"Brother Cheng, why did you stop me just now?"
"Why don't you let me tell you that?"
Not long after Ji Heng left, a businessman questioned Cheng Zheng.
Cheng Zheng frowned slightly and sighed: "Brother Huang, although we are now leaning towards the government, officials are officials and businessmen are businessmen. The two are different. We are not qualified to make too many demands. As a human being, we must limit ourselves to doing business. It’s even more important to see the situation clearly.”
"Too aggressive will only harm you."
"You think I don't know what you were thinking at that time?"
"I want to take advantage of our status as 'officials and businessmen' and give the government a lot of benefits, so I want to use this to get the government to relax restrictions and use our private activities such as 'land sales, loan money, and population buying and selling,' etc. Once it is completely determined, it becomes reasonable and legal.”
"But this mouth cannot be opened."
"These things cannot be brought to light."
"The government has been investigating us so closely during this period. Is it true that they can't find any clues?"
"impossible."
"The government may have found out privately."
"But Mr. Zhong never mentioned it from beginning to end."
"Why?"
"It's not that I don't know, it's that I didn't mention it on purpose."
"Because the government cannot trust us, the things we do in private, under the commercial laws of Da Qin, will be the knife hanging above our heads from now on. It will always be hung high on our necks. As long as the government is slightly dissatisfied, this knife will It will fall instantly."
"This is a threat that the government deliberately grasps."
"Do you think speaking out will help? Will the government agree?"
The man's face changed slightly.
Feng Dong and others looked gloomy.
In fact, they have already tacitly understood this.
Although I was very dissatisfied, as Cheng Zheng said, the government would not trust merchants easily. Even if merchants put all their wealth on them, the government would still not believe it. Compared with trust, the Great Qin court always believed in threats. .
Even if they knew, there was nothing they could do.
At the moment, they know nothing about how the government actually acts.
Now that we don't know the situation of Cao Bingsheng and others, how can we dare to provoke the court easily?
Once Mr. Zhong is dissatisfied, Cao Bingsheng and others, who have been abandoned, will probably laugh. Besides, how will they know whether what Mr. Zhong said is true or false?
They had no choice.
Several people looked at each other, their eyes full of bitterness.
They were all silent.
Walk out of the back hall.
A gust of cool wind blew by, making people shiver.
They didn't speak and left in a hurry.
There is a sense of joy in surviving the disaster.
Feng Dong's steps were very slow, much more steady than when he came.
These few people never asked about the situation of the arrested people.
They don't really dare to ask.
He was afraid of reminding the government and allowing them to make further progress, but now that he had left the prison, Feng Dong's mind gradually became more active. He did not think that the government would go too far. Feng Zhen and others would probably be detained for a while, and they would wait until Yantie Once things are done, they will be put back.
Just this time.
They, the salt merchants and iron merchants, have completely changed.
Desolate.
Half an hour later.
Feng Dong returned to Feng's house.
The Feng family was delighted to see Feng Dong come back.
Feng Ce hurriedly came over and said excitedly: "Father, I knew that nothing would happen to you, Father."
Feng Dong looked around, squeezed out a smile on his face, and said, "I'm a little tired, so you can go your separate ways."
Finished.
He staggered towards the study.
Feng Ce followed closely behind.
After the father and son entered the study and closed the doors and windows, Feng Ce said with red eyes: "Father, you are really scaring me to death. If you don't come back, our Feng family will probably break up."
Seeing Feng Ce's sad face, Feng Dong sighed softly.
He didn't speak.
He just struggled to sit on the main seat.
The atmosphere was depressing.
After choking for a while, Feng Ce gradually regained his composure, wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, went out and poured a bowl of hot soup for Feng Dong, and then stood aside respectfully.
See this.
Feng Dongcai slowly said: "Have you compiled the list of people who have escaped during this period?"
Feng Ce's face froze, he scratched his head in embarrassment and said: "Father, my brother used to do this. I... I didn't do it, but nearly 70% to 80% of the clan members have escaped during this period. As for you, father." When we went to the government, several people from the clan fled."
Said.
Feng Ce's voice gradually became quieter.
Feng Dong's eyes flashed with a sharp look, filled with extremely dissatisfied gloom.
He took a deep look at Feng Ce. Thinking of what Feng Ce had done, his heart softened. He shook his head and said, "You will sort out the list of fugitives in the clan later. From now on, these people will no longer be mine." Feng’s clan members are not allowed to come back again.”
Hear the words.
Feng Ce's face changed slightly.
He asked in surprise: "Father, are you going to expel them from the family?"
Feng Dong snorted coldly and said disdainfully: "My Feng family was robbed this time. Not only did they not think about the trouble with the CCP, they also directly took money and fled. How can such people continue to stay?"
"I, Mrs. Feng, don't come and leave whenever I want!"
Hearing Feng Dong's words, Feng Ce's eyes moved slightly, as if he had realized something. There was a touch of joy in his eyes, and he said: "What my father means by this is that our Feng family has escaped? Will we not be targeted by the government again?"
