"Father, are we really in such a dangerous situation?" Feng Zhen couldn't believe it.
Feng Dong sighed, put the bamboo stick aside and said, "There are wise and capable people in the government who have come up with countermeasures from the beginning."
"That is, target our weaknesses."
"Among the merchants and officials, the officials are relatively weak."
"Therefore, the government's first target was officials. Whether it was local officials in Huai County or some related officials from the imperial court, they became their targets from the beginning, and the so-called reason happened to be the news of the shipwreck that should not have reached the city. Since then, we have fallen into the trap of the government step by step."
"Then the government let us go and get information."
"It was also intentional."
"The purpose is to identify important people in the clan."
"Most of these tribesmen who can be sent out are trustworthy people in the tribe, so they are very likely to know something about the situation, but those who can go around have a much lower status than the real people in charge of the tribe, and Most of them are not very old, have not enough relevant experience, and are relatively weak among the entire clan."
"In the face of coercion and intimidation from the government, it is actually difficult to keep silent."
"Even if I, the Feng family, can keep my mouth shut, what about the other families? Can they do it?"
"As long as one person opens his mouth, the outcome is already determined."
"We just missed one step."
"In the end, everything ended up being a loss."
"Now the time is on the government. As long as the government continues to exert pressure, the people will become increasingly unable to support themselves. By then, even those with the strongest will may waver. It's just a matter of time. Therefore, in this matter, I, Feng The family is helpless."
"I can only survive by cutting off my tail."
"There is nothing else to do."
"Right now, all I, Feng, can do is try to preserve it as much as possible."
"If you really can't do it, make a break as soon as possible to avoid harming the entire family."
"But judging from the current situation, the government may not give up easily. However, the matter has come to this, and we can only take one step at a time. If there is really no way to save the day, I, Feng, may stop here. This is actually No wonder others.”
"It's just that our skills are inferior to others."
"Someone saw through the truth and grasped it seven inches."
Feng Zhen opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
I don’t know what to say.
Feng Dong looked at Feng Zhen, whose eyes were full of loneliness, with a hint of distress in his eyes, and sighed: "You should make a good decision."
"I'm a little tired too."
"in addition."
"Stop sending people out to find out information."
"The government is already keeping an eye on it."
"No matter how many people are sent out, they can't find out anything. They are just giving people to the government."
Feng Zhen nodded numbly.
Feng Dong sighed softly, grabbed the bamboo stick in his hand, and walked away.
The pace already seemed very vain.
The next day.
The sky is bright.
Candles were lit in Feng's house.
Feng Dong and Feng Zhen were wearing commoners and straw sandals, and they were relatively depressed, but they had no time to care. They ate some breakfast in a hurry, then walked out of the house and walked towards the government office. They were going to meet other merchants today.
It was just that the two of them had just walked out of the house.
Then he faintly noticed that someone was following him secretly around him.
The father and son looked at each other, the worry in their eyes getting stronger.
The two of them said nothing along the way, and went straight to the government office under the jurisdiction of Nei Shifu.
When Feng Dong and his son arrived, many people had already gathered outside the government office. They were all businessmen who had received Cheng Zheng's letter.
Everyone gathered around.
He looked much more haggard than before.
Cheng Zheng looked around and lowered his voice and said: "You all must know what I mean. The government is constantly putting pressure on you. Yesterday, they even took away several people from their homes. I sent someone to send a message to your tribe. After sending the message yesterday, no one came back."
"I was told this morning that I was 'invited' to the government."
"The situation is urgent right now."
"With the government pressing harder and harder, I, the Cheng family, won't be able to hold on for much longer."
"Why."
With a sigh.
Everyone present fell silent.
How could they not be?
Cheng Zheng moved two more steps in and whispered: "Now that the government has found a way to deal with it, if we continue like this, our situation will only become more dangerous, and we may even find out some relatively secret things in the past. I'll wait. We can no longer sit back and wait for death, we must take the initiative.”
"I called you here this time because I want to find out the government's attitude."
"After all, we are salt merchants and iron merchants in Guanzhong, and we still have a lot of salt and iron in our hands. The government will still ask for help from us."
"I may have to continue spending money to eliminate disasters this time."
Cao Bingsheng's eyes were uncertain and he said: "It would be great if we could spend money to eliminate the disaster. I'm afraid the government has a big appetite and we don't have enough salt and iron in our hands."
At this time.
Feng Dong said: "No matter what the government's appetite is, that part of salt and iron must never be recognized. Once we do, the government will never let us go. By then, we will be afraid of losing both our lives and wealth. Now we have to bow to the government." , we can only lower what is on the books, and we must not admit anything off the books, let alone bring it upon ourselves."
"I personally recommend preparing for the worst."
"If necessary, we can destroy relatives with justice."
One word fell.
Everyone around was silent.
Kill relatives?
