Chapter 533: Leaving Yangzhou

Cao Bang looked at Huang Changzong, and the expression on his face immediately turned grave.

He naturally understood what Huang Changzong meant. The moment Chen Hong had followed them out, he had already sensed something was wrong; now that Huang Changzong explained it, everything became clear.

Obviously, the Emperor could not say such things himself—he could only have his subordinates say them.

He had originally thought the matter was over, but he never expected there would be such a twist. Still, spending some money was no big deal; taking money out of the family coffers was hardly a loss. If it had to be given, then give it.

Huang Changzong, standing to one side, watched Cao Bang's expression shift continuously and thought he was reluctant to part with the money.

Huang Changzong hurriedly urged him with earnest counsel: "Brother Cao, you must not be reluctant. Those are merely worldly possessions. As long as you keep a useful body intact, there is no worry that you won't gather wealth again one day. Didn't Li Bai say it? Heaven gave me talents and I use them; a thousand in gold scattered comes back to me again. As long as we keep our useful selves, what is money but a trifle? Don't take it to heart—we'll have plenty of chances to earn in the future."

"Brother Huang need not persuade me." Cao Bang smiled and nodded, saying, "I understand this principle well enough. This outcome is already very good. Being able to keep what I have now is the best possible result. If I had ended up like the Han family, I would have nothing at all."

"Though I do love money, I also know it cannot be clutched in one's hands forever. I will go back and immediately take inventory, then hand the money over. I hope Brother Huang will put in a good word for me before His Majesty."

Hearing this, Huang Changzong was finally relieved. He nodded and said, "That's no problem. But for this matter, you still need to find someone to cooperate with you. I'm not suitable—I need to avoid suspicion. Later I'll discuss it with Eunuch Chen and see if they can send someone to assist you with the inventory. We'll say your manpower is insufficient and you need help."

Cao Bang also understood—this was a way for the court to supervise him without leaving any handle to be seized. He could only request their help himself; he could not say he was inviting supervision.

Cao Bang nodded and said with a smile, "That's certainly no problem."

"Very well, then let it be so," Huang Changzong said.

Meanwhile, inside the Lichun Brothel.

Zhu Youxiao stretched his body. These past days spent in the Lichun Brothel had indeed been soft jade and warm fragrance—a rare time of leisure.

But Zhu Youxiao knew it was time to get moving again. If he continued to stay at this point, things outside would likely start stirring up again.

Glancing at Chen Hong approaching from outside, Zhu Youxiao said, "Make preparations. We leave Yangzhou today. We'll return tomorrow or the day after."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong hurriedly acknowledged.

This departure would naturally be done in silence. But when he returned, it could not be in silence—then it would be the Emperor arriving in person. Those who should welcome would welcome, those who should tremble would tremble, and those who should confess their crimes would confess.

Just as Zhu Youxiao was preparing to leave Yangzhou, word had already spread throughout the city.

First the Han family was arrested, then the Ye family was arrested—it utterly shook the entire city of Yangzhou.

The middle and lower classes might not feel it as keenly, but unease was already spreading. As for those at the very top, they were scared out of their wits. Everyone was frantically probing for information, desperate to know what on earth had happened.

Especially as events gradually became clearer: the Yangzhou Prefect was arrested, the Yangzhou Transport Commissioner Chen Zhenglin was also arrested, and in the following days, more than forty officials of various ranks throughout Yangzhou were seized—even people from the Imperial Academy were taken.

Grand Secretary Xu Guangqi, sent by the court, took command in person; Chen Sihai of the Office of Transmission arrested people everywhere; the Embroidered Uniform Guard was also making arrests. The whole city of Yangzhou was gripped by fear.

But at this time, there were also measures to steady the people's hearts.

The Imperial Household Department sent large numbers of people into Yangzhou and began recruiting workers on a massive scale throughout the city, raising wages above what the Han and Ye families had paid and offering unprecedented hiring terms.

Talk of "eating from the government's rice bowl" and "iron rice bowls" spread like wildfire. In short, Yangzhou presented a picture of ice and fire coexisting.

The Imperial Household Department was also purchasing goods in Yangzhou on a large scale, offering very high prices.

One must understand—the Imperial Household Department was now a colossus whose distribution network spanned the entire nation. With such logistics, their business became far more convenient and swift, and they were short of every kind of goods. Whether selling to Joseon or to the northwest, the profits were enormous.

Originally Zhu Youxiao had not allowed the Imperial Household Department to expand aggressively, but now he could.

Before such capital as the Imperial Household Department's, even the merchants of Jiangnan were crushed without a moment's hesitation.

Apart from collusion between officials and merchants and apart from the salt merchants, the business environment of Jiangnan could be said to be extremely poor. The monopoly created by the salt merchants was overwhelming—small merchants from various regions simply could not do business; even if they did, they were mere appendages of the salt merchants. Any other trade that turned a profit, the salt merchants would stick their fingers into as well.

