Chapter 317: Monkey Show, Debt Collection
"You're going to Yinshan Academy to debate with those great scholars?"
Xia Yan has been coming to eat for free quite frequently recently.
"Ok!"
Jiang Qingzhi had just sent away the visitors from the palace with dozens of slices of toast. He still had two slices in his hand and gave one to Xia Yan.
"Wow! It tastes good." The old man ate with a smile on his face.
When people get old, it is a blessing to be able to eat and drink.
"I advise you not to go." Xia Yan ate the toast and found it delicious. "Li Chang will definitely ask for help. You can't beat four people with one fist. Besides, this topic is too big...
"What is the current Ming Dynasty like? This topic reminds me of the early Song Dynasty, when Emperor Renzong asked Fan Zhongyan and others to write about the various issues that the Song Dynasty urgently needed to change. Li Chang came up with this topic, and his heart is damnable!"
Jiang Qingzhi caressed Duoduo in his arms. "Mr. Xia, do you know how long I have been waiting for this opportunity?"
"You!" Xia Yan was stunned. He was so experienced that he immediately understood what Jiang Qingzhi meant. He suddenly felt that the toast was not fragrant anymore.
"You want to make your position known?"
"Yes, I have been looking for an opportunity to make my position public and raise a banner, but I never had the chance. To be honest, Li Changlai's move really surprised me."
"You..." Xia Yan was silent for a moment, "This road will be difficult, Qingzhi, are you sure you want to go?"
"Mr. Xia knows my ambition?" Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile.
"Unless you are a madman or a fool, how could you be willing to offend the scholars and officials of the world? But you are neither a madman nor a fool. The only thing that can make you so crazy is the Ming Dynasty!"
Xia Yan sighed, "Qingzhi, this is a road of no return. If you fail, you will die. This is more dangerous than seizing the throne and following the dragon."
But I can't turn back... Jiang Qingzhi said: "One must do something in this life to comfort oneself when one is old. Mr. Xia, I once said that I want the Ming Dynasty to last for 500 years. That's not a joke!"
"I always thought you were joking." Xia Yan smiled bitterly.
"They can't cover the world with one hand."
"You don't have to deceive yourself. The scholars and officials in the Ming Dynasty almost have absolute power! Otherwise, why would Your Majesty have to retreat to the Western Garden?"
Xia Yan looked at Jiang Qingzhi, "This day is covered by a layer of darkness, and everyone has chosen to remain silent."
"I choose to tear open that damn dark curtain!"
Xia Yan suddenly laughed, "You, a kid, have such courage, so should I be afraid?"
"Mr. Xia, I'll return my words to you. This road will be very difficult!" Jiang Qingzhi handed the toast in his hand to Xia Yan.
Xia Yan ate the toast, stood up and patted Jiang Qingzhi on the shoulder, "Let's go together!"
Jiang Qingzhi's lips moved, "Okay!"
……
What is a small cotton-padded jacket?
Compared with careless boys, careful girls will always take the initiative to care about their parents.
Compared with heartless children, adults actually need emotional comfort more. But parents are too embarrassed to ask for it. So the girls who take the initiative to care for them become their little cotton-padded jackets.
"Dad, you have been wearing this Taoist robe for a long time." Changle asked, "Why don't you wear the clothes I made for you?"
"After a while." Emperor Jiajing was very patient.
"They said that everyone in the palace was rewarded with a lot of money last time, but are they out of money?" Changle sighed, "Dad, my cousin always said that no matter how much you save, don't save on food and clothes. It doesn't matter how gorgeous the clothes are, just be comfortable."
Jiang Qingzhi is such a person. No matter how fancy clothes he wears, it is uncomfortable for him to wear. It is better to be free in a plain dress.
"No money?" The Taoist was startled and said calmly, "I have money."
After Changle left, the Taoist called Huang Jin.
"The monkey is almost done with his tricks."
"Yes."
……
The last time several powerful people in the capital joined forces to open the market, most people bet on Jiang Qingzhi to lose, but halfway through, a Cheng Yaojin came out and bet 300,000 strings of cash on Jiang Qingzhi to win.
The odds are 1 to 5, million strings of cash!
This is not paper, but silver.
If million strings of cash were given to the Ministry of Revenue, everyone in the ministry would laugh like pigs in their dreams.
This is a gambling debt that cannot be repaid even if these families are sold.
After placing the bet, the man disappeared until he came to urge the money a while ago, saying that the money must be paid within ten days.
As the tenth day approached, several families searched their own belongings and added the money Jiang Qingzhi lost in the bet, but found that it was still not enough...
Lang Qing's eyes were red and he sat in the living room in a daze.
"Old man, are you crying?" Lin Ze made fun of him.
Lang Qing shook his head. "The doctor said you have a fever. Are the bubbles at the corners of your mouth feeling better?"
Lin Ze touched the blister at the corner of his mouth and gasped in pain.
Several other powerful people who were involved in the operation were anxiously waiting for news.
"Hopefully that's enough," Lang Qing said.
Not long after, several accountants arrived.
His face looked a little ugly.
"Even if we sell everything we can at home, we still need more than 300,000 strings of cash."
"We've sold everything we can. Are we going to starve? Where are we going to stay tonight?" Lin Ze stood up suddenly. "It seems there's no other way."
The eyes of several powerful people gradually became fierce.
"I think we should have a good talk with that person." Lang Qing said calmly, with even murderous intent in his red eyes.
