On that day, the government issued a notice in Huai'an.
Zhuang Ming, the founder of the Zhuang Company, openly rebelled, despised the imperial power, destroyed sacred objects, and assassinated King Chen.
After being defeated, he openly resisted the law and killed more than 200 elite Zhennan troops.
Now Zhuang Ming is on the run and his whereabouts are unknown.
The government once again seized Zhuang's Trading Company in Huai'an.
And this time, not only was it seized, but all managers and guards of Zhuang's Trading Company were captured, imprisoned, and punished for the crime of rebelling against thieves.
In the afternoon of that day, before nightfall, the incident had already spread widely, causing an uproar throughout Huai'an!
With business spread throughout the Sixteen Prefectures of Huai'an, Zhuang's Trading Company, which is the most powerful, has the most stable reputation, and has the most prosperous business, is actually a rebel and a traitor with evil intentions?
——
Within Guangfu.
"Master, it's not good."
"What's the etiquette of shouting and screaming? Didn't you see Mr. Lu here? You're so flustered, you've lost your etiquette!"
"Master, Master Lu, there is news from outside that Mr. Thirteen of Zhuang's Trading Company has rebelled!"
"What?"
The two people in the hall suddenly stood up and looked at the visitor with expressions of disbelief.
And among these two people, one of them was Lu He.
He has been traveling in the martial arts world for many years and has a wide network of contacts. He is here today to complete the assignment given by the young master.
Unexpectedly, I just sat down with this friend and heard this shocking news.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
The middle-aged man's face was cold. He knew that Lu He worked for Zhuang's Trading Company, so he was afraid that he would offend him with his words, so he hurriedly scolded him: "Mr. Thirteen of Zhuang's Trading Company is a business man. How can a law-abiding citizen rebel?"
?Are those random rumors, which have not been verified, also reported?"
The servant hesitated for a moment, glanced at Lu He, and then said: "Master Gao of Guangfu personally issued an order to seize the Zhuang's Trading Company in Guangfu, capture a group of people, throw them into prison, and temporarily imprison them for rebellion...
…”
The middle-aged man's tone suddenly stopped and he looked at Lu He quietly.
Lu He's expression changed and he said in a low voice, "What's going on?"
The servant hurriedly responded: "I heard that King Chen had a sacred object that he wanted to offer to the current emperor. For some reason, Mr. Thirteen suddenly destroyed the sacred object and assassinated King Chen. After the defeat, with the help of two masters, he killed thousands of people.
The elite Zhennan Army is heavily encircled... and is currently on the run."
Lu He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and asked again: "Let me ask you again, is the news really true?"
The servant nodded and said, "The government has issued a notice."
Lu He was stunned there, his eyes changing again and again.
His heart was filled with shock and he couldn't believe the news he heard at this moment.
He knew that in the heart of the young master, he was actually arrogant to the world and had no idea of supremacy of royal power. Otherwise, he would not have intercepted and killed the people in the government, plundered the government's property, and planned to harm the king of a different surname.
But he also knew that the young master always acted cautiously and prudently.
Why were you so reckless this time, destroying the sacred objects and assassinating King Chen?
This is a sure thing!
Even if the assassination is successful, so what?
Can it withstand the entire Dongsheng Dynasty’s army next?
No matter how powerful the Zhuang Company is, it is just a trading company attached to the Dongsheng Dynasty. How can it compete with the entire Dongsheng Dynasty?
It stands to reason that with the prince's city, even if King Chen persecutes or even humiliates him, he will never reach this point.
how so?
Unless... Young Master has another plan?
However, even Mr. Gao of Guangfu, who had always accepted countless treasures from Zhuang's Trading Company, has been convicted of rebellion. Now that the matter has come to this, how can there be a way to rescue him?
Lu He opened his mouth, but felt that his mouth was dry and his tongue was dry. For a moment, he felt quite confused.
He really couldn't think of any other way to resolve this situation.
"brother……"
The middle-aged man hesitated and said: "The government issued a public notice to convict this person of rebellion. At this point, the matter is irreversible..."
