Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Mu Jingcheng shuddered when he heard this, and hurriedly said, "What do you mean by this, sir? Your humble servant... Your humble servant does not understand."

"Read it to Lord Mu." Captain Zhao sneered.

"Yes." The lieutenant took out a notebook from his bosom and read: "After investigation, it was found that Mu Lixuan opened two restaurants and three inns in the capital, and purchased two houses with four courtyards, kept dozens of slaves, and hid tens of thousands of taels of silver and a number of antiques and utensils in his home;
Mu Jiarui owns more than 7,000 acres of fertile land, including more than 3,000 acres of paddy fields and more than 4,000 acres of dry land. "

Mu Lixuan is Mu Jingcheng, and Mu Jiarui is his only son.

"Lord Mu is indeed good at managing the household. Although he is not as good as Tao Zhu, he has managed to build such a big business with his meager income. I am very envious of him. Could you please give me some advice?" Captain Zhao asked jokingly.

Mu Jingcheng's face had already turned pale with fear, and he was sweating profusely. He stammered, "My Lord, I...I have behaved inappropriately and indeed received too much tribute. I would like to give half of it to you. Please show me mercy."

Captain Zhao said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir, but I am not here for money. You said I wanted to accept a gift, that's fine, but if an official doesn't accept a gift, is he still an official?"

"Yes, yes, I'm ashamed." Mu Jingcheng felt relieved a little.

"However, Master Mu has not yet answered my question. Why are you and Zong Jingcheng the only ones with the richest assets among the dozen or so Jingchengs? Don't others accept tributes?
Or is it that your two people's 'filial piety' is different from others?" Captain Zhao said calmly, "Do you really have to make it so clear? Sir Mu, some words will not sound good if they are made clear."

Mu Jingcheng's heart tightened, and he said in a trembling voice: "I am stupid, please explain clearly, sir."

Captain Zhao snorted coldly and said, "Among the eighteen Jingcheng, only you and Zong Jingcheng are in charge of the secret talisman, and only the two of you are incredibly wealthy. Do you think that we Jinyiwei are just eating and drinking? Do you want to talk about it here, or go to the imperial prison?"

Mu Jingcheng's lips trembled as he said dejectedly, "I am willing to take the position. I beg you to show me mercy, sir."

"Well, I'll count on you to come forward on your own initiative."

"Thank you, sir."

After Mu Jingcheng finished explaining everything, Captain Zhao frowned and asked, "That's all?"

"I have never lied. Your Excellency, Doctor Zhu, and Zong Jingcheng have verified this matter. How dare I play tricks on you?"

Captain Zhao said, "Go ahead. Don't reveal a single word about this matter, or you will be punished three times more severely!"

"Yes, yes, I understand."

"Send Doctor Zhu here."

After everyone asked, they all gave the same story, without any contradictions. Captain Zhao thought for a moment and said, "Let's go back first."

On the way, Captain Liu said, "Old Zhao, according to their testimonies, it can be proven that someone has borrowed the secret talisman and promised to give them a generous reward every year. As for who this person is, they are vague about it."

Captain Zhou said: "Mu and Zong were acting on the orders of the doctor who sat in the grain hall at that time, and they didn't know the identity of that person. The current doctor Zhu has just taken office and is just relying on the influence of his predecessor. He has not even seen that person.

It seems that this clue still has to go to the doctor back then. Who was in charge of the Grain Office seven years ago?"

"It's Wang Si, the current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."

"This person is a core member of the New Party. He may be a bit troublesome. We should report to the village commander before taking any action."

"it is good!"

After Zhuang Qing learned about this, he ordered a "secret investigation".

That night, Wang Si committed suicide by taking poison at home, leaving a dead body for the Jinyi captain who came to visit.

The sudden death of an important official of the imperial court was like dropping a bomb on the capital city which had just stabilized.

