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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 178: If You Want to Cause Trouble, Go All Out
The role of public opinion is a tool to counter those who think they can cover their misdeeds. The formation of public opinion requires an event that captures the attention of many people simultaneously.
If the masses do not pay attention, or if they have lost their fighting spirit, thinking that it does not concern them and that it is someone else's problem, then the pressure of public opinion cannot form. In such cases, rich young masters and second-generation officials can commit heinous crimes and merely go through the motions before being released.
If you ignore such matters or become numb to them, these individuals will become increasingly bold without facing punishment. Eventually, it will be you or your family who suffers harm, and when that time comes, it will not be them regretting it but you.
A citizen named Han Han once said: "The main contradiction in our country right now is the growing intelligence of the masses and the declining moral standards of the bureaucratic class."
Indeed, those who enjoy watching from the sidelines have found a weapon they can use: creating public opinion through observation. Public opinion is a direct weapon that can exert pressure on the government; understanding how to utilize it is essential for truly safeguarding one's interests.
Having lost their way, people seek self-preservation and must rely on themselves.
If one's own strength is too weak, they must depend on the unity and assistance of like-minded individuals. Today you defend others; in creating public opinion through observation, perhaps one day when you suffer injustice, you will have to wait for others to rescue you.
In a film by Stephen Chow considered nonsensical, "Nine-Rank Sesame Official," there is a humorous yet poignant reflection on society. In it, Bao Longxing's father expresses a sentiment before his death:
"To be a corrupt official requires cunning; to be an honest official requires even more cunning. Otherwise, how can one compete with those corrupt officials?"
The cost of being a good person may not necessarily be less than that of being a bad one. Although Wei Yuan fights for revenge now, he still harbors intentions to take down Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi.
Dealing with scum who profit from addictive substances added to medicinal ingredients is certainly not simple. Wei Yuan has put everything he owns at stake and mobilized all available resources and connections for this performance.
Of course, as he himself stated, this is merely a warm-up match or just the prologue to the main drama; even more exciting developments are yet to come.
The main goal of all parties involved was to target Xu Feng, which suddenly made his name well-known. Moreover, at this moment, Wei Yuan cleverly linked the case from six months ago to the current situation.
It was pointed out that Xu Feng had once been the head of a futures company, and he had formed his own judgment regarding this wrongful case. He suggested that the man who had suddenly died under mysterious circumstances, who was also his father, might have simply been a scapegoat.
In this report, the experiences of the man who died tragically before the Futures Company Fraud Case were listed. It turned out that this man was just an ordinary farmer.
While he might have been skilled in farming and raising livestock, it was impossible for him to have orchestrated such a high-IQ fraud scheme, leading the public to express their doubts.
In the public's consciousness, good and bad people are labeled distinctly. Therefore, when Xu Feng was surrounded by so much negative news, it was only natural for people to view him as the mastermind behind the Futures Company Fraud Case from six months ago.
As a result, Xu Feng's name quickly became infamous. This only took a short amount of time; however, those who watched the news yesterday and came to observe today, including some of the victimized companies gathered outside the factory, had already begun shouting Xu Feng's name.
Wei Yuan chose Xu Feng as the primary target for attack mainly to concentrate their firepower. On one hand, Xu Feng was the enemy responsible for his family's ruin; even if he and Shen Qingyi had to choose one person to die first, it would naturally be Xu Feng.
Additionally, this approach would help stir up internal conflicts among them. One could imagine that in a conspiracy involving two people, one would become like a rat crossing the street—infamous and despised by all.
However, the other person who benefited would remain unscathed, as if moving in silence without anyone knowing of their existence. How would they feel at that moment?
Would they still maintain a partnership with this accomplice against others?
Naturally not. Now you are the sinner while my existence goes unnoticed. Your death is your own business; why should I care? It doesn't concern me anyway.
Moreover, in Wei Yuan's investigation, although Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi were related by marriage, Shen Qingyi certainly suspected Xu Feng of being behind the mysterious death of his daughter.
Speaking of Shen Qingyi's wife, she was reputed to be a formidable woman among exceptional women. According to Zhong Ziyi Pavilion, any disciple who had seen her appearance exhibited strong tendencies toward self-harm.
Her eyes were like copper bells, her nose was prominent, and she had a gaping mouth that could make anyone lose their appetite for days just by looking at her face.
Moreover, her figure was bulky, weighing nearly two hundred pounds, and rumors in the martial world suggested it was even in kilograms. One could imagine that if such a giant were to roll over in her sleep at midnight, it would likely turn a person into a meat patty.
According to Xu Feng, when he was struggling to get by, he once almost died during a smuggling attempt across the border, only to be saved by Shen Qingyi, who also helped him develop his resources so he could con people and create scams.
