At this time, in the Pacification Department, there were seven or eight people, including Geng Zhongqian, the pacification envoy of Jiangbei, Rao De, the transport envoy of Lianghuai, Dong Xianhan, Li Changdong, Yang Mingde, and Ma Rixin, the four main merchants of Lianghuai salt industry. Three of them were dressed luxuriously, and their origins were unknown.
Geng An stroked his beard and smiled." We will settle the accounts. The previous accounts were burned clean in front of everyone. Even if the Emperor wanted to investigate, he wouldn't be able to find out anything."”
An old man sitting at the head of the table urged,"Before leaving, wangye instructed this subject to be careful and loyal to wangye. He had a secret mission from the emperor, so he couldn't be ignored! It's more important for us to settle the accounts as soon as possible!"
"I'm afraid the Emperor has entrusted the wrong person this time." Our Prince Zhongshun has been indulging in romance ever since he arrived in Yangzhou. Moreover, the people of Yangzhou are hospitable and invite guests to banquets every day. He doesn't have the time to investigate anything!”
Dong Xianhan and the other salt merchants also laughed." Prince Zhongshun has a wide range of interests. He is good at wine, beautiful women, and opera. We really admire him!"”
Li Changdong bowed to the person seated and said,""Just these few days, the goods we sent have piled up in the Yamen of the salt inspector. Even if he wants to touch us, I'm afraid he won't be able to save face!”
" This is only a temporary measure," Geng appeased." As long as he's in Yangzhou, the gifts can't be cut off!" He's such a good actor. You've agreed to send him the best troupe in Yangzhou! It was better to serve this master well than anything else!”
Rao De saw that the salt merchants below were in a difficult position, so he tried to mediate,"There's no hurry. If we send him too often, it will only encourage his greed and make him ask for too much. Slow down!"
Dong Xianhan hurriedly said," It's not that we're stingy. We've sent more than ten stunning women to him these days. But as far as we know, Prince Zhongshun hasn't had a single one." She was afraid that she would send the wrong gift and make him feel disgusted.”
At this moment, another person whose name was unknown smiled and said,"I once heard a legend in the Divine Capital that the loyal and obedient king was a good actress. Naturally, he did not care much about women!”
"Forget it! After we finish our business, you can say whatever you want!”The person in the seat of honor took out an account book from his bosom and flipped to the last page." From the 30th of June last year to the day I left the capital, I received a total of 2,716,000 taels of silver as dividends.”
With him taking the lead, the other two also reported the figures in their accounts. One said,"My family received 214,000 taels of silver.”One of them said,"Our total is 121,000 taels."”
Rao Dezi took the abacus and read out,"The total is 3,051,000 taels.”
Then, Dong Xianhan, the salt merchant, took out the accounts first." Last year, a total of 510,000 taels of silver were given out.”
Then Li Changdong checked the accounts,"I've solved 425,000 taels."”
Yang Mingde and Ma Rixin both had more than 300,000 taels. Among the remaining salt merchants, there were 200,000, 100,000, and finally, only Jiang Chaozong was still sitting on the chair.
"Shopkeeper Jiang, you're the only one left." Dong Xianhan frowned.”
Jiang Chaozong took out an account book. Without opening it, he directly read out the number." In the past, the number was 112,000 taels of silver.”
The sound of an abacus being turned could be heard beside him." This way, the income and expenditure are consistent.”
Everyone present heaved a sigh of relief.
Geng An Su ordered someone to bring a brazier over." Let's burn it immediately. We've passed this test. As for King Zhongshun…"
"Prince Zhongshun is drinking and watching the show with You Jiedu right now. I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it!" Ma Rixin laughed.”
Before he could finish his sentence, a laugh came from outside."I heard that Lord Geng's place is very lively. Even if there are important figures coming to the Divine Capital, why didn't you inform me?”
"Not good! It's King Zhongshun." Geng Zhongqian turned pale with fright." Quick, everyone, destroy the accounts immediately!”
He snatched the old man's account book and was about to tear it up.
At this moment, a few people suddenly jumped down from the beam and snatched the account book.
"Who are you? Why is it up there?"
Rao De was still reprimanding him loudly when Ning Jun pushed the door open and entered.
When he saw the old man sitting in front of him, he couldn't help but laugh."Look who I just saw! Isn't this my third brother's father-in-law, Elder Guo? What a coincidence!"
At this moment, Zhou Liang collected the accounts from his subordinate's hands and flipped through them casually." It really didn't take much effort to get them! With these things, I can report to the emperor! As for the two of you, you don't look familiar. Why don't you introduce yourselves?”
One of them was silent and seemed to be very nervous.
