Chapter 125 The sky is high and the emperor is far away
"Brother Dong, drink tea, drink tea."
"Okay, okay, let's drink together."
Liu Mingzhi put down the teacup in his hand, picked up the teapot and filled in two more cups of tea.
"Brother, if something like this happens, will the officials at the Anxi Protectorate just ignore it?"
"Brother, you are new here and you don't know something. It's not that the Protectorate doesn't want to take care of it, but it's that it can't."
When Young Master Liu heard this, his pupils shrank slightly, and he took a puff of dry cigarette with a puzzled look on his face.
"Oh? Why is this?
Could it be that those big caravans are secretly colluding with the officials of the Protectorate?"
Hearing this very sensitive question from Young Master Liu, Dong Fuyuan's expression tightened and he waved his hand hurriedly.
"No, no, of course that's not the case."
Young Master Liu frowned slightly, turned his eyes slightly and blew out a puff of smoke.
"Well, brother, I don't quite understand. If it's not because of this situation, then why can't the Protectorate take care of it?
Is it because those big caravans have a strong background and the officials of the Protectorate are afraid of the power behind them, so they dare not take care of them?"
When Dong Fuyuan saw Mr. Liu raising two such sensitive questions in succession, he immediately looked around nervously.
He saw that the guests around him did not notice the situation between him and Young Master Liu, and he breathed a sigh of relief quietly.
Immediately, he pulled the chair behind him with his backhand and walked towards Young Master Liu with a depressed expression.
"No, no, none of that.
"Brother, you can't talk nonsense like this. You have to be careful that walls have ears.
Brother, I see that you are also a smart person. Don’t you understand that trouble comes from your mouth?
If what you just said accidentally reaches the ears of someone who cares, it will definitely cause trouble.
Be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!"
Liu Mingzhi looked at the nervous and depressed expression on Dong Fuyuan's face, smiled lightly, picked up the tea cup and gestured.
“Brother Dong, it’s my brother’s fault.
Come on, brother, let me offer you a cup of tea instead of wine.
It will be served later and we will have three drinks together."
"Okay, okay, cheers."
As soon as they put down their teacups, Liu Song immediately picked up the pot and filled it with water.
Liu Mingzhi moved the tea cup in front of him, pretended to observe the situation in the restaurant cautiously, and then took a slight test of his body.
"Brother Dong, I don't know the rules when it comes to going out, but I like to ask questions.
But, brother, this is really a helpless move for me.
As I told you just now, this is my first time doing business in the Western Regions, and I have no idea about the situation in the Western Regions.
I asked so many questions at once, hoping to learn more about the situation and rules here.
So as not to accidentally violate other people's taboos and make some unpleasant actions."
As Young Master Liu spoke, he turned to Qi Yun and the other sisters, as well as Song Qing, Du Yu and others and pursed his lips.
"Besides, brother, you've seen it too.
Brother, we are just a small caravan of about a hundred people.
A small caravan like ours, with only about a hundred people, will inevitably be bullied by those big caravans and receive some unfair treatment.
Brother, after I understand the details from you, I can deal with some troubles in advance.
If we can’t afford to offend him, why can’t we hide him?
If it weren't for my helplessness, brother, I wouldn't want to meet you for the first time and keep asking questions like this.
Therefore, I ask you, brother, to give me some pointers so that I can be less bullied."
Seeing Mr. Liu's sincere look and his sincere words, Dong Fuyuan smiled bitterly and nodded.
"Brother, you are also an honest person.
Brother, let me put it bluntly, it is really not a good choice for an honest person like you to come to do business in the Western Region!"
While they were sipping tea, the three princesses, the queen and the other sisters, when they heard that Dong Fuyuan actually said that their husband was an honest man, their expressions changed slightly and they couldn't help but coughed a few times in laughter.
"Pfft..."
"Hmph, cough, cough, cough."
"Ahem, uh huh."
When Young Master Liu heard the sound, he immediately looked at the beauties angrily.
"What's wrong with you all?"
Qi Yun, the queen sisters, and several others noticed their husband's unhappy eyes, and they all suppressed their smiles, and their expressions became serious.
"To tell you what the young master is saying, the little one is acclimatized and choked."
"Master, please calm down. I'm new here, so I'm not used to the tea here."
