Chapter 489: 489
Chapter 489: The Major Figures
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Winter had passed, but spring had yet to arrive . The previous night, a gust of chilling wind blew through and immediately froze the tender new growths outside Ming Garden walls to death, covered in an unlucky pale white .
Ming Qingda slightly closed his eyes .
He had long guessed that the other party would propose this . Furthermore, if he put aside the humiliation of his family having been manipulated, if Zhaoshang money house's owner actually owned a share of the Ming family and the two sides joined together, the funding would immediately become abundant . In the future, their growth would be unlimited…to the point they wouldn't even care about Dongyi and Taiping money house's attitude .
Ming Qingda's emotions calmed . After considering for a while, he said, "How much do you want?"
"Thirty percent . " The head shopkeeper let out a breath and lifted his face in a warm smile . "Thirty percent of all of it with the government writing the contract, an irrevocable title deed . "
Ming Qingda had just felt a little better and now immediately sank into boundless anger and mockery . He gazed at the head shopkeeper disdainfully and said, "Thirty percent? Has the owner never seen the world? A mere 4 million liang…yet you want 30 percent of the Ming family?"
"You misunderstand," The old shopkeeper respectfully said, "Thirty percent of all of it refers to the Ming family's shares . The total does not include the shares owned by nobles in the court . Although the owner has wild ambitions, he doesn't have such a large appetite and daring . "
Ming Qingda laughed coldly . The Eldest Princess and the Qing family had a large number of shares in his family . If they had said the 30 percent included the amount of these shares, that would have been great . He could then just watch how they died, in the future . However, even the 30 percent of the rest was a very outrageous amount .
"It's not worth this much," he said coldly, preparing to send away the guest .
The head shopkeeper smiled and said, "The Ming family is the richest in the world . You control not just the lives of people in Jiangnan, but also have tens of thousands of acres of land and countless properties . Of course, a mere 4 million liang was not worth this amount…however, times change . Cash is not the same as property . Even though they are both worth one liang of silver, at different times, they have different values . "
He continued, "In the past, these 4 million liang of silver would only be the Ming family's cash income for a year . Naturally, it could not be worth 30 percent of the shares . However, right now the Ming family lacks cash flow and desperately needs cash to survive . After the owner has the shares, they will provide a great deal of financial support . This 4 million liang now represents a more important value . It is not greedy to exchange it for 30 percent of the Ming's family shares . You are a clever man, so you know that the price the owner has given is already very fair . "
Ming Qingda was silent for a moment . He knew that what the other person said was true .
"This is a big matter . Although I am the head of the clan, I cannot decide alone . I need to think about it a bit more . " He raised his teacup . The head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house . The young man behind him said their goodbyes and then left .
Ming Lanshi walked out from the side . He looked at his father and said anxiously, "Father, you can't give it to them . " Following this, he continued angrily . "Only now do we know that this Zhaoshang money house is shady as f*ck! To think that they've been plotting for our property since a year ago . "
Ming Qingda glanced at his son and shook his head unhappily . He did not approve of his words and said, "Business is business . In this year, if we didn't have the support of Zhaoshang money house, our lives would be even more difficult . The 4 million liang loan, in addition, to cash flow support in exchange for 30 percent shares is actually, as they said, a very fair price . "
"But…"
Ming Qingda waved his hands tiredly . During the negotiations with Zhaoshang money house, he had appeared confident, but he was actually backing up step by step to the point that he developed doubt in himself . After a year of being repeatedly beaten by the Overwatch Council, did he no longer have enough confidence? Did he lose some boldness after kneeling to Fan Xian once and having made countless bitter retreats? Was he used to being led by the nose by someone else?
But…he was the Master of the Ming family!
Ming Qingda slowly said, "Business is business, but since Zhaoshang money house is using underhand tricks…why should we pretend our hands are clean?"
Ming Lanshi felt cold sweat pour down his back and he hesitantly said, "Father, once the matter fails, it'll be a death sentence for the clan . "
Ming Qing laughed coldly . "With the protection of the Eldest Princess, even Fan Xian wouldn't dare to act rashly…a mere Zhaoshang money house, who did they think they are?"
"But Zhaoshang money house must have accounts in their main branch in Dongyi . " Ming Lanshi looked at his father and suddenly felt a chill . He felt that his usually wise father was now gradually becoming stupid and angry .
"We can't care about that!" A glimmer of malevolence flashed through Ming Qingda's calm and clever eyes . He coldly said, "Who can be bothered to acknowledge Dongyi people asking the Qing Kingdom for money?"
"What if we…what if we…" Ming Lanshi stuttered, "sell land and houses? Although this is a lot of silver, we can still afford to return it . "
Ming Qingda said darkly, "If you can think of it, do you think they haven't thought of it? The court strictly prohibits the private sale of land . If it was a small clan it could be done . If we sold this much land, how could it not alert the government? All the paperwork would take at least a year…Zhaoshang money house is willing to take a 30 percent loss to have us pay the debt early . Why is that? Of course, it's to force us to split our shares . "
The old master's heart suddenly sank . He remembered that the court's strict law against selling land had been one of the new policies forcefully pushed forward by the mistress of the Ye family back in the day .
