Chapter 522: Strategies for Ye Mingsheng 2 (Thanks to the book friend 11304 for the reward!)

Therefore, realizing that the Fengwu Army might very likely become the new masters of Youyan, and facing the Gu family's active lobbying for the Fengwu Army, the Ma family immediately accepted the Gu family's invitation, hoping to please the Fengwu Army and Ye Mingsheng with such behavior, so that the Fengwu Army would agree to let them continue what they had done before, to make huge profits and exploit the poor people...
Although the Ma family had made a very shrewd calculation, Ye Mingsheng had not yet implemented the reform of redeeming the land in order not to affect the core interests of the aristocratic families on the issue of land. However, in order to increase fiscal revenue, maintain price stability, ensure the living standards of the people, and ease class contradictions, Ye Mingsheng was very determined to reform the business.

Ma Hongde had previously approached some important officials of the Fengwu Army, including Gu Sansi, hoping to make a breakthrough in Ye Mingsheng's reform policies. Unfortunately, although Ma Hongde was very generous, many of these Fengwu Army officials were promoted by Ye Mingsheng, and they all knew the importance of their duties, so no one dared to accept Ma Hongde's gifts.

This not only made Ma Hongde feel frustrated, but also made him realize that unless Ye Mingsheng nodded, their business would inevitably be hit hard by the policy.

After understanding this, Ma Hongde began to think of ways to conquer Ye Mingsheng. It was difficult for him to get close to Ye Mingsheng with his identity, so he wanted to talk to Ye Mingsheng through Gu Zhongshi, the current deputy governor of Youyan and a leading figure of the Youyan aristocratic family in the Fengwu military regime.

The Ma family has been entrenched in Youyan for a hundred years. Through marriage, partnership and shareholding, they have already established a huge political and economic network in Youyan. Through this network, they have brought many aristocratic families, including the Gu family, onto their chariot...
This is also the key to their ability to collude with officials and businessmen, engage in insider trading, and reap the benefits of the people. When everyone is together, they all prosper and suffer together. Now, facing Ye Mingsheng who is determined to reform and change everything, there is no doubt that this network is now in action!
Although he had prepared a backup plan in case Gu Zhongshi failed, Ma Hongde still had great expectations for Gu Zhongshi to come forward to handle the matter. After all, in his eyes, the Fengwu Army had just entered the pass and occupied Yijing not long ago, and it was the time when they needed local tyrants like the Gu family to help consolidate their rule. So when Gu Zhongshi, a leading figure among the local tyrants, came forward at this time, Ye Mingsheng would more or less give him some face.

However, he never expected that Ye Mingsheng would be so disrespectful to Gu Zhongshi that he didn't even meet with Gu Zhongshi. This undoubtedly made him feel more clearly Ye Mingsheng's determination to promote reform and the low status of Gu Zhongshi, the so-called representative of local forces, in Ye Mingsheng's heart.

In fact, Ma Hongde's guess was not wrong. It was precisely because local forces were needed to help consolidate the rule and wipe out the remnants of the Yan army led by Zhao Fuqu who were entrenched in the southern part of Youyan that Ye Mingsheng decided not to meet Gu Zhongshi. After all, he could not agree to Gu Zhongshi's mediation. So instead of directly refusing and embarrassing Gu Zhongshi, this was considered as Ye Mingsheng taking care of Gu Zhongshi and the Gu family's face.

Walking into Guangtaiheng's shop and looking at the wealthy businessmen who were still coming and going, Ma Hongde nodded slightly and then, accompanied by the shopkeeper, came to the backyard of the shop. As the largest bank in Youyan area, Guangtaiheng's store in Yijing also occupies a very large area of ​​dozens of acres. The counter in the front yard is for handling business, and the backyard is where Guangtaiheng's employees stay, as well as the silver vault and VIP reception room...
Arriving at a secret room in the backyard, Ma Hongde first looked through Guangtai Heng's account book in Yijing and confirmed the silver he could mobilize. After finding no problem, Ma Hongde pondered for a while and ordered his men:
"Go to Xunfanglou and call Mei Niang over!"

"Yes!"

An incense stick later, a middle-aged woman with a graceful figure walked into Ma Hongde's room. When she saw Ma Hongde, she threw him a coquettish look and said with some resentment:

"How come Fourth Master has the leisure to call me here today?"

