The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

Yizhou, the land of abundance, is a prosperous and thriving region.

There has never been a shortage of wealthy and powerful merchants.

The most famous of these was the Zhuo family during the Former Han Dynasty. The Zhuo family had more than a thousand servants, and when they went hunting or outings, they acted like a king, relying on their retinue.

In this day and age, there are countless wealthy businessmen.

The Shu region was wealthy, especially rich.

Fan County.

The county seat is northwest of Chengdu, and farmland and houses are cheaper there than in Chengdu. However, the land is flat and fertile, no less so than in Chengdu.

Shu County is famous throughout the world for its Shu brocade, with Chengdu being the best producer. Fan County is the second best producer of Shu brocade after Chengdu.

Cartloads of Shu brocade were either transported north to Cao Wei or flowed down the river to Eastern Wu, leading to a booming commercial industry.

In Fan County, there was a wealthy merchant family named Chen, whose ancestral home was in Hanzhong. They migrated to Bashu at the end of the Qin Dynasty, began to prosper during the reign of Emperor He of Han, and by the time of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling of Han, they had become local tycoons.

After Dong Zhuo's death, the Han Dynasty fell into chaos. The Chen family seized the opportunity to annex land and people, growing in power and influence.

When Liu Bei was fighting Liu Zhang, Lady Chen even provided financial assistance to Liu Zhang. Later, after Liu Zhang was defeated, Lady Chen remained quiet and well-behaved for many years because of this incident.

In this world where corrupt officials run rampant, the Chen family has prospered once again. Their fields stretch as far as the eye can see.

The mulberry trees are countless, and the people who run the Shu brocade business travel between the north and south.

The gold, copper coins, and wealth accumulated in the household were piled up like mountains, and the number of servants was even greater than that of the Zhuo family in their time, exceeding 1,500.

But one thing remained a thorn in Chen's side.

morning.

The continuous clouds swallowed up the sunlight, and spring seemed to have been pushed back to the edge of winter, with a chilling coldness permeating the air once again.

The people on the road were all dressed in winter clothes, breathing out white mist.

But this did not stop the hardworking women from operating machines to produce Shu brocade. The sound of looms could be heard constantly in the houses.

A corner of Fanxian County, a wealthy area lined with mansions.

The Chen family mansion is located here. The mansion has five courtyards and additional courtyards. It is said that once you enter the gates of a noble family, it is like entering a deep sea. The Chen family mansion is even more spacious than that of ordinary noble families.

The household had countless servants, and all women of status wore clothes made of Shu brocade that trailed on the ground, and adorned themselves with precious jewels, vying to show off their wealth.

in front of the house.

The carriage was ready, and the entourage included dozens of servants, strong men, and warriors.

After a while, Chen Yong, the head of the Chen family, and his eldest son Chen Xi came out together, came to the carriage, and stepped onto the carriage by standing on small stools.

After consulting with Chen Yong, the lead rider of the warriors ordered the carriage to set off.

As Chen's group left their home and entered the street, they immediately attracted the attention of the people on the road.

Locals who know about the Chen family or have seen their grandeur are all envious.

Out-of-town merchants who knew of the Chen family but had never seen their grandeur inquired about who this wealthy family was. Upon learning it was the Chen family, they were all amazed and marveled at how truly well-deserved their reputation for wealth was.

On the carriage, Chen Yong and his son paid no heed to the gazes and whispers from those on either side of the road.

Chen Yong is thirty-two years old this year. He has fair skin, handsome appearance, long beard, Liu-style crown, Shu brocade clothes, and his clothes are scented. You can smell the faint fragrance within a hundred paces. A jade pendant hangs from his waist.

At first glance, he has a handsome appearance and a refined demeanor, as if he were from a noble family.

Chen Xi bears a striking resemblance to his father, with even their clothing being almost identical.

At first glance, the father and son seemed no different from usual, but upon closer inspection, they both revealed subtle joy.

They were going to meet a very important person.

The procession, amidst the sidelong glances of onlookers, made its way out of the city, traveled two miles along the main road, turned onto a side road, and finally arrived at the outside of an inconspicuous manor.

