serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 20 The gentleman and the villain

Torches danced in all directions, illuminating the sky above the new city!

Teams of soldiers came out everywhere, and the sound of "bang bang" breaking the door continued. Looking at the officers and soldiers who broke in, many people cursed. Since the Jiajing Dynasty of the Ming Dynasty, Yangzhou has formed a pattern of juxtaposing the old and the new cities. The old city is the country gentry. Residential area, and Xincheng is a residential area for salt merchants. In their eyes, the Yangzhou garrison is just a dog around them, coming and going as soon as they are called. Is the sun coming out from the west?

All the families were shocked and angry, and some people led their servants to surround the officers and soldiers who were searching, and shouted loudly, but what greeted them was cold steel knives and merciless beheadings.

Catch the remnants of the Salt Gang!

Those who dare to resist will be killed on the spot, and all property will be confiscated.

When things became like this, the salt merchants and common people in Yangzhou City couldn't react. Fortunately, the Yongwei Battalion had strict discipline, and as long as they cooperated with the search, Qiu did not commit any crimes, which made many people breathe a sigh of relief.

The sound of gunfire and shouts of killing came and went one after another in the city, it seems that many people still can't recognize the form!

In an alley about a hundred paces away from Caobang sub-helm, Yang Kaiwu stood there. Because of the dark night, his expression could not be seen clearly. Shuai has an order, and all the remnants of the Salt Gang will be escorted to the camp."

Yang Kaiwu pulled on his bamboo hat, turned around and disappeared into the darkness.

Teams of soldiers held torches and ran, and fast horses shuttled back and forth. More and more soldiers of the Yongwei Battalion joined the ranks of the hunt.

In the light of the fire, Jia Hu, who was leading the army, suddenly reined in his horse, and said to Lin San, "Take some people to the river defense yamen, and kill the general of the river defense battalion and his whole family."

Lin San: "No." Turning to a group of soldiers: "Follow me!"

Lin San led the group of soldiers and rushed away.

Touching the letter in his bosom, Jia Hu said to an officer beside him, "Take a team to the old street and kill Yangzhou Fucheng and his whole family."

The officer: "No."

The fierce atmosphere of soldiers enveloped Yangzhou City.
A sleepless night.

It was already daylight, and the candles were almost burnt out.

Li Mingbo, the prefect of Yangzhou, sat silently on the chair, and the salt merchants also sat there silently, with bloodshot eyes and tired faces.

Things took a turn for the worse, people were killed overnight in Yangzhou City, the whole family of Yangzhou Fucheng and the Hefang camp generals were killed, the Jiang family and Bao family were exterminated, and eleven families were brutally suppressed because they did not cooperate during the search. More than 100 people died in the gang, including the head of the Yangzhou branch.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open with a snap!
The master hurried in and whispered something in Li Mingbo's ear.

Li Mingbo twitched his eyes, then gave a wry smile, looked at the crowd, and said, "There is news from the Yanzheng Yamen that evidence of the Bao family's collusion and rebellion was found from the house of the general of the River Defense Camp, so."

Boss Bai suddenly lost his composure and yelled: "Is he trying to scare the chickens to scare the monkeys?" It scared Ma Boss beside him.

Mr. Ma sighed sadly: "If I could start all over again, I would rather guard a few acres of Susukida and be a law-abiding commoner."

The pot immediately exploded in the hall, and all the salt merchants were flustered and discussed one after another.

"Okay!" Mr. Wang finally spoke.

The hall was quiet again.

General Manager Wang sighed: "The Bao family colluded in rebellion, and deserved it!" Then he turned to Li Mingbo: "My lord, the officials and people in Yangzhou violated the law, and there are laws of the court. He can't kill him at will, He even killed Fu Cheng's family. I'm really worried, what will happen to Yangzhou City by him!"

Li Mingbo stood up: "I'm tired" and then turned and left.

Everyone was clear in their hearts, the master of Futai was obviously scared.

Mr. Xiao: "Take money and kill people, what a villain!"

"Dang! Dangdang!"

One after another, the guards beat the gong in the streets and alleys: "It's starting—business as usual, prices don't change—"

The front yard of the Yanzheng Yamen.

The Salt Transport Envoy and several officials of the Yandao Yamen stood in the courtyard with a dignified face.

A team of guards stood by their side and stood by.

Lin Ruhai came out, holding a package in his hand: "You guys leave immediately, be sure to send this to Qianqing Palace within three days!"

The team officer took the package and replied loudly: "Yes!" He led the team of guards and rushed away.

Lin Ruhai turned to the officials again: "The military has cleared the obstacles for us, and the private generals have also been imprisoned. The next thing is our business. We will interrogate the accomplices. Be sure to interrogate and give the court an explanation. The people of Yangzhou have an explanation!"

All the officials answered in unison: "Yes!"

The backyard of the Yangzhou government office, the study room.

Li Mingbo sat in front of the desk with a livid face, and there were two cowhide envelopes, one large and one small, in front of him.

The master and two men in heavy attire stood there.