Feng Dong nodded.
Feng Ce said excitedly: "I know that once my father takes action, I, the Feng family, will be fine. I have long been disgusted with those guys who eat in and out. In the past, if I didn't want to meet them for the sake of the stability of the clan, they would be worthy of treating me." In the clan? They usually make a mess in doing things, and they always try to fool themselves when something happens. They should have been told to get out a long time ago."
"Don't worry, father, I will take care of it."
Feng Dong nodded slightly.
He took a deep breath and continued: "During this period, please let the clan be quiet, ignore the disturbances from the outside world, and try your best to cooperate with the government. The salt stored in the clan in various places will be discovered by someone in a few days. Hand them over secretly to the government.”
"There are also salt workers and other people recruited by the clan in the past. If the government comes to recruit them, they can agree after a little refusal."
"This is the agreement we made with the government."
Hear the words.
Feng Ce's eyes were full of shock and disbelief.
His eyes were wide open, and he couldn't believe his ears. These words actually came from Feng Dong?
How can this be?
The Feng family paid too much for the salt and iron. Why did their father go to the government and just give it up?
Feng Ce said: "Father, why is this?"
"I, Mrs. Feng, have worked so hard on this plan, isn't it just because I want to take advantage of this?"
"Why do you still want to hand it over now?"
"This is table salt. If the government knows about the salt that has fallen into the water, won't our Feng family suffer?"
"Father, why are you confused?!"
He was a little anxious.
Feng Dong looked as usual and said coldly: "Do you really think the government doesn't know?"
"The government has already guessed it."
"Now the salt and iron no longer belong to us."
"Not only my Feng family, but all the salt and iron that fell into the water this time must belong to the imperial court."
"Without exception."
"Father, what happened when you went to the government this time?" Feng Ce's eyes widened, full of confusion and confusion.
Feng Dong did not explain.
He just ordered: "You don't need to know so much, the matter has been settled now."
"The done deal is done."
"You have to work harder these days among the clan."
"When this salt and iron incident is over, your brother should be back soon."
"I will explain this matter one by one when the time comes."
"Now."
"You just do it."
Finished.
Feng Dong waved his hand dejectedly, indicating that he could leave.
Feng Ce's eyes were filled with confusion.
But after hesitating for a while, he was no longer stubborn. He bowed to Feng Ce and walked out respectfully, just muttering in his mouth.
When Feng Ce walked away, Feng Dong coughed a few times.
The whole person suddenly became depressed.
He raised his eyes and looked around, only to find that the study was a little dark.
a long time.
Feng Dong sighed and said quietly: "After going round and round, I finally achieved my idea, but I, Feng, have lost too much. Is it really worth it? If I don't do this, maybe my Feng's result will be better, but then Mr. Zhong has been planning for so long, even if there is no attack this time, there will be another one."
"Think so."
"Maybe it's not so bad."
"Compared to the Cao Bing clan and other clans, I, the Feng clan, can at least be preserved."
"only."
"Under the overall control of Mr. Zhong, the government has exploited merchants like us. Not only has it taken tens of thousands of pounds of salt and iron for its own use, but it has also made a lot of money. This person is really vicious. Ah, with just a few moves, we were already in disarray."
"hehe."
"That's all."
"The matter has come to this, and there is nothing we can do about it."
"I just don't know where the money from the government can be used in the hands of this person. It's just the situation in the Qin Dynasty. How can a little money and food change it?"
"When the world changes in the future, I, Mrs. Feng, may not be able to break free."
"but"
"After I calm down, I can analyze these situations clearly, but with this person's intelligence, it may be even more so."
“I just don’t know what to do next.”
Feng Dong frowned and thought for a while, then finally shook his head.
He couldn't think of it.
He didn't bother to think too much.
He is already quite old and cannot understand these things.
The only thing he can do now is to preserve Feng's family as much as possible so that Feng's family can continue to exist.
besides.
Nothing matters anymore.
the other side.
After Ji Heng asked about the situation, he handed all the bamboo slips presented by Feng Dong and others to the clerk, and returned home gracefully.
What he had to do was done.
As for the subsequent disposal, that is what Fusu has to do.
He won't interfere.
The spring breeze is blowing, and the streets are crowded.
He didn't stop and left, leaning against the wall.
Not long after.
Fusu received the relevant bamboo slips.
Fusu looked overjoyed when he saw the address where the salt and iron was hidden above. However, he was much calmer than before and did not give orders in a hurry. After thinking for a while, he sent someone to bring Du He and Zhang Cang to the rescue. Please come, and I am thinking about the follow-up steps in my mind.
It didn't take long.
Du He and Zhang Cang arrived.
Fusu handed the bamboo slips on the case to the two of them.
He smiled and said: "Look, you two, under Mr. Zhong's careful interrogation, the salt and iron merchants have brought out all the hidden salt and iron."
(End of chapter)
