The night, like thick ink, completely swallowed up the dilapidated clay kiln. Outside, the wind was growing louder, whistling, as if it were some kind of ominous omen. Inside the cave dwelling, only a tiny oil lamp was lit. The bean-sized flame flickered in the wind, reflecting the solemn faces of the few people sitting around.
Afu had just finished his presentation, and his voice was slightly hoarse due to the hurried journey and suppressed tension. What he brought was not the latest developments of the people of Fengqiao Town, nor the follow-up of the Huzhou contact point. Instead, it was a piece of news that would shake the entire Pingjiang Prefecture and even the surrounding counties and prefectures - the magistrate of Pingjiang, Mr. Liu, who had sent someone to the Jinxiu Pavilion to deliver a birthday banquet invitation just a few days ago, fell!
The news came from a secret channel and is absolutely reliable. The cause was precisely the salt accusation, which had strangled countless merchants and also affected the interests of numerous officials!
It is said that in this year's salt distribution, Governor Liu touched upon a long-established and deeply rooted interest group. What's even more fatal is that behind this group, there is a faint shadow of a certain big boss in the capital. After several covert battles, the other side was clearly more skilled. It's unknown what tactics they used to directly stab up there. An urgent order was issued, and Governor Liu was charged with the crime of "inadequate supervision, causing chaos in the salt industry and private transfer of funds", and was temporarily suspended from his position pending investigation!
Although there was no explicit dismissal, everyone understood what it meant to be "suspended from work and pending participation" at this critical juncture. The sky in Pingjiang Prefecture is about to change!
"The dispute over salt diversion..." Surprisingly... So soon... Shen Ruoxin muttered to herself, feeling a chill run straight from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. The secret letter in her hand (the one that Li Molan had sent earlier) seemed to be burning hot as well. The invitation from the governor's wife, that seemingly timely but actually mysterious gesture of goodwill, now seems more like a huge irony, or rather... An amulet that is about to expire!
She suddenly raised her head and looked at Uncle Wang, who was equally shocked and solemn: "Uncle Wang, this Governor Liu..." How much do you know?
Wang Bo's brows knitted into a knot. Having lived for most of his life, he was well aware of the cruelty and impermanence of the officialdom's power struggles. He pondered for a moment and then said slowly, "This Minister Liu has only been in office in Pingjiang for two years." Be an official... It is said that he is relatively upright and has some tricks up his sleeve, aiming to achieve some political accomplishments. Just... He has a rather straightforward personality and his methods are not smooth enough. Pingjiang Prefecture is a land of fish and rice, and it is also a key area for canal transportation, salt and iron. The water is very deep! This salt guide has always been a piece of fat meat since ancient times. Countless people have been keeping an eye on it. The tricks inside are intricate and complex, and a slight change can affect the entire system. He wants to touch this part. I'm afraid it's... I moved someone I shouldn't have and blocked the way I shouldn't have.
"Moved someone who shouldn't have..." Shen Ruoxin repeated this sentence, her gaze as sharp as a knife. "Then who will replace him, or rather, benefit the most from this salt dispute?"
Afu added beside, "According to the news sent back..." The main force that brought down Lord Liu this time came from... Over there at the Canal Transport Office. It is said that the major portion of the new batch of salt diversion is likely to fall into the hands of several major salt merchants closely related to the canal transportation. And Su Ji... The head of Su Ji Cloth Shop, Su Changmao, had close ties with those salt merchants. There were even rumors that the Su family had also played a significant role behind the scenes this time...
Su Ji! The Canal Transport Office!
These two names were like two bolts of lightning, splitting the fog in Shen Ruoxin's mind!
She understood instantly!
Why did Su Ji dare to suppress the Jinxiu Pavilion so blatantly? Why dare to seize Zhang Ji Silk Workshop so easily? Why could the insider convey messages so precisely when she was trying to build a "dandelion" network?
The root cause is very likely right here! Su Ji is not merely a cloth store. It is very likely that it has long been deeply bound to the line of the Canal Transport government office, and may even have been involved in the deeper distribution of benefits such as the salt diversion!
They previously thought Su Ji was just a business competitor, but now it seems they were completely wrong! Su Ji is very likely just a "white glove" of the Canal Transport Office in the business world, or rather, a part of this huge interest group! Their conflict with the Su Ji, in essence, was a confrontation with the huge Canal Transport Office!
After the Canal Transport Office brought down the obstructive Prefect Liu, its power in Pingjiang Prefecture was bound to soar, and its actions would become even more unscrupulous!
No wonder... Shen Ruoxin felt a chill in her vest. "No wonder my elder brother suddenly attacked and forcefully seized power..." Is he... What kind of wind did you also sense? Or... Someone has already been "courting" him. What has been promised?
