unlucky ghost

Master Tan returned to the mansion and ordered someone to take 100 taels of silver and send it to Gu Daha.

In the early morning of the next day, the boat at Tanjia Ferry was detained by the people in the yamen.

A group of captors rushed to Tan's mansion in a hurry, and two seals sealed the medicine shop half a street away from Tan's house.

Wang Wenhan hurriedly came to the mansion to report the news.

Master Tan entertained Wang Wenhan in the hall, and two maidservants served tea one after the other.

Master Tan's complexion was pale, he pulled Wang Wenhan, and said, "Wenhan, what happened? Why did the Yamen seize my cargo ship and seal my shop?"

Wang Wenhan said: "Someone in the yamen reported that the origin of the medicinal herbs on your cargo ship was unknown, and the county magistrate sent people to search it. It is true that many of the mountain chrysanthemums in those ships were old goods. Although it was not a big deal of fraud, it was just The quantity is too large to be hasty, and the county magistrate did not dare to delay, so he can only report to the county magistrate first, and temporarily close the pharmacy."

Wang Wenhan said again: "Master, don't worry, buying old and second-hand goods is a common thing for merchants. It was originally a matter that the people would not raise the official, but now that the people report it, the county magistrate has to put on a show. There is an explanation."

Master Tan said: "How can we find old and second-hand goods? My Tan family has ancestors for generations, children are not deceived, genuine goods at a fair price, and there has never been anything wrong!"

Wang Wenhan bowed his head in thought.

"How come there are so many troubles this year, and I don't know which Hades offended." Master Tan paced back and forth in the room anxiously, and said, "Zhou Fei, ask Jiu Qi to come over."

Wang Wenhan hesitated again and again, and said: "Master, let me ask again. I wonder if the master has any enemies? In my opinion, this matter is very strange."

Only then did Master Tan come to his senses, and hurriedly said: "You are right. So many big businessmen don't report, but they come to report my Tan family. In all likelihood, someone is waiting for an opportunity to retaliate."

Master Tan asked again: "Who is it that went to the yamen to report?"

Wang Wenhan said: "A few small merchants are probably instigated by others."

Master Tan frowned, determined in his heart that it must have been done by Feng's family.

Wang Wenhan was still on business, so he was about to leave. Suddenly thinking of Tan Zishi, he asked, "Why didn't you see the young master?"

Master Tan waved his hands quickly, and said with a look of resentment: "Don't mention that bastard, Feng's family came to hand over the post a few years ago. They originally came to lend me ten cargo ships to deliver this year's new tea. I didn't expect to ask this bastard to give it to me." Quietly stopped, I lent this boat to the Guo family, and now the Feng family's nearly a thousand catties of tea are unsalable, and I don't know what the loss is."

Wang Wenhan said in relief: "Master, there is nothing wrong with you, and his Feng family is not a good thing."

Master Tan sighed, and said quietly: "You don't know, I owe him the Feng family, and I have to pay it back."

Wang Wenhan saw that Mr. Tan seemed to have something to hide, so it is inconvenient to ask more questions.

Not long after, Jiuqi also came to the hall, clasped his arms and saluted, "I don't know why the master called me?"

Master Tan looked at Jiu Qi, who was smelling of alcohol, and said angrily, "Old Jiu, you picked these boats of mountain chrysanthemums last autumn. Do you know how many of them are old?"

Jiu Qi was a little dizzy from drinking, he was puzzled and said: "Why did the master say that?"

"Go to the ferry to have a look. The few boats of mountain chrysanthemums you brought back have been seized by the yamen just now, and the pharmacy in front has also been sealed. Why do you still have the leisure to drink so much wine?"

As soon as Jiu Qi heard it, he suddenly woke up. Seeing Master Tan and Wang Wenhan staring at him, he hurriedly lowered his head again, faltering: "This... this..."

Jiuqi faltered for a long time and couldn't speak.

Master Tan saw the clue, slapped a few cases with his palm, and said angrily: "Old Jiu, tell me the truth!"

In [-], he followed Mr. Tan to run the Tan family medicine store. In terms of seniority, even Wen Zhong, the housekeeper, gave him three points. He has worked hard for so many years without any major troubles, and the Tan family treats him very kindly.

Master Tan's slap made his conscience uneasy, he quickly fell to his knees, and said, "I dare not hide this matter from Master. Last year, the production of chrysanthemums was low, and drug dealers from all over the country robbed them fiercely. Many merchants mixed old goods with them. New goods, I thought it would be alright to buy some old goods, once the ship crosses the ferry, everything will be fine, those yamen are in the way of the Liu family's face, so they dare not withhold it, no matter what..."

"You!" Master Tan stomped his feet angrily, "Stupid, stupid, how could you do such things that go against your ancestors and forget your virtues against your conscience!"

Jiuqi knelt on the ground and did not dare to look up at Master Tan.

Master Tan said: "In this way, my Tan family will probably become notorious in the future."

Jiu Qi didn't even dare to vent his anger at this moment.

Wang Wenhan lowered his voice and said: "Master, why not go to the Liu family to intercede, the two young masters of the Liu family are now officials in the imperial court, maybe..."

Wang Wenhan saw Master Tan's expression of embarrassment, so he stopped talking.

Wang Wenhan knew that this was a good face for him.Tan Zi really wants to marry the daughter of the Liu family, and now that her husband's family is not as powerful as his wife's, if he goes to seek connections again, people will probably laugh at him, saying that his Tan family relies on the Liu family everywhere.

"Master, my nephew still has important things to do, so I will leave first." Wang Wenhan saw that it was getting late and he had nothing to say, so he said goodbye.

The magistrate is not promoted either.

The yamen took a long time to check, and the pharmacy could only be closed.

