People in the Ming Dynasty are lawless

Chapter 522: Preparing to Issue an Ultimatum to the Aristocratic Family
Xia Yuanji walked slowly towards us in gorgeous clothes.

Coming in front of the group of young men, although the clothes of these young people in exotic costumes were a bit simple, their behavior revealed an extraordinary temperament.

This group of young people are the few educated people on Sanfuji Island. They have been well-read since childhood, but they are unable to achieve their goals due to the oppression of the old forces such as the Queen Mother's family.

Today, when they heard the news that the Ming Dynasty occupied Sanfuqi and the Queen Mother's family was destroyed, they felt a sense of relief, but also a sense of vigilance about the unknown future.

Xia Yuanji was very curious that the young man who had just spoken actually knew him.

But he had no interest in this.

When he met this group of young people, he stopped, took the initiative to step forward, and asked in his usual gentle manner: "My fellow young talents, I am the Grand Commander sent here by the Ming Dynasty. I would like to hear your views on the current situation."

The leading young man was slightly stunned, then raised his head proudly, with an unyielding light flashing in his eyes.

"We have heard of the name of Grand Commander Xia for a long time." He spoke in a clear voice with a scholarly air. "We are indeed from Sanfuqi. We came here to celebrate the liberation of the old shackles and to explore the future path of our people."

Xia Yuanji smiled slightly upon hearing this, his eyes revealing his admiration for this group of young people. "It seems that you all have great ambitions, which is rare. However, I heard that although you are well-educated, you have suffered from the harm of the old family forces. Is this true?"

The young man's face changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "What the Grand Commander said is correct. Although we are scholars, we have been repeatedly suppressed and it is difficult for us to make a name for ourselves. But precisely because of this, we cherish this hard-earned freedom even more, and we will never bow to any force easily."

Xia Yuanji nodded, showing his understanding. "Freedom is indeed precious, but every citizen has a share of responsibility for the fate of a country. The Ming Dynasty occupied Sanfuqi to spread civilization and promote exchanges between the two places, not to conquer. Since you are knowledgeable, why don't you take this opportunity to contribute to the future development of Sanfuqi?"

The young man sneered when he heard this. "The Grand Commander's words are very convincing, but we know our limits. Although the Ming Dynasty is strong, it is not the destination for our people. We scholars have our own integrity and will never abandon our homeland for the benefit of foreign races."

Xia Yuanji did not get angry, but explained more patiently: "You have misunderstood. What I said is not asking you to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty, but I hope you can look at the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries with an open mind.

The future of Sanfuqi needs people of insight like you to lead, and Daming is willing to be your solid backing."

After hearing this, the young people around nodded one after another, but their eyes still maintained vigilance and independence.

Seeing this, Xia Yuanji said no more. He just looked at them deeply, then turned and left, leaving behind a group of young people meditating in the sun.

Xia Yuanji's figure gradually disappeared, but the group of young people left behind were not shaken at all by his words.

The sun was still bright, but it seemed unable to penetrate the haze in their hearts.

They gathered together, talking in low voices, with complex emotions flashing in their eyes - both uneasiness about the unknown future and deep suspicion of the Ming Dynasty's true intentions.

"Do you believe what the Grand Commander said?" The leading young man broke the silence. Although his voice was soft, it carried a power that could not be ignored.

"I don't think so." A handsome young man shook his head, his eyes flashing with vigilance. "The Ming Dynasty spent so much effort to occupy Sanfuqi, how could they not want something? These nice words they are saying now are just to make us relax our vigilance so that they can control us more easily."

"That's right," another slightly older scholar took over the conversation, "Are there not many such examples in history? Which dynasty expanded its territory for more resources and more wealth? What they are doing now is just a temporary disguise."

The leading young man was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about this question.

The concerns of colleagues are not groundless. In the history of Srivijaya, there are indeed many examples of foreign forces plundering in the name of peace.

But he also understood that blindly doubting and resisting would not solve the problem.

"I understand everyone's feelings," he said slowly, his voice more calm, "but we can't completely deny the Ming Dynasty's intentions because of this. Perhaps they really want to promote civilization on this land and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

After all, times are changing, people’s hearts are changing, and we can’t always look at present events with the eyes of the past.”

He paused, his eyes swept across everyone's face, and continued: "Of course, we can't trust blindly. We remain vigilant."

