Afu rushed into the study, bringing not only news of Uncle Wang but also a bone-chilling chill, instantly dispelling all the remaining warmth in the room.
Miss Two! There's news from Uncle Wang again! Yes... It's the urgent red mark!
Red! It's red again!
Shen Ruoxin's heart felt as if it were being clutched by an invisible hand, and even breathing became difficult. She motioned for A Fu to catch his breath first, and then quickly took the small cloth roll, which was soaked with sweat and deformed from his hand.
The edge of the cloth roll, with two strands of red silk thread tied into a loose knot, looked particularly dazzling in the dim light.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she untied the silk thread and unfolded the mulberry bark paper inside. The handwriting was in Wang Bo's usual rough style, but it appeared somewhat crooked and illegible due to its haste.
Miss 2: The situation in Fengqiao Town has taken a sudden turn for the worse! That group of northerners are not just looking for people; they have already started to act! The "Xiangji" rice shop and the "Li Family" grocery store in the town suffered disasters one after another last night and this morning! All of them were provoked by the ruffians under Zhao Ba PI. Then that group of northerners stepped in and forced the purchase at a "low price"! It's tantamount to a blatant robbery! There are already rumors that their next target might be a few silk shops or dyeing workshops of a certain scale in the town! They act arrogantly and seem to have something to rely on, but the government pays no attention to them! Miss A Xing is still nowhere to be found. Our search has been blocked. We are afraid that this place has become a den for tigers and wolves, not a place to stay for long! Please make a decision quickly! -- Uncle Wang reports urgently
Strong purchase! Grab it openly! The government pays no attention!
Every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Shen Ruoxin's heart hard. She finally understood!
Raising business taxes is a sharp blade hanging over the heads of all local merchants. It is an "open scheme" at the official level, forcing everyone to either submit or go bankrupt. This group of northerners, in collaboration with local tycoons like Zhao Babai, played the role of "vultures", seizing valuable industries and resources in the most brutal and direct way when people were in a state of panic and the government tacitly allowed (or even secretly supported) them!
Two cunning schemes, working in tandem! The goal is to thoroughly "clean up" the commercial landscape of Pingjiang Prefecture and make room for the northern forces!
Jinxiu Pavilion, as a leading player in the local silk industry and a "soft target" without a strong official background, is bound to be their key focus!
"Too much!" Shen Ruoxin suddenly slapped the table, her chest filled with rage. She can tolerate the intrigues and decats of business competition, but she cannot tolerate such despicable acts of collusion between officials and bandits, which are almost like open robbery!
Afu stood by, not daring to breathe. Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang, who had just arrived upon hearing the news, also turned deathly pale. They both realized the seriousness of the situation. This had gone beyond the realm of ordinary commercial intrigue; it was more like a hunt for the entire local business district of Pingjiang Prefecture!
"Second Miss..." Wang Xiuniang's voice trembled. "Then..." Then what shall we do? Or else... "Close the shop for now to avoid the storm?"
"Avoid?" A trace of coldness flashed in Shen Ruoxin's eyes. "Where can we hide?" The shop is closed. Where are the goods in the warehouse? What about the little savings we have painstakingly accumulated? Could it be that you just give it up? Not to mention, Ah Xing is still in their hands, and his fate is unknown!
When she mentioned A Xing, her heart ached again. Yes, it cannot be refunded! Take a step back and you'll be in a bottomless abyss! Not only could the Splendid Pavilion not be preserved, but even A Xing's safety could not be guaranteed!
She forced herself to calm down and her mind was working rapidly. The enemy is powerful. Confronting them head-on is no different from trying to break a stone with an egg. The most important thing at present is to preserve our strength as much as possible before the opponent's butcher's knife falls and keep the green mountains alive!
"Uncle Wang asked us to make a decision quickly..." Shen Ruoxin paced back and forth a few times, her gaze sweeping over the exquisite embroidery and neatly stacked account books in the study. Her eyes gradually became resolute. "We can't just sit and wait to die!" Action must be taken immediately!
She stopped and looked at Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang. Her voice was extremely low, but it carried an undeniable power: "We want..." Transfer assets!
"Transfer assets?" Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang were both taken aback.
"Right!" Shen Ruoxin nodded, her gaze sharp. "While their main focus is still on Fengqiao Town and before the news of the tax increase in Pingjiang Prefecture is officially announced, we must quickly move the most valuable and easily liquidated items under the name of Jinxiu Pavilion to a safe place, or..." Change to a more concealed form!
"But..." How to turn it? Wang Xiuniang was deeply worried. "Such a big commotion, the goods in the warehouse, the silver in the account..." The slightest change is likely to be immediately targeted by someone with ulterior motives! Especially... "Over at the government office..." She thought of the meaningful look in Inspector Li's eyes.
"So, the name of the Splendid Pavilion cannot be used!" Shen Ruoxin's tone was resolute. "We need to find one..." It is reasonable and can explain the reasons for the large amount of capital flow!
Her gaze fell on an old dusty wooden box in the corner. It was a relic left by her father, and inside were some infrequently used things. A flash of inspiration occurred to her mind.
I remember... When my father was alive, he once mentioned that there was another cousin in our hometown who had been raised elsewhere since childhood and was named Shen An? She looked at Wang Xiuniang. Wang Xiuniang was the elder who had been with her father for the longest time and knew the family affairs best.
