serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 185 The capital is on fire
Genius had just seen darkness, and at this time there was a breeze again, making the weather cooler, and there were more pedestrians on the streets of Dongshi. Ni Er was still dressed in a coarse cloth jacket, followed by two strong men, and the three walked straight Into a restaurant.

The waiter immediately greeted him with a smile on his face: "Second Master Ni, you are here. There is a private room upstairs for you, please!"

Ni Er: "No need, find someone. I saw it." He walked to the corner.

The two soldiers in plain clothes looked at each other, one of them leaned half against the gate and stood down, and the other followed.

A drinker wearing a bamboo hat was sitting at the table in the corner. Seeing Ni Er coming, he took out a letter from his arms: "Master Ni, this letter is left by my brother." He said. Wan stood up and walked out.

Ni Er tore open the seal, took out the letter paper and looked at it, he was both surprised and happy, and said to the soldiers behind him: "My lord is really amazing!" As he spoke, he handed the letter.

The soldier glanced at the letter and also smiled: "Grandpa Jiao is still waiting. Let's go quickly."

Imperial City
In the duty room of the Ministry of Punishment, King Yizhong was reading a book in front of the candle.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open with a snap!
King Yizhong raised his head in surprise.

Li Jin, the left servant of the Criminal Department, hurried in and said, "My lord, there is news from Shuntian Mansion that they have received important evidence, and the case has changed."

King Yizhong frowned: "What important evidence?"

Li Jin shook his head: "I don't know. The Li Fu Yin asked you to come over and said that there will be an overnight interrogation."

King Yizhong pondered for a while, and then said: "This king is following the order of the Supreme Emperor, and cannot leave here. So, you go."

Li Jin: "Yes." After speaking, he hurried out.

Looking at the disappearing figure of Li Jin, King Yizhong shook his head. What could have happened? The guy and the drinker have been sunk in the river. As for the shopkeeper, let alone his family is in his hands, it is Xia Shouzhong He dared not turn his back on the warning.

Thinking of this, he leaned against the back of the chair, held the book, and looked at it intentionally or unintentionally.

At this moment, there was a sound of hurried footsteps, and then the old butler rushed in like a gust of wind, and fell to his knees with a plop: "The old slave's errands are not done well."

King Yizhong was shocked: "What happened?!"

The old butler: "If you go back to the lord, the shopkeeper Wang's family was taken away by the people who were imprisoned, and the general manager Dai from the Qianqing Palace came in person, and the old slave couldn't stop him."

Yizhong County King Yilin, the emperor finally couldn't bear it anymore.

The old housekeeper: "They went directly to Shuntian Mansion."

The King of Yizhong County put the book in his hand on the big case, stood up, and paced back and forth in the room. He knew that his opportunity had come, and it must be Song Chengliang who made the bridge, so that the emperor and the nobles headed by the Jia family The military and the civilian group headed by Song Chengliang reached a tacit agreement, using this matter to force the Supreme Emperor to completely delegate power and stay in the Dragon Head Palace to spend his life.

As long as they get the confession, and then arrange a reasonable identity for Shopkeeper Wang, the Supreme Emperor will be completely confused.

This move can be regarded as a real draw from the bottom of the pot, which not only caused a rift between the Supreme Emperor and the military, but also made it difficult to make up.It also made the Supreme Emperor offend Mei Changwen and other civil officials, and completely lost the support of the Supreme Emperor.

Song Chengliang's move was not vicious!
King Yizhong rolled his eyes, maybe he could add another fire, hesitated for a moment, finally sighed, the risk is too great, once found out, not only Jia Hu will be offended, but the entire Yongwei will be offended battalion general.

Not worth the candle!

The old housekeeper couldn't bear it anymore: "My lord, will this happen?"

"Don't worry. Such a big move is absolutely impossible to deal with me, a little county king."

King Yizhong came to the door and stopped, "Is Zhen Fu ready to make a move?"

The old housekeeper: "Yes."

King Yizhong smiled secretly: "Tell him that tonight is his only chance."

The old housekeeper immediately understood, and replied: "Yes." He turned around and walked out.

King Yizhong Jun put his hands behind his back and looked at the night sky in the distance. Well, there is no moon, and it is pitch black. The wind has picked up now, and the few lanterns in the courtyard are blown on and off by the night wind. It is a good weather.

