"Master, you have to make the decision for me!"
As a woman's voice sounded, the study room was pushed open, and an attractive young woman came in, followed by a maid.
"Why are you here!"
Xu Tong in the study frowned when he saw the woman who suddenly broke in.
"I have met the master." The young woman said a blessing to Xu Tongxing.
Zhang Wenhe bowed to the young woman and said respectfully, "I have met the third lady."
"Hmph!" The cold gaze of the third lady's eyes swept across Zhang Wenhe's face, and she let out a cold snort.
Seeing this scene, Xu Tong frowned deeper and said with dissatisfaction: "Who asked you to break in? You didn't see that Mr. Zhang and I were talking about something. Take your maid back to the backyard."
"Master." The third lady said with tears in her voice, "You have to make the decision for me. My cousin took over Xu Ji because of you. Now that something happened to my cousin, you can't ignore it! "
"Who told you that something happened to your cousin?" Xu Tong's eyebrows were squeezed together.
The third lady cried, "Master, you can't lie to me. Now everyone in the house knows that Xu Ji's motorcade was bandited outside, and my cousin was in the bandited motorcade."
Xu Tong turned around and glanced at Zhang Wenhe coldly.
Zhang Wenhe spread his hands with an innocent face and shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't know how the other party knew.
"Master, you always make the decision for me!" The third lady covered her face with her sleeves and sobbed softly.
Xu Tong took one of the third lady's hands, patted the back of her hand, and advised: "Okay, don't cry. I have arranged for someone to investigate this matter. You go back to the back house first. I have other things to do." Discuss with Mr. Zhang.”
"Yes, I will take my leave first." The third lady bowed to Xu Tong and left the study with the maid beside her.
As soon as the two people walked out of the courtyard where the study room was, the maid next to the third lady whispered: "Madam, can this be the end of my uncle's matter? There are rumors outside that my uncle was killed by bandits from Datong. You have to have a nose and eyes.”
The third lady walked on the corridor leading to the backyard with small steps, and said with a cold face: "Of course this matter cannot be let go like this, and my cousin's death cannot be in vain."
"Then Madam, why didn't you just tell me to send troops to suppress the bandits? I am the governor of Datong, and it is not a matter of just one sentence to exterminate a group of bandits in Datong." The maid said in a low voice.
The third lady suddenly stopped, and the maid beside her hurriedly stopped walking out.
I heard the third lady say: "Our master regards wealth as his life. Xu Ji was robbed of thousands of taels of goods at once. How can our master endure this? Just wait and see, it won't be long before our man The master will send troops to suppress the bandits."
The maid said in surprise: "Madam, you all know that the master will send troops to suppress the bandits. Why do we have to come to the study to see the master? Just now, I saw that the master's face was not good-looking, and he seemed to be a little dissatisfied with your sudden visit to the study."
"Humph, if you don't look for it now, it will be useless to look for it after the limelight has passed." The third lady snorted coldly.
"This slave doesn't understand." The maid shook her head blankly.
"It doesn't matter whether you understand or not, as long as our master understands what he owes me." The third lady looked in the direction of the study and said, and then said, "Have you sent the letter to my eldest brother?"
The maid nodded and said: "I have asked the pillar in the outer courtyard to deliver the letter. My uncle will receive your letter soon."
"Well, just send the letter." The third lady nodded, gently raised her right hand, and said, "Here, help me go back to my room to rest."
The maid next to her carefully held the third lady's forearm and helped her walk towards the backyard.
In the study, Xu Tong's face looked gloomy and terrifying.
Zhang Wenhe on the side bowed and said: "Sir, please calm down. The students did not expect that the matter would spread so quickly. Even the third lady knew that something happened to the convoy sent by Xu Ji to the grassland."
"Hasn't that man named Li Liu been locked up by you? How could anyone know about the accident we sent to the convoy on the grassland?" Xu Tong had a gloomy face.
Zhang Wenhe thought for a while and said: "There may be survivors, or the bandits deliberately spread the news."
"Go and check." Xu Tong said in a cold voice, "Xu Ji went to the grassland to do business with the Beilu. This officer must not be involved."
"Yes, students understand that this matter was all done by Xu Ji himself and has nothing to do with adults." Zhang Wenhe bowed.
Xu Tong sat back on his seat, picked up the tureen and took a sip of tea, and then said: "Find a place to deal with that person named Li Liu."
"Yes, the students will do it when they get back." Zhang Wenhe agreed.
At this time, Xu Tong's long entourage walked in from the outside, came to Xu Tong in a few steps, and said respectfully: "Master, the Fan family has sent someone here."
Zhang Wenhe, who was standing next to him, said, "Have the Fan family sent people here at this time? Did they also get the news that Xu Ji's convoy was bandited on the grassland?"
"Do you think I saw you or not?" Xu Tong asked Zhang Wenhe.
"Your Excellency, it's better to meet him!" Zhang Wenhe said, "The Fan family and your Excellency are unanimous in dealing with the Tiger Flag."
"Okay, I'll see you soon." Xu Tong put down the bowl in his hand and said to Chang Sui, "Bring him to the study."
Chang Sui bowed, turned around and retreated.
"Sir." Zhang Wenhe said: "Fan Ji was the one who led Xu Ji's smuggling into the grassland. Tai Ji, who originally traded with Xu Ji, was also introduced through the Fan family. Now Xu Ji's convoy was bandited on the grassland. It was because the Fan family did not arrange it." Zhou Quan, the Fan family should also compensate part of Xu Ji’s loss this time.”
As the most trusted staff member around Xu Tong, he also has a share in Xu Ji. This loss has caused him to suffer as well, so he naturally hopes that others can share the burden.
"Well, what you said makes sense." Xu Tong nodded in agreement, and then said, "When you meet the Fan family later, you mention this matter to him. The Fan family is one of the largest business houses in the Xuanfu. The officials have already been known as thunder in Taiyuan, and they don't lack this little money."
In his eyes, the Fan family were just businessmen engaged in lowly business. If he asked Fan Ji to compensate for Xu Ji's losses this time, the Fan family would not dare to refuse.
Not only him, but also the entire Ming Dynasty.
Although businessmen can make money, in the eyes of scholar-bureaucrats, they are just people with low-level careers.
Not long after, Fan Yongcheng from the Fan family came in from outside.
As soon as he entered the study, Fan Yongcheng took two steps forward, bowed and saluted, and said respectfully: "Student, I have met the governor and Mr. Zhang."
Zhang Wenhe nodded slightly towards Fan Yongcheng.
Xu Tong picked up the tureen, put it to his mouth, blew on it, and took a small sip.
Zhang Wenhe, who was standing next to him, said, "Mr. Fan came to see my master this time, but for matters on the grassland?"
"To be fair to Mr. Zhang," Fan Yongcheng said, "the students did come here for this matter."
Zhang Wenhe said: "It seems that Mr. Fan is very well-informed. He knew about Xu Ji's banditry on the grassland so quickly."
"Ah!" Fan Yongcheng was stunned, and then said, "Did Xu Ji be bandited on the grassland?"
"Mr. Fan, don't you know?" Zhang Wenhe frowned.
Xu Tong, who was sitting in his seat, put down his bowl and looked at Fan Yongcheng who was standing opposite.
Fan Youcheng shook his head and turned to Xu Tong and said: "Reporting to your lord, the student does not know about this matter. Although the student also came to see the lord about matters on the grassland, he came here for another matter."
