The lack of salt and iron spread in the city.

And the families of the major merchants are as quiet as death.

The two are like two worlds.

Days on end.

The government has been making moves.

Nearly seven or eight people from each of the merchants' families were taken away.

The news gradually spread in the city.

It's just that there is a relative lack of salt and iron, and there are not many people who care.

The Fung family's home.

Feng Dong sat alone in the courtyard.

In the past few days, he has re-examined what he has done, and gradually realized some truths.

I'm a little too greedy.

If you are not greedy, you may not suffer this calamity at all.

But he thought and thought, and finally shook his head.

Wealth touches people's hearts.

He is a businessman, and it is only natural for a businessman to pursue profit.

What's really wrong with him?

If you really talk about your own mistakes, it's just that you have gained too much in the past, and you were robbed by the government again, and your mentality is directly unbalanced, and finally evil is born to the side of the guts, and the idea of calculating the government is born.

But they are businessmen.

How can a merchant compete with the government?

It's just that the smooth sailing of the past made them lose themselves, and they gradually couldn't see their identities clearly.

The final step is wrong.

ended up betraying his relatives.

Feng Dong sighed, looked at the tender green branches, and couldn't help but shake his head.

He said in a low voice: "The government is afraid that some situations have been found out now, but I am afraid that in a few days, we will be questioned, my Feng family has been floating for so many years, and I have also gone through a lot of ups and downs, but in the end they have all passed safely, and I have always stood tenaciously in the world, and I am even more proud of this in the past." ”

"But in the end, the Feng family will be destroyed by my hands."

"What an irony!"

Feng Dong sneered, his eyes even more lonely

Then.

Footsteps could be heard outside.

Feng Zhen walked in briskly, with obvious anger on his face.

Feng Dong said: "What happened in the clan again? ”

Feng Zhen's face was gloomy, suppressing the anger in his heart, and said: "Father, since yesterday, rumors have been rampant in the clan, and last night many clansmen fled, and the rumors in the clan today are even worse, some people say that my Feng family has offended the eldest son, and the eldest son wants to exterminate the Feng family." ”

"There are also a lot of rumors pointing directly at you, father."

"What a pack of white-eyed wolves."

"In vain, my father treats them so favorably on weekdays, but when something happens, he falls into the well, and even pushes all the problems on my father, which really annoys me."

Feng Dong frowned.

In the end, he chuckled lightly and said, "It doesn't matter if you leave, it can be regarded as leaving incense for the Feng family." ”

"Father." Feng Zhen was a little anxious.

Feng Dong raised his hand and said: "You have seen the situation in the clan in the past few days, not only people are panicking, but with Feng Wen, Feng Wu and others being taken away by the government, they have not returned for several days, plus news from other families from time to time, Huaixian has also raised eyebrows when they hear about it, and it is understandable that they are panicking." ”

"There are more and more signs that the wreck in Huaixian County is related to us."

"How can they not be afraid?"

"But that's not a reason to be ungrateful." Feng Zhen still looked angry.

"So what can you expect them to do?" Feng Dong asked rhetorically: "Expect the government to show mercy?" Or do you expect them to change the government's mind? No, fleeing is the best outcome, and isn't the government without obstruction? ”

"This is enough to prove that the government acquiesces in this."

Feng Zhen's eyes were gloomy and said: "The government may not have good intentions, I'm afraid it just wants to take the opportunity to ask about the whereabouts of those 'salt and iron'." ”

"Even so, what can I do about it?" Feng Dong said angrily: "Even if all this is done by the government, but the situation in the clan is like this, who can blame it?" ”

"Now the situation is becoming clearer."

"The government has arrested too many people, and the more people there are, the easier it is for things to be exposed."

"I can't hide it anymore."

"The government has calculated us to death this time."

"Don't give it a chance at all."

Feng Zhen said coldly: "Father, after all, we still have salt and iron in our hands, if the government really kills everything, we may not be able to break the net with the government, and the lack of salt and iron in the city has long been spread to everyone, we can pour another handful of oil on it." ”

"I'm not having a good time with the Feng family, and the government can't think about it!"

Feng Dong thought for a moment.

Finally, he shook his head and said, "It's useless." ”

"Although I don't know the specific intentions of the government, the government has not paid attention to salt and iron from beginning to end in the past few days, and has allowed the situation to expand, I am afraid that it has already made a perfect plan, and now unless it is to instigate the head of Qiantou to rebel, I am afraid it will be difficult to shake the government in the slightest."

"The government is here prepared this time."

"Even."

"I feel like it's a game from start to finish."

"A game of calculations!"

"It's just that we ended up falling in out of greed."

"Now that the general trend is gone, there is no need to waste any more effort, and there is no need to toss anymore."

"It doesn't make much sense."

"Now the only thing we can do is wait."

"Wait for the government to find out about this matter, and then punish us and others."

"Father, can we just wait for death now?" Feng Zhen's face was unwilling, gritted his teeth and said: "There is definitely not so much salt and iron on the official side, as long as we are desperate and conspire with other salt merchants and iron merchants, it may not be able to cause greater disasters, and the government will probably be exhausted at that time." ”

Feng Dong was silent.

