Lin Yirong was so surprised that he almost fell off his chair.
It was Xue Tingxiang who held out his hand to him, and he sat up with support. Even so, his face was pale and panic was unbelievable.
"Seafood? Millions of taels?"
It is estimated that no one in Suzhou does not know what seafood is. Seafood refers to the goods sold overseas from Dachang, and it also refers to imported goods into Dachang. But no matter what kind of goods, millions of taels of silver, this shows that the Hongchang ticket number is related to fornicating foreigners and smuggling goods.
If this was caught by the government, it would be a major crime of raiding and beheading.
"This person is also a daring person, so he jumped into the sea and ran away, but the goods were detained by the navy. He used all the money on the Hongchang ticket account, and he wanted to eat a big one. If I wanted to steal chickens without losing money, I walked too much at night and overturned the boat."
"Then, Mr. Xue came to tell the old man about this, I can't help you much." Lin Yirong twitched his lips for a long time before stumbling out these two sentences.
Xue Tingxiang was already extremely patient with him, how could such an official sit in this position.
His face turned cold, and he said sarcastically: "The incident happened in Suzhou, and the general number of this Hongchang ticket is also in Suzhou City. As the parent of the shepherd, Mr. Lin is the parent of the shepherd. Could there be such a big mess down there? Do you want to come forward and take care of it? What good is it for you if Suzhou City is in chaos? If things get bigger, you, the local official, will be the first to be held accountable by the court. It seems that this official has come here by mistake. , because it is not easy for you to be an official, I didn't expect Lord Lin to be so timid and afraid of things, then it's a mistake to be an official!"
After he finished speaking, he walked out the door with a big sleeve, but after only a few steps, Lin Yirong hugged his arm from behind.
"Master Xue, I know that I am a little timid, but I was not like this before. You don't know, since I took office, I have suffered a lot from them, both openly and secretly. Let me take care of everything that happens. I'm... I hope Master Xue can save me. I have an 80-year-old mother and a baby waiting to be fed. I really can't die... "
Lin Yirong burst into tears, so pitiful that he couldn't bear to look directly at him. And he cried as soon as he cried, pulling Xue Tingxiang's elbow. In this case, he naturally couldn't leave.
The two went back to the chairs and sat down.
Seeing that he was crying so badly, Xue Tingyan took out a handkerchief from his arms and handed it to him, and said, "Lord Lin, you know, why did Zhao Guangzhi keep silent when such a thing happened?"
"Why?" Lin Yirong's expression froze, and he didn't even bother to wipe his face.
Xue Tingxiang couldn't help laughing bitterly at the speed at which the other party changed his face, and suddenly found that Lin Yirong was also a wonderful person.
"If this official is not mistaken, that Qingshan will be in great trouble." He stroked his chin and said meaningfully.
Xiang Qingshan has not left the Hongchang ticket office for many days, and he is here to eat and drink.
There are more than a dozen guys in the ticket number guarding with him, either because he doesn't want to leave, or because he can't. There were people watching outside day and night, afraid that he would run away. The people inside eat and drink every day, so they can only let the guys smash and scold them secretly to go out to buy it.
During the period, two guys who went out to buy food ran away, and now the ticket number is relying on a lot of steamed buns that I bought last time to satisfy my hunger.
Xiang Qingshan hadn't eaten for many days. He couldn't eat it, and he didn't want to eat it.
Why did he end up in such a situation
Speaking of which, Xiao He defeated Xiao He. He regretted why he obeyed the Wu family and fished out the wife of the Admiral of the Zhejiang Navy. Now the retribution has come, but it is all on him.
What about the Wu family
At first it was shirk, and later even the door was not allowed to let his people in. Over the years, how much money has been offered up by myself, and all this money has been fed to the dog!
In the dead of night, Xiang Qingshan sat alone at the table, looking at the candlestick on the table in despair.
Suddenly, the door rang.
