In the flower hall of the capital line, Guo Chaofan of Guangzhou Mansion held a delicate colorful small cover cup, looked at the flower hall and played with the decorations, and secretly admired that it was not a royal noble, and every scene and object was unique.

Guo Pinchao was born in Qingzhen, Guizhou, was smart and studious when he was young, and when he was seventeen years old, he was very famous for his literature, and the great Confucian Xu Guangwen named him "Chaofan". Qing Daoguang 16 years of Jinshi, first in Guizhou Xingyi Mansion for six years, the construction of the test institute, the promotion of talents, Daoguang 24 years transferred to Guangdong as an official, successively Raoping, Dongguan, Xiangshan County. Shangguan commented that he was "not afraid of violence and foreign raids", quelled local armed fights, captured and killed pirates "Heavenly King", and was known as a "famous Confucian" and "famous general".

Ye Zhao didn't know that Zhang Zhidong, one of the banner figures of the Westernization Movement, came from his disciples, but he only knew that this Guangzhou Mansion was upright and had a bad relationship with Ye Mingchen.

Guo Chaofan suddenly came to visit Ye Zhao for a reason, the day before yesterday, the Tao family, a big family in Xiguan, suddenly came to report the case, saying that the Tao family was kidnapped and forced to write an IOU of 100,000 taels of silver, and the kidnappers had a lot to do with Taihe.

Guo Chaofan didn't believe it at the time, to say that the kidnappers extorted ransom and forced people to write IOUs and collect the debts? This is incredible. However, the Tao family is a big family, Guo Chaofan naturally wants to send someone to investigate, but as soon as the front foot of the messenger left, someone came to visit on the back foot, and the name of the post reads "Manchuria inlaid with blue flag third-class guard Suna", which is naturally a figure in the palace of the Lord of the capital, Suna hinted in his words that Taihe and his relatives knew each other, and I heard that there was a money dispute with the Tao family recently, please make a fair decision and so on.

The banner people are not allowed to do business, but there are not a few who can secretly participate in it, but Guo Chaofan does not believe that the prince and brother have anything to do with the Taihe, there is the imperial grain in the swaddling clothes, and the family business is even more sea, and the land outside the customs is all his family, how can he look at the meager profits of the merchants? Not to mention how disdainful the identity of a businessman is in his eyes.

As for the subordinates of the Dutong Mansion, it is certain that someone has a relationship with the Taihe, and he didn't want the Dutong Lord to know, but when he heard that the amount involved in the dispute between the Taihe and the Tao family was 100,000 taels, Guo Chaofan gasped, and the entire Tao family's industrial land was not worth it, right?

Although the Tao family has a bad record, Guo Chaofan has long wanted to deal with him, but the Tao family is rich and powerful in Guangzhou, and the branches and leaves of the wharves are connected, but they are easy to touch. Sometimes Guo Chaofan also feels that his parents, who are often drunk to relieve his worries, and also fall into the root of cough, and the doctor cuts him off behind his back that he "has become ill from hard work, and is afraid of depression and early death".

I feel that the nest made by my official is a nest, and it is also a fact that the Tao family is domineering, but if you want to say that someone has sought the family business for no reason like this, it is inevitable that you can't look at it, after all, this is the hard work of the ancestors of the Tao family for several generations, and there are many high-spirited people among these people.

It was Guo Chaofan who came to visit Lord Dutong, wanting to see through the wind and see if Lord Dutong knew that the people below were rampant.

"Lord Dutong, there is a silver number outside Xiguan, Taihe, have you heard of it?" Guo Chaofan's face is elegant, and it makes people feel good when they look at it.

Ye Zhao smiled slightly: "I have heard a little, I heard that there is a dispute between Taihe and the Tao family's silver money, and it is better to solve the civil business dispute by itself." ”

Guo Chaofan's heart sank, the people of the Tao family would never say this to the outside, otherwise they were afraid that creditors from all walks of life would come to the door immediately, and Lord Dutong knew about it, so he must know the cause and effect, and listen to the words, and make it clear that he wants to protect his subordinates.

Ye Zhao took a sip of tea slowly, and said with a smile: "I'm thinking about this matter, and it won't make a fuss, so Lord Futai can rest assured." ”

Guo Chaofan's heart was a little calm, and he said with a smile: "Lord Dutong has learned thousands of miles, and the lower officials have been taught." "Obedient Lord Dutong will not make things bigger, and now he has to wait and see what happens, he said so, if he insists on getting involved, I am afraid that it will not be beautiful.

I can only hope that this prince and brother will be sensible and know how to converge, otherwise even if he doesn't want to fight the black yarn, he will have to go to him. After all, Tao Lao Er is a small evil, and if the royal clan is so lawless, I am afraid it will cause a monstrous disaster.

