Prime Minister

Chapter 163, Section 162: [The Killing Trap]

The turmoil in Yangzhou was in full swing. The Shen family, as a leading business family in Jiangnan and with an extremely close relationship with Xue Huai, had been keeping a low profile lately and had not cooperated with Xue Huai in launching a campaign to suppress the local powerful clans, as some had speculated.

Shen Garden, inner study.

"Daddy."

Shen Qingluan, dressed in a moon-white gauze shirt and skirt, walked in with light steps.

Shen Bingwen, who was bent over his desk, looked up, put down his writing brush, and smiled, "Luan'er is here, please sit down."

Shen Qingluan glanced at the thick stack of files on the table and asked with concern, "Father, what are you busy with?"

"There are some things I need to explain to the head managers."

Shen Bingwen brushed it off, gazing at his daughter's gentle features, and asked curiously, "What did Jing Che say to you last time in Taixing County?"

Upon hearing Xue Huai's courtesy name, Shen Qingluan revealed a hint of coquettishness and said leisurely, "Father, Brother Xue is not only a good official and a good poet, but he also has great insight into governing the country and helping the people."

"tell me the story."

Shen Bingwen immediately became interested.

Shen Qingluan gave a general overview of Xue Huai's reform measures for Xinghua County, and finally said with undisguised pride, "Work-for-relief is not unusual. After all, it is recorded in many historical books, and there are quite a few officials who can think of this method. However, the fact that you can determine a whole set of strategies to promote mutual development between the people and businesses in such a short time shows that Brother Xue usually pays great attention to people's livelihood."

"Well."

Shen Bingwen pondered for a moment and agreed, "That makes sense. Jing Che is indeed no ordinary person."

These words seem to carry a deeper meaning.

Shen Qingluan was not entirely unaware of Xue Huai's plan. She had rushed back to the prefectural city from Xinghua County on Xue Huai's behalf to convey some secrets to Shen Bingwen.

However, after they parted ways in Xinghua, she never saw Xue Huai again.

The young girl couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but she knew that Xue Huai was too busy to attend to important matters, and that it would be a delay for him to come to Shen Garden or for her to go to the Tongzhi's residence at this critical juncture. So she waited silently.

Hearing her father's heartfelt words, Shen Qingluan couldn't help but ask, "Father, how is Brother Xue's plan progressing?"

"It went relatively smoothly, but only in the early stages."

Shen Bingwen said cautiously, "With the imprisonment of the brothers Liu Rang and Liu Mou, powerful clans such as Liu, Zheng, Bai, and Ge will certainly not sit idly by. The Salt Transport Bureau will also take action. The time will come when everyone will show their unique abilities."

Shen Qingluan thought for a moment and then asked cautiously, "Father, when will our Shen family make a move?"

Shen Bingwen looked at her with great interest until Shen Qingluan lowered her head in embarrassment. Then he smiled and said, "I called you over because I have something to tell you."

Shen Qingluan was overjoyed. It wasn't that she was disregarding her own family's safety for Xue Huai's sake, but rather that the fates of the Xue and Shen families were already intertwined. If Xue Huai suffered a crushing defeat in Yangzhou, the Shen family would inevitably face relentless attacks from their rivals.

Shen Bingwen spoke slowly and deliberately, and as his narration went deeper and deeper, Shen Qingluan's expression gradually became tense and worried.

After a long silence, Shen Bingwen said calmly, "These are roughly the arrangements. You've remembered them all?"

“My daughter has remembered it.”

Shen Qingluan solemnly agreed, then asked, "Father, do you really want to do this?"

Shen Bingwen earnestly said, "It's not that we have to do this, but rather how our opponents will act. That night, I had a long talk with Jing Che, and he mentioned that those people would use the Shen family as a breakthrough point. I wholeheartedly agree with this. That's why the Shen family has been keeping a low profile these past few days, not wanting to give our opponents any opportunity. Of course, even if the Shen family keeps such a low profile, they will still take action against the Shen family and use this as an opportunity to disrupt Jing Che's plans."

Shen Qingluan understood the mystery behind this.

Xue Huai is now raising the guillotine against the Liu family. If the Shen family, another prominent local clan, is caught red-handed, he will have to make a choice: treat them equally or treat them differently.

If Xue Huai chooses to protect the Shen family, not only will his hard-earned reputation be ruined, but his rivals will also use this weakness to drive him out of Yangzhou.

Shen Bingwen continued, “Luan’er, your mother has never been involved in household affairs these past years, and your younger brothers and sisters are too young to shoulder such heavy responsibilities. Only you are capable of taking on this burden now.”

"My daughter isn't afraid of difficulties, but..."

Shen Qingluan gazed into her father's eyes and said with concern, "I just don't want Father to take any risks."

"Peace of mind."

Shen Bingwen smiled slightly and said calmly, "You must believe in yourself, and you must also believe in your father. The Shen family today is not the weak and insignificant family it once was, and it will not be defeated by a little wind and rain."

Shen Qingluan nodded earnestly.

……

Two days later, in the early morning, on the northern outskirts of the prefectural city.

A large cluster of shops formed east of the canal wharf, which served as the warehouses for major merchants in the Huai River region, including the warehouse of Shenjia Guangtai.

As the sun slowly rose, the area gradually became bustling with activity, and the shop assistants from various businesses began to get busy.

On the straight road, a group of soldiers approached from afar, numbering at least several hundred.

A moment later, hundreds of salt soldiers armed with weapons stopped in front of a large courtyard gate, where the four characters "Guangtai Trading Company" were written on the gate tower.

"Where is the manager of the Guangtai?"

A salt soldier stepped forward and roared angrily, his face full of murderous intent.