Xiang Qingshan didn't go to see it, no matter who came or who didn't, he wasn't too concerned. He had long wanted to end himself, but he couldn't, he had to hold on, as long as he could hold on for as long as he could.
"Master..."
"Take them away, walk quietly, walk one by one, get out of here, the farther the better, just find a place to be anonymous..."
Xiang Qingshan heard someone coming in, but no one made a sound. He was stunned for a while before looking up, but the color changed in vain.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the one who saved your life."
…
Lin Yirong shuddered and said anxiously, "Then what does Mr. Xue mean, they will do something to Xiang Qingshan?"
Xue Tingxiang glanced at him and said, "If it were you, would you attack Xiang Qingshan?"
of course!
The matter is so big, if there are no other things involved, but there is still a batch of goods detained in the Zhejiang Navy, and the detained ticket numbers are all big living people, living people have mouths, and nothing can be sealed.
Even if they don't know the specifics, a ticket number as big as the Hongchang ticket number collapsed all of a sudden, and even caused a shock in the Jiangnan area, causing turmoil in Suzhou City, and the above will definitely be held accountable.
There are so many things, pressing the gourd to float the scoop, it is better to cut it from the source rather than being stretched and worrying about one thing and another. As long as Xiang Qingshan is dead, as long as the Hongchang ticket number is gone, the truth will naturally be gone.
As for the money lost by Hongchang ticket number
Who would care about these things, the common people only know that the culprit they should be looking for is gone, how can they think that there is such a big relationship behind it.
At that time, the people cursed for a while, and things naturally faded away. And he, the prefect of Suzhou, bears the brunt of the scapegoat, and the others are completely unscathed.
"So cruel! So poisonous! No, this officer will send someone to that Hongchang ticket number!" Lin Yirong stood up, and when his life was at stake, he couldn't allow him to continue to be a tortoise.
"What did Mr. Lin do so early?" Xue Tingxiang said coolly.
"This—" Lin Yirong's full of excitement was interrupted and turned into embarrassment.
"It's probably too late to go at this time. Besides, who can Master Lin call? Maybe your subordinates will be involved in this matter, believe it or not?"
I have to say that Xue Tingxiang is a good player in blowing people's morale, and Lin Yirong is like a fish bubble that has been punctured, and immediately leaks.
"Then what should we do now? Since Mr. Xue knows so much, and he came to find this official, there must be regulations."
Xue Tingxiang was too lazy to betray him, and said, "Wait."
…
The same conversation also happened in Hongchang ticket number, but it took place earlier than Suzhou Fuya.
After listening to what the other party said, Xiang Qingshan's face was bluish, white and purple, and finally turned into a dead ash.
"It's okay, the old man didn't intend to live." He waved away weakly, and sat down at the table again.
The other party smiled: "Xiang Dadong's family will be so calm, probably because he thinks that his family will be able to leave Suzhou City, kill himself, and save everyone. Have you ever thought about what the other party can do since I can think of things? Maybe unexpected?"
"what do you mean?"
"Such a shocking secret, you can solve it if you die? People's habit is to think that if something happens, the family will know about it. Most of the people in the Xiang family know about the Wu family."
Naturally, someone knew, those women and children, but Xiang Qingshan had two sons.
Xiang Qingshan's lips trembled and his hands trembled.
It is a pity that the giants who have been dignified in the shopping malls in the south of the Yangtze River for many years have fallen into such a situation.
The man spoke: "Well, let's stop talking nonsense, it's not too late, you'd better go hide with me."
"Hide, where to hide?" Xiang Qingshan asked in a daze.
It can be seen that this person is also impatient, and he is probably really pressed for time. As he went to pull Xiang Qingshan, he said: "Wake up, only you can save your family!"
Xiang Qingshan trembled as if struck by lightning.
Yes, as long as he is alive, he will be afraid of the other party when he is alive, and will not attack his family.
