Qi Honglie is the richest man in Juzhou, and his ancestral home is Xingping, Shaanxi. During the great migration period of Hongwu, he migrated from his ancestral hometown to Juzhou. The ancestor started with a pawnshop, and by Qi Honglie's generation, there were more than a dozen shops in Juzhou City, such as restaurants, grain stores, groceries, brothels, and cloth villages.

Qi Honglie has a total of three sons, and the eldest son, Qi Yu's family, was born in the family and served as a household secretary in the state government.

In the Ming Dynasty, the establishment of the state government was as follows: there were three layers of officials, officials, and servants in the government, of which the officials were the highest, and there were generally four, namely Zhizhou, Tongzhi, State Judge, Xuezheng, and Officials.

Under normal circumstances, only those who are admitted to the Jinshi examination can become officials, and they basically cannot be officials. But there are exceptions, such as having a background in the family, and the ministry happens to be vacant. At this time, take the silver up and down, and maybe give you an official position.

Further down is the official, the yamen is divided into six rooms: officials, households, rites, soldiers, criminals, and workers, and the head of each room is called the secretary, and the officials generally have to raise people to serve.

Like Qi Honglie's eldest son, Qi Yu's family was born in a family and worked as a priest in the household, which is the end of the day, and he can't be promoted again. However, the power of the secretary of the household house in a county is no longer small, which is equivalent to the current number one of the Finance Bureau, the Food Bureau, and the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Further down is the service, these people have no establishment and no salary, which is equivalent to the current compulsory soldiers, that is, they work and beat people.

In the Ming Dynasty, officials needed to serve in different places, so the officials in the state were all outsiders, but the positions were the highest. Most of the officials were locals and were not given the opportunity to be promoted. Once he is an official, he is an official for life, an iron-clad official, and a flowing Zhizhou. Therefore, since ancient times, there has been a saying that "a strong dragon does not suppress the head snake".

The second son, Qi Yuye, has read, but he is not the material for reading, and he has not even been admitted to the show. This person is good at calculation, clever at words, and good at observing words and colors. He has been helping his father in business all these years, and he is also the most suitable successor to the Qi family's family business in the future, and Qi Honglie has always cultivated him as a successor.

The third son, Qi Yuwang, is only sixteen this year, and he doesn't read a good business or do it seriously. Relying on his family situation, he is arrogant, bullying men and women, and doing all kinds of evil. All day long, with a bunch of dog legs, wandering around the city and causing trouble.

In the Qi Mansion, Qi Honglie and his second son Liu Yuye were discussing the matter of the grocery store. In the past few days, the Zhou family's grocery store has made the business of the Qi family's shop a lot lighter because of the hot sale of soap, and the father and son are worried about this matter.

"Yuye, have the people you sent to inquire about the source of the goods come back?"

"Not yet."

"I can't do this little thing, find a guy who keeps a weekly diary, and make more money, I don't believe it, I can't get a letter."

"It's done, but none of the guys below know, only Shopkeeper Xu and a guy named Ding Fu know. I heard that Ding Fu was allowed to take a vacation by the shopkeeper the next day and went back to his hometown to visit relatives, so it was difficult to inquire about this matter. Qi Yuye said helplessly.

"The Zhou family's hand is stretched too long, and our Qi family must be crushed if it continues like this." Qi Honglie sighed.

While they were talking, Qi Yuwang walked in from outside and said to his father, "Father, don't worry about it. I have news about the source of soap. ”

"Yuwang, where did you get the news? You can't talk nonsense. Qi Honglie knew how many catties and taels his son had, and asked in disbelief.

"One of our nurseries told me." Qi Yuwang said, and shouted outside the house: "Guo Fatzi, come in and talk to the master." ”

The nurse named Guo Fatzi entered the house, and after saluting the master and the two young masters, he said, "A distant relative of the villain came to the villain's house yesterday. When he accidentally talked about soap, he said that the people in his village went to Hejia Village to repair the reservoir and paid a piece of soap every two days. I asked him about it, and he said that the soap was made from the workshop of Heli Chang in Hejia Village. The day before yesterday, the shopkeeper Xu also took away a large cart of soap from the He family's workshop. I heard that it is a purchase of eighty pieces of text. ”

"Eighty Wen, the family made a lot of money that week." Qi Yuye blurted out: "Can you find out what the background of the He family is?" ”

"The little one has inquired, this He family is not a big family, there is only one son, who is studying in the county. The family has dozens of acres of land, which is considered a rich family in that village, but it is nothing in the city. ”

"Okay, good, you go down and get the reward." Qi Honglie said happily. Then he advised: "Don't tell outsiders about this. ”

"The little one understands, thank you for the reward." Guo Fatzi happily saluted and withdrew.

"Father, since it's a small family, this matter is easy to do. Tomorrow I will take someone to take down the workshop, and he will not dare to disobey. Then I smashed Zhouji's shop, and we can sell this soap as much as we want in the future. The third son, Zhou Yuwang, said to his father.

"I heard that the son of the Zhou family is a Jinshi, who works in the household department of the capital, and the teacher is Lord Xie Qianxie, who is a well-known businessman in Shandong, and he must not be provoked. As for the lieutenant chief, you can go to him tomorrow to discuss it, but don't make a mistake, discuss it first. If it doesn't work, you'll come back, and we'll figure it out. ”

"Yes, I'll go and see it tomorrow, and I won't dare to disobey his family." After saying that, he withdrew.

