serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 19 Kill it!
In a prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River, the peace has lasted for hundreds of years, and the people are peaceful and happy. Yangzhou City is prosperous. There has been no curfew for decades.

Caobang sub-rudder is located in the bustling part of Nanmen Street. At the time of Xupai, the street is full of people, many old people, women and children, and all kinds of stalls are placed on both sides. , Bargaining, not to mention in the shop, the rich and the poor are all joining in the fun, wonton stalls, sesame seed stalls, and hot steamed buns, shouting one after another, it is very lively.

Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps, and before the people on the street could recover, they saw two teams of officers and soldiers appearing from both ends of the street at the same time.

"Martial law! Go home! Go home!"

"Martial law! Come and turn off the lights at every house!"

Those old people and women were so frightened that they hugged and pulled their children away from here. The vendors hurriedly packed up their burdens and left in a hurry.

Residents of shops on both sides of the street closed their doors and turned off their lights.

"General, this is the sub-helm of the Cao Gang."

At this time, the gate of the Cao Gang opened, and two gang members came out, holding a lantern in their left hand and a long knife in their right hand, their eyes were wide open, and they stood there in a daze.

"Block back and forth, no one can let go, anyone who dares to resist, kill!"

Before saying a word, the two turned around and ran back. The bowstring rang, and the two were shot by arrows, screaming and fell to the ground. The officers and soldiers immediately surrounded the Cao Gang. There was a scream.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" Amidst the noise, the leader of the Cao Gang led a group of Cao Ding and thugs to rush out.

"We are here to arrest the imperial court's serious criminals. You immediately call all Cao Ding and gang members, and we will search."

Yang Dayong strode in, followed by three hundred gunfire soldiers.

The hall master was a little stunned, a repeat offender?My heart couldn't help beating drums, could it be that the news has leaked out?It shouldn't be.

"General, we are the Cao Gang here, is there some misunderstanding?"

Yang Dayong looked at him and waved his hand.

"All of them, with guns!"

"The first team comes forward!"

Amid the officers' shouts, three hundred firecrackers quickly formed an attacking formation. The first team took a collective step forward, aiming their muzzles at the Cao Gang people in front, and the heart of the Cao Gang leader suddenly fell. There was a "shua" sound in the cold cave, Cao Ding and the thugs around him pulled out their waist knives one after another.

"preparation."

"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding!"

The head of the Cao Gang hurriedly stepped forward and smiled apologetically: "I am wronged! This general, I will gather everyone in the front yard." Immediately ordered the people around him, "Call everyone out, hurry up! "

After a pause, he shouted again: "What are you doing? Put away all the knives."

Yang Dayong: "Drop their weapons!"

All the soldiers stepped forward together and shouted loudly at the same time: "Put down your weapons!"

Before the hall master could speak, everyone had already thrown their weapons on the ground.

The head of the hall showed a smirk, "Cooperate, cooperate well!" He bowed his waist and asked Yang Dayong with a smile, "This general, our Cao Gang has always been law-abiding. You said that we hid the court and committed serious crimes. What evidence do you have?" ?”

Yang Dayong glanced at him and said with a sneer, "Follow the law? Hmph!"

Finally, there was the sound of panicked footsteps in the backyard, and a group of gangsters ran out from the inner courtyard. They were dressed in the same way, and they were dazzled to see. Everyone was stunned and looked at the crowd , and looked at Yang Dayong.

Yang Dayong laughed out loud, and said, "Search for me!"

Two hundred generals led more than 200 soldiers from the Yongwei Battalion to rush into the inner courtyard and rummaged through boxes and cabinets in the sub-rudder of the Cao Gang. From time to time, there were sounds of tables and chairs being overturned, vases falling and shattering, and the screams of female relatives. and pleading.

"Report to the general, the inner courtyard was not found!"

"Report to the general, the backyard was not found!"

The eyes of the people in the Cao Gang lit up.

The hall master said: "I searched and searched. This general, it's no good for anyone to make a big fuss. Make a friend, so we can meet each other in the future."

Yang Dayong slapped his backhand, making him dizzy!

There was a commotion among Cao Ding, but none of them dared to speak.

The hall master was ashamed and indignant: "Why do you beat people?!"

