Hangzhou fell, and the news of Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's impending return began to spread in the Su family about ten days ago. Search: \(?Complete? Book? Divine? Station) to read high-quality literature for free.

Since the departure of Ning Yi and his wife to the south last year, the Su family's situation initially remained stable. Leveraging the aftermath of defeating the Wu family in the imperial merchant affair, Su Tan'er expanded southward. Although Su Boyong was paralyzed in both legs, his vision, abilities, and connections remained strong. Su Tan'er's initial intention for going south was to prevent her father's influence from being suppressed. After she left, the strength of the Su family's main branch developed as expected in all aspects. The Wu family had weakened, and with this shift, the Su family became the leading weaving enterprise in Jiangning.

Although the head of the weaving industry was still the Wu family at that time, the trend of the Su family becoming the next leader in Hangzhou was almost certain. However, the biggest turning point naturally came from the turmoil in July when Fang La descended upon Hangzhou, shaking Tiannan. Various businesses in the Yangtze and Qinhuai River basins were affected. Within the Jiangning weaving circle, rumors spread that Su Tan'er and Ning Yi were trapped by the rebel army. The Wu and Xue families, who had been watching the Su family from both inside and outside, began to stir.

The Wu family, which had just stepped down from the top position in Jiangning weaving, still harbored great ambitions, while the Xue family was particularly envious of the Su family's sudden rise. Under these circumstances, the two families joined forces. Internally, the members of the second and third branches also saw an opportunity. If Su Tan'er and that scheming Ning Liheng were to meet misfortune in the south, and the Su family had reached such heights, they saw no reason not to seize the advantage.

Su Wending and Su Wenfang, who had accompanied Ning Yi and Su Tan'er southward, rushed back to Jiangning after returning to Huzhou. At that time, the south was in chaos, and various rumors circulated daily. Su Wending and Su Wenfang brought back news that Ning Yi and Su Tan'er had gone missing. Although the couple had soldiers protecting them when they were separated, their lives were still uncertain. In fact, uncertain fate was the worst news.

Su Boyong and others could only wait for further news. According to Su Wending and Su Wenfang, Ning Yi had shown kindness to those who were fleeing. When Su Tan'er sent back a letter half a month later, those who were planning to take action began to do so.

The Wu and Xue families began to negotiate with some upstream and downstream merchants. The original intention of the second and third branches of the Su family was to wait and see, but people are like that. When one person begins to plan to divide the main branch, others follow suit. After all, Su Boyong might not be able to completely stabilize the situation. They used the excuse that everyone was a family and to guard against the Xue and Wu families, and they began to install managers and check accounts in the original shops of the main branch. Some even indirectly asked Su Boyong whether he wanted to adopt a child, which resulted in Su Boyong breaking a teacup over their heads.

When Su Tan'er's letter was sent back, she was pregnant and her whole heart was set on Ning Yi, so she didn't say anything about what might be happening at home. These people had already started, and it was difficult to back down. They also had a fluke in their hearts. Since she had escaped danger, why didn't she come back? The south was so chaotic, and problems would arise sooner or later. Besides, Ning Liheng was probably dead.

Some people suspected that Su Tan'er's letter was forged by Su Boyong—this was the rumor spread by the Xue and Wu families. They didn't care what would happen when Su Tan'er came back. As long as they seized the territory at this time using business methods, what could Su Tan'er do when she returned? This argument, in turn, convinced many people in the second and third branches. After that, Su Boyong sent a letter asking Su Tan'er to return to Jiangning quickly, but this letter disappeared without a trace, further confirming everyone's guess.

In the following months, it was a series of processes in which the second and third branches, together with the Wu and Xue families, suppressed the Su family's main branch. Of course, the second and third branches' position in this matter was basically external. Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang and others believed that their elder brother could no longer support the current situation of the main branch, and of course, they could not let the Xue and Wu families take advantage. Various relatives must take over, and everyone should unite against the outside world. That's what they said, but what followed was a huge internal conflict.

Su Boyong was paralyzed after all. In the following months, he could only rely on his previous connections and the possibility that his daughter was still alive to support the main branch. In the battle against the Wu family in the imperial merchant affair, the main branch had gained a lot of benefits. Such a huge capital was enough for him to slowly consume. Old Master Su Yu had been watching this matter all along, and he could only watch. His authority could only be used when the Su family faced a disaster. If Su Tan'er was really dead, then the main branch's share could only be distributed to the second and third branches.