Master Tan has had trouble sleeping and eating these few days.

A letter from the pharmacy would cut off the Tan family's source of income, and the whole family could only sit and eat.

This is simply going to kill his Tan family...

Tan Zishi spent the past few days in a muddle.

It was almost suffocating in the dark study room. I couldn't eat well or sleep well, so I could only look out through the crack of the door every day.

Mr. Zhuge came to give lectures outside the door for several days in a row.

"The young master will definitely be the head of the family in the future, and all the hundred and eighty people in the pharmacy will listen to the young master. When it comes to managing the accountant of the pharmacy, the young master needs to know this sentence - 'choose the person and appoint the position'."

Tan Zishi leaned against the door, covered his ears with his hands, and fell asleep.

Mr. Zhuge thought to himself: "Sun Tzu's Art of War has a saying: 'Those who are good at fighting seek the power and don't blame others, so they can choose the man and take the power.' This means a general who is good at fighting..."

Tan Zishi stuffed his ears with cotton balls, and looked out through the crack of the door. Just now he asked the little pigeon to bring him some peach cakes, but he hasn't come yet, so he must be lazy.

Tanzi was secretly angry, and Mr. Zhuge stopped chanting outside.

Tanzi tilted his head and saw Jiang Han talking with Mr. Zhuge.

After a while, the small door of the study opened wide with a bang, and a gust of cold wind mixed with hot air rushed in.

Because Tan Zishi hadn't seen the sun for a long time, his eyes hurt unbearably, so he quickly covered his eyes with his sleeves.

"Jiang Han, why are you here?" Seeing Jiang Han's serious face, Tanzi's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "Don't you...you want me to get married?"

The little pigeon came out from nowhere, and said with a smile: "Congratulations, young master, congratulations, young master, the cultivation has finally been achieved..."

Tanzi stared at him, but the little pigeon quickly shut his mouth again.

Jiang Han said: "The Liu family is about to divorce, the master told you to go ahead and talk."

Tanzi was stunned for a moment, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry, this matter was a certainty, his father had been looking forward to his marriage for so many years, how could he just quit now?

Tanzi hurriedly asked, "Old man..."

Jiang Han said: "Master, he's fine, he just told you to go ahead to discuss, little pigeon, quickly add a robe to him, the master is still waiting up front."

The little pigeon hurriedly put a thick robe on Tan Zishi.

Tan Zishi had nothing to say all the way, so he followed to the hall and met Master Tan.

Mr. Tan was standing at the door with his hands behind his back, holding an envelope in his hand. Seeing Tan Zi, he hurriedly said, "Your father-in-law is bedridden right now, and Mrs. Liu is going to quit this relationship suddenly, you Come with me, at least see your father-in-law again, maybe there is still room for redemption."

Tanzi looked at his father firmly.

He wanted to back down, as long as he made a fuss at this moment, he would definitely not go this way, and this marriage would definitely be void, but seeing his father's head full of hair at some point, he felt a faint pain in his heart After a while, he finally followed his father into the carriage.

Zhou Fei was driving the carriage ahead, and Master Tan and Tan Zishi were sitting in the carriage, and they drove away at full speed.

At this time, the gate of the Liu family was closed tightly, and there was no servant outside.

Zhou Fei stepped forward and tapped his bronze animal nose, and he heard footsteps after a long while.

He opened the door, only to see Liu Xunzhou leading a group of servants to greet him inside the door.

Liu Xunzhou bowed his hands to Master Tan first, and said, "Uncle Tan, did you receive a letter from your nephew?"

Master Tan hurriedly asked: "How is Big Brother Liu doing now? Why didn't you come and tell me earlier?"

Liu Xunzhou's face was gloomy, and he raised his hand to lead the group into the gate of the mansion, walked along the Qingshi road to the hall, and said as he walked: "My father went to the capital a few days ago, and said that he is old and doesn't want to be empty in the court again." With a false name, I want to resign from the official position so that I can live in seclusion and take care of myself for the rest of my life."

Tan Zishi followed behind Liu Xunzhou, listening silently.

Liu Xunzhou said again: "The official resigned, and when he was leaving the palace, he got angry with Mr. Zhou again. He has a big temper, and he doesn't listen to people's pointing and pointing. When he returned to the mansion, he was sullen and sighed. The world is hot and cold, and people's hearts are not old." Liu Xunzhou nodded his eyes and said, "Tell me, how can his sickly body and bones withstand the fire..."

"This... oh..." Master Tan sighed and raised his hand to wipe away his tears.

Seeing his father crying, Tanzi felt a little sad.

Liu Xunzhou said: "Uncle Tan, you will go inside later, don't ask about the marriage. After my mother left, the second aunt became the head of the family. Once my father fell ill, she would start to make a fuss."

Master Tan nodded.

Liu Xunzhou opened the thick curtain with one hand and let Master Tan in.

The servants stood scattered outside the door.

Tanzi really didn't know whether he should go in, so he followed suit and stopped.

Seeing his hesitation, Liu Xunzhou whispered: "Brother Tan, you are all from my own family, go in quickly."

Only then did Tan Zishi lift the door curtain and step in.

The Golden Beast incense burner in the room is emitting full of green smoke, new felt is spread under the feet, there are several pictures of pruning bamboo and stone on the wall, a rosewood ink shelf separates the room, and there are several small people standing outside. Girl, a group of women are crying around the couch.

Master Tan bowed to a middle-aged woman sitting by the bed, and said: "I have seen my sister-in-law, and I heard that my nephew said that my eldest brother is ill, so I came to see him. I wonder if he is better now?"

Er Yiniang was dressed dignifiedly, sitting beside the bed of the elder of the Liu family, but she didn't seem worried, she just said coldly to Master Tan: "Sit down."