The next day, the salt inspector Yamen from the gate to the place where the spirit stopped all the way white flags. Jia Min and Dai Yu cried until they fainted several times, so Ning Jun had to let Ke Qing take care of them.
The Lin family wasn't prosperous, and their descendants were limited. Although they had a few families, they were only a branch family like Lin Ruhai, and there weren't any direct descendants. Thus, Ning Jun personally organized Lin Ruhai's funeral. On one hand, he ordered to invite Taoist priests to choose a day to stop the spirit and start the funeral. On the other hand, he stopped the spirit for forty-nine days. He invited a hundred and eight Zen monks to worship in the hall and repent. They would release the souls of the dead and the dead to avoid the sins of the dead. In addition, he set up an altar in the back hall, which was filled with ninety-nine Taoist priests of Quanzhen. They would perform a forty-nine-day injustice cleansing ceremony. Then, in front of the spirit, the other fifty eminent monks and fifty high priests did good deeds to the altar according to seven.
Yangzhou and even Huaiyang Jinling Province heard that Ning Jun personally presided over the funeral ceremony, big and small officials, relatives and friends far and near, all paid tribute to mourn. Instead, it was the Gusu Clan that arrived late. Ning Jun couldn't be bothered with them and just let Wang Changshi casually send them off.
Back in the Taiji Palace's Linjing Hall, the Emperor received reports from Ning Jun and Lin Ruhai at the same time. The Yangzhou Pacification Department, Salt Transportation Department, and even the entire military town had been purged. Four salt merchants were raided, and more than ten million taels of salt were recovered. At the same time, they resold their nest egg and obtained 27 million taels of silver. This unexpected wealth of nearly 20 million taels of silver made the Emperor ecstatic!
The Emperor, who was usually calm and composed, laughed three times in the warm pavilion.
He really had reason to be happy. Not only was it silver, but this old fellow, Uncle Guangtong, had also pulled out an underground Ministry of Revenue in the Divine Capital! These people were always disrespectful because of the filial piety of Lianghuai? Now that I've wiped them out, let's see if you still dare to glare at me? You still dare to disobey me in front of me? As for the Retired Emperor? The Emperor sneered and hid himself in the darkness. His similarly pitch-black eyes looked at the Great Ming Palace.
At this moment, Xia Shouzhong held the brocade box." Emperor, the report from the Embroidered Guards has arrived.”He bowed and placed the brocade box on the imperial table before retreating and closing the door.
The Emperor took out a key from his waist and opened the brocade box, taking out a memorial.
The report said that King Zhongshun had seized tens of millions of taels of silver by counting and looting property. There were also local salt merchants in Yangzhou who paid tribute to him, including gold beads and thin horses. The amount and value of the money were immeasurable.
The Emperor's face darkened as he read the memorial three times." Millions? Then let's take it as one million! This younger brother of mine is really like a wild goose plucking feathers, a thief does not come empty-handed!”
He tore up the memorial and burned it on the candle.”It was better to be greedy for money than for power! If you are not greedy, what should I reward you with?”
The Emperor smiled, but his smile was so cold.
At the same time, in the Yanying Hall of the Great Ming Palace, the Retired Emperor had also received the news from Yangzhou.
The Retired Emperor smiled slightly and said to the Empress Dowager and Yuan Chun, who was speaking to him,""King Zhongshun has done a great thing this time!”
"What great things can he do?" the Empress Dowager asked. It's already Amitabha for not causing trouble for me!”
Yuan Chun heard them talking about Ning Jun and listened carefully.
The Retired Emperor smiled faintly." Ning Jun, this kid, it's fine if he doesn't make a move. But once he does, he shakes the world." A few days ago, he had taken down all the civil and military officials in Yangzhou and forcefully raided the salt merchants, recovering nearly 20 million taels of salt! I really misjudged him!"
The Empress Dowager looked at the Retired Emperor in shock." This was done by Brother Jun?”
The Retired Emperor laughed loudly." Zhen knows. They are all good sons that you gave birth to.”He stood up and slowly walked out of Yanying Hall.
The empress dowager looked worriedly at Retired Emperor's back and said to Yuan Chun,""Child, you need to tell Brother Jun about this…No, it's too late!”She shook her head and smiled bitterly.”
"Mother, isn't his highness being too rash?”Yuan Chun had been in the palace for a long time, so there was no need to elaborate on the entanglements.
The empress dowager took her hand and smiled.""It's fine. This kind of thing will happen sooner or later. It's just that I didn't expect Brother Jun to have such ability.”His expression was no longer as flustered as before.
Yuan Chun was worried that Ning Jun would interfere in the royal family's disputes from now on, and there would be no peaceful days in the future, so he could not help but be worried.
The empress dowager saw through her worry."Child, you can't hide things from your face. Brother Jun was born in the royal family, and these were all common meals. He had spent thousands of years like this. In the past, I was afraid that Brother Jun only knew how to eat, drink, and play. Now that he has made a name for himself, as his mother, I am very pleased!”