After that, the weaving industry in Jiangning was in chaos, even more chaotic than after the Su family defeated the Wu family in the imperial merchant affair. Some stable merchants were unwilling to leave the Su family's relationship, while many speculators chose a new position in this business war. The Xue and Wu families began to regain profits. This situation continued until ten days ago when the news of the fall of Hangzhou came, and Su Tan'er also sent a letter. Moreover, this letter was even delivered by the government.

Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were both safe and sound and returned safely. Su Tan'er was nine months pregnant and might give birth on the way before returning home.

After this news came, the external chaos gradually settled down. The Wu and Xue families understood that there were not many opportunities left, but they had already profited a lot in the past half a year. Many upstream and downstream merchants had taken sides in these months, and it would be difficult to reinvest in the Su family. Only within the Su family was there a scene of woodenness. The significance of the two people returning safely was not just a simple return. They had rescued many dignitaries on the way of escape. Who knew if there were any who could extend their tentacles over? Even if they didn't immediately reach out, the Su family's main branch's relationships and connections had expanded to an unknown extent. Under one roof, if they were to settle accounts later, there would be no escape.

Only those who had been inclined to the main branch during this period knew that they had ushered in the dawn, such as Su Wending and Su Wenfang. In the past few days, they began to tell people again: "Do you know how those people on the escape route addressed the Second Brother-in-law as brothers? Let me tell you, the situation was really dangerous at that time..."

Some were smug, while others were entangled. In a few days, the second and third branches and some close relatives of the Su family were in chaos. Some had already begun to worry about settling accounts later and were worriedly discussing with others whether to return the shops and supplies of the main branch that they had swallowed in the recent period. Others were still tough, like Su Yunfang, who was slapping the table in the courtyard and shouting: "I won't return them. In that situation, it was natural for me to worry about them. See what they can do to me..."

Although the pressure had come down, there was still a period of buffer time. After all, the initial news was that Su Tan'er might give birth outside before returning. But on the evening of the first day of March, the people who reported that the Second Miss and Second Son-in-law had disembarked at the pier had already arrived. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's departure from Zhenjiang this time was a temporary decision. No one was notified in advance. Only when they disembarked did they arrange for someone to quickly return to the mansion. Before the news had completely spread, the carriage stopped at the door.

In the not-yet-completely-fallen sunset, Ning Yi and his wife stepped into the Su family's gate. Servants and stewards greeted them, and passing Su family children came over to say hello. In everyone's eyes, this young couple who had been away from home for a year seemed to have a completely different aura from before.

In such a situation of war and danger, they had rescued many people and also met many people. Among these people were wealthy merchants, officials, and great Confucians. Although the specific concept of these relationships was not yet clear to everyone, it did not prevent everyone from imagining. Moreover, this Mr. Ning, who could only be said to be calculating ten steps at a time, had even faced great evil stars and devils like Fang Qifo, Wang Yin, and Shi Bao in Hangzhou, which was so dangerous—in the stories told by Su Wending and Su Wenfang after they returned, the most talked about was the battle in Taiping Lane.

Now they were back, and everything was tangible.

That seemingly refined young son-in-law had personally killed people. He had turned the tide for the imperial army and indirectly killed thousands of rebels, and he was even someone who faced those most brutal rebels without losing ground. What kind of concept should this be?

Because the news had just spread, not many people had rushed over to greet them. After all, Su Tan'er and Ning Yi were not considered elders in this family. Returning home was returning home. Xing'er, Juan'er, and others instructed the servants to move some simple things to the small courtyard and then went over to tidy up. Ning Yi and Su Tan'er first went to Su Yu's place. When they arrived at that courtyard and greeted the Old Master, Su Boyong had also asked someone to push his wheelchair over.

In practical terms, there were many problems to be dealt with, but Su Tan'er was already nine months pregnant, so rest was the priority. Ning Yi's solution was simple and crude. He briefly explained the general situation of this trip to Hangzhou, what kind of relationships he had developed, and what kind of people he had met. He also presented some official and business connections in Jiangning that could be visited to Su Yu and Su Boyong.

"Next, there will be no problem for the Su family's cloth business to develop along the Yangtze River towards the Qinhuai River. As for some things that may have happened at home, Grandpa and Father-in-law should take care of them. Tan'er will not interfere in these matters recently. Just focus on having a safe pregnancy."

