CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 105: BEING A CAPITALIST CAN’T SAVE DONGYANG

Hearing Jing Qingfu’s simple and crude words of praise, nearly all the clan members were dumbfounded.

But soon, the clever ones quickly came to their senses and realized the brilliance of Jing Zhengwei’s plan.

"Truly worthy of being an elder brother..."

Jing Zhengwu exhaled a deep breath, revealing a sincere and accepting smile.

"Tsk."

Jing Zhengfeng took a swig from the bottle, glanced at Leyu, then immediately turned his head away.

Feiwei whispered a few words to Jing Zhengtang, who suddenly understood and gave a thumbs up toward Leyu: "Feiwei also thinks you are amazing, big brother!"

Only Leyu naively looked around, seeing their jealous yet admiring expressions, feeling utterly bewildered.

What do you mean? Why are you all showing an ’I have realized’ expression?

What on earth did you imagine, when I was clearly making a joke to mock you!

"Truly my good son... cough cough cough..." Jing Qingfu took two deep breaths of white mist, his old shadowy face turning red, making Leyu sigh—don’t look at me with a flushed face!

Jing Qingfu’s voice was full of irrepressible joy: "Only you realized what the Jing Family’s real issue is!"

"Zhengwu wants to resolve the minority of rebellious workers, Zhengwei wants to manage all the workers, Zhengtang wants to change the current employment system... but those are just appearances!"

"From the start, I told you—the issue we face is that the Silver Blood Association has a problem with the Jing Family!"

"Workers, riots, the system, they are all not that important. As long as we hold the resources, even if we don’t retreat a single step, what can those lowly peasants do?"

"If they riot, we summon the army to suppress them."

"If they negotiate, we bribe and divide, dragging it out until they yield."

"If they strike, hehe, the first to starve are them!"

"The Jing Family has been in business for years, can we really be overturned by a group of cowardly peasants? They are grass, they are machines, born to strengthen the Jing Family, to serve us."

Jing Qingfu glanced at the other three brothers: "Zhengwu, Zhengwei, Zhengtang, your suggestions were all good, but you only managed to make the machines produce faster, make the grass more obedient for us to harvest—these things the Jing Family has always been able to do, just with varying efficiency."

"Only Zhengwei." Jing Qingfu looked at Leyu, the light flickering in his eyes like a ’seasoned capitalist finally finding his most ruthless successor’: "He grasped the key issue—the Silver Blood Association!"

"The real thing we need to solve is making sure the Silver Blood Association can’t trouble us, letting them see our stance, making other associations realize the power of the Jing Family!"

At this point, some other clan members finally reacted, unable to resist speaking: "Public opinion!"

"Yes, public opinion!" Jing Qingfu took a deep breath, a long stream of white mist sucked into the crystal bottle, truly adding a touch of immortal elegance: "Zhengwu, Zhengfeng, Zhengtang, your methods are still too slow, only Zhengwei’s approach can show immediate results!"

"Furthermore, yours is commerce, dominance, and deviance, while Zhengwei’s move... is a righteous path!"

"As long as other associations see the Jing Family’s stance, it’s the Jing Family’s victory!"

He coughed twice and laughed: "Of course, Zhengwei’s suggestion itself is also excellent... ’Workers doing these things, becoming great mine owners in five years’... Zhengwei, briefly explain what kind of article this might be."

"Uh..." Leyu couldn’t immediately fabricate any fancy article, so he casually described from past memories: "It’s about a worker friend I have, who saw all other workers slacking off whenever possible, but he tirelessly mined, one day the mine owner noticed his honesty and diligence, promoted him to manage a branch mine, and five years later he became a great mine owner through hard work and dedication..."

"Hahaha—cough cough cough!" Jing Qingfu laughed to the point of choking, the steward hurried to pat his back to soothe him. He took a breath of white mist, taking a whole minute to catch his breath, suddenly turned to ask: "Fude, do we have a printing factory?"

The steward, Fude, replied: "No, but the Shi Family is currently selling off assets, one of which is a printing factory..."

"Go buy it." Jing Qingfu ordered: "Zhengwei, this task is yours, make sure your newspaper spreads across the streets, even into the inner city—whether it makes or loses money depends on your capability."

"And then..."

Jing Qingfu fell silent, taking in another breath of white mist, while looking at the other three brothers.

Hui Fu Hall quieted down, the supporters of Zhengwu and Zhengtang were sweating on their foreheads. They realized, in this sudden assessment, eldest son Jing Zhengwei undoubtedly took the lead, and Jing Qingfu still held the patriarchal power, if he really chose to make the eldest son the heir...

As the eldest legitimate grandson, Jing Zhengwei is naturally the first successor. If Jing Qingfu wanted to support the illegitimate Jing Zhengfeng, the clan members might prevent it, but if he chose Zhengwei, the clansmen had no ground to object.

