Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

Pingkangfang, a hidden teahouse with a sign that reads "Closed for Renovation".

The private room at the far end of the second floor.

Choi Min-won looked at the people sitting around him with a sinister gaze.

Wang Qinian of the Taiyuan Wang family, Lu An of the Fanyang Lu family, and several other representatives of the alliance were all looking down and fiddling with the lids of their teacups, none of them saying a word.

"Stop pretending to be mute."

Choi Min-won slammed his fist on the table.

"His Majesty only gave us a ten-day deadline for the 1.7 million strings of cash."

The reason I called everyone here today is to discuss how to raise this money.

"Our thirty-seven shops will each contribute their share according to the usual profit-sharing ratio."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Qinian said with a wry smile:

"Lord Cui, you can't say that."

The Wang family's shop in the West Market hasn't been making much money in the past two years.

Furthermore, my hometown in Taiyuan was hit by a flood a few months ago, and the opening of the granaries nearly emptied the clan's storehouses.

This sudden demand for hundreds of thousands of strings of cash is practically a death sentence for the Wang family.

Lord Lu quickly began to complain:

"Yes, Brother Cui, the Lu family is also a complicated matter."

All the raw silk we stockpiled this year is stuck in the warehouse, and even the wages of the shopkeepers have to be paid by borrowing money from various sources.

The Lu family simply cannot afford this money.

Seeing that someone had taken the lead, the others all started to cry poverty in various creative ways.

Some said their crops failed, others said they encountered bandits on the trade route, but the main point was the same: they had no money!

Hearing these excuses he usually made, Choi Min-won felt a sharp pain in his chest from anger.

"Fine! Fine, so you're broke."

Cui Minyuan pointed at the noses of these people and began to curse them.

"When you were making dirty money, you were all the first to split it up. Now that things have gone wrong, you want me to shoulder the burden alone? Dream on."

"I'm putting this out there today: His Majesty has appointed me as the debt collection officer. If I can't raise the money within ten days, guess what I'll do?"

Choi Min-won grinned maliciously.

"I will carry the seals from the Dali Temple and affix them to the gates of your mansions in Chang'an, one by one."

If you don't want to live, then we'll all go to hell together, and no one will get away unscathed.

The private room fell completely silent instantly.

Everyone looked at Choi Min-won in shock.

Wang Qinian and Lu An exchanged a glance, both seeing the apprehension in each other's eyes.

Cui Lao Er has truly gone mad; he's planning a fight to the death.

Should we kill him?

Just as the group was at an impasse, the door to the private room was pushed open.

"A once-powerful family with a century-long history, the pillars of the Tang Dynasty, are now tearing each other apart over a mere pittance. Aren't they afraid of becoming a laughingstock?"

The maid Xiao Huan lifted the beaded curtain, and Zheng Qiuying walked in, wearing a pure white fox fur coat.

She walked over and sat down on an empty chair.

Wang Qinian asked with a smile:

"So it's Zheng girl. What brings you to such a filthy place today?"

"If I hadn't come, wouldn't all my uncles have perished here together?"

Zheng Qiuying, with a cold face, rebuked him without any politeness.

"When disaster strikes, everyone flees for their lives. You have completely disgraced the reputation our family has built up over hundreds of years."

A group of old men, whose combined age was several hundred years, were being scolded to their faces by a young girl with blond hair. They were all embarrassed, but none of them dared to retaliate.

After all, the Zheng family of Xingyang has a strong foundation, and this woman has a very sharp tongue.

Choi Min-won then spoke up:

"Miss Zheng, you make it sound so easy. That's 1.7 million strings of cash. The Crown Prince is trying to kill us; if we can't come up with the money, we'll all lose our heads."

"The money is indeed a large sum."

Zheng Qiuying smiled slightly.

"However, the glory of a noble family is more important than anything else. As a member of the alliance, the Zheng family of Xingyang naturally cannot stand by and watch everyone suffer."

The Zheng family of Xingyang is willing to cover the majority of this 1.7 million guan deficit. They will advance 850,000 guan, relieving Lord Cui's immediate crisis.

After these words were spoken, the private room was silent for a full three seconds, followed by a burst of excited gasps.

This girl is simply a living Bodhisattva descended to earth.

He took on half the pressure the moment he opened his mouth.

Cui Minyuan was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed deeply to Zheng Qiuying:

"Miss Zheng is so righteous! The Zheng family of Xingyang is truly a role model for us all. The Cui family of Qinghe will never forget this kindness."

Wang Qinian, disregarding his pride, fawned over her:

"Miss Zheng is truly a heroine among women."

With Zheng taking on this heavy responsibility, we can manage by pooling our resources from each family for the remaining half.

Miss Zheng's actions saved the entire alliance of aristocratic families.

Lu An chimed in, practically offering Zheng Qiuying a longevity tablet.

However, Zheng Qiuying suddenly changed the subject.

"Uncles and elders, please don't thank me yet."

Zheng Qiuying stood up, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her hands.

Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. After all, 850,000 strings of cash from the Zheng family is no small sum, and the elders of the clan want an explanation.

To silence the gossips in the clan, we have no choice but to ask Lord Cui to provide something as collateral.

Choi Min-won paused, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over him.

"A mortgage? What kind of mortgage does Miss Zheng want?"

"not much."

Zheng Qiuying said casually,

"Transfer your Cui family's ownership of the silk trade route from Luoyang to Chang'an to the Zheng family."

"We will return the trade route in full once Lord Cui has repaid the principal and interest of 850,000 strings of cash."