serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 422 You kill yours, I’ll kill mine 1
Chongwenmen is known as the "Tax Gate". Since the Hong rule of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court has set up a tax customs here to collect taxes from passing merchants. It is also known as the "No. [-] tax customs in the world".

Eight of the nine gates in the capital can be opened and closed from time to time, but Chongwen Gate is never closed and is guarded day and night by infantry and Yamen soldiers.

The moon in late July was already somewhat full, and when it rose above the east wall, it was just dark.

As early as the Yin and Zhou dynasties, the night market took shape.During the Han Dynasty, night markets gradually flourished.It was most prosperous in the Tang and Song Dynasties.During the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, night markets waxed and waned.Especially during the Manchu and Qing Dynasties, the Manchu and Qing Tatars implemented the separation system of Manchu and Han people and implemented a strict curfew system, which greatly affected the night market in the capital.

After the Wu family captured the capital, business in the capital began to recover, and the night market also resumed.

Outside Chongwenmen, every night, several ram's horn lanterns are hung in front of each shop. The whole night market is as bright as daytime, and it is very lively with people coming and going.

Working as an errand in Chongwenmen not only gave you great power, but also provided you with generous remuneration and a lot of money. Some people joked that "I don't want to be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, but I want to be in charge of Chongwenmen."

Those who can work at night are all related households, and a group of people gather together to figure out how much money they can receive tonight.

At this moment, there was a rush of hoofbeats, and everyone looked at it.

A horse galloped up, and immediately it was the eunuch in red who was in charge of the ceremony.

The eunuch in red shouted loudly: "The emperor has an order to seal the city immediately. No one in the inner city is allowed to leave the city from now on. Anyone who disobeys the order will be executed!"

After hearing this, a group of people showed expressions as if their ancestral graves had been dug up. They had only had this opportunity for half a month, and it was gone!

The city gate of Chongwenmen rumbled shut.

The blazing torches and bright lanterns illuminated the courtyard outside the Xicheng Bingma Division's duty room brighter than the night market!
Nearly a thousand soldiers from the Military and Horse Division in uniform were lined up and on standby.

In front of a stick of incense, Zhen Fu, the commander of the Military and Horse Division, suddenly led the commanders of the East, South, North and Middle City Military and Horse Divisions and these soldiers to the Xicheng Military and Horse Division Yamen, saying that someone had evil intentions tonight and wanted to suppress the rebellion!
At this time, Zhen Fu and the commanders of the East, South, North and Middle City Military and Horse Departments stood in a row in front of the gate, looking coldly at Wang Zhong and several other West City Army and Horse Departments who were standing at the foot of the steps. military attache.

After a period of silence, Wang Zhong spoke: "Commander, what are your military duties? It's late at night, brothers, it's time to go on patrol."

Zhen Fu coughed and spoke: "Are all the men and horses of each team ready?"

"My lord, everything is ready!" the four military and horse commanders replied in unison.

Zhen Fu raised his head and looked at the moon hiding in the clouds in the sky: "Cheer up, and we will split up when the time comes."

"Yes." The four people responded together.

Wang Zhong's eyes flashed and he looked at Zhen Fu: "Where are they going and who are they taking?"

Zhen Fu looked at him deeply, and after a while he said, "You don't need to watch the night anymore."

"."

Wang Zhong looked at him for a while, then turned and went out, "Then I'll say goodbye."

The few Xicheng military attachés followed closely.

A cold light quickly flashed in Zhen Fu's eyes, and he shouted: "Slow down!"

Wang Zhong and several military attachés who were about to go out had to stop.

Zhen Fu didn't want to break up with the Jia family, so he forced a smile on his face: "It's still early, so I'll have a few banquets of wine set up in the inner office hall, and everyone will go back after eating."

"You think I haven't eaten?"

Wang Zhong snorted coldly, waved his hand, and led the military officers out.

Zhen Fu's face turned livid and he shouted loudly: "Come on!"

The guards guarding the courtyard gate shouted in unison: "Here we are!"

Zhen Fu: "These are all my guests. I let one go because you are the only one asking."

The guards said: "Yes!" They all lined up outside the courtyard gate with swords across their shoulders, blocking the way.