Wang Xiuniang was stunned for a moment, thought carefully and nodded, saying, "It seems..." There is such a person. When the master was young, he mentioned a few words, saying that in his early years, the family was poor and he was sent to a distant relative for upbringing. After that, there was no contact.
"Ok!" It's just him! Shen Ruoxin made a prompt decision and said to the outside world, "This cousin Shen An is now going to start a family and establish a career in the north and urgently needs a generous betrothal gift and funds for settling down and purchasing a house." As his only relative, I should do my best to help him! This sum of money, even if it is... The wedding funds I prepared in advance for my "elder brother"!
"Elder brother's marriage status?" Li Molan instantly understood Shen Ruoxin's intention and her eyes lit up. "This excuse is good!" It is both reasonable and can explain why a large amount of money is needed! And it's sent to the north, which also makes it convenient to explain why local assets are being sold off!
Exactly! Shen Ruoxin nodded. "Wang Xiuniang, you are an old lady and are most familiar with the situation at home. This matter, it's up to you to 'casually' let it slip to the outside world." Remember, be reasonable and logical. For instance, when rummaging through old things, you might "accidentally" discover your cousin's letter, or "after much effort", get news about him, and so on. We need to make others feel that this is a private matter within our Shen family.
"Old slave understands!" Wang Xiuniang nodded solemnly. She knew that this matter was of great significance and must be handled meticulously.
"Sister Mo LAN," Shen Ruoxin turned to Li Mo LAN, "The specific execution depends on you!" Let's walk in several steps:
First, count the warehouse. Immediately sort out and list those top-quality silks with the highest value, the smallest volume and the easiest to sell, rare embroidery threads (such as the few remaining gold and silver threads of ours), as well as several antique embroidery pieces that were previously purchased at high prices. This part is the "hard currency" that we should give priority to transferring!
Second, monetization. You go to find the owner of the "Hengtong" money shop in the south of the city right away. He is an old acquaintance of your father and is quite reliable. Tell him that we need to quickly replace a batch of 'dowries' (with a uniform external statement) with gold leaves or small gold ingots, which should be of sufficient quality and easy to carry. At the same time, we will get in touch with several reputable foreign trading houses to see if we can directly exchange some top-quality silk for foreign silver notes or conference notes, and try to avoid large amounts of cash remaining in our hands.
Third, hide under a pseudonym. Gold and silver notes alone are not enough. The goal is too big. We are going to "backdoor listing"! Immediately investigate the background of those apprentices and reliable assistants under our command, and select a few people with clean backgrounds, no complicated social connections, and absolute loyalty and reliability. Under their names, I went to several unremarkable small money shops or pawnshops and deposited small amounts of gold and silver respectively. Or, they could simply use their names to take over a few small, unremarkable shops in remote locations, such as grocery stores or rice and grain shops, and inject some funds into them as "working capital". These shops are temporarily managed by people we trust. We only aim to break even and not make a profit. At critical moments, we can quickly cash out and withdraw.
Fourth, account handling. All the transfers of assets should be reasonably explained on the books. Selling the treasures in the storehouse is recorded as "raising funds for the elder brother's wedding". When purchasing a small shop, remember it as a preparatory investment to "find a way out for an apprentice". At all stages, seemingly reasonable vouchers and records should be left for future reference... "Inspection by the government."
Shen Ruoxin spoke at an extremely fast pace, with clear logic. One by one, the instructions were issued smoothly like flowing water. Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang were so frightened that they couldn't help but admire the second young lady's composure and meticulousness.
"Remember!" Shen Ruoxin finally emphasized, "All actions must be carried out in secret!" Speed up! The marks should be small! The fewer people participate, the better! All those in charge must make a solemn vow that if there is any leakage, they will be dealt with according to the family law without any leniency!
"Yes!" Miss Two! Li Molan and Wang Xiuniang responded in unison, their eyes brimming with determination. They knew that the Splendid Pavilion had reached a critical juncture of life and death. They must do their utmost to help the second young lady get through this crisis!
The two immediately went their separate ways. Wang Xiuniang went to "accidentally discover" news about her cousin, while Li Molan began to secretly count the warehouse, contact the money shop and reliable personnel. Afu was also sent out to be responsible for delivering messages and running errands.
The entire Splendid Pavilion, beneath its calm exterior, began to operate at a high speed and in secrecy. The air was filled with a tense atmosphere and everyone was on edge.
Shen Ruoxin stayed alone in the study, looking out the window at the gradually darkening sky, but her heart did not relax at all. Asset transfer is only the first step of self-protection measures. Whether it will succeed remains uncertain. More importantly, Uncle Wang from Fengqiao Town and the missing Ah Xing...
She picked up a pen and wrote an instruction on a new piece of mulberry bark paper, planning to hand it over to Li Molan through the "secret document delivery method", asking her to find a way to send some of the cashed gold leaves to Fengqiao Town in the most covert manner to help Wang Bo and offer a reward for the search for A Xing's whereabouts.
Anyway, she can't give them up!
Just then, a sudden burst of rapid footsteps came from outside the door. A little maidservant rushed in in a fluster and shouted out of breath:
Miss Two! Oh no! Yamen... The yamen has put up a notice! New... Notice of the new commercial tax! Say... It's said to be the first day of next month... It's about to be implemented!
The beginning of next month? !
Shen Ruoxin suddenly stood up, and her expression instantly turned extremely ugly! Time... It's actually so much earlier!