Chapter 24

Xiao Letian had no idea that the first major crisis after his穿越 (time travel) was actually avoided thanks to Cian. If Empress Dowager Cixi had been in charge of the investigation of the Taishan Mountain fire case, she would have pursued it to the end. At this point, Xiao Letian was like a seed just beginning to sprout, still very fragile. The Qing Dynasty could crush him with just a little finger.

However, the fortune of the穿越者 (time traveler) was bestowed by heaven. The small crisis was resolved with just 100,000 taels of silver, which greatly encouraged Xiao Letian. It seemed that his grand plan for infiltration and corruption really had a chance.

"Prince, look, that black carriage in the distance is the one that Second Lian is using to return to the capital. The dignified administrator of Xiling is returning to the capital in such a shabby manner. Back in the day, he was like a local emperor in Yixian, how arrogant he was when he was chasing me... But now, he's just a paper tiger..."

Xiao Letian and Shi Dakai, each riding a tall horse, stood on a hill in the forest, looking at a string of figures on the eastern road. Xiao Letian had met Second Lian before, and now that Second Lian was in trouble, the "righteous" Xiao Letian felt he had to see him off.

Shi Dakai was thoroughly convinced by Xiao Letian. Although Xiao Letian had spent nearly 250,000 taels of silver from the bandit camp in just a few days, since the military advisor said that after the New Year, it would take no more than one or two months to double the money, what was there to worry about?

However, Shi Dakai was speechless about Xiao Letian's playful personality. For someone like Second Lian, Shi Dakai would have intercepted him halfway and killed him. He wouldn't have let him return to Beijing alive.

Xiao Letian seemed to understand Shi Dakai's doubts. "Second Lian is just an old coffin, already paralyzed. He's over 60, how long can he live even if we let him go? If we intercept him halfway, it would be proof to the court that there are bandits in Yixian!"

"Besides, the Neiwufu (Imperial Household Department) has almost confiscated 70-80% of Second Lian's wealth. His family is already in decline. Even if he's from the Eight Banners, without money, he's just a mangy dog..."

Xiao Letian had become addicted to riding horses in these few days. In his previous life, he couldn't afford to ride horses every day, but now he couldn't stop. He turned his horse, lightly touched the stirrup of the strong three-year-old Mongolian horse, and it galloped down the hill like the wind.

"Before the New Year, I need to finish another 100,000 words, then I'll go to Beijing to submit my manuscript... Go!" It was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the city of Yixian was already filled with the New Year's atmosphere. However, Xiao Letian didn't want to spend the New Year here. His goal was Beijing, and he wanted to spend the New Year's Eve of the third year of the Tongzhi era in the capital.

"Rushing to finish the manuscript, rushing to finish the manuscript, I want to shock the capital with my writing..." After returning to Yixian, Xiao Letian stayed at Fuguqing's residence. Before leaving, Uncle Qing left an old steward and two old soldiers to serve Xiao Letian. Together with Xiao He Xin, Wang Huaiyuan, and Sima Yun, they treated Xiao Letian like a precious pearl.

During this time, Xiao Letian refused all visitors, even when the black man Simon returned to Beijing, he didn't go to see him off. However, Xiao Letian gave him a generous gift for Lewis, a siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard) in the southern part of Beijing, which Fan Lian had previously given to Xiao Letian, but he passed it on to Lewis.

"Pastor Liu, I know you work hard to spread the gospel, and the American Civil War has left you with little funding. I'm giving you this house. If you want to build a church, you can raise the funds yourself. If you still need money, wait for me to return to the capital, and we can do business together..."

Xiao Letian knew that Lewis wasn't short of money. In this era, foreign missionaries were also spies, with various ways to raise funds. Building a church in Beijing wasn't a problem. However, who would refuse someone's kindness? Xiao Letian was making an emotional investment for future cooperation.

In the remaining time, Xiao Letian refused all invitations from the prominent families in Yixian, including Magistrate Liu. He focused solely on writing, aiming to write at least 150,000 words before the New Year. He wrote about the most prosperous periods of Spain and Portugal, and even included an extremely sad story at the end of this volume. Xiao Letian was confident that this story would keep the entire Qing royal family awake all night.

While Xiao Letian was writing day and night, in the northern capital of Beijing, in a three-courtyard siheyuan deep in the Daliu Tree Alley, a single lamp flickered in the study of the back courtyard. An old man sat in a chair, sighing. The noodles beside him were already cold, but he had no appetite.

The old man was Fan Lian. This house was one of his four private properties in Beijing. Two were already rented out, one was given to Xiao Letian, and this, the most beautiful one, was where he and Hu Niu lived.

The pure white wax slowly dripped down, just like Fan Lian's current mood—disappointed, angry, and heartbroken. Looking at his house, with only ten servants and everything dark, while his brother Fan Ru's house was brightly lit, filled with people, and a grand opera was being performed in the back garden. All the officials who could be invited were there, and the banquet would last from dusk until midnight.

