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Book 3: Nirvana Rebirth
Chapter 10: Am I more important or is Great Kun more important?
Translated by: Princeknife
Edited by: Megumin_Explosion
Xuan City, Zhong Mansion.
The moment Zhong Shan opened the door, his eyebrows wrinkled as he heard the commotion outside his courtyard, where is the sentry situated at the courtyard?
Why did so many people appear suddenly?
Unhurriedly, Zhong Shan walked to the front of the courtyard.
Gently opens the courtyard’s door.
“Granduncle, you finally came out of seclusion.” Ying Lan’s agitated cry travelled from outside the courtyard.
As he opened the door, he saw Ying Lan’s lovable face and let out a smile, as the same time, Zhong Shan also saw two people standing behind her.
Zhong Zheng and Zhong Tian? When did Zhong Tian come back?
“Foster father” Zhong Tian and Zhong Zheng addressed at the same time. Both had an anxious expression but was clearly more excited.
Zhong Shan"s initial doubts were now replaced by a solemn expression. It can be seen from the crowd"s expression that something was wrong and a major event happened.
“Let’s go to Yi Lan hall first.” Zhong Shan said.
“Yes” The crowd replied.
An hour later, in Yi Lan hall.
Zhong was seated on the left imperial chair on the upper row, while Zhong Tian, Zhong Zheng and Ying Lan sat on the lower rows and they looked up at Zhong Shan.
Zhong Shan’s eyes were closed, his finger was gently tapping on the table by his side as he heard the report given by the crowd, his heart was in grief, the other young masters had abandon the Mansion, although they were cowards, most were instigated to leave, their minds were fragile at that moment, thus they were taken advantage by Zhong Jin, maybe they might be regretting their decisions now outside the city, but so what if they regretted their actions, since they left, then so be it, those who abandoned me definitely cannot be by my side.
Since they left the Zhong Mansion, then our relationship as father and son is no more.
Only in his heart, Zhong Shan still felt a little hurt.
“Granduncle, I have given a strict order to the four gates of Xuan City that n.o.body is allowed to leave the city after those traitors of Zhong Mansion left, fearing that some cowardly commoners will leave the city, causing more commoners to leave and thus, resulting in fear and panic among the troops heart” .
Slowly opening his eyes and looked at Ying Lan, Zhong Shan let out a smile, “You did well.”
“However, a revolt is slowly starting up, four days ago the city gates were shut, the food provision outside the city and firewood is unable to enter the city, leading to a shortage of food and the grievances of the people increase. Some troublemakers incited the people to attempt to charge out of the city, some even incited the people to charge into the Zhong Mansion, causing a mob to be gathered. Xuan City has a populace of about a hundred thousand people, the eight thousand soldiers still have to defend the city and cannot afford to conduct the laws and security within the city.” Ying Lan replied while shaking her head.
“Were there any commoners that barge in?” Zhong Shan asked calmly.
“There isn’t any, there are a lot of tyc.o.o.ns within the city and they personally formed an organization, tearing apart their household furniture as firewood, distributing provisions, and managed to pacify majority of the populace. However, they still brought a lot of their merchants to cause a commotion outside the Zhong Mansion. As for these people, it does not seem right for us to lay a hand on them. Furthermore, they did not commit any wrongdoings, helping us to pacify the commoners and are only causing a ruckus by jeering outside.” Ying Lan said.
“What are they jeering about?” Zhong Shan looked at Ying Lan and asked.
“They all wanted to meet you. ” Ying Lan said.
Zhong Tian and Zhong Zheng were sitting quietly, because in their opinion, with Zhong Shan taking the lead, it was sufficient.
“Wanted to meet me? Then let’s meet them, Ying Lan, go and lead the way.” Zhong Shan said solemnly as he stood up.
“En” Ying Lan nodded.
Then, the four of them made their way outside the Zhong Mansion as a group.
Arriving at the entrance, indeed, there were about a thousand people surrounding the Zhong Mansion, at the front of the crowd stood a group of well-dressed tyc.o.o.ns.
“Old Master Zhong has come out, look that is Old Master Zhong.” Someone cried out.
Zhong Shan may not appeared in public often, but he still appeared in public before, since he showed his face, then there will be someone who recognizes him.
As expected, the noisy crowd immediately quieten down, all eyes were on the younger looking Zhong Shan.
Zhong Shan, it was still Zhong Shan, except that he was lot younger, about thirty years old, looking extremely robust.
Xiantian expert.
Almost everybody in the crowd had the same thoughts, Xiantian, reaching Xiantian could actually make one look younger?
An old man could still recognize Zhong Shan with a single look as he had seen the younger version of Zhong Shan before, although it has been a few decades already. Also, no matter how much Zhong Shan changed, he would always have that charisma around him.
“Eight family head, it has been many years since we last met, do all of you not recognize me?” Zhong Shan asked.
“Grandfather, is that person really Old Master Zhong Shan?” A youth standing behind an elderly man asked.
“Quiet” The elderly man immediately hushed and glared at him, causing the youth to be so frightened that he immediately kept quiet. In his family, he was the most pampered young master, and was the most pampered grandchild, this was the first time he had seen his grandfather with such expression.
“Greeting, Mr. Zhong.” The old eight family heads replied.
“Greetings, Mr. Zhong.” The merchants quickly paid their respects.
Zhong Tian, Zhong Zheng, Ying Lan followed behind Zhong Shan, as he walked out to the center of the public square.
Zhong Shan looked at the crowd, then he cupped his hands and said, “Many thanks to all of you for what you have done in these past few days, the lack of provisions and firewood, my Zhong Mansion is to be blamed, I"ll immediately send people to fetch enough provisions and firewood, those who had incur any losses these few days, my Zhong Mansion will reimburse you.”
