That was 30,000 dan of grain!
Could it be that Xie Jingchu had a secret stash of money?
Seeing Ruan Jiu looking utterly confused, Xie Jingchu shrugged. "I didn't buy it with silver."
"Ah?" Ruan Jiu was so shocked that her jaw almost dropped. "Then who bought the grain in the granary?"
Could it be that Lin Youcai had sold it to someone else!
What would the common people in Qinzhou City do then?
Xie Jingchu immediately explained, "I've known that Lin Youcai has been extorting money from the common people under the guise of his official position all these years, but I've never had any evidence.
A few days ago, while looking for evidence, I learned that Lin Youcai had been secretly selling the grain in the granary. But he was very careful and the quantity was small, so no one had ever noticed."
"Then why has all the grain in the granary disappeared?" Ruan Jiu asked.
Xie Jingchu continued, "A selfish and unscrupulous villain like Lin Youcai would surely be unable to resist the temptation when faced with huge profits. He would not hesitate to take risks.
So, I found a stranger from outside the region and pretended that he was a wealthy merchant from Shunzhou. Shunzhou had just suffered from a flood and was in great need of grain. The merchant offered to buy the grain from him at a high price, which naturally tempted him."
"But it's 30,000 dan of grain! Isn't he afraid of being discovered?"
"I asked the merchant to give him a plan. Now that the autumn harvest is over and it's time to pay tribute grain again. Even if the granary is empty now, there will be stored grain again after a while. Then, during the New Year, if the granary accidentally catches fire due to firecrackers.
In this way, the Emperor won't blame him, and silver will be allocated to refill the granary.
The fact that the granary is empty will thus go unnoticed."
"Did he just give you the grain without seeing the silver?"
Xie Jingchu shook his head. "He wasn't that stupid. I just asked the merchant to tell him that we could sign a contract first. After he transferred all the grain to the designated place, we would pay him in full."
"What if Imperial Censor Zhang finds out that you're the one behind all this?" Ruan Jiu was a bit worried.
Xie Jingchu raised his eyebrows. "He already knows."
Seeing the shocked expression on Ruan Jiu's face, he continued, "Zhang Wentong is an honest and upright official. He was very angry when he learned about what Lin Youcai had done.
But Lin Youcai is, after all, the prefect of Qinzhou. We can't search his mansion rashly.
So, the burning of the granary was just a ploy to search his mansion and find evidence of his corruption and lawlessness."
After hearing this, all of Ruan Jiu's questions were answered.
She thought to herself.
What a sly old fox!
It's not a loss for Lin Youcai to fall into his hands.
Every step was calculated to perfection.
After that, Zhang Wentong acted swiftly and resolutely. Soon, a new prefect took office in Qinzhou City.
I heard that he was Zhang Wentong's disciple. Presumably, he would also be a good official.
All the "missing" grain was returned to the new granary.
The approval document for Xie Jingchu's tea mountain finally came through.
Ruan Jiu's cloth-making workshop was also being established in an orderly manner. I believe it won't be long before it solves the difficulties of the silk and satin shop.
As days went by, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
However, it seems that only the Third Branch of the Xie Mansion was shrouded in gloom.
"Why does Xie Jingchu have such good luck!" Xie Xiu roared like a madman.
Seeing the mess in the room smashed by Xie Xiu, Shen Tang felt scared.
It was the first time she had seen Xie Xiu like this.
She shrank back and stepped forward to comfort him. "Husband, it's just a tea mountain. It won't cause much trouble."
As she spoke, she reached out to smooth his breath.
Xie Xiu's eyes were bloodshot. He punched the table hard. "Why does that good-for-nothing Xie Jing get to be the head of the Xie family!"
"Husband, calm down! Xie Jingchu is so smart and capable, but all he has is a non - profitable tea mountain." Shen Tang comforted him.
"Don't you see that Xie Jingchu has managed the tea mountain quite well?" Xie Xiu complained.
Maybe after the old master sees how well Xie Jingchu has managed the abandoned tea mountain, he'll have the idea of making Xie Jingchu the head of the Xie family again!
Why is it that what he dreams of is so easily obtainable for them!
Why!
"I'm also Xie Chong's son. Why has he never seen me!
Even that slut Ruan Jiu has a silk and satin shop.
But what do I have!
Nothing!"
Hearing Xie Xiu's roar, Shen Tang naturally understood his grievances over the years.
Seeing Xie Xiu almost going crazy, Shen Tang felt very sad. She couldn't help but persuade him. "Husband, why don't we just let it go? Let's live a good life as a family of three."
As a mother, she wanted Xie Yanzhou to have the best life.
But as a wife, she didn't want to see Xie Xiu tortured by these obsessions and become a wreck.
The once gentle and elegant Xie Xiu seemed to be gone forever.
"Let it go?" Xie Xiu sneered, a mocking smile on his lips.
How could he let it go?
How could he!
Since that's the case, then no one should have a good time.
-
This year's New Year's Eve banquet was the first family banquet since Xie Jing became the head of the Xie family.
A month before the New Year, Xie Jing started to make elaborate preparations for the New Year's Eve banquet in the mansion.
"This red isn't festive enough. Replace it!"
"This table is too old. Replace it!"
"Hey, hey, hey. Hanging the lanterns so early will only make them dusty. Take them down quickly!"
Early that morning, Xie Jing was making a racket in the mansion.
He wished he could replace everything in the mansion with new ones to show his status.
Just then, Xie Xiu walked over.
"Why are you here?" Xie Jing asked impatiently.
Xie Xiu smiled and then handed over the scroll in his hand. "Elder brother, you know that my courtyard has always been short of money. So I saved my monthly allowance for several months to buy this calligraphy scroll for you. Congratulations on becoming the head of the Xie family."
Xie Jing glanced at the scroll. It didn't look like something valuable at all.
However, the words he said were quite pleasant to hear.
"Just put it there."
Seeing the contempt in Xie Jing's eyes, Xie Xiu wasn't angry. He respectfully placed the scroll on the table.
Seeing that Xie Xiu didn't leave after putting down the scroll, Xie Jing asked, "Do you have anything else?"
Xie Xiu nodded. "When I went to the Treasure Pavilion to buy a gift for you today, I accidentally heard a nobleman say that there's news from the capital that the Emperor intends to find a new salt merchant."
"So what? What does it matter to me?" Xie Jing said indifferently.
Xie Xiu continued, "Now that you're the head of the Xie family, if you can make the Xie family's salt business the imperial salt merchant, Father will surely look at you in a new light."
Hearing this, Xie Jing's eyes lit up.
This was indeed a good idea.
The old master always thought that he was unworthy of being the head of the Xie family.
If he could make the Xie family an imperial merchant, he could prove to the old master that he was better than Xie Jingchu!
However, Xie Xiu had always been indifferent to family matters.
Why was he suddenly so concerned?