After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Fang Jiyue was so angry he laughed.

He said to Gu Lin, "I'm just concerned about you."

Gu Lin looked up at him and said, "First of all, I appreciate your concern, but what's the point of your concern if you're just interrogating me like a probing needle?"

Gu Lin didn't mean to cause trouble, but Fang Jiyue's questioning of him just now had crossed the line, whether as a friend or business partner.

and……

Gu Lin lowered his eyes slightly. Before meeting the other party this time, Gu Lin was not sure what Fang Jiyue meant by giving him the jade jewelry. However, based on what the other party said and all his actions just now, Gu Lin was not blind or deaf.

He didn't have that thought, but Fang Jiyue didn't say it outright either, so Gu Lin didn't want to presume to know.

At the same time, he was afraid that some of his actions would cause misunderstandings, so he wanted to use this chamber of commerce meeting to force everyone to hand over their profits, so as to distance himself from the other party and make them understand that the two of them were not suitable for each other and were not on the same path.

Fang Jiyue looked at Gu Lin in front of him, and the smile that usually graced his face disappeared. He thought that if it were someone else speaking to him like this instead of Gu Lin, Fang Jiyue would not be speechless. He would make it impossible for such an ungrateful person to survive in the prefectural city. But it was Gu Lin who left him speechless.

The strangest thing was that Fang Jiyue didn't feel angry at all. Although Gu Lin made no attempt to hide his impatience with him and spoke coldly and sarcastically, the thought of the once gentle and smiling boy suddenly becoming sharp-tongued and only stabbing him made Fang Jiyue feel soft and itchy inside, as if he had been scratched by a cat's claws.

Besides, he had always thought that the young man was too good-natured, whether with family or outsiders. When they first talked business, the other party seemed to be very assertive and would not give an inch, but when it came to actually doing business, he was surprisingly easy to talk to, without being petty at all. He would not try to break the contract or threaten them to increase their share of the profits just because the food was selling well.

Fang Jiyue dislikes trouble. As long as such a trouble-free partner is honest and doesn't cause any problems, Fang Jiyue will not mistreat him. He will not, like other unscrupulous merchants, squeeze out all the value from him and then discard him.

Fang Jiyue patiently said to Gu Lin, "I didn't mean anything by it. I was thinking that if you need help, I can bring Haoyunlou under the Fang family's name, but Haoyunlou will still be your restaurant. Our Fang family will not interfere. In that case, you won't have to pay money to the Chamber of Commerce."

Fang Jiyue considered carefully before continuing, "Or... if you feel it's inconvenient to bring Good Fortune Tower under the Fang family's name, I can help you pay the money."

After speaking, Fang Jiyue looked up at Gu Lin, only to find that the other party remained unmoved.

Gu Lin looked at him with his clear eyes and asked, "You can pay for me once or twice now, for a few hundred or a few thousand taels, but what if I ask you to pay ten thousand or tens of thousands of taels later?"

Gu Lin's thinking was very clear. As he looked at Fang Jiyue, he said, "What I lack is not the money, but the real root of the problem is that we don't need to pay this money. If we can't solve this problem at its source, it makes no difference whether I pay the money myself or you pay it for me."

Fang Jiyue understood this principle, but in his view, Gu Lin was different from him. Gu Lin could not stand alone, unlike him who had the Fang family supporting him. A few thousand or ten thousand taels of silver was just a number to him, but if Gu Lin wanted to earn that much money, he didn't know how much effort he would have to put in. Fang Jiyue thought that since he could solve this problem for Gu Lin, why should Gu Lin have to work so hard?

Looking at Fang Jiyue's expression, Gu Lin understood that they couldn't comprehend each other's thoughts.

Although they both despised the Chamber of Commerce's actions, the difference was that if they couldn't make changes, Gu Lin would temporarily accept his fate and then seek an opportunity to change his situation. But in Fang Jiyue's view, it was simply a matter of whether he had enough money and power. He found it hard to understand why Gu Lin was unwilling to rely on him, a powerful figure, and instead chose to suffer for himself.

Because Gu Lin dislikes owing favors and relying on others.

He knew that if he said a few kind words to Fang Jiyue, Fang Jiyue would definitely help him settle things with the Chamber of Commerce, but was it necessary?

Why complicate things when money can solve them?

Gu Lin didn't intend for Fang Jiyue to understand his thoughts. He changed the subject and returned to his usual attitude, saying to Fang Jiyue, "I have my own plans to let this matter go. Young Master Fang, please focus on the shower gel."

Fang Jiyue didn't want to ruin things with Gu Lin over this, and he thought that he could help Gu Lin later if needed.

