Nine secrets to cover the sky

Chapter 25 "Food Box Trading"

It has been raining intermittently for three days, and it still hasn't stopped.And the temperature dropped again and again, making the whole Yangcheng wet and cold.

In the center of Cui's living room, a copper stove had already been fired. The bright red light and warm temperature from it made the two maids guarding the door drowsy for a while.

Suddenly, the door was opened.The sound of crackling rain, whistling wind and darkness from the outside world rushed in like a wolf like a tiger.

A shivering servant hurriedly straightened his back, one took the umbrella and closed the door, the other turned around to serve hot tea, and looked carefully when he stood up again. All parts of the wet body, under the temperature of the fire, are constantly emitting smoke.Looking at the back of the man, he is slender and has some white hair at the sideburns. He seems to be a middle-aged man.

At this moment, the door was opened again.The maids, who were already sober, took it easy this time and did the same thing as before, and then saw the second person, who also walked to the fire, but just turned around and smiled at them, flattered, They also found him a handsome young man.

Fang Jie grinned familiarly, and warmed his hands in front of the stove, Li Mang, who was beside him at this time, grinned and said, "Uncle Li, it's really cool for you to come here in such a cold day." early."

"Uh..." Li Mang didn't expect that this guy would take the initiative to strike up a conversation. After a little surprise, he smiled and replied: "It's not early, we are just front and back."

"Oh." Fang Jie replied, moved his hands to the place where the fire was more intense, without looking sideways, but kept chatting like a family, "I heard that autumn in the north is colder than that in the imperial city." It was earlier, but I didn't expect the temperature to drop so suddenly, is it also like this in previous years?"

Li Mang really couldn't figure out the truth of this guy, he could only tell the tricks, if someone said something, he would answer it.

Fang Jie just harassed him for a bowl of tea.During the period, the comical scene of these two smoking men, warming their hands while chattering wildly, and even gossip about romantic affairs in the upper circles of Yangcheng, made the two maids guarding the door almost burst out laughing several times. Voice.

It wasn't until a person opened the door and walked in that Li Mang finally got rid of the entanglement, and turned around with Fang Jie, and the two maids immediately stood up straight like javelins.

This rich middle-aged man, who looked like the housekeeper of the house, stopped at the door.Instead, the two servants who came out from left and right came in, and then put the food box in their hands on the table in the middle of the grand master's chair, and finally retreated.The middle-aged man went out with them and closed the door.

Fang Jie was not surprised either, he exchanged a glance with Li Mang, made a gesture of please, and then the two of them walked forward together, and opened the food box at the same time as they sat down.

Of course, there will be no food in it, but an inkstone, a pen, and a piece of paper, nothing more.

In fact, this is a relatively subtle way of communication between officials and businessmen in Jin State. It is commonly known as "food box business".It is generally when two businessmen compete for a business, officials who have the decision-making power over the business and want to make a fortune are unwilling to ask frankly, whoever can give themselves more benefits will let the two parties The representative of the company wrote down the promise and put it in the food box. After the officials have looked at it, they will finally decide who will get the business based on the interests conceded in it.

Today, with regard to the mineral concentrate mining right, Cui Siye is not the only one who has the decision-making power, and many local officials are involved in it. The achievements are enough, and the remaining profits, of course, belong to Fourth Master Cui and other local officials.

At this moment, neither Fang Jie nor Li Mang are unfamiliar with this, so they quickly wrote down the profit figure they wanted and covered the food box.

They walked to the copper stove again, but just after warming their hands, Fang Jie asked excitedly, "Uncle Li, what percentage did you promise to get?"

Li Mang almost fell when asked.This time I really couldn't help it, and glared at Fang Jie, as if saying, do you do business like this!And leave a sentence, "commercial secrets" will be ignored.

Soon, the middle-aged butler reappeared and still did not speak to the two of them. It seemed that silence was part of the "food box business". After the two servants took the food box away, they closed the door and left just like before.

Next, the butler and the two servants hurried to a room three rooms away, opened the door and walked in.

At this time, Fourth Master Cui was the first person in this room to sit with his eyes closed and meditate. On the left and right were two rows of eight local officials who did not wear official uniforms.

When they saw the food box being brought in, they got up and gathered around the round table. One of them opened Li Mang's food box and took out a piece of paper. Surprised, but then, they all showed greedy and surprised smiles.

"Fourth Master, Li Mang only needs [-]% of the profits, that is to say, we can share [-]% of the profits after the concentrate is mined." A younger official turned around and reported excitedly.

But Fourth Master Cui still touched his eyes, and said unhurriedly: "What's the hurry, there's still that kid from the Fang family who didn't read it, open it."

"Yes." The young official nodded, opened Fang Jie's food box on behalf of everyone, took out the piece of paper, and was immediately furious.When the officials next to him were blowing their beards and staring, he also had a look of anger on his face, and then he turned to Fourth Master Cui and said, "Fourth Master, I don't know if that kid from the Fang family really doesn't understand the rules, or It is simply too bold and presumptuous to ignore us at all."

Fourth Master Cui waited for him to finish, and only uttered two words, "How much."

"He wants [-]%." The young official replied.And took the white paper in his hand, wanting to show Fourth Master Cui.

However, Fourth Master Cui didn't answer, nor did he speak.

It made a military officer think that the old man was angry, so he jumped out and said, "Fourth Master, I'll go out and beat this kid up, and then go back to the imperial city."

Fourth Master Cui opened his eyes at this moment, and glanced at the military officer who had just taken a step.When he was at a loss, he said to the door, "Go and call Fang Jie in." Then he turned his head and said to all the officials present: "You all stay away and go to the next room to stay for a while."

