20demayo Chapter 1078 A Family of Ungrateful People
Chapter 1078 A Family of Ungrateful People
Soon, Prefect Zhang sent invitations to the merchants of Yuzhou.
Everyone was puzzled as to why Prefect Zhang would suddenly host a dinner party. In the past, Prefect Zhang never associated with businessmen and scorned "collusion between officials and businessmen".
The most shocking thing he did during his more than ten years as an official in Yuzhou was sending invitations to all the merchants.
This piqued everyone's interest. He invited everyone, from small vendors to big businessmen, and he did so very quickly. Although no one knew why, everyone wanted to find out.
Suddenly, the desolate and lonely city of Yuzhou became vibrant and lively.
The Bai family was also full of suspicion when they received the invitation. Old Master Bai said, "What does Zhang Qian mean by suddenly sending an invitation?"
"He...he really is...a young lady getting into a sedan chair for the first time!" Old Bai stammered.
The second son of the Bai family said, "Do you think he really wants to invite us to a banquet? It might be some kind of trap. Our family won't go. Anyway, everyone knows what kind of person Prefect Zhang is. He's an honest official who dislikes forming cliques and is very aloof."
Bai Lao Er was still angry when he thought about how he had been humiliated by Magistrate Zhang when he asked for his help. "We have always paid our taxes on time and have never owed him a penny. Our family is not afraid of offending him, so we will not go."
Old Master Bai said, "That's precisely why we have to go. Zhang Qian has always claimed to be honest and upright in Yuzhou for more than ten years. The fact that our business is so stable is also due to the presence of a virtuous and upright prefect. We can't refuse to give him face since this is the first time he has sent an invitation. Let's go!"
The other members of the Bai family were also puzzled. "Go ahead and go, but we need to find out what he wants us to do there."
This matter still needs to be decided by our eldest brother! Let him go and make the invitation!
Old Master Bai said, "The invitation includes several branches of the Bai family. I'm afraid it wouldn't be appropriate for me to go alone!"
Bai Lao Er scoffed, "I'm not going. What can he do to me? I have other things to do. You guys go ahead!"
He had absolutely no intention of giving them face.
If Bai Lao Er wasn't going, then none of the other cousins would go either, saying, "Big brother, go check on the situation first! We're all busy..."
Bai Yuhan happened to walk into the hall and overheard their conversation. When bad things happened, "Big Brother" would make the decisions, but when good things happened, everyone would scramble to get involved.
A family of ingrates.
Fortunately, Prefect Zhang was an honest official and did not extort a single penny from them. Behind his back, everyone was saying that Prefect Zhang was a fool.
Everyone was there to watch the spectacle, but the Bai family completely disregarded Prefect Zhang and chose to ignore him.
They didn't go to see how the Empress's plan would be implemented.
She said in a deep voice, "Prefect Zhang not only sent invitations to our Bai family, but also to all the merchants in Yuzhou City. He invited all the merchants, big and small. Doesn't Second Uncle want to go and see what Prefect Zhang is up to in hosting this banquet?"
Bai Lao Er couldn't stand Bai Yu Han no matter how he looked at her, and muttered casually, "You traitor, what right do you, a girl, have to interrupt when the elders are discussing things?"
Bai Yuhan was neither angry nor annoyed. She said, "What is taken from the people should be used for the people. Second Uncle has done a good deed and accumulated virtue. Second Uncle is an elder, and Yuhan will not hold it against him."
Master Bai was furious. "If you want to do good deeds, you can sell yourself, but don't use the Bai family's money."
Bai Yuhan's secret donation of grain from the Bai family granary to disaster victims infuriated the entire Bai family. The Bai family did not make their fortune in the grain business; they made their money from the cosmetics industry, which was meant for the wealthy. Now, they were giving it away to the poor. They were furious with Bai Yuhan and wished they could tear her apart.
Bai Lao Er mocked, "You haven't been the Empress for long, but you've already picked up the official language quite well. If you're so capable, why didn't you give birth to a golden boy in the palace before leaving? You're so stupid and clumsy. The Bai family has really wasted their time raising you."
Bai Yuhan changed her expression, "Second Uncle, stop looking at me with such disdain all the time."
