Chapter 365

But normally, price hikes wouldn't be too steep.

Another part is that smuggling families brought overseas silver into Great Ming's territory.

Originally, the amount of silver in the market was about the same, well controlled.

As a result, Japan sent quite a lot of silver into the country, circulating in the market.

With this increased quantity of silver, its value naturally dropped.

With the value lower, less grain could be bought.

This is also why Su Qiao told Zhu Yuanzhang back then that the mistake was Zhu Yuanzhang's own ancestral instructions.

Zhu Yuanzhang had strictly capped the officials' salaries back then.

Minor clerks who could eat their fill before now couldn't.

High-ranking officials who could enjoy themselves before, seeing their salaries were relatively high, now found themselves stretched thin and had to be frugal.

It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality!

Surely most would not be satisfied with the court's meager salaries; naturally, they would take desperate risks, flout the law, and engage in corruption and bribery.

"Alright, just keep this eastern pearl. Anyway, since he gave you a gift and you can't do anything about it, just tell him later that the release of the prisoners was blocked because I specifically gave the order."

Su Qiao said this to Zhao Wenhua with a chuckle.

Hearing this, Zhao Wenhua said with some disbelief: "Su, Su Mr., I admit I was tempted by this item, but..."

"No problem, just take it. However, if it is discovered later that you are secretly engaging in corruption and bribery, heh heh, you will definitely suffer far worse than others then!"

Su Qiao cut off Zhao Wenhua's words.

"Alright, you may go."

Zhao Wenhua nodded and obediently took his leave.

Although Ma Kui and the others were very curious why Su Qiao blatantly told Cui Linyu that he was the one targeting them,

they were not the gossipy type and did not interject with words.

After leaving Su Qiao, Zhao Wenhua's first move was to take the eastern pearl to a pawnshop to exchange it for money.

Although he wasn't wearing official robes, the pawnshop Shopkeeper had eagle eyes and immediately judged that he must be an official serving in the Viceroy Yamen.

Whether an official or a person in another profession, as long as one's eyes were sharp enough,

most could judge it.

Officials usually walked with a slight pigeon-toed gait.

Clothing and appearance also had hierarchical distinctions.

For instance, only those above the Xiucai level could wear boots; others could not, or they would be punished, and so on.

Naturally, there was no "insect-eaten, snake-bitten" nonsense haggling.

After one stick of incense had burned, Zhao Wenhua left, satisfied, with a silver note for six hundred taels tucked in his chest.

Zhao Wenhua returned to the Libuya Sect without even going to the guesthouse first.

Cui Linyu received the news.

Having given Zhao Wenhua a piece of supreme quality eastern pearl, he had similarly arranged for people to keep an eye on Zhao Wenhua.

He was also clearly aware that Zhao Wenhua had left.

He just hadn't followed Zhao Wenhua all the way to Su Qiao's place.

He merely thought that Zhao Wenhua, having taken the item, immediately went to handle business, showing he understood the rules.

He had also specifically ordered people to watch the Libuya Sect; if Zhao Wenhua returned, they were to notify him immediately.

Zhao Wenhua first went home from the pawnshop to hide and secure the silver note before coming to the Libuya Sect government office again.

He was immediately spotted by Cui Linyu's men, who went back to report to Cui Linyu.

Cui Linyu could not wait and went to the door to inquire about the result.

"How is it, my lord Zhao? Were you detained by some Viceroy Yamen?"

Zhao Wenhua nodded and poured a cup of water for Cui Linyu, "That's right. We were detained by the Wucheng Military Command. Su Mr. specifically gave the order to keep them detained for a few more days; they cannot be released."

"Who is Su Mr.? We are envoys responsible for presenting tribute to Your Majesty; why detain our people?"

Cui Linyu asked loudly, his face looking unpleasant.

Zhao Wenhua shook his head and said, "There's nothing to be done. Since Su Mr. gave the order, it's useless to find anyone else. Unless Your Majesty opens his mouth and issues an imperial decree, otherwise, we can only wait a few days for release."

How could waiting a few days be acceptable?

Cui Linyu still hoped to have Pu Qi'en and the others stir up trouble in Jingcheng and ruin the reputation of the mission!

Now they were directly locked up; he couldn't even contact them.

The matter was delayed, making him somewhat angry.

"My lord Zhao, who is this Su Mr.? What official rank does he hold in the Great Ming Dynasty?"

"Su Mr. holds no official rank; he is considered a confidential advisor and strategist by Your Majesty's side, with a very transcendent status and position. Deputy Envoy Cui should have met him before!"

"I met him? Who?"

"It was the young man you met when Deputy Envoy moved into the guesthouse; that is Su Mr., Su Qiao!"

Cui Linyu's mouth hung open, shocked and at a loss for words.

Originally, Cui Linyu thought Su Qiao was just a young nobleman, full of youthful vigor, and hadn't taken him seriously.

Now, reminded by Zhao Wenhua, he suddenly shivered with a chill.

He felt something must have gone wrong somewhere?

"Where does this Su Mr. Su Qiao live? I wish to visit him."

"Sure, right at..."

Su Qiao had even instructed Zhao Wenhua to tell Cui Linyu that he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

It was just an address; he wouldn't give it another thought.

So Zhao Wenhua spoke quite decisively.

"Thank you, my lord Zhao!"

219, Cui Linyu visits!

Cui Linyu had obtained Su Qiao's address from Zhao Wenhua, yet he did not go to pay a visit immediately.

Instead, he locked himself in a room to think.

There was a reason Li Kangcheng could trust him.

Though sometimes arrogant, he habitually bragged to the point where he believed his own lies.

But he was far more vigilant than the average person and considered things more comprehensively.

Learning from Zhao Wenhua's mouth that Su Qiao was the young man he had met before.

A shadow fell over Cui Linyu's heart.

He always felt that he and his people were under Su Qiao's scrutiny.

If Su Qiao knew the Surface thoughts in his heart, he would certainly give him a thumbs-up.

Ever since Zhu Youjian received news from the Embroidered Uniform Guard that this tribute mission from Gao Li consisted of two groups and harbored ulterior motives.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had basically never relaxed their vigilance against them.

Su Qiao was even wondering if he could dig up anything from this Cui Linyu.

After thinking it over and over, he still didn't know if they had truly been exposed, if it was a coincidence, or if they had been targeted long ago.

His heart was extremely restless.

Finally, he walked to the table, picked up the teacup that had long gone cold, and gulped down the entire cold tea in one go.

After wrestling with his thoughts for so long, he had formed some ideas.

No matter what, he still remembered the words Su Qiao had spoken to him back then.

From now on, the person dealing with their envoys would be Su Qiao.

Back then he had taken it lightly, but now he had to take it to heart.

He specially selected two old mountain ginseng roots over three hundred years old; one was pure ginseng, and the other was Gao Li ginseng.

Cui Linyu took both ginseng roots with him; he did not plan to go alone and was bringing a subordinate to help carry things.

Clearly, he intended to decide which one to give only after meeting Su Qiao.

The afternoon sun was pleasant.