The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 139 The Emperor Who Wanted to Rob
As the saying goes, it is easier to be an official if you have someone in the court. In order to get care and support, local officials would give gifts to officials in Beijing, and officials in Beijing would reveal some policies in the capital to local officials in advance, or speak for them in the court. Thus, a model of interest exchange was formed in which officials in Beijing took care of local officials and local officials showed respect to officials in Beijing, and even the related government offices were the same.

The busiest season for inns and restaurants in the inner city is the twelfth lunar month of each year. At this time of year, the cronies of local officials would come to Beijing to give New Year gifts to the officials in Beijing, so during this month, the prices of inns and restaurants, whether wine, food or rooms, would double compared to usual.

However, an unusual scene occurred this year. It was only mid-September, but the inns and restaurants in the inner city entered the peak season. Even the inns and restaurants on several main streets in the outer city were doing booming business.

The God of Wealth from Jiangnan has come to Beijing.

Inside the Hengshu Pawnshop, Xue Pan sat down on a guest chair outside the counter, crossed his legs, slowly picked up the tea bowl, and then put it to his mouth to sip it, obviously in a good mood.

The shopkeeper in the tall cabinet was typing away on his abacus with a crackling sound and his writing brush was drawing circles on the account book.

There was the sound of horse hooves, and a fast horse galloped to the door and stopped.

Xue Pan cast his gaze over there.

The man on the horse was obviously very familiar with Xue Pan. After he got off the horse, he immediately went into the pawnshop, bowed to Xue Pan, and called out, "Big Brother."

It was Xue Pan’s cousin, Xue Ke.

Xue Pan nodded, then looked behind him, then frowned: "Why are you here alone? Where are the steward and the waiter? Hey, didn't you arrive before the tenth? Why did you come only now?"

Xue Ke replied, "Originally, we were scheduled to arrive in Beijing before the tenth day of the first lunar month, but then my mother suddenly developed a phlegm disease."

Xue Pan: "Oh? How's it going?"

Xue Ke: "The doctor said that as long as you take good care of yourself and rest well, the disease will improve."

Xue Pan nodded and said, "Sit down and talk." He then said to the servant beside him, "Go back and tell the Madam what happened."

The servant replied, “Yes.” and walked out quickly.

A waiter came over with tea.

Xue Ke took the tea bowl and took a few sips before putting it down.

Xue Pan took a sip of tea and continued, "Your sister made it very clear in the letter. This is a rare opportunity. If we do it well, our Xue family can immediately turn things around. If we fail..."

Xue Ke stood up quickly and said, "Don't worry, big brother. In addition to the managers and clerks who followed my father on the business trip, I have also invited a few veterans who have been to Shaanxi. Once we get to Shaanxi, we can just hire a few locals who are familiar with the Hetao area."

Xue Pan waved his hand and said, "Just take care of the caravan, and don't worry about the Hetao area." At this point, he lowered his voice and said, "After we get out of the customs, there are cavalrymen from the army to lead the way."

Xue Ke nodded.

A smile appeared on Xue Pan's lips: "Don't worry, do it boldly. We have a strong backer behind us. We are not afraid of anyone except the royal family."

Xue Ke was so surprised that he couldn't believe it: "Really?"

Xue Pan was anxious: "I'd be a cuckold to lie to you!"

Xue Ke was stunned for a moment, wanting to laugh but not daring to, so he had to pick up the tea bowl.

Xue Pan suddenly remembered: "Where are the manager and the clerk?"

"Didn't my elder sister say that General Li sold a lot of cattle and sheep to the local people? So I asked them to go directly to Shaanxi to buy those furs, so that they can make some money before the New Year."

Xue Ke put down the tea bowl and continued, "Mother and Qin'er have also come to the capital by water. There are many famous doctors in the capital, so maybe they can cure the disease."

Xue Pan: "When the time comes, let my aunt invite a doctor to come and take a look. I won't say anything more. The foot of the emperor and the foot of the imperial city are the real places of wealth and elegance." As he spoke, his eyes sparkled. "In a few days, I will introduce you to some sons of noble families and take you for a good tour so that you can see the world."

As they were talking, a middle-aged man dressed as a manager asked his waiter to carry in a wooden box from outside the door.

The middle-aged man folded his arms and said, "Uncle Xue is here."

Xue Pan nodded.

The owner of Xue's pawnshop walked out of the counter and looked at the middle-aged man: "Old rules?"

