Chapter 468 House Arrest

After the reception banquet, Jia Lian did not care about the reaction of the salt merchants and the Yangzhou government. He still stayed quietly at the Salt Patrol Yamen, checking the files and sorting out the past salt administration accounts. , from time to time, people were sent to bring relevant personnel and salt administration officials into the Yushi Yamen for interrogation.

He acted in a business-like manner, clearly trying to threaten the salt merchants into submission.

With him like this, even the people around him couldn't help but start to wonder if Jia Lian was also blinded by greed and forgot his original intention of coming to the south of the Yangtze River.

In the temporary office, Liu Xianglian handed the newly learned news to Jia Lian, who was sitting at the top. She couldn't help but ask: "Master Hou, if those salt merchants agree to your lord's request, Do you really want to let them go according to the conditions?"

Liu Xianglian was in the camp at that time and heard the confrontation between Jia Lian and the salt merchants.

Although the smuggling of salt merchants violated national law, it is understandable that the court gave a lenient punishment in order to stabilize the salt administration. Therefore, Liu Xianglian could understand why Jia Lian ordered the salt merchants to hand over three million taels of silver to replenish the national treasury.

But there has always been doubt about Jia Lian's request for one million taels of silver from the salt merchants.

One million, what a number is that? You know, if you only have 10,000 taels of silver and exchange them all for gold ingots, that's a box full.

One million taels, that’s one hundred boxes of gold!

A hundred boxes of gold make people feel unreal just thinking about it.

Think about the Xue family, as the top royal merchants famous in the north and south, known to the world as having a fortune of millions.

Jia Lian’s one breath is equivalent to asking a Xue family to come out? ?

The Xue family only had a millionaire, but what Jia Lian asked for was real money! Even the Xue family wouldn't be able to get so much money.

The key point is that Jia Lian actually asked for such a huge amount of money in public without any cover-up. Was he not afraid that the salt merchants would give in temporarily and sell him to the court? No matter how much the emperor trusted Jia Lian, once he really knew that Jia Lian's appetite was so big, he would probably feel chilled.

Therefore, Liu Xianglian did not understand Jia Lian's behavior.

Jia Lian looked down at the Di newspaper in his hand and shook his head: "They will not agree."

Liu Xianglian was stunned, "Why is the Marquis so sure? Although No matter how well they cover up their illegal salt sales, as long as you continue to investigate, you will always find out the real evidence. Even if they have great backgrounds and the Marquis has His Majesty's support, he can naturally punish them according to national laws.

The subordinates couldn’t figure it out, except for those salt merchantsIn addition to agreeing to the request of the Marquis, is there any other way? "

"I don't know how to do it, but I know that they will be reluctant to take out these four million taels! Haha, four million taels, even I can't imagine how much silver that is. Perhaps, only those officials who manage the treasury can have an idea.

Do you think those salt merchants who value money more than their lives would be willing to hand it over easily? Impossible, that would make them feel so distressed that they could not sleep for ten years. "

Hearing Jia Lian's determination, Liu Xianglian couldn't help but said: "Since you understand, why do you still take the initiative to make such a request? ”

Jia Lian only raised his head at this moment, glanced at Liu Xianglian, smiled enigmatically, and did not explain.

He could see that Liu Xianglian saw He seems to be docile, but in fact he is very arrogant. I am afraid that he, the Marquis, has not yet respected and surrendered to him from the bottom of my heart.

"Counting the time, they should have arrived. "Looking at the sky outside, Jia Lian stood up with a smile and said to Liu Xianglian: "Let's go out and have a look. Maybe you will know why I did this soon. "

　……

"Gaokui, a humble Yangzhou garrison officer, meets the Imperial Envoy. "

In the front yard of the Yanxunshiyamen, in a side hall, Yangzhou Guards and three thousand generals sat down, all paying homage to Jia Lian.

"I don’t know Your Majesty, the Imperial Envoy, has summoned men of humble rank to come. What are your instructions? "

Guard Gao Kui was a little worried, so although Jia Lian looked kind and took the initiative to make friends with him, he couldn't help but ask.

Jia Lian, as the inspector, The imperial envoy of the government should have told the prefect Wu Zhirong and others about something, but he summoned them alone, and his intention was somewhat unpredictable.

"It's not a big deal..."

Jia Lian He smiled and looked at Gao Kui and others in front of him. Yangzhou is a big government, so it has a standing army of nearly three thousand, and the garrison is also at the fourth level, which is the same level as the prefect.

Of course, the Yangzhou garrison is under the command of the governor of Jinling , is only in charge of military affairs in Yangzhou. And Yangzhou is a stable state capital in the mainland. In terms of power, the defense is much lower than that of the prefect.

"It's just that I have been inspecting the salt administration in the past two days and found that There are many shortcomings, and we are trying to rectify them drastically in accordance with His Majesty's will, but they are afraid of disturbing the tranquility of Yangzhou City. Therefore, I have called you and others here for only one thing, and that is to ask you and others to strengthen the defense of Yangzhou City in the next time, and not to let some people with ulterior motives disrupt the security of Yangzhou City. ”

Although Jia Lian said this with a smile, Gao Kui and others were still a little strange.

The most powerful people in Yangzhou City are not the princes of the government, nor the few great scholars from the central government who returned to their hometowns after serving as officials, but the big salt merchants who own the major estates in Yangzhou.

This is a well-known fact in the entire Yangzhou officialdom.

Jia Lian came here precisely for the salt policy. At this time, he told them that he wanted to rectify the salt administration, and that because his behavior might endanger the tranquility of Yangzhou, he asked them to strengthen the defense of Yangzhou City...

