Summary of the previous chapter: Ma Xiaoquan handed over the management of the copper mine to Ma Tong, and he led Hua Yue to another destination to take over the salt transportation...
On this day, Ma Xiaoquan was dealing with salt transportation matters. A servant suddenly came and reported in a hurry, saying that the workers transporting salt bags were fighting.
Ma Xiaoquan rubbed his head. This kind of thing happened from time to time among the workers. The reasons for it were various, whether it was to carry more salt bags to make more money, or to grab an extra piece of meat...
.. In short, some seemingly small things will be magnified into big events by porters.
What troubled Ma Xiaoquan the most was that every time he went to mediate a trouble, a foreman would come out to stop him, and then "forced" him to pay for it so that they could solve it themselves.
"Okay, I understand, you can go down." Ma Xiaoquan waved to the man.
The servant didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. Instead, he raised his head and looked at Ma Xiaoquan, as if he still had something to say.
"Why, is there anything else?"
The servant suddenly laughed and said: "Sir, I dare to say something. I wonder if you can stop what you are doing temporarily and listen to me?"
Ma Xiaoquan pursed his lips and said patiently: "Just tell me."
"Hey," the servant nodded and said, "Sir, you have been coming to our Caogang for more than three months, right?"
"Um, yeah, what's wrong?"
"Hey, sir, you have also seen that our Cao Gang is divided into several factions. Among them, there are two factions that are relatively powerful and always dislike each other..."
Ma Xiaoquan raised his eyes, rolled his eyes at the man, and interrupted: "What on earth are you going to say?"
"Hehe" the servant rubbed his hands and said, "Sir, in fact, if we can help ourselves solve this matter, it will be easy to solve. As long as you pay some money and open one eye,
It should be fine soon.”
Ma Xiaoquan nodded. He finally understood. After a long time, this person was one of the two major factions in the Caogang.
"That's it, okay. How about the money? I'll pass Yunyan. Go back and tell your boss that I can pay for it, but I have to investigate the matter clearly. If there is anything hidden, I won't give you the money."
The servant was overjoyed when he heard this, and he quickly raised his hands and said respectfully: "Sir, don't worry, I will go back and report right now. Sir, if nothing happens, I will leave."
"Wait a minute," Ma Xiaoquan stopped the servant, "Which sect are you from?"
The servant chuckled: "I can't say this little one, sir. I'll take my leave."
"You!" Ma Xiaoquan shook his fingers angrily and watched the servant leave proudly.
...
Hua Yue walked in, saw Ma Xiaoquan's face was gloomy, stepped forward and gently massaged Ma Xiaoquan's shoulders, and asked: "Are the workers causing trouble again?"
Ma Xiaoquan hummed softly.
"Well, this matter is really difficult to solve, Ma Xiaoquan. I heard that the two major factions in the Cao Gang are secretly controlled by people from the imperial court."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "I know this, so after these few months, I have been enduring it. Only now do I know that the person in charge of the salt transportation has been changing. I just said, I will come
, why did it take over so smoothly? After a long time of trouble, the previous ones all failed to do as they wished."
"Yes, your predecessor fled because he couldn't stand the oppression of the two major factions, the Cao Gang and the Cao Gang."
Ma Xiaoquan sneered and said: "I knew that bitch Wei Zhongxian didn't have any good intentions. I'm still a bit naive."
Hua Yue smiled and said: "No, no matter what, we still made a lot of money during the three months we stayed in Yanyun."
"Well, that's true, but seeing someone plucking your hair in front of you all the time makes me feel uncomfortable."
Hua Yue said: "Then if you eat meat, someone will eat soup. If you make big money, they will make small money. This is natural."
"Big money? Small money?" Ma Xiaoquan smiled bitterly and shook his head, then picked up a ledger and handed it to Hua Yue.
Hua Yue took the account book suspiciously and looked through it roughly.
"This... we are actually people who make small money?" Hua Yue looked unbelieving.
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and said: "So I said that the two major factions of the Cao Gang are a bit ruthless in plucking out hair. And Yue'er, haven't you noticed that there have been a lot of troubles among the workers recently."
Hua Yue nodded: "Yes, when I first came in, I saw a servant walking out of your study with a proud expression, as if he had eaten honey."
Ma Xiaoquan rubbed his face and sighed: "So I must deal with the two factions in the Cao Gang."
Hua Yue shook his head: "It's easier said than done. I heard that one of the factions is related to Wei Zhongxian, while the other faction is related to Lu Zhan."
"Damn it, Wei Zhongxian and Lu Zhan, these two bastards are still here." Ma Xiaoquan slapped the table in anger, and then there was a "crash" sound and the table broke into pieces.
"Uh" smashed the table, and Ma Xiaoquan realized that he had just used his gravity superpower.
Hua Yue didn't care too much. After all, since Ma Xiaoquan took over Yanyun, this was already the fifth table he had smashed.
"By the way, Ma Xiaoquan, I have some information here for you to take a look at."
