Chapter 108 Official troubles! The crisis of the Yun family!
Pingyun County, Yunjia.
A large group of people gathered in the meeting hall, their faces gloomy and the atmosphere extremely solemn.
"Master, the Heng family has been taking action frequently recently, constantly suppressing the Yun family's industry!"
"In the county alone, more than a dozen shops have been inspected by the government, half of which have been closed down, and half of which have been suspended for rectification. Industries in other towns have been suppressed even more severely!"
"The five caravans transporting supplies from Guangyang County were all attacked by bandits fifteen miles outside the city. No one was left alive. However, according to our investigation, some standard weapons and dead people were left at the scene.
Judging from the wounds, it was obviously done by troops from Pingyun County!"
"In addition, the cooperation with the Zhao Family Martial Arts School, which we had previously invited with a large sum of money, has been negotiated. Due to pressure from the government, we have clearly refused to cooperate with the Yun Family!"
"The Ping family has been taking more and more actions against the Yun family recently. I'm afraid they want to suppress or even annex my Yun family!"
In the hall, a middle-aged steward said.
"This Taira family is so ambitious!"
One clan elder was so angry that he slammed the table.
"In the past, the Taira family's targeting was only carried out in secret, and at most it was a small fight. Now it is out in the open, and there is no scruple!"
"Now they are just suppressing our peripheral industries and testing our bottom line step by step. This does not conceal their ambitions!"
Yun Fan, the head of the Yun family, looked serious and said, "Do you have any good ideas?"
Although the Yun family is known as the two largest families in Pingyun County, they are on equal footing with the Ping family.
However, they knew very well that if there was a real fight with guns and knives, the Yun family was really no match for the Heijia.
After all, the Taira family holds both military and political power. This is the real power. Moreover, it is a power granted by the Han Dynasty court, and it also represents the majesty of the court!
No matter how powerful the Yun family is, it is just a business family. As the saying goes, the people do not fight with the officials!
Under the Han Dynasty's agricultural, industrial and commercial system, how could a mere wealthy businessman be the government's opponent?
If the Taira family hadn't considered the impact of annexing the Yun family, they would have taken action long ago!
Half of the Yun family's power comes from its own industry and business channels, as well as the many people who work for the Yun family.
The other half is the Yun family's connections. Every year, the Yun family gives out a lot of gold and silver to officials at the state and county levels, and builds good relationships with major families. Even the Heng family receives a lot every year.
An offering from the Yun family.
But the Ping family is not satisfied with this, and has begun to covet the entire Yun family's industry!
Since last year, the conflict between the two families has become more and more serious.
It was just a small move before, but now it is suppressing it openly. The government is trying to break through the Yun family's bottom line again and again!
If there is no counterattack, the opponent will not only fail to restrain himself, but will instead push further.
If this continues, the Yun family may not be able to escape being annexed by the Heng family.
"We can't sit still and wait for death!"
"They asked us to pay a bounty of 5,000 yuan before. It was just a test. We should not have agreed in the first place!"
"Now we are pushing even further and constantly breaking through our bottom line. We absolutely cannot tolerate it any longer!"
"Should we report this matter to Governor Gongsun and ask them to stop what the Taira family is doing?"
Someone suggested.
"It's useless. Since the Heng family dares to do it openly, it's obvious that someone is giving instructions behind the scenes!"
Yunfan thought for a while and shook his head. "This time, we can only rely on ourselves. Governor Gongsun and other officials cannot provide us with any help!"
He remembered that he had received a letter from Gongsun Fu last night, which stated two points.
The first is that the struggle for official power has broken the balance and deteriorated sharply, which may affect the entire Youzhou officialdom. He himself cannot protect himself. The second is that the Yun family is required to provide a large amount of financial support!
There are various factions in Youzhou, including Han officials, famous families, powerful families, and wealthy merchants and gentry!