Yuan Chun looked in the direction Retired Emperor left," But…"
The Empress Dowager shook her head." There's still a banquet in the Immortal Residence Hall today. I still have to catch up with the Retired Emperor, so I won't keep you." Go back and help Brother Jun take care of the house. You don't have to worry about anything else."
Yuan Chun left the Imperial Palace with a heavy heart and returned to the wangfu. He tossed and turned in bed and carefully wrote the situation in Yanying Hall into a letter to his family and sent it to the wangfu's guard to send it to Ning Jun.
However, she was completely straightforward and only said how the Retired Emperor was. She did not say anything else to prevent the Royal Guards from investigating.
The Divine Capital was peaceful for a few more days. On Rong Ning Street, a blue-clothed manservant of the Rong Mansion was carrying a bundle and collapsed in front of the Rong Mansion's main gate.
The manservant on duty immediately helped him up." Isn't this Manager Lai's nephew, Lai Qing, who went to the south? Why did you come back alone?"
"Quick, I want to see the master!" Lai Qing panted. Something happened!"
When everyone heard that something was wrong, they did not dare to be negligent. A few people carried him through the east corner gate and entered a black oil gate, which was Jia She's courtyard.
In the main room, Jia She came out of Jiao Hong's room and yawned." What's the matter?”
Lai Qing knelt on the ground and kowtowed." Master, something happened to the goods from Jiangnan!”
"What?" Jia She immediately sobered up." What happened? Did it float away in the wind or was it seized? Tell me!" He slammed the table heavily.
Jia Lian had also rushed over when he heard the news. He was already trembling with fear. His father had warned him not to make any mistakes, but who knew that something would really happen!
Lai Qing panted.
Jia She couldn't wait any longer. He stepped forward and gave a heavy kick, scolding,""You good-for-nothing, tell me quickly!"
Jia Lian quickly supported him." Father, don't be anxious. Let him speak."”
Lai Qing said,"First Master, Second Master Lian, when our ship reached Gan Tang Chao Pass in the north of Yangzhou, it was detained by the salt inspector."”
"Isn't the salt inspector Ruhai?" Jia She frowned.”He then pinched his beard and laughed." You're such a beast. To think that you're still a son of the family. You don't even know our grandaunt?" It's fine. I'll write a letter and ask him to let me go!”
Even Jia Lian laughed and said,"I thought it was something big and scared us." If it wasn't for Granny Lai's sake, I would have beaten you thirty times!”
Jia She took a sip of tea." Go down! You haven't seen the world!"
Lai Qing didn't leave. He hit the floor heavily and cried,""First Master, Second Master Lian, how could this lowly one not recognize the grandaunt in our residence? Even if I sink the entire ship, I have nothing to say. The big thing I'm talking about isn't the goods.”
Jia She put down his teacup." What's the big deal?”
Lai Qing lay on the ground." Originally, Grand Aunt wanted to arrest the boat. The people in our residence didn't pay attention to it. We knew that Grand Aunt wouldn't make things difficult for us, so we got off the boat obediently." He didn't expect that at this moment, those people holding the ship would actually pull out their weapons to kill the grandaunt.”
"What did you say?" Jia She and Jia Lian shouted at the same time. How's uncle Ruhai?"
"I was buying things on the shore when I saw someone on the boat stab a knife into my grandaunt's body," Lai Qing cried. The soldiers immediately arrested them and took them to prison. Only the younger one escaped. I didn't dare to go back first. I wanted to inquire about the old master's injury, but the yamen was tightly guarded. I couldn't do anything. In the afternoon, he heard that King Zhongshun had come to pick up the grandaunt and bring her back to Yangzhou. The little one then returned to Yangzhou, feeling that he had no face to ask for an audience with Lady Gu. After three days, the salt inspector yamen was filled with wails and white banners. The grandaunt was dead! I didn't dare to stay and immediately ran back to report to the Grand Master.”
Jia She didn't react for a long time and said in a trembling voice,""You're saying that our family assassinated Ru Hai?”
Lai Qing kowtowed and said,"Yes, Old Master, they are our people."”
Jia She instantly slumped onto his seat. How could this be? How could this be?
Jia Lian felt that this matter was too surreal. He stepped forward and grabbed Lai Qing's collar, angrily saying,"If you lie, I will skin you alive!”
Lai Qing hurriedly said,"Second Master Lian, if I lie, you will tear me into pieces!"”
Jia She stood up and paced back and forth in the hall. Suddenly, he stopped and asked,""Our own people have already disembarked from the ship. It was someone else who assassinated Ruhai, so it has nothing to do with us, right?”He stared at Lai Qing fiercely.
"But we've been hiring those people for years…" Lai Qing trembled in fear.
"Shut up!" Jia She slapped him ferociously." Listen, no matter who asks you about it in the future, you must tell them that those people have nothing to do with the Rong Mansion. Otherwise, I will sink your entire family into the river!"”
