Chapter 0010: Facts are often more bizarre than fiction
Lin Ruhai personally contacted many salt merchants in Yangzhou, especially the Hui merchants and Jin merchants who had been suppressed by Jiang Chun. They will unite tomorrow to challenge Jiang Chun together
You all go ahead and get busy, I will take a rest for a while. There will be even more exciting performances to watch after dawn
Want to leave? It's too late
Although everyone knows that the Jiang family are salt smugglers, without evidence, no one can unjustly slander them
This is the Salt Merchants' Association; unauthorized individuals are not allowed to intrude. Jiang Chun, with a pale face, slammed the table.
Wang Xiao sighed and shook his head, "Master Jiang, your children's education has been quite unsuccessful. These are all handed over by Jiang Biehe."
The Jiang family has accumulated countless connections and wealth, and it is not that there is not a glimmer of hope.
An uproar immediately erupted all around.
I cannot make a decision on this matter
The numerous salt merchants who had been waiting impatiently on the side began to scold and berate, claiming that Jiang Chun's sale of illicit salt was in violation of national law and that he was a disgrace to the salt merchant community
Jiang Chun let out a cold snort and stood up directly. "I will not engage in a war of words with you. I will return now to write a memorial to the Supreme Emperor."
This is impossible!" Jiang Chun roared as he picked up the teacup from the table and hurled it at Wang Xiao
"Impossible, this is impossible." Jiang Chun could not accept all of this. "How could you possibly have these things!"
Even if Jiang Biehe's intelligence is on par with Zhuge Liang's, in the current situation, there is still nothing that can be done
If the crime of selling illicit salt, which is punishable by death, is protected, what will the common people think? It would surely cause an uproar across the land
Watching Lin Daiyu leave like the willows swaying in the breeze, Wang Xiao looked at the food box in his hand and smiled, "Just in time, I am hungry"
Wang Xiao cast his gaze around the many salt merchants of Yangzhou and said, "I am not in this line of work, so I naturally do not have the qualifications. However, I have heard that the leader is elected, and today, in this room, no one will nominate you again."
Wang Xiao lowered his head to eat vegetables and drink wine, "Moreover, you are too impatient. You must first demonstrate your value before you can ask for benefits. You have not achieved any merit yet, and you are eager to seek benefits. That seems rather inappropriate"
Everyone could see that Jiang Chun was doomed this time, and they eagerly jumped out to add insult to injury
Everyone in this line of work is naturally well aware of the consequences of having the entire marketing network taken over and the implications of the accounting books being discovered. As the crowd looked at Jiang Chun, who was trembling all over, their gazes were akin to those directed at a corpse
This operation captured a considerable number of individuals, yet those from the Jiang family and the managers are merely minor characters. The only real big fish is Jiang Biehe.
To call such a young and talented individual a good-for-nothing wastrel is to be blind to the truth
The original document is kept in the Jiang family mansion, but the daily usable copy is properly stored by Jiang Biehe. Previously, his elder brother occupied his outer courtyard, and besides seeking revenge and humiliation, the most important thing was to find the copy of the account book. Mastering the account book is tantamount to mastering the private salt business
Wang Xiao pulled up a chair and sat down "Is Jiang Yuanwai still thinking of himself as the head of the salt merchant guild, still hoping to call the shots here?"
Contact the competitors of the Jiang family to launch an attack, inciting the salt merchants to join in the effort, seizing the opportunity to obtain crucial witnesses and evidence in one fell swoop. They even easily persuaded a core member of the Jiang family to defect.
Jiang Chun sat there in a daze, unable to utter a single word
Wang Xiao handed over a piece of paper filled with writing, "Here is the location where the ledger of the Jiang family's smuggling of private salt is hidden, as well as a list of addresses of the shopkeepers involved in the distribution of private salt. By the way, it also includes the names of the salt headmen they have bribed."
Wang Xiao is not in a hurry, but Jiang Biehe is about to go crazy with anxiety
Jiang Chun, in a fit of rage, laughed and said, "I have been the head of the salt merchant guild for several decades, how is it that today I am not? Are you suggesting that you should take my place?"
The Jiang family, this time it is truly over
Wang Xiao smiled as he looked at him, "You see, you have added another charge against yourself, defaming the sacred person. A criminal who has committed a serious crime actually still wishes to cling to imperial power; it is truly not unjust for him to die."
As for the head of the salt officials in the salt administration office that the Jiang family has bribed, these are all minor issues
However, it is no longer possible now. The evidence is irrefutable, with both the person and the stolen goods caught red-handed. Even the ledgers and subordinates have been completely taken down. Even if the former emperor wishes to protect them, he cannot do so
Wang Xiao sidestepped without getting angry, waving the ledger and roster in his hand, "Master Jiang, do you think you can still continue as the head of this operation?"
Wang Xiao raised his eyebrows and approached her, saying, "You are still young and need ample sleep; going to bed early and rising early is essential for good health"
When Wang Xiao emerged from the prison, He Meng and others, who had been waiting for a long time, hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "What happened?"
Wang Xiao joked with a smile, "It's so lively here that anyone who doesn't know might think they've entered a theater."
Jiang Chun, who has been working in the salt trade for several decades, has actually entered a semi-retired state, delegating all family affairs to his sons
In the past, the retired emperor was able to protect the Jiang family because the Jiang family appeared to be a reputable merchant. They had done much in Yangzhou, such as building bridges and roads, and establishing porridge stalls to win the hearts of the people.
