Shen Tang tapped her fingers lightly on the tea table, her eyes slightly closed in deep thought.
"Did you really see it with your own eyes?" He then pulled a small piece of silver from his sleeve and pushed it out, his expression sincere. "Alas, brother, you don't know, my parents only have one daughter. Their family business, built up over a lifetime, has no heir. The elders in the clan are coveting it and want to force my parents to adopt their young grandson. Tell me, what kind of logic is that? To let someone else eat their family's blood instead of their own daughter? The elders even brought their clansmen to our door to pressure us. I desperately need to close this deal so they can see..."
The tea drinker was a man.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with what the elders were doing.
Though he didn't say it aloud, his true thoughts were revealed on his face.
Before he could speak, Shen Tang brought up herself, her pretty face full of anger and resentment, and said through gritted teeth, "The current rulers are all women. If we follow the elders' wishes, should the ruler also adopt a younger brother to abdicate the throne?"
Upon hearing this, the tea drinker's expression changed, and he hurriedly waved his hand, saying, "You can't speak ill of a sage! Are you out of your mind?"
His reaction was slightly excessive.
Shen Tang said in bewilderment, "I have heard that the king is kind and gentle. How could he take someone's life just because of these two words? Besides, I did not say a single word that was disrespectful."
Seeing that no one was looking at him, the tea drinker breathed a sigh of relief, clutching the loose silver in his hand for a sense of security: "...Sigh, what do you, a stranger, know...I've said everything I can. I truly saw with my own eyes a ghost crawling out of the graveyard, carrying a guiding lantern and scattering paper money towards the prefectural granary. In this very place, don't mention the king, that person..."
As she spoke, she looked around and leaned closer to Shen Tang to whisper.
"I heard that man is all talk and no action, no different from those tyrannical rulers of the past, and he's killed even more people behind the scenes." Shen Tang gave the tea drinker seven or eight pieces of silver, enough for his family to eat for a long time. The tea drinker looked at Shen Tang with more eagerness.
If you take someone's money, you're obligated to solve their problems.
It's worth spending a little time explaining things that everyone already knows.
Shen Tang's smile froze, and the court officials, who had put on a disguise, all bent down to drink tea, wishing they could bury their faces in the crude teacups.
"A Buddha's mouth and a snake's heart? I've never heard of such a thing..."
She admitted to killing many people behind closed doors, but she could confidently say that every head was taken with just cause and evidence. Chaotic times have their own rules; she wouldn't pursue past misdeeds, but the Kang Kingdom still operated under the old "unspoken rules" of local tyrants. What was wrong with her smashing someone's head? To compare her to those scumbags is utterly insulting!
The tea drinker had an air of knowing everything.
He sighed, "That's because she's always been good at saving face."
Shen Tang nodded vigorously, as if he had truly learned something.
Under the gleaming eyes of the tea drinkers, she produced another tael of silver. Some curious officials, watching the spectacle, secretly calculated how much silver Shen Tang had given the other party. The Revenue Department official whispered to his colleague, "That must be seven or eight taels, right?"
Throughout the court, who doesn't know how stingy the ruler is?
Although she has never delayed paying the salaries of officials over the years, there has been no news of her giving anyone a single penny as a reward. In fact, she even had to ask Chu Xiangning and a few others for her daily allowance when she was inspecting the country.
This gossip comes from a reliable source.
The official who provided the information was present and heard it clearly.
Qi Xiang sighed and opened his purse: "Is this not a banquet hosted by the Lord?"
[You pay, I treat, how can that not be considered a banquet? Does the one hosting have to pay? Sigh, you know I'm broke... I'm really curious, just how much has Hanzhang overdrawn on me... This is the third year already, isn't it?]
Qi Xiang said, "I'm also short of money."
The king clicked his tongue and said, "[Who gave you permission to keep so many cats?]"
The official dared not listen to the rest of the conversation.
But the news spread.
The courtiers' gossip was burning fiercely.
How could the Censorate be absent from this matter?
A hothead stepped forward.
It should be noted that expenses for cat owners are like water flowing out of a house.
Fortunately, Qi Shan had a daughter who was good at managing the household. Qi Miao studied medicine at the medical institute while also managing the household affairs, so the accounts didn't run into deficit every month. Of course, deficits weren't a problem, because that scoundrel Qi Yuanliang would embezzle the budget of the Gods' Association to balance the books.
This matter has always been a secret known to outsiders. A group of high-ranking officials knew the inside story, but outsiders did not. This hothead from the Censorate privately calculated that the money Prime Minister Qi spent on the hundred or so cats each year was actually ten times his salary!
The Censorate has always relied on hearsay for reporting matters.
The hothead then presented the prayer.
Qi Shan is suspected of embezzlement and bribery!
The entire court stammered, and even Qi Shan himself was taken aback.
That day, Imperial Censor Gu Chi coughed so loudly it shook the heavens.
