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The next day, Lu Xin came to the door. Perhaps because she hadn't slept all night, the dark circles under her eyes couldn't be covered even with makeup.

Without putting on airs of an elder, he directly said submissively, "Mingde, I have already informed the authorities that the fire in the warehouse was caused by that brat Lu Xiu's quarrel with others. Also, the news that our family lost money buying silk has spread. If you are still worried, you can come back with me and see the elders re-determine the clan leader."

Even though Lu Jian showed no emotion despite being so humble, Lu Xin became anxious and said hastily, "We are all family, and you are the eldest son of the main clan. The family business will eventually fall into your hands. We can talk about it slowly if there is anything. Why rush into it?"

This made Lu Jian laugh: "Fourth uncle, you are joking. How could I not know the seriousness of the matter?"

This was the truth, but the listener didn't believe it at all. Lu Xin's eyes were red. "I know you're unwilling to accept this and want to use others to establish your authority, but you are a member of the Lu family after all. Do you really want to see the Lu family's century-long foundation destroyed in an instant?"

"Don't worry, it can't be destroyed." Lu Jian replied calmly.

This lighthearted remark sent Lu Xin simmering with rage and terror. Was he truly mad, going to such lengths just for a stepmother? But at this point, burdened with the clan's orders, he didn't care. He said bluntly, "As long as Zhuangzi stops causing chaos, everything will be easy. Taking over the city's assets is just a matter of words. Mingde, we truly share weal and woe, inseparable. We must not let others exploit this opportunity to destroy our family business."

Lu Jian was aware of all this, but the soldiers he sent out were not under his control. After a long silence, Lu Jian simply said, "Fourth Uncle, please go back. I know my limits."

Of course, this is empty talk. Lu Jian has no way to control those chaotic soldiers. In fact, he can only hope that Cheng Xi can grasp the right measure.

But these are not important anymore. Looking at Lu Xin's attitude, it is not difficult to imagine how the Lu family will view him. Even if he takes control of those industries, he can only rely on himself.

Not long after Lu Xin's departure, another message arrived from the Gu and Zhou clans. Gu Sanlang's tone was unpleasant, stating that silk prices had fallen to a certain point and it was time to stop. His implicit and explicit meaning was clear. Zhou Zhenglun, on the other hand, sent a warning, urging him to be more restrained and not to offend the Jiangdong nobles.

By the afternoon, the government had sent troops out of the city to wipe out the rebels and gather in the refugees. The major families heard the news and took action. They all sheathed their fangs and claws, waiting for the government troops to clean up the situation.

How many years had it been since we'd seen such swift and decisive action? But at this moment, Lu Jian calmed down. He realized Cheng Xi was right. This was just a test, not a big deal. She only wanted to cut off his escape route, not take his life. Even so, everyone around him was shocked.

"Master, those rebellious soldiers should be quiet now, right?" Lu Sanding's face was very unhappy. He whispered, "Should we go ask Gang Leader Cheng again?"

He had been to the Red Flag Gang before and knew how brave and skilled those elite soldiers were. If Cheng Xi was determined to cause trouble, even if the imperial court sent in twice as many troops, it would be impossible to deal with him.

Lu Jian shook his head: "No need, she said it won't get out of hand, so there won't be any more trouble."

Cheng Xi himself is still in Yuhang, so he probably won't do anything extreme. Besides, there is still some use for her keeping him.

Hearing this, Lu Sanding breathed a sigh of relief, but then his face darkened again: "But if this happens, the clan might not be able to tolerate the head of the family, and he will be feared by others. It would be useless to stay in Yuhang, right..."

Before he could finish his words, Lu Jian, as if he had thought of something, interrupted with a chuckle, "How can it be useless? I can't become the head of the Lu family, let alone control such a large farm, clan school, and ancestral hall. But I want to open a bank, what does this have to do with it?"

Lu Sanding was surprised to hear Lu Jian say that. He whispered, "Is the Patriarch really planning to continue running the bank? Doesn't this mean he has to obey Gang Leader Cheng?"

"In troubled times, the only things we can rely on are soldiers, horses, money and food." Lu Jian's voice was no longer panicked or hesitant. "If the world were stable, gold and silver would be enough to make the court officials bow down."

It is indeed impossible for him to go back to his previous path, or in other words, if he wants to return to the aristocratic family, he will have to go through more difficult trials and tribulations than ordinary people and pay a greater price, which is not worth it.

But so what? He opened a bank and a workshop; his roots were not in those thousands of acres of grain and mulberry fields, but in the sea.

