Li Qing looked at Xiao Lizi in surprise, wondering if Xiao Lizi had taken advantage of others. After a second thought, he rejected this guess.
If he really received the benefit, Xiao Lizi would definitely not tell him everything in detail. Wouldn't it be better to just hide it?
"What's wrong?"
"Master Marquis, think about it, once the flow of goods to other provinces is banned, it will be difficult for them to do business. Without business, the people who work in the workshops will have to be laid off. Without their jobs, the people's lives will definitely be difficult." Xiao Lizi's analysis was clear and logical. , "We are here to perform meritorious service and do good deeds, but we cannot let the people suffer."
Li Qing was stunned. Apart from being shocked, he was also quite emotional.
Who said eunuchs are all mutilated and perverted?
The little eunuch also has big ambitions!
Li Qing's voice became gentler as he explained: "Your concerns are very reasonable. However, prohibiting smuggling will inevitably affect workshop workers. There is no way to avoid this, but the impact is not as big as you said."
"Furthermore, theoretically speaking, selling only in this province will definitely affect business, but don't forget that these goods are not really sold to Fujian and Zhejiang, but to the sea." Li Qingxiao road,
"Since the goods are not in the hands of the people in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, why is it so important to prohibit sales in other provinces?"
"This... our family is stupid." Xiao Lizi didn't understand.
Li Qing smiled and said, "Let's put it bluntly, even if they only sell in this county, their business will not be bad, because they don't want anyone to let the business of these workshops be bad. Do you understand?"
Little Plum smacked her lips and suddenly exclaimed: "Ah, I understand, Mr. Hou wants to catch the big fish behind him!"
"Yes." Li Qing nodded: "I will tell you this matter alone, don't let it spread."
"Don't worry, Lord Marquis." Xiao Lizi nodded solemnly, paused, and asked: "Then do we need to closely monitor... the buyer now?"
"No need for the moment." Li Qing thought for a while, "Let Dongchang Fanzi rest for a few days, and then secretly monitor the production progress of the workshop."
"Oh, we understand." Xiao Lizi suddenly realized, "Master Marquis, this is to paralyze the enemy so as not to alert the enemy."
"Hahaha..." Li Qing felt that this master was a bit cute for some reason, "Go and do it."
"Hey, we're leaving." Little Lizi walked away with cheerful little steps.
…
Before I knew it, it was already the end of February.
On this day, Yu Qian's letter arrived, describing the progress of the case and asking how to deal with the smuggling thieves.
Li Qing felt that those people just wanted to make more money and did not harm the people, so there was no need to be severely punished.
But just a beating was not enough to convince the public, so he thought about it and wrote down the punishment method of "Half Year of Apprenticeship".
The news was sent back to Jian'an, and the newly appointed magistrate of Jian'an County was so angry that he cursed his mother secretly. Without him, the number of thieves and bandits was too great for the county government cells.
The cell was filled to the brim at once, and he was extremely busy.
In the end, under the leadership of Yu Qian, the extra bandits were evenly imprisoned in the prisons of the two counties next door. As a result, some people secretly scolded Li Qing again.
However, Li Qing didn't hear it at all, and even if he heard it, he wouldn't care.
There are so many people who are unhappy with me. Who do you think is the boss? !
…
Early March.
The situation has finally made progress, and the production progress of major workshops has increased again after slowing down for more than ten days.
After Li Qing heard about it, he immediately asked Xiao Lizi to spy on the buyer.
Xiao Lizi lived up to his high expectations, and with his disguise, he locked in the buyer in just two days.
"Master Hou, do you want to arrest someone?" Xiao Lizi rubbed his hands, impatiently.
"Have you found out where they took the goods?" Li Qing asked.
"Uh...no details yet." Xiao Lizi was a little embarrassed, and then added: "But the general location has been locked, and I can confirm that it has not been transported out. Our family is also afraid of shocking them, so..."
After a pause, "Our family thinks that they got wind of the news and hoarded the goods, waiting for us to leave before smuggling them out to sea."
Li Qing nodded: "Yes, that's probably the case."
Xiao Lizi was praised and became excited, "Master Hou, do we have to take action?"
"Well... let the brothers take a rest first, and I will take action as soon as I think of a countermeasure." Li Qing said: "Tell me where they may stock up."
"Hey, okay!" Xiao Lizi nodded and started to introduce.
…
"Sir, are you ready to get busy?" The three girls came to the living room after Xiao Lizi left.
Li Qing nodded: "There are a lot of things. I've wasted a lot of time here. I can't keep wasting it like this. I'll go take a look at it myself tonight and I'll be back at dawn."
"Sir, please be careful. As the saying goes: A strong dragon cannot overwhelm a local snake, not to mention that he is a vassal king." Wan Ling said worriedly, "Don't really push someone into a hurry."
"You're overthinking it." Li Qing smiled, "Unless Prince Ning doesn't want to do anything about it, he won't dare to attack me."
Zhu Quan is a smart man and knows the importance. Such stupid behavior as calling an imperial envoy will never happen to him again.
That night.
Li Qing put on his night clothes and quietly left the Imperial Envoy Courtyard.
He didn't get off his horse, and with only his legs, he ran for nearly twenty miles according to the address given by Xiao Lizi, and stopped at the edge of a small village.
"Woof, woof woof..."