The official public statement was that he died of illness, and everyone knew that this was just a reassuring statement, but the rumor that he committed suicide out of fear of punishment had already spread throughout the capital's political arena.

All the officials who had close contacts or connections with him in the past were worried that they would be the next. Many of them had already written their wills and were waiting for the Jinyiwei to come.

However, the Jinyiwei did not take any further action, as if the investigation had been completed, and they tacitly accepted the conclusion that Wang Si had "died of illness."

Wang Si's death seemed to have cut off the clues, but in fact it was equivalent to telling the Jinyiwei that the direction you were investigating was correct.

Zhuang Qing stood solemnly in the hall, his expression solemn. He went over the words he was about to report twice in his mind. Suddenly, he saw a man coming out from the back hall. He bowed and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, I have come to report the case."

"Is there news so soon? Tell me." Jia Cong sat in the main seat and waved his hand.

"Yes. Your Highness, after investigation, it was found that the secret talisman stored in the grain hall had indeed been borrowed by someone. There are testimonies from the doctor and the clerk in charge of the secret talisman as evidence. From this, it can be inferred that the secret talisman fan in Tongzhou's hands is not the only one.

The subordinates followed the clues and found out that the doctor in the Grain Hall who had loaned out the secret fan, Wang Sish, who is now the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, had committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

After all, the deceased was a senior member of the New Party, and there are quite a few rumors in the capital right now. I dare not take the initiative, so please let Your Majesty make the decision." Zhuang Qing said.

Jia Cong thought for a moment and said, "What are some rumors?"

"Some said the prince was going to start taking action against the New Party; some said the Imperial Guards were still investigating the palace coup and treason case and were going to launch a massive unjust imprisonment;
Some said that the court was trying to make money in the name of anti-corruption; others said that Wang Si committed suicide not because he was afraid of being punished, but because there were important people behind him who forced him to die. "

Jia Cong said slowly: "What do you think?"

Zhuang Qing said: "Your Highness, I think this clue should not be investigated further, otherwise there will be more and bigger officials who commit suicide out of fear of punishment, which may cause unrest and be detrimental to the overall situation.

Now, if we only do a quick search in the capital, we will find that an official at the minister level has died suddenly. If we find out about the cause of the incident at the Canal Transport Office… the 120,000 transport workers there might cause chaos and lead to a disaster.”

Jia Cong pondered and asked, "What are your plans?"

Zhuang Qing bowed and said, "I think the person behind the scenes is well-informed. We can get hold of whatever we can get hold of. It would be better to take advantage of the situation and let the official go first. We can pretend to be helpless to slow him down, and then start from other places and surround him from all sides. By the time he reacts, it will be too late to save him."

"Are there any other clues to look for?"

“Your Highness, this involves a huge amount of grain. It is impossible for it to disappear out of thin air. I think the person behind the scenes will definitely take action after intercepting the grain. I have ordered people to secretly investigate the sources of grain in the major rice shops, grain shops, and warehouses in the capital, and there should be some gains.

Moreover, this matter is too serious to be covered up by secretly killing a few people."

Jia Cong clapped his hands and said, "Okay! I order you to investigate thoroughly, no matter who is involved! However, before the matter is concluded, no news can be leaked. Just pretend that there is no such case, so as not to be taken advantage of by others and fall into a passive position."

"Yes, I obey your order."
-
Maozi is a young old clerk at Zufeng Grain Store. He started running errands in the store when he was twelve years old. He is now twenty-six or twenty-seven years old and has not yet started a family.

It's not that he doesn't want to, it's just that his family is poor and has no money. Four or five people in the family depend on him to work hard to earn money for their food, so how can he think of starting a family?

As the saying goes, once you are over 27, you can’t be stable anymore. Maozi is now at the age of “can’t be stable anymore”, and even an old sow looks like Diao Chan.

However, given his family background, it would be impossible for him to marry a "retired" prostitute to carry on his family line.

