Without asking any more questions, Yang He knew that the girl in front of him probably didn't know much. It was Bai Yu who was really standing behind the scenes. As for the biggest litigant in the capital, Yang He naturally didn't take it to heart.

That night, Yang He attended a banquet hosted by local officials and gentry in Yangzhou. This was an official rule. Those who entertained guests would not think anything of it, and those who ate would not care. After the dinner, Yang He smiled and said to the Yangzhou magistrate: "Yang

Magistrate, I have already asked the person who blocked the road and complained about injustice during the day, and it is the case concerning Ren Changle that your yamen is interrogating."

Seeing Yang He looking at him, the Yangzhou magistrate nodded slowly and said in a deep voice: "Master Dutang, this case was tried by a lower official and has been finalized. The evidence is conclusive that Ren Changle and his son were selling illegal salt.

The officer has already reported it to the Ministry of Punishment!"

Frowning slightly, Yang He nodded clearly. The Yangzhou magistrate's move was just to let him retreat. He was aware of the unusualness in the case, so naturally he would not just ignore it. He pondered a little.

After a while, Yang He said in a deep voice: "Mr. Yang, the trial is

In this kind of thing, some mistakes are inevitable. If the sufferer really goes to beat the drum, your face, Mr. Yang, will be disgraced. Now that the sufferer has found me, I might as well ask! What is really there?

I can help you deal with matters involving Mr. Yang!"

There was no expression on his face, and the Yangzhou magistrate said with gratitude in his tone: "In that case, I will thank you first, and I will ask someone to send the file to you when you get back. You can take a look at it first, and I will wait for you.

Good news!”

The two looked at each other, smiled at the same time, and said nothing. Although they were not very satisfied with each other in their hearts, they still had to get over it.

After returning to the imperial envoy's residence, Yang He looked through the files carefully, and soon Yang He discovered a suspicious point. He frowned and knocked on the table. Yang He searched more carefully, but he had just arrived, and he might have to wait until he

The results will be available only after a re-examination.

What's more, Yang He was very curious about the white jade. He believed that when he went to court again to try the case, the white jade would definitely appear.

At night, in the back hall of the magistrate's office, the Yangzhou magistrate no longer had the calmness he had just before, and his face was full of anxiety. He walked around in the lobby, looking outside anxiously from time to time, as if he was waiting for someone.

Not long after, an old housekeeper from outside ran in, saluted the Yangzhou magistrate, and said respectfully: "Sir, the master is here!"

After hearing what the old housekeeper said, the Yangzhou magistrate suddenly beamed with joy. He said in a deep voice: "Please come quickly!"

The housekeeper turned around and went out. Not long after, he brought an old man in, it was Li Chang, the head of the Li family. Li Chang had a warm smile on his face, and there was no trace of anxiety. He looked cloudy.

A breezy look.

"Sit!" The Yangzhou magistrate sat on the chair, his face no longer showing the urgency as he said calmly.

"Sir, I found Li here late at night. I'm afraid it's not to reminisce about old times! Our friendship is no longer a day or two. If you have anything to say, please just say it!" Li Chang said with a smile on his face. He faced the Yangzhou Magistrate.

He cupped his hands, sat on a chair aside, and said with a smile.

Nodding slowly, the Yangzhou magistrate did not care about Li Chang's attitude. At this time, everything else was secondary. After organizing his words, the Yangzhou magistrate said in a serious tone: "Li Chang must have blocked the road today to complain.

Brother, I already know. I won’t introduce anything more. People from Yang Dutang have just taken away the case files. I am afraid that this case will be retried soon. I wonder if Brother Li has any good ideas?

"

Listening to the tone of the Yangzhou magistrate, Li Chang frowned slightly. These officials stretched out their hands very quickly when taking money. If something really happened, they would shrink their hands faster. Although he was disdainful in his heart, he still said with a smile on his face: "Mr. Yang, you

Do you think this matter is really that simple?"

The Yangzhou magistrate was stunned. He was anxious because of his own patronage. Now that he heard what Li Chang said, it seemed that it was really not that simple. The imperial court sent an imperial envoy to patrol the south of the Yangtze River in name. Why should he go to Nanjing to see it?

Look, this imperial envoy went directly to Yangzhou.

"Mr. Yang, have you heard of Zhangjiakou?" Li Chang said in a calm voice as he picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.

"Of course I have heard of this. Since the emperor ascended the throne, the Liaodong case has been the biggest case. Later it came to Zhangjiakou, which was related to the trade with the Mongols. The imperial court has already rectified it!" The Yangzhou magistrate nodded slowly,

He said somewhat unclearly.

Smiling indifferently, Li Chang sighed helplessly and said in a deep voice: "The incident in Zhangjiakou is a good example. Now all the trade in Zhangjiakou has been controlled by Longchang Company. Originally, many people in Shanxi and Shaanxi were controlled by Longchang Company.

The house was confiscated, and their property is now being taken care of by Longchang Company. After hearing this, Mr. Yang still doesn’t understand what’s going on?”