As a result, when Xu Feng wanted to repay his gratitude, Shen Qingyi was overjoyed and praised the young man for being grateful. Thus, she arranged a grand wedding for her daughter, who had been worrying about her marriage since birth, marrying her off to Xu Feng. From then on, this pair of father-in-law and son-in-law became enemies.
Xu Feng repeatedly expressed his inability to tolerate his wife and wished he could turn her into minced meat. The most unbearable aspect for this wife was that even if she were turned into minced meat and cooked for the family, they could eat for over three months.
If this were during the times of famine, such a woman would be considered a treasure. If a family had such a daughter-in-law, one cut would suffice to save on food for at least a year and a half without needing to gnaw on tree bark.
Returning to the main point, because of this situation, when Shen Qingyi's daughter unexpectedly died, she immediately suspected Xu Feng as the primary suspect.
Thus, the relationship between this father-in-law and son-in-law had always been strained. If it weren't for the need to involve Xu Feng in executing this plan, why would Shen Qingyi have brought him along?
However, now that everything pointed towards Xu Feng, Shen Qingyi couldn't help but feel a sense of dark satisfaction amidst her fear.
Wei Yuan knew it would be difficult to take all these people down at once, especially with Yang Ying and Yuan Ziyi involved. He understood that Shen Qingyi was cautious in her dealings; she had likely already figured out how to distance herself from any fallout after things went wrong.
Therefore, Wei Yuan did not expect to take down both birds with one shot. Besides, he had no deep grievances with Shen Qingyi but held a strong hatred towards Xu Feng. So it was clear which target he would choose.
At this moment, over a hundred people had been surrounding the entrance for nearly half an hour, and the crowd of onlookers was growing larger as people were inherently interested in such lively events.
Media from television stations had also arrived, but this time leading the team was Zhang Sheng. Wei Yuan had already instructed him to edit parts of the footage together to achieve the most sensational scene possible.
At this moment, although he had not completely charged in, Flying Eagle was already feeling a bit impatient. After all, he was not the type of person with a good temper, and despite being involved in the underworld, he still had a sense of justice.
Hearing that Wei Yuan and Xu Feng were not only defaulting on payments but also adding various addictive ingredients to their drugs, he felt deeply disgusted. He himself sold a different kind of cough syrup that had similar addictive effects, and ever since Xu Feng's drug hit the market, his business had suffered greatly.
He had always wondered where this drug was coming from and had been unable to find a source to sell it. However, now learning that his competitor Wei Yuan was actually Xu Feng made Flying Eagle furious. It was you, Turtle Son, who was competing with me for business.
Moreover, the manufacturers surrounding Xu Feng's pharmaceutical factory were starting to get annoyed as well. They knew very well that if they did not actively stand with Wei Yuan to take down Xu Feng, they could easily be dragged into the mess.
It was just like the example Wei Yuan cited from the Bible: if you think you are not in league with that sinner, that bastard, then raise your stones and throw them at that bastard.
If they did not do this, and if Xu Feng's issues became serious, then their goods were ordered and manufactured from their own hands before being processed again. If Xu Feng shifted the responsibility for the drug problems onto them at this point, it would be like getting mud in their pants—whether it was shit or not, it would still feel like shit.
The fire in everyone's hearts was ignited by Wei Yuan, and there was no need for him to manipulate the remaining matters; these people had already spontaneously decided to confront Xu Feng head-on.
This was similar to a brawl; simply shouting slogans like "damn it" was useless. What could ignite the fire in those around them would naturally lead everyone to fight fiercely.
"Damn it, let's charge in together. If he doesn't intend to pay up, let's move his goods," shouted one somewhat rustic vendor loudly.
Another person rolled his eyes at him and said, "Are you out of your mind? Didn't you see the news last night? Now everyone is questioning whether their drugs are problematic. Why would you take them back? Are you waiting to incriminate yourself?"
The somewhat outdated vendor retorted defiantly, "You're the one who's out of your mind! Is that what I mean? What I mean is to take them back for testing. If they really have added random ingredients, then this Turtle Son is finished."
"If he's finished, our money is gone too," another person chimed in with a strange expression.
The Outdated Vendor said, "Are you really expecting to get your money now? Don't be so naive; they're probably about to run away. If you don't take them down immediately, your money will just end up in someone else's hands, and they'll be living like a local tyrant."
"That won't do. If I'm having a hard time, I can't let them have it easy. We must take them down."
These words stirred up some excitement, igniting the anger of the crowd. Everyone shouted in unison, "Right! If I'm having a hard time, how can I let them live well? Take them down!"
At this moment, the crowd became even more agitated. The disciples from the Purple Robe Pavilion that Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi had brought over could no longer hold back. Although they were skilled, they didn't dare to actually make a move.
These people had been with the Purple Robe Pavilion for many years; none of them were fools. They knew very well that Shen Qingyi had definitely added Poppy Powder to the drugs. If this matter escalated, they could easily become accomplices, and that was something they couldn't handle.
