Jurong, Guo family.
The elderly Guo Xu was sitting on the north side of the lobby, leaning on a cane. The butler Guo Kun greeted the county magistrate Cui Wei and the Guo family members to take their seats. The atmosphere was depressing.
Guo Hai walked into the lobby, saluted everyone, and sat in the back.
When Guo Xu saw that someone was about to arrive, he tapped the ground with his crutch and said in an unclear voice: "I have called you here today because there are some things that need to be explained and asked clearly! Yan Qiong, please tell me."
Guo Yanqiong, the eldest son of Guo Xu, stood up, walked out, and said loudly: "In recent years, our Guo family has benefited a lot from the lime mine, accumulated a lot of wealth, and lived a good life. But some people in the family are obsessed with profit. In order to make more money, people have lost their humanity, ignored their conscience, and done outrageous things! Guo Hai, stand up!"
Guo Hai's expression changed, he walked out and looked at Guo Yanqiong and the clan leader, and said without fear: "What, are you planning to attack me and take away one of my stewards?"
Guo Hu looked at the tit-for-tat confrontation between Guo Yanqiong and Guo Hai, stood up and said, "Is there some misunderstanding? Guo Hai is the manager of the three mines. He works hard every day and never makes any mistakes."
Guo Cheng also said: "Yes, Yan Qiong, you can't be reckless."
Seeing this, other tribesmen also spoke out for Guo Hai.
Surprisingly, Guo Hai's father Guo Sui didn't say a word.
The Guo family owns nine mines in Jurong, four of which are managed by Guo Xu and Guo Yanqiong, three are managed by Guo Hai, and the remaining two are managed by other descendants of the Guo family.
Guo Hai is a person who is good at making connections and will send gifts to his door from time to time. He has a high prestige among the Guo family. If something happens to him, the interests of other people will naturally be affected.
Guo Yanqiong looked angry and shouted in a deep voice: "You don't know, right? A man died in the mine managed by Guo Hai. He didn't even give him a pension. Dozens of families were complaining in pain. Outside the family's house, I hope the imperial funeral officials can give them an explanation and let them make the decision! If you are speaking for him now, will you fight for him in the future?!"
Guo Hu, Guo Cheng and others looked at Guo Hai in disbelief.
Guo Hai frowned and said: "As long as there is an accident, I have paid out pensions. One hundred taels per household, how could it not be paid... Damn it, Guo Zhi must have embezzled it. This matter was handled by him of."
Guo Hai didn't have the slightest psychological burden to support others. Guo Zhi was his cousin. If his brother was in trouble, he wouldn't resist if he didn't.
Guo Yanqiong faced Guo Hai, who had given up his car to protect his commander, and snorted coldly: "The matter is getting big now, and you just want to settle it with just Guo Zhi? There was an accident in the mine, and you are responsible. If the compensation is not in place, you He also has responsibilities. If he can't even manage his own people, what qualifications do he have to manage three mines! Father, uncles, I suggest that Guo Hai be deprived of his position as manager, and additional personnel be arranged to take over the three mines of Dazhuo, Heishan, and Yuelin! "
Guo Hu stood up and objected: "Guo Zhi is at fault, and the blame should not be placed on Guo Hai. Besides, Guo Hai has worked hard over the years to manage the three mines, which are prospering, both in terms of output and profits. . I don’t agree with depriving him of his position because of this trivial matter.”
"Little things?"
Cui Wei, the county magistrate, was unhappy. He slapped the table and shouted: "Guo Hu, you actually said this is a trivial matter? That's thirty-two lives! Now the officials from the capital are coming to attend the funeral, including many important officials from the Ministry of Etiquette. They have reported Repay the power of the emperor! If the superiors know that such a big thing has happened to us in Jurong but fail to report it, then the county government will be in bad luck, and none of you can even think of running away!"
Cui Wei was really angry. Originally, this incident was nothing. After all, the landslide and the burying of some people were purely accidental. However, in order to ensure the supply of limestone, not to delay the production progress and avoid adverse effects, the Guo family approached the county government. , demanding that the matter be made a big deal.
