The court, including him, the emperor, absolutely cannot accept this. Huang Qiong's attitude is very clear. The Fan family is not allowed to interfere in any affairs in Jianghu in the future, and they can only build shops for trade in Jiangnan. You are not allowed to take the opportunity to buy tea gardens, silk workshops and porcelain kilns in the south of the Yangtze River. All purchases can only be purchased from other ordinary merchants. As for that merchant's order, the court would not interfere.
Now in Jiangbei, the porcelain kilns, tea gardens, and silk workshops under his name are for sale. Naturally, Nangong Mei could not accept Huang Qiong's request. Therefore, during this month, the two of them kept fighting for their interests during the night and the day. Of course, with Nangong Mei's intelligence, she also knew that the Fan family had now violated a taboo. If it weren't for his relationship with him, the emperor would not be so gentle.
As the reigning emperor with all the power in the world, he directly ransacked his house. What could he or the Fan family do? Although the Fan family has many martial arts masters, who will be their real opponent in the face of the imperial army? In fact, Huang Qiongming didn't need to say anything, Nangong Mei already knew that the Fan family had now reached a point where any emperor would be taboo. It’s just money, it’s not really that big of a deal.
But with money and a certain amount of force in his hands, this was unacceptable to any emperor. Especially with such huge wealth. In fact, it doesn't need to be said by Huang Qiong that the head of the Fan family also had a certain sense of crisis after the puppet emperor rebelled. Although the head of the Fan family also knew that the rebellion of the false emperor was purely his own ambition. But the new head of the Fan family still thinks that big trees attract wind.
What's more, the Fan family's position in the world, although it cannot be said that they can respond to a hundred calls, can still be followed by a cloud. No matter how rich and powerful you are, no matter how big-hearted the current emperor is, he may not be able to tolerate it. Especially when he heard Fan Jian mention that the young emperor had mentioned more than once that he could not allow others to sleep soundly beside the bed, the new head of the Fan family felt a faint thorn in his back.
Even when Nangong Mei came to Beijing these few times, he never rested at the Fan family's branch in Beijing. He always went directly to the palace to live, and he could already feel a trace of abnormality in it. He has even vaguely guessed that the relationship between his eldest daughter-in-law and the young emperor may be unusual. And the relationship between men and women is unusual, what else could be involved in this? As long as a person is not short-sighted, he can figure it out.
But it didn't show it at all, and even gave acquiescence to it to a certain extent. I just hope that for the sake of Nangong Mei, the emperor will not be too suspicious of the Fan family. Because he knew that once the young emperor was jealous, it would definitely not be a good thing for the Fan family. Even if they use force, the seemingly powerful Fan family will still be vulnerable in front of the imperial army.
Look at the various methods that the young emperor has used since he became the prince to supervise the country and now ascends the throne. Even this old fox has to say that he is a good young man. Originally, when the pseudo-emperor launched his rebellion, the massive rebel army once swept almost the entire Jiangnan, and the Jiangnan Guardsmen surrendered like clouds. Coupled with Bei Liao in the north, soldiers from all over the country moved southward, echoing the rebels from the north to the south.
This Great Qi Dynasty, even if the building is not about to collapse, at least it must fight against the rebels across the river. However, he did not expect that under the young emperor's strategizing, the rebels who once ascended the throne were beaten back to their home base without leaving Jiangnan West Road or Huguang South Road. Although they still rely on the two prefectures of Wuzhou and Nanning to defend them, anyone with a discerning eye can see that their destruction is imminent.
The Northern Liao Dynasty, which sent all its troops southward, could not even cross the outer line of the Great Wall. It ends outside Yanshanfu City. The old man of the Fan family knows that when the rebellion is over and the master is free, the internal affairs will be sorted out. In the past, the Guilin County Prince's Mansion, known as the richest man in Da Qi, has now disappeared. Now the Fan family has become a big tree that attracts the wind.
Even the Fan family was actually supported by that master. But the head of the Fan family still remembers that he supported the Fan family in order to compete with the original Guilin County Prince's Palace. Now that Cunning Rabbit is dead, if he, a lackey, doesn't know how to restrain himself, the outcome of waiting for the Fan family will not be good. It is actually not a big deal for the Fan family to have money. The head of the Fan family still knows this clearly.
That Lord was not as conservative as his ancestors and rejected businessmen indiscriminately. Even since he supervised the country, his actions have even supported businessmen. But the Fan family is different from ordinary merchants. The Fan family is first and foremost a martial arts family, and it also has a certain amount of force in its hands. Secondly, the Fan family is developing too fast now, and there is already a second trend of the Guilin County Prince's Palace.
He can support businessmen, but he must control businessmen to a certain scale. To be precise, he must not exceed his bottom line and will not endanger the court. Once you exceed his bottom line, you will inevitably be suppressed by him. And there are only so many interests in the world. If the Fan family takes it all, the interests of other merchants will also be involved. Once it is attacked by other merchants, it will be suppressed by the court in disguise.
Then what awaits the Fan family will be disaster. Therefore, the head of the family has made up his mind that the Fan family should restrain itself and give up some things that should be given up. If some benefits should be given out, they should be given out. It's just that the Fan family is too complicated now, and it's hard to give up even that part. Moreover, there are many people in each house who don't take it seriously, and there are many people who can't get out of money.
The most important thing is that you feel happy when you eat the meat. But spitting it out is not that difficult. But the current head of the family has far less control over the Fan family than the previous head of the family. Only then have I never made up my mind as to which piece I should give up. However, before Nangong Mei came to Beijing this time, the head of the Fan family had already revealed some of the meaning to her.
