Zhang Chen first let Gao Shun go down to rest, while he summoned the 【Assets】 page.
【Assets: 15,000 gold (360,000 cash)】
【Shops: 5】
【Farmland: 0 mu】
【Tenants: 0 people】
【Grain Storage: 800 shi】
This Steward Wu is not bad!
Although Zhang Chen did not know the specific accounts of the family before, since it was on the verge of bankruptcy, there was definitely not this much property.
At this time, the Zhang Family's property actually reached 360,000 cash. Excluding the more than 100,000 cash swindled from Huang Wenyi, in just one morning, Steward Wu earned 170,000 to 180,000 cash!
Judging by this speed, in a few days, the Zhang Family will be able to restore its former glory.
Zhang Chen immediately told Ping'er to call Steward Wu over.
After a while, Steward Wu came to pay his respects and reported the accounts to Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen was very satisfied after reading them and went straight to the point, stating his desire to reopen the porridge kitchen.
Steward Wu listened, pondered for a moment, and repeatedly agreed. He said that the old master was benevolent and generous during his lifetime, dispensing porridge on the first and fifteenth of each month without interruption. The Zhang Family was previously in distress, which caused it to stop, but now that the crisis is resolved, it is time to reopen.
Just in time, tomorrow is the fifteenth, and the two hit it off. Zhang Chen immediately told Steward Wu to go and prepare.
In addition, Zhang Chen also mentioned supplying Qu Family Village with 500 shi of grain and fodder every month from now on. Although Steward Wu did not understand why, Zhang Chen just told him not to worry about it and just do as instructed.
The mansion just happens to have 800 shi of stored grain, which is enough to supply 500 shi for grain and fodder, and use the rest to open a porridge kitchen and provide relief to the displaced people.
Steward Wu immediately agreed and left to carry out the order.
After dealing with this matter, Zhang Chen immediately called Gao Shun over again and told him to go to the storeroom tomorrow to collect the 500 shi of grain and fodder and send it to Qu Family Village.
At this time, in the Huang Mansion in the west of the city.
Inside the mansion's flower hall, three people were gathered for a banquet.
Huang Wenyi was sitting on the left side, opposite him was a person with a rough build and a face full of flesh, who was the County Commandant of this county, Guo Dayong.
Sitting in the main seat in the center was a person with a large belly and an oily face, wearing official robes, looking every bit the official.
This person was the Magistrate of Guangping, named Zhao Xiong.
Zhao Xiong himself was originally a merchant from Wei Commandery. Last year, the Yellow Turban rebels plundered everywhere, and Zhao Xiong, fearing that disaster would strike his family, voluntarily contributed funds to provide money and grain for the official army. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he was appointed as the Magistrate of Guangping for this merit.
But how could he spend money for nothing? So, as soon as he took office, he began to create various pretexts to exploit the people.
Huang Wenyi was an old acquaintance of his and heard that he was coming to Guangping to serve as the County Magistrate. They immediately colluded like wolves, one official and one merchant, colluding with each other, monopolizing the market and bullying merchants and vendors, who had almost no way to survive because of their arbitrary squeezing. The people had suffered from them for a long time.
At this time, Huang Wenyi was smiling and raising his cup, drinking and chatting happily with the two.
Beside them, there were also two geishas serving them, dressed provocatively and with seductive appearances.
"Old Huang, are your men reliable? Can they definitely kill that Zhang Family brat today?" Zhao Xiong said while pinching the buttocks of the geisha next to him, which immediately made her let out a soft moan.
Huang Wenyi smiled apologetically and said, "Lord, please rest assured. The 'Flying Tiger Stockade' is full of desperadoes. This time I gave them 100,000 cash. Their Boss has promised to personally take action, so there will absolutely be no mistakes!"
"Oh, you old fellow, you've really spent a fortune this time!" Zhao Xiong chuckled, "But I heard that Master Zhang had the grace of assisting you back then. Are you really so ruthless as to lay hands on his son?"
