In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 661 Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at Liu Bang
Duan Zhengze left the cell where the two were and walked outside.
He then waved his hand in front of his face, trying to dispel the pervasive stench.

As they approached the gate,
A man in a prison cell caught his attention.

"Hey? Old Li, where did this guy come from? Why is he from the grasslands?"

People from the grasslands are generally not imprisoned in the Dusi prison.

Those who committed serious crimes were dragged out and beheaded, while those who committed less serious crimes were imprisoned in the government jail.

The person before them exuded a fierce aura.
This made Duan Zhengze quite certain that the person in front of him was a grassland person, and that his identity was extraordinary.

Old Li, the jailer, leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"Lord Duan, I wonder where Commander Zhang got this man from?"
They locked him up here with Lord Lu's warrant.

The young boy should be kept under strict guard; no one is allowed to approach him.

When did this happen?

Duan Zhengze keenly sensed something was amiss and asked in surprise.

“Around midnight last night, when he was dragged here, his hands and feet were nailed with iron arrows. It was I who helped him remove the arrows.”

"Midnight? And there are still arrows?"

Duan Zhengze fell into deep thought.

If I remember correctly, this was the time when the fire was raging.

"hiss--"

Duan Zhengze felt more and more uneasy the more he thought about it.

If the fire yesterday was indeed caused by the Huang and Wang families, then they were incredibly foolish to leave clues at the scene.

But if it was the people of the grasslands who did it, then it would be perfectly reasonable.

But why arrest Wang and Huang?
Soon, Duan Zhengze had his answer.
Grab money!

Having figured this out, Duan Zhengze's eyes lit up.
But what followed was a deep sense of apprehension:
"They've already caught the real culprit, yet they still want to arrest other people. They're really reckless."

Gathering his thoughts, Duan Zhengze looked at the grassland people in the prison cell:
"who are you?"

Narisu struggled to raise his head in the cell.

His lips were so chapped they looked like they were covered in frost, his cheeks were flushed with a deep sunset red, and he was extremely weak.

"Shui Shui."

Duan Zhengze looked at Old Li beside him and waved.

"This this."

Old Li was immediately embarrassed, and his facial features scrunched up.

"Lord Duan, Lord Zhang has given his instructions."
No one but him may enter, not even the youngest.

If anything goes wrong, I can't bear the responsibility.

Duan Zhengze's face stiffened, his fist clenched tightly behind his back, and his sharp gaze swept over:
"I hereby instruct you to open the lid and give him water!"

If he dies here, you won't be able to explain it to yourself.

After hesitating for a long time, Old Li finally slowly went to unlock the lock.

He went inside with the water pouch at his waist, muttering to himself:
"Lord Duan, you must testify for me!"

If he dies, it's none of my business.

Duan Zhengze remained silent, his expression extremely grave.

Since the government began distributing reward money,

Duan Zhengze felt that his words carried little weight.

People who used to be so respectful now seem a bit distant.

Just like this old Li in front of me, I used to be so eager to lick his feet.
But now, it seems like they've suddenly become much tougher.

Duan Zhengze shook his head helplessly.

After Old Li finished feeding the grassland man water, he asked loudly:

"who are you?"

"Narisu, the chief of Longwei Mountain."

Duan Zhengze's pupils suddenly contracted.
Bandits? What are they doing here?

Longwei Mountain is located in the north. Although it is not the most powerful force, it is still a key force and occupies a dangerous location.

Last year, the commander went to encircle and suppress them several times, but they learned of the plan in advance and escaped.

How come she's suddenly appearing in the cell looking so fresh and clean?

"Why are you here?" Duan Zhengze continued to ask.

Narisu chuckled softly, glancing at the somewhat festering wound:

"Greed knows no bounds; I came to the city to buy white sugar, and..."

"stop!"

Duan Zhengze suddenly let out a piercing shout.

With a flick of his sleeve, he left without looking back, his face extremely grim.

Not knowing such things is of little benefit; knowing them is entirely harmful!
The side hall of the Commandery Office.

