Rule over Ming Dynasty

Chapter 111 There is a giant silver in the night, and it is so clear that it reaches the sky.

In a private house not far from the pier, there are more than a dozen people living here.

Since the last time he sneaked into the territory of Yangzhou Prefecture, Wang Yue chose to look for the large smuggled salt farm that Ye Fugui mentioned in combination with the earlier detection of the smuggling case of the King of Chu.

In Daming's current salt law, there are two major problems in the salt administration: the output of Daming Saltworks has declined, and the sales price of Daming Salt Yin has continued to decline.

Anyone who understands some principles of economics understands that once the volume and price of a certain product drop, the income will naturally decrease accordingly.

Faced with this crux, the officials in charge of salt administration in the Ming Dynasty did not propose a timely containment plan, but instead encouraged the Ming court to distribute more salt.

There are two main advantages of doing this: First, the court's salt tax revenue has not decreased significantly, so it will not arouse the court's vigilance.The second is to cause "more citations and less salt", so that the citation holders can only come to "fight for relationships" and they have more room for power rent-seeking.

Wang Yue's goal is very clear, that is to find the largest private salt farm in Yangzhou Prefecture, and use it as a breakthrough for rectifying the Lianghuai salt administration.

The hard work paid off, and he did not hesitate to throw his grandson Wang Yu to the pier to work as a coolie. Finally, during the Spring Festival, Wang Yu and Hu Jun were logically hired temporarily by those forces who smuggled salt.

"Master Imperial Envoy, we won't make a mistake this time, right?" Zhang Cai, General Banner of Jinyiwei, couldn't help worrying when he thought of the previous oolong incidents.

Wang Yue naturally had concerns about this, but his sixth sense told him that he had indeed found the right place this time, so he nodded with certainty: "It should be here! If they didn't do shady things, who would want to What about sneaking unloading in the middle of the night?"

"What the imperial envoy said is very true, what should the humble official and the brothers do tonight?" Zhang Cai believed Wang Yue's judgment and asked seriously.

Wang Yu and Hu Jun knew that this operation was no small matter, so they also turned their heads to look at Wang Yue.

Wang Yue knew that it was time to close the net, so he made arrangements and said, "Zhang Cai, tonight you bring your people to lurk around the pier! If there are few people coming from them, you can directly arrest them, and then try to find a way to interrogate them." The exact location of the private salt farm!"

"Okay!" Zhang Cai nodded excitedly knowing that Wang Yue was about to close the net.

Although Wang Yue didn't send him to work at the pier, he had suffered a lot during this period, so he also hoped that this latent suffering could end as soon as possible.

Fortunately, the smuggling salt field has now shown a loophole, and tonight they will be able to wipe out those involved in the smuggling of salt.

It can be said that Wang Yu and Hu Jun have suffered a lot during this period, and now seeing that the hard days have finally come to an end, they can't help but smile at each other.

Yangzhou City, a land of luxury and luxury.

There are six transportation divisions in the world, but the Lianghuai transportation division is the male.The richness of commercial kitchens, the richness of salt in the southeast, and the needs of the country and the reliance of border salaries are half of it.

With more and more salt merchants relying on salt profits, the brothels in Yangzhou City reached the peak of the era, supporting half of the entertainment industry in the Ming Dynasty.

It's just that on the first day of the Lunar New Year today, the busiest place is not the brothel by the Little Qinhuai River, but the Yamen of the Transshipment Envoy of the Two Huaihe Rivers.

Today, the yamen of both the Huaihe River and the Huaihe River was overcrowded, and a large group of salt merchants came here to give gifts, Li Zhiqing actually accepted all the orders.

By the time all the guests were sent away, the gold, silver and jewels in the warehouse were already piled up like a mountain, and Li Zhiqing staggered back to his room.

Like many officials, the principal usually stays in his hometown to be filial to his parents, while outside he raises a little fairy who looks like a fox.

Being an official in Yangzhou Prefecture is even more standard.

Mrs. Liu has been with Li Zhiqing for several years, and now she is nearly thirty years old, and she just had an affair with a young servant.But she didn't expect Li Zhiqing to come back from the banquet so soon. After hearing the maid's report from the window, she hurriedly pushed the boy under the bed.

squeak……

Li Zhiqing didn't know that the top of his head was already full of greenery, so he pushed open the door of his house.

Mrs. Liu, who had no time to put on her clothes, came out of the room in a hurry, pretending to have just woken up, and said, "Master, what time is it now, why did you come back? I have already slept!"

