Although Qin Tai disdained to use methods, it didn't mean that he didn't understand these rules. He knew that Hu Zongxian would step down, and Hu Zongxian's subordinates like Li Ding, even if they stayed in the yamen or the military camp, would not have a good life. When Hu Zongxian was there, they were as majestic as they were, and they bullied whoever they wanted. When Hu Zongxian stepped down, these people who had been bullied and manipulated by them would definitely not let them go. This is the so-called "hot and cold world", and this is a habit that everyone knows. When Hu Zongxian left Jiangnan, it is said that the imperial court was very strict with him. The retinue must not exceed ten, no more than two wagons, and no more than weapons and excessive gold and silver. Therefore, a large number of Hu Zongxian's cronies had to leave in batches or resettle on the spot, and some real estate was too late to deal with.

Qin Tai sent the inconspicuous Qiu Xiaoqiu, and with some wine and food and polite words, he immediately found out Li Ding's whereabouts. Because they found the right person, they found a former Hu Zongxian's personal soldier, who is now an idle gangster. Although he is not Li Ding's direct subordinate, he is very clear about Li Ding's affairs. According to this pro-soldier's explanation, Li Ding was not treated the same as him. After Li Ding came back from injury, he did not return to Hu Zongxian, not that Hu Zongxian didn't want Li Ding anymore, but that Hu Zongxian asked Li Ding to help him manage logistics. Although Li Ding's position is not high, he is Hu Zongxian's eyeliner and monitors the logistics department on behalf of Hu Zongxian. When Hu Zongxian felt that he was not good, he sent Li Ding and other cronies to deliver materials and money back to his hometown many times. When Hu Zongxian left Jiangnan, he deliberately did not take Li Ding with him. The purpose is to let Li Ding stay and secretly deal with Hu Zongxian's real estate and fields. The reason why Hu Zongxian was not in a hurry to sell these things was that he was worried that the action would be too big to attract the attention of the imperial court or hostile personnel. I also hope that after a while, after the place is restored, it can be sold at a good price. At the beginning, Hu Zongxian took advantage of his position and everyone's idea of cashing out and leaving Jiangnan in a hurry, and bought a large number of fields and real estate at extremely low prices. Now it has nearly tripled, but Hu Zongxian felt that it was not enough, so he did not sell it all. Hu Zongxian left Li Ding and other cronies, asking them to take good care of these industries and then sell them when the price rose to a high point. Before Hu Zongxian left Jiangnan, Li Ding had left the army and became the steward of a mountain villa. It shows that Li Ding is a small landlord and a small boss, but in fact, he is a secret housekeeper of Hu Zongxian, managing part of the real estate.

Qin Tai asked Qiu Xiaoqiu to ask again and again where Li Ding's villa was, and this direction was roughly the same as the Fujian where Qin Tai was going, so he just stopped by to ask the truth. Therefore, Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu prepared some dry food, changed their walking to a carriage, and rushed to this mountain villa as fast as possible. In order not to delay time, Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu rented a double-wheeled carriage at a high price. In order to save time and be safer, they did not hire a coachman, Qin Tai taught Qiu Xiaoqiu to drive the carriage, they had to take turns to drive the carriage and rush to the destination without interruption.

After three days and three nights of non-stop travel, Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu came to a place not far from the villa without attracting anyone's attention. Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu simply took a bath, and after eating a hot meal, they rested for a while. Then as Li Ding's old friend, he swaggered into the villa. Ordinary family members don't know Li Ding's true identity, and everyone thinks that Li Ding is the master and the owner of this villa. Only some old people and core personnel know Li Ding's true identity and status. It just so happened that these people were not in the villa, some went to collect rent, some went to inquire about the latest prices, and some took the opportunity to go home to visit relatives. So there are only two or three people who know Li Ding's actual situation in the villa, and of course these people will not be guarding the gate. Therefore, Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu were not only not deliberately made difficult, but were politely invited to the reception hall of the villa as VIPs.

After respectfully serving two cups of fragrant tea and some snacks that looked a little expensive, one of the subordinates stayed to take care of Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu, and the other immediately went to find Li Ding. When Li Ding heard that his old friend had come, he thought that Hu Zongxian had sent someone to contact him, and immediately went to meet someone in a hurry. Unexpectedly, the person he saw was Qin Tai, whom Li Ding was most reluctant to see, because Hu Zongxian repeatedly warned Li Ding not to provoke Qin Tai, the "unlucky ghost".

