I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 336 Losing the Bet
The second elder of the Yang clan was furious. Although his youth coincided with the war-torn period at the end of the previous dynasty, he had always lived under the protection of the Yang family. Even when the Yang family was targeted by Emperor Kangzhi, the Yang family's position as the head of the four major families in Jiangnan was never shaken.

As the eldest son of the Yang family, Yang Erzu Lao grew up in luxury and ease. As he grew older, he naturally became the second most important person in the Yang family after the clan leader. He was able to give orders and command within the Yang family and even throughout Jiangnan. Anyone who disobeyed him met a bad end.

This led to the arrogance of the Yang clan elders, who thought that killing a princess was a trivial matter.

"What do you mean by that, Third Brother? Although the Yang family is not as powerful as it was in the previous dynasty, it is still the uncrowned king of Jiangnan!"

Elder Yang Er proudly declared, "Let alone a princess or a prince, even Emperor Wu'an would have to give the Yang family some face!"

"I'd like to see what Tang Zhao can do to my Yang family even if the salt warehouse isn't replenished."

Elder Yang sneered. Whether Tang Zhao could deal with the Yang family was another matter, but he could definitely punish his son for a serious crime of dereliction of duty, embezzlement, and concealment!

By then, he will be burying his son, while others will reap the benefits. There's no such thing as a free lunch!

Just as Elder Yang was about to start cursing, Tang Wei, covered in sweat, was led into the main hall by a servant. Before he could even bow, he looked at Yang Fan, who was resting with his eyes closed at the head of the table, and said, "Father-in-law, 150,000 Northwest troops have gathered in Nantong Prefecture and are stationed on the opposite side of the Yangtze River!"

Yang Fan suddenly opened his eyes.

Elder Yang Si and Elder Yang Wu, who had been observing from the sidelines, stood up, leaning on their canes. "Is this really true?"

Tang nodded solemnly, “Suzhou Prefecture has received a report from the imperial court that the Northwest Army will cross the river in seven days. Suzhou Prefecture should prepare in advance!”

Master Yang asked anxiously, "Father, what should we do?"

"The powerful dragon is about to suppress the local snake," Yang Fan sighed. "The younger generation is truly formidable."

"Brother, don't be sentimental now!" Elder Yang Wu slammed his cane on the ground. "The imperial court is clearly warning the Yang family: either return the salt to the salt warehouse, or the four great families will face war!"

Elder Yang Er, panting heavily, exclaimed, "That venomous woman truly has the heart of a snake!"

Jiangnan has been at peace for decades, and its army has long been corrupt and decadent. It is unlikely to win against the valiant Northwest Army, let alone the Luoyang garrison.

Moreover, the Yang family can no longer openly command the Jiangnan army.

Yang Fan twirled the sandalwood prayer beads in his hand. "Send someone to buy salt."

Elder Yang asked, "Should we go to the Gao family's salt shop, or one of the other three?"

“The Jiang, Jin, and Zou families are too busy filling their own salt gaps to sell us any extra salt,” Yang Fan said with a distant look in his eyes. “Let’s go to the Gao family’s salt shop.”

Just as Elder Yang was about to speak, Yang Fan continued, "The cost of buying salt will be shared equally by each branch of the family."

"No way!" Elder Yang Er shouted. "My family has already contributed a million catties of salt, why should we have to pay more?" Elder Yang Er pointed at Elder Yang Wu, indignantly, "Why didn't Elder Yang Wu contribute any salt?"

Elder Yang tried to reason with them, saying, "My family doesn't even own a salt mine, so how can we produce salt?"

Elder Yang spat, "Pah! Fifth brother, who are you trying to fool? Your family doesn't have a salt mine? Before the old man died, he specifically left Third Uncle a newly discovered salt mine in Dingyuan County, Chuzhou Prefecture. Don't think I don't know that!"

Elder Yang Wu subconsciously looked at Yang Fan, and saw that Yang Fan's face was calm, as if he already knew, or as if he knew nothing. He gripped his cane tightly and denied, "Second brother, please be careful what you say. Everyone was serving Grandfather at his bedside before he died. How come no one else heard that Grandfather left my father a salt mine?"

"Grandfather secretly left it to my third uncle, so naturally I can't say it out loud," Elder Yang said proudly. "I overheard it when I was a child, lying under my grandfather's bed."

"It's fine if you don't admit it. I'll send someone to Dingyuan County and ask the magistrate to investigate whether the salt mine is under Lao Wu's name!"

Elder Yang's lips turned white. He knew all too well the clan leader's methods; once the clan leader investigated, everything would be exposed.

“The salt mines in Dingyuan County,” he said, his voice dry, “have already been sold by my good-for-nothing grandson to pay off debts.” Yang Wu’s branch of the clan had few descendants; since his father, it had been a single-lineage line. Faced with his only grandson, he inevitably spoiled him a bit.

Unsurprisingly, he raised a lawless spoiled brat who indulged in all sorts of vices, including eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring.

Two months ago, Yang Shijiu lost his mind gambling in an underground casino and lost a whopping 1.5 million taels of silver! Although he was so angry that he wanted to beat that little beast to death, he couldn't just stand by and watch the people at the gambling den kill his only grandson.

He had no choice but to try to raise the money.

Although the Yang family had countless riches, most of them were real estate such as fields and shops. As members of the clan, they only had the right to operate these properties, not the right to sell them.

The gambling den pressed him harder and harder, even threatening to go to the Yang family's old house to collect debts. In order to save his grandson's life, he reluctantly handed over the mining rights of the salt mine in Anding County.

Meeting Yang Fan's sinister eyes, Elder Yang Wu's legs went weak and he knelt on the ground. "Clan leader, I only have one grandson, Nineteen. Nineteen was confused for a moment. Please have mercy and forgive him this time!"

Yang Fan closed his eyes tightly. No wonder Tang Zhao dared to make trouble for the Yang family at this time. It turned out that the Yang family had made a big mistake!
But how could Tang Zhao know about such a secret, which even the Fifth Prince kept from him?
Yang Fan felt a sudden chill in his heart.

It seems the Jiang family was right; Emperor Wu'an's desire to govern Jiangnan was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a premeditated plan.

First the salt administration, then what? Yang Fan was in a state of utter confusion.

"Big brother," Elder Yang Wu pleaded desperately.

"Since Fifth Brother is so wealthy, then let him take charge of preparing three million catties of official salt."

Elder Yang Wu felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"The remaining one million catties of official salt were provided by the second son's family."

"Big brother!" Elder Yang Er said discontentedly.

Yang Fan reassured her, "After this matter is over, the position of Chief of the Salt Transport Office will be taken over by someone from the second branch of the family."

Elder Yang Er's face darkened. Buying a fourth-rank official position as the head of the Salt Transport Office for 300,000 taels of silver was ultimately a loss for him.

But the second elder of the Yang clan dared not complain anymore.

Although his elder brother's expression remained calm and composed as always, he keenly sensed that his elder brother was very angry.

The last time the eldest brother was this angry was when Emperor Kangzhi issued an edict forbidding members of the Yang family from entering the military camp.

Recalling what happened back then, Elder Yang Er shuddered.

Yang Fan waved his hand to shoo them away, "Go back to your work!"

In an instant, everyone left, leaving only Yang Fan and his son in the lobby.

boom!
The fragments of the glass cup from the bamboo-covered crane were scattered all over the ground.

Master Yang advised, "Father, please calm down."

"That brat with yellow hair, so arrogant!" Yang Fan snorted coldly. "Boss, go and let them know that the Yang family is not to be trifled with!"

"My son understands!"