Chapter 166

In the evening, the gates of Tiger Pass were locked, and the lights inside were gradually extinguished. However, the lights in the accounting office were still lit. Ye Xiaotian and his party were staying in this courtyard. They had borrowed several side rooms. During the day, the accountants of Tiger Pass would work in the main building as usual, while they would check the accounts in the storeroom. At night, they would borrow the office to rest.

Ye Xiaotian's living quarters were much more spacious than the others. After all, he had a high status. However, after squeezing in five or six people at once, it was a little too cramped. Tea was boiling on the stove, and the few of them were either sitting on chairs or couches, discussing the results of today's audit under the dim light.

Su Xuntian said, "The people of Tiger Pass are very hostile toward us. Even if we want to investigate something, we're always being watched, guarded, and guarded against. It's too difficult!"

Ye Xiaotian laughed. "That's normal. We're from another county, and that alone is very repulsive. Besides, if we really do find a problem here, they won't be able to escape responsibility. It'd be strange if they treat us as honored guests. We've already predicted this situation before we set off. We don't have the right terrain or the right people, so it's indeed very difficult. However, we still have to investigate this case. Did you find anything? "

At the mention of this, Su Xuntian was filled with anger. He hatefully said, "I've been observing them for the past few days and purposely picked two people who didn't seem to be doing very well in Tiger Pass. But damn it, those two bastards, one a lecher and the other a drunkard, drank all the wine and didn't refuse any women, but they didn't say anything useful. I've been played by them! "

"You treat everyone else as idiots, and you're blaming them for treating you like an idiot?"

Ye Xiaotian shook his head with a bitter smile, then looked at the people from the Tax Department. That person said, "This lowly official has been following them for the past few days. No matter how sarcastic they are, this lowly official will only pretend that I didn't hear them. After careful observation, I discovered that there are indeed some abnormalities, but now that Ambassador Pang has been alerted, this lowly official is afraid that it'll be very difficult for this lowly official to continue investigating. "

Ye Xiaotian's eyes lit up. He hurriedly asked, "What do you mean by abnormalities?"

That person smiled and said, "Magistrate, this lowly one works in the Tax Department and knows the customs and regulations of the Tax Department like the back of my hand. So if there is something wrong inside, this lowly one can smell it. This is just a feeling. This lowly official really can't explain it clearly. "

Ye Xiaotian nodded. He understood this feeling. It was like an animal's instinct. However, an animal's instinct was innate, while his "sense of smell" came from his understanding of the rules and habits of the trade, which was also his experience. If you really wanted him to give a reason, it would be very difficult.

Ye Xiaotian said, "Then tell me what you feel. It doesn't matter. We're just brainstorming. I don't need you to give me a basis. "

"Yes!" "In the past few days, some passing merchants have mistaken this lowly official for someone from Tiger Pass, thinking that this lowly official is a newcomer and has the intention to befriend this lowly official. From their words and actions, this lowly official can feel that the people from this Tax Department have definitely accepted bribes and practiced favoritism, but I can't confirm if it's related to smuggling contraband. "

Ye Xiaotian frowned slightly. He knew that if he continued investigating in this direction, there might be a breakthrough. But now that Ambassador Pang had raised his guard, this was no longer possible. He looked at Hua Yunfei again. Hua Yunfei smiled bitterly and shook his head.

At this time, a skinny old man suddenly coughed and said to Ye Xiaotian, "Milord, please forgive this old man for saying something discouraging. This old man thinks that we won't be able to find anything wrong with their accounts."

This old man was called Nan Ke, the accountant of the Hong Baichuan Estate. Because of Ye Xiaotian's relationship with the tycoon, he trusted Nan Ke a lot and made him the manager of these accounts. Ye Xiaotian still valued his opinion and immediately asked, "Why does Old Mister Nan say this?"

Nan Ke cupped his hands and said, "Milord, this old man first checked the accounts of the Chang Horse Carriage Company and the Hu and Lu Merchant Firms. There are no problems with the accounts and they completely match up with the accounts we collected in Gourd County.

Since Milord has ordered us to strictly investigate these three companies' accounts, it is clear that you already have some suspicions. But there are no problems with these three companies' accounts. What does this mean? Either these three companies are actually very innocent and Milord has investigated in the wrong direction, but this old man thinks that this is unlikely.

This old man is not trying to flatter Milord. Rather, among these three companies, the Chang Horse Carriage Company used to be Qi Mu's carriage company. If someone in our Gourd County really has connections with Myanmar and has been secretly transporting goods to our Great Ming Empire for a long time, then the Chang Horse Carriage Company is the most suspicious one.

As for those merchants, if the Hu and Lu Merchant Firms have no problems, then we have to check all the merchants and all the accounts. In this case, even if this old man and the others work day and night, it will take at least three to five months. But do you think the Great Myriad Mountains Bureau will let us check for three to five months?

I'm afraid that the Great Myriad Mountains Bureau's local magistrate agreed to let us check the accounts so easily because of this reason. If we don't find something soon, the Great Myriad Mountains Bureau and the merchants in our Gourd County will make things difficult for Milord. "

Because Ye Xiaotian and Law Tycoon were good brothers, and Mister Nan had been an accountant in the Hong Baichuan residence for more than ten years, he already saw himself as a member of the Hong Family. Thus, he was willing to confide in his young master's brother. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said these words. However, his words caused the atmosphere in the room to become even heavier.

