Lei Chongxiao hesitated for a moment and took out a token.
"Take this token. This is my personal token, which represents Imperial Guard Southern Commandery Investigation Department. If the Navy people don't cooperate with you, you can take this out again."
"If you need other support, just ask."
"I have only one request from you: investigate the case as soon as possible and recover the tax money."
Su Fei took the token from Commander Lei and accepted the order.
"I will honor my duty and recover the tax money as soon as possible."
Lei Chongxiao nodded, his eyes full of approval.
"Okay, I'm waiting for your good news at Pacification Office! Remember, be careful. If you encounter any powerful enemy, don't fight hard. Send the news back first."
"Imperial Guard Southern Commandery Investigation Department, I am your backing."
When I walked out of the hall, I could hear the "compliments" from other households behind me.
Returning to his own Thousand Households Office, Su Fei looked at Guangling Commandery's files and pondered in his mind.
More than five million taels of tax silver, plus Palace Guard Grandmaster for the fallen.
This is definitely not something ordinary thieves can do.
It is normal for other Qianhu households not to dare to take on this task.
On the Grand Canal river, a warship flying the Imperial Guard flying fish flag was cutting through the waves. The hull was wide and the deck was flat. Fifty Imperial Guard who were proficient in water skills were dressed in fancy clothes and wearing Spring Embroidered Saber on their waists. They stood on both sides with their backs straight.
Su Fei was sitting on the tiger leather chair in the center of the deck, holding the route map for escorting the official ship in his hand, his eyes scanning the scenery on both sides of the river from time to time.
There are many wharves along the coast, and merchant ships and fishing boats come and go.
Showing the prosperity of Grand Canal.
But beneath this prosperity, there is a major case involving five million taels of tax money hidden.
Su Fei tapped the map with his finger and thought in his mind.
The official ship took the main channel Grand Canal, and it would not deviate from it according to common sense. However, the navy tracked along the main channel for several days but found no trace. It was really strange.
A Imperial Guard quickly stepped forward to report.
"Thousand Households Commander Su!"
"About two hundred nautical miles ahead, there is the Navy's river patrol fleet. They are also pursuing the official ship tax and silver case. Do you want to go and take a look?"
Su Fei looked up and could vaguely see the outline of a naval warship in the distance.
He pondered for a while. The navy had been searching the river for many days. Maybe they could get some clues that he didn't know. It would be nice to see them.
So he nodded.
"Lean over."
Half an hour later, the Imperial Guard warship merged with the Navy's river patrol fleet.
Su Fei boarded the official ship of Navy Admiral Miao Tianqi. As soon as he stepped into the cabin, he saw a middle-aged man coming up to him.
He has fair skin, wears a naval admiral's uniform, has a long sword on his waist, has a calm aura, and has a cultivation level of the Grandmaster Realm.
It's just that his eyes were bloodshot and dark, obviously he was exhausted mentally and physically from days of searching.
"Thousand Households Commander Su of Imperial Guard, you are here."
Miao Tianqi sounded urgent.
"Thousand Households Commander Su, I have asked the fleet to search back and forth along the main channel twice, and not even a single wreckage or clue has been found. You Imperial Guard are all experts in solving crimes. Come and search the river with me, maybe you can find some clues."
After that, he asked someone to turn the bow around and continue searching along the river with the Su Fei warship.
Su Fei faced Miao Tianqi's invitation, but shook his head.
"Admiral Miao, with all due respect, searching back and forth along the main channel of Grand Canal is probably in vain."
"Because the waterway is so vast, it is difficult to find clues and traces."
After hearing this, Miao Tianqi sighed deeply.
How could he not know this?
But he had no choice.
Su Fei said slowly.
"Admiral Miao, don't worry, the big ship carrying tax money departs from Guangling Commandery after all. We are going to Guangling Commandery to see if we can find any clues."
Miao Tianqi shook his head.
"Thousand Households Commander Su, where do you want to go Guangling Commandery to find clues? That is not an easy task."
"Guangling Commandery is the starting point of the canal. It has been a prosperous place since ancient times. The power of the imperial court is somewhat weak, and the forces of Jianghu are intertwined. Salt Gang, Canal Transport Gang, as well as officials from local wealthy families, and salt merchants with huge wealth, no one is easy to mess with."
It looks Miao Tianqi, very ugly Su Fei go to Guangling Commandery to look for clues.
Su Fei paused for a long while.
"No matter what, I'm going to try. There's little hope of finding clues on the river."
"For something as big as the tax bank robbery, it must be extraordinary to have such a powerful force to take action. I'll go to Guangling Commandery to take a look. Maybe I can find something."
Miao Tianqi nodded.
Su Fei After saying goodbye to him.
Returning to his ship, he ordered the whole ship to set sail and rushed to Guangling Commandery.
The Imperial Guard warship traveled on the Grand Canal river for two days and two nights, and finally arrived at the Guangling Commandery ferry.
There are hundreds of ships of various sizes moored at the ferry, including merchant ships transporting goods, cruise ships carrying passengers, and flower shops with red lanterns.
Porters and vendors were coming and going, shouts and the sound of boats were coming and going.
What a prosperous place, very lively.
Su Fei ordered the warship to dock at the edge of the ferry, and took several Imperial Guard to disembark first.
As soon as they stepped onto the pier, five burly men walked towards them, all wearing shorts, with axes on their waists, and a bit of a ruffian look on their faces.
The leading man still had a scar on his face. He glanced at Su Fei and Flying Fish Robe, but there was no awe in his eyes, but a trace of greed.
"Stop!"
The scarred man stretched out his hand to stop Su Fei and spoke in an arrogant tone.
"Your ship is parked in our territory Raft Gang, and the parking fee has not been paid yet."
Su Fei raised an eyebrow.
"Raft Gang?"
Before he came, he checked the power of Guangling Commandery. Raft Gang is a medium-sized local gang that makes a living by collecting dock berthing fees and protection fees. He did not expect that they would be so bold and dare to collect taxes from Imperial Guard.
"That's right!"
The scarred man patted his chest.
"This Guangling Commandery ferry is the final decision of Raft Gang. No matter you are an official ship or a merchant ship, as long as you dock here, you have to pay the mooring fee for a big ship, ten taels of silver, not even a penny less."
Imperial Guard behind Su Fei shouted angrily.
"How dare you collect taxes from us, we are Southern Commandery Investigation Department Imperial Guard?"
The scarred man sneered and looked at Su Fei and the others.
"What about Imperial Guard? When we get to Guangling Commandery's territory, you have to hold it for me if it's a dragon, and you have to lie down for me if it's a tiger."
"We must abide by our rules. Not to mention Imperial Guard, even if it is the ship of an official from the imperial city, you must pay the money obediently. If you are sensible, take out the money quickly, otherwise don't blame me for being rude."
The other four men also gathered around, with their hands on the ax at their waists and staring fiercely at Su Fei.
Apparently he was determined that Su Fei did not dare to do anything at the dock.
Su Fei looked at their arrogant looks, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Guangling Commandery is indeed as Miao Tianqi said, local forces are so rampant.
Even the court officials dared to look down upon them, but who is Su Fei? He would not tolerate them at all.