Fu Shifeng

Chapter 209 Millionaire
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Cheng Sanwu, Chang Qing and his entourage were still staying in Yangzhou. In addition to asking Hu Meier to snoop among the monsters in Jianghuai, Afu also sent people to Jiangnan to ask the local supervisor, Mr. Zhang, to come to Jiangdu to meet.

However, before the two parties received a reply, news suddenly came that Bohai County had submitted a letter to the Daxia court to apologize.

Cheng Sanwu had just watched the barbarians doing tricks and acrobatics on the street. When he returned to Xiuyunfang, he saw Afu and others talking about something, with Mr. Ye also beside him.

"So many people?" Cheng Sanwu took out a pack of honey-soaked cookies and ate them with gusto.

"Bohai County sent envoys and wrote a letter to plead guilty. The war in the north has come to an end." Afu said.

Cheng Sanwu was stunned when he heard this: "Wait, is this the end?"

"The imperial court's thoughts are not in the northeast." Afu said: "When I left Chang'an before, I had already heard that Tubo sent troops to attack Bolu. The northwest is the most important place for the imperial army to use troops at the moment. Since Da Wuyi pleads guilty, the imperial court will probably allow it."

"Then those 6000 people died in vain?" Cheng Sanwu asked angrily. The people across from him looked at each other speechlessly. He threw the honey cake aside and asked casually: "Where did you get the news?"

Manager Ye said: "Our men followed the Silla merchants back from the sea and learned about this."

"Da Wuyi is really a brilliant man." Chang Qing said: "I even suspected that the Bohai State spies were stationed in Chang'an. When they learned that the imperial court was unwilling to start a war in the Northeast, they succeeded in the battle at Madu Mountain in Yingzhou, so they immediately submitted a petition to apologize. .

"In this way, the military power is established without overly angering the imperial court, allowing the war to continue for a long time and allowing the Bohai County to recuperate... More importantly, Damen Yi's idea of ​​​​wanting to use the imperial court to take over the Bohai Sea has never been seen again. possible!"

Chief Ye also said: "Da Wuyi is very ambitious. According to the news from Silla, the Bohai County has been heavily armed in recent years and has been expanding and encroaching in all directions."

"Oh, let him be!" Cheng Sanwu grabbed the honey cake and took a few bites: "Is there no new news about rebelling against the party?"

Afu shook her head, and Chief Ye said: "Mr. Zhang is probably busy investigating the movements of the rebels. The east road to the south of the Yangtze River is densely populated with mountains and water, and the news is not transmitted smoothly. We may have to wait a while longer."

Just as Afu was thinking about future arrangements, someone came outside to see him. Manager Ye got up and went out for a while. When he came back, he had a suspicious look on his face.

"What happened?" Afu noticed something was wrong.

Director Ye looked around at the people present. Although he was very polite and covered his face with fans, his eyes showed the intention of expelling guests. Changqing resigned and left.But Chief Ye remained silent. Cheng Sanwu smiled when he saw this and said, "I'll just go out."

When there were only two people left in the room, Mr. Ye whispered: "I just received a secret report. Jianghuai Wulin learned that Lord Zhaoyang has arrived. They are organizing people and colluding with each other to make changes."

"Oh?" Afu showed a subtle expression and gestured for the other party to continue.

"In addition, there are rumors in the martial arts community that Lord Zhaoyang is powerful in his martial arts and is extremely seductive. He wants women from all sects to avoid..."

"Clumsy." Afu sneered. She guessed that someone wanted to deal with Cheng Sanwu: "This method of framing is too crude."

"But Jianghuai Wulin doesn't know that the current Lord Zhaoyang is not Fan Zhongming." Chief Ye quickly reminded: "The people who spread the news seized on this trick and tried to inflict the hatred of the past on Lord Zhaoyang."

"What? Do they dare to take action against people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs?" Afu asked.

"Fan Zhongming was in great trouble back then. I'm afraid there will be people who want revenge regardless of life and death." Director Ye suggested: "Do you want Lord Zhaoyang to step forward to clarify something?"

"How to clarify?"

"Let Lord Zhaoyang appear in the official office of the state government and act directly on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs." Manager Ye said: "In this way, the Jianghuai martial arts people will definitely find that Lord Zhaoyang and Fan Zhongming have different appearances, and such misunderstandings will be easily solved."

"But we have to keep a low profile on this trip, and it's not appropriate to show up in public." As soon as Afu said this, she realized the problem.

Manager Ye also said: "But now the Jianghuai Wulin has spread that Lord Zhaoyang has come to Jiangdu, I'm afraid this matter cannot be hidden."

Afu actually thought more about it. This situation of her own position and movement being clearly grasped was very similar to Fu Shifeng's style, which made her suspect that Fu Shifeng had deliberately spread the rumors about martial arts.

But why do they do this?Use Jianghuai Wulin to deal with Cheng Sanwu?Stop dreaming, Fan Zhongming died in his hands, why should these mediocre people from Jianghuai Wulin fight with Cheng Sanwu?