"Master?" Master asked.

Li Mingbo didn't answer, but just waved his hands.

The master picked up the small envelope: "You leave immediately and hand this over to Master Zhen Yingjia, the president of the Institute of Physical Medicine!"

The man on the left took the envelope and replied loudly: "Yes!" He turned around and strode out.

The master picked up the big envelope again: "You also leave immediately, and must deliver this to the chief assistant within three days!"

The other man took the envelope and answered, "Yes!" He turned around and strode out.

"Why did your lord remind the Zhen family?"

Li Mingbo pondered for a while, and then said coldly: "The Supreme Emperor is still here, he doesn't have the guts, and he doesn't have the ability!"

In ancient times, the roads were inconvenient and the news was not well-informed, but things were still turbulent, and it was not calm until the third day, that is, after the winter solstice.

More than [-] officials from Yandao, Hedao and the garrison were imprisoned and their homes were confiscated. The silver was transported to the barracks one by one. In addition to the properties of the salt merchants seized, it is said that there are tens of millions of taels of silver in cash alone.

The seemingly simple and crude method solved the problem that had plagued the court for decades.

When Yangzhou was calm, the capital was already undercurrents.

It was not yet bright, and both sides of Ningrong Street were full of onlookers.

The gate of Ningguo Mansion was closed tightly, and the two white gauze lanterns under the eaves of the gate were dangling and creaking due to the cold wind.

The two sides of the gate and the streets are already full of soldiers and soldiers with guns and knives.

In front of the gate, Jingtian Hou Qiuliang, the commander of the soldiers and horses, personally led sixteen guards.

"Here we come!" Someone called out in a low voice.

The streamers are here!
Xu Yao, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites, walked in the front with the booklet in his hands, and Chen Lin, the right censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

Behind them are dozens of civil officials from the Ministry of Rites, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Imperial Academy, and the Imperial Academy, and at the end are hundreds of students from the Imperial Academy and candidates from various prefectures who went to Beijing to participate in the Enke Examination in the second year of Jianwu. The mighty long line, each with a solemn expression.

In the imperial city, in the duty room of the Ministry of War.

Wang Hetang, Shangshu of the Ministry of War, walked back and forth in front of the desk with his hands behind his back.

Xu Maochun, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Ma Maocheng, the right servant of the Ministry of War, and Ni Youde, the right servant of the Ministry of household, sat there quietly, looking at Wang Hetang.

Wang Hetang stopped in his tracks and sighed softly: "Bullying the widows, the old and the weak is not what a gentleman would do. You are going too far."

Ni Youde stood up: "The national treasury is empty, and the people are tired of war. As long as the contract is signed, the people can live in peace. Not to mention sacrificing one Jiahu, even ten or a hundred are worth it."

There was silence, Wang Hetang didn't speak, and there was a blank look in his eyes.

As everyone guessed, Obi came to peace talks, and he was very sincere: the two sides ceased the war, signed a contract, became brothers, reopened the horse market, and opened up business with each other.Abolish troops and horses, guarantee that no more troops will be sent to the border within ten years, and Jinzhou City will be handed over to Da Zhou.

The only condition is to bring Jia Hu's head back to Shengjing.

Not to mention the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty under such conditions, even the emperor hesitated. The reason why he did not express his position should be because he was afraid that the generals at the border would feel sad.

The civil servants discussed for a day and a night, and finally came up with this method, asking the Jia family to write a letter, praying to die for the country.

The booklet has already been drawn up, and all it takes is for the Jia family to sign it.

His eyes slowly fell on the public case. A long public case was spread flat on it. The public case was densely filled with the names of officials. Except for the cabinet and some honorable military officials, nearly [-]% of the officials were in the office. Signed on it.

Wang Hetang was born in a serious imperial examination, and he should sign on it both public and private, but he encountered a difficulty at this moment because he accepted the thousand-year-old mountain ginseng from Obi.

However, even though it was a gamble, it was worth it for a noble general to spend ten years recuperating.

Thinking of this, the light in Wang Hetang's eyes dimmed.

Xu Maochun was very calm, and spoke in a calm and unhurried manner: "This matter is indeed disgraceful, but we are for the country of the Great Zhou, and the people of the Great Zhou! Our generation of scholars act in an open and aboveboard manner, and we all act out of a public heart and are absolutely impartial! A gentleman should put the country and the country first, and Wang Shangshu should not have any worries."

Ma Maocheng: "The Ministry, if Mobei and Liaoxi go to war at the same time."

Wang Hetang walked to the public case and sat down again, picked up a pen and wrote "Wang Hetang" on the public case.

The team is moving forward.

It is getting closer and closer to the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

Qiu Liang's face was ashen, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and his right hand quickly pinched the sword hilt at his waist!
The hands of all the soldiers were tightly gripped on the handle of the knife.

Finally, the team came to the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

Qiu Liang kept a straight face, staring at Xu Yao and the others in front of him.

Xu Yao and Chen Lin looked at each other, then lifted their robes and knelt down.

(End of this chapter)