One of them was still very unyielding as he glared at Ning Jun.
"If you don't tell me, do you think I don't know?" Ning Jun snorted coldly. May I know who Shopkeeper Jiang is?"
Jiang Chaozong quickly stood up and knelt on the ground."This subject, no, this commoner Jiang Chaozong greets Your Highness!”
Ning Jun glanced at him." Minister Wang said that you're a wise man who understands the times. Can you tell me?”
Jiang Chaozong kowtowed." Your Highness, the one on the left is the housekeeper of the Zhen family in Jinling, Zhen Yide. I don't dare to say the other one."”
"If you don't dare to say it, don't say it again in the future!”Ning Jun laughed. Zhou Liang's knife was already placed on his neck.
The cold blade immediately woke Jiang Chaozong up and he hurriedly said,"Your highness, this lowly one only knows that they are called the Loyalty Association.”
"Loyalty Association? Why haven't I heard of it before?" Ning Jun looked at the other person." You guys are very capable. You can take money from my third brother's pocket? Do you want to introduce yourself? Let me know who you are?”
The corners of the man's mouth curled up." Come over here and I'll tell you!”
Zhou Liang was about to go up and teach him a lesson when Ning Jun opened his fan and fanned himself a few times." It's alright. I'm really curious!”Then, he walked over openly.
Just as he was two steps away from him, a dagger that flashed with a cold light suddenly appeared in that person's hand. He suddenly rushed forward and stabbed at Ning Jun.
Although Zhou Liang was right beside him and had been staring at him, his speed was extremely fast and he was about to stab Ning Jun.
Ning Jun couldn't dodge in time and only used his fan to protect himself. With a ding, the dagger stabbed into the fan, making a crisp metallic sound.
The man was shocked. Ning Jun immediately grabbed his wrist and flipped it over. The dagger in his hand fell.
That person was ferocious. His other hand clenched into a fist and was about to hit him.
Ning Jun's iron fan shot out a sharp blade. He raised his hand and cut a deep wound on the man's arm.
Zhou Liang angrily punched him on the head. That person could not stand steadily and retreated a few steps before he was taken down by Ning Jun's guards.
Ning Jun put away his folding fan. It was really dangerous just now. His heart was still beating wildly, but he had to pretend to be calm on the surface." You've angered me! I will definitely find your master!”
"Humph! Winner takes all, what else is there to say? Just you wait, my master will settle the score with you!”After saying that, the man bit something into pieces.
Zhou Liang immediately stepped forward and dislocated his jaw, but it was too late.
Ning Jun snorted coldly." Chop them up and feed them to the dogs!”
Zhou Liang didn't say a word and chopped off that person's hands and feet in the hall. He was skilled with his knife.
The surrounding people were all shocked. Two of them were timid and immediately peed their pants.
Ning Junhen was satisfied with their reaction. He clapped his hands and said,"I have to congratulate you for successfully upgrading from embezzling the national tax to assassinating the imperial envoy and plotting a rebellion! This was a great crime that could exterminate the entire clan! It seems that I have overfulfilled the task the Emperor gave me.”
" Your Highness, this has nothing to do with us!" Guangtong Bo was standing, but he couldn't stand up anymore. Our prince…"
"Oh?" Ning Jun pretended to be shocked." Could it be that my third brother is unwilling to be left out and wants to add a white character to the word 'Wang'?”
"No, I can't! No!" Guangtong Bo hurriedly denied," Your Highness, please allow me to speak privately. I have something to tell you!”
"The one on the ground said the same thing!" Ning Jun laughed.”
Bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down from Guangtong Bo's forehead. He said with difficulty,"Zhongshun wangye, our wangye is only collecting this silver.”As he spoke, he pointed his finger at the sky.
In the sky?
Only the Emperor and…
Ning Jun suddenly felt uncomfortable all over.
I accidentally touched the old master's money bag. Should I pretend not to hear or not know?
This matter was quite tricky!
Ning Jun frowned. He was already wondering if the Emperor was deliberately framing him, but he still foolishly jumped into the trap.
"Wang Changshi!" Ning Jun thought for a moment and made a decision.
"Your subject is here!" Wang Changshi finally changed back into his official uniform and stood beside Ning Jun.
"Send Guangtong Bo to rest!" Ning Jun laughed.”
The hall had already been cleaned up. Ning Jun sat at the head of the table and flipped through the accounts, knocking on the coffee table unhurriedly.
He wanted to see how many people in the Divine Capital had benefited from this place.
"I accidentally poked a big hole in the sky.”Ning Jun closed the accounts and walked to the brazier to burn them.
The others looked at each other and quietly heaved a sigh of relief. Was this a big matter that could be resolved into a small matter?
