Red Mansion: Incense and God Road, starting from the City God of Shenjing

Chapter 71: Engagement of Jia Cong, the Salt Merchant
"Lin Ruhai, you also studied at the White Deer Academy in the past. Are you going to fight us to the death today?"

Zuo Hongyi looked at Lin Ruhai's face which was extremely ugly at this moment.

You can say it is indifferent to fame and fortune, or you can say it is seeking fame and reputation!
During this trip to Yangzhou, Zuo Hongyi suffered a lot.

The reason why we are restricted everywhere.

To put it bluntly, it’s just a momentum!

You can’t do without an official position!
It was like this with Jia Cong before, and it is like this with Lin Ruhai now.

As the Imperial Censor of Salt, he was a close confidant of Emperor Shunde.

It is definitely not possible to kill him in public, otherwise Emperor Shunde will come to power in the future.

Suppression and liquidation are inevitable.

But if you don’t kill…

Zuo Hongyi was not sure he could completely suppress a great scholar who broke through with his theory of "human nature is evil".

At least one person should be left behind to assist.

As for the remaining five people...

Others don’t know the details of the battle outside Shenjing City.

But how could Bailu Academy not know?
A great scholar, a Taoist spirit cultivator, and three martial arts masters.

He couldn't even seriously injure Jia Cong.

Four dead and one captured alive!
One can imagine what Jia Cong's trump card is.

The remaining five people were not completely sure that they could keep Jia Cong.

If you run away...

That would be a lot of fun, and just wait for his revenge like a mad dog.

"The Master said: A gentleman's duty in office is to practice what is right."

Lin Ruhai said this calmly, directly stating his position.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zuo Hongyi laughed out of anger.

"Today I got to know the top three scholar again."

“Although Jiangnan is not big, there are still many uninhabited places in the wilderness!”

"Just wait and see!"

After saying that, he waved his sleeves and took a few people back to Zui Xiang Lou.

Lin Ruhai was not angry. He just stood in the air, with a great literary aura rising up and reciting the classics of sages.

"A gentleman is concerned with righteousness, while a villain is concerned with profit!"

"If you don't do what is right, you have no courage!"

"Wealth and honor gained through injustice are like floating clouds to me!"

"The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue, to be close to the people, and to stop at the highest good!"

……

"Too deceiving!"

"Lin Ruhai is really going too far!"

The saints' classics that spread throughout the entire Yangzhou city were undoubtedly like tearing off the fig leaf on the faces of the people in Bailu Academy.

The great scholar Wu Ziren was so angry and grief-stricken that he wanted to vomit blood.

The others came from all over Jiangnan and would return afterwards.

Wu Ziren spent more than 30 years in Yangzhou teaching and founding an academy.

All the relatives and friends are still there.

This is such a disgrace to me.

"Mr. Zuo, we can't let Lin Ruhai and Jia Cong be so arrogant."

"Okay, Brother Wu, I understand..."

"I admit that I underestimated Jia Cong before!"

Zuo Hongyi calmed down at this time.

Stroking the inkstone in his hand.

"The salt merchants are dead, and as long as the salt road issue is not resolved, Lin Ruhai will be the first to bear the brunt of the responsibility and be held accountable by the court."

"As for Jia Cong..."

"I have sent a letter to the headmaster overnight."

"It won't be so easy for him to get away next time."

……

Today, Yangzhou City is destined to be a bustling and lively day.

The hundreds of elite soldiers brought from the Beijing camp and the 1,200 city guards were like killing gods.

Under the leadership of Ma Ruyue and Hou Jingyun.

The homes of families were confiscated and the entire clan was exterminated one by one.

All relatives related to the eight major salt merchants were not spared!

All must be eradicated.

The Zhang family, the Wang family, the Qian family, the Jiang family, the Huang family, the Zheng family, and the Shen family.

Including the Han family that had been destroyed before.

Jia Cong had been in Jiangnan for less than a month.

The eight major salt merchants were completely eradicated.

The people of Yangzhou City have long suffered from the tyrannical salt merchants.

Everyone applauded when they heard this.

Inside the government office
"Crazy, crazy!"

"The eight major salt merchants can be traced back to the reign of Emperor Taizu."

"They actually said they would exterminate the whole clan."

"Marquis Zi Yi's murderous nature is too..."

The legal advisor that Zhao Chengen had hired at a high price was filled with shock.

Don't even mention being a mentor.

Zhao Chengen, the fourth-rank prefect of Yangzhou, was holding a teacup in his hand.

But it is not difficult to see his mood at the moment from his trembling hands.

I've seen crazy killings!
But I have never seen such a crazy killing!
Even if I went to the Han family.

Nearly two thousand people from the seven major salt merchants were killed today!
This is a major case that is enough to shock the government and the public.

Zhao Chengen was afraid that Jia Cong would become bloodthirsty.

The prefect, who had received a lot of money from salt merchants, was also beheaded.

"Master, master!"

Just then, a servant ran in hurriedly.

See the servant who was sent out to get information come back.

Zhao Chengen immediately put down the teacup and asked anxiously.

"Tell me quickly, what's the situation?"

"In reply to the master, I saw the Purple-Robed Marquis load the heads of the seven major salt merchants onto several large carts and head west out of the city."

"Chengxi?"

After hearing what the servant said, Zhao Chengen frowned, looking puzzled.

"Why are you going to the south of the city for no reason?"

"Oh, sir, Mr. Lin's wife..."

The master seemed to suddenly remember something.

"You mean?"

"You slaughtered the eight salt merchants just for revenge and worship?"

