Ling Ning ordered to regulate the prices of grain, salt and other supplies. Unexpectedly, some vendors were resisting this and raising prices unscrupulously.
Ling Ning was not angry, but was very happy and said to herself: "Some traders are greedy and obsessed with money!"
"This is pulling out my tiger's beard and challenging my authority."
"They are so kind. They took the initiative to act like chickens so that I could kill the chickens and scare the monkeys."
"Since they are willing to contribute, then I will grant it to them!"
Ling Ning immediately turned around and went to find Pang Ju.
After meeting, Ling Ning said straightforwardly: "I just went to the market and found that some grain shops are selling grain with extra money. I guess someone is also raising the price of salt. How dare you blatantly defy my order? That's commendable courage. Do you know this?"
Pang Ju was responsible for regulating this matter, so he knew it, so he nodded.
"Is there anyone who stands out?" Ling Ning asked again.
Unexpectedly, Pang Ju opened his mouth but stopped talking.
"It doesn't matter, just say it boldly!" Ling Ning said.
Pang Ju then explained: "Most of the merchants and shops are waiting and watching, but only four or five disobey orders and raise prices. Moreover, the Qi family follows the lead. The merchants owned by the Qi family are also among the best merchants in Yanzhou City. The industry covers a wide range of areas, with a large number of grain and oil shops, salt and sugar shops and other shops.”
Ling Ning immediately sneered and said: "I guessed it was the Qi family! Okay! Then take the Qi family sacrificial knife."
Seeing Ling Ning being so fierce, Pang Ju quickly advised: "My lord, how can I say that the Qi family is also a hero of the Beiyou Army, and is inextricably related to my lord. If we take action directly, I'm afraid we will be criticized!"
When Ling Xingshuang formed the Beiyou Army, because the treasury was empty, it was the Qi family who paid for it and helped Ling Xingshuang launch the prototype of the Beiyou Army.
Moreover, Qi Fengtang, the head of the Qi family, is also Ling Xingshuang's brother-in-law.
Ling Ning had to call Qi Fengtang uncle.
However, as early as two years ago, Ling Ning's second aunt died in depression. As for the reason, Qi Fengtang married his concubine and forced Ling Ning's second aunt to death. Therefore, the Ling family reduced their contact with the Qi family.
As Pang Ju said, the Qi family is benevolent to the Beiyou Army and is related to the Ling family. If they attack the Qi family rashly, outsiders will say that the Ling family is killing the donkey.
Who knows,
Ling Ning sneered: "Inviting others to criticize? Who dares to criticize!"
"Isn't it just that when the Beiyou Army was first formed, those aristocratic families in Yanzhou City, relying on their achievements, got used to being arrogant and arrogant, forgetting the rules. As long as they dare to criticize, they will be dealt with together."
"Pang Ju, you have to know! As long as the people and soldiers applaud, I have nothing to fear."
"If those noble families are well-behaved, then everyone will be happy."
"If you are doing something evil, you won't be able to stay!"
"They occupy the main resources of society, oppress the people, and even complain that they have been wronged. Then they let me comfort them with a smile, and watch them become more greedy and seize more benefits."
"What I hate the most is this kind of worm! They are obviously greedy, but they still pretend to be benevolent and righteous, so that I can help them do evil!"
"Do you think these people should be dealt with?"
At the end of the sentence, Ling Ning's tone became more dissatisfied and harsh.
Pang Ju realized that Ling Ning was going to take action against the aristocratic families in Yanzhou, and felt a little worried. He suggested, "My lord, why don't you deal with it in a gentle way?"
He didn't want Ling Ning to stand on the opposite side of the family, and even if he did, he would handle it with gentle means.
Ling Ning smiled and said: "I know what you are worried about, but you must understand that when I raise an army, I am not only an enemy of Emperor Liang and the imperial court, but also an enemy of all the noble families in the world."
"Because as I raise troops, the interests of those aristocratic families will inevitably be destroyed. Even if I don't want to offend them, I am already on the opposite side."
"Either they compromise with me, or I compromise with them."
“Mild measures are never the answer, but self-deception.”