Moreover, in Afu's eyes, this strategy is not really clever. Compared with the experiences and encounters of the Hebei group, it is simply childish and ridiculous.

"That's fine." Afu nodded immediately: "Then I will ask Mr. Zhaoyang to go to the Yangzhou Governor's Mansion."

……

Gao Changshi sat on the top chair, closed his eyes and rested his mind, frowning slightly as he listened to Sicang Junjun talking about this year's tax collection situation in the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of the Governor's Mansion.

"These unruly people are so stubborn!"

Knowing that the shortfall was huge, Gao Changshi opened his eyes suddenly, like a ferocious tiger that wanted to eat human flesh: "Send a letter to the counties below, asking them to collect the full amount of the rent transfer within this month. If anyone fails to handle the situation properly, I will make him leave Huainan Road sideways!"

Sicang joined the army and asked with a wry smile: "In the Ming Dynasty, the manpower in each county is uneven. I am afraid that excessive reminders will cause civil unrest, which will make the Ming Dynasty look bad. Should we invite a few businessmen to come to the house to discuss donations? Things?"

While Gao Changshi was pondering, suddenly a clerk hurried over and said in a panic: "Ming Mansion, it's bad, something happened!"

His thoughts were interrupted by the yelling of the junior official. Gao Changshi immediately became angry, picked up a side of Tie Ruyi, and smashed it at the junior official: "Kill your mother's head off!"

The clerk was hit with a bloody head and fell to the ground. Gao Changshi got up and kicked him hard: "It seems that I was too lenient in the past, so you guys have no etiquette!"

Gao Changshi was extremely agitated. Since he took office in Yangzhou, has he ever been in such trouble?Mr. Changqing has not made a clear stance on the theft of weapons, which makes him sleepless and sleepless, and he only feels that his future is bleak.

The clerk did not dare to resist. Taking advantage of Gao Changshi's pause in kicking, he quickly said: "The imperial court sent someone, it's from the Ministry of Internal Affairs..."

"Ah?!" When Gao Changshi heard the word "house servant", he suddenly felt a chill running from his tailbone to Tianling Gai, and then his legs went weak and he almost fell down.

"Quick, quick..." Gao Changshi was helped up by the left and right, and said with a pale face: "Hurry up and greet the envoy."

"The official will help you go forward." Sicang joined the army and said.

"No." Gao Changshi's legs trembled, and the wet marks on his lower clothes spread: "I, I want to change my clothes." When Gao Changshi changed into clean clothes and came to the main hall of the government office, he saw an Angzang man. Wearing a lake-blue brocade embroidered robe and a horizontal knife on his waist, he was walking around the hall with his arms folded, his intention unknown.

For some reason, Gao Changshi felt that this person looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

"Shi Gao Wenhuai, the governor-general of the lower government, is paying homage to the envoy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I wonder what the envoy is called?" Gao Changshi did not dare to hesitate and led all the Cao officials to salute the Angzang man.

"I am Lord Zhaoyang. Don't ask anyone what my surname is." Cheng Sanwu said nonchalantly: "Gao Changshi was in such a grand ceremony. I waited for half a day to see him come out."

Gao Changshi was frightened when he heard this: "I beg your pardon for neglecting your envoy."

Cheng Sanwu was silent for a while at first, leaving Gao Changshi and all the officials afraid to breathe. Then he suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahaha, Gao Changshi is a busy man, and I came suddenly without saying hello. Instead, it was me. That’s not right.”

"The envoy was joking." Gao Changshi quickly invited Cheng Sanwu to sit down and tried his best to smile: "I wonder what the envoy's orders are when he comes here now?"

"I heard that the Jianghuai border has not been peaceful recently." Cheng Sanwu asked: "As the chief official of one side, does Gao Changshi know anything about it?"

Gao Changshi was a little confused and said cautiously: "Tell the envoy that the canal guards on the canal are a little bit ready to make trouble recently. But they are a group of greedy and collusive people. The lower official has already ordered the canal envoy to make peace. County captains in various places are on alert to prevent unruly people from causing chaos and affecting water transportation."

"Why do a group of captains and servants dare to cause chaos?" Cheng Sanwu pretended to say: "Now that we are in the prosperous era of Great Xia, what else do they have to be dissatisfied with? Could it be that someone is deducting the transshipment wages?"

"Oh, after being reminded like this by the superior, I just woke up from a dream!" Gao Changshi patted his forehead: "I will immediately send people to the canal later to strictly investigate whether there is any deduction of wages. "

"That's right." Cheng Sanwu said earnestly, "If because of our negligence, the prosperous age that the saint has painstakingly planned is ruined, you and I will be guilty."

"The teachings of the superior envoy are really like a wake-up call to cheer up the subordinates. They will serve their lives wholeheartedly in the future without any negligence." Gao Changshi was full of praise, fearing that he would not be able to show his loyalty.

"By the way, there is one more thing." Cheng Sanwu said: "Recently, the imperial court will use troops in the northwest, and the expenditure on weapons is increasing. You, Yangzhou, will dispatch a batch of weapons to the north."

