As the expiry date of the salt debt approaches, a large vacuum area begins to appear in the northwest region, and not a grain of salt can be seen for hundreds of miles.

Especially after Hezhong Prefecture announced that it would issue new salt bonds this year, the salt shortage situation was further exacerbated, because Hezhong Prefecture stated that old salt bonds can be replaced with new salt bonds after receiving interest.

In everyone's opinion, the government just wants to replace the old with the new to avoid the shortage of salt in various places.

The area currently most deficient in salt is Bianzhou.

Before Fan Xiang's salt banknote reform, there were frequent salt panics in the northwest border states. The main reason was that these places were too far from the salt ponds, and there was too much smuggled salt, making it impossible to get salt solutions. Of course, the salt merchants were not willing to come here.

Compete with cheap smuggled salt.

However, smuggling salt from Xixia will help Xixia's economy, so the imperial court often cracks down on smuggled salt. Every time it cracks down on smuggled salt, there is a salt panic in Bianzhou.

However, in the past ten years, it has been relatively stable, especially after Zhao Xu came to the throne, he issued strict orders that anyone caught smuggling salt would be killed without mercy.

But in the past six months, salt panic has begun again in this state, but this time it is not caused by smuggling of salt, but by salt debt.

Everyone knows that there will definitely be a shortage of salt this year, and the price of salt will definitely rise. Banknote merchants have locked up the salt in Hezhong Prefecture, while salt merchants are holding on to their own salt, waiting for the day when the salt debt expires.

Now, there is only one month left before the salt debt is due.

There is no grain of salt in the market anymore.

This is also the first time that a salt bond has expired, and everyone is waiting to see how far the salt price will rise.

There has been public dissatisfaction all over the border states, which is very scary.

However!

Overnight, a large amount of green salt suddenly appeared in Weizhou, which is close to Xizhou, and spread to the surrounding areas at an alarming speed.

It’s not just the salt merchants who are stupid!

The people were also stunned.

How long have you not seen Qingyan? Why are there so many of them suddenly?

Xizhou.

This is also the headquarters of the Public Security Bureau in the border states. Because Fuzhou and Yanzhou have not yet established a Public Security Bureau. After all, the warlords there have considerable influence. If the Public Security Bureau enters rashly, problems will definitely arise.

Cao Ping, Lu Dajun, Fan Zhen, and the three giants of public security, procuratorate, and law sent by the imperial court all came directly to Xizhou.

Now that the Public Security Bureau is taking over the administration of justice in various places, the government saw so much green salt, and according to their investigation, this green salt also came from the Xihe area, so they immediately responded to Xizhou.

This is a crime punishable by beheading.

No one dares to neglect.

Today the three giants and Wang Shao gathered in the imperial court for a meeting.

Fan Zhendao: "According to the information currently known to the Procuratorate, all these illegal salts should have flowed out of the Xihe area."

"Our police station has just been established, and we haven't recruited all these people yet. How can we see it?"

Without saying a word, Cao Ping first clarified his responsibilities.

When Wang Shao heard this, he felt something was wrong, so he frowned and asked, "What do you mean, Superintendent Cao, this is all my fault?"

"I never meant that."

Cao commented: "But this place has always been under the jurisdiction of the military."

"Then you're blaming me."

Wang Shao said with an excited expression: "I lead troops to fight every year, so I don't have time to prevent those smugglers. I don't have magical powers."

Cao commented: "Anyway, I have just arrived, so this matter cannot be blamed on the police station."

Lu Dajun, who is the president of the court, suddenly said: "You two, please don't argue anymore. No one is to blame for this matter. After all, our army has just taken over the Xihe area. It is reasonable for some places to be neglected. I invite you today."

The main reason I came here is to find a solution to this matter."

Cao commented: "Leaving this matter to our police station will help our police station establish its prestige."

Fan Zhen immediately asked: "What does Superintendent Cao plan to do?"

Cao commented: "Of course the punishment will be severe. The officials issued a strict ban. But please rest assured, Prosecutor General Fan. Although I have just arrived, our police station will definitely be able to complete anything. It will be done in less than half a month."

Seize all the illicit salt and bring all salt traders to justice."

Lu Dajun frowned when he heard this and opened his mouth, but when he saw that Cao Ping was the first relative, and Wang Shao had just made a great contribution, he was just a young gentleman not long ago, so he swallowed the words that came to his lips.