"It's still early! Pour me a cup of tea!" Li Zhiqing glanced greedily at the red bellyband on his concubine, but at an age where he couldn't do what he wanted, he could only do his best.

The servant under the bed was trembling with fright at the bottom of the bed when he heard that the master had returned.

"Master, isn't it too high-profile for you to accept gifts like this today?" Mrs. Liu calmly poured a cup of tea and brought it over, then deliberately found a topic to distract Li Zhiqing's attention.

Li Zhiqing took the teacup and said proudly: "What do you know about women? What your master wants is this kind of high-profile gift!"

"Master, what should we do if someone who doesn't open his eyes goes up for impeachment?" Liu glanced under the bed worriedly, and then pretended to be worried.

Li Zhiqing moistened his dry throat with tea, and said smugly: "I am so high-profile to tell the officials around me that I have a backstage in the capital, and I can cover the sky with one hand in the local area! They will only come here if they feel that the master is very powerful." Join me in the filth, and then continue to grow together and grow together!"

"Even if no one is impeached, what if the imperial court sends an imperial envoy to investigate?" Liu said, afraid that Li Zhiqing would look under the bed, deliberately blocking his view.

Li Zhiqing couldn't help being attracted by Mrs. Liu's body, so he put down his teacup and said triumphantly: "It's useless for anyone to come down! I have thrown out [-]% of the salt profit. You don't know how deep this net is now! Let's put it this way now." , even if something happens to me, I can still let the only two cabinet ministers in our cabinet stand up and speak for me!"

"Ah? Both elders can stand up and speak for you. Who did you give the two cents you got?" Liu seemed to have forgotten about the affair, and immediately raised her head in surprise.

Li Zhiqing finally had a reaction, and hugged Mrs. Liu and said, "A lot! I recorded it in the account book, so they dare not let me have an accident!"

Once human greed starts, it cannot be curbed.It's just that he is different from Li Min, he never eats alone, but has already woven a big net.

It is precisely because of this hole card that he paid all his tribute to those extremely rich oil and salt merchants, and dared to amass money crazily in Yangzhou.

"Wait! The lights haven't turned off yet?" When the red bellyband was ripped open, Liu suddenly reached out to stop it, and then got up and blew out the lights.

After being kicked, the boy on the bottom bed cleverly got in with his clothes in his arms, and then carefully opened the door to escape.

Fortunately, he took one step faster, if he took another step slower, he might be discovered by Li Zhiqing who had already finished the battle.

The night is deep, there is no moon tonight.

There are many thatched huts near a certain pier, and an oil lamp is burning in one of the huts.

Wang Yue didn't go to bed, but sat under the oil lamp and read a military book.It's just that as time passed bit by bit, his brows were slightly frowned, but he couldn't help but look at the door frequently.

If the operation goes well tonight, then he will immediately return to Yangzhou to rectify the salt smuggling problem existing in the Lianghuai Salt Administration.

Wang!Wang!
There was finally movement in the front yard. Amidst the barking of dogs, Wang Yu and others finally returned safely.

Wang Yue put down the scroll in his hand, and looked indifferently at Wang Yu and Hu Jun who walked in, but didn't ask any questions.

"Grandpa, isn't the salt being transported tonight?" Wang Yu shook his head slightly as he met Wang Yue's gaze.

Disappointment flashed across Wang Yue's eyes, and he frowned and asked in confusion, "Isn't it salt? Isn't their trading table here?"

"Grandpa, don't you want to know what we're moving?" Wang Yu asked with a smile after noticing Grandpa's reaction.

Wang Yue only cares about the private salt now, and raised his eyes angrily and said, "If it's not salt, what else is there to talk about?"

Goo!
Hu Jun couldn't help but swallowed his saliva, but he didn't rush to talk, but turned his head to look at Wang Yu.

"Grandpa, what we moved tonight is all silver, at least there are 10,000+ taels in it!" Wang Yu's breath became slightly hurried, and he revealed it very seriously.

ah? 10,000+two?

Wang Yue immediately raised his head and looked at the two in shock, never expecting to move 10,000+ taels of silver, which is most likely a fortune that cannot be seen at all.

"My lord, it is true that what we moved were silver taels. The dog brother accidentally knocked them over, and we both saw them with our own eyes!" Hu Jun was afraid that Wang Yue would not believe him, so he testified very seriously.

Zhang Cai, who followed in, heard what they were talking about outside, and nodded to Wang Yue solemnly.