The two went out together. It was pitch black outside, and only a faint moonlight shone on the garden.
This is the most prosperous street in Suzhou. The Hongchang ticket number can not only open a shop here, but also have a garden here, which shows that it is not ordinary wealth.
This person took Xiang Qingshan to hide under the shade of a tree. After walking for a while, Xiang Qingshan suddenly said, "No, I have to go to the accountant."
"The other party may come at any time, you better not delay."
"I have to get the bill..."
At this moment, a chaotic footstep sounded not far away, it seemed that a lot of people had entered the yard, and there was a faint flash of torches.
"This is?"
"Damn it, it's coming, it's coming!"
This man's face was ugly, and he was about to leave with Xiang Qingshan, but Xiang Qingshan struggled: "Go to the account, go to the account, where you can escape."
The other party didn't want to listen to Xiang Qingshan, but unfortunately there was another sound of footsteps from the right side, but he had no choice but to follow behind Xiang Qingshan. After going around for a while, making people dizzy, they came to a house with a very inconspicuous appearance.
This is the account room of Hongchang ticket number.
Entering the place, Xiang Qingshan didn't even dare to light the lamp, so he went straight to a room.
The person behind him lit the oil lamp and saw Xiang Qingshan touching something on a shelf. With a light sound, the shelf next to the wall was divided into two and slid to both sides, revealing the backside. Door.
"This is?"
Xiang Qingshan didn't speak, just took the lamp in his hand and walked inside.
With this light, Xiang Qingshan was groping on the ground. Suddenly he grabbed something and lifted it up, revealing a hole on the ground.
This man is speechless, he is really cunning, how can he do this? !
"Hurry up and help me move the account book, as much as I can!"
With that said, Xiang Qingshan went straight to a wooden shelf. On all the shelves in this room, there were all the account books of the Hongchang ticket number over the years.
The two moved the account books into the cellar as fast as possible.
There seems to be a faint smell of burning, and Xiang Qingshan is even more anxious.
It wasn't until the footsteps were approaching that he pulled the man to hide behind the wooden frame and entered the cellar again.
This cellar is not big, but it is only three meters square. The two sat on the pile of account books. After looking at each other for a while, Xiang Qingshan asked, "Who are you?"
Hu San grinned, the scars on his face hideous: "I'm from the Tailong ticket number."
The lights were dim, but a few candles went out at some point.
The sound of footsteps came from outside the door, and he said in a low voice, "Sir, someone in the front office has sent a message, saying that there is a place where water has leaked, and the fire is a bit big. Please don't go out unless you have anything to do, so as not to be bumped by others."
At this point, Lin Yirong felt that there was nothing to be moved by him, but his eyebrows still jumped a few times.
"Got it." He said, but his eyes were on Xue Tingxiang.
After the servant who reported the report left, Xue Tingxiang said, "It's time for you to come forward. There are people guarding the door of the Hongchang ticket number. If you don't come forward..."
Xue Tingxiang was not allowed to say the next words.
Lin Yirong hurriedly changed into his official uniform and walked towards the door.
Xue Tingxiang was with him. He was light and simple, so naturally he didn't wear official uniforms.
When Lin Yirong's sedan chair arrived, the fire had been brought under control, and an isolation belt was dug out around the Hongchang ticket number. Fortunately, the Hongchang ticket number has a lot of money, and there are no other shops around, otherwise the designated one will be a piece.
There is also a lot of water in the city of Suzhou. There is a river not far from here. The fires on the periphery have been put out, but the inside is still burning badly.
The fire burned several feet high, so naturally no one dared to enter the fire, so they could only watch it burn.
There are many government officials and many ordinary people around. Some stayed here for fear that Xiang Qingshan would run away, while others came after hearing the news.
The firelight shone on everyone's faces, some were crying, some were discouraged, and the bursts were endless.
"This Hongchang ticket number, which has suffered a thousand knives, thinks that if a fire is burned, it will be able to rely on everyone's accounts? Let's go to Xiang's house, this time we must let them spit out our money..."
