Chapter Nineteen: The Grand Opening Act

“Sir, it’s getting late. The Imperial City Office is all set up, and everyone is waiting for you.”

Seeing Xiao Zhi still grinning wickedly as he watched Wanyan Zhengyu leave, Mu Weihu had no choice but to speak up.

The salt routes from various provinces and states were finally to be awarded today, with the auction held at the Imperial City Office.

At this moment, the Imperial City Office was crowded to the brim—three layers of people inside and outside. Closest to the center stood the noble families and prominent clans, followed by officials affiliated with them, and on the outermost edge were merchants coveting the salt trade laws and common citizens of the capital.

Xiao Zhi had clearly stipulated in the salt trade regulations that bidding would start at ninety percent of the previous year’s salt tax revenue collected by the court.

If all these salt routes were taken by the noble families at the starting price, it would amount to three to four million taels of silver.

Three to four million taels—just the loot of a single corrupt official could exceed that sum easily. But this was only for one year.

This auction, however, was for a twenty-year exclusive salt monopoly. In other words, if all routes were claimed, the court would collect tens of millions of taels at once.

Since the founding of the Great Chu, the court had never been so wealthy.

With Xiao Zhi, the protagonist, arriving, the crowd naturally parted to make way. Officials greeted him with smiles as bright as blooming flowers, as if they were brothers born of different mothers.

Xiao Zhi stood at the center, glanced around, and smiled. “There’s no rush to bid. I see many unfamiliar faces here—probably first-timers at the Imperial City Office. Some have come from afar, perhaps still strangers to the capital and the court. So…”

Xiao Zhi paused briefly, fixing his gaze on each face.

The air seemed to freeze; an eerie silence descended. His eyes carried a hint of malice.

“So…” he said, “I’ve prepared an opening act for everyone.”

He then nodded at Mu Weihu.

From the direction of the prison came wails of agony. The crowd looked on in confusion.

They saw the city’s officers dragging out all the prisoners.

Bai Yan, dressed in prison garb, disheveled and bloodstained, could no longer walk and was pulled out by two officers.

Every high-ranking official recognized him. Yet, many averted their gaze or pretended to discuss matters with furrowed brows.

Shi Weigong hung his head low; his aged face darkened as if ink could be squeezed from it.

With Xiao Chan’s example still fresh, no one dared voice doubts now.

Because of the large crowd, only a few dozen could be arranged on the outer grounds.

Executioners wielding large blades stood behind each prisoner. At Mu Weihu’s command, heads rolled.

Bodies were dragged away, and the next wave of terrified prisoners unwilling to die were brought forward.

Bai Yan and the entire Xiao Chan family were present. Every male aged sixteen and above was beheaded. The rest were either enslaved or sent to the music bureau as punishment.

Blood soaked the earth, and the scene reeked of a nauseating stench, but not a soul spoke, only the cries of those about to be executed.

A hundred-household officer with a loud voice read out the verdicts.

The judgment was clear, well-founded, with irrefutable evidence. None were innocent; all were executed strictly according to Great Chu’s laws.

Many paled in terror; some women fainted from the blood’s stench.

Everyone’s gaze toward Xiao Zhi changed, as if they were looking at a demon or madman.

It took over a dozen rounds of executions to finish. Corpses were cleared, leaving only pools of blood behind.

Everyone understood why Xiao Zhi chose this moment to kill—to threaten and warn. Anyone who displeased him or provoked him would have their family exterminated without mercy.

Xiao Zhi returned to the center, proclaiming loudly, “The Imperial City Office is the sword of Great Chu, a swift blade to slay traitors. If anyone is unaware of our ways, step into the inner hall and read the inscription hanging there.”

“But I must remind everyone once more: strictly follow the rules. Pay your commercial taxes on time. You may only trade coarse salt; refined salt remains under court control. These regulations are clearly stated in the salt trade laws. Violation means contempt for the court, punishable by confiscation of pledged lands or, in severe cases, family extermination. I urge caution.”

“Now, let the auction begin.”

The bidding started, but the crowd felt as if a stone pressed upon their hearts, suffocating them with the smell of blood.

A day meant for celebration had been tainted by the sight of severed heads.

The hundred-household officer who read the verdict stepped forward again, holding a folded sheet listing the first salt route up for auction.

After the bidding, the content would be revealed, showing the sealed bids.

“The first auction, Grade A, bidding begins now!”

With his booming voice, the atmosphere grew lively.

According to the agreement between Xiao Zhi and Song Qi, Jiangsu Province was the first to be auctioned.

Song Qi, still recovering from earlier unease, forced himself to focus as bidding commenced.

Everyone knew of Xiao Zhi’s rampant acceptance of bribes. So, by observing who bid, one could guess which province was on the block.

The Song family had already secured Jiangsu, which was obvious to all. Yet, two noble families joined the bidding—whether to genuinely acquire the prize or to spite the Song family was unclear.

Xiao Zhi initially estimated the final price would top four hundred thousand taels, but unexpectedly, the two families drove the price up, and the hammer finally fell at six hundred seventy thousand taels.

The bids represented one year’s worth, not the total for twenty years, making the final sum twenty times the bidding price.

For Jiangsu alone, the Song family would have to pay thirteen million four hundred thousand taels upfront, plus an annual salt merchant tax of ten to twenty thousand taels for the next twenty years.

Song Qi’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot. Who would have thought Xiao Zhi’s brazen acceptance of gifts had turned sealed bidding into an open secret?

Province after province was auctioned off, and Xiao Zhi’s lips nearly stretched to his ears in a grin.

The auction went far smoother than he had anticipated, with prices far higher.

These noble families’ foundations were deeper than Xiao Zhi imagined; it was unfathomable how much wealth they had swallowed over generations.

As the event neared its end, total bids exceeded one hundred million taels.

Xiao Zhi began to worry—could the court treasury even hold so much money?

Inside the palace, at the Hall of Diligent Governance,

Qin Yong wore a numb expression.

After each auction, a young eunuch would swiftly ride to the palace to report to the emperor.

At first, Qin Yong was excited, ecstatic, then angry, and finally, his heart was utterly unmoved.

He knew these noble families were wealthy, but not this wealthy.

The Song family in the capital casually produced thirteen million taels without a hint of hesitation.

And the Wang family of Langya…

And others…