Fan Zhen said: "Superintendent Cao, calm down. I heard that there is a salt panic in the Bianzhou area recently, and it is very serious. The people have not seen salt for a long time. Although the crime of selling illegal salt is unpardonable, this group of illegal salt

Salt just solves the urgent need of Bianzhou."

Cao Ping frowned and said, "Did Prosecutor Fan want to protect those smugglers?"

"No no no!"

Fan Zhen waved his hands repeatedly and said: "That's absolutely not the case. Those who smuggle illegal salt from Xixia must be severely punished, but those who are selling green salt today are all common people and vendors from all over the country.

I remember that when President Zhang was still Erbi, he fought a lawsuit in the capital about illicit salt. During the salt panic, people buying salt was equivalent to buying medicine to save their lives. Selling salt was the same as selling medicine, and it could not be counted.

Illegal.

Nowadays, the government's solution to the problem of salt has been delayed, and the people cannot be blamed for this, and the salt traders are also not guilty."

Cao commented: "This is different. This is Xixia's private salt. Anyone who violates it will be killed without mercy. I cannot bear this responsibility."

Fan Zhendao: "I will be responsible for this matter alone. When the time comes, I will personally write to the court to explain the matter."

Cao Ping glanced at Fan Zhen in surprise, his expression softened, and he nodded and said: "Since Prosecutor General Fan said so, I have no objection."

Fan Zhen looked at Lu Dajun and Wang Shao again.

Lu Dajun nodded and said: "I agree with the prosecutor general's approach."

He also wants to do this, but he doesn't have enough status to dare to say it.

Wang Shao said: "I will also order people to trace where the illegal salt flows from, but the Xihe area has not been completely settled recently, and it may not be possible to prevent it."

This is a new border defense, and there is nothing we can do about any omissions.

Lu Dajun and Fan Zhen nodded to express their understanding.

After leaving the imperial court, Cao Ping immediately rushed back to the police station and ordered him to go down. The royal police would ignore the matter.

Wang Shao, on the other hand, went to the Ma family's residence.

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "The villain has met Wang Xuanfu."

Ma Tianhao and Lu Bin bowed their hands.

"You two don't need to be polite."

To the two of them, Wang Shao was really pleasant and asked in a gentle voice: "I heard that the money has been put into the treasury?"

He and Cao Ping were among the few people who knew the trick, but they all found out later. Wang Shao controlled the Xihe border defense, so it was impossible to hide it from him.

Ma Tianhao nodded.

Wang Shao asked again: "How much money do you have?"

Ma Tianhao said: "One million and six hundred thousand dollars."

The real amount is 2.8 million yuan, but Zhang Fei has told him to hide part of it. The more you pay, the more unscrupulous the frontline generals will be. You should use this money sparingly!

Wang Shao immediately gasped, "This money should be specially for my Xihe area, right?"

Ma Tianhao nodded and said, "Yes."

"Then there should be no problem in paying bounties to the soldiers this year, right?" Wang Shao asked again.

Ma Tianhao said very readily: "No problem."

"That's good!"

Wang Shao smiled and nodded, and suddenly looked at Lu Bin again, "Master Lu, what's the matter with the oil on your mouth?"

"ah?"

Lu Bin was stunned for a moment, waved up his sleeves, and quickly wiped it clean.

Wang Shao frowned and said, "As an eminent monk, you still have to pay attention."

Lu Bin hurriedly explained: "Master Wang Xuan, I am here to help Brother Ma, not to promote Buddhism."

"It is now." Wang Shao said.

Lu Bin didn't know why and looked at him in confusion.

Wang Shao said: "I hope to build a temple similar to Xiangguo Temple in Xizhou."

"Xiangguo Temple?"

Ma Tianhao and Lu Bin were immediately stunned.

Wang Shao nodded and said: "According to my observation, many local Qiang and Tubo people believe in Buddhism very much. It would be more convenient to use religion to manage."

Lu Bin quickly said: "But I don't study Buddhism deeply!"

Wang Shao said: "I know this. I have invited eminent monks to come here to preach Buddhism. Master Lu was in charge of the finance of Xiangguo Temple before, so Master Lu is still in charge of the finance of the temple when he comes here."
To be continued...