Episode 35 recap: Ming Qing Da used all means necessary in his fight for the three main districts.
Fan Xian learned from Hai Tang Duo Duo's mouth that this "Tian Yi Dao Heart Sutra" was left behind by his mother Ye Qingmei, and Hai Fang Duo Duo was merely returning it to its rightful owner. Hai Tang Duo Duo casually asked how Fan Xian's married life was going, to which Fan Xian replied it was going well, explaining that Si Li Li had asked her to inquire.
Li Chengping and Shi Chan Li exchanged a smile, surprised to learn that in addition to Hai Tang Duo Duo, Fan Xian also had Si Li Li. Fan Xian came to the Ming household to await the investigation results, and happened to see that Old Madame Ming had adopted Ming Qing Da's cousin, even summoning the cousin's four children to attend the ceremony.
After the ceremony was completed, Ming Qing Da accused his cousin of being a bought traitor. He secretly issued a bounty to assassinate the court official Fan Xian, even asking Fan Xian to personally kill him. Fan Xian saw through their act and purposely put on a show of force, intending to bring the adopted son back for a thorough interrogation.
Old Madame Ming persuaded the adopted son to cooperate with the investigation, promising to take good care of his four children. Just as Fan Xian was about to take the adopted son away, he suddenly rammed his head into a pillar and died on the spot, infuriating Fan Xian. Desperate locals came to pledge allegiance to the Ming household, willing to die for them. Ming Qing Da publicly vowed to ensure their families' livelihoods, then had them drink poisoned wine and had their bodies removed to cover up for Fan Xian's investigation.
Ming Qing Da secretly met with Xie Bi'an, swearing eternal loyalty to Li Cheng Ze and Li Yun Rui. Xie Bi'an revealed that Fan Xian would surely die within two days, so Ming Qing Da intentionally delayed time with Xie Bi'an, chatting casually over tea.
Old Madame Ming hosted a banquet to invite Fan Xian, and was willing to donate 200,000 taels of silver for disaster relief. In front of Fan Xian, she lamented poverty, claiming that the Three Major Districts' products were consigned for sale by Li Yun Rui's treasury, yet they incurred losses year after year, hinting that Li Yun Rui was profiteering. Old Madame Ming promised to quickly hand over the Three Major Districts to the Treasury Transfer Bureau, and the Ming household was willing to continue managing their operations. Fan Xian directly exposed her lies - since the Three Major Districts had been losing money every year, why would the Ming household bother with the trouble? Old Madame Ming claimed she was serving the country.
When Ming Qing Da saw the Three Major Districts' warehouses on fire, he hurriedly reported it to Fan Xian. Fan Xian suspected the fire was caused by the Ming household, but Old Madame Ming and Ming Qing Da had alibis to clear themselves of the arson suspicion.
Fan Xian was staying at Baoyuelou's Jiangnan branch. Li Chengping couldn't guess Fan Xian's intentions. Wang Qinian investigated the fire scene and found that all the goods in the warehouses had been burned to ashes, and all the warehouse workers had been killed. Wang Qinian concluded that the bodies were burned after death, finding the incident suspicious. Fan Xian suspected that the Ming household had already emptied the warehouses and deliberately started the fire to cover it up.
Shi Chan Li was deeply pained when he recalled his hometown Shijia Town being burned. Fan Xian comforted him with kind words. Just as Fan Xian had guessed, this major fire was pre-arranged by Ming Qing Da. Ming Qing Da planned to wait until Fan Xian returned to the capital, then bring back all the warehouse goods and workers. While Old Madame Ming lavishly praised him, she was inwardly afraid that he would seize control and manage the Ming household independently.
Ming Qing Da was willing to pay any price to keep the Three Major Districts, as they were a treasure trove, possessing the most lucrative craft inheritances in the world - glassmaking, sugar refining, cotton weaving, and perfumery. Fan Xian wanted to spread these craft inheritances throughout the land, and Li Chengping advised him to report it to Emperor Qing first.
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