Linxia

Chapter 231, Search

Gu family.

When Gu heard that the flood had destroyed his restaurant and fish pond, he became heart-broken and had to stay in bed to recuperate.

The brothers Gu Shiyu and Gu Shimin discussed the next step for the Gu family.

"Now, the restaurants and fish ponds outside the city have been destroyed. Even if the flood recedes, that piece of land will be useless."

After this incident, the Gu family dared not rebuild a restaurant or fish pond in that area. Otherwise, if it happened again like this year, wouldn’t they be so angry that they die?
"The Fan family has a perfume business, and Lord Fang, Ma, Shao, and Duan families have soap businesses, all of which make a fortune every day. It would be great if our family also had an industry like this." Gu Shimin said enviously.

Gu Shiyu shook his head: "This kind of hen that lays golden eggs is not something you can find just by looking for it. Let's think about it in a practical way! Previously, it was said that we would rebuild the factory and fleet business and trade overseas, but now in the city, this industry is dominated by that Lord Fang. It is not easy for us to reopen the factory and recruit workers. If we want to find people, we must offer better treatment than that of Lord Fang, but the cost is so high. Moreover, if we continue to do this business, there is a high probability that we will be targeted by the other party. We may be squeezed to death at the beginning!"

"Neither this nor that." Gu Shimin thought for a moment and snorted coldly, "Then we'll just pick on the weak! The city is hit by a disaster, so we can take this opportunity to buy some land and take the good farmland away from those peasants."

"That's the only way we can do this. But to be honest, the land we bought in recent years has always been the most stable source of income for our family." Gu Shiyu nodded.

The two brothers were discussing something when suddenly a noisy noise was heard outside.

Butler Chang came in in a panic: "Master, Second Master, something terrible has happened. For some reason, the government officials suddenly came and surrounded the outside. They broke in without giving us any time to speak..."

There were many people from the Gu family in the government office, but for this operation, Yan Shideng gathered the people and explained the goal, and then set off immediately, without giving them any chance to communicate.

"Government officials?" A big family like the Gu family was not as afraid of the government as the common people were. When they saw the yamen runners entering one after another, Gu Shiyu shouted, "What are you doing? How dare you trespass into my Gu family?!"

"You dog-like thing, get out now!" Gu Shimin shouted.

Seeing them insulting him like this, the leader of the police moved his eyebrows on his cold face and drew out the sword from his waist: "Master Gu, Master Gu, the prefect has ordered a search of the Gu family. I hope you won't make it difficult for us."

As he spoke, he waved his hand and said "Go ahead". Behind him, the yamen runners came forward and surrounded him.

Seeing this group of government officials being so bold, the brothers Gu Shiyu and Gu Shimin realized something and their faces changed drastically.

"stop!"

At this moment, a slightly weak but steady and powerful voice suddenly sounded. It was Gu Tongren who was supported by a maid and said, "Where is Lord Yan? Ask him to come out and see me?"

"I am here."

Yan Shideng came over naturally: "The Gu family, for their own selfish interests, disregarded the safety of the people in the city, destroyed the water conservancy facilities, and built restaurants and fish ponds outside the city, causing floods in Huai'an. Today, I am pleading for the people and will bring you to justice, set an example, and set things right!"

Logically speaking, a family like the Gu family, where there are officials in the court, would not directly take action according to the unspoken rules. This action was somewhat contrary to procedural justice. However, he had a background and it was a critical moment in disaster relief, so he didn't care about these details.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Gu Tongren is an old and cunning man. How could he not understand at this point?
I had thought that Yan Shideng would at most cover up his mistakes and shift the blame for the dam breach onto his Gu family, and argue in the court. I had been prepared for this, but I didn't expect Yan Shideng to be so ruthless, leaving no way out and taking action against the Gu family so directly.

He did not say anything about Yan Shideng looking for the Gu family to take the blame, which was meaningless. He just said, "I know that your move is intended to raise money for disaster relief and try to make up for your mistakes. But behind you is that cabinet minister, who is being targeted by the eunuch party. Will your move be effective? Don't try to steal the chicken and lose the rice. Not only will you fail to make up for your mistakes, but you will also offend more people, and eventually lose support and end up in a miserable situation."

Generally speaking, what Gu Tongren said makes sense. The eunuch party will take this opportunity to desperately cling to Yan Shideng and try to drag the cabinet minister behind him into the water through Yan Shideng. That cabinet minister will most likely sacrifice his pawns to save his chariot. Now what Yan Shideng has done is of no use at all. Instead, it will add another Gu family, which is extremely unwise.

