Fang Yuan temporarily let go of the prefect Wang Bingjian, because he saw that this Wang Bingjian was cautious by nature, and after being verified by Jinyiwei, he was greedy for petty fights on weekdays, and he also had a concubine at home, so he lived in the courtyard provided by the government office, and he was by no means a big greed.

There is no doubt that an official with this temperament is a dumb official and an idle official, but it would be unbelievable to say that he dared to collude with the Haisha Gang to smuggle smuggled salt, and also blatantly protected the Haisha Gang. According to Fang Yuan's estimate, the prefect Wang Bingjian was reluctant to deal with this case, and it was indeed because the backstage of the Haisha Gang could not be provoked, so he would turn a blind eye.

If you go directly to ask Wang Bingjian, it is estimated that he will pretend to be stupid, and he will not admit in person that he is afraid of the backstage of the Haisha Gang. Unable to open a breakthrough from the prefect Wang Bingjian, Fang Yuan wanted to start directly from the Haisha Gang to understand the reason.

The fat boss who went to contact him replied that Xu Bao, the leader of the Haisha Gang, wanted to come to discuss this business in person, and he could go to meet him in two days, and the location was at Longmen Wharf in Jingkou.

Fang Yuan secretly speculated that selling illicit salt was a serious crime, and the entrance of the Haisha Gang dared to openly build it on the dock, which was also too bold.

Fang Yuan immediately contacted Hu Qi, who was lurking in Jingkou, as well as Jinyiwei, to verify the situation of this Longmen Wharf and report it immediately.

A day later, Hu Qi came to the confirmed news that this Longmen Wharf, which is not as large as the Jingkou Wharf, is a small wharf specializing in the transportation of military materials. Because the military supplies are classified materials, the entry and exit of the wharf are guarded by officers and soldiers, and the Jinyi guards cannot enter to listen to the truth and truth.

Docks for military supplies? The lair of the Haisha Gang was actually built on the military supply dock? Could it be that behind the Haisha Gang, there are people from the military who are backing them? Which guard post is it, the Zhenjiang guard station?

A series of questions flashed through his mind, and Fang Yuan was deeply curious about this Sea Sand Gang.

Two days later, according to the agreement, Fang Yuan took Qin Zhan, Chigutai, and three Jinyi guards to the Longmen Wharf in Jingkou, while Xiaoyuan arranged for Hu Qi to escort him, and did not accompany him.

As soon as he approached the Longmen Wharf, Fang Yuan saw twenty sergeants wearing military uniforms guarding the main entrance and exit roads of the wharf, and in order to enter the wharf, he had to issue a special document for the guard.

The fat boss had already made an appointment with Xu Bao, the leader of the Haisha Gang, and a few men in uniform and the sergeant on the guard whispered a few words, and the sergeant didn't feel too embarrassed, so he let everyone go.

Needless to say, these people wearing uniform uniforms are the people of the Haisha Gang, Fang Yuan coldly looked at the scene of the military colluding with the Haisha Gang in front of him, and was furious, in this way, what secrets are there about the so-called secret military materials transported from the north to the south?

As a fat boss, he was not qualified to enter the dock, so he was stopped outside the dock.

Several guards led Fang Yuan and his party along the main road into the wharf, and there were countless ox carts coming and going along the way, all of which were piled with hemp bags, covered with straw and linen, obviously these ox carts were loaded with smuggled salt.

On the merchant ships at the wharf, there are still many who are loading illicit salt onto merchant ships and preparing to transport them out of the port by water.

Several guards of the Haisha Gang took Fang Yuan and his party to the northeast of the head, in a large freight yard. This large freight yard covers an area of at least dozens of acres, accounting for one-third of the size of the entire wharf.

There are at least hundreds of people busy in the freight yard, and the mountains of private salt in the large square, weighed by buckets, loaded onto trucks, and the bustle of bargaining is extraordinary.

Looking at this scene, where is the smuggling of smuggled salt, it is clearly more open than official salt.

Fang Yuan already knew in his eyes, could it be that the smuggling business of the Haisha Gang could be so big, even the Zhenjiang government was reluctant to interfere, and there were indeed people from the military as the backstage. The facts in front of us once again prove that no matter before and after the crossing, the reason why the underworld forces are lawless must have a protective umbrella behind them, and the underworld without a protective umbrella will never be able to become bigger and stronger.

Coming to the backyard of the large cargo yard, Fang Yuan finally met Xu Bao, the leading boss of the Haisha Gang. This man was about thirty-five or six years old, with a sturdy physique, a face full of meat, and at first sight he was a murderer who did not blink.

Guarding the courtyard were fifty members of the Haisha Gang.

If the Dongting Merchant Gang is willing to operate private salt trading again, the market sales of the entire Suzhou Mansion and Songjiang Mansion will be opened.

