Zhu Yuanzhang: My second son is invincible!

The carriage drove into Yangzhou city.

The moment I entered the city, I was overwhelmed by the noise and bustle.

The sounds of hawkers hawking their wares, wheels rolling, laughter, and singing drifting from some unknown restaurant.

The streets were lined with shops, including silk shops, restaurants, teahouses, silver shops, and pawnshops.

Each signboard was more impressive than the last.

Pedestrians were dressed smartly, women wore jingling ornaments, and children chased and played with sugar figurines.

It's truly bustling.

Zhu Hui was dazzled by what he saw.

The carriage stopped in front of a restaurant.

The restaurant has three floors and a black sign with gold lettering: Wangjianglou (Viewing the River Tower).

"Your Highness, this is the largest restaurant in Yangzhou. The three major salt merchants often entertain their guests here," Zhao Zhen whispered from outside the carriage.

"Right here." Zhu Biao got off at the driveway.

Zhu Hui followed him down, looked up at the restaurant, and twitched his nose.

It smells wonderful, a blend of various dish aromas, along with the scents of wine and cosmetics.

The waiter at the door saw the group of people, who were dressed simply but had an extraordinary air about them, and hurriedly came forward, saying, "Gentlemen, please come in! We have private rooms!"

"A window seat on the third floor," Zhu Biao said.

"Alright! Four seats in the private rooms on the third floor..." the waiter announced loudly.

The four of them went up to the third floor.

The third floor indeed offers a wide view, with a row of windows facing the canal, where you can see boats coming and going, their sails dotting the water.

It wasn't mealtime, so there weren't many customers. They chose a seat at the very back by the window.

Jinyiwei Zhao Zhen and another guard sat at the next table, their hands always on their waists.

The waiter handed over the menu.

Zhu Biao didn't look at the menu, but nodded and said, "Braised lion's head meatballs, braised shredded tofu, Yangzhou fried rice, crystal-clear braised pork, and a three-shredded soup."

"Sir, you have a good palate. Would you like some wine? Our homemade Qionghua Dew is a Yangzhou specialty!" The waiter gave a thumbs up.

"Give me a pot."

"Okay!"

The waiter went downstairs.

Zhu Li peered out the window at the canal and suddenly pointed to a boat, saying, "Brother, that boat is drafting very deep."

Zhu Biao followed his gaze.

It was an ordinary cargo ship, but its waterline was extremely deep, indicating that it was carrying a heavy load.

The boat had no markings, and several men dressed as boatmen were unloading cargo, carrying bags of things in burlap sacks.

"Salt," Zhu Biao said softly.

"Smuggled salt?" Zhu Li asked.

"Yeah, in broad daylight, at the canal dock, they just do this." Zhu Biao laughed, but his smile was a little cold.

The dishes were served quickly.

The lion's head meatballs are about the size of a fist, stewed in a clay pot, with a thick, white broth.

The tofu strips in the braised tofu dish are made with fine knife skills, and the tofu strips are as thin as hair.

The fried rice was perfectly separated, with each grain a tempting golden color.

Zhu Li swallowed hard.

"Eat up!" Zhu Biao picked up his chopsticks.

Zhu Li immediately got to work.

The lion's head meatballs are soft and chewy, melting in your mouth.

The fried rice is fragrant and delicious, and the dried bean curd strips are fresh and tasty.

It's really delicious.

Zhu Biao ate slowly and deliberately, gazing out the window at the canal as he ate.

Boats come and go on the canal: passenger boats, cargo boats, official boats, and those without any markings.

There was more than one dock where cargo was being unloaded; he could see at least three places where people were unloading sacks.

"Zhao Zhen," he called softly.

Zhao Zhen, who was at the next table, immediately came over and replied, "Your Highness."

"Make a note of those three docks."

"yes!"

Zhu Biao continued eating.

Halfway through the meal, a commotion arose from the stairwell.

A group of people went upstairs, led by a well-to-do middle-aged man wearing a brocade robe and his hands were adorned with jade thumb rings.

Behind him were four burly men and two men who looked like accountants.

The waiter bowed and scraped, saying, "Master Chen, you've arrived! Your usual seat was reserved for you!"

The middle-aged man grunted in response, his gaze sweeping across the third floor. He paused when he saw Zhu Biao's table. It was an unfamiliar face, dressed plainly, but his demeanor was unlike that of an ordinary person.

He glanced at it a couple more times, then went to the private room on the other side.

Zhao Zhen whispered, "Your Highness, that is Chen Wanjin, one of the three great salt merchants."

Zhu Biao nodded and continued eating.

Zhu Li was enjoying his meal and didn't notice anything amiss.

A little while later, another group of people came up the stairs.

This time it was an elderly man in his sixties, leaning on a cane, with white hair and beard, but sharp eyes.

Beside him was a young man in his twenties, dressed in fine clothes, with an air of arrogance between his brows.

"Master Li, Young Master Li, you two have arrived too!" The waiter became even more attentive.

The old man nodded slightly and entered the private room.

"That's Li Maocai, the head of the three major salt merchants, and next to him is his grandson, Li Shaoqing," Zhao Zhen continued to report.

Zhu Biao put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth.

"Everything is here."

"What's all here?" Zhu Liang asked, gnawing on a lion's head meatball.

"The three major salt merchants, the Chen family and the Li family, are here, and the Wang family... has also arrived." Zhu Biao looked out the window, and a luxurious painted boat was sailing on the canal, with a fat man in a purple robe standing at the bow.