Because of Qin Tai's ability and Hu Zongxian's evaluation of Qin Tai, Li Ding not only did not dare to be sloppy, but also cooperated with Qin Tai. Qin Tai asked what he said, and Li Ding replied to it, promising not to conceal it or exaggerate. Qin Tai originally thought that he couldn't ask anything without using some means, but he didn't expect Li Ding to be so cooperative. In just half an hour, Qin Tai completed this task. At this time, it was still dawn, and it was not even time for dinner. Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu had no reason to stay for dinner, let alone stay overnight in the villa. Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu had no choice but to get up and leave the villa, and go to find a place to eat dinner and stay by themselves.

Li Ding sent Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu away like a plague god, and only after they couldn't see it did Li Ding breathe a sigh of relief. He didn't forget it, he ordered everything that Qin Tai and Qiu Xiaoqiu had touched and used to be destroyed on the spot, and at the same time, he also asked someone to tell Hu Zongxian about the conversation between him and Qin Tai. The reason why he didn't write the letter was because he was afraid of being seen and used as a reason to attack or frame Hu Zongxian. At the same time, Li Ding personally painted the portrait of Qin Tai, and asked everyone to pay attention to the fact that once this person appeared, he could not be allowed to come in by any means. Of course, we should also pay attention to the fact that no one is allowed to hurt this person, let alone embarrass this person.

Qin Tai lived in an inn outside the villa, and Qiu Xiaoqiu went to Zhang Luo for dinner. Qin Tai sat alone in the room, analyzing all the information he already knew. The matter is getting more and more complicated, and more and more people are being implicated. It seems that once this case breaks out, it will not only be earth-shattering, but also the first major case in the Ming Dynasty. The people involved range from the central to the local, from the emperor to the common people, including almost all people, all industries, and all levels of officials. From the officials of the six ministries, the cabinet, the celebrants, the royal family, and even several generations of emperors, down to local officials at all levels, officials in the yamen, merchants in many trades, local gentry, landlords, peasants, and so on. This case is so wide-ranging, so many involved, and so impactful that it can be said to be the largest corruption-related case in history. Don't say that Emperor Longqing can't really dare to deal with it, even if he dares, he doesn't dare to convict his father, Emperor Xian. If all the personnel are really dealt with, not only Jiajing Emperor Zhu Houxi will be unlucky, but even the entire cabinet and even all the people who have been officials in Jiangnan will have to be dealt with together. In this way, not only will the cabinet and local yamen at all levels be paralyzed, but it will also have an extremely bad impact on the already unstable people. At that time, even if Emperor Longqing himself does not want to step down, he will definitely be ousted by other members of the royal family, and even really have a bloody war to change the dynasty.

According to Li Ding's confession, the grain matter has always been an undisclosed secret. Although it is said that the two lakes are important grain producing areas, and there is a saying that "the two lakes are ripe for the world", in fact, the grain production in the south of the Yangtze River is the most important source of food for the country. Every year, the grain collected from the yamen at all levels in the south of the Yangtze River is continuously transported to the north, especially the capital, through the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal. This is the famous "Cao Liang" for hundreds of years. Millions of ordinary people rely on the canal to transport "Cao grain" for a living, and it is because of the transportation of "Cao grain" that the "Cao Gang" has been formed. The so-called "Cao Gang" is a gang composed of people who carry, escort, and transport "Cao grain". The vast majority of them are bitter porters and boatmen, and if they fight on their own, they are not only easy to be bullied, but also difficult to get their mates. So they joined forces and formed organized gangs to take care of each other and help each other. In this way, people will not be starved and bullied, and it will be easier to manage and command.

As early as the official granary, there have been things to do in the grain. At first, it was just a few people doing tricks and feet, and some small profits. Later, when there were more people who were tempted, the matter of food was discovered. In order not to cause everyone's big moves, there is a substitute for qualified rice with unqualified inferior rice, which is "shoddy". After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, other means appeared, and later there was a professional term such as "such as rice".