Lai Qing hurriedly nodded." Those people are only the workers of the transport ships. They don't know us.”
Jia Lian whispered,"Father, although it's fine if we're on the same side, those murderers will inevitably climb up and bite us."”
Jia She calmed down. The salt inspector was an imperial envoy. Assassinating him was equivalent to slapping the Emperor in the face. He would definitely be severely punished! How could he let Rong Mansion pass?
In the main hall, the father and son broke out in cold sweat. No matter what, they had to clear their relationship! This concerned the life and death of Rong Mansion!
"Why don't you get someone to kill those murderers?" Jia Lian asked.”
"Foolish!" "Do you think everyone in the world is as stupid as you?" Jia She shouted.”
Jia Lian endured Jia She's thunderous anger. After Jia She finished scolding, he advised,"Why don't Father go find the Prince of Nan 'an and think of a way?”
Jia She was instantly enlightened and said with a smile,""A few days ago, when I went to visit His Highness, he even told me about the matter in Yangzhou. Someone must be using us to take revenge on the emperor! As long as we…hehe! Muddle the water, the more muddy the better!"
Jia Lian didn't seem to understand. In short, he refused to admit it even if he was beaten to death. It must be someone else!
Jia She figured this out and immediately said,""I'll go to Nan 'an Prince's Mansion now. You go to Beijing Prince's Mansion. You must tell Water Duke what I just said. Those people with ulterior motives are using us to take revenge! Then, he cried out that he was wronged. Ruhai was our family's closest relative. How could we be the ones to assassinate him? It's impossible!"
Jia Lian repeated in his heart.
In front of the family, what was this little bit of kinship?
He could only apologize to his uncle. Although you died because of us, we can't admit it.
Just as Jia She and Jia Lian were leaving, the news of Lin Ruhai's assassination quickly reached the ears of Grandmother Jia, Jia Zheng, and Jia Zhen.
Of course, the news they received was that Lin Ruhai was assassinated by bandits when he was inspecting illegal salt. It had nothing to do with the Rong Mansion.
Grandmother Jia wept bitterly in Rong Qing Hall." My poor daughter!”After a while, she immediately ordered people to bring Jia Min and her daughter back to the Divine Capital.
Jia Zheng advised," Mother, the most important thing now is to send people to Yangzhou to help my sister with her funeral. She's just a woman, and the Lin family doesn't have many people. It's really difficult."”
"Yes!" Grandmother Jia repeatedly ordered people to call Jia Lian!
Sister Feng hurriedly replied," I just went to the Northern Calm Imperial Residence to report. The moment he returned, he immediately came to the old lady."”
"Why isn't he back yet?" Grandmother Jia asked anxiously, clutching her chest. "Let the servant go and call him. He doesn't have to come to see me. Let him go to Yangzhou immediately. Immediately!" Brother Feng, you should immediately make a move and send more people with what you have at home. You can't let Min 'er feel wronged! Tell Brother Lian that he must bring his aunt and cousin back. He didn't want the few run-down houses in Gusu and let them fight over them. I just want Min Er and her daughter to come back safely. Did you hear that?!" She shouted sternly.
Not only Phoenix Sister, but also Lady Xing, Lady Wang, Li Wan, and You Shi, who had arrived, could not sit still and stood up to listen.
Lady Wang turned to Sister Feng and said,"Everything that can be used for the funeral has been prepared. For Master Lin's funeral, we'll use our men and servants."”
Sister Feng thought for a moment and advised," Old Lady, Madam, according to my granddaughter-in-law's opinion, why don't you bring more money? The funeral house will be used to buy local items. Only those special things can be brought from our house." It's convenient and won't delay things!"
Grandmother Jia nodded, her tears still wet." Yes, you've thought it through! Why isn't Brother Lian back yet?"
"Are you all deaf or blind?" Sister Feng walked to the door and scolded. Send someone to the Northern Calm Imperial Residence to invite Second Master Lian back! Hurry up and go!"
Let's not talk about the Rongguo Mansion. At this time, in the Yamen of Yangzhou's salt inspector.
In front of the coffin, Ning Jun supported the weak and weak Daiyu." Yu 'er!”He took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. However, he could not dry it no matter how hard he tried.
Daiyu's voice was so hoarse that she could not speak." Brother, I don't have a father anymore!”
Ning Jun's heart was about to break when he heard that. He gently hugged her." You still have your mother, you still have me, and you still have many people who care about you.”
"Dad…" Daiyu repeated the name a few times before falling into Ning Jun's arms.
She was too tired and sad.
Jia Min rubbed her forehead and suddenly coughed.
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, which was also covered in bright red.
Ning Jun turned pale with fright and quickly hugged the tottering Jia Min." Keqing! Ke Qing!"
However, Qing had gone to take care of the funeral. When she heard Ning Jun's call, she rushed over and saw that the mother and daughter had fainted.
"Husband, it's been hard on you!" she said with heartache.”
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。