Chapter 106: You're not putting Tian Guo Zhang in your eyes~

"I am Qian Qianyi."

"I am Ruan Dacheng."

Two old men stood up. "Do you intend to rob openly?"

"Do you still have the Ming Law in your eyes?"

Tian Guo Zhang sent powerful slaves to Jiangnan, in the name of selecting concubines, to seize people.

Nominally to present beauties to the Emperor, Qian Qianyi and the others could not say much.

But if they covet the Standing Mirror and want to seize it, that won't do.

Jiangnan still has order.

Robbing in broad daylight—let alone Tian Guo Zhang's powerful slaves, even if Tian Guo Zhang himself came, it wouldn't do.

There are plenty of people willing to stand on high ground and impeach him.

"I thought who it was." The powerful slave had an arrogant expression. "It turns out to be two men driven out of the Court."

As the saying goes, when beating someone you don't hit the face; these words were exposing someone's shortcomings to their face.

Qian Qianyi was so angry his beard trembled.

Ruan Dacheng's gaze was cold and sinister, like a poisonous snake flicking its tongue.

"Tian Gui, shut your mouth!"

Among the thugs, another powerful slave stepped forward and saluted Qian Qianyi and the other. "I am Tian Bao, serving the Patriarch's orders to handle public affairs."

"No intention of offending the two of you."

This Tian Bao was clearly much more sensible.

Although these two old men had been driven out of the Court, they still had enormous influence.

Arranging for Imperial Censors to submit memorials was no difficulty at all.

By then the Patriarch would be fine, but these servants would be out of luck.

"May I ask."

Tian Bao looked at the Standing Mirror, his eyes full of greed. "This rare treasure, who does it belong to?"

"My things."

Lin Dao stood up, looking down at Tian Bao from a superior position. "Stay back."

"We want this thing." Tian Gui jumped out from the side. "Once it's packed, we'll take it away."

"No."

Lin Dao shook his head. "My goods, I won't sell to servants."

He had his own rules for fundraising in the late Ming: only to fleece meritorious nobles, local gentry, imperial clansmen, and officials.

Tian Gui paused, then his expression turned fierce. "What did you say?"

"You said it yourselves." Lin Dao rubbed his fingers together. "You are servants; servants have no qualification to buy my goods."

Laughter immediately broke out all around.

"You have a big mouth." Tian Bai raised his hand to stop Tian Gui, who wanted to use force. "This is not putting Tian Guo Zhang in your eyes~"

"I remember."

Lin Dao frowned. "The current Tian Guo Zhang is surnamed Zhou, if I recall."

"Can the father of an Imperial Concubine also be called Tian Guo Zhang?"

Ritual propriety: only the father of the Empress can be called Tian Guo Zhang.

Among the imperial consorts, even an Imperial Concubine with the character 'precious' added is essentially still a consort.

Tian Xiuying's father Tian Hongyu, according to ritual propriety, is not qualified to be called Tian Guo Zhang.

"What audacity!" Tian Gui flew into a rage. "I think you're tired of living!"

Because Imperial Concubine Tian Xiuying was favored and had borne a Prince.

The Tian family, relying on her influence, had always been contemptuous of others.

Now someone actually said such things to their faces, and all the Tian family's powerful slaves flew into a rage.

"Enough!"

Qian Qianyi suddenly slapped the table, shocking everyone.

"I am hosting guests today; you seize goods by force and still want to commit violence?"

"Or do you think the Ming Law cannot reach you?"

"If so, I will ask my fellow townsmen friends to impeach you!"

Qian Qianyi did not want to stand out; offending imperial relatives was no benefit to him.

But today he could not, and he could not involve Lin Dao either.

He had seen the goods Lin Dao produced, and was very eager about what Lin Dao said—earning several million to donate to the Son of Heaven, thereby gaining the opportunity for reinstatement.

