Li Yi smiled and said: "Brother Lu, don't worry, after this incident, the emperor will definitely deal with these nobles."

Lu Changfeng shook his head and said: "Zizheng, you may not know. Although Xungui is weak now, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. They have the merits of their ancestors and serve in various yamen. Even if the emperor punishes them, they will not be too severe. When the time comes,

It would be terrible if they turn against us."

Li Yi nodded, picked up the tea bowl on the table, took a sip of tea, and said: "After this incident, the emperor may no longer trust these nobles. If necessary, he will knock the mountain and shake the tiger to suppress them."

Maybe, when the nobles lose their power, why should we be afraid of them?"

"You mean the emperor will suppress nobles?" Lu Changfeng looked suspicious, shook his head and affirmed: "This is impossible. Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has not been harsh on ministers and nobles, why would he suppress nobles?"

Li Yi smiled and said: "Nowadays, refugees are everywhere and the treasury is empty. It is the time when the court needs money. To say who is the richest in the world, I am afraid it must be those clansmen and nobles. They have accumulated over generations, and the land they own

The number ranges from a thousand hectares to a hundred hectares. The supported chambers of commerce have traveled all over the world and earned a lot of money. As long as the emperor can take action against them, he will be able to collect several years of treasury revenue, allowing the Ming Dynasty to meet its urgent needs."

Lu Changfeng frowned and said: "But would the emperor be like this? You must know that although the emperor is strong, courageous, witty and courageous, he loves his clan elders very much. Since he came to the throne, he has repeatedly rewarded British nobles and nobles, and he also treats his clan relatives.

You are treated very favorably and respected very much.”

Li Yi said firmly: "This matter is indeed not easy to implement. But now that the honorable nobles are destroying themselves and will implicate An Xin, I must report this matter to the emperor and ask him to deal with it. If Brother Lu is not willing to help with this,

Just pretend I haven’t been here.”

After speaking, Li Yi stood up and walked towards the door.

"Zizheng, stay." Lu Changfeng stopped Li Yi, lowered his head and thought for a moment, and said: "Although the emperor will not attack your nobles, I am afraid that a beating is indispensable. In this case, I will no longer be coy and safe from now on.

If the new dividend is doubled, I will make this trip for you."

Li Yi turned his head and said: "Okay, Brother Lu's dividend will be doubled from now on, and the matter is settled."

Lu Changfeng nodded in agreement.

At this moment, a member of the family hurried in and said anxiously: "Sir, something happened."

Seeing his trusted subordinates, Lu Changfeng quickly asked: "What happened?"

Baihu said: "Just now, Xue Lian, the Marquis of Yangwu, was killed in Yihongyuan."

"What?" Lu Changfeng stood up and asked in shock.

You must know that Xue Lian is a prince, and it is not a small matter to be assassinated in the capital.

Thinking of this, he turned to look at Li Yi and saw that Li Yi looked slightly surprised, as if he was also very surprised.

Feeling confused, Lu Changfeng said: "Take me to have a look."

After speaking, he looked at Li Yi and said, "Zizheng, will you come with me?"

Li Yi nodded and said: "Xue Lian was killed, I'm afraid it was the same group of people who did it before. I might as well go and have a look with you."

A group of people rushed to Yihongyuan and saw that the gorgeous wooden building was full of soldiers. Some uniformed guards came in and out, surveying the scene and questioning people in Yihongyuan.

Li Yi followed Lu Changfeng, and the journey was smooth and smooth, and they arrived at a gorgeously decorated guest room. They saw Xue Lian lying on the ground, with a poisonous arrow stuck in his chest, and he was dead.

At this time, a Qianhu came over and said respectfully: "Sir, I have found out clearly that Marquis Yangwu was killed by a poisoned arrow. This poisonous arrow is very similar to the one used by the assassin last time. It seems that he is from the same group."

It’s what people do.”

Lu Changfeng nodded and said, "Can you find out what happened at that time?"

Qianhu said quickly: "After Marquis Yangwu was assassinated a few days ago, he stepped up his guard and brought many servants with him. But today he received a letter and came to Yihongyuan, as if he wanted to meet someone. At that time, he received a letter and came to Yihongyuan.

Marquis Yangwu asked his servants to wait outside the door and went in. The servants only heard a few conversations inside, and then there was the sound of bows and crossbows being fired. When they entered, they saw that Marquis Yangwu had been killed and had escaped."

Lu Changfeng approached the corpse and looked at the depth of the poisonous arrow into the body. He understood that Lu Changfeng was probably very close to the assassin at that time, which meant that the assassin was someone Lu Changfeng knew well.

He looked back at Li Yi with a trace of doubt in his eyes.

Li Yi, on the other hand, looked as usual and said: "Xue Lian died. I'm afraid the assassin failed to succeed last time and has made a comeback this time."

Lu Changfeng threw away the doubts in his mind and said: "It should be so."

Li Yi looked at the Jin Yiwei on the left and right. Lu Changfeng understood and said to them: "You guys go out first."

Although Jin Yiwei was confused, he could only obey the order and walk out.

