Chapter 454

It can be said that forces from all sides have gathered in Yangzhou.

Clearly, the news that there is treasure in Yangzhou has already been revealed.

After hearing the report from his subordinates, Luo Yangxing nearly lost his composure.

He had originally thought it would be a secret mission, an easy task to earn merit.

Who would have known that this news had leaked?

At the first opportunity, he shifted the blame onto Su Qiao.

That's right!

Although he had not yet met Su Qiao, he felt that the leak of this news was definitely connected to Su Qiao.

Hmm, how to put it?

Saying that Su Qiao leaked it would not be problematic.

The news indeed came from members of the Bai Lianjiao in Fuzhou.

They also deliberately intended to muddy the waters, hoping to fish in troubled waters.

After all, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard of the court intervened to seal it off, the Bai Lianjiao members alone would have not a single chance.

If people from various factions came, with many hidden in the shadows, it would be much easier to stir up trouble.

Luo Yangxing had only been in Yangzhou City for a few days and already felt his hair turning white.

It was truly too exhausting.

Fortunately, Zhu Youjian had granted him special privileges, allowing him to mobilize nearby garrison troops.

Luo Yangxing directly mobilized five thousand official soldiers to control Yangzhou; half immediately surrounded Qiling Temple completely.

The other half were stationed within Yangzhou City, responsible for controlling the situation inside the city.

Because there were far too many people of all kinds, a chaotic mix of good and bad.

To prevent those with ulterior motives from causing trouble, Luo Yangxing had expended all his mental energy.

Fortunately, the Bai Lianjiao members only knew that there was Sui Yangdi's treasure in Yangzhou; the specific location was unclear.

Moreover, Qiling Temple was completely surrounded and garrisoned by official soldiers.

Many people wanted to sneak in to investigate; not only did they find nothing, but they were instead caught one by one by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the official soldiers.

Only a very few managed to escape amidst the chaos.

Even so, these people showed no less enthusiasm.

Su Qiao was unaware of the trouble he had brought to Luo Yangxing.

He had already brought Liu Rushi to Quanzhou.

Officials from Quanzhou had personally gone out of the city to welcome them.

After all, Su Qiao's arrival in Quanzhou was no secret; had he not been delayed in Fuzhou City due to the Bai Lianjiao affair,

he would have arrived long ago!

The officials of Quanzhou Prefecture were also hoping that Su Qiao would arrive sooner.

The pressure from the Maritime Trade Office was simply too great; it was on the verge of being unable to suppress the situation.

After all, due to the opium issue, many people from other countries coming to the Great Ming had been arrested.

Especially the Franj people were the most numerous!

Who else but them had the most people selling opium?

After Su Qiao stayed at the guesthouse and attended their welcome banquet, without delaying long, he met the official of the Maritime Trade Office, Zhao Lun.

Zhao Lun was considered the new administrator of the Maritime Trade Office, affiliated with the Ministry of Rites.

His official rank was Fourth Rank, Senior Grade, equal to that of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

This was also because the Maritime Trade Office department was special, mainly dealing with foreign merchants.

"This humble official greets the Imperial Envoy, my lord!"

"Official Zhao, please sit. Is the pressure quite heavy recently?" Su Qiao personally poured a cup of hot tea for Zhao Lun.

Zhao Lun, feeling overwhelmed with honor, quickly rose and received it with both hands.

Seeming to feel that Su Qiao's attitude was relatively kind, he relaxed slightly in his heart and spoke a bit more boldly.

"My lord, it is not that this humble official complains, but truly the Maritime Trade Office is under great pressure now; so many merchants from various nations have been arrested. They block the door and cause trouble every few days, demanding explanations, yet my position is not high..."

He did not finish speaking, but Su Qiao already understood his meaning.

He wanted to say that the order to arrest people came from you, the Imperial Envoy.

Even if he wanted to solve it, he had no way to do so.

Su Qiao smiled, showing no concern, and said: "This official knows, which is why I immediately rushed over after resolving the matter in Fuzhou Prefecture. Tomorrow is enough; you can tell those foreign merchants demanding explanations to come find me tomorrow morning. I will give them an explanation!"

Hearing this, Zhao Lun's eyes immediately lit up. "Will you see them tomorrow, my lord?"

"Yes, since they are so anxious, then let us see them!"

"This humble official understands!" Zhao Lun was extremely happy in his heart; one could say the pressure on his shoulders had finally vanished.

When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up.

Now, the pressure on the Maritime Trade Office rests entirely on the shoulders of Su Qiao, this Imperial Envoy.

Otherwise, why would he have hurried over so eagerly to see Su Qiao?

Su Qiao also understood his little scheme.

After finishing this matter, Su Qiao immediately asked about the flow of opium into the Great Ming.

"Regarding what I asked you to investigate earlier, is there any result after such a long time?" Su Qiao asked.

He would bear the pressure, but the task must be completed by the Maritime Trade Office.

Zhao Lun had long been prepared and immediately reported to Su Qiao everything he had uncovered during this period.

"My lord, opium first appeared two years ago. At first, people regarded it as a miraculous medicine for curing illnesses, but later many became addicted and fell into ruin. Fortunately, no deaths occurred, so the authorities hesitated to intervene and left it unchecked."

"However, the wise soon realized this was no harmless thing. Many avoided it, but initially it was brought in by Portuguese sailors, and later some foreign merchants occasionally sold it. At first, they were quite brazen, since no one knew them."

"Later, when some discovered it was not good, their sales became far more covert."

Su Qiao nodded upon hearing this. "What is the situation now? Has it all been brought under control?"

"Yes. In accordance with the court's and your orders, anyone trafficking opium has been taken away. It is temporarily under control!"

309, foreign merchants at the Maritime Trade Office!

"Hmm, what identities do those captured people hold?"

"All sorts: beggars, merchants, foreign priests, sailors, and so on. It was quite chaotic and messy."

"Where have the people been taken?"

"They are all in the great prison!"

Zhao Lun answered bluntly.

Su Qiao nodded. "Very well. Tomorrow, let those who cannot sit still come first. I, this official, will personally speak with them!"

Su Qiao's journey south this time had already consumed nearly three months.

It was now mid-November; he did not wish to still be away from the capital after the New Year.

Thus, he intended to cut through the tangle swiftly and resolve the Maritime Trade Office issue as soon as possible.

After asking Zhao Lun a few more questions, he then let him depart.

Su Qiao also ate and rested early with Liu Rushi.

The next day, foreign merchants who received news from the Maritime Trade Office, or rather those connected behind the scenes to the opium traffickers who had been arrested, all received word.

The imperial envoy of the court, namely the official specially tasked with handling Maritime Trade Office matters, had arrived in Quanzhou.

And he intended to meet with them.

Among those who entered Great Ming to traffic opium, not all were purely motivated by profit.

Some among them had ulterior motives.

Upon coming to Quanzhou Prefecture, Su Qiao had specifically brought along Lester, the one previously captured.

Lester had originally been a tough man.

Very tough!

Though he appeared rather frail, he withstood beatings with fists and feet, as well as tortures like whips dipped in saltwater.

However, after facing further interrogation and torture by the Embroidered Uniform Guard,

he could no longer hold out.