Flying Clouds in Another World

Seeing that Hu Lie seemed absent-minded and worried, Liu Feiyun couldn't help but ask.

Hua Xixiu also asked after hearing this: "That's right, I've noticed that you usually have a fake smile on your face as if everything is under control, but you haven't smiled at all in the past few days. What's the matter? Have you encountered something that you can't calculate?"

Hu Lie was hesitant to speak after hearing this. Seeing him like this, Liu Feiyun knew that he must have encountered a problem that he couldn't solve, so he asked, "Third Brother, we have been under the master's tutelage for so many years, and we already know each other very well. There is no need to say more about the friendship between fellow disciples. Now that you have a problem, you should tell it out so that the brothers and sisters can think of a solution and see if it can be solved. How can you keep it to yourself!"

Qi Hanyu just said coldly: "If there is a strong enemy in martial arts, even if he is in the realm of master, I can fight him!"

Hu Lie hurriedly said, "Second Brother! Master just told you to cultivate your mind and temper, and to restrain your murderous intent. Why are you still like this? There's no need for you to take action. There's no need for you to take action! This is not some kind of killing!"

"Oh! What's that? Did you run into trouble? Did you offend a difficult person? Or did something happen in your family?" Hua Xixiu asked. Liu Feiyun also looked at her inquiringly.

Hu Lie smiled bitterly and said, "I, Hu Lie, think I am very versatile, able to judge the situation, take advantage and avoid harm, and can bend and stretch. In this Miyun Sect, although my cultivation level is not very high and my combat power is not very strong, I can still get by. It's just... just..."

"Just what? Just tell me!" Hua Xi said anxiously!

"Did something happen at home?" Liu Feiyun asked.

"Alas! That's true! You know, although my Hu family is not a wealthy family, after two generations of hard work by our ancestors and parents, we have become wealthy merchants and accumulated some wealth. However, no matter how rich a businessman is, he is just a fat sheep in the eyes of the nobles! Recently, my Hu family has been targeted by a marquis."

"Marquis? Is it a territorial noble or a glorious noble?" Hua Xixiu asked.

"He is an honorable nobleman, but he controls the right to collect taxes in a county. In the past, my Hu family followed the unwritten rules and paid the tribute without missing a penny, and everything was fine. But in recent years, this marquis's family created a chamber of commerce and started their own business. They used various means to constantly encroach on other businesses, and the scale became larger and larger. Recently, they proposed to acquire my Hu family chamber of commerce, but the price they offered was not even 10% of the wealth of my chamber of commerce."

"One percent!? This is too cruel! Isn't this blatant robbery?" Hua Xixiu was born into a prominent family, so naturally she had heard of such things!

"That's right! So, my grandfather and father were naturally unwilling, so they refused! But this angered the other party. On the one hand, they used various means to suppress the various businesses of my Chamber of Commerce. On the other hand, they made a big fuss about business taxes. A few days ago, my father sent a letter saying that the Chamber of Commerce was found to have evaded taxes of 20,000 taels of gold and had to pay the full amount within one month, otherwise the Chamber of Commerce would be closed down and my father would be thrown into jail!"

"Twenty thousand taels of gold. How big is your chamber of commerce? How could they be found to have evaded taxes with so much gold?" Hua Xixiu was also shocked. Twenty thousand taels of gold was equivalent to two hundred thousand taels of silver, which was a considerable fortune. Even for her Hua family, it was impossible for them to come up with so much gold or silver in a short period of time.

"Twenty thousand taels of gold? It's not a small amount, but I'm afraid your family can't afford so much ready-made gold and silver!" Liu Feiyun's family also has a chamber of commerce, so he has a deep understanding of the concept of twenty thousand taels of gold. He also knows that when the government collects commercial taxes from merchants, it usually only requires ready-made gold, silver or crystals, but no other property. In this way, merchants have to pay commercial taxes. If they don't have enough gold, silver or crystals on hand, they can only sell the goods in their shops or even the property deeds in exchange for cash. If the marquis spreads a word that no one is allowed to buy the property of the Hu family, then the Hu family will either sell the wealth accumulated by two generations to the marquis' family at a low price, or they will be confiscated and imprisoned because they can't raise enough money to pay taxes.

Liu Feiyun immediately said what he was thinking. Hu Lie sighed bitterly, "Just as Junior Brother said, my Hu family only has ready-made gold, silver and crystal stones worth ten thousand taels of gold to pay the tax, and we still need half of it. As for selling the property, no one dares to buy it except the Marquis's family! Alas! My father said in the letter that if it is absolutely necessary, we can only sell the property to the Gongsun family, move away, and then try to make a comeback! Alas! I really don't want to accept this. I think Hu Lie is a wise man, but in front of such a powerful family, I can't do anything. I don't want to accept this!"

"But it's the Gongsun family of Bashang County, Mengzhou!?" Hua Xi guessed shyly.

"But it's the Gongsun family of Mengzhou Bashang County!" Hua Xi guessed shyly. She knew that Hu Lie was born in Mengzhou Bashang County.

"That's right!" Hu Lie replied.

"Bashang Gongsun! If it's their family, Third Senior Brother, I really can't help you. Our Hua family can't offend the Gongsun family just because of our fellow sect friendship! I'm really sorry, Third Senior Brother!" Hua Xixiu said humbly.

Hu Lie smiled bitterly, "Junior sister, what are you talking about? I am very happy that you have such a kind heart. Although you come from a noble family, and my junior brother's Liu family is also a powerful family in Anya County of Yunzhou, this Bashang Gongsun is not an ordinary noble. How could your two families easily become enemies with him! That's why I didn't ask you for help before."

Liu Feiyun said, "Third Brother, please let me think about it. I wonder what main businesses your family runs?" Liu Feiyun asked Hu Lie in return.

Hu Lie didn't expect that Liu Feiyun might really have a solution, and a glimmer of hope was ignited. He said excitedly: "It's mainly about buying horses, cattle and sheep from the Northern Wilderness and selling them in the heart of the empire, and then selling the cloth, tea and salt produced in the empire back to the Northern Wilderness."

"There aren't a lot of iron materials, which are contraband items that the empire has strictly restricted sales of!" Liu Feiyun frowned.

"Absolutely not. In the early years, my Hu family encountered many robberies in the Northern Wilderness. Several close relatives of our ancestors were killed by the barbarians of the Northern Wilderness. So although our Hu family would cheat and deceive in business, it was mostly against the barbarians of the Northern Wilderness to defraud their money and property. We would never dare to do anything to aid the enemy!" Hu Lie knew how the Liu family came to be, so he naturally understood why Liu Feiyun had such an attitude towards the Northern Wilderness.

"That's the best! You guys calm down for a moment and let me think about it carefully!" As he said this, he began to rub his forehead lightly, thinking hard about a solution.

The other three did not dare to disturb and waited for the result.

After a long while, Liu Feiyun took a deep breath and said slowly: "This matter is not too difficult! There is still a way to solve it."