Could this be Jia Lian, or perhaps Is His Majesty the Emperor really going to take action against those salt merchants?

He didn’t dare to express his inner thoughts. Gao Kui clasped his fists and said: "Maintaining the stability of Yangzhou City is the responsibility of Beizhong and others. I just don’t know what exactly you want Beizhong and others to do. What?”

“It’s hard to say what to do specifically, because I still don’t know which people in the city are loyal and patriotic, and those who have ulterior motives.

　So, Gao Shouwei and several Lords of Qian, might as well stay in my office for the time being. In this way, even if there is any accident, I can dispatch a few adults to assist in time. I wonder what the adults think?"

　"This..."

Perhaps because they were military attaches, several people immediately understood what Jia Lian meant, which was to put them under house arrest.

"Why, are the adults unwilling to assist me in doing things for His Majesty? Or do the adults have any concerns? For example, they have secretly colluded with the salt officer and salt merchants, so they are worried that they cannot go out. Did you tip them off?" Jia Lian asked with a smile.

Gao Kui turned his face aside and immediately knelt down and said: "My lord, I am wronged. Although the humble officials and others are stationed in Yangzhou City, they have always been responsible for city defense and the extermination of bandits within their jurisdiction. They have absolutely nothing to do with the salt administration. There is no connection, let alone any connection with the salt merchants..."

Gao Kui's heart trembled. The situation at hand is obviously that Jia Lian is going to attack the salt merchants. At this time, even if he has friendship with the salt merchants, he cannot admit it to death.

With Gao Kui’s words, several other President Qian immediately knelt down to express their gratitude.

Seeing that Jia Lian was still looking at them carefully, Gao Kui immediately said with interest: "I am humble and willing to work hard for you, and I am also willing to obey your arrangements and wait for you in the camp. Assignment."

Jia Lian then smiled and said, "In that case, please rest in this courtyard first. As long as you don't leave this courtyard, if you have any need, feel free to ask me and my The guards mentioned it, so don't be polite."

After saying that, Jia Lian raised his feet and left.

Gao Kui knelt and turned around to watch Jia Lian leave. Then he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, looked at each other with his three subordinates and stood up..

He walked to the door and looked outside, and found that there were indeed more than a dozen guards with swords and armor standing outside. Even the two guards who came in with him were gone. , Gao Kui still doesn't understand the meaning at all.

　"Sir, we..."

　"We, what the hell, didn't you listen to the imperial envoy and asked me to wait here for orders? Don't blame me for not reminding you, we A few of them are now at the critical moment of life and death. Without my instructions, if anyone dares to make any small moves in an attempt to harm everyone, don't blame me for not showing my usual kindness!"

"Yes, it's a humble position. I don’t dare to wait.”

At this time, although Gao Kui was a little nervous, he showed no fear.

Since Jia Lian put them under house arrest here, it means that they are in no danger. What is more dangerous are those outside who are not eligible for house arrest.

Of course he also knew why Jia Lian wanted to put them under house arrest. He was just worried that as military attachés in Yangzhou City, they would be bribed by the salt merchants. If Jia Lian attacked the salt merchants, he would leave them outside. would endanger its own safety.

Inviting several of their leaders to the camp seems to be a natural and effective way to eliminate the potential threats posed by the more than 2,000 officers and soldiers under his command. You can also use them to command those officers and soldiers.

I couldn’t help but sweat for those salt officials and salt merchants. Jia Lian has reached this level, seeing how determined his attitude is.

Aren’t those salt merchants so wealthy and cunning? Why didn’t they win over Jia Lian well, but instead offended him?

Thinking of what Jia Lian might do, Gao Kui felt faintly happy.

In fact, as the highest-ranking military attache in Yangzhou City, he did benefit from the salt merchants...

But too little!

At least, it is much less than the prefect Wu Zhirong, and even the Tongzhi (Fu Cheng), Tongpan and others under the prefect.

There is no way, this is Jiangnan where singing and dancing are flourishing, all civil servants have the final say, and the status of their military attachés is infinitely low. Even the well-known members of the local government dared to ignore their existence, let alone those salt merchants with great hands and eyes.

But there is nothing we can do about it. The military does not interfere in government affairs. This is an iron rule.

Since these big soldiers pose no threat to the salt merchants, there is no need to pay too much attention to them. Just give them some benefits and prevent them from being too unbalanced.

This kind of distribution of benefits that did not match his grade naturally made him a little dissatisfied over the years. Therefore, seeing that Jia Lian had the intention to take action against the salt merchants, he feltIt was actually a bit fun.

He is not worried about being implicated by the salt merchants at all, because he is indeed not qualified to interfere in salt affairs, and naturally he will not be implicated in any big way. Some of the benefits obtained are just the kind that go in with the left hand and go out with the right hand. As long as the salt merchants don't tell them themselves, who can know?

As for the salt merchants who would take the initiative to confess, he was not too afraid. Because he knew very well that in the eyes of the court officials and the powerful people in the capital, these salt merchants were not really important figures. They could be comforted when they needed to be used, but once they were useless or made mistakes like now, they would be punished. Punishment by the court means nothing.

The bite of a drowned dog naturally poses no threat. As long as they do things well for Jia Lian next time, I believe that Jia Lian is unlikely to take action against them without any evidence.

Gao Kui thought so, and several other Qianzongs thought the same. In fact, even if they have other plans, what can they do now?

With everyone under house arrest here, can we still expect the brothers below to risk rebellion to save them? That is the real seeking death.