As the gossip spread, besides Shen Tang's stinginess and poverty, speculation also arose about her relationships with Prime Minister Qi and Minister of Revenue Xun Zhen. Analysis of their conversations suggested that the Queen was so stingy because she gave all her money to Minister Xun, and when she ran out, she borrowed from Prime Minister Qi, whose own salary couldn't afford to keep so many cats…
So here's the question—
What exactly is the relationship between these three?
Coupled with the king's indulgence of the Imperial Censor, the court's coordinated pronouncements were so perfectly in sync that it seemed as if they were telepathically connected. Minister Chu was fond of needlework, and witnesses saw his belongings on the king's person… The king had even once kept General Bai overnight…
Even though the officials were all well-informed and experienced, they found it very chaotic.
The official in charge of the Imperial Kitchen came over to share some gossip, but he didn't dare to speak directly. His king's ears were more sensitive than a dog's. He dipped his finger in tea and wrote on the table: "There's a rumor that His Majesty has only ever spent money on one man in his entire life."
His deskmate's eyes lit up.
"who?"
The Director of the Imperial Kitchen said, "Prime Minister Chu."
How much did it cost?
"Three ounces!"
The group of people secretly gasped.
Some of the bolder ones even secretly observed Chu Yao's expression.
Chu Yao's attention wasn't on these people; his current role was that of Shen Tang's accountant. Curious, he leaned closer to the tea drinker and asked, "Are you good at saving face? What makes you say that?"
He could never stand anyone speaking ill of Shen Tang.
A faint chill ran through his eyes.
The tea drinkers, however, did not notice.
Her eyes were fixed on the money Chu Yao took out. She hurriedly snatched it away while launching into a long conversation.
"How many people did the local authorities arrest and kill? I remember just half a year ago, Niu Er's crazy wife went out into the street and said that the emperor deserved to be unable to have a son because he was promiscuous in court. The next day, that person was beheaded and hung at the city gate, his stomach was opened, his uterus was hung outside, and he was completely naked... Sigh, just thinking about that scene gives me nightmares for several nights." The tea drinker looked like he couldn't bear to recall it.
Instantly, the post station fell silent.
The previous whispers vanished completely, and after a brief pause, they began to resurface one after another, afraid of being noticed by the tea drinkers.
Shen Tang lowered her eyelids: "Anything else?"
The tea drinker took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
He continued, “Considering that the Queen also has her difficulties and is determined to buy grain and do business in Jinli County, and also because of your sincerity, I will reveal more information. Local merchants who want to do business have to borrow government loans… If you don’t borrow government loans, don’t even think about doing business in this area! Government loans, do you know what government loans are? You’re lucky you met me today. If it were anyone else, tsk tsk, even if you took out gold, they might not tell you the truth.”
He angrily exclaimed, "That king makes money by borrowing from government bonds!"
The post station fell silent for a moment.
The tea drinker realized what was happening.
Looking around, he saw everyone chatting and laughing as usual, no one paying attention to this corner. Was it just his imagination?
Shen Tang asked curiously, "Is this how government debt is used to amass wealth?"
A tea drinker asked, "Haven't you heard of government debt?"
Shen Tang shook her head.
She wasn't lying this time; she genuinely didn't know.
A tea drinker offered her some insight: "So-called official debts are debts that officials lend out! It's usually a rule in the underworld: nine out of ten are returned. Merchants go to officials to borrow principal to do business, and then give back the principal plus interest after making a profit."
Upon hearing the process, Shen Tang understood about 80-90% of it.
He still insisted on getting to the bottom of things: "There's something I don't understand. If you're a merchant doing business, how come you don't have any money on hand?"
Nine out and thirteen back – isn’t that usury?
Shen Tang's fingers caressed the teacup, a murderous glint appearing in his eyes.
Upon hearing this, the tea drinker immediately chuckled: "That makes sense, but Your Majesty is a businesswoman, and business people can't be so rigid. Official loans, on the surface, are loans, but behind the scenes, they're about finding a powerful backer. If you don't borrow from officials, you won't have a powerful backer, and you expect your business to be stable? When you send out a batch of goods, they'll hold you back at every turn, imposing fines, confiscating goods, and skinning you alive!"
The post station fell into an eerie silence for a moment.
Shen Tang paused in her caressing of the teacup.
The tea drinker continued his sarcasm: "A few years ago, when the world was in chaos, there was a risk of being robbed while traveling as a merchant, but at least there weren't so many ways to avoid it. Alas, nowadays, there are hardly any bandits on the roads; they've all changed their appearance and are now sneaking into government offices..."
Shen Tang gripped the teacup, pursing her lips in silence.
The tea drinker, assuming she was naive from her sheltered life and unfamiliar with such matters, offered some advice for the sake of the small amount of money: "My lady, doing business is like being a person—it's an art. If you want to make this deal work out well and leave the elders of your tribe speechless, take my advice and find a powerful backer. Without a powerful backer, you won't collect much grain here. Even if you do, those unruly people are always bullying outsiders. When you hand over your grain, they'll shortchange you, mix in sand and gravel, or even urinate."