"We are all the same. Please calm down, young master."
Mr. Liu turned slightly sideways, stared at a group of beauties who were suppressing smiles, and rolled his eyes helplessly.
"Then drink slowly."
"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong."
Young Master Liu quickly regained his composure and turned around with a faint smile.
"Brother Dong, I made you laugh. This group of servants have never seen the world."
Listening to Young Master Liu's slightly helpless tone, Dong Fuyuan waved his hand indifferently.
"Hahaha, it's normal, it's normal. It's really easy to get acclimated when you first come to the Western Region."
Young Master Liu took a long puff of dry cigarette and exhaled a puff of light smoke with a melancholy expression.
"Oh, brother, there's nothing we can do about it. Things are going well at home, but business is getting harder and harder.
I have no choice but to come to the Western Regions and give it a try.
After all, it’s all about making a living!”
"Understand, understand."
"Brother Dong, please enlighten me. What you are saying is not that the Protectorate does not want to take care of it, but that it cannot take care of it. What exactly is going on?
Now that I have figured out the specific situation, I can take precautions in advance."
Dong Fuyuan raised his hand to fan the smoke in front of him, and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Brother, how can the small caravans be willing to accept unfair treatment?
However, no matter how unwilling they are, what can they do?
They can't afford to go to court with those huge caravans."
Liu Mingzhi's brows furrowed slightly, and he thought quickly, vaguely guessing what was going on.
However, there was a look of pretentious confusion on his face.
"Can't afford it?"
"That's right, the main reason is that we can't afford it.
Those large caravans have sufficient goods and resources, and it is not a problem for them to stay as long as they want among the countries in the Western Region and the countries in the Far West.
However, those small caravans cannot do that.
The small caravan has limited goods and limited manpower. It is not easy to travel from Dalong to the Western Region.
Therefore, after they came to the Western Region, the first thing they wanted to do was to sell the goods in their hands as soon as possible.
Then we will return to our Dalong as soon as possible and try to make another trip to the Western Region.
As a result, they have no time to litigate with those big caravans.
Therefore, as long as they have not suffered too much unfair treatment, they will naturally admit it with gritted teeth."
After listening to Dong Fuyuan's story, Liu Mingzhi frowned slightly and nodded.
"I understand, if the people do not raise officials, they will not be punished."
Dong Fuyuan smiled bitterly and sighed melancholy.
"Hehehe, hehehe."
"well."
"That's right, people don't hold officials accountable.
None of those small caravans went to the Protectorate to file a complaint. The Protectorate couldn't just arrest the big caravans and hold them accountable for no reason.
Therefore, even if the Governor's Mansion heard some rumors, they would have no evidence and no witnesses.
As a result, even if they wanted to seek justice for those small caravans, there was nothing they could do.
So, it’s not that the Protectorate doesn’t want to take care of it, it’s that it can’t.”
Looking at Dong Fuyuan's melancholy expression, Mr. Liu gently took a puff of dry cigarette, and an imperceptible gloom quickly flashed in the depths of his eyes.
"If the people don't promote it, the officials won't investigate it."
"Hahaha, hahaha, what a good citizen who doesn't hold officials accountable."
"I didn't expect those big caravans to act so domineeringly in the Western Region."
Listening to Young Master Liu's somewhat unkind tone, Dong Fuyuan took a puff of dry cigarette with a sad expression.
"Brother, the situation is not as good as others, so what can we do?
As long as the trend is not too big, when it is time to bow your head, you will have to bow your head."
When it's time to bow your head, you just have to bow your head.
When Young Master Liu heard Dong Fuyuan's last words, he felt unwilling and helpless. With a gloomy expression, he raised his right hand and slapped it heavily on the table.
There was a dull thud.
Qi Yun, Qing Lian, Wen Ren Yunshu, their sisters, Little Cutie, and others were all frightened.
Song Qing, Liu Song and others, including Dong Fuyuan, were also shocked.
Even the other dozen or so tables of guests in the restaurant subconsciously turned around and took a look at the situation at Young Master Liu's side.
Young Master Liu ignored the glances directed at him, a cold and stern look flashed in his eyes.
"Over the years, the imperial court has opened up trade routes and encouraged the common people to engage in business. The purpose is to allow the people in state capitals all over the world to exchange what they have and get what they need from the hands of caravan merchants of all sizes.
