Chapter 1067: Lin Yin
Zhang Wenyue was truly left with no choice, as Zhang Yuelu was relentless. So he finally told her everything he knew about Lin Yin’s case.
Lin Yin had originally been in the maritime trade business as well. But he was an ordinary merchant with a single ship, earning just enough to get by.
A few years ago, Lin Yin took on a deal connected to the Daoist Mansion, transporting a shipment of goods to an island that lay outside normal sea routes. The Daoist Mansion had built some facilities there. Initially, the supplies had been transported using flying ships, so it had not mattered whether the island was on regular trade routes.
Later, the Daoist Mansion decided that using flying ships was too costly, so they outsourced the task to an affiliated but externally managed trade guild to recruit ships for the job.
Since the route strayed from the normal path and passed through reefs infested with sea monsters, the risk was high. Thus, few were willing to take on the job even though the Daoist Mansion offered a generous payment.
Lin Yin was one of the few who accepted the job. After countless trials and dangers, he successfully reached the island. He even drew a detailed nautical chart, marking how to avoid the reefs and sea monsters, effectively pioneering a new route.
For some time afterward, Lin Yin continued handling the transport of materials for that route. Demand was high, and the guild paid handsomely, so he earned a great deal, enough that he began planning to save for a second ship. But then, the guild suddenly demanded that he turn in his nautical charts. Having to depend on the guild for business, Lin Yin reluctantly submitted the charts despite his misgivings.
To his dismay, not long after he handed over the charts, the guild dismissed him and gave the contract to the Nanyang United Trading Company instead.
The Nanyang United Trading Company had powerful connections and immense resources. It dabbled in all kinds of businesses, with its influence extending to nearly every corner of maritime trade, leaving not even the smallest profit untouched.
At that stage, there was not much Lin Yin could do. Though furious and resentful, he knew that the Nanyang United Trading Company was far too powerful for him to challenge. He had no choice but to swallow his anger in silence.
Later, Lin Yin heard rumors that the Nanyang United Trading Company’s ships often sank, either from hitting reefs or being attacked by sea monsters, causing huge losses. He found this strange, as he had already handed over the nautical charts showing safe passage, so why were their ships still sinking? He quickly suspected foul play.
So, Lin Yin seized an opportunity to secretly follow one of the company’s ships out to sea and uncover the truth. What he found shocked him. The Nanyang United Trading Company’s ships had not sunk at all. They were faking shipwrecks to embezzle goods, and the losses were ultimately borne by the Daoist Mansion. In other words, the company was defrauding the Daoist Order.