"Ouch!"
Lin Ruhai was shocked by what Jia Hui wrote in the letter.
King Zhongxin’s move can be said to be against the will of heaven, but he is going to be in bad luck!
He shook his head and sighed at King Zhongxin's lack of heart, but when he reacted, his eyes lit up and he looked at Lin Chong with bright eyes.
"General, what do you want the Governor to ask you to do this time?"
"Sir, it's exactly what you thought! The Grand Governor has ordered me to assist you in handling the matter of the salt merchants as soon as possible. When necessary, let my officers act as imperial envoys. Kill first and report later! The general should also write in the letter Understand this matter.”
After hearing what Lin Chong said, the excited Lin Ruhai quickly turned over several pages of letter paper and finally found this sentence on the last page of the letter.
"Any salt merchant who violates laws and disciplines and resists stubbornly can be killed!"
Below are the certifications of the three seals: "Seal of the Governor of Zuojun", "Seal of General Sima" and "Seal of Dunhuang County".
"Hahaha, finally, it's finally over! General, when do we take action?"
Lin Ruhai looked up to the sky and smiled, as if he wanted to vent all the unwillingness and frustration in his heart.
"Return to Mr. Lin now!"
. . . . . .
Under the horrified eyes of the defenders, more than a thousand elite cavalrymen rushed into the prosperous Yangzhou City as if they were in an uninhabited land.
Even though a carriage with a "Salt Patrol Censor Lin" flag mixed in among the team was a bit out of the ordinary, it also let the soldiers guarding the city know who was so bold as to send troops into the city. Before that, they had only been told by their superiors that a cavalry force of about a thousand people would enter the city directly. There was no need to panic or obstruct them, otherwise their death would be in vain.
Just maintain order at the city gate.
The officers knew more than the soldiers. The person Lin Chong sent to inform Lin Ruhai to leave the city had already visited the garrison office before going to the Lin Mansion.
Although Jia Hui only showed an arrogant and domineering character during his stay in Yangzhou, and did not have the demeanor of a famous general in a hundred battles, it is not important. His authority as the commander-in-chief of the left army alone made the Yangzhou military attachés breathless. What's more, Jia Hui still wears the title of imperial envoy. If he really wants to kill himself, he doesn't even need to report to the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion...
Do you report it yourself?
What else can be done, let it be whatever he says!
In the city, Lin Chong's troops did not act collectively, but dispersed, using the general flag as a unit to rush towards the targets that had been assigned long ago.
Fortunately, Yangzhou is wealthy and the roads are well built and spacious enough. The horses were not fast, but the people gave way in time.
If not, it will be troublesome if one or two more people are killed.
If an imperial envoy kills an official, that's official business, but if it accidentally leads to the death of a common person, it's a big trouble. It's clear that it's to give achievements to the censors.
Lin Ruhai did not separate from Lin Chong, but went to the home of Chairman Bai of the Yangzhou Salt Merchant Chamber of Commerce together.
For no other reason than to see what his expression looked like when he was caught.
"Open the door, open the door! The Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army is on an errand!"
What etiquette? There is no need to talk about this with criminals. The hundred households that Lin Chong led personally did not even wait for the concierge of the Bai family to react before he took down the two black-painted doors and rushed in like a weasel entering a henhouse. After entering, the Bai family was arrested by a group of soldiers wearing cotton armor and gathered in the front yard before they could figure out the situation.
"Let go, let me go! Do you know who I am!"
"Dad, dad, save me, dad!"
"Ahhh! Mother!"
Coincidentally, today is the birthday of a junior in the Bai family. This person is quite popular with President Bai. It is a rare opportunity to relax after more than two months of tension, so President Bai approved 20 taels of silver. Come celebrate this junior’s birthday.
As a result, none of the main members of the Bai family ran away, and they were all caught by Lin Chong's troops.
As for the junior himself, he was too drunk and tried to stop Lin Chong from arresting someone while carrying a wine bottle and was chopped into pieces.
He died at the age of 17, not one day too many, but one day too little.
President Bai was also caught red-handed. None of the secret rooms and secret passages prepared in advance were used. How could he spend a lot of money to quickly build a secret room where a lot of scattered silver and a large amount of banknotes were hidden?
"Master, spare your life, Master, spare your life! Is there any misunderstanding? I am from a well-known kind family in Yangzhou!" At this time, President Bai completely lost his usual shrewd appearance, and just kept looking at the court. Hundreds of households in front of them begged for mercy with their hands behind their backs.
"Hey, isn't this Brother Bai?" From a distance, a familiar voice reached President Bai's ears.
President Bai looked over quickly.
