In the past, I didn’t think that these few people getting together could cause much trouble, but now the more Li Zhong thought about it, the angrier he got!
It must be these bad friends who led Tian Fei astray. He used to be an honest man, but now he has almost turned into a slick, idle and second-rate person.
Li Zhong frowned and scolded: "It has been two days since the Qiao family said they would plant trees, and none of you have gone up the mountain to work, and you still have the leisure to drink and have fun here. You are really unpromising! Don't you want to stay in Laohu Town?"
"Brother-in-law, aren't we just waiting for your arrangement? Besides, we are gathering here today to discuss this matter and come up with a suitable solution!"
Li Zhong looked at him in surprise, and raised his eyebrows: "Oh, have you figured out a solution?"
Tian Fei came over happily and said, "We plan to pool our money to buy a hundred trees and then replant them! What do you think?"
Li Zhong laughed out of anger!
"Gather the money and return a hundred trees? That's a lot!"
This really treats the Qiao family as enemies or fools!
Tian Fei didn't realize the irony in that statement, and replied complacently, "If you think it's too much, we can reduce it..."
With a "clang", Li Zhong kicked over the stool. The loud noise interrupted Tian Fei who was still talking to himself.
"How dare you say that? You can take advantage of the Qiao family whenever you want. It seems that those treacherous servants that the Qiao family sent away a while ago haven't woken you up yet!"
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, don't be angry. We are still discussing this. How about you give me some advice?"
Li Zhong said firmly: "I have no idea. Over the past few years, even if you cut down one tree a day, there would be thousands of trees. The surrounding hills have become what they are now, and it is inevitable that you are reckless. You think you can get away with just one hundred trees? Are you still asleep?
If I were you, I would immediately buy three to five thousand saplings to make up for the loss. It's up to you whether you want money or your life!"
Everyone present was suddenly panicked. They had witnessed with their own eyes how much Li Zhong took care of Tian Fei on a daily basis. But now he was beating and scolding him, and even saying such inhuman words. Why was he doing that?
"Not to mention you, I am also the same, this mayor has reached the end of his career. The people of Qiao Mansion have already made their promise.
You will have to vomit out all the food you have eaten in the past few years. Those who take the initiative to plant trees in the mountains will be given a chance to reform.
If you still insist on being stubborn, you should first weigh the weight of your own bones!"
After saying this, Li Zhong never looked at them again and left without looking back.
The people in the room were stunned!
What does this mean? The Qiao family is really going to settle the score later, but why are they starting with them?
They are not the only families who have been buying and selling timber over the years, so why should they be held responsible alone?
How can you spit out the fat meat you have already put into your mouth?
"Tian Fei, what do you think we should do? Is your brother-in-law trying to scare you? The Qiao family has been silent for so many years, why are they making a fuss now?"
Tian Fei said angrily, "You ask me, who should I ask? Anyway, if they are determined to track us down, none of us can escape. Anyway, we have earned a lot of money over the years. We have eaten what we should eat and drank what we should drink. Now it's a matter of money or life. Think about it yourself!"
Life is definitely more important than money, but do they have the final say now?
Everyone is still confused about what the Qiao family's attitude is. If they take too little, they are afraid that others will be dissatisfied. If they take too much, it would be like cutting into their flesh!
I'm in a dilemma!
Everyone left with their own ulterior motives!
......
In the next few days, Li Zhong urged his brother-in-law to pay for the purchase of two thousand saplings, while pressuring him to go up the mountain to dig holes every day. At the same time, he did ideological work on other people, trying to make up for their mistakes and get lenient treatment!
As for the Qiao family, it seems that apart from spring plowing and tree planting, they have been busy every day and have not taken any action during this period!
I just heard Manager Cao occasionally mention that the guards in the mansion had caught a few petty thieves!
Such a trivial matter did not attract Li Zhong's attention!
At this moment, he had no time to care about anything else. Based on his intuition from many years in officialdom, Li Zhong knew that if his tree planting task was not completed before the beginning of summer, he would really lose his position as the mayor!
The old lady seems easy to talk to, but she is very principled. Once her bottom line is crossed, the Bodhisattva with a kind face will use Vajra methods!
Tian Fei pricked the blisters on his hands, rinsed them with salt water, and immediately grimaced in pain.
He slumped in the chair, and his hands were shaking slightly as he picked up the chopsticks!
When will these days of suffering and hardship end? My hands, which I worked so hard to develop, have grown thick calluses again during this period.
Every day, my brother-in-law would pull me out of bed at dawn. As soon as I opened my eyes, I would start digging holes. I spent the whole day digging holes. He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it!
He was alone, and he had to decide when he could go down the mountain after planting fifty trees in a day. He even had to prepare lunch on the mountain.
It was almost a month later, but his brother-in-law still refused to show leniency and insisted that he plant the 2,000 saplings himself!
But this time, his parents and sister turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, leaving him to suffer there alone!
Tian Fei had never suffered such injustice since he was a child. Even when he was fleeing famine, his parents ignored him like this!
Just when he was about to quit and protest against his brother-in-law's tyranny.
The news brought by the guy was like a bolt from the blue, blew away any thoughts of resistance in him!
"What did you say?"
The guy who came to report the news under Li Zhong's orders did not dare to hide anything.
"Uncle, all the charcoal shops in town and timber shops in the city have been confiscated by the government. Your friends are all in jail. I don't know if they can get out!"
Tian Fei asked anxiously, "It was confiscated, and he was put in jail. Why? Didn't they say that if he made amends, he would be forgiven?"
"That's true. But they didn't think of making amends. After they returned that day, they sold their property overnight and prepared to move out. However, they were intercepted by the Qiao family's guards and reported to the court as thieves!
Which trees they cut down that shouldn't have been cut down, how much charcoal they sold, and how much assets of the Qiao family they embezzled, all were recorded in the little notebook of Manager Cao without any ambiguity!
They also said that they had given everyone so many opportunities, but it was a pity that they were useless and unwilling to repent. The Qiao family had no choice but to do this. "
At this point, the clerk smacked his lips and said with regret, "I heard that he might be exiled to Lingnan, and there's no way he'll be able to come back in this lifetime.
Tell me, is it worth it to risk the lives of his entire family for such a small amount of money? It's not like he didn't have a chance...
Hey, hey, uncle, what happened to you? Someone come quickly, uncle has fainted! "
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