Realm of Power

The lights flickered, and two imperial guards in casual clothes stopped in front. There was a small boat parked in front, and a springboard was placed between the riverside pier and the hull. Facing the entire long and colorful river, the boat in front of them was The inconspicuous boat, like an invisible scratch, turned the world into two lines of light and dark. One of the Imperial Guards stretched out his hand to Lu Yangyu, "Master Lu, please get aboard."

"Thank you very much"

Lu Yangyu walked onto the gangplank of the boat. It was only a few meters long, but his steps were as heavy as a mountain. He carefully looked around and his eyes fell on the back of the black-haired young man standing on the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back. He was as noble as a deacon of the Imperial Bank. Lu Yangyu looked nervous, his body shook and he immediately knelt on the ground, his head pressed against the musty ship deck.

If anyone sees it, they will not believe it. The middle-aged man in front of them, who dare not even raise his head, is the head of the Lu family who dominates the most prosperous port of Six Cities in the South of Central Asia. Even on Dijing West Road, he is still the mainstay. Deacon status of the Imperial Bank, especially during this time in Liucheng Port The aristocratic families came to Dijing West Road with huge sums of money. It was like an earthquake. The commercial trade on Dijing West Road increased by 20% out of thin air. The reputation of Lu Yangyu, the head of the Lu family, also became famous in China and Dijing West Road overnight. area, can vaguely compete with the four wealthy business alliance families on Dijing West Road

Hearing the voice behind him, the black-haired young man sighed. In front of the boat, a gorgeously decorated boat passed by the side of the river. Strings of red lanterns illuminated the dancing figure of the singer, and a loud sound came from above. Come, join this ship in front of you The small boat parked in the dark seemed like two worlds. The black-haired young man said in a serious voice, "Lu Yangyu, you have disappointed me. Just a mere Dijing West Road has caused the entire army of your Liucheng Port to be wiped out. How can you reassure me?" Hand over the Imperial Bank's Central Branch to you! "

A thick and special voice came, and Lu Yangyu's body trembled while he was kneeling on the ground, and his face was even more horrified. He knew the nature of His Majesty the Emperor. Rather than shirk responsibility, it is better to have the courage to shoulder it, otherwise once the Emperor no longer thinks highly of him, Then everything in the Lu family will be in vain, and then you will lose more than you gain. , hesitated for a moment, and answered tremblingly, "What happened to the Liuchenggang family is indeed my fault. No matter what I say, I can't shirk it. It's just that I didn't expect that His Majesty would actually give me this gift." Such great expectations, otherwise even if my subordinates fight to the death, they will never let the situation deteriorate like this."

"Fight to the death? Even you have to say that. It seems that the situation on Dijing West Road has indeed reached a point where it is time to clean up."

The black-haired young man turned around. There was nothing dazzling about his ordinary Zambian robe. Only his eyes gave people a crushing impact, and the shadows from the lights on the river bank, The black-haired young man looked like a god shrouded between light and darkness. This alone made Lu Yangyu's hair stand on end. When others said this, it was a joke at best, but when the person in front of him said this, it was a sign of blood flowing into the river. The emperor was so angry that he laid down millions of corpses. For those in front of him, For this black-haired young man, it is definitely not an exaggerated statement.

"Your Majesty, in fact, this matter should not be over yet. I believe that most of the Central and Asian businessmen are still loyal to the empire, but there are only a small number of big businessmen who rely on the large amount of wealth and power they have gained in recent years. The combination of forces has led to the current loss of control." Lu Yangyu knelt on the ground, his chest heaving, thinking that with a real imperial order, the entire business class on Dijing West Road would be bloodbathed , it is definitely a fatal blow to the Imperial Capital West Road, which is heading towards prosperity, and if people know that it was because of him that the emperor ordered the bloodbath, the Lu family will be doomed, no matter what, they will have to bite the bullet and fight for it , As for the various forces mentioned, it is not a secret on Dijing West Road. Even if someone says that he told it, it is not a big deal!

"All forces, huh, this is a bit interesting. In our empire, the empire's own merchants cannot be controlled. Instead, they are usurped by the unfaithful. Let's talk about what forces are involved!" The black-haired young man's eyes changed. Narrowing his lips into a thin line, he smiled coldly. A huge pressure fell on Lu Yangyu. Lu Yangyu was sweating profusely. He felt as if he was experiencing Ling Chi's general discomfort.

