From the Red Mansion, you can travel through the world of martial arts

Chapter 254 Return to Yangzhou
On this day, Jia Wei went to Yangzhou again, leading a small group of people. He first visited the imperial commissioner Zhao Zongxian, then turned around and headed for the Salt Administration Office.

When he came to the Jiangnan region, it was only natural for him to visit his future father-in-law, Lin Ruhai.

Jia Wei had written previously to arrange a time for the visit. When he entered the Salt Administration Office, an old maid was waiting for him at the gate.

Following the old nanny into the main hall, Jia Wei saw a thin figure.

When Lin Ruhai saw Jia Wei, he also showed joy and took the initiative to greet him.

"Wenhe, here you come."

He has recovered from his illness and is in a much better mental state than before. As Daiyu's father, Lin Ruhai was originally handsome, elegant and upright. After experiencing a catastrophe, his hair and beard turned slightly white, adding a bit of vicissitudes.

Jia Wei bowed and said, "Greetings to my uncle."

Lin Ruhai smiled and held out his hand to help him up. "Wenhe, there's no need to be so polite. You wrote to me the other day saying you were coming to Yangzhou. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"How is your uncle these days?"

"After your diagnosis and treatment, and after taking some tonic medicine, I feel much better now."

The host and the guest took their seats, and the maid brought tea. Just as Jia Wei took a sip, Lin Ruhai said with a smile:
"You married into the Xue family a few years ago? By the time the Ningguo Mansion was passed down to your generation, there were already very few people. The responsibility of expanding the family now falls on you."

Jia Wei felt a little guilty, and just said, "I know that my uncle is busy with the salt business and has no other thoughts, so I didn't dare to disturb him. Otherwise, he would definitely send someone to invite my uncle to drink at my wedding."

Lin Ruhai also laughed for a while after hearing this, but Jia Wei always felt that the smile was a little forced...

"Where are Yu'er and the others now?"

Jia Wei replied, "We should be in Weishan by now. In another five or six days, we will be able to reach Yangzhou."

Lin Ruhai nodded slightly, his eyes unable to hide the anticipation. He was in his twilight years and had experienced a great disaster. He had no children, only Daiyu, his only daughter, who was far away in the capital. He must have missed her very much.

Now, thanks to Jia Wei, the father and daughter were able to meet, and Lin Ruhai was very happy and pleased. He looked at Jia Wei with even more satisfaction in his eyes.

"I've troubled Wenhe again this year, and he even sent Yu'er back."

Jia Wei smiled and said, "We are all family, so your words are being polite. When I took Sister Lin away last year, I promised her that I would bring her back to Yangzhou this year. Even if I was busy with official duties and went south first, I would never break my promise.

"Anyway, they are all stuck in their house in Shenjing, so I just happened to take them out for some fun."

Lin Ruhai added: "Due to the salt administration rectification, the situation in Lianghuai is somewhat complicated. You must be more careful when traveling with your female relatives."

Jia Wei agreed with a serious face and asked in detail about the situation in Lianghuai.

Emperor Xuanwu was able to secure his throne and strongly supported the imperial commissioner and Lin Ruhai in rectifying the salt administration, which had now reached the most critical stage.

Recently, the imperial commissioner and Lin Ruhai have summoned all the major salt merchants and publicly announced the most important part of the salt administration rectification - changing salt permits into salt tickets!
From then on, anyone who was engaged in the salt trade in Lianghuai could obtain salt with a ticket and sell it in the salt trading area as long as they paid taxes according to regulations.

Previously, only big salt merchants could obtain "salt permits" to sell salt. They raised the price of salt on the one hand and sold private salt on the other, making a fortune.

This reform directly broke the monopoly of salt merchants!
Now anyone can obtain a "salt ticket" to legally sell salt, which is equivalent to digging up the foundation of the salt merchants' settlement and career! Anyone would be desperate!
This order caused an uproar as soon as it was issued. The entire salt industry was shaken. The seven major salt merchants refused to sit idly by and opposed the court's new salt policy in various ways, both openly and secretly. The situation in Lianghuai was on the verge of breaking out.

Now that the new salt policy is in the actual implementation stage, its importance and crisis are self-evident. Lin Ruhai and the imperial envoy are both worried that the seven major salt merchants will suffer a loss.

The arrival of Jia Wei with his troops solved their urgent problem. Jia Wei also figured out the reason. With the suppression of the imperial court, even if the seven salt merchants recruited soldiers and rebelled, it was possible.

But now that he is here, if anyone dares to jump out, Jia Wei will definitely deal with it with thundering means!

"Don't worry, uncle. I will order people to increase surveillance on the seven major salt merchants after I return. I have the Jinyiwei army and the imperial order to mobilize the Yangzhou camp. I am not afraid of anyone with ill intentions!"

Lin Ruhai still had great faith in the methods of Jia Wei, the young powerful official. He nodded, stroked his beard and said, "With Wenhe here, there will definitely be no trouble."

Jia Wei thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Before Sister Lin and the others arrive, I will go to Suzhou Salt Island and give the Salt Gang a try."

The Salt Gang was supported by the seven major salt merchants. The salt administration reform had a huge impact on the Salt Gang. If the salt merchants wanted to cause trouble, the Salt Gang would undoubtedly be the main force.

Lin Ruhai said in surprise: "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Wenhe must not take the risk!"

Jia Wei smiled, his father-in-law still cared about him.

"Don't worry, uncle. I have extraordinary martial arts skills. If I want to leave, I'm afraid no one in the whole of Jiangnan can stop me. As for the Salt Gang, they are just a bunch of chickens and dogs. There is nothing to be afraid of."

Lin Ruhai seemed to remember something, and then he nodded slowly, and then said: "Even so, you have to be careful..."

The two chatted, and Jia Wei accompanied Lin Ruhai for lunch before leaving the Salt Administration Office. A group of Jinyiwei paraded through the city and returned to the Yangzhou wharf.

After boarding the Jinyiwei official ship, Jia Wei issued several orders in succession, arranging for the Jinyiwei to strengthen the defense of the Salt Administration Office and the Imperial Commissioner's Headquarters, and to transfer the Jinyiwei army to set up camp outside the city of Yangzhou.

He then ordered the sail to be set off for the Taihu Islands in Suzhou.

After playing with the concubines in the harem one by one, chatting and laughing with each of them, Jia Wei returned to his study leisurely.

When he pushed the door open, he saw Miaoyu sitting behind a large desk, with an icy face, approving official business for Jia Wei.

When Miaoyu saw Jia Wei push the door open, she put down her pen and stood up slowly, standing beside the table to salute him. She lowered her head without looking at him and said indifferently, "My Lord."

"Ah."

He liked the cool and aloof attitude that Miaoyu pretended to have.

Jia Wei looked Miaoyu up and down. She was wearing a moon-white jacket with plain sleeves and a long vest with paddy green satin trim. Her face was fair and tender, her waist was slender, and she was holding a rosary in her white hands.

Jia Wei passed by Miaoyu, sat on the chair behind the table, and gave Miaoyu another look.

Miaoyu paused for a moment, placed the rosary on the table expressionlessly, walked slowly to his side, and sat on his lap skillfully.

During the whole process, Miaoyu's expression remained normal and she still looked cold and aloof.

But Jia Wei, with his venomous eyes, noticed that her eyes, as clear as water, flickered slightly, and it seemed that her heart was not at peace...

Jia Wei wanted to laugh when he saw this, so he reached out and pinched her smooth face.

Miaoyu subconsciously turned her head away, then looked up at him again.

(End of this chapter)