He paused and said: "Whether Zhuang Ming wants to rebel or not, or whether there are any twists and turns in it, but now that the crime has been convicted, it cannot be overturned. Even if he is unparalleled in wisdom and scheming, he will definitely die, and Zhuang's Trading Company, I'm afraid they are about to break up. You might as well listen to your brother's advice and hide first, abandon everything related to Zhuang's Trading Company, and sever all ties, so as not to suffer disaster together and get into trouble..."
Lu He paused for a moment and said in a deep voice: "Young Master has given me the kindness to know and help me in everything, and the two masters of Qianyang and Yinming have given me the kindness to teach, and they are actually my master and disciple..."
Having said this, he looked at the middle-aged man and said: "Brother Yuan, in this life, you must die. In this life, I, Lu He, value kindness and justice. If I just hide away, I will be an ungrateful person. What shame can I have?" , just stay alive?”
Brother Yuan hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to speak.
The servant hesitated again and said: "Master Lu, there are rumors that the two great masters around Mr. Thirteen were killed by the Zhennan Army to protect Mr. Thirteen from escaping."
Just as Lu He was about to take a step, he suddenly paused and his eyes were complicated.
His mouth moved, as if there was sadness, and suddenly he laughed again and asked: "How are the casualties of the Zhennan Army?"
The man responded: "There are masters under King Chen who participated in the battle. They surrounded the army with more than a thousand Zhennan troops and used Tianji divine crossbows. However, it is said that the number of casualties exceeded 200."
Lu He said with a smile on his lips: "As expected of a martial arts master, even if he faced thousands of troops, he still killed more than a hundred enemies. He is really powerful and powerful, and I can't compare to him."
After finishing speaking, he walked away.
"However, Mr. Lu was not to be outdone, and the number of kills exceeded a hundred!"
After he finished speaking, he waved his hand without looking back.
His back turned away.
There is no coming back.
"master……"
The servant paused for a moment, stretched out his hand and scratched lightly, with an inquiring look in his eyes.
If Lu He goes here, he will die anyway.
Even so, should we capture Lu He and go to the government in exchange for merit?
Mr. Yuan frowned slightly, shook his head slightly, and sighed: "I saw Lu He today. He is no longer what he was before. He is only one step away from being a grandmaster. Even if we gather all the guards in my villa, we may not be able to keep him."
After he finished speaking, he sighed: "After all, we have been friends for many years, and I am not too poor to fight for life or death with him for some rewards."
——
Huaibei Anzhuang.
On the high seat, there was a young man, about thirty years old, with noble temperament and gorgeous clothes.
He was sitting lazily, his right hand gently turning a jade ring on his left thumb.
And his eyes were looking at a middle-aged man below.
"Yueyang, one of the guard commanders under Zhuang's Trading Company."
The young man picked a grape, put it in his mouth, chewed it gently, and continued: "You hide your identity and don't want to tell it. Do you think I can't find out your identity? This secret village in Huaibei is all mine. It is not difficult for the king’s ears and eyes to check your identity.”
There is a person standing below, standing upright, with a face of about forty years old, and a steady brow. It is clearly Yueyang who was originally supposed to go to the capital.
But the nobleman who was originally in the capital came to Huaibei.
Yueyang then turned back to Huaibei.
It was not until yesterday that I was able to see the honor.
And today, the seventh prince's identity was verified.
Yue Yang was not surprised.
The business of the dark manor is diverse, all in dark places, and there are many strange people and strangers. It is not difficult to find out his identity.
"My young master, I have long said that there must be a big shot behind the Huaibei Secret Manor, and it turns out to be the Seventh Prince."
Yue Yang's expression was as usual, neither humble nor arrogant. He raised his hands and saluted, saying: "After all, the matter is very important. Yue may reveal his identity and bring disaster to Zhuang's business in the future. I hope the Seventh Prince will forgive me."