Bai Yuhan was equally blunt, "Second Uncle, you still dare to spread rumors? Have you forgotten how you escaped from Shengjing and how our business in Shengjing came to a standstill? It's already a miracle that the Emperor didn't throw the entire Bai family into prison for all the mess you caused back then. How dare you bring it up again?"
Bai Lao Er shut his mouth. He was just furious that the Bai family had fallen into such a state. "You know the Bai family has declined, yet you still gave away the family's grain."
Bai Yuhan was about to say something when Boss Bai said coldly, "You have no manners. How dare you speak to your elders like that? Get out."
The eldest son of the Bai family was also very angry. He didn't know why he always felt that the Bai family should be poor, as if something had gone wrong. He had always wanted to change the fate of the Bai family. It would be even better if his daughter could enter the palace to become the emperor's concubine and then give birth to a prince. It was just a pity that she was stupid and did not seize the opportunity to escape.
Bai Yuhan didn't argue with them anymore. Her father in her memory seemed to have really changed, and the entire Bai family had changed, but their selfishness and self-interest hadn't changed at all.
-
In the Yuzhou Prefecture government office, Jiang Fenghua was flipping through the Yuzhou Gazetteer.
At this moment, she noticed something strange and asked, "The Wan family is the richest family in Yuzhou, but what about the Bai family? How come the Bai family is also from Yuzhou?"
Zhang Qian was puzzled by the Empress's question, and then said, "The Wan family has always been from Yuzhou. Their ancestors have lived in Yuzhou for generations. The family business is very large, and it has been passed down from generation to generation to reach its current scale. The Wan family's wealth is all accumulated by their ancestors."
"Locally speaking, the Bai family is far less wealthy than the Wan family. People who make money in the cosmetics business can make money quickly... The government records show that the Bai family's ancestors were not from Yuzhou. It's been too long and there aren't many records. At that time, I hadn't yet taken up my post in Yuzhou."
Jiang Fenghua muttered to herself, "The Bai family really is from Yuzhou now!"
Zhang Qian said, "Although the Bai family ancestors moved to Yuzhou, they are now indeed locals. Their ancestors were quite wealthy, but unfortunately, Yuzhou isn't wealthy, so their business doesn't have many markets there. However, the Bai family is large and does business everywhere. I heard they even have business in Shengjing City..."
Jiang Fenghua was stunned when she heard Zhang Qian's words. Weren't the Bai family from Jiangzhou?
Jiangzhou also produces jade, so Jiangzhou is rich. How come the Bai family is now considered a local of Yuzhou? The Bai family loves money more than anything. Why is that?
The reason she has so many extra memories is because they are all from when she met Bai Yuhan in Jiangzhou.
Could it be that with Danjimai's disappearance, many things have changed, and the things and people related to Danjimai and the Disha Sect have changed?
Why has the Bai family changed? Could it be that the Bai family is also related to Danjimai?
Previously, Bai Yuhan's father had been secretly in contact with Xiao Shang, as he also desired the art of rebirth...
She only now realized why Bai Yuhan was at the Feng family's wedding banquet; she had now become a resident of Yuzhou.
Jiang Fenghua asked, "It is said that the eldest daughter of the Bai family married into the palace and became an imperial concubine, which caused quite a stir in Yuzhou. The Bai family even built an imperial concubine shrine for her in their hometown. Does Prefect Zhang know about this?"
Zhang Qian said, "When did the Bai family build a shrine for imperial concubines? The Bai family's daughter married into the palace as a concubine. The court did not allow daughters of merchants to enter the palace to be selected as concubines, so how could she have entered the palace?"
"No?" Jiang Fenghua asked, puzzled.
Zhang Qian shook his head. "No."
Jiang Fenghua said calmly, "It's probably just a rumor!"
Zhang Qian knew nothing, so it seems that the incident between the Bai family and the Jiangzhou prefect in Jiangzhou City never happened.
It turns out that Bai Yuhan's affair was never widely known.
The Bai family ancestors may also have been related to the Yinchuan Kingdom.
Back then, Baili Shang saved the people of Yinchuan and made them all move away from Yinchuan, which changed many people and things.