91 Chapter 91
◎Secrets of the Salt Field◎
Chengdu Prefecture Commandery.
Commander-in-chief Liu Zhaoyu was kneeling on a cushion, holding two walnuts in his right hand. The walnuts had been polished to a patina and were shiny.
When his confidant came to report for the tenth time that he had not found the princess, he paused and the walnut accidentally rolled out of his palm.
"Liu Dutai, calm down." The man opposite had a refined demeanor and a silver whisk resting on his arm.
Liu Zhaoyu suddenly opened his eyes. "It's been thirteen days, and the princess is still missing. Who knows where she went, who she met, or what she saw?"
"She went to the salt fields, met the salt workers, and saw some people profiting from smuggling salt," the Taoist priest said leisurely. "Even so, so what?"
"It's a capital crime."
"Success or failure, life or death, all depends on your thoughts."
Liu Zhaoyu picked up the walnut, but his fingers were stiff and he couldn't continue to turn it smoothly.
"In the past, your ancestor, Lord Liu, made a living selling straw sandals. Later, he visited the thatched cottage three times and gained virtuous ministers and generals. He occupied the key areas of Sichuan and Shu, and fought against Cao and Wu. Now you are wealthy and command a large army. What do you have to fear?"
Liu Zhaoyu: “…”
Although his surname is Liu, he is not a descendant of Mr. Liu!
"Liu Dutai, please relax," the Taoist priest said calmly, "How can a mere woman cause such trouble?"
Liu Zhaoyu felt a sense of comfort from his calm tone, and the anxiety in his heart gradually subsided.
Yes, the matter of salt administration affects the entire body. What would happen even if it is discovered?
This chain of interests has tied up too many people.
Jianzhou Salt Field.
The candles in the main room burned quietly as Yan Shan recounted his experiences.
Her real name is Xiang Jinghui, and she is a sibling of the Salt Inspector Xiang Jingze. At first glance, they look exactly the same, and only those who are familiar with them can tell them apart.
Her father was a juren, and her family was relatively well-off when she was young. Xiang Jingze was also talented in studying, but he was naughty. In order to encourage him, his father asked Xiang Jinghui to study with him.
Every time Xiang Jingze finished an exam, his father would ask him to write down the test questions and give Xiang Jinghui the answers, and then they would compare their performance.
Although they were "competitors", the relationship between the brother and sister became increasingly close. They shared the same ideals and often discussed current affairs together and wrote policy papers until late at night.
Later, their parents died of illness one after another. They depended on each other and overcame the difficulties together.
When Xiang Jingze went to Beijing to take the imperial examination, Xiang Jinghui accompanied him. On the way, they encountered a bandit who was robbing people on the road. Fortunately, Yan Tai, who was a gangster, rescued them and saved them from disaster.
Yan Tai escorted them all the way to Beijing.
Xiang Jingze passed the imperial examination and was appointed an official to stay in the capital. At that time, Xiang Jinghui and Yan Tai fell in love with each other and promised to spend their lives together.
After Xiang Jinghui came to Beijing, his horizons were broadened and he wanted to travel around the world, so he said goodbye to his brother and went out to explore the world with Yan Tai.
At the beginning of last year, when she was traveling in Sichuan, she received a letter from her brother saying that he had been appointed as the Imperial Censor of Salt and was ordered to go to Sichuan to inspect the salt administration.
Xiang Jinghui was overjoyed and specially rented a house in Chengdu to wait for his arrival.
He even estimated his walking speed, and the day before he arrived in Chengdu, he and Yan Tai hurried fifty miles to greet him.
Who could have expected that when he arrived near the official post station, he would see his brother stabbed in the vitals by a "bandit" and lying in a pool of blood.
She traveled around Chengdu Prefecture and met officials from various government offices. The leader of the bandits was clearly the chief constable from the Neisi Yamen!
She felt like she was in an ice cellar.
"Your brother died at the hands of the government. You don't trust the government or the court, but to seek justice for him, you deliberately disguised yourself as him and went deep into Huxue to investigate the truth."
Having said that, Xie Mingzhuo had already seen through her plan.
"Yes," Xiang Jinghui cried bitterly, "They left after killing someone, probably waiting for someone to discover them and report it to the government before reporting it to the court, so that they can replace them with an obedient salt inspector. I don't want to do what they want, I want them to pay the price!"
"An obedient salt inspector?"