Wang Zhong's eyes flashed: "You want to put me under house arrest!"

Zhenfu: "How dare you? How dare you. Your Majesty Wang is the king of the county. No matter how courageous I am, I don't dare! It's just the emperor's order. Please don't leave the Yamen before the third watch." Thinking of Jia Hu. Wang Zhong made it clear: "Not the Jia family?"

Zhen Fu laughed: "How is that possible! In this great Zhou Dynasty, who doesn't know that the prince and the Jia family are loyal ministers! Mr. Wang really knows how to joke!"

The four commanders of the Military and Horse Department also spoke: "Master Wang, you can just enjoy the bar here with peace of mind."

The pretense was almost over, Wang Zhong pretended to be silent for a while, then gritted his teeth and said: "Okay!" With a move of his hand, he led the military attachés towards the inner office.

Zhen Fu felt relieved and took out a gold watch from his pocket. He saw that the hands had already pointed to three o'clock. He put his hand back into his pocket and raised his hand.

The four military commanders walked down quickly, turned around and stood facing Zhenfu.

Zhen Fu: "The Marquis of Lin'an, the Marquis of Baoning, and the Wei family intend to rebel. We ordered the residences of these three families to be confiscated immediately! Everyone will be jailed and those who resist will be killed!"

"Yes!" The three military and horse commanders roared in response and ran out.

Zhen looked down at the commander of the Army and Horse Department in Zhongcheng: "Your people went to Mingyufang and surrounded the Nan'an County Prince's Mansion. Remember, don't take action!"

The commander of the Central City Army and Horse Department said: "Yes." He replied and rushed out of the courtyard gate like a gust of wind.
The moon was covered by clouds, only twinkling stars.

The Chongwenmen camp, which used to be brightly lit in the past, was unusually quiet now.

The entire camp was dark and empty, with only wisps of faint light coming from the Chinese army's tent.

In the open space outside the tent, hundreds of forbidden troops were arranged majestically in several rows, but there was no sound.

At this time, the chief general of the Chongwenmen camp came out, his eyes flashing constantly, looking at the soldiers waiting for orders: "I won't say more. Tonight's matter is done, each of you officers They can all be knighted, and every soldier can be promoted to a higher level, and there will be a reward of 500 taels of silver. Whoever messes up this matter, I will kill his whole family!"

All the generals shouted in unison: "Yes!"

The commander of Chongwenmen Camp took out his pocket watch, took a look at it, and shouted in a low voice: "Let's go!"

All the people got on their horses, clamped their legs under the horses' bellies, and rushed out of the camp. One by one, the horses galloped past in the night, but their hoofs made no sound. Each horse's hoofs were wrapped in thick linen. .

The camp fell silent again.

The commander of the Chongwenmen camp turned around and walked into the Chinese army's tent. He saw Xia Shouzhong sitting on the chair next to the big case with his eyes closed and concentrating. The gold medal was clearly displayed on the big case.

The general walked over lightly and hugged him with both hands: "Inner Minister."

Xia Shouzhong still closed his eyes: "Can't figure it out?"

The general: "Yes."

Xia Shouzhong: "Only if the trouble becomes too big, the Emperor can be successfully restored to power, and the cabinet will not object!"

"But, why would the military commander and the prince send someone there if this would offend the nobles?" The general looked at Xia Shouzhong closely.

"What if it happens!" Xia Shouzhong opened his eyes.

The general nodded.
This is the Lin Mansion on Di'anmen Street, with torches lighting up the back garden in red.

The ground in the back garden was actually filled with big men holding steel knives and wearing military uniforms!

Jiao Da sat alone on the couch on the railing of the verandah, looking at the passage outside the garden gate without saying a word.

Jiao Da is older, and his long eyebrows are already as white as snow, but only his two eyes are still so bright.

There was a sound of footsteps, and a man in black ran towards the garden gate.

Jiao's eyes lit up.

The man in black ran to Jiao Da and whispered a few words in his ear.

Jiao Da stood up and gave an order loudly: "Let's go! Kill all the members of the Wu clan! Not even a mouse is allowed to be left behind!"

(End of this chapter)