Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 232 Brother, let's go home!
The explosion at Xishan Glass Workshop did indeed occur.

This is a report from the Gyeonggi Ilbo, how could it be fake?

In an instant, everyone's curiosity was piqued.

"Keep reading! What exactly is going on?"

The tea drinkers shouted in unison.

But Mr. Liu had no intention of reading any further, repeatedly saying, "That's all," "That's all."

He looked bitter.

"You can't keep reading! You can't!"

The more this happened, the more curious the tea drinkers became. Some rushed to pass around copies of the Gyeonggi Ilbo, while others shouted something in the crowd.

"Tianhuixuan is discussing the *Jingji Daily*. It tells the story of Zhang Shiyuan oppressing the workers of Xishan. The workers, enraged, filed a complaint with the Shuntian Prefecture, but were suppressed by his power and have now disappeared without a trace."

"How could they be so utterly depraved?"

Let's go check out Tianhuixuan!

In an instant, all the tea drinkers in the Thirty-Nine Tea House scattered.

Mr. Liu pretended to be very helpless and scared, and kept shouting something.

"You can't go!"

"It's all a lie~"

"How can such rumors be believed?"

But the more he shouted it out, the more curious people became about it.

Everyone knows that the Gyeonggi Ilbo is the sworn enemy of the Jang family, and when it is established, it publishes some dirty stories about Jang Yoon-soo and Seo-san.

The Wanli Xinbao may be trying to cover up the truth, but how could the Jingji Daily possibly lie?

However, aside from the crowds who came to watch the spectacle...

Some of the merchants and gentry in the teahouse became much more active; they had initially been observing, but now they were whispering among themselves.

"Oh no! The price of glass is about to skyrocket!"

"Go to Chessboard Street quickly and collect all the glassware, we want it all!"

"Quiet down! Someone go inside the guild hall and talk to the managers!"

The private room upstairs also became chaotic, and a group of people hurriedly went downstairs and left.

Upon seeing this scene, Zhu Yinghuai couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"I'm off! Oh my, Master is truly a divine being!"

However, upon hearing their conversation, Zhu Yinghuai shook his head repeatedly.

"They're all laymen with no taste. What good stuff can you buy on Qipan Street?"

If you really want to buy glass art, you have to go to Dengshikou. Whether it's glass or porcelain cups, they're all exquisitely beautiful!

After a moment of reflection, Zhu Yinghuai noticed that his older brother, Zhu Yingzhen, was staring blankly at everything happening below.

Zhu Yinghuai couldn't help but jokingly ask, "Brother, have you figured out any tricks of the trade?"

"This time."

Zhu Yingzhen's eyes were somewhat vacant, and his head turned mechanically as he spoke with a look of utter shock.

"That Zhang Shiyuan kid, he even bribed the people at the Jingji Daily?"

Zhu Yinghuai's face froze instantly. He slapped his forehead and said helplessly.

"Brother, let's go home. Maybe we should just go home."

In a secluded courtyard in the capital city.

Wang Shiqi hurried in from outside, quietly closed the courtyard door, and drank the tea in the porcelain cup on the stone table in one gulp.

He licked his lips and said, "Brother Chenyu! There's new news. The Liulichang area in Xishan has really exploded! It's true that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished. Zhang Shiyuan was arrogant and domineering, and it's only right that he's suffering divine punishment now."

The business of Liulichang, worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, was completely ruined by Zhang Shiyuan. The emperor will surely not let him off the hook!

The young man sitting in front of him, who was slightly tall and thin and had a scholarly air about him, was Wang Heng, the eldest son of Wang Xijue.

He and Wang Shiqi had come to the capital together to study, and naturally they would accompany each other. Upon hearing this, Wang Heng couldn't help but frown and say, "Brother Jiongbo, didn't you say earlier that Zhang Shiyuan was just bluffing? Is this some kind of conspiracy?"

"Times have changed," Wang Shiqi said, shaking his head. "I recently heard that some people from Xishan in Shuntian Prefecture are petitioning for justice."

