out the background of the Liu family in Bianliang."
"That requires Commander Qin to go to Bianliang to investigate. How can we find out about Bianliang in Pingjiang Mansion? Besides, being the leader of the four major grain merchants in Bianliang must be a big deal, otherwise how could it be the Liu family's turn?
"
"you're right!"
Zhong Huan sighed and said, "Maybe I worry too much."
Three days later, the cargo fleet arrived in Dangtu County and docked in Dangtu County.
When Zhong Huan got ashore, he unexpectedly saw Qin Kuangming, the commander of the internal guards. Zhong Huan was startled. Wasn't Qin Kuangming responsible for investigating Bianliang? Why did he come to Dangtu County?