The Royal Merchant of the Red Chamber

In the twinkling of an eye, it was the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and the snowflakes were like goose feathers, coating the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains with a layer of silver.It makes the world become covered in silver in an instant, like colored glaze.

When I wake up in the morning, I can see the bright and bright outside through the window screen.Xue Pan stretched contentedly, got up and went to the ground.

The big girl Hongxiu who was guarding outside heard the noise and walked in immediately.He ordered a group of little maids to serve Xue Pan to wash up with water and other things.

After washing, Xue Pan had a simple breakfast.Zhaocai and Jinbao came in to answer each other.

When everyone entered the study, Xue Pan asked casually, "How's the bidding going?"

Zhaocai immediately replied: "According to your lord's instructions, all the bidders have written and handed in the bidding documents in the manner prescribed by your lord. By the time of yesterday's application, all of them have been handed in."

Xue Pan nodded, and then ordered: "The opening of the bid will be the next day. You tell the guys to cheer up, this is the first time our Xue family has held such a grand event, don't make people laugh at it. "

Jin Bao immediately smiled and said, "How can it be? Don't worry, sir! With the two of us watching, nothing will go wrong."

Xue Pan hooked the corners of his mouth, and said casually: "With you guys watching, I am relieved. It's just that at the bid opening meeting in the future, in addition to the commissioners from various ministries of the imperial court, I also invited the fifth and sixth masters to come to strengthen the bid." The venue. Tell the staff below, don't neglect the two princes because of a momentary negligence."

Zhaocai and Jinbao both bowed down.

Xue Pan said again: "I have a lot of things to do recently, but I didn't have time to ask. Up to yesterday, how many firms participated in the bidding?"

Zhaocai pondered for a moment, and said: "From the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the imperial court, a total of 670 merchants have submitted bids. And each branch has no less than [-] bidders. After all, this is the first time for the uncle. The grand event held is also a matter of cooperation and mutual benefit. I think everyone is very supportive."

Jin Bao curled his lips disapprovingly, and said in an indifferent way: "Isn't it flattering! Recently, there have been many high-ranking officials and dignitaries competing to visit. It is definitely not like the cold and depressed period of time ago."

Xue Pan shook his head nonchalantly, took a sip from the teacup on the table, and said casually: "Everything in the world is for profit, and the world is full of hustle and bustle for profit. To be an official in the court, it is natural to share the same interests. Only when we win together can we all be cronies. In other words, if anyone blocks the interests of the majority of people, he will naturally be disliked."

Jin Bao muttered unwillingly: "They are all villains!"

Xue Pan put down the cup in his hand, and sighed softly: "It's not necessarily true that they are all villains, but it's just human nature to seek good luck and avoid bad luck."

As he said that, he was not happy to be entangled in this topic, and said lightly: "Those bidders must carefully check their qualifications. We are doing business for the imperial court, so we must be cautious. We must choose the best materials." , and the merchants with the most reasonable prices will supply. As for those who try to overwhelm others and shoddy, they can be disposed of as they please, and there is no need to estimate anyone's favor."

The two Zhaocai immediately agreed.

After hesitating for a moment, Jin Bao said again: "The Tong's family..."

Xue Pan raised his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"

"Although Cheng Guogong did not bid, he intends to participate in this bidding. He has come to Fuxi Newspaper several times to make trouble."

Xue Pan sneered, flicked his fingers on the table and said with a smile: "Go back and tell him, just say what I said. Since ancient times, there are no rules and no rules. If you want to participate in my game, you must abide by my rules. For those who want to be a bitch I want to set up an archway again..."

Xue Pan hooked the corners of his mouth contemptuously, and said, "His Tong family doesn't have that much face in front of my Xue family."

Zhaocai and Jinbao had a serious look on their faces, and quickly bowed to answer.

Xue Pan looked a little awe-inspiring, subconsciously playing with a delicate white jade seal.After pondering for a moment, he said just now: "This issue of gossip news, what did you choose?"

Jin Bao said with a smile: "Liu Fang, the son of Liu Biao, Duke of Li, fell in love with Du Ruoqing, the oiran of Qinggelou, and made a fuss about marrying him into the mansion as a flat wife. The angry Duke of Li just rolled his eyes. Liu Fang's wife, Ke Shi Unwilling to be humiliated, please come down!"

"Ping wife?" Xue Pan looked at Jin Bao in amazement, shook his head and sighed, "Liu Fang is really getting more and more confused. Not to mention that Ping wife was just a trick used by businessmen to fool women. The real etiquette How could the family admit such dirty things. What's more, even if you are a real wife, you have to call yourself a concubine when you meet the main wife. Comparable to the Ke family? Even if the Ke family can bear it, I am afraid that the Yushi Ke family will not be able to bear it."

As he spoke, he waved his hands again and said, "Both of them are good-looking families, and they have a good relationship with our Xue family. Let's stop reading jokes unkindly. Let's change the news!"

Jin Bao replied, "No."

Xue Pan said again: "Actually, in the gossip section, you don't have to use today's events. It's okay to use something else."

Jin Bao bent his body slightly and listened attentively.

Seeing this, Xue Pan curled his lips in satisfaction, fiddled with his sleeves leisurely, and said, "For example...in the Western Jin Dynasty, there was a queen Huijia, who seemed to be called Jananfeng! She was the queen of Sima Zhong, Emperor Huidi of the Western Jin Dynasty. He looks very ugly, and he is jealous by nature, brutal and violent. He kills people with sharp knives when he sees who is not pleasing to the eye. Especially for the concubines of Emperor Hui of Jin. I heard that when Jananfeng was still the crown prince, he got Knowing that a concubine of Emperor Hui of Jin was pregnant, he held a painting halberd and smashed it at the concubine's stomach. The concubine's fetus was miscarried and fell to the ground, bloody and bloody..."

