Chapter 1015
: The trouble continues to flow eastward
Chapter 1015: The trouble continues to flow eastward
The east side hall of Honglu Temple,
Reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun, it is like a fairyland on earth. Looking around, the clouds, mountains and autumn water are all in sight, which is extremely beautiful.
Originally, this was a refreshing house, but now, most of the people in the house were sad and worried. Rumors were spreading all over the capital. When the princes of the various palaces entered the capital, I didn't know how angry my father would be.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, especially Chen Wang's son Zhou Yunfu, who came from Hanzhong with limited silver. He had spent most of the silver notes he brought with him. If something else happened, where would he find the silver?
"My dear brothers, I did not see the strange phenomenon in the heaven and earth today, but since the rumor has spread, I think the strange phenomenon must have happened in full view of everyone. If it is true, do you have any thoughts?"
You know, the rumor is not just this, involving the palace and Luo Yunhou, there must be someone following along. Once the conversation started, everyone's faces changed, especially the prince of Zheng, Zhou Zhengbai, who poured himself some tea as if no one was around, and replied slowly;
"Everyone, don't panic. Rumors are just rumors. Some things involving the palace are really hard to intervene. Let's talk about the first one first. Yunfu is right. Since there is a strange phenomenon, someone must have seen it. It was Jia Zhen of Ningguo Mansion who offended the will of heaven and caused this disaster. Now another one has happened. It must be that someone wants to divert the blame to us, so we also need to make some hidden moves!"
"Brother Shi, how do we proceed?"
Zhou Yewen quickly asked, "It's urgent, why can we wait any longer?"
"Why are you panicking? Since there are so many rumors, why don't you push the blame on those assassins? You know, who dares to really question the emperor's affairs in the palace? Luo Yunhou is now in the south of the capital, leading the army to fight. If this affects the war, the emperor will really use a knife. In the end, there is only one person left."
Zhou Zhengbai's face was also a little ugly. He couldn't serve his superiors, so he had to obey his subordinates. With the assassination at Yanchun Tower just around the corner, how to make a decision still needed some discussion.
Several people were shocked, and after thinking carefully, they nodded helplessly. If the first two could not say it, only their vassal palace could be so-called "covering the sky and changing the day". If the father came to Beijing, they would not need to join in the fun. Unfortunately, they were left behind, and they must not make any more mistakes.
"Brother Shi, you mean to continue to divert the trouble to the east, but what is the reason for assassinating us?"
As the saying goes, there is a legitimate reason for the crime. Whether it is the retired emperor of Changle Palace or Marquis Luo Yun, that is solid "evidence." Although others dare not say it, they always have imaginations in their hearts. And they were not injured, so how are they involved in these things?
"Brother Shi, the assassin escaped, and the people from the Imperial City Division haven't caught him yet, not to mention those useless people from the Military Division. Even if they want to cause trouble, they have to have a reason. What do you say?"
Zhou Yewen thought about it over and over, but couldn't come up with a good reason. Could it be that if he killed the prince of the vassal state, the gods would send a warning?
"You guys, think about why the assassins came. Although we still have no clue, those who can use crossbows are not ordinary people. There are many people involved. In this case, we are frightened. Why can't we pretend to be sick and spread rumors that the assassins killed the princes of various vassal states in order to restore order. If they want to disrupt the capital, then hand them a knife, how about that?"
Zhou Zhengbai had a sinister smile on his face. No matter how good his temper was, he could not stand being plotted against again and again. The others thought about it for a moment and nodded in the same way.
"Okay, that's it. If someone wants to kill us, we won't just sit there and wait for death. Also, we got a secret medicine from the northwest that will surely make it hard for doctors to tell it's real."
As it happened, the Prince of Han really bought some good stuff, a secret medicine from the mountains, non-toxic, but it can make people feel depressed. Several people looked at him inexplicably. With this kind of thing on him, I wonder what the King of Han will do.
Zhou Xingshan took out a wooden box from his arms, which contained a porcelain bottle. He opened it, poured some medicine powder into his tea bowl, and drank it all.
"This is the secret medicine. Its main function is to strengthen the body, but there is one downside. After taking it, you will feel weak, so it cannot be used frequently."