"Haha? What grace of assistance?" Huang Wenyi said disdainfully, "That day, he swindled me out of 200,000 cash with an IOU! I will never rest until the Zhang Family is destroyed! Lord, please wait a moment. As soon as the news of that little brat's death arrives, we will attack the Zhang Family and seize his property. At that time, I will definitely not mistreat the two Lords."
"Haha! Good! Good!" All three clapped their hands and laughed.
After three rounds of wine, his subordinates still hadn't returned, and Huang Wenyi couldn't help but frown slightly.
After suffering a loss at the Zhang mansion that day, he had been looking for an opportunity to retaliate. These past two days, he had sent people to keep an eye on the Zhang mansion while secretly contacting the mountain bandit leader outside the city, ready to act at any time to take Zhang Chen's life.
This morning, the people watching outside the Zhang mansion reported that Zhang Chen had left the city in a carriage, accompanied by only one coachman. Huang Wenyi was overjoyed and immediately sent his trusted subordinates, Huang Yong and Huang Meng, to ride quickly out of the city to contact the bandits of the "Flying Tiger Stockade" and intercept and kill him halfway.
Calculating the time, they should have succeeded by now. What's wrong with Huang Yong and Huang Meng? They are so slow in doing things. When they come back later, I must give them a good scolding!
Huang Wenyi thought to himself. Just then, a middle-aged servant ran over in a hurry, bowed to everyone, and then came to Huang Wenyi's side and whispered a few words.
Huang Wenyi's face immediately changed.
"What did you say! He... he came back?" Huang Wenyi suddenly stood up, looking incredulous.
"Yes, the people watching reported that the young man surnamed Zhang had entered the mansion around noon. Not long after, the Zhang mansion's steward came out and said that they would reopen the porridge kitchen in the market tomorrow to dispense porridge and provide relief to the displaced people!"
"This... so, Huang Yong and the others failed? How is that possible? Weren't there only two of them? The Flying Tiger Stockade has so many people, and they couldn't take them down?"
Huang Wenyi slumped into his chair. He couldn't understand how the other party, with only two people, could possibly escape from the hands of the many skilled fighters of the "Flying Tiger Stockade"?
"Useless trash!" Huang Wenyi cursed fiercely, thinking to himself that he must teach Huang Yong and Huang Meng a good lesson later and then find the people from the "Flying Tiger Stockade" to get the 100,000 cash back.
While he was thinking, a young servant suddenly ran in in a panic.
"Master, master, something terrible has happened!"
"You scoundrel! Can't you see the two Lords are here? What kind of behavior is this, being so flustered!"
Huang Wenyi was full of anger with nowhere to vent, and this young servant ran into him, immediately getting a severe scolding.
After being scolded, the young servant stood to the side with his head down, trembling, not daring to say another word.
"Speak! Are you mute! What happened? Did the house catch fire or did thieves break in!"
"Master, Huang... Huang Yong and Huang Meng... are dead!"
"What!!!"
Upon hearing this, Huang Wenyi immediately stood up: "Where are the people from the 'Flying Tiger Stockade'?"
"Dead! All dead!" The young servant said with a pale face, "The Second Boss of the 'Flying Tiger Stockade' came to our door and brought back the bodies of Huang Yong and Huang Meng. He also said... he also said that all the people sent out from the stockade are dead, and he insists that we compensate them with another 100,000 cash!"
"What!!" Huang Wenyi was both shocked and angry, "He's revolting! He didn't handle the matter properly, and he still dares to ask me for money!"
"Cough cough!" Zhao Xiong coughed lightly twice, picked up his wine cup, and drank it in one gulp, then said quietly, "Old Huang, it seems your men are useless."
"Lord, this..."
"Stop talking nonsense, clean up your own mess," Zhao Xiong said. "It seems the Zhang Family brat has some ability. I'll have to take action myself. Isn't he going to dispense porridge? Good, tomorrow, we'll go and show our support!"