The news quickly spread back to Hanshan Temple, and everyone was dumbfounded, and said one after another: "Why is this silence so unruly? ”

"Hehe," Lu Ding said with a smile: "See the situation clearly, everyone, if you continue to be so arrogant, those tickets will really become waste paper." ”

This is something they can't afford no matter what, once tens of millions of taels of silver are lost, how can they survive? How to start the factory? How do you pay back people's money? What's even more terrifying is that once the port is opened, those powerful merchant gangs will pour in, and if they are unable to resist, they will definitely be replaced.

Just like Yangzhou City, although it is known as the rich in the world, there is no local salt merchant, and all of them are surrounded by Shanxi people...... Of course, with Hu Zongxian's relationship, Huizhou merchants also began to enter Yangzhou and steal some business, but in any case, there was no local business.

Thinking that Suzhou City would be like this in the future, these big families were sweating like pulp, like sitting on pins and needles, and they couldn't care about any dignity anymore, so they got up and said, "I have to go to him quickly." ”

"Wait! Lu Ding, who originally proposed to go, stopped him loudly: "How to make concessions when the time comes, what can't be compromised, you have to come up with a charter now, otherwise how can you talk about it then?" It's definitely going to be a loss. ”

"That makes sense." Everyone said.

"Are you happy in the temple?" When they returned to Suzhou City and asked to see them, the first thing they said was this.

The gentlemen were not embarrassed, and they were speechless, but Lu Ding said: "If you go back to your lordship, we are all Suzhou people who were born and grew up in Si, and we are willing to open the port of this city in our hearts." Saying that, he sighed and said: "But the nine families are too heavy, and they threaten us, if we don't cooperate, they will attract the Japanese Xu Hai and ruin my hometown fathers." ”

"Xu Hai?" Shen Mo frowned slightly.

"Yes, Xu Hai," Lu Ding nodded, "They said that Xu Hai has a connection with them, and as long as he pays a large sum of money, he can be bought here...... Moreover, Xu Hai has long coveted the rich Suzhou, and he will definitely not refuse this proposal. ”

"To make us believe, he revealed to us that Xu Hai would attack the Tongxiang area in Zhejiang Province at the end of March." The prince answered: "The time and place are not bad at all, so we can't believe it." ”

"And with the cooperation of the nine of them," Peng Xi also answered: "The Japanese invaders know our forces well and well, so they can naturally avoid the real and advance and retreat freely, if the two sides really collude and attack our Suzhou, it is completely possible." ”

Pan Tuo concluded: "We are the noble family of Suzhou City, and we have to think about the fathers and elders of the city, but we can't let tens of thousands of murderous pirates fight over, so we ......" said a little embarrassed: "We compromised." ”

"But I couldn't bear to go against the adults, so I hid outside and let them toss." The four of them finally said together: "This matter is our mistake, but please read it for the sake of our father, and if you can forgive us." ”

"It's a good one to avoid the truth." Shen Mo smiled and said: "It seems that you are heroes who endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens, not only should this official not be blamed, but also one person has to award you a big red flower." ”

"Your Excellency......" everyone said: "We have no merits, but the circumstances are excusable, and our feelings are pitiful, and I ask for your forgiveness." ”

"Forgiveness?" Shen Mo got up and said with a smile: "I haven't said how to atone for my sins, so I will ask for forgiveness first, and you can tell it yourself, is this an attitude of confession?" After speaking, he dropped a sentence and said: "Think about it, if you can't figure it out, you won't send it." Then he brushed his sleeves and left, leaving only a room of people looking at each other.

"It seems that our bottom line is not someone else's." After Shen Mo left, several people muttered quietly. It turned out that before they came, they discussed, and before the specific negotiations, they had to let Shen Mo agree not to pursue the matter of the past few months, but now it seems that it is obviously wishful thinking.

"What now?" Everyone looked at Lu Ding, although they were very unhappy with his surname, but after all, they were used to him taking the idea.

"In this case, we plead guilty and let him be punished!" After all, Lu Ding is old and sophisticated, thought for a moment, and said firmly: "Kick the ball back to him, can he really kill us?" "This is self-confidence and not arrogance, because these big families dominate all aspects of Suzhou City, in a sense, they are Suzhou City, and Suzhou City is them.

Therefore, they believe that silence, the Suzhou Governor, can only protect them, and cannot fight them, which is the legendary 'great power scoundrel spirit'.

But they underestimated the determination of Shen Mo too much, and they would never give up if they were not put on an eighteen-like appearance this time.

When they talked badly, invited him again, and showed him with a 'sincere' attitude that they were willing to accept any punishment, Shen Mo's expression was still unkind: "The Great Ming Law contains a clear text, those who bully the market and hoard strange people should be roded for 100 years, travel 3,000 miles, and confiscate all their property, are you willing to accept it?" ”

How could everyone nod their heads, and they all smiled bitterly: "My lord, please spare your life." Naturally, they could hear that Shen Mo was talking angrily.