He briefly explained the situation in the Gyeonggi Ilbo newspaper.

After carefully listening to the reasons, Wang Heng couldn't help but shake his head and remind him, "The Jingji Daily has always been good at making unfounded accusations and almost resorting to slander."

I don't really believe any of the news coming from the Gyeonggi Ilbo.

He knew very well that the Jingji Daily was backed by Shanxi merchants and had always intended to rival the Wanli Xinbao.

As the mouthpiece of the upright officials, the Gyeonggi Ilbo followed the officialdom's practices, much like the corrupt officials of the court who "reported on hearsay" and "made far-fetched connections."

But Wang Shiqi said, "The Jingji Daily is Zhang Shiyuan's mortal enemy, how could it be wrong?"

Wang Heng shook his head: "It's nothing but an exaggeration. He said that Zhang Shiyuan covered up everything and completely destroyed the evidence. What's the point of discussing this matter then?"

Without any evidence, just empty words, whatever they say is right.

Rather than trusting the *Gyeonggi Daily*, I'd rather trust the *Wanli Xinbao*. Although it's somewhat biased, it's generally more reasonable and well-founded, clearly distinguishing right from wrong!

Although his father, Wang Xijue, had already predetermined his stance, Wang Heng still had some of his own opinions.

He squinted and reminded his companion.

"Therefore, in my opinion, this matter has a hint of being planned!"

"Planning?"

Wang Shiqi was startled, recalling some unpleasant memories from the past.

At the Xishan auction, didn't I fall into Zhang Shiyuan's trap?

The thought of this sent chills down his spine, and he felt increasingly suspicious about the matter.

"Speaking of which, this matter seems too coincidental." He said through gritted teeth, "Zhang Shiyuan is a cunning and scheming man, and he is utterly despicable."

Seeing the anger on the other party's face, Wang Heng sighed and said, "Brother Jiongbo, why are you so fixated on this? Instead of fighting with Zhang Shiyuan, why not focus on your studies? If you pass the imperial examination one day, will you still have trouble dealing with Zhang Shiyuan?"

"Top scholar in the imperial examination?" Wang Shiqi said with a strange expression. "Xu Xuemo was a Jinshi in the 29th year of the Jiajing reign, and Zhang Siwei was a Jinshi in the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign. What became of them now?"

Wang Heng felt somewhat embarrassed, as Zhang Yunxiu's record was simply too brilliant.

“Then we can fight fire with fire. In my opinion, Zhang Shiyuan’s new learning has some merit. Brother Jiongbo, you can study it with me, and we will surely be able to deal with him in the future.”

"It's nothing but a deceptive trick!"

Wang Shiqi waved his hand and said.

"I can't talk to you anymore. I sent the steward to Dengshikou to buy glass earlier. We need to find someone to stop him quickly, or we'll fall into Zhang Shiyuan's trap again!"

After saying that, he turned and left in a hurry.

"Ai--"

Wang Heng sighed heavily and fell silent, then lowered his head to read.

But only a stick of incense had passed before Wang Shiqi hurriedly left and returned, accompanied by a filthy servant.

"Brother Jiongbo, weren't you looking for the steward?" Wang Heng smelled a foul odor, covered his nose, and asked in confusion. "And who is this?"

"I've told the steward to go and collect the glass; collect as much as you can."

"what?"

"This matter has taken another turn. Zhang Shiyuan almost managed to mislead everyone. That kid deliberately made everyone suspicious so he could secretly buy up glass and make a profit from the price difference!"

Wang Shiqi chuckled.

"Unfortunately, the devil is one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall. Zhang Shiyuan's schemes and tricks were still thwarted by me."

After saying that, he looked at the servant beside him and said...

"Tell me everything you have seen and heard in the Western Hills."

"Yes."

The servant, looking disheveled, stammered.

"It's blown up! The entire Liulichang area in Xishan has been blown up! There's a huge hole, I saw it with my own eyes."

(End of this chapter)