Although the latest news is that the Ming army has just entered the territory of Shanxi and is advancing relatively slowly, the Qing court, which has already gathered the main forces in Zhili and Jingshi, is obviously not prepared to defend Shanxi and is not ready to resist the steady advance of the Ming army.

In fact, even businessmen like Fan Yongdou could see that the decline of the Manchu Qing Dynasty was becoming more and more obvious. First of all, they did not pay attention to the faithfulness of looting money to supplement military expenses, even those who made great contributions to the Manchu Qing Dynasty; Now it is a lack of troops, so it can only abandon the occupied area through guò to keep the Beijing division. In the end, most of the Jingshi couldn't keep it, so they had to flee back to Liaodong in a wolf manner.

Jiexiu is the ancestral land of the Fan family, which has been operated for generations, deeply rooted in the local area, and the change of dynasties has not affected the Fan family, and even ushered in the opportunity for development, becoming one of the eight imperial merchants, and the most powerful one. But now, this ancestral home, this inheritance, will be abandoned.

Fan Yongdou sighed heavily, wrapped his mink fur tightly, and his son Fan Sanba quietly walked in, bringing in a chill.

"Father." Fan Sanba came behind his father, hesitated, and said in a low voice: "The Wang family is also gone, there are a lot of cars and horses, and they have already left the city." ”

"Hmm!" Fan Yongdou snorted, lowered his eyelids, pursed the corners of his mouth, revealing a trace of disdain, and only said faintly after a while: "A group of fools! If you bring all the gold and silver, how much can you keep in the end? When the mountains and rivers are exhausted, the Manchurians can't take care of themselves, will they still take care of them? ”

Fan Sanba was silent, he had also discussed this issue with his father before, and he also had the same idea as the Wang family, the Jin family, etc., with all the gold and silver treasures, and followed the Manchurians to the outside of the pass. But Fan Yongdou saw further, believing that since the Qing court disregarded their faith and forced them to donate salaries, the future was even more unpredictable. At this time. Fan Yongdou may have just remembered that he was a Han and could not be regarded as a Manchu.

"It is only natural for businessmen to pursue profits." Fan Sanba seemed to be a little aggrieved and said: "When we smuggled and sold goods, why not our Fan family?" Shaanxi trilateral, Xuanda trilateral, Jizhen. Liaodong, the border forts are heavily gathered, if there is no one to help, how to ship the goods out? If it is said to be guilty, who is not guilty? It's just this, this reputation, the horses are strong, and our Fan family is also affected by this. ”

Fan Sanba's meaning is very simple, if he is just an ordinary businessman. It doesn't matter if it was money after fornication back then. But now the Fan family has the name of an imperial businessman, which the Ming court can't let go. The other Wang family, the Jin family, etc., were also out of the same concerns, so they reluctantly fled with their wealth.

"Not really!" Fan Yongdou sighed, thought about it and said: "The current Emperor Ming once said: Commerce has no borders, and businessmen have nationality. Do you know what that means? ”

"Father, how do you know this?" Fan Sanba asked suspiciously.

Fan Yongdou glanced at his son with some displeasure, and said seriously: "My father has been thinking about the way back for a long time. If you can use money to buy peace, even if most of the Fan family's savings are nothing. So. I sent someone to inquire about my father, collected news, and found that this road is not going to work! According to Emperor Ming's intentions, even those nameless small businessmen, or other people who have helped Manchus, will be pursued for their crimes. No forgiveness! ”

"But Emperor Ming also said that there is preferential treatment for surrender and righteousness!" Fan Sanba explained without giving up: "Isn't Wu Sangui innocent, and he is still a prince." ”

"It's different." Fan Yongdou shook his head and said, "Although my father didn't think too thoroughly, my father knew that Emperor Ming would not let us go." And. Fleeing with all your money is not the best idea. ”

Fan Sanba thought for a while, and said tentatively: "The father asked the child to find a secret place to hide money, just in case, right?" ”

Fan Yongdou nodded and said: "If you don't bet on the treasure and leave a way back, it is not only good for your father, for you, but also for future generations!" After a pause, he continued: "If the Manchurians are completely defeated, and even Liaodong has no place to stand, will the Wang family and the Jin family survive?" Therefore, we have to leave a descendant here, incognito, and hide from the people. In the end, whether the Ming extinguishes the Qing Dynasty, or the Qing Dynasty can rise again, our Fan family still has a chance to rise. ”

"Got it." Fan Sanba knew everything now, and was impressed by his father's old scheming.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket, although Fan Yongdou doesn't know this sentence, the method he takes is of the same nature. As for the money, it was divided into two halves, half of which fled eastward, and the other half was hidden in the local area, leaving the descendants to take care of it. If those who fled east suffered a catastrophe, the Fan family would not be considered extinct, and they would still have the resources to make a fortune; If the Manchus counterattacked again in the future, it would naturally be a better thing.

"At the beginning, the Manchurians attached importance to us because we had the benefit of trade and smuggling, which was beneficial and helpful to them." Fan Yongdou said earnestly: "Later, I gave gifts, one is gratitude, so that we can contribute more; Second, it is also to buy people's hearts. In the future, what is the use of us leaving our family and business behind, and going to Liaodong? The bird is hidden in the bow, and the rabbit is dead and the dog is cooked, which is a truth that is not easy for a thousand years. ”

"The father thinks long-term and thoughtfully, and the child is taught." Fan Sanba said sincerely: "Then let's step up our preparations and set off in the near future!" ”

"Which way are you going?" Fan Yongdou looked at his son as if he was taking a test, and asked: "The Jin family is taking the outside of the mouth, that is the business route that they are used to, is it safe?" ”

Fan Sanba was about to blurt it out, but looking at his father's expression, he thought about it cautiously, and couldn't help but shake his head and said: "The Mongols are unreliable, and they are weak at the time. The child felt that it was safer to go to Shanhaiguan to go to the Jingshi. ”

"Hmm!" Fan Yongdou nodded appreciatively, relieved that his son could think deeply, "Then let's arrange it like this!" ”

When his son left, Fan Yongdou did not feel relaxed because the matter was finalized, he looked at the beams of the house, and then looked at the furnishings in the house, and a burst of sadness welled up in his heart.

Although it is easy to bring some gold and silver wealth, the loss of moving and relocating is too great. Scattered all over the real estate shops, how many generations of houses have been built in Jiexiu...... This is the hard work of the clansmen for generations! Fan Yongdou looked at it and thought about it, he didn't feel that the old tears were rampant, it was over, the Fan family was over, how many generations of ancestors' efforts were in vain, although I dare not say that it was all in vain, but it was going to rise again, I don't know what year and month it was, and I don't know if there is such a possibility. (To be continued......)