Chapter 126: How Dare He!

Jinling City sealed off, city-wide search.

Yamen runners from Ying Tian Fu, Shangyuan, and Jiangning's two counties all mobilized.

By order of the garrisoning Eunuch and the Zhongjun Dushu Fu, the Jinling Capital Garrison sent troops to assist the yamen runners in arresting beggars city-wide.

A meritorious noble Crown Prince was murdered—an unprecedented major case.

Throughout Jinling City, it was wind sounds and crane cries, fearful and uneasy.

From the perspective of commoners, the sky was falling.

Rumors on every street and alley could spread for a month.

But from the perspective of meritorious nobles and powerful eunuchs, it was a different scene entirely.

The meritorious nobles had only one thought.

"How dare he!"

Ming Dynasty meritorious nobles were essentially no different from vassal kings.

Long suppressed by civil officials, they had almost no chance to stand out in court politics.

Though said to command troops, two hundred years ago they had gradually lost military authority.

Under such circumstances, the minds of these meritorious nobles were all on seeking wealth and pleasure.

Lin Dao's business, in their eyes, was a golden mountain laying golden eggs, dazzling enough to blind.

Before such overwhelming wealth and honor, the face of Qian Qianyi, Ruan Dacheng, and others counted for nothing.

Only the garrisoning Eunuch's face could barely suppress them.

But such suppression, as Ju Bao Lou earned more and more, was constantly loosening.

It started with the bribery of the Ningcheng Marquis, but they didn't care at all.

This time the Ningjin Marquis Residence came forward to probe Lin Dao's softness and hardness.

If he was soft, next time they would push further and keep breaking through until completely swallowing him.

If he was hard, they would grind him down bit by bit and suppress him.

As long as he was within Jinling City, there were plenty of ways to give him trouble.

The meritorious nobles were not in a hurry.

After all, the garrisoning Eunuch would eventually leave.

By then, Lin Dao, who had hoarded a large quantity of rare treasures, would be a toy they could casually shape.

They thought Lin Dao would retaliate, and that Luzhou Prefecture merchant had long been hidden away.

But what they never expected was that Lin Dao didn't go find that merchant, but directly acted to blow up the Ningjin Marquis Heir.

Though there was no direct evidence, they were certain Lin Dao did it.

That was a meritorious noble Crown Prince, what a noble status!

Even river and lake bandits had to hide and flee.

And it used gunpowder!

This thing, river and lake bandits couldn't get it.

Except in the army, only the armory had it.

And the armory was controlled by the garrisoning Eunuch.

The Ningjin Marquis Heir had many enemies.

Bullying men and women, seizing family property, driving whole families to death—there were many such things.

But those victims, at most, carried knives, spears, swords, and halberds to seek revenge.

Gunpowder?

Still enough to blow an entire horse cart to pieces, gunpowder that the Ningjin Marquis Heir couldn't even piece together.

Various garrison camps investigated, and indeed found many gunpowder shortages.

But everyone knew where these shortages went—they certainly weren't used on the Ningjin Marquis Heir.

Only the armory controlled by the garrisoning Eunuch held thousands of jin of gunpowder; the meritorious nobles knew roughly, but not specifically.

"This Lin Dao child, supported by the garrisoning Eunuch, or at least tacitly permitted."

"Used gunpowder from the armory, bribed cart drivers and others, hid it on the horse cart."

"This is the truth of the matter!"

The meritorious nobles reconstructed the truth of the matter.

But were deeply shocked by Lin Dao's audacity.

How dare he!

'Crack!'

An expensive official kiln tea bowl was smashed heavily onto the ground.

"How dare he!"

Han Zanzhou's hair stood on end with rage!

Thinking that before he had praised Lin Dao, bold and ambitious, outstanding in ability.

Decisive in action, comparable to Zhang Jiangling of old.

Never expected that his boldness was truly great, daring to lay hands on a meritorious noble Crown Prince.

Even more ruthless, he turned around and used himself as a human shield.

Han Zanzhou was both furious and amazed.

How did he, Lin Dao, dare?

That was a meritorious noble Crown Prince!

He, how dare he!

