Chapter 202

"In that case, are you willing to take the two of us to retrieve the account book?"

Wang Zhen glanced once more at Hu Zongxian behind him, then clasped his hands and said,

"The guilty commoner is willing to go!"

"Very well, then we shall set out immediately!"

Hu Zongxian, who had been sitting aside as a witness, hurriedly added,

"Two Imperial Envoys, since you have just arrived, the troops you require may be directly assigned by the Zongduya Sect."

Hearing Hai Rui rose and clasped his hands, saying,

"Then this Hai shall thank you, Hu Butang."

Having spoken, Hu Zongxian looked toward the distant secretary Xu Wei and said,

"Mr. Xu, inform General Qi to mobilize two hundred men for the two Imperial Envoys to use at any time!"

The distant Xu Wei immediately clasped his hands and said,

"Yes."

That very night.

Two hundred soldiers of the Qi family army, Ming dynasty troops, under the leadership of Hai Rui and Wang Bengu, surrounded Wang Zhi's villa in Yu Hang so tightly that not even water could leak through.

And the news that the Imperial Envoys had seized Wang Zhi's account book spread throughout all of Yu Hang almost simultaneously.

The great aristocratic families of the Southeast received the news at nearly the same time.

Just as Hai Rui and Wang Bengu were carrying the account book, preparing to return to the Viceroy Yamen.

On the empty street, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking the horses of Hai Rui and Wang Bengu in an abrupt manner.

Hai Rui's brows tightened; staring fiercely at the person before him, he asked in a low voice,

"Who dares block the Imperial Envoys from carrying out their duties?"

Only then did the young man before them bow slightly toward Hai Rui and Wang Bengu, saying,

"This junior, Xie Heng, pays his respects to the two Imperial Envoys."

"This junior has come today not to block the two lords from carrying out their duties, but because my father, in his youth, once met your lordship's father, Lord Hai. Today, he has specifically sent this junior to entertain you."

Hai Rui looked at Xie Heng with some confusion and asked,

"Your father..."

Before Hai Rui could finish asking.

Wang Bengu, standing aside, whispered,

"His grandfather is Xie Pi; his great-grandfather was the Duke of Wen, Xie Qian. The Xie family of Dongshan, descendants of a famous family of the Southeast."

The Xie family of Dongshan are descendants of the Chen Commandery Xie family from the Wei and Jin periods.

After the southern crossing of the gentry during the Eastern Jin, they settled long in the Southeast; by the Ming dynasty, a thousand years had passed, making them a true great clan of the Southeast.

And his great-grandfather, Xie Qian, was the so-called "Xie Gong, still speaking frankly" Xie Qian, the Duke of Wen, during the Hongzhi reign.

Hearing this,

Hai Rui furrowed his brows almost instinctively.

Hai Rui, who grew up among the common people, held an almost instinctive disdain for these aristocratic families.

Looking at Xie Heng before him, Hai Rui could not help but ask,

"In that case, you should simply wait at the Viceroy Yamen; why block us on the street?"

Xie Heng looked at the two men before him and smiled bitterly, saying,

"After all, it is a private matter. I trouble Lord Wang to first transport the evidence back to the yamen; this junior has already prepared a banquet upstairs and awaits you."

Having spoken, Xie Heng clapped his hands, and the dimly lit restaurant beside the street instantly became brightly illuminated.

Wang Bengu and Hai Rui exchanged a glance.

Hai Rui immediately said,

"Lord Wang, I trouble you to take these pieces of evidence back to the Viceroy Yamen first."

Wang Bengu offered no further words, then immediately clasped his hands and departed.

Hai Rui flipped off his horse.

Following behind Xie Heng, he walked straight toward the distant restaurant.

However, what awaited Hai Rui inside the restaurant was not fine wine and delicacies.

The moment Hai Rui stepped inside.

The two Retainers behind him closed the restaurant door.

Before Hai Rui could react,

Xie Heng suddenly knelt to the ground with a "plop" sound, clasping his hands and saying,

"I beg Lord Hai to save the common people of the two Zhe and eight Min regions from fire and water!"

Hai Rui was stunned by Xie Heng's kneeling.

You see, the original Hai Rui had already stuffed his belly with words, ready to spit out fragrance.

He was just waiting for the big fish and meat to be served on the table, then he would scold Xie Heng thoroughly and leave in a huff.

He simply did not expect that the moment he stepped inside, Xie Heng would immediately perform such a great bow!

After Hai Rui stood stunned for a moment, he hurried forward to help him up.

"Young Master Xie, why perform such a great bow? If you have words, let us discuss them properly."

With Hai Rui's help, Xie Heng slowly sat down on a bench nearby and sighed, saying,

"Your lordship does not know; these, these common people of the Southeast, suffer greatly!"

As Xie Heng spoke.

While observing Hai Rui's expression.

Both being scholars.

Xie Heng knew this all too well.

Dealing with people like Hai Rui and Wang Bengu.

Can you simply crush them with silver?

No!

That is a tactic used against Grand Secretary Yan!

Using it on Hai Rui would lead to disaster!

How then should one deal with such people?

One must use the common people of the world, the masses, to ignite their sense of justice.

And then exploit their emotions!

Once their emotions run out of control, they become easy to manipulate!

Hai Rui stared fiercely at Xie Heng, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked.

"Young Master Xie, I dare ask: what suffering do the common people endure?"

Xie Heng took a deep breath and sighed.

"My lord, you are unaware of this; to be frank, the people of the southeast have long suffered under the maritime ban, they have suffered greatly under the maritime ban!"

Upon hearing these words.

Hai Rui's expression immediately darkened.

Hai Rui stared even more fiercely at Xie Heng and said.

"Young Master Xie, the maritime ban is the national policy of the Great Ming!"

Xie Heng, yielding not an inch, added.

"But My Lord Hai has also seen that Liangzhe and Bamin are mountainous with little arable land; the people here must still survive!"

Hearing Xie Heng's words, Hai Rui fell silent.

Before this, Hai Rui had been the County Magistrate of Chun'an.

How could Hai Rui not know the situation of Liangzhe and Bamin: seven parts mountains, two parts water, and one part fields?

Hearing Xie Heng's words.

After a long silence, Hai Rui asked.

"Then on the account book, how many are people who cannot survive?"

Xie Heng took a deep breath and sighed.

"Nine out of ten."