Ma Xiaoquan was not in a good mood and didn't bother to read it, so he asked Hua Yue to tell him.
Hua Yue nodded and said slowly: "Although Wei Zhongxian and Lu Zhan are in harmony with each other in the court, they are still secretly fighting each other in private. When you didn't come, the competition between the two factions in the Cao Gang was very fierce.
No one will give in to the other, but since you came, they have stopped because...the Ma family behind you is their common enemy!"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded. Hua Yue's analysis was correct. He had snatched Wei Zhongxian's rights to copper mines and salt transportation. Naturally, the other party would fight to the death with him. As for Lu Zhan, the Lu family and the Ma family were already feuding, so he had more reasons.
He was entangled with Ma Xiaoquan and even the Ma family to the end.
At present, because Li Qinghan, the official title of "Zhurong Saint", is in Beijing, Wei Zhongxian and Lu Zhan do not dare to do anything. However, Ma Xiaoquan is different. He is not in Beijing now, and he also made a false impression and sent a substitute to Ningyuan.
, so Wei Zhongxian and Lu Zhan mistakenly thought that he was far away, and naturally wanted to deal with the Ma family. After many calculations, the two old foxes finally set their targets on copper mines and salt transportation.
Because Ma Tong is in charge of the copper mine matter, Wei Zhongxian can't make any trouble for the time being. Now that the matter has come to this, he will naturally put his disruptive power on the salt transportation. Even if he cannot regain the right to the salt transportation, he will still stir up chaos.
.
As for Lu Zhan, the enemy of his enemy is his friend. For the sake of profit, he is naturally willing to temporarily join forces with Wei Zhongxian until the troubles on Yanyun's side are over.
Ma Xiaoquan rubbed his head and asked Hua Yue: "Yue'er, what do you think I should do? Just sit back and die? Just let them take away the money I deserve again and again?"
Hua Yue shook his head: "Of course not, the salt transportation is controlled by the state, how can it just go into private pockets?"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled: "Yue'er, you say that as if the money from the salt transportation has not gone into the pockets of your family and mine."
Hua Yue laughed and said, "That's different. You are the person in charge of the salt transportation. Doesn't it make sense both emotionally and rationally that you don't get more money?"
"Yes, yes, but is there any way to deal with the two major factions of the Cao Gang?"
Hua Yue pondered for a moment and asked Ma Xiaoquan: "Ma Xiaoquan, when you were in the Han Dynasty, were you aware of the disputes over the duties of our Hua family?"
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a moment and nodded: "Yes, the dispute over the Hua family's duties was very serious at one time, but after I left, I wonder what will happen?"
Hua Yue said: "According to family historical records, after the head of the family Hua Yixi retired, he gave the position of the head of the family to his son. But unfortunately, the tiger father had no son, and his son was not as outstanding as him, so he passed away.
After about ten years, the people who separated from the family took over the affairs of the entire Hua family."
"Split the family?" Ma Xiaoquan asked, "Who is the head of the family who is in charge of, oh, can also be said to be in charge of the family affairs?"
"Well, it's Hua Wuxin!"
"Hua Wuxin? Ha..." Ma Xiaoquan slapped his head, "No wonder, if it was him, I wouldn't be surprised."
Hua Yue was curious: "What, do you know him?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded and recounted to Hua Yue what Hua Wuxin had shamelessly insisted on asking for advice from his Ma family. After listening to Ma Xiaoquan's retelling, Hua Yue shook his head and said: "I see, that's the case, no wonder."
Ma Xiaoquan hummed and said, "But Hua Wuxin can take charge of the two branches of your Hua family, which can be regarded as a manifestation of his ability. Now your Hua family doesn't have any disputes about their branches, right?"
Hua Yue nodded: "No more."
"Well, from this point of view, it can be regarded as a good thing that I, Ma Xiaoquan, did, haha."
Hua Yue gently tapped Ma Xiaoquan's forehead and said, "I'm not ashamed, I'm not humble at all."
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled, scratched his head, and asked, "Yue'er, what exactly are you going to say?"
Hua Yue said: "My Hua family has existed for more than a thousand years since the Han Dynasty. During these more than a thousand years, our Hua family has been adhering to a tradition, which is that we can fight among ourselves, but we will never kill everyone."
Ma Xiaoquan understood and asked: "You mean, let me find a way to instigate the two factions of the Cao Gang, and then let them continue to be at odds?"
Hua Yue nodded: "Although it is a bit despicable, since ancient times, most of the changes in dynasties were caused by internal fighting."
Ma Xiaoquan sighed. It is really impressive that Hua Yue can speak out the cancer of Chinese history in such a sharp way. Indeed, over the past five thousand years of the Chinese nation, dynasty changes caused by internal strife have basically accounted for 90% of the time.
, the rest are just miscellaneous reasons. In this way, it is indeed our ancestors who failed to live up to their expectations. They always knew that they were in trouble and fighting among themselves. Hey, I don’t think about it anymore. If I think about it too much, I will shed tears.