Chapter 570: Gap |
Noon.
The Qi Family carriage was still quietly parked on Chang'an Avenue. The scorching early autumn sun baked the carriage box hot, but Qi Xianzhun inside just closed his eyes and rested his mind, seemingly completely unaffected.
Qi Zhenwu was sweating profusely from the heat and couldn't help but lift the carriage curtain to look out. The alley of the Court of State Ceremonial was still crowded with people.
He turned back to look at Qi Xianzhun, "Second Uncle, it's already past three quarters of noon, Chen Ji won't come. You should eat some traditional snacks first, don't harm your spleen and stomach."
Qi Xianzhun sat upright with his eyes closed, his voice as calm as an ancient well without ripples, "Mencius says, 'Though one has wisdom, it is better to take advantage of the situation; though one has a plowing tool, it is better to wait for the season.' Wait a little longer and see where he goes after coming out of the Cheng Duke Estate."
Just then, a Qi Family servant dressed in plain cyan cloth hurried over and bowed low outside the carriage, "My Lord, I've found out. The Cheng Duke whipped that Second Master Zhu Peide to vent Chen Ji's anger, and then gave Chen Ji fifty thousand taels of silver."
"Understood, step down," Qi Zhenwu's tone seemed puzzled. "Although the Cheng Duke Estate has declined, it is still a Duke with perpetual inheritance after all, a noble personally titled by the Founding Emperor's brush. To act like this, he really has no backbone at all."
Qi Xianzhun opened his eyes, "The Cheng Duke has been hiding his capacities and biding his time for many years, enduring so many things, this one isn't any different."
Qi Zhenwu probed, "But the more he endures, the more it shows he has great ambitions."
Qi Zhenwu closed his eyes and calculated, "Confiscating Yang Zhong's estate should yield about seventy or eighty thousand taels. That was originally intended as an Ice Gift to honor our Qi Family, but our Qi Family didn't accept it. Unfortunately, he took this cheap advantage."
Qi Xianzhun said impassively, "How is wealth obtained improperly a pity? The illicit gains from the Yang Family were originally the root of disaster. Our Qi Family has had a pure reputation for generations, how could we be tainted by ill-gotten wealth?"
Qi Zhenwu hurriedly said, "Second Uncle is right... The Chen Family previously gifted him twenty thousand taels of silver. Although they've separated from the family, Chen Ji should still be holding onto that money. His Capital Morning Post has been running for a few months, and after deducting expenses, the surplus is roughly enough to make up ten thousand taels. Today, the Qian Family offered fifty thousand taels, and the Cheng Duke also gave fifty thousand taels... By this calculation, Chen Ji already has around two hundred thousand taels in his hands. This child actually has a good knack for gathering wealth, raising so much silver in just two days."
Qi Xianzhun brushed off the dust from his robe, "He's just an animal of the same ilk as Zhang Zhuo. Let's go, return to the Chief Surveillance Bureau."
However, right at this moment, the outside of the carriage suddenly became noisy.
Clack, clack, clack, clack.
The solitary sound of horse hooves came from far to near. Qi Zhenwu lifted the carriage curtain and impressively saw a flash of a red figure sweeping past the carriage, heading straight for the Court of State Ceremonial.
The minor officials and coachmen who had been waiting in front of the Court of State Ceremonial all morning backed away, clearing a path for Chen Ji.
Qi Zhenwu suddenly turned back to look at Qi Xianzhun, "Second Uncle, he actually dared to come?"
Qi Xianzhun's spirits rose, and he suddenly sat up straight, "Go!"
Qi Zhenwu hurriedly got out of the carriage and led the Qi Family servants to approach the Court of State Ceremonial, but he didn't get too close. He just mixed into the crowd, waiting for Chen Ji to drag Feng Xi out of the Court of State Ceremonial before having Chen Ji arrested.
But after the time it takes an incense stick to burn, someone in the front row lowered their voice, "Why hasn't he come out yet... Eh? He's out, he's out!"
Qi Zhenwu narrowed his eyes and saw Chen Ji walking out of the Court of State Ceremonial wearing the Qilin Rank Robe, but strangely, he didn't see Feng Xi's figure.
"Where is Feng Xi?"
"Where is Lord Feng?"
The Qi Family servants asked Qi Zhenwu, "Could he have beaten him to death directly in the yamen? Should we arrest him?"