Xu Bao saw Fang Yuan and his entourage entering, as if he had seen the God of Wealth, he got up affectionately and laughed and said, "Young Master Xi is here, don't look at the seat, serve the wine." ”

Several guards from the Haisha Gang brought three chairs, Fang Yuan smiled faintly, and sat on the chairs with Qin Zhan and Chigutai, Qin Zhan, who was 'Prince Xi', immediately refused the invitation to drink, "The Xi family has rules, when you go out to talk about business, you can't drink, but you can't be greedy, otherwise you will be severely punished when you go back." ”

Xu Bao saw that what he said was clear-sighted, and laughed and said, "It is worthy of being a big business gang, and there are many rules to behave, if you don't drink, you will serve tea." ”

Qin Zhan took the fragrant tea offered by the helpers, pretended to take a sip, and said solemnly, "Gang Master Xu, let's talk less politely and talk about the deal directly!" I want 10,000 smuggled salt, how much can the Haisha Gang sell for at the lowest price? ”

Xu Bao stretched out four fingers and said, "Since Xi Gongzi is happy, I am also happy, twelve taels of silver for a lead." ”

Qin Zhan frowned and said, "But what we negotiated before was nine taels of silver and one lead, and the Xu Gang Master is not kind to do business!" ”

Xu Baoyin smiled and said, "Don't hide it from Mr. Xi, the cost of private salt is twenty wen a catty, and my Haisha Gang earns twenty wen a catty, forty wen a catty, and twelve taels of silver a catty." If the cooperation is happy this time, the next transaction will be nine taels of silver. ”

Qin Zhan frowned and said, "Ten taels of silver." ”

Xu Bao shook his head and said, "Master Xi, I really can't be less. These private salts are transported to the Xi family's warehouse, and it costs to open up the joints in the middle, and the twelve taels of silver really can't be less. ”

Fang Yuan and Qin Zhan had already planned, this time the main reason for coming here was to find out the backstage of the Haisha Gang, as well as the channels for transporting goods, Qin Zhan and Xu Bao bargained just to cover people's eyes, seeing that Xu Bao had even revealed the cost, it was inconvenient to entangle, Zhengrong said, "Gang Master Xu, a few taels of silver fell second, and this smuggling of smuggled salt was caught to lose his head." Is the channel for Haisha Gang to transport goods really safe, and can it pass the banknote customs of Suzhou Prefecture? ”

Xu Bao laughed and said, "Don't say that the Suzhou Mansion banknote gate, the banknote gate on the Grand Canal can be passed by my Haisha Gang unimpeded." ”

Qin Zhan and Fang Yuan glanced at each other, the banknote customs of Suzhou Mansion have been rectified, there are both Jinyiwei strict monitoring and surveillance cameras, if this banknote customs can pass unimpeded, it proves that there are still omissions in the surveillance cameras, and Jinyiwei's work is even more dereliction of duty.

Regarding the work performance of Jinyiwei, Qin Zhan didn't dare to be sloppy, and hurriedly asked, "The Suzhou banknote customs is under the nose of Governor Fang Yuan, but it is not easy to pass the customs, can the cargo ships of the Haisha Gang really hide from the sky and the sea?" ”

Xu Bao smiled sarcastically and said, "Young Master Xi really thinks that Governor Fang Yuan is a good man and a woman?" Let me tell you, there is no official in this world who does not steal, I am just smuggling smuggled salt under Fang Yuan's nose, and it's okay. ”

He directly pointed the finger at Fang Yuan, and even pointed out that Fang Yuan was also a corrupt official, Qin Zhan was so frightened that he didn't dare to take a breath, and glanced back at Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan had never even seen this Xu Bao's face, and when he heard him speak out of shame and slander his reputation out of nothing, he couldn't laugh or cry, and asked, "Gang Master Xu, have you really already bought off Governor Fang Yuan?" ”

Xu Bao sneered and said, "Is this still fake?" Someone! Bring the paperwork to Xi Gongzi to see. ”

One of the gang members handed over a piece of paper and directly stepped forward and handed it to Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan opened the document and saw that it was a document for transporting confidential military funds, stamped with the military seal of the Xuanjia Army, and even the signature of Jing Jie, the commander of the Xuanjia Army.

At this moment, Fang Yuan was completely taken aback, and a thought came to his mind, "Could it be, could it be that the so-called military backstage of this Haisha Gang is not the Zhenjiang Guard, but the Xuanjia Army?" ”

Xu Bao saw that his expression was solemn, and in order to enhance his persuasiveness, he ordered the gang to carry out a fire hammer and proudly display it in front of Fang Yuan, "Young Master Xi, do you know what this is?" ”

Fang Yuan raised his eyes and looked at it, and his whole body trembled, and his shock was beyond measure, because the fire gun in Xu Bao's hand was too obvious, it was the most advanced fire gun in this era, the Xuanjia Divine Gun, which was dedicated to the Xuanjia Army. There is only the Xuanjia Army in the whole world, and there is only this one, and there is no other semicolon.

Fang Yuan settled down slightly, and pretended not to know, "This is?" ”

Xu Bao loaded a bullet into the Xuanjia Divine Gun and aimed it at the flagpole a hundred paces away.

"Bang!"

A shot was fired, and the flagpole was broken in response, Fang Yuan knew at first sight that this was a genuine Xuanjia Divine Gun, and the Fire Gun of this era did not have this kind of power at all. The appearance may be imitated, but the power is impossible to imitate.

The fire gun in Xu Bao's hand is the real Xuanjia Divine Gun.

Xu Bao laughed and said, "Master Xi, this is the special divine weapon of the Xuanjia Army, I understand!" My backstage is the Xuanjia Army, it's Fang Yuan! The smuggled salt of my Haisha Gang is all the transportation channel of the Xuanjia Army's military assets, you say that the north and south of the river, who would dare to come to check the goods of my Haisha Gang? ”

Fang Yuan listened to his smug shout, he was silent, looking at Jing Jie's signature on the customs clearance paperwork, his heart was trembling, could it be that this smuggling of smuggled salt was actually related to the commander of the Xuanjia Army and his good brother Jing Jie?!