Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 234 A person must rely on themselves!
"The flowers of April have all faded in the human world, but the fireworks of Yangzhou are just beginning to bloom." This line of poetry is half romance and half blood and tears.

Yangzhou's wealth is renowned throughout the world, but this wealth is like a beautiful flower blooming on a cliff, its roots tightly gripping the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty, while its petals are stained with countless unseen drops of blood.

The water of Slender West Lake remains as gentle as ever.

The spring breeze swept across the lake, creating not ripples, but crushed gold and powdered pearls.

The lake is dotted with painted boats, among which the most magnificent and eye-catching one is named "Unmoored Boat".

This boat is not a boat, but a mobile water palace.

The three-story building features flying eaves and corner brackets, with a hundred or so glass palace lanterns hanging under the eaves. During the day, it is dazzling with light, and at night, when lit up, it is like stars falling on the lake.

This was the private property of Wang Zonghai, the head of the eight major merchants under the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner's Office.

Today, on this "unmoored boat," the heads of the eight prominent families of Lianghuai have all gathered here.

However, at this moment, an eerie silence permeated the waterside pavilion and stage.

The song is "The Flowers of the Rear Courtyard," and the dance is the Green Waist Dance.

The courtesans' sleeves fluttered, their eyes sparkled with spring, and their voices were as melodious as nightingales emerging from a valley.

The fine wine is thirty-year-old Daughter's Red, and the delicacies are the finest dishes from all over the land and water of Jiangnan.

Everything was as perfect as a painting, but it lacked the vitality that a painting should have.

At the head of the table, Wang Zonghai, a salt merchant leader in his fifties with slightly graying temples but still full of energy, was using ivory chopsticks to pick up a piece of freshly caught pufferfish milt and slowly put it into his mouth.

He closed his eyes, savoring the melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness, as if nothing else in the world could disturb his mind.

However, none of the other seven people present had such refined tastes.

Their gazes sometimes met, filled with inquiry and fear; sometimes they glanced at the dancers, but ignored them completely; and most of the time they were fixed on the priceless white jade wine cup in front of them, as if trying to see their future in the amber liquid.

The overwhelming panic, like the spring mist of the Slender West Lake, seeped in everywhere, damply and coldly soaking into everyone's embroidered robes, reaching straight to the bone marrow.

Songjiang Prefecture was teeming with people.

In Suzhou Prefecture, rivers of blood flowed.

As lists were delivered by secret agents on horseback, and as the word "unpardonable" became increasingly clear—personally written in vermilion ink by the young emperor—everyone understood.

This isn't hitting, this is cleaning.

This isn't just making an example of them; it's about uprooting this group of self-proclaimed tycoons who think they're on par with the nation!

Finally, a salt merchant surnamed Zhou could no longer contain himself. He slammed his wine cup on the table with a loud clang, bringing the decadent music to a halt.

"Lord Wang!" His voice was hoarse and trembling, "I'm afraid Yangzhou will be next!"

This sound, like a thunderclap, shattered the false facade of peace and prosperity.

The music stopped abruptly, and the dancers knelt down in panic, barely breathing.

Wang Zonghai slowly opened his eyes. His eyes, which should have become cloudy from being pampered, were now shockingly clear.

He didn't look at the distraught Zhou, the salt merchant, but instead scanned the entire room, taking in everyone's expressions.

Some people looked ashen-faced, some were at a loss, and some tried to remain calm, but their slightly trembling knuckles betrayed the turmoil in their hearts.

Wang Zonghai smiled, a smile that carried a hint of arrogance and disdain born of long-standing power.

"Brother Zhou, what's the panic?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears. "Those textile merchants in Suzhou are nothing more than using shady methods to weave a few bolts of silk and satin to earn some money for cosmetics. What are they anyway, daring to compare themselves to us?"

He slowly stood up, his movements deliberately steady, as if each step was on the heartbeats of everyone present.

Wang Zonghai walked to the side of the ship, his hands gripping the cold sandalwood railing tightly from an angle where no one could see, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the excessive force.

His gaze fell upon the Slender West Lake before him, but what he saw through the enchanting misty waves was not romance or beauty.

What he saw was outside the painted boat, in the depths of those streets and alleys teeming with tourists during the day, in those inconspicuous teahouses, taverns, and inns, where pairs of eyes might have been lurking long ago.

Those eyes were devoid of emotion, only possessing a razor-sharp coldness; they belonged to the emperor's most loyal hounds—the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

run?
This thought had been swirling in his mind a thousand times over.

