"Master Prefect, what do you want from us?"
"Master Magistrate, just tell me what you want. Silver, farmland, antiques, calligraphy, paintings, jade, beauties, etc. You name the number and we will definitely give it to you!"
"Prefect Zhou, as long as you let us people go, we will only obey you from now on!"
"Sir, we were wrong this time. We accept the punishment. We can do anything you need us to do!"
"Master Zhou, let's make a deal. Although we don't have official positions, we still need money and connections, and many of our descendants are officials.
As long as you show your noble hand, we promise to put it into operation. You will become the third minister of a certain province within one year, the governor within three years, the six ministers within five years, and even join the cabinet. What do you think? "
…
"No!"
Zhou Tingru glanced at everyone and said disdainfully: "You are so awesome, why do you come to me? Just go to your connections to handle this matter!"
You can't even handle this matter, and you still want me to join the cabinet. Do you think I'm mentally ill? "
call……
call……
The faces of the wealthy businessmen turned red and their breathing became rapid.
"Master Zhou, you forced us so hard and drove us to death, did you ever think that we would fight to the death with the government?
Our family is ruined, Suzhou Prefecture and Jiangnan are also in complete chaos, and the government is also in dire straits. Without the taxes from Jiangnan, what will the court do? "
"I remember that your name is Dai Zongming, right? Your family is in the dried fruit preserves business?"
Without waiting for Dai Zongming's response, Zhou Tingru said calmly: "It's true that this is a tax-heavy land, but the imperial court has confiscated the clan, do you think you lack such a small amount of money from Jiangnan?
As for chaos? You guys overestimate yourselves too much. As long as the imperial court issues an edict to encourage merchants from other provinces to come and do business, do you think they will let Suzhou go?
The fish is dead and the net is broken? Haha... You are the only shameless people who want to put money on your face. I can tell you that the fish is definitely dead, but the net will never be broken. "
At this point, Zhou Tingru changed the subject and shouted: "Come here, take Dai Zongming to prison, ask Yanshan Guards to send troops, arrest all the Dai family's children who have violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty, and execute them at Caishikou tomorrow at midnight!"
Anyone who stops him on the way will be treated as an accomplice; anyone who resists or escapes will be killed on the spot! "
"yes!"
After a sonorous and powerful response, four guards rushed into the lobby and directly blocked the still dazed Dai Zongming, and then dragged him down like a dead dog.
After a few breaths, a burst of rapid, neat and powerful footwork sounded, and the sound of the footwork was like a series of urging drums beating in the hearts of everyone.
"Do you still have the same idea? You can put it forward!"
Facing Zhou Tingru's decisive attack, the faces of the wealthy businessmen turned gloomy. This was a complete loss of face, and there was no room for change.
After a while, Ye Longxi's deep voice sounded: "Master Zhou, what exactly do you want us to do so that you can let us go?"
"Simple, confess your crimes of collusion with Suzhou Prefecture and Jiangnan officials, produce evidence, and testify at the public trial, and I will let you children go!"
"What?"
"impossible?"
"Absolutely impossible!"
"Master Zhou, you are forcing yourself to do something difficult!"
…
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then screamed in surprise, with anger on their faces.
They were able to spread business all over the land south of the Yangtze River, and they were not fools. They immediately understood the ruthlessness and consequences of Zhou Tingru's move.
"For the crimes committed by your disciples, the lightest ones will be punished with thirty canes, and the more serious crimes will be punished by the queen.
After the Ming Dynasty Law punishment is completed, the government will report to Your Majesty that the children of the offended family will never participate in the imperial examination, enlistment, and other matters controlled by the court. The children who have already entered the official position will be re-examined and dismissed;
Guess, after seeing the evidence of the crimes of the officials in the south of the Yangtze River and the fact that you were the ones fanning the flames behind the scenes, will His Majesty slaughter your three tribes in a rage? "
"If you still don't agree before noon tomorrow, then don't force me to go on a killing spree. You can do it on your own!"
"Come here, see the guests off!"
After Zhou Tingru finished speaking, he turned and walked outside, muttering in a low voice: "I have to talk to Qianhu in the Warrior Camp. We don't have enough manpower for the execution tomorrow. Hey, it's difficult for me..."
The speaker does not mean it, but the listener does it intentionally, not to mention that it is intentional on the part of the speaker.
Who are the Warriors Camp? That was the most elite and most elite team in the Ming Dynasty. Which sergeant didn't have more than a dozen lives on his hands?
If they were to execute the execution, let alone thirty or fifty military sticks, if they were beaten with three sticks, they would be dead or disabled, and if they were hit with ten sticks, their chances of survival would be less than 10%.
Threat, naked threat!
But these wealthy businessmen and gentry had no idea.
All of them are all-powerful in the shopping mall, spending tens of thousands of taels of silver in and out while talking and laughing, but now they are powerless.
"Hey, now I fully understand that no conspiracy, no clever plan, can compare to absolute power! With military power in hand, I have the world!"
"What time has it been and you are still talking nonsense here? Tell me what to do!"
"No more playing, life is still important!"
"Lao Jiang, what do you mean? Are you going to surrender completely? Betray us?"
"Fuck your betrayal. Two of my three sons will be punished with fifty rods. Do you want me to send my white-haired man to the black-haired man?
Your grandson raped a common woman in June of the seventh year of the Apocalypse and caused her death by jumping into a river. What crime was your grandson’s crime? Don’t you have any idea?
Is it difficult to choose between killing others or yourself?
You can choose whatever you like, I won’t play any more! "
"Either you watch the family disciples being beaten to death tomorrow, and then having their flesh cut to death with Zhou Tingru's blunt knife in the days to come, or you can be obedient and live with your tail between your legs in the future. Is there a third way?"
"There's not much difference between one of us surrendering and all of us surrendering. Jin Yiwei can follow the clues, it's just a matter of time. Is there any point in carrying it to death?"
"Zhong Zigui has been arrested, and several others have been dismissed. Do you really think that Jin Yiwei can't find evidence of other officials' crimes?
Governor Zhou did this just because he thought we were still useful. He didn't want Jiangnan to be completely in chaos, but he was definitely not afraid of chaos in Jiangnan! "
"They took so much money from us and paid for it like a master for so long, but we didn't even ask them to do anything for us. Since something happened now, they should die for us!"
"Let's go back and prepare the evidence. Let me remind you that you either don't do it or once you do it, you must do it thoroughly and kill those officials completely, otherwise we will be sad in the future."
"Okay, then at early noon tomorrow, we will come to the government office to collect the evidence. Remember, we must not reveal the information!"
…
After everyone finished their discussion in the government office lobby, they pretended to be nonchalant and left the government office.
