The Prodigal Son

After taking the people to the prefectural governor's mansion, Qin Yu ordered a search of the mansion and ordered the officials to be interrogated separately.

Ruan Zhi was very worried, so she pulled Nan Que'er aside and asked her to help persuade Qin Yu.

"Dr. Qin's reckless approach is really not going to work!"

"If His Majesty intended to reform the salt administration by brute force, he wouldn't have waited until now!"

"The salt route to Min County has not yet been opened, and the imperial court still needs to rely on the salt from Hai and Yuan Prefectures!"

"We absolutely cannot allow any major chaos to occur in Haizhou and Yuanzhou!"

"If things get chaotic here, it could lead to many people going without salt, which could then cause widespread unrest!"

When Lü Si walked over, he overheard Ruan Zhi explaining the seriousness of the situation to Nan Que'er.

Ruan Zhi was also someone close to Zhao Luan.

She knew exactly what outcome Zhao Luan wanted and what outcome she didn't want.

Qin Yu's reckless actions are definitely not what Zhao Luan wants to see!

Qin Yu is powerful now, but if he causes a big mess, he will be the first to suffer.

Hearing Ruan Zhi describe the situation as serious, Nan Que'er couldn't help but feel secretly worried.

"Okay, I'll go talk to him! But don't worry too much! He probably has his own reasons."

After saying that, Nan Que'er quickly went to find Qin Yu.

Watching Nan Que'er leave, Lü Si couldn't help but sneer at Ruan Zhi, "The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is!"

Ruan Zhi's face stiffened, and she said irritably, "You look like a eunuch to me!"

Lu Si was annoyed and about to retort when a thought suddenly struck him. He turned and looked at Ruan Zhi with a provocative expression: "Whether I'm a eunuch or not, why don't you try it yourself and see?"

"you……"

Ruan Zhiyin gritted her teeth and spat out two words: "Shameless!"

"So what if I'm shameless? What can you do about it?"

Lu Si shook his head smugly, a victor's smile on his face.

Ruan Zhi was once again speechless by Lü Si's words. She could only glare at him angrily before turning and leaving.

Although she was someone close to Zhao Luan, Lü Si was the Empress Dowager's nephew.

As long as Lü Si doesn't rebel or do anything outrageous, she really can't do anything to him.

Seeing Ruan Zhi storm off, Lü Si's smile widened even more smugly. "If I can't beat Qin Yu, I can certainly beat you!"

On the other side, Nan Que'er relayed Ruan Zhi's words to Qin Yu.

After hearing her words, Qin Yu couldn't help but shake his head and smile: "Don't worry! It's not as serious as she thinks! I'm just making an example of her, and also sending a message to the Baojing Division so they know I've arrived in Linhai! Once they know I'm here, they'll try to contact me..."

He knew that Ruan Zhi's words made sense.

But he also had his own considerations.

This is his first shot in rectifying the salt administration, and it must be a resounding success!

He wanted to throw those with guilty consciences into disarray, making it easier for the Baojing Division to investigate in secret.

As for who should die and who should live, it depends on the circumstances.

"Alright! As long as you understand it!"

Understanding Qin Yu's intentions, Nan Que'er stopped trying to persuade him.

Just as the two were talking, Yang Jichun rushed over, "Doctor Qin, the interrogation is complete!"

"So fast?"

Qin Yu was extremely surprised.

"Um!"

Yang Jichun excitedly said, "One of Wang Zhaojie's clerks confessed that Wang Zhaojie secretly opened a very hidden saltworks in Dongpu, which was directly managed by his son Wang Yunchuan. Wang Fan, the water management official in Linhai, was Wang Zhaojie's brother-in-law and was responsible for covering for them!"

"Was this person involved in this?" Qin Yu asked.

Yang Jichun replied, "It seems that he was not involved in this matter! However, he's not entirely clean himself."

"Oh? How so?" Qin Yu asked with great interest.

Speaking of this, Yang Jichun's face immediately lit up with a gossipy smile, "This matter is a bit complicated. I've sorted it out, and here's roughly what happened..."

The clerk's wife's younger sister was a young widow.

Although the clerk did not admit it, judging from the circumstances, he had a somewhat ambiguous relationship with his wife's younger sister.

Around July of last year, the clerk unexpectedly discovered that Wang Fan was having an affair with his wife's younger sister.

He heard about this from his wife's younger sister.

It is said that Wang Fan told this to his wife's younger sister after he got drunk.

The clerk originally planned to secretly investigate the Dongpu Saltworks, and once he had the evidence, he would threaten Wang Zhaojie to promote him.

However, Wang Zhaojie and his son acted extremely discreetly, and with Wang Fan covering for them, he investigated secretly for a long time but didn't find much useful information.

However, based on the little information he found out privately, it can be basically confirmed that the salt field is located near Dongpu.

After listening to Yang Jichun's story, Qin Yu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Adultery has always been a source of death!

This could be considered a fatality, right?

After regaining his senses, Qin Yu immediately asked, "Has Wang Yunchuan been caught?"

Yang Jichun shook his head slightly: "About half an hour ago, Wang Yunchuan hurriedly left the prefectural governor's residence, and I don't know where he went! However, I have already ordered someone to detain Wang Fan!"

"very good!"

Qin Yu nodded in satisfaction, "Continue the interrogation! Now that the Dongpu Saltworks has been identified, focus the interrogation on Wang..."

Halfway through his sentence, Qin Yu suddenly stopped, slowly standing up. "Alright, after all, he's an official appointed by the imperial court. It wouldn't be right for you to abuse your power. I, the imperial envoy, will handle the interrogation myself! You take your men and search all the warehouses first!"

"yes!"

Yang Jichun accepted the order.

Upon learning that Qin Yu intended to personally interrogate Wang Zhaojie, Lü Si immediately exclaimed with enthusiasm, "I'll go with you!"

"Why are you getting involved now?"

Qin Yu rolled his eyes.

Why does this grandson want to join in every kind of excitement?

What does "joining in the fun" mean?

Lu Si retorted, "My father is the Minister of Justice! Do you think I don't have some interrogation skills?"

"Ding ding..."

Qin Yu was too lazy to argue with Lü Si. "I'll put you in charge of the trial later! Let me see how capable you really are!"

"Just you wait and see!"

Lu Si laughed heartily, rubbing his hands excitedly. "I'll practice on this old bastard first, then I'll use it on the Shi family!"

"..."

Qin Yu was speechless. "Isn't your resentment towards the historians a little too deep?"

He seriously suspected that if this guy were made an imperial envoy, he would directly lead troops to raid the Shi family's residence.

"nonsense!"

Lu Si scoffed, "You try being publicly beaten and howling on the first day of the Lunar New Year, you'll see! Of course you don't care since the fists didn't land on you!"

His resentment towards historians ran exceptionally deep.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I was beaten in public.

She was still beaten by her fiancé!

Where does that leave him to save face?

"Some things depend on a person's character."

Qin Yu chuckled and teased Lü Si, then instructed Ruan Zhi, "You should thoroughly examine the account books of Linhai County!"

"Um!"

Ruan Zhi nodded slightly, but hesitated to speak.

That's it!

I've said everything I needed to say!

Hopefully, Qin Yu really knows the truth!