Dingyuan County is only less than 300 miles away from Yingtian Prefecture, and it is only two days to take a carriage. Because it is very close to Fengyang, Dingyuan County, which was originally poor and backward, is now also a prosperous area.

Zhu Yuanzhang was determined to vigorously develop the economy around Fengyang. It was no joke that 100,000 rich households moved here.

But when Zhu Qi was sitting in the carriage and lifted the curtain, he could see the newly renovated spacious official road. There were not many people coming and going, and few people dressed in merchants brought goods into the city.

Although the Ming Dynasty had a household registration system and tied the people to the local prefectures, don’t think that the people would not go out anymore. For example, markets, temple fairs, etc. are also quite lively. Dingyuan County, as a county town next to Fengyang, naturally has a large population. The economy is prosperous and there is a market, so it is naturally easy to gather merchants.

Zhu Qi could only think that the New Year is coming soon, and the merchants also want to celebrate the New Year.

In addition to Zhu Qi, there is also Xu Miaoyun in the carriage. However, Xu Miaoyun is dressed as a maid and calls herself a slave to the outside world.

After all, let others know that they came to travel with their fiancé before they got married. The brave Xu Miaoyun may not care, but Zhu Qi still has to keep a heart and not be beaten by Zhu Yuanzhang at that time.

Xu Miaoyun leaned against the window and looked at the city gate in the distance. Gao Jin was riding a horse next to her. She put down the curtain and sat down. Then Gao Jin said loudly outside the carriage:

"Young Master, Dingyuan County is ahead. Should we go to the inn or the homestay?"

The homestay that Gao Jin mentioned is naturally not the characteristic hotel in Zhu Qi, but the meaning of a private hotel and a restaurant. As for the name of a young master, it is naturally a hidden identity, so he shouted like this.

During the Ming Dynasty, public-owned inns were also called stations and private-owned homestays, which were both places where you could eat, stay and stay.

Don’t think that the station is like a dilapidated movie. In fact, the stations in each place have special team management, facilities and grade requirements, and are very high.

I thought that the inn was mainly used to receive officials and servants from time to time, and ordinary people could not enter. Whether it was service level or decoration facilities, they were much better than ordinary homestays.

Specifically, you can just regard the inn as a chain hotel with the lowest level of three stars or above.

"Live in a homestay."

Zhu Qi replied.

Gao Jin responded and soon led the team into the city.

Zhu Qi's trip seemed to be visiting a well-known craftsman on this occasion, but in fact he was going to investigate the evidence of corruption in Zhu Huan, a magistrate of Dingyuan. He went to the inn with his guards with great fanfare, and was inevitably alarmed.

Speaking of this kind of investigation of corruption, it was the first time Zhu Qi did it. When he dealt with the Pingyang Hou, he directly ran into Pingyang Hou and then used a few tricks to make the people bravely expose it. Only then did people have evidence.

But that was because the Marquis of Pingyang came up and was detained by himself. He was looking for a large group of entrusted people and raised public opinion, which made the people of Fengyang have the courage to report.

Zhu Huan must be unable to use this investigation like this. He can't just get up and arrest him, right? There is no Jinyiwei now. Even if he is a prince, he does not have the right to directly arrest the imperial officials, let alone Zhu Huan is still his distant cousin and his elder.

He cannot directly take others in terms of emotion or reason. If he takes a step back, what if Zhu Huan was wronged by Zheng Shiyuan? Although Zhu Qi felt that according to Zheng Shiyuan's historical evaluation, Zheng Shiyuan's reports were mostly true.

If you want to investigate the evidence of guilt, the easiest way is naturally to ask the people’s opinions on the streets and alleys.

Zhu Qi took Xu Miaoyun and others into the city and quickly asked about the best restaurant called Tongfu Inn.

However, there is no charming Tong Zhanggui in this inn, nor does it have agile and pale-skinned pawn hall, but the business is still very good. It was during the slack season, and the store was full of people coming to eat and drink, but there were fewer rooms in the accommodation. Zhu Qi did not expect that he had to book ten rooms, but there were only eight rooms, and there were only eight in the entire restaurant.

The shopkeeper was a fat man in his forties and fifties. He looked like Maitreya Buddha. According to him, he usually ate more and drank more, and there were almost not many accommodations. The spare rooms were changed to private rooms for meals, and there were only eight rooms.

Zhu Qi was surprised. In theory, Dingyuan County is not small in scale, and merchants need accommodation when traveling and returning. Tongfu Inn is still the best in Dingyuan County. Why only eight rooms are available?

But he just asked, and the shopkeeper was just waving his hands and didn't say much.

Seeing that he couldn't find anything, Zhu Qi also lost an additional ten taels of silver as a tip in addition to paying for normal accommodation and food, and then continued to ask:

"I heard that the magistrate of Dingyuan County is a royal relative?"

Zhu Qi asked inadvertently, but the shopkeeper suddenly frowned and hurriedly sent back ten taels of silver respectfully, saying:

"I don't know much about this. I just do small business and don't deal with the officials. The magistrate doesn't know who else. If you come to inquire about these things, go to other places to inquire about it."

After saying this, the shopkeeper didn't care about Zhu Qi's intention to speak. He called the waiter next to him to take Zhu Qi and others upstairs to live downstairs.

Zhu Qi looked at the shopkeeper's quick steps and left to the back hall, thinking about something. Xu Miaoyun next to him frowned and said:

"Young Master, this Tongfu Inn is the best inn in Dingyuan County. Judging from this, there must be a lot of commercial taxes. How could you not know who the magistrate is? It seems that this magistrate of Dingyuan is really a problem."

Zhu Qi nodded, and naturally understood this truth. If the Dingyuan magistrate worked as usual, even if the people did not say good things, they would not dare to mention it. Then there was only one possibility, that is, Zhu Huan, the magistrate of Dingyuan, dared not mention the name that had already scared people in the village.

Zhu Qi and his group waited in the room, and then asked Gao Jin and others to go out to inquire about the news.

Gao Jin and others were very fast and came back in less than half an hour after going out, but the news brought back made Zhu Qi feel uncontrollably sinking.

That's...no news!

Gao Jin led the guards to ask around. Some people heard that it was the magistrate of the hall, waved their hands and refused to speak. Some turned around and left with pale faces. Most of them saw their faces and ignored them.

Even if they took out the money to the people, the people collected the money, and when they heard that they were asking the magistrate, they immediately ran away with the money!

When Zhu Qi saw the attitude of the people, he became even more convinced that Dingyuan County was clearly the second in Fengyang!

But the people are afraid and unwilling to cooperate. It is difficult to find someone to testify, let alone physical evidence.

Xu Miaoyun next to him had a plan and said to Zhu Qi:

"Young Master, since the people don't want to say it, then let's take the initiative. There are few foreign merchants in Dingyuan County, so there must be a reason. We might as well start a foreign merchant and go around the county town. I think there will be some rewards."

Zhu Qi was stunned and clapped his hands. This is a good idea!

He then looked at Gao Jin, who was tall and strong, and asked:

"Can you sell cooked cakes?"

"ah?"

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Chapter completed!