The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 110 Who will inherit the family business?

"Smash it! Xiang Ming Zhai is greedy. They openly sell tea at a low price and secretly buy tea at a low price. This is the evidence!"

On the third day, Xiangmingzhai had just opened its doors when a group of people surrounded it aggressively. They brought with them a number of strong men who looked like ordinary porters, but their eyes could not deceive people.

"These people have all been stained with blood." Shang Mingshu stood in the teahouse. She had dealt with Japanese pirates several times and she didn't know how to judge. She could only tell from a person's eyes whether the other person's hands were stained with blood by intuition.

"They're so numerous and powerful." Shang Zishu held onto the windowsill with both hands. "Should we report this to the police?"

"They are coming with ill intentions, so they must be well prepared. The patrol guards in the city and the runners in the government office will all be properly arranged." Shang Mingshu had no hope of waiting for the government to intervene at this moment.

Shang Zishu and Shang Wenshu were both crowded in front of a window, staring closely at the situation below. These people were escorting a group of Shang clan members and showing evidence of their large-scale purchase of tea. Especially since Xiangmingzhai started selling tea at a low price, and the price of tea in the market had not dropped but was unlikely to rise in the past two days, they had been buying up tea crazily.

When the evidence was revealed, the people were so angry that their faces turned red and their necks became thick. They all felt that Xiang Mingzhai was using despicable means. On the surface, they were paralyzing them, but secretly robbing them of their opportunities to make money.

"And these people were all arranged by Xiang Ming Zhai to spread rumors. Their goal was to make people afraid to buy tea so that Xiang Ming Zhai would purchase more tea from other places."

These people came prepared, and they also found out the people Shang Mingshu had previously arranged to spread rumors in the team. These people being pushed out undoubtedly added fuel to the fire.

"Damn it, let's fight these profiteers!"

Someone in the crowd roared and rushed towards the guards of Xiangmingzhai. This was a signal to rise up in resistance, which aroused the anger of everyone and they rushed forward with him.

"Third sister, they are fighting!" Shang Zishu grabbed the window frame and shouted to Shang Mingshu.

"Will someone be killed?" Shang Wenshu was most worried about being involved in a murder lawsuit. She didn't want her family members to suffer, nor did she want them to suffer because of a death.

"No." Shang Mingshu's two light words had an invisible weight, reflecting the confidence in her tone.

"You did it on purpose." Shang Jinliang had been observing the little girl's reaction. From the moment the Shang clan members were pushed out to the moment Shang Mingshu arranged for the people who spread rumors to be caught, he had a guess in his mind. Now, hearing Shang Mingshu's absolute confidence in her control of the situation, he was even more certain.

Shang Mingshu sat upright in a high-back chair, holding the teacup elegantly, sniffing the tea fragrance, without answering.

Shang Jinliang guessed why she did this and sighed softly, "Mingshu, is it really necessary to do this?"

With her eyebrows raised, Shang Mingshu smiled gently: "Dad, there are some things you can't bear to do. I never force you. If I want to do something, please don't stop me."

"I..." Shang Jinliang paused before speaking earnestly, "We are family after all, why do you have to..."

"If they treated us as a family, they wouldn't have been caught today." Shang Mingshu retorted calmly.

Shang Mingshu deliberately used this opportunity to clean up the family, and it was time for the Shang family members to suffer. Shang Jinliang protected them, so that they had lived in peace for too long, and took Shang Jinliang's actions for granted. If they did not meet their expectations, they would feel sorry for him!

Didn’t Shang Jinliang remind them not to participate in hoarding tea?

They could just not believe it, but knowing that Shang Jinliang had started to sell tea at a lower price, they chose to do the opposite and openly slapped Shang Jinliang in the face. Did they ever regard Shang Jinliang as a family member?

No! They only care about their own interests!

"Dad, what my third sister said is absolutely right, and what she did is right." Shang Zishu supported Shang Mingshu, knowing that Shang Mingshu wanted to make an example of her to scare the Shang family members, and she was very proud. "Dad, I don't know how much you and grandfather have done for the people in the clan. Since we were born, we have only seen our family running around for the people in the clan, cleaning up the mess, and giving away money!
Dad, I'm asking you a question today, are you going to give Xiang Ming Zhai to us three sisters, or adopt her from the clan?

No one expected that Shang Zishu would reveal the most obscure words between father and daughter at this time.

Shang Wenshu pulled Shang Zishu, and Shang Mingshu looked at Shang Jinliang with a clear and unflinching gaze.

Shang Zishu shook off Shang Wenshu's hand: "I didn't ask before because I was worried that Dad would mistakenly think I had coveted our family business. Now I'm engaged and will be getting married next year. This is a knot in my heart. If I can't get it clear, I won't be able to feel at ease after getting married."

Shang Wenshu stopped Shang Zishu because she was worried that Shang Jinliang would misunderstand that Shang Zishu was coveting the family business. Since Shang Zishu had made it clear, she remained silent. She also wanted to know what her father's plan was.

Shang Jinliang glanced at his three daughters and was momentarily intimidated by their aggressiveness.

He had never considered handing over the family business to outsiders. He had no sons, so it was impossible for him to hand it over. He was reluctant to speak out because he was afraid of causing disharmony among the three sisters.

What he feared most in the past was Shang Zishu making trouble. Now that Shang Zishu has married out, he is not relieved at all. He did not see the ambition of his third daughter before and thought she was the one who cared least about the family business. Now he knows clearly that Shang Mingshu has never thought of handing over the family business to others.

But he actually had his eye on Shang Wenshu. Shang Wenshu had Du Zhong as her assistant, and Shang Jinliang trusted Du Zhong. If they were to marry, the eldest son, named Shang, would inherit the family business, while the second son, named Du, could inherit his father's business and also pass the imperial examinations...

Shang Jinliang hesitated to speak, Shang Mingshu lowered her eyelashes and chuckled silently.

Shang Wenshu and Shang Zishu could not discern the hint of this smile, but Shang Jinliang felt embarrassed and unable to hide his feelings. He knew that the little girl had seen through his plan.

His throat was hoarse, and Shang Jinliang's voice lacked confidence: "Mingshu, who do you think Dad should pass the family business to?"

He passed the message to Shang Mingshu.

Shang Mingshu curled her lips and said, "Dad, who do you think can take Xiang Ming Zhai to the next level?"

Shang Jinliang was speechless.

He knew in his heart that Shang Mingshu was the one who could make Xiang Mingzhai famous.

But Shang Mingshu wants to marry into a wealthy family. If Xiang Mingzhai is handed over to Shang Mingshu, can she still have the surname Shang in the future?
As if seeing through Shang Jinliang's concerns, Shang Mingshu asked again, "Dad, do you think the clan will easily obey whoever inherits Xiang Ming Zhai?"

These words pierced Shang Jinliang's heart.

The Shang clan is restless, and Shang Wenshu might not be able to suppress them. Of course, if Shang Mingshu is willing to lend a hand, that's another matter. Shang Mingshu is different; she can keep the clan members in line. In the future, she will rise with her husband, and the Shang clan will not dare to play tricks on her...

Shang Wenshu didn't understand at first, but after a few words between her third sister and her father, she finally understood. She was grateful for her father's appreciation for her, but she took the initiative to say, "Dad, Xiang Ming Zhai should be inherited by my third sister."

No one, including Shang Mingshu, expected Shang Wenshu to say this on her own initiative.

(End of this chapter)