"These two big moves in a row are like pulling firewood from the bottom of a cauldron, controlling the entire Longdu material. If you want to sell, you can only go through our appraisal first, and the cost of appraisal is extremely high, so other trading firms have withdrawn one after another.
By this time, we had basically monopolized the entire materials industry.
Then, with his help, he sold a large amount of materials again and suppressed other trading firms. In order to make money, other trading firms had no choice but to cooperate with us. If other trading firms disagreed, Liu Sishan would be able to use his connections with the court to target them.
The goods of the big trading houses were inspected. As time went by, other trading houses obeyed."
"At this time, I became the largest leader of the Onmyoji Association. After monopolizing the materials, we began to monopolize the Onmyoji. At first, many Onmyojis disagreed, but their elixirs could only be sold on consignment at major trading houses.
The big trading houses colluded with us and put their elixirs on the shelves. At this time, Liu Sishan was able to sell elixirs in large quantities. This caused the local Onmyoji in Longdu to
The elixirs cannot be sold. In just two short months, the Onmyoji of Longdu made most of the compromises. In less than a year, he completed what many people could not complete in a lifetime. At that time, I was also very
Shocked, since then, most of Longdu's materials and elixirs have been under our control. Every month, I transfer the association's turnover to his business. As for where the money went, I don't know at all.
"
Zhang Zong finished speaking calmly, and everyone was dumbfounded.
To be able to hoard materials in large quantities requires huge funds, which is not a small amount of money.
I'm afraid, the only ones who can afford it are the well-known aristocratic families.[
Of course, this is not the most critical thing. The most critical thing is where have all the profits gone in the past eleven years?
This is what the emperor fears most.
Because, with this invisible money, some people can do many things, such as arming soldiers and fighting until the end, just to burn money again.
Whoever has more money will usually win.
"How much is the annual turnover of the Onmyoji Association?"
Liu Xia asked curiously.
"I have been personally handling these accounts. There are about more than 40 million taels of silver a year. We keep 4 million as expenses and turn over the rest."
Zhang Zong said.
Immediately, everyone in the hall took a breath of cold air.
In the past few years of the Tianji Dynasty, the weather has been smooth and the world is at peace. The imperial government's annual treasury income is about 200 million taels of silver.
If you and them get 35 million taels of silver a year, in these eleven years, it will be close to 400 million taels of silver.
This is enough to arm an army of half a million people, and it is the best equipment.
No wonder the emperor was so determined.
Even one of the top families in the Tianji Dynasty might not be able to get this money at once.
"Then other trading houses have been enduring your exploitation since then?"
Dabao suddenly asked.
"That's not true. After a year of suppression, other commercial banks also started to fight back. However, I don't know how Liu Sishan handled it. By the end of the second year, these commercial banks all cooperated with us."
Zhang Zong said.
"Liu Sixan has great hands and eyes. He can ask the officials to seize their goods constantly, and naturally he can also give benefits to those trading houses to make them obey. They are just doing business, and they don't have to fight you with real swords and guns. Moreover, after
The materials you appraise, the major commercial houses plus a higher price, they will make enough profit. Anyway, the materials from outside are circulating and cannot be sold. They are not worried. The only ones who are suffering are the Onmyojis of Longdu."
[
Liu Xia explained.
After saying that, the hall fell into silence.
This business involves too many people.
The first was the officials who were responsible for seizing the goods of major commercial houses at that time. They definitely got enough benefits.
However, it has been ten years since now, and the officialdom of Longdu has been changing, and those officials may have been transferred from their posts long ago.
However, we can only start here first, and then start from major commercial banks to see if there are any clues.
"Everyone, we divided our troops into three groups. Dabao and Liu Liansheng went to check the Changyun Trading Company to see if there were any other clues. Caiwei and I went to the Ministry of Personnel to check the officials' files. As for Song Hanxing and others,
Follow my instructions and invite Zheng Shaokun, the commander of the Tianyu Guards, to come to our place for tea. If he dares to resist, he will be killed without mercy."
Liu Xia said calmly.
Everyone immediately clasped their fists and said, "No."
Afterwards, everyone got up and left.
Liu Xia then arrived at the Ministry of Personnel with fifty imperial guards.
After passing the news, what Liu Xia didn't expect was that the Minister of Civil Affairs actually came out to greet him in person, and treated Liu Xia with great respect.
Hearing what Liu Xia was going to do, the entire staff was so cooperative that Liu Xia couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
Although it was the will of the Holy One, the attitude of these officials was very humble.
Immediately, Zhang Hengbing, the Minister of Rites, invited Liu Xia to the lobby, hurriedly reviewed the files from eleven years ago, and personally ordered people to read the inspectors.
Let Liu Xia and Caiwei wait on one side serving tea.
"Master Zhang, just let me come in person for such a small matter. Isn't this disturbing your work?"
Liu Xia smiled awkwardly.
