Suizhou Prefecture, Second Hall.

The merchants were sent here half-protected and half-guarded, and all their faces looked a little abnormal, especially the Cai brothers and Hu Guanjue, who looked more angry. Their identities are not only ordinary merchants, but also covered with the skin of Huguang gentry. In addition, they have a big backer behind them. They really don’t care about such a small government office. They are naturally dissatisfied with being treated like this today.

When he was taken into the hall and saw that the person sitting in the upper house was just a green robe official, the three of them looked dark again. They were not the prefect who was entertained by them, but instead they were promoted.

Feeling the pressure from these people, Suizhou Promoter Huang Banshan was also a little nervous, but thinking of the previous explanation from the prefect, he quickly calmed down, slapped the gavel, and shouted: "Are the food merchants from all over Huguang who are waiting for me?" After all, he didn't dare to ask Qiao as usual, and asked them to report their identity and names one by one.

"It was the little businessmen who were like us who didn't know what crime we committed, but they made the government office escort us so much?" Hu Guanjue immediately spoke and asked back.

Cai Zhili also hummed, "My lord, do you know how much trouble this will cause to us? There are many people in the city watching, which will have a lot of impact on our business. If we can't wait for an explanation for me today, we must sue the superiors' yamen to seek justice!"

With these two people looking up in front of them, the other businessmen were naturally confident. They all agreed and said in a big and small voice that they wanted the yamen to be fair and innocent. Huang Banshan's face was gloomy when he heard it. Finally, he couldn't hold back. He slapped the agglomeration again and shouted loudly: "Don't you be yelling nonsense in the court? If you dare to offend again, I am willing to tolerate you, but Wang Fa will not be allowed to wait!"

With this shout, the yamen on both sides would follow suit, and suddenly tapped the ground with a water and fire stick, making a low cry of "Magic-Wu" that suppressed everyone in a momentum.

Hu Guanjue and the other two quickly exchanged their eyes and immediately realized that the situation was not good. The government's attitude was even tougher than what they thought. Sure enough, the official said again: "You are unwilling to be guilty at this time, so let me tell you. Just today, more than a dozen other companies in the city, including Yang, Zhao, Li and Wei, have sued you for fraud and cheated away their land at a price far exceeding the ordinary market price. Not only did they report this matter, but there were many people who could prove it, and there were also relevant contracts to be evidence. What do you have to say?"

As expected, the three of them changed their faces again. Cai Zhiyi hurriedly said, "Sir, this is clearly a false accusation. If you only want to do business, you can't accept it and report it to the yamen afterwards? Yes, I have indeed had transactions with many local families before, but the intention of deceiving them was signed with the consent of both of us... Moreover, these contracts were all established in the yamen. How could they be wrong? And you can't sue me for fraud because of fluctuations in the yamen."

"Bold! Are you trying to say that my government office is going back on its word?" Huang Banshan shouted again, and then said, "I have asked someone to ask about this matter. The superiors have many doubts about the land deeds. How can one or two hundred kilograms of grain be exchanged for a full acre of land? If there is no problem in this, I am afraid that no one can believe it.

"Also, although these contracts have indeed been passed through the yamen, my official asked clearly that it was because someone bribed several officials from the house and kept it privately from the officials above. It was completely impossible to say. In other words, these contracts were not recognized by the government and land transactions did not exist.

"Today, as long as you admit that this is a misunderstanding and hand over the deceitful person behind the scenes, our government office will not pursue the matter for you to be unfair. If you dare to deny it unruly, don't blame me for using methods on you!"

Amid another mighty low shout, the merchants were stunned on the spot, opening their mouths, but unable to speak. Because the other party had already made the meaning very clear, that is, they completely disagree with the contract they signed before, and the transaction was invalid, and the land still belonged to the original owner, at most they just returned the food.

This is a huge loss for the merchants and is even more difficult to accept. This is not only the matter of those families, but also the matter of hundreds of acres of land, but also the fact that as long as this example is opened, other people will have evidence to follow. Not to mention that those who have not obtained a certificate from the yamen, even those who have signed a complete contract can still repent through the same remarks. That is to completely cut off their business.

Everyone was panicked and could only look at the three people in the lead. Cai Zhiyi's heart was even more sank to the bottom. Things were far more complicated than what was presented on the surface. Otherwise, the government office would not have suddenly changed its attitude towards his family for no reason. You must know that they had acquiesced to all this before.