Xia Yuanji, Lan Yu, Wang Bi and the Jinyiwei commander were walking side by side in another street in the capital, all of them with solemn expressions.

He was obviously suspicious of the group of Sanfuqi youths he had just met on the street.

"Why didn't the Grand Commander communicate more with that group of young people just now?" Lan Yu was the first to break the silence. His voice was low and powerful, revealing his confusion about Xia Yuanji's decision.

Upon hearing this, Wang Bi turned to look at Xia Yuanji, with the same questioning look in his eyes.

Xia Yuanji smiled slightly, but there was some deep meaning hidden in that smile: "Generals, you don't know that communicating with that group of young people is not something that can be done overnight."

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details." Lan Yu and Wang Bi said in unison.

"First of all, that group of young people are the elites of Sanfuqi. They are deeply oppressed by the old family forces and are naturally wary of our Ming Dynasty. If we approach them rashly, not only will we fail to gain their trust, but it may backfire and cause unnecessary misunderstandings." Xia Yuanji explained, with a gleam of wisdom in his eyes.

"Moreover, although they are knowledgeable, they are in a foreign country and have limited understanding of the actual situation of our Ming Dynasty. We need to give them time to see with their own eyes the governance and construction of our Ming Dynasty in Sanfuqi. Facts speak louder than any words."

After hearing this, Wang Bi nodded slightly to show his agreement.

"That's true." The commanding officer added, "Moreover, we also need to consider the family power behind them. If our actions cause them to be disgusted or uneasy, it may cause unnecessary unrest and even affect the stability of Sanfuqi and the interests of our Ming Dynasty."

Xia Yuanji nodded in agreement, and continued, "Therefore, I chose to keep my distance for the time being and observe."

The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the bluestone slabs of the capital city of Sanfuqi, covering this ancient city with a golden coat.

Xia Yuanji, Lan Yu, Wang Bi and the four commanders, escorted by their guards, slowly walked into the gate of the Governor's Mansion in the afterglow.

The Governor's Mansion was originally the residence of the Prime Minister. The lintel is carved with intricate and solemn patterns. Although it has gone through wind and rain, it still reveals an aura of majesty without anger.

On both sides of the gate, stone lions lie quietly with their eyes as sharp as torches, as if they can see through all the vanity in the world.

The Governor's Mansion has a rigorous layout and is well-arranged, which is both majestic and elegant. There are no excessive luxurious decorations, and every detail reveals the beauty of practicality and simplicity, just like the concept of "people-oriented, diligence and thrift" pursued by the Ming Dynasty.

As soon as the three of them stepped over the threshold, a lieutenant of the Jinyiwei in Feiyu uniform stepped forward quickly, bowed and saluted, and spoke in a loud and clear voice: "Reporting to the Grand Commander, the Marshal, General Wang, and the Assistant Marshal, the thief who negotiated with the Jianghu people has arrived and is waiting in the side hall.

In addition, I have also discovered that there have been a number of suspicious people around the Governor's Mansion in recent days, who seem to be secretly spying on what is going on in the Mansion."

Lan Yu frowned slightly when he heard this, and looked around, as if he could see through the wall and see those eyes secretly watching: "Humph, although the Queen Mother's family has been executed, the aftermath has not yet subsided. These families must be hoping for a lucky break and trying to spy on the court's movements in order to protect themselves."

There was an unquestionable authority in his words that made people feel awe.

Wang Bi had a serious look on his face. He was well aware of the complexity and subtlety of the situation at the moment. "The Jinyiwei must step up their vigilance to ensure the safety of the Governor's Mansion. At the same time, we must also closely monitor those suspicious people and find out their backgrounds."

Xia Yuanji seemed calmer and thoughtful: "This matter still needs to be considered in the long run. Although the Queen Mother's family has been eliminated, there are undercurrents in the court. Many family forces are ready to take advantage of this opportunity to seek personal gain. We must not only guard against external threats, but also be vigilant against internal troubles."

Then, the three of them walked into the side hall.

The hall is simple and clear, with a long table in the middle and a few chairs on both sides.

The thief had been waiting for a long time. When he saw the people coming in, he quickly stood up and saluted, with an attitude that was respectful but also casual like a gangster.

"Greetings to the Grand Commander, the Marshal, General Wang, and Commander Zhou." The thief's voice was low and powerful, revealing a sense of vicissitudes of life.

Xia Yuanji nodded and motioned for him to sit down. "Do you have any new news?"

