It is the easiest thing to interrogate a person whose will has completely collapsed. In the next hour, amidst tears and snot, Deputy Envoy of Transport Zhong Xiankui poured out almost everything that Yan Liqiang wanted to know, without holding back a single word.
The reason why Deputy Transport Envoy Zhong Xiankui came to Ganzhou this time was indeed for the Manufacturing Bureau, and he was directly appointed by Jiang Tianhua, the Northwest Transport Envoy of the Han Empire. Before coming, they had already made a contingency plan. If everything went well, they would naturally swallow up the Manufacturing Bureau in the name of the Transport Office. If the Pingxi County Magistrate's Office or Ganzhou Governor Lei Sitong intervened forcefully and things could not be done, then the minimum they could do was to get the manufacturing method of the spring, or at least take away a craftsman who knew how to make springs from the Manufacturing Bureau.
The Wuli tribe, on behalf of the seven tribes of Ganzhou, wrote to the court, saying that the Wumu tribe had rebelled, and requested the court to send troops to quell the rebellion of the Wumu tribe together with the Wuli tribe. This was true, but no consensus had been reached in the court of the Imperial Capital. Lin Qingtian wanted the states in the northwest to send troops to assist the Wuli tribe in conquering the Wumu tribe, but the emperor disagreed. Jiang Tianhua took advantage of this opportunity to find an opportunity to swallow up the Manufacturing Bureau in the name of the Northwest Transportation Office. At least, the Manufacturing Bureau could no longer enjoy the huge profits of four-wheeled carriages alone.
Neither the Northwest Transport Commissioner Jiang Tianhua nor Zhong Xiankui had thought that Yan Liqiang would be so tough before coming to Pingxi County. This was where they miscalculated. They believed that unless Wang Jianbei or Lei Sitong dared to completely break off relations with the Transport Office for Yan Liqiang, Yan Liqiang would not be a concern at all. Even if Wang Jianbei or Lei Sitong broke off relations with the Transport Office, it was ultimately a struggle and means in the officialdom. There would be no danger for Zhong Xiankui to bring his men to Pingxi County anyway.
Of course, taking into account Yan Liqiang's past, knowing that Yan Liqiang has some "skills" and can be considered a "troublemaker", Jiang Tianhua also ordered Shi Zhiyu, the Ganzhou inspector under the Transportation Office, to go with Zhong Xiankui, just to calm Yan Liqiang down and prevent him from moving. Shi Zhiyu has already advanced to the rank of great martial artist and is considered a capable figure in the Transportation Office, so Jiang Tianhua and Zhong Xiankui naturally thought that even if Yan Liqiang was not convinced and had some skills, Shi Zhiyu would be able to deal with Yan Liqiang.
Ideals are full, but the reality is very skeletal. What Jiang Tianhua and Zhong Xiankui never expected was that Yan Liqiang was so tough that he dared to touch people from the Inspection Office. Shi Zhiyu, who had already advanced to a great martial artist, was so vulnerable in front of Yan Liqiang. Yan Liqiang's ability and courage became the main reason for the failure of their plan.
According to Zhong Xiankui, Northwest Transport Commissioner Jiang Tianhua and Prime Minister Lin Qingtian had always been very close and often exchanged letters. So, when Yan Liqiang heard this, he already knew who was behind this incident.
After interrogating Zhong Xiankui, Yan Liqiang walked out of the dungeon of the manufacturing camp. The sky outside was already full of stars. He looked up at the starry sky and let out a long breath.
Qian Su was right next to Yan Liqiang, his brows tightly furrowed. Ever since he saw Yan Liqiang slap Zhong Xiankui away today, and learned that Yan Liqiang killed people from the Transportation Office in the Manufacturing Bureau, and even that Shi Zhiyu died at Yan Liqiang's hands, Qian Su's brows have never relaxed, and he has been frowning with a serious face.
The two people walked towards Tieyun Hall, and the first person to break the silence was Qian Su.
"Now in the Manufacturing Bureau, everyone is saying that those people are liars, pretending to be from the Transportation Bureau to cheat people, and a gag order has been issued. Most people don't know the real situation!"
"Uncle Qian, what are you worried about?"
"Li Qiang, you should know that this matter is of no trivial matter. If those people in the Manufacturing Bureau knew the true identities of those who died in the Manufacturing Bureau today, I am afraid everyone will panic. Everyone knows how powerful the Transportation Office is. This is a capital crime, and few people are not afraid!" Qian Su said worriedly.
"Then are you afraid, Uncle Qian?" Yan Liqiang turned his head and looked at Qian Su with a smile.