Shen Mo sneered: "If you don't have the courage to bear the guilt, don't talk too much." ”

The crowd laughed and couldn't speak.

"Someone must bear the responsibility for this crime." Silent and said in a deep voice: "This matter is known to the government and the opposition, Your Majesty and the cabinet are waiting for me to reply......" said and looked at the people: "I am also waiting for you to reply, how should this recital be played?" Guys have an idea. ”

"Your Excellency," the prince said, "It's just a matter ......of rising prices and merchants, and the lords of the court won't care about it." After all, he came out of the court, and he understood that the self-regarded high-ranking doctor looked down on business, and he would not make a big deal out of this kind of subordinate-riba thing.

"Hehe," Shen Mo smiled faintly, "What if it's collusion with the Japanese Kou?" ”

"Ah......" Everyone changed their faces and said, "My lord, we have never had anything to do with the Japanese Invaders, even the slightest bit of involvement, and the ones who have a connection with the Japanese Invaders are the nine families!" ”

"You can defend yourself with the Three Law Divisions," said silently: "Hu Butang has linked this attack on Zhejiang with the food crisis in Suzhou, calling it 'two battlefields, two ways, but the purpose is the same, both are to disrupt the imperial court and open the port to maintain the interests of certain groups'." ”

The gentlemen, who had been barely maintaining their demeanor, finally panicked at this time, stood up, bowed down, and said with an embarrassed face: "My lord, you can't force us to a dead end!" ”

"Have you ever thought about giving this official a way to live?" With a gloomy face, he said-for-tat: "I visited door to door, and I ask you to focus on the overall situation and reach out to help, what about you?" But he hid and didn't see me, and he also connived at his pawnshop and ticket number to raise prices and create trouble......"

"We didn't raise ......," the crowd said aggrievedly.

"No fart!" Shen Mo slapped the table and said, "If it weren't for the fact that you guys were crazy about buying food stamps; On the one hand, the people are also rushing to buy it, how can prices rise endlessly? ! ”

Everyone was speechless...... "Wake up, arrogant fellow." Shen Mo said jokingly: "You have been given up by the Nine Masters and become the scapegoat to calm the anger of the imperial court, but you still think that you are overbearing, and no one dares to move, right?" ”

"You've all seen geckos with broken tails, right? It may seem that their tails and bodies are one and the same, but when they are in danger, they will shake off their tails, use their little bouncing creatures to attract the attention of their enemies, and then flee on their own. As he spoke, he pointed to the crowd and said, "You are the poor little tail." ”

And all the people were as pale as the earth, and sweat was like pulp.

For a long time, they sat in the well and watched the sky, claiming the king and hegemony on the three-acre land in Suzhou, and felt that they were very powerful, even if the nine families had to sell some face, so they had never looked at Shen Mo, the five products of the same knowledge, even if he was the champion.

But now a word woke up the dreamers, and they finally found that they had been used by the Nine Masters all along, and now they had been abandoned by others, but they were still as vivid as a gecko's tail, arrogant and domineering, pitiful and pathetic!

When they came back to their senses, Shen Mo had already left again, looking at the empty seats, everyone panicked, and hurried to the backyard to find him, as if Shen Mo had become their soothing incense and life-saving grass.

But he was blocked by the light: "Everyone, my lord said, you are in a stirring mood now, and it is irrational to do anything or anything, so let's go back and calm down first, and then come to see you." ”

After saying that, the officials closed the door of the backyard.

Looking at the slowly closing door, the hearts of all the gentlemen also sank, and when it was completely closed, they were also gone, and they looked at each other, and they all saw fear and despair on each other's faces.

"Everyone, let's go back and sum it up......" Lu Ding said loudly.

Everyone looked at him very unfriendly, and Lu Dingqi said, "What are you looking at me for?" ”

Pan Tuo sneered: "Don't pretend, you traitor!" ”

Peng Xi also stood up and said: "That is, the surname Lu was originally a nest of snakes and rats, and you are clearly in league with them!" All along, you have been helping them speak, obviously giving us ideas, but in fact you don't want us to reconcile with the government, so that Suzhou will not be able to get peace and open a port! ”

"That's, that's it, you traitor!" Everyone also surrounded Lu Ding, and accused one after another: "Keep saying that it is good for us, but in fact, you just want to lead us to death!" ”

"Nonsense!" Lu Ding shouted loudly at the younger brothers in the past, just like he used to do, in his opinion, today is no different: "I have always considered for everyone, when to turn my elbow out!" ”

But the more everyone scolded, the more angry they became, and even the grievances and fears that had come to them seemed to have found an outlet, and they rushed out all at once, out of control. However, Lu Dingping was used to being the master, and he couldn't stand the slightest grievance, so he was furious, and said loudly: "I don't care if you die!" So saying, he set aside the crowd and went out.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Kill you scum!" Before he could react, his hair had been grabbed so hard that he was being dragged by someone.