After saying that, he pushed the medicine bottle in his hand over. Several people looked at it, nodded, took it and poured it into the tea bowl one by one, drank it, and then someone shouted,
"Someone, please ask the doctor to come over, the prince has fainted!"
"Bang, bang, bang."
Several violent knocks on the door were heard in the inner room. In the East Garden of Jinling Prefecture, Supervisor Su Chong, who had not yet left the house, heard the noise and shouted,
"Su Zhen, go see what's going on?"
"Yes, sir,"
A voice was heard from behind the screen in the study. Butler Su, who was dressed in tights, bowed slightly, responded, turned around and walked towards the front room. Although he didn't say much, it was obvious from the way he walked that he was a martial artist.
When he reached the door of the outer room, he suddenly opened it and said sternly,
"Why are you knocking? What happened?"
"Butler Su, there is something important coming from the government office. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the guts to knock on the door."
The man was in shorts, thin, and in a hurry. At this moment, he was panting. Su Zhen took a look, his expression relaxed, and continued to ask;
"What could possibly happen to the government office? Could it be that the disaster victims are causing trouble again?"
The good farmland in the four counties has been sold, and there is plenty of food for disaster relief. I heard that the newly built farm over there is already habitable, so why would there be anything else?
"To reply to Steward Su, it's not the disaster victims causing trouble, but the government office. County Magistrate Xu of Chunyang County has sued the deputy judge Ma Guangcheng for colluding with the water bandits, illegally digging the breach of the Xinbei dike, and conspiring with criminals. He has committed murder many times. At present, there are witnesses and material evidence. Many victims have gathered at the government office and beat drums to complain."
The servant wiped the sweat from his forehead, but still said everything without missing a word. Somehow, life in the government office became more and more uneasy. The people in the express shift were afraid to go out now.
"Well, there is such a thing. I understand. If there is anything else important, you must report it to me."
Steward Su frowned. Magistrate Xu actually dared to sue his superior. This might be troublesome. He casually handed over some loose change. The servant quickly reached out to take it, nodded in agreement, and left happily.
Seeing the person leaving, he closed the door and returned to the study. He saw his master sitting behind the desk, reading a manuscript. He had no choice but to wait there, not daring to disturb him.
After waiting for a while, Su Chong collected the letter, sighed, and said;
"But over at the government office, Magistrate Xu from Chunyang County is here?"
The question was a bit abrupt, which made Butler Su look stunned, and he quickly replied;
"Yes, sir, the government office sent a message saying that County Magistrate Xu has sued his superiors, saying that the Jinling prefect and the deputy prefect have colluded with the pirates, dug up the Xinbei dike, spread cholera in the south of the Yangtze River, and committed conspiracy to commit murder. They said that there are witnesses and evidence, and they are still making a fuss at the government office."
I dare not delay, but I wonder how the Lord knows that it is Magistrate Xu who is here.
"Humph, he keeps putting it off. He really can't help himself. At such a critical moment, I don't know what he is thinking. This memorial was written by Magistrate Xu. I kept it here to tell him that he should be cautious now. If such a big case is uncovered and affects Jiangnan, the consequences will be unpredictable."
It's not that Su Chong didn't want to take action, but after arriving in Jiangnan, there were disaster victims everywhere and all the fields were flooded. If disaster relief was not provided in time, cholera would spread to Jiangnan. It can be said that none of the officials could escape. Now that things have just got back on track, if County Magistrate Xu's letter of complaint leads to a counterattack from Lord Zhuang, it will be troublesome.
While he was thinking, there was a knock on the door in the front room, followed by footsteps. When Housekeeper Su heard it, his brows tightened. He wondered who was being unruly. Just as he was about to go out to stop them, he heard an anxious voice suddenly coming from outside the screen.
"Sir Su, Sir Su, please go to the government office to discuss matters. Today, the governor, Sir Zhuang, is confronting Sir Jing in the court. Now the uproar has spread all over Jinling City."
"What, Suzhen, change clothes,"
"Yes, sir." He walked hurriedly.
A burst of hurried footsteps quickly reached the government office. Many officials had already arrived at the main hall of the government office. Sitting in the main seat of the main hall was Jia Yucun, the prefect of Jinling.
now,
Lord Jia was pale and slightly sweaty. To the east sat Lord Zhuang, the governor of Jiangnan, and Lord Zuo, the grain commissioner. Lord Jing was not to be outdone and sat to the west. Jiang Xiyu, the prefect of Jinling, Ma Guangcheng, the magistrate, and Lord Shen, the director of Suzhou Manufacturing Bureau, all sat there.
