Having money can make the devil push the mill; having money can make the mill push the ghost.
In this world, money can solve 99% of problems.
Ziguangshe acted very quickly. After Zhang Yuelu paid, they found out the locations of all the warehouses of Nanyang United Trading Company the next day.
There are a total of twenty-eight warehouses. Among them, there are seven large warehouses, six of which are located in the port area. They are mainly used for the transfer of bulk goods, with frequent entry and exit. The other large warehouse is located near the headquarters of Nanyang United Trading Company, which is mainly used for storage.
Some valuable goods that are not easily sold.
There are also twelve medium-sized warehouses and nine small warehouses, which are relatively scattered and not concentrated in a certain location. It is not a problem to hide hundreds of people in small warehouses, but these two are more suspicious.
Ziguangshe only placed one member within the Nanyang United Trading Company, who served as the chief secretary of a senior manager. He did not know much about slaves. It would take time to verify the specific location of the slaves.
Zhang Yuelu's thinking is very clear. There is no need to investigate normal trade. Buying and selling slaves is against Taoist laws. As long as the warehouse where slaves are imprisoned is found, there will be evidence. Then people can be sent to the Nanyang United Trading Company to carry out a comprehensive investigation.
Through investigation, we can always catch the flaws of Nanyang United Trading Company, and then we will investigate all the way along this line, pulling out the carrots and bringing out the mud.
This is what happens when winds and waves happen. Whoever falls into the water first or last will not be spared.
In addition, there is an underground auction house inside Lion City. Since there is the word "underground", it is obvious that this is an illegal auction house, which is completely different from the bidding held by Daomen.
This underground auction house also sells people. However, the boss behind it is not Nanyang United Trading Company, but "Tian Ting". Although "Tian Ting" has always been Taiping Dao's private army, in fact Taiping Dao cannot be completely
Can control the "Tianting". Just like Zhang Yuelu has to pay a fee to mobilize the Ziguang Society, the "Tianting" is completely a local emperor in Nanyang. It can do whatever it wants. It dares to kill people but dare not sell people? As long as it makes money,
Everything can be sold. In fact, the Li family may not be willing to take care of the affairs of the "Tianting". Expecting a group of pirates to abide by the Taoist precepts? It is simply a fantasy. As long as the "Tianting" obeys the orders of Taiping Dao and cooperates with Taiping Dao
action, and the rest is left to chance.
Zhang Yuelu suspected that Nanyang United Trading Company was one of the suppliers of this underground auction house, so she planned to go to the auction house to have a look in person.
However, such places generally only accept regular customers and implement a member recommendation system. You must be recommended by a formal member before you can join.
Faces cannot enter in a short period of time. Fortunately, Yuheng Star Master is a member, and a senior member, so she can bring people in.
Star Master Yuheng does not buy people. The auction house does not only sell people, but also sells other things. It has everything, but the origin may not be so legitimate. It can also be said that this is one of the places where stolen goods are sold in the "Heavenly Court". Yuheng
Star owners like to buy some weird and weird things here, and the price is about 20 to 30% cheaper than normal channels.
As for why Dao Sect doesn't ban this kind of place, we can only say that Dao Sect is not omnipotent. This is not the Central Plains. Without the cooperation of the imperial power, it is complicated and mixed. Dao Sect is really powerless.
After Zhang Yuelu made this request, Star Master Yuheng did not object. She had to go there every few days anyway, and she had just received 20,000 Taiping money, so she couldn't let it go bad.
Lion City is divided into five areas. Let’s not talk about the southeast port area. It is the busiest area, with a large number of ships and goods coming in and out every day. The central area is the most prosperous, including Nanting Protectorate, Taiping Bank, Taiping Inn,
The Taoist Palace, the headquarters of Nanyang United Trading Company, the branch of Xibosuzhou Company, etc. are all located here. The southwest area is where the military port barracks are located, the northeast area is where local residents are, and the northwest area is the most chaotic, with a mixture of fish and dragons, filled with all kinds of people, thieves, and cults.
Monsters, liars, pirates, ruffians, gamblers and drunkards. The people of "Tianting" are mainly concentrated in this area.
When Qi Xuansu came over for inspection, all the local gangsters in the northwest district issued urgent orders. No one was allowed to cause trouble during this period. Everyone should restrain themselves. If anyone accidentally disturbed or bumped into Qi's banquet, he would be waiting for a seat in the seabed.
Well, or as fertilizer for rubber forests.
This is also the charm of power.
If Qi Xuansu was just an immeasurable heavenly being, then when he came to the Lion City, he would at most add some fun things to talk about after dinner, which would not cause much shock. But when he came to the Lion City as the second deputy palace master on behalf of the Taoist sect, he could
Let the huge Lion City be silent.
Who can resist such charm?
The underground auction house of "Tian Ting" is in the northwest district.
If Zhang Yuelu goes there alone, it cannot be said that there is any danger. After all, Zhang Yuelu will definitely get into trouble due to his level of cultivation. The most indispensable thing in the northwest region is people who have no eyesight. It will be different if he follows the Yuheng Star Master.