But how to escape? When to escape? The four gates of Yangzhou City may seem wide open, but in reality, they are probably already an invisible net.

If he makes the slightest move, will a brocade dagger already be pressed against his neck before he even leaves the city?

Wang Zonghai dared not gamble.

He could only wait.

But now that people's hearts have been scattered, if he doesn't stand up and say something, this "unmoored boat" will fall apart tonight.

At that time, everyone will scatter like birds and beasts, and the target will be dispersed, making it easier to defeat them one by one. He, as the leader, will inevitably be the first sacrifice to be cut down.

Therefore, he had to act.

Wang Zonghai took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress all the chill and fear that filled his heart.

When he spoke again, his voice was surprisingly loud, filled with a deliberately crafted air of bravado:

"For us, the rules are the rules we set!"

He turned around, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone, a gaze that carried a powerful sense of oppression, making people afraid to look him in the eye.

"Gentlemen, think about it! The salt industry of Lianghuai is the lifeblood of the nation! The annual salt tax of four million taels accounts for a significant portion of the imperial court's revenue. And that doesn't even include the 'ice tribute' and 'charcoal tribute' given to the Grand Secretaries and Eunuchs in the capital! The Grand Canal and the grain transport routes—where isn't there money from us bribing officials? Who will feed the millions of salt producers and tens of millions of people in Jiangnan?"

He had said these words to himself a thousand times; they were once unwavering truths. But now, as he spoke them, they sounded more like empty words spoken to ghosts.

But Wang Zonghai couldn't stop. His voice grew stronger and stronger, like metal striking stone, each word striking the hearts of the crowd, as if striking his own already battered heart.

"What right does this call a mere immature young emperor have to touch us? Does he even dare to? If he does, who will pay the salt tax? Who will protect the Grand Canal? How will he feed the millions of hungry mouths in Jiangnan? When the world descends into chaos and war breaks out everywhere, will he still be able to sit securely on his throne?"

When he asked the last question, Wang Zonghai used almost all his strength. His back was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, which was chilled to the bone by the night wind blowing across the lake.

These words were spoken with conviction and indeed achieved the effect he desired.

The people, who had been living in constant fear, gradually regained their light.

Yes, the law does not punish the masses, and profits can bind the country; this has always been their invincible shield!

Seeing the false courage that had been stirred up in the crowd, Wang Zonghai felt not pride, but a chilling sorrow.

He succeeded. He used a colossal lie that even he himself couldn't believe to temporarily appease the flock of fat sheep that were about to be sent to the slaughterhouse.

And they actually believed it.

"What Lord Wang says is true!" someone immediately echoed. "We stand with the nation through thick and thin. That little emperor is just trying to extort money from us! He would never dare to actually fight to the death!"

"That's right! With the eight of us joining forces, which Grand Secretary in the capital would dare not give us face? Does Zhu Youjian think he can bypass the Grand Secretariat and the entire court?"

The atmosphere seemed to warm up again.

Hearing these echoes, a barely perceptible sneer appeared on Wang Zonghai's lips.

Sharing the fate of the nation? What a fine phrase, "sharing the fate of the nation!"
The last glimmer of hope in his heart was completely extinguished at this moment.

Wang Zonghai finally understood that he couldn't wait any longer.

Waiting for news from Suzhou?

Those high-ranking officials in the court have probably already distanced themselves from the situation by now!

If we wait any longer, these idiots will tie us to this doomed ship and we'll all be buried at the bottom of the lake together!
He has to run immediately!
However, amidst the chorus of agreement, Li Mingcheng, a salt merchant surnamed Li, who sat in the second seat, kept his brows furrowed.

He looked at Wang Zonghai's heroic figure from behind, but his heart felt cold.

Lord Wang, you're still using the same old perspective you had when you were the late emperor to judge this new ruler.

After several rounds of drinks, Wang Zonghai returned to the main seat. Those words seemed to have taken a toll on him. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, but his eyes kept glancing towards Tongzhou in the northeast.

The fleeting glint of malice in his eyes, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, was completely different from the magnanimity he had just displayed.

Li Mingcheng saw this and sighed inwardly. Finally, he couldn't help but speak up. He raised his wine glass and toasted Wang Zonghai from afar, adopting an extremely humble posture.

“We admire Mr. Wang’s foresight. However…” He paused, carefully choosing his words, “I believe that things are different now than they were in the past.”

The room fell silent again because of his word "different".

