The law and discipline in the late Ming Dynasty were corrupt and riots were everywhere. Under heavy taxes, many people were forced to flee, and many people became bandits. It was not uncommon to lose their fortunes. It was not uncommon for children to eat each other, let alone some criminal cases. Some people were hungry and could do anything. There were far more murder cases in troubled times than in peacetime, and many people became numb. However, a bloody case in Zitong touched the nerves of Long'an Mansion.

The bloody case of Liubianyi.

The political situation is now turbulent, and life is as low as grass. Not to mention a poor postmaster who is not incest, even a county magistrate cannot make a big wave. However, the bloody case of Liubian Postmaster is like throwing a stone in the originally calm water of Long'an Prefecture. The entire mansion was alarmed. Not only did the prefect ask in person, but the nearby garrison sent people to find out, and even the governor was alarmed. He went to Guopingwu County overnight to investigate the case.

What attracted so many big names was that a lotus cut from white paper was left at the scene of the bloody crime. On the white wall, someone wrote eight bloody words "Vacuum hometown, no birth mother" in blood, which was the White Lotus Sect.

The White Lotus Sect, which is a sect with far-reaching influence in China, originated from the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, Pure Land Buddhist Association was popular, and was mostly called the White Lotus Sect or the Lotus Sect. The hosts included monks and lay believers. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Mao Ziyuan (fair name Cizhao), a monk from Kunshan, Wujun (now Kunshan, Jiangsu), created a Protestant sect on the basis of the popular Pure Land Association, called the White Lotus Sect, that is, the White Lotus Sect. Later, they received multiple support from those in power and suppressed many times, forming more sects, including Jin Chan, Wuwei, Longhua, Wukong, Huanyuan, Yuandun, Hongyang, Maitreya, Jingkong, Dacheng and other sects, but they more or less have the mark of the White Lotus Sect, and later generations uniformly called them the White Lotus Sect.

In the eyes of the rulers of the late Ming Dynasty, the White Lotus Sect was equivalent to a synonym for rebellion. Yongle's Tang Sai'er, Tianqi's Xu Hongru, etc., all rebelled under the banner of the White Lotus Sect, so the Ming Dynasty had always spared no effort to attack the White Lotus Sect. In the past, the White Lotus Sect mostly operated in Shandong, Gansu and other places. Long'an Mansion was always calm, as if those people looked down on these remote places. Now the traces of the White Lotus Sect suddenly appeared. How can you not be nervous?

Who knows if he raised the flag to rebel in Long'an Mansion, he dared not be careless. If he accidentally did, it would be the case that the head fell to the ground.

News of the White Lotus Sect appeared in Liubianyi, as if it had wings. It soon spread throughout Long'an Mansion, causing panic. Many people were so nervous that they couldn't sleep well. The most feared in the wilderness was bandits. Life was already miserable. The bandits robbed them and combed them. The government army came to harm them again. Even if there were mountains of gold and silver, it was not enough. After hearing this, many people consciously organized people to inspect, for fear that the thieves would have an opportunity to take advantage of them, and even if they could send someone to watch at night, they could fall asleep.

Of course, there are also people who are not afraid of it. At least there are two in Jiangyou County: one is Lu Haoshan, because the whole thing was planned by him. Seeing Yuan San fulfilling his order without fail, not only did it cleanly, but also led the disaster to the east, and cleverly led the spearhead to the White Lotus Sect, which could be said to exceed his expectations. Lu Haoshan also fulfilled his promise and welcomed Yuan San and his party the next day, accompanied them to drink big bowls and eat meat, which was so happy. The other one was not afraid of was the old patriarch of Zhaojia Village: Zhao Yuqing.

When Lu Haoshan celebrated Yuan San and his party, Zhao Yuqing was also drinking, but he used a small wine glass to drink, and the only person who drank was his daughter Zhao Min.

Something happened in the clan yesterday, and Zhao Yuqing rushed to deal with it. Only now is there time to sit down and talk to his daughter about yesterday's topic. After hearing what his daughter said Lu Haoshan wanted her to do, she couldn't help laughing.

"Dad, why are you laughing? My daughter has been bullied, you are still laughing." Zhao Min, who was standing beside her, stamped her feet in anger.

I wanted to get some comfort from my dad, but I didn’t expect to be laughed at. Can I feel good?

Zhao Yuqing laughed: "Someone wants Min'er in our family. I, as a father, will naturally be happy for her. Min'er, aren't you praised that little county magistrate? He is also pretty good for his father, bold, meticulous, talented, and tolerant, not an ordinary person."

"Dad, who said he was satisfied?" Zhao Min said in a angrily voice: "If your daughter doesn't want to marry, she has to be with her father."

"Follower, men get married when they are old, and women get married when they are old. How can you not marry? Okay, let's not talk about this for now." After joking, Zhao Yuqing said seriously: "Min'er, the county magistrate Lu said he could get approval documents. Do you think it is credible?"

Zhao Min said in surprise: "Dad, you won't be really moved, aren't you saying you'll stop when you're ready? Besides, the county magistrate Lu is informed. Who knows if he deliberately set up a plan to deceive us? You don't know that Chen Gui was in Jiangyou that day, but he let the Lu surname take it down without hesitation." After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Min said solemnly: "This person has a feeling that people can't see through."