The county government also knew that the supply of limestone could not be stopped. Once the incident was reported, the mine would inevitably be closed for a period of time, and it would even affect Jurong's selection as one of the top 100 counties. Seeing that the Guo family was willing to pay heavily to support the people, they nodded and suppressed the matter. Go down.
But it has only been a few months, and dozens of people have said that their men died in the Dazhuo Mine, and they also said that they did not receive any pension. Cui Wei asked the Guo family, and the Guo family confirmed that they had given them a pension. Cui Wei thought that the people were Wanting more compensation, he ignored it and drove away the troublemaking people.
But when Guo Fei'er passed away and officials from the imperial court's Ministry of Rites came to attend the funeral, a group of common people suddenly came out to make trouble and stopped the officials from crying and shouting, saying they were wronged. Officials of the Ministry of Rites will naturally not interfere with the people's livelihood in Jurong, but it is one thing not to ask, and another thing to report to the court.
Cui Wei was very anxious and angry. Once the matter got serious and spread to the capital, these dozens of lives would be enough to remove him from the official position, and he might even be thrown into prison.
It was a matter of wealth, official position and life, so Cui Wei was naturally angry.
Guo Hu was yelled at by Cui Wei, but he did not dare to object. He had to sit down and said nothing in depression.
Guo Sui put down the tea bowl and said: "In my opinion, this matter might as well be slowed down for a while. The top priority is not to remove Guo Hai from his stewardship, but to deal with the troublemakers! Regardless of whether Guo Zhi gave them or not The Guo family should pay for the compensation and stop their mouths first, so as to bring the matter under control."
"That's right."
Guo Cheng stood up to support Guo Sui.
"I object!"
Faced with everyone's worried looks, Guo Yanqiong explained the reason why Guo Hai must be removed from charge: "You also know that Guo Hai and Luo Guanhua have a feud. The people who are making trouble at the moment do not come to Guo's house, but to Luo's house. What is disturbing is Mrs. Guo's peace. If we don't hand over Guo Hai and give them an explanation, then Luo Guanhua is likely to take advantage of the situation and make the matter bigger. Not to mention handing over a Guo Hai, it means handing over our entire Guo family. It may not be able to calm things down!"
A few words shocked the whole audience.
The people of the Guo family looked around and knew that Guo Yanqiong was right. Guo Hai did have a feud with Luo Guanhua. Guo Hai was behind the fighting incident at Songshan Mine. If Luo Guanhua really took this opportunity to take revenge on the Guo family , then anyone can handle it.
When Guo Hai saw this scene, he couldn't help but sneer, and then said sharply: "I worked hard for the Guo family, running it day and night. I am responsible for much of the business in the lime mine. You are all dressed in fine clothes and filled with delicacies. It's me." Guo Hai offered it! If you want to take away my position, then go take over and try to see if you can take away the Dazhuo, Heishan, and Yuelin mines from me!"
Guo Yanqiong had a gloomy face, turned to her father Guo Xu, and shouted: "Father!"
The crutches made a thumping sound.
Guo Xu stood up tremblingly and said, "Guo Hai has done a lot over the years, but the current turmoil is also related to him. So, Guo Cheng will be in charge of the Dazhuo, Heishan, and Yuelin mines. After the storm calms down, Guo Hai will be in charge, what do you think?"
"Father!"
Guo Yanqiong was a little anxious.
Guo Cheng and Guo Sui are half-brothers, so what is the difference between him taking charge and Guo Hai taking direct charge?
Everyone stood up and agreed.
Guo Hai saluted, turned around and left the lobby. After everyone else left, Guo Yanqiong asked Guo Xu anxiously: "Why did father protect that Guo Hai? What a great opportunity it is now!"