Gu Lin lowered his eyes and looked around the lobby on the first floor, where the guests were still locked in a stalemate with Du Dahai.

Just as Du Dahai was about to lose control, a thin middle-aged man appeared.

Upon seeing him, Du Dahai greeted him respectfully and obsequiously, "Chairman."

The thin man didn't speak, but glanced at him lightly, and Du Dahai immediately retreated.

A moment later, under the gaze of all the guests, the slender man walked to the spot where Du Dahai had stood and said to all the guests, "As merchants of this prefecture, we should help each other. I understand that it is difficult for you to accept handing over one percent of your business profits to the Chamber of Commerce, but I hereby guarantee in the name of the Chamber of Commerce that the Chamber of Commerce will never covet your money. Not only will you donate, but several of our Chamber of Commerce presidents and directors will also set an example by donating five percent of their own business profits to the Chamber of Commerce."

"Everything is for the future of the Chamber of Commerce, the city, and everyone. Please go back and think about it carefully."

Although the Chamber of Commerce holds a pivotal position, it is impossible to extract huge sums of money from so many merchants at once. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered. Therefore, Du Dahai and the thin man came out first to ring the bell for everyone at this banquet. At this moment, everyone can choose not to pay money. However, the Chamber of Commerce has already warned that if everyone still does not comply, the Chamber of Commerce will not consider past favors.

So, everyone arrived at the banquet in high spirits, enjoyed the first half of the banquet, and then left the restaurant with gloomy faces and angry expressions.

The banquet ended abruptly, and as Gu Lin prepared to leave the restaurant, Fang Jiyue said to him, "I'm leaving too, let's go together."

So, Yu Ercheng followed behind Gu Lin, with Fang Jiyue walking beside him. Although he didn't talk much, Fang Jiyue wouldn't let the atmosphere remain silent. He would bring up interesting topics. Even though Gu Lin wanted to keep his distance from him, he had to admit that if the other person wanted to get close to someone, that person would find it hard to refuse.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, Fang Jiyue was talking to Gu Lin, who politely turned his head to listen.

But to the boy under the shade of the tree, the young man and the young man walked out of the restaurant chatting and laughing. The boy wondered what interesting thing the young man had said that made the young man's eyes sparkle as he looked at the young man with such focused attention that he could not see anyone else but the other person.

"Uncle Gu."

Zheng Hao wasn't a good-natured person, nor was he the type to silently protect others. He lifted his leg and walked forward, interrupting Gu Lin and the other person's conversation.

Hearing Zheng Hao's voice, Gu Lin turned around in surprise. Zheng Hao looked at him with deep eyes and said calmly, "Uncle Gu, it's getting late, we should go back."

Then, he slightly turned his head to look at the young man next to Uncle Gu, and said with a smile, "Young Master Fang."

Looking at the boy in front of him, Fang Jiyue's eyes flashed with surprise. Although he often met with Gu Lin, he had never met the other's stepson more than a few times.

I don't want the quiet, reserved boy from my memories to grow into the handsome young man he is today...

Fang Jiyue frowned slightly as he looked at Zheng Hao, who was smiling faintly in front of him. He felt that the other party did not seem to like him.

However, considering the relationship between the other party and Gu Lin, and the importance Gu Lin placed on Zheng Hao, Fang Jiyue still smiled in response.

Although he didn't understand why Zheng Hao didn't go straight home after school but instead came to pick him up, Gu Lin put aside this question and turned to say goodbye to Fang Jiyue.

Then Gu Lin walked towards Zheng Hao, but looking at the other party's indifferent expression, Gu Lin suddenly remembered that the other party had been avoiding him recently, so why was he not avoiding him now?

Even as he sat on the oxcart, Gu Lin was still pondering this question.

"Why is Uncle Gu attending the banquet with Young Master Fang?" Zheng Hao asked.

Upon hearing Zheng Hao's question, Gu Lin snapped out of his reverie, but he didn't take it to heart, assuming it was just a casual remark. Gu Lin then proceeded to recount the events that had transpired at the banquet.

Upon hearing Gu Lin's reply, Zheng Hao's previously somber expression softened slightly, and he calmly said, "I see."

Then, Zheng Hao said to Gu Lin, "However, Uncle Gu need not worry about the Chamber of Commerce's order for all merchants to hand over their money."

Hearing Zheng Hao's confident tone, Gu Lin looked at him with clear eyes and asked, "You have an idea?"

Then, Gu Lin frowned and said, "If you want to ask the Zhen brothers for help, then don't. The Chamber of Commerce seems to be asking for a lot of money, but I don't need it. Don't use your connections casually."

Gu Lin didn't want Zheng Hao to squander the friendship he had built with the Zhen brothers because of him. Asking for help once or twice was fine, but if it happened too often, the two sides would become increasingly unequal.