Ye Zhao took a sip of tea and said: "Guangzhou has romantic characters and access to water and land, which is the first-class prosperity of southern Xinjiang, and it is the luck of the people that the people of Futai attach so much importance to business conditions." ”

Guo Chaofan didn't look up to businessmen very much, although Lord Dutong put on a hat, he still couldn't help but say: "Businessmen pursue profits, do many illegal acts, and the lower officials really want to restrain more, but they can't do it." ”

Ye Zhao smiled: "There is no need to say that, I want to think that the two industries of industry and agriculture are the foundation of the country, but if there are no businessmen, it is a great inconvenience, let alone improve the efficiency of wealth creation." ”

Guo Chaofan was a little dazed, and he didn't quite understand what Ye Zhao meant, so he only picked up the teacup and tasted the tea.

Ye Zhao was interested, and said with a smile: "I have had a lot of contact with Western priests, and I have written a few articles indiscriminately, and I also asked the Lord of Futai to be elegant." Saying that, he clapped his hands, and Zhao Cai came in response, Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Go to the study and ask Mrs. to get a copy of the Western Minutes." ”

"Western Minutes" is Ye Zhao later sorted out what he wrote nonsense, carefully arranged, and the book given to Su Hongniang is different, but it objectively introduces the current situation of industry, commerce, scientific and technological development, social status, occupational distribution and other current conditions in Western countries, but deletes all his feelings and thoughts.

Of course, despite this, if you want to talk about large-scale engraving, I am afraid that it will still cause a storm under the current conditions, because Ye Zhao can only copy a few copies and send them to others alone.

Helping Ye Zhao copy books, but it was Rong'er, since receiving the task assigned by Ye Zhao, Rong'er saw that she could help her husband, but she didn't know how excited she was, almost every day she hid in the study to help Ye Zhao copy books, and after a few days of hard work, she had copied three or four books, but it made Ye Zhao regret it.

I didn't want her to help if I knew it, I thought it was to find something for her to do, so as not to be bored in the inner house all day long, but who knew that the little guy was bored in the study all day long, Ye Zhao hoped that she would be more interested in those toys, such as pianos, cameras, clairtelescopes, kaleidoscopes, etc.

After receiving the book presented by the maid, Guo Chaofan had no choice but to thank him repeatedly, and said with a smile: "I have heard that the master of Dutong has learned from the past and the present, and has studied through China and the West. "Naturally, it is insincere.

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "As long as adults don't throw it away like a piece of papyrus." ”

Guo Pinchao was stunned and said with a smile: "The adults said they were laughing." The heart said that it seems that I must read it carefully when I go back, so as not to be able to answer in front of him later, which will be embarrassing and greatly offend him.

……

The big mansion with three entrances and three exits, the blue bricks and blue tiles are stacked on top of each other, the yard is covered with a yard, the roads are connected, the style is majestic, and the real name of the Xiguan Tao Family Committee is well deserved.

The square of the blue brick paved in front of the main hall, a slip corridor carved beams and painted columns, a big Yong road, directly out of the gate, bypass the wall, look up and see a red gold Kowloon green land plaque first, the plaque is written with three big characters of Douda, it is "Wenzhao Hall", it is the title of the ancestors of the Tao family.

At this moment, in the main hall, it is a gloomy cloud, full of people, the Tao family steward, the chief of the accounting office, the big shopkeeper of the Hong Kong Island Trade Bank, and the head of several big Zhuangzi, almost the elite of the Tao family industry chain, these people can climb to the point where they are today, naturally they have two brushes, but at this moment, they are all talking to each other, their faces are weird, but no, I heard that Tao Erye lost more than 100,000 taels of silver in one go, this does not make the entire Tao family lose it? If you lose the silver, the Tao family is afraid that it will be over.

"What are you arguing about?" Tao Lao Er was reclining on a chair, the injured leg was stretched straight, and he looked as weird as he wanted, but he scolded these Tao family's stewards with an arrogant face. It's not that he wants to be embarrassed, but Mrs. ordered her subordinates with a cold face to "carry him to the lobby", how dare the subordinates not listen, even if they are shaved by the old man's ears, they don't dare to offend Mrs., Mrs.'s soul-settling Danfeng eyes, when they look at you, you can't help but shiver. Who is talking about the Tao family, and who is not like a mirror in their hearts?

Not only the people, but these stewards can't take care of it at the moment, which can affect the fate and future of everyone, and how can they take care of the dignity and humility.

"Second master! Is it true? The Tao family owes 100,000 taels of silver? The speaker is a lean middle-aged man, his eyes are bright, the Tao family is the big shopkeeper in Hong Kong Deshunxing, the old courtier of the Tao family, surnamed Xiao, although the Tao family has passed away for a long time, but the shopkeeper Xiao has always called Tao Lao Er "the second master".