That's easy to say.
Most of the people who can participate this time are the best from each clan. If they really go out to kill their relatives for justice, the family may directly fall into a state of insecurity.
The price is too high!
Even if they know the pros and cons, it's hard for them to actually make a choice.
But they also understand that if they really come to a critical moment, they may have no choice but to do this.
Feng Dong pondered for a moment and suddenly asked: "The news that came out in the city yesterday came from one of us?"
"I, Mr. Cheng, don't have any."
"I, Mr. Cao Bing, don't have one."
"It's even more impossible for me, the Kong family."
"."
Everyone shook their heads in denial.
See this.
Feng Dong's heart suddenly sank.
He looked at the Neishi Mansion with its gate open not far away, and felt that it was a Taotie with a huge mouth, waiting for them to enter.
"It's not from you? How is this possible?" Cao Bingsheng looked stunned.
Feng Dong sneered and said: "Brother Cao Bing, haven't you seen it now? This is a rumor from the government."
"We are all plotting against the government."
"But it's useless to say that now."
"Whether it was passed down by the government or not, it has now become passed down by us."
"Because we couldn't tell the officials about this, most of them would think that we were panicking, so we made this desperate move. Even if some officials were aware of it, it would be of no use."
"We all missed this place."
"Now the government has seized on this loophole and forced a hole in our established plan."
"Now the gap is getting bigger and bigger."
Hear the words.
Everyone's expressions changed.
They are also aware of the seriousness of the problem.
Just when a few people were still thinking about discussing, a small official in soap clothes walked out of the Neishi Mansion.
He looked at the people outside the mansion with an impatient expression, and said displeasedly: "The Neishi Palace is an important place of the imperial court, so people should not gather here."
"Leave quickly!"
Everyone immediately shut up.
Cheng Zheng cupped his hands and said, "Dare you ask your superiors to report this?"
"Let's just say that a group of salt merchants and iron merchants in Guanzhong want to see the eldest son."
The clerk asked: "Salt merchant and iron merchant?"
"It's an unlucky time for you to come. Last night, the eldest son had already left and went to Huai County."
"You're late."
Cheng Zheng said: "May I ask the superiors if they know when the eldest son will come back?"
The junior official said: "How can I, a junior official, know the whereabouts of the eldest son?"
Cheng Zhengdao: "As far as I know, the government handed over the shipwreck in Huai County to Wei Meng Yi and Shaofu Du He. May I ask if these two officials are here? The shipwreck in Huai County concerns me after all. I have been waiting for a few months to complete the transaction, so I wanted to learn more from the government.”
"Besides."
"Nowadays, the situation in Guanzhong is fierce, and we really don't know how to deal with it, so we want to ask the government to come up with an idea."
"Please let the superiors inform you."
The impatience in the clerk's eyes became even stronger.
He waved his hand and said, "Are you bothered?"
"I told you everything."
"Not here."
"The eldest son is not here."
"Both Captain Meng Ting and Shaofu Du are not here."
"Yesterday we set out together to Huai County to investigate the situation."
"Don't ask me when I'll be back."
"have no idea!"
"As for the raging public opinion, it is your own business as merchants. Don't go to the government for nothing. The government doesn't care about it."
"You have stood at the door of the house long enough."
"Let's break up."
"Don't influence the government's work."
Finished.
The clerk waved his sleeves and went straight back to the government office.
Cheng Zheng and others looked livid and cursed angrily: "This fool is going too far."
Feng Dong's eyes were gloomy, he pondered for a moment, and then said slowly: "The government's attitude is very clear. Before the problem is found out, they may not contact us. If we come to ask like this, we can't ask anything anymore. Now It’s time to make a choice.”
"If we don't make a decision quickly."
"When the government really asks about the matter, it will be difficult to escape."
"The government is trying to force us to a dead end." Cao Bingsheng stamped his feet violently, then looked at Feng Dong with hatred, and said angrily: "Feng Dong, this is your good idea, and now there is no benefit. , but you were targeted by the government, you are causing us misery."
Hear the words.
Feng Dong looked unhappy.
He was about to retort but saw other people also looking bad.
He looked at everyone blankly, and finally did not say another word.
There is only desolation in my heart.
If the heads of each of their families are like this, how can they ask others for more?
This time.
They lost miserably.
Like a plate of loose sand.
But they are not like this.
While others were still complaining and scolding, Feng Dong turned around and left.
He knew the end was over!
When Feng Dong and his son returned home, they heard another bad news.
When they went to the Neishi Mansion, the government took action again. They broke into the house and took Feng Wu and Feng Jie away.
People in the clan are panicked.
Many people are asking what happened?
Feng Dong stood in the courtyard, feeling endless sadness in his heart. The yellow bamboo stick in his hand could no longer hold up.
The fallen heroes in the court are swaying.
(End of chapter)