In the hall, Xu Changwen, the magistrate of Chunyang County, and Xu Dong, the magistrate of Yongning County, stood in the hall, presenting the complaint documents with firm faces, and it seemed that they would not give up until they achieved their goals.
"Sir Xu, suing your superiors will be recorded in your official assessment, so you have to think carefully about it,"
Seeing that many more officials had arrived, Jia Yucun knew that it was useless to delay any further, so he could only ask again and again, trying to give them some leeway.
"My Lord Jia, since I can come here, I have no intention of going back. Ma Guangcheng conspired with the pirates to bring disaster to Jiangnan. There are witnesses and evidences. How dare such a traitor sit here safely? I don't know who his accomplice is. If the prefect does not dare to accept the memorial, I still have a memorial to send to the capital. I think the cabinet will not ignore it."
Almost forcing him, completely ignoring the fact that he had reached the edge of the cliff, Xu Changwen narrowed his eyes slightly and glared at the front without any courtesy. It was just as he thought, someone in the court was implicated. With one sentence, Jia Yucun's face turned red, his hands trembled, and he held Jingmu Hall. It was not right to smash it, and it was not right not to smash it.
At this moment,
Master Zhuang, who was sitting at the east end, slowly picked up the tea bowl, took a sip of tea, and smiled;
"Prefect Jia, since we are all following the Dawu Law, if there is nothing wrong, then let's get started. If there is a mistake, you can point it out directly and reprimand and re-examine it. Why are you hesitating?"
It seemed like a comfort, but the words with laughter were particularly harsh. Jia Yucun cursed in his heart, but had to nod his head. Since Xu Changwen dared to sue his superiors, he must have made all the preparations. If he took the case, he would use the people of the Imperial City Bureau, implicate the Weaving Bureau and Lord Jing, and poke a big hole. By then, his position as prefect would be over.
The key point is that this person seems to be forcing the emperor to abdicate, and has written a memorial to the capital. What should I do? While I was hesitating, Lord Jing, who was sitting on the west side, smiled faintly.
"Master Zhuang, you are too kind. I have sued my superior, but how can such a lawless person do whatever he wants with just his mouth? Master Xu, do you have any evidence that Ma Tongpan conspired with the pirates?"
"Sir Jing, of course there are. The fast-track officers of the government office were all directly recruited by Ma Tongpan. Those people were pirates before. I don't know what means they used to persuade them to surrender. During the four years they served as constables in Jinling City, they constantly conspired to murder many wealthy businessmen and seize their wealth. The accounts and correspondence are in my hands. In addition,"
Xu Changwen was not afraid at all. He raised the complaint and shook it.
"In addition, this thief not only seized money and houses, but also conspired to spread cholera in the south of the Yangtze River, hollowed out the Xinbei levee, and caused the levee to burst. It was like a rebellion. How could he still sit there?"
A round of denunciations, directed at Ma Guangcheng,
At this moment, Jinling Tongpan Ma Guangcheng's eyes were red, he gnashed his teeth with hatred, the veins on his hands were bulging, he was furious.
"Oh, County Magistrate Xu is so confident, how did you know that the Xinbei dike was dug out by Ma Tongpan?"
Lord Jing was not indifferent and questioned here. He did not know the details of what happened here, but he did not know what Ma Guangcheng was thinking as he did not silence the witness after doing such a big thing.
"There are witnesses. On that day, Ma Guangcheng summoned the bandit Li San and others, and then summoned the captain of the government army. It took only an incense stick of time. Then, the two groups left Jinling City at the same time. In full view of the government army, they dug up the Xinbei dike. When the bandits fled, they said that they followed the order of the magistrate. The government army present can all testify to this."
Xu Changwen's words were convincing and his voice was loud, causing many officials in the hall to whisper to each other. Many officials' faces changed drastically. They originally came to watch the fun, but who knew they would hear so much fatal news. Now it was too late to leave.
"Master Zuo, how could this happen? Didn't you say you were here to comfort us? How could this happen?"
