Chapter 114 Plum Blossoms 24 I am also good at playing the flute
Song Yanze became more alert and couldn't lie down anymore.
He immediately held onto the bedpost and tried to get up. The marks on his wrists were obvious, but not scary. They were just light red marks left by the friction of the fabric.
Jiang Tingyuan knew his limits, and the inside of his belt was soft, so he didn't dare to tie it tight. But when he saw the light red mark, he couldn't help but think about it. He was tied to the head of the bed and couldn't move or break free. But when he was emotional, he couldn't relieve himself, so he could only beg him pitifully.
"Where's the waistband of your official uniform? Jiang Tingyuan!"
Seeing his sharp and handsome face smiling, Song Yanze kicked him and sent him to get his clothes. He felt light and fluttery when he stepped on the ground, his hips ached, and he trembled with every step.
We can't let him do what he wants any longer. He is just being reckless, unrestrained and indulging himself in lust.
Jiang Tingyuan came over holding his official robe, hugged him from behind, bent down naturally and kissed his cheeks twice, rubbing his waist with his fingers.
Song Yanze was cold-blooded and ruthless. He changed his clothes with shaking hands, but he couldn't bend down. Jiang Tingyuan helped him do it as if he was playing with a doll.
He came from a military background, so he was quick and agile, without taking any advantage of others.
"I'm afraid I won't have time to interrogate those two people last night. I'll have to trouble you with this matter."
Song Yanze thought for a moment and then instructed him, "First ask the girl what her difficulties are, don't make it too difficult for her. As for the rich businessman, go ahead and pry him out."
Jiang Tingyuan had just been taught a lesson for being petty, and now he was so angry that he didn't dare to express it, and he forced himself to swallow back the words "You are so kind to women."
When Song Yanze arrived at the dock, the grain transport ship had just arrived, and the sign in front of it was not a government ship, but a grain ship owned by a civilian merchant.
Who hasn't been paying attention to the movement of rice these days, especially those wealthy businessmen? The originally scheduled banquet was over, and Lord Song just smiled and told them that he had something important to attend to, but it turned out to be collecting grain?
Where did the grain come from? Wasn’t it government grain? The wealthy merchants in the provincial capital were unwilling to sell it to him, so who would sell it to him?
First, a shopkeeper covered in gray cloth came down from a boat, carrying the lantern of He's Rice Warehouse. While they were wondering, another boat came up from behind, and it turned out to be the lantern of another rice warehouse.
Song Yanze brought his men, followed by the imperial envoy in robes, and it was obvious that they were really preparing to receive the grain.
"Master Xiao Song, do you think we should send someone to take inventory first?"
Song Yanze smiled and said slowly, "We are all familiar with each other, so it's too late to talk about this. This is money."
"I won't lose a cent from the grain, and I won't delay you."
The shopkeeper obviously didn't expect him to pay so readily, and he bowed immediately. When other shopkeepers came, Song Yanze also paid the money one by one.
The wealthy merchants who were secretly observing could no longer sit still. These were not grain ships from Jiangnan Province! He was actually trying to collect grain from other provinces. With only five ships of grain, how could he have given out so much more silver?
Box after box of shiny silver were displayed, making people dizzy. No wonder they had to bring the imperial envoy.
Immediately, someone who was drinking tea upstairs wanted to come down to "accidentally" meet Song Yanze. He wanted to get some information, but was intimidated by the power of the imperial envoy.
The news spread quickly, especially among the businessmen who were well-informed and they immediately gathered together to discuss the matter.
The local wealthy merchants and grain shops are all closely connected and stick together for warmth, especially in Jiangnan Province, a wealthy place where many merchants gather.
"Do you know what price Song Yanze paid for the grain?"
"180 wen per bucket!"
There was a moment of silence at the table, and everyone was shocked. During this period, every household was hoarding grain, and there was little grain on the market. The price of rice soared, and it was only 120 wen per dou.
He, Song Yanze, asked for 180 wen per dou of grain from other places!
Not to mention that the payment had to be made on the spot, who could sit still?
"Where did Song Yanze get the money?"
Who wouldn't be tempted? However, in order to show that they had no surplus grain, each family moved all the nearby granaries away and transported the grain to other granaries for storage. This allowed merchants from other places to make money in Jiangnan.
"The silver allocated by the court has been allocated to the imperial envoy. I heard that the three officials do not even have one-third of it."
"But if this continues, he won't have much money left... Why would he do this?"