"I am Yang Jichuan, currently the warehouse manager of Guangtai Company. I wonder what advice you have for me, sir?" A man in his forties walked out of the courtyard with several people. Looking at the hundreds of salt soldiers standing guard outside, he naturally felt a little uneasy.

"Your name is Yang Jichuan?"

Chen Lun, the deputy commissioner of the Lianghuai Salt Transport Office, rode forward and looked down at the other party, saying in a deep voice: "I, Chen Lun, am here on the orders of the Transport Commissioner to seal up the warehouses of your Guangtai Company."

Upon hearing the word "seizure," Yang Jichuan's face turned deathly pale. He hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "Lord Chen, please forgive me! My Guangtai Company has been in business for generations, always law-abiding and law-abiding. Who in the Lianghuai region doesn't know this? Today, you have suddenly brought troops to seize our business. I wonder where my company has violated the law? I beg you to enlighten me!"

"Behave yourself and behave yourselves?"

Chen Lun sat high on his horse, a cold glint in his eyes. His gaze swept across the broad, imposing gate of Yang Jichuan and Guangtai Company like a blade. "I am acting under orders, and I have my own grounds for investigation! The salt administration of Lianghuai is a matter of national importance. The imperial court has strictly prohibited the smuggling of salt, and your company's warehouses are of paramount importance. Recently, someone secretly reported that Guangtai Company is hiding smuggled salt in its warehouses. How can the Salt Transport Bureau sit idly by?"

"Smuggled salt?"

Yang Jichuan was so shocked that he staggered and exclaimed, "Lord Chen, this is a false accusation! This is a huge false accusation! Guangtai Company has detailed accounts for all its goods entering and leaving the market, and all its salt permits are complete. There has never been the slightest overstepping of its bounds!"

The crew of Guangtai behind Yang Jichuan were also indignant and spoke up to defend themselves.

"I'm innocent, Your Honor!"

"Our Guangtai ship never touches smuggled salt!"

"Please, sir, take a closer look!"

However, their voices sounded so pale and powerless amidst the grim atmosphere of hundreds of salt soldiers wielding swords and spears.

The shop assistants and managers from other businesses who had heard the news rushed over, and even some boatmen who had just unloaded their cargo. They all gathered in a large circle at a distance, craning their necks to watch this rare scene, whispering and buzzing with discussion.

"See! They really came for the Shen family!"

"My God, it's smuggled salt? If this is confirmed, it's a crime punishable by confiscation of property and extermination of the entire family!"

"The Shen family can't be that foolish, can they? At this critical juncture..."

"It's hard to say, profit can be a powerful motivator..."

Chen Lun ignored Yang Jichuan's explanation and the surrounding discussions. He slightly turned his head and gave a wink to a cold-faced officer in chainmail beside him.

The officer understood immediately, drew his sword, and shouted sternly, "By order of the Salt Commissioner, we are cracking down on smuggled salt. Everyone, get out of the way immediately! Anyone who obstructs us will be punished for resisting law enforcement! Search us!"

The sound was like a thunderclap, making everyone on the Guangtai ship turn pale.

"Follow the order!"

Hundreds of salt soldiers responded in unison and rushed forward like wolves and tigers, roughly pushing aside Yang Jichuan and others who were blocking the door.

Yang Jichuan tried to struggle and stop them, but two burly salt soldiers held his arms tightly and dragged him aside. No matter how much he screamed, it was to no avail.

The salt soldiers surged into the compound and rushed straight for the largest warehouse.

The heavy warehouse doors were forcibly smashed open with a tooth-grinding bang, and the salt soldiers surged into the warehouse, which contained countless goods, like a tidal wave.

A moment later, the sounds of rummaging through boxes and cabinets, rude shouts, and wooden crates being smashed filled the air. Goods that were originally neatly stacked were roughly dragged off and smashed on the ground, leaving a mess of dust flying everywhere.

The crew of the Guangtai were heartbroken to see their cargo being ruined like this, but they dared not speak out.

Time passed little by little.

Chen Lun sat upright on his horse, his expression calm, but deep in his eyes there was a hint of resolute coldness.

He gestured for the salt soldiers to release Yang Jichuan and said coldly, "Manager Yang, I know you can't make the decision. Now you can send someone to the city to invite someone who can."

Yang Jichuan was exhausted. He had never imagined that the Salt Transport Office would treat Guangtai Ship so brutally and tyrannically. At the moment, he had no better options than to find a few reliable workers and ask them to return to the city immediately to seek help from Shen Garden.

Not long after the shop assistants left, several salt soldiers rushed out of the warehouse. They shouted to Chen Lun in a loud and excited voice, "Deputy Envoy! We found it! There's a lot of smuggled salt in the warehouse!"

boom!
It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in everyone's hearts!

The eyes of all the onlookers outside immediately focused on those salt soldiers.

Yang Jichuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief and panic.

This is impossible!

As the warehouse manager of Guangtai, how could he not know the situation in the Jiazi warehouse? It did indeed contain a lot of salt, but it was all legitimate official salt. How could there be so much smuggled salt as the salt soldiers claimed?

He then glared at Chen Lun, convinced that this was definitely a setup by the Salt Transport Bureau!
However, Chen Lun didn't bother to look at him again, and only said to the salt soldiers, "Bring out the smuggled salt hidden by Guangtai Company!"

"Follow the order!"

The salt soldier excitedly accepted the order and left.

The atmosphere in the room became incredibly strange, with some onlookers looking solemn and others looking gloating.

A carriage, escorted by more than twenty elite guards, slowly approached the crowd.

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing the cold face of Xu Guanlan, the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai.

(End of this chapter)