Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty: Water Margin Business Management

Lu Qian found Niu Er again. Niu Er was squatting in a corner of the street, sunbathing, with a straw stick in his mouth.

Lu Qian, dressed in brocade robes, hurriedly approached Niu Er. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching, he pulled a heavy cloth bag from his robes and handed it to Niu Er. Niu Er's eyes lit up immediately, and he stared intently at the bag.

Lu Qian stuffed the cloth bag into Niu Er's hand. Niu Er opened it and found fifty taels of gleaming gold inside. He was so surprised he almost cried out. He quickly clutched the bag tightly and said to Lu Qian with a grin, "Master Lu, what are your orders?"

Lu Qian leaned close to Niu Er's ear and whispered a few words. Niu Er listened, his expression shifting between seriousness and a sly smile.

After Lu Qian finished speaking, Niu Er patted his chest and said, "Master Lu, leave this matter to me."

Lu Qian nodded in satisfaction, then added, "This matter is of great importance, so you must handle it properly. If anything goes wrong, you know the consequences."

Niu Er nodded repeatedly and said, "Don't worry, Master Lu, I, Niu Er, am always reliable when I get things done."

It turned out that Lu Qian had sent Niu Er to create chaos in the prison, falsely accusing Zhao Tianming and others of not only colluding with Fang La's remnants but also plotting a prison break and rebellion.

Having received the benefits, Niu Er naturally agreed without hesitation.

That night, Niu Er, drunk, came to the prison gate and shouted that he wanted to see the jailer. The jailer didn't want to pay attention to him, but Niu Er shouted that he had important information.

The jailer had no choice but to take him inside.

As soon as Niu Er entered the prison cell, he started rambling incoherently to Zhao Tianming and the others, saying that their plot to rebel had been exposed and that the imperial court was about to execute their entire family.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhishen angrily shouted, "You scoundrel, spouting nonsense again!"

Niu Er ignored the warnings and continued to spout nonsense.

Zhao Tianming knew in his heart that this must be a new conspiracy by Gao Qiu and Cai Jing.

Niu Er caused a scene in the prison for a while before being dragged out by the jailers.

The jailer reported the matter to his superiors, and it soon reached the ears of Gao Qiu and Cai Jing.

Gao Qiu laughed smugly, "Let's see how they turn things around this time."

Cai Jing stroked his beard and said in a sinister tone, "Even if they had wings, they wouldn't be able to escape."

However, Zhao Tianming and the others were not intimidated by this sudden turn of events.

Zhao Tianming calmly addressed the group, saying, "Brothers, don't let this villain's words distract you. We must find a way to deal with this."

Lin Chong nodded and said, "Brother Zhao is absolutely right. We need to stay clear-headed and wait for the right opportunity."

Meanwhile, Su Yuanjing was still busy with the case of Zhao Tianming and others.

Niu Er hurriedly found Lu Qian and said, "Master Lu, Zhao Tianming and his men have seen through my scheme."

Lu Qian frowned, but quickly regained his composure and said, "It's alright. Just go to prison and don't worry about anything else."

After saying that, Lu Qian whispered a few words in Niu Er's ear. Niu Er listened and nodded repeatedly.

Lu Qian continued, "Among the servants of Suyuanjing, there is one named Wu Laoliu. Find him for me, and you will naturally receive a reward."

Niu Er hurriedly replied, "Don't worry, Master Lu, I'll take care of it right away."

Upon receiving the order, Niu Er hurriedly went to search for the person. He searched through the streets and alleys of the capital, and after a great deal of effort, he finally found out the whereabouts of Wu Laoliu.

When Niu Er found Wu Lao Liu, Wu Lao Liu was eating wontons at a street stall. Niu Er stepped forward and grabbed him, saying, "Brother, come with me, there's good news."

Seeing Niu Er's appearance, the fifth elder became wary and said, "You rascal, what good could you possibly be up to? Don't try to fool me."

Niu Er chuckled and said, "Brother, it's Master Lu Qian who's looking for you. Go there and you're guaranteed to get some benefits."

