Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"Sir, what should we do next?"

Seeing that Zhou Chen remained silent for a long time, the prefect cautiously sought instructions.

Zhou Chen snapped out of his daze and took a deep breath.

He was a purely rational official, though he didn't know who was behind this massacre.

But he knew perfectly well that this was the perfect opportunity to implement the new policy of exchanging silver for silver.

That lurking killer cleaved through the toughest bone in Jiangnan for him.

Investigate! Investigate with great fanfare!

A glint flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes, and he said in a deep voice.

"Post arrest warrants and seal off the city gates. At the same time, immediately send someone to invite the heads of the other major merchants in the city to the government office for a meeting. Tell them that I have important matters to discuss!"

Half an hour later, in the second hall of the Suzhou government office.

The heads of several prominent families in Jiangnan sat on the guest chairs, looking as if they had lost their parents.

Their faces turned ashen, and they were drenched in cold sweat.

The news of the massacre of the Liuyuan family had already spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys of Jiangnan.

Last night, they were still drinking and chatting with Shen Wanquan in the waterside pavilion, plotting how Ming would oppose the imperial court.

This morning, Shen Wanquan was found dead.

This stark contrast completely shattered the psychological defenses of these wealthy gentlemen.

Zhou Chen sat upright behind the desk, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd below.

"Esteemed family heads."

Zhou Chen picked up the teacup and slowly scraped off the tea leaves.

"I am deeply saddened by the tragedy of the Shen family. Before his death, the head of the Shen family had always been critical of the court's method of converting silver into cash, and secretly hoarded silver for speculation."

"Now that they have suddenly suffered such a calamity, I suspect it must be because the Shen family has been rich and unkind in the past and has made some enemies they shouldn't have."

"You are all renowned figures from Jiangnan. You should take this as a warning in your daily conduct."

These words, to the merchants, were like a death knell.

Are the rich heartless?

Did you make an enemy you shouldn't have?

In this whole world, isn't the biggest enemy that Shen Wanquan has recently made the imperial court?

Isn't that just the Ministry of Revenue behind you, Governor Zhou?

A silk tycoon's legs buckled, and he slid off his chair to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Lord Zhou, please understand! We, your humble servants, have been law-abiding citizens for generations and have always been loyal to the court! Our hoarding of silver and resistance to the new policies were all due to coercion by Shen Wanquan alone; we had no choice but to comply!"

Seeing this, the other merchants no longer dared to stand their ground.

They all knelt down on the ground, weeping and pledging their loyalty.

"This humble subject is willing to immediately open the granary and exchange all the silver in the cellar for silver!"

"This humble subject will go to the Pingzhun Bank tomorrow to pay the autumn tax in full, not a penny less!"

Zhou Chen looked at this group of usually arrogant gentry, who were now begging for mercy like stray dogs.

A feeling of exhilaration welled up inside me.

He gently set down his teacup and slammed the gavel down.

"Since you are all loyal and patriotic officials, I am relieved. The court's method of converting taxes into silver benefits the country and its people. I expect to see the tax silver from each prefecture deposited into the treasury within three days."

"If there are any delays..."

Zhou Chen paused slightly, his tone chilling.

"You should all remember the fate of the Shen family!"

Those wealthy and powerful people no longer dared to harbor the slightest rebellious intentions.

They rushed to move the silver hidden in the cellar and exchange it for official notes from the Pingzhun Silver Bureau.

The method of converting silver into silver finally took root completely in the most prosperous land of Jiangnan.

Three days later, a fast horse carrying Zhou Chen's secret memorial rushed into the city gates of the capital.

Qianqing Palace, Southern Study.

Emperor Hongxi, Zhu Gaochi, leaned back on the dragon bed.

Holding the dusty folded book in his hand, his expression shifted constantly.

Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi, Minister of Revenue Xia Yuanji, and Vice Minister of the Right Gu Yannian were all urgently summoned to the palace.

"Take a look at them all."

Zhu Gaochi handed the folded document to Yang Shiqi, took a deep breath, and tapped his plump fingers lightly on the imperial desk.

"The Shen family, the richest family in Jiangnan, with 316 members, was slaughtered overnight. Zhou Chen said in his commemorative document that no trace of the thieves was found at the scene, and the method was clean and efficient, which was definitely not the work of ordinary bandits."

Yang Shiqi read it quickly, gasped, and handed the folded book to Xia Yuanji.

"Your Majesty, this...this horrific massacre of an entire family, occurring in Suzhou, where the governor is stationed, is utterly appalling!"

Yang Shiqi cupped his hands in greeting.

"If these ruthless bandits are not brought to justice, the people of Jiangnan will live in fear, and how can the imperial court maintain its dignity?"

