As for Cao Yin and Erhe, Yinreng released them when he left the weaving bureau.
The two men had been locked up for a whole day without eating a single grain of rice, and their eyes were sparking as they looked at Yinreng.
Complain!
When they returned to the palace, they wrote a letter to complain to the emperor!
This time, the Crown Prince must be punished, otherwise, wouldn't their suffering be in vain?!
Yinreng was too lazy to pay attention to them and went straight back to the palace.
After Cao Yin and Erhe left, Yinreng sent a few followers to follow them.
Yinqi slumped in a chair beside him, his face tired and heavy.
He listened to the whole thing today, and now he couldn't even feel sympathy.
"Second brother, you spent so much money on this trick today. Cao Yin will definitely investigate later. The embroiderer may not be able to keep the money."
Yinreng smiled and put down the tea bowl in his hand.
"I'm afraid he won't investigate..."
If Cao Yin had been smart, he would have known that at this critical juncture, he couldn't do any embroidery.
If he moved, he would loosen his bones.
He knows more about the problem of tax corruption in Jiangnan than anyone else.
If you pull out a radish, you will also bring out the mud. If you are serious about it, there are few people in the officialdom who are clean.
This was the reason why Yinreng was reluctant to come to Jiangnan at first.
Too troublesome.
Two hours later, Yinreng looked at the guard standing in front of him and asked,
"Is there any movement from Cao Yin?"
"Yes, Cao Yin sent his trusted men to investigate the embroiderers' homes, but they came out soon. Our subordinates went to the embroiderers' homes and found that the men Cao Yin sent did not embarrass them."
Yinreng smiled and said, "No trouble?"
It’s hard to say…
In the next few days, Yinreng asked Yinqi to go to the Weaving Bureau to question people in his way.
Yinreng, on the other hand, plunged headfirst into the account books of the weaving house.
After the experience of the first day, Cao Yin never interfered with Yinreng's investigation again.
The death rate of embroiderers is a bit high, but these days there are natural disasters and man-made disasters, so people die every year.
Therefore, the questions asked by the prince posed basically no threat to him.
After looking at the account books for a few days, Yinreng frowned slightly.
There were problems with the weaving bureau's account books over the past five years, but they were minor, with the difference amounting to only a few thousand taels of silver.
Considering the annual budget of the Weaving Bureau of 300,000 taels and 1.5 million taels in five years, these few thousand taels of silver are simply a drop in the bucket.
It seems that Cao Yin's cunning was far beyond his expectations.
Yinreng thought about it and decided to start with the minor official in charge of embroidery inheritance.
He stayed in the weaving bureau to continue looking at the account books, but sent all the clever guards around him out to keep an eye on the clerk in charge of the weaving bureau.
Five days later, Yinreng arrested all the problematic petty officials and put them in jail.
After two days of interrogation, Cao Yin's confidants Du Sen, Yao Wang and others were arrested.
Cao Yin felt a little uneasy, but he was still able to remain calm. Du Sen's family was in his hands, and he didn't believe that Du Sen and his men would dare to betray him.
The facts turned out to be just as Cao Yin had expected.
Even though Du Sen was tortured to the point of being on his last breath, he still refused to give Cao Yin away.
Yinreng didn't care either.
The petty officials in the weaving bureau took advantage of their power to withhold the wages of the embroiderers.
After the embroiderer died, the job that should have been inherited by the family's sons, nephews and relatives was seized by them, and they used it to extort money. Eighty percent of the money they obtained was given to the people in charge of the weaving bureau.
Over the years, the amount has become enormous.
Although Yinreng did not obtain the confession that pointed fingers at Cao Yin, it did not stop him from raiding the homes of Du Sen and others.
Cao Yin's six confidants seized a total of property worth more than 300,000 taels, including shops, properties, farms and other fixed assets.
Yinreng piled up all the wealth in front of Cao Yin's house and asked Cao Yin to explain how Du Sen and others, who only received a salary of more than 100 taels a year, had accumulated such a huge fortune in just seven years.
Faced with the people watching the excitement on the street, Cao Yin really wanted to turn around and hide back in his house.
But he can't.
So he said,
"Du Sen and others have a deep understanding of the ways of business..."
Yinreng was surprised.
"That's strange. Before they followed you, Lord Cao, they had been doing business in Jiangning for over ten years. During those years, they had no understanding of the ways of business. But after you came, they gained some insights. I didn't expect Lord Cao to be such a master of enlightenment."
"When will Lord Cao teach me a lesson? I'm in dire need of money."
“Puff…”
After hearing this, Yinqi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Cao Yin's face turned blue and red.
Then, in full view of everyone, the bachelor fell to his knees.
"This servant was negligent, please punish me, Your Highness!"
Yinreng glanced at him sideways.
"Master Cao has made so much money over the years, but has he made up for the loss of welcoming the emperor?"
Cao Yin's heart tightened and he suddenly looked up at Yinreng.
After meeting Yinreng's smiling eyes, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Just because the Emperor doesn't tell you something doesn't mean he doesn't know."
Yinreng bent down to help Cao Yin up, and whispered in his ear,
"Lord Cao is a wise man. The Cao, Li, and Sun families have been in this Jiangnan weaving business for so long. They should know what prosperity always leads to decline, right?"
"The Emperor can tolerate you, but someone else might not..."
Cao Yin's heart suddenly tightened, and the rising fear made his face extremely ugly.
Yinreng patted Cao Yin's shoulder.
"Aside from dereliction of duty, Lord Cao, you'd better think carefully about what other crimes you have committed. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind raiding the Cao family to see if you are as honest as you appear."
Cao Yin watched helplessly as the prince ordered his men to take away the mountains of wealth and property, and he let out a deep breath.
He knew that the prince had let him go this time. Otherwise, even without the confessions of Du Sen and others, the prince could have used the fact that he had given them protection and allowed them to live off the fat of the dead embroiderer to seize the Cao family.
After all, he was well aware of the prince's recklessness!
The reason why he was not touched was simply because he had received the emperor's call several times and the deficit had not yet been made up.
Cao Yin wiped the cold sweat from his head, turned around and walked quickly into the house.
The Cao, Li and Sun families will prosper and suffer together. He has to write to Li Xu and Sun Wencheng and ask them to resolve the hidden dangers as soon as possible.
The prince is willing to give him face, but the Li and Sun families may not...
But halfway through writing, he suddenly came to his senses and realized that if the prince wanted to take action against the Li and Sun families, he would not have to come looking for him first.
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