East of Fengcheng.

On Bailing Lake.

It's nightfall.

But the lake is brightly lit.

There are three building boats in the lake, moving in parallel.

The people on the boat were talking and laughing happily, and they were staggered.

"Tonight, Lord Zhao, it's really magnanimous, now Fengcheng has a head and a face, and they are all coming soon, I don't know what's going on?"

"I don't know what?

"Brother Li knows, what's the matter?"

"Today, the government ordered that illegal items and tax evasion be strictly investigated. ”

"I've heard of that. ”

"But in the sixteen mansions of Huai'an, only one Zhuang firm has been investigated. ”

"What?"

"Either Zhuang's firm has prohibited things or tax evasion, and the evidence is conclusive, this time it will be planted. Or, the thirteenth gentleman of Zhuang's firm has offended the newly appointed prince, and now that the new official has taken office three times, the prince wants to destroy him. ”

"This ......" The man from before couldn't help but be a little stunned.

"Either way, anyway...... This Mr. Thirteen, I'm afraid he won't be able to turn over. The person who spoke couldn't help but have some schadenfreude, and said: "No matter how huge the Zhuang family is, how can a mere businessman be able to compete with the power of the official family?"

"Speaking of which, when the prince came to Fengcheng before, there was no banquet that night, so it seems that tonight's night banquet on the boat seems to have been made up by Lord Zhao?"

"So, I don't know if he dares to come to the banquet for the prince?"

"Wait, that little boat, the young man on it, is that Mr. Thirteen?"

"It seems to be him. The man who spoke had a complicated expression and muttered, "He really came." ”

——

Zhuang Ming came a little later and did not board the boat on the shore, so he had to go through a small boat to board the boat.

Qianyang and Yin Ming respectively supported him, got on the boat, and put the wooden wheelchair on.

Bai Lao followed behind.

The people on the building boat, including the people from the two buildings around it, all cast their eyes.

Today, the government took action, under the order of the prince, against the Zhuang firm, seized the Zhuang's 16 mansions in nearly 100 cities, hundreds of shops and warehouses belonging to the Zhuang firm, Fengcheng alone, six were sealed.

Zhuang Ming sat in a wheelchair, his eyes sweeping.

Someone avoided his gaze.

Someone met his gaze.

Someone nodded slightly.

Someone smiled mockingly.

"It's only the first day. ”

Zhuang Ming laughed and shook his head.

Not only Fengcheng, but also the entire Huai'an, hundreds of cities in the sixteen mansions, presumably all the characters think that the Zhuang family will collapse, and he Zhuang Ming will not escape this catastrophe.

At this moment, among the people around, some people have sympathy and pity on their faces, and some people have a look of concern.

It is difficult to say whether the pity and concern they showed was true or not, but at least at this moment, they still showed some kindness in front of him.

But there are still some people, because of disputes over interests, or because of earlier bad relations, but they do not hide their gloating faces at all.

In the past, even if these people were dissatisfied, they didn't dare to show it, and even greeted each other with a smile and sought opportunities for cooperation, but at this time, they decided that Zhuang's firm could not escape this catastrophe, so they didn't bother to cover it up.

After today, the merchants who originally cooperated with Zhuang's Commercial Bank may not cooperate again.

It's not going to fall into the ground, but it's sure to wait and see.

This is the trend of the times.

——

Those who come here can be regarded as characters with heads and faces in Fengcheng.

Tonight's banquet was attended by both literati and scholars, as well as local gentry, so they were divided into three building ships and divided into three ships.

When it comes to financial resources, Zhuang Ming may have the most, but when it comes to status, it is not too high.

Therefore, his seat is not at the forefront.

"Childe, here. ”

Zhuang Ming sat down upright.

Many eyes around looked at it.

Today's government seizure of Zhuang's firm is really not small.

There was a lot of discussion around the area.

And Zhuang Ming looked as usual, and just asked, "When will the prince arrive?"

Someone next to him responded: "The prince is talking about new words and poems with the local Confucians, as well as those famous talents. ”

——

Another building ship.

The atmosphere was a little calmer.

They are all literati and scholars here, and their words and tone are all gentle.

The one who was talking to Chen Wangye ahead was a local Confucian.

And most of the people at the front of the seats are talented people who have gained fame.

As for the rear, there are some ordinary scholars, although they have no merit and fame, but most of them have some works and reputations, so they are invited, many of them are from poor families, which also highlights the good name of the prince's banquet guests, "do not ask about the background, only ask about the learning".

At this time, he is ready to use his pen and ink to improvise a poem, and then let these literati and scholars show their talents and promote their fame.

But at this time, someone came in a hurry, and the prince whispered in his ear.

"Oh?"

Prince Chen raised his head, showed an apologetic look, retracted it again, and said with a smile: "This poem of this king, I will wait until I come back and write it again, you must not lose your interest, come back later, this king will appreciate the poems one by one." ”

Everyone looked at each other, but they didn't expect to talk about the prince who was happy, but he seemed to have encountered something urgent and wanted to leave in a hurry.

The old man stroked his beard and asked, "Since the prince has something, he will do it first, and it doesn't matter if I wait." ”

When everyone heard this, they echoed it.

