Chapter 2258 2260 [Talk Action]

   In a blink of an eye, it is June.

  Louzhi County finished visiting relatives and returned to Qixia Town from eastern Guangdong.

   "Louzhi County is back, why hasn't Master come back?" Yan Xiaoliu asked suspiciously, "Could something be wrong?"

  Eastern Guangdong is also two or three thousand miles away from Qixia Town, but Louzhi County left late, and now they are all back.

  Xing Tutou followed Liu Shilang to the capital at the beginning of May, and the journey back and forth was only about a month. But it's been almost two months now, and he hasn't come back yet, which makes him really worried.

"Don't worry, your master is auspicious, and nothing will happen to you." Xiang Nan comforted, "In my opinion, maybe the Ministry of Punishment or the Six Gates will see that your master is so capable, and single-handedly kill the thunder that robbed King Xin's tomb. If the fifth child is arrested, let him stay in the capital to serve."

Yan Xiaoliu nodded when he heard this, and then said unwillingly, "Actually, Master and I were the ones who caught Lei Lao Wu that day, so the two should be the ones who received the award. Why did he get the promotion? Knowing this, then I will follow to the capital."

  Xiang Nan laughed when he saw what he said.

   On the surface, Yan Xiaoliu respects and loves Lao Xing, but once personal interests are involved, he still puts his own interests first.

   It can be seen that the friendship between master and apprentice is all fake!

  However, when he said that Xing Butou would stay in the Ministry of Criminal Justice and work in the Six Gates, he was purely coaxing Yan Xiaoliu.

  If Xing Tutou was really so beautiful, he would have written a letter back to show off.

  But he didn't do this, obviously something happened in the middle. Either something happened on the way to **** the prisoner, or something happened on his way back.

  …

  After Louzhi County returned from eastern Guangdong, he brought a lot of southern specialties to the model merchants in Qixia Town.

  Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu also turned into couriers, delivering deliveries from door to door.

"What is this?" Tong Xiangyu looked at what Xiang Nan sent, which was as big as a pumpkin but covered with hard thorns, and asked in puzzlement, "Xiucai, you are knowledgeable, please help me to see what is going on. What is it?"

  The scholar asked and looked at it curiously, but he couldn't see what it was at all. But he didn't want people to know that he didn't understand, so he boldly guessed, "This thing should be a root carving."

   "Root carving?!" Everyone was taken aback when they heard this.

  Seeing that he was about to show his timidity, Xiang Nan hurriedly dragged him aside and whispered something.

   "Yes, it's a kind of southern fruit." Xiucai hurriedly corrected, thankfully he didn't continue, otherwise he would really lose face.

   "What kind of fruit does it look like?" Guo Furong asked in confusion.

  It is quite strange that this kind of fruit has so many hard thorns on the shell.

"Hey, isn't the chestnut the same? It's so thorny on the outside, but the flesh inside is delicious." Xiucai explained, "This kind of fruit is also cut and eaten. But it is very sweet and tonic.

   In the south, there is a saying that there are three chickens for one durian. "

   "Xiu Cai, you really know a lot, you are worthy of being a scholar." Tong Xiangyu praised with a smile.

   "Scholars know the world's affairs without going out." Bai Zhantang also laughed, "Oh, you are a scholar after all."

  Xiu Cai felt a little ashamed when he heard what they said, and then looked at Xiang Nan gratefully. What he said just now was taught to him by Xiang Nan. If I hadn't told him earlier, he would have shown his cowardice.

  …

   Turning around, Qin Tao, the head catcher from the six gates of Fucheng, came to the county government office and asked Lou Zhi County to send someone to help them catch the salt dealer.

  Salt tax was one of the most important taxes in ancient times. During the Ming Dynasty, it accounted for 10% of the national treasury revenue, so salt tax was very important.

  Because of the high salt tax, the price of official salt is more expensive, so there are private salt dealers who specialize in the production and trading of private salt. Private salt does not need to pay taxes, so the price is naturally cheaper than official salt, and the public is willing to buy it.

  While private salt dealers reap huge profits, the country's income is greatly affected, so the government will severely crack down on private salt. In order to avoid the attack from the government, the illicit cigarette dealers tangled up in groups, known as the Salt Gang, and they were quite a powerful force in the world.

  Six Doors has been wandering around the Guanzhong for a long time to catch this private salt dealer.

  Six Doors had already paid attention to him, and the reason for arresting him was mainly to catch big fish with a long line and dig out the distributors under him.

   In this way, the entire private salt sales network will be uprooted, and the salt gang will inevitably suffer a heavy blow.

  The county magistrate of Lou did his duty, and when he heard that he wanted to catch the salt dealers, he naturally cooperated actively, and immediately ordered Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu to assist him.

   "My lord, if you need anything, just tell me." Xiang Nan asked Hengdao.

   "You are local policemen and are familiar with the local customs. In the next few days, the two of you will be responsible for tracking the private salt dealers." Qin Tao said, "If you have any questions, please report to me at any time."

  Xiang Nan and Xiao Liu nodded when they heard this.

  …

  In the next two days, Xiang Nan and Yan Xiaoliu changed into plain clothes and quietly followed the private salt dealer.

  This private salt dealer is not a native of Qixia Town. He has a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, and a thin body. The biggest feature is that there is a black mole on the right face with a tuft of hair on it.

  After he came to Qixia Town, he contacted restaurants and restaurants everywhere, seeming to intend to set up a distribution point in Qixia Town.

   "It seems that there is no private salt distribution point in Qixia Town." Qin Tao analyzed.

  Xiang Nan nodded, "The local magistrate of Lou County has always governed the people well and enforced the law strictly, so the people follow the rules and few dare to buy or sell illegal salt."

   "In this case, then don't wait, just arrest." Qin Tao decided, "Immediately call the guys from the ten villages and eight stores, and make sure to capture this person in one fell swoop."

  Xiang Nan nodded immediately when he heard this, and he and Xiao Liu notified the police officers in several surrounding towns to gather together and wait for Qin Tao's orders.

   "This time to arrest the salt dealer, please do your best." Qin Tao said, "This criminal must be brought to justice."

   "I would like to obey Jun's order." Everyone said together, and then followed the order and ambushed in Fukelai Restaurant.

  The reason for ambushing here is because during the previous follow-up process, Xiang Nan discovered that the owner of Fukelai Restaurant had had many contacts with private salt dealers, and he had reason to suspect that he was going to buy private salt secretly.

  In this case, it is more cost-effective to set up an ambush here and wait for the private salt dealer to come to your door than to block him where he lives. After all, where the private salt dealers live, who knows if there are any traps laid by agencies. What's more, catching thieves and catching stolen goods will prevent him from denying it.

  …

   After lying in ambush for a long time, just when everyone got a little impatient, they saw a thin man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, who came to the back door of Fukelai Restaurant with a backpack on his back.

  He knocked on the back door, and then the back door opened, and the owner of Fukelai Restaurant poked his head out, and when he saw him, his face showed joy.

   Then the two started trading. The private salt dealer handed over the basket to the owner of the restaurant. The owner of the restaurant took a handful of fine salt out of his back basket, licked it, nodded in satisfaction, and handed over a silver coin.

  Seeing that the two completed the transaction, Qin Tao immediately waved his hand, and then a dozen police officers rushed forward.

  (end of this chapter)