"What's so strange!" A person at the table frowned and tapped the table anxiously. They had been feasting and socializing with Song Yanze these days.
Naturally, one can occasionally hear some rumors within the government.
"The three officials are waiting for him to fail to get the grain, so as to stir up a civil uprising and pin the blame for the failure to provide disaster relief on him."
"These five ships of grain are obviously a test for them. The huge sum of money was laid out that day, and he used his official reputation as a guarantee. Now I'm afraid that a huge amount of grain will come to them!"
"Everyone! Are you still thinking about this? With Song Yanze holding a knife to his neck, can he still consider whether we can make money?"
The imperial envoy was in charge and the commander was also at the post station, so they could not use any means to prevent the grain ships from coming in.
"That's not what I meant. The masters of the Sansi Yamen have already hinted at it. Should I pretend not to understand?"
A wealthy businessman in brown silk rolled up his sleeves and said slowly, looking like he had made up his mind. "I think you should think about it for a few more days." He then walked out.
The merchants at the table had different expressions and their own thoughts, and soon they all dispersed.
Song Yanze was reading official documents in the post house, but his waist had been aching for the past few days, so he just leaned on the couch, too lazy to move.
Jiang Tingyuan has been well behaved these past few days, just massaging and not tormenting him. It would be even better if he could take away his greedy look.
"We found out something during the interrogation." Jiang Tingyuan had recently arrested a group of people and was busy interrogating them, so he had been busy these days.
Jiang Tingyuan pinched his waist, trying to divert all of Lord Xiao Song's attention.
Song Yanze was busy reading the letter in his hand. Hearing this, he just hummed and asked him to continue talking nonchalantly.
"That woman is an actress bought by the rich businessman. She was ordered to seduce you. When the time is right, he, your uncle, will come out and catch you there, and force you to sign a note."
"What note?"
Song Yanze frowned slightly, as if he was disgusted by the despicable nature of the method.
"He doesn't know. The person who ordered him only said that they wanted you to sign a document. But you can guess who instructed him to do so."
Jiang Tingyuan was so angry that he wanted to gang them up on one another, but he also knew that this was a serious matter and that the news must not be leaked out yet.
Song Yanze thought for a while. A few days ago, Fang Yifeng sent someone to deliver official documents to him, and there was a note in the middle.
"Human nature changes overnight, and a flat land suddenly becomes a mountain stream."
A subtle reminder, reminding him to be careful with the people he associates with recently.
Song Yanze thought about it and concluded that it could only be related to the sale of land at a low price.
Now, with his intervention, the disaster victims and farmers have rice, and the issue of selling land at a low price has temporarily ceased. Those who cause trouble and harassment dare not move again, for fear that he will take action and report it to the higher authorities.
But it is unlikely that they would pass up such a good opportunity to make a profit.
It seems that he wants to kill two birds with one stone, just like Ji Bai did at that time, signing some official documents and doing something under his name.
It just so happened that if they didn't come to him, he would have to go to the Three Divisions. In his plan to raise grain, the Three Divisions really had to help.
Song Yanze pulled Jiang Tingyuan's sleeve, asked him to press it gently, and whispered a few things to him. Jiang Tingyuan wrote them down one by one, pondered for a while after listening, and looked at Song Yanze.
"It seems like you're going to perform at the Governor's Mansion tomorrow?"
Song Yanze smiled, thought about it, and felt that it was really no different from performing a big opera. Jiang Tingyuan liked his high-spirited look, not helpless.
Although he knew too well that helplessness was the norm.
"Your grain-raising plan has officially begun today. Can you tell your husband what you are up to?"
Song Yanze slapped his hand away, got off the couch and went to the inner room, refusing to tell him the truth.
"Just wait and see, you will understand after a while."
Before dawn the next day, a man dressed in a silk robe and dressed like a wealthy businessman was released from the prison. He had a note in his hand and was followed by another person.
They clearly looked like a master and servant, but the master in front was trembling as he looked at the expression of the man dressed as a servant behind him.
An hour later, the door of the Governor's Mansion opened. In the hall sat Governor Yu Ying, who was wearing a scarlet official robe. Below the hall sat three officials from the third and fourth yamen, and below them were several officials in green official robes.
"Your Excellency the Governor, Lord Ji has gone to survey the river, and Lord Song said he will be here soon."
Yu Ying held back and threw the cup back onto the table.
