Ang Lee didn't know what the Angi family would do in the future. He just needed to take care of the present. There was no need to care about what would happen decades later. He couldn't control it. Decades later, he would be buried if there were no accidents. How could he care about what would happen after that?
Just as the master of the Angi family left in high spirits, the Deqin family, Sayer, and other families also began to argue. They naturally saw the notice from the Tang dynasty. Every family had their own business and trade. A family couldn't rely on farming alone. The meager income couldn't support a family. There must be business support, and it must be a large-scale business. Therefore, they didn't dare to disagree with the request of the Tang dynasty. They had to pay for it. Moreover, the request of the Tang dynasty was not excessive.
In the Deqin family, an elder reported that many businessmen had paid money to the Tang dynasty to obtain future privileges, which was of some significance to them.
"Family Head, it seems that the larger merchants have all chosen a 20% discount, while the smaller merchants have mostly chosen a 10% discount. There are even smaller ones. With our Deqin family's strength, we can only be considered to be larger merchants. I think that 20% discount should be about right."
An elder of the Deqin family said.
"Yes, the 20% discount requires a lot of money. But our family's foundation is there. If we choose 10%, it will be too shameful."
Another elder nodded and said.
The master of the Deqin family frowned and thought for a long time. Then he said, "20% discount? Is this the result of your discussion? Our Deqin family's 30% discount is something we can afford. "
"Master, the difference between a 30% discount and a 20% discount is five times. Although our master can afford it, is it really necessary to pay so much? It's too much. "
"Five times, it's too much, too much."
After listening to the master's opinion, several elders didn't seem to agree with the master's decision. They felt that it was a little too much. There was no need to pay so much money at once. It was a waste.
The master of the Deqin family didn't refute directly. He looked at the elders and asked, "What about the Angi family? How much did they pay?"
"I'm not sure. That old man Angi is very tight-lipped. Who will know if he doesn't say? It's definitely not less than 20%. Maybe it's 30%! "
"Master, we can't compare with the Angi family. They have a top-grade gem mine and have a much closer relationship with the Tang dynasty than we do."
Several elders said.
Obviously, they knew very well that the Angi family had a close relationship with the Tang dynasty, and they had a top-grade gem mine, so they didn't lack money. Although the Deqin family was stronger than the Angi family and had more clansmen, they didn't have a top-grade gem mine. They had more clansmen, but at the same time, their consumption was greater. With so many clansmen consuming resources, they needed to spend more money. Therefore, the pressure on their family was greater. This was the main reason why they desperately wanted to get a piece of the pie after discovering that the Angi family had a top-grade gem mine. Unfortunately, because of their greed, the Angi family cooperated with the Tang dynasty in a fit of anger. The Deqin family's efforts were in vain. They didn't get anything and also severely offended the Angi family, a potential asset. Now, they could only watch the Angi family rise step by step. The torment in their hearts could be imagined.
As the head of the Deqin family, what he was most worried about was the danger that the family might face in the future. After all, because of his decision, the Deqin family had completely offended the Angi family, and the Angi family was constantly rising. When he was gone, the next generation would face the suppression of the rising Angi family. The family was likely to fall apart and the Deqin family would no longer exist.
Although things had come to this, the head of the Deqin family was still holding back his anger. He was unwilling to admit defeat. He wanted to do everything he could to resolve this crisis that was likely to appear in the future. Kneeling down and admitting his mistake to the Angi family was also a way, but how could his arrogant heart bear this grievance? If this kind of thing was spread out, how could he still have the face to live in this world? Even the entire Deqin family would be completely reduced to a laughing stock. Even if they rose, they could not wash away the stain of the past, and the Angi family would be completely ashamed. Therefore, the head of the Deqin family would certainly not do this. He was not even willing to bow his head and admit his mistake in the softest way. After all, he had been used to acting like a big brother in front of the head of the Angi family. How could he let the big brother bow his head to the younger brother? This was too shameful. As the head of the Deqin family, a well-known figure in the vicinity of hundreds of miles, he could not bow his head to his former younger brother.
Since he could not admit his mistake, how could he resolve the crisis? The only way left was to fight. He had to find a way to destroy the Angi family. As long as the Angi family did not exist, the crisis that the Deqin family might face in the future would naturally not exist. The head of the Deqin family had been paying attention to the Angi family's every move, looking for their flaws at any time so that he could completely destroy the Angi family. Even if the Angi family had the support of the Tang dynasty, it did not dispel the head of the Deqin family's idea. After all, in his view, the good relationship between the Tang dynasty and the Angi family was just mutual use. The Angi family used the Tang dynasty to generate electricity for protection, and the Tang dynasty obtained half of the share of the gem mine. How could there be true feelings in a relationship of mutual use? Since the Tang dynasty could cooperate with the Angi family, it could also cooperate with the Deqin family. If there was no top-grade gem mine, the head of the Deqin family believed that the Tang dynasty would not cooperate with the Angi family at all.
After all, it was not only the Deqin Family that had offended the Angi Family this time. Saye and the other four families had also become enemies with the Angi Family. Seeing the Angi Family prospering, the feelings of the five families were the same as the feelings of the Deqin Family. They were all in the same boat now. Once the Angi Family really rose, none of the six families could escape and would be cruelly suppressed by the Angi Family. In this way, the alliance of the six families would naturally be formed easily. At least before the Angi Family was destroyed, the alliance of the six families would not be a big problem. Unless the Angi Family could disregard the former enmity and privately reconcile with several families, or even give up part of the interests of the gem mine to several families, the six families would not be at ease to reconcile with the Angi Family.
"Elders, you can't be so short-sighted. You have to know that this time, the six families can't do anything to the Angi Family because the Angi Family gave half of the gem mine to the Tang Dynasty and let the Tang Dynasty's troops station in the Angi Family's territory, so we can't do anything. But the gem mine will be finished one day. Once the gem mine is finished, will the Tang Dynasty still protect the Angi Family? Maybe they will, but under what circumstances?"
The Deqin Family's Master said something inexplicable.
The elders didn't understand, but they could roughly guess the meaning behind his words.
The Deqin Family's Master thought for a while and said, "The Tang Dynasty is so powerful now. Although they are on good terms with the Angi Family, our Deqin Family has not fallen out with the Tang Dynasty even though we have fallen out with the Angi Family. Since the Angi Family can be on good terms with the Tang Dynasty, so can our Deqin Family. As long as we also take out enough benefits, why would the Tang Dynasty refuse?"
Hearing this, an elder said with a smile, "You're right, Master. In this way, both sides are flesh and blood. Even if we do something to the Angi Family, as long as we don't go too far and don't affect the interests of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty won't interfere. It's like two brothers fighting, and parents can't be biased."
"You're right, Master. Maybe the Tang Dynasty will think that our Deqin Family can keep the Angi Family in check. If our two families fight, the Tang Dynasty may get more benefits."
Another elder said.
"Master, the key is that our family's financial resources may not be comparable to the Angi Family's. If we want to fight, we can't just rely on words. If we don't give more benefits than the Angi Family, the Tang Dynasty won't be biased toward us. I believe that they will be more biased toward the Angi Family."
An elder said worriedly.
The Deqin Family's Master nodded and said, "You're right. Our current financial resources are no longer comparable to the Angi Family's. Maybe after we get on good terms with the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty will still be biased toward the Angi Family. But if we don't get close to the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty won't just be biased toward the Angi Family, but will suppress our Deqin Family. Being biased is a small matter, but if we are suppressed by the Tang Dynasty, the situation will be much more serious. With our little power, how can we withstand the suppression of the Tang Dynasty? Therefore, no matter what, our Deqin Family must not be on good terms with the Tang Dynasty, even if we have to pay a little price. Otherwise, in a few years, our Deqin Family will have no place to stand."