The Tian family's servants moving against Lin Dao, or moving against Lin Dao's goods, was moving against Qian Qianyi's opportunity for reinstatement.

For the official-obsessed Qian Qianyi, this was unacceptable.

Catching his breath, Qian Qianyi added a meaningful sentence.

"You should now accumulate virtue and do good, praying for blessings for Consort Tian~~~"

The background to his saying this was that Imperial Concubine Tian Xiuying's health was poor; according to friends at the Imperial Physician Hospital, she could not last much longer.

Once Imperial Concubine Tian was lost, the Tian family's power would surely decline precipitously.

This was also why Tian Guo Zhang hastily sent servants to Jiangnan to find beauties.

The Tian family wanted to find an unparalleled beauty to send into the palace, to replace the ailing Imperial Concubine Tian, and maintain the family's imperial favor and power.

Tian Bao was someone with a brain.

He looked deeply at Lin Dao, whose expression was calm, then at Qian Qianyi, whose hair stood on end with rage.

After saluting, they said, "We were rash."

"Today's matter." Tian Bao narrowed his eyes, staring at Lin Dao. "There will be an accounting for this in the future!"

The meaning was very simple.

Today, for the sake of Qian Qianyi's face, the matter of you offending the Tian Mansion can be temporarily set aside.

But you cannot stay by Qian Qianyi's side forever.

When the opportunity arises in the future, we will let you experience our methods!

Lin Dao raised an eyebrow and glanced askance, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

'The future?'

'You have no future.'

'I never let revenge wait overnight!'

"Dong Bai." Tian Bao called to Dong Xiaowan. "Come with us for a trip."

Dong Xiaowan was greatly shocked.

She cast a pleading gaze toward Mao Xiang, one of the Four Young Masters.

But Mao Xiang had suffered a belly full of anger tonight, not to mention he was further disgusted by Dong Xiaowan's earlier fawning over Lin Dao.

Pretending not to see, he picked up his glass wine cup and drank by himself.

The others also subconsciously averted their gazes one after another.

There was no helping it; those were the Emperor's favored consort's people, they dared not offend them.

Lin Dao raised his eyebrow, about to speak.

Here, Ruan Dacheng slapped the table. "Today I am hosting a banquet for my brothers; whoever causes trouble is not giving us face."

"Not a single person from this Flower Boat can you take away today!"

Those familiar with Ruan Dacheng were all greatly surprised.

They knew this man was no merciful sort.

The reason for such a change naturally lay with Lin Dao.

Compared to Qian Qianyi, Ruan Dacheng's obsession with officialdom was even heavier.

Learning that Lin Dao and Qian Qianyi were plotting the Xianfu matter, his heart felt like it was being scratched by cat claws, the kind that nearly drove him mad with anxiety.

Through observing words and expressions, it could be seen that Lin Dao was leading this matter.

Since that was the case, the matter was simple: just flatter him.

Lin Dao had a conflict with the Tian family servants; standing on this side to back him up was no difficulty.

As for the in-laws' retaliation or whatnot, he had already been dismissed from office — would he still care about that?

The Tian Mansion servants all had very ugly expressions.

Today was truly a day where nothing went right.

They certainly could swagger with power; even facing local officials, they had full confidence.

After all, they were imperial in-laws; local officials had to give them face.

But it just so happened that both Qian Qianyi and Ruan Dacheng were dismissed officials, yet still leaders of the local scholar class.

They held no official posts, so naturally they did not fear the imperial in-laws.

They also controlled public opinion; once things blew up and reached the Imperial Censors, it would bring trouble to their own master.

"Fine, fine."

Tian Bao forcibly suppressed his anger, his face flushed red from holding it in.

His gaze was sinister; after sweeping over everyone, it fell on Lin Dao. "Mountains and waters will meet again; we will meet again!"

Lin Dao nodded. "Okay."

The whole group of henchmen left the Flower Boat in a rage.

The gathering in the boat cabin could not continue either, disturbed by the sudden turn of events.

