A total of eight escorts ran away and the guests they killed had cooperated with the Jinzhen Escort Agency for many years.

When Jiang Zhen got the news, he knew that someone was definitely making trouble for him this time.

“What happened to the escorts who robbed the goods, and where are their families now?” Jiang Zhen asked.

When the agency recruited escorts, it was also necessary to check the family situation of the person they were considering to recruit. Generally he would not hire a lone person with no family.

This world didn’t have ID cards or anything like that so it was too dangerous to hire people on their own.

“The escorts were all from Fucheng and their families had already left their houses empty.” He Chunsheng said. “But I have asked people to check them out. As long as they are still within the scope of Wexing Province, we will  certainly be able to find them.”

“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Zhen nodded and then said: “Make more of an effort, make sure to find them!”

“Yes!” He Chunsheng responded.

Jiang Zhen sent a lot of his men to find those people, while also assigning more people for Zhao Jinge, Zhao Liu, Zhao Fugui and his two children’s protection.

As a result, there were not enough people on hand.

At the same time, there have been many unfavorable rumors spreading about the Jinzhen Escort Agency in Fucheng.

“That Jinzhen Escort Agency is too much, how dare they force people to die!”

“Yes, that Jin merchant really had some bad luck. He had silver robbed but had no way to ask for help. In the end he could only commit suicide in front of the agency’s doors.”

“In the past, I always thought it was safe to go to the Jinzhen Escort Agency to escort any goods I had, but now it seems that it is not necessarily true…”

 

…

 

Zhao Jinge left home and was on his way to the escort agency when he heard such remarks, frowning, he felt more or less uncomfortable.

Although the Jinzhen Escort Agency was founded by Jiang Zhen, he was the one who developed it little by little. Because of this, he had a deep affection toward the Jinzhen Escort Agency, and this talk made him feel wronged now.

When Zhao Jinge came to the escort agency, Jiang Zhen was about to go out. Seeing Jiang Zhen, Zhao Jinge hurriedly hid his worried and uncomfortable expression.

Jiang Zhen has been working hard enough these days, so he couldn’t let Jiang Zhen worry about him.

“Jinge, watch over the agency while I will go to see Zheng Yi.” Jiang Zhen said.

“Alright.” Zhao Jinge replied.

Jiang Zhen smiled at Zhao Jinge and then went directly to the Qingfeng Building.

The Qingfeng Building in Fucheng was originally built outside the city but because the business was very good it grew bigger and bigger. Later, Zheng Yi built a separate courtyard directly next to the Qingfeng House for the convenience of entertaining guests.

He had been accompanying a group of gentlemen from Fucheng to play around the other day, and came back in a hurry just last night after knowing that something had happened to the Jinzhen Escort Agency.

When Jiang Zhen arrived at Zheng Yi’s mansion, which was located next to Qingfeng Building, Zheng Yi had just woken up and was still yawning.

“Wait for me for a while.” Seeing Jiang Zhen, Zheng Yi said, then he took out a snuff bottle and took a sniff.

After doing it he became much more sober. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Jiang Zhen did not hesitate to tell him all the things that had happened.

Zheng Yi frowned as his fingers tapped gently on the table. Finally he said: “It may be other sea merchants from Wexing Province, or it may be some leftover power of the Hongjiang Salt Farm.”

Jiang Zhen’s development was a bit fast, which more or less affected the interests of some local sea merchants from Wexing Province who most likely wanted to teach him a lesson. Apart from them, there were also the salt merchants who had been suppressed by them.

At the beginning, they let the main force behind the Hongjiang Salt Farm be destroyed by the court, but it was impossible to catch all the people involved.

Those who survived, how can they not hate them to death?

“I also think so but I don’t know who it is.”Jiang Zhen said.

When he first set up the Jinzhen Escort Agency he wanted to take root in the south of the Yangtze River, but later, after he was arrested by an imperial envoy, his mentality changed a lot. He even started planning his way out overseas.

Because of this, he did not attach as much importance to the agency as he did in the beginning.

Even so, after someone created trouble for his escort agency it made him very angry.

“If you don’t know who it was, check it out! I will check it with you.” Zheng Yi said: “I don’t believe that with so many of us, we won’t even be able to find out such a little thing!”

As time went by, the entanglement between their Zheng family and Jiang Zhen only increased.

The goods that Jiang Zhen sold overseas as a sea merchant were all acquired by his Zheng family.

In such a situation, Zheng Yi wanted to protect Jiang Zhen by any means.

Jiang Zhen was stunned when he heard Zheng Yi’s words, but then just smiled and said: “Right.”

After Jiang Zhen and Zheng Yi discussed the matter, Jiang Zhen went back home.

“Jiang Zhen, I heard that something happened outside, what’s going on?” Zhao Fugui saw Jiang Zhen coming back and asked.

