All Heavens and Worlds Modified History System

Chapter 137 The road you take depends on your family's choice
Many people have heard that Suzhou gardens are the best in the world.

But in fact, the beauty of Yangzhou's gardens is no less.

The salt merchants were said to be as rich as a country. In this era when there were few large-scale investment opportunities, spending large amounts of money to build gardens became a fashion and pursuit.

The Jiang family, the head of the Lianghuai Salt Merchants Guild, is one of the representatives.

Their courtyard garden is extremely beautiful, with exotic flowers, plants, rockery and strange rocks that make people feel relaxed and happy.

Whenever Jiang Yulang passed by in the past, he would take a few more glances, admiring it and at the same time inspiring his ambition to inherit the family business.

But at this moment, he didn't even have time to take another look and hurried to the meeting hall.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw all the people in charge of the Jiang family gathered under the plaque written by the retired emperor when he went to the south of the Yangtze River.

"Everyone." Jiang Chun, the well-maintained head of the Jiang family, stroked the jade ring on his hand and spoke slowly, "The new salt inspector has sealed all the salt in the Taiping River warehouse."

"How dare you offend our Jiang family!" Someone immediately flew into a rage. "How dare you offend our Jiang family!"

"That's right." Many people agreed, "This is not giving face to the emperor."

The Jiang family was able to become the head of the Salt Merchants Guild in the salt business which generated huge profits every year. Naturally, there was a supporting force behind them.

Moreover, the backers behind them are very strong, so strong that the Jiang family can walk around arrogantly outside.

Their backer is the emperor.

"Master." Someone with a quick mind asked in confusion, "Isn't this guy a fool? Doesn't he know that our Jiang family belongs to the emperor?"

Jiang Chun looked at Jiang Yulang and said, "You have dealt with him before, what do you think?"

"That Censor Chen doesn't look like a brainless person." Jiang Yulang saluted and responded, "As for whether he knows about my Jiang family's background, even if he didn't know before, now that he has entered the Salt Administration Office, I think he knows."

It doesn’t matter if he didn’t know before, the people in the Salt Administration Office will tell him who is behind each salt merchant.

No one can move!
Jiang Chun nodded, "That's true."

"Master." An old man from the Jiang family tapped his cane and said, "Whether he knows it or not, he used our Jiang family as a pretext as soon as he came to Yangzhou. We can't let this go peacefully now!"

"Yes, we can't let him go!"

"We must let him know why the flowers are so red!"

"Fuck him!"

Listening to the shouts of the crowd, Jiang Yulang lowered his head and said nothing.

These old guys have really had enough of wealth and glory, and they still think it’s only thirty years ago!

The emperor emeritus has already abdicated and become the emperor emeritus, so Chen Ran is the new emperor's man.

Moreover, the amount of money that the Jiang family contributed to the emperor has been decreasing year by year in recent years, and the trust they had thirty years ago is no longer there.

"What a bunch of old fools, what are you barking about? Go back to your own yard and play with maids and skinny horses, don't come out and embarrass yourself!"

Fortunately, Jiang Chun, the head of the Jiang family, is still clear-headed.

He waved his hand, asking the people who were shouting for killing to rest, and looked at Jiang Yulang, "Go find that Censor Chen and explain the situation to him in detail. As for the gift, follow the previous rules."

After a pause, he added, "If this person is greedy, it's okay to add more."

Many people in the Jiang family were dissatisfied, but since the head of the family had spoken, they couldn't say too much and could only look at each other angrily.

Jiang Yulang bowed and said goodbye, then went to the accounting office after leaving the meeting hall to withdraw a large sum of silver bills.

Immediately, he led a group of servants and headed straight for the Salt Administration Office.

"master."

Inside the Salt Administration Office, Ping'er came to Chen Ran with a tea bowl and asked, "Where are we staying?"

Taking the tea bowl, Chen Ran, who was sitting on the chair, raised his head and looked at her. "The government office is so big, but there is no bed for the two of us to roll in?"

"Master~" Ping'er pushed him away in embarrassment, and was immediately embraced. She struggled to respond, "The backyard of the government office is occupied by the Lin family."

Chen Ran wondered, "Where is the courtyard for entertaining guests?"

"It was taken by Lord Lin's distant relatives."

"The current situation is somewhat special." Chen Ran thought for a moment and said, "You have seen Lord Lin's condition. It's not good to bother him with such things. It's as if we can't wait to get rid of him."

"How about this, you go find Miss Lin and live with her." Chen Ran waved his hand nonchalantly, "As for me, I'll just find a place in the front hall to stay for the night."

"How can this be possible?" Ping'er said anxiously, "How can you let the master work so hard?"

"Then what do you say we should do?" Chen Ran climbed up the mountain with a smile. "It's not good for you to sleep in the front hall. I'll go find Miss Lin, right?"

Ping'er's pretty face flushed, and she pushed his hand away in a reproachful manner, "I knew that the master had taken a fancy to Miss Lin."

"Nonsense." Chen Ran laughed. "How can she attract me with her ordinary appearance? She has to be attractive like you."

"Sir~~~"

Someone outside the door shouted, "The head of the Salt Merchants Guild has sent someone to visit you, sir~~~"

Ping'er hurriedly got up, tidied her clothes, turned around and ran to the back hall.

Chen Ran leaned back in his chair and greeted, "Please come in."