Yang Dayong walked slowly in front of them, and said coldly: "I have been ordered to arrest Yang Yansheng, the grandson of Yang Kaiwu, who is the key criminal in the Qin case. Anyone who dares to move will be killed!"

All Cao Ding looked at each other in blank dismay.

The hall master knew that the big thing was not good, so he made up his mind and shouted: "I advise you to accept it as soon as you see it, because you dare to go to the Cao Gang to make trouble? If it becomes big, it will involve the six ministers and even the emperor's relatives." State relatives, even the first assistant can't protect you. Come! Go and invite the prefect."

Several cronies were taken aback for a moment, and with a roar, they rushed out together.
"Boom! Boom boom!"

Fierce flames burst out, and gunpowder smoke billowed up. Those people were shot and fell down. There were blood holes all over their bodies. An unlucky Cao Ding was hit in the head, and blood and brains splashed out.

Everyone retreated subconsciously, gasping in shock.

Before they could recover, Yang Dayong pointed out two fingers and said, "First, hand over Yang Yansheng, including his entourage. Second, hand over all the materials and property related to Yang Kaiwu, the key criminal in the Qin case."

How to do?
The hall master was secretly anxious, feeling a betrayal in his heart, something was going to happen tonight.

Yang Dayong: "Who is Yang Yansheng?" At this moment, his eyes fell on a Cao Ding standing in the crowd, and he had an intuition in his heart that this person was Yang Yansheng.

"Bring him to me!"

The hall master got anxious and blurted out: "No, don't."

Yang Yansheng spoke for himself: "That's right, I am Yang Yansheng, but I am not the prisoner you mentioned. I am the head of the Cao Gang, who was naturalized in the Caoyun Yamen. The Cao Gang is under the jurisdiction of the cabinet. Help arrest someone, please ask the general to ask the cabinet for instructions." After speaking, he walked out slowly, and said with a sneer, "Without the proposal from the cabinet, why do you arrest me?"

Yang Dayong sneered: "It's a small Cao Gang, but it's so famous." His cold eyes stared at Yang Yansheng's face for a long time, and then he said: "The army has military laws. Unless His Majesty comes here today, no one will I can't protect you either!"

Yang Yansheng was startled, "Whose subordinate are you? Why do you have to make trouble with me?"

Yang Dayong: "You are the one who has trouble with Jia's family!"

Only then did Yang Yansheng change his face, gritted his teeth, and suddenly said, "General, how about we make a deal?"

Yang Dayong smiled.

Yang Yansheng approached him in a low voice and said, "General, as long as you let me go this time, I will not only reward you with a lot of money, but also tell you who murdered Mrs. Lin, and the property that this person hid elsewhere. You pay the errand, and you can get a lot of wealth, which can't be spent in a few lifetimes."

Yang Dayong sneered: "Is the person you're talking about surnamed Jiang?"

"."

Yang Yansheng was startled.

Yang Dayong said with a smile: "Murdering an official's family is a capital crime, not to mention the imperial censor. A salt merchant alone has such courage and such high means? You, the young master of the Salt Gang, are nothing more than that!"

"you"

"Come on! Put him to death!"

The lobby of the prefect of Yangzhou is brightly lit.

General Manager Wang and the salt merchants in Yangzhou City stood in a row with their heads bowed.

In the middle of the lobby, the prefect Li Mingbo was still slumped on his chair. Things got serious, and many people were destined to die tonight. Maybe there would be a huge case. How did it end?At that time, even Shoufu might not be able to protect himself!

There was silence.

A guard ran in in a panic: "The sound of gunfire came from the Cao Gang sub-rudder."

Everyone was surprised.

Both Li Mingbo and Wang Zongshang became nervous.

Li Mingbo stood up, took a few steps back and forth, and then said to Mr. Wang: "Mr. Wang, what do you think we should do?"

Mr. Wang: "Be calm. We respect his military order and don't give him an excuse to make trouble. The most important thing now is to find out what Cheng said!"

Li Mingbo immediately nodded in agreement.

Mr. Bai, who had been silent all this time, said, "This matter is complicated. Lianghuai salt tax is an important tax source for the national treasury. Although it has been reduced by a lot, there are at least two or three million taels. If there is a big trouble, He can't afford to mess up the salt road and lose the tax money. If you want me to say, this matter is still related to the Lin family."