Guo Xu shook his head and said to Guo Yanqiong: "There is someone behind Guo Hai. If the fight continues, the Guo family will be divided first. It is not appropriate to seek speed in this matter, only stability. Cui Zhixian also said that some merchants were fighting with passers-by. Zhuo Mining passed by and disappeared. He may have been abducted into the mine. Whether this is true or not, you need to arrange for people to investigate carefully. If it is true, just capture Guo Hai."
Guo Yanqiong frowned: "Since the conflict between the Songshan Mine and the Luo family, the mine has formed a mine protection team. Now that the Dazhuo Mine is under Guo Hai's control, our people want to investigate, even the mine protection team I can’t even pass the test.”
"Then please invite some uncles to go with you."
Guo Xu closed his eyes tiredly.
Guo Yanqiong nodded and said: "That matter should not be delayed. I will invite my two uncles Guo Da and Guo Nan and a few nephews to come over tonight and take a look."
Dazhuo Mine.
The sky is getting dark, and it's night in the mine.
Tie Xuan rubbed his sore shoulders, grinned, and whispered to Zhu Yunwen, who was sitting on a stone to rest beside him: "We don't have much time, let's go to Jurong."
Yang Shiqi smiled and said nothing. He looked at the black nest and black pickles in front of him without any appetite. There were two shabby quilts with a musty smell beside them.
Zhu Yunwen wiped the sweat from his forehead: "I can't bear this level of fatigue, but think about it, these people work here every day and eat meals with no nutrition at all. If you don't come here, I really didn’t know the mine was so ruthless in sucking blood.”
Tang Buping listened to the chirping of birds from time to time in the valley, with an inexplicable smile on his lips. He looked towards the valley in the distance, but a large area of darkness blocked his vision.
Not far away, a man was lying on a rocky slope, pulling on a thin and tattered quilt, and was about to sleep.
Zhu Yunwen heard the coughing sound and saw the old man with "consumption" following the sound. He couldn't help but get up and walk over. He stopped three steps away and whispered: "My father-in-law, if you can't sleep, you might as well talk to him."
The old man turned over and said to Zhu Yunwen: "Are you really not afraid of death? Everyone else stays away from me, even the patrolmen don't dare to approach easily, yet you still come here again and again?"
Zhu Yunwen sat down, looked at the quiet valley, and said, "I want to know how many craftsmen there are here and how many people were forcibly brought here. Can you tell me?"
The old man shivered, sat up, looked at the patrolman in the distance, and whispered: "Who are you?"
Zhu Yunwen looked up at the night sky. There were no stars or moon, only rich darkness: "Me? I'm from the government. Tell me what you know, or I can take you out."
"People from the county government?"
The old man looked at Zhu Yunwen, became discouraged, shook his head and said, "Forget it, the county government can't touch the Guo family yet. Do you think the county magistrate doesn't know what's going on here? They know, but no one knows and there's nothing they can do to rectify it. Even the capital came here. Officials, even here, can’t control the Guo family’s mine.”
"Why?"
Zhu Yunwen asked.
The old man coughed twice and continued: "Because there is money from Concubine Shu in this mine. If you touch this mine, you will offend Concubine Shu. If you touch Concubine Shu, you will offend the emperor. In the end, the Guo family It's a vicious dog raised by the emperor. If the dog bites someone, can you still go to the emperor to settle the score? Haha, last year there was a fight in Songshan, more than 500 people, dozens of people died, and not a single person from the court came. I heard that the emperor Shi knew about this, but turned around and ran away. I advise you to get out as soon as possible and don't get stuck here."
Zhu Yun narrowed his eyes and asked quickly: "Songshan fight? More than five hundred people, dozens of people died?"
"You don't know?"
The old man looked at Zhu Yunwen suspiciously.
Zhu Yunwen shook his head and said: "To tell you the truth, I rarely go out of the capital and don't know much about local affairs. What's going on with this Songshan fight? Are there really more than five hundred people?"
Look at Daming: I was reborn as Zhu Yunwen and remember the domain name: \w\w\w\.\8\2\z\w\.\c\o\m\
