Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 159 Gao Hongtu's Rescue

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After Mu Tianyan pulled some strings, they arrived at the entrance of Hongtu Money Shop.

Liu Ye arrived at the entrance in a grand procession with his guards. He looked up at the money exchange's sign, smiled, and stepped through the gate.

The guards had already noticed the commotion and were filled with suspicion, but they didn't dare to be cowards because they had a job. So they braced themselves and came over to ask, "Which battalion are you from? What are you doing at the money exchange? Do you know who's protecting this place?"

Liu Ye smiled and replied, "I'm sorry, I don't want to answer the first two questions, and I don't care about the third one at all."

One of the hot-tempered guards couldn't help but reach out and shove Liu Ye: "Don't think you can act with impunity just because you have a few soldiers. My master is very close to the officials. Be careful, or he'll report you..."

Before he could even touch Liu Ye's clothes, a soldier smashed him with the butt of his rifle, swollen his face, and made him stagger back a few steps, letting out a pig-like scream.

The other guards were momentarily stunned, unsure of what to do. But the soldiers had no intention of letting them go; they swarmed forward, swinging their rifle butts and smashing them indiscriminately, causing a cacophony of cries for their parents to erupt.

Several merchants were exchanging silver at the counter of the money exchange. When they saw this scene, they were terrified and ran away. Only the guards, the money exchange's guards and clerks remained in the lobby.

Behind the counter, a man who appeared to be the manager nervously told several clerks, "Hurry and call the master, or this money exchange will be demolished..."

Gao Hongtu had come to the Guangzhou money exchange from Hangzhou a few days earlier, upon hearing this report from his subordinates. Enraged, he rushed to the money exchange, only to find Liu Ye directing soldiers to set up ladders and dismantle the signboard.

"Stop!" Gao Hongtu glared fiercely. This was a piece of calligraphy that he had obtained from Inspector Gao for several hundred taels of silver. It was both a signboard and a talisman for protection in the officialdom. In the entire Guangdong officialdom, there were not many officials who did not give Inspector Gao some face, and big shots who could not give face would not lower themselves to bully a mere merchant.

Liu Ye strolled over with a smile: "Manager Gao, how have you been?"

"It's you?" Gao Hongtu was stunned when he saw Liu Ye appear. He glanced at the fierce soldiers behind Liu Ye and couldn't help but take two steps back. Things were different now. Liu Ye was no longer the commoner he could bully at will, but the Qiongzhou Military Commander who held military power, could defeat the elite troops of the entire province without flinching, and whose name struck fear into the hearts of officials and civilians.

"You... what brings you to my bank today?" Gao Hongtu asked hesitantly. He had taken advantage of Wang Zunde's attempt to eliminate Liu Ye, kicking him while he was down and causing Liu Ye's Wan Hua Lou and winery to be shut down. He had been smug for a time, but as the situation changed, his smugness turned into worry. Could it be that the other party had come to get revenge?

Liu Ye shook his head: "Manager Gao has a really bad memory. I said I would come back to take over your bank within three years. Have you forgotten?"

Gao Hongtu was initially somewhat uneasy, given the shifting balance of power between the two sides, and he no longer had much leverage to compete with Liu Ye.