The seventh prince looked at the many papers next to him, which were full of words. He immediately looked away and said calmly: "You have sent me the evidence of Prince Chen's crime, but you don't dare to come forward. Do you want me to be a knife for you?"
After he finished speaking, he sneered, with a look of disdain on his face, and said: "You killed the most trusted advisor under my command, and you still want me to do things for you?"
Yue Yang said: "You are not doing things for us, but you are doing things for yourself."
The seventh prince raised his eyebrows.
Yue Yang said again: "King Chen supports the Crown Prince of the East Palace, and you are trying to seize the throne. He is a stubborn stone on your way to the throne. Wouldn't you be willing to overthrow him? Song Tianyuan is dead, and you will fight for a dead man.
, just ignore the next big thing?"
Hearing this, the Seventh Prince laughed, but the meaning of his words was difficult to understand. He only said: "What a great Mr. Thirteen. He has a warrior under his command who is so powerful. No wonder Song Tianyuan also fell into trouble."
Speaking of which, the seventh prince felt helpless.
He relied heavily on Song Tianyuan.
And Song Tianyuan never let him down. After several major events in the capital, he was in the limelight and overshadowed the Prince of the East Palace.
It turned out that based on Song Tianyuan's follow-up plan, he might really be able to replace the prince in a few months' time.
However, not long ago, the Prince of the East Palace was plotted by Song Tianyuan and was banned for three months.
Song Tianyuan was able to free up his hands, but he did not continue to attack. Instead, he took leave and returned to his hometown, saying that he wanted to give his old man a chance to deal with a businessman. In just a few months, he could defeat the businessman and return to the capital calmly.
Unexpectedly, more than a month later, there was still no news from Song Tianyuan.
As for him, the seventh prince, he couldn't help but set off to Huaibei to find the most resourceful counselor under his command.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they arrived in Huaibei, news came that the Song family in Xuancheng had collapsed.
And Song Tianyuan is nowhere to be found, so he is probably in bad luck.
"As wise as Song Tianyuan, his boat capsized in the gutter and he fell into his hometown."
The Seventh Prince was distressed and angry, but he also cherished his talent.
Song Tianyuan was so quick-thinking and profound in strategizing, so what kind of talent was that Mr. Thirteen who defeated Song Tianyuan and made Song Tianyuan lose his life in terms of strategy?
For such a person to live in the marketplace, instead of making achievements, he is obsessed with gold, silver, mundane things, and doing business. It is really a dereliction of his talent.
"As I said before, I can take action."
"But the time to take action is not certain."
"Even if we take action later, the effect will be the same."
"It's just that later, your Zhuang's Trading Company will be destroyed."
The seventh prince said calmly: "If you want me to take action early to solve the dilemma of Zhuang's Trading Company, let your young master come to see me in person."
Yue Yang remained silent and was about to continue speaking.
However, at this moment, a voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Report! Urgent report from Huai'an!"
"What urgent report?"
"Zhuang Ming destroyed the sacred objects and assassinated King Chen. He failed and fled. Now in Huai'an, a notice has been issued and he is listed as a rebel. All the people under Zhuang's trading company will be imprisoned for rebellion."
"What?"
Yue Yang's complexion suddenly changed.
The seventh prince's expression also changed.
The atmosphere in the venue came to a standstill.
After a while, I heard the Seventh Prince sigh: "What a pity."
As soon as he thought about cherishing his talents, King Chen actually convicted Zhuang Ming of rebellion.
But then again, being able to be branded as a rebel by King Chen, and destined to die at the end of the road, this person is not as extraordinary as he thought... Maybe Song Tianyuan was just careless.
But Yueyang stood there as if struck by lightning, his expression changing.
"Yueyang..."
The seventh prince sighed: "Since notices have been issued in Huai'an, it shows that the evidence for this crime must be conclusive and cannot be uncovered. As a member of Zhuang's trading company, you are also a rebel. Logically speaking, I should take down the crime at this moment."
You... However, I think you have extraordinary martial arts skills and a flexible mind. If you are willing to serve me, I can change your identity for you and protect you from death."