"Let's go, let's go!"
The officers and soldiers didn't dare to stop it, they could only watch the group of people rushed towards Xiang's house in the south of the city like a tide.
"Quickly let someone stop it, you go up and stop it!"
Lin Yirong came out of the sedan chair and shouted to the yamen, but no one paid any attention to him, he just stood still.
A leader who seemed to be a clerk stepped forward and said with a smile: "Sir, there are so many people, and there are only a few of us. How dare we stop it. Besides, it is only right and proper to pay back debts. How can we stop them?"
"That's right! It's not because of the errands, the younger ones have to go too, and there are still unpaid meeting tickets at Laozi's house!" You yamen scolded in a low voice.
There are not a few people who curse like this.
Lin Yirong looked at the scene in front of him in despair, suddenly he thought of something, and turned to look at Xue Tingxiang.
Xue Tingxiang stood beside his sedan chair, watching the fire calmly. The firelight reflected on his face, and it seemed that something was jumping, but it seemed calm.
A fire caused the entire city of Suzhou to be restless.
The group of people went to Xiang's house before, only to find out in despair that the Xiang's family had already run away. The Xiang mansion was empty, and it was a mess inside. It seemed that the masters had all run away, and the servants ran away with the rest of the house.
Seeing this, some people cursed, while others searched Xiang's house, taking whatever they saw. Just like scraping the ground, the front layer is scraped off, and the back is scraped, and the Xiang family quickly becomes an empty shell. Even so, there is still an endless stream of people coming here.
The matter did not end here, there were scolding everywhere, and people roared in groups on the streets of Suzhou City, looking for traces of Xiang's family.
At the same time, in an inn, Xiang Qingshan, whose hair was disheveled and covered in mess, was crawling at Xue Tingxiang's feet.
"Thank you, Lord Xue, for your life-saving grace."
"Don't thank me, the only one who can save you is yourself."
"The little one knows how to do it. The life-saving grace of the adults will be paid back after the little one has done these things."
Looking at the back of Xiang Qingshan leaving, Xue Tingxiang couldn't help but smile. Xiang Qingshan is a very smart person, the rest is up to him.
Of course not only him, but also Lin Yirong.
In only half a day, everyone in Suzhou City heard that the Hongchang ticket number was burned.
But there are still people who don't believe it and rush to this place to find out.
Looking at the ruins, everyone was in despair.
But I don't know when, someone found that there seemed to be a person sitting in the ruins.
Looking closely, there is indeed a person sitting.
It's just that this person is behaving abnormally. Whoever sits in this kind of place is okay, and it still looks scary.
Some people recognized the piece of jade pendant hanging from this person's waist, which is the one that Xiang Qingshan usually does not leave his body. So the news about Xiang Qingshan's tragic death in the sea of fire, and now being recovered, spread.
Not to mention the mood of the people who heard it, even if he was really a ghost, he was a debtor. So many people could still be afraid that he would fail, so some people came here together.
More and more people came to hear the rumors, and the Hongchang ticket number was surrounded by three floors and three floors. Even the government office heard the news, and the prefect Lin Yirong came in a hurry.
Looking at the crimson official uniform, and the group of yamen who followed behind, everyone had the backbone, and everyone watched with open eyes how the government handled this matter.
"You guys, go ahead and have a look." Lin Yirong ordered.
Wherever he looked, the yamen there shook their heads one after another, but he was very angry.
"I don't believe it anymore, can the sky be haunted?!" He stomped forward and asked calmly, "Are you a ghost or a human, why are you sitting here scaring people?"
The ghost didn't speak, and finally moved in the eyes of horror.
"Ah, he moved..."
"Ghost, it's Xiang Qingshan..."
In the midst of this chaos, the ghost knelt down with a plop and wept blood: "I beg Master Qingtian to avenge me..."