Chapter 490

The so-called dynasties flow like water, while aristocratic families are as solid as iron.

The hegemony of aristocratic families has its reasons; these people have achieved monopoly in many areas—resources, connections, finances, etc. —basically top-notch.

Moreover, these guys with eight hundred little hearts in their brains, when facing external threats, will instantly discard past grudges and form an alliance.

Even Li Shimin once found this utterly headache-inducing, unable to devise a genuine solution.

Chen Wuji only has a superficial grasp of the connections and strength of these people before him; his understanding is not thorough, because there's no need, so he's too lazy to find out.

But he clearly knows Zhuge Liang's connections.

This worthy minister, being overly famous, has a background network that many people know; it can be seen as a microcosm of the era's aristocratic families, a very clear representative.

Zhuge Liang's brothers-in-law are respectively Kuai Qi, core descendant of the Kuai clan, one of Jingzhou's four great clans, and Pang Shanmin, son of Pang Degong, leader of Jingzhou's scholar elite.

His wife is Huang Yueying, daughter of the Jingzhou scholar Huang Chengyan.

Moreover, Huang Chengyan himself is Cai Mao's brother-in-law, and Cai Mao is the brother-in-law of Liu Biao's wife.

The four great clans of Jingzhou are exactly these four families: Kuai, Pang, Huang, Cai.

Three marriage alliances bound Zhuge Liang and the four great clans of Jingzhou together.

Moreover, the people he used to befriend were Cui Zhouping, Meng Jian, etc., amounting to his having ties with the entire upper class of Jingzhou.

The premise for Zhuge Liang having such connections is that he too came from a respectable background, merely somewhat declined then, but still far stronger than Chen Wuji's Chen clan in this life.

Their decline wasn't so complete; they remained scholars, some still officials, unlike the Chen clan before Chen Wuji raised troops, which was entirely a bunch of miserable folk.

From deducing Hezhou's situation from Zhuge Liang backwards, Chen Wuji doesn't need deep investigation; he can get a rough picture—these people's sons go to brothels together forming cliques, so their ties can't be shallow.

This hurdle will sooner or later have to be overcome.

Since today these young masters gave him a slap in the face, Chen Wuji decided better to act now than pick a day, and seize the moment to settle this thoroughly, so he won't constantly hear annoyance.

He just boasted that he would make Hezhou's people prosperous; if those few mountains ahead aren't bypassed, the wealth will likely go only to them, not to Hezhou's people.

In a peaceful prosperous age, Chen Wuji, a mere fallen-family origin, a martial man who leads troops in war, even with great talent could absolutely not match the combined power of a prefecture's aristocratic families. Perhaps just as he shows a hint, they'd use connections to press him down dead, and in a blink he could be killed beyond revival.

Unfortunately, now the warlords of Lingnan Six Commanderies contend for hegemony, it's truly a chaotic age.

And Chen Wuji is also someone who aspires to be a rebel!

They can't threaten him.

In present-day Hezhou, whoever controls the troops has the say.

Among these aristocratic families, there are a few like Jia Wentao and Zhu Zaidao who don't even grasp the hierarchy, yet they still try to use their family's power and resources to suppress him, seeking to gain the initiative in cooperation.

Then Chen Wuji would have to dismantle their schemes, smash their faces, give them a good brainwashing, and wake them up.

Speaking of which, Chen Wuji actually ought to thank these young masters for giving him a good excuse.

"Sir, these rascally brats can't represent our several families; the nonsense they speak is truly not taught by us!" Yuan Qi kicked his son who was about to speak, stepped forward and bowed deeply, sorrowfully saying, "Please, Commandant, punish these brats who don't know the height of heaven and depth of earth, and leave us a way to survive."

"Yuan Family Head, aren't my earlier words clear enough?" Chen Wuji asked mockingly.

"I sincerely want to discuss great matters with you all; we've talked about this before, right? But I truly don't want to be a wild dog in your eyes; I, Chen Wuji, also care about face; our Chen clan has more dignity; if I just settle this hastily today, the Chen ancestors would drown me in spit!"

"Such a thing disrespecting the ancestors, I cannot do it!"

Yuan Qi's face showed bitterness: "This old man knows his guilt is inescapable; willing to donate all family assets, leaving only two mu of thin fields and three thatched huts, pleading that the Commandant give our Yuan family a way to survive!"

His saying that made Jia Wentao et al.'s already dark faces turn green.

Zhao Fuyuan watched this scene, sighing sadly in his heart.

How familiar a scene!

He thought that producing that much would satisfy Chen Wuji's appetite.

But who would have expected such a turn?

His son merely went out to play, yet ended up bumping into Chen Wuji's blade.

He couldn't believe his own son would utter such senseless words, yet he was certain that this bunch of scoundrels had provoked Chen Wuji, giving Chen Wuji a convenient reason to attack them again.

After some consideration, Zhao Fu-yuan stepped forward and said, "Commandant sir, my son has made a mistake; we fathers cannot shirk responsibility— he ought to be punished."

"However, no matter what others think, in my humble view the Commandant is the heaven of Hezhou, certainly not some wild dogs. Perhaps some people resentfully said such things, but I, Zhao Fu-min, and my Zhao family are not among them; I swear on my life."

"Of course, saying this now is pointless, but to show my sincerity I am willing to contribute half of my family wealth to support the army. For the remaining half, I ask the Commandant to give me a chance to use it as capital to continue my trade, to leverage connections, so that profits are split fifty-fifty between me and the Commandant."

Chen Wuji was somewhat surprised— are these two already giving up so quickly?

They actually laid out all their family wealth.

As Hezhou's biggest merchant aside from the Shi family, Zhao Fu-min's talent for adapting to the wind is something Chen Wuji has already witnessed, but what's up with the Yuan family?

Could it be that this father and son are showing off their acting skills again here?

Looking at them, they really do seem a bit like that.

"Are you two mistaken about something? I want an explanation, not your estates. By doing this, am I not again becoming a fawning wild dog?" Chen Wuji asked.

Yuan Qi seemed afraid someone else would speak first, and immediately said in a plaintive voice, "This old fool is momentarily confused; I truly can't think of any other way to give the Commandant an explanation— this is all we can do."

"If you can't think of it, let others consider first— just blurting out family wealth, what do you take me, Chen Wuji, for? A bandit?" Chen Wuji said angrily.

Yuan Qi's expression shifted slightly; he lowered his head and silently stepped aside, saying, "Yes……"

"Where was I? Oh right, whoever spoke should own up— let's continue!" Chen Wuji resumed his earlier thought: "Which young master scolded me for being so poor as to even rob grain merchants, saying I'm not worthy to compete with them for women? Own up!"

"Chen Wuji, you're going too far!" A shout suddenly rang out.