On the other side, Li Yi angered the emperor and wanted to return to Baoding Mansion as soon as possible, but an incident entangled him.

This incident was the assassination case of Xue Lian.

After investigation, it was found that two of the three people killed by Xue Lian's servant were Koreans and one was a Jurchen. This gave the already complicated assassination case a certain political meaning.

You must know that the imperial court is currently at war with the Jin Kingdom, and it is profound that a Jurchen died in the capital.

Looking at Xue Lian opposite, Li Yi picked up the tea bowl and drank all the tea.

He didn't understand why Xue Lian suddenly came to him, but it was obviously related to the previous assassination case.

Sure enough, Xue Lian was silent for a while and then said: "Zizheng, do you still remember what I told you about Mao Wenlong before?"

Of course Li Yi remembered this. Yuan Chonghuan imposed an embargo on the Kingdom of Jin and wanted to cause corruption in the Kingdom of Jin by restricting goods. However, he did not expect that Mao Wenlong had been doing business with the Kingdom of Jin in these years and delivered a large amount of food to them.

and iron ingots, which greatly reduced Yuan Chonghuan's embargo.

"You want to say that the person who assassinated you this time was sent by Mao Wenlong?" Li Yi asked tentatively.

Unexpectedly, he guessed correctly. Xue Lian said distressedly: "This Mao Wenlong is simply a lunatic. Yuan Chonghuan restricted the sea area around Pi Island and prohibited merchant ships from entering Pi Island for trading. What can we nobles do? Damn it now.

You sent people to kill me, you really thought I was easy to bully."

These are Xungui's internal matters. Li Yi didn't want to get entangled in them, so he didn't say anything.

Seeing that Li Yi was able to keep his composure, Xue Lian finally remembered that Li Yi in front of him had been fooling around with Zhang Heng, and immediately said: "Zizheng, brother, I can't forgive you for this matter.

"

Li Yi looked at Xue Lian with confusion and said, "What does this have to do with me?"

Xue Lian said with a sad face: "It's not that I'm unjust, brother, but it's a profitable business that no one is willing to let go. To tell you the truth, I sent two ships to transport the goods produced by Anxin to Pi Island."

An Xin's goods were shipped to Phi Island?

Li Yi was slightly startled and said sternly: "What's going on?"

You must know that Pidao is the goods transit market between the Ming Dynasty, Jin Dynasty and North Korea. If this batch of goods is sold to North Korea, it is fine. If it is sold to Jin Dynasty, it is subsidizing the enemy. If someone is caught with this crime, it can be

It's just bad.

Xue Lian also knew that this crime was not a light one, so he whispered: "The Kingdom of Jin paid three times the amount of silver to buy cotton cloth. We thought this business was a good deal, so we quietly split two shiploads of cotton cloth and sold them."

Having said this, Xue Lian quickly said: "But don't worry, we haven't put up the Anxin Chamber of Commerce logo."

"No sign? Who can't recognize the Anxin cloth? Do we still need to put a sign?" Li Yi said angrily.

You must know that Anxin's cloth is made by textile machines combined with manual work. Apart from Anxin, it cannot be produced anywhere else.

"Do you know that if this matter is known to the court, it will be a serious crime. You will all be honorable and you will be punished, but Anxin is bound to suffer. What do you want the people of Anxin to do?" Li Yi

scolded.

Xue Lian also knew that he was wrong, so he quickly pulled Li Yi and asked him to lower his voice, "Brother Zizheng, you also know that our poor nobles are really afraid of poverty. Since the Tumubao Incident, the rewards given by the court have become less and less.

, some noble families have been ruined. This time they finally got a profitable business, and everyone wants to make more. Think about it, just these two shipments of cloth can make tens of thousands of taels of silver. This is a lot of money.

Good deal.”

Li Yi sneered: "If you were in Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan would be the first to chop off your head."

Xue Lian smiled and said: "Isn't this in the capital?"