Tao Lao Er rolled his eyes and said, "What's wrong with the money?" I sued the Guangzhou government, they are blackmail! You're all going to give me less trouble here, and whoever doesn't want to do it will get out! ”

One stone stirred up a thousand waves, and as soon as he heard that the matter was true, the person in charge immediately blew up the pot, stood up again, and said loudly: "Second master, you can't say that!" We are also for the good of the Tao family, so we rushed over, why did the second master become a beggar? Without our hard work all night and night, there is such a big business as your Tao family? ”

Seeing that someone dared to contradict him, Tao Laoer's face turned red and scolded: "Zhao Quan'er, you are a flower in the eyes of grandpa!" ”

Coaxed, there was a commotion, Zhao Quan was not to be outdone, and scolded loudly with his neck.

At this time, I heard the crisp voice of the maid outside the hall: "The second grandmother has arrived!" ”

The noisy hall seemed to be enchanted, and suddenly fell silent.

"Yo, who said this, I listened, no one would have our Tao family?" The voice was coquettish, but the stewards were sweating on their foreheads, and as for Tao Laoer, he was even more frightened and pale, and he didn't dare to squeak anymore.

The footsteps sounded softly, and the hall immediately lit up, and the slender waist stepped slightly, and a charming and infinite, glamorous young woman dared not look at her, a pair of soul-stirring Danfeng eyes seemed to be disgusted, and the pretty face was boundless. She was dressed in a red rose-scented embroidered peony flower dress, with pearls embellished with colorful tassels hanging from her waist, and the sparkling gold threads were shining, and the whole hall was gorgeous. The lotus feet are enchanting, the body is graceful, and it is really the best stunner that makes people lose their souls.

The charming young woman is the second grandmother of Jin's famous in Xiguan.

But no one in the hall dared to look at her more, one by one held her breath, the atmosphere did not dare to come out, this second grandmother was famous, even more notorious, two years earlier, a foreigner saw her and seemed to speak unruly, the next day people found that they were beaten to death by a stick in a small alley, causing an uproar, and the foreigner merchant group almost started a war with the defenders of Guangzhou City.

Who is not afraid of such a glamorous and ruthless master?

"What's wrong? Why don't you speak? Are you dumb? Grandma Jin Er smiled lightly, and the hearts of the stewards were tight, and no one dared to squeak.

Grandma Jin Er gently picked up the small gold-cut teacup and took a sip, "You guys, I know that your thoughts are all for the good of the Tao family, but you don't need to worry about it." Outside words letter live? I don't know how many people think that our Tao family has not had a good time, and we have heard less rumors over the years? ”

Shopkeeper Xiao looked left and right, and said with a smile: "Second grandma, of course we can trust your words, but ......"

Jin Er's grandmother's snow-white little hand was raised lightly, interrupting his words, "How many people are eating with the Tao family?" I know in my heart that I won't leave everyone without food! I Jinfeng does what I say! "Her nickname is Jin'er, and Grandma Jiner is just the name of outsiders behind her back, her scientific name is Jin Feng, and she has appeared all these years, but her name is known to many people.

"Second grandma, with your words, we can all rest assured!" The stewards all breathed a sigh of relief, and Jiner's grandmother was convinced, so they got up one after another to say goodbye.

After sending off the stewards, Grandma Jin Er went back to the living room, but saw several subordinates helping Tao Lao Er to get up, and her pretty face immediately turned cold.

"Husband, madam, I, I'll go back to my room and rest." Seeing Jiner's grandmother Tao, Lao Er was so frightened that she stammered.

"Help your second master to go to his small mansion to raise, don't come out this year! If you dare to cause trouble again, I'll break your dog's legs! Looking at Tao Lao Er's submissive bear-like golden phoenix, he felt disgusted.

"Yes, yes!" The subordinates were so frightened that they agreed one after another, and Tao Lao Er didn't dare to say a word.

The people in the hall walked away, but Grandma Jin Er collapsed on the chair weakly, she just said easily, but she knew in her heart that the Tao family was afraid that it would be difficult to escape this time, unless a miracle happened, otherwise the huge family business would disappear in an instant.

The person who went to the yamen to deliver the complaint reported, but the Guangzhou government did not accept the complaint at all, only said that the civil money dispute would be handled by itself, and if the thief was lied to again, the Tao family would be punished.

Hearing this, I knew that Taihe's trumpeter had eyes all over the sky, and if he wanted to leave the official family, he was afraid that he would lose even worse.

But how is this good? Is it just like this, watching the huge family industry being occupied by doves?

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There is still an hour and a half to end in Sanjiang's vote, so let's go and vote, the lead is not obvious......