Chapter 203: Two halves make five; you wipe the zero like this?

Prince Rong's Prefecture.

Gao Yang stood in the vast Prince's Prefecture, and even he had to sigh at the prosperity of Prince Rong's Prefecture.

Looking from afar, the pavilions and towers were arranged in a well-ordered way, dotted with rockeries and ponds; its level of prosperity was simply ten times that of the Duke of Dingguo's Prefecture.

"Lord Gao, this is the silver and jewelry searched out from Prince Rong's Prefecture."

Several guards carried more than a dozen heavy boxes to the main hall, and Li Long bowed and saluted Gao Yang.

He looked righteous and awe-inspiring, his gaze fixed straight on Gao Yang.

Gao Yang lifted it to look, and what came into view were boxes of silver ingots and jewelry; even he had to sigh.

"Corruption!"

"Simply too corrupt; this Prince Rong truly deserves to die. Who knows how much of the people's fat and cream he scraped together behind the scenes."

Gao Yang stood in the main hall, his face full of heartache, and casually took a horseshoe-shaped silver ingot into his sleeve, acting as if nothing had happened.

Da Qian's silver ingots are divided into three types, among which the horseshoe-shaped silver ingot has the highest value, one can be worth fifty taels.

But it is also the rarest.

Like the hammer-shaped middle ingot, it is smaller and worth ten taels.

Then there is the one-tael silver ingot.

Gao Yang naturally took the fifty-tael horseshoe-shaped silver ingot.

Li Long, who was in the lead, widened his eyes and looked at Gao Yang in astonishment.

Gao Yang noticed this look and his face twitched instantly. This Li Long was full of righteousness and could be sent by the Empress to assist him, clearly having great trust.

Could it be that the silver in hand is going to fly away?

Gao Yang felt a headache; this was when the benefits of paper money were reflected. Silver ingots are not only heavy but also small in amount.

But fifty taels have to be returned?

Then how can he put on a show for the Empress?

Just when Gao Yang was hesitating, Li Long waved his hand to the guards on the left and right, "You all go down and continue searching, strictly check every corner of Prince Rong's Prefecture."

After the guards went down, Li Long also took out a horseshoe-shaped silver ingot from the box and weighed it: "I didn't misjudge you, Lord; you are indeed a fellow traveler. Since you took the lead, I won't be polite either."

Saying that, he also put this silver ingot into his sleeve.

Gao Yang was instantly dumbfounded.

"I have always heard that Lord Li is upright and clean, and cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes. Seeing it today, it is indeed well-deserved."

Gao Yang said with a fake smile.

Li Long bowed and smiled, saying to Gao Yang, "Lord Gao, what you said is all a false reputation in front of Her Majesty, just a little false reputation."

"If it weren't for this false reputation, how would such a lucky errand fall to me?"

"To tell you the truth, your stabilization of grain prices, punishment of grain merchants, management of locust disasters, and means of executing Prince Rong—my admiration for you is like the surging river, continuous and endless, and like the flooding of the Yellow River, out of control."

"Today, I am willing to become sworn brothers with you, Lord Gao. I wonder what you think?"

Li Long looked at Gao Yang with firm eyes.

Gao Yang's eyelids twitched; he could see that this Li Long was even more ruthless than him in terms of greed.

But becoming sworn brothers with a commander of the Imperial Guards was definitely a good thing for him.

Under the binding of interests, it is a backer.

"Since Commander Li is so straightforward, I am naturally willing, but let's forget about killing a chicken and drinking blood wine. Firstly, it attracts attention, and secondly, if it's a sick chicken that has been raised for two and a half years, we will suffer."

Li Long hurriedly nodded, "What you said, Lord, makes a lot of sense."

"Today, you and I, brothers, are gathered here. In one's life, how many such opportunities are there?"

"If we don't have a go at this, wouldn't we be wasting such a great opportunity?"

Li Long implied.

Gao Yang nodded and looked deeply at Li Long.

This is definitely a talent.

"Brother Li's words make some sense."

Gao Yang nodded while touching a few more silver ingots into his long sleeves.

Seeing this, Li Long laughed directly, "Lord Gao, when I received the decree, Her Majesty specifically instructed me."

These words made Gao Yang's hand pause.

"What did Her Majesty instruct?"

Gao Yang asked curiously.

"Her Majesty specifically said that if you take some silver, as long as it's not too much, I should pretend not to see it. I have been serving in the palace for decades, and this is the first time I have seen such a decree. Her Majesty's favor for you is truly enviable."

"So you are taking money by decree, Lord. You can be bolder. These silver ingots are neither valuable nor light, but if you like them, I will send this whole box to the Duke of Dingguo's Prefecture later."

Li Long said boldly.

Gao Yang was instantly stunned.

"Can it be like this?"

This corruption of his, besides being born loving money, was also to put on a show for the Empress.