Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

"This humble servant, Huang Daorong, manager of the Suzhou Salt Warehouse, pays respects to the Duke of Zhenguo!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Huang Daorong immediately slid down to his knees and bowed deeply to Shen Lang.

He never expected that the current Empress's husband would actually come to see him, a mere salt official, in person. He was so excited that he could hardly express it.

Shen Lang sat down at the table without immediately telling him to get up.

Do you know why I've come here so late at night?

Huang Daorong was taken aback, then replied, "This subordinate understands, it must be about the salt tax case."

He's not stupid. For a member of the imperial family to come alone to a small salt warehouse in the middle of the night, he must have obtained very important information.

If they try to evade the issue now, they risk endangering their own lives and those of their entire family.

Looking at the food and wine on the table, Shen Lang couldn't help but snort: "Lord Huang, it seems you're living a pretty comfortable life. A little wine with fennel, indeed quite unique."

Huang Daorong, covered in sweat, bowed and replied, "I apologize for the embarrassment, Duke Zhenguo. I was merely taking a short break from my busy schedule. If Your Excellency is not pleased, I will clean it up immediately."

He didn't move after he finished speaking, but instead knelt obediently on the ground, waiting for Shen Lang to ask questions.

"No need for that. Everyone gets tired sometimes. It's understandable to have a little drink to relieve fatigue."

Shen Lang picked up a piece of poached chicken, brought it to his nose to smell, and then casually tossed it aside along with his chopsticks.

"Since you know why I'm here, then tell me the truth."

Huang Daorong opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately held back.

"Are you going to refuse to tell me, or are you waiting for the Zheng family father and son to come and bail you out?"

Huang Daorong: "My lord, I am but a lowly salt official. You will not be able to get any information from me."

Shen Lang slammed the Browning down on the table, which startled Huang Daorong and sent a chill down his spine.

"Your Excellency, please feel free to ask whatever you wish to know. I will answer all your questions to the best of my knowledge."

The killing intent emanating from Shen Lang, honed through battlefield experience, made Huang Daorong feel suffocated.

He knew that if he didn't say something tonight, he would lose his life.

Shen Lang: "How long have you been in charge of the salt warehouse?"

"Reporting to the Duke, it has been twelve years."

"How much did you embezzle?"

"I dare not conceal this from Your Excellency, but I have embezzled a total of 136,400 taels of salt silver, of which 80,000 taels were given as bribes to the Minister."

He spent 20,000 taels himself, and still has 36,000 taels left, which he has hidden in the cellar at home to support his elderly mother in her old age.

Huang Daorong dared not lie in the slightest. He had heard of Shen Lang before, and he had worked in the Jingwei Division before being chosen by the Empress.

As long as he handles a case, even if the person is mute and incorrigible, he has ways to make them answer fluently.

The fact that he could ask these questions shows that he was already aware of his embezzlement.

Rather than being subjected to torture and forced confession, it's better to confess voluntarily and try to save your life.

After hearing his reply, Shen Lang did not reprimand him as Huang Daorong had expected.

Instead, they asked about the family situation.

How many people are left in your family?

"To answer your question, Your Excellency, I have a wife who has shared many hardships with me, a son and two daughters, an elderly mother who is sixty years old and still alive, and a younger sister who is twenty years old and has not yet married."

"Yes, they're living a pretty good life."

Shen Lang got up and wandered around the room, carefully examining the objects around him.

Suddenly, a circle of "wire" around Huang Daorong's bed caught his attention.

"Hey, this is..."

He walked to the bedside expressionlessly, glanced at it, and his pupils instantly contracted.

But he quickly masked his emotions.

"Our mother is old, our wife and children are frail, and our younger sister is still unmarried. The whole family depends on you as the pillar of our family."

A monthly salary of four taels and eight mace of silver is indeed unsustainable; I understand that perfectly well.

Upon hearing this, Huang Daorong was not at all flattered by the high-ranking official's concern for his family; on the contrary, he felt even more uneasy.

These words, though seemingly casual, clearly implied that he was threatening her with her family.

"Your Excellency, I know I am doomed, but my family is innocent. I beg Your Excellency to have mercy and spare them."

Shen Lang smiled upon hearing this: "You are quite sentimental, willing to sacrifice yourself for the well-being of your family?"