Although Shen Yu was somewhat pedantic in his studies, he was not completely lacking in political acumen. The political climate in the officialdom suddenly changed. The prefect lost power, the canal transportation benefited, and the Su family's influence rose even higher... When all this information was added together, he was very likely to realize that the Shen family's own strength alone, or rather, his status as a scholar alone, was no longer sufficient to support the family. He needs... Looking for a new backer!
At this moment, the Grand Canal Transport Office and Su Ji, which are currently enjoying great popularity, undoubtedly seem to be the most "reliable" choices! He was eager to take control of the finances and warehouses of the Splendid Pavilion. Perhaps it was not only to satisfy his own desire for control, but also to... Using the Splendid Pavilion as a bargaining chip to "surrender" to a new force? !
This guess made Shen Ruoxin feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave! If so, the situation of the Splendid Pavilion would be a hundred times more dangerous than she had imagined! If the elder brother colludes with Su Ji and the Canal Transport Office, they will have no place to stand in Pingjiang Prefecture!
Second Miss, then... The invitation from the governor's wife... Afu asked hesitantly.
"Burned." Shen Ruoxin said without hesitation, her voice cold. "Going to the banquet now is not only of no use but might even bring disaster upon oneself!" Who knows who will be the new one? Who knows what will happen to this Mr. Liu? We mustn't have anything to do with a ship that is about to sink!
"Depend on the gentry..." The wind direction in the officialdom... Shen Ruoxin gave a wry smile and once again deeply felt the pain of self-reflection from the previous day. She thought she had seen through the illusion of "relying on the gentry", but she never expected that this illusion would shatter so quickly and so thoroughly! A seemingly unrelated "salt dispute" or the aftermath of a "factional struggle" among high-ranking officials could instantly crush these struggling little people at the bottom to pieces!
Looking at Shen Ruoxin's pale but unusually determined face, Wang Bo felt both worried and admiring in his heart. The second young lady's acuity and decisiveness far exceed those of ordinary people. However, the current situation is simply too perilous.
Second Miss, then... This side of Fengqiao Town... Uncle Wang asked worriedly. With the dramatic changes in the officialdom, the local troublemakers will only become more rampant. If Zhao Ba PI and his likes sensed the trend, they would probably become even more unscrupulous. The difficulty of their rescue operation for A Xing and the others has undoubtedly increased several times!
"Can't wait any longer." A resolute light flashed in Shen Ruoxin's eyes. "We can't wait any longer for the full moon night!" Delay leads to change! We must act immediately!
She turned to Uncle Wang, her voice extremely low, yet carrying an undeniable force: "Uncle Wang, the person I asked you to contact last time..." Now, immediately! Right away! Contact him in our fastest and most private way! Tell him that I have an extremely urgent matter and ask him to do... Come and meet me in Fengqiao Town!
Upon hearing this, Uncle Wang's expression changed suddenly! He knew who the second young lady was talking about and what it meant to contact that person! That was a risky move. One wrong move and it would be an irreversible disaster! Especially at this time when the storm in the officialdom has suddenly flared up and the situation is unclear!
Miss Two! Think twice! Uncle Wang's voice was trembling a little. "This person..." One's temperament is unpredictable, and... He has also long been entangled with the canal transportation side! Would it be possible to draw him into the game at this moment...
There is no time to think twice! Shen Ruoxin interrupted him, her eyes burning with almost crazy flames. "We are now like a small boat in a violent storm!" With the fall of the prefect and the rise of the canal transport, Su Ji is bound to take advantage of the situation to pursue! It's very likely that my elder brother has fallen to the other side! The escape route of Pingjiang Prefecture is about to be completely blocked! "Here in Fengqiao Town, Zhao Babapi could jump to the wall in a panic at any moment!"
We have no choice left! Uncle Wang! Her voice was a little hoarse but unusually clear. "Either just sit and wait to die, and be completely swallowed up by this storm!" Either, then only... Bring in another stronger wind to fight against this storm! Even if... That wind is equally dangerous!
She looked into Uncle Wang's puzzled eyes and said word by word, "Tell him that I have something in my hand..." Something that could give him an absolute advantage in the upcoming silk war in the south of the Yangtze River! I think... He will be interested.
Shen Ruoxin didn't say what it was, but her eyes and tone both revealed a desperate determination.
Looking at the sixteen-year-old girl in front of him, Uncle Wang saw that within just a few days, she had experienced kidnapping, betrayal, internal strife, and power struggles in the officialdom... Amidst numerous crises, instead of being crushed, she was like a sword repeatedly forged by the fierce fire, shedding her naivety and revealing astonishing sharpness and resilience.
He took a deep breath, as if making a difficult decision, and nodded vigorously: "OK!" Old slave... Let's do it right now!
Outside the window, the wind grew stronger, faintly mingled with the sound of raindrops hitting the tiles. A storm of political strife has swept through Pingjiang Prefecture, and at the edge of this storm, a girl in a desperate situation is about to ignite another even more dangerous flame.
Ok. This is Chapter Fifty-two written based on your requirements and detailed outline: