Chapter 1744 I Don’t Dare to Drink

The right choice?

A trace of cold sweat instantly broke out on Hong Haoyu's forehead.

Although he has received clan education since childhood, he is still a young man after all. Nowadays, the Internet, television and newspapers are very developed. Young people are definitely exposed to more things from the outside world and have their own judgment and cognition on major issues.

Before this, he did think that his brother Hong Haotian had committed a crime outside, and the police kept pestering him and refused to let him go no matter what. The crime Hong Haotian committed was serious, so he chose to commit suicide when he was left with no other options.

But now, Hong Haoyu discovered that it was obviously Hong Chengli and the clan elders present who forced Hong Haotian to death. They used the clan rules of the Hong family to force his brother into a desperate situation.

Hong Haoyu was secretly resentful, but he didn't dare to say anything in the ancestral hall. Besides, he had just written down those names and handed them to Hong Chengli. It was a bit too late to regret now.

Hong Chengli asked: "Haoyu, does Liu Fusheng have any other questions?"

Hong Haoyu shook his head and said, "No more."

Hong Chengli looked at him deeply and said, "Really? Think about it carefully. Is it true or not?"

Hong Haoyu fell into deep thought, and then said, "Indeed, there is no one. However, he asked me who went out to sea with my brother. I told him that my brother might have gone out with the people from Sino-Ocean Group."

"Sino-Ocean International Group?"

Hong Chengli burst into laughter: "Haoyu, you have done a great service for Hong Village. Your words have shifted the attention of Liu Fusheng and the Ministry of Public Security's special case team to Sino-Ocean International Group."

"Hai Changchun is no ordinary person. Letting Liu Fusheng and the task force deal with him is indeed a good way to divert attention and clear Hongcun! Good, good!"

Hong Chengli said "OK" several times in succession, and the solemn expression on his face disappeared.

The elders around gradually reacted and nodded in agreement.

Hong Chengli smiled and said, "Haoyu, your brother is a hero of Hong Village, and you have also made great contributions to Hong Village. From now on, we will never forget your branch and will definitely take better care of your family. In a few years, when you are older, we will let you come to the ancestral hall and discuss matters with us."

Hong Haoyu had very complicated feelings, but on the surface, he pretended to be grateful: "Thank you for the affirmation of the village chief and all the elders. I will continue to work hard and serve the village wholeheartedly!"

At this time, someone outside ran into the hall and said, "Village Chief, Hongwu is here."

Hong Chengli nodded and said, "Haoyu, please stand aside for a while, we will deal with other things."

Hong Haoyu walked aside as he was told and stood behind the deacons and elders.

Then, Hongwu walked into the ancestral hall with a confused look on his face.

His status in the village is lower than Hong Haoyu's. Except for the large-scale ancestor worship activities every year, he is not allowed to enter the ancestral hall.

Seeing Hong Chengli and the elders looking at him covetously, Hongwu felt a sudden panic in his heart and fell to his knees with a thud.

"Hongwu greets the clan leader and all the elders and deacons!"

Hongwu lowered his head and said nervously.

Hong Chengli felt a sudden sinking in his heart when he saw his expression. If he had nothing to hide, why would he kneel down right away?

"Hongwu, I remember when the special task force of the Ministry of Public Security and Liu Fusheng came to Hong Village to arrest Hong Haotian, you were slapped twice by Liu Fusheng, right?"

Hong Wu said, "Yes, Patriarch."

Hong Chengli said: "At that time, you wanted me to help you get revenge, but I ignored you. Do you bear a grudge against me and feel dissatisfied with our Hong family?"

These words frightened Hong Wu, who shuddered violently and quickly shook his head to deny, "Absolutely not. I am loyal to the Hong family. I am a member of the Hong family in life and a ghost of the Hong family in death. Hong Village is the place where I was born and raised. I will never forget the kindness of the Hong family in my life, and I will never feel dissatisfied... Patriarch, please understand!"

Hong Chengli waved his hand and said, "Okay, you don't need to explain. I know all these things! Let me ask you, someone saw you and Liu Fusheng whispering at the entrance of the village today. What were you talking about?"

Hong Wu said, "Patriarch, Liu Fusheng wanted to learn about the situation in Hong Village through me. Of course, I would never betray the village's information, so I immediately refused with righteous words! Liu Fusheng also said that it doesn't matter if I don't cooperate, because he has other insiders in the village."

"Oh? Who is it?" Hong Chengli asked immediately.

Hongwu hesitated and said, "Liu Fusheng didn't tell me."

Hong Chengli asked with a sullen face: "Hongwu, tell us the truth, did Liu Fusheng not tell you, or do you not want to tell us?"

Hong Wu shook his head repeatedly: "Chief, if I knew, how could I not tell you? I really don't know!"

Hong Chengli sighed, "Hongwu, I know you like to drink a lot. When you are drunk, you often say that things in the village are unfair. You always speak in favor of the people of higher status. If there are good opportunities to make money, they will all be distributed to them. People like you can only run around with the boats and earn a little hard-earned money. It's very miserable in the wind and rain..."

Hongwu's face changed. He did say such words, and it was hard to deny.

Hong Chengli continued, "Your complaints are reasonable. Hong Village is so big, with tens of thousands of Hong family members living together. It is almost impossible to treat everyone equally. Where there are people, there will be distinctions between high and low."

"But, Hongwu, ask yourself, have I, Hong Chengli, or our Hong family, ever treated any of the Hongs in the village unfairly? During festivals, the village distributes rice and noodles to tens of thousands of people, but who goes hungry? For those whose children go to school, or whose elders are sick and have no money to study or see a doctor, as long as they ask the village, the village will allocate funds to them, right?"

"When you get into trouble outside, whether you bully others or get bullied, when you come back to the village, when have we not helped you? Isn't it inappropriate for you to say this about Hong Village?"

Hong Wu knelt there with his head bowed low: "Patriarch, you are right. Our Hong Village has never given up. As for any of our tribesmen, I am grateful for the good deeds of the village from the bottom of my heart."

Hong Chengli said: "How far a person can go and how much money he can make does not depend on how much support the village gives him, but on his own courage to fight and have enough ability and skills!"

"Hongwu, you didn't even finish junior high school, you dropped out and started to hang around in society. You've been hanging around until now, but you haven't achieved anything. You're not good at studying, and you're even worse at doing business. You can't even speak a complete sentence outside. Tell me, what qualifications do you have to say that your family is unfair and sorry for you?"

Hongwu knelt there, breaking out in a cold sweat, and said cautiously: "Chief, you are right in teaching me a lesson, I was wrong, I will never dare to drink again, I, I know that it is the villagers who have taken care of me all these years..."