All eyes were on him, some with doubt, some with displeasure.

Li Mingcheng felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, but he knew that some things had to be said. "Please think about this," he said with a bitter smile, "this new emperor has only been on the throne for two years. What has he done? First, he used swift and decisive measures, eliminating the eight major Shanxi merchants within a month. Did he hesitate even for a moment? Did he have any concern whatsoever about the instability of the court?"
"Look at this time, in Suzhou and Songjiang, they killed and raided without hesitation, using only secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and their own personal guards. Why did they go through the three judicial departments, or even the Ministry of Personnel's formal review?"

"What does this mean?"

Li Mingcheng lowered his voice even further, as if afraid the wind outside the window would hear him: "This shows that this emperor... he doesn't follow the rules at all! He doesn't want money, he wants lives! He wants to crush and burn us parasites in his eyes without leaving a trace!"

"Nonsense!" someone beside Wang Zonghai shouted angrily. "Li Mingcheng, you're boosting the morale of others while diminishing our own!"

Li Mingcheng seemed not to hear, but stared intently at Wang Zonghai, his eyes filled with a pleading look:
"Lord Wang, the lessons of Yin are not far off, they are still being learned from the Xia dynasty. Although we are as wealthy as a country, we are still just merchants. To oppose the imperial power is like throwing an egg against a rock! In my humble opinion, it would be better to... better to spend money to avoid disaster."

We jointly petitioned, offering to donate one million taels of military funds, and to organize and submit the account books from recent years, to demonstrate our unwavering loyalty. Perhaps, this might offer us a way to survive.

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar.

"Hand over the account books? That's like handing over the hilt of a knife to someone else!"

"You've lost your mind, Li! Once the accounts are out, we'll see who's truly innocent!"

"I bet you've wanted to surrender for a long time! Spineless!"

Wang Zonghai's face also darkened. He looked coldly at Li Mingcheng and said, "Brother Li, do you want us to follow the example of Shen Wansan, offering our vast fortune to Zhu Yuanzhang, only to be exiled to Yunnan in return?"

Li Mingcheng's face was deathly pale, his lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He knew that no one would listen to him.

These people, having been corrupted by comfort and power for too long, have long lost their sense of real danger.

Li Mingcheng felt utterly hopeless, but his hand secretly clenched a pre-prepared, truly "clean" account book and a list of generous gifts in his sleeve.

He had already made up his mind. After the banquet, he would send his trusted confidant on horseback at full speed, bypassing the official road and heading straight for Suzhou, to try to gain access to the emperor's court.

Kneeling and groveling may be humiliating, but it's better than death.

Just as tensions were rising, a figure who had remained silent caught everyone's attention.

That was Chandler, who was sitting at the very end.

Among the eight prominent families, the Qian family had the shortest history and the weakest strength.

Chandler is usually very low-key, and today he was only focused on drinking one glass after another, as if all the arguments in front of him had nothing to do with him.

He had an ordinary appearance and average build, easily lost in a crowd, except for his eyes, which appeared exceptionally deep under the influence of alcohol.

“Brother Qian,” Wang Zonghai turned his gaze to him, “you haven’t said a word, do you have some brilliant ideas?”

Qian De's distant relative was Qian Longxi.

This relationship made him understand better than anyone else present what it means to be unpredictable by divine will.

Upon hearing this, he slowly put down his wine glass, looked around at everyone with hazy, drunken eyes, and then chuckled softly.

"Insightful opinion? I dare not presume." His voice was hoarse from drinking. "Lord Wang is a pillar of strength, Lord Li is a seasoned veteran, and I, Qian, am nothing but a good-for-nothing drunkard. What insightful opinion could I possibly have?"

He stood up unsteadily, filled his glass again, and raised it to the crowd, seemingly as a toast, yet also as a self-deprecating remark.

"As Zhuangzi said, 'It is better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes than to be mutually dependent in hardship.' Gentlemen, it is already a blessing that we can still drink together here today. As for tomorrow... who can say for sure where we will be when we wake up tomorrow?"

After saying this, he downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, then bowed deeply to Wang Zonghai: "Lord Wang, I am not a good drinker and must take my leave now. Gentlemen, please enjoy yourselves."

After saying that, he actually turned around and walked off the boat without looking back.

Everyone looked at each other, completely baffled by his inexplicable actions.

"Nonsense!"

"I think he's scared out of his wits!"

Wang Zonghai watched his staggering figure as he left, his eyes narrowing slightly, a cold glint flashing in them. He didn't care about Qian De's fate; what he cared about was that this man had shaken the morale of the army.