"Yes." The officials withdrew.

Fourth Master Cui closed his eyes again, until he heard a knock on the door, and then said lightly, "Come in."

Fang Jie walked into the study room, first bowed to Fourth Master Cui, "Fourth Master." Then he raised his head and said, "Fourth Master is looking for me?"

"En." Fourth Master Cui opened his eyes, looked at him, and said slowly: "Fang Jie, I was very optimistic about you at first, and I was even more optimistic about your Fang family, but today, you did something wrong. Let my expectations of you and your Fang family be greatly reduced all of a sudden."

Fang Jie looked terrified, and asked cautiously: "The fourth master is talking about the word 'six' in the food box?"

Fourth Master Cui nodded.

Fang Jie hurriedly said: "Does Fourth Master think that I am a lion? But I think this amount is only profitable for our Fang family, and it is worth my father and I coming to the north alone, otherwise, Why should our Fang family go to Jianchuan, an unfamiliar place, to do business. Do you think so?"

"You have your reasons, and I can understand." Fourth Master Cui said, "But, do you know that there is a word 'three' written in the Li family's food box."

"Three?" Fang Jue was dumbfounded, and then he looked like a ghost in broad daylight, shaking his head like a bell, "I don't believe it. With this number, I am afraid that it will not be able to recover the investment before the real mining in 20 years. You must know the early stage The construction of the mines, and the tunnels that can be extended to find the veins, these costs are extremely huge. It is not that the Li family has no business to do, and there is no need to fight for it. Then I started trading with meager profits. I wouldn’t believe it if it killed me.”

Fourth Master Cui couldn't help frowning when he heard this, "Can there be any truth to my words? In black and white, the Li family really meant that."

"Then, is it true?" Fang Jie looked unbelievable.

Fourth Master Cui nodded.

Fang Jie was silent for a while, then bowed to Fourth Master Cui, and said, "Fourth Master, my Fang family can take a step back at most and give the word 'five'. If there are more, then I have to give up on behalf of the Fang family." After all, my Fang family is looking for money, as for the Li family, it's just..."

"If you have anything to say, just say it," said Fourth Master Cui.

Fang Jun nodded and said, "Did Si Ye know that I was framed by Li Qingyang before? Later, when I caught Li Qingyang, I actually got some clues from him. He told me that the reason why the Li family participated in the concentrate mining right It is because of the support of Prince Zhan behind him."

Fourth Master Cui's heart moved, but there was no expression on his face, and he said, "Continue."

"I believe you have received similar information. Among the current batch of civil and military officials in Dajin, there are a few who supported Prince Zhan before the emperor succeeded to the throne. This is the one in the hands of Prince Zhan that can be used at any time." It’s only a secret force. And the Li family is a rising chaebol, and its sphere of influence cannot be controlled by Jianchuan Road in the imperial city. This is the funds that Prince Zhan wants to get.” After Fang Jie finished speaking, he paused for a while, and then said: “There is power , have funds, as for the next step, I believe you can continue to think about it. Although so far, this is just my guess, but the Li family has received the sudden support of Prince Zhan, who has been hiding his power and bide his time for more than ten years, and now he has come up with such an abnormal The word 'three', anyway, I think there is a connection between them, as for how you judge, that's up to you."

Fourth Master Cui didn't speak this time, but after a while of silence, he waved his hand.

Fang Jie bowed and left a sentence, "Fourth Master, no matter what the Li family is, our Fang family is just a businessman, and we are here for business." After saying that, he left.

Fourth Master Cui was contemplating when a group of officials opened the door and walked in.

An old civil servant stood up first, and said anxiously: "Fourth Master, in my opinion, the words of this kid from the Fang family are really unbelievable."

"That's right, fourth master, what that kid means is that Prince Zhan wants to rebel and regards the Li family as financial support, but whether this is true or not, and who knows, we can't give up our interests for a hypothesis, but it's cheaper Family, this is too timid." Another military officer echoed.

"Don't talk about rebellion or rebellion. Li Qingyang said that they have Lord Zhan's support this time, so it is doubtful!" Finally, the young civil servant couldn't help but stand up and express his attitude.

Fourth Master Cui did not interrupt them, but waited for them to finish their quarrel, and then slowly raised his head, only to see a flash of light, and a letter appeared in his hand.

"Space storage." The young official frowned, hurried forward to take the letter, then returned to open the letter, and read it with the other officials.

Slowly, their expressions became very strange, until finally they all opened their eyes wide and looked at Fourth Master Cui with an unbelievable gaze.

Because, the content of this letter is to ask Fourth Master Cui to hand over the mining rights to the Li family, and the payment is made by Prince Zhan of the Imperial City!

At the same time, Fang Jie, who was walking towards the living room, showed a smile.

His plan is to use his own "six" to set off the abnormality of the "three" of the Li family, use Fourth Master Cui's superstitious and cautious character, and reveal the fact that Prince Zhan wants a coup d'état, which is enough to affect the Cui Siye's judgment.Even though he still doesn't know that the letter from Lord Zhan played a role in fueling the flames, he already has full confidence in who will get the concentrate in the end.

Therefore, when Fang Jie returned to warm his hands in front of the copper stove, what Li Mang saw was a proud face and an expression of determination to win.

This made him, who was a little worried when Fourth Master Cui called Fang Jie away, frowned inadvertently, and finally couldn't help it, so he smiled and said, "Nephew Fang Xian?"

"Huh?" Fang Jie continued to look like a villain.

Li Mang hesitated for a while, and then asked tentatively, "You...how much do you promise?"

Fang Jie chuckled, imitating Li Mang's previous answer, and said mysteriously: "This is a commercial secret."

(End of this chapter)