Lu Yangyu gritted his teeth. The current situation forced him to continue, "Many of these big businessmen have complicated backgrounds. Among them, the Xiao family, the Wei family, the Kumi family, the An family, the Xiao family and Behind the Wei family is a group of civil servants in the Zhongbia court. The trade route from Dijing West Road to the south is almost There are almost elements of the Xiao and Wei families in it. Only in this way can the caravan travel unimpeded without having to pay customs duties. Otherwise, they will encounter difficulties at all levels in the Zhongbia region. Other caravans will find it difficult to move forward in the southern part of Zhongbia. The reason is here. This is not a secret in Dijing West Road."

Lu Yangyu's voice paused, and there was a touch of embarrassment on his face. "The An family is the sea route to the north and south. The An family itself comes from our Liucheng Port. It was also the family that my Lu family has always supported. I didn't expect that it has grown to such an extent." ,That Many aristocratic families in Liuchenggang fell into the An family's trap and lost all their money. This is a dereliction of duty by their subordinates. "As for the Kumi family, they have a close relationship with the Yelu Group, and they mainly correspond to the trade route to the north. , although the caravan heading north does not You will be harassed by the Grassland Ministry, but if you want to do business with the senior officials of the Grassland Ministry, you will never be able to do business without the introduction of the Kumi family. These four major forces control 60% of the trade routes in the entire Central and South-Bia region. , also known as the four giants of the Sino-Biya Business Alliance, other businessmen control about 20%, and the remaining 20% ​​comes from the empire's own business. I only have the Imperial Bank of the Lu family. Famous, but his subordinates don’t have any strength at all, it’s true. ......."

After listening to Lu Yangyu's words, the black-haired young man waved his hand for Lu Yangyu to stand up. He stared at the river in front of him. Boat after boat was swimming, and the river illuminated by lights was red. He was very sure about Lu Yangyu's ability. He has rich experience as a political official, has experienced the turbulence of the country, and has completely committed himself to the imperial camp in terms of his position. , his methods were also very sinister, and he originally wanted to hand over the management of the Imperial Bank to Princess Mingyue, but Princess Mingyue's too kind nature was really not suitable for such an environment of intrigue, and the empire's control of business itself was He has quite tough methods, and his ruthlessness is not at all like fighting on the battlefield.

The black-haired young man comforted and said, "The rise of these commercial forces has something to do with the empire's laissez-faire. The original empire needed these commercial forces to expand trade routes and gain profits for the empire. But now, the overall situation in China and Libya has been decided, and the chaotic situation If the commercial power is not restrained, the final result will be to shake the empire's control in the Central and Northern areas. As you said, compared with the four major families, the Imperial Bank of Central and Northern The sub-division is completely at a disadvantage. It is difficult to contain the four major forces in a short period of time. However, the long grass must be cleaned up eventually. These forces want to make money within the empire, and the empire has no objection. , The empire has always upheld a cooperative attitude, but if these forces think they can get rid of the empire's management, within three days, you will go to all four major forces on behalf of the Imperial Bank."

"What should I say next...?"

Lu Yangyu's breathing was a little rapid, and he asked cautiously, he didn't know what the emperor asked him to do, a warning? An ultimatum? Still... very confused. As soon as he opened his mouth, he received a cold look from the emperor. He immediately shuddered and quickly closed his mouth, not daring to ask any more questions.

"You can say whatever you want. You, Lu Yangyu, have been suppressed for so long, why have you forgotten the most basic things? Don't forget, you are not representing the Lu family, but the empire. Let everyone outside know that you have been there "Yes, it will be justifiable later on, so as not to say later that the Empire didn't even give me a chance, I'm tired, you can go back." The fat man was a little angry and funny, but he still mentioned something. "The one with the power of life and death"

"Yes, I understand."

Lu Yangyu's body trembled, and he bowed and walked away. The moment he stepped off the boat, Lu Yangyu's body straightened up, and there was a faint murderous intention. Yes, after holding it down for so long, I was really beaten. When you become a sick cat, do you really lose your temper? Just kidding, tomorrow, I will let this Dijing West Road know what the head of the Lu family is, with the emperor's personal promise. Basically, even if this Dijing West Road is turned upside down, who dares to stand up and say a word?

The city is brightly lit, the river is bustling and noisy, and boats and boats are constantly coming and going. In the distance is the Sheung Shui Yue Bridge, which is known as the first sight on Dijing West Road. A man covered in jewels and looks like a big businessman is surprised. Looking at the back of Lu Yangyu getting off the boat, a woman in gorgeous clothes was leaning against the man on the other side like a bird. Her hair seemed to have been carefully combed, and her bun was in a bun, giving her a noble and beautiful look. flavor.

"Is that the head of the Lu family?" The man blinked in confusion.