It can be seen that although Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi had quite a few people on their side, at this point, it was already every man for himself. The more Wei Yuan stirred up trouble, the more it would incite their fear.
On a deeper level, human nature is predominantly selfish; many people are willing to share wealth but not hardship.
At this moment, all eyes were on Xu Feng. His name was already well-known throughout Jinghai City. Those who had not been named were likely feeling relieved but were also thinking about how to extricate themselves from this trouble.
Especially for those disciples of the Purple Robe Pavilion, in this plan by Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi, they might not gain any benefits. Originally, within the confines of the Purple Robe Pavilion, they were somewhat isolated from the outside world and easier to brainwash.
It was relatively easy to get them to do certain things; they were generally obedient and lacked independent thought. However, after being brought out by Shen Qingyi, they had been exposed to the colorful outside world and had become shrewd through their experiences.
This time, since they hadn't gained any benefits, they naturally didn't feel compelled to unite. As long as they could protect themselves, that was what mattered most.
As for taking action against them—don't be ridiculous. The one leading them was none other than Flying Eagle, who looked fierce and intimidating. Moreover, his companions were all burly and heavily tattooed; it was clear they were not easy to deal with.
What good would come from confronting them? Meanwhile, looking at the team led by Yuan Ziyi, they had all started dressing sharply, resembling successful individuals as they followed Shen Qingyi loyally. What benefits could possibly come from that?
The people's hearts have scattered, making it difficult to lead the team.
So this time, after surrounding Xu Feng's factory, they almost entered through the main gate without expending any effort. A group of over a hundred people, each looking as fierce as warriors going into battle, instilled fear in anyone who saw them.
As for the gatekeeper, he had long since opened the door and fled. The disciples of the Purple Robe Pavilion did not dare to resist; after all, a gatekeeper earns over a thousand a month. Why would he stand up against such a fierce group? Unless he had been living in a dog's belly all these years.
Additionally, among the team surrounding Xu Feng and Shen Qingyi's factory, there were several workers who volunteered to join. These were the ones who had taken Wei Yuan's paid leave, originally workers from Xie Ge's pharmaceutical processing plant.
These workers came voluntarily because in their years of working, they had never encountered a boss like Wei Yuan. They never imagined they could also take paid leave like some white-collar workers.
This moved Wei Yuan somewhat; however, at this moment, he could no longer control the situation. At least among those surrounding the factory, more than half were driven by personal emotions in this matter.
Without any resistance, they quickly rushed inside. Although the disciples of the Purple Robe Pavilion wanted to step forward to block them, fear had already taken root in their hearts. In the surging crowd, they would ultimately meet a fate of being overwhelmed.
At this moment, Wei Yuan sat in his Mercedes, feeling elated as everything was proceeding smoothly. However, beside him, the Blue Old Man reminded him: "You've already made your move; the opponent hasn't yet."
Wei Yuan thought about it and realized that at this point, Xu Feng's name had already become notorious. Moreover, Wei Yuan had found an old photo of his father with Xu Feng from his hometown and had it featured in various television shows and newspapers.
It was because they grew up in the same village that Wei Yuan's father trusted Xu Feng without reservation, ultimately becoming a scapegoat in the Futures Company Fraud Case.
Now Shen Qingyi was unconcerned and not troubled by it; besides, the pharmaceutical factory had already found a scapegoat while the mastermind behind it pointed fingers at Xu Feng as if he had never existed.
At this moment, Wei Yuan quickly took out his phone and called Flying Eagle: "Flying Eagle, what’s the situation on your end?"
Since Blue Ocean's Mercedes was parked on the other side of the road, suddenly a car manufactured in South Korea drove in from inside. Wei Yuan hurriedly called to inquire.
"Brother Wei, there are people coming over again. Suddenly, a foreigner got out of the car. He is the lawyer commissioned by the factory, and he wants to sit down and talk with us."
Although Wei Yuan is clearly older than Flying Eagle, Flying Eagle still uses "Brother Wei" as a respectful address.
The arrival of a Foreign Lawyer sent by the factory left Wei Yuan puzzled.
"Old man, what do you mean by this?"
The Blue Old Man did not answer directly but took a moment to think. Wei Yuan could only wait patiently.
Suddenly, he heard the Blue Old Man's deep voice: "Your approach is to mobilize everyone and blow this matter up to attract everyone's attention, right?"
"Yes, that's indeed what I was thinking," Wei Yuan admitted decisively.
The Blue Old Man said, "If I were you, I would probably do the same. But you must remember that when dealing with someone, you need to stand in their shoes and consider what they might do to counter you. No one will just stand there and let you hit them."
Hearing this, Wei Yuan repeatedly agreed: "You're right, old man. I hadn't thought about how Xu Feng would dare to take action in such a big scene."
The Blue Old Man laughed: "He just can't show his face, but having made so much money, does he really fear not finding someone to help him clean up the mess? Moreover, a true leader only needs to control things from behind the scenes."
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