In order to fight for power and gain, they will do whatever it takes, but usually everyone just uses tricks and conspiracies, and will not do it with real swords and guns.
The Heike and Yun families each belong to different factions.
Previously, the two factions maintained a delicate balance.
But now, the balance has been broken.
This is not only a power struggle between the Heijia and Yun families, but also a rivalry between higher-level officials, which eventually affects them!
There are people in the Yun family, including Gongsun Fu, the governor of Shangguqun who has always protected the Yun family, but there are also people in the Heng family.
Now Gongsun Fu is under siege by hostile factions and has no time to take care of the Yun family!
This is the reason why the Taira family dared to take action blatantly. I'm afraid there are orders from their superiors behind this!
money!
In the prosperous times, he will be the Yun family's biggest protective umbrella.
But in troubled times, having a fortune will only make you die faster!
The official battle has just begun, and the Yun family is being targeted!
Gongsun Fu asked the Yun family to provide a large amount of financial support to help them win a battle.
The Taira family and the forces behind them covet the Yun family's property!
"This... we give them so much money every year, can they just sit back and do nothing with peace of mind?"
The clan leader cursed.
"They can't protect themselves, how can they take care of the Yun family..."
Yunfan sighed lightly.
Behind the Pingyun dispute is actually a larger officialdom turmoil!
The overt and covert fights in the Han officialdom, once you lose, the consequences will be very miserable!
It was too late for them to protect themselves, and they had no energy to manage the Yun family. Even when necessary, the Yun family was a sacrificial bargaining chip!
Therefore, the Yun family's connections are of no use at all at this moment.
Because the crisis facing the Yun family was not caused by itself, but was affected by the power struggle of Youzhou officials!
As for fighting for strength?
It is impossible to be the opponent of the Taira family. After all, the opponent controls a large army.
Moreover, on weekdays, the government restricts the growth of the Yun family's strength.
This time the cooperation with the Zhao Family Martial Arts School failed, and it was the Taira family who took action.
Before this, the Taira family had stopped him countless times.
Once any strong person or martial arts or other forces want to join the Yun family, they will be strongly blocked by the government!
Even the size of the Yun family's caravan guards has been strictly restricted by the government!
With the suppression from the Taira family and the government, it is difficult for the Yun family to recruit experts!
Otherwise, such a large Yun family would not let Yun Chong, who has only over 60 points of force value, serve as the captain!
Of course, the Yun family is not sitting still and waiting for death. If their power cannot be developed openly, they will cultivate their power secretly.
The Yun family set their sights on thieves.
The relationship between the Yun family and bandits is very complicated. Because of the caravan, they often deal with bandits.
Of course, they are not just enemies.
Sometimes it is a worship relationship, and the Yun family will pay a protection fee to some large villages every year!
Sometimes it is a cooperative relationship, and the two parties will engage in some deeper cooperation.
Sometimes it is a controlling relationship. The Yun family uses certain means to control some copycat forces and cultivate and develop them!
The Black Demon Village used to be funded by the Yun family and was able to develop rapidly, but it was later destroyed by the government.
It is precisely because of this that the Yun family's caravans are rarely robbed by bandits, which ensures that the Yun family can earn a lot of wealth every year!
“The previous backers are all useless!”
"Then we have to find other ways to break the situation!"
"Break the blockade imposed by the Taing family on my Yun family!"
"It would be great if Mr. Ouyang Jing were here, he must have good ideas!"
After everyone heard Yun Fan's explanation, they knew very well the situation the Yun family was facing.
None of the previous backers could be relied upon, and they even coveted the Yun family's property just like the Heing family!
If they rely on these connections, the Yun family will only die faster.
"With our own strength, the Yun family simply cannot survive this storm!"
"Only by breaking the current situation can we gain a glimmer of hope!"
A ruthless look flashed in Yun Fan's eyes, "Since we are stuck in a quagmire and can't extricate ourselves, let's make the water even more muddy!"
