Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 188: The Dragon Crossing the River
In Tianjin, the spring chill lingers.

The wind blowing from the South Canal still carried a biting chill, as if winter was dragging a tail that refused to leave, stubbornly lingering on the thawing soil.

But this chill did nothing to cool the already boiling enthusiasm along the official road and canal from the confluence of the three rivers to the outer city of Tianjin.

Crowds of people, a sea of ​​beautiful women.

According to the unshakeable system of etiquette, those standing at the very front of the procession were naturally the Tianjin Garrison Commander, the Salt Transport Assistant Commissioner, and a host of other imperial officials, either fully armored or dressed in brocade robes. They were the symbols of imperial order and the most legitimate focus of this grand welcoming spectacle.

However, anyone with a discerning eye can see that the true focus of this picture is not on these tense-looking officials.

Right behind the officials' procession, in the most prominent position leading the local gentry and wealthy merchants, each figure, though slightly bowed, seemed like an invisible axis, subtly drawing in the aura of everyone around them.

That is commerce.

The formation of merchants from major Tianjin businesses, led by the Changlu salt merchants, exuded a magnificence of silk and a composed demeanor that subtly overshadowed the deliberate air of authority maintained by the officials in front. Leading them was none other than Wang Fu, the most trusted steward of the "Salt King" Wang Zonghai, known as "Second Master Wang."

He wore a seemingly unremarkable long gown made of dark-patterned Hangzhou silk, every inch of which was the result of the painstaking efforts of top Suzhou and Hangzhou weavers. He had a lean face and a humble smile that could melt away the chill of early spring.

He stood half a step back from the officials, and his posture was also lower than theirs, perfectly befitting a businessman's duty before officials.

But it was precisely this half-step back that made him even more eye-catching. Some officials in the front of the line, who were standing with their eyes seemingly fixed straight ahead, would unconsciously glance at him out of the corner of their eyes, as if seeking some kind of confirmation, or rather, feeling the calm and composed aura he exuded.

It was as if he were the true anchor of this place.

However, if anyone were to look directly into Wang Fu's deep-set eyes at this moment, they would find that there was no warmth in them at all. It was the gaze of a raptor scrutinizing an unknown threat in the cold wind, wary, probing, and tightly gripping the upper reaches of the canal, that distant place shrouded in the damp, cold morning mist.

They are waiting for a dragon.

A powerful dragon crossing the river.

"coming!"

A suppressed gasp rang out from the crowd, and instantly, everyone's heart leaped into their throat.

The distant fog seemed to be brutally cut in half by an invisible giant pair of scissors.

The first to appear was a small, fast boat, with several Imperial Guard captains dressed in flying fish robes standing at the bow, their hands on embroidered spring knives, their eyes colder than the river water in early spring.

Following closely behind was a massive fleet.

One, two, a dozen... The warships, all black with cold, hard lines, were like a group of giant beasts awakening from the deep sea, silently breaking through the water in a breathtakingly orderly formation, slowly approaching.

There were no fancy flags or ribbons, only the menacing ram at the bow of the ship and the Ming Dynasty dragon flag flying high.

As soon as they entered this waterway, they occupied the widest main channel without explanation, roughly squeezing the carefully arranged cargo ships and pleasure boats on both banks, which were meant to embellish the peaceful and prosperous times, to the edge, like a giant shark driving away helpless sardines.

At that moment, the atmosphere at the entire dock instantly froze from feigned enthusiasm to a real, freezing point.

The fleet, like stars surrounding the moon, surrounded a dragon boat far larger than an ordinary Fujian ship. With its carved beams and painted rafters, it slowly anchored in the center of the dock, exuding an aura of supreme power.

The dragon boat was completely silent; the emperor did not appear.

The crowd on the shore grew increasingly tense, and Wang Fu's perfectly smiling face twitched slightly involuntarily at the corner of his mouth.

……

The top deck of the dragon boat is filled with the fragrance of incense, warm as spring, a world apart from the outside.

