Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

3 PM.

Officer Zhou, who had returned from the Buddhist temple in Xishan ahead of time, turned around and took the police officers to the steel rolling mill.

The arrest of Lou Bancheng a few days ago has caused widespread panic among the workers at Lou's Steel Rolling Mill, with signs of impending unrest.

As for the matter of confiscating the property of the Xishan Buddhist Temple, it was directly handed over to the adjutant.

Workers poured out of the workshop and crowded at the door, their faces filled with confusion and fear.

"What are they doing? Is the factory closing down?"

"I heard the Lou family got into trouble, and their factory is going to be shut down!"

"What are we going to do? My whole family depends on my meager salary for food..."

Officer Zhou stepped out from the crowd, stood on a wooden crate, and raised his voice: "Everyone, please be quiet!"

The crowd gradually quieted down, and all eyes fell on him.

Officer Zhou continued, "The Lou family has committed a crime and has been dealt with according to the law. The Lou family's steel rolling mill will be nationalized starting today and will be taken over by the Military Control Commission of the Huaxia Independent Brigade."

Another commotion arose in the crowd.

A middle-aged man in overalls pushed his way to the front: "Sir, what about our livelihood? The factory has changed owners; will there be layoffs?"

Officer Zhou looked at him and asked, "What's your name?"

"My surname is Zhao, Zhao Dazhu, and I've worked at the factory for twelve years."

"Zhao Dazhu, I'm asking you, do you rely on the Lou family for your livelihood, or do you rely on these two hands of yours?"

Zhao Dazhu was stunned for a moment: "Damn...damn these hands..."

"That's right."

Officer Zhou raised his voice, "The factory has changed owners, but the machines are still the same machines, and the workers are still the same workers."

Your skills and your strength won't disappear just because you've changed employers.

After the military control commission took over, the factory continued to operate, work continued, and wages continued to be paid. As long as you work hard, the country will not let anyone down.

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd fell silent for a moment, then burst into enthusiastic applause.

Zhao Dazhu's eyes were a little red. It was the first time he had been recognized. Everyone said that the Lou family had given him a chance to make a living, but no one said that it was his own skill.

Officer Zhou jumped down from the wooden crate and patted him on the shoulder: "Go tell the workers to go to work with peace of mind."

"Everything will be alright after this painful period."

Zhao Dazhu nodded vigorously.

Five o'clock in the afternoon.

At the city gate tower in the distance, Lin Tian stood with his hands behind his back, watching the monks being escorted down from the direction of the Western Hills by soldiers.

The abbot walked at the front, his head drooping, the prayer beads around his neck swaying on his chest, long gone from the composure he had when chanting sutras.

Lin Tian still had a deep impression of him.

Officer Zhou strode up to him: "Sir, the Lou family's property and all the assets of Xishan Buddhist Temple have been registered and are being inventoried."

The workers have been settled, and the factory will be able to resume production tomorrow.

"Sir, the Lou family's assets have all been inventoried."

They are truly rolling in money; no wonder Lou Zhenhua is known as "Lou Half-City"—his family's wealth is indeed frighteningly substantial.

Those monks were stubborn. At first, they said things like "Buddhist temples are pure places, untouched by worldly wealth," but when they searched, they found that the gold and silver hidden under the Buddha statues were more than the temple's incense money.

Several monks tried to resist, but they have already been arrested.

Lin Tian's lips curled into a smile that was hard to decipher: "Well said, the Buddhist temple is a pure land."

Since they themselves said they don't want worldly wealth, let's grant their wish and bring out all those things.

The monks refused to return to secular life, so they were sent to labor camps to work in mines, to let them reflect on their actions.

Officer Zhou nodded in agreement: "The Lou family is still causing trouble. Lou Shijiang is insisting on seeing you."

"Let them make a scene."

Lin Tian said in a calm tone, "Find all the slick-haired guys and send them to join Lou Bancheng."

"By the way, regarding the Lou family's businesses, you guys came up with a plan overnight. These factories and shops are losing money every single day they stay afloat."

...

Early the next morning.

Lou's Steel Rolling Mill.

The workers entered the factory area one after another, their steps lighter than usual, but their expressions still carried a hint of trepidation.

An older worker stood at the workshop entrance, looking at the newly posted notice on the wall, and turned to the younger worker next to him, saying:

"The factory really reopened for us, now we can rest easy."

The young worker smiled and rubbed his hands together, saying, "We can finally relax."

"The notice says that Lou's Steel Rolling Mill will be renamed the Third Steel Rolling Mill of Sijiu City, a state-owned enterprise."

"Yeah, so does that mean we've got a secure job?"

Inside the workshop, the machines started running again, their clanging sounds echoing throughout the factory.

An experienced worker stood in front of the machine tool, touching the cold iron handle as if he were caressing an old friend he had lost and then found again.

"It's good to have a new employer. I don't have to put up with the Lou family anymore. This is the government's job."

A fellow worker leaned over and whispered, "I heard Lou Bancheng has really messed up this time; his house was raided."

The experienced mechanic sighed, said nothing more, and simply tightened the screws on the machine tool.

Around noon, Officer Zhou arrived at the factory again.

The workers stopped what they were doing and stared at him expectantly.

Officer Zhou announced: "The factory will be temporarily managed by the military control commission. The workers' treatment will remain unchanged, and their wages will be paid as usual."

Foremen and managers from before, as long as they were not involved in the Lou family's criminal activities, can continue to work.

"good!"

"We have faith in the country, and we have faith in Commander Lin!"

Applause quickly erupted.

...

The Lou Family Mansion.

Lou Shijiang, unable to contain his suppressed anger, said, "Butler, why didn't you stop them? Why did you just let them ransack my house like that?"

"Young Master, how can I stop you? Are you suggesting I take my head?"

The butler shook his head helplessly and said, "I have been with the master for many years, and you, young master, have also participated in some of the work in the house, so you must know some unclean things."

They came to ransack the house today, so they must have found out something from the master, or discovered something else.

I advised the young master to prepare for the worst in advance, sigh…

Lou Shijiang: ...

At dusk, Officer Zhou entered Lin Tian's office again: "Sir, Lou Bancheng has confessed."

He confessed to his crimes of hoarding goods, price gouging, colluding with the Japanese invaders, and communicating with foreign enemies.

He said he was willing to give all his wealth to atone for his sins, only asking that his children not be implicated.

Lin Tian smiled and said, "His children must have been involved as well."

Officer Zhou hesitated for a moment: "That's right, Lou Shijiang is very emotionally unstable and keeps proclaiming his innocence. Should we...?"

"Let him shout."

"He won't have a chance to shout tomorrow."

Only those who have wronged you know how wronged you are.

Lou Bancheng was taken away to secretly eat peanuts, where did he get the trick?

He's targeting the Lou family.

Lin Tian smiled calmly: "Go ahead, a public execution is quite good, at least it's enough to make an example of someone."

There are so many capitalists in Beijing; all that money sitting there will just get moldy.

……