Li Mingcheng's surrender rhetoric had already displeased him; Qian De's seemingly drunken ramblings about "forgetting each other in the world" made him feel even more abandoned and isolated.

He knew in his heart that this "unmoored boat" seemed stable, but in reality, its people were already scattered and each was looking for their own way to survive. He, Wang Zonghai, was just the target that everyone pushed out to be at the forefront.

He had to do something more to keep these people calm.

These people are not only his allies, but also his stepping stones in times of desperation.

Meanwhile, Chandler stepped off the painted boat and onto a small boat. As the evening breeze blew, the drunkenness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling clarity and coldness.

To share hardships and joys? How utterly absurd!
He sneered inwardly.

In his eyes, that magnificent pleasure boat was nothing more than a splendid coffin about to sink.

As for Wang Zonghai, Li Mingcheng, and the others, they were nothing more than dying people lying in their coffins arguing about how to greet death.

He had already prepared an escape route!
Along the way, the closest members of the family, carrying 30% of the family fortune, disguised themselves as merchants and traveled by land and water to Fujian. There, they would arrange for Zheng Zhilong's subordinates, whom they had already bribed with a large sum of money, to board merchant ships bound for Japan.

The second route involved another 30% of the family fortune being distributed to a group of trusted confidants disguised as pilgrims, who traveled south in batches, passing through Guangzhou and heading to Luzon in Southeast Asia.

The final and most dangerous route was for him to personally lead the remaining core treasures, waiting for the best opportunity to sail directly from Yangzhou into the sea and escape unscathed.

As for his unlucky distant relative Qian Longxi? He had already taught him a lesson: in this world, relying on others is unreliable; one must rely on oneself!
What imperial court, what allies, it's all bullshit.

On the "Unmoored Boat," Chandler's departure made the atmosphere even more somber.

Wang Zonghai took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't let this dejected mood continue.

He clapped his hands, signaling the music to start again, and his confident smile returned to his face.

"Gentlemen, there's no need to pay attention to that cowardly Qian De. And don't let Brother Li's few words of concern throw you into disarray."

His voice became steady again, filled with a calming power.

“The biggest difference between us and those people in Suzhou is not just our financial resources and connections.” He paused deliberately, lowering his voice mysteriously, “but more importantly, we have a way out.”

"A way out?" Everyone perked up and looked at him.

Wang Zonghai's lips curled into a confident smile, casually revealing, "Don't worry, everyone. I have my own arrangements for things in the capital. Even if... I mean even if, it really comes to the worst, we can always just go to sea!"

He waved his hand, pointing to the vast, misty distance, his heart brimming with pride.

"The world is so big. Do we not need the Zhu family's rule to survive? Smuggling merchants, Japanese generals, and the red-haired barbarians of Southeast Asia, which one of them doesn't like our money? At sea, far from the emperor's reach, we can still be powerful figures and live a carefree life!"

These words were like a shot in the arm for everyone.

Yes!

Go to sea!

This thought has crossed many people's minds, but no one has spoken of it with such certainty and nonchalance as Wang Zonghai.

It's as simple as going overseas to build a business, just like doing business in a different place.

In an instant, everyone's tense nerves relaxed, and the despair in Li Mingcheng's eyes subsided a little. Yes, even if surrendering failed, there was still this path to take.

Fear stems from having nowhere to retreat.

Once a seemingly bright way out is available, even if it's just a pie in the sky, it can give people renewed courage.

"Lord Wang is wise!"

"That's right! If they won't keep me here, there are plenty of other places that will!"

"We toast Lord Wang!"

For the first time, the atmosphere on the pleasure boat finally became truly lively, filled with a false joy of surviving a disaster.

Everyone seemed to see themselves expanding their territory in the new world and rebuilding a glorious future.

Wang Zonghai watched all this with satisfaction, picked up his wine glass, and drank it all down with everyone.

The banquet on the Slender West Lake is about to end.

With a false sense of security and hope, everyone took their leave.

Wang Zonghai stood at the bow of the boat, watching the small boats disappear into the night. The night wind blew his robes, making him look exactly like a commander who had made a well-thought-out plan.

When the last small boat disappeared from sight, the smile on his face froze instantly, leaving only endless coldness and exhaustion.

Wang Zonghai slowly turned his head and looked at the empty deck. The messy cups and plates seemed to be mocking the revelry that had just taken place.

(End of this chapter)