"Young Master An really likes to joke. I think that person is just an ordinary passerby. What is the identity of the head of the Lu family? It is said that he has not even left the house to avoid trouble during this period. How could he come to the river in the middle of the night?" The woman took a look. , a silver bell-like laughter came from the corner of his mouth

"That's right. Now every one of the Lu family has become a cow. There is still one who dares to show his head. Think about how those noble families in Liucheng Port covered the sky with one hand and were arrogant. Now when they see me, they look like... The mouse saw the cat, I have to call him "Young Master An" honestly, and I felt very relieved." The man curled his lips, a trace of pride flashed in his eyes, and he laughed and said, "But it's okay, my An family's status now, I proposed to talk to him Lu family marriage capital It's them who have reached such high standards. If it weren't for the fact that the Lu family still has a supporter, Yangyu, they would have already transferred all the wealth they had exploited for generations in Liucheng Port to my An family, just like other families. The Lu family, as long as the four major forces exert pressure together, how long can it last? I am the one who should settle down, and I can't escape after all. Lu Yangyu's daughter is also a first-class beauty in Liucheng Port. I saw her last year. I thought it was unattainable, but I didn't expect it to be like this "Today's situation" "Speaking of this, the man's eyes lit up. "You men are not good people. You like the new and hate the old, but I heard that there seems to be a big shot in the empire behind the Lu family." The woman rolled her eyes at the man, and her charming eyes flashed. What about the "Luster" big shot? The imperial army is now on the line of the river, and I'm afraid they won't come back in two or three months. By the time the imperial army returns, the Lu family will be finished. Is it possible that the empire can still impose restrictions on its business alliance? If we can't do it, we will no longer have the prosperity of Dijing West Road!" The man smiled nonchalantly and said after a pause, "These Western barbarians are just missing a string in their heads. There is obviously such a useful business alliance! There is no need for a pretense. I have a lot of wealth in my hands but I don’t know how to use it. I don’t know the so-called money can make the world go round. Even the big shots in the empire have stood in front of the gold and silver mountains for a long time. I’ll be tempted as well.”

Lu Yangyu returned to his mansion under the protection of several imperial guards. Lu Yangyu's mansion on Dijing West Road was a three-story attic mansion provided by the Imperial Bank. It was originally the mansion of a minister from Central Asia, and was later occupied. The Yelu family took it as private property, and the Imperial Bank took over it after it occupied Dijing West Road. Because it is located on the south side of the city on Dijing West Road, it is still a certain distance from the bustling city. Due to the distance and the mysterious background of the Lu family, Lu Yangyu was able to become a deacon of the Imperial Bank as the head of a six-city port family. It is said that the proposal from the Imperial Party was behind it. With such a powerful background, the business alliance of Imperial Capital West Road could not easily touch it. This is the only reason why the Lu family was able to stay calm even when the entire Liuchenggang family was invaded by merchants.

Although the brutal massacre of the grassland people caused the once prosperous area of ​​Dijing West Road to wither, the Dijing area in Central Asia was popular when the Yelu family moved south. Many cities were almost empty before the war. The Yelu family was almost unimpeded. of Entering, because there is no part of the war, the overall outline of the city is quite well preserved. This also laid the foundation for the empire to quickly restore prosperity on Imperial Capital West Road. Otherwise, no matter how the empire drives its manpower, it will never be possible to build a prosperous city. Just half a year Within the city, the entire city on Dijing West Road was rebuilt. Most of the guards in the city were Central Bians who had been recruited recently. This was also due to the consideration of reducing the anti-foreign sentiment of the Central Bians. Li Yuehua proposed, With the approval of the Emperor, from The Zhongbia people on Dijing West Road have recruited two infantry regiments as regional guards on Dijing West Road. A large part of them are soldiers from the former Zhongbia. The good and bad are mixed. With the imperial army stationed, they can serve as urban guards. , but now it’s different

The imperial army has already entered the main line of the river. The only regular imperial army left on the Imperial Capital West Road is the 8,000 imperial army of the Ninth Banner. They are also responsible for the deployment of seventeen large and small cities within the imperial capital west road. Even though they are stretched thin, the number of troops they can invest in each city is only six to seven hundred people. These imperial generals at the level of banner commanders have no idea that the emperor is behind the Lu family, so they don't care about the Lu family, let alone The Lu family will not be given special treatment. The only person who really knows the background of the Lu family is Li Yuehua who is far away in Dahe Road. After learning from the garrison that the Lu family has no special background, the four major families will naturally no longer be polite to the Lu family. As the Six Cities The head of the Hong Kong family, the annexation of the Lu family is a shock to the Liucheng port family, making those few hard-core people who are still struggling to support accept their fate. This is Dijing West Road, not Liucheng port. Here, they are so superior. The family is nothing!