Hearing this, Gao Changshi felt as if a huge bell was ringing in his mind. He could hardly sit still. He forced a smile and said, "Yes, I will go and make arrangements immediately."

"Just in time, I'll stop by and take a look." Cheng Sanwu stood up and said, "Where is the warehouse where you store your weapons? Lead the way."

"Your Majesty...please come with me." Gao Changshi felt weak at his feet, so he forced himself to take Cheng Sanwu to the back hall, and asked the other Cao officials to retreat, leaving him alone with Cheng Sanwu.

"Gao Changshi, what do you mean? Why don't you go to the warehouse?" Cheng Sanwu suppressed a smile. He wanted to see what the man in front of him was going to do.

"The lower official is about to report this matter to the superior envoy." Gao Changshi said: "There have been evil spirits in our mansion recently and a large number of weapons have been stolen. If the superior envoy had not come in person, the lower official would not dare to disclose it to others!"

"Evil is causing trouble?" Cheng Sanwu has two eyes, one big and one small, and then asked: "What does the evil look like? Is it covered in fur or horns? Is it hoofed or clawed? Has it transformed into a human form? After transforming into a human form, is it a man? Is she a woman? What spells can she use? Where is the lair?"

The string of questions left Gao Changshi speechless and he could only open his mouth.

Cheng Sanwu rolled his eyes: "At least you can find a more believable reason, and you are still causing trouble... Don't you know that the Ministry of Internal Affairs also deals with all kinds of monsters? I killed demons all the way here, do you think this kind of nonsense is deceitful? For me?"

Gao Changshi was trembling. He didn't expect to meet someone who was familiar with evil this time. With no choice, he could only move out of Changqing: "No, this is not what I said. It was said by Mr. Changqing. I am also a low-ranking official." It’s just a paraphrase!”

"Oh?" Cheng Sanwu saw that the other party had not discovered his relationship with Changqing, so he asked: "Who is that?"

"He is the Taoist priest sent by the imperial court to escort the statue of Taoist ancestors, and he is also the son of the then Prime Minister of the land." Gao Changshi said urgently: "Mr. Changqing is still in Jiangdu City. If the envoy does not believe it, I will immediately invite him Come!"

"Hahaha, you are going to drag Xiang Lu into the water, right?" Cheng Sanwu showed a somewhat cold smile: "Go on, I want to see how many people you can drag along, and then one by one If we investigate thoroughly, we won’t know what other people are saying and whether they are willing to help you with this kind of thing.”

Gao Changshi's heart suddenly rose to his throat, and he realized that his attempt to win over the son of Prime Minister Lu might not be too clever.Once the theft of weapons is exposed, almost everyone will give up on themselves. Even if they have contributed a lot to the Prime Minister in the past, when the crisis comes, no one can rely on them!
"How many weapons were stolen?" Cheng Sanwu's face turned serious.

"More than [-]% of the items stored in the warehouse have been stolen." Gao Changshi replied: "That's Yangzhou... no, it's the weapons that the Jianghuai and Jianghuai roads built for more than half a year. Almost all of them were stolen."

"Eighty percent?" Cheng Sanwu raised his finger and pointed: "You, I think it's still too late to hang yourself to apologize."

Gao Changshi was so frightened that he fell to his knees, shaking like chaff and unable to say a word.

Seeing his appearance, Cheng Sanwu couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth. He sat down and said, "Okay, you can't do anything while kneeling on the ground. You have time to tremble. Why don't you think about how to handle this matter well."

Gao Changshi got down on all fours and crawled to Cheng Sanwu: "What should I do? Please teach me the envoy!"

"If there are no weapons, then we can use money and silk instead. This is also one of the new policies." This method was not thought of by Cheng Sanwu himself, but was proposed by Afu and Changqing before coming here. "Gao Changshi, are you in Yangzhou?" In Shi's position, he should be making a lot of money, right? At least spit out some, otherwise how can I explain to the superiors? "

"Yes, yes!" Since it could be solved with money, Gao Changshi felt that there was a turning point and immediately became energetic: "I wonder how much the envoy needs me to give?"

Cheng Sanwu picked at the cracks between his nails and said leisurely: "It depends on how sincere you, Gao Changshi, are."

"How about 30 yuan...?" Gao Changshi held out three fingers.

Cheng Sanwu stood up immediately: "I still want to go to the warehouse to see the weapons."

Gao Changshi quickly grabbed the hem of Cheng Sanwu's robe and shouted: "50 guan!"

"Do you want white silk or poisonous wine?"

"80, 80 yuan!"

"Oh, do you think it's possible that local officials colluded with thieves, intending to rebel, and smuggled the weapons to the rebels?"

"One million guan!" Gao Changshi shouted at the top of his lungs: "One million guan! I beg the envoy to spare me..."

Cheng Sanwu let out a long sigh, knelt down and slapped Gao Changshi on the face: "This is the right thing to do. Get your belongings ready quickly, don't let me wait too long."

(End of this chapter)