The reason why he has been working in the grain store is that there is at least one "benefit" here. Every month, he can buy some old rice and moldy rice at a very low price. Therefore, the business here is extremely stable and far superior to his peers (the business partners in the teahouse, cloth shop and money shop next door).

Maozi was in high spirits today, because a childhood friend invited him to a restaurant for a drink for the first time, so he went home after closing the restaurant, changed into clean clothes and went there. He also carried a few pieces of oil paper with him, preparing to pack up any leftovers to take home and also to treat the old and young at home.

"Hey, Manniu, rarely seen these days. Where did you make your fortune?" Maozi saw his childhood friend waiting under the eaves at a glance, and bowed and said with a smile.

"Come on, fool around." Manniu led him into the private room with a smile and whispered, "Your son is going to get rich today, a lot of money." Maozi was stunned: "What do you mean?"

"You'll know in a moment."

"Mr. Bian, this is my childhood friend, Maozi." Manniu said with a smile, "Maozi, this is Mr. Bian."

Sitting in the private room was a middle-aged man wearing a gauze hat and a brocade robe. He didn't stand up, but just casually bowed and said, "Nice to meet you. Please take a seat."

Maozi nodded and bowed, greeted him, and sat down, just looking at Manniu.

Manniu winked at him, meaning to be patient.

Mr. Bian smiled and said, "I heard that Brother Mao has been working in the rice and grain business for many years?"

Maozi said: "I don't dare to accept it, but I have been working in the store since I was a child, and it has been more than ten years now."

Bian Yuanwai said: "So, brother, you know all the tricks of this business?"

"No, no, I know a thing or two."

Mr. Bian smiled and said, "Don't be so modest. I am planning to open a rice shop in the capital, and I would like to invite you to give me some advice. Don't worry, I will reward you handsomely."

Maozi's eyes lit up, and he said hurriedly, "Please tell me, sir. I will never hide anything."

Mr. Bian asked a few questions about the rice business, and Maozi answered them all very well. Suddenly, he asked, "Where do you get your goods from? How much do you buy them for?"

Maozi was stunned and shook his head, saying, "Sir, I am just a handyman. Only the shopkeeper knows about these things. How would I know?"

Mr. Bian smiled and took out a golden bar and placed it on the table, saying, "I think my brother will know the answer."

Maozi had at most seen a gold ring on the shopkeeper's hand, but had never seen a gold bar. He was stunned and the greed in his heart wished he could burst out of his mouth and swallow the gold bar into his stomach in one gulp.

"Mr. Bian, this is... this..."

"These two taels of gold are for my brother's hard work. There will be another generous reward after the task is completed." said Mr. Bian.

Maozi was so excited that he almost fainted. He nodded hurriedly and said, "Don't worry, sir. I'll take care of it."

Bian Yuanwai stood up and said with a smile: "I'll leave it to you in this case. When will I hear back?"

"Within three days." Maozi thought for a while and said.

"Okay. Let's meet here in three days. I have something else to do. Please enjoy your meal. The bill has been settled." Mr. Bian bowed and left.

Maozi and the other man hurriedly stood up to see them off.

"How about it, now you have money to marry a wife? Don't say that I didn't take care of you." Manniu said with a smile, putting his arm around Maozi's shoulder.

Maozi's face was so full of smiles that it broke. He said, "Thank you very much. I will definitely treat you to a wedding banquet when the time comes."

Originally, he still had some feelings for his boss and was unwilling to sell out any important secrets, but the two taels of gold completely destroyed his bottom line.

Bah! The boss makes so much money, and the shopkeeper is over fifty and has three concubines. Why can't I marry a wife? Fuck you.

Maozi thought of the shopkeeper and suddenly asked, "Manniu, why didn't he ask the shopkeeper directly? Why did he ask me?"

Manniu sneered and said, "Is the price the same when I ask the shopkeeper and you?"