"Haha" Zhao Yuqing suddenly smiled and said confidently: "I'm not worried about setting up a plan, I'm just afraid that his ability is not enough."

"Dad, why do you say that?"

Zhao Yuqing said confidently: "If people don't have long-term plans, they will have immediate worries. Although our Zhao clan is low-key, it does not mean that they have no achievements. In Jiangyou, if there is anything to hide from me, it is not easy. County Magistrate Lu is not an ordinary person. He secretly takes in a team of powerful private guards. According to his equipment and accent, it is very likely that the former private guard of the General Secretary Yuan was said to have been sent to prison, his family was detained in the capital, and the Guanning Iron Cavalry returned to his original position today, but there was no information about his private guards. I received the news that the Jinyiwei was wanted by them. A small seventh-rank county magistrate took such a big risk. It seems that he is not willing to be lonely and his ambition is not small."

The Zhao family has been operating in Jiangyou for a long time and is full of ears and ears in Jiangyou. Last time Lu Haoshan was going to Zhaojia Village to raise funds, but Zhao Yuqing received the message shortly after leaving. He used this intelligence website to take in Yuan San and his family. No matter how careful he was, he would not be small. Lu Haoshan didn't know that his so-called trump card had been known by Zhao Yuqing.

"Dad, you suddenly asked him about the general trend of the world at the banquet yesterday. In fact, it was just a test of him, right?" Zhao Min finally understood why his father suddenly asked that strange question. His father has always been extremely smart and cautious. He suddenly made such a big mistake and was shocked. At that time, he thought he was drunk and was talking nonsense after drinking, which turned out to be a different meaning.

It is indeed very irrational to discuss the general trend of the world in front of an imperial official.

"That's right" Zhao Yuqing nodded and said, "I just want to hear what he said. He was originally a court official, but he covered up wanted criminals. What kind of heart is he willing to do? If he said that kind of loyalty and patriotism, it means that he was out of sympathy, but he gave a set of messages about modelling and lingering. Hehe, while buying people's hearts, he cultivated his own power. Now I can be sure that this county magistrate Lu is very interesting."

"Dad, you haven't told me if you want to take the old path of tea and horse trading again?" Zhao Min asked relentlessly.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuqing gently put down his cup, stood up, paced back and forth a few steps behind him, and then said bitterly: "Min'er, your father has indeed been thinking about it."

"But, Dad, we finally live a peaceful life, why do we still have to follow the old path? You also know that if the tea and horse transaction is just a matter of proper rules, apart from filial piety and taxes, the remaining amount will be to spend errands at most. If you come secretly, as long as you fail once and be bitten by those vampires, there will be no more time to turn over. Dad, you have to think clearly."

It's fat, and everyone wants to take a bite. It's like a tea-horse transaction. It's not a huge profit for a war horse that is worthless in the Ming Dynasty, but it's a hundred thousand profit. However, there are too many intrigues. Making money on the tea-horse is like dancing on the tip of a knife. If you accidentally, it's a bloody lesson. Zhao Min witnessed many people getting rich overnight, but she also witnessed many people losing their money overnight, her family was ruined, and she finally lived a peaceful life. She didn't want to return to a worried life.

Zhao Yuqing sighed and said with a wry smile: "With hair, no one wants to be stingy. As the saying goes, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it is difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Our Zhao clan has made great profits in the tea and horse transactions. The people in the clan have all lived a good life and are used to being rich. Now we stop doing it, but we still have to live. The expenses of nearly a thousand people in the clan have raised so many slaves, guarding the hospital, maintaining relations, and the expenses of intelligence personnel. Do you think it can be maintained by those fields?"

"Min'er, you are more proficient in calculating than being a father. In recent years, the land has lost revenue. Our Zhao clan is not able to make ends meet, and he has done it on the outside but strong."

"I've wanted to say this for a long time." Zhao Min didn't know the situation. He also said with some emotion when he heard this: "I wanted to say it two years ago, but if the people in the clan said that they would increase their benefits, they would agree with it, and slightly cut some expenses, just like taking their lives, and they would say anything. If this continues, I'm afraid that the mountains of gold and silver will not be enough to make a fortune."

Zhao Yuqing shook his head gently and said with some emotion: "Yes, if I force myself, no one will listen to my patriarch's words. Otherwise, how could I be moved by my father?"

"Dad, do you really want to go back to the old path?"

"The political situation is turbulent now. I see that the troubled times are coming for my father. If you want to survive in troubled times, it is better to rely on yourself than to ask for others. I also want to strengthen my strength. County Magistrate Lu said that he can get approval documents, so there is a lot of security guarantees. If you put in some effort, you will make a lot of money. Why not do it? Especially now that wars are everywhere, the price of horses will only rise all the way. It is definitely a good time to get millet from the fire. These days, those who are timid and those who are brave will starve to death."

Zhao Min's heart moved and asked quickly: "Dad, then have you decided to cooperate with someone surnamed Lu?"

"A little interested," Zhao Yuqing said lightly: "However, we have to see his strength and whether he has the qualifications to cooperate. This surname is Lu is right. Without Zhang butcher, he can't eat a pig without a hairless pig? If he wants to eat the rice, he doesn't necessarily need our Zhao clan to join, and if our Zhao clan wants to eat this rice, he doesn't necessarily have to bring him."

"Dad means?"
Chapter completed!