"You..." Peng Lide thought for a mont and then lowered his head, "Ye Zi’an, your only purpose is to dig the canal. What do you think about this? I’ll send people to help you dig until it’s finished. As for the money, we’ll keep it as it was. How does that sound?"
"Peng Lide, let’s not beat around the bush. Your people should indeed cooperate with us to smooth the digging of the canal. But the main issue now is this sum of money. If you don’t give it out, once we’ve dug the canal and our people leave, what if the villagers block it up again?"
"So shut your mouth and go raise the funds, and don’t even think of distributing it to the people yourselves. I’m afraid that as soon as I leave, you’ll just take the money back. That’s why you need to bring out the money."
It’s not that Peng Lide hadn’t actually planned to do just that — distribute the money among the people to placate Ye Zi’an and then take it back after the fact.
But Ye Zi’an had already seen through his plan.
Peng Lide exchanged glances with the Principal Clerk and the archivist before they stepped out together.
Seeing this, Ye Wu also wanted to follow, but he was stopped by the bailiffs.
Outside, the Principal Clerk and others had already started discussing, "My Lord, do we give the money, or not?"
"Give it, we have to give it now whether we like it or not."
"But where can we get so much money?"
"Adjust the funds from the governntal office’s ledger; we’ll figure sothing out afterward."
"..."
"..."
After so discussion, the Principal Clerk was delegated to arrange the funds. Yet, these vile people decided to bring boxes of silver coins.
Ye Zi’an watched Peng Lide with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Don’t try to trick . I want the official bank’s universally accepted banknotes. You have half an hour left!"
"You... the amount is too large; the banknotes aren’t easy to convert." Peng Lide threw up his hands, not intending to accede to Ye Zi’an’s wishes.
"We’re converting to banknotes, not the other way around. Peng Lide, do you think I am a patient man?"
As soon as Ye Zi’an finished speaking, Ye Er stepped forward and swiftly choked Peng Lide’s neck. So fast were his movents that many didn’t even react in ti.
"Lord Peng, my master is a busy man and doesn’t have the ti to waste here with you, so hurry it up!"
"Ye Zi’an, what are you doing? Let go of Lord Peng at once..."
"Exactly, banknotes are fine. Let Lord Peng go imdiately."
Seeing Peng Lide nod slightly, Ye Zi’an signalled Ye Er with a nod. Then Peng Lide was thrown to the ground.
After that, Peng Lide didn’t try any more tricks.
Soon, more than 30,000 taels in banknotes were in Ye Zi’an’s hands. He didn’t stay for an extra second and imdiately mounted his horse to speed away with his n.
The docunt, anwhile, was left with Peng Lide.
When Peng Lide carefully examined the docunt, he almost passed out in rage.
Wasn’t this the sa docunt he had kept at ho? How had it ended up in Ye Zi’an’s hands?
Peng Lide, fuming, returned ho and entered his study. Upon opening a cabinet, he nearly wet himself in fright. The docunt was gone—exactly the one he was holding in his hands. The ledger was also missing, not the one showing the flow of money to Ye Zi’an, but the ledger recording all the bribes he had taken over the years in Fushui County.
At the sa ti, several other officials from the Governntal Office of Fushui returned ho, each feeling an ominous sense of dread. They opened their study doors only to be dumbstruck.
One hour later, a group of people reconvened at the governntal office.
"Lord Peng, this must have been Ye Zi’an’s doing."
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