Shi Yu and Hu Chongyi had been waiting here for a long time.
But no one arrived for a long time, and the two men could no longer hide their panic.
Especially since the side hall was freezing cold, and there wasn't even a stove lit.

This attitude seems to say something.

"It's all over, it's all over."

Shi Yu sat in the chair, panic engulfing him.

He couldn't understand why he had gotten involved in such a commotion when he had only come to Daning City to buy some grain.

Compared to Shi Yu, Hu Chongyi was more flustered, pacing back and forth in the lobby:

"Did Narisu leave or not? Could he have been arrested too?"

Since the two of them were invited to Dusi Liang here,
He could then conclude that yesterday's warehouse fire was definitely not an accident, but rather a deliberate act!

Time passed slowly, and another hour went by.
The chill in the reception room had completely enveloped the two of them.

They slumped into their chairs, their minds already contemplating all sorts of worst-case scenarios.

But they were never properly prepared to deal with it.

"Da da da"

Footsteps sounded from outside the door, and the two men's eyes suddenly froze. They jumped up in a flash.

With a soft creak, the door was slowly pushed open.

What came into view was a somewhat unfamiliar young face.

The two men suddenly relaxed; it was good that it wasn't Lord Lu and Lord Liu.

The young man entered with a clerk and two officials. He looked around and said with some doubt:
"Why aren't the two managers lighting a brazier? Aren't you cold?"

Just one sentence almost brought them to tears of joy.

Such a kind tone was commonplace in the past, but it seems especially precious today.

"Not cold, not cold."

Shi Yu shook his head repeatedly, a fawning smile on his face, as did Hu Chongyi.

The young man waved his hand, and an official brought over a brazier and lit it.
The orange-red firelight filled the room, bringing with it a faint warmth.

"This official is Wu Su'an, the Chief Clerk of the Bureau of Records."
"I've come on Lord Lu's orders to inquire about the situation from the two managers. Would you two be available at this time?"

"Convenient, convenient." Shi Yu and Hu Chongyi nodded quickly.

“Alright, the following questions should be recorded and sent to Lord Lu and Lord Liu for review. Please be careful with your words, both managers,” Wu Su’an said solemnly.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes." Shi Yu and Hu Chongyi nodded repeatedly.

Wu Su'an opened the document, looked at the numerous messages that had been prepared beforehand, and asked in a deep voice:

"Manager Hu, what is the purpose of purchasing this sugar from Beiping?"

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly froze!

The temperature of the newly lit charcoal fire seemed to vanish without a trace.

Hu Chongyi felt ice-cold all over, as if his scalp was about to explode.
More than one thought was constantly running through my mind.
They found it! They found it!
Wu Su'an turned her gaze to him, and seeing his flustered state, she smiled and said:
"Manager Hu should be extremely careful when answering."

If your answers do not satisfy the adults, I do not know what your fate will be.”

"Gudong."

Hu Chongyi's breathing suddenly became rapid, and he gritted his teeth, thinking, "Better to die than to die myself!"
"I didn't buy the white sugar; it was purchased by Qu Qingfeng, the commander of the Daning Vanguard."

He contacted me a few days ago, hoping to transport a batch of white sugar to the northern grasslands to sell.

Considering his status, I agreed.

"Please, Your Excellency, understand. I am but a lowly merchant in the city. How could I dare to disobey the Commander?" Hu Chongyi hurriedly said.

Wu Su'an frowned immediately and scolded:

"Answer only what is asked. Don't mention anything that doesn't concern the warehouse!"

Hu Chongyi was stunned. What did that mean?
Having been immersed in Beiping (Beijing) culture, Shi Yu understood the meaning and quickly spoke up:
"This matter has nothing to do with Lord Qu Qingfeng."
It's because Taxue Trading Company has too much sugar left over this year.

So they wanted to transport it to Daning City to sell, but unexpectedly, Daning City began to control white sugar.

Left with no other option, they approached Manager Hu, hoping he could sell the goods on their behalf.

