unclear

Chapter 1455 A mistake
Not content with merely protecting the palace, the emperor also wanted the people to enjoy the benefits, so he decreed that lightning protection systems must be installed on important buildings. Military enterprises were given top priority; not only were they required to install them, but they had to be installed according to standards—even the slightest deviation in dimensions was unacceptable.

The Ministry of War's warehouses were used to store firearms and ammunition for the arsenals; even with the most negligence, they couldn't possibly be without lightning protection systems. Besides, Shaanxi isn't a region prone to thunderstorms; lightning protection systems have worked perfectly in Luzon and Da Nang, so how could they possibly fail in Jin County?

Zhang Wangzhao habitually suspected man-made disasters when faced with anything illogical. So he began visiting the arsenal and demanded that Jia Yihui hand over the accounts from previous years for inspection.

Now, besides Jia Yihui being terrified, the officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry were also annoyed. They really didn't intend to investigate as thoroughly as Zhang, Wang, and Zhao, or rather, they didn't even have that intention. They just wanted to finish their work step by step and return to the capital to report back as soon as possible.

As a result, one person couldn't defeat a group of people. Zhang, Wang, and Zhao tried their best, but it was useless. There was no one around to cooperate. In addition, there was a time limit for supervision, so they couldn't find out the truth in the end and had to return home disappointed.

But Jia Yihui didn't think so. In his mind, this young officer from the General Staff seemed to have become suspicious and would definitely investigate further after returning to Beijing. No matter how secretive the Jin County Arsenal had been over the years, as long as the people from the General Staff investigated thoroughly, there was nothing they couldn't find out.

Now we have no choice but to take one more risk and fight to the death to kill all these people. We absolutely cannot let them return to the capital!
The solution isn't difficult. Just find someone to loosen the tracks at a dangerous point on the main road, causing an accident. There are many such terrains, and many people can do this; it's no more difficult than blowing up a warehouse.

As for risks, it's pointless to consider them at this point. From the moment I started this kind of business, I risked my life and fortune. Even if I didn't lose a single life, according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, the outcome would still be the same: death! I wouldn't even get to do hard labor; it would be an unforgivable crime.

The plan went smoothly, and the carriage overturned into a ravine as scheduled, killing all five passengers and two drivers. After an investigation, all parties agreed that the problem was with the tracks, classifying it as an accident, and that the Jia family bore no responsibility whatsoever.

After resolving the crisis, Jia Yihui intended to stop taking risks and gradually cease the smuggling of arms. The arsenal continued as usual, and the Chamber of Commerce had established relationships with many merchants in Southeast Asia over the years, so it could survive even without engaging in shady business.

But just when things had calmed down for a little over a month, Jia Rong suddenly reported that he had heard from acquaintances in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry that the investigation into the Jin County arsenal would be restarted. Moreover, this time the investigation was of a higher level, with a vice minister leading the team, and they would leave the capital no later than the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.

With the end of the year fast approaching, Jia Yihui was busy preparing for the New Year in the capital when he heard the news. He was immediately stunned, feeling dizzy and almost fainting. His mind was filled with images of the Embroidered Uniform Guard raiding his home and him being escorted to the execution ground.

Oh no, the matter has been exposed! Otherwise, why would the imperial court send a high-ranking official to personally lead a team to reinvestigate? Fortunately, Jia Rong was quite efficient and brought new information the next day. It seemed that the reason why the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry sent people to Lanzhou for the second time was related to the cost of warehouse reconstruction, and not because they suspected the bombing.

This is good news, but it's not enough to completely eliminate the hidden danger. Regardless of the reason, if the investigation is reopened, it could dredge up old, unresolved issues, so we need to find a way to stop it as soon as possible.

However, stopping the investigations by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry is not something that one person can decide on their own. Jia Yihui did come up with a plan, but it wasn't enough for him to be anxious alone. He had to let the owners in the Chamber of Commerce know how dangerous the current situation was and, incidentally, to stop the arms smuggling business.

Fortunately, the timing was opportune; several key shareholders of the chamber of commerce were in Beijing preparing for the New Year and building relationships, so there was no need to send out notices from all over the country. Otherwise, by the time everyone arrived, the investigation would have been nearly complete.

Today was the agreed-upon meeting day, but Jia Yihui felt uneasy. That's why, before heading to the meeting, he specifically asked Jia Rong for advice. This steward, who spent years cultivating relationships in the capital, knew many court officials and should be better able to judge the situation. "Master," Jia Rong said, "I don't think there's any major problem. If the court becomes suspicious, it will be the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Military Police who go to Lanzhou; the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry won't send anyone. They're all civil officials; at most, they'll conduct another technical assessment, which has nothing to do with investigating the case."

Furthermore, I heard from Director Zhou of the Ministry of Industry that the incident originated with Minister Wang of the Ministry of War. It was precisely because he was unwilling to bear the losses of the warehouse that the matter reached the palace. However, he could not produce any conclusive evidence, which led to the Emperor's reprimand. He had no choice but to clarify the responsibility again before he could report back to the Emperor.

I figure the more people they send, the better it will be for you, sir. With everyone having their own ideas, and several departments operating independently, all they'll be doing is arguing; they won't have much time for investigation. It'll just be a formality, and then they'll just distribute the blame privately.”

Jia Rong may not have been particularly handsome, but he spoke fluent Mandarin with a clear mind and articulate speech, clearly someone who was used to high-profile situations. Even when disaster was imminent, he was still able to analyze the pros and cons relatively objectively.

"Hmm... Now that you've said that, I have a better understanding! But even the most meticulous plans can have oversights. Since the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry have sent people, shouldn't the General Staff also send someone?"

Jia Yihui largely agreed with Jia Rong's analysis, letting out a long sigh before shaking his head again. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry were staffed primarily with civil and technical officials, whose minds were relatively simple and who were easier to deal with.

But the people in the General Staff are different. Those young officers are really ruthless and wield a lot of power. They can draw on the strength of the army at any time, which is a real headache.

"Sir, there's something I'm not sure if I should say..."

"What time is it? Hurry up and say it. There's no such thing as appropriate or inappropriate! As long as you can get over this hurdle, I'll give you more shares."

Seeing Jia Rong's expression, Jia Yihui knew he must have a plan. A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men; to motivate his subordinates to work hard, substantial rewards are essential.

"Thank you for your generosity, sir... This investigation was initiated entirely by the warehouse compensation. Since the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Industry, and possibly even the General Staff are unwilling to take responsibility, why not let the arsenal take over and proactively repair the warehouse?"

Firstly, it would allow production to resume as soon as possible, relieving the burden on the two ministers and the Chief of the General Staff; secondly, it would remove the incentive to continue the investigation. With the end of the year approaching and Lanzhou being a harsh, cold place, resolving the main issues would leave them with no reason to linger any longer.

Upon hearing about the stock option reward, Jia Rong couldn't help but smile, no matter how hard he tried. However, he wasn't one to accept something for nothing, and he certainly wouldn't take the reward for nothing; he immediately revealed his little scheme.

(End of this chapter)