When the fifth elder heard that it was Lu Qian, he had some doubts, but considering Lu Qian's power, he still followed Niu Er.

When Lu Qian saw the Fifth Elder, he forced a smile and said, "Fifth Elder, I have a deal for you. As long as you do as I say, you will be rich and powerful."

The fifth elder asked cautiously, "Master Lu, what is the matter?"

Lu Qian leaned close to his ear and said something like this.

Upon hearing this, the fifth elder's expression changed drastically. He said, "Master Lu, this is unacceptable. My master is an upright man. How could I do such a treacherous thing?"

Lu Qian's face darkened, and he said, "If you don't comply, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Niu Er chimed in, "Brother, just agree. You know what kind of people Master Lu is capable of."

Wu Laoliu stood before Lu Qian, his face filled with conflict, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He felt as if a million ants were gnawing at his heart, torn between his loyalty to Master Su Yuanjing and Lu Qian's threats and inducements, as well as the allure of the thousand taels of silver.

Seeing that Wu Laoliu was still hesitating, Lu Qian's face grew even more gloomy. He snorted coldly and said, "Wu Laoliu, you'd better think this through! If this succeeds, you'll enjoy endless wealth and glory; if it fails, hmph, you and your family won't have a good life!"

Wu Laoliu trembled, gritted his teeth, and finally nodded with difficulty, saying, "Master Lu, I... I promise you."

Lu Qian finally smiled and said, "Alright, a wise man submits to circumstances. Go back and tell your master that Niu Er and I secretly discussed how to deal with Zhao Tianming and his gang, and that I saw them hide the evidence in a thatched hut in the west of the city. As long as you deliver this message, you don't need to worry about anything else."

Wu Laoliu said in a trembling voice, "I have betrayed the master, what should I do?"

Lu Qian pulled a heavy money bag from his pocket and threw it to Wu Laoliu, saying, "Take this money, and Grand Commandant Gao will naturally protect you. Now that things have come to this, you have no way out but to go all the way down this dark path."

Wu Laoliu caught the money bag, his hands trembling as if it weighed a ton. He inwardly groaned, knowing he was already on a sinking ship with no way back.

Wu Laoliu, clutching his money pouch, walked back dejectedly. All the way, the kindness Su Yuanjing had shown him kept flashing through his mind, filling him with guilt and remorse.

Upon returning to the residence, Wu Laoliu appeared flustered, which attracted the attention of the other servants.

Someone asked, "Sixth Brother, what's wrong with you? You look so pale."

Wu Laoliu tried to remain calm and said, "I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little unwell."

He avoided the crowd and went to Su Yuanjing's study. After hesitating for a long time, he finally mustered up the courage to go in.

Su Yuanjing was working on official documents at his desk when he saw Wu Laoliu enter. He asked, "Laoliu, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"

Wu Laoliu nervously repeated what Lu Qian had told him earlier.

Su Yuanjing initially didn't believe it. He frowned, staring intently at Wu Laoliu, and said, "How did you know about such a secret matter? And what were you doing in the west of the city?"

Wu Laoliu's heart tightened, and he quickly fabricated a perfectly plausible excuse, saying, "Sir, I broke my leg a few days ago. I heard that there are some medicinal herbs in the mountains west of the city that are very effective, so I thought I would go and find some to help my leg heal as soon as possible. Who would have thought that when I passed by that thatched hut, I happened to hear Niu Er and Lu Qian plotting inside. I dared not make a sound, so I secretly hid to the side, and that's how I heard it all clearly."

After saying that, Wu Laoliu subconsciously rolled up his trouser leg. Su Yuanjing looked closely and saw that there was indeed a large bruise and abrasion on his leg, and the wound had not yet fully healed.

Su Yuanjing pondered for a moment, his expression softening slightly, and said, "If that's really the case, this matter is of utmost importance."

Wu Laoliu hurriedly said, "Sir, I would never dare to utter a single lie. The evidence is in the thatched hut in the west of the city. If we don't retrieve it quickly, something might happen."

