"Let's surrender."

When Qin Leyin said this, the room suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, Quan Xin quietly said, "Aren't we already surrendering?"

The others couldn't help but sigh and nod in agreement.

Indeed.

In the history of the Silver Blood Association, it has never been so humbled.

The Jing Family wants money, they give it.

The Jing Family wants factories, they give it.

The Jing Family wants people, they give them too.

Even the military and the Imperial Court weren't this excessive; at most, they wanted money or a piece of their resources. But this time, the Jing Family practically sliced them in half.

After all these days, they finally realized — Jing Zhengwei, in order to please Lan Yan, might have truthfully reported the Silver Blood Association's assets to Lan Yan, and purposely brought back five hundred Linhai Army soldiers, his aim being to slice everyone's flesh to fatten Lan Yan's purse!

If it was someone else... no, even a dog wouldn't go to such lengths!

Yet even so, they endured it.

And the Silver Blood Association's goal was achieved.

The Silver Blood Association initially was a group of merchants banding together to prevent outsiders from bullying them.

And now, truly no one dares to bully the Silver Blood Association.

It's just that the association's president is bullying the members.

From being bullied by outsiders to being bullied by their own, you could say it's progress of the times.

So when Qin Leyin suggested surrendering, they didn't feel shame, but grief.

It's come to this, how else can we surrender!?

Should we run out and say, being bullied by outsiders is not acceptable, but being bullied by the president is?

We have no more ground to surrender on!

Qin Leyin seemed to understand their thoughts, opened his wine bottle, took a sip of tomato juice, and shook his head: "Not enough, still not enough."

"If you had already surrendered, you wouldn't be here frowning, because you know Jing Zhengwei wants more, much more."

"Over the past four days, Yin Minghong took over one hundred fifty-six factories and shops with the Linhai Army, killed sixty-three people, and except for the Listening Family's firearm factory outside the county fortress, the core industries of other families are now under Linhai Army control."

"However," Qin Leyin glanced around: "You also know that the Linhai Army hasn't really managed the factories and shops, right?"

"But Jing Family hasn't sent anyone to manage them either."

"Instead, Yin Minghong appointed a worker on the spot, promising him great profits, a future, and power, thus granting a worker supervisory power."

"Now, nominally it's the Linhai Army managing the factories, but in reality, it's already under self-management by the workers. The Linhai Army only plays a supervisory and deterrent role, and when workers and supervisors clash, Yin Minghong mediates."

"Do you know what this means?"

Qin Leyin opened his arms, softly uttering three words: "Governor's Mansion."

Everyone fell silent.

"He is no longer satisfied with being a businessman; he wants to dip into political power, starting with managing workers," Qin Leyin said. "Today he can resolve worker disputes; tomorrow he can judge the officials; and the day after, he can form an army loyal to him."

"I know what you are worried about. You fear that Jing Zhengwei will take your industries, sever your ties with workers and servants, and directly seize the wealth accumulated over generations, right?"

Someone sighed, "You speak the truth, Young Master Hongle. Jing Zhengwei's actions are excessive. He bypasses us and gives supervisors power for profit-sharing, allows worker self-governance. This way, they will only know the Jing Family and the Linhai Army and not us, the masters."

Lan Jianbo also said, "Authority and name cannot be entrusted to others. The Governor's Mansion won't protect our industries. The reason we make the workers listen and work obediently is not just because of a land deed, but because we control their life and death, thus they heed."

"Now with us withdrawing from factories, the supervisors promoted by Yin Minghong are sure to follow the Jing Family's orders for benefits. I can even foresee the trend— soon, the supervisor will realize he can profit more if he stays, and with the Jing Family watching, won't dare mistreat workers. As long as pay is sufficient, workers will be more willing to support the supervisor."

"Over time, these supervisors will have a notion: they don't want us masters returning to the factories. For this, they will certainly incite the workers, and together…"

Lan Jianbo paused, pondering, "Support? Elect? There doesn't seem to be a suitable term in this business context, and the result is— Jing Zhengwei, without a single soldier, easily gains control of the entire city's factories and shops."

"How can this be!" someone immediately exclaimed, "the Eighty-Eight Merchants Association surely won't tolerate him—"

"Why can't it?" Lan Jianbo retorted: "The Eighty-Eight Merchants Association still exists, but you can't stop him either."

