Chapter 2246: Thunderous Measures

To be honest, Zhao Fusheng really didn't take those so-called Weibo elites seriously.

The gap in their respective positions meant he simply didn't need to care about these people.

To put it bluntly, they were like clowns.

No matter how they jumped around, they couldn't change their weak essence.

This was a society governed by law; in ancient times, he would have long since hired a few assassins to behead them all.

Groups like scholars and pure critics were often the most disgusting.

Of course, the only ones more disgusting than them were probably politicians.

After all, the former still had some sense of shame, while the latter could even abandon their ancestors—otherwise, how could ancient politicians have proposed importing Kunlun slaves as labor?

So what Zhao Fusheng said to Liu Yiming was indeed his true feelings.

Since those people refused a toast only to drink a forfeit, they couldn't blame him for being ruthless and completely destroying them.

"Tell the legal department to file a lawsuit."

Zhao Fusheng instructed Liu Yiming: "At any cost, sue them until they're bankrupt. Also, gather their dirt and expose it all. I want to see how they can criticize others when they themselves are not clean."

"Yes, Chairman."

Liu Yiming nodded with murderous intent.

To him, Zhao Fusheng was his benefactor; both he and his sister owed their current lives to Zhao Fusheng.

Those who dared to slander Zhao Fusheng online were essentially smashing his rice bowl.

Cutting off someone's future, blocking their path to wealth—

this was no different from killing their parents.

Liu Yiming naturally wouldn't let those guys off.

Soon, Liu Yiming left Zhao Fusheng's office and went to the group's legal department.

"Assistant Liu, why are you here?"

The head of the legal department looked at Liu Yiming with some surprise.

Generally, as the chairman's assistant, Liu Yiming didn't need to come in person; a phone call would suffice.

Although Liu Yiming was technically just an assistant, he was the chairman's assistant.

The legal department wasn't stupid.

Between the eunuch by the emperor's side and a department manager, as long as the latter wasn't crazy, they knew how to treat Liu Yiming.

"Minister Zhou, there's something."

Liu Yiming didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose, finally saying to Minister Zhou: "The chairman's intention is to deal with these people seriously. Since they spread rumors and defamed the company and the chairman's reputation, they must be punished. What do you think?"

"No problem."

Minister Zhou quickly nodded: "Assistant Liu can tell the chairman that the legal department will do its utmost to handle this matter as soon as possible."

The group's legal department was responsible for such matters, and now that the chairman had personally ordered it, it showed just how angry Zhao Fusheng was about this.

Although this wasn't ancient times where a subject died for his lord's disgrace, as an employee of Future Group, seeing the company and boss bullied like this, the head of the legal department would be failing in his duty if he didn't do something.

Soon, Liu Yiming left satisfied.

…

…

Zhao Fusheng naturally received Liu Yiming's reply.

He was very satisfied.

In fact, Zhao Fusheng wasn't the type to be aggressive; if those people hadn't said such infuriating things on Weibo, he wouldn't have done this.

His reaction, however, didn't surprise the other leaders of the group.

Zhao Fusheng was always like that—this was his style.

Soon, those Weibo users received a civil lawsuit from Future Group, and the court issued subpoenas.

In Zhao Fusheng's words, no matter what, if people do wrong, they should be punished.

"Isn't this going too far?"

Zhang Qian even sought out Zhao Fusheng, worriedly asking about this.

Zhao Fusheng told him then that this was to kill the chicken to scare the monkey.

Otherwise, these people might say anything in the future.

"Kill the chicken to scare the monkey?"

Zhang Qian didn't understand Zhao Fusheng's meaning. It was just Weibo—was it necessary?

Little did he know, Zhao Fusheng was well aware that the power of public opinion would grow stronger with the development of the internet.

To the point where it would become the most powerful force besides the government.

Or rather, since ancient times, the power of public opinion had already deeply penetrated our lives without us realizing it.

As the saying goes, 'spittle can drown a person,' referring to the power of public opinion.

But that was the public opinion of the marketplace.

Gossip about this family and that—such rumors could ruin a person or even a family in some village.

On a larger scale, if this power of public opinion fell into the hands of scholars, it would be even more terrifying.

Not to go far back, Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian—these two have been ridiculed for millennia because of the novel *Water Margin*.

But in reality?

The real Wu Dalang, named Wu Zhi, didn't sell baked cakes; he was a scholar who valued learning above all. Clever from childhood, he studied hard for years, finally passing the imperial exam and becoming a county magistrate.

Moreover, during his tenure, he promoted beneficial policies, eliminated弊端, was upright and incorruptible, and did many good deeds for the people.

In fact, according to archaeological records, Wu Dalang was over 1.8 meters tall, not a dwarf at all.

As for Pan Jinlian, she was even more wronged. She was a good girl from a noble family, well-educated and reasonable, and devoted to Wu Dalang.

Even before Wu Dalang passed the imperial exam, Pan Jinlian secretly supported him against her family's wishes.

Later, when Wu Dalang succeeded in the exams, this good match naturally had a happy ending.

But because of *Water Margin*, both their reputations were ruined; aside from those who knew history, no one knew the truth.

As for the scholars of the late Ming, needless to say.

The so-called pure critics and elite masters of public opinion, each mouthing benevolence and morality, whitewashing themselves as moral gentlemen. But in reality, they owned thousands of acres of fertile land and hundreds of servants.

They were even richer than the real corrupt officials.

Yet no one spoke ill of them; instead, everyone thought they were good people.

The same principle applies to today's public opinion.

Zhao Fusheng's current goal was to leave a mark on those people, to let them know that stepping on him to rise was impossible.

Anyone who dared to offend him would face his fierce counterattack!

No mercy!