Thinking of this, he shouted loudly: "Come on!"

An officer from the Ministry of Punishment walked in in response.

Yizhong County King: "Have someone prepare food and wine and send them to the guard room in the prison. This king wants to entertain the heroes of our Great Zhou Dynasty."

The guard replied loudly, "Yes."

It was already late at night, but the Dragon Head Palace was still brightly lit.

Outside the main hall, Xia Shouzhong ran over in a panic, and ran towards the bedroom with suspicious eyes.

The Supreme Emperor was sitting in front of the imperial case, looking down at the case file sent by the emperor. There was no problem. Tomorrow, the three justices would just go through the motions. There was no intentional murder. First, he was mainly responsible for insulting, slandering, and slandering the Yongwei Camp; Mei Changwen "blackmailed with corpses" and bought witnesses, which was a violation of the law knowingly. Censor; Pioneer Battalion will be demoted to three ranks, sent to the army outside the customs to serve crimes and meritorious service, and compensate the Mei family with 1000 taels of burning and burial expenses.

The Supreme Emperor finished reading the file, closed it gently, and stood up, always feeling that something was wrong.

At this time, Xia Shouzhong came in in a hurry, almost tripped over the threshold, and quickly supported the door frame to stand firm, panting: "No, it's not good, the surname Wang is betraying the water."

The Supreme Emperor was surprised: "What?!"

Xia Shouzhong: "If the old servant hadn't noticed something was wrong and went to Dong'an Gate in person, he would never have known that His Majesty ordered the palace gate to be sealed.

All the spies were blocked outside the imperial city. At the end of the You Dynasty, Song Chengliang went to Shuntian Mansion and personally interrogated the person surnamed Wang. For some reason, the person surnamed Wang suddenly turned against him. The whole family surnamed Wang was taken away from Yizhong County Wang’s Mansion, and then went to Shuntian Mansion; at three o’clock in Xushi, Wang Hetang from the cabinet, Zhao Zixun, Minister of the Ministry of Households, and Li Jin, the left servant of the Ministry of Punishment, all went to Shuntian Mansion. In front of so many officials, he insisted that he acted according to the orders of the Supreme Emperor, and they all came to the Supreme Emperor.”

The Taishang Emperor's expression changed drastically, and then his brain thumped, knowing that these people had the emperor's support, he suddenly burst out laughing, and after laughing, he said: "Good means, good means! The internal and external courts have teamed up to force the palace! Such a big move, I don't know what to do." He didn't notice it at all. What a filial son! What a loyal minister!"

Xia Shouzhong: "The Supreme Emperor?"

The Taishang Emperor looked at Xia Shouzhong with a gloomy glint in his eyes, "Have the defenders of the palace been changed?"

Xia Shouzhong trembled, then shook his head.

The Taishang Emperor's heart suddenly became more stable. After pondering for a moment, he said to Xia Shouzhong: "Do two things immediately: one is to transfer troops and change defenses, and control the palace gate, so as not to let them enter the palace. In addition, take back the palace gate. Afterwards, you go out of the palace yourself, gather the people from the Zhenfusi, and kill all these traitors!"

He paused for a while when he said this, and then his eyes showed a fierce look: "You transfer another battalion from the infantry yamen. If they hide in Shuntian Mansion, they will also copy Shuntian Mansion. If you see one, kill the other! Don't leave a single one behind." live!"

Xia Shouzhong understood, and immediately replied loudly: "Zunzhi!" After speaking, he hurried out.

Looking at Xia Shouzhong's disappearing back, the Supreme Emperor walked out sadly, walked to the door of the palace and stopped, stared blankly at the dark night sky, took a deep breath, then clenched his fists, and Restored the majesty of the past, strode out, and said: "Go, go to the study!"

It was very late at night, and Dongcheng was shrouded in tranquility.

A small inn in Dongshi.

This is a courtyard, dark and empty, except for the faint lights in the main room of the north house.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and the door of the west wing opened with a creak. The shopkeeper came out holding an oil lamp, opened the door of the inn, and a strong man came in and walked straight to the north room.

The man stepped forward and knocked on the door, and said in a low voice, "Master, I'm back."

"Come in." Zhen Fu's voice came from inside the door.

