Start with detective Li Yuanfang

Chapter 288 Thieves, I, Li Yuanfang, are here!

After a whole morning of hard work, by the time Beishi opened for business, the boats on the Luo River had already dispersed a lot.

Although it is impossible to achieve complete order in a short period of time, there must still be some safety hazards, but it is almost impossible to ignite that kind of unstoppable monstrous fire.

Gong Siguang's lips were all dry, he sat on the edge to rest, and said in a hoarse voice: "Li Jiyi, is this okay?"

Li Yan patted him on the shoulder: "Well done, thanks to you this time."

Gong Siguang laughed, very satisfied.

Li Yan instructed: "However, now is not the time to relax. There will be more people after the opening of the market, and you have to be careful of thieves making trouble. The officials from the governor's office and the county government have arrived, so you continue to keep an eye on it."

Gong Siguang was a little embarrassed: "But where is my second brother?"

Li Yandao: "I will do my best to rescue Gong Sima, and you will stay at the pier to ensure that the water transportation is safe. As long as the water transportation is smooth, your Gong family will not go to the worst step, remember!"

Gong Siguang nodded: "Yes! I understand!"

After Li Yan explained, he got on his horse and left Beishi.

With a clear goal, head all the way to the south.

Soon, the Xie Chamber of Commerce arrived.

At present, in Luoyang, the most inconspicuous power he can borrow is the power of the chamber of commerce.

Don't underestimate the businessmen, these people have low status, but the relationship is very strong, and there are ways in all aspects.

Especially the Xie family, who were originally the top clan in the south of the Yangtze River, paid more attention to official news.

Seeing Li Yan walk in, a shopkeeper immediately greeted him, looked at him carefully, his complexion changed immediately, and he said directly, "Please wait a moment, honored guest!"

Not long after, Director Xie got the news and came out, overjoyed: "Yuan Fang, it's really you!"

Li Yan was very happy to see this cheap uncle at this time: "Uncle, let's talk inside."

The two walked into the luxuriously decorated inner room, Chief Xie said excitedly: "His Royal Highness and the officials will not arrive in Dongdu in two days, I thought you would arrive in two days, but I didn't expect you to arrive earlier. If I had known earlier, I would have gone to meet you!"

Li Yandao: "How can I ask the elders to greet me, Uncle, don't be so polite."

Mr. Xie also wanted to be polite, but subconsciously he was a bit cautious, he laughed: "Have you had your lunch yet?"

Li Yan said: "Not yet."

Mr. Xie clapped his hands together: "That's a coincidence, sit with me, and the most delicious 'Shi Linglong' in Luoyang will be delivered right away."

After Li Yan sat down, he said seriously: "I came to Luoyang first, and I also have important things to do, and I need Uncle's help."

Director Xie straightened his face and took a deep breath: "Yuan Fang, please tell me, we will do our best."

Li Yandao: "I want to get to know someone, Cao Gong Siye from Luoyang household, have you dealt with him much?"

Director Xie explained: "I'm not familiar with the situation in Luoyang, but if it's Hucao and a member of the Gong clan, there must be a lot of contacts here...Go and call Shiro."

Xie Silang, the manager of Luoyang, came in quickly and stood respectfully.

Master Xie ordered: "Tell the truth, don't hide anything."

Li Yan watched from the sidelines and found that this uncle had a high status in the chamber of commerce, so he directly asked, "What kind of person is Gong Siye?"

Xie Silang organized his speech, and answered concisely: "This person is greedy, double-faced, and vicious."

Li Yan raised his brows slightly: "Tell me one by one, where is the greedy temperament?"

Xie Silang said: "In addition to the fixed filial piety, we have to buy an additional house for him. There must be more than a hundred guest slaves in it, so that he is satisfied, otherwise we will find ways to find trouble."

Li Yan asked: "Do you only look at the prosperity of the south of the Yangtze River, or do you have it in every chamber of commerce?"

Xie Silang said: "It's all the same, the difference is that I ask the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce the hardest, and I ask less from other merchants, but they also try their best to exploit."

"But a mere county lieutenant is really a petty official!"

Li Yan snorted coldly, and continued to ask: "In what aspects are Gong Siye's double-decker and vicious methods reflected?"

Xie Silang said: "I heard from members of the Gong clan that Gong Siye treats other clan members with kindness and kindness on weekdays, and often shows them kindness, so he is quite supported by some clan members. And once someone from the tribe dares to speak ill of him, the end will be miserable, which also proves his viciousness..."

Li Yan commented: "A person can pretend for a while, but it is impossible to pretend for the rest of his life, otherwise it is not called pretending, it is really good, and everything is judged regardless of one's heart."

Xie Silang immediately said: "Li Jiyi is wise, but Gong Siye cannot pretend for a long time. In recent years, the number of people who firmly support him in the Gong family has become less and less, and most of them are afraid and hated. Our major chambers of commerce have also We are discussing whether to take advantage of the internal contradictions of the Gong clan to bring down Gong Siye, this person is really too greedy!"

Li Yandao: "Fortunately, you didn't put it into action. This person is not simple. Does he have any hobbies?"

Xie Silang said: "I heard from people in the Gong Mansion that he likes to play with instruments of torture, but this has not been fully confirmed... Other than that, he doesn't have any special hobbies, the main thing is to let us give away the house."

Li Yan frowned: "Wait a minute, Gong Siye asked for the gift of the house? Didn't you give it on your own initiative?"