What a great honor! After today, I’ll see if he can still laugh again.
Qiu Yi looked at him and nodded slightly, looking confident.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, my Lords."
Song Yanze walked in from outside the hall. As the governor, he could not sit in the front seat, but he was ordered by the imperial envoy to sign the document today, so Yu Ying gave him this face.
"Master Xiao Song, please take a seat."
Song Yanze smiled and sat in the first seat under the Governor without any hesitation, opposite Fang Yifeng.
Fang Yifeng didn't know if his reminder had made him avoid it, so he frowned and looked at him. Song Yanze pretended not to see it.
"I called you all here today to discuss how to deal with the rice shortage. Here is a document that has been prepared temporarily. I want you to discuss it and then implement it as soon as possible, so that the imperial envoy doesn't have to deal with those merchants every day."
Song Yanze didn't react at all to his squeeze and pretended not to hear it.
Yu Ying glanced at him, then tapped the table and asked someone to distribute the documents.
Song Yanze took it, but the boy did not leave immediately. He took out a roll of notes from his sleeve and gave it to him. Song Yanze looked up at Yu Ying and met his contemptuous smile.
Song Yanze retracted his gaze and scanned the people in the hall one by one, finally settling on Qiu Yi. He smiled at Song Yanze and lowered his head to look at the document in his hand.
Song Yanze slammed the paper on the table with a bang. Everyone in the hall was startled and looked at him subconsciously.
"Why? Master Xiao Song has any objection?"
Yu Ying stared at him with a warning look in his eyes. "Master Xiao Song has been in the province for more than ten days, and the problem of rice shortage has not been alleviated. If this continues, there may be trouble, and Master Xiao Song will end up in trouble."
"In that case, Master Xiao Song, will you not take a closer look at the document in your hand?"
Song Yanze held the paper roll that the servant had just handed to him in his fingers, rested his elbows on the table, lowered his eyes and smiled.
"It's all nonsense, why do you need to read it carefully?"
Yu Ying didn't get angry, but laughed instead. "Ridiculous? This is probably not as good as Master Xiao Song, right?"
"Drinking and having fun for days, starting a trend of tea drinking and tea competitions, advocating luxury..."
"You still want to keep a concubine for yourself."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was in an uproar, and Fang Yifeng grabbed the desk next to him tightly.
"Song Yanze! You were appointed by the emperor himself, but you abused your power for personal gain and forcibly abducted a woman!"
Song Yanze sneered at him and said, "Master Yu knows this so well? The governor couldn't hold back before the provincial governor said anything?"
Qiu Yi frowned and looked at Song Yanze suspiciously, feeling uneasy. But now that things had come to this, he could only bite the bullet and stepped forward to bow.
"Yesterday, a merchant came to the government office and sued Lord Song for abusing his power and bullying others. His cousin's daughter was..."
Song Yanze sneered, slowly unfolded the paper scroll in his hand, and stood up.
"What happened with Ting Niang today has everything to do with me. Song Yanze."
Qiu Yi and Yu Ying looked at each other. They didn't expect Song Yanze to stand up and read it out in public. For a moment, they didn't understand whether he was planning to destroy himself or had some other plan.
Song Yanze shook the paper in his hand and raised his voice to the audience: "Please bring someone up, Commander."
Yu Ying almost stood up. Jiang Tingyuan? Didn't they always have a bad relationship in Beijing?
Jiang Tingyuan came up with the person in one hand, pushed him on the ground, glanced at several people one by one with a smile, pressed Yan Ling to walk behind Song Yanze, took the paper that they had used to trick him, and burned it in front of the candle.
How could these smart people not understand this?
Song Yanze sat back in his seat, raised his chin and looked at the people in the hall, and said calmly: "Did anyone instruct you to set up a trap to slander me?"
The man had seen the methods used by the imperial envoy, so he knelt and was about to speak.
"My Lords, yes..."
"Master Xiao Song!" Yu Ying interrupted with a livid face, and then he took a deep breath and said, "This is not the place for you to try a case!"
"We are discussing matters. Since Master Xiao Song has objections to this official letter, we will discuss it another day..."
"Okay!" Song Yanze took a sip of tea, smiled, and walked slowly to Qiu Yi.
"Then let's discuss matters."
Song Yanze looked at Qiu Yi's fearful eyes and swept across the cold sweat on his forehead.
The imperial envoys in red shirts and black clothes were already standing in line outside the hall. Through the open yamen, one could see them replacing the palace soldiers.