But before he could come up with a solution, Hu Guanjue, who was beside him, couldn't help but scream: "I don't accept it. How can the government office go back on its word like this! Don't forget that there are still people behind us. The governor and my Hu family have always had a close relationship. You..."

"Bold, how can you be so arrogant in the court? The person who came took him off and took him outside, and took him to the top of the board to serve as a warning to others!" Huang Banshan was also angry. If the other party was allowed to clamor in his court, how could he have the face?

The officers on both sides naturally rushed forward without hesitation, and immediately grabbed Hu Guanjue with his hand, dragged him out. The man still struggled desperately and shouted: "Let me go! You are so brave, do you know who my uncle is? Do you know what my father has to do with the governor? If you hurt me, I will let you pay for your life, and you, a small official, cannot even protect your black sausage..."

In desperation, Hu Guanjue completely ignored anything else, but Cai Zhiyi saw that Huang Banshan's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. This was not just a roar to the court, but disrespect to officials. It was clearly threatening and slapping people in the face. If Huang Tui Guan did not punish this person severely under such circumstances, then his prestige in the yamen will be ruined in the future and it will be difficult for him to raise his head.

"So brave, add 50 boards to me and fight with care!" Sure enough, he shouted loudly, and he must have his tone. At the same time, his gloomy eyes also fell on everyone else, which was very intention to take them all down and deal with them strictly.

Cai Zhiyi felt a sudden thrill in his heart. At this time, he knew that things could not be done.

This time they dared to go to Suizhou to act so boldly, relying on a big backer behind them, and at the same time they opened up the joints of the government offices. Even if they faced the local Liang family, they could not help each other. So even if the business war broke out again, they would not retreat at all and they felt that there was room for recovery.

But now, the attitude of the government office, especially the resoluteness, made them quickly discouraged and no longer have the confidence they had before. Cai Zhiyi clearly captured the other party's position change, and knew that it was only him who would suffer the loss, so he quickly shouted: "Sir, please wait, sir, please show mercy. My brother is indeed ignorant and has hit him, but he is also in a hurry. We are willing to accept the punishment, as long as the adult is willing to let him go, everything will be easy..."

Huang Banshan's anger just now was half true, and half was pretending, in order to put more pressure on them. When he saw Cai Zhiyi surrender, he winked his subordinates and did not immediately exert his punishment. Instead, he stared at them with a smile and said, "Oh? What are you planning to accept punishment?"

Ordinarily, if you admit guilt and accept punishment in the yamen, you will only be fined dozens or hundreds of taels of silver, but this time it is obviously far from enough. After hesitating, Cai Zhiyi said the thing he didn't want to say the least: "As long as the lord doesn't pursue it, we are willing to obey the government's arrangements and admit that the previous land certificate is invalid..."

If they were defeated, they were completely defeated. All wishful thinking was smashed after this sentence, and even the fields they had obtained could only give up. This understanding made Cai Zhiyi feel that his heart was bleeding, and the other businessmen were all crying like they were lost. But in this court, after several leaders with deep backgrounds made concessions, even if they were reluctant, they could only accept such a result.

It was not until this time that Huang Banshan showed a satisfied smile on his face: "You are the most reasonable. If you said this earlier, there would be no conflicts. Don't worry, our government office is not unreasonable. As long as you are willing to accept the contract to be invalidated, the food you took out before can be returned. In addition, those people will withdraw the lawsuit and will not accuse you of fraud again."

As he said it, all the people were pressed to the ground. Hu Guanjue, who was about to be stripped of his clothes and put on the board, was finally released and helped up. With lingering fear, his face turned red and white at this time, and he had no idea what kind of reaction he should make.

"Yes, I understand, thank you sir!" Although Cai Zhiyi was full of resentment, he was calm at this time and bent down to thank him. Then, after taking the relevant documents handed over by the superior, he also took the lead in signing the name from the superior and pressing his fingerprints.

With him taking the lead, the others dared not insist anymore, and followed them to write the pen and seal, and then they were all in a state of dismay, not even knowing how to leave the government office.

Who would have thought that in just a short time, things had a major change of 180 degrees, and even the fields they had obtained were forcibly taken away by the government.

It was not until after a long journey that Cai Zhili came back from his anger and confusion: "Why did it become like this? Are we going back like this?"
Chapter completed!