Chapter 19: Declaration of War

"This is declaring war on Brannan. It's too risky to do so. It will bring us fatal disaster."

Henry, the editor-in-chief of the California Daily Newspaper, held a manuscript with wet ink in his hand. The title on it was eye-catching: Who stole our gold and who is destroying our homes

The content was even more shocking, directly pointing the source of all the chaos in California to the richest and most powerful person in California: Sam Brannan. Google search reading

After reading this manuscript, Henry's hands trembled a little.

"If we don't declare war on him, won't there be fatal disaster? Don't forget, we just experienced a life-and-death catastrophe. They just destroyed the beautiful Sacramento!"

There is no room for two tigers in one mountain. If he wants to continue to grow and develop in California, Brannan, this stumbling block, has reached the point where he has to remove it. Even if he kicks his toes to pieces, he will kick Brannan, this stinky and hard stumbling block, away.

"This newspaper is distributed for free. Within three days, I want to see this newspaper in everyone's hands in San Francisco and Sacramento. I'll give it to you as a toilet paper!" Liang Yao has made up his mind to fight to the death. "Not a single letter of the words on it can be changed. If you change it, you should know the consequences."

"Yes, boss, I'll do it right away."

Henry covered his nervous beating heart and took the manuscript away from Liang Yao's devastated house.

After eliminating dissidents and competitors with the help of the Security Committee, San Francisco has become Brannan's small kingdom.

The prices of gold mining tools, daily necessities and other commodities in San Francisco do not depend on their costs or market supply and demand, but on Brannan's mood.

"Damn, didn't half an ounce buy a shovel a week ago? Why does it take an ounce of gold to buy a shovel now? And the quality is getting worse and worse"

In Brannan's grocery store, a gold digger couldn't help complaining. With such prices, they not only can't find gold, but also have to bear more debts.

"Sir, there is more and more gold on the market, so its value is naturally not that high. If you think it's too expensive, please go somewhere else."

A gunman with a newspaper tucked under his arm said, with a striking armband of the Security Committee hanging on his arm.

The gold digger had no choice but to shake his head helplessly, put the shovel in his hand back to its original place, and left Brannan's grocery store.

Brannan was in a good mood today. Although Brandon failed to get rid of Liang Yao, he also burned down Sacramento, and many of Liang Yao's industries were also burned in the fire.

And he, Brannan, only paid a mere 2,000 ounces of gold for this. There is no doubt that he was the winner in this round of confrontation, and caught his opponent off guard.

It's a pity that Brannan's happy mood did not last a whole day.

He saw today's "California Daily" from a hired gunman under his command, which could also be said to be a declaration of war against him.

Brannan walked to the stove and threw the newspaper into the stove. The burning flames set off his gloomy face and his chilling, murderous eyes.

The free California Daily quickly spread in the streets of San Francisco.

Almost everyone, whether illiterate miners or well-educated middle-class people, had a copy because it was free and the quality of the paper was surprisingly good. Even if they didn't read it, they could use it for other purposes.

The newspaper soon reached Flagg.

Flagg knew that the California Daily was Liang Yao's mouthpiece, but there were not many newspapers that could be subscribed in California. Moreover, the content of the California Daily was novel and interesting, and it was also a very competitive newspaper in the eastern region.

There were no opera houses in California, no gathering salons among the nobles, so reading newspapers became one of the few ways of entertainment. Flagg had no reason not to subscribe to the California Daily, a high-quality newspaper.

"The upright Sheriff Flagg said that he has zero tolerance for corrupt and degenerate Mounties, and said that these Mounties will be brought to court to face sanctions under the laws of the United States.

At the same time, Sheriff Flagg also said that the villain Sam Brannan, who corrupted the Mounties behind the scenes, and his lackeys, the Public Security Committee, should all be thrown into the cesspool and drowned, so that the people can get justice! California can get a clear world!"

When Flagg read this sentence, he felt a chill down his spine and trembled all over.

He didn't want to stand between Liang Yao and Brannan, and he didn't want to offend either of them. What he wanted was stability in California, and he, Flagg, played both sides, kept himself out of trouble, and gained benefits from both of them.

As for the mess of public security in San Francisco and Sacramento, let his successor solve it.

There is no doubt that this newspaper will make his personal image very majestic in the minds of all Californians, and will also push Flagg to the forefront of the conflict.

Flagg could no longer move between the two richest men in California. He had to stand directly, and he had no choice but to stand on Liang Yao's side.

He received a lot of gold from Liang Yao and had a close relationship with Liang Yao, which Brannan knew. Although this newspaper was exaggerated, the content was also a mixture of truth and falsehood. Lies with real content were easy to believe.

"I thought Brannan was already a bastard enough, but I didn't expect that little bastard Liang Yao to be even more bastard than Brannan."

Flagg, who was so angry that he couldn't help but talk to himself, wished he could rush to Liang Yao and beat him up right now.

This damn guy made him have to be wary of a gun pointing at him in the dark when he went out from now on. For a villain like Brannan who dared to openly violate the laws of the United States and the United States in public, he could definitely do such a thing as assassinating the Sheriff.

"Oh, dear, please don't say that. Mr. Liang is a very good man."

Flagg's wife did not agree with Flagg's views, which made Flagg furious.

"Did you collect gold from that bastard again?"

"I swear to the Lord, I have not accepted gold from anyone, and I will always keep your instructions in mind."

Flagg had no intention of arguing with his ignorant wife, so he grabbed the newspaper and stormed out the door angrily.

"But I accepted his US dollars. I had no choice but to do so. The prices in San Francisco are too expensive. You are the Sheriff. If the Sheriff's wife lives a disgraceful life, the entire San Francisco population will despise us. It’s also for your own good, I hope you can forgive me, my dear.”

After Flagg left, Mrs. Flagg murmured in a low voice and tried to convince herself.