However, Fang Lin revealed a key piece of information. The eunuch party had a bigger goal this time and wanted to take action against the Fan family and other Shanxi merchants. Wei Zhongxian also set his sights on the perfume business of the Fan family in Huai'an... In this case, the situation was different again.

All I can say is that although Gu is experienced, the information gap can lead people to make wrong judgments.

"Master Gu, don't worry about that. Come, take them away and put them under custody."

……

When Yan Shideng took action against the Gu family, he was dumbfounded when he heard his subordinates report the amount of silver and money confiscated. He sighed inwardly that the Gu family was so rich that he almost couldn't help but take action against the Fan family.

But I also know that now is not the right time.

According to Fang Lin, the Fan family is not like the Gu family. They have a main branch and have to wait and see what happens in the court. They cannot alert the enemy for the time being.

What's more, the Huai'an branch of the Fan family was the prey targeted by Wei Zhongxian, and it was not easy for them to snatch it away.

"Well, I'll stay at the Fan family for a while. I'm just a grasshopper after autumn, and I won't be able to jump for much longer." Yan Shideng thought so and strode out. A grasshopper that fell into the water just crawled out of the puddle and was mercilessly stepped to death.

……

Fan family.

"Prefect Yan took action against the Gu family? How ruthless and decisive. Unfortunately, success or failure is due to background. If that minister was not behind Prefect Yan, this time of disaster relief would have been meritorious and better than other disaster-stricken prefectures, and perhaps the matter would have been resolved. It's a pity that that minister is behind him, and the eunuch party will try their best to bite him to death and try to drag that minister Yan into the water!" Fan Qingzeng shook his head.

Due to the lack of information, he made the same judgment as Gu Tongren.

"Dad, what you said makes sense. It's so unwise for Magistrate Yan to do this!" Fan Qiangguang agreed.

Fan Qihui asked: "According to this statement, Prefect Yan will definitely die this time?"

"That's not the case. If Prefect Yan excels in disaster relief, far surpassing other prefectures, and creates the illusion that 'there are reasons for everything and it is beyond human control', and gives that old man Yan something to talk about, then he might be able to get through this test... Prefect Yan took action against the Gu family, which shows that he chose this path. However, I am not optimistic about it. First, it is so difficult to excel in disaster relief. Second, those eunuchs are like mad dogs and are not easy to fool!"

Fan Qingzeng sighed and used this example to educate his two sons: "You see, in officialdom, many times, it doesn't matter whether you are right or wrong, but only your position."

Fan Qiangguang had a 'learned' expression on his face and said, "At this moment, the prefect Yan has gone crazy in order to save himself. We don't need to get involved. Let them fight each other!"

If it were a normal time, if Yan Shideng raided the Gu family, it would immediately cause the other big families in the city to mourn and unite to resist. But now the situation is special. People think that Yan Shideng is just a last madman, so they naturally won't provoke him.

"That's right. No matter what, it has nothing to do with our family." Fan Qihui also said.

Theoretically speaking, the Huai'an dike breach did not involve the Fan family. Neither the dike nor the restaurants and fish ponds in the area outside the city had anything to do with the Fan family. However, in this world, there is a crime called "false accusation".

After hearing about Yan Shideng's confiscation of the Gu family, the Fan family put it aside and focused their energy on annexing land after the disaster. ...

When the Ma, Shao and Duan families heard this, they were also just shocked and didn't pay much attention to it.

……

However, when the news of Yan Shideng's raid on the Gu family spread among the people, it had a significant impact, especially with official propaganda.

Firstly, in order to deter lawlessness, the city was flooded. Although the flood has basically receded now, the losses caused are not small. What is more serious is that people are in chaos and order begins to collapse. However, when the news of the search and seizure of the Gu family came out, the government's majesty was immediately re-established and the precarious order was saved.

At the same time, the people suffered from the disaster and had accumulated a lot of resentment in their hearts. This time they found an outlet to vent their anger and started to curse the Gu family.

In this case, the name of the Gu family was used, and the money of the Gu family was used to provide disaster relief, provide porridge, clean up the river, and find things to do for the disaster-stricken people in the city.

At the same time, he interviewed grain merchants and used the Changping Warehouse to transfer grain to stabilize the grain shortage in the city.

It has to be said that Yan Shideng is still capable. Especially this time, under the threat of "head on his neck" and "official hat", he showed his full ability and implemented various measures. Huai'an City soon stabilized.

……

You Chaodong waded back in with his trouser legs rolled up, scraping the dirt on the soles of his shoes at the door. Seeing his wife coming over, he handed her three pounds of meat and a bundle of vegetables.

