The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

The military pay deposits of the Marquis of Anxi's mansion were a lucrative prize. Longsheng Bank had profited from the interest rate differential for over a decade. Sun Bainian wanted a piece of it, Qian Wanli wanted a piece of it, and even some people in the Ministry of Revenue wanted a piece of it.

The real purpose of this business war may never have been with Shengyuan.

Cao Jun served in the army for forty years, and what he hated most was not that the enemy was too strong, but that there were traitors in his own camp.

He slowly rose, gently placed the bronze arrowhead on the table, walked to the entrance of the flower hall, stood with his back to Mao Honghui for a long time, and suddenly spoke: "What do you and Sheng Yuan want?"

"My lord, Heshengyuan does not want Longsheng Bank."

"Heshengyuan wants to cross-shareholding with Longsheng Piaohao, with Heshengyuan holding 20% ​​of Longsheng's shares and Longsheng holding 20% ​​of Heshengyuan's Piaohao business."

"From then on, the two banks held shares in each other, sharing profits and risks."

"Heshengyuan's remittance network is fully open to Longsheng, and Longsheng's military pay deposits will continue to be jointly managed by the two companies."

"This is not a merger, but a joint venture. After the joint venture, Longsheng Bank will still be Longsheng Bank, and the Anxi Marquis's share will not be reduced by a single penny."

"But Wanli Trading Company can no longer leverage Longsheng to deal with Heshengyuan."

Mao Honghui stood up, walked three steps behind Cao Jun, bowed to his back, and then added the last crucial sentence, word by word.

"In addition, Heshengyuan is assisting in the investigation of some discrepancies in the accounts within Longsheng Bank."

"After the investigation is completed, all the evidence will be submitted to the Marquis for review. If the Marquis wants to clean house, He Shengyuan will provide personnel and funds. If the Marquis wants to keep personnel, He Shengyuan will not say a word."

Cao Jun turned around, his eyes beneath his thick eyebrows staring straight at Mao Honghui, his gaze sharp as a knife.

What moved him most about those words was not the cross-shareholding or profit sharing, but the last thing.

Clean house.

He was the true backer of Longsheng Bank, but he didn't fully know how many things Sun Bainian had done behind his back and how many people he had colluded with over the years.

A boss with powerful connections is being used as a pawn by the manager he employs; this is even more infuriating than losing a battle.

He remained silent for a long time, then said, "Why should I believe you?"

Mao Honghui took out the last item from his sleeve.

A small bronze plaque with the three characters "Heshengyuan" engraved on the front and a line of small characters engraved on the back: "Established in the 22nd year of Yonghe".

He presented the bronze plaque with both hands, his voice low but clear: "Based on Heshengyuan's accounts, from this day forward, Heshengyuan's accounting office is fully open to the Marquis."

"Your Excellency may send someone to investigate at any time. If any account is found to be falsified, Heshengyuan will be shut down and I, Mao, will go to the Ministry of Justice to confess my guilt."

"This bronze plaque is a token of Heshengyuan's shareholders. It's not a gift from Mao to the Marquis, but a token of respect from the Marquis to Heshengyuan."

"With that arrow in your hand, how many Qiang cavalrymen have you killed with that arrow in the Northwest? And how many open and hidden attacks have you taken for Sheng Yuan in the business world?"

"I will present these three documents to you today, Your Excellency. Whether you accept them or not is entirely up to you."

The flower hall remained quiet for a long time.

Cao Jun looked down at the small bronze plaque in his palm, then looked up at Mao Honghui.

He didn't say anything, he just gripped the bronze medal tightly.

Mao Honghui bowed deeply, turned around and left the flower hall.

He knew that the toughest nut to crack, the Marquis of Anxi's mansion, was beginning to loosen.

Three days later, the Marquis of Anxi's residence sent a steward and two accountants to Heshengyuan to begin a comprehensive audit.

At almost the same time, Sun Bainian, the head manager of Longsheng Bank, was summoned to the Marquis's residence by Cao Jun, and came out with a livid face.