"So what's going on with these assassins?"

Li Yi has not forgotten the issue of assassination. You must know that the identity of the Jurchens is too sensitive now.

Xue Lian smiled bitterly and said: "He was sent by Mao Wenlong. Everyone can see that Yuan Chonghuan is going to deal with him. How dare a merchant ship approach Pidao! Anyone who has the ability to do business with him now, except for those desperate seafarers,

Thieves, we are the only nobles who have been protected by our ancestors. Mao Wenlong is now recruiting troops and buying horses, and money is spent every day. Now that the financial road is cut off, where can we hold on? Some time ago, he asked us to complain to the court and wanted to lift the blockade of Pi Island.

, but with Yuan Chonghuan here, the emperor dare not take care of it. No, the merchant ships under our nobles will also be withdrawn. I didn’t expect this old boy to rely on us. "

"Are you going to withdraw too?" Li Yi noticed something and asked suddenly.

Xue Lian chuckled, looked around, and whispered: "Shanxi merchants have recently opened up two trade routes, one leading to the Kingdom of Jin and the other leading to Chahar. The tribes there like the cloth and soap we produce the most.

Through these two trade routes, you can also make a lot of money."

Li Yi was shocked and angry and said: "Are you crazy? You are nobles of the Ming Dynasty, and you actually do something like this."

Xue Lian curled his lips nonchalantly and said: "Which dynasty has poor nobles like us? The emperor is becoming more and more harsh now. Not only does he not value us nobles, he also checks the Beijing camp one after another and wants to deal with us. Since

The emperor is ruthless, so don’t blame us for being unrighteous. Anyway, the kindness of our ancestors protects us, and everyone is not afraid of him."

Li Yi did not expect that the nobles who shared weal and woe with the Ming Dynasty would actually say these words. In order to make money and enjoy glory, they would actually talk about betraying their country and seeking glory in such a high-sounding way.

When I first cooperated with them, I valued the privileges in their hands. In fact, with the help of these nobles, the Anxin Chamber of Commerce expanded very smoothly. I thought it was a good thing, but now it seems that I am trapped in a cocoon and seeking skin from the tiger.

.

If the matter of selling goods to the Jin Kingdom and the Mongolian tribes was discovered, what would happen to these nobles? Li Yi didn't care, but Anxin Workshop would definitely be affected.

Nowadays, the production of Anxin Workshop and the operation of Anxin Chamber of Commerce are related to the livelihood of more than 400,000 people in Baoding Prefecture. I must not let such a noble man do whatever he wants and bring disaster to Baoding Prefecture.

He took a deep look at Xue Lian and said, "Why on earth did Mao Wenlong want to kill you?"

Xue Lian said: "You don't have to worry about this. Mao Wenlong is just a foolhardy brave man. He still doesn't give up even though he has done so. He wants to recruit merchant ships to Pi Island to maintain his own income of money and food. But we nobles dare not

Go, those merchant ships from the southeast don't dare to dock, and Pi Island can't hold on anymore. Mao Wenlong sent people here this time to threaten us. This assassination is a warning. If we can't do what he wants, I'm afraid he will

There will be backup plans."

"Then how are you going to respond?" Li Yi asked.

"Coping? How can we respond?" Xue Lian looked at Li Yi helplessly and said, "So this matter still has to be left to you."

"The trouble you caused is actually going to be handed over to me?" Li Yi looked at Xue Lian in disbelief.

Such nobles are so shameless. They secretly sold goods to the Kingdom of Jin and made a lot of money. Now when they encounter problems, they have to solve them themselves. It is really shameless.

Li Yi finally regained his composure, looked at Xue Lian, and said: "What exactly do you want to do? If Mao Wenlong takes the risk and leaks the matter to the court, I'm afraid you will also be punished. For now, the best way is to destroy it.

Evidence. In addition, we must stop selling goods to Mongolia and the Jin Kingdom through Shanxi merchants."

