(The author would like to apologize here. Yangzhou and Nanjing are the same place, but they have different names in history. From now on, this place will be called Yangzhou)
However, what happened was completely beyond Pang Tong and Qingfeng's expectations. Li Ruzhen went to chat with Chai Lingwu with tea.
The two of them were drinking tea and chatting. They were not at all like a prisoner under house arrest and an interrogation officer. Instead, they were just like two neighbors meeting and chatting, talking about things at home and their own preferences.
When it was over, the two separated happily.
Pang Tong and Qingfeng's IQs were quite high. They quickly understood Li Ru's intentions and couldn't help but show their thumbs up to express their admiration for Li Ru.
Li Ru is one of the interrogation techniques that involves drinking tea and chatting. The purpose of chatting with you is to get you to talk, and the purpose of chatting with you is to test the authenticity of what he said. Nine times out of ten, Li Ru has already gotten what he wants.
as expected
After Li Ru came out of the tent, he said to Gan Ning: "Commander Gan, please work harder these days and nights. Block the waterways outside Yangzhou City and don't light the lamp. There is a surprise."
Gan Ning, as someone who has been engaged in water operations for many years, naturally knows what it means to patrol without lights at night. He knows the role of salt and iron from the land of China. Salt and iron have always been important military materials controlled by the imperial courts of the past dynasties.
The control of the court means that the value of this thing is extremely high. Businessmen will take huge risks in order to double the profit. Hekeng is a rare resource that can be obtained ten times from the place of production without passing through it. Officials of famous families will collude. Smuggling some salt and iron together has never been less common in all dynasties.
Gan Ning encountered a lot of things like this when he was working as a brocade thief, and he always made a lot of money. Otherwise, the money he brought would turn his sails into the tapestry of Shu. , you have to know that the war was serious at that time, and the brocades in Shu were as valuable as gold and silver, and ordinary officials and families could not afford to wear them.
Gan Ning looked relaxed: "Leave this matter to me, Lao Gan, don't worry, we are familiar with this."
Li Ru: "?"
Gan Ning explained: "We were born as water thieves back then. The business of not holding a lamp at night is not clear yet. You don't have to be in a hurry. I will send someone to inquire first. I have to have confidence when I turn around. We can be sure."
Li Ru nodded: "OK"
Gan Ning sent someone, but the Jinfan thieves didn't come. It didn't mean that Gan Ning couldn't find a new younger brother. Gan Ning was cheerful and forthright, brave and resourceful, despised money, respected scholars, treated his soldiers well, and deeply loved them. He was supported by the soldiers, so soon many soldiers of the East China Sea Fleet admired and liked Commander Gan from the bottom of their hearts.
In particular, Gan Ning's temperament was deeply liked by some people who originally made a living on the water. In addition, Gan Ning was already well-versed in travels, so it was normal for a few people who originally worked in this industry to be loyal.
As soon as Gan Ning came and went over a cup of tea, he arranged the personnel. Several soldiers changed out of their military uniforms and took a small boat out of the camp with swords in their hands and headed straight for Yangzhou.
Several people arrived in Yangzhou City, went to various docks, found the local snakes, and used their internal jargon to chat and socialize.
Some people blended in, others watched from the sidelines, and soon a few people blended in.
After waiting for three days, Gan Ning received the news from his younger brother and excitedly looked for Li Ru.
When Gan Ning met Li Ru, Li Ru was already very busy. Pang Tong and Qingfeng started a large-scale clear investigation of Yangzhou's boundaries as planned, and various intelligences were constantly sent.
Various cases began to surface, including the theft of government funds and taxes, the hiring of murderers, murderers and property grabs, and more importantly, the smuggling of prohibited materials such as salt and iron, and the reselling of arms.
One by one, the hands of the clerk writing on the side were shaking. It is true that Yangzhou is prosperous, but behind the prosperity is the foundation of human blood and tears.
And what surprised Li Ru was that the local Jinyiwei were much more honest than those in Jingzhou. Although they did not make any big achievements and many cases were not solved, they did not do anything extraordinary. Naturally. It’s not that they are derelict in their duties, but that there is too much resistance.
Jingzhou is an important town in the south of the Yangtze River, and Yangzhou's geographical location is even more important. It controls the outlet of the Yangtze River and the southern entrance of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
Li Mingda's construction of the East China Sea Fleet here also took into account the importance of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. In addition to fighting, one hundred thousand naval forces can also control the southern throat of the entire north-south waterway. As for the north, he will not start for the time being. There are too many things to do and he is too busy. , there are not enough staff.
The Yellow River floods every year, and the entrance to the sea has changed several times in history. Li Mingda, who can no longer remember the history, said that he would hold off.
"Mr. Li, two days after we got the information, at night, several ships smuggling salt and iron would pass through the canal and head to the border of Shandong.
Li Ru stood up with a smile at the corners of his eyes: "The mouse finally showed its head, so I'll be in trouble with Commander Gan."
Gan Ning: "I will definitely complete the mission."
Two days later, Gan Ning led fifteen warships out of the East China Sea Fleet camp after sunset. Then the moonlight shone in the sky, and the fifteen ships without lights began to slowly move towards the outside of Yangzhou City like ghosts. The situation of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal waterway went away.
When they arrived at the entrance of the waterway, Gan Ning ordered: "Three warships entered the waterway and blocked their way forward. The rest spread out with us and surrounded us in a fan shape waiting for the fish to enter the net. There are also a group of people on land. People, don’t let these guys get lost in the water like loaches.”
"promise"
The three warships separated from the formation and slowly moved towards the inside of the canal, while those outside spread out to form an encirclement.
Why do you think the canal mouth is so big and unattended?
Isn't it smuggling? Of course no one is allowed to see it. You have to ask, isn't Pang Tong investigating? Why do they still dare.
It's not that they dare, but Shandong is pressing hard. Who can resist this kind of business that can fill a room with gold and silver treasures in one trip.
I'm pushing too hard, there's nothing I can do~!
Besides, you didn’t give it away if you said you wouldn’t. Why do you need a contract, and why do you need letters to and from each other? These are all evidence of the other party’s blackmail.
If you go and expose this matter without giving it to me, you will be dead, and I may just lose some money, or even tell a little blood and get merit in the prosecution.
The local officials in Yangzhou who are involved in this matter are like rats in a bellows, being blocked from both ends and being poked. You can't even express your dissatisfaction.
He knocked out his teeth and swallowed it in his stomach.
In the pitch-black night, an unusually long black shadow appeared on the river. Looking down from the sky, it was a merchant ship that was strung together with no lanterns and then linked together with ropes and sneaking quietly.
To be continued
