It's June in the blink of an eye.
The magistrate of Lou County finished the wedding ceremony and returned to Qixia Town from eastern Guangdong.
"The Lou magistrate has come back, why hasn't the master come back yet?" Yan Xiaoliu asked doubtfully, "Could something have happened?"
Eastern Guangdong is two to three thousand miles away from Qixia Town, but Lou Zhixian left late and is now back.
Xing Baotou followed Liu Shilang to the capital in early May. Logically speaking, the round trip only took about a month. But it's been almost two months now, and he still hasn't come back, which makes him really worried.
"Don't worry, your master Ji Ren has his own destiny, and nothing will happen to him." Xiang Nan comforted him, "In my opinion, maybe the Criminal Department or the Six Sects saw that your master was so capable, and single-handedly took down the thunder that robbed King Xin's tomb. If Lao Wu is caught, we might as well keep him in the capital and serve."
When Yan Xiaoliu heard this, he nodded, and then said unwillingly, "Actually, Master and I were the ones who caught Lei Laowu that day, so the two of us should have received the award. How come he was the only one who got the promotion? So long ago. Knowing this, I will follow you to the capital."
Xiang Nan laughed when he saw what he said.
On the surface, Yan Xiaoliu was respectful and affectionate towards Lao Xing, but once personal interests were involved, he still prioritized his own interests.
It can be seen that the relationship between master and disciple is all fake!
However, he was just trying to coax Yan Xiaoliu by saying that Mr. Xing wanted to stay in the Criminal Department and Liumen.
If Xing Baotou was really that good, he would have written back to show off long ago.
But he didn't do that. Apparently something happened in the middle. Either something happened while escorting the prisoner, or something happened while he was returning.
…
After Lou Zhixian returned from eastern Guangdong, he brought many southern specialties to everyone and gave them to the model merchants in Qixia Town.
Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu also turned into couriers and delivered goods door to door.
"What is this?" Tong Xiangyu looked at the thing Xiang Nan sent, which was as big as a Japanese melon but covered with hard thorns, and asked puzzledly, "Xiucai, you are knowledgeable. Please help me take a look. What's going on? What is it?"
The scholar asked and looked at it curiously, but he couldn't figure out what it was. However, he didn't want people to know that he didn't understand, so he boldly guessed, "This thing should be a withered root."
"Withered roots?!" Everyone was stunned when they heard this.
Seeing that he was about to show his timidity, Xiang Nan quickly pulled him aside and whispered.
"Yes, it's a southern fruit." The scholar quickly corrected him. Fortunately, he didn't continue, otherwise he would be really embarrassed.
"What kind of fruit looks like this?" Guo Furong said in confusion.
It's really strange that this kind of fruit has so many hard thorns on its outer shell.
"Hey, chestnut is the same, isn't it? It's also so prickly on the outside, but the flesh inside is delicious." Xiucai explained, "This kind of fruit can also be cut into pieces and eaten. It smells a bit stinky, but it tastes good." But it is very sweet and very nourishing.
In the south, there is a saying that one durian has three chickens. "
"Xiucai, you know so much, you are worthy of being a scholar." Tong Xiangyu praised with a smile.
"A scholar can know the affairs of the world without going out." Bai Zhantang also said with a smile, "Oh, he is a scholar after all."
The scholar felt a little ashamed when he heard what they said, and then looked at Xiang Nan gratefully. What he said just now was all taught to him by Xiang Nan. If I hadn't told him earlier, he would have shown his cowardice.
…
Suddenly, Qin Tao, the head catcher from Liumen Fucheng, came to the county government and asked Lou Zhixian to send someone to help them capture the salt dealer.
The salt tax was one of the most important taxes in ancient times. During the Ming Dynasty, it accounted for 10% of the national treasury revenue, so the salt tax was very important.
Because the tax on salt is high, the price of official salt is relatively high. Therefore, private salt dealers have spawned, specializing in the production and sale of private salt. Private salt does not need to pay taxes, and the price is naturally cheaper than official salt, and people are willing to buy it.
While private salt dealers make huge profits, the country's income is greatly affected, so the government will severely crack down on private salt. In order to avoid government crackdowns, smugglers form a group called the Salt Gang, which is considered a powerful force in the world.
Liumen wants to catch this private salt dealer, who has been wandering around the pass for a long time.
Six Doors had already paid attention to him, and the main reason for arresting him was to fish for a big fish in the long run and dig out the distributors under him.
In this way, the entire private salt sales network will be uprooted, and the salt gang will inevitably suffer a heavy blow.
The magistrate of Lou County was conscientious and conscientious. Hearing that the salt dealers were being arrested, he naturally actively cooperated and immediately ordered Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu to assist.
"Sir, if you need anything, just ask." Xiang Nan Hengdao asked.
"You are local police officers and are familiar with the local customs. In the next few days, you two will be responsible for tracking the private salt dealers." Qin Tao said, "If you have any questions, please report to me at any time."
Xiang Nan and Xiaoliu both nodded when they heard this.
…
In the next two days, Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu changed into casual clothes and quietly followed the private salt dealer.
This private salt dealer is not a local of Qixia Town. He has a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks and a thin body. His most distinctive feature is a black mole on the right side of his face with a tuft of hair on it.
After he came to Qixia Town, he contacted restaurants and restaurants everywhere, and seemed to be interested in setting up a distribution point in Qixia Town.
"It seems that there is no private salt distribution point in Qixia Town." Qin Tao analyzed.
Xiang Nan nodded, "The local magistrate Lou has always managed the people well and enforced the law strictly, so the people mostly follow the rules and few dare to buy or sell private salt."
"In this case, let's not wait and arrest him directly." Qin Tao decided, "Immediately mobilize the guys from ten villages and eight stores to capture this person in one fell swoop."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Nan nodded immediately, and he and Xiao Liu notified the police officers in several surrounding towns to assemble and listen to Qin Tao's instructions.
"Please do your best to arrest the salt dealer this time." Qin Tao lectured, "The criminal must be brought to justice."
"I obey Jun's order." Everyone said together, and then followed the instructions and ambush at Fuke Lai Restaurant.
The reason for laying an ambush here is that during the previous tracking process, Xiang Nan discovered that the owner of Fuke Lai Restaurant had had many contacts with private salt dealers, and there was reason to suspect that he wanted to secretly buy private salt.
In this case, it would be more cost-effective to set up an ambush here and wait for the private salt dealer to come to your door than to block him where he lives. After all, where the private salt dealers live, who knows if there are any traps set up. Besides, if you catch a thief and seize the stolen goods, he will not have to deny it.
…
After lying in wait for a long time, just when everyone was getting impatient, they saw a thin man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, carrying a basket on his back and came to the back door of Fuke Lai Restaurant.
He knocked on the back door, and then the back door opened, and the owner of Fuke Lai Restaurant poked his head out. After seeing him, his face showed joy.
The two then began trading. The private salt dealer handed the basket to the restaurant owner. The restaurant owner dug into his basket, took out a handful of fine salt, took a lick, nodded with satisfaction, and then handed over a silver coin.
Seeing that the two completed the transaction, Qin Tao immediately waved his hand, and then more than a dozen detectives swarmed up.
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