Chapter 114: Coercion and inducement
Almost everyone in Dayu paid great attention to the new firearms produced by Zheng Yi's arsenal.
Unfortunately, due to Zheng Yi's strict orders and the investigations of Jinyiwei and Dongchang, only a few people in the court had seen the power of the new firearms.
As the new army pushed back the rebels in Yongzhou, the buzz about new firearms increased again.
Although the surrounding area of the arsenal has been fortified and clear, it cannot withstand the pervasive spies.
In just half a month, Dongchang captured hundreds of spies.
And because of the very few casualties of the New Army, naturally some firearms, bombs, etc. were lost among the people and acquired by interested parties.
But this quantity is extremely rare.
Therefore, this group of mergers and acquisitions is even more enthusiastic about new weapons.
Now that I have the opportunity, how can I not go and pay homage to him?
When they arrived at the military camp, many people had seen the flintlock guns carried on the shoulders of the new army, and their eyes were very fiery, but they did not dare to take action without Liu Chengen's secret.
As for Liu Chengen, he took them to the big tent and continued serving food, while nodding to Cui Xiawu who came up to them.
In the military tent, Liu Chengen said loudly: "Everyone, did you just see our army's new firearms?"
"That firearm can spray flames and steel pillars three hundred steps away. It can easily tear apart human bodies and blow down city walls. This is a God-given treasure and a great blessing for me!"
"The reason why we, Dayu, were able to suppress the refugees and expel the Wu Kingdom so quickly this time were all thanks to your majesty and firearms!"
"But...!"
Liu Chengen's tone suddenly changed, and he gritted his teeth and said: "There are still a group of complicit people who secretly colluded with the Wu Kingdom and sold salt, iron, weapons, armor and other items to the Wu Kingdom!"
“These people deserve death!!!”
"Bang bang bang..."
As soon as he finished speaking, groups of uniformed guards suddenly rushed up from outside the military camp, and all the landowners and big businessmen in the general camp were surrounded like wolves and tigers.
The cold embroidered spring knife was pointed directly at this group of pale-faced people.
"Liu, Eunuch Liu, what do you mean?!"
The pale Wang Zhonghe stood up tremblingly.
He never expected that Liu Chengen, who looked amiable and had been chatting with them over wine a second ago, would change his attitude so quickly!
"What do you mean?"
Liu Chengen asked: "Why does Mrs. Wang pretend not to know?"
"Hmph! There's no point in trying to incriminate someone else. How can you convict us if there's no evidence? You're just slandering me. I want to see His Majesty!"
Wang Zhonghe glared at Liu Chengen with blood in his eyes.
If he didn't know the true face of this old man, Liu Chengen would have almost been deceived by him.
At this time, other people also reacted. Although they did not dare to resist when faced with the bright Xiuchundao, they all shouted: "You are wronged, Eunuch Liu, we are all good citizens!"
"Eunuch Liu is so slanderous, when did we collude with Wu Guo?"
"That's it! Where's the evidence! Where's the evidence that we colluded with Wu Guo?"
"There is no evidence, you are making a false accusation!"
"Eunuch Liu, although we are only businessmen, there are loyal people in the court, and we will definitely read your book!"
"Want evidence?"
Liu Chengen sneered, flicked his hand, and several envelopes fell in front of Wang Zhonghe and several heads of the eight major merging families.
"Here, this is the evidence you want!"
"Here are the letters between you and Wu Guo, and the list of items for sale, including salt and iron weapons, armors and other items. We still have hundreds of these letters at home!"
"You... still want to watch it?"
Several family heads tremblingly picked up the envelopes on the table and almost fainted after just one glance.
Can't be wrong.
These letters were indeed liaison letters they wrote to Guanturga and the Meng family in Heishan, Wu State, as well as a list of transportation items.
But...how could it be in Liu Chengen's hands!
In fact, Xu Mujun only collected more than a hundred envelopes from Heishanguan.
But maybe he wanted to watch the excitement, or maybe he wanted to take revenge on Dayu.
When Wu Guo paid compensation for the war, they actually threw all the letters, lists and other information and evidence that they had dealt with the Eighth Congress over the years to Dayu.
At this point, the merger is completely sold!