Hu Chongyi froze on the spot, but having weathered many storms over the years, he wasn't a fool.
He immediately understood and nodded repeatedly, like pecking at rice.
"Yes, yes, Shopkeeper Shi has been a friend of mine for many years."

Since he came to my door in such a hurry, I felt bad refusing.

So they accepted all the sugar and stored it in the warehouse.

They plan to sell them at their own store next spring.

The clerk beside Wu Su'an began to take notes rapidly.
Only after the pen stopped moving did he continue asking questions:
How did the sugar get into the city?

Shi Yu's face stiffened, and after stammering for a moment, he gritted his teeth:
"He bribed a soldier guarding the city, and that's how he got into the city."

"Um"

Wu Su'an nodded calmly, then looked at Hu Chongyi:
"Manager Hu, sugar is so cheap in Daning City right now."

Why buy the white sugar from Manager Shi?
Is it out of morality or for profit?

As they were talking, Wu Su'an flipped through the documents in her hand and said thoughtfully:

"As far as I know, after Kang Le Sugar Workshop began selling white sugar..."
The sugar in many shops in the city has already been stored in warehouses.

What prompted Manager Hu to purchase so much white sugar under these circumstances?

This time it was Hu Chongyi's turn to sit on the wax.
His breathing was slightly rapid, his mind racing as he considered Wu Su'an's purpose.
"We must not falsely accuse the Commander, and we must not drag Lord Liu into this."

"And what about smuggling? That's even more unacceptable."

"Have you made up your mind, Manager Hu?"

Seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time, Wu Su'an urged him on.

"Yes, I'll buy Manager Shi's white sugar."
Firstly, for the sake of maintaining relationships; secondly, for the purpose of hoarding.

The bet is on Kang Le Trading Company's white sugar, which is in limited supply.

Hu Chongyi lowered his head slightly.
If this reason is not satisfactory, he doesn't know what else to say.

"Um"

Unexpectedly, Wu Su'an simply allowed the clerk to record the matter.

Hu Chongyi raised his head in surprise, his eyes filled with delight!

After finishing the record, Wu Su'an simply closed the document in her hand, her face serious:

"Manager Shi, Manager Hu, according to the information gathered by the military, the warehouse fire may be related to the Huang and Wang families."

Shopkeeper Huang Huai and Wang Ze have been arrested and taken to the military headquarters, where they are currently being severely interrogated.

"If it were you two, what clues could you provide to the Commander or the Prefectural Government?"

Hu Chongyi recalled the scene of brushing past Duan Zhengze at the gate of the military headquarters.
A sharp glint suddenly flashed in his eyes!
Shi Yu's eyes showed some doubt.
He had heard of the Huang and Wang families.

But we haven't had much contact, and I don't understand how I offended them.

Hu Chongyi asked through gritted teeth:

"It's them?"

The warehouse in the north of the city was built when the Da Ning Military Command was newly established, costing him a considerable amount of money.

Now that everything has been burned down by a fire, how could he not be angry!
Now that my life seems to be spared, it's time for revenge.

Wu Su'an pursed her lips, a hint of helplessness on her face:

"Manager Hu, please be patient. We only found a few items left behind at the scene, and we cannot be sure if they belonged to them."

Furthermore, this matter is a major case being investigated by the Commandery.
Manager Hu, it's best not to inquire too easily.

After speaking, Wu Su'an waved his hand, signaling the two officials to leave, without waiting for them to speak.

The two clerks took the documents and left the side hall without saying a word.
This scene surprised both Shi Yu and Hu Chongyi, their eyes flashing with surprise.

After they left, Wu Su'an felt a little more relaxed and leaned back in her chair.

"Two managers, with the New Year approaching, the warehouse has burned down."
This is not a good sign; the high-ranking officials in the military are paying close attention to this case.

A hint of doubt flashed in their eyes.
I don't know why he suddenly brought this up.

Shi Yu reacted faster, pursed his lips, and said:

"Ta Xue Trading Company is willing to hand over the manager who bribed the soldiers to quell public anger."

