In front of the Liu Mansion, the servant stood upright and glanced downward.
After seeing the two cents of silver in Wei Yunlan's hand, he looked forward again, without looking away, pretending that he didn't hear it.
Wei Yunlan reached into his sleeve, and the two cents of silver in his hand turned into two taels of silver.
The servant's ears immediately became much more alert. He took the silver and said, "Our steward is not willing to see everyone. I will go in and tell him, but I'm not sure whether you can see him or not."
"Wait a moment." Wei Yunlan stopped the servant and took out a brocade box from the carriage. "This is a gift my master prepared for the steward of your mansion."
This is a pair of elegant carved rosewood paperweights.
The servant couldn't figure out why, but he thought that this thing must be expensive and would probably be liked by the steward, so he became more polite and said, "I'll go in and tell them right away."
After a while, the door of Liu's mansion opened.
The servant came out and said, "Please come in, my guest. The housekeeper has just finished his work for the day. Please come in and have a chat."
Haha, the Liu family is indeed as snobbish as Manager Feng said.
Only money can pave the way for it to work.
This is a three-courtyard house. There are not many servants in the house, but the layout is very exquisite, more exquisite than the homes of ordinary fourth or fifth rank officials.
As far as Wei Yunlan knew, this was not the main residence of the Liu family. It was just a house located in Suijiang City where the master did not live very often. Usually, only the steward was there.
Led by the servants of the mansion, they came to the side hall in the front yard, where the steward was already sitting there waiting for them.
Isn't that the man with a plump figure and an arrogant look exactly the Manager Liu whom I met at Fengji Porcelain Shop that day?
Wei Yunlan deliberately changed into a maid's outfit today and darkened her face by two shades, just for fear that he would recognize her.
However, he obviously didn't care about the inconspicuous little maid. He only focused his eyes on Manager Wang. After asking him to sit down, he looked at him and inquired, "You must have come from another state. You look very unfamiliar."
Steward Wang has worked in the outer court for many years. He has had dealings with the dukes and marquises, so he knows how to handle the situation. He immediately made up a story calmly: "I am from Yuezhou. My family runs a business of selling medicinal herbs, especially rare herbs such as wild ginseng and deer antlers. I heard that your family has a way to sell the goods to the capital, so I came to visit you today."
When he heard the words "ginseng" and "deer antler", Manager Liu's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but sit up straighter.
This is a big business. If you do it well, you will definitely be praised by the master. You may even be transferred to Lianzhou to be a manager, which is a really lucrative job.
In an instant, Manager Liu's gaze towards Manager Wang became eager.
Manager Wang described the batch of medicinal herbs that did not exist at all, and made up the number of herbs that were going to be sold, which made Manager Liu's eyes brimming with jealousy. Both of them wanted to "become good friends", and they chatted quite enthusiastically for a while, and by the end of the conversation, they were already calling each other "brother" and "brother".
Steward Wang: "When I get back, I will have my servants send a letter home, bringing the first batch of goods to Suijiang for you to see."
Manager Liu: "Then I am waiting for your good news! Do you have any other plans these days? Why don't you let me host you and take you around Suijiang?"
"That's not necessary. The situation in Suijiang..." Manager Wang showed a hint of hesitation.
Manager Liu slapped his forehead and said, "Look at me, I was so happy chatting with you that I forgot about the current situation in the city. But our Liu family's influence is not limited to Suizhou. We can also have influence in Chongzhou and Lianzhou. If you are interested, after our cooperation is successful, I can also recommend you to expand your business to Chongzhou and Lianzhou."
"Oh?" Manager Wang showed an appropriate look of doubt on his face, and his heart was even more alert.
Young Master Mingxuan and his son Wang Gui disappeared in Lianzhou!
"I wonder what kind of business your family is doing in Chongzhou and Lianzhou?"
"We in the Liu Mansion handle an enormous amount of business." Speaking of the Liu Mansion, Manager Liu regained some of his original arrogance. It was obvious that the business handled in the mansion was of no small importance.
But although he seemed to say everything, he was actually very tight-lipped. For a long time he didn't really reveal the main industries of the Liu family. He only talked about some unimportant things like restaurants and pawnshops.
Manager Wang was afraid that asking too many questions would arouse Manager Liu's suspicion, so he instead started chatting about some daily matters and complimented Manager Liu on his demeanor and clothing, especially the embroidery on his clothes and boots.
"These are all the work of the embroiderers in our mansion. It's a pity that they don't work for outsiders, otherwise I could get a few pieces for you." Manager Liu took the opportunity to brag about the wealth of the Liu family. The mansion employed more than fifty embroiderers invited from the south.
Wei Yunlan took the opportunity to pour tea to wink at Manager Wang.
Manager Wang immediately understood.
I have said almost everything I need to say, it’s time to go!
After exchanging a few final words with the snake, Manager Wang offered to take his leave.
After leaving the Liu Mansion and getting on the carriage, his temperament changed dramatically, and he said respectfully to Wei Yunlan: "Miss, the group of people that the young master and his men encountered are indeed related to the Liu Mansion!"
"Let me think about it..."
Wei Yunlan leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and rubbed his eyebrows.
The information obtained from Manager Liu seemed scattered, but they could all be combined together.
First of all, the group that abducted the male refugees was from the Liu family or had a close relationship with the Liu family.
Secondly, the Liu family had some shameful but profitable businesses in Lianzhou and Chongzhou.
If those refugees were not abducted and sold in other states, then they were abducted and used to do these shameful things for them.
The biggest advantage of using refugees is that they have already fled their homeland and have nowhere to go. Even if they are forcibly captured, no one will look for them and they will not attract government investigation.
So what exactly are we doing and what kind of business are we doing that requires a group of such people?
Wei Yunlan only felt that there was a line that became clearer and clearer in his mind.
Suddenly opened his eyes.
She knows!
What are Chongzhou and Lianzhou rich in?
…
Just as the carriage was circling Suijiang City and leaving behind the Liu Mansion's servants, in a valley over a hundred miles away.
A "pop" sound rang in the ears of Wei Mingxuan and Wang Gui.
The whip fell not far from the two of them. The person wielding the whip glanced at Wei Mingxuan and Wang Gui and frowned in disdain.
"How much strength can this little body have? You don't even choose when you arrest people!"
"What are you looking at? Did I talk to you? Why don't you move forward!"
As he spoke, he whipped him again and urged him impatiently.
Wei Mingxuan and Wang Gui followed the crowd forward, picked up their pickaxes, carried their backpacks, and entered the dark mine.
They looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
I really didn't expect that they dodged the whip of the prosecutor but couldn't escape the whip of the miner leader in this black mine?
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