Seeing that Zhao Zhenji, the imperial envoy, knew about the expulsion of the salt merchants, Hu Zongxian was relieved, turned his eyes to Zheng Michang aside, and continued to ask.
"By the way, have you found any clues from it?"
"Is there someone behind this?"
Zheng Michang on the side saw Hu Zongxian asking questions and did not dare to hesitate at all, so he responded quickly.
"Report to the Governor, right now, the subordinates are interrogating them intensively!"
"I guess there will be results soon."
After listening to Zheng Michang's report, Hu Zongxian nodded and continued.
"Well, that's right. During the period when I left, you handled all the affairs in the Governor's Mansion quite well! There were no major mistakes."
"No, no, how dare I disobey the Governor's orders?"
"Not to mention dealing with these matters, even if you let me go to Daoshan..."
Before Zheng Michang finished speaking, he was impatiently interrupted by Hu Zongxian.
"Okay, okay, no need to say any more unnecessary words, that's it!"
At this moment, Zhao Zhenji turned his gaze to Hu Zongxian and asked.
"What is the situation in Jiangxi? Is it consistent with what Jiangxi Governor Cao Shunhe described in his previous letter?"
When everyone present saw this, they held their breath and did not dare to speak, for fear of missing any words.
Hu Zongxian sighed helplessly and said slowly.
"The situation in Jiangxi is much more severe than what Cao Shunhe described in his letter!"
"When I led the army to Nanchang Mansion, I discovered that the city had fallen into riots! And the price of local salt had increased from the usual six or seven cents per catty to twenty cents per catty."
"What, the price of salt has actually risen to twenty cents a pound!"
Hu Zongxian's words shocked everyone present.
"Sir Governor, since the price of salt in the city has risen to such an extent, haven't the local officials done anything?"
After listening to Hu Zongxian's description, Gao Hanwen suddenly stood up from his seat, with an indignant look on his face.
Hu Zongxian just shook his head slightly and responded.
"Before this, Cao Shunhe, the governor of Jiangxi, had been ousted by his subordinates, and his orders could not get out of the government office at all."
"Besides, most of the officials in the government have accepted money from those salt merchants. How can they do anything?"
"These guys wish that the price of salt could be higher, so that they can benefit more from it!"
Hu Zongxian sneered and immediately answered Gao Hanwen's doubts.
"Teacher, how did you deal with these salt merchants?"
Ma Ningjian on the side also asked after seeing the situation.
Hu Zongxian didn't worry about what Ma Ningyuan called him. Instead, he took a sip from the teacup on the side before continuing.
"It's very simple, just one word, kill!"
"Kill them until they are terrified and kill them until they kneel down and beg for mercy!"
After hearing Hu Zongxian's murderous words, everyone present seemed to feel a different kind of chilling atmosphere from him, and they couldn't help but sit up straight.
"By the way, do you know how much money I didn't get from the salt merchants' homes?"
Hu Zongxian became interested as he spoke, then raised his eyebrows, looked around, and asked.
"My Lord Governor, according to my guess, it should be at least 20 million taels!"
He Maocai on the side heard what Hu Zongxian said, and after thinking for a long time, he gave his own answer.
"No, no."
After hearing the answer given by He Maocai, Hu Zongxian shook his head slightly.
"Then...it can't be thirty million taels!"
Gao Hanwen on the side saw this and immediately said anxiously.
"Still not right."
Hu Zongxian shook his head and said slowly as before.
Next, everyone guessed a few more numbers, but none of them were correct. In the end, Hu Zongxian sighed and chose to reveal the correct answer.
"On this trip, I confiscated a total of fifty million taels of silver from those salt merchants!"
"What? Fifty million taels!"
When everyone present heard this exact number from Hu Zongxian's mouth, they couldn't help but take a breath while sighing at the wealth of the salt merchants.
"This is a total of 50 million taels. You must know that last year, the Ming Dynasty's taxes totaled only more than 30 million taels!"
"Hmph, it turns out that all the wealth of our Ming Dynasty has flowed into the hands of these people."
Gao Hanwen was quite upset after learning this specific number.
"Don't worry, the imperial court has already taken corresponding measures. It has officially abolished the salt introduction system and replaced it with the maritime trade department's sea voyage certificate!"
"Only after completing fifty missions assigned by the imperial court can you obtain a complete sea voyage certificate."
Seeing this, Hu Zongxian withdrew his gaze and then comforted him.
Hu Zongxian saw that he already understood almost everything he should know, and then coughed twice, attracting everyone's attention to himself, and said calmly.
"Okay, let's do this for today. I have some things to deal with later!"
Seeing this, everyone stood up from their seats and saluted him respectfully.
"Your Majesty the Governor, I will take my leave!"
"Um."
In response, Hu Zongxian just nodded without saying much.
Soon, only Zhao Zhenji and Hu Zongxian were left in the meeting hall. Just as Hu Zongxian was about to get up from his seat, he was stopped by Zhao Zhenji.
"Governor Hu, wait a moment, I have something to tell you."
"Oh, what are your orders, the Imperial Envoy?"
When Hu Zongxian saw this, he couldn't help but stop and asked immediately.
"That's right. Now that the case has been revealed, it's time for me to return to the court to report on my duties!"
"Well, please excuse me, Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy."
When Hu Zongxian heard what Zhao Zhenji said, he immediately saluted respectfully.
"Everywhere, everyone is just doing things for His Majesty!"
After Zhao Zhenji pondered for a moment, he responded with a smile.
…
At this moment, Hai Rui seemed quite busy.
Just now, Zhao Zhenji sent someone to deliver the news, saying that the case had now come to light and that he would return to the capital soon.
He also asked Hai Rui to pack his luggage in advance and then take a boat with him to take up a post in the capital!
"Throw this away!"
"Keep this, maybe it will be useful in the future."
"Well, keep this one too."
At this moment, Hai Rui's wife, Wang, was packing her luggage anxiously, while Hai Rui was sitting at the desk beside him, holding a book whose name he couldn't read clearly in his hand, and browsing with relish.
Hai Rui's wife, Mrs. Wang, became furious when she saw that Hai Rui's face still had the same calm look as before, and then spoke.
"Can you please give me a little snack?"
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Envoy just now, personally sent someone to deliver the news, asking you to pack your luggage as soon as possible!"
"It's better for you to look calm. If this matter comes to the ears of the Imperial Envoy, what will happen then?"
When Hai Rui heard his wife's nagging, his face was filled with helplessness. He then put the book in his hand aside and said slowly.
"Actually, you don't need to be in such a hurry. The imperial envoy is not leaving right away!"
"When we officially set off, it will be at least two or three days later. This much time is enough to pack our luggage."
(End of chapter)