Maozi scratched his head and said with a smile: "These businessmen are all shrewd people, they will hire whoever is cheaper."

"No."

That night, Maozi did not sleep all night. He went to work in high spirits early in the morning. After a long day of busy work, he finally found an opportunity and said to the shopkeeper with a smile: "Shopkeeper, our grain business is so prosperous, when will you give us a raise in monthly wages?"

The shopkeeper laughed and scolded, "You little bastard, go around the capital and ask around. It's not easy to find a job like this with a monthly salary of one tael of silver and a meal. And you're still not satisfied."

Only Maozi, a veteran, dares to say this. If it were a new guy, he would have to pack up and leave that day.

Maozi laughed and said, "You are still serious. What's the point of a joke?"

"Go away, go and do your own thing. Stop talking nonsense to me." The shopkeeper waved his hand unhappily.

"No, boss, I have something to discuss with you."

"what's up?"

"A cousin of mine works as a clerk at Fushun Rice Shop in the city. He said that the business there is no longer viable and the monthly salary is only seven cents. He wants to come and work here. I want to ask if they are still hiring?" Maozi said.

The shopkeeper thought for a moment and said, "You know we just recruited a group of people the other day. There are no vacancies now. Let's talk about it later."

"Okay, just keep it in mind. My brother said that even their shopkeeper wants to change jobs, saying that the purchase price of rice is high and the selling price is low these days, and it is really hard to make money.

I think our Zufeng Grain Store is thriving. With you in charge, we give three liters for every stone of rice we sell, and our business is getting better and better.

He still didn't believe me, saying I was bragging, saying that the rice I sold was short-changed, mixed with sand and chaff, and how could I give more."

The shopkeeper stroked his mustache and said with a smile: "Snakes have their own ways, and mice have their own ways. He knows nothing."

"You are right. He heard from the shopkeeper that the court has introduced new laws and the price of rice has also been pushed up. The purchase price of this polished round-grained rice is one tael and two cents of silver per stone, and it is only one tael and five cents of silver when it is sold. After deducting the expenses of the shop assistants and the food and necessities of the people and horses, there is not much profit at all. He said that I was bragging and that I would never give three liters of extra money for each stone. He said that we must be selling old rice.

I said, come to our store and take a look. Is this white, round and smooth rice aged rice?"

The shopkeeper laughed in silence and said, "You don't spit at him. When did we put up the sign of Zufeng? New rice is priced at new rice, and old rice is priced at old rice. When have we ever fooled anyone?"

"I think it must be your shopkeeper who did something wrong and deliberately inflated the purchase price of rice in order to steal our client's business. We're doing fine here. The selling price is the same as yours, one tael and five cents, and we even give you an extra three liters. How can our monthly salary be higher than yours?" Maozi said with a silly smile.

The shopkeeper sneered and said, "He is not wrong. The price of buying and selling rice is so good, but how can his Fu Shun Hang compare with ours?
No matter how he cheats on weight, mixes in sand or chaff, or passes old things off as new, he can’t beat us.”

Maozi laughed and said, "That's right, the shopkeeper is the Zhuge Liang of this business, how can they do it?"

The shopkeeper looked around and whispered, "Silly boy, he charges money for goods, but we don't charge money for goods, how can we compare?"

Maozi was stunned, scratched his head and said, "Boss, is there any free purchase? Do they just fall from the sky?"

The shopkeeper laughed and said, "That's almost the same. Every year, grain falls from the sky. Don't tell anyone else about this."

"Yes, yes." Maozi didn't dare to ask any more questions and retreated obediently. However, he didn't understand in his heart why he didn't have to pay for the purchase of goods. He thought to himself that he would tell Bian Yuanwai exactly what he said. If he didn't believe it, then forget it. Anyway, the two taels of gold he had received would not be returned.

He didn't know that Bian Yuanwai was a secret agent of the Jinyiwei who was in charge of this case, so why would he care about such a small amount of money? (End of this chapter)