Li Yi approached Lu Changfeng and said in a low voice: "Brother Lu, now that Xue Lian is dead, the emperor will definitely intervene. At this time, if we report the previous events to the emperor and say that it was Mao Wenlong who assassinated Xue Lian, then not only will the case be solved, but the emperor will also be able to believe it.

"

Lu Changfeng thought for a moment and hesitated.

Li Yi knew that he was afraid of trouble, and whispered: "Brother Lu, don't worry, the emperor will definitely summon me in two days. I will tell you this at that time. Xue Lian's death will be justified. Not only will the emperor not hesitate, he will also treat

Your Majesty, take action."

Will the emperor summon Li Yi? Lu Changfeng was slightly surprised.

You must know that Li Yi refused the emperor's solicitation before, so he should be ignored. But not long after, he was summoned, which means that Li Yi is likely to be solicited again and will be used by the emperor.

As the last straw that broke the camel's back, Lu Changfeng finally chose to stand with Li Yi and seize this opportunity.

You must know that if you get credit for investigating and discovering nobles who have defected to the enemy and betrayed the country, then the emperor is likely to reuse you, and you will be getting closer and closer to the position of commander.

In the evening of that day, Lu Changfeng secretly entered the palace and explained the matter to the emperor.

Li Yi kept waiting at the inn until late at night, when there was a knock on the door.

Opening the door, Lu Changfeng walked in with a cold air.

Inviting him to sit down, Li Yi poured hot water and handed it to Lu Changfeng.

Lu Changfeng took a sip of hot tea to get rid of the cold, and said with a joyful expression on his face: "As you said, the emperor was furious and asked me to preside over the investigation of the nobles selling supplies and funding Donglu. You must know that Donglu has always been a member of the imperial court.

It is a serious problem, and the emperor hates the Donglu even more. This time, you have supported Donglu for money. It can be said that you have violated the emperor's will, and I am afraid it will not be easy for you."

Lu Changfeng's face was full of joy. This time he could be responsible for investigating the matter, so the commander would transfer some of his personnel to his command. In this way, his status and power within the Jinyi Guard would be even higher.

Li Yi also smiled and said: "In this way, the emperor will soon deal with the nobles. When the time comes, Brother Lu will be promoted and make a fortune, but don't forget about my younger brother."

Lu Changfeng laughed loudly, patted Li Yi on the shoulder and said: "Every time I have made meritorious services, it is all because of you. Whoever I forget in the future, I cannot forget you."

The two chatted for a few more words before Lu Changfeng said goodbye and left.

Li Yi sent Lu Changfeng away and turned back to the room. Zhu Qilong was already waiting.

Seeing the young master coming back, Zhu Qilong asked doubtfully: "Sir, since Lu Changfeng is willing to report this matter to the emperor, why should we kill Xue Lian?"

Li Yi sat back in his seat, looked at Zhu Qilong and said: "Xue Lian is the representative sent by the honorable nobles. Whether it is contact with us or with Mao Wenlong, Xue Lian is responsible, so he knows the things best.

.If Xue Lian is not killed, he will definitely find a way to distance himself from Mao Wenlong, and then put the crime of reselling supplies to the Kingdom of Jin on our heads. Only by killing him will those nobles who don’t know why will think that

It was Mao Wenlong who killed Xue Lian, and the emperor will also think that it was Mao Wenlong who killed Xue Lian. In this way, the emperor can be sure that Xungui is indeed connected with Mao Wenlong, and both Xungui and the emperor will only target Mao Wenlong and will not spread their grievances.

In our case, we can stay out of it.”

Zhu Qilong said: "It is true. Mao Wenlong's people have already assassinated Xue Lian once, and this time Xue Lian was assassinated again. I am afraid that both the emperor and the nobles will think that it was Mao Wenlong's hand, and will not suspect us."

Li Yi nodded and said: "There is another aspect. The Shanxi merchants' hands are too long, and they dare to bypass us and get entangled with the nobles. This time we have to teach them a lesson. Taking advantage of this opportunity, we An Xin

The Chamber of Commerce can also expand to Shanxi."

"Shanxi merchants? I really want to hear shopkeeper Huang talk about this chamber of commerce?" Zhu Qilong said.

Li Yi was curious and said: "What did he say?"

Zhu Qilong said: "Most of these people are Shanxi businessmen. They formed chambers of commerce, resold goods and shipped them to the north, bribed border generals, and traded with the northern captives, earning a lot of money."

Li Yi nodded and said: "That's true. Shanxi's Datong border is close to Beilu. As soon as you leave the Great Wall, you will reach the border of Beilu. They sell cloth and iron ingots to various tribes in exchange for war horses, furs and other items and transport them to the inland for sale. In fact, they

It is no different from the maritime traders on the southeast coast.

Maritime traders carried goods from the Ming Dynasty to Nanyang, sold them locally, and then purchased local goods and transferred them to the Ming Dynasty for sale. The Yi people valued Ming Dynasty goods and often purchased them at prices several times higher than those from the Ming Dynasty. In this way, these maritime merchants came and went again and again.

You can make a lot of profits. And the same is true for Shanxi merchants."
Chapter completed!