"That day, I passed by the mass grave outside the city and saw those wild dogs starving. We are all philanthropists, aren't we?" Lin Ze said coldly, "If that person insists on taking million strings of cash, then it would be nice to give those wild dogs some food."
"I think the gods will also approve of our mercy."
Lang Qing nodded, "That person should be here soon."
With a huge gambling debt of million guan hanging over their heads, they have been extremely anxious and miserable for a while. Now that they are about to show their cards, they are calm instead.
"Serve the food and wine."
Everyone toasted each other and decided on the response during the meal.
"Either die or bow your head!" Lang Qing's eyes were red, "There are only a few people in the capital who can afford 300,000 strings of cash. We are not afraid of the rich and powerful, but the wealthy merchants will wet their pants when they see us. If things go well, not only will we not have to pay a penny, but we can also get some benefits."
Everyone raised their glasses and smiled happily.
"Master, someone said they were here to collect a debt."
Lang Qing looked at everyone and raised his eyebrows, "Please come."
The dignitaries smiled and looked out the door.
A fair-skinned man walked in, bowed, and said calmly: "I am here to collect the debt on the orders of the master of the house. One million and five hundred thousand strings of cash..."
The man took out the receipt and said, "Today is the tenth day, it's time to pay."
Lang Qing said calmly: "Who is your master?"
The man smiled and said, "My master is a freeloader, so I can't reveal his identity."
"Xian Yun Ye He?" Lang Qing and Lin Ze exchanged glances. "Why does Xian Yun Ye He need money? Besides, why do I feel that the certificate is fake?"
As Lang Qing said this, he clapped his hands, and several big men blocked the door.
Lang Qing stretched out his hand, "Show me the proof."
The man looked at the big men and asked, "Are you sure you want to know the identity of the owner of the house?"
Lin Ze sneered, "Don't pretend to be profound, tell me your name."
"What if you don't report it? Then you won't give me the money?" the man said calmly.
"If you don't give it to me, so what?" A powerful official threw the wine glass over.
The man dodged it easily and said loudly: "Hey! Did you hear it? Someone wants to default on his debt!"
no one.
Everyone laughed.
Bang!
There was a sudden loud noise at the door, and then a servant screamed, "The door collapsed!"
There were dense footsteps, followed by screams.
Everyone stood up suddenly, and Lang Qing shouted, "Who?"
The footsteps stopped outside, and a eunuch slowly walked in, his eyes turned, and he said in a sharp voice: "I heard that someone wants to default on a debt?"
"Rui Jingxian!" Lang Qing shook his body. "Did you place the bet?"
The man who came was Rui Jingxian, the supervisor of the East Factory. He said sinisterly: "Don't slander me, otherwise when we search your house, we will throw all the women and children in your family into the Jiaofang Bureau and have them ride on by thousands of people and be suppressed by tens of thousands of people!"
Lin Ze's body shook.
Yes, no matter how courageous Rui Jingxian was, he would not dare to bring people from the East Factory to collect debts for him.
But who can drive him to collect the debt?
Lin Ze shuddered, "Your Majesty... I will give you the money now."
"I'll give you the money right away!"
There were no fools present, and everyone immediately understood who placed the bet.
They are not afraid of the powerful, but they can't afford to offend that person.
Several powerful people completely cleared out their property, but they were still short of more than 200,000 strings of cash. Under the pressure of the East Factory, they borrowed money from everywhere.
In the evening, under the reflection of the setting sun, a row of carts drove into Xiyuan.
"Your Majesty, I got the money."
Rui Jingxian said respectfully.
"Give Changle fifty thousand... Never mind. Too much money for a girl will bring trouble. Give her ten thousand first to buy snacks."
Huang Jin agreed, and seeing that Rui Jingxian still didn't leave, he asked, "Is there anything else?"
Rui Jingxian glanced at him, smiled, and said nothing.
You bastard, you're trying to avoid reporting to me.
Huang Jin sneered in his heart, but his expression remained normal, "Your Majesty, I will go and see if the food is ready."
After he left, the Taoist asked, "What's the matter?"
Rui Jingxian said: "I received a report earlier that Yinshan Academy has invited many great scholars to hold a debate the day after tomorrow. I dare not neglect it, so I asked someone to inquire..."
"Hmm!" Taoist snorted.
Rui Jingxian continued, "It turns out that Li Chang, the headmaster of Yinshan Academy, posted a message to invite Chang Wei Bo to debate. He also invited the great scholar to help."
"Debate..." Daoye said faintly: "What is the topic?"
Rui Jingxian said: "What should the Ming Dynasty be like now?"
"What a big question!" Emperor Jiajing said, "If we don't handle it well, it will trigger public opinion, just like the Song Dynasty, when the new policy was introduced, the scholars and officials all over the world called for it to be punished."
Emperor Jiajing hesitated for a long time, "Has Qingzhi agreed?"
"Yinshan Academy is preparing for the debate and has even demolished some buildings. I think they have agreed."
The Taoist said in a gloomy voice, "Is that idiot going to reveal his cards?"
Rui Jingxian didn't know what the master meant, and said, "The teachers and students in the academy are quite proud and say that this time they will definitely become famous all over the world."
The Taoist suddenly sneered, "Become famous all over the world? Yes, with so many great scholars gathered here, I think victory is a sure thing. Ask Qingzhi if he wants me to give him a few men."
The news came back after dinner.
"Your Majesty, Long Wilbur says no."
"What a heroic spirit!" The Taoist stood outside the palace with his hands behind his back, watching the last glimmer of light in the sky fade away. "The day after tomorrow? I would also like to go and see it."
(End of this chapter)
