Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 32 Is there any more royal law?
"What, you're not allowed to see me?"

The words of Huliwen, the Minister of Grain, made the Governor Elong stunned and then he became angry.

It has been more than ten days now. The salt merchant Zheng Yufang comes to complain every now and then, which makes Elong very annoyed and he feels a little irritated recently.

I didn't expect that my subordinates were so inefficient in their work that they didn't even see the real boss.

Huliwen, the Minister of Grain, was a third-rank official, two levels higher than the Councillor. He was also the right-hand man of the Governor in the yamen. His position was equivalent to the combined role of the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Agriculture, the Director of Taxation and the Director of the Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and he was in charge of money and grain.

The Provincial Administration Office had three major functional departments under its jurisdiction: the Grain Supervision Department, the Registration Supervision Department, and the Division Supervision Department. The chief officials were all third-rank councilors, the deputies were fourth-rank councilors, and there were also several low-rank civil servants.

The Duce Dao is in charge of personnel affairs, while the Fenshou Dao is the chief steward of logistics.

There were also the Experience Department and the Review and Modification Office, and the rank of the officials in charge was even lower. The Experience Department was the sixth rank, and the Du Shi Department was the seventh rank, which was almost a section-level clerk.

He Jiuhua, the official who was kidnapped by the bandits, was an unlucky low-level official.

Huliwen, the Minister of Grain, had a lazy look on his face. He was also a member of the royal family who lived a life of idleness and waiting to die.

Today, I was on duty at the Yamen, a rare occasion. I took a few puffs of opium, but I felt uncomfortable all over. I yawned and said:
"Sir, I sent someone to ask the Governor's Camp, and what they said is correct.

It's no use asking Lord Zheng about this matter. We need the approval of the Jiangnan Governor's Office or a written petition.

As long as the higher-ups give the order, forget about smuggling salt.

If you say to release the people, then we release them. If you say to release the ship, then we release the ship. Releasing the goods is not a problem at all, but you have to give the final word.

Without the order from above, the Dubiaoying Battalion dare not make any decision on its own."

"In that case, what about the Jiangnan Governor's Mansion?"

"Well, it's even harder to find him. He hasn't been seen for nearly a month. The only way to find him is along the Qinhuai River. There are so many brothels and prostitutes. Who knows where he's enjoying himself?"

"You useless thing, you can't even find anyone, what's the point of waiting for you?"

"Sir, you are really wronging me. Visiting gardens and brothels doesn't cost money? There's no such thing as that. You said we weren't visiting brothels, we were looking for someone. If we get beaten up, we won't have anywhere to complain. It's really not a good thing to do that person."

"Trash, a bunch of trash, useless." Elong no longer had the polite demeanor of the past, and started cursing in anger.

During this time, everything went wrong.

The redemption money for He Jiuhua, the clerk, had never been delivered, but his head was returned a few days ago. One evening, someone threw it into the yamen from the other side of the wall.

After the news spread
The atmosphere in the provincial government office became very strange, and officials were talking about all kinds of things in private.

Now, more than ten days have passed, and the investigation document of the "smuggled salt case" has been issued, but the two detained young men have not even been seen, and the person in charge cannot be found.

How could it not be uncomfortable for Lord Elong to punch the air?

Huliwen, the Minister of Grain Administration, did not care about the wrath of his immediate superior. He was a member of the royal family who had no ambition and was the type who was completely willing to give in.

The most beautiful thing every day is to lie on the brocade couch and take a few puffs of opium while being served by a beautiful woman.

The rest...never mind.

Wu Jianchuan, the councilor of the district, stood quietly aside, neither interrupting nor offering opinions, nor helping with any ideas, just like a clay or wooden sculpture of a Buddha.

The Governor Elong is of the Pixiu zodiac sign. Once something enters his stomach, it cannot come out, let alone silver.

The Zheng family offered 5 taels of silver, and he gave himself taels as a profit, like giving it away to a beggar, and put the rest into his pocket.

He Jiuhua didn't even give a penny of silver to redeem himself, and just let his subordinates find a way. Isn't this kind of behavior heartbreaking?
"Counselor Wu."

"Your Excellency, I am here."

"I'll trouble you to go directly to the Dubiao Camp in the Drum Tower to see Lord Zheng. Tell him that the Provincial Administration Commissioner wants to bring the two prisoners in for review to see if their confessions were unjustly obtained through torture. Are there any inaccuracies or inaccuracies in their information? I believe he won't dare to refuse."

Seeing that no one was willing to take up the post, the Governor Elong directly named Wu Jianchuan. Who said he was a Han official and had no background?
If not him, who else?
"This..." Wu Jianchuan looked embarrassed.

Elong's face darkened and he pressed, "Well, why... Councillor Wu is unwilling to obey orders?"

"I dare not. I will obey the orders of the governor."

Wu Jianchuan didn't expect that this matter would fall on him, but he was not a member of the royal family, and he didn't dare to disobey. He could only bite the bullet and take the task. In his heart, he had already begun to greet the women in the family of the governor.

This time it happened quickly. Just one day later, Wu Jianchuan came back to report with an uncontrollable joy on his face.

"What? Lord Zheng went back to his hometown to visit relatives. When did this happen?"

"Reporting to His Excellency, the fleet has been gone for two days. Many people can confirm that the news is accurate."

"What about the case of smuggling salt?"