"Old Ancestor." Eunuch Wang approached with a full face of smiles, supporting Han Zanzhou to sit down. "Don't let anger harm your body."

He skillfully brewed a new cup of tea and placed it before the Old Ancestor.

Then he stood behind him, Xiao Yi massaging his shoulders.

"Old Ancestor, Lin Dao is killing the chicken to warn the monkeys."

"This family knows." Han Zanzhou, who had just picked up the new tea bowl, his residual anger not yet dissipated. "But his methods were too ruthless."

"Ruthless?"

Eunuch Wang said with a smile, "The various titled lords want his life and fortune, so that isn't ruthless?"

"Actually, this is a good thing."

"He has offended everyone, so from now on he can only rely on the Old Ancestor."

"His heaven-reaching wealth and honor, isn't it that the Old Ancestor can take it however he wants?"

Han Zanzhou's anger lessened slightly. "But the various titled lords' side~"

"Saying something unpleasant to hear." Eunuch Wang spoke again. "The Old Ancestor will leave in a couple of years."

"When that time comes, leaving behind Ju Bao Lou, the various titled lords will fight until their heads break over it themselves; who will still have the leisure to make things difficult for the Old Ancestor?"

"Besides, the Imperial Grandfather's side has been urging to handle affairs and find people; all kinds of rare treasures offered up are all counting on Shopkeeper Lin."

"Protecting Shopkeeper Lin for two years doesn't count as any major matter."

Han Zanzhou fell into deep thought.

After a moment, somewhat unwillingly: "Could it be that this family just has to help him bear this?"

"Of course we can't let him off that cheaply." Eunuch Wang said with a smile. "Not to mention anything else, taking a few tenths of dry shares from his Ju Bao Lou isn't excessive, right?"

"Hmm~"

Han Zanzhou narrowed his eyes. "You go handle this matter, and see if Shopkeeper Lin is sensible."

If he is sensible, protecting him for a year or two is also quite okay.

When this one leaves office, such a reckless and audacious person can just be left for the meritorious nobles to deal with.

Returning to his own prefecture, Eunuch Wang wrote a letter.

Called over his godson. "Deliver it to Shopkeeper Lin."

"Tell him, this side's matter has been handled, the Old Ancestor's side has already agreed."

After the godson left, Eunuch Wang carefully took out a brand new Polaroid.

Standing before the standing mirror, he beautifully used this divine object to take a photo of himself.

"This family takes money and does the job, absolutely won't take your things for nothing."

Lin Dao's side, after reading Eunuch Wang's letter, casually took out a lighter, ignited it, and burned it.

"They all want my money, not afraid of bursting yourselves!"

From Lin Dao's perspective looking at this matter, not to mention the Ningjin Marquis Heir, even the entire Ningjin Marquis Estate, he would dare to forcibly demolish.

In the eyes of Great Ming's common people, the meritorious nobles who are like heaven and cannot be shaken.

In Lin Dao's eyes, they are no different from those Huang Ear in the Yonghe Spacetime wilderness.

Meritorious nobles without military power in hand are just a fart.

In the military camps transformed from multiple Imperial Villas outside the city, nominally eight thousand people, actually as many as twenty-seven thousand strong, the Yongwei Camp is Lin Dao's confidence.

This killing the chicken to warn the monkeys, as long as it can deter for two months it's enough.

When that time comes, summer tax and autumn grain delivered to Jinling City, Lin Dao will directly go all out.

If it can't be suppressed, it doesn't matter either; at worst, go all out today.

Money and grain, such things, having them is better, not having them is also not rare.

Under all heaven, no one has more money and grain than him!

Lin Dao stood up, a burst of chainmail friction sound rang out.

He walked out the door into the courtyard.

A full hundred-plus youths wearing iron armor, the bodyguards, sat on the ground resting; seeing Lin Dao come out, they all saluted.

A bodyguard stepped forward, brought a chair and set it down.

On the round table to the side, several rows of walkie-talkies were placed.

Lin Dao sat down. "Wait properly."

Wait, wait for the meritorious nobles' reaction.

If they are wary of the Garrison Eunuch and swallow this.