Seeing Uncle Gu's concern, Zheng Hao lowered his eyes and looked at him, his tone unusually gentle as he comforted him, "Uncle Gu, don't worry, I won't put myself in a disadvantageous situation."

Zheng Hao's idea was too ambitious, and Gu Lin was worried about it.

The young man's expression was easy to read. Zheng Hao patiently explained to Gu Lin, "The Prefect has been patient with our Chamber of Commerce for a long time, but he couldn't do anything to them because of various relationships. However, a month ago, the court spread the word that the backers of the Chamber of Commerce's leaders were about to fall. The Prefect didn't punish them, so that they could be allowed to run rampant for a while longer, and more evidence could be collected to convict them."

“Therefore, Uncle Gu doesn’t need to be afraid of them or hand over any money. He just needs to deal with them for the next few days,” Zheng Hao said.

Upon hearing this, a thought flashed through Gu Lin's mind, and he asked, "Does Your Excellency know what items were auctioned at the Chamber of Commerce banquet?"

Under Uncle Gu's focused gaze, Zheng Hao shook his head slightly and said, "I don't know for now, but I'm sure the Prefect has already sent people to keep an eye on them."

"How will the prefect deal with those who bought the auctioned items at the banquet?"

Zheng Hao paused for a moment and then said, "Depending on the severity of the crime, the punishment may be lenient or severe."

"No matter what, they will not be subjected to the same severe punishment as the main culprit."

Gu Lin nodded to indicate that he understood.

Zheng Hao's dark eyes fell on the young man. He didn't finish his sentence. When Prefect Zhen planned to severely punish the Chamber of Commerce, he and the two Zhen brothers were by Prefect Zhen's side.

This severe punishment of the Chamber of Commerce is no small matter. From the conversation between Prefect Zhen and the distinguished guests he received that morning, Zheng Hao pieced together why Prefect Zhen's attitude towards the Chamber of Commerce had changed so drastically in the past month, and why he was completely unafraid of the clan behind the Chamber of Commerce.

It wasn't until after receiving the distinguished guests that morning that Zheng Hao understood why Prefect Zhen wasn't afraid of a group of dead people, or rather, a group of people who were destined to die.

With his head bowed and eyes lowered, Zheng Hao quickly gleaned a great deal of information from the vague conversation between Prefect Zhen and the others.

First of all, this distinguished guest who came to the academy was from the capital. The Zhen family father and son and Mr. Zhou obviously knew him and treated him with great respect. When Zheng Hao heard the other party call the two Zhen brothers his cousins, he had some guesses in his mind but had no evidence to confirm the other party's identity.

In just one morning, Zheng Hao sensed that the situation in the prefectural city was about to change.

The reason why Prefect Zhen dared to make such a big fuss this time was because the Fifth Prince of the capital was plotting a rebellion. The merchants and clans of this prefecture were involved. They had somehow gotten on the Fifth Prince's side and had been working for him for the past ten years. Most of the money they earned from smuggling between the north and south flowed into a farm in the suburbs of the capital.

The Fifth Prince was cautious in his actions, but his rebellious intentions were discovered because he practiced witchcraft in his own residence, sticking silver needles all over the dolls of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. This was exposed and reported to the Emperor.

The Emperor was furious and immediately ordered the Fifth Prince to be imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, showing him no respect whatsoever. He also ordered the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Imperial Clan Court to jointly interrogate the Fifth Prince, his relatives, and the officials who had been on good terms with him.

For a time, the capital was filled with a sense of unease and panic.

The Imperial Clan Court, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Justice jointly interrogated the rebel prince's faction. They initially thought the Fifth Prince's crimes were limited to witchcraft and forming cliques, but as the investigation deepened, they discovered something that sent chills down their spines and made their hair stand on end.

They dared not investigate further and quickly reported back to the Emperor. Upon hearing this, the Emperor was furious and ordered that the investigation continue.

So the three parties continued their investigation and discovered that the Fifth Prince had colluded with merchants to plunder large sums of money. Under the guise of merchants' business, he ordered them to explore the iron mines of Daqian and hoard salt and grain. After three or four years of exploration, they actually discovered several iron mines and found hundreds of suits of armor hidden in them.

The Imperial Clan Court reported the results to the Emperor, who immediately ordered the Fifth Prince and his relatives to be demoted to commoners and imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court forever. However, he was not so merciful to the others.

However, several leaders of the local chamber of commerce were still unaware of the impending collapse of their empire, and were still dreaming of rising to prominence and gaining official titles.

Little did they know that their efforts would be in vain, and they would lose their own lives and those of their entire family.