He Sui had heard the phrase "repeated defeats," and he had also heard of Zeng Guofan's famous twist, "repeatedly fighting despite repeated defeats." However, when he actually encountered such a person, he felt not a shred of admiration or emotion.

After learning that the Citizens Party had been outmaneuvered, Xie Siji did not fly into a rage out of humiliation, nor did he become dispirited. Instead, he said to He Sui, "Brother He, you studied in England, so you must know something about banking. Both the People's Party and Wang Youhong have plans in this area, so we must also strive to catch up."

Hearing this, He Sui's first thought was whether Xie Siji had gone mad. They had given the People's Party three hundred taels of gold—a sum not too large but certainly not small—and it was essentially money thrown into the water. Yet, listening to Xie Siji, it seemed he had no intention of giving up. Even though the People's Party and Wang Youhong were far ahead, Xie Siji was actually preparing to catch up.

Xie Siji might have had the drive, but He Sui could not muster any spirit at all. He had studied banking knowledge, and precisely because he had studied it, he knew just how complex the banking industry was. Opening a few money houses in major cities to take deposits and issue loans wasn't anything rare in China. But to make banking big, or even just to maintain it, required too many things. Leaving aside everything else, just the question of what currency the bank would operate in was a huge problem in itself.

He Sui forced himself to say, "Brother Xie, banking involves too much; this isn't a business we can handle."

"If we can't handle the whole thing, we can at least handle a part of it," Xie Siji replied crisply.

He Sui continued to persuade him, "To do a part of it, we need to choose a partner."

"Then we'll send someone to talk to the People's Party, and here in Jiangsu, we'll continue to talk to Wang Youhong," Xie Siji remained full of energy.

He Sui closed his eyes to calm himself, then opened them and said, "But we've already been calculated against. Who knows how many more pits these people have dug ahead..."

"Since we've already been calculated against, we can't just let go now," Xie Siji's expression held an indescribable tenacity.

"We've only lost a bit of money now. If we keep crashing forward, I'm afraid something bad will happen," He Sui completely opposed Xie Siji's approach. Having suffered such a blow, all He Sui wanted now was to go home, bury his head in sleep without anyone disturbing him, and ignore whatever was happening outside. Facing Xie Siji's serious expression and sharp gaze, He Sui felt only a strong sense of revulsion. He had originally thought Xie Siji was capable, which was why he supported him. Judging from the current results, He Sui had to admit he had misjudged the man.

However, Xie Siji seemed not to notice He Sui's look of disgust or his sour expression. He continued, "Brother He, the reason we are doing this is not just for that little bit of money. If it were just for money, even without tax reform, it would just be a matter of earning a little more or a little less. We are doing this so that others won't continue to sit on our heads and tyrannize us. So many councilors and comrades in the Citizens Party all have this intention. We are citizens, we are councilors, we are not Wang Youhong's slaves."

He Sui felt absolutely no resonance with such inflammatory words. He forced out a response, "Brother Xie, my mind is in a mess right now. If there is anything else, let's talk about it in a few days."

"Alright, everyone is tired today. Let's gather again tomorrow," Xie Siji replied.

"I'm afraid tomorrow won't work. I think we should just wait until after the New Year to discuss this," He Sui replied disheartenedly.

"...Very well. We'll talk after the New Year," Xie Siji did not push him.

"Then I'll head back first," He Sui said and stood up. No one stopped him. He Sui walked out of the courtyard on heavy legs. It was cold outside. He Sui felt his confused brain clear up a bit, but the heavy burden on his heart only grew heavier.

Among the children of the He family, He Sui had the highest education and the most learning, yet he was also counted as the "most useless." After the family spent so much money sending him to study overseas, He Sui had not become a pillar of the He family upon his return. Like other clans, the He family had comprehensive plans for their children. Some to study and become officials, some to stay and guard the home, some to expand business in the cities—every child of the He family was expected to contribute. And He Sui was undoubtedly an "unqualified child" within the family.

After seeing the outside world, He Sui's feeling toward China could be summed up in one word: "backward." The railways connecting cities in England, the factory chimneys belching black smoke everywhere in the cities, and the giant steamships navigating between ports. When talking about England, He Sui could "combine theory with practice," but this was, after all, England's "theory and practice," which was completely inapplicable in China. The He family had cultivated He Sui to serve the family, not to raise a storyteller who could only describe "Western scenery."

Several industrial opportunities had been given to He Sui, but either he couldn't handle them or he felt they were beneath him. In short, none lasted long. He Sui's biological uncle was the clan leader, and the family had to give him some face, so they pushed He Sui into the position of councilor. Ideally, since He Sui had seen the world, being a councilor was something he should be able to handle. From another perspective, if He Sui messed up this assignment too, he would never have another chance in the He family.

Although He Sui had many shortcomings, he was not stupid. It was precisely because he could see through these things that he threw himself into the career of a councilor with a gamble-like mentality. He participated in the formation of the Citizens Party with great enthusiasm and effort, plotting the Silk Company with Xie Siji and others, attempting to change Jiangsu's tax system. He Sui firmly believed that if he could accomplish these things, the "trap" of being a councilor could become his best ladder for advancement.

Until he discovered he had been played by Wang Youhong, He Sui had firmly believed this.