Then they can still enjoy two more months of glory and wealth.

If they can't swallow this anger and must move immediately.

Then there's nothing more to say; Lin Dao will go all out today.

Leaning on the redwood chair, Lin Dao closed his eyes.

"I actually hope you can man up once, not like surrendering to the wild boar skins, only knowing how to kneel."

Wei Guogong Fu.

If one says the Garrison Eunuch is the number one on the surface in Jinling City.

Then the Duke of Wei is the true Jinling decision-maker in the real sense.

"Grand Master~~~"

The current Ningjin Marquis Liu Yunji, disregarding face, threw himself before Xu Hongji, weeping. "Please Grand Master decide~~~"

The meritorious nobles of Jinling City, for over two hundred years continuously intermarrying, have long since become relatives with you in me and me in you.

For instance, Liu Yunji married one of Xu Hongji's aunts, making him his uncle by marriage.

Xu Hongji, whose expression carried a natural dignity, raised his hand and patted the zitan wood chair. "Stand up and speak."

Wiping away tears, Liu Yunji rose, his voice choked with sobs. "My Hong'er, he died so miserably~~~"

It was indeed miserable; they couldn't even piece together a complete corpse.

The meritorious nobles within the city, all who could come had come.

The crowd gathered here, their expressions varied.

Some gloated over the misfortune, some shared a common hatred against the enemy, some watched the spectacle, and still others remained indifferent.

Everyone was looking at Xu Hongji.

This Duke of Wei, who had inherited the title for over forty years, was the stabilizing pillar of the entire Jinling City.

"Confirmed it was this person's doing?"

Xu Hongji was somewhat surprised; do young people nowadays have such audacity?

That is a meritorious noble's heir; how dare he!

"It is undoubtedly this person!"

Xu Wenjue, still bearing traces of the beating on his face, bared his teeth and spoke. "This person has always been bold; I heard that the plan to establish the Jinling Yongwei Camp and thereby divide the tax grain was proposed by him."

"This Eunuch Party truly doesn't know what's good for them."

Chang Yanling, who had brawled with Xu Wenjue on the flower boat earlier, followed up to advise the emperor. "Relying on the Eunuch Party's backing, he committed such a treasonous act."

"Last night it was Brother Liu; today who? Tomorrow who?"

"If he is not punished, are we not a laughingstock?"

Xu Hongji lightly tapped the armrest.

He knew very clearly that the instigation of this matter actually lay with the people before him.

They coveted the Eunuch Party's gold mine, wanting to seize their business.

As a result, the other side backhanded them with a slap, leaving them stunned.

But right and wrong actually don't matter.

Where is there any justice in this world.

Fancying your things is giving you face.

You not only refuse to give, but dare to resist; you have already chosen the path of death.

Thinking to here, Xu Hongji had already made a decision in his heart.

He still had one final question. "What is the value of that Ju Bao Lou?"

Speaking of this, everyone's faces instantly revealed joy.

Talking all at once, they described what rare treasures were inside Ju Bao Lou, how extraordinarily valuable they were, and so on.

One look and you could tell they hadn't spent little money in there.

Picking up his tea bowl and taking a sip, Xu Hongji calmly spoke. "After the raid and seizure, the Duke of Wei's Manor takes half."

Everyone froze for a moment.

The appetite is too big, right? The rare treasures inside Ju Bao Lou are worth far more than a million taels.

And it's heard that Lin Dao only accepts gold and such, and hasn't been seen transporting it away.

Such an enormous sum of income, and you open your mouth to take half~~~

*Clink~* Xu Hongji set down the tea bowl in his hand, expressing his stance indifferently. "If the garrison eunuch has any words, let him come find me to speak."

This is Xu Hongji's confidence!

In the whole of Jinling City, only he can withstand the garrison eunuch.

The crowd was overjoyed beyond expectation.

They had long wanted to devour Lin Dao, skin, flesh, and bones.

But they all knew he was the Eunuch Party's man, protected by the garrison eunuch.

Now with the Duke of Wei stepping forward, they can finally make a move.

"Submit a petition to Ying Tian Fu."

"Seal the shop and arrest the people!"

End of Chapter