Jiang Yulang entered and immediately bowed, "Student Jiang Yulang, greetings to the Imperial Censor~~~"

"Yeah." Chen Ran looked at him with a smile. "I've seen you at the dock before. I'm a very easygoing person. If you have anything to say, just tell me. No need to be polite."

"Your Excellency is courteous and humble, and treats people like a spring breeze. I admire you for that." Jiang Yulang flattered him for a few words, then stepped forward with the wooden box.

"Hmm?" Chen Ran joked, "Whose head is it?"

"Uh" Jiang Yulang was stunned by these words.

Anyone normal would know that there are banknotes in there, no one would think that they are heads. But having said that, they do look somewhat similar.

"Your Excellency is funny."

With an awkward smile, Jiang Yulang hurriedly opened the wooden box, revealing a large amount of silver bills filled inside.

Seeing the banknotes, Chen Ran frowned immediately, "Master Jiang, what do you mean?"

"Sir." Jiang Yulang bowed respectfully. "Congratulations on your appointment. This is a small token of the Jiang family's appreciation. All previous sirs have done the same."

"Here is a hundred thousand taels of silver." According to the rules, it was originally eighty thousand taels. Jiang Yulang felt that Chen Ran was difficult to deal with, so he withdrew an extra twenty thousand taels. "In addition, the Jiang family has prepared a separate courtyard for you in the city, which has the style of a Jiangnan garden. We also have some maids who are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. I hope you will accept it~~~"

"Tsk tsk~~~"

Chen Ran looked at Jiang Yulang with a half-smile, "Money, houses, women. What a great trick. Is this how you, the Jiang family, test your cadres?"

To be honest, there are really few people throughout history who can withstand such sugar-coated bullets.

After all, people become officials thousands of miles away just for money. If people put money in front of you, who can resist it?
Chen Ran held on because he really didn't need it.

Silver and other things cannot be brought back to the modern world for use, and he is not short of them.

Not to mention the house, he has even lived in the palace. What kind of house can be more luxurious than the palace?

It's a pity for those famous Yangzhou skinny horses.
He raised his hand and closed the lid of the wooden box.

The smile on Jiang Yulang's face froze immediately.

"My Lord, what does this mean?"

"Since you are young and ignorant," Chen Ran said sternly, "the fact that you sent money to me should be treated as if it never happened."

Jiang Yulang was slightly startled and fell into silence.

After a moment, he sighed and asked seriously, "Sir, are you determined to go against the Jiang family?"

Chen Ran laughed, "That's interesting, but you can think so."

"Your Excellency, do you know?" Jiang Yulang, who was serious, began to show off his connections. "The Emperor made many southern tours, and he always stayed at the Jiang family when he passed through Yangzhou?"

Chen Ran turned his head slightly and looked at him. "And then?"

"Master Chen." Jiang Yulang immediately shook his head. "The Jiang family belongs to the emperor. If you attack the Jiang family, it will be difficult to explain to the emperor~~~"

"Explain?"

Chen Ran laughed again, then slapped the table with a serious face, "Who should I give an explanation to for what I did?"

Jiang Yulang was startled and looked at him at a loss.

Chen Ran simply stood up and looked down at him, "Do you think your Jiang family is a respectable family? You are just a dog raised by the emperor to fight for food!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Yulang's expression changed drastically.

"I know that beating a dog also depends on the owner." Chen Ran glanced at him. "But if the dog is disobedient, do you think the owner will stand up for it when it is beaten?"

Chen Ran didn't keep the secret and said bluntly, "The amount of money your Jiang family gives to the emperor every year has been decreasing. The emperor hasn't said anything, so you think he has acquiesced?"

"The emperor is far away? The emperor didn't do anything to you before, but he couldn't save face. After all, you tell people every day that you are the emperor's people."

"No, no." Jiang Yulang's forehead was covered with sweat. He was really scared.

"Everyone in the court knows that I am not the emperor's man." Chen Ran sneered, "If I take action, no one can say anything to the emperor. Don't you think this is the truth?"

Jiang Yulang's face was pale and he looked as if he was about to collapse.

'Those old things at home are damn good~~~'

Over the years, millions of taels of silver were sent to the capital every year. It was naturally painful to hand over such a large amount of wealth for nothing.

Then someone suggested, 'How about giving a little more?'

Of course, the amount in the account books cannot be less, but part of it is delayed for various reasons.

And this, in the words of the government, is "deficit!"

The deficit has been increasing year by year, and now the Jiang family’s deficit is as huge as several million taels!

As for where the money went, Jiang Yulang only needed to look at the old guys' exquisite manors and the sedan chairs carrying beauties into the gardens, and he knew that all the money in the family had been spent in this way.

"Even if I hadn't encountered your private salt dock before, I would have taken action." Chen Ran patted Jiang Yulang's shoulder. "I have no choice. I have to make up for a large deficit this time, otherwise I will have a hard time explaining myself when I return to the capital."

"Your family is the leader of the industry, so naturally they are using you as an example to frighten the other salt merchants. Don't be angry, it's normal to feel dizzy, just bear with it and it will pass."

Jiang Yulang knelt down, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Please spare my life, sir. Please give me a way to live~~~"

"There is a way out." Chen Ran looked at him with a half-smile. "Is it killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, or killing a monkey to scare the chickens? It depends on what your family chooses."

"Please give your orders, my Lord. The Jiang family will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"First, make up for the deficits in previous years, and then hand over the private salt business."

Chen Ran pressed his hand on Jiang Yulang's shoulder and said, "Finally, hand over the person who killed Madam Lin!"

(End of this chapter)