In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 841 Round Table Conference: Collusion Between Officials and Bandits
In the north of the city, sunlight filters through the leaves, creating dappled patterns of light and shadow.

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees lining the streets.

In this pleasant atmosphere, an elegantly decorated mansion stands quietly.

The main gate of the mansion was made of heavy wood.
The exquisite patterns carved on it highlight its nobility and extraordinary nature.

At this moment, in the main hall of the mansion,
More than a dozen well-known business owners from the city gathered here.

The hall was spacious and bright, paved with smooth marble, and the walls were decorated with exquisite calligraphy and paintings, showcasing the wealth of the establishment.

A huge round table was placed in the center of the hall.
It was filled with all sorts of delicacies and fine wines.

It is said that gatherings are held at this kind of round table.
It originated in the capital and symbolizes the equality of everyone at the table.

But wherever there are people, there is a social hierarchy, with different social statuses.

At this moment, Mi Chen of the Mi family, Wang Ze of the Wang family, Huang Huai of the Huang family, and Hu Chongyi were all among them.

They sat at the innermost part of the round table, their expressions haughty, quietly sipping tea and eating pastries.

Below them were some shopkeepers of slightly lower status.

They had smiles plastered on their faces, their eyes revealing their ingratiating intent.

Despite being so obsequious here,
However, if you place them in the Beiping Regional Military Command or even the Liaodong Regional Military Command, they would be powerful and wealthy merchants.

"Manager Mi, your move was truly brilliant!"

"If the workshop stops production, the government will definitely panic."

A slightly overweight shopkeeper with an oily face spoke first, his face beaming with a smug smile.

Mi Chen smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

Although she was panicking inside and wished she could shut him up, she still politely said on the surface:
"You flatter me. This is the result of a joint discussion among everyone."

We're just letting the authorities know that easily antagonizing the grasslands isn't a good thing for Daning City.

Wang Ze picked up his wine glass and took a small sip.

Then he put down his glass and said slowly:
"That's right, we just want to keep the business between the grasslands and Daning going."

As for those grassland bandits and the like, we can't interfere.

As long as business isn't affected, there's no need to escalate the conflict with the authorities.

Huang Huai echoed:
"That's right. We should stop production while simultaneously mobilizing the bigwigs who are collaborating with us."

I refuse to believe that the government offices would disregard the opinions of those high-ranking officials.

The shopkeepers below nodded in agreement, their faces showing excitement.
Although the message from the government office was only to suspend trade for one month.
But nobody knows if those grassland tribes might have a mental breakdown.
If we don't hand the person over, this business deal will be delayed indefinitely.

Another tall, thin shopkeeper said excitedly:

"Manager Huang is absolutely right. We do have connections within the government."
Those adults eat and drink our food every day, and they even take a lot of money from us.

The loss due to the work stoppage is also their money.

"If they work hard enough, the government will back down."

“That’s right, that’s right. We can’t just let the government control us. We have to think about ourselves too,” another shopkeeper chimed in.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually became more lively.

Everyone chimed in, offering their suggestions and ideas.

It's as if I can already see the scene of the government office regressing.

Their faces beamed with smiles, and their eyes revealed their anticipation for the future.
It was like seeing piles of gleaming silver right in front of you.

However, Mi Chen sat at the head of the table, quietly watching them. Although a smile appeared on his lips, he was sneering in his heart.

He had figured it out that day.
If the government were so easily corrupted, Da Ning City would not have become the prosperous place it is today.

But he didn't show it; he just listened quietly.

"I think we can also spread some news around the city."
They say the government disregarded the lives of ordinary people and forcibly tried to stop business.

This caused our workshop to shut down, and the people lost their livelihoods.

This pressure from the public will also make the government officials more cautious.

An older shopkeeper stroked his beard and spoke slowly.

This method has worked for them time and time again.

"That's a brilliant move! It makes the people dissatisfied with the government, and then the government will have no choice but to consider our opinions."

Everyone nodded in approval, agreeing that it was an excellent idea.

However, just as everyone was feeling triumphant and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant,
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Immediately afterwards, the door was pushed open violently.

A group of soldiers dressed in black armor rushed in.

They held long knives, their eyes were cold and their aura was menacing.

The leader was none other than Asu, the commander of the Daning Vanguard.

He was burly, with a cold and stern face, and exuded a violent aura.

He strode into the hall, scanned the crowd, and then said coldly:
"Oh, are you all having a gathering here, shopkeepers?"

Everyone was startled by this sudden turn of events and stood up, their faces showing fear.

Many shopkeepers were surprised to find that when they actually faced these soldiers wielding long swords,

My legs felt weak, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

Mi Chen's heart tightened, but he quickly regained his composure and relaxed.

He stood up, bowed to Asu, and said with a smile:

"My lord, what do you mean by that?"

"We're just here to discuss some business matters, is that not allowed?"

Many shopkeepers turned their attention to it.
I admire Mi Chen's calm demeanor.

As expected of the person in charge of the Mi family!
Asu snorted coldly, staring intently at Mi Chen, and said:
"Discussing business? You've stopped production, caused trouble, and spread rumors. Is this a gathering? This is clearly treason!"