Wang Yue put down the book thoughtfully, and immediately looked at his grandson and said, "The silver taels come from the west, and then they are shipped to Gaojiadang?"

"Grandpa is amazing, this is indeed the route!" Wang Yu nodded emphatically, knowing that what was involved here was the Yan official's ink corruption case.

Wang Yue frowned slightly, and found that the corruption in the salt government system was really more serious than imagined, and these people were probably much more greedy than Li Min, the No. [-] corrupt man in Ming Dynasty.

"Master Imperial Envoy, I found a very strange thing tonight!" Zhang Cai, who followed in, looked at Wang Yue, looking serious and authentic.

Knowing that Zhang Cai was reliable, Wang Yue asked seriously, "Zhang Zongqi, what's the matter?"

"The people who received the money were alright, but the people who brought the money were wearing ordinary clothes, but they were wearing sabers. One of them yelled at Zhao Baihu!" Zhang Cai was also lurking tonight. On the side of the pier, reports will be made.

Wang Yue frowned slightly, and he couldn't help but sighed: "Salt merchants are filial, salt officials are greedy for ink, and the army transports silver. Is the water really deep?"

In fact, the first two phenomena are not bad, but if the military is involved, the problem will become more difficult.After all, if one is not handled properly, it may turn into a military disaster.

I have to admit that the water in Yanzheng is indeed deeper than imagined, and the scope of involvement is wider. If it is really going to be chopped off this time, I am afraid that the heads will roll.

"Master Imperial Envoy, there are quite a few people coming from both sides, and they both wear weapons, so the humble official did not act rashly, please forgive me!" Zhang Cai apologized for not implementing the arrest plan just now.

Wang Yue had clear judgment, but he waved his hands disapprovingly and said, "Zhang Zongqi, we originally said that only good people will act tonight, and they are not the private salt we are looking for. Naturally, it is not appropriate to take risks!"

Judging from their feedback, if they jumped out to grab 10,000+ taels of silver from others, then the dozen or so of them probably wouldn't be able to come back.

"Grandpa, what should we do now?" Wang Yu also realized that the problem of salt administration was quite difficult, so he immediately asked.

Zhang Cai and Hu Jun knew that Wang Yue was a scheming person, so they turned their heads to look at Wang Yue's decision.

After thinking for a while, Wang Yue made a decision and said: "There must be a big story about this pier. We must have come to the right place. Let's stay here for a few more days!"

When Wang Yu heard that he had to work as a coolie for a few more days, he immediately complained: "Grandpa, working as a coolie every day is too hard, I really can't stand it!"

"Lu Song said that His Majesty is a kind person, and he has really settled this matter. Grandpa will help you two to show your merits!" Wang Yue knew that he had to make a cake, so he immediately promised.

"Thank you, Grandpa (Prince)!" Wang Yu and Hu Jun were overjoyed inwardly, and immediately cupped their hands.

In the middle of the night, the courtyard door of the hut was suddenly knocked open, and a person stumbled in.

Wang!Wang...

There was a black dog in the courtyard, facing the person who broke in suddenly, Dang even barked loudly at this person.Originally, the black dog wanted to jump over and bite, but for some reason it retreated.

Who?
Zhang Cai woke up suddenly, drew his knife and rushed out of the room, only to see that the visitor was rushing straight to Wang Yue's room, his heart was in his throat.

Wang Yu and Hu Jun were tired all day today, and they were sleeping deeply, but they suddenly sat up from the floor when they heard such a loud noise.

Wang Yue saw someone rushing towards him, and was about to draw a knife to defend himself, but he fixed his eyes and said in surprise, "Brother Dog?"

Brother Gou's clothes were stained with blood, and he said in a panic, "Master Hu, take your two grandsons and flee, those people will come back and kill people!"

While talking, the two huts not far away were already ablaze, accompanied by the screams of a man, and the movement of fighting.

A group of men in black suddenly appeared, and they came towards this side under the leadership of Cyclops.

"They... are they going to kill us like this?" Although Wang Yu already knew the cause of the disaster, he couldn't help but said in shock.

Zhang Cai had already noticed the danger, and immediately reported: "Master Imperial Envoy, those people are probably not ordinary people, let's evacuate first?"

Imperial Envoy?

The panicked Brother Gou looked at Wang Yue in shock when he heard Zhang Cai's name.

Knowing that revealing his identity as an imperial envoy at this time is useless, Wang Yue said decisively, "Withdraw!"

(End of this chapter)