Remembering Pei Shijiu's instructions, Master Pei stopped short of making a move and gave a warning.
Few of the wealthy families are clean; if you really investigated, there wouldn't be enough people to hold them all in jail.
He took a deep breath: "Of course I am willing to believe Lord Ouyang. With so many laborers suddenly coming to expose the Ouyang family's private affairs, I'm afraid the Ouyang family may have done something wrong. I have to remind Lord Ouyang that he should reflect on his actions."
Master Ouyang couldn't help but think of a whole series of interconnected events behind this. What seemed like just a laborer causing trouble actually represented the wishes of the Qiao, Lin, and Pei families.
The Qiao family made it very clear that they would not agree to a marriage alliance with the Ouyang family. If the Ouyang family insisted on making those moves, then they should not blame the Qiao family for being impolite.
What happened today is a clear example.
Whether it was Qiao Lian'er or Pei Shijiu who did it, it all boils down to the same thing.
The Ouyang family compensated each laborer with one hundred taels of silver before letting them go.
Master Pei also left with the Imperial Guards.
Pei Shijiu said, "This is just a warning, an appetizer. If the Ouyang family still doesn't know when to stop, then we'll have to get serious."
"It seems you've not only rescued these laborers." Seeing his confident demeanor, Qiao Lian'er knew there was an even more powerful backup plan.
Pei Shijiu said, "If I only managed to accomplish this, how incompetent I would be. And to be honest, the lives of these laborers are like ants in the eyes of the imperial family, and they are unlikely to be valued much."
"What the imperial family really cares about are the things that can enter the national treasury. For example, the Ouyang family manages the minting of coins, and under the pretext of needing to discard damaged ones, they have swallowed up countless coins. These coins still circulate in the market."
“The Ouyang family is also responsible for melting down small amounts of tax silver and casting it into silver ingots. However, there will be losses during the melting process, which need to be levied. There is a lot of room for manipulation in this process.”
“Recently, I have compiled a detailed report based on the tax revenue of various prefectures and counties. It can be submitted when needed. The Ouyang family has many connections with officials at various levels, and a single move can have far-reaching consequences. This is a time-consuming and troublesome problem, but if the Ouyang family continues to be obstinate, I will not show any mercy.”
As Pei Shijiu spoke, he pulled an account book out of his sleeve.
It's about two inches thick, and the pages are all freshly inked. It seems that these past few days, besides investigating, he's been staying up late writing this booklet.
It was full of evidence of the Ouyang family's crimes, including their shady dealings in the salt and iron industries.
This ledger is far more detailed than the secret document Qiao Lian'er saw at the Ouyang family's residence, and it also includes many unknown, sordid details.
"You've worked hard," she said.
She had lost weight, but Pei Er had lost even more.
After all that hard work, this thoughtful remark made Pei Shijiu feel like her backache and leg pain had disappeared, and even the dark circles under her eyes had vanished.
"Serving the Princess Zhenguo is a joy I would gladly accept."
Qiao Lian'er knew that Pei Shijiu's feelings for her went beyond romantic love; they also included a sense of following and devotion.
Aside from the Qiao family, he knew best how many things she possessed that were beyond the reach of ordinary people, and he even knew more.
At this moment, the Ouyang family was shrouded in gloom, and the atmosphere was extremely heavy.
Master Ouyang remained silent for a long time, and the tea beside him had gone cold without him taking a sip.
He chose the wrong path from the start, and now he can only follow this path. However, the actions of the Pei and Qiao families serve as a warning that if he does not restrain himself, the consequences will be unimaginable.
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