In the guest room, Xu Xiantu briefly told Zheng Quantong what happened in the imperial study today. Zheng Quantong immediately said bitterly: "This must be Qin Hui's accusation against me in front of the emperor, and he actually said that I collaborated with the enemy? This is obviously revenge on me, right?"
! Frustrated his attempt to bribe an insider at the newspaper office."
Xu Xiantu waved his hands and said: "Don't take it to heart about the Beijing News. After all, it is a newspaper approved by the Emperor. It is the result of the negotiation between King Yong and the Emperor. It is written in black and white! The key is the one hundred large ships. The Emperor
I have always been worried about it.”
Zheng Tongquan was stunned for a long time and said: "This matter is very secret, how could the emperor know about it?"
Xu Xiantu said lightly: "How secret this matter is, let the officials from Quanzhou and Mingzhou investigate and find out. What's more, there are other boatmen. You think you are very secretive. In fact, the emperor has known about it for a long time. He was extremely angry about it, but
I have been holding back and waiting for the opportunity. This time Qin Hui asked to arrest you, the Zheng family, for collaborating with the enemy. This is the opportunity that the emperor has been waiting for for a long time to clean up the Zheng family."
"What does the emperor want to do with the Zheng family?"
"I will kill you for collaborating with the enemy and seize all the Zheng family's wealth. Do you understand?"
Zheng Tongquan's face turned pale and his legs trembled slightly, "Then what?"
"I persuaded the emperor, and the emperor changed his mind."
Before Zheng Tongquan could thank him, Xu Xiantu waved his hand and said, "You don't have to thank me. If the emperor wants to kill you, even ten of me can't save you. In fact, it's not me who saved you, but me who moved Chen Qing out. The emperor has no concerns."
Chen Qing will fall out, so he can only compromise!"
Zheng Tongquan breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said: "In any case, I want to thank my husband for his persuasion. Without my husband's persuasion, our whole family would be dead."
This was not said, and without Xu Xiantu's strong persuasion, it is possible that Emperor Zhao Gou would have realized his mistake only after killing Zheng Tongquan, but the man could no longer be resurrected.
Xu Xiantu added: "In the final analysis, the imperial court's finances are too difficult to support the army, so you have to show something and respond to the emperor's compromise, so that he will really let you go."
"I understand, tell Mr. Xu! How much money should I donate?"
Xu Xiantu raised a finger and said slowly: "I have thought about it for you this afternoon. You must donate at least one million yuan, and you must divide it into two, half to the court and half to the inner treasury."
"I understand, I'll make arrangements in the next two days!"
The two said a few more words, and Xu Xiantu stood up and left.
After sending Xu Xiantu away, Zheng Tongquan immediately ordered people to find his two sons, brothers, and nephews.
Zheng Tongquan paced back and forth anxiously in the inner hall. Since Empress Dowager Zheng died of illness last year, he has felt that he is gradually in danger.
First, his qualification to supply medicine to the palace was stopped. Then at the beginning of the year, his wine brand contract was renewed. Seven of his wine brands in ten states were cancelled, leaving only three wine brands in three states. This meant that he lost seven wine brands.
The state’s wine market.
Because wine involves local fiscal and tax revenue, you cannot transport wine from one state to another state for sale. Once found, you will be jailed at the least, and beheaded at the worst.
All these signs indicate that the imperial court or the emperor has regarded him as a fat sheep and is ready to be slaughtered. This time the emperor blackmails him for one million yuan. Although it is nothing in the accumulation of wealth of the Zheng family, it is by no means
A good sign. Once the news spreads, it will definitely attract a pack of wolves to attack the Zheng family. For example, Uncle Wei Guo fell in love with Zheng House by the West Lake.
At this time, Zheng Tongquan's eldest son Zheng Song, second son Zheng Bai, brother Zheng Danian, and nephew Zheng Feng all rushed to the inner hall.
None of Zheng Tongquan's brothers, nephews, or nephews became official officials. It wasn't that they didn't have the opportunity, but it was pointless to be a minor official. They controlled the Zheng family's business and assets respectively.
The Zheng family is mainly engaged in shipping trade, restaurants, shops, pharmacies and other industries, the largest of which is shipping trade. The Zheng family is the second largest overseas trader in the Song Dynasty, owning 200 large-scale ships, and is also the three richest people in Lin'an.
One of the rich merchants, he is the largest spice merchant and the largest medicinal material merchant in Lin'an. He owns the third largest restaurant in Lin'an and more than a dozen other restaurants.
Although the Zheng family did not engage in real estate in Lin'an because the land in Lin'an was basically controlled by the traditional powerful, the Zheng family still spent huge sums of money to purchase dozens of restaurants, shops, warehouses, businesses, houses, etc. in Lin'an over the years.
