The Record of Floating Wealth

Gu Weizhen, a young man from a poor family, was obsessed with profit. He relied on collusion between officials and businessmen to monopolize the silk market and built a wealthy family. The three wives and concubines in the house each have their own selfish motives, and they are fighting secretly inside the house every day; outside the city, he exploits the weavers and accumulates huge public resentment. Power and wealth seem to be cooking in a raging fire, but the three evil roots of internal intrigues, popular hatred, and the indifference of the officialdom have long been laid. When the civil uprising broke out, the officialdom fell out, half of his life's fortune was confiscated, and the wealthy businessman was imprisoned. Only the concubine Liu Cui'e, who was good at hiding her scheming and knowing how to advance and retreat, walked away innocently when the building collapsed. All frivolous wealth is a calamity, and all ostentation will eventually turn into ashes. It is a bloody story of the rise and fall of officials, businessmen, boudoirs, and the people.