I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 525: The Collapse of Kongfang Building! The Balance of Song Dynasty’s National Debt Is Insufficient

In front of Qufu Bridge, inside Kongfang Tower.

The appearance of Yu Jing, the transport commissioner of Liangzhe Road and the governor of Hangzhou, quieted down everyone in the hall on the first floor.

The merchants of Jiangnan Trading Company all knew that Yu Jing was seriously ill and bedridden.

Now he appeared in Kong Fanglou with a rosy face and stood with Tongpan Gu Yue. It was obvious that the two had discussed it beforehand.

The wise old man Lin Luonan looked straight at Su Liang.

He didn't expect Su Liang to be here.

He is not afraid of Wang Anshi.

Wang Anshi did not hold a high position and was a member of the Three Departments. He must have come to Jiangnan because of the national debt.

But Su Liang arrived here.

Just now, Gu Yue pointed out that he had committed treason, and Yu Jing seemed to have submitted to Su Liang.

He couldn't help but feel a little panicked.

Yu Jing stood beside Su Liang and said loudly, "This is the current Imperial Censor Su Liang, this is the Emperor's uncle Cao Yi, and this is the Salt and Iron Procurator Wang Anshi. Why don't you all pay your respects immediately?"

The businessmen of Jiangnan Trading Company were all stunned.

Su Liang’s current prestige among the people is no less than that of the prime minister.

"Greetings to Su Zhongcheng! Greetings to the uncle of the emperor! Greetings to Wang Tuiguan!"

All the merchants bowed, including the wise man Lin Luonan.

In front of Su Liang, these businessmen would never dare to be arrogant.

At this time.

Yu Jing looked at Lin Luonan and said, "Brother Wenyuan (Lin Luonan, courtesy name Wenyuan), I have reported everything to Su Zhongcheng. You are in the Song Dynasty but your heart is in the Liao Kingdom. Tell the truth about your crimes!"

As soon as these words came out.

The businessmen around were all stunned, not knowing what Yu Jing meant. They could not imagine that the wise man who was the leader of the Jiangnan business community would have any connection with the Liao Kingdom.

Lin Luonan took a step forward.

"Central Minister Su, Prefect Yu, this is a joke! I am already over 70 years old and have not even left Hangzhou in recent years. How did I become related to the Liao Kingdom? You have accused me of such a crime in order to get merchants to buy national debts. I cannot afford this!"

"Lin Luonan, forty-one years ago, you left Song for Liao because you failed the imperial examination, and your whole family became Liao citizens. Ten years later, you returned to Song with a huge amount of gold and silver and established the Jiangnan Trading Company. Now you are blocking Jiangnan merchants from buying national bonds. Isn't this treason?" Yu Jing said angrily.

"Do you have any evidence?" Lin Luonan retorted.

Su Liang glanced at Liu Sandao who was standing beside him. The latter immediately understood and took out the portrait of Yelu Zongzhen hidden in the secret room of Zhisou's house.

"You have a portrait of the Liao emperor Yelu Zongzhen in the secret room of your house and burn incense to worship it. The facts are all there. How do you explain it?"

"In addition, our dynasty has planted spies in the Liao Kingdom. It will take less than half a month to investigate your identity status in the Liao Kingdom for the past 30 years. Do you think you can keep it secret?" Gu Yue added.

Hear this.

The Jiangnan merchants around Lin Luonan all retreated and kept their distance from him.

The charge of treason is enough to kill nine generations of the clan.

Even if you are an accomplice, your life is in danger, and no one wants to be convicted of this crime.

At this moment.

Su Liang took another step forward and said loudly: "I know that several businessmen have long known that Lin Luonan is a spy of the Liao Kingdom and are in cahoots with him. If anyone confesses voluntarily, I can guarantee that his family will be safe. But only for now!"

Pfft!
Pfft!
Pfft!
……

Suddenly, five businessmen knelt on the ground.

"Central Prime Minister Su, we were bewitched by Lin Luonan. He told us that as long as we listen to him, no matter whether Liao conquers Song or Song conquers Liao, we...we will be invincible. I...I am confused!"