"He only has the Linhai Army now!"

"In the future, he will have the workers!"

"How dare those lowly people—"

"For money, what won't they dare?"

Lan Jianbo waved his hand grandly: "They are no longer a bunch of lowly people you can bribe, divide, and manipulate! The Jing Family knows how to deal with these people better than you or I, and their means of control are far more than we know!"

"Previously, to protect their very little interests, they dared to rebel with Backlight Particle. Now that the Jing Family is willing to give them benefits and even lead the charge, how can they not be willing to fight for the Jing Family?"

After a round of debate, everyone suddenly realized the gravity of the situation.

Initially, everyone only saw Jing Zhengwei dabbling in power, but after Lan Jianbo's reminder, they realized Jing Zhengwei had already put a knife to their throats.

In this world, there are three external forces: power, money, and violence.

Now, with the support of the Linhai Army, Jing Zhengwei has all three.

They originally thought, when the Linhai Army left, Jing Zhengwei would at most have money, perhaps a bit of power.

But even if the Jing Family expanded this much, they believed the Silver Blood Association could handle it.

But now their naive illusion was completely shattered: once the Linhai Army leaves, Jing Zhengwei will only have more money, power, and violence!

"What now?"

"How about hiring an assassin..."

"Give it up, assassins won't take an order to kill the president!"

"Then we just watch as our family estates vanish!?"

"That's right."

In the chaos, Qin Leyin suddenly said, "The only thing you can do now is to give all your assets to Jing Zhengwei."

"Abandon your assets, your property, even your past status."

"This is the true surrender."

"Then I'd rather die!" someone roared.

Qin Leyin laughed: "The last time we met here, you said something similar."

The person's face reddened, shaking his head: "This time is different. Last time he just wanted money; now Jing Zhengwei wants to skin us alive. Are we just going to let him keep doing this?"

"Why not?"

Le Yin from the Qin Family surveyed the room and said, "Just as the Patriarch of the Lan Family mentioned, Jing Zhengwei's intentions are quite clear: to seize your money, your shops, and finally, your workers. Under normal circumstances, we would resist with all means possible. However, the issue now is—"

"We have no means to counter Jing Zhengwei anymore."

"Every day the Linhai Army remains, his plan progresses by a day."

"When the Linhai Army leaves, his plan will reach a perfect conclusion. By then, the workers will become his strength. If Xuanzhu County is a chessboard where we are pieces fighting and forming alliances, what Jing Zhengwei is doing is turning the entire board into his domain."

"From the very beginning, from the moment Jing Zhengwei allied with Lan Yan, we merchants had already lost everything."

Le Yin from the Qin Family pointed at himself with both hands: "Because, as merchants, we cannot defeat soldiers, much less politicians."

The room fell into a dead silence.

Ro Zhen suddenly spoke up: "Then what's the benefit if we surrender? We're losers whether we surrender or not, so what's the difference?"

"I just said, as merchants, we have lost," Le Yin from the Qin Family lowered his voice, making everyone perk up their ears to listen intently. "But we can still win."

Quan Xin asked anxiously, "How can we win?"

"If you can't beat them, join them," Le Yin from the Qin Family gazed at the merchants with intent. "You all already understand Jing Zhengwei's aim; he wants total domination in commerce, politics, and the military. So the question arises—does he have enough people to help him rule Dongyang?"

The others' eyes lit up.

"He doesn't," Le Yin from the Qin Family smiled and said, "He can use former officials and commanders, or appoint newcomers. But compared to those long-rooted veterans and inexperienced newcomers, are we not the better choice as merchants capable but having lost our assets?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Indeed,

Rulers value having people who are 'unentangled' and can balance each other out. Those officials and commanders deeply rooted for years have intricate relationships that, though convenient, risk deceit from below.

And newcomers, who are completely unentangled, struggle to gain acceptance or may lack ability.

If that time comes, they, the merchants who have lost their base, become Jing Zhengwei's best talent pool. Firstly, they are easy to use. Secondly, they have no ties in the military and administrative domains. Thirdly, they have some management skills.

Thinking it through, it seems quite reasonable!