Wang Ze's expression changed slightly. He knew that this Asu valued the stability of the people from the northern grasslands the most.
Now that we've offended him, things are bound to end badly.

Wang Ze quickly stepped forward, smiling apologetically, and said:

"Lord Asu, you have misunderstood. The workshop's cessation of production is a matter for its own arrangements."

As you know, many of the items we make are destined for the areas outside the Great Wall.

The situation is unclear right now, so let's wait and see.
Let's wait a couple of days and see what the government says before we start production.

Please rest assured, sir, we have no other intentions and do not wish to escalate the matter.

We're just discussing how to minimize the losses.

Asu looked at Wang Ze with a hint of disdain in his eyes and burst into curses:

"Wang Ze, you bastard, you're so old and you're spouting this nonsense!"
It's one thing to deceive yourself about what you're thinking, but to bring it out and spread it around is absurd!

Let me tell you, the government's decisions will not change because of your petty actions.

Huang Huai was somewhat unconvinced and frowned as he said:

"Lord Asu, we are all merchants from Da Ning."

We have made significant contributions to Daning, and the government recently commended us.

But now, the government can't just ignore our lives, can it?

Asu sneered:
"Gong my ass! I think you're all just doing this for your own selfish interests!"

Some of you are colluding with grassland bandits and disrupting the peace of the Daning border. Don't think I don't know that.

Or do you think that you are the only ones who know someone on the grassland?
You yourselves know how much shady stuff is involved in your business!

Upon hearing Asu's words, everyone's expressions changed, and they felt a sense of panic.

As a former nobleman of the previous dynasty

Now that they have surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, they hold a high position there, and the same is true on the grasslands.
Everyone believed his words.

Mi Chen inwardly groaned, knowing that this matter was going to be tricky.

He said quickly:
"Lord Asu, you can't wrong us!"

Our business with the grasslands has never involved any collusion with thieves.

The government office is about to open a trading market in the north of the city.
We merchants will also fully support you, taking the goods there to sell and paying taxes. Please don't wrong us!

Asu looked at Mi Chen, then turned his head away with a disdainful snort:
"Whether I have wronged you or not, you know the truth in your hearts."

I'm not here today to argue with you about these things. I'm warning you, if you can do business, then do it.
If you're worried about losing money by shutting down your workshop, sell it as soon as possible.

If the workshop is not open by tomorrow morning, don't blame me for being impolite!

Hearing Asu's words, everyone became even more panicked.

Everyone looked towards the innermost part, and seeing that everyone was looking at him, Mi Chen smiled and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"Lord Asu, please don't be angry. We acted impulsively."
We are willing to follow the government's arrangements and resume work as soon as possible.

Ah Su's expression remained unchanged, cold and filled with murderous intent.
“If you don’t resume work tomorrow, your business in the north of the city will never be able to operate again.”

Having said that, Asu waved his hand and led his soldiers away from the hall.

As everyone watched Asu's departing figure, they all breathed a sigh of relief, and then turned to look at Mi Chen.

Hu Chongyi looked at Mi Chen meaningfully and spoke in a deep voice:
"Manager Mi, are you just going to compromise like this?"

Mi Chen sat in the chair and gently waved his hand:

"Asu is no ordinary commander."

He enjoyed great prestige in the north of the city, and those nomadic people from the grasslands were no saints.
If we continue to stand up to him like this, who knows what might happen?

"I'll agree for now; whether we start work tomorrow is another matter."

Hu Chongyi frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

The men I sent to track them have yet to be found.
He strongly suspected that he had been killed by the person in front of him, but he had no evidence.

Moreover, Mi Chen had a history of backstabbing, so Hu Chongyi didn't entirely trust him.
But now that things have come to this, he's facing the authorities, so he has no choice but to accept it.

"Then let's wait for news tonight and see how the officials handle it."

The crowd was heavy-hearted, but they didn't have any other good ideas.

After exchanging a few more words, they parted ways.

Hu Chongyi did the same; after leaving the mansion, he did not return to the trading company or his home.
Instead, they traveled by horse-drawn carriage, winding their way to a teahouse in the south of the city.
Upon his arrival, the teahouse owner raised an eyebrow, the two exchanged a glance, and nodded slightly.

Hu Chongyi then walked into the private room, sat down slowly, and waited quietly.

Less than half an hour later, a series of steady footsteps sounded outside the teahouse.
Immediately afterwards, a tall, middle-aged man with a stern face stepped into the teahouse.

He was dressed in a dark black brocade robe, with a gold ribbon tied around his waist, and black leather boots.

Every step was taken firmly and powerfully.

It was Zhang Bin, the defender of Daning City and the acting deputy commander.

Upon seeing this, the teahouse owner hurriedly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and whispered:
"My lord, the person is in a private room."

Zhang Bin nodded slightly, glanced around the teahouse, and strode towards the private room.

Pushing open the door to the private room, Hu Chongyi was sitting at the table, toying with an exquisite teacup in his hand.

Hearing the noise, he looked up, a smile appearing on his face, and stood up, cupping his hands in greeting:
"Lord Zhang, you've finally arrived."