Zhaocai frowned, looked at Jinbao, and asked softly, "If you do this...wouldn't you offend the Tong family to death?"

After all, Tong Man'er married into the fourth prince's mansion back then, and within a year of getting married, the two most beloved concubines who gave birth to the emperor's heir passed away one after another.This news was also a sensation back then, and was even used by the prince as a fun to make fun of Tu Zhen.And this incident is probably a great insult to Tu Zhen.Now that the Holy One is in power, do you want everyone to remember this disgraceful past?

Xue Pan shook his head indifferently, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, no one is better than me when it comes to trying to figure out what the Holy One is thinking."

Jinbao and the two said no more.

Xue Pan thought for a while, caring about Tu Zhen's face, and said again: "Actually, there is no need to put it in the gossip section. Isn't there a section in the newspaper for historical anecdotes? Just put it in that position."

Zhaocai nodded and remained silent.

Xue Pan ordered a few other trivial matters in detail, and then let the two of them go out to do business.

He also put on his clothes and was ready to leave the house.

Xin Zhao, the servant by his side, led the horse from the stable to the gate outside the mansion. The weather was cold at the moment, and there were lightly scattered snowflakes in the sky.Xin Zhao huddled in the gatehouse and ate hot soup with the guards. Seeing Xue Pan coming from inside, he rushed out to greet him and asked, "Where are you going, sir?"

"Go to Fuyuan Hall to have a look." Xue Pan responded casually, and then put the saddle on the horse.Xin Zhao immediately got on his horse and followed behind.

Coincidentally, I saw Zhaocai and Jinbao who were about to go to the newspaper office to do errands, and I couldn't help feeling envious.I don't know when I will get to that point.

But he also knew that if it was about scheming, he wouldn't be in a hurry for these two even if he flattered him.His father also told him that he only focused on walking behind the uncle.The uncle is the most kind-hearted, but he is also protective of his weaknesses by nature.As long as he follows him wholeheartedly for a few years, even if he doesn't gain power by attracting wealth and making treasures, his prosperity will be incomparable to others.

All the way to the Fuyuan Pavilion without a word, although it is not too late, the lobby is already full of guests.Especially the pastry shop is full of people, shoulder to shoulder.All of them were sent by rich people to buy snacks and fruits for Chinese New Year.

Xue Pan went straight into the lobby and went straight to the private room on the second floor.After going in and sitting for a quarter of an hour, the steward Tian Yangsheng brought his son Tian Wenjing over to greet him.

After a few gossips, Xue Pan smiled and said, "The bid opening will be in the next day, how are you preparing?"

Tian Yangsheng bowed slightly, and said, "I'm going to let the lobby out, and all the corridors on the second and third floors have been filled with seats, and there are a few private rooms with better views, all of which have been vacated. Don't worry, sir, it can accommodate 1 people." There is absolutely no problem."

Xue Pan nodded, and said casually, "I'm sure you're doing things, but the fifth and sixth masters are also coming to see the excitement, so you have to prepare carefully."

Tian Yangsheng pondered for a moment, and said: "I originally thought to leave the private room on the second floor facing the stage in the hall to the uncle. If the uncle agrees, when the fifth and sixth masters come over in the future, I will leave them Take it to the private room. How about it?"

After all, in terms of status and dignity, there is nothing more appropriate than Xue Pan's greeting in person.

Xue Pan thought for a moment, then said: "That's fine. It's just that the bid opening meeting in the future will be the first time my Xue family holds such a grand event. To avoid omissions, I may not stay in the private room. I will tell you later Instruct the servants to wait carefully, and you must not be negligent."

After all, Prince Zhonglian and Prince Zhongrui are now Xue Pan's most valued allies.It's really not beautiful if there is a grudge because of some trivial things.

Tian Yangsheng nodded and bowed in response.He has been lingering in the capital for so many years, and he is in the restaurant business where welcomes and send to make money. Naturally, he treats people with the most exquisite and considerate manner.Even if Xue Pan didn't order, he would not be rude to such a distinguished guest from Fuyuan Hall.What Xue Pan wanted was to make Tu Ju and Tu Huang feel honored and feel at home.

The two discussed for a long time about the arrangement on the day of the bid opening meeting, before Xue Pan took a sip from the tea cup on the table and said, "To ensure nothing goes wrong, you will send all the guests of the Fuyuan Hall away this afternoon. Let’s go! If you have a big family and a big business, it’s not bad to make a living for a few days. You just need to arrange things properly for the day after tomorrow, and don’t make any mistakes. My Xue family will become the laughing stock of the whole capital by then, and I won’t let you go you."

Tian Yangsheng bowed again.

Xue Pan waved his hand after finishing the matter, and smiled at Tian Wenjing who had been silent all the time: "How are you doing recently? I have been very busy these days, and I didn't find time to ask you, what is the ticket number?" Is your business okay?"

Hearing this, Tian Wenjing's usual Gujing Wubo's face darkened slightly, and he said in a cold voice: "In the past two months, the old customers of Xue's bank have closed their accounts one after another. Right."

Xue Pan raised his eyebrows, put the teacup in his hand on the table in front of him, and asked softly, "Why?"

Tian Wenjing lowered his head slightly, and said, "All the people who canceled their accounts continued to open accounts at a bank named Shengshi. After I secretly investigated, I found that this Shengshi bank was opened by Sun Yao, the son-in-law of Tong Shizhong, the chief executive of the Tong family. And these Each client is more or less...all related to the Tong family. If they are not the son-in-law of the Tong family, they are sisters-in-law with the daughters of the Tong family. In short..."

Hearing this, Xue Pan curled the corners of his mouth in disdain, and said with a playful smile, "It's the Tong's family again? There are even those who want to die."