Tell her that if the emperor talks about the future of the Fan family, she can take control of that. Although she felt very uncomfortable about the possible relationship between Nangong Mei and the emperor. But he still believed in his daughter-in-law's abilities. It's just that other things are easy to talk about, but it is impossible for the Fan family to spit out the Silk Road. Because this silk road was built by the Fan family at a great cost.
After the Anshi Rebellion in the former Tang Dynasty, all the Western Regions fell to the hands of Tibet, and the Silk Road was actually interrupted. Merchants traveling along the Silk Road not only had to endure heavy exploitation by the greedy Tibetans, but also endured open robbery by certain tribes who became horse bandits. This is also the reason for the rise of sea routes in the late Tang Dynasty. After the once powerful Tubo collapsed, horse bandits were everywhere along the Silk Road.
After the rise of the Uighurs, things became a bit more stable. But the Uighurs, who were equally greedy, were not much better than the Tubos. The Fan family was monopolized by the Guilin County Prince's Palace on the sea route, so they had no choice but to find another way out. In order to open up this Silk Road, the Fan family has sacrificed many lives in the past hundred years to reopen the Silk Road bit by bit. Asking the Fan family to hand over all of them would undoubtedly cost the Fan family their lifeblood.
The Fan family can open up part of the Silk Road and allow other merchants to do business along the Silk Road. But completely handing it over is simply impossible. Therefore, Nangong Mei expressed on behalf of the Fan family that the trade rights of the Silk Road can be liberalized. Hand over the tea gardens originally owned by the Fan family on Huainan Road and Huguang North Road, as well as the porcelain kiln on Shaanxi Road. And transferred all the escort agencies under the Fan family's name.
And can guarantee on behalf of the Fan family that they will never interfere in the shipbuilding industry. But Nangong Mei refused to agree and gave up the two Sichuan Lu silk and Shu brocade workshops. As for the Fan family not to interfere in Jianghu affairs, this is really difficult and cannot be guaranteed at all. Therefore, a strange situation arose between the two of them. They had a lot of ups and downs at night, but during the day they were constantly arguing over interests.
This strange relationship between the two lasted until a month later. Facing the unyielding Huang Qiong, Nangong Mei said, "You don't even care about your own son. Are you not even prepared to leave any property to him?" Huang Qiong, who was helpless and distressed, finally took a few big steps back while holding this woman who had burst into tears when she said these words into her arms.
Whether it is the Silk Road or the sea, there is fair competition. If the Fan family relies on the strong to bully the weak, the court will definitely punish them severely. The Fan family needs to pay taxes in full and is not allowed to evade taxes in any name. At the same time, under the condition that the Fan family gave up the escort agency, they agreed to retain the Sichuan Shu brocade and the Lu silk workshop on Shandong Road. Huang Qiong was among them, and all the stocks he secretly controlled were withdrawn.
The Fan family set the price and redeemed the 20% dry shares. But you don’t have to pay it all in one lump sum. You only need to pay part of it every year and pay it all off in ten years. Payment shall be made by a dedicated person to a separate treasury. As for the private kilns in Jiangbei, the original shares can be retained. However, the Fan family, including all its branches and vassals, are not allowed to interfere in the next few official kiln auctions. But in the future, the official kiln can give priority to supplying goods to the Fan family.
When the imperial court next prepares to conduct a public auction on the property of the Guilin County Prince's Palace in Jiangnan, the Fan family is also not allowed to interfere in any way. As for overseas trade, Huang Qiong also meant that the Fan family could only set foot in Nanyang and not interfere with Japan and Korea. No gold, silver, copper may be transshipped, and no sulfur may be resold. Only ordinary porcelain, tea, and silk businesses are allowed.
Nangong Mei readily agreed to this under Huang Qiong's constant concessions. But on the surface, although both sides took a step back, in reality Huang Qiong suffered the most. All fools know that this so-called fair competition cannot be truly unfair at all. But the Fan family has been operating in the northwest for hundreds of years and has an intelligence network composed of shops all over the country. Who can compare with it?
Especially among the various relationships outside the territory, which one can quickly catch up in a short period of time? What the Fan family does requires huge financial support. Even if other businesses wanted to join in, it would be extremely difficult for them to have such huge financial support. As for sea routes, the Fan family can also rely on its own huge financial support to gradually implement monopoly bit by bit.
And he knew that if he made too many concessions, it would harm the interests of the court. But Huang Qiong still softened after seeing Nangong Mei's tears. It must be said that Nangong Mei and her son Huang Qiong are a fatal weakness when facing the Fan family. Especially when she thought of the son and daughter she had never seen before in the Fan family, Huang Qiong finally chose to compromise.
Of course, Nangong Mei finally made Huang Qiong give in, but it was not without any cost. Although hesitated several times, Nangong Mei still agreed to come to the capital to have a tryst with Huang Qiong at least every year. But when Huang Qiong wanted to go to Xiangyang to visit him at a convenient time, Nangong Mei refused without mercy. I disagree even more. Next time I go to Beijing, I will bring my eldest son with me so that Huang Qiong can meet him.
From Nangong Mei's point of view, even though it seemed very selfish to do so. But since fate has decreed that the two of them cannot recognize each other in this life, it would be better not to meet each other. As long as there are no accidents or discoveries in the Fan family, this child will always be the eldest grandson of the Fan family. As for whether the father and son will be destined to meet again when their children are older, let fate decide.