When they thought about it, Heishanguan was occupied by Dayu. At least they would not think about invading Dayu for a hundred years.
In this case, why not sell all the Yu officials and businessmen who secretly contacted them.
In this way, part of the compensation can be waived, and the disease can be cured. It’s really a win-win situation!
Therefore, Zheng Yi has already mastered the irrefutable evidence that some ministers of the DPRK and some big businessmen and aristocratic families are collaborating with the enemy!
If the merchants here knew that Wu Guo betrayed them in this way, would their intestines turn green with regret?
Their master, who licked his face and knelt down to serve them, betrayed them and handed over all the evidence of his crime to Dayu.
From now on, there is only one way waiting for them!
"Fake! It's all fake!"
Wang Zhonghe said angrily: "These letters are all fake. I want to see Your Majesty!"
The other figures also reacted immediately and shouted one after another: "Yes! These envelopes are fake, they are all fake!"
"We want to file a lawsuit!"
"Liu Chengen, you are setting us up!"
"That's right! If you can't get any money from us, you'll try to frame us. This is Jin Yiwei's usual trick!"
"We want to see His Majesty~!"
Liu Chengen chuckled and said: "How can you possibly meet His Majesty?"
"But..."
His tone suddenly changed, he grabbed the letter in his hand and slowly tore it into pieces.
Many businessmen present were surprised by Liu Chengen's step, and they all subconsciously stopped what they were doing.
Liu Chengen, what are you doing?
Why did he tear up the evidence?
"Hey hey hey..."
Liu Chengen chuckled and said: "Although Your Majesty is angry at what you have done, you also know that this is Wu Guo's tactic of using a knife to kill people."
"Furthermore, God has the virtue of promoting good life. In recent months, under the enlightenment of Master Fayuan, His Majesty has devoted himself to Buddha and decided to reduce killings."
"You, those who colluded with each other and were suspected of treason, really deserve death!"
"But Your Majesty understands the righteousness and wishes to serve our country well. The future construction of the Grand Canal cannot be separated from your support, so I have decided to forgive you the death penalty!"
As soon as he finished speaking, many businessmen present breathed a sigh of relief.
No need to die?
That's best.
And more people's eyes flickered, secretly considering whether it was true or false. In order to collect gold and silver, Liu Chengen could even make such a joke?
"However, death sin can be forgiven, but living sin cannot be escaped!"
"You, the eight major merchant families, the Wang, Qiao, Chang, Meng, Hou, Qu, Kang, and Fang families, each must hand over one million acres of land as land for the crime. Only then can you be forgiven for the death penalty. Otherwise, the whole family will be searched. Kill! ”
What? !
After hearing Liu Chengen's words, everyone present was stunned.
One million acres of land?
Can you forgive the sin of liaison with the enemy?
This is simply...a great deal!
One million acres sounds like a lot, and it is.
Almost 70%, or even 90%, of all the land in their hands.
But compared to the lives of the whole family, it is simply insignificant.
And...
There were several people present with twinkling eyes and fierce hearts, and they soon came up with a plan.
Qiao Maoyong suddenly stood up and said: "Eunuch Liu, my Qiao family accepts the punishment!"
"Please let my father-in-law let me and my father go back. In three days, our Qiao family will hand over the land deed of one million acres of land to my father-in-law."
But I was thinking in my heart, as long as I go back, I will immediately contact the group of horse bandits and bandits raised by my subordinates. If it doesn't work, there will be that group of rebels who are against their mother.
He even has to contact the other seven families. If the seven families rebel together, it will inevitably cause turmoil in the entire Bingzhou.
Some people from other families also thought about this issue and shouted: "My Meng family also admits it, one million acres of land!"
"Father-in-law, please let me go back. I can hand over the land deed to you tomorrow."
"Although I am old, I can still ride a horse. Let me go back..."
For a time, dozens of people were fighting over the list of people to go back, and a few brothers even got into a fight.
Seeing this, Liu Chengen sneered and said: "You are really treating our family like fools."
He pointed at a few of them and said: "Qiaojiaqiao Maoyong, Yue Mazi, the leader of the horse bandits wandering in Qixian and Quanyang counties, must be yours."
