Chapter 131: Partnering for Business

In the huge courtyard, spirit pennants and white curtains fluttered in the breeze. Paper figures, paper horses, paper bridges, gold and silver vaults, and money vaults were placed everywhere along the corridors.

Funeral couplets, mourning banners, and blue curtains stretched from the mourning hall all the way to the long mourning shed outside the courtyard gate.

Compared with the deserted atmosphere an hour ago, this moment actually showed a rare sense of mourning and glory.

The news that the Imperial Observatory’s Yin-Yang Department had been ordered to choose an auspicious date quickly spread throughout the city. When they learned that Jia Zhen’s body had been granted permission to be buried as a duke, each family understood Emperor Yongchang’s intention and no longer had any taboos, and they all came to pay their respects.

Since it was not a natural death, one hundred and eighteen Zen monks were invited to perform the Great Compassion Repentance in the hall to liberate the souls of the deceased and to absolve the sins of the deceased. Another altar was set up in Jia Zhen’s courtyard, where ninety-nine Quanzhen Taoists performed a ceremony to resolve grievances and cleanse karma.

In front of the coffin, another fifty eminent monks and fifty Taoists chanted scriptures and accumulated merits for the deceased.

Jia Lian accompanied Li Hu out of the gate, from which came the sounds of chaotic chanting, funeral music, and earth-shaking wails.

The two of them walked to the gate of Rongguo Mansion and stopped.

Jia Lian looked into the distance, as if talking to Li Hu, or perhaps to himself, and said: “People’s words are terrible, rumors can kill people without being seen.”

Li Hu shook his head. What was scary was not what people said, but the imperial power. If Qin Keqing had not been the county lady appointed by the emperor, would Jia Zhen have hanged himself with a white silk? Qin Keqing would have been the one who died then.

I have been to Ningguo Mansion several times, and today I finally met Qin Keqing. She was just like that. Of course, it was mainly because she had been ill for more than half a year.

Li Hu not only met Qin Keqing, but also met Qin Zhong and the legendary two beauties of the You family. Both sisters were rare beauties. One had bright eyes, was gentle and beautiful; the other was a woman of charm and a bit of a hot-tempered nature.

Now that Jia Zhen is gone, who knows what the fate of the two beauties of the You family will be.

Li Hu thought of Liu Xianglian again, and his fate was completely changed.

Thinking of this, Li Hu looked at Jia Lian. This kid has now become a “social animal” and should not have the energy to do those trivial things.

Jia Lian looked at Li Hu strangely: “What’s wrong?”

Li Hu looked around and lowered his voice: “Be careful of the second wife.”

Jia Lian was startled and was about to speak.

“Hey!” Wang Daniu suddenly shouted.

Li Hu turned his head to look, and Jia Lian also looked in the direction of the voice, and both of them were startled.

Xue Pan is here.

“General Li, Second Brother Lian” Xue Pan cupped his hands.

Jia Lian suddenly remembered: “I almost forgot that Xue Dasha has something to tell you.”

Li Hu: “Oh?” After thinking for a while, he waved at Wang Daniu. Wang Daniu moved away and Xue Pan walked over.

Xue Pan looked at Jia Lian.

Jia Lian: “Go ahead.”

Xue Pan looked towards both sides and said to Li Hu, “General Li, there are too many people here. I have prepared some wine at home. Let’s eat and chat at the same time.” As he said this, he extended his hand as a gesture of invitation.

Li Hu looked at him and said, “Just tell me what you want to say. I still need to go home for dinner.”

Xue Pan blushed, “Yes, since General Li is busy, let’s do it next time. Ahem, things have been bad at home recently, so I thought about going to a few temples to burn incense and pray for blessings. Guess who I saw? Qiu Ying! I can recognize that bastard even if he was burned to ashes. For several days in a row, that bastard was either pretending to be a beggar, a peddler, or a pilgrim, staring at the people entering and leaving the Daxiangguo Temple, especially the carriages and sedan chairs.”

Li Hu’s eyes flashed, “Okay, I understand.” He then said to Jia Lian, “I’ll go back first and come back on the day of the memorial service.”