"Zi Hou."

Qian Qianyi stated his position. "In a few days, you come to my mansion for a trip."

Without sufficient connection or major shared interests, it is basically impossible to invite someone to visit.

It was very obvious he was very interested in the overseas goods Lin Dao produced, formally deciding to endorse him.

Not investing silver, but lending him his own background to use.

After comforting Dong Xiaowan a few words, Qian Qianyi left first.

"Zi Hou."

Ruan Dacheng stepped forward with a smiling face. "This old man still has some thin face in Jinling City."

"If there is anything you need help with, you may send a visiting card."

Seeing the opportunity for Xianfu, he actively drew near, wanting a share of the pie.

Lin Dao did not view him differently because of his infamy in the history books.

On the contrary, he chatted a few sentences with a pleasant expression.

He precisely needed these local snakes to help contact, using industrial silver to recover high-value goods.

After the two principals left, Lin Dao looked around and walked toward the Madam.

"These things of mine, I will temporarily trouble you to store them here."

Originally he was going to take them back to the warehouse.

But tonight he had business to attend to, so he would leave them here for now.

The madam was overjoyed and agreed repeatedly.

These rare treasures, placed in their flower boat, would surely attract the gaze of many literati and powerful nobles.

Chen Zhenhui, Fang Yizhi and others stepped forward and spoke a few sentences.

Simple pleasantries, plus the insistence that they must come support the opening.

After Lin Dao left, Mao Xiang, who had barely spoken the whole time, rose and sat beside Dong Xiaowan, wanting to offer a few words of comfort.

"Young Master Biqiang, this concubine is tired today."

Dong Xiaowan, her face slightly cold, still remembered how heartlessly cold and indifferent this person had been when she, previously bewildered and helpless, had sought his help.

'Wanfang (Chen Yuanyuan) truly had blind eyes, how could she have taken a fancy to this man!'

Dong Xiaowan rose, gazing at that standing mirror with shining eyes.

"Spitting Liu, move this mirror to my room!"

At some point, dark clouds drifted in the night sky.

Fine rain threads fell thickly, like silver threads dancing and weaving in the wind through the air, finally falling to the earth.

Pedestrians on the street had long since scattered, leaving only sedan bearers and attendants waiting for their masters in the bleak wind and bitter rain.

Lin Dao, arriving on the street, scanned his surroundings, his gaze condensing slightly in the dimness.

He gathered his sleeves and strode toward the dim lane.

Before long, somewhat hurried footsteps followed into the lane.

The comer strained his eyes wide: "Where is the person?"

A pitch-black stick-like object reached out from one side, pressing against his waist.

'Zzzzt~~~'

Electric current flashed, the comer instantly trembling and stiffening.

His face turned pale in an instant, heart racing and breathing rapid, he fell rigidly to the ground.

Lin Dao crouched down, looking down at this person: "Where do you live?"

The one tailing him was precisely one of the Tian Mansion's arrogant slaves from before.

At this moment the arrogant slave was in the midst of incontinence, his trembling gaze looking at Lin Dao as if seeing a ghost.

Seeing him not speak, Lin Dao extended the electric baton in his hand, pressing it against his waist again.

'Zzzzt~~~'

After barely recovering a bit of strength, the arrogant slave replied tremblingly: "We all live at Ru Yi Zhai Yao Dong's Residence."

In the late Ming, investiture was popular — both person and family assets were invested under the name of some powerful figure.

Even a mere scholar could accept investiture.

Then there were merchants; investiture was to seek a backer.

After all, doing business in the late Ming, a merchant without a backer was the most delicious fat sheep in the eyes of all powers.

Lin Dao put away the electric baton, reaching out to press his hand on the arrogant slave's shoulder.

Seemingly sensing a dangerous aura, the arrogant slave begged tremblingly.

"Spa~~~re—"

The next moment, Lin Dao took him and directly transmigrated!

(End of Chapter)