He looked at Feng Zhen deeply and sighed lightly: "Eli intersects, and when the profit is exhausted, it is scattered; Intersect with potential, and tilt when you go; The right intersects, and the right is lost; Fellowship with love, and sadness when love dies. ”

"The fellowship of Eli among the merchants."

"Now the benefits are gone."

"It's almost impossible to screw them together."

"When I was in the Inner History Mansion that day, everyone already had a lot of complaints, and if they were asked to fight for their lives, no one would agree, but I was afraid that before we finally made a move, we would be accused of the government."

"They don't have a way to live now." Feng Zhen said without giving up.

"Yes." Feng Dong shook his head and said: "This is the subtlety of the layout, everywhere we and other businessmen are forced to a dead end, but they have been given a way out behind their backs, last time it was like this, this time it is the same, the last time the retreat is the money and grain accumulated by each family in the past, this time it is 'killing relatives'." ”

"As long as you are ruthless, there will always be a way out."

"In the case of a way out, especially in the face of such a high-pressure government, few people will really fight for their lives and make trouble."

"Stop thinking about it."

"It can't be done."

Feng Zhen clenched his fists, and his face was extremely ugly.

I was even more aggrieved in my heart.

He felt uncomfortable at not knowing where to go.

Feng Dong saw a lot.

He spoke: "I've worked hard for you these past few days. ”

"Let's go down and get some rest."

"Those in the clan who want to run and want to run away let them go."

"Fewer people is quiet."

Feng Zhen's face changed, and he sighed gloomily.

Three days later.

At noon, the weather is clear.

Originally, there were hundreds of clansmen, but now there are less than 100 people in the house.

Nuoda's house suddenly became empty.

Then.

Footsteps rang out outside.

In the uneasy screams of the subordinates, several officials wearing hedgehog crowns stepped into the Feng family's house.

Everyone in the Feng family hurriedly came to greet them.

The official led by him glanced at the withered Feng family, with a touch of indifference and disdain in his eyes, and said coldly: "On the order of the eldest son, I have come to invite Feng Dong's old parents and Feng Zhen's parents to go to Xianyang Prison to accept the government's trial of the Huaixian shipwreck case. ”

After speaking.

Several people turned sideways to get out of the way.

Feng Dong and Feng Zhen glanced at each other, with a look of solemnity in their eyes.

There is also a bit of relief.

These days have been a bit hard for them.

The two of them bowed their hands to the official and walked out of the house, but after walking out of the house, they couldn't help but look back at the house, as if they were saying their last goodbye, and then reluctantly walked forward.

It didn't take long.

The two were taken to Xianyang Prison.

In front of the lobby of the prison office, a bronze mirror is placed.

The mirror surface is not so smooth, only slightly reflecting the human face.

Feng Dong stood in front of the bronze mirror and looked at himself in the mirror, it was only ten days, and he had lost his previous spirit, and he suddenly seemed to be several years old.

"The mirror shines on the body, and the evil is revealed."

Surrounded by jailers, a sentence was read aloud.

After a brief body search, the two were taken to the prison office.

The two of them entered it.

Other businessmen were already present in the hall.

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes full of worry.

After the five iron merchants and six salt merchants were present, the prison chief outside the hall shouted: "The eldest son is here -——."

When everyone actually bowed down to salute, Fu Suxin stepped into the lobby, and Tingwei Meng Yi, Shaofu Duhe, and Yushi Zhang Cang followed into the hall.

However, to everyone's surprise, Fusu did not sit in the main seat, but sat in the second seat.

This scene.

Not only the businessmen were surprised.

Even Meng Yiduhe, who followed the appearance, was shocked.

Fu Su looked at the uneasy expressions around him, chuckled, and said lightly: "I am indeed responsible for the shipwreck in Huaixian, but this interrogation is not dominated by me, but by someone else." ”

"This person is far more suitable than me."

Hear the words.

Feng Dong and Feng Zhen glanced at each other, and there was a hint of clarity in their eyes.

They had already guessed who it was.

But then there was a gloom in his eyes.

If it is the eldest son's interrogation, they may still be able to defend themselves, but if 'Mr. Zhong' makes a move, they are afraid that other people's ideas will be in vain.

This man is very thoughtful.

It's not something they can calculate at all.

Come to think of this.

Feng Dong's expression became extremely vigilant and dignified.

He must be in good spirits, or he will be counted to death.

Then.

Footsteps rang out again outside the lobby.

A man in a gray shirt and robe walked into the lobby.

He wears a wooden mask on his face.

Seeing this familiar outfit, Feng Dong was the first to salute and said, "The old man has seen Mr. Zhong." ”

Ji Heng looked at it lightly and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Old Parent Feng, I never thought that we would meet again this time, it was cold in February, so let's prepare a deputy straw mat for several old parents." ”

After speaking.

Ji Heng sat straight on the main seat.

Fusu showed a look of doubt in his eyes, hesitated for a moment, waved his hand outward, and signaled to do what Ji Heng said.

It didn't take long.

The straw mat was brought in.

Ji Heng glanced at it and said directly: "Parents, this time I called you here to try the case of the shipwreck in Huai County. ”

"Are you guilty of this important case?"

(End of chapter)