"Of course I'm afraid. Your uncle Qian didn't get his life from a crack in a rock, so why wouldn't I be afraid!" Qian Su glared at Yan Liqiang and blew his beard in anger. "You still have the mind to say something sarcastic at this time, but it's useless for me to be afraid. Anyway, I can't run away. I can only follow you to the end. At worst, I will follow you and your father to live in hiding somewhere!"
"I know Uncle Qian must be blaming me for being so impulsive!" Yan Liqiang let out a long breath and said in a disappointed tone, "If it was just for my father's matter, as a son, I would at most beat up the perpetrator and seek justice for my father, but I would not take his life. But for the sake of this manufacturing bureau, I have to take drastic measures. This manufacturing bureau is a seed that I planted with my own hands. In the future, it will grow into a towering tree that many people can rely on. When the storm comes in the future, this tree may be able to shelter many people. I can't let this seed die at this time." It will be destroyed by those bastards. Whoever wants to destroy this seed will be made to pay a price he cannot afford. Moreover, we cannot give in this time, because Jiang Tianhua, the Northwest Transport Envoy, is just a dog of Lin Qingtian. From my understanding of Lin Qingtian, if we let this dog bite us this time and do not fight back, and choose to give in and compromise, this dog will definitely become more aggressive in the future, and may even attract more wild dogs to chew us up and swallow us, leaving nothing behind. So this time, we can only choose to confront them head-on, without any room for compromise!"
"But we are facing the Northwest Transportation Office!" Qian Su gave a bitter smile. "To be honest, when I think about going up against such a behemoth, your uncle Qian feels bitter in his mouth and feels guilty. I am totally at a loss and don't know what to do. If you were not here, Li Qiang, if this happened in the Artisan and Machinery Camp that I am in charge of, I would have packed my bags and run away!"
"Uncle Qian, don't worry. The situation this time is different from the past. Northwest Transportation Envoy Jiang Tianhua will not bring this matter to the Imperial Capital and the court, because this Manufacturing Bureau was indeed promised to the Qiyun Protectorate by His Majesty. The Northwest Transportation Office has no jurisdiction over the Manufacturing Bureau. If he brings this matter to the court, it would be like slapping His Majesty in the face. He doesn't have the courage to do so. Therefore, we are not facing the court this time, and the Northwest Transportation Office will not get the court's support for this matter!" Yan Liqiang looked calm, with a gleam in his eyes. He showed a wise and profound look that was not in line with his age. "In Ganzhou, given my current relationship with Lei Sitong, even if Lei Sitong won't help me openly, he will never stand on the side of the Transport Envoy Jiang Tianhua. He will even secretly give Jiang Tianhua a lot of resistance. Jiang Tianhua wants to deal with us, but he doesn't get the support of the court above, and there is no response from the local government below. What is this called? This is called being neither up nor down, floating in the air, with no support. So all we have to deal with is a transport office thousands of miles away!"
"But it is also a transfer office after all!" Qian Su sighed.
"Yes, it is the Transportation Office after all. The reason why the Transportation Office is scary is that, in addition to representing the court, there are many people under this office. Jiang Tianhua has five or six thousand people under his command, almost two battalions of patrol cavalry and infantry battalions. These soldiers and horses are indeed very scary when they are pulled out, and according to what Zhong Xiankui said just now, most of these five or six thousand people are infantry, and there are only about one thousand real cavalry. We are so far away from the Transportation Office. I think that without the support of the court and the local government of Ganzhou, Jiang Tianhua can only deal with and threaten us with more than a thousand cavalry!" Yan Liqiang stopped and looked at Qian Su seriously. A cold light flashed in his eyes, and he said word by word, "If Jiang Tianhua dares to send these cavalry, I will kill him... completely... "
"Ah..." Qian Su looked at Yan Liqiang in shock. At this moment, both Yan Liqiang's tone and the words he said challenged Qian Su's original understanding of Yan Liqiang. At this moment, the domineering and self-confidence revealed by Yan Liqiang were as bright as the stars in the sky.
"Uncle Qian, you don't have to be surprised, because I've discovered that there's actually no logic in this world. In the end, all we have to do is use fists and knives. When Jiang Tianhua finds out that the knife in Ganzhou isn't as sharp as the one in my hand, it will be useful for us to reason with him. Our Manufacturing Bureau is very rich now, but being rich is not enough. It's time to make people afraid..." Yan Liqiang smiled, "Besides, this matter can't be concealed in the Manufacturing Bureau. It's useless to keep silent. Tomorrow morning, Uncle Qian, get everyone in the Manufacturing Bureau together. I'll hold a meeting with everyone and tell them the truth. We won't keep those who are afraid and want to leave!"
(End of this chapter)