Xia Yuanji frowned after reading the folded paper.

His gaze unconsciously drifted to Gu Yannian, who was standing to the side with his eyes down and no words in his eyes.

"His Majesty."

Xia Yuanji pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked.

"This Shen Wanquan was leading the resistance against the new silver-compensation policy a few days ago. Now that he has suddenly died, he has cleared the way for Governor Zhou. This old minister dares to ask, what is the reason for this matter...?"

"Could it be the work of spies from the Eastern Depot or the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Zhu Gaochi gave a wry smile and shook his head.

"Upon receiving the report, I immediately questioned the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the director of the Eastern Depot. Their spies in Jiangnan knew nothing about this matter."

"This force can even deceive my eyes and ears; it is truly terrifying."

The emperor and his ministers looked at each other, all feeling a strange chill.

The Ming Dynasty was actually hiding a terrifying force capable of slaughtering a hundred-acre mansion in a single night and escaping unscathed.

This was undoubtedly a thorn in the side of the emperor who ruled the world.

"Gu Qing."

Zhu Gaochi turned his gaze to Gu Yannian.

"You are always meticulous and perceptive, able to see the big picture from small details. In your opinion, who is responsible for this?"

Gu Yannian stepped forward and bowed slightly.

His handsome face showed no flaws, and his eyes were as clear as a deep pool.

"Your Majesty, I believe that although this matter is strange, the logic behind it is also clear."

Gu Yannian spoke in a calm and measured tone, recounting his story in a gentle and detailed manner.

"Merchants in Jiangnan value profit over righteousness. Shen Wanquan is extremely wealthy and monopolizes the salt and grain trade. He is bound to have made countless enemies by bullying and dominating the market."

"Secondly, his collusion with other merchants to hoard silver has cut off the livelihoods of many small businesses. As the saying goes, cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents."

"Perhaps it was some chivalrous hero who was driven to the brink of despair, or perhaps he colluded with Japanese pirates at sea to sneak in under cover of night to seek revenge, who knows?"

Gu Yannian paused, his tone becoming increasingly indifferent.

"Furthermore, merchants are driven by profit, and fortresses are often breached from within. The Shen family is large and powerful, so it's hard to guarantee that there weren't traitors within their ranks, which is why the thieves were able to enter as if they had no one there."

As Zhu Gaochi listened to Gu Yannian's well-organized analysis, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

"What you say, Gu Qing, is not without reason. Merchants are driven by profit, and they risk their lives, so it's not uncommon for them to have such deep-seated hatreds."

Zhu Gaochi nodded, a huge weight lifted from his heart.

As long as it's not some secret army plotting a rebellion.

A few martial artists locked in a feud couldn't really cause any big trouble.

"In any case, once the Shen family is destroyed, the silver exchange system in Jiangnan will be unimpeded."

A slight smile appeared on Zhu Gaochi's lips.

"Zhou Chen said in his memorial that the autumn taxes in silver from all the prefectures in Jiangnan have been collected and are being loaded onto ships to head north."

"Gu Qing, the person you recommended is truly a pillar of the nation."

"Your Majesty is wise and discerning. I was merely going with the flow," Gu Yannian said humbly, bowing.

The emperor and his ministers discussed the taxation in Jiangnan for a while, as the sun began to set.

The chiming clock outside the hall rang out with a clear, melodious sound.

It was exactly the hour of You (5-7 PM).

Gu Yannian's straight back relaxed slightly.

He looked up at Zhu Gaochi, his face showing just the right amount of weariness.

"Your Majesty, today's official business is complete. If there are no further decrees, this humble subject... should leave the office now."

Zhu Gaochi was in the middle of a lively conversation when he heard this and was taken aback.

He then pointed at Gu Yannian and burst into laughter in exasperation.

"You scoundrel! I'm here discussing the major case in Jiangnan with you all, and all you're thinking about is your night watchman's drum! Go away, go away, now that the Ministry of Revenue's accounts are settled, I won't keep you any longer."

"Xia Qing, Yang Qing, you may both step down."

Gu Yannian bowed respectfully, then turned and left the South Study.

As I walked out of the Qianqing Palace, the afterglow of dusk fell on the white marble steps.

Gu Yannian let out a long sigh of relief.

She walked lightly along the long alleyway leading out of the palace.

That bloody battle that took place two thousand miles away was dismissed by him with a few casual words as just an ordinary feud between江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world).

Neither the emperor nor the powerful ministers in the imperial court could have imagined this.

That murderer who personally committed a shocking massacre.

He was wearing the official robes of a third-rank official at the moment, and was heading home right on time to leave work.