"How long will it take to reach Zhejiang?"
Yan Maoqing came out of the cabin, looked at the scenery on both sides of the river, and asked the sailors on the ship.
"Sir, we will arrive in Zhejiang tomorrow."
When the sailor saw Yan Maoqing's question, he quickly stopped what he was doing and responded hurriedly.
"Well, go and do your work."
After Yan Maoqing got the answer he wanted, he let the sailor leave.
"Sir, are you worried about something?"
At this moment, Yan Maoqing's personal bodyguard saw this and stepped forward to ask.
"Well, I don't know why lately. The closer I get to Zhejiang, the more I feel a palpitation in my heart! It seems like something big is going to happen somewhere." After Yan Maoqing finished speaking, he sighed helplessly.
"Sir, there is no need to worry. Zhejiang has always been a tax-rich area for the imperial court. What's more, Hu Zongxian, the governor of Zhejiang Province, is also a student of Mr. Yan Ge! There will be no problems in both emotions and reasons." The personal guard saw that Yan Maoqing was a little depressed and said He spoke comfortingly.
"How many years have you been with me?" Yan Maoqing asked as he looked his personal bodyguard up and down.
"Sir, it has been five years!"
"Time flies so fast. Five years have passed in the blink of an eye. Let's go in and have a drink with me."
"As you command, my lord."
…
Zhejiang, Zhejiang Governor's Mansion.
After Hai Rui came out of prison, he hurried to the Governor's Mansion to meet Zheng Michang.
"What happened? Are you in such a hurry?" Zheng Michang said, picking up the tea cup on the side and drinking all the tea in the cup.
"Report to the Chief Envoy, I want to hear the case openly!" After hearing Zheng Michang's question, Hai Rui responded with neither humility nor arrogance.
"What? You want this case to be heard publicly!" Zheng Mi Chang was so shocked by what Hai Rui said that he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.
After Zheng Mi Chang held the tea cup firmly again, he confirmed to Hai Rui: "Do you really want to do this? This will lead to a fight to the death!"
"I'm reporting to the Chief Envoy, I really want to do this. I want to bring the criminal to justice and give justice to the deceased!" Hai Rui looked directly into Zheng Michang's eyes and spoke word by word. .
"Well, I don't object to you doing this, but it's just not possible now. You have to wait for a while." Zheng Michang shook his head and did not raise many objections to Hai Rui's idea.
"Why?" Hai Rui asked, puzzled by Zheng Michang's reaction.
"Because now is not the time. I am still waiting for the news from above. When the exact news comes from above, we will be able to get more support. By then, all problems will be non-problems! Do you understand?" Zheng Michang looked at Hai Rui's doubts were cleared up and he patiently explained.
"How long will it take at the earliest?"
"According to the previous speed, at the fastest possible rate, we will be able to get a definite answer early tomorrow morning."
At this moment, a guard came to report outside the hall.
"Sir, the butler of the Wen family wants to see you."
"Let him come in." Zheng Michang and Hai Rui looked at each other, sensing something inexplicable in each other's eyes.
After a while, several servants followed the footsteps of the Wen family's butler and entered the meeting hall of the Governor's Mansion. The servants also carried two large wooden boxes.
As soon as he entered the hall, the housekeeper knelt down and saluted first. His words were full of respect: "I have met the chief envoy and the magistrate!"
"Well, get up. What's wrong with you coming to see me so late?" Zheng Michang raised his eyebrows and asked knowingly.
"Sir, this..." The housekeeper looked at Hai Rui aside with a confused look on his face.
"It doesn't matter. He is one of our own. If you have anything to say, just say it." Zheng Michang waved his hand and motioned for the housekeeper to continue.
After hesitating for a moment, the housekeeper finally chose to speak: "Mr. Chief Minister, it's like this. You may have had some misunderstandings with our Wen family recently!"
"In order to eliminate these misunderstandings, the master specially asked me to send you fifty thousand taels of silver. At the same time, as an apology, I will give you an additional 20% share in the future."
After the butler finished speaking, he called the servants behind him and carried the two large wooden boxes to Zheng Michang.
"Hahaha, okay! Okay! Are you going to use these things to test me?"
After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he laughed loudly, then stood up from his seat, opened two large wooden boxes, and saw that the wooden boxes were filled with silver ingots, the quality of which was better than the five thousand taels sent before. Nothing less.
"Last time it was five thousand taels, this time it's fifty thousand taels, so next time it will be five thousand taels?" Zheng Michang said, picking up a silver ingot from the wooden box and playing with it carefully.
"Sir, look..."
When the housekeeper saw Zheng Michang accepting the money, he breathed a sigh of relief, and then paused for a moment to make a point.
"Well, that's right. Since your Wen family has given me such a generous gift, I should also give you a gift in return!"
After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he put the silver ingots in his hands back into the wooden box, then clapped his hands, and a guard brought up a tray covered with red cloth.
"This...this is!" The housekeeper recognized at a glance that it was the one he had sent to the Governor's Mansion before, and at the same time, an ominous premonition flashed through his heart.
Zheng Michang chuckled lightly and said, "You brought these five thousand taels of silver to me. I will return them to the original owner now. I hope you will go back and give your master a message!"
As Zheng Michang spoke, his tone became serious.
"Sir, if you want to tell me anything, just tell me." At this time, the housekeeper had realized the seriousness of the matter, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Go back and tell Wen Pingyi that this matter is over!" Zheng Michang said word by word as he looked at the housekeeper who was kneeling on the ground.
"Yes, thank you, sir. I will tell you what you have to say!" After the housekeeper said this, he quickly kowtowed on the ground to apologize.
"Well, you can go and take these things with you."
After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he sat back down and pointed at the two large wooden boxes on the ground and gave instructions.
"Yes, yes, why are you still standing there? Why don't you hurry up and take action!"
After the butler got up from the ground, he called his servants to start taking action.
After collecting the silver, the housekeeper left the Governor's Mansion with his servants in dejection.
After the butler left, Zheng Michang turned his eyes to Hai Rui and said softly: "Hai Rui, do you think the next time it will be 500,000 taels?"
Hai Rui was stunned when he heard Zheng Michang's question, and then replied: "No, Chief Envoy, I guess there will be no next time!"
…
In the Wen family, Wen Pingyi was pacing anxiously in the room, with a look of impatience on his face.
"What a waste. It's been so long and I still haven't finished the matter!"
Just when Wen Pingyi was complaining, the butler's voice came from outside the house: "Master, master, it's not good!"
When Wen Pingyi heard this, his heart skipped a beat and he thought, "What happened again?"
At this moment, the housekeeper came to Wen Pingyi and said breathlessly: "Old... Master, it's not good. All the money we sent was returned by the Chief Envoy."
"The Chief Envoy also asked me to bring you... a message."
"What's the message?"
"He...he said that this matter is not over!"
"What!"
(End of chapter)