Wu Su'an merely glanced at him indifferently and let out a soft chuckle:
"What? The Snowwalking Merchant Guild is unwilling to hand over the people, so the Commander won't pursue the matter?"

Shi Yu's expression changed slightly; he realized he was in trouble and wanted to slap himself.

"That foul mouth!"

"This is Beiping Commandery, also known as Daning City, not the Beiping City where the Taxue Trading Company lords it over everyone."

Wu Su'an's voice was cold, lacking its previous warmth.

“Lord Wu is right. I am old and my mind is foggy. Please don’t take offense,” Shi Yu said quickly.

Wu Su'an nodded and simply stated:

"The matter of secretly sending white sugar into the city can be a big deal or a small deal; it all depends on what Manager Shi chooses to do."

"Please enlighten me, sir," Shi Yu said cautiously.

"The city is engulfed in flames, and the people are filled with fear. The two managers need to think of a way to quell public discontent," Wu Su'an said in a deep voice.

Hu Chongyi's eyes lit up, and he quickly spoke:
"The people queuing on Anhe Street, will pay an extra five coins?"

Wu Su'an looked over, somewhat bewildered.
"What queue?"

Hu Chongyi's face froze, while Shi Yu, standing to the side, was so anxious he wanted to cover his mouth.

Some things weigh less than four ounces on the scale, but once weighed, they're worth a thousand pounds.

Such matters are not investigated unless the people report them, so how can we speak out directly?
Shi Yu gestured for him to stop talking and then spoke up himself:
"Ta Xue Trading Company is willing to spend money to build houses and repair roads in Daning City in order to win back the hearts of the people."

Wu Su'an's eyes lit up, and she looked at him with some surprise.

Even if he was from Daning,
It must be admitted that the merchants from Beiping were indeed smarter than those from Daning City.

"Manager Shi, I appreciate your kindness."

However, the construction within the city and the repair of roads are matters for the government, and the two managers don't need to worry about them.

"What do you think of this? Lord Liu said that the Taxue Trading Company will be doing business in Daning City more often in the future. Is that true?" Wu Su'an asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes, that's true." Shi Yu nodded quickly.

Wu Su'an immediately smiled:
"That's right, the Commandery plans to repair the trade route from Shanhaiguan to Daning City early next year."

If the two managers are interested, they can also participate.
Those with money should contribute money, and those without should contribute their time and effort.
It's a small token of my appreciation, isn't it?

Upon hearing this, Shi Yu immediately understood.
But before he could speak, Hu Chongyi interrupted:
“Lord Wu, we will begin repairs tomorrow. My business has skilled craftsmen who are proficient in this art.”

Shi Yu sighed silently, somewhat unwilling to deal with these "barbarians" anymore.

As expected, Wu Su'an frowned slightly and said in a deep voice:

"It would be best to consolidate and coordinate these matters within the same command."

If we keep repairing parts of the road here and there, it's better not to build it at all.

Hu Chongyi looked puzzled, and Shi Yu immediately spoke up:
"Lord Wu, please trouble yourself to inform the officers of the Commandery."

The Taxue Trading Company originally planned to repair the trade route from Shanhaiguan to Daning.

But I just couldn't find a legitimate reason.

Now, the Taxue Trading Company is willing to contribute 20,000 taels of silver to jointly repair the road.

Even some of the materials needed for road repairs,
"Ta Xue Trading Company can purchase these items in Beiping on your behalf at a price at least 30% lower!"

"Okay!" Wu Su'an's voice suddenly rose!
"Very good!"

Shi Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
Money is all I care about, as long as I don't lose my life.

Hu Chongyi also realized what was happening and spoke up:
"The Hu family business also contributed 20,000 taels of silver. I also support some farmers in the fields outside the city."
It's time to send them all to dig and build roads!

"Okay, okay, okay," Wu Su'an said with a smile.

"The two managers are willing to support the construction of the Military Command, and the Military Command will definitely not treat them unfairly."

After the two managers signed and sealed the document they had just recorded, they were able to leave the government office.

The arsonist will be severely punished!

(End of this chapter)