Facing Mei Niang's temptation, Ma Hongde turned a blind eye and said calmly:
"Who from the Fengwu Army went to your Xunfang Tower for recreation?"

Listening to Ma Hongde's words, Mei Niang's expression showed a hint of disappointment, and she said in a low voice with self-pity:

"Master, how long have you not come to see me? Why do you call me here to talk about this?"

If it were the past when Mei Niang was acting coquettishly, Ma Hongde might still be interested in playing with her, but now that he was facing a serious crisis, he was filled with annoyance.

Mei Niang, the madam of the largest brothel in Yijing City, was a shrewd person who made a living by reading other people's faces. Seeing that her boss Ma Hongde was in a bad mood, she immediately restrained her coquettish attitude, took out a list from her bosom, handed it to Ma Hongde respectfully, and said:

“Fourth Master, this is the list of officials and generals who have come to Xunfang Tower since the Fengwu Army captured Yijing. I have written down their positions, backgrounds, and other information I have learned. Please take a look at it…”

As soon as these words came out, a flash of light flashed across Ma Hongde's eyes, and then he immediately opened the list with anticipation and began to read it. However, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. After an incense stick of time, Ma Hongde, who had read the list over and over again twice, looked at Mei Niang deeply and asked again:
"There are a total of 29 people on the list you gave me, including 18 soldiers and 11 civil servants. The highest-ranking officer in the army is a commander named Liu Sheng, and the highest-ranking civil servant is just a newly appointed councilor with no real power. The rest of the list is there! You'd better take it out yourself and don't let me do it!"

Feeling the threat in Ma Hongde's words, Mei Niang cried out in pain and quickly explained to Ma Hongde:

"Fourth Master, you are the one who promoted me. If it weren't for your promotion, I would still be a prostitute in a brothel with no future. I am loyal to you, Fourth Master, and the heavens can see it. Even if you give me the courage, I would not dare to lie to you and tamper with this list!"

“The people from Fengwu Army who came to Xunfang Tower are really only those on the list. The Fengwu Army is different from the Yan Army in that it has strict military discipline. None of the generals and lieutenants came to Xunfang Tower for fun. Even the commander named Liu Sheng came here secretly with his colleagues. If you really don’t believe me, you can go to Xunfang Tower and ask anyone else. If I, Mei Niang, tell even a single lie, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death…”

Looking at Mei Niang who was swearing solemnly, Ma Hongde felt a little hesitant. As Mei Niang said, he had indeed trained Mei Niang from a brothel girl to the madam of Xunfanglou, so he knew Mei Niang's character very well. If you said that this bitch had taken advantage of his back to earn some money and kept a gigolo, he would believe it. But if you said that Mei Niang had the guts to tamper with the list, Ma Hongde would not believe it easily.

What's more, this bitch knew clearly in her heart that she had sent several people to Xunfang Tower to keep an eye on her. If she really did something up there, she would definitely not be able to hide it!

So is it true that these are the only people from the Fengwu Army who went to Xunfang Tower to pursue pleasure?

If this is true, then things will be really tricky!
After thinking for a while, Ma Hongde said to Mei Niang calmly:
"I will check the matter of the list myself. It's not too late for you to hand it out now. If you let me find it out, don't blame me, Ma, for being ruthless!"

Hearing Ma Hongde's threat, Mei Niang said with tears in her eyes:

"Fourth Master, I have been with you for so many years, and you still don't trust me? I have said that I did not do anything, what else do you want from me? If you really find out that it was my fault, you can chop me into pieces and feed me to the dogs..."

Seeing that Mei Niang had said so much, Ma Hongde stopped dwelling on this question and continued to ask:

"How are you training those Yangzhou skinny horses?"

Mei Niang wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief and introduced to Ma Hongde:

"Originally there were eleven of them, but one of them didn't listen to the rules and got tuberculosis, and I don't know if it can be cured. The remaining ten are all proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Not only that, the C-bed Kung Fu is taught by me personally, and it can definitely make people die of Jade Immortal Jade! Once you try it once, you will never forget it!"

Hearing the words "personally teach", Ma Hongde seemed to have thought of something and his expression changed slightly, then he nodded and said:

"Bring these ten people out to me. I need them urgently!"