Outside the manor, a steward was waiting to greet them. Upon seeing the Chen family's entourage, he immediately came forward to welcome them.

The Chen father and son dared not be arrogant. They got out of the car together and walked into the manor, arriving at the main hall.

"Yong." A man in formal attire stood outside the main hall to greet them. Upon seeing the Chen father and son, he smiled and came forward.

He had a handsome face, a long beard, a tall and slender figure, and imposing clothes, exuding an extraordinary air.

It was Lin Zhong, a local scholar.

"Loyalty," Chen Yong said with a cupped hand and a smile.

Chen Yong and Lin Zhong exchanged a few words, and Lin Zhong gave Chen Xi a few more instructions before welcoming the father and son to sit down in the main hall.

Chen Yong often visits Lin Zhong's house, but today he is particularly restless.

Lin Zhong noticed this and couldn't help but tease, "Yong, you've traversed Wei and Wu with Shu brocade and seen many storms, so why are you so reserved and hesitant today?"

Chen Yong rolled his eyes at Lin Zhong and said, "You know perfectly well why I'm asking this."

"Hahahaha." Lin Zhong laughed loudly, then comforted Chen Yong with a few words.

It's true that Chen Yong often visits Lin Zhong's house, but today is different. Because we have guests visiting today.

This man was from Chengdu, named He Sui, and was twenty-eight years old. He was a rising young scholar in Sichuan, a rising star among talented men.

This is an era that values ​​appearance. Yuan Shao and Liu Biao were both handsome and elegant, and were highly regarded by scholars throughout the land, thus gaining fame.

This He Sui is elegant and refined, handsome and extraordinary, with unparalleled temperament.

He Sui was well-versed in poetry and literature, possessed exceptional talent, and enjoyed a life of leisure among scholars. Wherever he went, Confucian scholars flocked to him.

Of course, the most important thing is that He Sui's teacher was Qiao Zhou, a great Confucian scholar from Yizhou.

Such a renowned scholar secretly visited Lin Zhong's home in Fan County, and Lin Zhong told Chen Yong about it. Chen Yong then had an idea: he wanted to befriend this scholar and have his eldest son, Chen Xi, become a disciple of He Sui.

"Merchantment is ultimately a minor path; the path of scholars and officials is the true path. My Chen family is wealthy, but we are from a poor family. If a storm arises even slightly, our ship will capsize and we will all perish. Planning to change from merchants to scholars is the right way," Chen Yong thought to himself. He then glanced back at his son, his eyes showing appreciation and satisfaction.

The eldest son resembled his father in appearance, and was undeniably handsome. He was also quite intelligent in his studies. If the eldest son could curry favor with the Qiao Zhou clan, he could rise through the ranks.

He had already planned his strategy. He would first let his eldest son cultivate a refined and prestigious reputation among scholars. When the time was right, he would then seek out a leisurely and respectable official position, serve one term, and then resign.

Then came the grandsons, and so on, generation after generation. The Chen family of Fan County had been officials for generations.

Lin Zhong was perfectly aware of Chen Yong's thoughts. He actually looked down on Chen Yong's mercenary nature, but he had no choice but to associate with him. Because he had resources that Chen Yong didn't, and money that Chen Yong didn't have.

Moreover, he is not good at managing a household, and the family's financial situation is deteriorating. If this continues, they may have to sell their land and houses.

He wanted his son to marry Chen Yong's daughter so that he could receive financial support from the Chen family and improve their financial situation...

"If I can get financial support from the Chen family, I can make more connections, build a reputation, and become a renowned scholar. Moreover, I've heard that Chen Yong's youngest daughter is thirteen years old, with fair skin and stunning beauty, and is gentle and virtuous. My son wouldn't be at a loss marrying her," Lin Zhong thought to himself.

The three waited for a while, and then the steward came to the door, bowed, and said, "Master, Lord Chen. Lord He's carriage is about to arrive."

"Yong, let's go greet him." Lin Zhong didn't dare to be negligent and said solemnly.

"Good." Chen Yong nodded happily, and the father and son stood up together and followed Lin Zhong to the door to greet them.