Chapter 112 Each Person's Calculations
Soon, the Governor's Mansion, the Prefect's family, the Assistant Prefect's family, the Sub-Prefect's family, the Vice Prefect's family, the Cui family, the County Magistrate's family, the three major merchant families in Hangzhou... all the families with connections in the network of interests received the news about the Qiao family's birthday banquet.
Some people smashed teacups, some broke inkstones, some cursed Min Qiaoshi as shameless, and some wished her death...
However, none of them dared to disobey Min Qiao's threats.
Min Qiaoshi was willing to gamble with their lives, but these people couldn't afford to lose!
If you lose, you will be doomed!
So, starting from the third day, people from various families and households began to arrive at the Qiao family's old residence.
Shops, houses, fields, farms, real gold and silver...
In just three days, one-third of the Qiao family's property that had been divided up was returned.
Yes, only one-third.
What was truly valuable, and what truly propelled the Qiao family into the ranks of the four great merchants, was their share of salt permits.
Unfortunately, none of the three major merchants are willing to renounce their shares now.
And now, no one in the Jiangnan officialdom is willing to let the Qiao family get involved anymore.
Without this, the Qiao family could only ever reach the level of second-rate merchants.
Hearing Qiao Qingping's summary, Madam Min nodded in satisfaction. After thinking for a moment, she advised, "I think we should just let it go about the salt permits. Since they are unwilling to give them, we have already severed ties with them, so there's no need for us to get involved any further."
"The affairs of Jiangnan will eventually be settled. The current government will not allow Jiangnan to remain in chaos forever."
Qiao Qingping nodded: "You're right. These people in Jiangnan are all doing business that will get them killed. Min Ji's elaborate schemes were all just to help the Xuanping Marquis's mansion break free from these people."
"Now, thanks to Min Ji's scheming, the Qiao family has managed to extricate themselves from this mess. From now on, the Qiao family will do legitimate business and live a peaceful life."
Madam Min smiled with relief: "It's good that my elder brother can take it easy. With me looking after them in the capital, those people won't dare to bully the Qiao family too much. The Qiao family's life will be easier."
***
The Qiao family was happily taking stock of the property that had been returned, but those on the other side were not so happy.
The heads of the Zheng, Wu, and Qian families sat together, drinking bitter tea.
The head of the Wu family said indignantly, "Are we just going to let the Qiao family and the Marquis of Xuanping get away with this so easily?"
The Qian family patriarch asked helplessly, "What else can we do?"
Both of them turned their gazes toward the old man with the goatee, the head of the Zheng family.
The head of the Zheng family pondered for a moment, then said leisurely, "The Dowager Lady of the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion is abusing her power in the Jiangnan region, extorting money on behalf of her family. If we were to have someone report the Xuanping Marquis's Mansion, wouldn't the Marquis write a letter to Min Qiao's family to cause trouble?"
Qian and Wu's eyes lit up. "Yes! Definitely!"
"Who knows, the Marquis of Xuanping might even send Lady Min back to the capital sooner."
"A woman obeys her husband after marriage, and her son after her husband's death. Doesn't Madam Min Qiao have to listen to her son now?"
The three discussed it and decided that the method was feasible, so they immediately sent someone to the prefect's house.
Meanwhile, the Cui family was also arguing with the prefect.
Unfortunately, two of the three conditions proposed by Madam Min Qiao were related to the Cui family.
The mastermind behind the massacre of the entire Li family was the Cui family.
It was the Cui family that initially used this as leverage to force the Li family to seize the dowry house belonging to Min Qiao Shi.
Now, the Cui family must be in for a headache.
"My lord, Madam Min is going too far! If she wants the house, we'll give it back to her! I've already lost a daughter because of her, do I have to lose a nephew because of her threats too?" Cui Cheng said angrily.
"Isn't this what your Cui family brought upon yourselves?" Prefect Liu glanced at Cui Cheng with a half-smile. "The Min Qiao family has just returned and hasn't even done anything yet. Your Cui family has already been scared out of its wits and made one foolish move after another."
"Look at them, the Zheng, Wu, and Qian families have squeezed every last drop of profit out of the Qiao family. Now that Madam Min is back, are they panicking?"
Prefect Liu looked down on the Cui family. That's how it is when poor people suddenly become rich—they can't stand up to scrutiny. They start to panic over the smallest things.