After being reminded of this, Zhao Chengen also reacted.

Different look.

The daughter of a powerful and wealthy person, living a life of luxury.

It sounds nice, but in the final analysis, they are just tools for the major families to form marriage alliances.

A married girl is like spilled water.

But it is not only suitable for ordinary people with poor family conditions.

The same applies to the homes of the powerful and wealthy.

Zhao Chengen never dreamed that Jia Cong would kill so many people in Yangzhou.

It is to commemorate Jia Min.

"Not only that, I have thought about it several times."

"I'm afraid that Marquis Zi Yi has been plotting against the salt merchants since before entering Yangzhou City."

"The killing continued and the pressure was so great that the salt merchants were forced to create a salt famine to protect themselves."

"If we act now, even the officials in the court will find it unreasonable."

"But there is still one thing that is unclear. Isn't Marquis Zi Yi afraid that the salt road will be cut off after the salt merchant dies, and the salt can no longer be transported out?"

"This……"

After hearing this, Zhao Chengen felt cold all over.

Take one step and look ten steps ahead!
This kind of mental calculation is scary just to think about.

As for the salt road issue.

If he could find a solution, it would certainly prove Jia Cong's ability.

But if it can't be solved...

This kind of crazy behavior that completely disregards the rules is even more frightening!
……

West of Yangzhou
Jia Min's tomb is located in Xishan.

It faces west and east, directly opposite Yangzhou City.

The tomb is not built in a very luxurious way, but the surrounding scenery is quiet and peaceful, and you can tell at a glance that it was built with great care.

Today, under the West Mountain.

Nearly two thousand heads were used to build a Jingguan.

The heads of the seven major salt merchants endured torture to atone their sins in front of the Jingguan.

Every three hours, someone would take ginseng juice to keep him alive until the hundred days were up.

"Originally, Min'er should have been buried in the Lin family's ancestral tomb in Gusu."

"But before she died, she asked me to bury her in the West Hill, saying that she could always look after me in the future!"

Lin Ruhai had a sad expression on his face, and Daiyu was crying silently.

"Come to think of it, Min'er might not have thought that the one who would avenge her in the end would be Cong Ge'er."

Jia Cong was silent, recalling the lively and quirky girl in his childhood memories.

Nothing in the world is always perfect.

"Brother Cong, today in front of Min'er's grave."

"There's something I've been thinking about for a long time."

After a moment of silence, Lin Ruhai suddenly spoke.

"Uncle Lin, please speak."

"The person Min Er was most worried about before she died was Daiyu."

"Although I have become a great scholar, I have been caught up in the chaos of the court and cannot extricate myself."

"If something like the salt merchant's frame-up happens again and Daiyu gets into an accident."

"I will not be able to face Min Er even after I die."

"so……"

"father!"

Daiyu, who was standing by, heard this and looked up in surprise.

He glanced at Jia Cong, but quickly lowered his head.

"Let me finish." Lin Ruhai waved his hand.

"You know my eldest brother-in-law's character better than I do. He was quite capable in the early years, but now..."

"Besides, I have heard about the environment where you grew up. I am afraid you don't take Rongguo Mansion seriously."

"The orders of your parents and the words of your matchmaker are no longer applicable to you."

"Today in front of Min'er's grave, I will entrust Daiyu to you. Let's make a marriage agreement today. Are you willing?"

After Lin Ruhai finished speaking, he looked at Jia Cong expectantly.

to be frank.

Jia Cong did not expect Lin Ruhai to suddenly make such a decision.

He glanced at Daiyu, who was lowering her head with blushing cheeks.

A little Lin Daiyu.

Like it?
I'm afraid it would be a lie to say I didn't like it.

Considerate, gentle, and often a little bit arrogant.

Lovely.

He has top-notch Xuanmen Qi-refining aptitude, even though he has just started practicing.

But if we continue to develop at this pace, breaking through to the fourth level in the future is a foregone conclusion.

even……

The legendary fifth realm is not impossible.

It is the best choice for a companion who can support each other on the path of cultivation.

Jia Cong usually doesn't talk much and his personality isn't that eccentric.

So he cupped his hands and said, "It's all up to Uncle Lin to decide."

When he called Lin Ruhai Uncle Lin, he truly regarded him as an elder.

Instead of being just Jia Min's husband as before.

"Hahaha!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Lin Ruhai felt Jia Cong's intentions, and a worry was finally resolved today.

It was a double happiness and he burst into laughter.

He said "good" three times in a row.

The look he gave Jia Cong was no longer strange.

Only Daiyu was so embarrassed that she couldn't even speak.

But she couldn't help but raise her head and take a peek at Jia Cong several times.

Then he lowered his head quickly as if afraid of being discovered.

There was a little more joy in her heart, and a smile appeared on her little face unconsciously.

……

The next evening
Salt Administration Office
"General, the property of the seven major salt merchants has been confiscated."

"A total of 32 million taels of silver!"

"One million taels of gold!"

"There are countless silks, satins, gold, silver and jewelry. I asked more than 30 accountants to make a rough estimate."

"It is about 35 million to 40 million taels of silver."

Hou Jingyun reported excitedly.

The seven major salt merchants had large fortunes and great businesses.

The search of the property in Yangzhou City alone took two days and two nights.

They turned their houses upside down before they finally found the hidden treasure house.

The huge profits from private salt trading were the wealth accumulated over a hundred years.

The gold, silver, jewelry, silks and satins alone were equivalent to one year's tax revenue from the Daqian treasury.

This is not the most valuable thing in the salt merchant's home.

What is really valuable is...

(End of this chapter)