After saying these things, he accompanied Tan'er back to the courtyard. Everyone was still tidying up. At this time, people were coming in waves, mostly relatives of the family, such as Su Wending and Su Wenfang, and some who were originally close to the second and third branches, who came to express their apologies vaguely. The members of the second and third branches were naturally watching the movements here, wanting to see how Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were going to deal with them. In the small courtyard, some people began to tell Ning Yi and Su Tan'er about the situation of the Su family in the past few months, wanting to encourage revenge. However, Ning Yi just responded to these questions with a "Let's take a long-term view and not be fussy about these small things," and then sent them away so they wouldn't disturb Su Tan'er too much.

Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang and others felt a faint relief in their hearts when they heard this. Su Yunfang said, "He's quite aware of the overall situation. We're all family. No matter how powerful he is, what can he do? Is he really going to attack his own family? To be honest, although they came back from the rebel army, family matters are different from outside matters. They may not be able to do anything to us."

He was saying this when someone came to report that someone from the Princess of Cheng's mansion had sent an invitation to invite Ning Yi and his wife to a banquet. Su Yunfang's expression froze, and the messenger said, "But the Second Son-in-law declined, saying that he had just arrived home and had to settle down first, and would visit in the evening..."

Su Yunfang sat down on the chair, swallowed a few mouthfuls of saliva, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly a few times.

*****************

It was indeed just arriving home. Ning Yi certainly couldn't go to Kang Lao's place immediately. Everyone was quite familiar, so it was okay to refuse slightly. He directed a group of servants to clean and decorate the courtyard that hadn't been lived in for nearly a year. After dinner, Ning Yi prepared to visit Kang Xian's mansion. When he left the courtyard, he happened to meet Su Zhongkan, who also looked like he had just finished dinner.

After greeting each other, the two walked together for a while. Su Zhongkan asked about his experiences in Hangzhou, expressed his concern, and then vaguely revealed the idea of family unity. This was to test the waters, and Ning Yi naturally smiled and dealt with it perfunctorily.

He really didn't plan to care about what would happen to the second and third branches of the Su family. They were all petty people, which was really ridiculous. Of course, his indifference was based on the premise that others would care. If Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang and others thought that things might just pass like this, then they would be completely wrong.

At this time, the Su family had a further opportunity to soar. To develop further, they would reach the scale of the Lou family back then. The most taboo thing at this time was the disunity of the family. In the future, if such a thing happened again, the Su family must unite against the outside world. Only in this way could a family have the greatest development. Ning Yi knew that Old Master Su understood these things. If he wanted Su Tan'er and the many connections he had to be truly effective, all the resources at the moment had to be tilted towards the main branch.

Su Yu didn't speak during the previous months because the main branch could still stabilize the situation, and Su Tan'er's life and death were uncertain. But the Old Master must have seen everything that happened in the whole family. Now that he and Su Tan'er had returned, there would inevitably be a major purge to completely prevent similar things from happening again in the future. This purge would probably be more serious than the imperial merchant affair. The second and third branches would definitely be severely cut by the Old Master. Beating his own people would not hurt his muscles or bones, and only then could he truly stand up in the future.

Of course, this was just Ning Yi's observation of the Old Master. If it were him, he would definitely do this. If Su Zhongkan and others thought that they could just express their position, they would be really naive. Su Yu was the one who cared most about what would happen to this family in the future. Of course, if the Old Master didn't do these things, he wouldn't care either. He and Su Tan'er's status wouldn't change in the future if there was more infighting, but the second and third branches would only suffer greater losses.

Such a cognition turned in his mind, he left the Su family, didn't call a servant, and drove the carriage alone onto the streets of Jiangning. After a year, Jiangning was as prosperous as yesterday, but when he passed an intersection, he stopped slightly. At an intersection on the other side of the vision, a magnificent and elegant restaurant that he had never seen before was open for business, and the business was quite good. What attracted him were the words on the signboard: "Bamboo Records – Yi Lan Residence."

In a year's time, it seemed that Bamboo Records had developed well. He smiled. But what was Yi Lan Residence? Had Yuan Jin'er, whom he hadn't seen for so long, transferred her affections and fallen in love with someone called x Lan or xx Lan?

Okay, after visiting Kang Xian...go ask her...

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