Mr. Wang sighed, looked at Mr. Bai, and said, "It's not that I don't know what you said. But once the surname Cheng reveals the private salt, there will be endless troubles! What I'm worried about is This."

Li Mingbo's face became ugly, Mr. Bai pondered for a moment, then sighed helplessly, and said: "The most we can do is 'not to report the matter of the Lin family', as long as we can save face for the surnamed Lin on the salt tax." That’s fine. As for the situation of the private salt and Jia’s family, everyone must be aware of it, otherwise leading troops would be difficult, and if there is no money in hand, who will work for him? I think, as long as our sincerity is enough, he will also Just open one eye and close one eye."

Mr. Xiao: "Brother Bai is right."

Mr. Wang looked at Li Mingbo with a livid face, and said: "The most urgent thing is to see Lin Yanzheng as soon as possible, and ask him to give him a message. We can agree to any conditions. Don't be angry, Mr. Futai, we We will deal with the aftermath. In short, this matter will definitely not implicate Lord Futai."

Li Mingbo felt relieved when he heard the words, "Okay, I will visit Lin Yanzheng in person."

At this moment, the master hurried in, "A lot of soldiers came and surrounded the new city."

The crowd was surprised again.

Li Mingbo: "Who are you here to arrest?"

"Yang Kaiwu is the main criminal in the Qin case."

Wang Zongshang's face changed, and Li Mingbo's face became ugly again, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "What a Jiang family, how dare to collude with a criminal."

The new city, the Jiang family's old house.

There were cries of women and children everywhere.

This is a large mansion with a total area of ​​[-] to [-] acres. Hundreds of soldiers are standing in the courtyard, holding steel knives and looking murderous. Other soldiers are driving the Jiang family from all sides. When they came over, Mr. Jiang and his family members were squatting in a corner surrounded by a group of soldiers.

Jiang Zongshang stared at Cheng Zongshang angrily. If eyes could kill, Cheng Zongshang would have been hacked into pieces. He turned around in shame, not daring to look at Jiang Zongshang.

Mr. Cheng looked at Jia Hu, and saw him leaning on a chair, watching the officers and soldiers move out boxes of Jiang's belongings that had been confiscated.

Lin San hurriedly walked towards Jia Hu holding a box.

"Uncle, I found it."

Jia Hu opened the box, first took out the letter from Yang Kaiwu, read it, then took out another letter, on the envelope it was written: "From Brother Jiang", and it was signed by Zhen Fu, which is Jinling Tirenyuan The eldest son of the president Zhen Yingjia and the elder brother of Zhen Baoyu.

Looking at the letter, Jia Hu's eyes flashed brightly, he folded the letter and stuffed it into his bosom, and said to Lin San, "Search again, and put away all the letters."

At this moment, Butler Lin hurried over, "Master Cousin, this is the master's letter." As he spoke, he took out a letter from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

Jia Hu took the letter, tore it open, read it, and then squeezed the letter. Li Mingbo, the magistrate of Yangzhou, negotiated with Lin Ruhai on behalf of the salt merchant. The 500 million taels will be donated, and the salt tax to be paid next year will not be less than 700 million. In addition, Wang The six families of Huang, Ma, Bao, Bai, and Xiao collected 200 million taels of military pay for themselves, plus [-] mu of high-quality paddy fields in the south of the Yangtze River.

The condition is that the Jiang family bears all responsibility for the crime.

Jia Hu turned his head and looked, the young men of Jiang's family were full of resentment!
Then kill it!
Jia Hu's face sank: "The Jiang family colluded with the Yan Gang to rebel, intending to rebel, and punish the family according to the law! No matter men, women, old or young, kill them all, and no one is allowed to leave!"

It was said that hundreds of soldiers of the Yongwei Battalion raised their knives and chopped down, and the Jiang family's clansmen and servants were chopped down to the ground one after another.

Mr. Cheng let out a long breath, and suddenly, Mr. Jiang's desperate voice came over: "Cheng Shiyao! You will die soon"

There is no need to say the rest, because his head has already been chopped off with a knife.

(End of this chapter)