He asked directly, with a hint of urgency in his tone.

The thief did not dare to delay and immediately told the news he had gained from recent exchanges with the gangsters.

As night fell, the Governor's Palace was brightly lit.

The thief sat on the side of the long table, facing Xia Yuanji and the others. Although he was nervous, he could not hide his frankness and honesty as a man of the world.

"My lords, I have talked with friends in the martial arts world for a long time today, and found that they are both hopeful and skeptical about the new policies that the court is about to implement, especially the measure to reduce the people's taxes from 60% to 40%. "The thief's voice echoed in the quiet side hall, and every word seemed so heavy and powerful.

Upon hearing this, Xia Yuanji sighed softly, with a complex look in his eyes: "This is human nature. The people have experienced war and harsh rule, so they are inevitably skeptical of any promise. But what we have to do is to prove the court's determination and sincerity with practical actions."

His tone was calm but firm, as if he was declaring his unshakable belief to everyone.

Lan Yu nodded and added, "Yes, our Ming Dynasty has always been people-oriented. This tax reduction is to reduce the burden on the people and promote the recovery of people's livelihood. It also proves that the Ming Dynasty conquered Sanfuqi not to plunder money and property."

Wang Bi had a serious look on his face. He was well aware of the complexity and diversity of the Jianghu people: "However, I also heard you say that even if there are only more than a hundred Jianghu people, their opinions are varied, and some even advocate the complete exemption of taxes.

It seems that even people like you can’t avoid greed.”

Hearing this, the thief showed an awkward smile on his face: "To be honest, as a local of Sanfuqi, I am also well aware of the greed and selfishness of the locals.

But please believe me, there are many of us who sincerely hope that the country will be strong and the people will be happy. It’s just that they are blinded by the immediate interests and need time to understand and accept the new policies. "

Xia Yuanji smiled and expressed his understanding: "It's okay, this is human nature. We will also consider their reasonable demands and try to give them some preference and care when implementing national policies."

Lan Yu and Wang Bi also expressed their agreement.

The implementation of the new policy cannot be achieved overnight and requires patient guidance and promotion.

As an important part of the civil power, the attitudes and actions of the Sanfuqi gangsters will directly affect the success or failure of the new policy.

"As long as they are willing to help the Ming Dynasty promote the new policy, no matter what their opinions are, we can sit down and have a good discussion." Xia Yuanji's words revealed an attitude of tolerance and openness. "Our goals are the same."

As the conversation deepened, the atmosphere in the side hall gradually became relaxed and harmonious.

The thief's figure gradually disappeared into the night, and Lan Yu, Wang Bi and Xia Yuanji returned to the main hall of the Governor's Mansion.

The candlelight in the hall flickered, illuminating the solemn faces of the three people.

As the Grand Commander, Xia Yuanji seemed more calm at this moment, with unquestionable determination and murderous intent revealed between his brows.

"Everyone, although the thieves' words are crude, they express the complex emotions of the Jianghu and the people towards the new policies of the court." Xia Yuanji's voice was low and powerful, echoing in the hall, "We must not take it lightly, we must act quickly, stabilize people's hearts, and ensure the smooth implementation of the new policies."

He paused, his eyes piercing as he glanced at Lan Yu and Wang Bi, "I have made up my mind. I will immediately summon all the powerful families in the capital to come to the Governor's Mansion. Whether they are willing to submit to the court or not, they must give me a clear statement. This is the final test for them, and it is also a demonstration of our determination for the new policy."

When Lan Yu heard this, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.

The purpose of Xia Yuanji's move was not only to deter the powerful families, but also to carry out powerful propaganda among the people.

"What the Grand Commander said is absolutely right. We should not only let them express their stance, but also let them see the power and determination of the court. Only in this way can we prevent them from acting rashly in the face of the new policy." said the deputy commander.

Wang Bi also nodded in agreement, and added: "At the same time, we must also be fully prepared to prevent any unexpected events. After all, these powerful families are deeply rooted in the capital and their power is huge. They should not be underestimated."

After several people discussed it, they immediately ordered the Jinyiwei to take action and summoned the leaders of the major wealthy families in the capital to gather at the Governor's Mansion the next morning.

The night was getting darker, but the Governor's Mansion was still brightly lit and bustling with activity.

Xia Yuanji stood in the center of the hall, looking out the window at the dark night, secretly thinking about the upcoming contest...

(End of this chapter)