The emperor was dressed in a black casual robe, without a crown, and was playing with a shiny brass monocular telescope in his hand.

His gaze did not fall on the elegantly dressed officials, gentry, and merchants on the shore, but rather he observed with great interest through his binoculars the boatmen in the distance of the dock, who appeared to be busy on their respective boats but were actually standing in a very orderly manner.

"Tian Ergeng." The emperor's voice was as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

In the shadows, Tian Ergeng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, bowed like a ghost: "Your subject is here."

"What do the boatmen think?"

“Your Majesty, they are private guards employed by several salt merchants from the Wang and Sun families. They have bulging pouches at their waists, concealing short guns and Japanese swords. They are all bloodthirsty thugs.” Tian Ergeng’s voice was devoid of emotion. “They thought their disguise was flawless.”

"Whether it's well done or not, I don't care." The emperor put down his binoculars, picked up a list from the small table next to him, on which the intricate network of relationships between officials, gentry and merchants in Tianjin was carefully outlined in red ink. "What I care about is that they dared to bring these things to me."

His slender fingers gently tapped a name on the roster—Wang Fu.

"This gatekeeper of the Wang family is bolder than his master who is thousands of miles away. He dares to stand behind all the civil and military officials. He is telling me on behalf of Wang Zonghai that the emperor of Tianjin belongs to the Wang family."

Tian Ergeng lowered his head even further, a flash of murderous intent crossing his face: "Your Majesty, shall we...?"

"No rush." ​​The emperor smiled, a smile that carried the pleasure of a hunter spotting his prey. "Since the fish have already swum into the net, don't rush to pull it in. I want to see how many big fish who think they can leap over the dragon gate can be caught in this one net."

He turned to Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, who was standing to the side: "Minister Bi, you may leave now."

Bi Ziyan, dressed in a brand-new crimson official robe, bowed solemnly and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys the decree."

"After you go down, issue an imperial edict to reassure them, saying that I am here to share the joy with the people and to inspect commerce and industry, so that they can put their minds at ease." The emperor's tone was as relaxed as if he were instructing them on a routine matter. "Tianjin is an old place that you have been running for many years. Some people will still recognize you."

A glint flashed in Bi Ziyan's eyes; he understood the emperor's unspoken meaning.

……

When Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, appeared at the bow of the dragon boat, the iceberg of fear and tension on the shore seemed to crack open, and a low murmur arose from the crowd. Bi Ziyan's appearance itself was a signal, calming the hearts of many officials and gentry somewhat.

As the small boat docked, Bi Ziyan stepped onto the pier and felt a refreshing spring breeze, which invigorated him. The commander of Tianjin Garrison and others immediately surrounded him, addressing him as "Minister Bi" and bowing in greeting.

Bi Ziyan smiled and nodded to each of them. Then he unrolled a scroll of yellow silk and read aloud the imperial edict, which was gentle in content and ornate in wording. It was nothing more than polite words about "showing concern for the people's plight," "rewarding industry and commerce," and "sharing the emperor's grace," which were so warm that they were out of place with the weather.

After the imperial edict was read aloud, there was finally real activity on the dragon boat.

Amidst the intense anticipation of the crowd, the young emperor, rumored to be ruthless and capricious, finally appeared at the bow of the ship.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent, as if the welcoming ceremony before him, which would move any governor or viceroy, was nothing more than an ordinary scene in his eyes.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

The thunderous roar of kneeling worship rang out again, this time filled with far more heartfelt fear than before.

The emperor did not immediately disembark from the dragon boat.

Several burly generals and officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard disembarked first and quickly cleared a space in the center of the dock.

Only then did the emperor slowly step off the platform, his steps steady. He cast his gaze toward the distant sea, as if examining his own territory.

Bi Ziyan and Tian Ergeng stood on the left and right, like two door gods, behind him.

At this moment, he was the absolute center of this world.

The commander of Tianjin Garrison, trembling, led his officials in completing the grand audience ceremony, saying, "Your subjects respectfully welcome Your Majesty," his voice shaking.

