Since ancient times, the people did not fight with the officials, especially the merchants, they understood this truth very well, although you are rich and rival the country, but if you offend the government, you can become poor in an instant, and even the family is ruined, as the president of the Huai'an Chamber of Commerce, Ye Mingfei of course knows the truth in this, but unfortunately he believes too much in his own ability and the relationship between the Huaibei Chamber of Commerce.

This can only be said to be Ye Mingfei's not smart enough, if you calm down and think about it, Zheng Xunrui was able to defeat the Liukou several times, and was able to be crowned the crown prince at a young age, such prestige and ability, where is he a businessman with the status of a student can contend with, so many relationships behind him, will he come forward at a critical moment.

When Ye Mingfei really understood this truth, it was already too late.

On 15 June, there were two things that caused the most sensation in Huai'an and even in Huaibei: the first was that the governor took a concubine, and the concubine he accepted was actually a woman from Qinhuaihe, and the second was that Ye Mingfei, the largest merchant in Huaibei, was arrested, and all the property under his name was seized.

Huai'an City has long been spread everywhere, even in the teahouse, there are people who make up words to sing, saying that when Ye Mingfei just met the official army, he was extremely arrogant, and even ordered the nursing home to resist mercilessly, and the official army was merciless, when most of the casualties in the nursing home were killed and injured, and they couldn't resist, Ye Mingfei found out that the situation was serious, and it was too late to say anything at this time.

It is said that the official army captured Ye Mingfei's housekeeper, as well as many family members of the housekeeper, and asked in front of the housekeeper, if he could not carefully explain the place where Ye Mingfei's property was, he would kill the housekeeper and his family.

Someone saw with their own eyes that the officials and soldiers carried out countless boxes from Ye Mingfei's mansion and loaded them onto the carriage. This transportation process alone lasted for most of the day.

Some people also saw that Hongmen directly controlled the shops to which Ye Mingfei belonged, and these shops continued to operate. Of course, the profits he earned must have nothing to do with Ye Mingfei.

Ye Mingfei's family, more than 200 people, were all imprisoned.

Then there is another thing, that is, after Ye Mingfei was captured by the official army. The matter of Hongmen issuing business licenses has become very smooth, and many businessmen who have not received business licenses have come to Hongmen to take the initiative to obtain business licenses.

There are also good deeds, thinking about seeing if anything will happen after the government captures Ye Mingfei, after all, Ye Mingfei is also a famous scholar, and his identity as a member of the Donglin Party has attracted even more attention. But to the disappointment of these people, a few days passed, and the wind and waves in Huaibei were calm, and there was no reaction at all in Beijing and Nanjing.

By this time, everyone understood that the Governor was not simple and could handle anything.

Governor's Palace, Donglin Book House.

Xu Wanghua, Zheng Jinhong, Wen Kun and others all had smiles on their faces, and of course they were happy. All the merchants in Huaibei received business licenses, and the protection fee collected by Hongmen reached 1.8 million taels of silver per month, which indicates that the income from trade taxes exceeded 20 million taels of silver per year. The income from this alone can support the Governor's Mansion to do anything, and from now on, there is no need to worry about the lack of silver taels in the treasury.

The adjustment of taxes was personally commanded by Zheng Xunrui, but the specific implementation was the responsibility of Xu Wanghua and others. The Governor's Office, Zheng Jiajun, officials at all levels, and Hongmen have a high degree of unity in understanding this matter.

"Zheng Jinhong, what is the situation with the seizure of the property in Ye Mingfei's name."

"Young master, Ye Mingfei is really rich and rivals the country, his subordinates led the Zheng family army to seize gold, silver, and jewelry from Ye Mingfei's mansion, which is equivalent to 27 million taels of silver, and 200,000 stones of grain seized, in addition to large and small shops, etc., after a few days of estimation, the total value of the money owned by Ye Mingfei should be more than 40 million taels of silver."

Zheng Xunrui gasped, Ye Mingfei had so much wealth, he could be described as a giant, he didn't expect that a mere businessman could be as rich as the country.

This is of course a good thing, with these gold, silver and grain, the Governor's Mansion has a lot of confidence, and Zheng Jiajun's next development does not have to worry.

"Wen Kun, tell me about the tax adjustment."

"Yes, Hong Mingcheng and Xu Jikuang of Hongmen carried out a serious clean-up yesterday, and the monthly protection fee paid by Huaibei businessmen reached 1.82 million taels of silver, according to this amount, Hongmen can collect 21.8 million taels of silver for the whole year, Hong Mingcheng and Xu Jikuang also put forward a request, hoping to allocate 1 million taels of silver to Hongmen every year, so that they can maintain all the cities in the canal valley, and at the same time promote the practice of Huaibei levying protection fees to other places."

Hearing Wen Kun say this, Xu Wanghua's face changed slightly, one million taels of silver a year, this number is too big, although Hongmen has done a lot of things, but after all, all this is planned by Zheng Xunrui, and Hongmen is just one of the implementations.