……

Su Liang waved his hand, indicating to pull these five people aside, and then looked at Lin Luonan again.

Su Liang asked him to admit his true identity in front of so many businessmen.

"Hahahaha..." Lin Luonan laughed.

"Su Liang, Cao Yi, Wang Anshi, if I am not mistaken, you came to Jiangnan secretly to urge Jiangnan merchants to buy national debts. It was only by accident that you discovered my identity. How unlucky I am!"

"Let me ask you, the Song Dynasty government said that the purchase of national bonds was voluntary, but the Jiangnan merchants refused to buy them. Is that unpatriotic? Is that against the laws of the Song Dynasty?"

"The imperial court raised national debt, claiming that it was for the people in the northwest and for the needs of the people after the recovery of Yanyun, but in fact it was just for the war. If we win, maybe the merchants will not lose, but if we lose, who can we merchants ask for justice?"

"I, Lin Luonan, was given the name of the Wise Old Man by the people. During the more than ten years of doing business in Jiangnan, the people of Jiangnan all remember me as the Wise Old Man. Even these businessmen were able to grow their business to its current scale, all thanks to my name!"

"And you, Yu Jing, if I hadn't been raising the commercial taxes in the area you're in charge of, how could you have known Hangzhou with your talent? Not only are you ungrateful, you're also trying to take advantage of me. You're such a mean person!"

Hear this.

Wang Anshi said angrily: "Lin Luonan, you underestimate the court. The court said that the purchase of national bonds was voluntary, and it was voluntary. It never forced anyone. We came to Jiangnan because someone maliciously prevented merchants from buying national bonds!"

"Come on! You have a mouth on your body, you can say whatever you want!"

Lin Luonan looked at Su Liang.

"Central Prime Minister Su, I have not committed treason and will never admit to betraying the Song Dynasty!"

"Forty-one years ago, it wasn't me who abandoned Song and went to Liao, but Song abandoned me. At that time, I also wanted to enter the official career and serve the court, but the imperial examination was unfair, so I had to go to Liao. The Liao gave me enough respect. After seeing my talents, they immediately treated me as a guest of honor. My family and I immediately had someone to rely on. In this respect, Song was far inferior to Liao!"

"In addition, I have been very kind to the people of Jiangnan over the years. You can say that I have not made any contribution to the court of the Song Dynasty, but I have made contributions to the people of Jiangnan, and they all recognize me."

"I neither admit that I am a Song person nor a Liao person. I am just a businessman. If Liao destroys Song, I am still a businessman. If Song destroys Liao, I am still a businessman. Isn't that what Confucius' descendants did? The rotation of dynasties is destiny. After the change of dynasties, I am still myself."

"I hang a portrait of the Liao emperor at home to thank him for taking care of me and my family. In this respect, he is several times better than the current Song emperor. Am I wrong?"

Lin Luonan held onto the table at the front of the hall, talking as he walked, and from time to time he looked in front of the table, at a palm-sized "Kong Fang" copper coin standing there.

Then he looked at the businessmen around him.

"Everyone, am I wrong? I just want to be an ordinary businessman. Whether I pay taxes to Liao or Song, I have to pay taxes. Why do I have to stand on the side of the Song Dynasty?"

After hearing what Lin Luonan said, Su Liang couldn't help but take two steps forward.

"As expected of a wise old man, he has made sense out of such a fallacy."

"Lin Luonan, you failed the imperial examination because you are not capable enough. You are valued in Liao because you are useful! If I am not mistaken, you must have promised Yelu Zongzhen that when the Song-Liao war breaks out, you must create chaos in the south of the Yangtze River. Otherwise, I am afraid that your family in Liao will not have a good ending!"

Su Liang looked around.

"Everyone, Lin Luonan should have often told you this fallacy that 'no matter who controls Jiangnan between Song and Liao, you are still merchants'! But have you ever thought about it? According to the customs of the Liao people, if they really invade our Song Dynasty and Jiangnan, will they not burn, kill and loot? Can the money in your hands protect the innocence of your wives and daughters?"

