Chapter 279 No one will do
The Xie family's affairs are known not only to the owners of these money shops, but also to ordinary people. The Xie family's Jufeng Money Shop and Trading Company have already been taken over by the imperial court; even a three-year-old child in the imperial court probably knows about them now.
Therefore, when Jiang Yu said that the large-scale issuance of silver notes could only be handled by Jufeng Money Shop, many officials and commoners nodded in agreement. Everyone knew that matters of money were of utmost importance, and entrusting such matters to the imperial court was the safest course of action.
Jiang Yu's words resonated with the people, which only increased Bao Tianheng's fear. Large beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he regretted getting involved in the power struggles of officialdom.
"Sir, the contract."
At this moment, Lu Tianzong took the contract over, and Jiang Yu took it and looked at Bao Tianheng, saying, "Since you are unwilling to sign the contract, then I will tear it up in front of everyone, and the contract between Hengxin Bank and the imperial court will no longer exist."
As she was about to tear up the contract, Bao Tianheng suddenly knelt down and shouted, "No, Duke of Chu, no!"
Jiang Yu stopped what she was doing, looked down at him, and asked, "What? You've changed your mind again?"
"Yes, I have changed my mind. I was just bewitched and... I misunderstood. I beg the Duke of Chu to give me another chance." Bao Tianheng kowtowed to Jiang Yu.
He understood perfectly well that today's operation had failed. Without this contract, his Hengxin Bank would surely go bankrupt, and the mere matter of exchanging the banknotes would be enough to cripple the Bao family.
Although he will be punished for failing to fulfill the man's request, it is nothing compared to the collapse of the money exchange.
But would Jiang Yu compromise just because he gave in? Of course not. She looked sharply at Bao Tianheng and asked, "Who ordered you to do this?"
Bao Tianheng was taken aback, then lowered his head and said, "No, no one instructed me. I... I was just momentarily bewitched."
"Hehe!" Jiang Yu chuckled twice, then forcefully tore the contract to shreds with both hands, saying, "Bao Tianheng hanged himself at the entrance of the government office, causing trouble. Hand him over to the Ministry of Justice for processing. Oh, do you know what the sentence is for hanging oneself at the entrance of a government office and causing trouble?"
Bao Tianheng stood there stunned, unsure how to answer, when he heard Jiang Yu say, "Death penalty!"
Bao Tianheng's eyes widened in shock. "This...no...no...I'm not..."
"Whoosh!"
Just then, an arrow flew through the air and struck Bao Tianheng squarely in the back. With a thud, Bao Tianheng collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his chest. Jiang Yu was startled, then immediately told the guards standing nearby, "Quickly, give chase!"
The guards obeyed and immediately went to find the source of the arrow. Jiang Yu walked up to Bao Tianheng, squatted down, looked at him, and asked, "Who ordered you to do this?"
Bao Tianheng looked at her with eyes full of regret, but kept his mouth shut and didn't say a word.
"You think it's over once you're dead? No..."
He closed his eyes halfway through his sentence. Jiang Yu placed her hand on his neck; his pulse had stopped beating. He was dead.
Jiang Yu stood up with a cold and stern expression, turned to Li Zhengze and said, "Transfer the matter to the Dali Temple."
"Yes." Li Zhengze's expression was also unpleasant. Bao Tianheng's commotion wouldn't affect the reform process of the money shops, but it was extremely disgusting. He guessed the people behind it were also trying to annoy them.
Jiang Yu returned to her study, sat down, and began writing a memorial to the emperor, informing him of the day's events. The identity of the person behind it all was currently unknown, but one person could not escape responsibility: Grand Master of Ceremonies Ke Taining.
Ke Taining's aunt married into the Bao family, and the Ke family has always been the Bao family's support. Ke Taining had previously impeached her for competing with the people for profit, and now that Bao Tianheng has committed suicide at the gate of the government office, it is absolutely impossible for Ke Taining to escape responsibility.
After writing the memorial, she had it sent to the palace, presumably because the emperor knew that the Ke family was the powerful backer of Hengxin Bank. She wanted certain people in the court to know that the reform of the money shops was not to be disrupted by anyone—not the Prince Yong, not the Ke family, not anyone at all.
......
Ke family
Ke Taining was painting in his study, attended to by two beautiful maids. The room was filled with the fragrance of incense, a truly luxurious experience.
"Master, please have some tea." A maid brought a teacup to Ke Taining's lips. Ke Taining smiled at her and took a sip of tea from the maid's hand.
"Master." At this moment, the servant's voice rang out from outside, sounding urgent.
Ke Taining frowned. "Come in."
The servant hurried into the study. Ke Taining waved for the two maids to leave, then frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Master, something terrible has happened," the servant said. "Bao Tianheng has died at the gate of the Secretariat."
"What?" Ke Taining was so shocked that he dropped his pen. He asked urgently, "What exactly happened?"
The attendant immediately recounted how Bao Tianheng had hanged himself at the entrance of the Secretariat, how Jiang Yu had come out to resolve the situation, and how Bao Tianheng had been shot to death by an arrow.
After hearing this, Ke Taining sat there, stunned for a long time, not knowing what to do. He never expected that Bao Tianheng would be so audacious as to cause trouble at the entrance of the government office, which was a capital offense.
He abruptly stood up and paced back and forth in the room. Almost everyone in the capital knew about the relationship between the Ke and Bao families, and now that this had happened, he was undoubtedly the first suspect. But he really hadn't let Bao Tianheng cause trouble today!
"Master, why don't you go and find the Duke of Chu?" the attendant said cautiously, looking at him.
"Yes, yes, go find the Duke of Chu and explain to him that today's events have nothing to do with me." Ke Taining said as he walked out. It would be easier to explain to the Duke of Chu than to the Emperor.
"Master," the attendant whispered, following beside him, "shouldn't we send some gifts to the Duke of Chu?"
Ke Taining stopped in his tracks. "Yes, we have to give a gift."
He turned and walked towards the study, took a box from a hidden compartment, and quickly walked out with it in his arms.
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