Chapter 865: Extorting Money from Powerful Families (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Pfft—cough cough cough, is there really such a rumor?"
After Wu Xian and Shen Tang finished dividing the spoils and defining their respective territories, he couldn't wait to return to Tianhai to take charge. The Tianhai family's successive actions made Wu Xian realize that these people were gradually slipping out of his control.
He didn't have a clear idea of how much he had broken free from.
Fearing the situation would spiral out of control, the most urgent task was to go back and reorganize.
Wu Xian kept this plan to himself, not daring to tell anyone for the time being. The army's return journey appeared leisurely, but Wu Xian was tormented every day. Halfway there, he received a truly outrageous rumor, and his emotions instantly collapsed.
He coughed for a long time before calming down, then stared with wide, beady eyes as if he'd seen a ghost: "Is this news true?"
The trusted messenger nodded emphatically: "The information is reliable."
Wu Xian rubbed his throbbing temples.
I'm reflecting on how this event will affect me.
"...Where did such unrealistic rumors come from? And to make matters worse, people actually believed them?" These rumors even reached the elite circles centered around Tianhai. Wu Xian suddenly felt more exhausted than ever before. The elite circles of twenty or thirty years ago weren't this stupid. How come everyone's become so brainless in the blink of an eye?
The trusted messenger said, "It was during the Dragon Slaying Bureau period."
Wu Xian was astonished: "Which one?"
The trusted messenger was highly capable and had already found out everything: "The source of the rumors is Tao Yan, Tao Shenyu, the one who publicly feuded with Shen Jun several times before. After his defeat, his remaining forces scattered like birds and beasts, each seeking their own way out."
For most scholars and warriors, the best path was to attach themselves to the power of warlords, followed by joining established aristocratic families. The former, with their military might, could conquer cities and seize territories, or even become kings, but the downside was the immense risk; defeat could lead to being swallowed up by other warlords and losing everything. The latter, backed by generations of accumulated wealth and resources, enjoyed a secure life regardless of circumstances, but their advancement was limited, and if their patron misjudged a warlord, they too could suffer devastating losses.
To make a living, Tao Yan's remaining troops sought connections and obtained recommendations, eventually becoming retainers and subordinates of powerful families. A new patron, seeing the situation in the Northwest about to settle, hesitated about which family to invest in.
Choose Wu Xian?
The advantages of aligning with this lord are obvious. Both come from aristocratic families, share similar values and ideologies, and have aligned interests, spontaneously protecting the interests of their respective circles. Unfortunately, Wu Xian's power has been surpassed by Shen Youli, widening the gap in strength between the two families. If they were to compete for dominance in the Northwest in the future…
They were worried that Wu Xian would lose.
Choose Shen Tang?
Shen Tang and Wu Xian have completely opposite strengths and weaknesses. Joining Shen Tang now wouldn't bring much benefit to Wu Xian's own side, nor would it allow him to develop a deep bond with his new lord. Most of Shen Tang's former subordinates come from humble backgrounds, and if they were to band together and reject him, that would be troublesome.
The new head of the household was constantly worried about this.
He summoned a group of retainers to discuss the future direction of the family.
Among his retainers were former subordinates of Tao Yan.
Tao Yan's former subordinates had a grudge against Shen Tang, a mixture of old and new hatred. Why would they want the new family head to side with their old enemy? They immediately revealed all the details of the Dragon-Slaying Scheme, leaving the new family head completely stunned. People love gossip, and the more outlandish the gossip, the more attention it attracts.
Including but not limited to—
Shen Tang harbors deep hatred for powerful families, murdering entire clans and desecrating ancestral graves. The remains of victims in He Yin and Longwu regions can attest to this! Intermarriages among these powerful families are frequent, and their relationships are complex. Even the women from these families who fled Longwu County years ago, through various connections, are related to local gentry. This gossip is guaranteed to be true!
Shen Tang is violent and ruthless, her cruelty comparable to that of the tyrant Zheng Qiao. A prime example is her public beating of her former master, Tao Shenyu, at the Dragon Slaying Alliance meeting; her emotional control was utterly terrible. Seriously, the scene was too brutal; there was no way to stop her! Her new family mainly relies on her; what if they ever do something against her will? Aren't they afraid of being grabbed by the hair and publicly beaten and humiliated?
Shen Tang's killing spree is legendary. It's said that she secured her position in Longwu County by slaughtering ordinary people from the Ten Crows, attacking tribe after tribe all the way to their capital. In the Ten Crows' capital, she only targeted nobles, killing anyone captured, regardless of age or gender!
In addition to the three points mentioned above, there is also—
The new head of the household's expression turned slightly cold: [Anything else?]
[This is something I heard from the late Lord Shenyu. Shen Youli was licentious and dissolute, showing no restraint towards men or women. One of her subordinates, surnamed Gu, was subjected to her sexual exploitation and became chronically ill. The two of them acted without any restraint in the Dragon-Slaying Bureau... The late Lord Shenyu had a falling out with Gu in his early years, and this treacherous official whispered in Shen Youli's ear, which led to Shen betraying the late Lord when they crossed the river.]