An official quietly approached from the back seat on the east side and complained, but he didn't know that Lord Zuo snorted coldly. They all wanted to come and watch the fun, but now they couldn't leave, so they had to stand in line.
"Just listen to me. You can't leave now even if you want to."
He didn't say much, but his eyes fell on County Magistrate Xu in the hall. He was really powerful. He would never dare to be so reckless.
Outside the hall,
There were also a large number of onlookers who were in an uproar. Many people were still wondering if Ma Tongpan was a member of the White Lotus Sect. This frightened the onlookers and caused them to cry out in fear. When the news reached the hall, many officials also showed a trace of caution.
"Hey, has Lord Su arrived?"
No matter what was said in the hall, Jia Yucun's hands remained motionless. He dared not get angry at this hall. In addition, how were those people from the government army involved? Wasn't the Yangzhou government army transferred here by Eunuch Yang with a golden order? The matter was so complicated that Jia Yucun could not move.
"Master, I have sent the message. I think it will be here soon."
The staff behind him replied quietly, saying that he still had to inform the adults that if they could delay the case, the consequences would be unpredictable. No, the consequences would be unpredictable.
Jia Yucun knew this, so he suddenly picked up the Jingmu Hall and smashed it hard on the table. There was a loud "bang", followed by Jia Yucun covering his hands and wailing.
"Oh, it hurts, it hurts so much, hurry up, call a doctor."
It was almost visible to the naked eye that Jia Yucun's left hand was already red and swollen, and even blood was oozing from the fingertips. Many officials in the hall were stunned. There was actually such a method. Some officials were so scared that their hands trembled, as if something had fallen on their hands.
unfortunately,
Xu Changwen almost heard the sound of Jingmutang falling, took a few quick steps, came to the table, put the complaint and the memorial on the table,
"Sir, since we have called the Jingmu Hall, we have accepted the case. I will leave the memorial and petition here. Please order a thorough investigation and notify the Imperial City Division for investigation. I will also stay here to help with the case. If it is a false accusation, I will set an example and take off my official uniform."
His expression was solemn, as if he was ready to die. Even Jia Yucun, whose heart was trembling with pain, was somewhat stunned. He was really determined and didn't know how to explain it. Xu Dong, the magistrate of Yongning County, also came out and said:
"Sir, I can also be a guarantor for Xu Changwen. If it is a false accusation, I will also be dismissed from my position."
Another solitary figure stood in the hall. Not to mention other people, even Lord Zhuang and Lord Jing were a little stunned. These two newly-appointed scholars were really stubborn. They were worried and had some reservations. One was from Luo Yunhou's side, and the other was from Wuying Palace's university scholar. These two had just arrived in Jiangnan. If they were dismissed from their official positions, how could they explain to the two people in the capital?
Seeing that the situation was out of control, Jia Yucun could only cover his hands and wail a few times.
"Why is it so? Ouch, ouch, Magistrate Xu, it's not that I don't want to take it, it's just that the pain in my hand is unbearable, and now I'm exhausted. How about we wait for Lord Su to come here first?"
Seeing that Xu Changwen still refused to retreat, Jia Yucun could only grit his teeth and say:
"Xu Zhixian, I have received the petition and memorial on behalf of Lord Su, but I am ill and cannot hear the case. How about you go back first?"
He took a step back, a hint of pleading flashed in his eyes. Looking at the entire hall, there were so many officials, but few of them shared his burden. No one seemed a little disheartened.
"Well, since the prefect is ill, we can only wait for Lord Su to arrive. In addition, I have already sent a letter to Lord Lan, and I think it will arrive soon."
"well."
A trace of gratitude flashed in Jia Yucun's eyes. As long as Lord Su and Lord Lan took over, he could get away with it. But there was also a trace of resentment in his eyes. From now on, a dignified prefect was forced by a subordinate. Where would his dignity be as an official in the future? However, these are all later stories. I wonder if Lord Lan, the Imperial Censor, will wade into this muddy water.
As if they had telepathic connection, outside the hall, Su Chong led a group of people and just as they walked to the main gate of the government office, they saw Lord Lan's carriage approaching. They paused for a moment, waiting for Lord Lan to get off the carriage, and then walked over and clasped their fists and said;
"Master Lan, I am honored to be here."
“Haha, it turns out to be Lord Su, how polite!”
(End of this chapter)