, the Lord of Yuheng Star has been in the Lion City for many years
, is considered one of the local snakes, known as "Master Jade" or "Mrs. Jade", and no one dares to provoke him.
A black four-wheeled carriage with a rather Western style drove into the northwest district. Wind chimes were hung on the four corners of the carriage. They kept ringing as the carriage moved forward. When people on the street heard the wind chimes, they knew that this was Madam Jade's carriage.
, one after another gave way.
If they collided with Madam Jade, the people from the "Heavenly Court" would throw them into the sea to feed the fish without Madam Jade taking action.
Nothing else, because Mrs. Yu is a big customer of "Tian Ting", and "Tian Ting" also knows how to make big customers feel comfortable.
Only Star Master Yuheng and Zhang Yuelu were in the carriage, while Ke Qingqing was left by Zhang Yuelu to handle some official business.
Star Master Yuheng is still the same as before, with his legs crossed and his body tilted, holding a glass of red wine in his hand. While drinking, he introduced the situation of this underground auction house to Zhang Yuelu. "According to my observation, the income from the slave business accounts for this amount."
It accounts for about 40% of the total revenue of the auction house, which is quite a large amount. However, unlike the coolie slaves of the West Borneo Company, which often employs hundreds or even thousands of people, the slaves here mainly win by quality, which is to put it bluntly, appearance.
, most of them are female slaves, and there are also a small number of male slaves.”
Zhang Yuelu's expression did not change at all, and he did not show any indignation or hatred, which made Yuheng Star Master a little disappointed.
Star Master Yuheng continued, "Actually, there are not many slaves in the Central Plains. Firstly, they are on the territory of the Taoist sect and they dare not go too far. Secondly, the Taoist sect's supervision is too strict, so they can only rely on deception and it is difficult to rob them by force. However,
There are many disputes in the Western countries, and there are quite a lot of Western slaves. Many people want to eat fresh food. If you are lucky and meet a down-and-out noble lady with a so-called noble title, the price can be doubled.
.”
Zhang Yuelu glanced at the face of Star Master Yuheng that clearly had Western ancestry.
Star Master Yuheng didn't care, "Yes, my biological mother was a slave girl, and she was a down-and-out noble lady. My father spent a total of 2,300 peacetime money to buy her, and she gave birth to a child."
Me, but my status is only slightly higher than that of a slave. That’s why I am sincerely grateful to the True Lord. If it weren’t for the True Lord’s mercy, I can’t imagine what I would be like now.”
Zhang Yuelu said softly, "Sorry."
Star Master Yuheng smiled and said, "It's not a big deal. That happened decades ago. My father and my mother are no longer alive. Even I have become an old woman. These things
I have already looked away."
Just when the two of them were talking
At that time, the carriage stopped in front of a magnificent building - it was said to be an underground auction house, but in fact it was not built underground, but on the ground. It was very ostentatious, and it was almost one of the landmark buildings in the Northwest District.
This building is as high as five stories, covering a huge area, and it looks like it was created by "Tian Ting", because it has a unique "Chinese and Western" beauty, just like Wu Guangbi's dress at the end of the avenue.
There are Chinese-style cornices and Western-style columns. On the cornices stands a brave man from the Central Plains, and the columns are carved with mermaids. The door is a Chinese-style eight-door, and the windows are stained glass windows from a Western church. There are high thresholds unique to the Central Plains, and
Learning from the West has laid out a red carpet.
All in all, it's hard to describe.
Although the weather in Nanyang is always humid and hot, and it is even more like a furnace in summer, Zhang Yuelu still put on a thick cloak, covered his face with a hood, and followed the Yuheng Star Lord out of the carriage.
Star Master Yuheng walked in front, Zhang Yuelu trailed half a step behind, as if he was her follower.
The steward of the auction house has already welcomed him out - this is not a treatment that all guests can enjoy, only senior members like Yuheng Star Master can enjoy it. The steward is flattering and humble, almost bending down to lead the way.
Star Master Yuheng asked with a smile, "I heard that your leader is back. Is this true?"
"Madam, you are really well-informed," the steward said, "The leader of the road has indeed returned to Nanyang, but we little people have no chance to see him. However, I heard that there is also a nobleman of the Li family traveling with him."
Star Master Yuheng nodded, without asking any more questions, and asked, "Are there any good things today?"
In underground auction houses, "goods" generally refer to slaves, while "objects" refer to other things.
The steward was startled and then said, "Why did Madam ask about this today? You have never touched this in the past."
Star Master Yuheng said casually, "I have a maid who ran away with a wild man. Even if she gets her back, she will be killed, so I want to find a little girl to fill the vacancy."
The steward suddenly said, "Madam, don't worry, of course there are some. A batch of new goods just arrived a few days ago. They are all of the best quality. I guarantee that madam will be satisfied."
Under the leadership of the steward, Star Master Yuheng and Zhang Yuelu came to a private room on the second floor. The first and second floors of the auction house were connected. The structure was like a Western arena, so the private room on the second floor could
Have a clear view of the first floor.
Zhang Yuelu took off his hood and came to the floor-to-ceiling glass window.