Jiangyang County, a group of people hurried on their way, it was Wang Yu and his companions who had just returned from the provincial capital.
After Wang Yu received a call earlier, he rushed back overnight. Even the cooperation and business deals he had negotiated were hastily handed over, and he directly refused the farewell banquet hosted by Executive Officer Yu Chengyang.
One must know that this was the banquet of a local executive officer, and ordinary people would not even have the chance to attend! Yet Wang Yu directly refused without hesitation.
This might seem surprising and abnormal for others, but for Wang Yu, it didn't seem so out of place.
After all, he had previously played the big shots of Xizhou like a fiddle!
In this era, cars were very rare objects, but as a car manufacturer, they were naturally an exception.
The prototype cars displayed at the Industrial Expo were directly used as transportation, and the car factory personnel drove back overnight.
Wang Yu's expression was very gloomy all the way, indicating that he was very unhappy.
Seeing him like this, his subordinates did not dare to be oblivious and provoke him by asking what had happened. They would know once they returned to Jiangyang County!
With this thought, everyone rushed on their way in silence and returned directly to Jiangyang County.
Although the journey was arduous and the road conditions were very bad, making everyone's faces pale, no one said much and followed him back.
Everyone saw an unprecedented seriousness and anger on Wang Yu's face.
This was the first time they had seen such an expression on him!
In the past, Wang Yu had always been calm and collected, as if he was always in control of everything, but why was he like this now?
Even when faced with the biggest problems, he could handle them calmly, always maintaining a smiling face.
Why is this happening?
Under this oppressive atmosphere, even the usually most boisterous Brother Hu and the others stopped talking. At most, Brother Hu could be heard muttering about the debt owed by the Jin family father and daughter, and affectionately greeting Zhao Guozhu's immediate and collateral relatives up to the eighteenth generation…
By the time everyone returned to Jiangyang County, it was already the morning of the next day.
After returning to the county town… how to put it? Everyone felt a subtle difference, yet couldn't quite pinpoint what it was!
"Strange! Something feels off."
Brother Hu muttered to himself, looking around constantly.
"Too quiet, dead silent!"
Feng Daochun suddenly said, which immediately alerted everyone.
That's right, it was too dead silent!
Jiangyang County was a populous county and an industrial hub in the entire Gujiang Province. Even though the market was currently in a state of recession and stagnation, there were still quite a few factories that should have been operating.
Since the factories were operating, there would naturally be various noises and smoke from the chimneys.
But now, the entire Jiangyang County was shrouded in silence, with no signs of operation.
"It's seven-thirty in the morning, and this is usually the noisiest and liveliest time."
Wang Yu raised his watch, checked the time, and then looked at the road at the intersection ahead.
He saw some breakfast stalls set up along both sides of the road, all looking dispirited. The pedestrians on both sides of the road were also very sparse, with only a few elderly people strolling and chatting aimlessly.
If it were in the past, this would have been the busiest time! Workers going to work, buying breakfast, sending children to school… it should have been a noisy and bustling scene.
But now it was as if a pause button had been suddenly pressed!
"What on earth is going on?"
Wu Lingling's expression on the side also changed slightly. Coming from a prominent family, her knowledge and insight far surpassed everyone else's. The scene before her immediately made her think of a word – economic crisis and great depression!
The former Uncle Sam’s country, including the current Ice Bear Kingdom, had experienced such situations.
"It's clear that there's a problem!"
Wang Yu said with a heavy expression. Just then, a pedestrian by the roadside saw him and excitedly shouted.
"Wang Yu is back! Wang Yu, the young factory director of the car factory, is back!"
The pedestrian's tone was full of excitement and eagerness. His appearance suggested he was a worker from some factory.
Wang Yu didn't know him, but that didn't stop the pedestrian from recognizing Wang Yu.
After all, Wang Yu was now a prominent figure in Jiangyang County, almost a household name. So it was normal for him to be recognized.
As the worker shouted excitedly, it was as if everything came to life. The previously dispirited people around immediately surrounded them, engulfing Wang Yu and his companions.
"It really is Director Wang Yu!"
"Director Wang, you have to stand up for us!"
"Director Wang, you have to help us! We're all laid off now!"
"..."
A group of people spoke in a jumble of voices, pulling at Wang Yu as if they were afraid he would suddenly run away.
Following the previous shout, more and more people surrounded Wang Yu. Everyone was filled with immense enthusiasm and hope. Even though Brother Hu and his group, acting as bodyguards and lackeys, tried all sorts of strange poses, they couldn't scare the crowd away. Instead, even more people gathered.
"Don't worry everyone, tell me what's going on one by one."
Wang Yu could only kick Brother Hu, telling him not to be clueless and make futile attempts to stop them. Then, he swept his gaze around and said slowly.
"Director Wang Yu, while you were away, the Metallurgical General Factory collaborated with the Eastern Ginseng Country and introduced their so-called large conglomerate, the Sanjing Conglomerate, into Jiangyang County!"
"As soon as the Sanjing Conglomerate arrived, they started splashing money around, acquiring various factories at high prices, and then massively recruiting workers."
"At first, everyone thought it was a good thing, but after they acquired most of the factories, they directly used various excuses to dismiss the original workers and laid them off. The wages offered for recruitment were less than a third of the previous ones!"
"Exactly! Not only are the wages low, but they also require three shifts, treating us like dirt!"
"Some factories refused their acquisition and were directly forced to close down through various threats and inducements, making the situation even worse!"
"Now, the entire Jiangyang County is basically controlled by the Sanjing Conglomerate and the Metallurgical General Factory working together. The only factories still operating normally are your car factory, Director Wang Yu!"
"Director Wang Yu, you must help us!"
"That's right, if you don't help us, we'll really not be able to make a living!"
"..."