NOVPUB"What!" When the Zhang Clan’s assets were accounted for as seven hundred and seventy million, she slammed her hand on the table and stood up, then furiously swept her gaze around the seated heads of the aristocratic families, and looked up at Ju Shou, who was sitting at the head of the table. Thinking of the previous situation, she felt her chest heave with anger!
"Very well, very well! Worthy of the aristocratic families of Hebei, and indeed, of the Yuan Family of Yuzhou, my Zhen Family admits defeat. Mi Zizhong, you have a ten-day extension, a mere two billion silver coins, our Zhen Family can still afford it!" Zhang Clan’s eyes blazed with fire as she berated the family heads present, then turned to a servant and said, "Let’s go!"
When Zhang Clan turned to leave, no one dared to stop her. The heads of the aristocratic families of Hebei glanced at her, then silently turned their heads to look at Mi Zhu, who was still sitting at the front—this was the new leader among the Five Great Merchants!
"Congratulations, Zizhong!" said the Patriarch of the Geng Family as he stood up to salute Mi Zhu, "You must visit my Geng family’s residence when you have the chance."
After that, the hall was filled with successive congratulations. The Mi Family, as the newly established leader of the merchants, truly deserved the courtship of all the aristocratic families present. With so many family assets and their network of connections, they could possibly carve out their own territory in these chaotic times, especially since this partner posed no risk whatsoever.
Mi Zhu returned each greeting, his expression not showing the slightest arrogance.
"Thank you, Ju Gong," Mi Zhu said, bowing to Ju Shou after everyone else had left.
"No need for such courtesy. We were merely acting in accordance with the law. When you return, tell Chen Zichuan that Ji province is willing to form an alliance with Qingzhou. As for Zizhong, the doors of Ji province will always be open to you," Ju Shou said with a smiling face. He viewed Mi Zhu just as the great aristocratic clans of Hebei did—a partnership with not the slightest hint of danger and, most importantly, extremely wealthy.
A gleam of surprise flashed in Mi Zhu’s eyes as he spoke with a smile, "I am honored by your generosity, Ju Gong. I will visit Ji again, and I hope that Ji will not reject me then. The wealth of my Mi Family is by no means inferior to that of the Zhen Family!"
"Well said, well said!" Ju Shou laughed heartily. To have tricked such a wealthy person, even though Ji province was not short of money and grain, having such a rich man handy meant that a quick confiscation could instantly fatten the government treasury.
Upon returning to the Zhen Family, Zhang Clan shut down the inner courtyard, not permitting anyone except the direct lineage of the Zhen Family to enter.
"The situation is as it stands; the entire aristocratic clan of Hebei has now excluded our Zhen Family," Zhang Clan said slowly as she explained the current circumstances.
"Mother, shall we move away then?" asked Zhen Mi, without a hint of panic.
"Move away. Before the Zhen Family leaves, we shall not receive anyone unless Ju Gongyu or Mi Zizhong comes in person!" Zhang Clan, with the imposing presence of the family matriarch, shut down all opposition from the retainers and branch families, "To this moment, do we still not know what we are facing? Not a single piece of information has come back from the Zhen Family’s secret lines. Has our family really come to this?"
"Reporting to the matriarch, our family’s secret lines were cut off by the various families at the first opportunity. Now, not a single secret line is sending back information, the power of the entire Hebei aristocratic clans has far surpassed the strength of our Zhen Family," a Zhen Family retainer stood up and said.
"Abandon all secret lines, and reestablish them! Since the Zhen Family has already failed, then we must rearrange everything from the beginning!" Zhang Clan said calmly, as the failure was irreversible, the goal was to minimize the losses as much as possible.
"Order the family members to retreat from Hebei in batches, cut off all business veins. Despite losing the business veins of Ji province, our Zhen Family is still among the aristocratic families under heaven!" Zhang Clan commanded. Although this decision may have been a mistake, the fact that Zhen Yi died and took with him all the forces dissatisfied with Zhang Clan meant that she still maintained absolute control over the Zhen Family.
"Mi’er, you stay," said Madam Zhang after arranging all affairs. Each member of the Zhen Family’s direct lineage had begun their own operations. As Zhen Mi was about to leave, Madam Zhang spoke.
"Your father left a dowry for you before he passed. I will use this to resolve the current issue. Once the family stabilizes, I will prepare a new dowry for you," Madam Zhang said to her nine-year-old daughter.
"As Mother deems fit," replied Zhen Mi calmly. 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
While Zhen Yi was alive, the physiognomist Liu Liang had read Zhen Mi’s features and declared her nobility indescribable. Being the youngest and most beloved daughter of Zhen Yi, he had arranged her dowry worth two billion silver coins well before his death.
In this respect, the thoughts of the five great merchants were quite similar. Mi Zhu prepared a dowry worth two billion silver coins for his sister Mi Zhen when marrying her to Liu Bei as his legal wife. In Yizhou, Wu Yi from the Wu Family prepared the same dowry for his sister Wu Yuan. Each brother racked his brains over marrying off their own sisters, preparing two billion silver coins to ensure their sisters would not suffer...
Feeling relieved after receiving letters from the north, Chen Xi dallied in the borderlands of Jizhou, able to receive messages from Mi Zhu within half a day’s hard riding. At his side was Zhao Zilong of the White Horse Silver Spear fame. As for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, they remained stationed in Licheng with their troops, not accompanying Chen.
"Let’s go, we shall visit the Zhen Family ourselves. Let me think, under what identity shall I go?" Chen Xi mused while climbing into the carriage, organizing with Zhao Yun. "Move a bit faster, the Zhen family isn’t an ordinary aristocratic clan. They surely have their own means of escape. If we arrive late, they may have already relocated."
"Rest assured, Zichuan!" Zhao Yun responded with a hearty smile.
Filling a shortfall of twelve billion silver coins was not easily done. Although Ju Shou had been prepared, to raise such a sum without alarming the other aristocratic families of Jizhou was indeed not easy. At least for now, Ju Shou had only managed to gather half.
"It seems I need to visit the Zhen Family ahead of time. Gathering that much silver coin will not be easy. Considering Madam Zhang’s assured manner earlier, it seems the Zhen Family must have other resources. Thus, the six billion silver coins I have on hand should be sufficient!" Ju Shou estimated the current situation, sighed out of helplessness, and reflected that the war with Gongsun Zan was indeed a money burner. It seemed quite probable that if a war with Qingzhou were to break out, Jizhou, fighting on two fronts, might not be able to withstand it.
Mi Zhu, accompanied by Chen Xi, arrived at the gates of the Zhen Family estate. Despite the Zhen Family’s defeat, there was no sign of decline – the green stone slabs in front of their gate were swept clean, every crevice wiped, and the guards at the door were robust, showing no sign of demoralization.
"Master Zizhong!" Two guards, eyes blazing, but with impeccable respect in their actions, observed Mi Zhu. "The lady of the house informed us, there shall be no hindrance to Master Zizhong’s visit. Once inside, someone will guide you to the lady."
"Thank you!" Mi Zhu gave a formal bow.
Click! After Mi Zhu passed, two guards drew their swords, barring Chen Xi and Zhao Yun, well aware they were Mi Zhu’s companions. The lady had ordered not to hinder Mi Zhu, but there was no such directive regarding his acquaintances.
Before Chen Xi could speak, Zhao Yun had already flung the two guards aside - the disparity in strength was too vast.
"Let’s go, the mettle of a centuries-old aristocratic family will not diminish even in defeat." Chen Xi freely observed his surroundings, appreciating the profound depth of an aristocratic clan revealing itself in these details.
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