Fu Shifeng

Chapter 196 Gathering Wealth by Land and Water
In the spring season, Luoyang Tongtuofang is full of tourists.This Lifang, adjacent to Luoshui and backed by Beishi City, is usually crowded with merchants. In addition, in the spring, with the fragrant peaches and plums and the willows blowing on the street, under the hazy mist and rain, it is one of the most beautiful scenery in Luoyang.

There is a mansion in the northeast corner of the square, which was originally owned by a cruel official when the heroine was in chaos.Later, the cruel official died and his family was ruined, and the mansion changed hands several times. The current owner is Yang Anren, the land and water transport envoy of Henan.

Since the capital of this dynasty was Chang'an, a large number of dignitaries gathered in Guanzhong, and the land was narrow and densely populated. It was necessary to mobilize food and wealth from the vast territory east of Mount Laoshan to support the imperial family.Sometimes when there was a drought in Guanzhong, the emperor himself would visit the eastern capital for food.

But the emperor went on a tour alone, accompanied by hundreds of officials in the court, concubines in the harem, and thousands of cavalry. The momentum was huge, the round trip was expensive, and it would inevitably disturb the people.

Therefore, when the current saint ascended the throne, he set up a land and water transport envoy in Henan to be responsible for the transportation of grain between Luoyang and Chang'an.Later, the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China proposed that Jianghuai transshipment envoys were added. In the past, long-distance water transport from the south of the Yangtze River was directly transported to warehouses along the route and transshipment at festival levels, thus greatly reducing the loss of property and manpower.

Now that Prime Minister Lu is implementing the New Deal, he even wants to set up transfer envoys in various provinces. Initially, these were just temporary envoys, but now they have become a government agency responsible for local wealth. The imperial censor criticized Prime Minister Lu for appointing villains. , usurping the power of local state capitals.

However, the transshipment envoys had a special status. They were not only regarded by officials as a stepping stone, but also an excellent position for personal gain. A large amount of grain and goods that were brought to Luoyang, the eastern capital, through the North-South Canal, almost all passed through the land and water transshipment envoys.

However, whether these goods are sold in the north and south markets of Luoyang or continue west to Chang'an, there are many bridges crossing Guanjin along the way. Although the imperial court has explicitly prohibited local officials from exploiting business travelers at Guanjin, a written ultimatum is required to cross the border. There is always a means of searching when passing through.

As long as an inspection is ordered, passing merchants will obediently hand over money, and most of it will go into the pockets of the transport envoys.

The current Henan transit envoy Yang Anren is such a good business person that he was originally scheduled to move to the DPRK after serving for three years, but because of the evaluation of "very diligent management", he is still sitting in this position. superior.

It was already dark, and Yang Anren returned to the inner house with the support of his maids and concubines. He drank a lot of wine tonight, and he was very excited when he thought about the beautiful slaves he had newly bought.

However, when passing by the corridor, I found that the study room that was supposed to be empty was actually brightly lit, and it seemed like someone was reading books inside.

Yang Anren was drunk at this moment, and suddenly he felt bold. He did not call the nurse, but threw away the concubine with both arms, pushed open the study door directly, raised his finger and shouted: "Where is the thief from, how dare you break into my house at night?" Residence?!"

At this moment, Kong Fangfang was concentrating on looking at the book in his hand, with his back to Yang Anren, and without looking back, he pointed with his backhand. The two maids and concubines who were running towards him fainted and fell down without warning, and the doors on both sides closed without any wind.

Yang Anren was shocked when he saw this and turned around to run away.However, when he touched the door leaf, he felt as if he was slapped hard by an invisible ruler, and he immediately retracted his hands in pain.

"We haven't seen each other for several years, and you have become more timid and fearful." Kong Yifang threw the file on the table and turned around, revealing an ordinary face.

"Master?" When Yang Anren saw Kong Fangfang, he was so shocked that he woke up and fell to his knees with a plop: "I didn't know that the master was here, the villain deserves to die!"

Kong Fangfang slowly walked to Yang Anren and raised his hand to hold the top of his head. His movements were gentle and gentle, without the slightest intention of threatening him.But Yang Anren couldn't stop trembling, and his soul seemed to fly away from his body.

"It seems that this position in Henan Province has really benefited you a lot." Kong Yi said in a dialect: "Back then, Yang Changshan, who was guarding food at night in Longyou Army Town and suffered from wind and cold, is now a potbellied, concubine. The garden is full of people. From a worldly perspective, these achievements are truly extraordinary."

Yang Anren was horrified, as if his neck was being held, and his voice became sharp and strange: "The villain's achievements today are all due to the support of the master! The villain dare not forget it even for a moment!"

"Hahaha, just remember." Kong Fangfang laughed subtly, then withdrew his hand, walked to the bookcase and stood with his hands behind his back: "I just came to your house and found that the house was decorated with lights and colorful decorations. Could there be some happy event? ?”

