Ma Laifu's brows froze in fright, and he frowned tightly, saying in disbelief: "This is impossible, Si Bao, you can't talk nonsense."
With that, he tore open the butter cake and said kindly to the little guy: "Sibao, uncle, can you help you tear the cake?"
"OK."
Little Si Bao obediently came to him and waited for him to tear the cake into pieces and feed it into his mouth.
Unexpectedly, the elder and the younger got along so well. Chu Nanzhi was just astonished when he heard Ma Laifu ask with a smile: "Sibao, when you passed by your uncle's house, did you see the deer that uncle prepared for you?"
Meat?"
Si Bao nodded: "Yes, Grandpa Ma also stewed a deer leg for the county magistrate and all of us to eat."
"What, that old guy?"
Malaifu was so angry that he was about to curse, but then he thought that it was his uncle who wanted to curry favor with officials in the county, and the cow that had just been slaughtered at home could not be noticed.
Anyway, it was brought to the Chu family, but it was an advantage to the guards.
Listening to the conversation between the two, Chu Nanzhi suddenly thought that Ma Laifu had just said that there might be something wrong with the salt in the food, and immediately interrupted him: "Laifu, why do you think there is something wrong with the salt in the food?"
"There are so many people and there are officials from the court. Yi Cheng is so brave that he doesn't dare to poison. Sister Zhi thinks it's not the pot, so it can only be the salt."
Ma Laifu's expression was a little serious. He looked at the couple intently and explained in detail:
"This Haikang County is no better than Luyan Port. Because it is close to the seaside, it is also a salt-producing area. I heard from my uncle that before families dug fish ponds, they could not catch a few fish in the river or sea in a year.
There was little land for farming, so each family focused on digging wells and boiling salt to support the whole family."
After a pause, he immediately changed the subject: "But the methods of making salt are all uneven, especially in recent years after the Salt Iron was officially established, the government banned sea salt drying grounds and sealed many unqualified salt wells.
"In order to survive, there are still many desperate people who open salt wells privately and process private salt. You can even find some private salt dealers near the sea salt field."
"Oh, private salt is being processed under the nose of the government, but the government doesn't care?"
Chu Nanzhi is well aware of the importance of ancient salt and iron to government tax revenue. It is unbelievable that since they have a monopoly, they can still sit idly by and ignore these private salt dealers.
Ma Laifu curled his lips angrily: "No, of course we have to. They impose a salt tax on these private salt dealers. The salt tax is too high, and well salt is already more expensive than sea salt. Naturally, salt dealers can only make salt in the salt industry."
The method is opportunistic. In the past, people could not trust the salt sold by the government, but now everyone is frightened when they hear that it is private salt, and no one dares to buy it."
Chu Nanzhi thought and nodded: "Listening to what you said, it is indeed possible."
"you do not say."
Malaifu replied: "I have sneaked to the salt wells of those private salt dealers on the Sanghai coast before. The conditions are really simple. When there is waterlogging, many salt wells are filled with seawater. The salt produced has an astringent and bitter taste. Now
Some people have even found a way to sell this crude private salt to the Salt Road Yamen. Now everyone doesn’t know whose salt is good and whose salt is bad, so it is common to have a bad stomach.”
Hearing this, Lin Jinxiao couldn't help but show deep worry in his eyes, and he could faintly feel the great instability in the people's hearts here.
Although the management rights of Salt and Iron are in the hands of the government, the production still relies on the salt people. The salt people would rather take risks and sell private salt that has been deeply squeezed than produce salt for the government. This shows that the government has no regard for the salt people.
The depth of the squeeze.
As his thoughts flowed, he suddenly thought of the murdered Prime Minister Zhu. He looked at Ma Laifu solemnly and asked slowly: "How much do you know about Prime Minister Zhu?"
Since it is a salt problem, whether it is sea salt or well salt, if there is any problem, one or two meals will not kill you. It may not take a day or two to solve it, but the death of Zhu Xiancheng is an urgent problem to be solved.
He and Chu Nanzhi have different ways of thinking about problems. They like to get to the point directly, while Chu Nanzhi always starts by making subtle subtleties and slowly looking for clues.
Hearing him mention Zhu County Cheng, Ma Laifu couldn't help but show admiration: "He is a rare good official, he is righteous, and he is willing to sympathize with us lower-class people. I often interact with him at my uncle's house and take him around the county."
Checked."
Bringing the topic to this point, Lin Jinxiao did not continue to ask. Instead, he looked at Chu Nanzhi with gentle eyes and said pointedly: "I will go see Mr. Hu and ask about their situation. You and Lai
Fu, please have a good chat about Zhu County Cheng."
These days, he finally understood that his wife was addicted to investigating crimes. Since he couldn't stop what she wanted to do, he might as well give in to her and silently support her.
Chu Nanzhi saw him getting up and leaving. For some reason, the cold and aloof figure made her feel warm inside.
Seeing Lin Jinxiao disappear from his sight, Chu Nanzhi gradually regained consciousness and continued to think about the case.
Searching for clues from Zhu Xian Cheng was also part of her plan, otherwise she would not have seized his relics, but as far as the current progress is concerned, she has not reached that point yet.
Since Lin Jinxiao started this topic, Chu Nanzhi followed suit and asked: "How is the relationship between Zhu County Cheng and these officials in the county government? Laifu, do you know some of these things?"
"Well, although I have never been an official, the twists and turns in the process are all the same. Overtly one thing is another thing secretly."
Malaifu said with a wry smile full of irony: "An official who always works for the welfare of the poor people, and he is new to the county government, how can he be so good with these veteran officials in the county government? He is not openly respectful but secretly jealous."
"You know this world very well."
Chu Nanzhi looked at his mature and solemn look, and couldn't help but laugh. Suddenly she thought of the relics she had taken away, and signaled: "Let's go to Zhu County Prime Minister's room to have a look."
"Okay, Sister Zhi, I know the room where Master Zhu lives. I will take you there."
"good."
Ma Laifu stood up happily, pulled Si Bao out and ordered: "Si Bao, uncle will take you out to play, but you have to promise uncle not to touch things randomly."
"Well, Uncle Laifu, I know, my mother-in-law said that if other people's things are damaged, they will be compensated."
Xiao Sibao answered obediently and looked at Chu Nanzhi with a smile.
"Well, our four treasures are always the most well-behaved."
Chu Nanzhi happily bent down and touched Si Bao's little head, and followed him out.
As soon as they came downstairs, they saw Kang Mingyuan and Tan Miao leading a group of government officials blocking the door. Lin Jinxiao and Hu Maoxi were sitting at attention, listening to Kang Mingyuan scold Yi Cheng.
Chu Nanzhi strolled over and approached a few people. Hu Maoxi couldn't hold it in any longer and hurriedly got up and ran outside without caring about his official dignity in front of everyone.
Kang Mingyuan looked at how embarrassed the government officials and even the county magistrates in Luyan Port were in the county's post house. He rubbed his hands anxiously, then glared at Yi Cheng angrily and shouted loudly: "Tan Yi Cheng, you
If you don't investigate the matter thoroughly today, I will definitely kill you."