As if possessed by something, President Bai broke free from the restraints of the two people behind him and rushed towards Lin Ruhai.
But the two people behind him were not vegetarians. They were all elites who had participated in the Northern Expedition. Unexpectedly, someone broke free. The two of them pounced forward and threw President Bai to the ground. They pressed his head and pulled out the dagger, about to pick out President Bai's hand tendons and hamstrings.
Seeing this, Lin Ruhai stopped them.
"Brother Lin, Mr. Lin, Mr. Lin, Mr. Yushi! I know I'm wrong, I know I'm wrong! I deserve death for my crime, but how can I blame my old wife, children and grandchildren at home? They have no idea at all! I know I'm wrong! I beg you, Mr. Censor, please show your noble hand and let them have a way out!"
President Bai knew that it was useless to say anything now. His own strength was not enough to kill Commander Lin Chonglin who was standing silently next to Lin Ruhai.
It's better to beg for mercy, what if Lin Ruhai softens his heart?
"Oh? So they didn't know about it?" Lin Ruhai seemed to have just found out, looking at President Bai who was pinned to the ground in surprise.
"Yes, yes, they don't know anything about it. It's the little one who does it behind their backs and doesn't do their business. Really, Yu Shigong, you have to believe the little one!" Hearing Lin Ruhai's surprised expression With his tone, President Bai felt a glimmer of hope in his heart.
"Maybe it's a misunderstanding, but I have a question, and I would like President Bai to help me answer it. Don't worry, as long as President Bai answers to my satisfaction..."
"Even if you ask, Mr. Yu Shi, I will definitely tell you everything you know!" President Bai felt a little uneasy, but the life-saving straw was right in front of him, and he would not be reconciled if he didn't stretch out his hand to grab it!
At Lin Chong's signal, the two soldiers pressing on President Bai pulled him to his feet and forced him to kneel on the ground.
"President Bai, you said that your wife and children were innocent because they didn't know about it?"
"...Yes, after all, it won't bring harm to the wife and children, right?" President Bai answered cautiously.
"Oh, it's no harm to my wife and children. That's it. That's it!" Lin Ruhai nodded exaggeratedly as if he suddenly realized something.
"Yes, yes, no harm to my wife and children, no harm to my wife and children..." President Bai agreed with Lin Ruhai.
"If this is the case, then my wife and children are also unaware!"
Lin Ruhai took two steps forward and half-crouched in front of President Bai, and said to him quietly.
Ding!
President Bai's heart suddenly rose, and he was about to explain a few words, but Lin Ruhai didn't give him a chance.
"What's wrong with my son? You actually bribed my son to poison him!"
After saying that, Lin Ruhai didn't give him a chance to refute. He said something to Lin Chong and walked out.
"It's not like this, it's not like this, Mr. Yushi! Listen to my explanation! Come back! Mr. Yushi! Mr. Lin! Lin Hai, Lin Hai! Come back! Lin Hai, I curse you!!"
When President Bai saw Lin Ruhai leaving without looking back, he was completely desperate. He was about to curse at him, but the two soldiers who had been paying attention to him took some unknown cloth and stuffed it into his mouth...
After all, there are only a handful of salt merchants who dare to collude with the army for a long time, only eight or nine. Most salt merchants are still very cautious. They only colluded once or twice symbolically to make themselves appear more gregarious, and then never did it again.
After spending half of their family wealth and avoiding disaster, these wall-mounted salt merchants finally managed to survive the whole family.
The folks in Yangzhou had a great time watching the excitement today. The usually arrogant and extravagant salt merchants were locked up in prison cars like livestock. More than a dozen people in one car were surrounded by the general banners of Lin Chong's department around the city. Spin in circles. Anyone who dares to lower his head and go up will be whipped to remember it.
However, the women's families of the salt merchants were not paraded through the streets. Instead, they were transported to a separate courtyard in a prison car and given five days to be handed over to their parents' families to raise money to redeem them.
After five days, if you want to see them again, you have to go to the Jiaofang Division.
Even if it is for their own reputation, their natal family will sell everything they can to redeem their daughters. These people are pretty good, but the worst thing is those who are unlucky enough to encounter their husband's family being ruined. Even if I want to use my private money to redeem myself, I can't do it, because my private house has been confiscated along with my home, and even the jewelry I wear every day is included in the proceeds of the confiscation.
The way forward is already clear. In the Jiaofang Division, you can have fun with those dog officials who ruined your family and your life, or you can become the most despicable and humble actor you have ever seen, marry a man who is also an actor, or be raped by some dog man. The beginning was chaotic and the end was abandoned, and finally died alone in an unknown corner...
