Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Behind the glitz and glamour of Beijing, a thrilling commercial battle is quietly unfolding.

Zhao Tianming and a group of merchants gathered in a dimly lit secret room, the flickering candlelight illuminating their solemn and determined faces.

“Gao Yanei is bullying us with his power; we absolutely cannot sit idly by and wait to die.” Zhao Tianming lowered his voice, his eyes burning with anger.

Zhang Cheng clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "But his father is Gao Qiu, whose power is immense. How can we possibly contend with him?"

Zhao Tianming's gaze darkened: "Even so, we must find his weaknesses, collect evidence, and let the world see his true colors."

Everyone nodded, their eyes gleaming with hope.

With their roles assigned, Zhang Cheng and Li Fu disguised themselves and lay in wait day and night near Gao Yanei's warehouse. Several days later, on a dark and windy night, carriages quietly drove into the warehouse.

"Li Fu, look at this, all this sneaking around, there's definitely something fishy going on," Zhang Cheng whispered.

Li Fu held his breath and stared intently: "Let's see what tricks they have up their sleeves."

Zhang Cheng watched as Gao Yanei's men hurriedly unloaded the goods. By the dim light, he discovered that the cargo contained a large number of inferior products that were passed off as high-quality goods.

"This is the evidence. Go and inform Boss Zhao immediately," Zhang Cheng said in a low voice.

Li Fu turned and ran away, unaware that a pair of eyes were watching them from behind.

Wang Gui, on his side, inquired through various channels about Gao Yanei's collusion with officials. In a tavern, he pretended to be drunk and chatted with customers at the next table.

"I've heard that Young Master Gao and Lord Li are quite close. I wonder what their business is?" Wang Gui asked deliberately.

The guest looked around and lowered his voice: "Shh, don't say anything, or you'll get into trouble."

Wang Gui's heart tightened, knowing there must be something hidden, and he continued to probe indirectly.

Meanwhile, Gao Yanei learned that someone was secretly monitoring the warehouse and flew into a rage.

"Investigate! Find out who's behind this!" Gao Yanei roared, his eyes blazing with fury.

His men immediately launched an investigation and soon discovered the whereabouts of Zhang Cheng and Li Fu.

Li Fu finally found Zhao Tianming and told him what he had seen and heard.

"We shouldn't delay, let's go to the warehouse immediately," Zhao Tianming decided without hesitation.

When they arrived at the warehouse, they ran right into Gao Yanei's men.

"You bunch of fools, how dare you ruin my plans!" Gao Yanei's men charged forward, brandishing their clubs.

Undeterred, Zhao Tianming and his men engaged in fierce combat. However, outnumbered, they were forced to retreat as they fought.

Zhang Cheng was accidentally injured in the chaos, and his sleeves were stained with blood.

"Don't worry about me, you all go!" Zhang Cheng shouted.

How could Zhao Tianming abandon his companion? He grabbed Zhang Cheng and said, "Let's go together!"

Just when they were almost in dire straits, a patrol of soldiers passed by, and Gao Yanei's men finally gave up.

However, Gao Yanei did not give up easily. He knew that Zhao Tianming and his gang were a hidden danger and had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

"Go, smash up all their shops and let them know what happens when they offend me," Gao Yanei ordered viciously.

Overnight, Zhao Tianming and his group's shop was smashed to pieces, and their goods suffered heavy losses.

Faced with such a predicament, Zhao Tianming was not discouraged.

"The more frantic Gao Yanei is, the more it shows he has a guilty conscience. Let's continue searching for evidence," Zhao Tianming encouraged the group.

They also discovered that Gao Yanei had monopolized the supply channels of certain commodities through coercion and bribery, driving up prices and making exorbitant profits.

Just as Zhao Tianming was preparing to make this evidence public, Gao Yanei preemptively spread rumors, accusing Zhao Tianming and others of selling counterfeit goods and harming the people.

For a time, people avoided Zhao Tianming and his associates' shops like the plague, and business plummeted.

"What should we do?" Li Fu was extremely anxious.

Zhao Tianming pondered for a moment: "We must clarify the facts and salvage our reputation."

So they posted notices on the street explaining the truth. But Gao Yanei sent people to tear down the notices and even beat the people who posted them.

Gao Yanei also bribed some local thugs to cause trouble in front of Zhao Tianming's and others' shops every day, driving away customers.

