The thief of the fortress dominates the world

Chapter 682 The Big Backer of the Cao Gang?

After only staying in this small town for one day, and letting the three members of Xiao's family rest for a while, Jiang Chuan took them back to Ancheng.

Ancheng is on the edge of the big river, and there is a lot of traffic, so it can be regarded as a prosperous place.

After replenishing some fresh water, food and other supplies, Jiang Chuan and his party went down the river to Yangzhou.

After arriving in Yangzhou, Jiang Chuan did not go to Gaoyou County to find Liu Yong and his sister.Liu Yonggang has just taken a job in Gaoyou, and there are many things to do, so there is no need to bother him, so as not to be too much work.

By that time, Liu Rushi had already received the news of Jiang Chuan's return, and quickly came to Yangzhou to meet Jiang Chuan.

"My lord, where is my master?" Liu Rushi looked around and asked with wide eyes.

Jiang Chuan froze for a moment before realizing that she was referring to Bai Jinxiu as master, and Bai Jinxiu had agreed to teach her swordsmanship under his terms.

"She still has some things to deal with, and she will return to Beijing in a few days."

"Master is not here, who will teach me how to practice sword?" Liu Rushi asked this question with a calm expression, as if he was worried that his learning would be affected.

Jiang Chuan didn't think too much, "I'll teach you first for a while, and she also taught me my sword skills."

"Then I'll thank you, Young Master." Liu Rushi cupped his hands in thanks, but there was a hint of cunning in his eyes.

"Hey, isn't this sister Xiao? Let's meet again." Seeing Xiao Ran's family of three, although Liu Rushi was a little surprised, she quickly showed enthusiasm and closeness.

When they were in Jining City, they had already known each other.

Seeing this time, although Liu Rushi had many surprises in his heart, he didn't ask any questions.

Jiang Chuan didn't explain much.

Although he intends to stay outside for a longer period of time, Jiang Chuan also knows that he has been out for more than a month. If he doesn't go back, those people in the capital will probably be anxious.

Changed a big boat in Yangzhou, went upstream along the canal, and arrived in Jining City in about ten days.

Xu Qinglang, who has been promoted to the official of the Hundred Households of the Black Ice Station in Jining City, came to see him.

"Young Master, all the rebels around Jining City have been wiped out, and all the bandits and robbers have also been wiped out. All the underground gangs in the city have also been banned. The new prefect Li Yan is very capable. On the one hand, he vigorously presides over the suppression of bandits. On the one hand, to appease the hearts of the people, rectify the order in the city, and understand the moths in the yamen at all levels, it is very popular."

When he heard Li Yan's name, he was a little surprised, and only then did he know that the cabinet had appointed Li Yan to be the magistrate.

But after the accident, and after listening to Xu Qinglang's report, he felt that Liu Ji did have vision, and Li Yan was really the most suitable candidate.

He did not have the rotten style of the old bureaucrats, nor did he have the impulsive innocence of those newly selected young officials, and he had led the army to fight, and he was strategic but decisive in doing things.

Moreover, as a vassal, Jiang Chuan not only did not treat her differently, but rather trusted her. With Li Yan's temperament, he would inevitably feel a kind of gratitude that a scholar would die for his confidant.

In the past, Li Zicheng only praised him, but never trusted him.

In this way, he is willing to repay Li Zicheng loyally.Even after being captured, he did not surrender immediately, and he was not willing to serve as an official in the court until the news of Li Zicheng's death came.

"While doing your duty well, you might as well help the magistrate more." Jiang Chuan urged Xu Qinglang.

Xu Qinglang bowed to accept the order, and said another small matter.

After the rebel Qin Mu was caught, he couldn't bear the torture, and finally confessed to the secret room behind the study room of the prefect's Yamen.

Heibingtai seized a large amount of gold, silver, jewelry and jade from the secret room, as well as some weapons and armor.

These became more direct evidence that Qin Mu and others intended to cause chaos, and they were now sealed up in the Jeju government treasury, waiting for the court to dispose of them.

Jiang Chuan thought that he had searched in that study that day, but found nothing in the end, but he didn't expect to be dug out in the end.

"how many?"

"After the subordinates asked someone to value the jewelry, jade and other items, plus gold and silver and other items, the initial estimate was about 300 million taels of silver."

Jiang Chuan frowned. He didn't expect that there would be so much money. This Qin Mu had collected so much money after being a false magistrate for three years.

"Leave the completion as your reward and funds, and leave [-]% to Li Yan. He just took over this mess, and there are many places to spend the money. All the rest are shipped to the capital and handed over to the household department. .” Jiang Chuan pondered for a moment and made a decision.

Xu Qinglang was overjoyed, and quickly left after bowing to thank her.

There was no stopover in Jining City, and the big ship continued upstream along the canal.

After another three or five days, the big boat arrived in Tongzhou, abandoned the boat on the shore, and hired several large carts, let Liu Rushi and Xiao's mother and daughter ride in the cart, while Jiang Chuan rode forward with the others.

It is now the beginning of June and the weather is already very hot.There is an endless stream of people, horses and vehicles coming and going on the official road, and sometimes there are even jams.

Jiang Chuan was riding on the horse, and he was not in a hurry to hurry. He looked at the surrounding customs and customs while walking.

Tongzhou is the northern starting point of the Grand Canal. All goods transported to the capital from the south through the canal must land in Tongzhou, and then transported to the capital by cart.

Therefore, most of the official roads are all kinds of carts full of goods, and each cart is fully loaded.

However, Jiang Chuan noticed that these carts basically had a small triangular flag with a red background and a black border, and the men driving the carts all looked proud with their heads held high.

Wherever these carts passed by, many people backed down one after another.

Occasionally someone moved slowly and blocked the way of these people, and those people just whipped them over.

Of course, there are also some chariots and horses that look like dignitaries and they dare not collide with them, but those dignitaries seem to have no intention of conflicting with these people.

Jiang Chuan looked strange, and asked Ji Biao to ask him to find out what was going on.

Ji Biao turned around and came back quickly, and said, "Young master, these people are said to be members of the Cao Gang. The Cao Gang is said to be the largest gang in the world, as long as the power is distributed in the north. All the big rivers in the north are considered to be the Cao Gang. Whether it is the boatmen begging for life on the river or the coolies on the pier, they are basically members of the Cao Gang. It can be said that the Cao Gang monopolizes shipping and freight on the northern rivers, and the number of gang members is said to be tens of thousands. .”

"Also, it is said that the reason why the Cao Gang is so big is that it has a big backer with great energy, and it is said that it has a lot of face in front of the regent."

After Ji Biao finished speaking, his expression was a little weird.

Jiang Chuan understood Ji Biao's expression, his weirdness was because this supposedly big backer of the Cao Gang had something to do with him.

But Jiang Chuan knew nothing about it.

(End of this chapter)