A dog barked, which quickly caused a chain reaction. The sporadic barking of dogs became denser.
Li Qing stood still, already having some knowledge in his mind.
In this era, there were not many people raising dogs, and they could even be called rare. The main reason was that the living conditions were not high. If you had money, you might as well eat them yourself. Who would be willing to feed dogs.
The per capita GDP of this village is not low!
After a while, the barking of the dog gradually subsided.
Li Qing waited for a while, and then took action after seeing nothing unusual.
The night was as dark as ink, and Li Qing was dressed in night clothes, blending into the night. Although his movements were fast, his feet were very light and he never made a sound.
Dogs can also see things at night. Li Qing did not take the usual route, climbing over eaves and walls, and finally came to the front yard of the largest wealthy family in the village...the roof.
There was a faint candlelight in the courtyard, and someone was speaking vaguely. The distance was far away, and the voice was not loud, so Li Qing could not hear clearly.
After a few dodges and moves, Li Qing was closer to his target.
"I really don't know what the master is thinking. I can't make any money by just hoarding these things here. The porcelain is okay, but the silk and furniture are all afraid of insects, ants and rats, especially the spices... Oh, I really don't want to work the night shift." Ding Jia, the servant, sighed. .
Servant Ding Yi: "What do you know? These things can be sold for a lot of money."
"Haha, it's like I gave it to you for the money I sold it to." Ding Jia, the servant, said with disdain, "It's not like I stayed up all night and had no money, so what's the air?"
Servant Ding Yi said sarcastically: "Isn't this what I'm talking to you about?"
"What's there to say? I can't afford it, but I still know the price."
"Do you know the price in Ming Dynasty? Do you know the price in other countries? Let me tell you, it's worth your money." Ding Yi, the servant, said enthusiastically, "A piece of silk can cost more than a dozen taels at sea. Yinzi, you don’t know how much this thing can be sold for.”
"Selling more than a dozen taels overseas?"
"That's still a small amount."
Servant Ding Jia immediately became interested, "Brother Gou, who did you listen to? You couldn't be tricking me, right?"
"You are lying to me like a dog, let me tell you..."
Li Qing listened for a while and was basically sure that this was a smuggling warehouse, or one of the warehouses.
After listening for a while, they didn't hear any useful information. The two servants gradually went off topic, and finally talked about the master's seventeenth-room concubine.
Both my butt and waist were covered, making it look like I had slept on it.
…
Returning to the Imperial Envoy Courtyard, Li Qing made up his mind to take the initiative.
There is no time to investigate bit by bit. There are still Japanese pirates to suppress in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, so we can't waste time here.
If the soft one doesn't work, then you can only use the hard one!
Early the next morning, Li Qing called Xiao Lizi next door, "Go gather people and prepare for action."
"Our family is just waiting for what the Marquis says!" Xiao Lizi became energetic.
"The target is in the village you provided. The specific location is in the backyard of the wealthy gentry's house at the east end of the village. You can copy it directly with the tip, no need to worry." Li Qing said with a serious look on his face, "You put on palace clothes, how dare you Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy.”
There are not many fans left, so Yu Qian takes away some, the monitoring vassal king takes away some, and Li Qing himself also wants to take away some.
The most I could give Xiao Lizi was number 100. If the big landowner really got angry and secretly encouraged his servants and villagers to insist that the fan was a robber, start a fight, fight off the fan and move the goods, then there would be trouble. joke.
These rich gentry are not fuel-efficient lamps.
"Don't worry, Lord Marquis." Xiao Lizi chuckled and said, "We made up our minds before we came here. We must do something special this time and let all the men in the palace see it when we go back."
man?
Li Qing was startled for a moment, then understood, and almost stopped laughing. Fortunately, he had been trained to hold it back, "Do it well, and I will truthfully report your achievements when you get back."
"Hey, okay." Xiao Lizi smiled broadly, "Then let's thank Mr. Hou first."
"Well, go ahead." Li Qing patted him on the shoulder, "Remember, you must control the situation."
…
After Xiao Lizi left, Li Qing asked Wang Yuan to bring the gold ingot and then set off.
——The target is King Ning.
Zhu Quan is a smart man and has been operating here for many years. If he checks step by step, it will be a waste of time, and there is a high probability that nothing will be found.
Therefore, Li Qing can only take the wrong approach and adopt a semi-rogue style of play.
Anyway, we have the witnesses and the physical evidence, so that’s pretty much it, there’s no need to be so particular... Li Qing thought to himself.
~
Three days later, Prince Ning’s Mansion.
After Zhu Quan received the report, he came out and said with a smile: "Marquis Yongqing is so polite, he came to say goodbye."
"Your Majesty, your words are wrong. I am here this time..."
"Huh? We have known each other for so many years, and now you are out of sight." Zhu Quan looked affectionate, "But since you are here, you have to have a good drink."
Li Qing touched his nose, "Then... let's talk while eating?"
"Hahaha... chat while eating." Zhu Quan laughed heartily and said in a loud voice: "Butler, prepare a sumptuous meal quickly, and by the way, bring the old wine from my collection."
The housekeeper agreed and hurriedly got ready.
"Sir, please." Zhu Quan was polite.
Li Qingqian gave in, "My lord, please."
Zhu Quan smiled heartily and walked in front with his hands behind his back, humming a little tune in his mouth, in a very beautiful mood.