Yang Anren answered truthfully: "Today the dog took a concubine, it's just a celebration, I don't dare to show off."

"Oh? Which family is she from?" Kong Fang asked.

Yang Anren was confused. He didn't understand why his master would ask such trivial matters, but he still answered cautiously: "She is a daughter of the Pei family in Hedong."

Kong Fangfang casually flipped through the books and asked casually: "Although he is not the fifth surname of Qiwang, the Pei family in Hedong is considered a wealthy family, so he would actually give your son a concubine?"

"The grandfather of the Pei daughter had contacts with the party and was imprisoned for it. Most of her family members were exiled to Lingnan." Yang Anren said quickly: "By the way, it is related to the Heyang murder case."

Kong Fangfang frowned: "Continue."

"It is said that after the Heyang massacre, a batch of letters were found from the uncle's house in Heyang County and were related to the remaining members of the Princess Zhenguo. Among them were a branch of the Pei family in Hedong." Yang Anren said: "At that time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had just been The saint has given supervisory authority and is about to handle several major cases, and this is one of them."

"How can a family member of a major criminal involved in such a major case be taken as a concubine by your son?" Kong Fangfang turned around and asked.

Yang Anren apologized and said with a smile: "They say they were exiled to Lingnan, but the prisoner's female family members were separated by various people with powerful tactics early on. The Pei daughter had been entertaining guests at the Guoseyuan in the west of Luoyang. When Quanzi saw it, she insisted on taking her away. She married her home, so I had no choice but to go out and ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs for help."

"Is this how the Ministry of Internal Affairs has promised you?" Kong Yifang had a half-smile on his face.

"The Minister of Internal Affairs is also a human being, and he also needs food and clothing." Yang Anren said: "My master may not know that He Xiaotong, who worked in the left-behind mansion, died in a storm a few days ago, and his Jinping sect disciples fought to the death for the ownership of the property.

"The villain used some tricks to take over part of it. It happened that someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs was eyeing a gambling house in Jishanfang. The villain took the opportunity to make an exchange and asked them to help remove the slave status of Pei's daughter."

"This method is quite clever." Kong Fang praised.

Yang Anren smiled and nodded: "It's all because of the master's good teachings."

"I'm not talking about you." Kong Fang said with a serious face: "You have lived a comfortable life for too long, and you can't even tell that others are setting up a trap."

Yang Anren's expression was stiff, and he heard Kong Fangfang say coldly: "If nothing else, you let your son take the daughter of a sinner as a concubine. If the servants come to trouble you someday, there is no need to find evidence of your crime. It was you who took the initiative." Put the handle into their hands.”

"This..." Yang Anren's eyes rolled around, and now he understood that something was wrong.

"Secondly, how do you know that this is not a way for the Ministry of Internal Affairs to place spies in your house?" Kong Yifang looked around: "Your study is completely defenseless, and some confidential letters, account books, and books are not stored in a secret room. I just looked at it. One look makes me want to kill someone.”

After hearing this, Yang Anren immediately fell to the ground: "I was wrong! Please forgive me, master!" Kong Fangfang asked with a sneer: "Based on the mistakes you made, is it too cheap to just take your life?"

Yang Anren fell to the ground. He knew how unpredictable his master was, and he also knew that the most intolerable thing for him was an incompetent fool who ruined a major event. Loyalty alone was not enough to save his life.

"The Ministry of Internal Affairs must have a plan like this." Yang Anren no longer begged for mercy, but quickly thought: "The villain is just collecting information and accumulating property for the master. The other party may have discovered something strange from the whereabouts of the property, and thus suspected Villain."

"Wealth in the world is like water. If it is not accumulated, it will rot and stink. Only when it flows continuously can it be put to its full use. Otherwise, it will be like dirt and gravel." Kong Yi said: "However, wealth circulates It must go somewhere, just like the river formed by the flowing water, it is not without traces."

"Master, what you say is that the villain is not careful enough." Yang Anren said.

"The most fearful thing about calculations in this world is that they are calculated with intention but without intention. Ordinary people will be lax after all, and you are the same." Kong Fangfang said lightly: "Okay, there is no need to kneel down. After all, I have spent so much time cultivating you, so it would be strange to kill you casually. pity."

"The villain owes everything to his master's appreciation for what he is today." Yang Anren said with great admiration: "The villain will not dare to slack off in the future. He will definitely serve his master with all his heart!"

Kong Yifang was not interested in these words and asked directly: "Now that you know that the Minister of Internal Affairs has scheming intentions, how do you plan to deal with it?"

Yang Anren stood up and thought for a moment: "Placing the spy in the house, I guess, it may not be for money."

Kong Fangfang narrowed his eyes and said nothing, and Yang Anren carefully speculated: "The villain has a bold idea. Perhaps the internal servants are trying to lure the master to show up."