"Oh," replied the officer on duty at the Dubiao Battalion. "It won't work if no one else comes. We must have a proposal from the Jiangnan Governor's Office. Otherwise, they wouldn't dare to take on this responsibility."

"When will Master Zheng be back?"

"It is said that it will be after the New Year. I have heard that Lord Zheng has been rewarded for his merits and may go to the capital to report after the New Year. It is a good opportunity for him to visit the Ministry of War and wait for the reward from the court. If so, he may have to pay homage to the two Empress Dowagers. In this case, it may take three to five months." "Get out, get out, you bunch of good-for-nothings!" Elong completely lost control and started cursing.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the officials immediately left the room and not even a single figure could be seen.

In a luxurious mansion in Jinling City
When the third son Zheng Yufang received the news of "let's discuss it after the New Year", he was completely stunned. He was hit by severe dizziness and fell to the ground with his eyes going black.

Everyone was so frightened that they pinched his Ren Zhong and clapped their hands. It was a complete mess. They finally woke him up.

After waking up

The third young master, Zheng Yufang, felt inexplicably palpitating, and was completely enveloped by great despair. His face turned pale, and he no longer had the image of a handsome and elegant young man.

Dark, so damn dark.

There is still a week before the Winter Solstice, and there is still a month and a half before the Spring Festival. After the Spring Festival, it will be after the Lantern Festival.

Counting on my fingers, that’s more than two months.

My eldest brother Zheng Yulan and the second son of the Wang family, Wang Xuemao, have been detained for a month. They are nowhere to be found, alive or dead. We spent 5 taels of silver but couldn't even get a note delivered.

In more than two months, will that person still be there?

this moment

A deep feeling of powerlessness enveloped the Third Young Master Zheng Yufang, tearing all his former pride into pieces and revealing his weak and unprotected body.

Zheng Yufang just sat on the ground in a daze, tears rolling down his face uncontrollably. He was completely in despair.

"Sir, there's no need to be like this. Please take care of yourself."

"Everyone, please think of a way quickly. This one will only last for a few months. It looks like this way is hopeless. We have to find another way."

"Don't be impatient. The busier we are, the more chaotic things will become. Seeking medical help without hesitation will only make things worse. At least we need to know what's wrong."

"Hey, you said something lightly, but it was just a light fart. It seems that it's the young master who's locked up, not you."

"Nonsense! How can you tarnish someone's innocence?"

Everyone was talking at once and almost started a quarrel.

But he still helped the third young master Zheng Yufang onto the brocade couch. The ground was too cold and he couldn't let himself get frozen.

In the midst of this hustle and bustle, a voice came from the door: "The master has arrived!" "The eldest son has arrived!"

As the words fall
A white-haired old man walked in from outside, followed by a tall and thin middle-aged man. Both of them were dressed in gorgeous clothes and walked in with a large group of followers.

The gray-haired old man is Zheng Shaotang, the head of the Zheng family. The tall and thin middle-aged man is Wang Xueyin, the eldest son of the Wang family, and the head of the two salt merchants.

Zheng Shaotang strode into the front hall. Seeing Zheng Yufang, who looked extremely dejected, he felt heartbroken and angry. He couldn't help but scold her loudly, "Yufang, you disappoint me so much."

"Father, I know I was wrong." Zheng Yufang let out a long, mournful cry, struggled to roll off the brocade couch, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed repeatedly.

Zheng Shaotang's heart had already softened at this moment. He hurried to support him and said, "Get up, get up! My son, why are you doing this? Things are not yet at the point of no return."

He didn't want to fail to rescue the eldest daughter Zheng Yulan and then implicate the third daughter Zheng Yufang, otherwise the Zheng family would really collapse.

When Zheng Yufang was helped up, they saw that his forehead was covered with bruises and blood was faintly seeping out, which showed how much force he had kowtowed with just now.

The unlucky Zheng Yufang had just gotten some bruises from kowtow in the governor's office, but now he had another bruise on his head.

Zheng Shaotang was truly heartbroken. He said, "Silly child, your family can afford a mere few tens of thousands of taels of silver, but why do you have to ruin your body? Doesn't it make my heart ache just watching you?"

"My child is incompetent. Please punish me, father."

"Well, the situation here is quite complicated. Your eldest brother Wang and I have just returned from the capital and have a general understanding of the whole story. It's not your fault, so please don't blame yourself."

"Father, please rescue my eldest brother and the second brother of the Wang family as soon as possible. I'm afraid they'll be freezing and suffering in prison and won't last much longer."

"Don't lose your composure, kid. I know, I know." Zheng Shaotang gently patted the back of the third child, Zheng Yufang, just like he did when he was a child, and encouraged her with warm words.

He was worldly-wise and knew that Zheng Yufang was on the verge of collapse and he couldn't add fuel to the fire.

Wang Xueyin, who was standing aside, couldn't help but sigh when he saw that the once gentle and elegant Zheng Yufang had fallen into a slavery. He must have suffered a lot during this period.

What has this child become after being tortured?

Thought of here
Wang Xueyin was also very angry. He felt that there was not a single good person in Jinling City. They were all devils who ate people without leaving any bones.

After the recovery of Tianjing, the imperial court dispatched many officials in a major reshuffle. Even with the profound background of the Wang family, they did not have a deep relationship with or understanding of these officials.

If not, only such a strange thing could happen?

The Wang and Zheng families, who have been salt merchants for generations, were actually accused of "smuggling salt privately". This is really outrageous. Is there any law?
The answer is... really no.

(End of this chapter)