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

Chapter 300 Conspiracy
Inside the Wangjiang Tower, singing girls danced gracefully, flutes and drums played in unison, the lights were bright, and accompanied by the sound of orchestra, everyone clinked glasses and the atmosphere was lively.

"Your Majesty has two of the 'Eight Beauties of Qinhuai'. This blessing really makes us envious!"

While Zheng Yuanxun was toasting, he looked at Wang Peili and Huang Juntai and smiled meaningfully.

Jia Wei also raised his glass and said with a smile: "Mr. Wang and Patriarch Huang are so understanding and righteous that it is hard to refuse their kindness."

Wang Peili ignored Zheng Yuanxun's jokes and raised his glass solemnly, saying, "Marquis Yong'an is too polite. Without the marquis sweeping across the country and maintaining peace, we wouldn't be able to do business with peace of mind. We are just showing our appreciation."

Zheng Yuanxun's face twitched, and he waited until the conversation was over before he took the initiative to ask.

"My Lord, I have discussed this with you this morning. Shaanxi has been hit by a disaster, and we cannot bear to see the people suffer, so please come up with a rule for the donation, and we will follow it."

Jia Wei waved his hand and said unhappily, "Don't talk about official business at the table."

"Yes, yes, yes, among these women, is there any that the Marquis likes..."

The other wealthy businessmen were all confused. They came here tonight just for the donation matter. What did Jia Wei mean by not wanting to talk?
The wealthy businessmen were all shrewd people, and after pondering these words, their faces inevitably turned black.

Jia Wei didn't come up with a charter to stipulate how much everyone should donate. Was he just letting them decide for themselves? It seemed like he wanted to make some money from it, so it would be hard to know how to do it...

Just then, there was a sudden loud noise from outside and the sound of hurried footsteps.

Everyone looked over and saw a big man from the Jinyiwei burst open the door, came to Jia Wei's desk, knelt down and said:
"My Lord, the troops escorting Miss Lin back home were attacked on the road!"

"What?!" Jia Wei slammed the table and stood up.

There was only a loud "bang" sound, the table was smashed to pieces, the food and drinks were spilled all over the floor, and everyone was terrified.

"Who did it?"

"We don't know yet. We are still investigating..."

Suddenly Zheng Yuanxun's face turned pale. He had also been struggling for power for decades to get to his current position. He instantly felt that this matter was extremely strange.

The people who hated Lin Ruhai the most in Yangzhou were the salt merchants, and all five of them chose to compromise under the high pressure. Who else would attack Lin Ruhai's only daughter?
Besides, the timing was too coincidental. Jia Wei was inviting them to a banquet at Wangjiang Tower tonight to discuss the donation issue, and Lin Ruhai's only daughter was attacked?

In an instant, Zheng Yuanxun came up with two possibilities in his mind.

First, the remnants of the Jiang, Ma, and Cheng families were secretly plotting revenge;
Second, the attack on Lin Ruhai's only daughter was a play performed by Jia Wei...

Jia Wei glanced coldly at the salt merchants. Although he said nothing, everyone felt the tremendous pressure and was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on their backs.

Jia Wei walked out of the house quickly, followed by Ding Baiying. For a moment, there was a lot of discussion in the house. This sudden change made everyone panic...

Zheng Yuanxun observed the expressions of Wang and Huang, but saw that they both looked surprised, and it seemed that they were also unaware of this matter.

"Brother Huang, what's going on tonight? The court wants to donate, and we have agreed. There is no need to put us to death, right?"

Huang Juntai smiled kindly: "Don't worry, the Jinyiwei has always enforced the law impartially. As long as it wasn't done by the Zheng family, the Marquis will not wrongly accuse a good person."

Zheng Yuanxun was confused. Jinyiwei, enforce the law impartially?
Suddenly, a heavy and chaotic sound of footsteps was heard, and a team of cavalry in brocade clothes poured in like a tide, surrounding the entire Wangjiang Tower.

The leader was a young captain wearing a white flying fish suit and carrying an embroidered spring sword on his waist. He had a gloomy face and stared at everyone with a hawk-like gaze.

"The Marquis has ordered that you all be arrested and interrogated on the spot for suspected involvement in the assassination of the daughter of Salt Transport Commissioner Lin!"

After hearing what the thousand-householder said, several salt merchants and other wealthy businessmen were shocked!

Interrogation? Treating them like criminals?

Interrogation? Who wouldn’t be terrified by the Jinyiwei’s interrogation?

They were used to extravagance and debauchery, and were always honored guests wherever they went. How could they tolerate being prisoners? Wang Yinggeng's face changed drastically, and he slammed the table and said, "How dare you be so rude! I am the Fengchenyuanqing of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, bestowed by the Emperor, and I am a third-rank provincial governor. I want to see the Imperial Envoy Zhao!"

The young captain smiled sinisterly and said, "We, the Jinyiwei, are here to deal with dignitaries like you. Come, escort them to the box and interrogate them strictly!"

Immediately, several Jinyiwei cavalrymen came over with swords drawn, and no one present dared to resist.

As for Wang Peili and Huang Juntai, they were much calmer and composed, and walked towards the box tactfully.

But the centurion who led the way brought the two of them into the same box.

From time to time, the somewhat unruly captain walked into the box and bowed to the two of them.

"I am Jin Yichuan, a captain of the Imperial Guard."

"Hello, Lord Jin." Wang Peili and Huang Juntai also bowed politely.

Jin Yichuan took out two notes and placed them on the table.

"Tonight, the Wang and Huang families pledged to donate 100,000 taels each. Is that meaningful?"

Both of them looked calm, but were happy in their hearts.

Their expectation was 300,000 taels, but they didn't expect that Jia Wei's family would reduce the amount for them by 200,000 taels. This was a big surprise.

The key is not the two hundred thousand taels of silver, but the attitude shown by Jia Wei.

Both of them bowed again: "Thank you, my lord."

Jin Yichuan nodded and said, "Please rest in the box for half an hour. The Jinyiwei will personally escort you back to the mansion tonight."

Wang Peili and Huang Juntai certainly knew their limits and agreed immediately without asking any further questions.

Jin Yichuan walked out and the door of the box closed again.

After a moment of silence, Wang Peili looked at Huang Juntai and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Huang, I wonder if Miss Lin, who was attacked tonight, is okay?"

He had also heard that Jia Wei had a close relationship with Lin Ruhai's only daughter. If the attack was true, it was possible that the situation of the five major salt merchants would change again...

Although there was competition among the salt merchants, they could not help but feel that they were in the same boat.

If they hadn't been one step ahead and bet on Jia Wei, it would have been the Wang and Huang families who would have been frightened tonight.

Huang Juntai smiled and answered the question irrelevantly: "Someone has to be held responsible for this matter. I don't think this matter will end until the mastermind behind it is found..."

Wang Peili was silent for a while, and then he came to his senses.

If Jia Wei keeps holding on to this matter and does not take any action, then who would dare to go against his wishes, whether it is donations or salt administration reform?

The Jinyiwei has the final say on who is responsible for this matter.

No matter who it happens to, the lightest consequence is that their property will be confiscated and they will be questioned.

Wang Peili shook his head and sighed, "As the saying goes, being too strong will break easily, showing off one's edge is not necessarily a good thing."

Huang Juntai was still smiling: "How old is he? It would be strange if he acted like a demon!"

Wang Peili also realized that what attracted the Wang family to place a bet was not only Jia Wei’s current power, but also his age.

Jia Wei is not even as good as a crown, and no one can see his upper limit...

(End of this chapter)