"So, this is Jing Zhengwei's real plan," Le Yin from the Qin Family said, "The Jing Family first promotes lower-level workers as supervisors to replace us merchants from the Silver Blood; then, with that momentum, they win over the lower class throughout the county, and subsequently target the Governor's office and the military. At that point, Jing Zhengwei will employ us failures to make us his hands in politics and the military."

"The merchants' Silver Blood Association has died."

"But the political and military Silver Blood will be reborn."

"This is Jing Zhengwei's grand blueprint."

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

After a while, someone couldn't wrap their head around it: "Then why not just let us stay as merchants? We would obey him then..."

"Isn't this a common tactic?" Le Yin from the Qin Family laughed: "First they hit you, then they give you a sweet treat, only then will you be wholeheartedly devoted to the ruler."

"Moreover, to be frank, without this approach, Dongyang cannot truly be unified. Jing Zhengwei must dismantle and reorganize all forces for the land of Dongyang to give birth to the Silver Blood beast."

Quan Xin took out a long-unused twin-headed dragon pen holder, twirled it twice and it fell to the ground.

"Le Yin from the Qin Family," he called him by name, "are you telling the truth?"

"What sort of relationship do I have with Jing Zhengwei, should that not be clear to you all?" Le Yin from the Qin Family smiled and said, "By the way, I fully endorse this plan, and the Qin Family is ready to sacrifice its assets. The enterprise of a merchant has its limits, and a time of chaos is the least suited for a merchant's business. I'd rather become a renowned capable minister, or perhaps—"

"A founding contributor aiding the enlightened ruler to unify the world."

A founding contributor.

Many people began breathing more heavily.

Le Yin from the Qin Family cast a glance at them: "So, what are your choices? Will you wait till you're broken to concede, or choose to fully surrender, and wait for a future opportunity to achieve greatness?"

"My last piece of advice to you: Jing Zhengwei is already an unstoppable force."

Everyone looked at each other.

Le Yin from the Qin Family wasn't in a rush, taking out some tomato juice for a sip, then heard a sigh.

"Anyway, I can't fight against the Jing Family."

Soon, the voice of a defeated party echoed:

"If we take the initiative, perhaps we can retain a bit of our property, right?"

"Certainly, with so many people in our family, we need to keep some money."

"I don't want to join the military, could I become Xuanzhu County's Deputy Supervisor Director instead?"

"The current Deputy Supervisor Director is Huyan Jue, who is Jing Zhengwei's future brother-in-law..."

"What about having a brother-in-law, does he seem like someone who values in-laws that much?"

Le Yin from the Qin Family looked towards the three main representatives of the major business associations upfront.

"Patriarch of the Lan Family, Patriarch of the Ro Family, Patriarch of the Quan Family, what do you intend?"

Quan Xin yawned: "I don't really care. My uncle is Quan Yuan, so if there's any work, it'll not fall to me, I'm just a figurehead pushed out."

Ro Zhen knocked on the table: "...The Ro Family will comply, we have no other choice left."

Le Yin from the Qin Family nodded, looking at the most composed Lan Jianbo: "Brother Lan, will you join us in serving Jing Zhengwei?"

Lan Jianbo glanced at the others and said coldly: "Firstly, Le Yin from the Qin Family, I have tolerated you long enough. Don't mention that name in front of me again."

Everyone was taken aback.

Thinking, the Lan Family has this much spirit?

Reaching such a point, they still dare to confront the Jing Family?

Not surprising for a factory, they are tougher than a vehicle here!

Many secretly felt remorseful; Lan Jianbo clearly exposed Jing Zhengwei's plan for them, yet they were still willing to become pawns for survival and profit.

In comparison, Lan Jianbo truly was perceptive, insightful, and unwavering in his courage, a remarkable youth!

Under everyone's respectful or surprised gaze, Lan Jianbo faced the direction of Jing Garden, cupped a fist distantly, and said loudly:

"You should respect him as Chairman Jing."

For a moment, the room was silent.

Countless curses echoed in everyone's mind.

Only Le Yin from the Qin Family showed a trace of a satisfied smile.

The three major business associations, along with more than a dozen medium-sized associations, were all deceived by the idyllic future of the 'rebirth of the Silver Blood Association' he painted. Next, confronting more aggressive actions from Jing Zhengwei, they would lie submissively, accepting any torment because they now had new hope.

All obstacles in the plan had vanished.

Now,

Jing Zhengwei,

is truly, an unstoppable force.