The lobby of the yamen was crowded with salt merchants.

Under the lobby, there are four chairs. There were three people sitting, led by an old man on the left, lying on a chair in a daze, and a woman next to him was fanning him.

It was Xiao Qingxuan, a talented daughter of the Xiao family, who was wearing a green skirt and had a dignified posture.

That old man is the head of the Xiao family today, and he is also the actual leader of the current salt merchants in Yangzhou City, Old Man Xiao.

Below is a fat man, who is holding a cup of tea and savoring it.

His name is Bao Yi'an, and he is also the salt merchant of Yangzhou City.

Bao Yi'an said to another chief merchant dressed as a scribe next to him on the right: "Ma Dequan, Lao Li hasn't come yet?" I won't sleep in the painting boat of Jinfei Lake again today, hahaha. ”

Ma Dequan closed the folding fan in his hand, and reminded the fat man to be careful when he spoke: "Old Bao, Li Chaozong may still be busy at home, but now after all, Lao Li is sitting on the top spot, and it is not strange how things are." Right, Miss Xiao. ”

"Two brothers, I don't know about my brother-in-law, you'd better ask himself, or ask my sister."

Xiao Qingxuan spent the night in Li Mansion yesterday, Li Chaozong did not return overnight, and everyone at the scene knew that Li Chaozong was a talented wanderer.

Although Bao Yi'an's words were unintentional, they also embarrassed Xiao Qingxuan very much, but it was Old Man Xiao who didn't hear it.

He didn't care about his grandson-in-law at all.

Ma Dequan and Bao Yi'an were so scared by Xiao Qingxuan that they didn't want to speak, so they asked Mrs. Li Xiao Yushu?

Back then, because Li Chaozong was not at home all the year round, the master of the Jinfei Lake Painting Boat made a big fuss, although now he is married to a woman, and his temper has been reduced a lot.

But no one wants to be idle and have nothing to do to touch her moldy head.

Bao Yi'an and Ma Dequan also quieted down, and the rest of the small salt merchants were discussing the purpose of bringing them together today.

However, several general merchants did not speak, and they could only wait quietly.

Time passed minute by minute, but except for the prefect Yin Dechang in the lobby, there was no shadow of Lin Ruhai at all.

The salt merchants wanted to drink saliva to quench their thirst, but they couldn't look down on the tea prepared by the yamen, so they took out their own tea leaves and brewed them for their own men.

For a while, the fragrance of tea overflowed in the lobby of the yamen, and the salt merchants also began to talk about business.

took out their own precious pastries and began to enjoy them, and at the same time, they all prepared an extra one and sent it to Yin Dechang's table.

But today Yin Dechang didn't have the heart at all, and asked these salt merchants to restrain a little, they ignored it completely, and Bao Yi'an even said directly, It's okay, the official who has been here for so many years has not become his own person.

The crowd laughed.

In his words, there was a look of disdain, and Yin Dechang was used to it.

These Yangzhou salt merchants are inherited by hereditary system, which door is not inherited for a hundred years, and the relationship between the DPRK and China is naturally not comparable to that of a small city prefect.

In the past, Yin Dechang smiled and passed, but today is different.

He also laughed at this group of salt merchants in his heart, Lin Ruhai had been in Yangzhou for so long, and he had been investigating cautiously before, but he had never done it.

But today I gathered you with great fanfare, and there was no means to do this?

What's even worse is that the prince, although he is not a Jianghu person, may be the one who bounced the gold bead away in prison at that time, and then sucked it back with internal force.

I haven't seen anyone who has this kind of means for so many years.

However, Yin Dechang was not in a hurry at all, just like Bao Yi'an said, Yangzhou City had been in the hands of their salt merchants for nearly a hundred years.

It is not necessarily easy for the emperor to come in person, not to mention this treasure house, the relationship between the court and the Chinese government is even more complicated, and which official will not become one of them after coming here.

Of course, there are also officials who have not become their own people, but those people are now three feet tall.

If you want to leverage salt merchants in Yangzhou, it is completely a fool's dream.

Yin Dechang just wanted to use Zuo Lingtian and Lin Ruhai's hands to kill their prestige.

However, for the sake of his future future, it is important to be careful in front of that prince and leave a good impression.

At this moment, the lobby has become a leisure place for Yangzhou salt merchants, Ma Dequan and Bao Yi'an are chatting and laughing, and a group of salt merchants are constantly praising on the side.

Old Man Xiao is still there, as if this lively scene has nothing to do with him.

Xiao Qingxuan sat next to his grandfather, but he was replaced by the old housekeeper.

The sound of metal fragments came from outside the yamen, and Lin Ruhai, who was the leader, wore a bright red official robe and walked slowly into the lobby.

Behind him were three pro-army Qianhu who carried knives, and Yin Dechang, who had seen these three, was shocked to cover his face with his sleeve.

These three thousand households are Ah Da and a few people, and the knives of the three of them are shiny, but the smell of blood on them is even stronger.

The smell of rust-like blood suddenly filled the entire hall, and the salt merchants couldn't help but cover their noses, and even Xiao Qingxuan, who had been in the ancient well, frowned.

Seeing that the goal was achieved, Lin Ruhai slowly walked to the front of the desk in the lobby and said to Yin Dechang: "Lord Yin, please make a place." ”

There was no politeness in his words at all, if Lin Ruhai still adhered to the rules of the literati before, he was very polite to Yin Dechang.

But now, from discussing with Zuo Lingtian yesterday to what he has seen and heard today, Lin Ruhai has been very disappointed in Yangzhou's officialdom.

Yin Dechang also wanted to roar Lin Ruhai and say that he despised Shangguan, even if he was sent by the emperor, he had to abide by the rules.

It can be seen that Li Zhongming's big knife is still cowardly, and the prince's personal soldiers are following Lin Ruhai, is Lin Ruhai really valued by the royal family?

Yin Dechang suddenly remembered that Lin Ruhai seemed to have a daughter who was beautiful and wise, no wonder.

In the future, it will be a national ruler, and you can't offend or offend.

Hurriedly got up and said modestly, "Okay, Lord Lin, please take a seat." ”

stood aside by himself and gave Lin Ruhai enough face.

Lin Ruhai also thought that he was afraid of Li Er and them next to him, if he knew what Yin Dechang thought, he would probably snatch the knife from Li Erzhong, and teach him a lesson.

Lin Ruhai sat on the main seat with great vigor, looked at the silent salt merchant below, and asked softly: "Your Yaxing is really good, drinking tea and eating pastries, today is not bad, but this official summoned everyone here, not to let you drink tea here and talk about Taoism." ”

For a while, everyone in the lobby had to laugh awkwardly, and they confessed again and again, and the little guy on the side was also very discerning to serve Lin Ruhai a cup of tea.

Lin Ruhai saw the embarrassed appearance of the salt merchants in the hall, and wanted to continue to make trouble, but his eyes fell on the first place on the right, and Li Chaozong, one of the four major salt merchants, was not present, so he asked: "This Li Zongshang, is he unwell today?" ”