"Given by Lord Fang?"

"Yeah, I was dragged to stay for a meal, and when I left, I took the food with me. I'll be too embarrassed to go next time."

You Chaodong scratched his head and said, "But speaking of which, the food at Lord Fang's house is really delicious. Don't you know..."

"We'll talk about this later." The You family's wife patted her husband and asked, "What did Lord Fang say about the matter you went to inquire about?"

"Lord Fang said that this disaster is over, the factory's low-price grain benefits will continue, the government will also allocate grain from the Changping Warehouse to stabilize grain prices, and the fleet will transport grain back in a few days. In short, there is no need to worry about going hungry." You Chaodong said, with a rare look of relaxation on his face.

"What about the benefits of going out to sea?"

"Master Fang said that this is all voluntary and not forced. However, this time going overseas is a good opportunity. It may be hard for the time being, but it will be very good in the long run... Don't think that it is overseas. In fact, it is well built now. There are factories, skills training classes, pharmacies, etc., and you can get land when you go there... It makes me want to go out."

"Then go out, Master Xinfang, you can't go wrong!"

"I think so too. Lord Fang also said that the mess that the Gu family has created in the riverside area outside the city will make life in Huai'an difficult in the future. There may be floods year after year."

You Chaodong said, sighing: "If I stay in the capital, I will be like Master Ye again... Alas!"

His master Ye Ping, the one who taught him when he first entered the 'Second Liangpin Weaving Workshop', went to reinforce the dam outside the city a few days ago in order to collect more money to buy a dormitory. He was washed away when the dam broke and is still to be found. He is probably dead.

"Master Ye's family has not received any government compensation yet, but I heard that Lord Fang has given some on behalf of the factory... Lord Fang is so kind!"

The You family's wife sighed and said, "It's settled then. We'll sign up."

They knew that they could not see many things clearly, but it didn't matter, they could ask someone who knew. Coincidentally, compared to others, his family had a good relationship with Fang Lin, so they could go and ask for advice.

This is the wisdom of survival for the little people.

……

The small courtyard in the east of the city is not far from the Fang family’s new home. It is now the residence of the two daughters, Shi Wenjun and Gu Yuyan.

Gu Yuyan hurried back and said as soon as she entered the door: "Sister Wenjun, I saw on the merit tablet that you donated more than 3,000 taels of silver. Did you donate all your savings?"

Although the Gu family's property was confiscated, the government still organized a charity donation, with the main target of raising money being wealthy families in the city.

As for the "Merit Stele", ever since Prefect Pu used this trick, it quickly spread throughout Daxia. Whenever there was a disaster, donations would be recorded by engraving a merit stele.

"Yes!" Shi Wenjun was painting a picture. Hearing this, he looked up and said to Gu Yuyan, who was making a fuss, "We have come out of Qinghuan Xiaoju and regained our freedom. We have Mr. Fang's protection and the money from the painting card dividend... I don't need much, so I will donate these belongings."

As early as several years ago, the two girls redeemed themselves from Qinghuan Villa. They did not use the money they had saved. It was Fang Lin who gave them the money as a token of gratitude for all the things he had done in the past.

Today, the two daughters work in the bookstore industry chain, producing comic strips and character cards to accompany books such as White Snake, and they can get a small share of the profits from them.

"It's easy to say, but that's more than three thousand taels of silver!" Gu Yuyan mentioned it with a frown, looking quite distressed.

Shi Wenjun didn't say anything else, just smiled coldly, took out a wooden hairpin from her bosom, and gently rubbed it with her slender fingers. This was left to her by her mother when she was a child. It was also a year of disaster. The family was so poor that they had to sell her.

She hopes there are fewer people like her in this world.

……

Leaving aside the two girls like Gu Yuyan and Shi Wenjun, the wealthy families in the city were very active in donating this time and were quite generous, for they were afraid of offending Yan Shideng. This madman would target them just like he did the Gu family.

With sufficient financial and food security, the situation in the provincial capital quickly stabilized. It was not until the disaster-stricken people from the counties below arrived that some pressure emerged.

Specifically: there is still money, but not enough food.

Fortunately, the ship that Fang Lin brought to purchase grain from overseas returned and docked at the newly renovated wharf. It unloaded the cargo in front of the onlookers, which once again calmed the people's hearts.

The government purchased grain from Fang Lin, and it goes without saying that Fang Lin made a fortune. The situation in Huai'an was stable and improving.

On this day, news finally came from the capital.

……

(End of this chapter)