Who knew that Ning Jun smiled and said," It has been ten years since the Emperor ascended the throne. In these ten years, I have calculated that everyone has embezzled 10.51 million yuan from the salt tax!”He quietly erased the old man's share. And this number was extremely huge.
It could be said to be the biggest case in the country in a hundred years!
The people below were all smart people. How could they not know what was going on here? This was a way out!
However, they did not dare to speak first.
Ning Jun looked at the ashes in the brazier, his heart filled with melancholy and resentment!
The Emperor must have done it on purpose! If he had leaked some information earlier, he would have had a more secure method.
She did not know how to face the old man's anger in the capital!
But then again, if he had said so earlier, he would not have come even if he was beaten to death! No wonder Lianghuai was so lawless. The Emperor wanted to use me to remove the tumor. At the same time, he wanted to tie me to his car and follow him all the way to the end.
Which emperor wasn't black-bellied?
I haven't done enough!
Geng Zhongqian carefully stepped forward and cupped his hands.""Wangye, why don't we ask them to pay the salt tax first and atone for their sins?”
"Atonement?" Ning Jun laughed out loud." What a good atonement! Men! Geng Zhongqian and Rao De were arrested and escorted to the Divine Capital for questioning. Immediately lock Dong Xianhan, Li Changdong, Yang Mingde, and Ma Rixin up and execute them!”
Commander Ji led the armored soldiers to tie up the six people and send them out of the hall.
The remaining seven or eight people were both terrified and faintly felt that this was an opportunity. They were all waiting for Ning Jun to speak.
However, Ning Jun always had a faint smile on his face and did not speak.
As time passed, these people could no longer calm down.
If Prince Zhongshun wanted to punish them, he would have done so long ago. The reason why he had not dealt with them yet was that he must be waiting for them to surrender themselves!
"Your Highness!" Jiang Chaozong was the first to speak. He knelt on the blood stain." If you don't give up, I'm willing to serve you and help you manage the salt industry in Lianghuai.”
What an arrogant tone! His colleagues around him immediately became anxious. What ability did you, Jiang Chaozong, have to boast that you could manage Lianghuai for Prince Zhongshun?
Thus, the others knelt down and pledged their allegiance.
Among them, the most enthusiastic was Liu Jingyu, who had a Longevity Zhiyuan at home. He kowtowed and said,"If you trust me, I can give you a million taels of silver every year.”
Ning Jun stood up and smiled." From today onwards, each of you seven will take out a million taels and divide the four of them equally. In the future, the salt inspector will verify the number of citations and pay the national tax according to the regulations." I don't want you to contribute, but the two million taels of silver that you contribute to the Divine Capital every year, you can't lose a single cent!”
The seven kneeling men looked at each other. One million taels of silver was not difficult for them, so they all agreed.
Ning Jun's cold eyes swept across their faces." Since you're not the chief culprit and you're respectful, I'll let you off the hook and allow you to underwrite the Lianghuai salt industry for the general merchant. You must remember that you can't be too greedy. Only by being cautious and conscientious will you not make mistakes!”
After teaching them a lesson, the frustration in his heart calmed down a little.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Zhen Yide kneeling on the ground and not daring to move." I'm going to the Zhen family to celebrate your old lady's birthday. I didn't expect you to welcome me here first." When you go back today, tell your master Zhen Yingjia that I will go and discuss it with him in a few days. I hope he can give me a satisfactory answer!”
Zhen Yide didn't expect Ning Jun to let him go. He hurriedly kowtowed."This servant will definitely report your highness 'words to my master.”
"Get lost!" Ning Jun was in an extremely bad mood.
With the old master and the old lady, the Zhen family was as stable as Mount Tai. If he wanted to touch them, he might be like a moth to the flame.
It was supposed to be a great victory, but now it was like a tiger with a tail and a tail. It was not good!
At this moment, Commander Ji hurriedly came in from outside." This is bad, Your Highness. Not only did Censor Lin confiscate Dong, Li, Yang, and Ma's families, but he's also going to wipe out their families!”
"What?" Ning Jun stood up and cursed,""This bastard who doesn't know politics!"
The seven people who had been in high spirits earlier were now crying in fright." Your Highness, help!”
Looking at their ugly state, Ning Jun's mood inexplicably improved. He smiled and said,"Alright, I'm here! He still couldn't turn the world upside down. I'll just tell them to stop. However, it's good to copy it. Let me open my eyes. How much property do you have?”
At this time, Lin Ruhai was in high spirits. Looking at the courtyard filled with silver boxes, he could not help but kneel to the north." Your Majesty, I can report back!"”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。