Female-to-male: I live on farming

Chapter 106 The Fate of the Zuo Family

Lu Youqing summoned Chu Yin to discuss the construction of a sugar factory. Chu Yin had recently taken over the remaining shops and businesses of the Bai family, but because of the severe damage to their vitality, they suddenly fell from the list of the three most prestigious families in the West Sea.

However, they first destroyed and then rebuilt, and the Nan family took the initiative to surrender and was willing to contribute half of their property to build the West Sea. However, they are not much stronger than the Bai family before.

It seems that the head of the Nan family is a very wise man who knows how to adapt to the times. He knows that Lu Youqing will not let them go, so it is better for him to surrender first and save the king.

After Chu Yin saw the sugar with her own eyes, she was immediately shocked and asked in disbelief, "Are you sure I'm the one who will handle this sugar business?"

This is not just candy, it is the magic weapon for the rise of her Chu family. Moreover, with the county government as her backing, it means that she can do whatever she wants in the West Sea.

"That's right. All matters will be left to you to handle, but 50% of the sugar factory's profits need to be paid to the county government as taxes." Lu Youqing nodded.

Chu Yin nodded in agreement without giving it much thought. She came from a merchant family, so she could naturally see that the profit from sugar was comparable to that from salt. Moreover, the method of making sugar was something she got for free, and she was someone who was supported by Lu Youqing, so she had no reason to refuse.

In other words, if she refused, there were plenty of people in Xihai begging for cooperation, and Lu Youqing would not lack people to cooperate with.

Lu Youqing was not surprised by her reaction and warned, "There are too few areas in the West Sea that grow sugarcane. The spring ploughing season has already passed, so the sugar production this year should not be too high. In the early stages, we can maintain high prices and high profits, and supply it exclusively to the nobles."

"I understand, but do you mean to encourage the people of Xihai to grow sugarcane instead?"

"That's right. When you go back, you can issue a notice to purchase sugarcane. The price should be reasonable so that they can see that the profit from growing sugarcane is higher than other crops. Next year, they will naturally switch to growing sugarcane. In this way, the scale of the sugar factory can be expanded." Lu Youqing continued to instruct: "The county government will also cooperate in issuing notices to appropriately reduce taxes for farmers who grow sugarcane."

"Your Excellency is wise. If this is the case, I think many people will be willing to choose to grow sugarcane."

After discussing the construction of the sugar factory, Lu Youqing put down the pen in his hand and asked, "Do you know what the Zuo family has been doing recently?"

As soon as Chu Yin heard her words, she knew that the master was planning to attack the Zuo family, and immediately laughed and said, "They heard that the Nan family had surrendered to the master, and they were furious. Now they probably know that there is no chance of recovery, and I am afraid they will come to see the master in two days."

Lu Youqing snorted coldly, his face as gloomy as water, and said: "I will not meet everyone."

The main reason why she accepted the surrender of the Nan family was not only because the head of the Nan family responded quickly and sincerely, but also because the Nan family was the weakest among the three prominent families. Lu Youqing had investigated the three major families before. Although the Nan family had also committed crimes, it was far inferior to the Bai and Zuo families.

Lu Youqing was willing to give them a chance.

She knew very well that killing them all was not a good idea. If these people were forced into a desperate situation, it might lead to more intense resistance and even unpredictable consequences.

The art of governing subordinates is to be moderate in strictness and leniency, and to be relaxed and tense in moderation.

As Chu Yin expected, the Zuo family soon came to ask for help. When Lu Youqing heard the report from his subordinates, he didn't even raise his head and had them sent away.

"What should we do? Father, County Magistrate Lu won't see us at all." Zuo Shaoqing kept pacing around in the study with his hands behind his back, looking quite exasperated.

Patriarch Zuo sat dejectedly on the chair.

“Otherwise, we…” Zuo Shaoqing’s steps stopped abruptly. His face became gloomy and ferocious. He slowly raised his right hand, and his palm stayed in front of his neck for a moment. He swung it down in a cruel way, making a neck-cutting gesture.

Unexpectedly, the Zuo family head just raised his eyelids without any reaction, and said: "Kill? How to kill? Do you think this Lu is the county magistrate in the past? She has 500 guards, what can you use to kill her?"

Zuo Shaoqing was just thinking out of habit. After all, this was his usual approach when he encountered problems that he couldn't solve before.

At this time he also reacted. Even though the Zuo family had a fortune, since ancient times, the people have not fought against the officials. In the past, they were only able to act arrogantly in the West Sea because the county magistrate was an outsider and had no manpower.

Now Lu Youqing has replaced all their staff in the county government and has firmly taken control of the entire government office.

"Shao Qing, since the Zuo family can't escape this wave of disaster, you should take Han'er away as soon as possible."

"Hide? Father, where can we hide? The entire Liangzhou is the eldest princess's fiefdom. As long as the wanted order is issued, we will be caught sooner or later." Zuo Shaoqing's tone also carried a hint of despair.

The entire Zuo family was shrouded in the high pressure of despair and death.

Ever since the Bai family was almost wiped out, the butcher knife has been like a heavy mountain, hanging over their heads, making them live in fear and anxiety all day long.

In fact, Lu Youqing just wanted them to experience the fear of being shrouded in the shadow of death. The process of not knowing when death will come is far more torturous and painful than when the dust settles.

Before the Zuo family members could work out a solution, a ragged man suddenly appeared outside the county government office and rang the drum at the door, wanting to sue Zuo Shaoqing, the young master of the Zuo family, for taking human life lightly.

With all the evidence and witnesses, County Magistrate Lu was furious and immediately sent officials to arrest Zuo Shaoqing. After torturing the young master of the Zuo family, a series of old cases of the Zuo family were involved.

As a result, most of the Zuo family members were arrested, tried, and sentenced. Because of their numerous crimes, their fate was not much better than that of the Bai family.

Those who deserved to be beheaded were beheaded, those who deserved to be exiled were exiled, and their properties were confiscated. In order to try the case of the Zuo family, Lu Youqing went out early and came back late for several days in a row, and Qin Ke could only see her at night.

It was late at night again when Lu Youqing came back today. Qin Ke saw that she looked tired and said distressedly, "Haven't you arranged the Zuo family's affairs? Why are you still busy for so long?"

Lu Youqing sat on the bed and enjoyed Qin Ke's massage. She squinted her eyes comfortably and said, "Although it has been arranged a long time ago, the paperwork process and so on still need to be followed, which is quite cumbersome."

"What about tomorrow?" Qin Ke asked tentatively.

Lu Youqing leaned back slightly, leaned on him, felt his warm body temperature, raised the corners of his lips and said: "No need, it has been dealt with. Recently, the county government has been busy for a long time, and I gave them a few days off."

Qin Ke's eyes lit up when he heard this.

The hands that were originally massaging honestly began to behave unruly, and the trend was getting lower and lower. Lu Youqing, who felt his movements, raised his eyes slightly and asked knowingly: "What's the matter?"

Qin Ke chuckled and reached his hand in to caress the silky skin under the pajamas.

"Since we don't have to get up early tomorrow, why not just sleep in?"

Lu Youqing hooked her hands around his neck, tilted her chin up and kissed him.

The red gauze tent is warm, and the sky is filled with thunder and fire.