Zhao Tianming knew that if Gao Yanei wasn't dealt with thoroughly, they would never have a peaceful day.

"We need to come up with a foolproof plan," Zhao Tianming discussed with the others again.

At this point, someone suggested finding a respected senior figure in the business world to step forward and uphold justice.

Zhao Tianming's eyes lit up: "This plan is feasible."

After much effort, they finally managed to persuade the retired elder to join them. Leveraging his prestige, the elder rallied numerous merchants to jointly resist Gao Yanei.

Seeing that things were not going well, Gao Yanei cried to his father, Gao Qiu, for help.

Gao Qiu, concerned for his reputation, stepped in to exert pressure.

"Zhao Tianming, if you continue to oppose my son, don't blame me for being impolite," Gao Qiu threatened.

Faced with Gao Qiu's power, the crowd wavered.

"Are we just going to give up like this?" Wang Gui asked unwillingly.

Zhao Tianming's gaze was firm: "Gao Yanei has committed numerous evils, which are intolerable to Heaven. Even with Gao Qiu's backing, we will fight to the end."

Encouraged by Zhao Tianming, everyone rallied.

They decided to submit a joint petition to higher-ranking officials. However, Gao Yanei had already bribed officials at all levels, making the appeal process extremely difficult.

Just when everyone was feeling hopeless, Zhao Tianming suddenly received news that the imperial court was about to send an upright and honest imperial envoy to inspect the capital.

"This is our last chance," Zhao Tianming said.

They had carefully prepared the evidence and were waiting for the imperial envoy to arrive.

When Gao Yanei learned of this, he was extremely anxious and conspired with his subordinates again.

"No matter what, we must not let them see the imperial envoy." Gao Yanei's face was gloomy.

A decisive battle is about to unfold...

After the imperial envoy arrived in the capital, Gao Yanei was extremely anxious, like an ant on a hot pan. He knew that if his crimes were exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, he devised a plan and decided to send someone to threaten the imperial envoy.

"Go and tell the Imperial Envoy that if he dares to meddle, he'll lose his head!" Gao Yanei said fiercely to his confidants.

Under the cover of night, these trusted confidants quietly sneaked into the residence of the imperial envoy.

“Your Excellency, I advise you to turn a blind eye and not cause trouble for yourself. Our Gao Yanei is not someone to be trifled with!” one of them threatened.

The imperial envoy was startled, but maintained his composure on the surface: "You lawless madmen, how dare you threaten me!"

"My lord, don't be so stubborn. Gao Yanei's father is the emperor's favorite minister. If you don't know your place, you might lose your official position!"

The imperial envoy roared, "How dare you be so insolent in broad daylight!"

However, these confidants ignored them, sneered, and walked away.

The imperial envoy knew this matter was thorny; Gao Qiu was Emperor Huizong's favorite minister, and mishandling it could indeed bring him trouble. However, his sense of justice remained undiminished; he simply became more cautious in his actions.

After learning that Gao Yanei had sent someone to threaten the imperial envoy, Zhao Tianming and the others were also very worried.

"What should we do? Will the imperial envoy back down because of this?" Zhang Cheng said worriedly.

Zhao Tianming pondered for a moment: "We cannot sit idly by and wait for our demise; we must find a way to strengthen the Imperial Envoy's resolve."

They decided to risk it again to see the imperial envoy.

“My lord, Gao Yanei’s actions are a sign of his guilty conscience. If you back down now, wouldn’t that allow the villains to succeed and the people to suffer?” Zhao Tianming said earnestly.

The imperial envoy sighed, "How could I not know? But this matter is of great importance, and we must proceed with caution."

Zhao Tianming continued, "Sir, we have even more evidence of Gao Yanei's crimes. As long as you make up your mind, we will do our best to assist you."

Under the persuasion of Zhao Tianming and others, the imperial envoy finally made up his mind and stopped fearing Gao Qiu's power.

But Gao Yanei did not give up; he devised another wicked scheme. He deliberately spread rumors in the capital, saying that the imperial envoy was colluding with Zhao Tianming and others to frame the descendants of a loyal minister and seek personal gain.

The rumor spread throughout the capital in no time, and the people discussed it extensively, questioning the impartiality of the imperial envoy.

Zhao Tianming and the others were furious: "Young Master Gao is trying to distort the truth!"

The imperial envoy was under immense pressure, but he knew he had to find solid evidence as soon as possible to dispel the rumors and clear his name.