Ming Lanshi left with his face the color of dirt . He guessed what his father would do but didn't know how his father would do it . He only knew that his father had finally lost his reason under the storms the family had experienced and the pressure of this year . Although he still managed with difficulty to maintain a glimmer of clarity and felt that it was better to work with Zhaoshang money house, because of the matter he had long kept secret, he also didn't dare open his mouth to persuade his father of anything .
…
…
That night, there was suddenly a scratching sound on the paved streets in Suzhou . It sounded like an old mouse that had been trapped in his hole all winter and suddenly smelled the fragrance of a delicious dessert, and used the protection of the night to sneak out .
However, there were only three mice . Three aces wearing black night-walking clothing . They easily broke through Zhaoshang money house's defenses and directly went into the back hall .
The defenses around the money house had always been very strict . In addition, the identity of the person behind Zhaoshang money house had secretly invited a number of jianghu aces . However, the defensive abilities of these guards could not stop the lighting strike attacks of the three night-walkers . From this, one could see the superior power and capability of these three .
The scariest thing were the long swords in the attackers' hands . The sword seemed to be sealed with some kind of magic power . The sword swung through the air without sound . It went out and never returned . It pierced with the anger of heaven, and its imposing atmosphere always pushed forward and never turned back . In a moment, they had left a dozen bodies in the stall of the money house and the ground covered in fresh blood .
No one had the time to give a wretched cry for help .
However, these three very powerful swordsmen found a very large obstacle in the money house's back garden .
They had clearly seen the box of lending receipts the head shopkeeper of Zhaoshang money house had held tightly to his chest . However, they were unable to pierce the other person's throat with the tip of their swords .
Even the leader, who was an extraordinary ace, was unable to do it .
Since his superior mountain splitting and river parting green sword was in his hand, it was enveloped by a green banner that seemed weak but actually contained boundless power .
With three rasps, the swordsmen drew back the swords and raised their hands, bowing to the young man holding the green banner .
The martial arts had their own honor . Having carried out an assassination to this stage, it had become a contest of skill .
The green banner had already been shredded into countless pieces by the brilliant and steady sword intent . The words "Tie Xiang" written on it had also become little black dots on the shredded cloth . The young man, who once went by Tie Xiang and now went by Thirteenth Wang, held the bare banner pole in his hands and looked at the black-clothed man with the air of a master and a green sword in his hand . He slowly lowered his head to return the bow .
"You first . "
The black-clothed man took off the scarf covering his face . His expression was severe . His three-forked beard floated lightly in the breeze . He lifted his sword cautiously and channeled all of his focus into the sword and gently raised his lips to speak .
Even given Thirteenth Wang's fearless attitude and careless personality, even he couldn't help but be moved when he abruptly saw this person's face .
If Fan Xian were here, once he saw the black-clothed man's face clearly, he would probably also immediately turn and leave . Not staying a moment longer .
Yun Zhilan, the lead disciple of Dongyi's Sigu Jian . The superior ninth-level sword master Yun Zhilan .
Thirteenth Wang's right hand held the banner pole tightly . His pupils constricted slightly . He was very nervous .
The two night-walkers who had followed Yun Zhilan into Zhaoshang money house were aces from Dongyi . They saw Yun Zhilan lift his sword in preparation to fight face-to-face, so they respectfully retreated to one side . In their hearts, although the young man holding the banner pole had deep cultivation, as long as he wasn't a Great Grandmaster or someone weird like the Qing Kingdom's Fan Xian, then they would certainly be unable to stand against one of Yun Zhilan's attacks .
Thirteenth Wang stared at him in a daze and suddenly said, "Have you…recovered?"
Yun Zhilan furrowed his brows and slowly said, "You know me?'
Last spring, Yun Zhilan had traveled to Jiangnan alone . One reason was that he wanted to secretly watch his female disciples train but, most importantly, his goal was to watch for an opportunity to assassinate the Jiangnan Road imperial envoy, Fan Xian . However, the ending of the matter was a bit bitter . The swordmaster of a generation only sat on a fishing boat and glanced at Fan Xian from a distance before falling into the Overwatch Council's trap .
Until today, Yun Zhilan still remembered that streak of sword light that had mysteriously appeared from the water . He was secretly chilled because that mysterious attack had given him his heaviest injury since the start of his career . News of his injury had also been strictly controlled . Presumably, Qing court also didn't want to stir up a diplomatic crisis . When Thirteenth Wang asked him if he had recovered, Yun Zhilan was shocked .
Thirteenth Wang smiled a little helplessly and said, "You are the sword master of a generation, so how could you be a thief for someone?"
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login