In fact, from the start, the clan had assumed Jing Zhengwei as the next patriarch, only because Jing Qingfu’s various actions seemed to abandon Zhengwei, did they turn their focus to Zhengwu and Zhengtang—they never expected Jing Qingfu, this old schemer, would go back on his choice!

After a long time, Jing Qingfu finally spoke:

"...Your suggestions have many valuable points, and can complement each other. Zhengfeng, I’m assigning two factories to you—don’t refuse, unless you consider yourself the waste of the four brothers."

Jing Zhengfeng, about to speak, immediately shut his mouth upon hearing this.

"There are many things, knowing how to do it is one thing, being able to do it well is another."

Jing Qingfu took a deep breath of white mist, and said: "This old body of mine can hold on for some time yet. I hope you all... won’t disappoint me."

Having said this, Jing Qingfu let go of the pipe he had been biting, signaling the steward to take him back to rest.

Once Jing Qingfu’s figure completely vanished into the back hall, Jing Zhengfeng immediately stood up: "Since there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving, just looking at you ruins my appetite."

Jing Zhengwu politely smiled: "Same to you."

"Fourth brother..." Jing Zhengtang tried to say something, but Jing Zhengfeng was already rushing out, as if afraid of something.

"Qing Lan, let’s go."

Leyu stood up, patted Qing Lan’s shoulder, Qing Lan quickly stood, whispered: "Young master, are we leaving?"

"What else? I’m full, are you?"

"No..."

"But I’m done eating and don’t feel like sitting, walking to the door should help digest enough, do you wish to stay here and continue eating or...?"

Qing Lan glanced at the surrounding Jing clansmen, realizing this wasn’t a choice, but a trap, shook his head vigorously: "I’ll go with you."

"Then let’s go." Leyu waved: "Goodbye, brothers."

"Goodbye, elder brother." "Goodbye, big brother."

Jing Zhengwu, Jing Zhengtang responded in succession, watching Leyu and Qing Lan leave Hui Fu Hall.

However, tonight’s news was truly explosive, many actually lost their appetite, this family feast ended hastily, leaving the full tables of dishes for the loyal and obedient servants to handle, while the Jing family members, following the grand gathering, quickly began their small meetings, quietly negotiating whether to take sides.

...

"Father won’t hold on for long, this is the final test."

Walking back to their rooms, Jing Zhengwu calmly said: "Although I still hold an advantage, it’s best to be cautious, especially with elder brother suddenly taking the ’righteous path’, it’s troublesome... what support can the Qin Family offer me?"

Qin Yueshi, holding Jing Zhengwu’s hand, her beautiful eyes flowing with charm, lightly pressed her pretty face against her fiancé’s shoulder, said: "Managing a business isn’t easy, and managing workers is even harder, any ripple of change might cause panic among workers... your brothers trying to reform, will likely encounter ’setbacks’."

"Thank you... perhaps this is the lesson our brothers are destined to learn." Jing Zhengtang sighed:

"A businessman must be ruthless..."

...

"Oh, stop hitting me, stay still or I’ll draw crooked."

In the warmly lit bedroom, Jing Zhengtang was holding an eyebrow pencil, carefully drawing Feiwei’s eyebrows. Seeing Feiwei’s puffed-up expression, he laughed and said, "I understand how you feel. Eldest brother and fourth brother have earned father’s favor, and second brother still holds an absolute advantage. We’re still in the midst of a storm, aren’t we?"

"But haven’t we always made it through like this? Every time at a disadvantage, and every time turning the tables to win... Though this time the opponents are my brothers, it’s actually the same."

"You, just relax a bit, stop overthinking. Otherwise, if you get crow’s feet at such a young age, I’ll... I’ll..."

Noticing Feiwei grinding her teeth and glaring at him like an angry little cat, Jing Zhengtang’s voice trailed off, suddenly coming up with a clever idea: "Then I’ll strive to look older so everyone thinks you’re a flower stuck in cow dung!"

...

"Third Leader!" "Hello, Third Leader!"

Back at the outer city base of the Qinghong Gang, Jing Zhengfeng entered the hall to see several brothers drinking and eating. He directly squeezed in to sit down, gulping drinks and devouring meat. The gang member he pushed aside didn’t mind, moved a bench over to sit, and laughed while asking, "Big brother, what reward did you get going back this time? Did the Jing Family give you a big red packet?"

"Don’t even mention it, that old fart gave me two big troubles." Jing Zhengfeng downed a bottle of wine in one go, slammed it down, and suddenly turned to the gang member next to him: "Da Qiang, hit me."

Da Qiang blinked: "Big brother, are you drunk?"

"I’m not drunk. Don’t ask, just punch me with all your might."

"Drunk people always say they aren’t..."

"If you don’t hit me, I’ll hit you."