The winter night wind was very cold, even in Jiangnan. The moisture-laden air felt bone-chillingly cold, reminding He Sui of London's winters. It was that same irresistible damp cold. He Sui felt a sense of utter despair. Regardless of what Xie Siji thought, He Sui had to first secure the family's interests, and it had to be hard currency. Because He Sui had boasted to the family that this Silk Company would definitely allow the He family to make a huge profit in the near future.

Once tax reform started, it would absolutely not be something that could be settled in a day or two. He Sui's boast had already popped. The closer he got to his own house, the more fearful He Sui felt. Suddenly, his legs went soft, and he stumbled. He felt a sharp pain in his ankle and nearly couldn't stand. Whether due to the pain or his mood, He Sui suddenly found his face covered in tears. He had only one thought in his mind: since returning from England more than four years ago, having spent over ten thousand taels of the family's silver, he had not added a single penny of income to the He family. How was he going to explain this to the clan?

"He Sui won't have any trouble, will he?" Just as He Sui was sobbing quietly in the darkness, Xie Siji broke the silence in the room.

No one answered. Even the young men remaining in the room wore grave expressions. Originally, everyone thought Wang Youhong would adopt a conservative strategy regarding taxes, so the Citizens Party could become the temporary leader in the assembly. But since Wang Youhong had made preparations long ago, the Citizens Party's plan would not work. Councilors were very practical people; in the face of interests, they would definitely defect to the strongest side.

Xie Siji looked around at his comrades and sneered, " The sky hasn't fallen. No matter how powerful Wang Youhong is, he can't truly intervene in the silk business. What is everyone afraid of? You all think this matter has been botched, but I think we've actually done quite well."

Li Yaoguang was puzzled by Xie Siji's confidence. "Brother Xie, how so? The Silk Company hasn't even taken shape yet. If those councilors know Wang Youhong is willing to reform the tax system, they will definitely listen to him. At that time..."

"So what if they listen to Wang Youhong? Who did the People's Party listen to? Aren't they flourishing all the same?" Xie Siji wore an expression of frustration at their lack of ambition. "Aren't the people dealing in raw silk still the locals? What does Wang Youhong have to do with the Silk Company?"

"If Wang Youhong intervenes in this matter, my family has made it clear: no matter what, the factories cannot be joint government-merchant operations," Li Yaoguang laid out the Li family's condition.

Several other cadres also chimed in, "Our families said the same. If Wang Youhong intervenes, the family will absolutely not agree."

The families of these cadres did not trust Wang Youhong, which was the reason they could band together. However, these families also would not agree to gamble with their family's fate. Offending Wang Youhong right now would yield no benefits at all.

Xie Siji replied, "You are afraid Wang Youhong will intervene, but Wang Youhong is probably afraid to intervene. We don't want chaos, but does Wang Youhong want chaos? How was Northern Jiangsu lost? Wasn't it because Northern Jiangsu fell into chaos due to the floods, and the People's Party immediately intervened? Now, if he drives the gentry of Southern Jiangsu to rebellion, how can Wang Youhong stay secure? It's a case of 'a hemp stalk hitting a wolf—both sides are afraid.' How does Wang Youhong hold all the advantages?"

Even though Xie Siji made sense, Li Yaoguang was not prepared to agree as usual. He threw caution to the wind and said, "Back then, we told everyone clearly that the taxes for this Silk Company would be at most 35%, and the family land wouldn't be taxed. Now that Wang Youhong is prepared, do you think this can still be honored, Brother Xie?"

What Li Yaoguang mentioned was the demand of the Citizens Party's supporters. After seeing the 30% tax rate in the People's Party base areas, these councilors' tolerance for the heavy taxes they bore had reached its limit. Everyone wanted to demand tax cuts, but no one was willing to take the lead. Xie Siji had seized this opportunity to gain the support of a considerable number of people.

"Brother Xie, everyone is eagerly waiting for the result. We once thought Wang Youhong would stick to the old tax system, and as long as we took the lead and made a fuss in the assembly, Wang Youhong would definitely not dare to move against all the councilors in Jiangsu. Now that the situation has turned out like this, what do we do?"

Xie Siji looked at Li Yaoguang with a strange expression and asked, "What exactly are you worried about?"

"I'm worried Wang Youhong will kill the chicken to scare the monkey using our families," Li Yaoguang finally spoke his mind. "He'll find an excuse to deal with our families, and then give the other councilors the 35% tax rate. Do you think those people would disagree? Then Wang Youhong can do whatever he wants in the assembly."

"Heh heh," Xie Siji sneered. "If Wang Youhong wanted to do that, he absolutely would not reform the tax system. And everyone has seen how the People's Party manages sericulture. Even if Wang Youhong subdues the other councilors, can he operate the Silk Company? If no one takes the lead, the entire silk industry in Jiangsu will be finished. The People's Party only signed a three-year sales contract with Jiangsu—haven't you all figured out why?"

"Why?" Li Yaoguang asked subconsciously.

"I think the People's Party believes we won't last three years." Xie Siji sneered again, but due to some inexplicable emotional fluctuation, his sneer suddenly turned into loud laughter, and he laughed for a long time.

Actually, Xie Siji wanted to stop laughing, but the thought that this group of councilors and the families behind them couldn't read the situation at all, couldn't figure out the key to the current deadlock, filled him with despair. Thinking of their stupidity—as if they were completely unaware that the total bankruptcy of Jiangsu's silk industry was right before their eyes—this despair unexpectedly fueled Xie Siji's laughter. He continued to laugh loudly, his voice rising and falling, as if he were possessed.