The morning court had just ended, and the courtiers, dragging their long shadows drawn by the rising sun, strolled out of the palace in groups. Cheng Shilang walked a few steps quickly to catch up with Mu Anzhi.
The carriage was shaking slightly, and Cheng Shilang reported to Mu Anzhi the progress of the jade case in the past few days. A ray of summer wind blew the gauze curtains, and Mu Anzhi narrowed his eyes in contentment, and praised without hesitation, "It's faster than I expected.
Mr. Cheng is truly a talented person!"
Cheng Shilang smiled bitterly, "We are encountering a difficult problem right now, and we have to ask His Highness to help him come up with an idea."
Mu Anzhi's eyes slowly glanced at Cheng Shilang, "Why is it so difficult?"
It's definitely not a trivial matter that can embarrass a minister.
Cheng Shilang said, "The list of jade merchants related to the Zhou family's business is now available, but the jade merchants have not yet handed over their account books. They seem to be in a lot of difficulties. Yesterday Li Dong's family from Jin Yuxuan came to my place to talk about it.
There are many words of pleading, and I would like to report this matter to His Highness Chen in person."
Mu Anzhi knew that Cheng Shilang was always on the safe side, so he still asked lightly, "Which merchant has such a great reputation?"
The corners of his pale lips were slightly raised, he looked at Mr. Cheng and said, "I come directly to your door like this, and the person's surname is Li. I guess it is related to Li Shangshu."
"To say that the identity is somewhat related, he is the nephew of Lord Shangshu. If the Li Dong family were alone, I would not dare to disturb His Highness. In fact, it is the Li Dong family who jointly requested the letter from the valley, and I would not dare to ignore it."
Mu Anzhi narrowed his eyes, chuckled, and patted Minister Cheng's hand, "That's it. Let's do it the day after tomorrow."
Shilang Cheng couldn't help but smile at Mu Anzhi's deeply approving laughter. His cheeks were slightly hot and he replied, "Yes."
The carriage stopped smoothly, and the waiter's voice came from outside the carriage, "Your Highness's Yamen has arrived."
Li Dong's family went to the Ministry of Justice wearing the uniform of a fifth-rank official that day. They went to the Yamen early in the morning to wait for a meeting. Huan Li saw his post and asked, "Why are you here, sir?"
Li Dongjia shook the broad sleeves of his official uniform and said, "Your Highness has summoned me, so I dare not not arrive early." Seeing that Huan Li was not wearing official uniform, he thought he was a respectable servant beside Mu Anzhi, and with a flick of his wrist, he was
A thin silver note landed in Huan Li's hand without leaving a trace. Huan Li was stunned. Li Dongjia already squeezed Huan Li's hand affectionately and said with a smile, "I need you to pass it on, sir."
Huan Li held the banknote in hand, took the post from Li Dong's house, and returned to the check-in room with stiff steps.
After all the official documents were sorted out one by one and the Li Dong family's posts were pressed to the end, Juan Lifang carried Huan Lifang to Mu Anzhi's house.
Mu Anzhi was tending a pot of roses in the house when he saw Huan Li come in and said, "Come and take a look, they are about to bloom again."
Rose is easy to take care of, not to mention Mu Anzhi is so caring. Huan Li went over to praise Rose a few times and said with a smile, "I have been working as an errand for His Highness for so long, and today I can be considered a bribe."
"Who is so discerning as to bribe you?" Mu Anzhi asked with a smile.
Huan Li took out the banknote and presented it with both hands. Mu Anzhi took it and looked at it, and immediately laughed out loud.
Huan Li poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip slowly, "Although it's a small amount, it's still money."
Twenty taels of money!
Mu Anzhi shook up the banknotes in his hand and laughed again, "An Li, you have to treat us this noon. Look at Old Du Laohua and the others. They are not as proud as you. They have never seen a single copper."
After laughing for a while, Mu Anzhifang asked, "Where did this Leng Tou Qing come from?"
"My surname is Li, a man with the false title of Fifth-Rank Fellow, said that His Highness summoned him."
