In the Imperial Guards 'yamen.
Jiang Meng arranged the Jinyiwei to carry out various tasks. He was so busy that his feet didn't touch the ground. After a while, he finally got some free time and walked into a secret room with a pile of official documents.
In the secret chamber, Zhu Xu sat cross-legged on his bed. He was focused on meditation.
Jiang Meng looked at Zhu Xu, feeling helpless and envious.
It was not that Zhu Xu did not care, but he was too capable.
Zhu Xu found out a lot of information that Jiang Qiong hadn't noticed before.
Then Jiang Meng naturally had a lot of work to do.
No matter how many official documents he placed in front of Zhu Xu, Zhu Xu would deal with them in a very short time and then meditate.
This kind of skill, Jiang Qiong couldn't learn it.
"Supreme Commander, the information on the various grain merchants in Ying Tian Prefecture, as well as the fluctuations in grain prices in Ying Tian Prefecture over the past few years, are all here.”
"Yes."
Zhu Xu opened his eyes, picked up a document, and read it carefully.
Jiang Meng stood respectfully at the side, waiting for Zhu Xu's orders.
Soon, Zhu Xu finished reading the official documents.
"Strange, how can these grain merchants be so rich? Jiang Meng, how much does a house in Ying Tian Prefecture cost?”
"Your Highness, to buy a house in the Ying Tian Prefecture, you need at least a hundred silver!”
Yingtian Prefecture is the capital of Ming Dynasty.
The population now reached hundreds of thousands.
The price of land had long been sky-high!
The hundred taels of silver that Jiang Meng said could only buy a small courtyard in a remote corner.
If it was a house near the Imperial City, it was not something that could be bought with money.
"Tsk, each of these grain merchants has several manors in the Ying Tian Prefecture, and they are all in prosperous areas. Each merchant has thousands of servants. This is not something that can be earned just by selling grain.”
"Jiang Fou, these grain merchants don't only deal in grain, right?”
Zhu Xu pointed at a few official documents and said," There are always two months every year when several grain merchants purchase a large amount of porcelain and silk. Where did all these things go?"”
"This…"
"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Jiang Meng asked with a frown.”
"Bring people to investigate and find out if these grain merchants are related to sea merchants!”
"This, Your Highness, His Majesty has long sealed the sea. Those sea merchants can only collect some fish now. What does it have to do with these grain merchants?”
Jiang Qiong asked in confusion.
Zhu Yuanzhang had already banned the sea for various reasons.
"Ha, Imperial Father has banned the sea for more than ten years, but the markets in all parts of the Ming Dynasty always have spices and other Western specialties.”
"This…"
After being reminded by Zhu Xu, Jiang Meng seemed to have thought of something and said,""Your Highness, do you mean that there are merchants who have gone out to sea without permission? The grain merchants of Ying Tian Prefecture colluded with these merchants?”
"Go and investigate. It's too early to make a conclusion.”
Zhu Xu pushed a few documents to Jiang Meng and continued to meditate.
Seeing Zhu Xu meditate, Jiang Meng didn't ask any more questions and left with the document.
Six hours later.
Cold sweat broke out on Jiang Meng's forehead as he rushed into the secret room with a pile of documents in his arms.
"Your Highness, we found out!"
"Yes."
Zhu Xu opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Meng, who was covered in cold sweat, and said,""How is it?"
"All the grain merchants in Yingtian Prefecture have connections with the sea merchants, and some of them are relatives of the sea merchants!”
"These thieves are indeed colluding!" Jiang Meng's face darkened.!”
"Note down the names of these grain merchants and sea merchants, and check if these merchants have any connections with officials.”
Zhu Xu said indifferently.
Merchants chase after profits!
However, it was also easier for merchants to befriend dignitaries.
Zhu Xu didn't believe that a businessman who dared to violate Zhu Yuanzhang's ban didn't have a good relationship with the imperial court.
When everything was investigated.
Zhu Xu would report it to Zhu Yuanzhang.
As the Supreme Commander of the Brocade Guard.
Zhu Xu had accepted Zhu Yuanzhang's order, so he had to do something serious.
He believed that as long as he performed well enough, Zhu Yuanzhang would let him go to the vassal state soon.
..............
Yangxin Palace Hall.
Zhu Yuanzhang finished reading the memorials energetically and realized that it was not even dusk yet.
"This chicken raised by Fifteen is really nourishing.”
Zhu Yuanzhang exclaimed.
After eating a chicken at Zhu Xu's place, Zhu Yuanzhang felt as if he had become a few years younger. His entire body was filled with energy!
"Have the two chickens from Fifteen arrived?”
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked.
"Your Majesty, the fifteenth prince's chicken has been sent over. Not only is it a male and female, but he also sent over two palace maids. He said that as long as these two palace maids are around, the chicken will not peck people.”
"Yes!"
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said,"Let the agricultural officials take good care of these two chickens. In the future, they will reproduce more!"”
Zhu Xu only had about 60 chickens in his courtyard. Since he had to eat chicken every day, Zhu Yuanzhang naturally didn't want more.
If he wanted to train these chickens into a new army, he would have to breed more first.
"Yes!"
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately said,"Oh right, how is Little Fifteen doing in the Jinyiwei Yamen?"”
"Your Majesty, Jiang He just sent someone to say that His Highness the Fifteenth Prince is currently investigating the grain merchants in the Ying Tian Prefecture.”
" Huh?!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with a bright light as he said,"Fifteen, did you find something?"
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Fifteenth Prince discovered that the grain merchants would purchase large amounts of silk, tea, and porcelain every year. He suspects that they are colluding with the sea merchants.”
"Silk, porcelain, tea leaves, sea merchants?”
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly thought of Zhu Gaochi, who had died for no reason during the deduction. If there were really profiteers who secretly went to sea, then going to the West would definitely damage the interests of these profiteers.
The force that poisoned Zhu Gaochi in the deduction might be related to these profiteers!
"When Fifteen finds out the results, tell him to report it to me immediately!”
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately became serious.
It could poison the emperor to death.
This force was definitely quite powerful!
Moreover, it also seriously threatened the Great Ming Dynasty!
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little amazed. This Zhu Xu had just become the Supreme Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and he had already found out such a big thing.
This keen insight,
Even Zhu Yuanzhang sighed.
That night.
Jiang Meng brought the memorial written by Zhu Xu and entered Yangxin Palace Hall.
When Zhu Yuanzhang opened the memorial, a complicated network of relationships was clearly revealed in front of him.
Zhu Xu marked out all the relationships in the form of connecting lines and cutting hair.
With a little explanation, Zhu Yuanzhang completely understood.
"Alright, alright!"
"The profiteers in the city are not only colluding with the sea merchants, but they are also in contact with the Japanese?!”
"These people bought boats on the island and disguised themselves as a Japanese fleet, but they brought my tea leaves, porcelain, and silk to the West!”
"No wonder the Embroidered Uniform Guards couldn't find out!!”
"How dare these people? How dare they?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's rage was instantly filled.
"Your Majesty, the Fifteenth Prince also said that these merchants seem to be colluding with many officials in the court. However, the main thing is still done by these merchants. The officials only provide some convenience for doing business. Moreover, the profits of going to the West are too great. Even if we deal with these merchants and officials, it won't be long before this kind of thing will resurface.”
Jiang Meng stepped forward and said.
"Then what does Little Fifteen mean?"
"Your Majesty, the Fifteenth Prince only asked me to tell you these words. As for the other matters, I will leave them to Your Majesty Qian Gang.”
“..........。”
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]