Zhang Bin entered the private room and sat down opposite Hu Chongyi, his expression calm.

But a hint of displeasure was revealed in his eyes.
He picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip of tea.

After setting down his teacup, he slowly began to speak:

"Manager Hu, you acted rashly today."

Hu Chongyi was slightly taken aback, then smiled gently:
"Lord Zhang, there's nothing we can do about it."

Lu Yunyi's sudden decision to launch a military campaign against the grasslands is about to impact our business.
If we don't take some measures, all our previous investments will be wasted.

Zhang Bin stared intently at Hu Chongyi and said:

"The work stoppage was so sudden that it's causing quite a stir in the government offices."

Even if someone wanted to speak up for you now, they wouldn't have the chance to!

Hu Chongyi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile:

"Lord Zhang, what are you afraid of?"
Those officials have taken plenty of benefits from us in the past, so they will naturally stand on our side when it matters.

Besides, this is for everyone's common benefit.

They surely understand this principle.

Zhang Bin's face darkened further after hearing Hu Chongyi's words.

He slammed his hand on the table and said:

"Hu Chongyi, you are a merchant now, not a bandit as you used to be!"

We can no longer act as recklessly as before; we must always be mindful of the consequences.

"You learned your lesson after suffering a huge loss last time!"

Hu Chongyi, however, was unimpressed. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said nonchalantly:
"Lord Zhang, aren't you being far too cautious?"

Our cooperation over the years has always been smooth sailing.
Last time I only suffered a minor setback, but this time I'll be more careful.

Besides, Lu Yunyi sees all the merchants as a thorn in his side this time, what can he do to us?

Looking at Hu Chongyi's arrogant demeanor, Zhang Bin felt both angry and annoyed.
He stood up, paced back and forth in the private room, then stopped, pointed at Hu Chongyi, and said:
"Hu Chongyi, don't forget, the situation is different now than before."

Your work stoppage and disturbance have given him a perfect opportunity to make a move.

If he were to indiscriminately slaughter everyone,
He may lose face, but you will lose your lives.

Upon hearing this, Hu Chongyi felt a little flustered.

Judging from Lu Yunyi's actions, he certainly seems to be that kind of person.

But he maintained a composed facade and said:

"Lord Zhang, please don't be angry. We still have you here."
Don't worry, things won't escalate.

Zhang Bin snorted coldly, sat down again, and said:
"I hope so. You just said you had someone follow Mi Chen, but he's disappeared. What happened?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Chongyi's expression also turned serious.
He sat up straight and said:

"Lord Zhang, Mi Chen went to the Military Commandery last night."
I suspect he's done something disloyal again.

So I sent a few men to follow him and see what kind of collusion they were having.
Unexpectedly, they disappeared without a trace after they left, and there has been no news of them since.

I suspect that Mi Chen may have discovered them, and then…

Zhang Bin frowned, lost in thought.

After a while, he said slowly:

"I instructed Gao Haoxuan to send men to monitor all the officials in the yamen."
To this day, no one has returned to report.

Upon hearing this, Hu Chongyi was startled and sat bolt upright.

"what?"

Hu Chongyi's expression changed slightly, and in an instant, many possibilities flashed through his mind.
Finally, it settled on the worst-case scenario, and said tremblingly:

"Lord Zhang, have our men been captured by Lu Yunyi?"

A look of worry appeared on Zhang Bin's face, and he sighed softly:

"It's possible, but it's too early to make a decision now. Let's wait and see."

Upon hearing this, Hu Chongyi became somewhat flustered:
"Lord Zhang, if we really fall into Lu Yunyi's hands, they will definitely implicate us, and then we won't be able to explain ourselves."

"You sent someone to follow Mi Chen, why are you panicking?"

Zhang Bin said somewhat impatiently, "The most troublesome person right now is himself!"
After a long silence, Zhang Bin slowly said:
"Send someone to investigate and see if they can find the person's whereabouts. I can't make any moves right now."

Furthermore, if you don't want to give others a reason to criticize you...
Those workshops that have suspended operations should resume work as soon as possible. As for the business with the grasslands, we'll discuss that in the long term.

Hu Chongyi's face stiffened, and he said somewhat reluctantly:

"Lord Zhang, the deed is done, but the person has been offended."
If we resume work so easily, wouldn't all our previous efforts be wasted?

Zhang Bin glared at Hu Chongyi and shouted:

"Why don't you understand? Now is not the time to act impulsively."
Continuing to resist the authorities will only make things worse.

"Don't blame me if you get dragged out and beheaded."

Hu Chongyi's expression changed repeatedly, and his breathing became rapid.

With Zhang Bin about to be promoted and eager to clear his name, he naturally wouldn't care about such a small amount of money.
But as a merchant, all he had was this much money!
Taking a deep breath, Hu Chongyi, though filled with grief and indignation, nodded helplessly:
"I understand, don't worry."

Zhang Bin stood up and said:
"Okay, go and do it as soon as possible. Be careful and cautious, and report to me immediately if anything happens."

Hu Chongyi also stood up, cupped his hands, and said:
"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

(End of this chapter)