The famous actors, the top courtesans from the Eight Alleys, the best Indian opium... the opulence and luxury were overwhelming, almost pushing Fan Lian, who had seen the world, out of the door.

All the expenses were earned by his brother, while his brother, with just the title of a scholar, enjoyed the benefits, claiming to restore the family's glory.

Damn it, is the glory of the Fan family about extravagance? Is it about spending money on these useless parasites? No wonder you want to return to the Neiwufu, no wonder you want to be a royal merchant again. You've been living off me all your life, and if you get the title of royal merchant, you'll eat me alive!

The family must be divided, and it can't wait any longer. After seeing Xiao Letian's economic layout, Fan Lian realized that he had lived a wasted life. Mr. Xiao's mind was a treasure, and he would rather serve a smart person than be the ancestor of a fool.

Moreover, he had been a grandson and a servant to a fool all his life.

When Fan Lian mustered the courage to propose the division of the family in the study, his brother Fan Ru, who was over 70, almost had a stroke.

"Unfilial! You are unfilial..." Fan Ru pounded the table, his voice so loud that it startled the guests outside.

"Disobedient, you are disobedient... What did our father say on his deathbed? You've forgotten everything? I worked hard to become a royal merchant, for whom? For the family..."

"You want to divide the family? Only if I die! Our family has never divided before. You are a white-eyed wolf, the family has raised you for so many years..."

Fan Ru raised his hand to strike his brother. The scene was chaotic. Drunk officials rushed in to stop the fight, even the drunk courtesans dared to enter the study to mediate. The Monkey King was doing somersaults on the stage, and the cymbals and cheers added to the chaos.

Fan Lian was completely disheartened. He never imagined that his lifelong efforts would end with the family claiming to have raised him. When he was a child, the family was so poor that they only had two steamed buns. His brother ate one whole, and he and his father shared the other. His hardworking mother could only lick the bowl.

"Your brother is a scholar, he will bring glory to the family. You must help your brother..." These were his parents' words, which Fan Lian remembered all his life. For his brother, he gave up the imperial exams, followed his father in business, and earned money to let his brother attend banquets and literary gatherings.

Fan Lian had no complaints, not until now, when his brother couldn't even tolerate his concubine and Hu Niu. His heart was completely cold. Today, Fan Ru finally spoke the truth. In his mind, he was the one who had raised the family, and Fan Lian was the one eating for free.

"What did you say? The family raised me!" Fan Lian exploded, pointing at his brother's nose and shouting, "All the family's business and money were earned by me and my father. Father died early, and the rest was earned by me..."

"What can you do? You spend my money to sell houses and land, and you think that's your achievement? Without my money, you wouldn't even be able to buy land! You wouldn't be able to buy a house in Beijing..."

"Is there a big brother like you in the world? Pushing your own niece into a fire, and you still talk about the family? I'm telling you, I will divide the family..."

With a loud crack, Fan Ru smashed his favorite Jun kiln pen washer, and even the cymbals outside stopped. Fan Ru, like a red-eyed dog, barked wildly.

"Listen, is there a white-eyed wolf like you in the world? Can't a big brother arrange a marriage for his niece? A concubine's daughter, a big-footed girl, I arranged for her to marry the head of the Neiwufu, and you say that's wrong? You are just a scoundrel..."

At this moment, Fan Ru's first wife rushed out, her eyes glaring, and she pointed at Fan Lian's nose, shouting, "You ungrateful brat, born to a shameless woman, you think you're a treasure? We did you a favor, and now you accuse us of a crime. Fan Lian, I tell you, you can't take the family property from me..."

Saying this, she sat on the ground and rolled around, wailing, "You ungrateful one... How can you not have a heart... Your brother worked so hard for you, and you repay him like this... I'll go to the ancestral temple and curse you... I'll sue you... I'll make the ancestors take you away... wailing..."

Fan Lian suddenly felt dizzy. He didn't want to stay here any longer. He was so disgusted that he wanted to vomit. He suddenly remembered what Xiao Letian had said that night, "Old boss, when we have big ships, we'll go to the ends of the earth together. I'll show you how people live there, and I'll let you know that everything in my book is true..."

The scene in front of Fan Lian's eyes spun like a carousel. His brother and sister-in-law were crying and cursing, the so-called great scholars were quoting classics to accuse him of being unfilial, and the servants, actors, and courtesans were gossiping. This time, he had really lost face.

"Stop wailing!" Fan Lian shouted, "I will divide the family. If necessary, I'll leave with nothing, and I don't want to see you again..." With that, the old man bowed and turned to leave, leaving a group of people staring at each other.

When Fan Lian had already disappeared, Fan Ru's wife suddenly jumped up from the ground, excitedly shouting, "Little brother, are you serious? You'll leave with nothing! You really don't want a single cent..."

The winter night in Beijing was really cold, the north wind swirling into the old boss's collar, and his shadow was stretched long in the alley.

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