Shen Tang exhaled a breath of stale air.
“Hearing your words is worth more than reading books for ten years. I will never let outsiders ruin our family business, let alone let them seize our property. You just mentioned official debts, powerful backers... where can we find them? You speak so eloquently, you must know the ways.”
Government bonds are a form of bribery.
Shen Tang is very strict in this area.
With imperial inspectors monitoring the situation in various regions, the number of insects caught has decreased over the years. She initially thought these people were afraid of her killing them, but now it seems that's not the case. These insects have clearly hidden themselves in a more covert manner. Heh.
Ghosts steal grain, official debts rely on powerful backers...
It's hard to say that there's no connection between the two.
Jinli County really gave me a big surprise.
A tea drinker stepped forward and pointed out the right way for Shen Tang.
"...Go north, and a few miles away there's a river. Follow the riverbank upstream, and you'll reach the Qujiang River in Jinli County. If you see a pleasure boat with a red flag docked, go over and nod to the head courtesan. She'll tell you who to look for..."
Shen Tang raised an eyebrow: "Is that all?"
The tea drinker chuckled, "It depends on luck."
Shen Tang was slightly angry: "Does this depend on luck? Although I've never seen a top courtesan, I know that seeing them is expensive. I paid money to hire someone, but I didn't even get to touch the door. Isn't that being ripped off? You scoundrel, are you trying to scam me?"
The tea drinker explained, "Seeing a pleasure boat depends on luck."
That pleasure boat doesn't often dock.
Shen Tang asked many more questions about the details.
The tea drinkers, for the sake of the money, spoke their minds freely.
Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Tang had to set off again.
Upon reaching the entrance of the inn, he mounted his motorcycle, glanced inside, and whispered, "Go, send someone to investigate this tea drinker."
The other party knows too much.
And coincidentally, I was able to answer her question.
She wanted to know which expert was secretly guiding the other person.
Shen Tang quietly led a group to Zhechong Prefecture again.
The commander of the Zhechong Prefecture was an unfamiliar female general. Because of her outstanding performance in the attack on Kunzhou and her merit in suppressing the rebel army, she was promoted all the way to the position of Zhechong Commandant of Jinli County. She had never seen Shen Tang's face, and Shen Tang had not revealed his identity to her—until the matter was cleared up, these people were not to be trusted—he only said that he had been sent down to investigate the "Yin Ghost Stealing Grain Case" and the "Censor's Disappearance Case".
The reaction of the captain was flawless.
When Shen Tang showed the token, he answered all her questions.
Mentioning the pleasure boats on Qujiang Lake, her eyes widened in anger, and she cursed, "How could such a sordid thing happen? Those madams are truly despicable!"
Qujianghu is a landmark location in Jinli County.
The scenery here is beautiful, attracting local literati and poets. Over time, this has given rise to various industries, such as the red-light district, where beautiful young courtesans solicit customers from their pleasure boats. It is said that at its peak, the lake was filled with over a hundred pleasure boats.
Every night, the music and singing never stop.
However, that was all in the past.
Ever since Chen Tang completely took over Kunzhou, he has been relentlessly cracking down on related industries. Local garrison troops would conduct drills along the lake every few days, inspecting any pleasure boats they saw and occasionally conducting surprise searches. Customers caught would be thrown into jail for a few days. With so many crackdowns, the pleasure boat business on Qujiang Lake couldn't continue. The madams were furious and even resisted, having their prostitutes bribe the official in charge of the Zhechong Prefecture to try and drag him down with them. However, the official was a woman, and they met their match.
Even the Commandant of the Vanguard wouldn't tolerate it.
They beat the madam until her skin was torn and bruised, then paraded her through the streets as a warning.
After that, things calmed down.
Qujianghu Brothel began its transformation.
She no longer engages in prostitution; she only plays the piano and sings for her customers.
Several surprise inspections failed to find any problems.
The courtesans were all dressed conservatively, and the songs they sang weren't anything decadent. The guests on the pleasure boat were also well-behaved. The Commandant thought they were behaving themselves, but it turned out they were just using her as a front to deceive her!
Shen Tang then asked about Zheng Yu, the supervising censor.
Strangely, the Commandant was unaware of this.
Zheng Yu did not come to the Zhechong Prefecture to ask for reinforcements.
Shen Tang tapped the table with her finger.
"There are some things I'll need the Captain's cooperation on." She wanted to board that pleasure boat to investigate, feeling that Zheng Yu's disappearance might be related to it. With so many problems in Jinli County, Zheng Yu was most likely silenced after uncovering something.
The Commandant bowed and said, "This is my duty."
Shen Tang quietly slipped back to her temporary lodging room.
There were people waiting inside.
Shen Tang sat down and took a sip of tea: "Who did that tea drinker see?"
|ω`)
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