Following this, Taihe Grain Bank and Heshengyuan simultaneously announced cross-shareholding.

Fengheng Cloth Shop and Heshengyuan simultaneously announced cross-shareholding.

Longsheng Bank and Heshengyuan Bank simultaneously announced that they would invest in each other.

The day the news reached the Wanli Trading Company's headquarters, the owner, Qian Wanli, was in the accounting office, looking at the ledgers with worry.

Longsheng Bank suddenly stopped all financial transactions with him, Taihe Grain Shop refused his supply orders, and Fengheng Cloth Shop withdrew all the silver deposits stored in his bank.

He slammed the account book on the table, cursed under his breath, and then got up and went to the Taibao's residence.

Madam Qian waited in front of the Grand Protector's mansion for a full hour, only to hear the steward relay Grand Protector Yuwen's words: "Merchants should settle their own affairs."

Upon hearing this, Qian Wanli dropped his teacup and shattered it on the ground.

It wasn't until this moment that he realized that Yiton's plan from the beginning was never about his business alliance.

Rather, it was his backer.

By using cross-shareholding, Taihe, Fengheng, and Longsheng were all tied to Heshengyuan's ship, leaving Wanli Trading Company in a desperate situation of isolation.

By using the military rations contract of the Tiger Guard, Marquis Han Chong of Dingyuan was made a stakeholder, making the Grand Protector's Office hesitant to act against him.

By using the military funds deposited by the Marquis of Anxi's mansion to lock up Longsheng Bank, Wanli Trading Company lost its only financial support.

Finally, by using Marquis Anxi's hand, we will clean up the internal parasites of Longsheng and uproot Sun Bainian, this pawn.

The only reason Wanli Trading Company has survived to this day is because of the crumbling signboard of the Taibao Mansion.

Once the Taibao Mansion withdraws its support, he will have no chance to retaliate.

A few days later, the first snow of the winter fell in the capital.

In a secret room in the backyard of the Heshengyuan headquarters, Yidun, Lei Lutai, Mao Honghui, and Li Hongling sat around a stove. The fire was burning brightly, and the teapot was bubbling and steaming on the edge of the stove, filling the room with the aroma of tea.

The sound of the night watchman's clapper came from outside the courtyard, and the charcoal fire in the stove crackled and sparks flew up and fell back down.

Mao Honghui picked up his teacup and drank the last sip of tea in one gulp, then placed the empty cup on the table: "Taihe's supply channels have been merged into the main branch, and Fengheng's fabrics will begin to be processed through our bank next month."

"Half of the military pay deposits of the Marquis of Anxi’s mansion were transferred from Longsheng. As for Wanli Trading Company, Qian Wanli’s wife knelt at the gate of Taibao’s mansion for an hour this morning."

Li Hongling paused for a moment, his vermilion brush still in his hand. Without looking up, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips: "What was the reaction of the Grand Tutor's Office?"

"The steward of the Grand Tutor's residence came out and said four words: 'Take care of yourself.'"

As soon as Mao Honghui finished speaking, the fire crackled in the stove.

Yi Dun didn't laugh. He picked up the teapot and poured a cup for each of his three old friends. When he put the teapot down, he tapped the table lightly with his finger: "This is just the beginning. Those who cooperate with us are currently bound by interests. Once the storm passes, it's hard to guarantee that no one will have other ideas."

"From today onwards, the accounts, personnel, and supply channels of each company will be gradually incorporated into the unified scheduling of the head office. This is not to prevent them, but to help them and help them get used to being on the same side as Heshengyuan."

He turned to Li Hongling and instructed him to draft a unified accounting charter so that each shareholder would have a copy and clearly understand how Heshengyuan makes money for them.

The charcoal fire in the stove crackled again, and sparks flew onto the iron mesh, flickering briefly before going dark.

Outside the window, the snow fell silently, but the lights in the secret room in the backyard of the Shengyuan headquarters stayed on all night.