“Mr. Zhong is too polite.” The eight family heads said respectfully. The rest of the crowd, regardless of who did not dare interrupt his speech.
Looking at the crowd, Zhong Shan let out a smile, “However, since all of you are willing to overcome this crisis together, why do you still surround my Zhong Mansion?”
At this moment, one of the elders said, ” There were rumors around saying that Mr Zhong was gravely injured, thus all of us came over to visit.”
“Indeed, all of us only came to visit Mr. Zhong.” Another elder said.
Zhong Shan smiled lightly, not exposing them and nodded his head, “Eighty thousand troops currently surrounds the city, the Emperor, Su Zheng De is personally leading his troops. Merchants are profit-driven, working for profits, everyone present and I are all businessmen, it cannot be any more obvious, now everyone can decide based on our value, am I more important or is the Great Kun more important?”
Am I more important or is Great Kun more important?
No one had ever mentioned anything like Zhong Shan’s sentence, in this flourishing period, no merchants would dare to put himself against a country on the same scale?
Wealthy merchants who could afford a country was not unheard of in the annals of history, however who would dare to utter such words? Furthermore, this was under such disadvantageous circ.u.mstances.
The sentence of Zhong Shan shook the hearts of the crowd.
How much courage is required to then utter such words? From this day forth, this image of Zhong Shan would be deeply imprinted into the hearts of everyone present today.
Am I more important or is Great Kun more important?
Zhong Shan was forcing the crowd to make a choice and take a side.
The square was extremely silent, n.o.body dares to speak, although businessmen are profit-driven, but such inconceivable words, who actually dares to utter it out?
Everyone was looking at the eight elders in front of them.
The eight elders looked at Zhong Shan as they each took a deep breath, although they have gone through countless of crisis, but in front of Zhong Shan, all the difficult times they went through seemed to be like trivial matters.
Zhong Shan waited patiently, finally after ten breaths, an elder took the initiative to speak.
“Mr. Zhong, I respect you as a man, speaking such words casually, I definitely do not dare to say them, however I can ensure you that as long as Xuan City does not fall, my trading company will fully support you, Mr. Zhong. I vow, let the heavens bear witness to my vow.” The first elder said.
“I also support Mr. Zhong.” The other elders immediately replied.
“I also support Mr. Zhong.” The rest of the merchants also replied.
As Ying Lan stood behind Zhong Shan watching, the scene where Zhong Shan appeared and awed the crowd, filled her heart with excitement.
Furthermore, the moment when Zhong Shan said the phrase, “Am I more important or is Great Kun more important?” with an authoritative tone, Ying Lan exposed a worshiping look on her face.
Also, when the crowd voiced out their support for Zhong Shan, her veneration for Zhong Shan was at its highest, as this event would surely be recorded in the annals of historical records.
There was no display of military power, not even a slightest display of personal benefits, not too much of relations or grat.i.tude involved, it was merely his reputation, solely with his reputation, he could garner all of their trust and support, it was simply unthinkable.
Zhong Shan and Zhong Zheng also showed traces of excitement on their faces.
“Allright, in that case, can I request for all of you to return to your own residence, appease your family members and prevent disorder within the populace.” Zhong Shan said.
“Mr. Zhong, goodbye.”
“Old Master Zhong, goodbye”
………………………..
The crowd replied in succession. The crowd of a thousand people were now following under the lead of the family heads leaving in a hurry.
Zhong Shan stood with the trio as they watched the crowd walking into the distance.
“Housekeepers.” Zhong Shan looked at the distance and called out.
“Yes, Old Master” One of the housekeeper immediately rushed forward and paid his respects.
“Operate the mechanism underneath Cui Yin courtyard, quickly transfer all of the supplies from Qing City onto the train and sent them over. Distribute it to the citizens of Xuan City, at the same time, send someone to tabulate the losses incur by the people, so that we can reimburse them at a later date.” Zhong Shan ordered.
“Yes” The housekeeper replied promptly.
Zhong Tian, Zhong Zheng and Ying Lan questioned the housekeepers for almost half a day and they did not find out about Zhong Shan’s secret plans, and now Zhong Shan had given the order, the housekeeper quickly complied. The three of them however did not harbor any trace of grudge towards the housekeeper.
“Granduncle, you have mentioned this before, there are dishonest businessman and honest ones, which group do these group of businessmen belonged to? They actually dare to revolt against Great Kun based on a sentence by Granduncle, Granduncle, isn"t your reputation too overwhelming?” Ying Lan finally could not resist the temptation and asked excitedly.
Looking at Ying Lan whose face was flushed red in excitement, Zhong Shan smiled lightly, “The power of my reputation? If it was merely a question about my reputation, then they would have brought their family and fight their way-out earlier.”
“Eee?” Ying Lan was puzzled.
“Remember this, pursuing profits is the nature of businessman, the honest ones are few in numbers, those willing to take the risks with me is not merely a problem about my credibility, a bigger factor would be profits. When there is peace, fortune will come, but when there are conflicts, fortune will leave. In Great Kun, I am the leader of the business world, I owned most of the shares in their trading companies, and once I’m dead, all of these trading companies would be confiscated by the country, at that time, their losses would be huge, as compared to what they have now, the losses they incur in the future would make them feel like dying. While I in their hearts am not merely just an icon of benefits, but more of a miracle, they believe in my capabilities, therefore they are willing to take the risk with me.” Zhong Shan replied earnestly.
“Is this the term bounded by benefits?” Ying Lan quickly recalled Zhong Shan mentioning about it when she was young.
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