Zhou Yuan paused and looked at Yinji as if asking for instructions, and the latter nodded slightly.
"My Zhou family is the salt merchant appointed by the Imperial Salt and Iron Bureau. The sales of Hedong Road salt should be the responsibility of my Zhou family."
"But recently, some salt of unknown origin has suddenly appeared in Hedong Road. So I wanted to ask Captain Zhao, do you know anything about this?"
With Yinji's tacit approval, Zhou Yuan started asking questions on the spot.
The people on Zhao Muyun's side, as well as Pei Lun, all looked at Zhou Yuan at once.
"Mr. Zhou's family is a salt merchant in Hedong Road. Shouldn't your family be the most knowledgeable about this matter? Why are you asking me?"
"What's more, our Yinzhou is outside the Great Wall, and we're rebuilding the provincial capital on the ruins. We're short of manpower to build the city, and we're too busy training soldiers. How could we know about this?"
Zhao Muyun looked confused, and it didn't look like he was acting.
"I told you, the salt from Hedong Road must have been smuggled in from somewhere else!"
Pei Lun said hurriedly, "How could Yinzhou, a frontier province outside the Great Wall, possibly produce something like fine salt?"
For every ounce of silver Zhao Muyun earned from salt, Pei Lun would get four cents.
The larger the amount, the more money Pei Lun gets.
He used the money to solve the problem of shortage of military pay for soldiers in Hedong Road.
Pei Lun never imagined that even two meals a day were a luxury for the soldiers.
Therefore, Pei Lun would get involved in anything that could make money.
"Master Pei, will anyone believe you when you say this?" Yin Ji sneered, "Master Pei and Captain Zhao work together very well!"
"Captain Yin, this is wrong!"
Zhao Muyun immediately took over the conversation, "Master Pei is my superior. We formed a tacit understanding during the previous battle in Shuozhou to repel the Tartars. Is this okay?"
If the man in front of him hadn't been eyeing the royal hat, Zhao Muyun wouldn't have bothered to pay any attention to him.
But it was different for Master Zhou. Before this, Bai Ruolan was approached by Bai Sheng, who wanted to match Bai Ruolan with Master Zhou.
I had heard Bai Ruolan talk about the young master of the Zhou family before, and the Zhou family was also the largest salt merchant in Hedong Road.
Many things have led to conflicts quietly.
Needless to say, this Mr. Zhou wanted to get involved, and he must have said a lot of bad things about Zhao Muyun in front of Yinji!
Mr. Zhou, who has a big shot behind him, also conducted some investigations before coming and determined that the fine salt that appeared in Hedong Road was most likely from Yinzhou.
He first found Pei Lun through this Prince Yin.
Pei Lun refused to admit it.
So Master Zhou sent people to investigate again and found that there seemed to be frequent convoys traveling between Yinzhou and the Hedong Jiedushi's residence.
Pei Lun cannot be touched for the time being, but if we check the newly established Zhechoufu in Yinzhou, there should be no problem.
In addition, Master Zhou was also obsessed with Bai Ruolan. Since Bai Ruolan went to Yanzhou, there had been no news from her and she had never appeared again.
From what Bai Sheng said, Master Zhou speculated that there must be a relationship between Bai Ruolan and Zhao Muyun.
Therefore, he came to Yinzhou for another purpose, which was to find Bai Ruolan's whereabouts.
“Haha, no problem!”
Yinji was interrupted and had no evidence, so he could only do so for the time being.
However, how could he let it go?
"Master Pei, Commandant Zhao, salt and iron are the lifeblood of the imperial court and crucial to national security. Smuggled salt disrupts the market and must not be tolerated within our ranks. Do you agree?"
"I agree, I absolutely agree." Zhao Muyun smiled calmly.
"Next, Master Zhou will focus on a comprehensive inspection in Yinzhou. Captain Zhao, please cooperate." Yin Ji said.
"Cooperate, definitely cooperate!" Zhao Muyun glanced at Pei Lun and raised the corner of his mouth.
A grandson of the Emperor Dayin, who is of royal family, would actually come to Yinzhou to serve as the second-in-command of the military.
He also brought the Zhou and Bai families to Yinzhou, and it seems that he is going to come up with some new tricks.
"Well, as the deputy general of Zhechoufu, do I have the right to know some of the situation in this prefecture?" Yinji asked.
"Of course I have the right!" Zhao Muyun was well prepared and asked frankly, "Then what do you want to know about the situation in this government?"
"Yinzhou currently only has one city. While the population is obvious, I'd like to understand Yinzhou's financial situation," Yinji said seriously. "Captain Zhao, please bring out Yinzhou's account books for me to see."
You can also see all kinds of things in the city by taking a quick tour around it.
However, if you want to know the specific economic situation, you have to look at the official financial accounts of Yinzhou.
By the way, we can also find out some clues about the smuggling of illegal salt.
Pei Lun's face changed, and he was about to ask him why he started checking the account books as soon as he arrived in Yinzhou.
But Zhao Muyun shouted, "That's absolutely fine. Captain Yin wants to see it, then go ahead and take it!"
It was too late for Pei Lun to stop Zhao Muyun, and he could only sigh.
I just hope that this royal prince is a playboy who can’t understand the account books at all!
Upon hearing Zhao Muyun's agreement, Yinji jumped up immediately. Even Zhou Yuan next to him nodded repeatedly, and couldn't wait to ask Zhao Muyun to show him the warehouse account book!
"Han Zhong, take them to the warehouse to check the account books." Zhao Muyun stretched lazily.
Although Han Zhong was somewhat puzzled by Zhao Muyun's ready agreement, he thought that Zhao Muyun was always prepared for anything and would never make such a low-level mistake.
So Han Zhong stood up silently, bowed to Yin Ji and Zhou Yuan, then turned around and led the way.
The two were overjoyed. They didn't expect Zhao Muyun to be so miserable.
After Han Zhong and the other two left, Pei Lun hurriedly asked, "Brother Zhao, I was sweating profusely just now, worried that this grandson of the emperor might discover something."
"We've already evaded the issue and muddled through it, so why did you still agree to let them look at the account books?"
Zhao Muyun smiled faintly and said, "Master Pei, are you still not confident in my ability to do things?"
"They only want to see what we want them to see!"
"Huh? You want them to see it?" Pei Lun frowned slightly, then looked as if he suddenly understood.
Needless to say, Zhao Muyun must have tampered with the account book.
Yin Ji and Zhou Yuan went over to take a look, and were confused by the Arabic numerals that Bai Ruolan used to record the accounts.
"Master Pei, you personally escorted them all the way to Yinzhou. You must have worked so hard!" Zhao Muyun sighed. "It must have been an arduous journey from Jinyang to here!"
"It's my fault that I didn't solve your worries!"
Pei Lun's face was filled with apology, and he immediately said worriedly, "This royal descendant came to Yinzhou to serve as a Guoyi Duwei. Even if they haven't discovered him now, he will eventually be able to hide, and it will affect our profits!"
"The imperial court has been keeping an eye on Hedong's production of fine salt! Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent a grandson of the emperor!"
Zhao Muyun narrowed his eyes, "Being discovered by him is not a big deal. We should think about how to talk to him!"
"What do you mean?" Pei Lun was a little confused.
“They just want a piece of the pie!”
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