Yue Yang took a deep breath.
He didn't know why the always cautious and forbearing young master would end up in such a situation.
However, he firmly believed in his heart that the young master must have a plan for everything.
"The two Yue brothers received the grace of saving their lives from the young master, and they will never have second thoughts in this life."
Yue Yang gave a salute and said: "The evidence of King Chen's crime is all here. How the prince should act is up to the prince himself... Now that the Zhuang's Trading Company is in danger, Yue takes his leave."
After saying that, he turned around and left.
The surrounding guards suddenly drew their swords from their sheaths.
Yue Yang stopped, holding the handle of the knife in his hand, with a solemn expression.
"Let him go."
The seventh prince waved his hand and motioned for his men to retreat.
Yue Yang turned around, gave a salute, thanked him, and left the dark village.
The seventh prince looked at his back and suddenly sighed.
"A loyal man, it's a pity that he can't be used by me."
"Who knows whether he is a loyal man who is ready to go back and die to protect the Lord, or a coward who is ready to escape?" Someone laughed in the dark.
"I can see that he is not a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death."
"The evidence of King Chen's crime he brought?" The man hesitated slightly.
"Just keep it for now."
The Seventh Prince sighed: "These criminal evidences speak of King Chen's past of supporting the bandits, killing good people and taking credit, and now he is accumulating power and ambition in Huai'an, and there are some evidences of rebellion. He said that his son,
There will be follow-up arrangements, enough to overthrow King Chen in one fell swoop... However, now that the rebellion has been committed, Zhuang's business will be destroyed, and Zhuang Ming will die, so there will be no follow-up arrangements."
"Without follow-up arrangements, these incriminating evidences are not complete and are not enough to overthrow King Chen."
"But these incriminating evidences will be of great use in the future, so let's keep them for now."
"Yes, I will seal it now."
"What a pity."
The seventh prince slowly exhaled.
I don’t know if I cherish Song Tianyuan, Zhuang Ming, or Yueyang.
"This man can defeat Song Tianyuan and tame a martial arts master to be so loyal and loyal. He is truly a talent."
"However, we are still no match for King Chen."
"The matter has come to this, the crime has been decided, and I, the king, can't save you."
——
Northern Territory, land of drought.
Liu He was concerned about the life and death of his savior and his family, so he asked Zhuang Ming for help to come to the disaster area.
He found his life-savior. Fortunately, his family are still alive.
The disaster situation is getting worse as time goes by, but it is still controllable.
As for the benefactor's family, they have some financial resources. Although they are not as good as before, they can still barely make ends meet.
After finding a benefactor, Liuhe borrowed Zhuang's Trading Company to settle down the family, and then devoted himself to disaster relief.
The shops and warehouses of Zhuang's Trading Company here were only completed at the end of last year. They are not as well-established as those in the Sixteenth House of Huai'an, but they still have some reliable managers.
Liuhe came here on the order of the young master Zhuang Ming and became the person in charge, and the rest of the management were assisted by others.
"Sir, this is the money that Zhuang's Trading Company will provide for this disaster relief. In addition, in three days, I will open a warehouse to release grain and relieve the victims. By then, I will prevent the victims from snatching food and causing disorder. I also ask your Excellency to send government officials.
Liu He saluted and looked at the old man in front of him.
This old man is the local parent officer.
According to the laws of the Dongsheng Dynasty, this disaster relief matter must also be reported to the government.
Therefore, Liuhe paid a visit to Mr. Zheng on the first day he was preparing for disaster relief.
"Ah, very good."
Mr. Zheng said slowly: "Zhuang's Trading Company has strong financial resources and a kind heart. This is not a small gesture. Maybe 70% of the victims in my jurisdiction can survive this natural disaster..."
After a pause, Mr. Zheng looked at him and hesitated to speak.
Liu He felt strange in his heart, hesitated for a moment, and asked: "My lord, do you think there is anything else wrong?"
Mr. Zheng was silent for a moment and said: "I am over sixty years old. I am more than seventy years old. I don't want to pursue an official career."