"My brother mentioned in his letter that he was determined to uncover the corruption in the salt administration and restore justice to Sichuan." Xiang Jinghui didn't dare hide anything. "He knew this trip would be dangerous, but he said that Duke Teng had high hopes for him, and he was willing to personally travel to Sichuan to serve the court."
The only person who could be called "Duke Teng" in the court was Teng Shitong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
This is very interesting.
The Left Vice Minister Fang Ji may have had connections with salt profits, so the Right Vice Minister sent someone to investigate.
On the surface, it was to expose the corruption of the salt administration, but in reality it was a secret game between the two parties.
Regardless of how much selfish motives Teng Shitong had in this, at least he was in the righteous position. If he could thoroughly expose the problems in the salt administration, he would not only cause Fang Ji to lose his troops and all his previous efforts to be wasted, but he would also be able to restore peace to the salt administration.
Kill two birds with one stone.
Xie Mingzhuo was filled with emotion: "Xiang Yushi was a man of unwavering loyalty, sacrificing his life for justice. Once this case is fully investigated, the court will not forget his loyalty and will certainly give him justice."
"I, a guilty person, bow my head in thanks to Her Royal Highness the Princess." Xiang Jinghui immediately knelt down and kowtowed.
Yan Tai followed her.
Xie Mingzhuo gestured for Jiang Qing to help her up, his eyes falling on her neck: "What's wrong with your injury?"
"In addition to being stabbed in the abdomen, my brother also suffered a cut on his right wrist while resisting," Xiang Jinghui wrote casually. "I was pretending to be my brother, but I was worried about being recognized when I reported to the governor's office, so I cut myself to imitate the wound on his wrist. This also served as an excuse for not being able to write with my right hand, so as not to reveal my identity due to the different handwriting."
How much courage does it take to cripple your right hand?
Xie Mingzhuo was filled with admiration, and his expression became gentler: "Your voice?"
"I deliberately smoked them," Xiang Jinghui smiled complacently, as if to flatter them. "I lied to them that they accidentally ate poisonous wild fruit while recovering from their injuries, which damaged their throats."
"Why the neck?"
"They were shocked to see the Salt Inspector alive. After I reported it, I left Chengdu Prefecture on the pretext of inspecting the salt fields. Unexpectedly, I was attacked along the way. If it weren't for A-Tai's all-out protection, I would have been killed."
"One is a chaste and virtuous woman, the other a chivalrous and courageous man, sharing weal and woe. What crime have they committed?"
Xie Mingzhuo's eyes were full of admiration and praise for the two of them. Xiang Jinghui, who had originally planned to go all out, felt that his shaky old ship had finally found a harbor where it could dock.
Hatred towards the government and guilt towards her husband tormented her heart day and night.
Now, she can let go of her long-suppressed defenses and hide under the princess's protection without hesitation.
She didn't care whether the court would sentence her to death or not. Hearing the princess's praise and promise was enough.
"male……"
"You have to call me 'Brother Tiezhu' from now on," Xie Mingzhuo reminded me, "don't call me the wrong one."
"Yes." Xiang Jinghui immediately changed his tone, "Brother Tiezhu, do you have any plans?"
Xie Mingzhuo hadn't forgotten his apparent purpose for coming to Sichuan: "Have you heard of the case of the Jianzhou Salt Works general who wiped out his entire family?"
"nature."
The two discussed for a long time, until the candle was mostly burned out and Xu Qinglang returned from Miss Zhang's house, and then they finally finished.
Before parting, Xu Qinglang asked, "Brother Tiezhu, Yan Dafa brought you in here to exploit your strength. Salt workers have a hard time. Are you really going to boil salt tomorrow?"
"how?"
"I can use the excuse of going out to buy herbs tomorrow and take you with me to help."
Xie Mingzhuo asked with a smile: "If I escape tomorrow, what about the day after tomorrow?"
"What do you want to check? I'll help you. You and Brother Tiegun wait for me outside." Xu Qinglang said seriously.
Xie Mingzhuo reached out and touched her head. "I appreciate your kindness, but Brother Yan and I have other plans, so I need your help in keeping it secret."
"Okay, I'll keep it a secret."
After returning to the old house at the end of the village, the four of them rested separately.
In the darkness, Xiang Jinghui hugged Yan Tai tightly, her tears soaking his clothes.
"Thank you for your hard work over the past year."
If it weren't for protecting her, he would still be that carefree and unrestrained man.
Yan Tai said hoarsely: "I should be the one to say this."
He watched her injure her arm, hurt her throat, and almost die when the killer cut her neck. It was heartbreaking.