Xie Silang smiled wryly: "Of course, we don't want to give away a house. It takes time and effort. We would rather give some gold, silver and jewelry of the same value, but for us and Mrs. Xiao, he wants a big house!"

Li Yan thought for a while and asked, "Do you have a map of the city in Luoyang?"

Soon, Luoyang Jiantu spread out.

This is not an official map, but a simplified map of the Chamber of Commerce for the convenience of opening shops, but it also clearly shows that [-] Square is divided into upper and lower parts by Luoshui.

Li Yandao: "You mark the houses that Gong Siye received, not only from Xie's Chamber of Commerce, but also from other Xiao's Chambers of Commerce. As long as you know, mark them all."

Xie Silang complied, and even said the year and month: "In the first year of Qianfeng, I gave a house to Fuchengfang! In the second year of Qianfeng, I gave a house to Renfengfang! In the first year of Qianfeng, I gave a house to Chunfengfang..."

Li Yan's eyes moved accordingly.

Of the fifteen mansions, seven were donated by the Xie Chamber of Commerce, and eight were donated by the Xiao Chamber of Commerce.

Each square blooms and distributes evenly.

The total urban area of ​​Luoyang, the eastern capital, is only half that of Chang'an. Of course, it is not small. It is also the second largest city in the world in this era, but Chang'an is really too big. The gap between the first and second places is directly doubled.

And sometimes too big is not good. For example, many square cities to the south of Chang’an are uninhabited. Like ghost cities, people flock to the north. The nobles gather.

In comparison, Luoyang's east, west, north, south, all directions are fully utilized, the whole city is much more balanced, and the houses that Gong Siye asked for are also very balanced, distributed in the southeast, northwest.

Li Yan pondered for a moment, then asked again: "He only wants the house in Luoyang, did he ask for other places?"

Xie Silang answered very rigorously: "For our two chambers of commerce, it is the house of Quanding Luoyang, and other chambers of commerce are not clear."

Li Yandao: "Have the original owners of these houses met anyone who is unwilling to sell them?"

Xie Silang said bitterly: "Of course there is, but this young mansion must have a house, so we have to pay more, and we will eventually win it."

Li Yan looked at the sketch again: "In Luoyangfang City, there are many Xie's shops. You should immediately send someone to each shop to inquire about the recent situation of these houses. Be flexible and be careful."

Xie Silang looked at Mr. Xie, Mr. Xie said, "Do it right away!"

"Yes!"

He took the order to retreat, and Director Xie came to Li Yan's side: "Yuan Fang, what did Gong Siye do?"

Before a complete conclusion was reached, Li Yan spoke more tactfully: "It's about going to dinner."

Director Xie's face changed slightly: "If the Gong family falls, the water transportation in Luoyang may be in chaos!"

Li Yandao: "The Gong family still has sensible people. If the water transportation can be smoothly transitioned, it is still possible to return to Bianzhou."

Xie Zhangshi was very moved: "If the person in charge of Luoyang Water Transport is changed, will the sense of Jiangnan change?"

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "It must be changed!"

"Natural disasters and man-made disasters continue in Guanzhong, and droughts and floods often occur in poor harvests. The proportion of materials transported by water from the south of the Yangtze River is getting higher and higher."

"Since you have contributed to the stability of the Tang Dynasty, you should get the treatment you deserve. You want rice from Jiangnan, but you don't treat people from Jiangnan as human beings. This kind of abnormal concept can no longer continue."

Director Xie was full of anticipation: "With Yuan Fang speaking up for justice, the day of Jiangnan people's success is coming."

Li Yan actually thought this way a long time ago. At that time, he didn't even know his relationship with Xie.

Regional discrimination is a very troublesome problem. It is unrealistic to completely avoid it. However, due to the growth of the gentry in the Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty, the situation was too unbalanced, and the especially unfair situation lasted for nearly a hundred years. It should be changed.

At this time, the delicious food was delivered, and the two chatted about regional topics while eating.

Director Xie admired this young nephew more and more, and replies from various shops came one after another.

"Gong Siye seldom lives in those mansions, but he keeps a large number of servants, and consumes a lot of food and rice?"

Gathering the news from multiple fangs, Li Yan confirmed that his speculation was correct: "Gong Siye's request for these houses is not purely greedy for money, but to use them as dens. There is very likely something wrong with these servants."

Director Xie was puzzled: "Master Gong is rich, and he wants to prepare a house, why should we send it?"

Li Yandao: "Gong Siye's behavior is so hidden, it means that he did it without telling Gong Shi. At least Gong Siming didn't know about it. From this, it is confirmed that he imprisoned Gong Siming, not acting as a double play..."

"Imprisoning brother? Such a frenzied and insane plan!"

Director Xie was a little worried: "These houses are really hiding thieves, will we be bitten back?"

Li Yan nodded: "Gong Siye is focusing on Xiao Shi and Xie Shi. He is indeed bullying the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce because he has no political status. He will really evade the slander afterwards... Don't worry, this situation will not happen if I am here."

Director Xie breathed a sigh of relief: "That's right, he miscalculated this time!"

Li Yan looked at the sky, and was not in a hurry to leave: "Let's have dinner, the lunch at noon is really delicious, is it delivered by 'Shi Linglong'?"

Xie Zhangshi smiled and said, "I'll order it."

After the two of them finished their dinner, Li Yan listened to some information and finally decided on the location.

Night falls.

Li Yan stretched his body, showing some excitement inevitably.

Thieves, I, Li Yuanfang, are here!

(End of this chapter)