Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 367 Enlightenment, Economic Crisis

It stimulated people's thinking and played a certain role in ideological enlightenment.

Despite numerous setbacks, the literary salons held at the Marquis's residence ultimately succeeded in stimulating people's thinking and played a significant role in intellectual enlightenment within the region.

In the days following the salon, the participating writers and artists incorporated the sparks of thought that had been ignited in the salon into their own works and remarks.

A young poet, who was originally only good at expressing his feelings about romance and nature, has now begun to pay attention to social issues and people's livelihoods. His poems are full of sympathy and care for the people at the bottom of society.

"When the world suffers, I will use my pen as a sword to speak out for it."

A scholar, who was originally engrossed in textual research in ancient documents, was inspired by the salon and began to think about how to combine ancient wisdom with the present reality to provide ideas for solving practical problems.

"Learning should not be confined to the study, but should serve the world."

Ordinary people, influenced by these literary works, also began to reflect on various phenomena in their lives.

"It turns out that our lives can have different possibilities."

However, this awakening of thought has also given rise to some new problems and contradictions.

Some traditional forces are fearful and uneasy about this emerging ideology.

"Such heretical ideas are simply a violation of moral principles!"

They began to suppress and ostracize intellectuals who advocated new ideas.

In academia, conservative teachers scoff at the new ideas put forward by students.

"What do you know, you greenhorns!"

Some elders in families forbid younger generations from being exposed to these "dangerous" ideas.

"Just stick to the ancestral teachings and don't think about anything else!"

At the same time, some officials in the imperial court also noticed the change in the mindset of local territories and developed new suspicions about the Marquis's residence.

"Is the Marquis's mansion holding a literary salon in an attempt to incite public opinion and plot something sinister?"

Faced with pressure from all sides, Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu did not back down.

They secretly supported those intellectuals who were suppressed, providing them with shelter and assistance.

"Just speak out boldly, the Marquis's Mansion will be your support."

At the same time, they emphasized the importance of intellectual enlightenment in public and called on everyone to approach new ideas with an open mind.

"As times progress, our thinking should also keep pace with the times."

However, their efforts did not completely eliminate the resistance.

Some intellectuals lost their jobs and livelihoods because they insisted on their own views.

"For the sake of truth, I have no regrets even though I am poor and destitute."

Some families have broken out into fierce conflicts due to internal ideological differences.

"You're dragging your family into the abyss!"

Just as the Marquis's mansion was struggling to deal with these problems, the territory was hit by a natural disaster.

Floods inundated farmland and displaced people.

"What are we going to do? Heaven is going to kill us!"

Some people took the opportunity to blame the new ideas on the fact that they had angered the heavens, leading to the disaster.

"It's all because of those unorthodox ideas!"

Changes in the macroeconomic environment led to an economic crisis for the Marquis's residence.

Just as the Marquis's mansion was making arduous progress on the path of intellectual enlightenment and struggling to overcome various obstacles, a sudden change in the macroeconomic environment dealt a heavy blow to the mansion, plunging it into a severe economic crisis.

The once-thriving commercial activities began to shrink dramatically, and orders for many of the Hou family's businesses plummeted, leaving mountains of unsold goods.

"What should we do? The warehouse is overflowing, but there are hardly any new orders." The manager in charge of business was extremely anxious.

Consumer demand in the market has dropped sharply, and people are tightening their purse strings and saving wherever possible. As a result, no one is interested in any of the goods sold at the Marquis's residence.

"The once bustling shops are now deserted; business is impossible," the shop owners lamented.

At the same time, raw material prices rose inexplicably, causing production costs to soar and plunging the Marquis's household into production difficulties.

"With such high purchase prices, we can't make any money at all; in fact, we'll lose money," the workshop manager sighed.

The cash flow also encountered serious problems. Previous investments could not be recovered in time, while debts were coming due one after another, and the Marquis's Mansion was facing enormous debt repayment pressure.

"The creditors are coming to our door every day demanding payment, and we simply don't have the money," the accountant said, extremely distressed.

In order to save expenses, the Marquis's mansion had to lay off employees, which triggered internal turmoil and unrest.

"We have devoted ourselves to the Marquis's mansion, but now we are being abandoned." The laid-off employees complained bitterly.

Meanwhile, external competitors took advantage of the situation, lowering prices and seizing the Houfu's market share.

"The Marquis's mansion is currently preoccupied with its own problems, which is the perfect opportunity for us to rise up."

The imperial court also showed indifference to the Marquis's family's economic plight. Instead of offering any assistance, it strengthened taxes and supervision, making the Marquis's family's situation even worse.

"The prosperity of the Marquis's mansion is nothing but a fleeting cloud; now it's time for them to taste bitterness." The court officials secretly gloated.

Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu were extremely anxious in the face of this unprecedented economic crisis.

They discussed countermeasures day and night, trying to find a way out.

Xiao Ling decided to personally take charge and renegotiate with major businesses and partners to seek support and cooperation.

"As long as we work together to overcome the difficulties, we will surely be rewarded in the future."

Su Jinxiu then implemented reforms within the Marquis's residence, optimizing management processes and reducing operating costs.

"We need to tap into our internal potential and save every penny."

However, their efforts did not yield immediate results.

Xiao Ling encountered numerous difficulties during negotiations with the merchants.

"The Marquis's mansion is in dire straits itself, so we dare not risk cooperating with them."

Su Jinxiu's internal reforms also sparked resistance from some people.

"Such reforms infringe upon our interests, and we resolutely oppose them."

Just as the Marquis's mansion was struggling with the economic crisis, another piece of bad news arrived.

One of the Hou family's major investments is facing bankruptcy due to poor management.

"This is a project in which we've invested a lot of money. Are we just going to let it all go down the drain?"