Despite her frail body, she sneaked into various salt fields to search for evidence. Every day she survived consumed her remaining energy and blood.
He saw it all, so how could he bear to leave her alone?
"Fortunately, there is a light in the dark room."
Xiang Jinghui murmured softly, and the haze in her heart was dispelled by a bright light. She was now full of strength and wanted to turn Chengdu Prefecture upside down immediately.
The next morning, Yan Dafa sent someone to find Xiang Jinghui and ordered Xie Mingzhuo, Jiang Qing and Yan Tai to dig a well.
Digging wells is the most arduous labor in a salt field. Digging a salt well often consumes huge manpower and takes months or even years.
But the successful excavation of a salt well means a steady flow of silver.
Xiang Jinghui said, "I need their help today."
The visitor knew that the chief inspector valued Yan Shan and wanted to take him to see the most experienced salt worker today, so he did not dare to make a decision on his own and brought the four of them to Yan Dafa together.
Yan Dafa lay on his back in a rocking chair in the yard, rubbing two walnuts with his right hand. He had not been rubbing them for long, and the surface was still uneven.
He didn't like to play with this thing, but he saw that the officials of the Salt Tax Bureau liked to play with it, so he picked two walnuts to imitate them.
I don’t know why those officials love to trade in this thing.
When he saw the four men appear together, he sternly asked his men, "What's going on? Didn't I tell you to lead them to dig a well?"
The men looked towards Xiang Jinghui.
"Master Yan, the skills I know are also related to well digging. I need to demonstrate them to you. I need strong helpers. It just so happens that I have a friendship with them in the same industry. Please, Master Yan, please give me a favor and let them accompany me."
She spoke in an elegant manner, had good manners, and was very respectful in her words, which made Yan Dafa unable to continue to be sullen.
"I have always respected scholars. Since you've asked for mercy for them, I'll grant your wish." Yan Dafa stood up, a walnut in one hand and an iron stick in the other. "Come, I want to see what you can do."
Several people walked together to a newly dug salt well.
The well carvers were digging wells with circular blades in their hands. The circular blades had appeared in the previous dynasty and had been used till now. After several generations of innovation, they had become more convenient for digging wells, but in Xiang Jinghui's eyes, they were already outdated.
In the past year, she and Yan Tai have secretly investigated the major salt fields in Shu and witnessed the technological innovations in different fields of different salt fields. Each one seems insignificant, but if combined together, it will definitely bring new changes to the drilling and production of salt wells.
Unfortunately, there is competition among the major salt fields. Although the skills have improved, they are still kept to themselves and difficult to promote in a short period of time.
This is a good deal for Xiang Jinghui.
She memorized every process and technique and became a "salt worker" with extremely professional theoretical knowledge.
"Yan Shan, give it a try." Yan Dafa raised his chin and watched with his arms folded.
Xiang Jinghui asked the well carpenter, "Is this a Zhutong well you dug?"
Zhuotong wells are widely used in salt mines. The well mouth is only the size of a bowl, and a giant bamboo is used as a guide to penetrate the well cavity, which can extend the life of the salt well.
"Yes, what else can we use if not the Zhutong Well?" The well carpenter was full of doubts.
Xiang Jinghui: "I have a method that can increase your strength and achieve twice the results, but..."
"Just what?"
"It just requires the right tools and more time, but if it's successfully dug, we can extract several times more brine at a time. Master Yan, are you willing to give it a try?"
Yan Dafa asked, rolling up the walnuts, "How long will it take?"
"If there are enough craftsmen, one month will be enough."
Yan Dafa raised his eyebrows. He grew up in the salt field and could walk around the salt wells with his eyes closed. What Xiang Jinghui said was beyond his understanding, and he couldn't help but feel nervous.
"What are Master Yan's concerns?"
Yan Dafa said, "It's not easy to survey a new well. If it tilts or slants during the excavation process, the well will be useless. Can you afford it?"
"If you want to make more money, you have to take risks." Xiang Jinghui said calmly, "Master Yan should understand this."
Yan Dafa: “…”
That's right. Seizing salt profits is already a risk of being killed. It's just a salt well. If this one is gone, there will be another one. But if successful, the salt profits can be increased several times.
Since we're already at the saltworks, why not wait a month? If one month isn't enough, two months won't be too much trouble.
"Okay." He decided. "Just tell me if you need anything."
"Forge new well-drilling tools, use hardwood instead of bamboo pipes, and build new brine-extracting machinery."
