“Is that so? Let me see.”
Feng Min took the items Young Master Shen handed him and flipped through them, a bitter smile once again forming in his heart.
He didn’t even need to look; he knew that these account books and such were undoubtedly flawlessly done.
As for the personnel who inspected the pier, what good would it do to call them?
They had already issued tax receipts to Young Master Shen. If they were called, could they still say that the goods were not white sugar when they inspected them?
Wouldn’t that be openly admitting that they had accepted bribes from Young Master Shen and neglected their duties?
Anyone with a normal head would insist that they had inspected the goods, and they were indeed all white sugar!
The trap Young Master Shen set for the Song family was unsolvable!
He just didn't know if this was Young Master Shen's idea or Madam Su's idea.
Or perhaps, was it Princess Qinghe who gave Young Master Shen the idea?
After casually flipping through for a while, Feng Min looked up at the Song family members, “This official has seen it. These items are sufficient to prove that the 5,400 catties of goods on Young Master Shen’s cargo ship were all white sugar! Of course, if you have evidence to prove that the goods on their ship were not white sugar, you can also present it!”
Listening to Feng Min's words, the few immediately looked troubled.
Evidence?
What evidence could they possibly have?
“Your Excellency can send people to salvage the goods from the sunken ship; a quick check will reveal the truth!”
At this moment, Song Rui suddenly spoke as if grasping a life-saving straw.
“They can’t be salvaged anymore.”
Feng Min shook his head, “From yesterday afternoon until evening, Young Master Shen has been sending people to salvage them, trying to recover as much loss as possible, but those white sugars have been soaking in the water for so long that they have all dissolved into the water.”
Dissolved!
The three Song family members were completely dumbfounded.
Suddenly, Song Lianxin understood why Young Master Shen hadn't come to see Feng Min yesterday.
Time!
He was just stalling for time!
To let all the so-called “white sugar” dissolve!
This was to completely cut off their path to proving that those goods were not white sugar!
Thus, combined with the tax receipts in their hands, if they said it was white sugar, then it was white sugar!
“How ruthless!”
Song Lianxin stared intently at Young Master Shen, “Shen Jing, you are too vicious! You are so malicious, aren’t you afraid of retribution?”
“If there’s something wrong with your head, you can take medicine indiscriminately, but don’t talk nonsense here!” Young Master Shen looked at Song Lianxin coldly, “As the saying goes, a life for a life, and a debt for money! You sank our cargo ship, so you should compensate us for our losses!”
Song Lianxin was furious, pointing at Young Master Shen in anger: “You…”
“Song Lianxin!”
Feng Min stopped Song Lianxin, “This official is currently mediating for you. This official hopes that you will also show a cooperative attitude for mediation!”
Listening to Feng Min's words, the few couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Attitude?
What attitude could they have?
They couldn’t possibly be expected to compensate at the full price, could they?
Even if they were choked to death, they couldn't afford to pay!
“Your Excellency, we are truly wronged!”
Song Rui was almost in tears, looking at Feng Min with a desolate expression.
Not to mention compensating at the full price, he didn't even want to pay a single tael of silver.
“Song Jinshan, what do you say?”
Feng Min's gaze fell on Song Jinshan, and he said impatiently, “You are the head of the Song family. Are you going to show a cooperative attitude for mediation, or do you need this official to open court?”
He had already given them a lot of face!
He kept emphasizing that this was mediation!
He was working hard here, but they kept refusing to show an attitude. Did they really think this was his own business?
If he got angry, he would just open court directly!
At that time, everything would be handled officially, with no room for maneuver!
Let’s see who suffers in the end!
Song Jinshan heard Feng Min's impatience and cast an inquiring look at Zhao Jianzhi.
Zhao Jianzhi lowered his eyebrows, showing no expression.
Song Jinshan hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and looked at Young Master Shen: “Speak, what do you want?”
He wanted to see how big Young Master Shen's appetite was first.
If Young Master Shen were to talk about compensating at the full price, then there would be nothing more to say.
Young Master Shen lazily raised his eyes, “We had a total of 5,400 catties of white sugar on our ship. Currently, the market price for white sugar has been driven up to three or four hundred taels of silver per catty, but I am a generous person, so I will still calculate it at two hundred taels of silver per catty, and I’ll round down the odd amount. Let’s just settle for one million taels of silver!”
One million taels!
Why doesn't he just rob them?
This beast, he even made it sound like he was being very generous!
Song Jinshan cursed wildly in his heart, gritting his teeth and roaring, “Dream on!”
“Young Master Shen, this official is not biased towards anyone, but your one million taels of silver is indeed a bit outrageous!”
Feng Min looked at Young Master Shen with a wry smile, “Even if you sold all the Song family members, they wouldn’t be able to afford one million taels of silver! If they can't afford it, even if you ask them to pay ten million taels of silver, it wouldn't make any sense!”
Just opening his mouth and asking for one million taels of silver!
This is outrageous!
“Since Your Excellency has said so, we cannot disregard Your Excellency’s face.”
Young Master Shen smiled, “Then let the Song family sell everything they can, and pay as much as they can! But no matter what, it cannot be less than five hundred thousand taels!”
“This… I’m afraid they can’t even produce five hundred thousand taels!” Feng Min said with a bitter smile.
“Young Master Shen, three to five thousand taels of silver, you might still be able to consider, but five hundred thousand taels of silver is simply impossible!”
Zhao Jianzhi also spoke, “The Song family is a Tribute Merchant. They must first ensure timely delivery of tribute cloth to the imperial court! If you want them to sell all their family property to compensate you, I’m afraid you’ll have to ask the Ministry of Revenue if they agree first!”
“You think too highly of Tribute Merchants!”
Su Yourong raised an eyebrow at Zhao Jianzhi, “All large textile businesses in the country are registered with the Ministry of Revenue. If one Tribute Merchant is missing, the Ministry of Revenue will immediately activate the backup plan, and a new Tribute Merchant will take over within a short period! There will be no impact whatsoever!”
A Tribute Merchant is not an Imperial Merchant!
Imperial Merchants are directly managed by the Imperial Household Department.
To move an Imperial Merchant would definitely require going through the Imperial Household Department.
But moving a mere Tribute Merchant truly has no significant impact.
Zhao Jianzhi was momentarily stifled, not knowing what to say.
Feng Min had a headache, “Young Master Shen, this five hundred thousand taels is indeed…”
“Your Excellency, five hundred thousand taels is the bottom line!”
Young Master Shen interrupted Feng Min: “Your Excellency, you have also seen the account books. The cost of our white sugar alone is nearly two hundred thousand taels of silver, and another three hundred thousand taels of silver is for Princess Qinghe! I have already suffered such heavy losses; we cannot be expected to lose even more money, can we?”
Young Master Shen finally brought out his ultimate weapon.
Originally, he didn't want to use this ultimate weapon.
But he was truly tired of bickering with the Song family members here.
Anyway, he was just telling the truth. What could that girl Ye Li do to him?
Besides, she took the lion's share; what else could she want?
She should be thanking him!
“Princess Qinghe?”
Feng Min and Zhao Jianzhi’s expressions changed simultaneously.
“Yes!”
Young Master Shen said, then took out a contract from his sleeve and handed it to Feng Min, “Princess Qinghe holds a 30% share in our white sugar business! Although we have suffered such heavy losses this time, I must give Princess Qinghe an explanation!”