Some female relatives with strong personalities want to commit suicide, but how can the experienced embroidery guides who accompany the team be easy to deal with? Each and every one of them had been tied up with special techniques and stuffed in their mouths. They were unable to move and could only fall to the ground and cry muffledly.
It's not that they didn't want to run away, but unfortunately they had long been stared at by the wallflowers who wanted to take advantage of the crime. As soon as they ran out, they were blocked by several families in the street, and Lin Chong's troops came and hacked them to death in the street. A few, the rest became honest and were taken away...
The Salt Merchant Chamber of Commerce, which was regarded as arrogant by the Yangzhou elders, was completely destroyed by the army.
There may be some fish that slip through the net and are not in Yangzhou. After screening, they will be issued sea fishing documents. Countless knight-errant swordsmen who make a living by receiving bounties from the government will chase them to the sky and nowhere.
It won't be a problem if they hide away. Their family's property will be divided up. Without money, they won't be able to get in touch with each other in Luo.
The Yangzhou salt merchant incident will come to an end first. They will be escorted to Luoyang. The next time I see them will probably be at the execution ground in the autumn.
The new salt law has not yet been formulated, but it is coming soon. It will be promulgated throughout the country by the twelfth lunar month of this year at the latest.
Lin Ruhai had made a great contribution this time. Although Jia Hui's help was part of his contribution, the Lin family was almost destroyed because of this job.
He deserves the credit.
······
The entire Salt Patrol Yamen had lost all its previous solemnity today, and the first-class errands had been solved. The officials, big and small, who all had made great contributions, were happily preparing the banquet in the front yard with their own hands.
Today, Yu Shigong is in a good mood. He spent his own money to invite a top Huaiyang cuisine master to come to the Yamen to cook dishes. He also allowed him to bring his family over! How can we wait until we have a good relationship with Yu Shigong at this time?
In the main hall of the backyard, Lin Chong, as Jia Hui's confidant, was naturally treated as one of his own by Lin Ruhai and invited to sit in the backyard.
"Oops, it turns out that brother Chong's ancestral home is also Gusu?" Lin Ruhai looked at Lin Chong with surprise.
"Haha, I remember what Xiaguan's grandfather said when I was a kid. He said that Xiaguan's great-grandfather joined the army in Suzhou. After fighting for a lifetime, he didn't make any difference, so he simply naturalized in the Beijing camp..."
"Haha, Gusu joins the army and his surname is Lin, so we may really be from the same family! Don't call me a subordinate anymore. You can call me, me, whatever. You and I are similar in age, so you should call me Brother Hai. Come on! Brother Chong, do you still remember the name of your great-grandfather?"
"This...that official..."
"Um?"
"Of course I will remember it! My great-grandfather's name is the key..."
"Key? But the key to the key?"
"Exactly!"
"Haha, that's it, that's it! My great-grandfather's name is Zheng, and they are all from the golden generation. Come on, brother, come with me to see my mother. My mother must know something!"
Without waiting for Lin Chong's reply, Lin Ruhai, who was very interested, grabbed his wrist and walked towards the courtyard of the old lady Lin's house.
Although Lin Ruhai's family had little contact with his family in Gusu, Lin Ruhai was still excited to have a promising and close relative.
Lin Chong didn't know what to say about the sudden appearance of a relative, but everyone was here, what if they were really a family?
"Yao? Lin Yao, I remembered. In the early years, I heard my father-in-law mentioned that after your great-grandfather Hai Ge came to Qi, some members of the Lin family did follow Da Qi's army.
However, you and your great-grandfather are not in the same army. Brother Hai, your great-grandfather went to the south with old Ningguo, while Brother Chong’s great-grandfather and your third great-grandfather went to Shanxi with the thief of the Shi family. Last I heard, that The entire army has been wiped out, and there is no news about your great-grandfather anymore..."
"Exactly, exactly! My grandfather also told me that my great-grandfather crawled out of the dead in Baibi and followed others to hide in the south and east before returning to Luoyang!
By the way, my grandpa’s name is at the end of the character zou, and my dad’s name is at the end of the character for fire! "
"Yes, yes, my family is too!"
Lin Chong and Lin Ruhai stood up excitedly, facing each other, both facing each other!
"Hahaha, I didn't expect it. I didn't expect that today, not only did I defeat the salt merchant in a fight, but I also fought with brother Chong. You are really my family! You and I will have a good drink today and we won't come back until we get drunk. !”
"I think so too!"
Sorry for the long wait, this is the second update today.
In the afternoon, I put some eye drops and closed my eyes to rest. I accidentally fell asleep. It was already past four o'clock when I woke up...
(End of chapter)