Chen Wang Ye said: "It's not urgent, but on the boat, Mr. Thirteen of Zhuang's firm has arrived, and today the king has some evidence, so he ordered to strictly investigate prohibited things and tax evasion, and Zhuang's firm is the most suspicious, so he will investigate first." This thirteenth gentleman, as the owner of the Zhuang firm, is now coming with anger, and this king should always give him an explanation. ”

"What?" the old man frowned and said, "Is it just a businessman and the like, what qualifications does he have to explain to the prince?"

"Although he is white, he is also a common man in the territory of my Dongsheng Dynasty, he is a merchant, and this king has seized his trading house today, and he should indeed give an explanation. ”

When the prince said this, he stood up, gave a salute, and said, "This king will go first, and then he will come." ”

The old man paused for a moment before he said: "That's it, this arrogant person, presumably relying on some financial resources, his eyes are empty, and the prince will go to see him, so as not to be nailed by him to a high-ranking and arrogant reputation, and tarnish your good name." ”

Chen Wang Ye just smiled bitterly and retreated.

The people did not dare to stop themselves.

And until the prince left, he saw the old man shaking his head slightly.

"The Dongsheng Dynasty, in recent years, has been too tolerant of these profit-seeking businessmen. ”

And as the old man spoke, the scholars below immediately spoke.

Previously, they were all dissatisfied with the "Mr. Thirteen" who broke the atmosphere of poetry here.

It's just that because the prince is here, because of the number of etiquette, he doesn't dare to speak in vain, and he is afraid that he will lose if he talks too much, which makes the prince unhappy.

At this moment, the local Confucianism is still so dissatisfied with Mr. Thirteen, which is in line with everyone's wishes.

Even if there are many people, echo the voice.

"This little businessman dares to come here with anger, he can't help but think too highly of himself!" There was a white-clothed scholar, with his sleeves brushed his sleeves and disdain, and said: "It is also thanks to our prince that he is kind and kind, otherwise, who can put him in the eyes of this crippled businessman?"

"Prohibited things, tax evasion, if he has no ghost in his heart, the clear person clears himself, what does it matter if he investigates?" Another scholar from a poor family responded: "I think he has violated the prohibition and evaded taxes, so he is in such a situation!"

"The prince acts, everything is in accordance with the laws of the Dongsheng Dynasty, what else does he dare to be dissatisfied with?" the white-clothed scholar shouted coldly.

Seeing that among the crowd, there was a gradual trend of discussion, and the old man coughed lightly, and the scene fell silent.

But in the midst of the scene, there are many people with sharp minds, who secretly observe the doorway, and they can't help but feel powerful in their hearts.

On the boat on this floor, Chen Wangye only said a word, which made the talented scholars in Fengcheng feel disgusted with the thirteenth gentleman Zhuang Ming.

In fact, in the hearts of scholars and literati, the so-called everything is inferior, but reading is high.

The businessman, placed in the Dongsheng Dynasty, also belongs to the inferior class.

Even if Zhuang Ming is financially abundant, in their eyes, he is just a businessman and the like, who does not know elegant poetry, does not know the affairs of the court, and is just a layman in the market.

In six years, he started from scratch and became the richest man in the sixteen prefectures of Huai'an, although it is like a legend, but in the eyes of many literati, it is only that they are dedicated to their careers and do not want to wronged themselves, otherwise if they choose the way of business, where will it be their turn to get the name of the richest man in that Zhuang Ming?

As for those poor scholars, nine times out of ten, they are out of jealousy.

It is said that the village is extremely luxurious, and it takes a medicated bath to wash the body every day, which costs a hundred taels.

Such a sum of money is enough to replace many maids, and it is enough to support them as poor scholars for a long time to eat and drink.

For the poor family, who did not dare to eat meat for three meals, and did not dare to light the lamp at night, Zhuang Ming was simply extremely vicious.

What's more, even if he squandered pen and ink, he wrote a sentence indignantly.

"Zhumen's wine and meat stink, and there are frozen bones on the road. ”

——

And on the other ship.

The corners of Zhuang Ming's mouth hooked up a smile, slightly mocking.

The young dragon in his sleeve had a twinkle in his eyes.

When it comes to induction, the young dragon is more sensitive than the martial arts masters of the Dongsheng Dynasty.

The movement on the building ship next to it could be hidden from the ears and eyes of the martial arts master, but it could not be hidden from the perception of the young dragon.

"In the territory of the Dongsheng Dynasty, the status of the scholar is very high, the pen is like a knife, if this disgust, even more, smear with words, fabricate deeds, and splash dirty water, then from now on, Zhuang's firm will be famous and famous, and its reputation will spread far beyond Huai'an, throughout the Dongsheng Dynasty, but it is really difficult to wash away the stigma. ”

Zhuang Ming sat upright, his expression was as usual, and thoughts flashed in his heart: "Just these great Confucians, in Fengcheng, have a very high status, reputation, and connections...... This king with a different surname has trapped me here in just a few words, from this point of view, he can sit in this high position, even if he is not as calculating as Song Tianyuan, but he is not an ordinary person. ”