The man opened the door and walked in. He saw Zhen Fu sitting on a chair in the middle with a sword on his lap. There were many strong men standing in the room, wearing various clothes, holding steel knives in their hands and carrying a burden.

"uncle."

The man stepped forward to salute, and then said: "We have already contacted the people around the third girl, and they will bring the third girl to the back garden to wait for us."

After a pause, "Third Miss doesn't want to leave, so..."

Zhen Fu sighed, "She will understand in the future." After finishing speaking, he sighed again, his mother passed away due to dystocia, and his younger sister was raised by his aunt Mrs. Zhen since birth, and was recorded in Mrs. Zhen's Under the same name and status as the other three girls in the Zhen family, he also lived a carefree life in the Zhen family until that year when he went to Beijing with his father Zhen Yingjia and happened to meet the envoy of the Qing Dynasty who came to negotiate peace. Later, in a chance encounter, he met his grandfather Bo Yong, the first-class official of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the Minister of the Ministry of Officials.

Only then did I realize that my mother was not a Liaodong Han who fled into the pass, but was separated from the family caravan due to a snowstorm, and collapsed in the wild due to hunger and cold, and was rescued by a passing Han caravan, which was the caravan of the Zhen family. , and then there is a very clichéd story, the mother became the father's maid, and finally became a concubine.

The reason why my grandfather can recognize me at a glance is entirely because I look a lot like my mother, and the jade pendant around my waist. My grandfather's full name is Uya Boyong.

Wuya, the oldest surname of the Jurchen family, Manchurian Zhenghuangqi, the mother clan of Emperor Yongzheng.

The only man left in the Wuya family is his grandfather, Wuya Boyong, and all the others died in the battle at Shanhaiguan. The war that year not only wiped out the third-generation successors of the great Zhou Xungui's military, but also swallowed up the entire family. The younger generation of Manchu nobles created a talent gap in the Eight Banners of Manchuria, otherwise they would not have been beaten so badly by Jia Hu.

Now the Great Zhou Dynasty couldn't stay any longer, and he had to take his sister out of customs and go to Shengjing before his identity was revealed, to inherit everything from the Wuya clan.

Of course, before leaving this country, he also wanted to leave something for the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, such as a big fire. Oil and other flammable materials.

The King of Yizhong County sent a message that there will be turmoil in the city tonight, and all the attention will be attracted to the Shuntian Mansion. There is no moon tonight, and there is a strong wind. The old man is on his side. Why don't you worry about things failing!

Thinking of this, Zhen Fu stood up, hung the sword on his waist, and picked up a map from the wooden table beside him. There were more than a dozen marks on it, all of which were in Dongcheng. Of course, he would not go to a place like the Imperial College I touched it not only because it is very close to the Yamen of Shuntian Mansion, but also because I didn't want to hurt my own people.

He mainly rescued his sister tonight, and then left a memorial for himself.

Suddenly, there was a sound of gunfire in the distance, Zhen Fu's eyes lit up, and a fight broke out in Shuntian Mansion.

Zhen Fu stuffed the map into his bosom, and said: "As long as there is a fire in the Zhen family's old house, you should act immediately, and then we will meet at Dongzhimen."

Everyone nodded.

Zhen Fu: "Let's go!" After speaking, he strode out.

The innkeeper was standing in the courtyard holding an oil lamp, listening to the sound of firecrackers in the distance. Suddenly, he felt someone behind him, and turned around quickly, only to see Zhen Fu and others coming over, and hurriedly said: "Guest officer, let's go!" It's time for the meeting to have a curfew, and you can't go out. There is also the sound of firecrackers, and there is another bandit somewhere."

Suddenly, a sword light flashed from Zhen Fu's waist!
The shopkeeper's head flew out immediately!
Then with a "bang", the headless body fell down, still holding the oil lamp tightly in his hand!

Zhen Fu and the others strode out of the inn gate.

Imperial City
One after another torches illuminate the Qianqing Palace Square as bright as day.

The square was full of forbidden soldiers with guns and knives.

The door of the hall is open, and at a glance, the upper study room is brightly lit.

The deputy head of the Qianqing Palace stood outside the door with the eunuchs and maids who served the emperor, and there were several young eunuchs with pale faces beside them. They all came with the Supreme Emperor.

With a "snap", there was another sound of teacups breaking in the upper study.