Even if I am willing to let you go, do you think the Governor's Office will?

My late-night visit to you has likely been detected by my spies.

As I predicted, the person monitoring him is currently on his way to the Governor's Mansion. In a few days, to shirk responsibility, they will definitely make you a scapegoat.

"What will happen to your whole family after you die? Do I need to remind you?"

Huang Daorong immediately looked dejected and at a loss.

"Of course, you are not necessarily going to die. It all depends on what you do. At the very least, I can protect you, and even your whole family will be safe and sound."

"Is Your Excellency truly telling the truth?"

Do you have any other choice?

Upon hearing this, Huang Daorong immediately turned to face Shen Lang.

"Lord Duke, what is the amount of salt permits embezzled in Suzhou and the two prefectures of Ming and Ning over the years?"

All of this has been recorded in my ledger. As long as Your Excellency can guarantee the safety of my family, I will naturally offer it up with both hands.

Shen Lang laughed, fiddling with the "wire ring" on the bed, and then closed the switch next to it.

After a flash of electricity, the entire wire ring lit up instantly.

Huang Daorong was startled and subconsciously asked, "Your Excellency, are you also proficient in such strange and ingenious skills?"

"A strange and ingenious trick? Haha?"

Shen Lang smiled and looked at Huang Daorong, asking a question.

"Did you tinker with this electromagnetic induction device?"

"An electromagnetic induction device? This... oh yes, yes, it's something I tinkered with in my spare time. I originally intended to present it to you, sir, for your amusement, but instead I was scolded for neglecting my duties..."

Huang Daorong smiled sheepishly.

Shen Lang stopped smiling, got up and walked up to him.

"Hand over the ledgers, and I will spare your life, along with that of your entire family!"

……

As Shen Lang had predicted, news of his overnight visit to the salt warehouse quickly reached the ears of Zheng Bisheng and his son.

They immediately set off on horseback towards the salt warehouse.

The moment the salt warehouse door was pushed open.

"After eating pickled vegetables and tofu, even the emperor can't compare to me!"

Huang Daorong was seen leisurely eating pickled vegetables and hot tofu, and drinking a little wine.

Hearing a noise behind him, he cursed angrily, "Who is it? Damn it, in the middle of the night..."

Upon turning around and seeing the Zheng family father and son, he immediately put down his wine cup, went to greet them, and knelt down to pay his respects.

"Minister, Young Master Zheng, what brings you here as well?"

Zheng Bisheng frowned: "Oh? Could it be that someone else came tonight?"

Huang Daorong immediately showed an expression of admiration and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the void, replying, "To be honest, Your Excellency, the Duke of Zhenguo came here tonight."

"What?" Zheng Bisheng exclaimed in surprise, "Where is he?"

"I returned to the inn about half an hour ago."

Zheng Xiaoru hurriedly asked, "What did he say to you?"

Huang Daorong looked puzzled: "Nothing much, they just asked me some everyday questions and inquired about the salt warehouse ledgers."

Zheng Bisheng's eyes turned cold: "How did you answer?"

"Oh dear, this is the first time I've met the Duke, and I'm so excited I can't even speak properly, so I just showed him the account books."

Which ledger?

Seeing the tense expressions on the faces of the Zheng father and son, Huang Daorong grinned and said, "Minister, please rest assured, this concerns my head."

What was shown to the Duke was naturally the prepared account book. He couldn't see anything wrong with it, so he gave me a few instructions and then headed back to the guesthouse.

Seeing how sincere he was, Zheng Bisheng and his son's doubts were somewhat dispelled.

"Didn't the Duke of Zhenguo personally inspect the salt warehouses?"

"How could a noble lady like you set foot in such a filthy place? Your Excellency is joking."

Zheng Bisheng was relieved: "This period is quite special, so keep a close eye on things. Next time the imperial envoy comes, be sure to report back as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes, yes, I have remembered what you said, Minister."

Only then did Zheng Bisheng feel relieved and leave with Zheng Xiaoru.

As soon as he left, Huang Daorong couldn't help but let out a disdainful snort.

He returned to the table and picked up his wine glass again.

"If Heaven had not given birth to me, Huang Daorong, the path of officialdom would have been devoid of loyal and virtuous officials for millennia to come. Alas, alas..."