It was Pan Yu who did it, this person was short-tempered, seeing that he didn't admit it and dared to be so arrogant, he couldn't help but be angry and angry from his heart, rushed forward, grabbed Lu Ding's hair, and slapped him with a big slap on his head and face. Anger overwhelmed Pan Tuo's mind, and he unfolded his eighty-eight road king's eight fists, and the big fists fell on every part of Lu Ding's body like raindrops. While beating, he scolded and scolded: "Call you old boy arrogant!" ”

The people on the side were also stunned, everyone is a decent person, not to mention fighting when they are so big, even if they scold people, they have never been stunned for a while, and they don't know what to do.

Besides, Lu Ding was stunned at first, but after all, Pan Tuo was pampered, and he was in his sixties, and he was weak and weak, so he was beaten, which made Lu Ding come to his senses. Holding his body to death, I felt as if I was being beaten on my back. The anger in Lu Ding's heart had already drowned out his reason, and he actually opened his big mouth and bit Pan Tuo's ear, accompanied by a miserable scream, and the blood did not stop flowing!

Wang Baquan bites the birds! The people inside and outside the door were completely stunned.

At this time, Peng Xi quit, he had the best relationship with Pan Tuo, and when he saw that his old brother was bleeding, he said angrily: "You old Wang Ba, dare to bite!" Then he rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward to help beat Lu Ding.

But the prince had a good relationship with Lu Ding, so naturally it was not good not to interfere, so he blocked Peng Xi and said: "What are you mixing ...... blindly" Before the words fell, he was slapped by Peng Xi's big slap, and he was also anxious, and he also launched the village woman's fist and fought with Peng Xi.

It was only then that everyone came back to their senses from the shock and said to themselves, what is this for? Can it be more humiliating? He hurriedly stepped forward and pulled the two pairs and four people apart to prevent them from fighting any longer.

Pan Tuo covered half of his bitten ear, and said completely crazy: "You let go of me, I won't squeeze out the egg yolk of the old thing today, I am raised by him!" ”

Lu Ding wiped his mouth full of blood, his eyes were red and said, "If you were raised by me, I should have strangled you to death when I was born!" ”

What's the difference between this and a vixen? Seeing that they had completely lost their minds, everyone hurriedly pulled Pan Tuo to go first, except for Wang Zirang, but no one cared about Lu Ding anymore.

As soon as the people walked away, the scene was quiet, Lu Ding also calmed down, recalled the scene just now, was ashamed to death, hid his face and said: "This life is over!" Then he bowed deeply to the prince, and Xiao Suo left like a fallen leaf.

There was only one prince left in the field, he looked back at the dark gate, although he couldn't see the people inside, he could clearly feel the endless ridicule, shook his head in frustration, and left in the footsteps of Lu Ding...... After watching this scene from the crack in the door, Gui Youguang couldn't help but sigh, and said secretly: "What a powerful group of people, just because of a wrong step, they fell into such a field, it's really terrible. ’

Back in the signing room, he reported the scene he saw to the adults, his silent expression was still the same, and he said lightly: "Does Zhenchuan Gong feel that I forced them too hard?" ”

"I can't hide it from my lord." Gui Youguang's fear of silence has been deeply rooted in his bones, so he simply said something and didn't hide anything from him: "I'm worried about it, even if they give in, they will have heart disease." ”

"I didn't intend to convince them." Shen Shen said in a deep voice: "In the past hundred years, the preferential treatment of the scholars has been too much, making them selfish and stupid, only thinking that they deserve glory and wealth, but they never want to do a little obligation for Da Ming and take any responsibility!" Daming fell into such a field, they are mainly responsible! Saying that, he clenched his fists tightly and said: "Such a stupid thing, leading and not going backwards, kicking his nose in the face with good words, I have to teach them a lesson, only to know that the upper and lower are inferior!" ”

Gui Youguang also became serious, he was used to seeing the faces of those officials in his life, and he couldn't understand why he was arrogant and greedy when he was an official, and he didn't want to repay the service, but became a silverfish of the country? Thinking of this, he asked the question he was struggling with: "Why is this happening?" ”

"It's the imperial examination that harms people!" Silent and said in a deep voice: "For ordinary people, it takes three generations of accumulation, and the wind and rain are smooth, and only in the fourth generation can one person not do anything to produce and specialize in studying; Even if it is a wealthy family, it has to spend a lot of money to hire a famous teacher, and the scholar himself has to be cold for decades, abandon his dignity, and go through hardships to get a black gauze hat from the layers of 'grinding into a ghost' exam. I only think that fame is cultivated by the family and earned by hard work, how do you feel about the meaning of the imperial court? No matter how much glory and wealth, high-ranking officials and nobles, what they are grateful for is nothing more than their families and themselves. He said with a sneer: "It can be seen that employing people like this does not show the court's kindness to the scholars, but the court obliges them to repay the service, and expects them to think about the people, isn't it a fool's dream?"

"So what to do?" Gui Youguang asked with a heavy face.

"Give them a basin of cold water and sober them up!" Shen Mo smiled bitterly: "At present, I can only do this. "If you are not in your position, you will not be in power, this is his commandment.

(To be continued)