The emperor nodded slightly, said "Rise," and then said nothing more.

A suffocating silence fell over the scene.

Just then, the commander of Tianjin Garrison seemed to receive some unspoken instruction. He braced himself and stepped forward again, saying, "Your Majesty, the gentry and merchants of Tianjin Garrison are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's boundless grace and have prepared a small gift to express their admiration."

This was a pre-arranged process, a stepping stone for merchants to present gifts in a reasonable manner.

Wang Fu took a deep breath and stepped out from the merchant procession, followed by several burly men carrying a huge tray. He approached the emperor from ten paces away and respectfully performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows, his forehead touching the ground, his voice loud yet humble:
"This humble citizen, Wang Fu, on behalf of all the people of Tianjin, respectfully presents this small gift to His Majesty, wishing our Great Ming Dynasty eternal stability and that wherever the dragon boat goes, peace and prosperity will reign throughout the land!"

His words were impeccable, and his demeanor was extremely humble.

Zhu Youjian gave Tian Ergeng, who was standing next to him, a wink.

Tian Ergeng understood, and two Jinyiwei captains immediately stepped forward and removed the red cloth covering it.

In an instant, a burst of golden light erupted! Even under the slightly gloomy sky of early spring, the pure golden light was so dazzling that it was almost impossible to open one's eyes.

It was a model of a sailboat made of pure gold, about three feet long, with the mast, sails, and even the patterns on the deck all meticulously detailed, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

All the salt merchants wore knowing, smug smiles. No one in the world could resist the allure of gold, especially such a huge and exquisite piece.

Only now did the emperor seem to notice the gift for the first time, and a warm smile finally appeared on his face.

"Oh? Good, very good." Zhu Youjian nodded, seemingly quite satisfied.

The salt merchants felt a little relieved.

However, the emperor did not have anyone bring the golden ship closer. He merely observed it with interest from a distance for a moment, then said to Bi Ziyan beside him:

“Minister Bi, this is excellent. Have the craftsmen from the Ministry of Works inspect its purity on the spot, then melt it down and use it as military pay for the nine border regions. This shipload of gold will probably allow many soldiers to have an extra winter coat to keep them warm.”

These words were like a silent thunderclap that resounded throughout the entire dock.

The emperor turned his head, his gaze finally landing on Wang Fu, who was still kneeling on the ground. His smile remained gentle, but his words sent a chill down Wang Fu's spine: "I appreciate the sentiments of my ministers. I am deeply gratified by their dedication to sharing the burdens of the country."

The entire dock was very quiet.

The color drained from Wang Fu's face in an instant, leaving it as white as a sheet of paper.

The emperor didn't even touch the gift himself, but decided its fate from a superior position!

Before Wang Fu could recover from this immense shock, the emperor's voice rang out again. This time, it seemed to be addressed to him, but it was as if it were addressed to all the wealthy merchants in Tianjin.

The emperor's gaze carried a chilling intensity that could freeze one's very soul.
"I have heard that Tianjin's salt industry is unparalleled in the world, and the salt it produces is as white as snow, and is known as white gold."

He paused, a cold smile seemingly creeping onto his lips.

"I have come here to see for myself how this white gold generates revenue for the Ming Dynasty and benefits the people."

The emperor emphasized the phrase "to generate revenue for the Ming Dynasty."

Wang Fu felt a chill rise rapidly from the bottom of his heart, his whole body stiffened, and he even forgot his instinct to kowtow and express his gratitude, unable to utter a single word.

The emperor, however, no longer looked at him, as if he were now an insignificant speck of dust. He surveyed his surroundings, his gaze sweeping over the trembling officials and ashen-faced gentry, and finally announced in a loud voice:
"By imperial decree, a grand banquet will be held tonight at the Tianjin Garrison Commander's Office for all officials."

His voice carried a hint of amusement, as if it were truly a joyous occasion for both the ruler and his subjects.

"All registered officials, renowned gentry, and managers of major businesses in Tianjin must attend the banquet; not one can be left out."

(End of this chapter)