Ban on smuggled salt!
The news was posted on the notice board of the Zhili Prefecture government, and the salt merchants were shocked. They did not expect the imperial court to take such strong action.
That day, Yin took Qingyan out and stood on the outskirts of the government office, looking at the notice board.
"Fourth Brother, why are there so many people? There were never this many people here before," Qingyan said curiously.
He stood at a distance and noticed that there were some spies of the salt merchants in the procession, seemingly denouncing something.
"Tu Lichen, those people who are trying to instigate things, you must control them all. Remember, no matter what happens, keep the situation stable." Yin led Qingyan into the Salt Commissioner's Office through the side gate.
After the Salt Commissioner respectfully bowed to Yin and Qingyan, the two stood in the second courtyard. They could still hear the sounds coming from the doorway. Yin frowned, while Qingyan worried that those people would storm the government office.
"Fourth Prince, the ban on smuggled salt, is this...?" The Salt Commissioner had not received an imperial edict from Emperor Kangxi. Yin and Yin brought the edict, but the Salt Commissioner was unsure whether it was genuine.
At this moment, he was filled with anxiety. If the Crown Prince had intercepted the imperial edict, how could the Salt Commissioner have failed to receive it? Now that Yin and Yin had come with the edict, he had no choice but to obey it.
"Of course we must impose an embargo. It's the Emperor's decree, and we must follow it." Yin Dao wasn't afraid of any popular uprisings; the troops he had prepared were already capable of suppressing them.
The salt merchants gathered in front of the government office were mostly from Suzhou and Hangzhou, and these merchants wielded considerable power.
"Fourth Master, Fourth Princess, let's go to the government office first and wait for the results here," the Salt Commissioner said helplessly.
The seized smuggled salt transport ships were mostly from Suzhou and Hangzhou. They passed inspection there without any problems, but once they reached Zhili, they were all labeled as smuggled salt.
The difference is quite significant; if converted to silver, the difference would be substantial.
"What is the difference in price?" After Yin sat down, Qingyan sat on his right, his face stern, staring at the prefect.
"A difference of over five million taels of silver, Fourth Master, are we really going to forbid it? There are even servants under the Crown Prince's command involved." The Salt Commissioner was somewhat worried. "The servant's wife is a legitimate daughter of a collateral branch of the Guarjia clan. He often asks which of these people are related to the Crown Prince, and that's why he turns a blind eye."
Yin stared at the salt inspector before him. For the sake of his female relatives, this was a last resort.
"Good boy, go and have a good chat with the wife of the Salt Inspector." Yin clearly wanted Qingyan to extract information from her.
Qingyan nodded, and the Salt Commissioner instructed his maid to escort the Fourth Princess Consort to Fu Rao's room.
When the Salt Commissioner's wife heard that the Fourth Prince's wife had arrived, she quickly brought her own daughter to greet her. The women all envied the Fourth Prince's wife for having the Fourth Prince's heart.
"May the Fourth Princess Consort enjoy boundless happiness and good health," the Salt Commissioner's wife said, kowtowing to the Fourth Princess Consort.
"Let's get started." Qingyan waved his hand.
"Madam, please take a seat." The wife of the Salt Commissioner gave Lin Nu a look, hoping that her eldest daughter would make a better impression.
Qingyan watched as a nine-year-old child personally served her tea, her eyes flashing slightly.
"This one is quite well-behaved; she doesn't look like a servant." Qingyan's words were very direct, as if the person in front of her were a servant.
"Replying to Fourth Princess Consort, this is my daughter, who has respected you since childhood." The wife of the Salt Commissioner married into Zhili from the capital, and her status was that of a noble Guarjia clan member. Although she was from a collateral branch, she was the legitimate daughter.
"You are..." Qingyan had heard the Salt Inspector mention it, but he still had some doubts.
“My family is the Guarjia clan, the same clan as the Crown Princess, and I am indeed from a collateral branch,” the Salt Commissioner’s wife quickly replied.
In her mind, many people would give in to anyone who was associated with the Crown Princess.
Qingyan smiled and said, "So you're a relative of the Crown Princess. You seem quite well-off. The Guarjia clan is a prominent clan. During the Southern Tour, I encountered many of the Crown Princess's relatives."
As soon as she finished speaking, the wife of the Salt Commissioner became nervous. Qingyan was clearly implying that the Crown Princess's family was expanding too quickly, suggesting a deliberate marriage alliance.
"My wife is engaged to you, sir. Only after I come of age will my father and mother marry me off as planned," the Salt Commissioner's wife explained quickly, her mind racing.
“The Crown Princess is very well-behaved in the palace. Even the Emperor praised her. Her family members must all be very disciplined. There is definitely no one who would cause trouble behind her back.” Qingyan’s relaxed tone made the Salt Commissioner’s wife feel uneasy.
Even Emperor Kangxi often praised her. For the Crown Princess, it might be an honor, after all, she was the Crown Prince's principal wife, but it would make the other princes' principal wives jealous.
"Your Majesty, I am awake. When I return to my parents' home, both Father and Mother will be there. I must be extra careful outside, so as not to disgrace the Crown Princess," the Salt Commissioner said, following Qingyan's words.
Beside them, the eldest daughter of the Salt Commissioner was getting restless; she was a future candidate for the imperial concubine selection.
"Mother... I really like Fourth Prince Consort, won't you let me say a few words?" The girl, who had been pampered since childhood, was indeed a bit tactless in her speech.
"Please, Fourth Princess Consort, atone for your sins." The wife of the Salt Commissioner quickly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.
Qingyan waved her hand: "He's just a child. You're quite well-behaved. How old are you this year?"
"I'm nine years old," the girl said directly.
“Yes, he’s a few years older than Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen.” Qingyan nodded.
"I can't compare to the princess, but I'm older than her and I've already started learning some of the rules," the girl said directly.
"Huiying," the wife of the Salt Commissioner scolded.
"No, she's just a child. It's not good for you to frighten her like this." Qingyan watched calmly as the Salt Commissioner's wife taught her daughter.
In her view, a nine-year-old child should know the rules. Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen was only six years old, but he had learned the royal rules very well and never lost face in public.
The girl in front of me was dressed quite well on the outside, but the moment she opened her mouth, all manners vanished.
"I have failed to properly educate my child, and I beg the Fourth Prince's wife to atone for my sins," the Salt Commissioner's wife quickly kowtowed.
Qingyan waved his hand: "The child is still young. There are still a few years before the imperial concubine selection. In these few years, we need to strengthen his education. Don't let him still talk like that after entering the palace. That will definitely cause trouble for the family."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember." The wife of the Salt Inspector quickly kowtowed.
Huiying stared at Qingyan. She had only tried to get some information by using her daughter's coquettishness, but she was scolded by the Fourth Princess Consort.
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