Cui Cheng's face stiffened, then he awkwardly defended his family, saying, "Sir, you know the situation. The Cui family is different from the others. The Cui family used to be related to the Qiao family by marriage..."
However, when the Qiao family was declining, they stabbed them in the back, kicking them straight into the abyss.
The Qiao family has fallen to such a state that, apart from the deceased Min Ji, the one who probably hates them the most is the Cui family!
How could they not panic?
However, on the other hand,
Previously, the Cui family relied on the Qiao family to establish themselves in Hangzhou.
If the Qiao family, their powerful backer, is about to fall, won't they have to find a new one?
In order not to fall along with the Qiao family, wouldn't they have to stab the Qiao family in the back and make their stance clear to others?
Moreover, a less ruthless approach would not demonstrate the Cui family's determination to sever all ties with the Qiao family.
They went too far in their attempt to distance themselves from the Qiao family. Now that Madam Min Qiao has returned, they've panicked and made a terrible mistake, resulting in this predicament.
It can only be said that cause and effect are cyclical, and everything has a reason.
Cui Cheng didn't finish his sentence, but Prefect Liu understood what he meant.
After thinking for a moment, she gave him some advice: "The house must be returned, and it should be a brand new, magnificent mansion in a prime location, far more valuable than the dowry house that Madam Min Qiao was given."
Cui Cheng's lips twitched. How much money would that cost?
The Cui family hadn't gotten much money from the Qiao family to begin with, and later they poured a lot of their savings into getting this official position.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have set their sights on Min Qiao's dowry house in the first place.
Isn't it all because we're poor?
Now, if he were to come up with a large sum of money to buy a new house for Madam Min, where would the Cui family possibly get the money?
Prefect Liu didn't care about all that and said meaningfully, "Those three families just sent word that they'll provide the money, and I'll provide the effort, to find someone to impeach the Marquis of Xuanping's family. Sending your house over there would be the best evidence, wouldn't it?"
"If you want Madam Min to leave Jiangnan and return to the capital as soon as possible, then do as I say and send her the house!"
Cui Cheng remained silent for a while, then finally sighed and nodded heavily: "Alright. I'll sell everything I own to send her the house!"
"What about Cui Hao..." Cui Cheng looked at Prefect Liu with hopeful eyes.
The only capable descendant of the Cui family right now is Cui Hao! He can't let anything happen to Cui Hao!
Prefect Liu looked at Cui Hao as if he were a fool and reminded him, "Doesn't Madam Min just want a murderer? Just find one for her!"
Cui Cheng frowned slightly, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Prefect Liu shook his head and said with disdain, "Isn't that simple? If you can't touch Cui Hao, then go after your useless sons and nephews! If all else fails, can't your Cui family find a collateral descendant to take the blame?"
Cui Cheng still frowned and hesitated, saying, "Sir, could we please not involve the Cui family in this matter?"
If word gets out, how will he ever have the face to remain an official?
Prefect Liu's face also darkened. After thinking for a moment, he gave him a suggestion: "Does your Cui family have any enemies? Push the person out and say that they are looking for revenge against the Cui family. Unexpectedly, people will misunderstand that it was Min Qiao's doing. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"
Seeing that Cui Cheng wanted to say something more, Prefect Liu became impatient, gave Cui Cheng a cold glance, and said in a chilling voice, "Don't tell me that your Cui family has no other enemies besides the Qiao family! Humph!"
Without giving Cui Cheng a chance to speak, he served the tea.
Seeing this, Cui Cheng had no choice but to slink away.
As soon as Cui Cheng left, the advisor came out from behind the screen.
"My lord, the Cui family is so foolish, is there any need to keep them around?"
Prefect Liu curled the corners of his lips. "Whether we keep them or not depends on what Madam Min Qiao plans to do with the Cui family. Wasn't the very reason we kept the Cui family around in the first place to prepare for this day?"
The advisor said with a smile, "It is indeed the foresight and thoroughness of you gentlemen. You were able to foresee this more than ten years ago. You even deliberately created the Cui family, the biggest enemy of the Qiao family."
"I imagine that once the Cui family falls from power, Madam Min's anger will subside. Once her anger has subsided and the Qiao family has been settled, Madam Min will be able to return to the capital with peace of mind!"
Prefect Liu's gaze was deep and unfathomable, but he smiled without saying a word.
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