Jia Lian nodded.

Just as Li Hu was about to leave, Xue Pan spoke up: “General Li!”

Li Hu looked at him and asked, “Anything else?” Xue Pan gritted his teeth and said, “My cousin sent me a letter from Jinling, saying that several chambers of commerce in Jinling pooled money to buy fur stickers from the imperial court and went to Hetao to do fur business.”

Li Hu: “This won’t cost much, right?”

Xue Pan hurriedly explained: “It’s not about the money. I went to the Transfer Department and they said there is no such thing.”

Li Hu understood that these officials were dividing the cake, and the fur business was very profitable.

Jia Lian spoke up: “There is something I just heard these days. Many officials in Jiangnan are secretly contacting each other to submit a memorial, suggesting that the court take back the Xitao Plain from the herdsmen and then sell it to solve the urgent problem of the empty treasury. Too many people died in the Battle of Datong. The pensions for the dead soldiers alone can empty the treasury, and there are also rewards.”

Li Hu was stunned and didn’t say anything for a long time.

Xue Pan: “The Yatie issued by the Ministry of Revenue is useful when entering and exiting the Great Wall pass. I’ve inquired about it, and the court has a rule that the Sitie issued by the provincial governors is almost as effective as the Yatie within their jurisdiction. As long as Shaanxi issues a Sitie, the Yulin Guards will turn a blind eye, and the caravan can enter and exit the Hetao area.” After saying that, he looked at Li Hu nervously.

Li Hu looked at him, thinking that this was probably another of Xue Baochai’s ideas.

Alas, Xue Baochai was not selected, why haven’t we heard about the “golden and jade match”? Is it that she looks down on Da Lianbao, or is it that Mrs. Wang looks down on her?

Xue Pan: “General Li”

Li Hu: “Go on.”

Xue Pan was delighted. There was hope! He cleared his throat and continued, “Our Xue family will pay for the establishment of the caravan. General Li will take 30%, Yulin Guards will take 10%, and the Hetao garrison will take 10%. We will earn some hard-earned money.” He then said to Jia Lian, “Don’t worry. I will never let Second Brother Lian help for nothing. You will take half.”

After hearing this, Li Hu looked at Xue Pan and asked, “Outside the Great Wall is not inside the Great Wall. We need to go through the harsh desert and desert areas. Can you do it?”

Xue Pan blushed and answered hesitantly, “The business in the capital cannot be separated from me. My cousin Xue Ke is in charge of the caravan.”

Li Hu thought for a moment and said, “Let Xue Ke come to Beijing and take a look. Oh, and the Xue family should give another 10%.”

Hearing this, Xue Pan’s face changed. Thirty-five percent, the Xue family really earned their money through hard work!
Jia Lian was also startled and looked at Li Hu.

Li Hu said unhappily, “I’m not that greedy. This 10% is for others. Yulin Guards and Hetao Garrison are involved, so we have to drag someone else down with us. I’ll also give 10%.”

Xue Pan asked curiously: “Who?”

“You just need to give me the 20% interest and the money from the Yulin Guards and the Hetao garrisons.”

Li Hu glanced at his neck and said, “You know too much. Be careful not to lose your head.”

Before he finished speaking, Xue Pan shuddered with a chill.

Li Hu: “Don’t worry, you won’t suffer any loss. Take your time, there will be big business.” He then said to Jia Lian, “I’ll be at home these days.” After that, he strode towards Wang Daniu.

At this moment, Xue Pan’s eyes lit up: “I know, it’s the prince!”

Jia Lian’s face changed: “What nonsense!”

Xue Pan: “What’s wrong?”

Jia Lian said angrily: “Watch your mouth. If outsiders hear it, your head will be in danger.”

Xue Pan subconsciously shrank his neck.

People were coming and going in front of the Ningguo Mansion. Li Hu led Wang Daniu and his personal soldiers out from the West Street Gate.

Just then, a gong sounded at the East Street Gate. It was Dai Quan!

Jia Lian’s eyes lit up and he understood who Li Hu was talking about.

(End of this chapter)