"Is it possible that the imperial envoy went south this time because Longchang Company started fighting the salt doctrine?" Thinking of this, the Yangzhou prefect suddenly felt chills all over his body. If this lid was lifted, everyone from the salt field officials to their respective transfer officials, and even

They are local officials from various places. I am afraid that all officials in Jiangnan will be involved. From local to court, from civil servants to military generals, from officials to nobles, I am afraid that few can escape.

After spitting out the tea in one gulp, Li Chang suddenly coughed. He looked up and down at the Yangzhou magistrate, and couldn't help but secretly curse in his heart, why didn't I realize you were so stupid before?

"What? Is what I said wrong?" Yangzhou Magistrate looked at Li Chang angrily and said with anger in his voice.

"Sir, that's not what I'm saying. Longchang Company is just a business house no matter what, and it's impossible for the court to rectify just because he likes it. No matter who is standing behind Longchang Company, they don't have that much ability.

, unless the owner of Longchang Company is the emperor!" Li Chang quickly waved his hand and explained while wiping the water from his body.

The Yangzhou magistrate immediately blushed and said nothing. As for the fact that the owner of Longchang Company was the emperor, Li Chang made a joke, and the Yangzhou magistrate naturally did not believe it.

"Brother Li, who is the owner of Longchang Trading Company?" As if to cover up his embarrassment, the Yangzhou magistrate took a few sips of tea before raising his head and asking.

Sighing softly, a trace of helplessness flashed across Li Chang's face. He looked at Yangzhou Magistrate and said in a deep voice: "Master Magistrate, no one knows the owner of Longchang Company. Many people have checked it, but no one can find it.

Many people want to cause trouble for Longchang Company, but in the end they are the ones in trouble. Now everyone can be sure that Longchang Company has a close relationship with the palace. It is very likely that most of the money earned by Longchang Company is given away.

We arrived at the palace."

Li Chang's tone was very calm, but the face of the Yangzhou magistrate on the side became extremely ugly, and he swallowed hard. If Emperor Tianqi was planning to regulate the salt in Jiangnan, it would really be over this time.

Since Emperor Tianqi came to the throne, many people have lost their heads, whether it is the Liaodong military salary embezzlement case or the Zhangjiakou smuggling case. Emperor Tianqi is not merciless at all. The Yangzhou prefect knows clearly that if the lid of the salt merchant is lifted, then

But it is much bigger than the cases in those two places!

He frowned and kept thinking, what should he do? He glanced at Li Chang secretly, did he really want to die with these people?

"Brother Li, since you have already guessed it, is there anything you can do?" Still holding a bit of luck in his heart, the Yangzhou magistrate Li Chang asked, standing on his side.

"Master Magistrate, if the emperor really wants to take action, what can we do? If there hadn't been the military pay case in Liaodong, there might have been someone in the court who would have come forward. Now a large number of those people have been killed by the emperor, and the rest have become frightened birds.

, I’m afraid there’s no one who can stand up for us!” Li Chang naturally knew what the Yangzhou magistrate was thinking, with a bit of helplessness on his face.

After listening to Li Chang's words, the Yangzhou magistrate was stunned. Could he really just sit there and wait for death? But seeing the expression on Li Chang's face, he was certain in his heart. This big salt merchant would never give up like this, there must be some way!

"The matter has come to this. Brother Li, it is better not to hide anything from me. We are still grasshoppers on a rope." After calming down his mind, the Yangzhou magistrate said with sincerity.

"Of course there is a way, but I don't know if Magistrate Yang has the courage to cut off a strong man's wrist. Now that Yang Dutang is in Yangzhou, we can attack and kill him." Li Chang's eyes flashed with a spicy look, and his voice was filled with solemnity.

Shaking his head like a rattle, the Yangzhou magistrate waved his hands repeatedly and said in a trilling voice: "Assaulting and killing the imperial envoy is tantamount to treason, which is really not worth it. By the way, it's not like you haven't seen the imperial envoy's guards before. They are all elites from the three major battalions.

That person suppressed bandits in Shandong and fought against barbarians in the southwest. Not only can we not kill the imperial envoy, we may even be killed by him!"

"We can poison!" Li Chang still looked at the Yangzhou magistrate with gloomy eyes and lowered his voice.

Shaking his head again, the Yangzhou magistrate said firmly: "Don't think so. If Yang Dutang really dies here, I, the Yangzhou magistrate, will be buried with him without waiting for the court to check the salt!"

"Since Mr. Yang refuses, there is only one way. Mr. Yang, does he still remember the imperial edict issued by the emperor after the Liaodong military salary embezzlement case?" Li Chang looked at the Yangzhou magistrate with a smile, obviously now is what he wanted to say.

.

Pointing at Li Chang, the Yangzhou magistrate wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a wry smile: "It scared me to death! I thought you really wanted to rebel! Since you mentioned the emperor's edict, I naturally remember this. But we

What should I do? I’m afraid it’s not good to do this, right?”
Chapter completed!