This allows people to enrich their lives.
For the imperial court to act in this way is to benefit the country and the people.
However, some bastards, for their own selfish interests, actually committed the abominable act of bullying the weak, using the big to bully the small, and dominating the market.
Such profit-driven dogs deserve death.
Even if you die ten thousand times, it is not a pity to die."
Dong Fuyuan came back to his senses, looked at the angry-looking Young Master Liu, and quickly reached out and tugged on his sleeves with a look of panic.
"Brother, be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!"
Liu Mingzhi looked at the panicked Dong Fuyuan, suppressed the anger in his heart, and hugged him with a smile.
"Brother Dong, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I lost my temper again.
Brother, when I think that my group may also suffer such unfair things, I can't help but feel angry in my heart.
Sorry, so rude.
I hope you won’t take offense to this rudeness, Brother Dong.”
Dong Fuyuan turned around and blew out a puff of smoke, then raised his hand and patted Mr. Liu's arm twice gently.
"Understand, understand, brother, brother, I can understand your mood.
If it were anyone else, you would probably have the same reaction.
However, you should listen to my brother's advice, in case you are really unfortunate enough to encounter such a large caravan.
At that time, you must endure it if you can, and give in if you can!
Never, never be impulsive."
"Hey, I understand, brother. Thank you very much for your kindness."
Young Master Liu collected his emotions, picked up the tea cup and gestured to Dong Fuyuan.
"Brother, I will offer you a cup of tea instead of wine."
Young Master Liu moved his body, leaned over the table and knocked out the ashes from the smoke pot.
"Brother Dong, except for the situations you just mentioned.
Is there anything happening in the Western Region where our dragon caravan bullies the caravans of the countries in the Western Region, as well as the caravans of all countries in the far west?"
Dong Fuyuan put down the teacup in his hand and answered Young Master Liu's question directly without thinking.
"No."
Seeing Dong Fuyuan's answer so readily, Young Master Liu frowned, rolled up his tobacco bag and put it on the table.
"No?"
"Yes, no."
Young Master Liu took a breath silently and picked up his teacup casually.
"Hiss, aren't there those big caravans you mentioned?"
"That's right, no."
Young Master Liu took two sips of tea, his eyes full of doubts.
"Those big caravans even dared to bully our own people, Dalong, but they didn't even bully the caravans of the countries in the Western Region, as well as the caravans of all the countries in the far west.
This! This! Why is this?"
"Brother, most of the merchants in the Western Regions are locals.
And those large and small caravans in the far west are very close to the Western Region, so it doesn't take much time to travel from their country to the countries in the Western Region for trade.
Compared to our small caravan from Dalong, these two caravans can litigate with those big caravans at the Protectorate at any time.
Especially the caravans from the countries in the Western Regions, most of them are locals.
Not afraid of engaging in a protracted battle with those big caravans.
In this way, those big caravans will not dare to bully the caravans from the countries in the Western Region, as well as the caravans from the countries in the far west that come to the Western Region."
After Liu Mingzhi listened to Dong Fuyuan's words, a cold and stern look flashed deep in his eyes again.
"Hmph, hehehe, these bastards are really interesting to watch."
"Hey, who says it isn't?"
Liu Mingzhi frowned and pondered thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded with his eyes slightly narrowed.
"In a word, the sky is high and the emperor is far away."
"The fundamental reason why these bastards dare to commit such audacious evil deeds is because the sky is high and the emperor is far away.
They think that our Emperor will not know that the various crimes they have committed here in the Western Regions deserve to be executed.
That's why they dare to do this kind of behavior in the Western Region of bullying the small, relying on the strong to bully the weak, and bullying and dominating the market.
Otherwise, even if I lend them ten thousand courages, they would not dare to act like this."
Dong Fuyuan let out a silent sigh, bent down and knocked out the ashes from the smoke pot under his feet.
"Brother, be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!
How can we ordinary people understand these things?
As it should be, so be it."
Liu Mingzhi wanted to ask Dong Fuyuan where those big caravans came from and what their names were.
However, he finally endured it.
Rather than asking Dong Fuyuan these questions, it would be more appropriate to send someone to investigate secretly in person. ()