Tao Yan's former subordinates spoke with conviction, their eyes welling with tears when they mentioned Tao Shenyu. They made no mention of the details of Tao Yan's feud with Gu Chi, nor of Tao Yan's plan to ambush Shen Tang by joining Zheng Qiao before crossing the river: "If parents don't believe me, they can ask others."
The "others" mentioned by his former subordinates were his former colleagues.
Some former colleagues were affiliated with other prominent local families, and it was only necessary to send someone to verify their statements to determine whether they were true or false.
The two testimonies are basically consistent.
The faces of all the family heads were greener than cabbage leaves.
They naturally wouldn't believe it so easily, and they sent people to investigate. But the information that came back and what their subordinates said were roughly consistent—it was true that he killed the whole clan and dug up people's ancestral graves; it was true that he went on a killing spree in Shiwu and killed his way to the capital and brought back a bunch of ears; it was true that the Dragon Slaying Bureau lost control in public and beat Tao Shenyu; and of course—this licentious gossip was also true.
At this moment, a clever man, observing the rough intelligence gathered by Shen Tang's subordinates, suddenly noticed a pattern—why were all the handsome men and beautiful women under Shen Tang's command still single? Given their status, didn't their subordinates send them handsome men and beautiful women? Even if their subordinates didn't send them, shouldn't Shen Youli, as their lord, have rewarded them? This is very illogical!
so--
Do they really have no relationship?
After much consideration, I still think Wu Xian is a more worthwhile investment.
Just at this critical juncture, Shen Tang issued a public notice, recruiting talented individuals. Seeing that few people were being recruited, he even sent people to their homes to persuade them not to hide their talents and to bring out anyone capable from their families. He warned them that such a good opportunity wouldn't come again.
One of the heads of the household subtly inquired.
It is said that there is a member of the clan who is ugly but talented, and is also a scholar. I wonder if Shen Jun will find him unattractive.
The local official in charge of lobbying was taken aback.
The government office had records of local powerful families, and this family had many connections with him. Out of consideration for an acquaintance, he personally went to mediate. However, he didn't recall this family having a talented but ugly scholar named Wenxin.
and--
How ugly can a cultured person be?
He had a gut feeling that the patriarch in front of him was dishonest.
The so-called ugly literary scholar was probably a test?
He considered for a moment: "Considering our long-standing acquaintance, I'll give you a heads-up. Lord Shen doesn't judge people by their appearance, but I've heard he prefers warriors with strong physiques and martial prowess. Your third son has gained fame at a young age; perhaps we could recommend him. His future is limitless! One scholar, one warrior, complementing each other—how could our family not prosper?"
Don't hesitate, push them both up!
Let the handsome one wander around more; it'll make a better impression.
The patriarch's expression instantly changed from cloudy to stormy.
He stood up, waved his sleeve, and angrily chased the guest away.
The lobbyist was completely confused, but one thing became clear—this family didn't like Shen Jun, could they have other intentions?
He was secretly displeased: "These wealthy families..."
At this critical juncture, are you still thinking about betting everywhere?
Whether these families had secretly coordinated their visit or not, he visited other families the following day, only to be subtly turned away before he could exchange more than a few words. Left with no other option, the official had to report the matter, fearing the wrath of the new top official.
Even worse—
These prominent families extended goodwill to Wu Xian.
[These people refuse to side with Shen Jun. Even if they are forced to come, they will only be incompetent and hold their positions without doing anything. It would be better if they didn't come at all...] The officials who were turned away everywhere were also angry and cursed in private.
Little did they know, Wu Xian was also furiously cursing these powerful families for their insidious schemes. What was the point of them rushing to find him now? Where were they before?
This is like putting him on a hot plate.
His biggest fear right now is that Shen Tang will find something to use against him.
With internal troubles unresolved and external threats looming, are they trying to force him to his death?
The next second, he suddenly remembered something important.
He hurriedly ordered someone to lay out paper and grind ink, then picked up a pen and wrote a letter.
To whom should I write the letter?
It's naturally for Shen Tang.
I absolutely will not give Shen Tang a chance to shift the blame onto me!
Worried that the delivery would be too slow, he specially found a trusted confidant with good abilities to deliver the message, making sure it reached Shen Tang as soon as possible.
To show his sincerity, Wu Xian personally denied any involvement in the matter and sent all the intelligence he had gathered to Shen Tang. Upon seeing this handwritten letter, Shen Tang roughly guessed Wu Xian's intentions, but she never expected that the source was Tao Yan!
"Tsk, Tao Shenyu died too easily. I'll dig up his grave sometime when I feel like it." The anger caused by this matter had long been worn down by the heavy workload, and Shen Tang couldn't even get angry at the moment. She just wanted to sneer, "If you don't cut the weeds at the root, they'll grow back in the spring breeze! It's my fault for not wiping out Tao Yan's old subordinates! So they're the ones who are ruining my reputation everywhere, how interesting!"
"This is so interesting!"
Shen Tang laughed angrily at the crowd.
The thought that one of the most compelling pieces of evidence against this cucumber was the large number of single men under her command made her unable to even laugh.