After Zheng Jinhong and Wen Kun finished speaking, Zheng Xunrui slowly spoke.

"Of the confiscated Ye Mingfei's property, five million taels of it went into the treasury, and the rest was controlled by Zheng Jiajun, as for the cost of Hongmen, I think that the annual tax collected can be 20 million taels into the treasury, and the rest of the 1.8 million taels of silver are all confidently controlled by Hongmen."

Nanking.

Liu Zongzhou, the secretary of the military department and the counselor of the aircraft, held Ye Mingfei's letter in his hand, as well as the documents sent from Huaibei, and never spoke, and Wang Duo, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, stood next to him, also frowning, and also did not speak.

I don't know how long it took, Liu Zongzhou finally spoke.

"Heaven is evil, it is forgivable, self-inflicted, you can't live, Lord Wang, the official is not going to intervene in it, Ye Mingfei is a scholar, in Donglin Academy, it can be regarded as having a great influence, and the interaction with the fourth prince is also very close, it is said that he should understand the situation, but he has support behind himself, and he doesn't care about Lord Zheng's requirements, this is not what self-inflicted evil is, what happened to the fourth son of Donglin has already explained everything, in fact, even if the official writes a letter to Lord Zheng, he may not get any reply."

Wang Duo also shook his head and spoke.

"Lord Zheng has far-reaching plans, I really admire it, where is Ye Mingfei's opponent, kill the chicken to show the monkey, who doesn't understand this hand, it seems that from now on, no one dares to disobey Lord Zheng's orders and requirements in the four prefectures and three states in Huaibei."

"This official looks far more than these places, I'm afraid that it includes Shaanxi and Fuzhou and other places, it's all like this, okay, you and I don't have to worry about these things, there must always be someone who comes out."

Capital.

Cabinet ministers Qian Shisheng and Hou Xun got together, and they also held the letter written by Ye Mingfei and the blood letter for help written by Ye Mingfei's family.

Qian Shisheng's expression was very indignant, but he held back his anger and looked at Hou Xun opposite.

"Lord Hou, what do you think should be done with this matter?"

Hou Xun's expression was very ugly, and he shook his head slightly and spoke.

"What else can I do, just look at it, I can't let the son suffer because of saving this Ye Mingfei."

Qian Shisheng seemed to have known that Hou Xun would say such words.

"Zheng Xunrui has a scheming, he has made all the preparations, so that Lord Hou can't speak on this matter, but I think that we can find a way to make Zhang Pu and others open their mouths to impeach, this exemption from trade taxes is a decision made by the imperial court, Hongmen is ostensibly collecting protection fees, but who doesn't know that this is the resumption of commercial and trade taxes, so blatantly working against the court, how can he be comfortable, and Hongmen is under the control of Zheng Xunrui, this is something that everyone knows."

Hou Xun looked at Qian Shisheng, his eyes were very meaningful.

"Since Lord Qian knows that Lord Zheng is ready for everything, then the impeachment of Zhang Pu and others, how can Lord Zheng not make corresponding preparations, even if Hongmen directly serves Lord Zheng, but we can't come up with evidence, not to mention that there are forces in the cabinet to support Lord Zheng, Lord Qian and if I are involved, once something happens, the matter of my son of law will be exposed to the world, and at that time, I can only resign and return home."

Qian Shisheng's body trembled slightly.

"Lord Hou doesn't have to be so pessimistic, since that's the case, then let's ignore Ye Mingfei's matter, I will inform Zhang Pu and others, in this matter, don't be reckless, don't propose any impeachment twists."

Hou Xun nodded and spoke.

"I dare to predict that Ye Mingfei is dead, no matter who comes forward, it will be irretrievable, Ye Mingfei's participation in the Cao Gang, the evidence in this regard, Lord Zheng must have mastered it, and it is even possible to grasp other aspects of the situation, otherwise Lord Zheng would not have acted so recklessly, Ye Mingfei wrote a letter for help to Lord Qian and me, especially this blood book, Lord Zheng may not know, I don't think there is such a possibility, since everything is known and will do it, it means that Lord Zheng has made sufficient preparations, If we impeach rashly, we will definitely suffer a loss. ”

Hou Xun's words made Qian Shisheng fall into contemplation, indeed, Zheng Xunrui acted so blatantly, he must have the evidence in his hands, otherwise he would not have acted rashly, you must know that Ye Mingfei is also a meritorious scholar, if he does not really grasp the evidence, detaining a meritorious scholar is against the ancestral system, and he will be impeached.

Qian Shisheng is even clearer, Zheng Xunrui has made more preparations, he and Hou Xun are clear about the matter of the four sons of Nanjing, and Hou Fangyu, one of the four sons, is Hou Xun's son, no matter what trouble he encounters, Hou Xun must be the first to protect Hou Fangyu, including the matter of Ye Mingfei who met him. (To be continued.) )