Chen Xi offered the aristocratic families a platform to compromise, and in exchange, the aristocratic families must submit, although they never expected such an effect when the Money Exchanges covered the map.

The Money Exchanges, whose dominance is already established, cannot be stopped by any aristocratic family now. As for squeezing out the gold, haha, the gold from Germany and Holland is in the American treasury; try exchanging your banknotes for gold!

Your banknotes can be used to buy things, but if you want to exchange them for hard currency, you’re overthinking it. Chen Xi never intended to let them exchange the money. He issued over a hundred billion in excess currency, and even with the resources from Luzon Island’s billions of tons of copper, Chen Xi does not plan to let the aristocratic families exchange it.

After all, the copper mines here are not the super-large open-pit copper mines like those in Chile and Indonesia; with current technology, mining is quite troublesome. The shallow layers are manageable, but the deep layers can be life-threatening.

"So really, if I must say, Head of Deng Family, can you tell me where I owe you?" Chen Xi asked as he looked at Deng Zhen.

"To put it bluntly, if someone else were in my position, with a tougher personality, how many of you here would be able to sit here and speak?" Chen Xi saw that Deng Zhen wasn’t answering and laughed lightly as he spoke.

"But Marquis Chen’s actions this time have gone too far. We are from great families; without escorts, we have become prey in some people’s eyes." Deng Zhen opened his mouth several times without responding and finally spoke with gritted teeth.

"Do you think I am easy to bully?", Chen Xi looked at everyone below and said, "The future of Yuan Family, the future of Xun Family, the future of Chen Family, you all came, is it because I treated you too well before?"

At this moment, Chen Xi’s eyes openly displayed coldness towards everyone. Years of high position, holding the power over life and death, and controlling the destiny of thousands of lives, this aura unfolded completely in this instant. The aristocratic families couldn’t help but feel fear.

"Do not be ungrateful, don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning; too greedy, offend me, and I certainly won’t be lenient." The coldness mixed with Chen Xi’s indifferent tone made everyone present realize that Chen Xi was not joking.

All the aristocratic families exchanged glances, somewhat at a loss. This time, Chen Zichuan was very different from before; earlier, Chen Xi left some room for sentiments, but this time he clearly plans not to leave any room.

"Marquis Chen, if that’s the case, then we have no basis for negotiation. At that point, you can move us to the Northeast, but after moving us, the governance under your domain might be unstable, and the vacancies left will surely foster the growth of local tyrants." said an elder from the Liuu Family of Hedong, helplessly.

"I can offer you a promise of prosperity, but it’s not this time. It requires you to sign something with me," Chen Xi said after a moment’s thought, not out of compromise but for a longer future.

"A promise of prosperity?" The spokespeople of the aristocratic families frowned. Chen Xi’s words were too vague, and signing something with Chen Xi felt daunting.

"You can go back and discuss with your family’s clan elders, heads, and talents," Chen Xi took a deep breath and said, "As for the confiscation of private soldiers, there’s no chance of changing it now. When the time comes, I cannot allow you to continue as such."

The spokespeople of the aristocratic families all looked at each other; what did they discuss today?

"I’ve said all I can say. If you want to know more, inquire among yourselves. The purpose of me collecting private soldiers should be clear in everyone’s mind," Chen Xi calmly glanced at everyone present, "Shortly, we will register and restructure household registrations; you’d better verify your family’s situation, or if you say there’s nothing, there truly will be nothing."

Once Chen Xi finished speaking, he immediately stood up, causing chaos in the tent. Despite different perspectives, they all understood what restructuring the household registrations meant for them.

The hidden population in each large aristocratic family will be verified. After all, if these populations aren’t moved, Chen Xi’s usual practice would verify and register them in situ.

If they do move, the aristocratic family representatives can ensure Chen Xi will register everyone in the Northeast.

This way, all hidden populations among the aristocratic families will be exposed, along with all hidden strengths.

These are merely superficial risks; some long-sighted aristocratic spokespersons have realized Chen Xi’s plan.

"Marquis Chen, may I ask if you’re planning to verify taxation?" A man from the Yinn Family suddenly asked.

"Uh, you can disregard previous taxes, but I’ll calculate future ones. Also, you needn’t use any tricks, even if you compress your main family’s fields; I won’t mind. At that point, splitting less is fine too." Chen Xi said with a smile.

Many aristocratic representatives felt a pang in their hearts; they were about to collapse.

"So, I’ve told you that if you have tactics, use them to claim your previously occupied lands; I’m giving you a chance. Whether it’s switching lower fields for upper fields, turning dry fields into wet fields, finding clever names, shifting columns, use everything you can—this is your last chance," Chen Xi said calmly, facing those aristocratic representatives who had grown pale.

"You still have time; seize it. When the time comes, I’ll act—you’ll have to verify your field measurements." Chen Xi’s tone slightly softened, offering counsel calmly.

During this era, apart from creating clever labels, the biggest issues with taxation were hidden populations and underreporting fields. Chen Xi was now dismantling all these aristocratic practices entirely.

If you choose to underreport, fine, I’ll give you less. If you have ten thousand acres and report five thousand acres, Chen Xi will give you division rights over five thousand acres. You’ll pay taxes based on this five-thousand-acre allocation, and as for your additional five thousand acres, sorry, it’s no longer yours; your land has been allocated, and the rest belongs to the state!

With this decisive action, aristocratic families will find it impossible to underreport again. Chen Xi simply doesn’t believe that the Chen Family could annex even the Xun Family’s land while in cohesion.

Bringing all the aristocratic families together, Chen Xi doesn’t believe these people can annex land as rapidly as before in the Central Plains.

What a joke—if they achieved even one percent of the annexation speed they had in the Central Plains, Chen Xi would be incredulous. Do you think Chen Xi wouldn’t tamper when dividing the acreage for all major families?

Though the land each family receives is indeed a complete plain, Chen Xi can arrange for four equivalent-level families all around each direction from the Chen Family’s plot.

Let’s see who can annex whom. Chen Xi just doesn’t believe it; even if the Yang Family backed by the Three Dukes of Five Generations goes to the left with Yuan Family, right with Yinn Family, front with Deng Family, behind with Kong Family, let the Yang Family try annexing one!