All of this requires blacksmiths, lumberjacks, and carpenters to complete.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of craftsmen related to the salt field. Since Yan Dafa agreed, he will not be stingy with manpower.
"I can provide tools, wood, and machinery. As long as you can produce high yields, I will definitely not treat you unfairly."
He made arrangements immediately.
Xiang Jinghui was responsible for digging the new well, and the blacksmiths, lumberjacks, carpenters and other laborers were all under her command.
"I need pen and paper to draw."
"Someone, go get some paper and pen."
"This place is too far from where I live, and it takes a long time to go back and forth."
"Come here, find them a new house with all the furniture."
Xiang Jinghui mentioned some more daily necessities, and Yan Dafa agreed to them one by one until he became a little impatient, and then she stopped.
The onlookers were not jealous. They knew that if this person made big promises but failed to deliver, all that awaited him was endless hard labor and exploitation.
If he can really do it, there is no need to be jealous.
The plan was carried out in an orderly manner.
With Yan Dafa's "care", the living standards of the four people have risen sharply.
Xiang Jinghui was busy digging wells every day. She had forgotten about the investigation and was really determined to conduct a trial of digging new salt wells in Jianzhou Salt Field.
The princess said that she, who had mastered all the skills of the salt fields, was the most valuable asset of the salt fields, and it was not worth it to waste her time on the intrigues of officialdom.
She agreed with that.
Yan Tai stayed with her all day long. Seeing her gradually regain her former boldness and brilliance, he was also happy in his heart and felt that the hard work had finally paid off.
Xie Mingzhuo and Jiang Qing are nominally "helpers", but in reality they often "absent from work". They quietly became familiar with Liugou Village and won the hearts of many ladies with their "honest" appearance.
There are no secrets in the saltworks.
They also found out a lot of gossip about the murder case.
The case occurred in Baisha Village, Yanchang, which is several villages away from Liugou Village. However, there is nothing new in the salt field, especially this horrific case of family annihilation, which has deeply concerned all the households.
As night falls, the salt workers return home.
Xie Mingzhuo brought Jiang Qing and walked into Miss Wang's yard familiarly, listening to the women chatting.
While talking, they did not forget the work at hand. The ladies could only welcome the addition of two ready-made laborers.
Xie Mingzhuo listened to their instructions from time to time and had heard many secrets of the salt field by using this method in recent days.
I was hoping to hear some new secrets today, but unexpectedly, Miss Zhang suddenly said mysteriously, "Her Royal Highness the Princess is missing. Did you know?"
Xie Mingzhuo: “…”
It's hard to hold back when you eat something on yourself.
"I know, I know. Oh, it's been so many days and there's no news. It can't be true..."
"Pfft, ffff, ffff, don't make trouble."
Miss Wang quickly changed the subject: "I heard someone died in Baisha Village again."
"What a sin." Everyone was still in shock.
Although Yan Dafa is greedy for money and has a bad temper, he never kills anyone.
The situation in Baisha Village is different. Ever since the whole family of the head cook surnamed Bai was wiped out and a new head cook was appointed, the lives of the cooks have become more and more difficult.
Only five months after Mr. Bai's death, more than ten cooks in Baisha Village died of exhaustion.
Xie Mingzhuo took the opportunity to ask, "Why?"
The women suddenly fell silent, their faces filled with hesitation as if they wanted to say something.
Miss Zhang was the first to lose her temper. She leaned close to her ear and whispered in a low voice, "The ambassador's office said that Baisha Village is full of rebellious people. They were planning an uprising before, but after Master Bai died, the new chief inspector killed them."
The ambassador's office was the Jianzhou Salt Tax Office.
Xie Mingzhuo's heart moved. Could it be that President Bai's death was due to the so-called "uprising"?
If this is true, the government should just suppress it directly. Why would they have to wipe out the whole family in secret?
"You're so bold," Jiang Qing echoed. "You still want to rebel?"
Miss Wang coughed lightly a few times and said, "Everyone is dead. What else is there to talk about? It's all gone."
Everyone knew that they couldn't talk much about this topic, so they all got up and left.
Xie Mingzhuo walked out of Miss Wang's house and looked up at the dark night sky.
The moon is obscured by dark clouds, and the stars are invisible.
According to He Cuiniang, she was able to escape from the salt field and go to the capital to file a complaint with the help of the villagers.
Is it because of this "treason" that Baisha Village fell into an even more terrifying purgatory?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