Qi Zhenwu immediately stopped them, "Don't be reckless, it's not that simple."
At this moment, Chen Ji walked out, mounted his horse, completely ignoring the onlookers, shook the reins, and galloped away.
The Qi Family practitioners were about to block him, but Qi Zhenwu suddenly stopped them, "He can't run away. Find Feng Xi first!"
Qi Zhenwu led the family retainers to charge inside the Court of State Ceremonial. He shouted loudly, "Feng Xi!"
"Feng Xi!"
"Feng Xi!"
After a few consecutive shouts, there was no response.
Qi Zhenwu took large strides and saw a minor official as he passed through the hall. He asked angrily, "Where is Feng Xi?"
The minor official of the Court of State Ceremonial pointed inside and said, "Lord Feng is in the exquisite room at the back."
Qi Zhenwu barged into the exquisite room and saw Feng Xi shrinking in the corner. He went up, grabbed Feng Xi's collar, and asked angrily, "Why are you still alive? What did you say to Chen Ji, why did he let you go?"
Feng Xi said trembling with fear, "I didn't say anything! He came in, sat on a chair, stared at me, and after the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he left on his own."
Qi Zhenwu was stunned.
He threw away Feng Xi's collar, walked outside, passed through the crowd, and returned to the Qi Family carriage to inform Qi Xianzhun of what happened.
Qi Xianzhun remained silent for a moment, "This child wasn't really going to touch Feng Xi. Instead, he wanted to plant a thorn between our Qi Family and Feng Xi... What a vicious mind."
He paused, his fingers lightly tapping his knee, "Instead of thinking about how to save his sweetheart, he has the mind to provoke our Qi Family. What arrogance, does he really think our Qi Family are mere clay statues and wood carvings, completely unable to deal with him?"
Qi Zhenwu lowered his voice and probed, "I will have Li Bing mobilize some silver from the accounts. In five days, I will go and buy Commandery Princess Baili... Him trying to compete with our Qi Family in terms of wealth is still overestimating his own abilities."
Qi Xianzhun glanced sidelong at him, "Fool. Our Qi Family is a noble and uncorrupted family, where would we get the silver? If we really threw a thousand taels of gold in the Imperial Music Bureau and bought the daughter of a criminal official, how would the scholars of the world view our Qi Family? Public opinion is like a knife; the Qi Family's hundreds of years of pure reputation would be ruined in a day."
Qi Zhenwu was scolded to the point of lowering his head, "This nephew's thoughts were ill-considered."
Qi Xianzhun's expression eased slightly, "However, we indeed cannot let him raise money so easily again. Naturally, we need to prepare silver, but we don't need to show our faces personally for the matter regarding the Imperial Music Bureau. Recently, I've heard there's a minor official named Cui Qinghe who's close to Zhao Ning?"
Qi Zhenwu introduced him, "I know this person. He passed the palace examination as an Advanced Scholar in the Second Class in the twenty-seventh year of Jianing. First, he served as a County Deputy Magistrate in the capital county, then he was assigned outside the capital to Jinling to be a County Magistrate. His political achievements during his term were acceptable. Now he has taken great pains to transfer back to the capital and holds the position of Bureau Director in the Ministry of Rites... In recent years, the Qinghe Cui Clan has suffered from having no one in the court, so his promotion was a bit slow, but his abilities are considered top-tier. He has been close to Zhao Ning because he wants to attach himself to our Qi Family."
Qi Xianzhun nodded slightly, "Go do two things. First, invite the son of Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Revenue and the son of the Shanxi Merchant Guild president to stay temporarily at the Qi Mansion. Both of them have previously spoken arrogantly, threatening to bid for Bai Li. In your name, invite them as guests to the mansion, saying you appreciate young talents and invite them over to compare poetry and literature."
Qi Zhenwu realized, "Second Uncle means to shelter them so that Chen Ji cannot squeeze silver out of them."
Qi Xianzhun continued his instructions, "Second, have Li Bing mobilize silver from the accounts, but be sure to act discreetly. Don't be in a rush to give the silver to Cui Qinghe, and don't let him know the Qi Family's foundation just yet. On the last day, if we still haven't taken Chen Ji down, give this silver to him and tell him to go to the Imperial Music Bureau and buy Bai Li. Once the matter is accomplished, promise him the post of Bureau Director in the Ministry of Rites, and Bai Li will also be at his disposal."
