Chapter 199
Old Feud
Following the opening of Yi Bao Xuan, Qi Ming’s status quietly promoted . After many inquiries, he finally confirmed the matter of alt purchasing and directly sent the news back to Jingling City .
Mu Yunyao pa.s.sed the letter from Qi Ming back to Yue w.a.n.g and asked, “Fourth Master, what do you think?”
Yue w.a.n.g placed the letter on the table and lightly tapped it with his finger: “This thing is definitely not normal . ”
Mu Yunyao nodded in agreement . “As long as the officials aren’t stupid, they naturally won’t buy a large amount of salt at this critical moment . However, they did it, and there must be a reason behind it . ”
“Buying salt now will cost a lot of silver . Seeing that the salt tax is going to be check, this ma.s.sive amount of silver would make the accounts very unsightly . Once this matter reported to the Emperor, there was a possibility that His Majesty would punish them . However, they were naturally willing to take such a huge risk, so the biggest reason may be that there is something wrong with the silver . ”
Over the past few days, they had also gathered a lot of information . They also know something about salt merchants’ deficit in salt tax . The most likely reason was that the salt tax hole was too big, and the salt merchants were unable to fill it in immediately, so they come up with such countermeasures .
Mu Yunyao also had this kind of conjecture in her heart . “If there really is a problem with the silver, then this matter will be easier to handle . ”
Yue w.a.n.g nodded his head slightly . “There is a shortage of silver taels, so buying and transporting salt is natural . However, the salt administration has made a very detailed investigation in this respect . The amount of salt purchased, the ships that are loaded, the routes that they travel, where they are shipped, and how they distributed . They all had their own rules and regulations . If the salt merchants wanted to collude with the government to make a fraud, they would definitely try their best to disguise themself as thoroughly as possible . There won’t be too much of a problem when purchasing the salt and loading the ship . The most likely problem is during the transportation process . ”
“When the fourth Master said this, I remembered some things . I heard that the price of salt fell a lot a few years ago, and the salt merchants were extremely dissatisfied . In the process of transporting salt, the salt ships were deliberately affected by the flood, and a large amount of salt fell into the river, causing a shortage of salt for a time . The people rushed to buy it, and the price rose several times in a short time . ”
“Do you mean they might do the same again this time?”
“I was only guessing randomly . I’m not sure . ” Mu Yunyao didn’t say too much .
Yue w.a.n.g’s brows twitched as he quickly thought in his heart: “I will get someone to check on them as soon as possible . ”
“Yes . ”
When Mu Yunyao returned home, she began to study the information regarding Li Yuanyi carefully . The more she read, the tighter her brows creased .
Jin Qiao brought out a cup of tea and said, “Miss, Miss Ming Yin has arrived . ”
“Bring her in . ”
The injuries on Ming Yin’s body had already healed long ago . At this moment, she saw Mu Yunyao and bowing deeply, “Greetings, Young Miss . ”
Mu Yunyao indicated for Jin Lan and Jin Qiao to withdraw before speaking . “Miss Ming Yin, no need to be so courteous . Please take a seat . ”
Ming Yin had a slightly perturbed expression on her face, and after she sat down, her fingers lightly twisted the hem of her skirt . From time to time, she would raise her head to look at Mu Yunyao .
“The reason why I invited you here, I presume that Shopkeeper Qin has already told you about it?”
“Yes, I already know . ”
Mu Yunyao nodded, “This matter may have many difficulties for Miss . If you feel that it’s too much or reluctant, you can tell me directly . I’ll discuss it with Shopkeeper Qin and choose someone else . ”
“No!” Ming Yin stood up abruptly with a slightly hurried tone . “I am willing to do this . Please give me a chance . ”
Mu Yunyao looked at Ming Yin and let out a faint sigh in her heart . Earlier, when she was discussing with Steward Qin, he had recommended Ming Yin to approach Li Yuanyi . After careful inquiry, she found out that Li Yuanyi had injured all of Ming Yin’s family members .
Seeing Mu Yunyao fall into silence, Ming Yin stepped forward and kneeled down . “I don’t know if Young Miss has ever heard Shopkeeper Qin say that I’m an orphan . However, my parents didn’t abandon me, but all of my family members got killed by a treacherous!”
Mu Yunyao got up and helped Ming Yin up, “I heard from Shopkeeper Qin that your family has a grudge with Li Yuanyi, but I don’t know the specifics . If you are willing, you can tell me in detail . ”
“Ten years ago, my father was the Magistrate of Linjiang City, and Li Yuanyi was still the Governor of Linjiang City . When Linjiang City hit by a drought that only happened once every hundred years, the Imperial Court ordered relief and send out the food . My father checked the granary according to the imperial edict and found that the grain within the granary had missing . Instead, it had replaced with bags of mud and sand . Later, only after a lot of investigation did he find out that it was Li Yuanyi who secretly kept the grain and sold all the grains, exchanging them for silver taels!”
“After I came to Jingling City, I had occasionally heard of what happened in Linjiang City ten years ago . I didn’t expect that your father was actually the Magistrate of Linjiang City — Lu Yan . Since Lord Lu has found out the truth, could it be that he has thought of a way to expose him?”
Thinking of the past, Ming Yin couldn’t stop shivering, and her hatred twinkled in her eyes: “My father is an upright official, so when he saw that there was no food available in the city, he wanted to report the matter to the Imperial Court . Unfortunately, the Li family has too much power, and Li Qingzhou is the prime minister of the imperial court, so before the news comes out of Linjiang City, he intercepted it . After that, Li Yuanyi fabricated evidence and planted the matter on my father . Even now, when someone mentions him, the citizens of Linjiang City began to curse loudly …”
Mu Yunyao sighed . “That’s right . Ten years ago, the Li family’s power was at its peak . Although Li Yuanyi was a subordinate of the Li family, once this matter brought to light, the Li family’s reputation would be affected greatly . The Li family would naturally try their best to conceal it . ”
Ming Yin wiped away her tears . “At that time, I was still young . It was the old housekeeper who had thought of a way to save my life . It’s a pity that too much time has pa.s.sed, and I can’t find any evidence …”
Mu Yunyao didn’t know the truth about what had happened in Jingling City, but she believed in steward Qin’s character and also believed in Yue w.a.n.g’s ability to select his people . If there really a problem with Ming Yin, she would have definitely screened out long ago . Therefore, what she said is very likely to be true: “It has happened for many years . I also mourn for Miss Ming Yin . ”
“Young Miss, I must have this chance to get close to Li Yuanyi . No matter what the price is, as long as you give me instructions, I will do my best to comply!”
Mu Yunyao pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “I can give you a chance, but can you guarantee that you won’t reveal anything?” After all, if the Linjiang City matter is real, there would be a blood feud between Ming Yin and Li Yuanyi . When the time comes, seeing his enemy actually in front of her, she may not be able to control and going to kill him?
Ming Yin’s eyes are firm: “Please rest a.s.sured, Young Miss . I know that the things that year were absolutely impossible to accomplish by Li Yuanyi alone . There must have been the protection of the other members of the Li family, so I will not act rashly and will work hard to find evidence to make the person who framed my father pay the price and return my father an innocent!”