"Ignore it for now and wait until the serious matters are dealt with."
This Li Tongzhi was so generous, and he must be used to using money to clear the way. How could Huan Li not help him? He turned around and gave instructions to his subordinates.
Although the Li Dong family did not see His Highness the Third Highness for a while, they did not suffer any aggrievement. He sometimes brought tea and sometimes water, and flattered him much more thoughtfully than others.
After a while, Li Dongjia also noticed that there were always different people delivering tea and water, and he always had to take care of something when he saw a new face. So, in one morning, he went out with a small two-hundred-dollar bill.
However, Li Dong's family won't care about these small amounts of money. After all, he is here to do big things today.
It wasn't until evening that Mu Anzhi took some time to see Li Dong's family.
Mr. Cheng stood by the side.
What Mu Anzhi placed next to him was the jade merchant's joint request letter that Cheng Shilang had presented earlier.
Xiao Yi stood on the other side with his head lowered.
Huan Li responded respectfully, "Your Highness, Li Tongzhi has arrived."
Li Dong's family felt that the atmosphere was solemn and there was an indescribable invisible pressure. He did not dare to raise his head, took two steps forward, lifted the hem of his robe, knelt down and said, "I, Li Dong, pay homage to Your Highness and pay my respects to Your Highness."
Mu Anzhi waved his finger, and Xiao Yi said loudly, "Get up——"
Li Dong lowered his head and stood up.
Mu Anzhi's first question was to Minister Cheng, "Is this the Li Dong family you mentioned to me?"
It was also the first time for Cheng Shilang to see Mu Anzhi put on a show, and he couldn't help but become more respectful, "Yes, Your Highness."
Mu Anzhi tapped the businessman's joint request letter with his fingers and asked Li Dong, "What do you want to say to His Highness?"
Li Dong, who used to be eloquent and able to intimidate and lure Cheng Shilang, suddenly lost his previous intelligence. He said to himself that the majesty of His Highness the Prince was indeed extraordinary, and tried to force out a grimace. Li Dong cried, "Your Highness, little people
It’s unjust!”
After Li Dong cried, the room was quiet and a pin drop could be heard. Mu Anzhi did not speak, and Cheng Shilang and others naturally did not speak. Li Dong's face turned red with embarrassment, and he said in a loud voice, "Little people are really good at doing business."
It’s not easy. We are not the Zhou family’s accomplices, but actually the Zhou family’s victims.”
After crying, no one said anything. Li Dong knelt down on the ground and kowtowed deeply, "Your Highness, please make the decision for the little people."
After continuing to be silent for a moment, Mu Anzhi asked, "These are the things, right?"
"yes."
Mu Anzhi turned to Minister Cheng, "Who said that the Li Dong family and others were accomplices of the Zhou family?"
Cheng Shilang immediately defended himself, "Can you, Your Highness? I have never said that, and now I am ordering the Li Dong family and others to assist in the investigation. Li Dong family, how did I ever say that you are an accomplice?"
Li Dongjia said quickly, "That's not what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?" Mu Anzhi said with a hint of displeasure in his voice.
Finally, we got to the point. The Li Dong family swallowed nervously, "It is true that the accounts of these years are hard to find. Many of the old accounts are hard to find. Today, the Ministry of Punishment asked us to cooperate with the investigation, but we are powerless. Please be considerate to us, Your Highness."
.”
"The accounts are lost? Can't be found?" Mu Anzhi asked Cheng Shilang, "What should a merchant do if his accounts are lost?"
Mr. Cheng replied with a glance, "The Law of Goods Value clearly stipulates that all commercial accounts must be kept. Once lost, the crime will be severe."
Mu Anzhi nodded, "Let's do it this way."
Li Dongdeng suddenly broke out in sweat, and called out urgently, "Your Highness! It's not easy for a merchant! Your Highness, please be considerate!"
"It's not easy, so you don't have to do it. If you don't do it, there will be people doing this business." Mu Anzhi said coldly, "When I made a lot of money by buying leaky jade at a low price, I didn't see you caring about the court."