Speaking of this, Qi Xianzhun sighed, "When that time really comes, Chen Ji will lose Bai Li, and we will lose hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. The only one happy will be His Majesty."
If he had to choose, it would be best to get rid of Chen Ji before then, lest so much silver be confiscated entirely into the Inner Treasury and burned into Alchemical Pills by His Majesty.
Qi Zhenwu thought for a moment, lifted the carriage curtain, and said to the family retainers, "Stay away, guard the carriage, and don't let anyone get close."
After saying that, he looked at Qi Xianzhun again, "Second Uncle, how much silver is appropriate to have Li Bing mobilize?"
Qi Xianzhun's voice was solemn, "To ensure absolute safety, mobilize six hundred thousand taels."
Qi Zhenwu was surprised, "That much? Second Uncle, the silver on Li Bing's side is all lent out as Loan Shark Money. Trying to collect so much within a few days probably won't be easy, and the accounts will lack turnover..."
Qi Xianzhun said impassively, "Business can be done anytime. This current matter concerns the face of the Qi Family. You must clearly distinguish which is more important."
...
...
The third day, early morning.
When the roosters first crowed, Xiaoman had already ironed the Qilin Rank Robe. Chen Ji draped the robe over himself and handed her a few strings of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency, "Go to the Long Life Treasury at Eminent Fortune Temple today and exchange these for a complete string. It's inconvenient to wear them scattered."
There were over sixty temples in the capital city, and their incense was prosperous. Every temple had a Long Life Treasury precisely designated for exchanging Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency and giving out Loan Shark Money.
Xiaoman's eyes lit up as she held the several strings of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency, "Young Master, this is two hundred thousand taels, and you're just giving it to me like this? Aren't you afraid I'll run away?"
Chen Ji fastened his buttons without raising his head, "The monk can run away, but the temple can't."
Xiaoman frowned, always feeling there was something strange about those words, "Who is Young Master going to kill today?"
"My killing intent isn't that heavy," Chen Ji couldn't help but laugh, "Raising silver is the priority."
Xiaoman nervously tugged at the corner of her clothes, "Young Master won't sell the properties Auntie left behind, right? I've turned all those properties from losses to profits... Young Master promised me before that if you took the Commandery Princess away, these properties would be left for me. If you have to sell, sell Baoxiang Bookstore. That shopkeeper is a stubborn donkey, you can't reason with him."
Chen Ji remained silent for a moment, "Fine. Everything I promised you will remain untouched."
Xiaoman instantly beamed with joy, "How much silver is Young Master still lacking?"
Chen Ji pondered, "Although the silver left for turnover at various mercantile houses isn't much, if the Qi Family is determined to raise money, they can probably raise four hundred thousand within a few days."
Xiaoman's eyes widened, "Then there's still a gap of two hundred thousand taels? Where can you go to raise such a huge gap?"
"And that's calculating conservatively," Chen Ji draped the rank robe over his body and fastened the buttons. "Human effort achieves things. There are still two families we haven't visited, maybe we can raise another hundred thousand taels... Let's go."
Fortunately, this wasn't his era, where there were no online transfers. The silver and money at various mercantile houses hidden under the Qi Family were dispersed everywhere for turnover. To transport them to the capital city, it would take at least a dozen days, otherwise, even a million taels wouldn't be enough to stop them.
Chen Ji rode his horse straight to the residence of Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Revenue.
But when he arrived at the Zhou Estate's entrance, he only saw the gatekeeper waiting early. The gatekeeper cupped his hands and said, "Lord Chen, my young master was invited by the Qi Family and went to live temporarily with the Qi Family on Right Prefecture Street. If you want to find him, you can go to the Qi Mansion yourself."
Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then turned his horse and left. Without stopping, he headed to the residence of the president of the Shanxi Merchant Guild, but upon arriving, the other party gave him the same reason: invited by the Qi Family to stay temporarily at the Qi Mansion.
Chen Ji sat on his horse, saying nothing, only lightly shaking the reins and turning the horse around. The sound of horse hooves faintly echoed in the alley, pacing much slower than when he came.
Chen Ji let out a long breath. In this way, the remaining methods for raising funds had also been blocked by the Qi Family.
His hand holding the reins tightened slightly, his knuckles pressing deep dents into the leather.
Two hundred thousand taels might be a lot, but in front of the Qi Family, it was not nearly enough.
Far from enough. (End of Chapter)