After hearing this, Mei Niang asked in surprise:
“Sir! Bring all ten people out? They were trained with great difficulty. Last month, Mr. Liu from the Liu family in Zhuo County was willing to spend two thousand taels of silver to buy one, but I was reluctant to sell it to him…” In response to Mei Niang’s reluctance, Ma Hongde said coldly:
"What do you know?"

"Who is that Liu? If we can satisfy him this time, I can't say for sure that my Ma family will be able to rest easy for the next ten years."

After hearing what Ma Hongde said, Mei Niang's face, which was covered with thick makeup, immediately changed her expression and she subconsciously asked:
"Fourth Master, if you give them to..."

Before Mei Niang finished her words, Ma Hongde snorted coldly and walked over to her, slapped her in the face and said viciously:

"Damn it, you bitch, you've been around for so many years and you still don't have any rules. Is this something you should ask?"

Ma Hongde's slap was indeed quite harsh. It took Mei Niang a while to come back to her senses. Looking at Ma Hongde, who looked like he was going to eat her, Mei Niang nodded repeatedly with great fear in her heart and said:
"Fourth Master, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time!"

Looking at Mei Niang who kept begging for mercy, Ma Hongde put down his raised hand and asked:
"You should have understood the seriousness of this matter, so give me a definite answer: Are all ten of them clean?"

Hearing Ma Hongde's question, Mei Niang answered without hesitation:

"Please put this down, Fourth Master. I just checked a few days ago and everyone is clean and there is no problem!"

After hearing this answer, Ma Hongde nodded in satisfaction and ordered;
"You can go now. Be alert and report to me immediately if any high-ranking officials of the Fengwu Army go to your place!"

"Yes, I understand!"

"Let's go!"

“I’m leaving now!” After getting Ma Hongde’s permission, Mei Niang hurriedly retreated as if she had been pardoned...

After Mei Niang left, Ma Hongde pondered in the room for a while, trying to perfect his plan. After a while, he shouted to his men outside the door:

"Call Cao Hao over to me!"

"Yes!"

After a while, a middle-aged man with a slender figure and a reserved expression came in front of Ma Hongde, clasped his fists and bowed to Ma Hongde, saying:

"Boss, you're looking for me?"

Ma Hongde ordered without any hesitation:

"You arrange for someone to go to Liucheng County, to the Sun Family Gold Shop there, and send the golden Buddha to Liaoyang. I will use my connections there to help you. When the time comes, you can present this golden Buddha to Ye Cui, the mother of Governor Ye. This old lady is also a Buddhist!"

Listening to Ma Hongde's words, Cao Hao said hesitantly:
“The golden Buddha statue that the Fourth Master prepared was for the old master’s sixty-sixth birthday. There’s still a month before the birthday banquet. If this golden Buddha statue is gone, there won’t be enough time to make a new one…”

Ma Hongde sighed and waved his hand when he heard this:
"Do as I say! I believe my father will understand. Everything is for the family!"

After saying this, Ma Hongde added:

"Don't forget to arrange for someone to go to the jewelry store and pick out some of the best jewelry to give to Governor Ye's family and wives. Silver or something doesn't matter, just the best!"

"Yes!" Cao Hao nodded and said:

After saying this, Ma Hongde's eyes flickered a few times, and he seemed to be a little hesitant. After a moment, he made up his mind and said in a deep voice:

"Go find Qi Guangye in person! Ask him to come up with a plan to unite the major families and overthrow the rule of the Fengwu Army!"

Cao Hao frowned slightly when he heard this, as if he did not understand what Ma Hongde meant. After a moment of silence, he said:

"The Fourth Master's Fengwu Army's Coordination Office is tracking him down very closely. Qi Guangye has become a frightened bird, hiding in Shanggu and trying to escape. How could he have the courage to join forces with everyone to overthrow the Fengwu Army?"

Ma Hongde explained:
“Of course I know this. What I want you to do is…”

Listening to Ma Hongde's story, Cao Hao's eyes suddenly lit up, and he gave Ma Hongde a thumbs up and praised:
"Fourth Master, your two-pronged approach is truly brilliant! No matter how cunning and treacherous Ye Mingsheng is, he will be fooled this time!"

(End of this chapter)