As soon as he walked into the door, he saw the housekeeper pacing back and forth in front of the study door, with an anxious look on his face. When he saw Lu Yangyu coming back, he immediately came over in a hurry. "Head of the family, a post from the An family, stating that it is the owner's birthday tomorrow, and he will be at Mingyue Tower tomorrow. A banquet was held and the head of the family was invited to come. Xiao Xiao originally wanted to refuse, but this time not only did Anjia send a message, Even the Xiao and Wei families also invited the head of the family together. These guys sent posts for ten days in a row, each time becoming more grand. They also spread rumors that the Lu family did not take the entire Dijing West Road business alliance seriously, which has caused a stir. I really don’t know how to reject the criticism from the merchants on Dijing West Road! “Since it’s been sent to me, just accept it!”

Contrary to the housekeeper's expectation, Lu Yangyu's eyes flashed with a chill this time. Uncharacteristically, what he said made the housekeeper almost think that he was hearing hallucinations. He couldn't help but confirm again. Did the head of the family say that he would accept it? "What else can I do? The other party is pressing me at the door of Lu's house. Of course I accept it!"

Lu Yangyu smiled bitterly. What about the other business alliances on Dijing West Road? These guys are really seeking their own death, so they can't blame others. But he still held back what he said. The four major families came together. There were three of them, and the only Kumi family that didn’t come was from the grassland people. Although it was not the most powerful commercial power, its unique advantage among the senior officials of the grassland ministries always made the Kumi family not regard the other three families as their own. On the contrary, it is the party that oppresses the Liuchengang family the least, because the Liuchenggang family is Central Bian after all and has no good feelings towards the grassland people. Unless the Kumi family uses force, there is nothing they can do against these families. , but the other three forces are different. They are all from China, so they can deceive the trust of those aristocratic families. Especially some of the children of the aristocratic families are confused by the women sent by the four major forces. This move of the other party is too poisonous.

At tomorrow's Anjia banquet, four major forces will inevitably propose marriage with the family, and the Lu family, as the head of the Liuchenggang family, will definitely bear the brunt. By then, not only the merchants on the entire Imperial Capital West Road will be looking at the army, but also those who eat As a result, the Liuchenggang family who want to get back some capital from the marriage will also push the Lu family out. As long as the Lu family expresses its attitude of rejecting the marriage, it will be completely incompatible with the entire Imperial Capital West Road merchants and the Liuchengang family. break

The moonlight was bright, and the river slowly passed by the side of the boat, rippling with light. The moonlight shone on a bright figure. Princess Mingyue let out a long sigh, like a fairy who came to the mortal world from the deep valley in a dream. "Standing on the bow" failed to control the emperor After all, Jingxi Road is my responsibility. Did your Majesty ask Lu Yangyu to go to this Anjia banquet? Have you ever thought that Lu Yangyu's situation would be very dangerous, because once the Lu family expressed their clear intention to control the business of Jingxi Road attitude, the four major families will inevitably Launch a full-scale attack on the Lu family. Even if this is Dijing West Road, facing the counterattack of the entire business group, whether Lu Yangyu can survive tomorrow is another matter! Under control The branch of the Imperial Bank of Biya. The Imperial Bank's duty itself is to supervise the business alliance. It cannot be too gentle in its methods. Since you can't do it, then find someone who can. If Lu Yangyu can't even do the most basic things Yeah, then you deserve to die."

The fat man stood next to Princess Mingyue, and his voice paused. "Actually, you don't have to worry too much. Lu Yangyu is not as straightforward as you think. If Lu Yangyu was really such a tough person, he would have been dead when he was captured by the Yelu family. Not even If you don't force him to confront the four major families, how can you have an excuse to finally calm the situation? I don't want this turmoil to cause large-scale chaos. The final result will inevitably be the need for a Central Bian. Someone who can accept it comes forward, Who else can do that except you? ""Does Your Majesty really want to kill so many people? "Princess Mingyue's beautiful eyebrows are slightly furrowed, her slender and well-proportioned figure, and her elegant demeanor are even more touching. Those pair of eyes that can enchant the soul , his affectionate expression matched with the slightly angry cold and proud look on his lips. "You shouldn't ask me this, you should ask Lu Yangyu, will those who want to kill him also ask him this question?" Cold The sound made the crescent moon in the sky a little darker red.