Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 179 Yan Shifan's Path to Self-Salvation
"Yun...Yun Shao?"

Yan Shifan was stunned. After a moment of recollection, he remembered that this woman had once been the most beautiful courtesan in Biyutang and the second most outstanding female contestant at the Lotus Platform Fairy Gathering. Gui Zai and Zhao Chen had even fought over her.

After the case at the Imperial College, he and Haiyue followed the clues and went there. It was from this woman that they obtained Zhao Qilang's calligraphy and paintings. From the lines of those poems, they sensed that Zhao Qilang had a kind of indignation that his close relatives were right beside him, but he was unable to recognize them. From this, they deduced that Guo Xun's wife might be his biological mother.

Of course, that was not the truth. After many twists and turns, Guo Xun eventually shot himself in the foot, and Yun Shao also reformed and is said to have left the capital.

"How did you get here? Is this still the capital?"

Upon realizing this, Yan Shifan's voice revealed even greater terror.

A pair of soft hands stroked her cheeks, removing the blindfold to reveal a face as beautiful as a peach blossom: "Young Master Yan, rest assured, this is still the capital. I wanted to leave the capital back then, but I was kidnapped by bandits. I had no choice but to pretend to be innocent. I never expected to see you again!"

Upon hearing that it was still the capital, Yan Shifan felt somewhat relieved. He forgot all about admiring the beautiful woman and hurriedly asked, "Who? Who tied me up?"

Yun Shao said, "Liang Jinglun, the young master of 'Wantong Shipping'!"

"what?"

Yan Shifan was stunned: "Who is this person?"

Yun Shao explained, “Wantong Shipping Company is a major player in the canal transport industry. The current owner is Liang Zhou, who secretly controls the docks and warehouses along the canal. He takes a 20% cut of the cargo from every ship that travels through the canal, otherwise the cargo will inevitably sink. He is extremely ruthless!”

Yan Shifan was initially stunned, but upon hearing this, he immediately became serious: "They want to charge all passing ships a water fee? What an outrageous demand! They're leeching off the Grand Canal of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

The Grand Canal was the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing, millions of shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain were transported from the south through the Grand Canal every year. This ensured the salaries of the imperial court and officials in the capital, as well as the military supplies for fighting against the northern Mongol tribes. In addition to grain, the Grand Canal also transported silk, porcelain, medicinal herbs and other civilian goods, becoming a link between the north and south economies.

Given its importance, the Ming court naturally established the local Linqing Guard and appointed officials to oversee the grain transport. The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue also kept a close eye on this vital artery. In addition, it involved a huge group of people such as boatmen, trackers, warehouse managers, and tax officials. The saying that the livelihoods of millions of grain transport workers depended on them was widely known, regardless of whether it was really an exaggeration of a million.

Now, a private shipping company dares to ask passing boats for 20% of the water tax. If someone were naive, they would think this was a fantasy, but Yan Shifan knew that if this were true, such a huge profit must be backed by a massive interest group.

He asked directly, "Does 'Wantong Shipping' collude with officials?"

Yun Shao said, "I heard that villain Liang Jinglun say that his people are everywhere, from the local Linqing Guard to the three judicial offices in the capital! He hates you and your father very much because of this, saying that you ruined his family's business, and he has been cursing you these days..."

Yan Shifan roughly understood that Yan Song's actions this time targeted the three judicial departments most severely. If Liang Jinglun was not lying, Wantong Shipping had indeed suffered a heavy blow.

Too many people are eyeing the canal transport business. Once the backer falls, various forces will pounce on it like hungry wolves. But he was still shocked: "Just because of this, that guy surnamed Liang dared to kidnap me in the examination hall? Does this person even know what the Deer Cry Banquet is? Is he crazy?"

Yun Shao said in a low voice, "Liang Jinglun is indeed ill. He has become increasingly deranged lately, and he has beaten more than a dozen servants to death. No one dares to offend him, much less try to persuade him! When I first saw Young Master Yan being brought into the inner quarters, I was also very shocked, but I also felt that Liang Jinglun was capable of such a thing..."

"Ah!"

Yan Shifan felt it was absurd that he had been kidnapped and brought here alive by a complete madman he didn't even know at the Lu Ming Banquet for those who had just passed the imperial examinations. But amidst the absurdity, a glimmer of hope arose: "Yun Shao! Good wife! If you rescue me, I'll do anything you ask!"

"Young Master Yan once rescued me from a life of suffering, so naturally I hope that Young Master Yan will live a peaceful life..."

Yun Shao said sadly, "But I am weak and the outside is full of Liang family servants and guards. Those people don't care about the laws of the court. They are all bloodthirsty desperados. If we try to escape rashly, we will be beaten to death!"

Yan Shifan shuddered: "Then can you go out and deliver the message? Go to the Yan residence and tell my parents! Go to the Imperial Academy and tell Haiyue! You've met Haiyue before! Tell them to bring the soldiers to rescue me... to rescue us!"