When Liu He heard the words, he realized the hidden meaning of the words. His heart sank and he said seriously: "What do you mean by Master Zheng's words?"
Master Zheng took a piece of paper, handed it over, and sighed: "Your son Zhuang Ming destroyed the birthday gift presented to the Holy Emperor and assassinated King Chen. After his failure, he forcibly broke through the Zhennan Army's siege and fled, causing
The Zhennan Army suffered hundreds of casualties."
After finishing speaking, he looked at Liu He, who was astonished, and continued: "Now among the sixteen palaces in Huai'an, King Chen has convicted Zhuang's trading company of contempt of imperial power, assassination of princes, and rebellion, from Zhuang Ming to all levels.
The stewards, guards, and followers will all be arrested and imprisoned, waiting to be punished."
Liu He opened his mouth, still in disbelief.
He, Lu He, Yueyang and others all had the same idea.
With the young master's wisdom in planning the city, no matter how hard King Chen forced him, he could not make such a move and put himself in a desperate situation.
"Now this matter is limited to the Sixteenth House of Huai'an, but King Chen dared to convict him of this crime, and many officials in Huai'an have carried out King Chen's order. I think he must have conclusive evidence to allow these officials to have no objection to this crime.
.”
"At the moment, Huai'an is only sealed, but King Chen will definitely report it to the capital and present the evidence. After the capital approves it, not only the Sixteenth House of Huai'an, but also the branches of the trading companies here, and even the entire Dongsheng Dynasty, Zhuang's Trading Company
Therefore, all properties will be sealed."
"Everyone in Zhuang's Trading Company will be imprisoned, and all merchant families related to Zhuang's Trading Company will inevitably be implicated."
"Once you are truly convicted, you will be traitors and you will be punished."
"After this incident, not only will Zhuang's business be destroyed, but thousands of people may be implicated."
"I no longer have any ambitions. In recent days, you have been working for disaster relief on behalf of the Zhuang Company. I take this into consideration. As the parent official of this place, I am very grateful."
Mr. Zheng paused for a moment and said, "Go away. While the storm is still limited to Huai'an, and before the capital has given me an order, you break up Zhuang's firm, cut off all relations, and save your lives."
."
Liu He's face changed, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Impossible! My young master thinks twice before acting, how can he openly rebel? Moreover, in Huai'an, officials from all over the country are close friends with my young master..."
Lord Zheng sighed in a low voice and said: "What kind of best friend? I have been in the officialdom for many years and I can also know that Zhuang Ming was able to rise up in Huai'an and create such a huge business in six years. I think the officials in Huai'an must have followed
There are many conflicts of interest between them, but so what?"
"He can be regarded as the bread and butter of Huai'an official circles, but now this is a crime of rebellion, and no one dares to protect him."
"Not to mention Zhuang Ming, even his biological parents, maybe they would kill each other in order to save Wu Shamao and the head on Xiang."
"What's more, the matter has come to this, and there is no room for reversal of the rebellion. They cannot save Zhuang's Trading Company. On the contrary... Since they have dealings with Zhuang's Trading Company, they may be more ruthless than King Chen to avoid being implicated.
It’s spicy, and I want to destroy Zhuang’s Trading Company as soon as possible and destroy all evidence of dealings with Zhuang’s Trading Company.”
"Liu He, just run away for your life."
Master Zheng breathed out and said: "According to past cases, I will receive a decree from the capital in at most three to five days, sealing down your business branch here, arresting relevant persons, etc... Within three days, after you have made arrangements,
From now on, you have to take care of yourself."
Liu He looked solemn, and finally bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir. Liu He will keep it in my heart."
After saying that, he turned around and walked away.
Mr. Zheng's eyes wrinkled slightly.
I saw that Liuhe's steps were steady and his momentum was very strong.
This is not an escape situation at all!
"Liu He, where are you going?"
"Huaian."
"Are you going to die?"
"It's not about dying, it's about protecting the Lord."