This is not in compliance with regulations, but who dares to question Jiang Tingyuan?
Jiang Tingyuan sat leisurely where Song Yanze had just sat, his fingers entwined with the red tassel, his posture casual.
Song Yanze patted Qiu Yi on the shoulder. Qiu Yi couldn't help but lower his head and clenched his hands.
"Sir Qiu, please be more careful when you try a case next time. If you wrongly accuse someone, it will be bad if the Censorate finds out."
As he said this, he smiled and raised his hand, and a servant came out from outside the hall and distributed the documents in his hand.
"The rice and grain crisis will be resolved within ten days."
Song Yanze stood with his hands behind his back, standing in the hall, speaking loudly.
Everyone who received the documents couldn't help but whisper to each other, as they really didn't understand what he wanted to do.
"Work-for-relief: repairing the river and dredging floodwaters. We can understand this one."
"Renovate the official residence, expand the official posthouse, and encourage boat racing and tea-tea competitions?"
"This one is even more confusing. You have to post a notice to buy grain at 180 coins per bushel! You also have to collect all the rice except for the basic disaster relief grain and store it in the warehouse!"
Amidst the endless voices of doubt, Fang Yifeng just slammed the table and laughed.
He stood up and immediately called for someone to bring pen and ink.
He picked up the brush, signed his name with great movement, and then took the official seal of the governor's office to stamp it.
Jiang Tingyuan propped up his legs with a bad look on his face. He had hated him since the Huizhou clan school days and caused him to fall into the water, although he later did something to let him experience the same thing.
Song Yanze retracted his gaze, and someone had already wavered. Yu Ying glanced at Jiang Tingyuan, who was expressionless, and then looked at Qiu Yi, who was dejected, and laughed.
"Master Xiao Song asked us to sign, can you sign it yourself?"
Song Yanze took out the document with the seal and signature. Yu Ying's face turned pale and he asked him, "Are you forcing me to sign, sir?"
Song Yanze smiled and bowed, "How could that be possible, sir?"
After saying that, he raised his hand and asked someone to take the merchant who was kneeling on the ground away. "Take him back for a thorough interrogation, and make him sign and pledge his name."
"Wait." Yu Ying panicked. He picked up the pen to sign and stamped it. After signing, he threw the pen back and glared at Song Yanze.
Song Yanze smiled and patted Qiu Yi's shoulder again.
"Look at me, I'm so busy. The interrogation should be handed over to the Censor of the Judicial Office. It's not my place to interfere."
"Master Qiu, do you mind?"
Qiu Yi's lips turned pale and he remained calm.
Song Yanze got a satisfactory result. He received the signed and sealed documents one by one and bowed again.
"After that, I'll have to trouble you all to cooperate."
After saying that, he glanced at Jiang Tingyuan and motioned him to follow. Jiang Tingyuan was still in a good mood at this time, and was moved by his arrogant look.
Lord Xiao Song showed off his prowess and won a great victory, escaping safely with the vicious dog.
"I want to see where the food will come from in ten days!"
When Yu Ying reached the back hall, he threw the inkstone in his hand down and immediately wrote a letter to be sent to Li Heng in the capital.
"Ten days." Jiang Tingyuan stood by him. "Isn't that too short?"
Song Yanze sat next to him, the waistband of his official robe hanging on his red sword tassel, they were inseparable.
"It won't take ten days."
"It's a pity that we can't push them too hard and let them go for nothing."
Jiang Tingyuan smiled, took out a signed confession from his sleeve, looked around to see if there was anyone around, then bent down and kissed him.
"Call me husband and I'll give it to you."
Song Yanze glanced over and couldn't help but smile, unwilling to shout. While making a fuss, he suddenly slapped his head.
"Is Tingniang still locked up?"
Jiang Tingyuan's face darkened visibly, and he looked at him suspiciously. Song Yanze sighed.
"She has a hard life, but she is a very good flute player. Don't make things difficult for her. Just let her sign the document and let her go."
After saying that, Song Yanze thought of something wrong again, and turned to look at him again: "Is it better to take her indenture first?"
"Song Yanze." Jiang Tingyuan lowered his eyes and stared at him. "Do you want to redeem her?"
"Because she plays the flute well?"
Song Yanze smiled awkwardly and was about to comfort him when Jiang Tingyuan lowered his head and whispered in his ear again.
"I'm also good at playing the flute, do you want to try?"
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