Looking at the martial general Feng Tang who was kneeling on the ground, a blank look flashed in the eyes of the Supreme Emperor, and he asked: "Tell me the truth, is it because the emperor rewarded you with a marquis that you betrayed me?"

Feng Tang nodded, then shook his head again.

The Supreme Emperor looked directly at him with questioning eyes.

Feng Tang straightened his body: "In the first 30 years of your reign, you appointed virtuous ministers and worked hard to govern, which brought about an unprecedented prosperous scene in Dazhou. You reused honorable generals, beat the northern captives from going south, and even forced the Tartar emperor to move his capital to North Korea. But You destroyed everything in just eight years, and even caused a great chaos because of jealousy, which almost ruined the country and society of the Great Zhou. The farce in the Central Plains should be over, and it cannot continue.

Please think more about the country and the land of my Great Zhou, and think more about the common people in the world.Let go early to take care of your life. "

After a pause, "I also ask the Supreme Emperor to think about it for His Majesty."

The Supreme Emperor slapped the imperial case with his palm, stood up abruptly, and said to Emperor Jianwu who was standing aside: "Since you have chosen to take action, why not transfer the imperial army, you are not afraid that my people will kill Song Chengliang and others. Let me tell you, Xia Shouzhong transferred a battalion from the infantry yamen."

Before he could say a word, the sound of gunfire came from the direction of Shuntian Mansion. The Supreme Emperor's expression changed, and he suddenly thought of something. He looked closely at the emperor and asked, "Jia Amnesty?!"

Emperor Jianwu nodded.

The Supreme Emperor pressed his palm on the imperial case, and there was a "buzz" in his head. At this time, he really realized the danger. He suppressed his emotions with the greatest perseverance in his life, but he no longer had the momentum before, sneered He said: "Okay, among the three sons of mine, you are the one who can accomplish great things the most. You are scheming and resourceful. You usually keep silent, and you are merciless when you start your hands. You have the demeanor of my past. If your elder brother can have you , Stop talking. Tell me, what are you going to do with me?!"

Perhaps it was resignation to fate, and the title "I" was actually used.

Emperor Jianwu's eyes flashed, and he immediately replied: "Father, the emperor killed his son and minister."

The Supreme Emperor: "Whether Xia Shouzhong can be let go depends on the fact that he once hugged you."

Emperor Jianwu was startled: "This"

Taishanghuang: "I can't live for a few days, so just take pity on me, a bad old man, okay?!"

Feng Tang Yilin: "Your Majesty!"

Emperor Jianwu looked at Feng Tang, then at the Supreme Emperor, pondered for a moment, and replied, "OK."

Feng Tang was anxious: "Your Majesty."

"All right!"

Emperor Jianwu shook his hand and said to the Supreme Emperor: "Father, please hand over all the seals and tokens."

The Supreme Emperor regained his smiling face, and said to Emperor Jianwu, "You can send someone to fetch it." After speaking, he strode out.

Feng Tang knelt on the ground with a dazed expression on his face.

When the first cluster of flames ignited beside the Zhen family's old house, the battle in Shuntian Mansion was over, Xia Shouzhong was captured alive, the [-] elite troops of the Zhenfu Division were wiped out, and more than half of the [-] infantry battalion soldiers were killed or injured. Their opponents were the Fire Gunners of the Thousand Brave Guards who stayed in the camp outside the city.

Under the blowing force of the night wind, the fire got bigger and bigger, and quickly spread to the nearby Zhen family's old house. Zhen Fu was also stunned, but it was beyond his control, so he could only escape in embarrassment with his unconscious sister. .

The fire woke up the Zhen family, and everyone was so frightened that they scrambled and escaped. The fire was too fast, and as soon as Zhen Yingjia and others escaped, the fire engulfed the entire Zhen family's old house.

"Third Miss didn't come out!" someone shouted.

At this moment, someone shouted again: "Where did the old lady and Baoyu go?"

Everyone looked at it, but they didn't see the old lady, Baoyu and the third girl. Zhen Yingjia slumped on the ground, and Mrs. Zhen couldn't stand the stimulation, and passed out.

The fire at Zhen's house alarmed Song Chengliang and others in Shuntian Mansion. Before they sent people to put out the fire, they found that many places in the east city were on fire. Thick smoke was billowing, flames were raging, and the capital was on fire.

(End of this chapter)