Global colonization began with Ming Dynasty pirates.

Four members of the Lin family were arrested: the patriarch, the head of the family (Lin Hao's father), and Lin Hao's two uncles. Among the male members, only Lin Hao and his younger uncle managed to escape; the rest were basically all captured.

Of course, if it weren't for the need to protect women and children, they would have had every opportunity to escape.

Of the four, the old man and the second uncle were in the best condition. As for Lin Hao's father and the third uncle, one was the head of the family and the other was known for his foul mouth, so they were the ones the officials were taking special care of.

When Lin Hao arrived, the women had already gone back to rest, leaving only two old women to take care of them.

"Hao'er, you're here."

On the bed next to the window at the far east end of the room, Lin Hao's grandfather was leaning against the wall, slowly smoking a pipe.

His hair was completely white, but his back remained ramrod straight. With each puff of his pipe, white smoke billowed from his mouth. His father and uncle, in the other three beds, appeared to be asleep.

"Grandpa, you're still awake?" Lin Hao shooed the two old women away, poured his grandfather a bowl of warm water, and then obediently sat down in front of his bed.

"How can I sleep with such a big thing happening at home?" The old man took the warm water but didn't drink it. He put it aside and continued smoking his pipe.

"This is my fault. I didn't expect the government to act so quickly. This is completely different from usual. The original early warning measures did not play a sufficient role. I was careless."

Lin Hao honestly replied that the government acted swiftly and accurately this time, without any prior warning. If the Lin family hadn't been strong enough, most forces would have been wiped out long ago.

"This isn't your fault. You warned me before, but those bastards just didn't take it seriously. Otherwise, we wouldn't be in such a passive position."

Old Master Lin took a deep drag on his tobacco, then exhaled a heavy puff of smoke.

"The third son's wife was complaining here earlier, saying that she shouldn't have gotten involved in the maritime trade and that's why she suffered this misfortune. Hao'er, do you think she's right?" The old man shook off the burnt ash from his pipe and slowly started putting more tobacco back in.

"Grandpa, smoking is bad for your health, you should smoke less." Lin Hao said this, but still carefully lit a cigarette for the other man.

His grandfather was a member of the famous Qi Family Army. He was injured in the battle to recover Hengyu with Qi Jiguang and then retired. He used his reward money to buy land in Ningde and settled down.

My leg injury flares up every time the weather is cold and damp, and only smoking can provide some relief. Over the years, I've become completely dependent on it.

"What Third Aunt said is only natural; any normal person would think that way. It's just that Third Aunt said it out loud; others probably have similar thoughts in their hearts."

Faced with the accusations, Lin Hao showed no dissatisfaction, but he didn't take them to heart either. If he listened to his wife's opinions in everything, he wouldn't be able to get anything done. Lin Hao looked at the old man and said sincerely, "Grandpa, you're different. You've seen more of the world than everyone in the family combined. You should understand that this world isn't a place where being law-abiding guarantees peace and prosperity."

"My Lin family has always been outsiders, and there has never been a shortage of discrimination against us. Grandpa Chen, who retired and bought land with my grandfather back then, was much more honest than us. Now look at him, only one son is left to work in our family."

The other families are in the same boat. Although they haven't reached the point of being ruined, their assets are shrinking day by day, and sooner or later they will lose everything.

In this world, corrupt officials run rampant, powerful families act with impunity, and ordinary people are left to fend for themselves. If my Lin family hadn't made some money through maritime trade, how could we have afforded dozens of loyal guards, and how could we have survived this catastrophe?

"You were indeed prescient to spend that money on these guards back then. They... are all very brave. My Lin family owes them." The old man recalled the performance of the guards yesterday amidst the swirling mist, his heart filled with unease.

After hesitating for a moment, looking at his slightly excited grandson, the old man asked again, "What if you had continued your studies back then, Hao'er? You would probably have passed the imperial examination by now, and our family could have continued peacefully."

Hearing the old man ask this question, Lin Hao gave a wry smile. This was the hardest thing for him to explain; he couldn't very well say that the Ming Dynasty was about to perish.

"Grandpa, you are mistaken. Not to mention that our family has no scholarly background and we are completely ignorant of the key points of the imperial examinations, we might be stuck for life when we reach the higher-level examinations. But even if we pass the provincial examination or the imperial examination, what then?"

Zhang Juzheng passed the imperial examination at the age of 12, becoming a scholar at 16, and wielded immense power, dedicating himself to the Ming Dynasty. But what happened to him after his death? His family was raided and exterminated, and he even nearly had his coffin exhumed and his corpse whipped.

Grandpa Qi dedicated his life to the Ming Dynasty, pacifying pirates and suppressing barbarians in the north. His achievements were unparalleled. Shortly after his death, his entire Qi Family Army was executed on charges of treason. Grandpa himself had once been a member of the Qi Family Army, but he felt it was all worthwhile.

"Cough cough, get to the point, don't bring up things you don't want to talk about." The old man took a deep sniff, then choked quite a bit by the smoke, tears and snot streaming down his face, it was unclear whether it was from choking or something else.

"Scholars aren't that miserable. Most of the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are still alive and well." The old man wiped away tears from the corner of his eyes without making a sound. Those Qi Family Army soldiers who died were his fellow townsmen and descendants. When he heard the news, he didn't know how long he cried in secret.

"Yes, as long as I keep to myself and the world, I will naturally have endless wealth and honor. After all, even the incorruptible Minister Xu can own hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land. If we work hard, we might be able to get tens of thousands of acres as well." Lin Hao's eyes were full of disdain.

"But Grandpa, what is the price?" Lin Hao asked softly.

Before the old man could answer, Lin Hao continued, "The price is to bury one's conscience completely, to betray soldiers who serve the country and the people in exchange for high-ranking positions and generous salaries, to fawn over the imperial power, and to exploit the poor at will, becoming a mere tool of the bureaucracy. Only in this way can one become rich and powerful. As long as one has a shred of conscience, one will die from the underhanded attacks of those so-called colleagues."

"These kinds of things have been happening all along in the Ming Dynasty, and there will be more and more of them in the future. I don't want to become like that."

If my grandson really becomes an official, I absolutely cannot resist. In that case, it would be bad if the whole family suffered as a result.

Besides, my grandson is probably wanted by the county government now, so he can't take the exam even if he wants to.

As he spoke, Lin Hao thought of the people behind him, including Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, Mao Wenlong, and many others.

The Ming Dynasty was not without loyal and capable ministers, but it was no longer a court where they could exert their abilities; the country was rotten to the core.

Those who lack integrity and fawn over the enemy are instead able to rise through the ranks, enjoy wealth and honor, and have their lineage continue for generations.

This world shouldn't be like this; this kind of world is abnormal. Lin Hao doesn't want to integrate into this kind of society; he only wants to build the ideal world in his heart. He will use all his strength to change even the slightest bit of its trajectory.

"Alas, it's too hard for people with a conscience to survive." The old man had witnessed the rise and fall of countless officials in his lifetime, so how could he not understand? He just felt a little sorry for them.

"So, what does Hao'er think now? Where does the Lin family's future lie?"