Sun Weixuan cupped his hands and said, "Milord, this lowly one has something to say."

Ye Xiaotian immediately turned his gaze to him. Sun Weixuan said, "I am indebted to Milord's high regard. This lowly one hopes to do something for Milord. However, when it comes to taxes, this lowly one is more familiar with them than this lowly one. When it comes to checking accounts, this lowly one can't even compare to Mister Nan's little finger. As for the complicated relationships in the government, this lowly one doesn't understand them as well as Squad Leader Su …"

Although Sun Weixuan had a rough appearance and a straightforward personality, how could a businessman not have the ability to be slick and slick? Although he might not be good at using money and power, these few words were still a habit of complimenting everyone. Only then did he put forward his own opinion, "So, this lowly one will start from other aspects, thinking that there might be some discoveries."

Sun Weixuan smiled slightly and said, "This lowly one has been walking around the Tiger Prison for the past few days. In the end, I didn't find anything. Then, this lowly one suddenly thought of something and went to Moonlight Bay."

Su Xuntian was puzzled and asked, "Why did you go to Moonlight Bay? That place is between our Hulu County's checkpoint and the Myriad Mountains' checkpoint. Moonlight Bay is surrounded by towering mountains on both sides. Vehicles and goods cannot escape even if they grow wings. They can only go through the ferry. There is no way to tamper with it. "

Sun Weixuan nodded and said, "What Squad Leader Su says is correct! This lowly one also didn't have any other ideas, so I went to take a look. This lowly one thinks that if there really is a person who traffics in contraband, then he must have bribed people at all the checkpoints along the way. So, our Hulu County's checkpoint and the Myriad Mountains' checkpoint might have tampered with the account books. However, Moonlight Bay's ferry is different. "

Ye Xiaotian slightly frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "Moonlight Bay's ferry? The ferries there are all civilian boats. What can we find there? "

Sun Weixuan smiled proudly and said, "Milord, Moonlight Bay's ferry has been in use since Taizu's reign. It has been more than two hundred years now, and the shipwrights are no longer scattered. They have a shipping company since decades ago, and there is only one. All the shipwrights, sailors, and stevedores work in the shipping company.

When this lowly one escorted goods through the ferry in the past, I happened to discover that they would count and record the number of goods passing by. Of course, they have no right to inspect the goods, but they will record which trading company or carriage company it is, and how many boxes and baskets are being transported. From this, they can collect ferry fees and pay the shipwrights and laborers. "

Ye Xiaotian nervously said, "These account books won't be casually thrown away after being used, right?"

Sun Weixuan said, "This lowly one is also worried about this, so I went to check it out. This lowly one and the shipowner are very familiar with each other, so after probing in a roundabout way, I found out that not only do they keep detailed records of the loading of the ships, they even have the time. Moreover, these account books are all handed over to the accounting office and will not be thrown away carelessly! "

Ye Xiaotian laughed heartily and said, "You can wear out iron shoes in fruitless searching, but by chance you will find it without any effort! Wei Xuan, this time, you have made a great contribution! "

Ye Xiaotian suddenly stood up, and everyone followed suit. Ye Xiaotian said in a deep voice, "Regarding today's discussion, everyone must keep your mouths shut! Tomorrow, we will 'return without any results'! Haha … "

… …

Moonlight Bay was the only source of food for the nearby commoners, and the competition between the shipping companies was extremely fierce. In the past two hundred years, this ferry had changed owners several times, and twenty years ago, it was the Liang family that ruled the world. This generation's owner of the Liang family's shipping company was called Liang Qingyi, and all the workers and sailors worked under him.

The Liang family's management of the shipping company had become very strict after decades of tempering. Unless the Liang family's manager lost his mind and made a grave mistake, or special reasons such as war or the government, it was enough to guarantee that the Liang family would rely on this ferry for generations to come. There was no longer any threat to him. This was because with the Liang family's complete monopoly on the two shores, other people had no chance to develop.

Now, even if Liang Qingyi did not go to the docks to oversee, he could still make money rolling in from home. However, Liang Qingyi did not slack off. Every day, regardless of the rain or shine, he would definitely go to his kingdom on the water to inspect it, just like a lion king patrolling its territory.

Early in the morning, Liang Qingyi rushed to the docks as usual. Accompanied by a few chief stewards, he leisurely inspected his kingdom, enjoying the reverent gazes of the workers and laborers. Suddenly, a handsome young man with a smile blocked his way.

Liang Qingyi frowned in displeasure, and a chief steward of the shipping company immediately scolded him, "What are you doing, move aside!"

"Ship Owner Liang, is it?"

The young man smiled as if the heavens had blessed him, "This official is the county magistrate of Hulu County, Ye Xiaotian. I have long heard of Ship Owner Liang's great name, but it is a pity that I did not have the chance to meet you. Today, I received a gift from a friend of three taels of the finest Mengding Stone Flower. I cannot bear to enjoy it alone, so I invite Ship Owner Liang to my humble abode to enjoy some fragrant tea. What do you say? "