When Sun Honganyi announced that the rental fee would increase by 50% this year, the more than 10,000 people in the venue were immediately excited.
Last year, the weather was good and the harvest of both medicine and immortal rice was good. Even in that situation, it was very difficult to collect the rent price given by the Sun Hong family. This was strongly opposed by the people of Tonghongzhou.
Moreover, this year, Tonghongzhou suffered from a large-scale insect plague, or even a severe disaster. Under the insect plague, the income of the Chamber of Commerce has also shrunk significantly. Under such circumstances, almost all of the more than 10,000 people who came hoped that the Sun Hong family would be able to understand and reduce the rent as much as possible so that they could do their work.
Little did I know that the rent would not only not be reduced, but would be increased by 50%. 50%.
Suddenly, the venue seemed to explode: "No way, this year's drug production has dropped significantly, and the rent paid is half more than last year. Almost half of the people in Tonghongzhou have worked hard for a season, not only do they not have any income, but they also have to pay out of pocket."
"That's right, isn't this asking for too much? Our Xianmi production has been severely affected. How can we possibly spare so many resources?"
"Elder Sun Hong, you should be more merciful. You know, we don't have that much profit this year, and we're even losing money."
"Elder Sun, how did you set the standard this year? It's too high. It's too much."
Sun Honganyi had a gloomy face on the podium. His face was gloomy, and many people below felt a huge pressure coming towards them, making it difficult for them to breathe.
Sun Hong stood up at ease, his eyes sparkling: "Who said we collected too much rent? You said this is going to kill people? I tell you, even if it means people dying, we have to collect rent like this, not a little less."
"You guys cry out in dismay when you suffer a little loss, so let me ask you, our Sun Hong family has lost so many high-level masters of the Ancestral Immortal and Heavenly Immortal this year, what should we do?"
"Although our Sun Hong family is in charge of Tonghongzhou, we also have to hand over a lot of resources to the sect. After handing them over to the sect, how much can we keep?"
The chief elder of Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce stood up and said, "Elder Sun Hong, that's what you said, but, Elder Sun Hong, our Chamber of Commerce feeds so many people every year, and if we pay so much rent, our Chamber of Commerce will have no liquid capital."
"Yes, elder, the Chamber of Commerce can't bear it. The medicine people in our place can't even make a living."
"Elder, the mountain people who hunt here are even more dangerous. Could you please show some mercy and reduce the number of hunters?"
These people all had pleading looks on their faces. After all, they had followed the Sun Hong family for so many years, and the Sun Hong family still had to give them some face.
Who knew that Elder Sun Hong stretched out his hand and turned it into a dozen green and yellow ropes, tying them around the waists of these people. Sun Hong stretched out his hand and pulled, and more than a dozen people were brought in front of him.
Elder Sun Hong's face was icy, and his voice was filled with murderous intent: "Listen to me, Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce will add 50% of the rent. Otherwise, your Chamber of Commerce will collapse."
He pointed at the elder of Guangkang Family and said: "Guangkang Family rents the child and adds 50% to it. The time limit is one hour."
He pointed at Headmaster Tong Jishan and pointed his fingers forward. Bang, a yellow finger and a green finger pointed directly on Headmaster Tong Jishan's brow. The Headmaster's head seemed like an exploded watermelon, and with a bang, his brain burst.
Until the moment of his death, Headmaster Tong Jishan's eyes were wide open. He couldn't believe that he died at the hands of the Sun Hong family, to whom he was so loyal. He murmured, "Elder, I am loyal to the Sun Hong family, you you you..."
There was no trace of guilt on Elder Sun Hong's face, as if the death of the headmaster was just like the death of a chicken.
His green-yellow fingers pointed at the remaining three people one after another, bang, bang, bang, the three people died just like the mountain chief.
"I don't know whether you six can pay the rent or not."
Whether it was the Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce, the elders of the Guangkang family, or the other four people, they all trembled. Elder Sun Hong Anyi was cruel and ruthless. When he said he would kill people, he really meant it. It was definitely not a joke.
The bloody corpses of the four True Immortal Seven Stars were still standing in front of him, with their splattered brains all over the floor.
Even though he understood that this was just a trick to scare the monkeys, he was still shocked to the core.
Seeing how overbearing the Sun Hong family was, their followers were so angry that they dared not say anything. They immediately notified the family and quickly took the amount of resources designated by the Sun Hong family and paid it as rent. Otherwise, the life of the great elder would be in danger, and they only had one hour to save him.
When the president of Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce received the news, his chest was about to explode. The Sun Hong family's mouths were opening wide, becoming more and more greedy every year, and they wanted more and more every year.
No matter how much contribution the Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce has made to their Sun Hong family, they would never have thought that the Sun Hong family would treat their chamber of commerce in this way. The Sun Hong family is really a wolf cub that can never be tamed.
The second elder of Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce said to the president: "President, next year, we can go somewhere else, but we must not make any trouble now. The first elder is an important force in our chamber of commerce. Without him, the chamber of commerce will suffer great losses..."
The president of Yunyuan Chamber of Commerce had a dark complexion and frowned, "Second Elder, how could I not know what you said? I am angry that the Sun Hong family bullies us by taking advantage of their power. We have contributed countless resources to them over the years. We have made great contributions, but do they have any humanity at all?"
"Second Elder, why don't you do it? After this year's, we are going to transfer the Chamber of Commerce's assets. Tonghongzhou can no longer operate."
The patriarch of the Guangkang family is an old man with a big beard, a pair of fan-shaped ears, and eyes like lamps. He looked in the direction of the Sun Hong family and said: "The Sun Hong family is getting more and more arrogant. If they do too much evil, they will eventually perish. I'm afraid the good days of the Sun Hong family won't last long."
"Pay, let's pay the rent first. I want to see how long the Sun Hong family can remain strong."
Under the suppression of the Sun Hong family, all six families handed over twice as much resources as last year, and the situation was finally calmed down.
After receiving the resources handed over by the six major families, Sun Honganyi stared at the audience with a cold smile: "Everyone, I want to ask, who else has not achieved this year's goal? You can directly stand up and speak."
Many people are trembling in their hearts. If they stand up and speak out, they will be slapped to death by you.
Although some people were unwilling in their hearts, they still said: "Don't worry, elder, I promise to complete the task in half a month."
"Yes, Elder, don't worry, completing the task is not a problem."
When someone takes the lead, others will follow: “We promise to complete the mission.”
"That's right. No matter what method we use, we will complete the task."
Those chambers of commerce and families had to agree to it today. Otherwise, it would be like killing a chicken to scare the monkeys and shocking people. If they angered the Sun Hong family again, it might bring disaster to their family.
They were extremely helpless: "Don't worry, elder. I will definitely send the rent over in half a month."
"Our family will never default on the agreement."
Sun Hongan laughed heartily: "Isn't that right? If we had done this earlier, there wouldn't be any unpleasantness between us."
"Do you think we are trying to squeeze their blood out of them? The big states on all sides are eyeing us covetously. If our Sun Hong family wasn't there to guard us, do you know what a miserable situation our Tong Hong State would be in if they came?"
"To be honest, our family is helpless. Please forgive us. The meeting is adjourned."
There were more than 10,000 people, and no one spoke. Even when the Sun Hong family came out, no one talked. Now who knew that person was a spy of the Sun Hong family? The Sun Hong family was extremely powerful. Once someone filed a complaint, their family would be in trouble.
They are not ordinary people who have never left their homes. In other major states, there is really no family that exploits people like they do.
After they walked away, someone said with a depressed look on his face: "Humph, it's obviously extortion, but they still say it so high-soundingly. If they weren't extremely greedy and wanted to make a fortune, would so many people in the Sun Hong family have died?"
"That's right, he died a good death. Those who do evil will eventually perish. I think the good days of the Sun Hong family are over."
"Hehe, don't say that. Let's talk about how to get through this hurdle first."
Some people also said: "What should I do? What should I do? How can I explain to the herbal farmers? I have repeatedly promised that the rent I pay will definitely be less than last year. I never thought it would be so much more."
"Yeah, we can't explain the hunters there either."
"If we really collect the money this way, one in ten people will sell their children."
…
The next day, Tonghongzhou was in an uproar. No matter who they met, the first thing they said was, "Oh my God, the Sunhong family is not going to let us get by. Last year, the weather was good and the harvest of medicinal herbs was very good. The leftovers were not enough for the family to use. This year, the production has dropped significantly. If we increase it by 50%, we can't afford it even if we sell everything we have."
"Yeah, I really don't know what they are thinking."
"They just keep lip service to each other, as if the problem has been solved. But our family has no way to live."
…
No matter who they are from, scholars, farmers, merchants or artisans in Tonghong Prefecture, they are all complaining. The Sun Hong family is exploiting people and digging deep into their soil. How can people not feel resentful
Ye Xiangyang watched the conflict continue to intensify, but he stood aside without moving.
This is the Sixth Heaven, not his own Xuanwu Continent, and these are the people of the Sixth Heaven, not his brothers. He wants to see what kind of results the Sun Hong family's decision this year will cause in Tonghongzhou.
In the city where Sun Hong's family lived, the rent collectors, like wolves and tigers, rushed into a family's house and took away all the useful things in their house in order to pay off their debts.
There was really nothing left, so they pulled the 20-year-old daughter of this family and said with a grim smile: "Old Wang, since you can't stop it, use your daughter as capital to pay off the debt."
Lao Wang was also a True Immortal. He pointed his finger and a sword light flew towards the newcomer: "You are going too far. At worst, I will fight you."
The burly men, led by the rent collector, punched out, and with a bang, they directly knocked the flying sword away—