"The biggest difference between the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty is that the Song Dynasty court is reasonable and humane, and will not impose the barbarity of the Khitans on innocent people. You can see this from the war in which General Di destroyed the Xia Dynasty..."

"Lin Luonan, you are a running dog of the Khitans and you are not worthy of being reasoned with here. If I hadn't discovered that you were doing evil in Jiangnan, if your evil plan succeeded, the whole of Jiangnan might be destroyed by you!"

Su Liang suddenly raised his voice.

“Hahahaha… As expected of Su Jingming, I can’t argue with you! I’m already over 70 years old, my family is all in Liao territory, and I’ve lived enough. I’m going to drag you along to be buried with me. If you all die, Jiangnan will be in chaos!”

As Lin Luonan was speaking, he suddenly reached out and broke off the palm-sized "Kong Fang" copper coin on the table in front of him.

The coin flips.

Click! Click! Click!

at this moment.

Iron doors suddenly fell from above the front gate and the surrounding windows.

Just when the iron plate was about to seal the door in front, Liu Sandao suddenly moved and threw out the long knife in his hand.

boom!
The long knife was stuck between the iron plate and the threshold, revealing a ray of light.

At the same time, Kong Fanglou began to shake violently.

"Hahahaha... I set up this mechanism to kill all those Jiangnan merchants who don't submit to me. I didn't expect that the important officials of the court would also be imprisoned here. So many of you will accompany me to die. I will die a worthy death!" When Lin Luonan laughed, two yamen runners controlled him.

Su Liang clearly felt the ground shaking, as if it was about to sink.

this moment.

Liu Sandao and several soldiers used knives to create a space of less than one meter at the front gate.

Liu Sandao shouted, "Boss, uncle of the emperor, and Magistrate Wang, please come out quickly! This building is about to collapse!"

Su Liang looked around and saw the merchants rushing towards the door frantically. He couldn't help but shout loudly: "Everyone in the hall, listen to my orders!"

"Line up in two teams according to your respective positions. Soldiers are responsible for arranging the formation. Anyone who cuts in line will be killed!"

After Su Liang finished speaking, the merchants suddenly quieted down and began to escape in an orderly manner according to the soldiers' arrangements.

at the same time.

Hangzhou prefect Yu Jing and assistant judge Gu Yue rushed to the innermost part and began to maintain order.

They are well aware of the value of these businessmen.

If they all die here, the trade in Jiangnan will be in chaos.

The house shook and slowly sank.

The merchants evacuated in an orderly manner.

Cao Yi looked at Su Liang beside him and said, "Jingming, let's go together, the building will collapse soon!"

Su Liang shook his head and was about to speak, but after thinking it over, he used his arms to push Cao Yi to the door.

Liu Sandao immediately pushed him out of the door.

At this moment, Wang Anshi was standing beside Su Liang with a righteous look on his face.

He knew what Su Liang was thinking.

If Su Liang escaped right now, the merchants would probably fall into chaos due to nervousness.

"Jingming, I know what you are thinking. If I cannot live with you, I would like to die with you!" Wang Anshi puffed out his chest with a serious look on his face.

Without saying a word, Su Liang kicked Wang Anshi in the waist, and the latter fell to the ground.

Liu Sandao, who was not far away, immediately understood and took Wang Anshi out.

Then, Su Liang glanced at Liu Sandao, and Liu Sandao nodded in understanding.

Su Liang was also very nervous at this moment.

It's not that he doesn't want to escape, but that he can't escape.

Faced with life and death, he stood here to allow these merchants who valued their lives to maintain their formation. If he ran away, the formation might immediately become chaotic and none of them might be able to escape.

He looked at Liu Sandao to tell Liu Sandao that if the house collapsed, Liu Sandao must pull him out.

Su Liangcai doesn't want to die young!

boom! boom! boom!
At this time, the beams above began to fall and water began to seep out of the ground.

The entire Kongfang Building was about to collapse.

