Under the leadership of Zheng Michang, Yan Maoqing and his party quickly arrived at the Chief Secretary's Yamen.
"My lord, please come this way."
Zheng Michang finished speaking respectfully and then led the way.
After arriving at the warehouse door, Zheng Michang took out the key from his arms and opened both large locks on the door, just like before.
"Go and get the booklet recording the salt tax from me!" After opening the door of the warehouse, Zheng Michang ordered the subordinates beside him.
"Yes, Chief Envoy!" After the subordinate responded, he quickly took out the account book recording the salt tax and handed it to Zheng Michang.
"Sir, here is the list of the salt tax paid by me in Zhejiang, totaling 1.26 million taels of silver! Take a look." Zheng Michang said, and handed the account book in his hand to Yan Maoqing on the side.
Yan Maoqing took the book and compared the money stored in the warehouse with the list in the account book. After confirming that it was correct, there was a smile on his face.
"Things turned out to be so smooth. It seems that it was a wise decision to put the first stop for collecting salt tax in Zhejiang! It's better to be on your own, there won't be so many twists and turns." Seeing that the salt tax in Zhejiang is going smoothly Collecting it, Yan Maoqing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this.
"Okay, this time the salt tax collection was so smooth, it all depends on Mr. Zheng's help!" Yan Maoqing handed the account book in his hand to the accompanying officials and said loudly.
"Where." Zheng Michang responded with a smile.
"Sir, we still have a lot of time now, why don't we go over and rest for a while? How many cups of tea can we drink?" After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he pointed to the hall aside and said.
"Well, very good, very good." Yan Maoqing said, and followed Zheng Mi Chang's pace.
Yan Maoqing understood that this was what Zheng Michang wanted to say to him, so he did not refuse. After ordering his subordinates to count the money again, he immediately followed Zheng Michang's footsteps.
"Mr. Yan Ge and the others sent you here this time, it must be more than just collecting the salt tax, right?" Zheng Mi Chang said, pouring himself and Yan Maoqing each a cup of tea.
"Try it, this is Shifeng Longjing, the first batch this year."
After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he did not look at Yan Maoqing, but continued to taste the tea by himself.
"Well, this tea is indeed good tea. I can't drink such good tea on the ship!" Yan Maoqing picked up the tea cup, took a sip and made a comment.
"I can't hear clearly what you just said. This time the imperial court sent me here just to collect the salt tax!" After Yan Maoqing heard Zheng Michang's words, his heart thumped, and he began to pretend to be dumbfounded.
"Okay, stop pretending. Mr. Yan Ge and the others sent you here to let you act as a vanguard to deal with those Qingliu officials, right?" Zheng Mi Chang put down the tea cup in his hand and said coldly.
"You...how do you know?" Yan Maoqing was thrown into confusion by Zheng Michang's words, and his face was no longer as calm as before.
"Here, take a look for yourself! This is the message that Mr. Yan Ge and the others gave me. You must do your best to cooperate with me when the time comes." After Zheng Michang said this, he gave Yan Maoqing the letter sent by Yan Song and the others in the morning. Watch.
After Yan Maoqing read the contents of the letter, he nodded and said: "Well, no problem, just tell me what you need me to do!"
"I need you to get rid of these people for me." Zheng Michang said, taking out a list from his arms and handing it to Yan Maoqing.
Yan Maoqing took a look at the list and found that most of the officials on the list had dirty information in their hands.
"Well, no problem." Yan Maoqing nodded, and then put the list away.
"Next, you accompany me to a place."
"where?"
"Hangzhou government office!"
…
At this time, the Hangzhou government office was already crowded with people who came to watch the excitement. Hai Rui was sitting alone in the court hall, with two rows of government officials holding killing sticks standing next to him, looking extremely powerful.
Seeing that the time was almost up, Hai Rui suddenly slapped his hand and said in a deep voice: "Bring the prisoner Wen Rong to me!"
"Yes, Lord Magistrate!" Seeing this, the Yamen servant on the side quickly escorted Wen Rong to the court.
At this time, Wen Rong, wearing ten kilograms of shackles on his feet, moved step by step to the courtroom under the escort of the jailer, and then knelt down with a 'plop'.
He was wearing a tattered prison uniform, his hair was disheveled, and his expression was dull. He had long lost the demeanor of the young master of the Wen family, and he was just like a walking corpse.
"Wen Rong, do you know that you are guilty of killing people in the street?"
Hai Rui slapped the gavel suddenly, startling Wen Rong.
"Sir...Sir, I didn't kill anyone, he did it himself!" Wen Rong was cowardly, repeating the words that he didn't even believe.
"Hmph, you are stubborn. Bring Zhang Shou's wife and old mother to me! I want them to confront each other on the spot." Seeing that Wen Rong still refused to let go, Hai Rui glanced at Wen Rong and sighed. vocal channel.
"Yes, Lord Magistrate!" The officer on the side quickly went down after accepting the order.
Soon, the wife and old mother of the deceased Zhang Shou were brought to the court.
"I have met the magistrate!" Zhang Shou's wife and mother immediately knelt down and saluted after being brought to the court by the Yamen servants.
"Well, please tell me what happened at that time." Hai Rui nodded and his tone softened.
"Sir, my husband makes a living by selling calligraphy and paintings. He is usually honest and has no conflicts with anyone. On that day..." After getting Hai Rui's permission, Zhang Shou's wife began to describe what happened. .
Zhang Shou's wife's voice was not loud, but it touched the heartstrings of everyone present. When she told the story of Wen Rong's murder on the street and their subsequent encounters, everyone present felt an unknown fire rising from their hearts!
Some even had a bad temper, clenching their fists and breathing rapidly, wanting to rush in and teach the young master of the Wen family a lesson.
"Well, you go down." After Zhang Shou's wife and old mother finished describing the case, Hai Rui asked them to go down.
"Here is the report made by the man. It clearly states the cause of death of the deceased, the murder weapon, etc. In addition, here are the testimonies of other people at the scene. There are both witnesses and physical evidence! Wen Rong, do you still want to deny it?" Hai Rui said, his eyes fixed on Wen Rong who was kneeling on the ground.
Wen Rong was shocked by Hai Rui's aura and subconsciously said, "I agree..."
At this moment, there was a burst of noise from outside the government office, and the crowd who gathered outside the government office to watch the excitement automatically made way.
"Hai Rui, I am Guo Bin, a doctor in the Zhejiang Qing Dynasty. Someone found a large amount of gold and silver treasures from your home, as much as 50,000 taels! Please come with me."
As soon as this news came out, the surrounding people started talking a lot.
"Hmph, Xiaguan is just a small county magistrate. Why would someone rush to send 50,000 taels of silver to Xiaguan?" Hai Rui stood up from his chair, turned his eyes to the visitor, and retorted.
"Hmph, you dare to quibble when you are about to die. Come here, take this Hai Rui away to me!" Guo Bin waved his hand suddenly. Seeing this, the guards behind him immediately rushed into the government office and controlled Hai Rui. .
"Hai Rui, you accepted 50,000 taels of silver from a competitor of the Wen family to frame Wen Rong, the young master of the Wen family. You are really cruel! Now I declare that the previous judgment is invalid."
"Take this Hai Rui away to me!"
"Let's see who dares!"
(End of chapter)