"They are already halfway successful." Kong Yifang did not hide it and said with a smile: "The cause of He Xiaotong's death was not due to a storm as reported by the outside world."

Yang Anren was shocked when he heard this: "No wonder, He Xiaotong, one of the Eight Swordsmen of Luoyang, has lived in seclusion for these years. A few days ago, he suddenly asked for a copy of the document for crossing Tianjin. Could it be..."

"Here's the clue." Kong Yifang said: "You must be aware of the assassination case in Luoyang on the Lantern Festival. The assassin took a boat through Luoshui and took the opportunity to raid the Tianjin Bridge. The curfew was lifted on the Lantern Festival, but the city's defense was not relaxed. Since He Xiaotong One of the Eight Swordsmen of Luoyang, he is also employed by the Liushou Mansion, responsible for guarding against thieves and assassins. If the assassin can accurately find the master, it must be He Xiaotong's deliberate arrangement."

Yang Anren understood now: "So He Xiaotong is also under the master?"

Kong Fangfang smiled and said nothing. Upon seeing this, Yang Anren quickly lowered his head and did not dare to ask any more questions.

"Since you want to lure me out, I won't be polite." Kong Fangfang seemed to have no worries. He turned to Yang Anren and said, "I want to take away your son Xina's concubine."

Yang Anren did not dare to disobey, and immediately said: "Then I will order someone to bring her immediately."

Kong Fangfang sneered: "Your son has just taken a concubine, and his father called him into the study. How is this? No need to bother, I will take her away secretly."

Yang Anren could only say yes again and again, but his heart was full of mixed feelings.In order to respond to the temptation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the "sudden death" of He Xiaotong, the Pei daughter must have endured unimaginable torture after being taken away.

But Kong Yifang's words seemed to take great care of Yang Anren, as if he was taking away an unimportant thing, lest it trouble others.

Yang Anren had never seen powerful children who despised the lives of their servants, but in his mind, the master was different from them. He completely regarded the people in the world as property, not as living creatures.

The door closed again, and by the time Yang Anren reacted, Kong Fangfang had already left the study, and the two maids and concubines who fell on the ground were also waking up from a dream.

They were confused as to why they suddenly fainted, when they heard a panic shout coming from another courtyard.A moment later, the son hurried over, crying and fussing: "Father! A snitch just came and took my Aluo away!"

Looking at his naughty and incompetent son, Yang Anren's face turned livid and he said solemnly: "It's just a concubine. If you lose it, lose it. If you want more concubines, just spend money to buy them."

The son refused and said, "Father, you are the land and water transport envoy appointed by the saint. Even if you stay in the east capital, I will give you three portions of thin noodles. These audacious thieves dare to invade and rob us. Why don't you hurry up and send someone to arrest them?" Arrested?!"

Yang Anren was irritated by his master's previous scolding. He immediately slapped his son on the face and shouted angrily: "That's enough! From today on, I am banned from my home and I am not allowed to go anywhere!"

……

Qu Luo, who was dressed in a wedding dress, had her arms restrained by soft whips, and the roar of the wind could be heard in her ears. Her feet were not touching the ground, dangling in the air like a paper kite.

Some time after leaving Guoseyuan, Qu Luo not only successfully got rid of her slave status, but also reacquainted herself with the Pei clan and regained her former identity. All of this was due to her being appreciated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

But unexpectedly, on the day of marrying Mr. Yang, he encountered an accident. An unknown thief took advantage of the wedding banquet to break into the house and kidnapped him. None of the nursing masters who were supported by Yang Anren with money Can stop this thief.

Qu Luo is not a weak woman who has no power to protect herself, but this snitch has extremely high martial arts skills and fast movement. He relies on his light skills to jump around all over Luoyang City. Qu Luo can't even see the surrounding scenery clearly, only a blur. The clear mixed light and shadow, the violent shaking almost shook out the internal organs.

In a daze, she felt like she was flying high, and then her restraints were loosened, and Qu Luo was thrown out, landing on the wet mud and rolling over, leaving her newly made wedding clothes covered in dirt.

After experiencing such a torment, even with martial arts skills, he couldn't help but feel weak all over.Qu Luo looked at the snitch with a horrified look. Before she could see his face clearly, the soft whip was swept by the wind, and two balls of blood burst out from her eyes.

After receiving this blow, Qu Luo immediately covered her face and screamed, but the snitch didn't seem to like the shouting. He whipped down his throat again, and the incredible force directly shattered his vocal cords without damaging other vital parts.Qu Luo trembled and opened her mouth to shout, but she could only make a huffing sound.

Then a kick came out, hitting Qu Luo's lower abdomen. Indescribable severe pain instantly spread throughout her body, causing her to faint and wake up again.

And all this is just the beginning of a long torture.

(End of this chapter)