Excessive? Who is being excessive?!

Everyone was quite angry, but with Ouyang Hu’s threat, they really didn’t dare to open a new bank to target the farmers.

"You all come from good families, with wealth and various businesses. There is no need to ruin your family reputation for this trade. You must know this business is risky, and if not careful, it could lead to execution of your entire family." Master Ouyang first made them aware of the dangers, then softened his tone.

"Execution of your entire family? Old Ouyang, stop scaremongering here!" Shen Si was very angry. He knew clearly, if this business succeeded, their branch would enjoy wealth for five generations.

As a bastard of a Marquis Mansion, he got very little inheritance. This was his opportunity for a meteoric rise; he couldn’t give it up. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Scaremongering? Do you think stealing silver and businesses from the Emperor wouldn’t lead to execution of your entire family?" Master Ouyang laughed and pointed to the others present, asking, "Do you all think the same? If so, feel free to open a new bank together and run this business by your rules. Just remember, your last name isn’t Shen, and you’re not royals; the Emperor wouldn’t hesitate to kill you?"

As expected, everyone present fell silent.

They knew the Emperor’s temper—ruthless enough to kill his own sons—and his love for silver. He had confiscated the properties of many nobles and families for silver; how could they not be afraid?

Seeing that they remained silent, Master Ouyang looked at Shen Si and asked, "If you’re not afraid, go ahead and open a bank to do this business on your own. Marquis Rong’en Mansion is part of the royal family, and with a profitable Chushen Pharmacy, opening a bank alone shouldn’t be difficult."

Hearing this, Shen Si was furious but didn’t dare to say he wasn’t afraid of the Emperor or intended to compete over money and business.

Master Ouyang continued, "As mentioned in the letter, both I and Young Master Dou can do it because we didn’t open Dou Ou Bank for profit. Offering the bank to the Emperor doesn’t hurt us, as long as it prevents you from using such banks to make money."

Damn it!

Everyone present cursed inwardly.

Ignoring their dark expressions, Master Ouyang turned to Master Qi and said, "Continue reading."

Master Qi: "Continue reading?"

The first letter had already shocked them completely. Was there a need for a second one? Would it be possible to spare me from this?

Master Ouyang nodded, "Yes, continue. They need to know not all noble families, high-ranking officials, and nobles support them."

Master Qi had no choice but to continue reading the letter.

Old Master Ming and Master Ouyang were old acquaintances, so a lot of the letter to Master Ouyang was about trivial matters and reminiscing, but it ended with: "Regarding what you asked, Brother Cong has agreed. When the Emperor acts against those people, Brother Cong will certainly spare no effort in the investigation, leaving no mercy."

This single sentence turned the faces of those present pale with fear.

Ming Cong, the name of Junior Minister Ming. Who is Junior Minister Ming? He’s a ruthless figure who wants to find an excuse to confiscate your family property and behead you even if there’s no case against you, a feared weapon of the Emperor.

At that moment, Junior Minister Ming was investigating the Tong Family’s case of manufacturing iron devices from private mines in Linhe Prefecture. Many people had died; what if he turned his attention and his knife on them?

"Master Ouyang, you’ve misunderstood. We have no intention of competing for silver and business with the Emperor. We just wanted to invest in Dou Ou Bank to do something for the farmers, not to make money." Old Master Shi spoke first, dear God, this wasn’t something the Shi family could afford to play with anymore; he was done with it.

Master Ouyang smiled, "I’m glad it’s just a misunderstanding. So, is the Shi family still interested in investing in the bank or opening a new one?"

Such a question made Old Master Shi wish to die on the spot.

He glanced at Gu Jinli... The Gu Family was truly his family’s nemesis. The second son despised the Gu Family and had his apprentice Miao Qianwen bribe Lv Bai, intending to trouble Gu Jin’an, but not only did it fail, he also ended up paralyzed by puffer fish poison.

Now, he merely wanted to gather some silver for the family, yet again, it was not possible.

It seemed that he had to remind his family members to avoid the Gu Family in the future in order to, at least, spare themselves from misfortune.

Seeing Old Master Shi silent, Master Ouyang didn’t press the matter. He just said, "There are some profits in this world that are not worth making, gentlemen. It’s better to preserve your lives and earn other silver."

After speaking, he took out two more letters and handed them to Shen Si.

Filled with anger, Shen Si snapped, "What other letters? How many do you hide?"

When would these letters ever end?!

Master Ouyang said, "I know people from the Ying Family and the Zongzheng Family are here. Deliver these letters to them. Whether they listen is up to them; I’ve said all I have to say."

After all, after his words spread, no one would dare to be their scapegoat. If the Ying Family and the Zongzheng Family wanted to exploit the farmers’ industry, they would have to use their own name and silver to do it.

Shen Si didn’t want to take them but didn’t dare refuse. Furiously grabbing the letters, he looked at Magistrate Gu with a cold smile, "Lord Gu, what a strategy; I’ll remember it!"

He had invited Old Ouyang here and wiped them out completely.

Magistrate Gu was incredibly innocent and mournfully said, "Elder Si, this prefecture merely acted according to your instructions without any extra actions."

Shen Si snorted heavily, ignoring Magistrate Gu, and looked at Young Master Dou, "Dou Ke, don’t think just because you’ve flattered the Ouyang Family, you can sleep easy. You’ll never become the Dou Family Master in this life!"

Having cut off his financial path, he planned to report to his father so that Dou Er and Dou San would seize the Dou Family from Dou Ke, leaving Dou Ke penniless and driven out of the family.

"Shen Si, being called Elder Si, do you really think you’re a master?" Young Master Dou, now emboldened by Master Ouyang’s suppression of the group, retorted fearlessly and pointed at Shen Si while cursing, "How can the legitimate son of a Primary Wife not inherit the Dou Family? Will it go to you bastards? Do you think the Great Chu Criminal Law agrees?"

"You, a bastard, whose birth mother is just a slave, not even a recognized concubine, what are you proud of? Oh, I forgot, your mother became a slave later; she started as a prostitute, slept with thousands!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder you’re favored, seems you inherited some extraordinary skills from your mother learned in the brothel."

Elder Shen was so cursed that he nearly died on the spot, pointing at Young Master Dou, "You, you, you’re lying!"

The fact that his biological mother came from a brothel had always been a source of shame hard to wash away for him. Fortunately, the Shen Family was part of the royal family, and he was favored, so nobody dared to mention it to his face for years.

But unexpectedly, this Dou would dare to humiliate him so blatantly!

Young Master Dou: "Bullshit, your mother’s family at Feixian Tower still stands in the Capital, and you dare not acknowledge it? Go ahead, burn down Feixian Tower if you dare."

Nowadays, Feixian Tower is a business under the Emperor’s sister, the Eldest Princess Songyang.