Just as Cheng Xi had said, she wanted those people to dig up the silver from the land and put it into banks and trading markets. She wanted to divide the wealth of the aristocratic families and weaken the imperial court. Then, of course, she could take advantage of the situation and become a tycoon capable of shaking up the market without relying on land. If he were just rich, his status wouldn't be secure, but he had the Red Flag Gang behind him. If more people made fortunes like him, some would be tempted to join them.

He originally thought that what Cheng Xi said about letting some people stand up was just referring to those peasants, but now thinking about it, that might not be the case.

As long as she encourages trade, there will definitely be smart people who will follow this path and make huge fortunes from the sea and from the trading market, just like those aristocratic families.

This time, however, no one had to navigate officialdom, take the imperial examinations, or sell their skills to the imperial family. And once they had money, countless gold and silver, would they be willing to continue being servants, to continue to be at the mercy of officials and aristocrats? This was truly a radical change, a path no one had ever taken.

So Lu Jian didn't care. What if they were aristocratic families? What if the Lu family was aristocratic family? Instead of following the old path, it would be better to try this new path. When he, or they, become as powerful as the aristocratic families, how turbulent will the world be?

This was given to him by Cheng Xi, and he was willing to take it, so he should hold it in his hand. Even if it meant bowing his head and tying himself to the other party's bow.

Lu Sanding couldn't fathom the patriarch's thoughts, but he could see that the things that had been shaking him were slowly fading, allowing him to regain his composure and grace. Well, he'd been through Jiaozhi before, and now it was just a repeat.

Under everyone's gaze, the rebels failed to grow any larger and slowly retreated. Two of the Lu family's farms were destroyed, and thousands of hidden households were rounded up as refugees. These people would be dispersed, given mulberry fields and farmland, or forced to work on the city's repairs. As for their future, no one knew.

Looking at the young woman in front of him, Lu Jingzhi felt cold sweat on his forehead, and even his voice softened a little: "Thanks to you, madam, I was able to benefit from this opportunity this time. I am truly grateful."

It would have been fine if he had foreshadowed the fluctuation of silk prices, but causing the refugees to rebel was a matter of a completely different level. If it weren't for the Red Flag Gang stirring up trouble behind the scenes, his name would have been written backwards!

However, knowing the importance of this young woman, Lu Jingzhi had no intention of distancing himself from her. Instead, he envied the Xiao family even more. If his family could also board this big ship, would they also be able to ride the wind and rise?

Facing the respectful Master Lu, Cheng Xi just smiled slightly: "Mr. Lu is too polite. I heard that every family has suffered. I'm glad that you are okay."

"It's okay, it's okay. I even took over a piece of Lu's land, so I can count it as a profit." Lu Jingzhi immediately smiled. "As for the others, they didn't lose much either. It's just those bandits who got into trouble. I'm afraid no one will dare to take action against refugees crossing the border in the future."

This was the greatest impact of this disaster. It clearly taught the aristocratic families that if they pushed their people into a corner, rebels would emerge and destroy everything. Bandits could no longer be used. Not to mention the possibility of a backlash, who could guarantee that the news would remain private? Rather than overindulging in excess, it was better to proceed steadily and preserve existing power. There were already plenty of refugees, and if they couldn't survive, they would turn to their own families. Why bother?

This lesson was learned at the cost of Lu's blood and flesh. Taking advantage of Lu's weakness, they're not the only ones who'll be attacked. I wonder how much land and businesses they'll lose after this is over. Alas, I heard it's also related to a dispute over inheritance among the family's descendants. Truly a sign of a lack of virtue on the part of our ancestors.

However, these things had nothing to do with his family. Lu Jingzhi rolled his eyes and asked carefully, "But after this incident, I wonder if I should still have any dealings with the Lu family."

This is really a smart person. Cheng Xi smiled and said, "I don't know about this. Women don't understand these things. Lu Gong can do as he pleases."

There was no denial, that was a confirmation. Lu Jingzhi immediately smiled and said, "Madam, you are too polite. It is really a blessing for me to have your help."

Regardless of what Madam Jiang and the Xiao family were doing, he had to be on the lookout for it. Perhaps the powerful Second Young Master Lu was behind it all. He hadn't expected the Red Flag Gang to even infiltrate the East China Sea. He'd have to be more careful when navigating the seas.

After another round of flattery, Mr. Lu personally escorted the distinguished guest out the door.

I returned home leisurely in a carriage, and a familiar figure was already waiting in the yard.

"Are you back?" Cheng Xi asked with a smile.

Lin Mo bowed his head and saluted: "Everything has been done. We lost more than a dozen people, but also gathered hundreds of refugees."

Cheng Xi nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."