"Okay, okay." Da Qiang had never heard such a strange request before. He stood up, assumed a stance, and suddenly let out a roar. The hall exploded with the sound of drums and gongs, and he punched out a massive cannonball light burst!

Harmony Combat Technique·Cannonfire Fills the Sky!

Jing Zhengfeng drew a circle with his left hand, accurately catching the cannonball light burst, reversing his hand and slapping Da Qiang against the wall.

Biting Battle Technique·Universe Chant!

"Big brother, why did you retaliate..." Da Qiang rubbed his head, looking miserable: "You just wanted an excuse to hit me, didn’t you?"

"You hit me, of course, I’d strike back." Jing Zhengfeng snorted, looking at his hand, but he thought back to the two confrontations he had with Jing Zhengwei earlier.

The first time, he countered with a move Desolate Bite, which Jing Zhengwei broke with a punch.

The second time, facing Jing Zhengwei’s straight punch, he countered with Universe Chant, and Jing Zhengwei surprisingly found the unsealed flaw of Universe Chant, punching through to break it.

If the first time was a coincidence, then the second time couldn’t have been a coincidence.

However, Jing Zhengwei’s attack didn’t cause any light burst; it meant he broke the combat technique purely by experience and intuition...

But after all these years of struggling, I’ve barely reached the threshold of mastery in the Biting Battle Technique.

To break my Biting Battle Technique so easily, could it be that Jing Zhengwei’s mastery is...

"Looks like..." Jing Zhengfeng put his feet up on the dining table, thinking: "My brothers really aren’t just a bunch of no-good loafers..."

...

In the Jing Mansion bedroom, Qing Lan’s face was flushed, her forehead covered in fine sweat, her mouth slightly open, but her eyes were full of satisfaction, and her expression was enchanting, quite enticing.

Whoosh—whoosh—

She was eating spicy and sour noodles.

Though Qing Lan had tried her best to suppress the sound, the spicy sourness was just too intense, and she couldn’t help but make ’whoosh whoosh’ sounds as she ate.

"Young master, if you don’t eat soon, it’ll be cold!" Qing Lan felt embarrassed being the only one slurping the noodles loudly, so she urged Yueshi.

"It’s still good cold."

Yueshi sat at the desk, recording what happened tonight at Jing Garden, trying to clear his mind about what had occurred—

How did he, a proper steel proletariat, an undercover in White Night, an assassin for the Nameless Organization, always thinking of liberating the capitalist hegemony, a weak little bourgeois, suddenly end up responsible for publishing a newspaper?

He just said it offhandedly!

He has no idea how to run a newspaper! Writing humorous pieces, sure!

Yueshi is an old hand at writing skits, always good at it.

If it’s just about writing skits, then it wouldn’t be called a newspaper; it could be renamed "Blog," "Story Club," or "Zhihu."

"Young master, I’m full now."

Qing Lan’s face was red, "The smell is too strong in the room, you should hurry and eat, or else you’ll have to sleep amidst the sour and spicy smell tonight."

"Actually, I’m not hungry. I don’t feel like eating now."

"Then why did you buy...?"

"Weren’t you the one who said you weren’t full? When I passed by the snack street and saw you looking at the spicy noodles, I bought them for you."

Qing Lan blinked: "Then...why did you buy two portions?"

"Yeah, why did I buy two?"

Yueshi twirled his pen, thoughtfully saying: "Could it be because..."

Qing Lan looked at Yueshi expectantly.

"...I thought you could eat two portions?"

"Young master, how could I eat two portions?" Qing Lan pulled her mouth sideways: "After all, I am a young lady..."

"That’s discrimination. Young ladies can eat two portions of spicy noodles too. You’re depriving them of the right to eat two portions." Yueshi babbled nonsensically: "Why not eat more, I really can’t finish a whole bowl."

"I..." Qing Lan hesitated for a moment: "Okay, then I’ll eat a bit more."

Yueshi continued pondering the newspaper issue.

Should it be done? How to do it? Who to do it with?

Jing Zhengwei doesn’t know many educated people, but the hidden voices...

Eh?

Yueshi stopped twirling the pen, a brilliant idea popping into his mind, so brilliant that he almost felt like doing somersaults in excitement.

"Young master, I’ve eaten a third of it, your turn."

Qing Lan calmly passed the chopsticks and bowl to Yueshi, who, absorbed in thought, instinctively took them and started devouring the noodles.

Even though Yueshi still didn’t understand why a capitalist of the Faker class like himself had suddenly been tasked with running a newspaper.

However, this was an indescribably wonderful opportunity—

After all, being a capitalist can’t save Dongyang.

PS: A 4000-word major Chapter, let’s make it a two-in-one today, over ten thousand words in updates these past days, just right to wrap up this Jing Garden storyline, need to sort (slack) my thoughts tomorrow a bit.

Perhaps some classmates reading this have already guessed, there will be a few more sections of literary allusions next—though they are pieces you may have learned in Chinese class.