"There are also Lao Taishan in Taigu, the Qinglang Mountain bandits in Yuxia County, the Blood Knife Gang in Yuanping County, and the monks of Nanwu Temple across Wutai Mountain. They are all people you raised, right?"
"If we let you go back here, most of Bingzhou will rebel over there!"
"It took so much effort to get you all together, how could it be possible to let you go back so easily?"
Wang Zhonghe frowned and said: "How are you treating me, father-in-law?"
"It's very simple. Each of you will write a handwritten copy and hand it over to our family, and our family will send someone to receive the title deed."
"As soon as the title deed to one million acres of land is obtained, our family will release them immediately!"
"Otherwise, just stay at our house."
"Come here! Take all the squires down, prepare pens, inks, paper and inkstones for them, and decide who will write first!"
"Our family can make the decision. The merchant who writes first only needs to pay 600,000 acres of land, and the remaining 400,000 acres of land will be replaced by others!"
"No!"
The wolf-like Jin Yiwei immediately rushed over, tied up each businessman, pushed them and walked out.
"I write! I write first!"
"I, the Meng family, write first!"
"Get lost! My Fang family wrote first!"
"My Chang family! Hurry..."
Several people rushed over in a hurry, pushing and pushing to grab the pen, ink, paper and inkstone. Liu Chengen waved his hand, so the Jin Yiwei retreated.
He smiled and said: "Isn't this right? As long as you obey, my father-in-law will never let you down!"
Soon, the three heads of the Meng family, Fang family, and Chang family wrote letters and handed them to Liu Chengen.
The three of them are the weakest among the eight major mergers and have the least money, which is why they compromised so quickly.
Liu Chengen looked at the letter in his hand carefully and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, these three are indeed enlightened squires. Our family will take the initiative to reduce the number of the three families' criminal land to 600,000 acres."
"The remaining 400,000 acres will be borne by the three families who wrote the last letter."
As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the heads of the three families suddenly lit up.
"Thank you, father-in-law! Thank you, father-in-law!"
The other five families were also very entangled. In the end, the heads of the Qu family and the Kang family also hurriedly wrote and fined one million taels.
In the end, only the Wang family, the Qiao family and the Hou family were left.
These three families are the strongest and have the most money, especially the Wang family.
Wang Zhonghe stood up tremblingly, glared at Liu Chengen and said, "Eunuch Liu, aren't you afraid of criticism from the DPRK when you do this?"
"DPRK and China criticize?"
Liu Chengen sneered and said: "Our family is dedicated to serving the public and your Majesty. This mentality can be learned from the world!"
"So what if there is criticism between the DPRK and China? As long as His Majesty trusts you, our family will be shattered to pieces in retaliation!"
"We should advise Mrs. Wang to write. All the people stationed here are Jin Yiwei and are loyal to His Majesty. No news will ever be spread."
"Write a letter to my family, ask them to open the door obediently, take out the land deed, and our family will leave!"
"Otherwise, the whole family will be slaughtered and no chickens or dogs will be left alive!"
"You...!"
Wang Zhonghe glared at Liu Chengen, his eyes almost burning with anger.
"I am not afraid to tell you the truth. The DPRK has restarted the military merit system. So many new soldiers have made great contributions. Your Majesty will not give you any titles or rewards. This is all His Majesty's will."
"However, our family has changed its approach."
"Old man, don't be so shameless~!"
Under Liu Chengen's coercion, inducement and constant threats, the remaining three families had to put pen to paper and ask their families to open the door and take out the land deeds in exchange for their lives.
"Oh, that's right, I just had to obey earlier."
"The writing is wrong here, it's not one million acres, it's 1.4 million acres!"
"Young and old men, one spit and one nail, your three families own 1.4 million acres, write quickly!!!"
Seeing Liu Chengen walking out proudly with the envelope, Wang Zhong's eyes were so angry that they were about to burst into flames.
"Okay, okay! Very good!"
"Eunuch Liu Chengen! I, the Wang family, remember this. When I go out, I will definitely fight to the death with you!"
Asking for a monthly ticket~
Asking for a monthly ticket~
Asking for a monthly ticket~
Asking for a monthly ticket~
Asking for a monthly ticket~
On the last day of April, I beg for my monthly ticket! ! !
(End of chapter)