"What does your decision not to marry or have children have to do with me? I admit that there was a lot of work in the early stages of starting a business, but in the past four or five years in Heyin and Longwu, only the first year was really busy, right? Overtime pay was even paid out as a benefit. After you've been promoted from the grassroots and the government offices are fully established, shouldn't everyone be able to take a break? Honestly, I haven't exploited you to the point that you don't even have time to think about your life's most important thing. You have houses, carriages, salaries and benefits, so why aren't you getting married?"
Shen Tang was seriously injured by this "cucumber"!
My pent-up grievances are about to overflow!
She's really suffered so much, even more bitter than a bitter melon!
Her subordinates were all hostile to her, and she silently endured it like a wronged wife. She thought her suffering was finally over, but public opinion dealt her another heavy blow. She was no big landowner or capitalist; she was just a sucker, a bitter gourd come to life!
Shen Tang went mad on the rooftop, clutching Wu Xian's handwritten letter.
Qin Liwen said gently, "My lord, please come down first."
Chu Yao sighed: "Fifth Brother, we can talk things over."
Zhao Feng scratched his head: "This humble general is married..."
Below, Gu Chi and the others looked up at the roof. They had all been summoned by the lord's personal guards to save the day—the lord, who was always diligent and hardworking, had suddenly gone on strike! He seemed to have suffered a major shock.
"I won't go down, you guys promise me first!"
Gu Chi scratched the tip of his nose, remaining silent.
"Marriage is a matter of fate. Besides, scholars with literary talent live longer than ordinary people, so there's really no rush for these things." Qin Li prided himself on his extensive knowledge, but he had never experienced his lord climbing onto the roof in the middle of the night to frantically urge him to get married, and he couldn't back out now.
Even if the new ruler is unorthodox, he is still better than Lord Wu.
Shen Tang said, "I wasn't talking about you."
Qin Lixin joined, so this cucumber incident has nothing to do with him.
Her sharp eyes swept over Chu Yao and the others.
Chu Yao was just about to decide how to speak when a rough male voice interrupted, "Why must you force it, my lord? Wu Hui was famous in the Northwest when he was young, and people came to propose marriage to him, but not long after, Wu Hui suffered some misfortune, and it has been delayed until now. Over the years, he has experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships..."
Chu Jie saved the day, and Chu Yao gave him an approving look.
These words stirred up Shen Tang's memories. Chu Yao had a miserable life in Xiaocheng. As a servant in Yuehua Tower, who could he marry? Going back further, after so many upheavals and setbacks, where would he have the mind to start a family? He was barely surviving.
Shen Tang looked reluctant.
He said apologetically, "Alas, I have touched upon Wu Hui's old wounds."
On second thought, all these people under her command couldn't even support a pair of parents, and each had their own hardships. Instead of showing understanding, she, as their lord, was being unreasonable and reopening old wounds... The more Shen Tang thought about it, the more guilty she felt, and she climbed down from the roof on her own initiative.
I felt awkward in front of everyone.
"Sigh, I'm busy with official duties, I have to go back and get busy too."
Watching their lord disappear in a flash, the group exchanged bewildered glances until Gu Chiyin suggested in a low voice, "These aristocratic families are so ungrateful; there's no need to show them any mercy. Should we spread the word that the three families that donated the least—"
He raised his hand and gestured to his neck.
Everyone agreed, otherwise they wouldn't feel satisfied!
Shen Tang slammed his fist on the table: "Let's do it this way!"
They're extorting money from you to the extreme!
Before the powerful families could recover from the devastating news that "if they cannot produce evidence of Shen Jun's debauchery with his subordinates, their entire families will be exterminated" and that "Shen Jun wants to vigorously develop the local area and revitalize the economy, and hopes that you will contribute money to build a monument of merit," they received another piece of gossip.
"The three families who donated the least will be exterminated?" A powerful family sent people to inquire about Shen Tang's attitude and unexpectedly learned of this rumor. One family head asked with a dark face, "Is the source reliable?"
The retainer said, "The source of the information is reliable. It came from Shen Youli's personal guards, and the orders have all been written down and sealed!"
The patriarch closed his eyes and pondered for a moment.
"Any news from Wu Zhaode?"
The retainer shook his head: "No news has come back yet."
After he finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment.
Seeing that he was hesitant to speak, the head of the family snapped, "Speak up if you have something to say. What are you stammering about? Is there some other bad news?"
A retainer said, "I heard that Wu Zhaode returned all the gifts sent up by the Li, Song, and Wang families..."
By returning the gift that was meant to be a gesture of goodwill, their attitude was quite clear.
The retainer stammered, "And..."
The patriarch pressed further: "And what?"
The retainer said with a bitter face, "Wu Zhaode also sent someone to spread rumors that he and Shen Youli were very close, and that their families were inseparable. He warned the three families not to sow discord any further..."
|ω`)
Mushroom lives in a coastal city, only half an hour's drive from the sea. You can imagine how devastated she is today. She has relatives who make a living from fishing, and her social media feed is overflowing with despair. Waaaaah…
Hopefully, Ghost Island will sink like the island depicted in this story...
(End of this chapter)
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