"How could you be so kind as to tell me this?" Xie Jing asked suspiciously.
Hearing this, Xie Xiu looked embarrassed. He rubbed his hands with a bitter smile and said, "Brother, you know I've never been in Father's good graces, and I've been living on a shoestring. Now that Zhou'er is growing up day by day, there are more and more things that cost money.
I'm counting on you to win the imperial merchant title. Then, if you could just give me some odd - jobs, it would be worth my while to tell you this."
After hearing this, Xie Jing relaxed his furrowed brows and understood.
So it was all about the money!
"However, it's not easy to be the imperial salt merchant," Xie Jing said.
Xie Xiu pursed his lips and said, "I've got an idea, but I'm not sure if I should say it."
"Go ahead and tell me," Xie Jing waved his hand.
He thought to himself that if Xie Xiu was smart, it might be a good idea to keep him around to do things in the future.
Xie Xiu immediately said, "Isn't our second brother a section chief in the Ministry of Revenue in the capital? We can ask him to smooth things over."
After hearing this, Xie Jing looked solemn.
Wasn't this just bribing officials?
If they were caught, they would end up in prison.
Seeing Xie Jing's hesitation, Xie Xiu quickly persuaded him, "Think about it. Among those imperial merchants, how many of them have clean hands? A wise man knows when to yield!"
Xie Xiu pursed his lips.
Indeed, even if he didn't do it, there would be plenty of others who would.
Wasn't the title of imperial merchant bought with silver?
Thinking of this, Xie Jing's eyes sharpened, and he said, "Fine, we'll do it your way. If it works out, you'll surely be rewarded."
Hearing this, Xie Xiu bowed respectfully, "Thank you, brother!"
After a pause, he continued, "But Father has never liked me to get involved in family affairs. Please don't let Father know about this."
Xie Jing thought for a while.
Indeed, the old man was such a stick - in - the - mud. This matter had to be done secretly.
After receiving Xie Jing's letter, Xie Wen rushed back from the capital in a hurry.
He thought something serious had happened at home, but he never expected to be asked to bribe his superior.
"Brother, we mustn't do this!" Xie Wen frowned and flatly refused.
"Why?" Xie Jing asked puzzledly.
"Bribing officials is a serious crime!" Xie Wen shook his head repeatedly.
Although he was just a minor eighth - rank official, he didn't want to lose his position because of this.
"Second brother, you're so pedantic. Among your colleagues, who can claim to be completely honest and upright? Moreover, when it comes to the imperial salt merchant, who can't be chosen? Our Xie family's salt business is well - known in the south of the Yangtze River," Xie Jing tried his best to persuade him.
"This..." Hearing Xie Jing's words, Xie Wen began to waver.
After being an official for so many years, he really didn't know many clean - handed people around him.
"Besides, if you want to climb higher in your official career in the future, you'll need a lot of silver to grease the wheels," Xie Jing continued to persuade.
These words made Xie Wen waver even more.
Over the years, several of his contemporaries in the officialdom had been promoted to higher positions by bribing up and down.
He had mentioned to the old man more than once that he needed silver to get ahead in the court, but the old man had always refused.
Now, this might be a good opportunity.
If he could really help the Xie family's salt business become an imperial merchant, he would surely get a lot of benefits.
Promotion and wealth would be just around the corner.
Xie Jing walked up to Xie Wen, patted him on the shoulder, and said seriously, "We're brothers. Do you think I would harm you?"
Hearing this, Xie Wen immediately replied, "Okay, I'll do as you say!"
Xie Wen's sudden return and sudden departure made Ruan Jiu and Xie Jingchu suspicious.
After all, the New Year's Eve banquet was approaching. It was rare for Xie Wen to come back, but he left without even waiting for the family banquet to end.
Moreover, it seemed that the old man didn't even know about Xie Wen's return.
There must be something fishy going on!
So, Xie Jingchu immediately ordered Qin Yuan to investigate what they were up to.
Sure enough, there was a problem!
Xie Jingchu found Ruan Jiu with a solemn expression.
"Xie Jing wants the Xie family's salt business to become an imperial merchant, so he asked Xie Wen to bribe officials!"
Hearing this, the uneasiness that had been lingering in Ruan Jiu's heart for days finally turned into despair.
"How dare they? If they're caught, the Xie family will be ruined!" Ruan Jiu paused and then asked anxiously, "Did you ask Qin Yuan to stop them?"
Xie Jingchu's eyes darkened, and he shook his head. "It was too late when Qin Yuan found out!"
The silver notes had already been given out, and the connections had already been smoothed over.
It wouldn't be long before the news that the Xie family's salt business had become an imperial merchant would reach Qinzhou.
"What shall we do?" Ruan Jiu exclaimed.
Xie Jingchu shook his head.
He didn't know what to do for the moment.
"However, the atmosphere in the capital is not right these days. There are countless imperial merchants who bribe officials. Maybe they won't be found out," Ruan Jiu still held a glimmer of hope.
Hearing this, Xie Jingchu's expression became even more solemn. "Don't you think it's strange? How did Xie Jing suddenly come up with the idea of bribing officials and involve Xie Wen?"
"What do you mean?" Ruan Jiu widened her eyes.
Xie Jingchu nodded.
They were thinking of the same person.
That was - Xie Xiu!
Xie Jingchu continued, "Have you noticed that Xie Xiu has been following Xie Jing around these days?"
When did they become so close?
He really didn't believe that this idea wasn't Xie Xiu's.
He thought Xie Xiu had finally settled down, but it seemed he was up to his old tricks again.
"If this idea really came from the third master, he must have some evil intentions," Ruan Jiu said worriedly.
This was also what Xie Jingchu was most worried about.
He just didn't know what Xie Xiu's next move would be.
"Should we tell grandfather about this?" Ruan Jiu asked.
Hearing this, Xie Jingchu shook his head. "Father's health is getting worse. If he knew they had done something to damage the Xie family, who knows how angry he would be."
Ruan Jiu thought for a while. Indeed, grandfather couldn't really help even if he knew, and he would just worry himself sick.
"Is there no other way?" Ruan Jiu asked.
Did they have to watch the Xie family be ruined by Xie Jing?
Xie Jingchu narrowed his eyes slightly, looking exhausted.
He said, "Normally, Xie Xiu has always coveted the Xie family's property. If the Xie family is really ruined, what good will it do him? So what's his next move?"
"I!"
"You!"
Xie Jingchu and Ruan Jiu said in unison.
Since Xie Xiu had dragged Xie Jing and Xie Wen into this mess, he surely wouldn't let Xie Jingchu off.
So, next, Xie Xiu would go after Xie Jingchu.
Thinking of this, Xie Jingchu relaxed his brows and folded his arms across his chest.
He said in a calm voice, "Then I'll just wait for his move."
"Do you already have an idea?" Ruan Jiu asked.
Xie Jingchu nodded.
His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Cut off the enemy's source of strength."