Jiang Zhen smiled: “Father, don’t worry, it’s fine.” Now, he has really relaxed.

Before, when the people from the Changlong Fighting Business made trouble with him he didn’t take it to heart. Also, why should he pay attention to a person who only dares to hide behind the scenes and use such small tricks?

With so many people under his hands, he was not an easy target!

“I’m glad it’s all right,” Zhao Fugui said, feeling that Jiang Zhen just said that to appease him but he didn’t ask any more questions.

Without giving any more explanation, Jiang Zhen stood up and then went to the Jinzhen Escort Agency again.

In the escort agency office, Zhao Jinge encountered some trouble–many merchants of Fucheng who signed contracts with the Jinzhen Escort Agency before now wanted to end their contracts.

Since the escort agency’s men would steal from their clients they didn’t dare to continue their cooperation.

The Jinzhen Escort Agency had a large number of people in their ranks. If there was not enough business to support so many people, it would definitely make them lose money. Zhao Jinge tried to reassure their clients, but these people were not willing.

“Boss Zhao, we don’t want to ask you for help with our good deliveries so why are you forcing it?’

“That’s right! Boss Zhao, isn’t it good for everyone to take a step back?”

“No matter what, I no longer dare to let your escorts help me deliver my goods!”

 

…

 

“Jinge, if they don’t want to use the Jinzhen Escort Agency to deliver their goods, cancel their contracts.” Jiang Zhen who came from outside stated directly.

“Boss Jiang is so straightforward!” Hearing Jiang Zhen’s words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and smiled one after another.

They no longer wanted to use the agency to help them transport their goods, but they had no intention of offending the agency either so when they left, they said some complimentary words.

The two sides did not tear their faces, but these merchants, in the end, still left.

Before, many merchants wanted to end their cooperation with the Jinzhen Escort Agency but they still had some concerns. However, seeing that others had already ended their cooperation with the agency, they no longer had these concerns.

In time, more and more merchants came to their door to cancel their cooperation.

Jiang Zhen agreed to all of it, he also did not hide it from his subordinates.

“Apart from this, what else can our escort agency do?”

“I heard that Boss made a lot of money when he went to sea, but the escort agency is different. Do you think it’s possible that the boss no longer wants to keep the escort agency open?”

“Not open? Then what do we do?”

“We did not steal from our clients, we are all wrongly accused!”

 

…

 

The treatment Jiang Zhen gave to his escorts had always been very good.

In the past, the escorts working for the agency didn’t have any thoughts about the problems the company was having. Now that they saw the escort agency was in crisis, they suddenly remembered how good their escort agency was.

They did not want anything to happen to their escort agency, so they hated the men who killed their clients and ran away very much. As for the escorts who had protected the businessman surnamed Jin, they already regretted what happened very much.

They shouldn’t have stopped fighting just because there were too many robbers at that time!

“Boss, I am sorry!” The men felt so uncomfortable that they specially went to Jiang Zhen to apologize.

“It’s okay.” Jiang Zhen said. He already understood. He also knew that although these men didn’t try their best to protect the goods, they protected Boss Jin.

He certainly wouldn’t have fought so hard to protect just some marble stones.

“Boss, our escort agency…” the men asked hesitantly.

“The escort agency is in a bit of trouble now, but it’s not without a solution.” Jiang Zhen said: “Now that the business of our escort agency is all gone, everyone should concentrate on finding and catching these traitors!”

“Yes!” Hearing Jiang Zhen’s words, the whole escort agency mobilized.

They had given up most of their business and had a lot of free manpower and ships now. These people all came from all parts of Wexing province with their ships and started looking for those men and their families.

They must find the escorts who dared to betray their agency!

Their escort agency was in trouble and needed their help. The men of the Jinzhen Escort Agency were full of enthusiasm as they began to catch traitors non-stop. At the same time, they also observed the situation of the people around them, delivering all sorts of news to Fucheng.

Just a few days later, people of Fucheng found that no matter where they went, they saw men from the Jinzhen Escort Agency!

Some of them were guarding the river, checking the boats passing by, while others stood guard on some roads, watching the people coming and going.

The Jinzhen Escort Agency that seemed very inconspicuous before unexpectedly had so many people. They also caused no hindrance in Fucheng and even people from the Yamen greeted them with a smile.

In a remote village in Wexing Province, a group of people living in an old house looked very anxious.

“What should we do now? There are people from the escort agency everywhere so we can’t get out! “

“If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have done such a thing for money!”

“It’s all because of you! If you hadn’t forced me…”

“We forced you?  It’s obvious that when you heard that there was money involved, you wanted to do it with us!”

 

……

 

These people put the blame on each other, before worrying again.

How are they gonna escape?

While worrying, a voice suddenly came from outside: “Masters, there are suspicious people inside!”

 

Edited by: Antiope1

 

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