Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 104 Buying Land
The room was quiet and still, and a gust of wind seemed to ripple through the river of time.

When the Northern Qi attacked and captured the capital of Daliang, the emperor was so frightened that he passed the throne to his son. However, his son was captured by the Qi people, and he almost fell into enemy hands as well. Although he was rescued, he fell ill and never recovered.

Empress Dowager Xie was also seated in the main hall.

The desk was piled high with memorials and petitions, and a group of officials and scholars stood in the room.

All eyes were fixed on the pheasant pattern on the hem of the sage's robe.

The retired emperor, lying on his sickbed, tried to write something on the sand table with his hand, but only left behind scribbles.

The ministers dared not speculate, but the emperor spoke up: "The retired emperor is critically ill, and the emperor has been captured. The country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. I hereby order the prime ministers, the privy councilors, and the senior scholars to come to the capital to discuss the establishment of a new emperor."

At this critical juncture, however, some of the chief ministers hesitated, fearing they would become the sinners of the Great Liang.

Empress Dowager Xie's smile was cold and authoritative as she calmly said, "Now, begin the selection!"

At this moment, the sage changed into a simple cloth dress and still sat in the chair. Although he had restrained his imposing manner, he still easily made the people in the room unable to raise their heads.

Those members of the Yang clan who were standing a little further away began to quietly retreat, and then fled the courtyard of the third branch of the family as if they were escaping.

Once one person took the lead, many clansmen followed suit. In a short while, most of the Yang clansmen standing in the courtyard had run away, and the clansmen inside the house also tentatively retreated outside. After finding that no one was stopping them, three or four of them also left.

The clansmen who ran out found Yang Mingjing standing outside the third courtyard. The clan chief's face was ashen. After meeting their gaze, he waved his hand, signaling them to leave quickly.

Yang Mingjing also sided with Madam Xie?

The clansmen didn't have time to think and quickened their pace.

Yang Mingjing watched the backs of his clansmen, took a deep breath, and only then did he learn that his mother had conspired with the Xie family to scheme against Xie Yuyan.

The situation had already become like this, and he was powerless to stop it, but he also could not follow his mother to attack Xie Yuyan.

After witnessing Xie Yuyan's methods, he realized he no longer had the courage to fight against her.

Seeing that there were fewer and fewer people in the room, Yang Zongdao coughed and said, "How could a girl in her teens know about what happened back then? She can barely protect herself, yet she wants to intimidate others. What a joke."

After saying that, cold sweat streamed down Yang Zongdao's face. He seemed to have used up all his strength to barely manage to cope.

The clansmen who had come with Yang Zongdao all looked at him. As their gazes clashed, greed finally prevailed, and they managed to maintain their composure.

As long as they can disrupt the situation of the Third Branch and hinder Xie Yuyan's business with the merchants, the Third Branch's water shop will fall into their hands. Xie Chongjun also agreed to jointly buy the land outside the North City with them. Although it costs sixty guan per mu, the Xie family will also tell them the method of making lotus root charcoal. They should not focus on the present, as this is a business that can be done for a long time.

Besides, even if they manage to get on good terms with the Xie family after this, why would they be afraid of not making money in the future?
They cannot leave now; they must retrieve the money that was sent to them in order to buy land.

Whether they trust Xie Yuyan or Xie Chongjun, they could choose correctly even with their eyes closed.

No one left. Just as Yang Zongdao was about to speak again, he heard Xie Yuyan say, "Give them the money."

Yang Zongdao was taken aback. Just now Xie Yuyan had been vehemently objecting, but now he had given in so easily. He turned to look outside, only to find the house completely empty.

Yang Zongdao felt a chill in his heart, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Fortunately, there were enough people in the room to take the remaining silver from Xie Yuyan's hand.

Therefore, if Xie Yuyan wants to buy more land in the northern part of the city, he will have to find another way.

Xie Yuyan was kidnapped and sold to Daming Prefecture. Apart from the Yang family's third branch, she had no relatives or friends. How could she possibly get money? Yang Zongdao didn't believe she had such abilities. Besides, she didn't have the time, because Xie Chongjun would take over the land in the north city today.

Thinking of this, Yang Zongdao's tense spirit relaxed slightly. Xie Yuyan was still too naive. She insisted on competing with him, and in the end, she drove herself into a corner.

"Count them carefully," Yang Zongdao instructed Yang Mingli, "not a single coin can be missing."

If they lose even a single coin, they will have an excuse to continue causing trouble in the third house.

They would not hesitate to send the money offered by the third branch of the family directly to the Xie family, and in one fell swoop, they would secure the deal.

……

At this moment, Master Xu, Master Zhao, Master Zheng, and Cheng Qi, who should have arrived at Yong'anfang, were stopped and taken to the Xie family's rice shop.

The rice shop intentionally closed today in order to meet the four people.

Xie Chongjun sat in the main seat of the back hall, picked up a cup of hot tea, took a sip, and said directly, "To be honest, copper ore has been discovered in the Sanhe Village mine, and that land will soon be taken over by the imperial court."

"The Yang clan has learned of this matter and intends to ask Xie Yuyan for the money back today."

"Xie Yuyan is out of money."

Upon hearing this, all four of them were taken aback, their expressions a mixture of surprise, worry, and disappointment.

Xie Chongjun didn't intend to give them a chance to speak, and continued, "The Yang clan will take over the water shops in Xie Yuyan's hands."

"They will also join me in selling lotus root charcoal. I invited you all here because the Yang clan will send money over. You'll know for sure whether it's real or fake when the time comes."

Cheng Qi couldn't help but say, "How could someone as clever as Madam Xie..."

"Stripped of power?" Xie Chongjun said contemptuously, "She's just a woman. Her husband died when she married into the Yang family. She doesn't even know where she came from, and she doesn't even have any family members. Do you really think the Yang family would hand over the power of managing the household affairs to her? They're just using her."

"I explained the situation to you because I was confident about this deal."

Then, Xie Chongjun looked at Cheng Qi and said, "Master Cheng can sell me the land in Beicheng. The same goes for the three of you. I am willing to pay a high price to buy the mines in your hands."

Cheng Qi frowned, then suddenly stood up: "I'll go ask Madam Xie."

Just as the Xie family steward was about to stop them, they heard the sound of horses' hooves, followed by the shop assistant saying, "It's the Yang family's carriages; they've come to deliver money."

Cheng Qi's eyes flashed, but he still wanted to walk out. Xie Chongjun was not in a hurry: "If you want to keep Xie Yuyan's lotus root charcoal recipe for yourself and sell lotus root charcoal... you have to think about whether you can deal with the Xie and Yang families. Even if we don't take action, Xie Yuyan will inevitably report to Inspector He. Do you have a way to deal with it?"

Cheng Qi's steps faltered.

"Why not sell it to me?"

After Xie Chongjun finished speaking, he took the document from the steward: "At the price you said, we will buy 100 acres of land in the north of the city and the method for making lotus root charcoal."

"With this money, you can move anywhere you want, buy mansions and land, and live a life of wealth and luxury without having to work hard."

(End of this chapter)