What Can You Do to Me?

After almost two weeks of arduous travel, they finally reached Haiyuan City.

Looking at the city gates, Xie Xian couldn't help but feel impressed.

The massive, exquisitely built gates far surpassed those of Taoyuan County in scale.

He had to admire the prosperity of a place where salt merchants resided.

Even the city walls and gates were far superior.

Seeing his expression, Du Lingfeng had anticipated this reaction and explained. "Brother Xie, these gates were funded by the Lu family."

"Each nail on the gate is solid pure gold!"

Looking at the gates, Xie Xian felt that Taoyuan County seemed rather shabby in comparison. He flattered, "Salt merchants are truly extraordinary..."

"Haha, this is nothing. Let's go inside and see!"

As the group prepared to enter the city, soldiers immediately blocked their way. Du Lingfeng dismounted, produced documents and a silver note.

After conversing with the soldiers for a while, he led everyone into the city.

During the entry process, Xie Xian asked curiously, "Brother Du, with proper documents, do we still need to pay? How much silver did you just give?"

"Fifty taels!"

"What! Fifty taels?!" Xie Xian was greatly surprised.

Fifty taels! Enough to feed an ordinary family of three for many years. Such an exorbitant passage fee was simply outrageous!

Even Taoyuan County wasn't this extortionate!

"Brother Xie, you don't understand. If I were entering alone, I wouldn't need to pay. But we've brought too many people, so naturally the passage fee is higher."

"If the fee is so excessive, doesn't the government intervene?"

Du Lingfeng laughed heartily. "The government? Now that you're inside the city, we're truly our own people, so I'll be frank with you!"

"Guard duty at the city gates has always been a lucrative position. Ordinary people without connections can't even approach these gates!"

"Since everyone here has connections, why would the government investigate?"

"Those who come here are wealthy merchants and magnates. Ordinary people naturally have no access to the city, so paying some money isn't an issue."

Xie Xian made no comment.

What Du Lingfeng said made sense. Ordinary people were practically bound to their birthplaces for life. Apart from scholars traveling to the capital for examinations and merchants traversing the country, people rarely moved.

Such situations weren't surprising; he had seen them before while traveling as a merchant.

But he had never heard of such high fees!

"Brother Du, since the Lu family could fund the city gates, they must be extremely influential in Haiyuan City, right?" Xie Xian asked.

"Influential?" Du Lingfeng smiled disdainfully. "You're oversimplifying. They're far more than merely influential."

"Look at these streets. How do they appear? These are all Lu family properties!"

Du Lingfeng pointed, and indeed the streets were immaculately clean, with shops on both sides in perfect order.

However, this scene appeared somewhat strange to Xie Xian.

"Hmm... it's indeed impressive, but why are there no elderly or children on the streets?"

Xie Xian quickly noticed the oddity. Though people were walking on the streets, there were no young women.

This was peculiar.

"Brother Xie, you're very observant!" Du Lingfeng sighed. "Young women fear being noticed by the Lu family, so they don't dare venture out!"

"Don't be surprised. Speaking treasonously, the Lu family is the emperor of Haiyuan City. Within the city, they can do whatever they want, and no one dares interfere."

Xie Xian's expression grew strange. "How can this be? Aren't there government offices here?"

"Of course there are, but with the Lu family's influence, what can even the prefect do? Besides all the shops being bought by the Lu family, they also have the salt gang's power outside the city. The government here exists in name only."

"When officials want to do anything, they need money from the Lu family."

"With officials and merchants combined, both benefit. Why not?"

Xie Xian had truly opened his eyes today, never imagining that so far from the central government, control had been lost to this extent!

"According to you, the Lu family can bully the people, act lawlessly, and disregard the Great Jing Code?"

"Sigh... in Haiyuan City, even mentioning the Great Jing Code makes me laugh." Du Lingfeng smiled bitterly. "Yes, exactly as you say. The Lu family can act lawlessly and bully the people in Haiyuan City!"

"The current head of the Lu family is named Lu Renjie, and to be honest, I'm somewhat afraid of him. He's lustful and violent, often taking women he likes from the streets. If they resist, he beats them to death on the spot! But if you want to sell private salt in Jianjiang, you need his approval."

"Ah, don't tell others what I've said. When you meet him, keep your head low and speak softly."

Seeing Du Lingfeng's fearful demeanor, Xie Xian's expression grew increasingly serious.

This is bad. The situation here is beyond my expectations. I'm afraid I've brought too few people to solve this problem...

"Brother Du, if this person is so lawless, doesn't he fear public outrage?"

Du Lingfeng replied bitterly. "What's there to fear?"

"The common people just want an explanation."

"If things get too heated, find a scapegoat, lock them up, and give the authorities some explanation. After a few days, when it's over and public anger subsides, if the authorities don't inquire further, the matter ends."

"And those scapegoats? They're all old hands, eating and living well inside, only to be released after some time."

"If anyone causes trouble again, just kill those who expose or create disturbances."

"After a few rounds of this, the matter concludes quietly."

"The common people aren't fools either. After a few such instances, they abandon hope. What can be done! As long as it doesn't happen to them, who wants to stick their neck out? What good does courage do? Even if you survive, who knows which prison cell you'll end up in."

"Disgraceful!" Xie Xian's hands tightly gripped the reins, his teeth clenched. "Brother Du, I imagine you don't approve of such things either?"

Seeing his reaction, Du Lingfeng sighed helplessly. "Brother Xie, accept the situation. There are too many injustices in this world to manage!"

"We're both scholars. Who didn't have ideals of helping the world in their youth?"

"But after seeing much, one realizes it was just youthful ignorance of the world's hardships. Look at us now. Can we even call ourselves scholars anymore?"

"Endure it. It's about making money, and there's no shame in that."

"After meeting the young master Lu, you'll return to Jianjiang, and we won't interact much, maybe once or twice a year. I'll find another place, and we can still exchange letters."

Xie Xian suppressed the raging undercurrent in his heart, forcing a smile. "Brother Du, my eyes have been opened today."

Du Lingfeng remained silent.

After walking for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they reached a large mansion. Du Lingfeng said, "Brother Xie, this is one of my residences. You'll stay here first, rest for a couple of days, and perhaps see the sights of Haiyuan City."

"Though this place has some special circumstances, when it comes to enjoyment, it's no less than your Fenghua Tower."

"I'll come find you in a few days."