Now things were different. The Imperial Household Department only purchased; it did not meddle in operations. After the salt merchants fell, the business environment of Jiangnan instead presented a very lively scene—everyone felt they could go all out and get rich.

Just at this moment, another piece of news reached Yangzhou: the Emperor was about to grace the city with his presence.

In an instant, the whole of Yangzhou was thrown into turmoil, and everyone waited for the Emperor's arrival.

On the day Zhu Youxiao arrived in Yangzhou, the city gates were opened—but still, one could enter and not leave.

As for the city's supply of goods, there was naturally no problem. The Imperial Household Department had mustered boats and carts to deliver large quantities of supplies into the city. Keeping Yangzhou supplied was no issue, and as long as no one hoarded goods, it could hold out for a long time.

Would anyone dare to hoard goods at a time like this?

The answer was no.

The fall of the Han and Ye families heralded the elimination of Yangzhou's entire upper stratum. The great merchants were finished; no one dared to hoard goods. Small and medium merchants were busy liaising with the Imperial Household Department, hoping to grab a share of its massive orders.

The Imperial Household Department, which had been purchasing, now felt the pace was too slow and wanted to switch to placing custom orders.

In an instant, the entire commercial scene of Yangzhou was in turbulent flux.

After entering Yangzhou, Zhu Youxiao went straight to stay at the Yangzhou Prefectural Office.

The others dispersed to various places throughout the city.

All at once, the entire city of Yangzhou became cautious and wary.

The street ruffians were gone, the shady characters had vanished, even the shouting from the brothels had quieted considerably, and the gambling dens had lost their former clamor. Many gambling houses even chose to shut their doors, terrified that someone might come knocking on theirs.

Zhu Youxiao paid this no mind at all.

After the Emperor arrived in Yangzhou, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Office of Transmission grew bolder in their actions and began stepping up arrests.

Beyond the city itself, the tentacles of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Office of Transmission had already reached outward, making arrests on a large scale in the surrounding areas.

The Yangzhou Prefectural Office also posted notices announcing that it would accept complaints from the common people—regardless of who was accused or who filed the suit. After the charges were examined, all offenders would be severely punished without exception or leniency.

If farmland had been seized, it would all be returned with compensation—no matter whose family was involved.

Zhu Youxiao had stirred things up so greatly in Yangzhou that the city, which had been gripped by panic, actually calmed somewhat under these policies.

At the same time, the various people who had been planted in advance now made their grand appearances.

All the misdeeds of the arrested families like the Han and Ye clans were dragged into the light—how they had committed every kind of wickedness, how they had been guilty of the most heinous crimes. One by one, item by item, it was all laid out.

This was Zhu Youxiao's method of winning people's hearts. To put it plainly, while he was in Yangzhou, no one dared to make trouble. But once he left, someone might spread rumors about him and say all sorts of nonsense.

That would harm Zhu Youxiao's standing with the people. He had waited this long before acting precisely because he wanted not only to tear things down but also to maintain and build as much as possible.

Now that these salt merchants of Yangzhou had been arrested, he needed to restore confidence to the city.

If the people lost trust in the court, if they came to believe the court arrested people for money, the merchants would lose confidence and feel the social environment was unstable and Yangzhou was a terrible place—that would not do.

Zhu Youxiao was a man who observed martial virtue. He had long arranged for people to jump out at this moment and loudly proclaim that this was politically correct—that anyone who spread further rumors was plotting treachery and stirring up trouble, and would be arrested on the spot.

In an instant, the atmosphere throughout Yangzhou soared.

For the lowest stratum of commoners, Zhu Youxiao's approach was simple: use the Imperial Household Department to recruit workers on a massive scale, raise their wages, and give them work to do and money to earn. The Emperor has come, and you live better. Those people bullied and exploited you day in and day out—the Emperor will not.

For mid-tier merchants, the Imperial Household Department bought up their goods in bulk at increased prices, giving them capital to do more and expand production.

For top-tier merchants, except for those dealing in salt, Zhu Youxiao's strategy was strict investigation and punishment—whatever crimes they had, they were convicted of, fines were levied, and penalties were handed down.

Afterward came outreach and cooperation, supporting them, and giving them the benefits they were due. The purpose was to tell them: behave and do business honestly, and there's no problem—but if you pull any tricks, then you can go die.

The atmosphere throughout Yangzhou suddenly improved, and the people sang praises of Zhu Youxiao.

As for those who had been trampled down, no need to say more—they were naturally ground into the mud.

The arrested officials were the same—every wrongful case and miscarriage of justice was dug up.

How they colluded with salt merchants, how they oppressed the common people—every item, every charge was written out in full.

After several days of publicity, the Emperor approved the verdicts and they were beheaded directly.

On the day of the executions, Yangzhou was packed—a sea of people had gathered.

Zhu Youxiao stood atop the city gate of Yangzhou, looking down at the bustling crowd below with no expression on his face.

On the other side of the city wall stood many members of Yangzhou's merchant guilds.