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Old rules." He then said to the waiter, "Open it and show it to Master Xue and the shopkeeper."

The lid of the box was opened by the clerk, and inside was full of antiques and curios.

The shopkeeper picked up the antiques and looked at them carefully, then turned to Xue Pan and said, "Master."

Xue Pan waved his hand.

The shopkeeper walked back to the counter and took out a pawn ticket and handed it to the middle-aged man. The pawnshop clerk then carried the wooden box to the counter and the shopkeeper followed him in.

After a long time, the shopkeeper finally came out, accompanied by several pawnshop clerks carrying two large wooden boxes.

The shopkeeper: "Open it!"

The pawnshop clerk opened the lid of the box and found that it was full of government silver worth fifty taels each!

Xue Ke was shocked. Where did the Xue family pawnshop get the official silver?
The middle-aged man did not count them, but waved his hand and said, "Take them away." He nodded to the shopkeeper and turned to Xue Pan, "After we are done with this busy period, our boss will hold a banquet at home. Please come and have a look, Master Xue."

Xue Pan: "Okay, okay."

Middle-aged man: “Don’t bother me.”

Xue Ke looked at the middle-aged man's back as he disappeared outside the door, and asked Xue Pan, "Brother, how could there be government silver in the pawnshop? This is a capital crime!"

Xue Pan smiled and said, "This is the government's money."

Xue Ke was surprised again: "Government money?"

Xue Pan: "You should have heard that the gentry from Jiangnan went to Beijing to buy land. The journey was long, so they couldn't bring silver, so they all brought bills of exchange. But the Ministry of Revenue only accepts cash! They can only go to the money houses to exchange for cash. This is a deal worth millions, and the major money houses simply can't afford so much cash."

Xue Ke understood: "Is that someone from the bank?"

Xue Pan nodded and said, "The Ministry of Revenue has made a fortune this time. The box of things just now can earn at least three thousand taels of silver. We will take three hundred taels, and the rest will all belong to the Ministry of Revenue."

After a pause, he said, "The Ministry of Revenue is too cruel. They want to collect fire consumption silver from these official silvers."

Xue Ke hesitated for a moment and said, "This is a bargain that will make you rich by the day."

Xue Pan waved his hand and said, "It's because of the relationship with the second brother Lian in Rongguo Mansion. He is now the Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Department, in charge of the punishment and promotion of civil servants. It will be the end of the year and he will get 200 taels, and we will make 100 taels for free."

At this point, his eyes sparkled, "Now the Jia family is even more powerful. If you had come two days earlier, the East Palace Master would have impeached more than a dozen officials, some of whom were related to Prince Beijing. Now many people are waiting for the East Palace Master's second move!"

Xue Ke: "When are we going to meet General Li?"

Xue Pan shook his head. "General Li is training his troops in the military camp outside the city. I don't know when he will return home."

Before he could finish his words, the middle-aged man called his servant to come in with a box filled with fox and mink skins.

Xue Ke widened his eyes. This money was too easy to make!

The sound of abacus beads could also be heard in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

In front of two accounting desks, a eunuch in red was ticking the abacus.

Dai Quan walked into the West Warm Pavilion holding two bills.

Emperor Yongchang, dressed in plain clothes, stood in front of the imperial desk, reviewing the bills placed on the desk.

Dai Quan placed the two bills in his hand neatly on the desk.

Emperor Yongchang glanced over slowly, his eyes sparkling.

Seeing the light in the emperor's eyes, Dai Quan was secretly shocked. The emperor was determined to kill him!
Emperor Yongchang closed his eyes and said with a smile: "I envy those bandits a little bit. As long as they like something, they can take it back without having to consider anything."

Dai Quan's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. Was the emperor trying to rob the wealth of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River?
"Where is the Jurchen delegation?" Emperor Yongchang suddenly asked.

Dai Quan: "We have passed Shanhaiguan."

Emperor Yongchang nodded, walked to the window and looked at the sky outside: "What do you think of the prince's idea?"

Dai Quan thought for a moment and replied, "Your Highness's method is of course good. However, taxes have always been paid per head. Those gentry will definitely resist."

Emperor Yongchang pondered for a while and said, "Let the prince write a memorial and I will take a look at it first."

Dai Quan: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang: "Send a secret order to Prince Teng, asking him to secretly investigate the property of the gentry in Jiangsu."

(End of this chapter)