Soon, all the merchants were rescued.

Su Liang, the soldiers, the yamen runners, and Lin Luonan all escaped.

As local chief officials, Yu Jing and Gu Yue took the initiative to choose to stay behind.

After a while, Gu Yue was rescued.

Just when Liu Sandao was about to pull Yu Jing out, Yu Jing suddenly retracted his hand.

"Central Prime Minister Su, I have been disloyal to the court and unjust to my brothers. I do not deserve to live. Please treat my family well!" Yu Jing shouted.

After saying that, Yu Jing actually ran inside.

He wanted nothing more than to die.

And at this moment, there was a loud "boom" and the Kong Fang Building collapsed completely and then slowly sank.

in a blink.

Under the gaze of everyone, the four-story Kongfang Building turned into a huge pit with water rising up.

It is clear.

The foundation of Kongfang Building is connected to an underground river, and there is a lot of space underneath. Once the mechanism is triggered, it will collapse.

Su Liang and others all breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Liu Sandao was quick and left a gap with his sword.

Otherwise, the doors and windows are blocked by thick iron, and there are huge rocks on top. Once everyone falls into the deep pit, there will be undercurrents below, and they will surely die.

Lin Luonan looked at the collapsed Kong Fanglou and shouted frantically: "Yu Jing, you deserve to die! All of you deserve to die..."

Soon, a group of people gathered around Kong Fanglou.

After giving a brief explanation to the people, the magistrate Gu Yue took a group of merchants to the provincial government, where everyone had to give a statement.

To avoid panic among the people in the south of the Yangtze River.

Gu Yue tried the case overnight and posted a notice on the cause and effect of the incident at noon the next day.

The people of Hangzhou were all very surprised.

No one expected that the wise old man Lin Luonan, who was already in his seventies, was actually a spy for the Liao Kingdom. No one expected that if his plan succeeded, the entire Jiangnan region would suffer a huge disaster.

……

It's early in the morning on the third day of September.

At the gate of Hangzhou City Government Office.

Hundreds of businessmen gathered around, clamoring to buy government bonds.

Some businessmen had this intention long ago but were intimidated by the power of the wise old man, while some businessmen wanted to quickly wash away the stigma of being a member of the Jiangnan Trading Company.

As expected of the big merchants in Jiangnan, these people are really rich, and they start by asking for 50,000 or 100,000 strings of cash.

It was very easy for these nearly three hundred merchants to raise 20 million strings of cash.

Just then, Wang Anshi strode to the door.

"Everyone, please be quiet! I am Wang Anshi, the official in charge of salt and iron. The National Debt Contract aims to raise 80 million strings of cash, but now there is only 3 million strings left. No more will be accepted. You can leave your names first, and we will select those who meet the requirements. Those with more money will be selected first. Those who do not meet the requirements, please do not come again!"

"Three million strings of cash?"

"Official Wang, we have money. Three million strings of cash are too little. We can get together even 30 million strings of cash. Can we buy more? We want to restore the lost face of the Jiangnan merchants!" a businessman shouted.

Wang Anshi smiled and shook his head.

"Everyone, I'm really sorry, I can't give you a penny more. Three years later, you will understand that this purchase of government bonds will be a very successful deal in your business!"

At this moment, Su Liang, who was behind the door, also smiled.

Just last night, news came from the three offices.

Due to the enthusiasm of Chengdu merchants to buy national debts, as well as the purchase of three million national debts by Jiaozhi in the name of the king and the purchase of five million national debts by Dali in the name of the fifth princess of Dali, the national debt deficit was greatly reduced.

These three million strings of cash are reserved specifically for the merchants in Jiangnan.

The reason why Jiaozhi and Dali bought the Song Dynasty's national bonds was because they were worried that the Song Dynasty would deal with them after it destroyed the Xia and Liao dynasties. Therefore, they showed goodwill to the Song Dynasty and requested to strengthen trade cooperation.

The current Song Dynasty did not look down upon these two small countries, and the future peace in the southern border would depend on them, so it agreed.

(End of this chapter)