The two walked to the door one after the other. After they sat down, Cheng Xi said, "What did you see this time? Tell me in detail."

Intelligence was relayed back several times a day, and naturally, she didn't want to hear about the battle situation. Lin Mo organized his words before slowly speaking. He described the rampant bandits, the suffering of the refugees, the plight of the abducted women, and the madness of the uprising.

At the end, Lin Mo paused and suddenly said, "Boss, not every farm oppresses the good. Those who followed us in the rebellion didn't all do it for revenge. They just wanted to take advantage of money and women."

"There are good people in aristocratic families and bad people in the rebel army. Is this what you want to say?" Cheng Xi asked.

Lin Mo opened his mouth, but couldn't answer. Because if that were the case, wouldn't they have gone astray by stirring up trouble in Jiangdong? If their actions were unjust, how could they convince others?

Cheng Xi said, "Indeed, there are good people in noble families who have been doing charity for years, building bridges and roads, giving away porridge and donating money. They are more benevolent than the Bodhisattvas in the temple. If you meet a good family, being a tenant farmer or servant is easier than farming on your own. At least you don't have to be exploited by officials."

After a pause, she changed the subject, "But what does it matter? The wealth and land of these noble families weren't acquired for nothing; every inch of it is soaked in blood and sweat. Passing the imperial examinations exempts them from paying taxes, exploiting the poor with loans, and usurping their land. These hidden households and usurped land are the culprits dragging down the imperial court's finances and leaving the people homeless. With such impunity, how can good deeds prevent these cannibalistic acts? When the world is in chaos, it's too late to do good deeds. No one in this world can reap all the benefits. Someone will always wake up, take up arms, and overthrow the world."

There were so many things hidden in this sentence that Lin Mo couldn't help but tremble.

But Cheng Xi didn't stop: "Those who risk their lives for themselves are not necessarily good people, otherwise where would the bandits and pirates come from? If the rebels want to be a rebel army, they must have their own ideas and understand the principles of this world."

Lin Mo suddenly asked, "Is it the same as what is said in the Gongshan religion?"

Such a clever answer made Cheng Xi laugh: "That's more than that, and it won't take just a few years, or one or two generations, for them to understand. But things still need to be done. Only by persevering can we see the future."

She said it simply, but it was like opening a window, causing Lin Mo and even Huang Yue, who was secretly listening at the side, to open their eyes.

However, Cheng Xi didn't mean to go into details. Instead, he asked, "Now that you've been through all this, do you want to stay in Yuhang?"

She left a backup plan in Yuhang, a small mountain stronghold that also served as a stronghold, allowing her to gather information and spread some sparks.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo shook his head: "I want to follow the gang leader and learn more."

As a messenger, a pair of eyes patrolling on behalf of the gang leader, she has also experienced battles and even taken action herself, but all this is not what she wants.

She was born in a fishing family, grew up by the sea, and grew up hearing the name of the General Zhenhai. She should have stayed on the sea and become a captain like her brother, not a bandit.

What's more, she still has a lot to learn, how can she leave now?

Cheng Xi was not surprised by this answer. He just stretched a little and said, "Then pack up and get ready to go home."

Lin Mo raised his head in surprise: "Don't worry about Mr. Lu anymore?"

"No need, he should have made his decision." Cheng Xi replied with a smile.

…

Basket after basket of raw silk was loaded onto the ship, followed by the Wu family's ship. This was a fleet heading to Panyu, and it was also clear evidence that the aristocratic family alliance had not fallen apart.

Even if you have some grudges, you still have to make the money you deserve. No one will give up for nothing.

Standing by the boat, looking at Cheng Xi who was dressed in men's clothes again, Lu Jian took a step back and lowered his head: "Be careful on your journey, boss."

"Mingde, be careful too. Don't get eaten alive by those tigers and wolves." Cheng Xi teased.

If this relaxed tone was used in the past, Lu Jian might have felt happy. However, at this moment, his heart was as calm as his smile: "Thank you for the advice, Gang Leader."

As a subordinate, one should not have any improper expectations. Lu Jian understands his own status and will not make any more mistakes as long as Cheng Xi wants.

Very satisfied with this attitude, Cheng Xi nodded, and without further delay, turned around and stepped onto the gangway. Looking at her back, her posture was light and her movements were neat, just like a real teenager.

Lu Jian couldn't control his gaze, and he couldn't help but follow and search for that figure. It wasn't until she stood at the bow and turned around again that his gaze, as if burned, quickly withdrew. When he looked up again, his smile was still there, no longer any trace of abnormality.

Several ships hoisted their sails and sailed towards the sky in a mighty manner.