New Song Dynasty: My Wife is an Imperial Princess

Before the two families could rack their brains for a solution, the yamen runners at the dock had already begun taking measurements.

The result was obvious: two of the pleasure boats had a waterline similar to the empty boats that the government office had provided, presumably for the families of the guests, while the others were much lower, with their gunwales almost level with the water.

"Could you two please explain what illicit goods are loaded on these ships? Or would you like the constables to inspect them again?"

Faced with Tang Qian's ambiguous smile, the two families were furious but could not retaliate, even though he held the power of life and death over the entire city.

"Fine, we admit defeat. There is indeed still a lot of cash on the ship. According to the city lord's regulations, can we leave the city after handing over another 60%?"

Tang Qian nodded without hesitation: "Of course."

The Jiang family patriarch glanced at the official in his household: "Go open the sealed compartments and give him the remaining 60% as well."

The official received the order and immediately led his men to begin the operation. Before long, dozens more camphor wood chests filled with gold and silver were carried out and piled up together with the previous collection fees, instantly filling an open space by the dock completely, like a small mountain.

"Here are five thousand taels of gold and two hundred and sixty thousand taels of silver, which is sixty percent of the entire fortune of my Jiang family. Please accept them, City Lord."

On the other hand, the confiscation of the Bai family's property was also coming to an end. Under Tang Qian's coercion, the Bai family reluctantly handed over six thousand taels of gold and two hundred and one thousand taels of silver.

Tang Qian glanced at the account details that the constable had hurriedly brought up the city wall and handed over, his eyes filled with suspicion: "That's all? That can't be right. Weren't the Jiang and Bai families supposed to be richer than a country? How come they only have less than a million taels of silver in assets?"

"Believe it or not, this is really all we have left. If you think it's not enough, then take it all. Guangling is now your territory, City Lord. Even if you confiscate all the property of our two families, we can only accept our bad luck. Do you think we would dare to go to the emperor to file a complaint?"

Faced with the sarcasm of the Jiang family youth, Tang Qian simply smiled and said, "You don't need to say such hurtful things. Since the city lord's mansion has ordered that only 60% of your family's wealth be collected as a fee for leaving the city, they need to act with integrity. How could I contradict myself?"

Tang Qian waved to the Imperial Guards stationed at the water gate and ordered them to pass.

As the winch was turned again, the barrier blocking the convoy was finally pulled to its highest point.

The two families bowed to the seven young men on the city wall and were about to board the ship in single file when Tang Qian's next words almost made the two family heads spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Since these people have already left the city, they no longer have household registration in Guangling. Instruct the yamen to cancel their registration immediately. As for their original residences, seal them off. The city lord's mansion will have other uses for them."

Although it seemed that Tang Qian was giving instructions to his cousins, his voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the group of people below the city wall to hear.

What does he mean by that? Not only will 60% of their family property be confiscated, but even their ancestral home will be seized? Does that mean all the silver they buried in the backyard will end up in the city lord's pocket?

"Tang Qian, don't go too far. That's my Jiang family's residence. We didn't cheat or swindle it. What right do you have to seal it up?"

Despite being reprimanded, Tang Qian still wore a smile: "Wasn't what I said clear enough? Since you've left the city, you're no longer Guangling people. And since these are unclaimed houses, why doesn't the city lord's mansion have the right to manage them?"

"Fine, you're ruthless."

Tang Qian's words sounded reasonable, and the group couldn't refute them. However, their true strength lay hidden in their backyard, and they couldn't possibly let it all fall into the hands of this brat Tang Qian so easily.

The Jiang family members also stopped boarding the ship; they gathered together, and a solution had to be devised immediately.

Unwittingly, the Jiang family patriarch caught sight of his third daughter, Jiang Siyu, standing to the side looking completely bewildered. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he looked up at Tang Qian: "Just now, the city lord said that if my Jiang family's ancestral home becomes ownerless, it will be sealed off. But if there are still family members living in the Jiang family's residence, then it doesn't count as leaving Guangling. Am I right?"

"What? You're not planning to leave again?" Tang Qian stroked his chin. "However, the city lord's pass has already been issued to your Jiang family, and there's no way it can be taken back. You definitely won't get the silver back from the docks."

“Our Jiang family will definitely leave the city, but if any of our eldest sons or daughters are willing to stay, can they continue to live in the ancestral home? As long as there are still people living in the house, you cannot seal it off.”

Tang Qian narrowed his eyes slightly. He had underestimated the Jiang family patriarch, who was able to come up with a way to break the deadlock in such a short time.

However, the old man's words were reasonable and well-founded, and Tang Qian couldn't change his mind on the spot. He was really unwilling to not get such a large sum of money.

"Very well, knowing that Guangling's army is about to besiege the city, some people are already willing to stay and defend it. Not all members of the Jiang family are cowards who fear death. When the Jin army retreats, I, the city lord, will reward those who have contributed, and the Jiang family will naturally receive their share. I just wonder which member of the Jiang family is willing to stay and live or die with Guangling?"

"My third daughter, and also the adopted daughter of the Bai family patriarch, is Jiang Siyu."

Upon hearing her name called out, Jiang Siyu's surprised expression vanished in an instant, replaced by bitterness mixed with a hint of joy. She looked up at the city gate tower, where two pairs of gleaming eyes were fixed on her from among the crowd, their faces also filled with incredulous surprise.

In front of everyone, the two of them, one above the other, were so brazenly exchanging glances that the Jiang family patriarch couldn't help but cough lightly: "I wonder if my arrangement will satisfy the city lord?"

Before Tang Qian could reply, a woman rushed out from the Jiang family crowd and knelt before the Jiang family patriarch, grabbing his arm with both hands. Her voice was full of sobs as she cried, "Master, you mustn't! Keeping Siyu alive is just sending her to her death! She's only seventeen! Does that mean that illegitimate daughters should die?"

"Outrageous! Such a tantrum is utterly disgraceful!" The Jiang family patriarch abruptly flung his sleeves. "Siyu will be fine staying in Guangling. If you really can't bear to part with her, then stay with her and guard the Jiang family's residence."

Upon hearing that she had also been abandoned by her husband, the woman slowly loosened her grip and slumped to the ground. The lifelessness in her eyes was drained, making her look more than ten years older.