Hearing the Master's words, the elders of the Deqin Family all looked at each other. They could see the crisis the Deqin Family was facing from the Master's frown. To solve the crisis, they must be on good terms with the Tang Dynasty. Otherwise, the Deqin Family would be in a dead end with no possibility of turning the situation around.
"According to the Master's intention, we have to choose the biggest 30% discount. Well, our Deqin Family can take out so much money."
One of the elders said.
"Master, we just received news that the Master of the Angi Family personally sent hundreds of carts of road-building materials to the Tang Dynasty. He also sent a lot of money. We don't know the exact amount, but the materials are very clear. These materials alone are enough for our Deqin Family to earn for five years."
An elder left for a while and came back, bringing a piece of shocking news to the Master of the Deqin Family.
"This is bad. The Angi Family took out so much money. I'm afraid they have other demands. We're still one step late. One step late!"
The Master of the Deqin Family said with annoyance.
Originally, he had planned to take out more money than the Angi family in order to gain the favor of the Tang Empire and even obtain some privileges that surpassed the Angi family. After all, the railway and the gem mine were two different things. As long as they paid a higher price, they could naturally get better privileges than the Angi family. This way, they would have an advantage in future competitors. However, when he heard that the Angi family had taken out hundreds of carriages worth of materials and money, he was shocked. He could not judge the value of so much property, but it was at least much more than the 30% discount offered by the Tang Empire. The Angi family had actually paid several times the amount, or even more, which made him very anxious. Although the Deqin family had a large business, they also had a lot of places to spend money. The family's flowing property was not very strong. Perhaps if they took out all of it, they would be more than the Angi family. However, in order to compete with the Angi family, if they took out all of their flowing property, once there was a small problem in the business, the Deqin family might have a problem with the capital chain. That was not a small problem. It was possible that the family's wealth would collapse, unless they could bear the pain and sell a few fixed industries at a low price. However, these industries were the foundation of the family. If they used the foundation easily, it would make the family go downhill. It would also make him, the patriarch, lose his prestige, which was not conducive to the unity and development of the family.
Since the Tang dynasty had issued a notice, the Deqin family would certainly offer financial support. The master of the Deqin family, who had originally planned to spend a lot of money to completely overwhelm the Angi family, panicked when he learned that the Angi family had taken out an unpredictable large amount of money. Only then did he realize that the master of the Angi family was also an old fox. Perhaps the old fox had predicted that he would do this, so he simply blocked his way so that the Deqin family could not obtain the privilege to surpass the Angi family. In addition, the master of the Deqin family also clearly felt that the Angi family had begun to rise. At least in terms of financial power, the Angi family had begun to surpass the Deqin family and could take out more money than the Deqin family. In this way, even if the Deqin family took out more money than the Angi family, the Angi family would increase their money again and again overwhelm the Deqin family. The master of the Deqin family did not think that his family had enough money to compete with the Angi family. The gap was too big, so it was very difficult to compete. The reason for all this was that the Angi family had discovered a top-grade gem mine in the territory of the Angi family, which caused the Angi family's financial resources to soar. Unfortunately, there was no such high-quality gem mine in the territory of the Deqin family, otherwise, it would be the Deqin family that rose.
"It seems that we can't compete with the Angi family. At least, we can't get many benefits here. It seems that the focus of the family's business will have to move a hundred miles."
The master of the Deqin family said after careful consideration.
"Moving a hundred miles away? Patriarch, this is a matter that will hurt us greatly! Things haven't reached that point yet! "
One of the elders said.
Although all the members of the Deqin family knew that after offending the Angi family, if they could not break the situation as soon as possible and destroy the Angi family, they would inevitably suffer the revenge of the Angi family in the future. However, having to flee so soon still made the elders feel very ashamed.
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