Chapter 301 Account Book
Huo Xifei paced back and forth in the Qiongjiang Pavilion, frowning and saying, "It seems that the victims that guy mentioned being taken away were probably taken to this mine. These people are simply a bunch of beasts, not even sparing the elderly or children."
"That's right, Brother Xi, you don't see how pitiful those people are!" Yuan Ziyou sighed: "Brother Xi, what are you going to do next?"
Huo Xifei thought for a moment and said, "I'm afraid Pingshan and the others won't arrive soon. We shouldn't alert them!"
"Yes!" Yuan Ziyou frowned and said, "They are still transporting rice and grain. Even if they go as fast as possible, they won't arrive until the day after tomorrow. But..."
Yuan Ziyou looked up at Huo Xifei and said, "The county governor has become alert and has ordered the advisor to stop collecting city fees and lower prices. I'm afraid it will be difficult to catch him then!"
"That's not a problem!" Huo Xifei pondered for a moment and said, "This Jiao County Magistrate has been tyrannical in Yukang City for a long time. The people in the city are afraid of and hate him. The reason they haven't resisted is that they haven't had the opportunity, and no one has helped them. If they are given the opportunity to seek justice, I believe these people will become the most powerful witnesses!"
Yuan Ziyou thought about it and understood: "Oh, I understand!"
Huo Xifei looked at Yuan Ziyu with a smile and said, "Right now, the most important thing is this mine. The imperial court doesn't allow private mining. I think that County Magistrate Jiao and the people behind him are mining without the imperial court's knowledge. They must have some account books or something. We should find an opportunity to find the account books. Maybe we can even follow the clues and find the people behind County Magistrate Jiao!"
"Yes!" Yuan Ziyou nodded. "The crime of illegally mining is not a small one, not to mention condoning officials' exploitation of the people, which is an even greater crime!"
Huo Xifei nodded and said with a smile, "Not bad, your analysis makes sense!"
Yuan Ziyu raised his chin proudly: "Of course, it doesn't matter who I am."
"Let me see!" Huo Xifei approached Yuan Ziyu, looked her over with a surprised expression: "Oh, isn't this my future wife?"
Yuan Ziyou was stunned for a moment by Huo Xifei's sudden remark. The next moment, her face flushed and she spat, "Slippery tongue."
Then, Yuan Ziyou coughed lightly and asked, "Then, shall we go back?"
"Hmm!" Seeing that Yuan Ziyou was shy, Huo Xifei stopped teasing her and said with a smile, "Hmm, let's go back now. Let's go to the county governor's mansion tonight and see if we can find the account book!"
"good!"
That night, Huo Xifei and Yuan Ziyu sneaked into the county magistrate's mansion again.
It was already late at night and everyone was asleep except for the soldiers on night duty in the county magistrate's mansion.
There were no soldiers guarding the study in the back hall of the county magistrate's mansion, but it was guarded by an iron general. Fortunately, Huo Xifei was good at unlocking the door, and the two of them quickly and quietly entered the study.
After searching the study, the two did not find any account books, not even any similar letters!
Huo Xifei frowned. It seemed that County Magistrate Jiao was really cautious. He was afraid that all the correspondence had been burned by him like yesterday. However, Huo Xifei had a hunch that the account book must be there. Moreover, with County Magistrate Jiao's cautious nature, he might regard the account book as his own amulet to prevent himself from being pushed out as cannon fodder by the people behind him one day.
If that is the case, then County Magistrate Jiao must have hidden the account book very secretly.
So, Huo Xifei whispered to Yuan Ziyou, "You'er, look carefully to see if there are any hidden compartments or secret rooms."
Yuan Ziyu nodded quickly.
The two of them searched the study carefully again.
Finally, hard work paid off. Yuan Ziyu found a secret compartment under an inconspicuous tripod table in the corner of the study where potted plants were placed.
When the secret compartment was opened, there was indeed a thin account book inside!
Yuan Ziyou was overjoyed. He quickly took out the account book and restored the secret compartment to its original state. Then he walked over to Huo Xifei and whispered, "I found it!"
"Okay, let's leave first!" Huo Xifei took the account book and took a quick look at it, then hurriedly said to Yuan Ziyu.
The two men locked the study door again and quietly left the county magistrate's mansion. During the whole process, no one in the county magistrate's mansion noticed.
After returning to the inn, to be on the safe side, the two did not leave the Qiongjiang Pavilion, but instead studied the account book in the Qiongjiang Pavilion.
The account book was not thick. Huo Xifei flipped through the pages one by one, and his brows furrowed more and more as he turned.
Yuan Ziyu walked forward to take a look out of curiosity, and saw that the account book recorded line after line, how much silver was distributed as dividend to Liu Heng on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year, and how many precious utensils, medicinal herbs, antiques, etc. were given as gifts. The records were extremely detailed.
Yuan Ziyou blinked: "Liu Heng? Who is this?"
"Teacher Liu!" Huo Xifei narrowed his eyes: "Our Prince Ning's uncle!"
As soon as Huo Xifei mentioned Master Liu, Yuan Ziyou knew about it and exclaimed in surprise, "It's him again!"
"That's right!" Huo Xifei nodded. "It seems that Taifu Liu and Prince Ning are quite ambitious. From your maternal grandfather's home to the mines in Yukang Mansion today, these are the ones we have discovered. In other places that we haven't discovered, who knows how many more industries they have to make money from!"
"Honestly!" Yuan Ziyou sighed and shook his head. "My current understanding of Liu Taifu has completely overturned my impression of him in my previous life. I always thought he valued reputation, even going so far as to execute his son in the street for it. You know, when he executed his son in the street, it really earned him a lot of good reputation. The people in the capital all praised Liu Taifu as a fair, strict and impartial official!"
"Ha!" Huo Xifei sneered, "I guess there must be some hidden agenda behind his beheading of my son in public!"
Yuan Ziyou blinked: "Brother Xi, what do you think is going on?"
"I don't know!" Huo Xifei shook his head. "I'm just wondering, based on your past life experiences, that Imperial Tutor Liu hasn't rebelled in over a decade. There must be something going on. Perhaps... he hasn't obtained the imperial seal of the previous dynasty, so he hasn't had a reason to rebel."
"I think that's a possibility!" Yuan Ziyou sighed and said, "It's a pity that we can never know what happened in our previous life!"
"It doesn't matter!" Huo Xifei stroked Yuan Ziyou's hair and said with a smile, "Let the past be the past. Don't think about it. The most important thing for us now is to find out who Taifu Liu is. He has been pretending for so many years, it's time to reveal his true face!"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ziyou's heart moved: "Brother Xi, do you support the eldest prince?"
"The eldest prince will be a wise ruler!" Huo Xifei nodded.
"Oh!" Yuan Ziyou had no interest in politics, so he asked, "Brother Xi, if we take out this account book, will the county governor find out?"
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(End of this chapter)
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