There are many places to fix wealth in the land.
Of course, the Zheng family has also invested millions in Chengdu and Jingzhao each, purchasing numerous properties. In particular, the assets purchased in Jingzhao have exceeded those in Lin'an.
Zheng Tongquan told his family about today's situation, and his brothers and nephews immediately exploded. They denounced the emperor for being shameless and felt deeply anxious at the same time.
Zheng Danian said worriedly: "Brother, we must transfer our wealth and family as soon as possible. Once the news of our forced donation spreads, all the yamen will come to try to make us think less. This one wants to donate a little, that one wants to raise a little, and if they don't give the money, they will punish us."
Kill us."
The second son Zheng Bai also said: "Uncle Wei Guo came to Zhenglou for dinner today at noon. As usual, he gave him ten taels of silver. The food he ate was only a few hundred coins. It is probably the rumor in Lin'an that he had ten meals somewhere.
, now the restaurant belongs to him, and if he doesn’t give it to the government, it will be sealed directly.”
Zheng Tongquan sighed, "Monks who can escape cannot escape from the temple. If we withdraw, not only will more than ten years of hard work be in vain, so many of our shops, restaurants, warehouses, firms, houses, and markets will be gone.
Lin'an is the largest spice market, earning us millions of dollars in profits every year."
At this time, the eldest son Zheng Song said: "Father, now we are in a confusing and chaotic situation. There are many things that we cannot understand clearly. My son thinks that we can seek advice from wise counselors to find the most effective solution."
."
"Counselor?"
Zheng Tongquan was stunned for a moment. What counselor did he know?
He suddenly thought of someone and slapped his forehead hard. He really shouldn't have forgotten him.
Early the next morning, Zheng Tongquan hurried to the newspaper office and went directly to Wang Mu's room. Wang Mu was Zhang Jun's chief aide, wasn't he a very powerful counselor? He actually forgot about him.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw Wang Mu making tea. In the Song Dynasty, people mainly ordered tea and sencha, but ordering tea required skills and took a lot of time. Once he went to the teahouse, the tea queen would order tea for him.
I usually make sencha. For sencha, I don’t need to grind it into tea powder. Instead, I break up the tea balls directly with my hands and fry them together in the pot. It is similar to decoction, but it also pays attention to the heat and water quality.
Zheng Tongquan walked in, looked at the group tea and said with a smile: "It's not bad, I'll give you a few kilograms of Feng tea next time. I make it secretly at the tea house in Quanzhou. It's usually a tribute, but I can also enjoy it."
Wang Mu smiled and said: "I remember what you said. It would be best to get another set of kiln black lamps. I will be very grateful."
"I have it. I have several sets! I will give one set to my brother Shaofu later."
Wang Mu quickly handed over his hand, "Thank you very much!"
Zheng Tongquan smiled and said nothing. He knew that Wang Mu had misunderstood it and thought it was a folk kiln. The jianzhan he gave him was a fine product from an official kiln. He should surprise him then!
"I have something important that I would like to ask my young brother for advice."
"Dongzhu Zheng, please sit down and talk!"
Zheng Tongquan went over and closed the door, his expression became serious, and he told Wang Mu in detail what happened yesterday. Finally, he sighed and said: "The Zheng family has reached the point of life and death. I am so confused that I don't know what to do."
It’s the best thing to do. Please sir, make up your mind for me, should I withdraw or what should I do?”
Wang Mu pondered for a moment and said: "Dr. Zheng is indeed very risky now. It's okay if he can lose money and avoid disaster, but he is afraid that losing money will not avoid disaster. The financial gap of the imperial court is getting bigger and bigger, so he will continue to take advantage of the Zheng family."
Zheng Tongquan was stunned, "Is there no other way?"
Wang Mu smiled slightly and said: "Since the proprietor has come to ask me for advice, of course I have to find a way for the proprietor."
"any solution?"
"Take two paths. First, transfer your family and wealth such as gold and silver to Quanzhou and turn Quanzhou into the foundation of the Zheng family. After all, Quanzhou is in the hands of King Yong and can protect the Zheng family. Second, ask King Yong to
Help!"
"Would it be useful to ask King Yong for help? He is so far away!"
Wang Mu said calmly: "Why did the emperor compromise in the end? Isn't it because he was worried about breaking up with King Yong? Since even the emperor is afraid of King Yong, shouldn't others be afraid? For example, Uncle Wei Guo, if he knew that there was King Yong in Zheng Tower
Brother, does he still dare to come to dinner?"
For a moment, Zheng Tongquan was in a dream. He seemed to have woken up, but he was still confused.