After Qi Yuwang left, Qi Yuye said to his father: "Father, according to the third brother's temperament, can this thing be done?" ”

"What's the point of the rich man in the countryside scaring him? Maybe if you're scared, you'll give it up obediently. Zhou Honglie laughed, and said to his second son with confidence: "This is called a method, you have to learn more." ”

The next day, Qi Yuwang rode a horse with more than a dozen courtyards, set off from the state city, and went south along the official road, with Guo Fatzi as the guide, and arrived in front of He Shaoyun's workshop in more than half an hour.

Guarding the door of the workshop is a descendant of He Lichang's main door. Seeing that their group of more than a dozen people was menacing, he was not a master to be provoked at first glance, so he hurriedly said to him: "This son, this is a workshop, if you buy soap, I will take you to discuss with He Lichang, outsiders can't go in here." ”

"it, what a rule! Get out of the way. Qi Yuwang slapped the young man in the face. Before he could react, the two guards knocked him to the ground, and then rushed into the courtyard.

The six or seven people working in the courtyard were all rural peasants, and when they saw this kind of formation, they stopped their work one after another, and they were so frightened that they hid to the side and did not dare to make a sound.

"Who has the final say here?" Qi Yuwang stood in the middle of the courtyard and asked arrogantly to everyone.

The person in charge of affairs in this courtyard was honestly handed over to He Lao Liu, so he had to ask stubbornly: "This son, what is the matter with me?" ”

"How much silver do you have in this workshop? Today I'm here to Pan Workshop, you name a number. ”

"This son, our workshop has just opened, and it is not for sale."

"Presumptuous!" Guo Fatzi stood up with his shoulders crossed and said, "Do you know who my young master is?" Saying it scares you to death, does the third young master of the Qi family in the city know? ”

"I don't know, but the workshop really doesn't sell, and it's my uncle who wants to sell." He Lao Liu replied carefully, he had not been to the city a few times since he was a child, how did he know the notoriety of the three young men of the Qi family. But judging from the momentum, he knew that this was not something he could handle today.

"Hey, dare to run into an old hat, I don't know anything. Call your uncle! Qi Yuwang said disdainfully.

He Shaoyun was chatting with He Zhiyuan at home, and the posthumous man who guarded the door hurriedly came over and told him about it.

He Shaoyun realized that trouble had come to the door, and hurried to the house, and at the same time asked the descendant to hurry up to the reservoir construction site to call someone, and asked him to call all the young and strong descendants of the village and the gate.

Since the workshop opened and the soap was selling well, He Zhiyuan knew that sooner or later there would be this kind of trouble coming to his door. He is discussing with his father that after the reservoir is completed, he will recruit some nurses to protect the normal operation of the business in the future. But he didn't expect trouble to come so soon, He Zhiyuan couldn't rest assured, and he also came with his father.

When he came to the courtyard, He Shaoyun saw a gorgeously dressed, young man, and unruly son, surrounded by more than a dozen family members. At first glance, he knew that he was not a master to be messed with, so he cautiously stepped forward and asked, "May I ask which son you are and why you came to this deserted village?" ”

"This is the third young master of the Qi family in the state city, come to your workshop today, you can make a price." Guo Fatzi replied for Qi Yuwang.

"The workshop has only been open for a few days and doesn't want to sell. I also hope that Young Master Qi will take a look at other houses. He Shaoyun knew that this Qi Yuwang had a bad reputation in the city, and said cautiously.

"You're the head of this village?" Qi Yuwang glanced at him and asked arrogantly.

"Exactly"

"Then do you know who the secretary of the state yahufang is?"

"I know, it's the eldest young master of the Qi family."

"Then don't you want to do it?" Qi Yuwang threatened.

He Zhiyuan saw that Qi Yuwang was so arrogant, he couldn't bear it anymore, in his previous life, he was the vice president of a state-owned enterprise, and he had never seen this kind of arrogant person, where could he bear this breath.

took a step forward, stood in front of his father and said: "Third Young Master of the Qi family, this transaction is a matter of mutual affection between you and me, you buy and sell like this, and you also raise a threat from one of your family's officials, are you not afraid that Lord Zhizhou will punish you?" Aren't you afraid of my "Da Ming Law"? ”

"Scared! Who are you, running here and talking nonsense? also used "Da Ming Law" to scare Master Ben, I might as well tell you that in Juzhou City, my Qi family is the law, and my Qi family is the sky! ”

"Third Young Master of the Qi Family, do you dare to go to the state hall to say this?" He Zhiyuan was not afraid and asked rhetorically.

Qi Yuwang was stunned, knowing that he was speechless. He didn't expect this kid to be so bold, and the Qi family's forces couldn't frighten him.

But he still said inwardly: "You little broken child who hasn't grown all the hair, why should I quarrel with you." Then he said to He Shaoyun: "There are a few broken jars and broken pots in this workshop, don't do it, you can sell me the formula of soap." ”

"Third Young Master of the Qi Family, this recipe is based on the secret recipe of our ancestors, and after many experiments, we have to make soap, this is the livelihood of our whole family and even our whole village, how can it be easily sold? The Qi family has a lot of money, and they don't care about us, who eat for a living, and ask the young master to raise his noble hand......"

"Hey, I said He Lichang, you are toasting and not eating punishment wine, don't be ashamed! Believe it or not, I smashed this workshop today!? Guo Fatzi threatened.

At this time, more and more people came up from the construction site, and thirty or forty people poured in from the courtyard, holding all kinds of tools in their hands, and crowded the small courtyard to the brim. There were also hundreds of people shouting outside the courtyard, and the momentum suddenly became stronger.

At this time, I heard a woman in the crowd shouting: "Qi Yuwang, don't be arrogant." Is your Qi family going to rebel? ”