"Zizheng, are you too careful?" Xue Lian said: "You know that the two ways of Shanxi merchants can cost one hundred thousand taels of silver a year. For such a big sum, you actually told us not to do it."

Li Yi did not give in. He could not let the greed of Xue Lian and others destroy An Xin, and insisted: "It must be so."

Xue Lian looked at Li Yi coldly and said angrily: "Li Yi, don't really think of yourself as a person. In the eyes of our nobles, you are just a dog. In any case, An Xin's goods must be on time and accurately measured.

It will be delivered to us. As for where to buy it and how to sell it, you don’t have to worry about it.”

"Do you really dare to be so shameless?" Li Yi asked.

Xue Lian sneered and said: "We have taken care of all the officials inside and outside the customs. With your noble status and money, who dares not to give us face? If you are smart, just do as we say, otherwise if you are

Without our financial resources, I’m afraid it will be a dead end by then.”

After speaking, he said with a sneer: "You know that selling goods to Donglu is a serious crime. We have the ability to escape from the golden cicada, do your men still have this ability?"

Li Yi took a deep breath and said calmly: "Okay, I will solve Mao Wenlong's matter."

Seeing Li Yi relent, Xue Lian couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was only facing a young boy, he understood how powerful the energy contained in this young man's body.

Xue Lian left, and Li Yi watched him coldly.

Obviously, Mao Wenlong had begun to threaten the nobles and asked them to reorganize merchant ships to go to Pi Island. After cooperating with Shanxi merchants, the nobles had decided to abandon Mao Wenlong. In this way, they wanted to avoid Mao Wenlong from being implicated in An Xin. Li Yi

We must find a way to deal with Mao Wenlong.

On the other hand, in order to earn money, the Xunguimen have lost their minds. No matter where they sell their goods, as long as they can earn enough money, they will do it.

In this way, even if he solves Mao Wenlong's matter, he will be implicated by Shanxi merchants.

For now, the best way is to find a way to get rid of Kai Xungui. With these pig teammates around, An Xin will be affected by them sooner or later.

While Li Yi was thinking about this matter, an unexpected person came to visit.

Although Sun Cerium and Li Yi were once close friends, after successive conflicts, the gap between them has become huge.

Li Yi really didn't expect that Sun Cerium came to him suddenly.

Even so, Li Yi was still very happy to see Sun Cerium and asked him to sit down and talk.

Without any courtesy, Sun Zhen said directly: "The emperor paid me a surprise visit today."

Li Yi was slightly surprised to hear that the emperor visited Sun Cerium.

"What's going on?"

Sun Zhen smiled bitterly and said: "The emperor came to ask the reason because you refused to be an official. From my point of view, the emperor really wants to reuse you. You are lucky."

Li Yi heard this and said: "I don't want to be an official. I just want to return to Baoding Prefecture and manage the affairs of Anxin and Fuguoshe."

Sun Zhen smiled and said: "As expected, you really returned to Baoding for this reason. But Zizheng, have you ever thought that your father recommended you to the emperor just because he wanted you to inherit his ambition?"

, can make a difference."

Of course Li Yi understood this. Master Sun wanted the emperor to reuse him. The emperor had indeed planned this, but he did not want to be this official.

He lowered his head and said softly: "I am very grateful for the teacher's expectations for me. But everyone has his own destiny, and I don't want to become an official in the court."

Sun Zhen said with some excitement: "What you said is indeed good for Anxin and the people of Baoding. But if a man governs the country and brings peace to the world, you obviously have this talent, so why do you focus on a small Baoding mansion instead of the whole world?"

?”

Li Yi still shook his head and said: "I can't bear the responsibility of everyone in the world, but I can protect the people of Anxin."

"Anxin people? Even if you take good care of them, can you still sit back and do nothing when the situation in the Ming Dynasty deteriorates? In that case, why don't you stand up and display your talents for the country and the people, so that my father's teachings to you will not be in vain
Chapter completed!