Ling Ning's voice was so loud that it made Pang Ju silent and at the same time deafening.
After a while,
Pang Ju bowed his hands and said, "My lord, this subordinate is pedantic."
Ling Ning reached out to hold up Pang Ju's arm and said with a smile: "You think about me, there is no need to be pedantic. If I can eliminate the family members, future generations will also thank me."
At this time, Ling Ning thought of a ruthless person.
A question-taker in a small town, angry at the dominance of powerful families, turned over the table.
If you don’t let me have an easy time, you won’t have an easy time either.
Raise troops directly and fight all the way to Chang'an.
When autumn comes on September 8th, I will kill all the flowers after they bloom.
The incense formation soaring to the sky penetrates Chang'an, and the whole city is covered with golden armor.
…
The sun sets.
Qi's mansion has long been lively with singing and dancing.
The ancestor of the Qi family was the founding earl of Daliang Kingdom and had many generals. It's just that it has declined somewhat in the past hundred years. Now the best official position in the Qi family in the court is that of minister of the Ministry of Industry.
But a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Although the Qi family has lost power in Beijing, it still maintains its prefectures and counties and is definitely the number one family in Yanzhou.
Therefore, when Ling Xingshuang came to Yanzhou, he had to borrow money from the Qi family to form the Beiyou Army.
Although Ling Xingshuang was in charge of Yanzhou's military and political power, it was only on the surface.
In the dark, the Qi family is the king.
And now that Ling Ning is raising an army, naturally he will not allow the king of the Qi family to exist in the dark.
If the Qi family was smart and surrendered early, Ling Ning would still keep the Qi family, or even reuse them. But now that the Qi family dared to confront him and play tricks, Ling Ning absolutely couldn't bear it.
Tonight, the Qi family hosted a banquet for prominent people in Yanzhou City, including Yanzhou Biejia, Zhizhong, Zhushu, Liucao, as well as some highly respected old men, masters, and academic doctors, etc.
With an invitation from the Qi family, these people dare not not come.
Although Ling Ning is the king of the Northland County and has a strong army, if he holds a banquet, it may not be so complete.
This is the skill and confidence of the Qi family to deeply cultivate Yanzhou, and this is the foundation of being a powerful family.
Sitting on the main seat was a dignified middle-aged man, Qi Fengtang, the head of the Qi family. Next to him was his only son Qi Yun.
"Dad, today's banquet is so extravagant. If Ling Ning finds out, will it arouse his suspicion? After all, he just ordered to control prices, but our Qi family is working against him." Qi Yun worried.
Qi Fengtang chuckled, then pointed to the scene of people drinking and drinking in front of him, and said: "The people attending the banquet were all dignitaries from Yanzhou City, and the county magistrates below also couldn't wait to enter the Qi Mansion. From this point, my father knew , Our Qi family’s fortune has not been lost, this Yanzhou still belongs to our Qi family.”
"But Ling Ning has troops in his hands, and he has just defeated the imperial army, and his reputation is at its peak." Qi Yun replied. Although he is only a young man, his character is mature and more stable than Qi Fengtang.
Qi Fengtang picked up the wine glass and said with a smile: "Having soldiers in your hands does not mean you have everything. Soldiers and horses are like knives. They can hurt the enemy and themselves. Soon, Ling Ning will understand the meaning of this sentence. . When hundreds of thousands of people open their mouths and scream, like babies needing milk, but Ling Ning has no milk in her arms, do you think the soldiers will still be loyal to him? "
"Father, I still feel that I shouldn't be on the opposite side of Ling Ning, lest I force him to jump over the wall." Qi Yun said.
Qi Fengtang drank the wine in his glass and said: "If you don't stand on the opposite side of Ling Ning, then you have to stand on the opposite side of the imperial court. Neither Ling Ning nor the imperial court are fools, and they will not let us sway in the middle. And let the father choose, then The natural choice is the imperial court. As for whether Ling Ning will jump over the wall in a hurry, he doesn't dare! In fact, he even wants to ask our Qi family!"
The next moment, Qi Fengtang dropped the wine glass to the ground.
