[Support Vulcan] Chronicles of Wind and Clouds at Fengming Villa [4] [Repost]

If it weren't for 'Liu Baiwan' being deeply devoted to his son and vindicating him, the commercial empire painstakingly built by Hou Fengming would have fallen into total disaster! It turned out that Jiang Wenli was not just a shallow woman; she was actually the 'Wealth-Attracting Jade Maiden' of the 'Zhengyang Sect,' a southern anti-Qing force! Later, when the Qing army besieged the 'Wangjiang Tower' in Jiangnan, the 'Zhengyang Sect' was almost completely wiped out, with only the 'Wealth-Attracting Jade Maiden' Jiang Wenli escaping. Jiang Wenli, alone, wandered the jianghu and did not stop preaching. One of the important disciples she developed was the former Ming scholar, the famous talented man of Jiangnan, Wan Lifan, who had already married her!
From being a xiucai to becoming a juren, his career was smooth sailing, but then the large Qing forces crossed the Yangtze, and the Southern Ming dynasty fell. Having personally witnessed the 'Ten Days of Yangzhou' and the 'Three Massacres of Jiading,' the former Ming scholar Wan Lifan despised the newly established Qing court and submitted himself to the 'Zhengyang Sect' under Jiang Wenli, the 'Wealth-Attracting Jade Maiden,' and married her. The couple traveled between the north and south of the Yangtze River, quietly expanding the influence of the 'Zhengyang Sect,' waiting for the right moment to reestablish the anti-Qing banner.
Unexpectedly, over the following years, their hopes became increasingly slim. As the Manchus solidified their control north of the passes, and the common people accepted the Qing rule, the situation became increasingly stable, leaving less room for the 'Zhengyang Sect' to develop. Coupled with the court's intensified suppression of anti-Qing forces, they moved the 'Zhengyang Sect' headquarters from Jiangnan to Jiaodong to avoid drawing the court's attention.
However, it was even harder to develop 'Zhengyang Sect' followers in the north of the Yangtze. After repeated setbacks, Wan Lifan became disheartened. Constantly living in fear of being hunted by the authorities, Wan Lifan's resolve eroded, and he gradually abandoned the anti-Qing cause. Survival became the first priority! At this time, the Jin Kou 'Fengming Villa' in Jiaodong needed an accountant, so Wan Lifan discussed with Jiang Wenli that they might first go to 'Fengming Villa' to lay low and wait for the right opportunity. Perhaps one day 'Fengming Villa' could even become a business under the name of the 'Zhengyang Sect,' who could say?
Wan Lifan entered 'Fengming Villa,' and Jiang Wenli lived in seclusion in Jin Kou town. With his talent, Wan Lifan quickly became the chief accountant of 'Fengming Villa.' It was then that Wan Lifan realized the sheer scale of this commercial empire. With only his wife and himself, the so-called 'Zhengyang Sect' rebuilding, it was simply impossible to control 'Fengming Villa.'In that case, it would be better to let 'Fengming Villa' incorporate him! Often interacting with the single master of 'Fengming Villa,' Hou Fengming, the scheming Wan Lifan quickly discovered the villa's weak spot. Since Hou Fengming was determined to build a massive business empire, whoever married Hou Fengming would have the opportunity to control 'Fengming Villa'!\Perhaps love is like a chess game, where the keenest view is always from the sidelines. Moreover, Liu Boda was both a spectator and a player. Liu Boda soon felt threatened by Wan Lifan and saw through his intentions, privately warning him not to indulge in wishful thinking. On the surface, Wan Lifan appeared meek and compliant, but deep down, he did not regard the mediocre Liu Boda at all. Still, knowing Liu Boda's position in the villa and the power of the Liu family in Weifang county, he also dared not act too rashly. The two of them engaged in an open and covert struggle right under Hou Fengming's nose, ending in a stalemate!\To win Hou Fengming's heart and thereby control 'Fengming Villa,' Liu Boda had to be completely ousted from it. So Wan Lifan suddenly remembered Jiang Wenli, who was still enthusiastic about opposing the Qing and infatuated with him. He went to great lengths to persuade her and set up a trap to have Jiang Wenli seduce Liu Boda, ultimately removing Liu Boda entirely from the picture.\Of course, Wan Lifan did not reveal everything to Jiang Wenli; he only told her, 'The business of Fengming Villa spans across the nation. If Liu Boda and Hou Fengming are driven apart, and we control Fengming Villa, the influence of the 'Zhengyang Sect' will spread throughout the country.' Jiang Wenli had no idea that once Wan Lifan controlled 'Fengming Villa,' a mere 'Zhengyang Sect' would never be enough to confine him. Perhaps, to consolidate his position in 'Fengming Villa,' Wan Lifan's next target might even be her!\Unexpectedly, despite Wan Lifan's elaborate schemes, he overlooked the old saying that a powerful dragon cannot suppress a native snake. After all, Liu Boda had been navigating the deceitful business world alongside Hou Fengming for years. He secretly investigated Wan Lifan's background. Although unaware of their true identities, he discovered Wan Lifan's relationship with Jiang Wenli. When faced with Wan Lifan's 'honey trap,' not only did he not fall for it, but he also strongly advised Jiang Wenli to leave the scheming Wan Lifan. Hiding in the shadows, Wan Lifan feared that Liu Boda might reveal everything and expose his plan to Jiang Wenli. In a moment of panic, Liu Boda jumped out and delivered a fatal blow to Wan Lifan and hastily staged the scene to make it look like Wan Lifan had committed suicide.To prevent Jiang Wenli from being arrested, they had even prepared a story with her to deceive the authorities. Unexpectedly, however, Liu Boda's father, 'Liu Million,' used all his power to send people to investigate Jiangnan... Wan Lifang and Jiang Wenli were later sentenced to death by hanging by the court. As for the female owner of 'Fengming Manor,' she never married in her life. The commercial empire she established continued until the Guangxu period, only gradually declining due to the rise of the Li family in Jiaodong...