The painted boat docked, and the fat man disembarked, leading a group of beautiful women into the Wangjiang Tower.

The waiter's voice came from downstairs: "Master Wang! You've finally arrived! The young ladies have been waiting anxiously!"

Zhu Biao smiled.

He got up, walked to the railing, and looked at the boats coming and going on the canal, and at the extremely prosperous city of Yangzhou.

Then he turned to Zhu Hui and asked, "Second brother, have you eaten?"

"I'm full." Zhu Li patted her stomach.

"Alright, let's go...and say hello to these Gods of Wealth of Yangzhou City." Zhu Biao turned around and looked at the three private rooms.

He walked down the stairs, and Zhu Li quickly followed.

Zhao Zhen and another Imperial Guard followed closely behind, their hands already on the hilts of their swords.

Downstairs in the lobby, a waiter was on his way to deliver wine to a private room when he saw Zhu Biao coming down. He smiled and asked, "Have you finished eating, sir? Please come this way to settle the bill..."

Zhu Biao ignored him and went straight to the innermost private room.

Two guards from the Chen family stood at the door of the private room, raising their hands to stop him: "What are you doing here?"

Zhu Biao kept walking.

Just as the two guards were about to reprimand them, Zhao Zhen stepped forward, grabbed one of them with each hand, covered their mouths, and pinned them against the wall, his movements swift and clean.

The door to the private room was pushed open.

Inside, Chen Wanjin was chatting and laughing with several businessmen. Seeing the door open, he frowned: "Who told you…?"

The words were stuck in my throat.

He saw Zhu Biao, the honest-looking Zhu Hui behind Zhu Biao, and the guards restrained at the door.

"Who...who are you?" Chen Wanjin stood up, his face changing.

Zhu Biao entered the private room and sat down in the empty armchair.

Zhu Li stood behind him, curiously looking at the table full of food and wine, which was much more lavish than theirs.

"Chen Wanjin..." Zhu Biao began.

"It is indeed me, Chen. And you are…" Chen Wanjin tried to remain calm.

Zhu Biao did not answer, but took out a token from his pocket and placed it on the table.

The gold medal has "Eastern Palace" engraved on the front and "Command" on the back.

Chen Wanjin's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.

The other merchants were also pale.

"Your Highness... Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Chen Wanjin's voice trembled.

"Hmm, Master Chen is in high spirits, drinking at this hour." Zhu Biao picked up an empty wine glass from the table and played with it.

"Your Highness... Your Highness has come to Yangzhou. This humble subject... This humble subject was unaware of it and deserves to die!" Chen Wanjin knelt down with a thud.

Other merchants also knelt down.

Zhu Biao looked at them for a long time.

The private room was eerily quiet, with only the faint sound of boat whistles from the canal outside the window.

"Chen Wanjin... I ask you, how much salt have you smuggled from the Lianghuai salt fields over the past ten years?" Zhu Biao finally spoke.

Chen Wanjin trembled and said, "Your Highness... why do you say such a thing? This humble subject has always operated in accordance with the law, and all salt permits are registered..."

"I didn't ask you about salt permits, I'm asking you about smuggled salt," Zhu Biao interrupted him and said calmly.

He raised his head, his eyes calm, but that calm was more terrifying than thunderous rage.

"You, Li Maocai, and Wang Fuhai, joined forces to control 70% of the private salt trade in Lianghuai. Over ten years, you profited 80 million taels of silver, were involved in 13 murder cases, and bribed 27 officials."

"Do you need me to take out the account book and go over it with you line by line?" Zhu Biao said clearly, word by word.

Chen Wanjin collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat.

Zhu Biao got up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling city of Yangzhou outside.

"What a wonderful place, what a wealthy city, but unfortunately, its roots are rotten," he said softly, then turned to look at his younger brother.

"Second brother, what do you think we should do about something that's rotten at the root?"

Zhu Hui thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Chop it up."

"Yes, cut it down." Zhu Biao laughed.

He stepped out of the private room and said to Zhao Zhen, "Let's do it. Seize all three houses, leave no one out. Take down everyone in the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office."

The prefect of Yangzhou... should take them under control first.

"Yes!" Excitement flashed in Zhao Zhen's eyes.

Zhu Biao added, "Keep it down, don't disturb the people."

"Understood!"

Zhao Zhen turned and went downstairs. Soon, the sound of orderly footsteps came from outside, and the Imperial Guards lying in ambush around the area began to move.

As Zhu Biao finished speaking, the three salt merchants kneeling on the ground immediately began to tremble.

Zhu Biao and Zhu Li walked out of Wangjiang Tower.

The streets remained bustling, and pedestrians continued to laugh. Little did they know that the city's skies were about to change.

Zhu Hui looked up at the sky, then at his elder brother, and suddenly said, "Brother, didn't we come here to eat?"

"Now that we've finished eating, let's get down to business," Zhu Biao said, patting him on the shoulder.

The two boarded the carriage.

The carriage headed towards the Yangzhou government office.

Outside the car window, the setting sun bathed the canal in gold.

Zhu Hui suddenly remembered something and asked, "Brother, how much money can we get from raiding their house?"

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Biao said, "Probably... enough for you to buy a lot of mutton."

Zhu Hui grinned: "That's good."

The carriage rolled along the cobblestone road, heading into the deepest part of this bustling city.

There are mountains of gold and silver, and pits filled with blood and lives.