Yun Shao shook her head: "I was also kidnapped here, and I can't leave this place at all. There's no way for me to get out!"

Yan Shifan didn't believe it: "If you're being watched so closely, how did you get here?"

Yun Shao explained, "Liang Jinglun just started to fall ill. Everyone else in the inner quarters was busy with that, which is why I dared to sneak out to see you, young master. But the servants and guards will still be waiting outside. Even if we leave this room, we won't be able to escape!"

"What should we do? What should we do?"

Yan Shifan panicked: "How long will Liang Jinglun's illness last? Will he come to kill me after he recovers?"

Yun Shao said, "Liang Jinglun will be exhausted after his illness. He definitely won't be coming over tonight, but he can only get through tonight. His illness is getting worse with each episode, and his temper is becoming more and more violent every day. If tomorrow... it won't be good!"

She turned abruptly to look outside, and Yan Shifan followed, noticing what appeared to be flickering lantern lights. Yun Shao hurriedly said, "That was my maid's signal. She was also kidnapped. We depended on each other for survival, but unfortunately, neither of us could escape... Young Master Yan, I must go now, please be careful!"

As she spoke, she blindfolded Yan Shifan again, leaving her last words in his ear: "Please rest assured, young master, I will do everything in my power to protect you, even if it costs me my life!"

"Hey! Hey! You...you don't go!"

Yan Shifan instinctively wanted to call out, but quickly shut his mouth tightly.

Soon after Yun Shao left in a hurry, the sound of footsteps could be heard again.

When the door was yanked open, it wasn't the beautiful courtesan who entered this time, but several burly men reeking of alcohol. They bent down and slapped his cheeks, asking, "Hey! Still alive?"

Yan Shifan already knew that these people were probably Liang Jinglun's bodyguards and servants, bloodthirsty desperados. In order not to expose Yun Shao's tip-off, he asked knowingly, "Who...who are you?"

"Snapped!!"

The newcomer slapped him hard across the face, yelling, "We're your grandpas!"

Yan Shifan tilted his head and fell heavily to the ground, his face contorted, almost breaking his back teeth.

He has only ever been beaten like this by Guo Xun since he was a child!

But who was Guo Xun? He was the most powerful nobleman, so arrogant and domineering that even the officials were helpless against him. Afterwards, he also gave the other party a severe retribution!
To everyone's surprise, this man, who had just passed the imperial examination, was still being humiliated by a group of lowly guards and servants.

'I want you all dead! I'll make sure you suffer a terrible death!!'

With a fierce determination in his heart, Yan Shifan knew that he couldn't remain silent, so he could only say in a trembling voice, "Heroes, I am a Juren (successful candidate in the provincial examination), I am Yan Shifan, a Juren of this year's provincial examination. I have not offended you! What do you want? I can give you anything you want, just say the word!"

The burly man who had made the move spat and said, "What kind of scholar is this? He's a fake! Don't think we don't know. You got on the list because of your father's official position! I hate these unfair corrupt officials the most. I don't want anything else, I just want you dead!"

Yan Shifan hurriedly defended himself: "I studied diligently at the Imperial Academy, and passed the exam through my own hard work and talent! Those accusations of cheating are just slanders made by someone to deal with my father! Ah!"

As they were talking, Yan Shifan was kicked twice more hard, and he screamed in pain. Then he felt a smelly hand approach him: "Come on! Let me tear off your cloth so that you, this scholar, can see what we brothers look like. When you report to the authorities, you can identify us!"

"No! No! Don't!"

Yan Shifan was terrified and frantically dodged the other man's hands: "I...I didn't see your faces! Don't kill me, it doesn't make sense!"

"Hahaha! You don't even dare to look! What a coward!"

After showing off their power, the burly men kicked the animals a few more times before leaving, satisfied.

Yan Shifan listened as the door slammed shut and the sounds of laughter and conversation faded into the distance. He then sat up, grimacing, secretly admiring his own quick wit: 'I acted so well! I finally lowered these desperados' guard! Humph! A mere merchant whose backer has fallen dared to kidnap me? They're asking for trouble! I'll see how you all die, one by one!'

That was indeed true, but Yan Shifan knew that if he died in the Liang family's inner quarters, where he could cry out to heaven and earth in vain, then the other party's seemingly audacious behavior would actually not bring any trouble upon him.

Because the imperial court could not possibly launch a large-scale search for him, making the matter public knowledge, it would instead hastily end the matter to save face for the imperial examinations.

Especially with that insidious rumor spreading, it provided a convenient excuse to back down. Who knows, someone might start spreading the story that they heard the cheating was exposed, and out of shame, they left the Deer Cry Banquet to find a secluded place to end their own lives...

'I must escape! I cannot die with such a stigma!'

Yan Shifan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and imitated how Haiyue usually used limited resources to create opportunities to escape when facing difficulties.

Half an hour later, he collapsed to the ground, curled up in a ball, tears streaming down his face.

"Father, Mother, save me! Mingwei, save me! Yunshao... Yunshao, save me!!"

(End of this chapter)