Therefore, he secretly dispatched his trusted confidants to investigate Gao Yanei's crimes. Meanwhile, Zhao Tianming and others secretly assisted in gathering more witness testimonies.

After much effort, they finally found crucial evidence proving that Gao Yanei not only monopolized commerce but also embezzled and accepted bribes, and even colluded with foreign enemies.

Just as they were preparing to present the evidence to the Emperor, Gao Yanei struck again. He bribed a eunuch in the palace to falsely accuse the imperial envoy of abusing his power and attempting to disrupt the order of the capital before the Emperor.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Huizong was furious: "How could this be? Issue my decree to summon the imperial envoy to the palace!"

The imperial envoy received the imperial decree and knew that his journey to the palace was fraught with peril, but he resolutely went to the palace anyway.

In the palace, Gao Yanei and his cronies criticized the imperial envoy.

"Your Majesty, this man has ulterior motives and should not be trusted!"

The imperial envoy remained composed and respectful, presenting the evidence to Emperor Huizong of Song and detailing Gao Yanei's various crimes.

Emperor Huizong's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty after reading it. Just then, Gao Qiu also entered the palace to plead for mercy.

"Your Majesty, my son is young and ignorant. He must have been framed. Please investigate thoroughly."

Emperor Huizong of Song fell into deep thought, unable to make a decision for a moment.

At this time, Zhao Tianming and others led a large number of people to petition outside the palace gate, demanding that Gao Yanei be severely punished.

When Emperor Huizong heard the commotion outside the palace, he was alarmed. He realized that the matter had aroused public anger, and if it was not handled fairly, he might lose the support of the people.

Ultimately, Emperor Huizong of Song made up his mind and ordered a thorough investigation into Gao Yanei's crimes. Gao Yanei was imprisoned and awaited trial. Gao Qiu, on the other hand, was also reprimanded by the emperor for failing to properly educate his son.

After being imprisoned, Gao Yanei was extremely anxious and racked his brains for a way to escape.

He racked his brains and finally thought of the Japanese football team's representative, Keiji Jun. Gao Yanei had once had a chance encounter with Keiji Jun and knew that this person might be his lifeline.

So, Gao Yanei tried to get a jailer to send a message to Jiaogen Jingchun, earnestly asking for his help.

After receiving the news, Jiao Genjingchun was caught in a dilemma. He knew that Gao Yanei's crime was serious, but he did not want to miss the opportunity to establish a relationship with Gao Qiu.

After careful consideration, Jiaogen Jingchun decided to risk helping. He secretly went to Gao Qiu's residence.

Upon seeing Jingchun, Gao Qiu felt as if he were a drowning man grasping at a lifeline, and said urgently, "Mr. Jingchun, my son is currently in deep trouble in prison, and I hope you can lend a helping hand."

Jiaogen Jingchun pretended to be troubled and said, "Lord Gao Qiu, this matter is extremely risky. If I help, I'm afraid I will also get into trouble myself."

Gao Qiu quickly replied, "As long as my child can be saved, I, Gao Qiu, will certainly reward you handsomely."

A sly glint flashed in Jingchun's eyes as he lowered his voice and said, "Lord Gao Qiu, to be honest, our Japanese football team will be playing a crucial match against your team soon. If you can find a way to make your team lose to us, I will do everything in my power to rescue Gao Yanei."

Upon hearing this, Gao Qiu was startled. This match was of paramount importance to national honor, and if he deliberately lost, he would become a sinner for all time. But thinking of his son's suffering in prison, he hesitated for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and agreeing: "Alright, Mr. Jingcun, as long as you can rescue my son, I will arrange the match."

Jingchun nodded in satisfaction and quietly left.

To achieve his goal, Gao Qiu began to manipulate things behind the scenes within the team. He replaced some key players under various pretexts and deliberately disrupted tactical arrangements during training.

Meanwhile, Kiyoharu Kogoro was actively preparing within the Japanese football team, devising detailed strategies for victory.

As the day of the competition drew near, everything seemed calm and peaceful, and no one discovered the conspiracy between Gao Qiu and Jiao Hen Jing Chun.

Although Zhao Tianming and the others had been paying close attention to Gao Yanei's affairs, their focus was mainly on collecting evidence to expose Gao Yanei's crimes and bring him to justice. They were unaware of the shady dealings behind the match.