Chapter 257

Xu Huizu's mouth corner twitched slightly as he looked at the official before him and asked.

"What were Lord Su's exact words?"

"Our Lord Su said, as long as you sell, the price is up to you!"

Hearing this, Xu Huizu's heart instantly grew half cold.

Your Majesty.

In the end, he must be learning from Song Taizu.

Playing a game of selling houses to release military power?

149, Old Zhu: You tore down Jin Ling City?!

Gazing at the officials of the Baochao Office before him.

Xu Huizu's body trembled; he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice.

"But any price can be set?"

Hearing there was a chance, the wrinkles on the Baochao Office official's face almost smiled out.

"Your Grace, just set the price!"

Xu Huizu said with a sigh.

"Twenty thousand Guan! Silver, cash, Baochao—all are acceptable!"

This price was indeed not low.

Currently, the price of Baochao has already soared, and the prices in the early Ming were far from as terrifying as in the mid-to-late Ming.

Even during the Wanli era, when Zhu Yijun spent money to build the Wuding Marquis Manor for that unfortunate grandfather-in-law, it cost only over ten thousand taels of silver.

And Xu Da's imperial-built Duke of Wei Prefecture originally cost only over six thousand taels.

"Done! Just that the cash will take a while; how about Baochao?"

Xu Huizu said with a sigh.

"Baochao it is then; consider it the Xu family serving Your Majesty with loyalty once more!"

"Excellent!"

"This humble one will go back immediately to count out Baochao for you!"

The same scene was simultaneously happening in the homes of many nobles and ministers.

The court was already treacherous; with Zhu Yunwen and the Yan Prince both in the capital, a slight misstep could lead to deposition or enthronement.

Plus, Su Qiao's plaque was placed right there.

Instead, quite a few officials were relieved that their residences had been taken.

Losing a house.

Is certainly better than losing one's head, right?!

Even more Huaixi nobles almost smiled as they saw the Baochao Office official out of their homes!

Thus, these bones that the Baochao Office originally considered the hardest to gnaw actually became the easiest deals to negotiate.

When they reached the streets, the officials of the Baochao Office only then realized for the first time what it meant to be difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, there was Su Qiao's order.

All prices had no ceiling; after some haggling, in less than three days, the people of Jin Ling agreed to about seventy or eighty percent.

……

……

Inside the Baochao Office.

Su Qiao gazed at the land deeds stacked as high as a person before him.

Listening to the report from the Deputy Director.

"My Lord, the inner city is now almost entirely bought by our Zanmenya Sect; what is our next step...?"

Su Qiao didn't even glance, looking at the land deeds before him and said.

"Keep all the land deeds; burn all the house deeds."

"Ah? Burn, burn them?"

"Yes."

"Withdraw some silver from the accounts, hire some laborers, and prepare to demolish the houses."

"My Lord, demolish where?"

Su Qiao looked at the map in the distance, stretched lazily, then slowly took down the map from the wall and casually tossed it into the trash can.

"All of it."

"Yes..."

The people who originally vacated houses in Jin Ling were mostly reorganized on the spot into laborers for this demolition action.

And at the other end, within the Forbidden City.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still discussing in the chat group how to solve the Great Ming Baochao problems, suddenly received a report from his personal Xiaohuang Sect attendant.

"Your Majesty, all the lords are waiting for your audience outside the hall."

Hearing this.

A trace of displeasure instantly appeared on Zhu Yuanzhang's face.

"Waiting for an audience?"

"It's neither a festival nor noon; what are they waiting for?"

The Xiaohuang Sect attendant lowered his head and said.

"This humble one does not know..."

Old Zhu's face darkened, and he immediately strode out of the hall.

No sooner had he stepped out of the main hall.

Than he saw the hall outside filled with ministers kneeling.

At the head stood.

Xu Huizu, the Duke of Wei and foremost among the nobility.

Old Zhu's brows gradually knitted tighter.

Staring fixedly at Xu Huizu, he asked.

"That one from the Xu Da family, what are you doing here? I'm not dead yet!"

Xu Huizu, kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head, tears and snot streaming down, and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, saying.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects to you once more. Tomorrow, I shall return to my hometown in Fengyang!"

Hearing this.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately shouted in anger.

"It's neither New Year nor a festival; why are you going back to your hometown for no reason? Are you mad?!"

"Who will handle the duties at the Five Military Commissions?"

The corner of Xu Huizu's mouth twitched slightly.

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang, he asked.

"Your Majesty, I, I currently have not even a place to rest my feet in Jin Ling. If I do not return to my hometown, where shall I live?"

"Nonsense! I built so many houses for your father; has your entire family filled them all up?"

Xu Huizu looked at Zhu Yuanzhang in confusion.

"Your Majesty, did not the Your Majesty Sect's Su Qiao take them back?"

"When did I ever..."

Zhu Yuanzhang had barely spoken half his sentence when his face immediately fell.

Then, looking at the hundred officials behind Xu Huizu, he asked loudly.

"Did that boy Su Qiao take away all your residences?!"

The hundred officials in the court looked at one another.

"Yes... Your Majesty."

Hearing this.

Zhu Yuanzhang's blood pressure immediately surged upward.

What mischief is that rascal Su Qiao plotting again?!