He waved his sleeves and Xiao Yi loudly announced, "Stand back!"
Li Dong was dripping with cold sweat and did not dare to say anything more, so he bowed and left.
Li Dong was able to reach out to Mu Anzhi, and Li Yuhua also had a lot of favors.
Zhu Yuejiu was not friendly to many of his business friends. When he went to the government to pay his respects, he privately told Li Yuhua, "I heard that the transporters are jointly refusing to hand over their accounts. Each of them has some backers. This case is personally committed by His Highness."
Judge, this matter is neither big nor small. Since I have heard about it, I have no reason to come back and report it to you."
"I understand what you mean." Li Yuhua said with a smile, "You, the Zhu family, are also famous merchants in the imperial capital. Although you are not in the jade business, you don't necessarily have friends in this field. Since the jade case happened, you have not asked me for help.
Affection."
"His Highness always judges cases fairly and strictly, and no one is wronged in the slightest. Some people ask me to plead for mercy, but I decline." Zhu Yue said sincerely, "There is a family friend who is also involved in the jade case and asks me for advice, but I don't.
If you understand this, you have to ask the empress for advice."
Li Yuhua thought for a while and gave Zhu Yue eight words, "A mantis's arm is like a chariot, and he does not overestimate his own capabilities."
Zhu Yue bowed deeply and said, "The daughter of the people understands."
It seems that the Third Highness is absolutely merciless in this case!
Li Yuhua added, "Give me the list of those joint members."
Zhu Yue's heart skipped a beat, "Yes."
The breeze is blowing, and the green leaves of the wisteria are rustling. The water vapor by the lake brings a hint of coolness.
Two people were lying side by side on the Liangxuan bamboo bed, none other than Mu Anzhi Li Yuhua, who was spending the summer.
Mu Anzhi rested his head on his hand and said with a smile, "It's amazing, your information is better than mine."
"Your news is from the yamen, I'm from the public." Li Yuhua raised his eyebrows proudly, resting his head on Mu Anzhi's arm, "Isn't this case difficult to handle?"
"A bunch of ragtag clowns, there's nothing difficult to do."
"Let me give you an idea," Li Yuhua said, "The person leading this is the shopkeeper of the He family. Doesn't the grandson of the He family happen to be on duty in the Ministry of Justice? If you ask the grandson of the He family to do this job, he will definitely be able to get it done."
"Shopkeeper of the He family?"
Mu Anzhi lay closer, stretched out his arm to wrap around Li Yuhua's slender waist, closed his eyes, and smelled the faint fragrance of roses on Li Yuhua's body, "Isn't it the Li family?"
"No, it's the shopkeeper of the He family who united several jade dealers."
Mu Anzhi's lips curled up with a trace of disdain. He originally thought that Li Dong was just a businessman who was unscrupulous for profit, but now he turned out to be a real villain!
It must be because of that visit that I didn't dare to stand up for myself after that, so I encouraged a fool to do it.
It's hard to find such a stupid person who dares to directly attack the Punishment Department, but there is a shopkeeper of the He family!
He thought that the He family had a different relationship with the royal family, so he asked the He family to slap him in the face!
There is no need for Mu Anzhi to worry about this matter, Cheng Shilang Du Changshi has already arranged it.
So, as soon as he took up his post in the Ministry of Punishment, He Chuanbao, who was favored by the Minister of Justice, went home to collect debts.
The cut jade surface shone with elegant luster. Li Dong inspected the newly arrived batch of jade stones. He was satisfied with both the quality and the price.
"Although this Northern Xinjiang jade is a bit more expensive, it is still of the highest quality."
"This year's jade is expensive but not marketable. It's not because of the boss's reputation, but they can't get such goods even if they double the price." The display cabinet flattered the new tea and asked with concern, "My boss, what about the case?
That’s it.”
Li Dong took a sip of tea and smiled softly, "It's no big deal, we can all follow Shopkeeper He's advance and retreat."
He didn't believe that the old lady of the He family was the direct sister of the current Queen Mother. If His Highness didn't take him seriously, how could he not take the He family seriously either?