"Your Majesty, you're welcome. After today's morning court meeting, His Majesty issued an order to have all the ministries in Longdu fully cooperate with Your Majesty and thoroughly investigate the case. We will act as ordered and we won't dare to be a bit negligent. Please don't be polite, Your Majesty."
"Is it an order?"
Liu Xia asked curiously.
"Your Majesty, you still don't know?"[
Wang Hengbin asked hurriedly and quietly.
Liu Xia shook his head blankly.
"His Majesty's decree requires all ministries in Longdu to cooperate fully. It also states that no one is allowed to intercede for those involved in the case, otherwise they will be killed without mercy."
Wang Hengbin said softly.
Liu Xia was stunned and couldn't help being surprised.
The emperor knew in his heart that many of the royal family and nobles would be framed in this case, so he issued a decree in advance. This was to fully support Liu Xi in supervising the handling of the case.
Then Liu Xia, what else is there to be afraid of?
With the imperial edict, these people were indeed very efficient in their work. In less than a quarter of an hour, all the officials who were on duty in Longdu were listed.
The official who could seize the goods of the caravan was Song Tiandao, the commander of Longdu Tiankui Guard.
Of course, there is also the Metropolitan Procuratorate of today’s Grand Duke.
When Liu Xia saw this, he couldn't help but frown.
The Tiankui Guard is the armed force that protects the capital, and has been held by successive Prince Rui.
They are responsible for outer city defense, public security, fire protection and other work.
Naturally, they have the right to seize and inspect the goods of major trading houses.
"Is this case related to Prince Rui?"
Liu Xia murmured in her heart.
Today's Prince Rui is Lingling's father, the son of Lord Duan of Longdu. Liu Xia heard that he is kind-hearted and upright, and is very favored by the emperor.
He has a lot of troops in his hands. If he is the mastermind behind this, it will be too troublesome.
"Master Wang, where is Song Tiandao now?"
Liu Xia asked curiously.
"Uh, back to the prince. This Lord Song has already served his country ten years ago."
"Dead?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, during the Southeast China Sea Battle ten years ago, Mr. Song's hometown was there. He begged your Majesty many times to let him send troops to protect his family and country. Your Majesty let him go. He died in battle not long after. Your Majesty paid you back at that time.
I feel very sorry for it and rewarded the Song family very much."
"I see, I'd like to ask Master Shangshu to copy a list for me."
“Easy to handle.”
Immediately, Wang Shangshu hurriedly asked people to sort out the arrangements.
After a while, it was handed over to Liu Xia.
Afterwards, Liu Xia exchanged greetings with him, then came out of the official department and headed towards the palace.
This was still a clue, but it was broken.
The composition of Tiankuiwei is very complex.
Among them, many important generals are held by descendants of well-involved families.
Although a large number of military officials have been replaced in recent years, most of them are descendants of the family.
Many descendants of the family started their official career here, so it is difficult to judge whether Prince Rui has anything to do with this case.
However, if he was an accomplice who led people to seize the goods of other trading houses and sent them to Tian Dao, it is impossible for Prince Rui not to know about such a big news.
The Song family in the south of the Yangtze River is also one of the famous families in the Dragon Soul Continent.
But this does not mean that the Song family has problems.
Really confused.
Back at the palace, Dabao and the others had all returned.
"Any clues?"
Liu Xia asked.
"Forget it, when we arrived, the Changyun Trading Firm was already empty. We asked the nearby merchants and they said that everyone in the firm had left since the afternoon when we made a big fuss about the Onmyoji Association.
"
"My subordinates have already sent a notice to Shuntian Mansion to apprehend everyone in Changyun Trading Company. They only left for one night and will not go very far. If they are captured, there may be clues."
Liu Liansheng and Dabao said.
When Liu Xia heard this, he sighed.
"Brother, why are you sighing? If you ask those who captured you, you will know something about them. How far can they run away after just one night?"
Dabao asked puzzledly.
"There's no need to look for it. It's probably a corpse that I found. Has Zheng Shaokun captured it?"
Liu Xia said calmly.
"It has been brought back. He is very cooperative. The emulsion is waiting in the side hall."
Song Hanxing said.
"Okay, Caiwei and I will interrogate him. You go to Shuntian Mansion and wait. It is estimated that the bodies of those clerks and shopkeepers will be found soon. At that time, you will lead the imperial guards to seal off the scene. Maybe there will be any clues that can help.
turn up."
Liu Xi instructed.
When Dabao and others heard this, they couldn't help but be stunned.
Liu Xia was right. Changyun Trading Company was the key to the entire case. The enemy was obviously a master of strategy, so naturally he would not leave any evidence.
If it was just a small fuss, these people might be able to survive. But now that the emperor is personally supervising this case, it is estimated that they must die.
Immediately, Dabao took the people and left the palace.
"You wait outside the door for a while and use your mind-reading skills to serve me. I'll go get a confession and see if I can find any valuable clues."
Liu Xia said.
"Don't worry, senior brother, this is my specialty."
Caiwei smiled excitedly and ran away jumping up and down.