Such matters may seem unfathomable, yet the truth is often more bizarre than fiction
Ignoring He Meng and others who were dumbfounded with the list, Wang Xiao yawned and headed towards the back courtyard
It is said that one of the significant reasons for Lin Daiyu's early demise was her sleepless nights spent lamenting the spring and mourning the autumn. Almost every day, she could only manage to sleep for a while just before dawn
Where is second elder brother going
Such prolonged nights of staying up late are unbearable even for adults, let alone for her
The younger sister prepared some late-night snacks for her second elder brother. Lin Daiyu signaled to Ziju to bring the food container in her hand. "Knowing that you are busy with important matters, the younger sister will not disturb you."
Previously, when Wang Xiao claimed that he could handle Jiang Biehe while carrying food and drinks, He Meng and the others felt as if they were listening to a book of heaven
In fact, regardless of the type of business one engages in, it is essential to maintain accounting books, as these books are at the core of conducting business
The Jiang family, once dominant in Yangzhou, suffered a devastating blow in just a few days
After a busy evening filled with numerous tasks, Wang Xiao now only wishes to satisfy his hunger and enjoy a good night's sleep. After dawn, he plans to go to the salt merchant's place to see the commotion.
After decades of struggling in the brutal private salt industry, Jiang Chun is indeed a figure of great ambition. Following a brief moment of disappointment and anger, he regained his composure and glared ominously at Wang Xiao, saying, "I have a deep friendship with the Grand Emperor; how can you slander me? Regarding today's matter, I will certainly write to the Grand Emperor to seek justice!"
Wang Xiao had been busy all night and was hungry. Since there had been a breakthrough in the matter, there was no need to rush to get things done. "No need to hurry, let's have a couple of drinks first"
The private salt business of the Jiang family has grown so large; if there are no ledger records, then the subordinates could easily deplete the Jiang family's resources.
Once the matter is exposed, those who have benefited from the Jiang family will definitely not stand up for them. In fact, they will be the ones most strongly demanding the swift handling of the Jiang family
The salt merchants in this house are actually all engaged in the smuggling of salt, and those who sell official salt through legitimate channels are fundamentally unable to enter.
Turning the hand to create clouds, and turning the hand to bring rain, is nothing more than this
As for his father Jiang Chun, ever since Jiang Chun abandoned him as a discarded pawn, the father-son bond between them has ceased to exist
Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and chuckled, "This hardly counts as late; in the past, we would not rest until dawn."
He now only wants to spit in the faces of those who once told him that Wang Xiao is a good-for-nothing dandy
Apart from himself, indeed only Jiang Biehe, who is responsible for the private salt affairs, would have access to the account books and registers
In the end, the result was reversed, with Jiang Biehe actively and eagerly requesting to surrender.
If he does not want to willingly be treated as a discarded pawn, does not want his woman and children to fall into the hands of his enemies, and does not want the brothers who once shared a bond as strong as fire and water to enjoy the luxurious life he earned with his life, his only choice is to follow Wang Xiao's arrangements.
Wang Xiao sighed, "You are quite decisive, but unfortunately, your visit here today means you are destined not to return."
With this ledger in hand, the Jiang family is undoubtedly doomed. Given the current emperor's temperament, the entire Jiang clan is bound to face misfortune
All of this originates from Wang Xiao's suggestion
Watching Wang Xiao walk away with a swaying gait, He Meng's gaze was filled with admiration
When things were going well, Jiang Chun was a respected head of a salt trading company. However, once his crimes were exposed, he, as a person guilty of the most severe offense punishable by death, could no longer continue in that position
In the back garden, Wang Xiao unexpectedly encountered Lin Daiyu, who was wearing a beautiful dress. "It's so late, why are you still awake?"
As soon as the words fell, a chilling sound of fierce fighting erupted in the courtyard outside
It was originally possible to gradually pass on the legacy, but unexpectedly, everything changed overnight, and the Jiang family was forced into a life-and-death situation. At this moment, even those scoundrels who used to want to be his lackeys no longer hesitated to turn against him.
Jiang Biehe possesses both capability and ambition, and individuals of this nature typically have a strong desire for survival
After speaking without waiting for Jiang Chun to explode in anger, Wang Xiao took out the personnel roster for the private salt ledger.
Distributors refer to the subordinates in various regions, and the Jiang family supplies them with smuggled salt for sale. Arresting these individuals would effectively dismantle the entire smuggling network of the Jiang family.
Jiang Biehe is intelligent and resourceful; otherwise, Jiang Chun would not have entrusted him with the responsibility of smuggling private salt. This has further incited jealousy and anger among many brothers, who wish they could tear him apart.
On the morning of the second day, the sounds of shouting and cursing were incessant in the Yangzhou Salt Merchants' Association. By the time Wang Xiao walked in, a full-blown brawl was already unfolding inside.
What he cannot understand is why Jiang Biehe sold the entire Jiang family in just one night
At this critical juncture, Jiang Chun decisively made the decision to return to his family mansion. He then utilized all available connections to initiate a self-rescue effort
The ledger of your illicit salt trade, along with the entire list of the marketing network, is all here. It is quite interesting that the leader of the salt merchants' guild happens to be the largest smuggler of salt in the world. Such a guild, I believe, is better off without.
Many people say that committing wrongdoing while deliberately keeping a ledger to leave evidence against oneself is an act of foolishness
Sharp-tongued and shrewd, Lin Daiyu, who has never been willing to suffer losses, was surprisingly silent when criticized, which left Ziju, who was beside her, feeling quite incredulous. Even when facing Feng Lazi at the Rongguo Mansion, she would not hesitate to retort.
It has been accomplished
Sensing Wang Xiao's anger, Lin Daiyu lowered her eyelids and said, "I understand."