Su Yuanjing got up and paced back and forth in the study. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Sixth Brother, you handled this matter quite well. But whether there is any trickery involved is still unknown."

Wu Laoliu nodded hurriedly and said, "My lord, you are wise. I am only devoted to you and would never dare to have any disloyal intentions."

Su Yuanjing waved his hand and said, "Someone come here!"

Several trusted confidants entered in response.

Su Yuanjing instructed, "You all go with Lao Liu to the thatched hut in the west of the city immediately and retrieve that so-called evidence. If you encounter any obstruction, kill them without mercy!"

"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.

Wu Laoliu led his trusted men and rode at full speed towards the west of the city. Along the way, Wu Laoliu was filled with anxiety, secretly praying that nothing would go wrong.

Upon reaching the thatched hut in the west of the city, the group approached cautiously. The hut was completely silent, seemingly unguarded.

Just as one of his trusted confidants was about to push open the door, Wu Laoliu felt a surge of unease and called out, "Wait!"

Just then, a hail of arrows suddenly shot out from inside the thatched hut.

"Watch out!" a trusted aide shouted.

Everyone quickly took cover.

Wu Laoliu's face turned ashen, and he thought to himself, "Could I have fallen into Lu Qian's trap?"

At this moment, a group of men in black rushed out of the house and began fighting with Su Yuanjing's confidants.

For a moment, the flash of swords and the shouts of killing shook the sky.

Wu Laoliu hid to the side, trembling with fear.

Su Yuanjing's confidants were all highly skilled in martial arts, and after a fierce battle, they gradually gained the upper hand.

In the end, the men in black were no match for the enemy and scattered in all directions.

The confidants rushed into the hut and, after searching it, indeed found some so-called "evidence".

Looking at this "evidence," Wu Laoliu felt increasingly uneasy.

After obtaining this evidence, Su Yuanjing rushed to the largest money exchange in the capital.

When the money shop manager saw Lord Su Yuanjing arrive with a large entourage, his heart skipped a beat. He forced a smile, stepped forward, and bowed, saying, "Lord Su, what brings you here today?"

Su Yuanjing glared angrily, slammed the evidence in his hand heavily on the counter, and shouted, "You cunning scoundrel, how dare you put on an act here! Lu Qian instructed Niu Er to frame Zhao Tianming, and Niu Er even instigated a rebellion in prison. This evidence, along with the records of their financial transactions, is all inextricably linked to your money shop! Today, you must hand over the transaction records for my investigation, or you will be severely punished!"

The money exchange manager's face turned deathly pale instantly, large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and he stammered, "Lord Su...Lord Su, I'm innocent! I know nothing about this!"

Su Yuanjing snorted coldly: "Hmph! Don't try to deny it! All this evidence points to your bank. If you don't tell the truth, I will shut down your bank immediately and throw you in jail!"

The shopkeeper's legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground. He hurriedly begged, "Lord Su, spare my life! I will hand over the accounts right away."

After saying that, the shopkeeper turned around, trembling, to get the accounts.

At this moment, Su Yuanjing's attendants kept a close eye on the shopkeeper's every move, in case he tried anything funny.

A moment later, the shopkeeper, holding a thick stack of accounts, nervously handed it to Su Yuanjing and said, "Lord Su, these are all the transaction records. Please take a look."

Su Yuanjing took the accounts and began to carefully review them. As he turned each page, his expression grew increasingly grim.

"Well, you heartless shopkeeper! You've done so many shady things!" Su Yuanjing roared angrily.

The shopkeeper was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly: "Lord Su, spare my life! I was forced by that scoundrel Lu Qian!"

Su Yuanjing was furious: "Coercion? You are such a greedy and treacherous person! For a little money, you actually aided and abetted evil! Guards, take this shopkeeper back to the manor and interrogate him thoroughly!"

The attendants responded in unison, "Yes!"

Immediately, the innkeeper was bound hand and foot and taken to the residence.

Holding the accounts, Su Yuanjing secretly vowed to expose the crimes of Lu Qian, Gao Qiu, Cai Jing, and their gang, and to clear Zhao Tianming and the others of their innocence.