Donggong Zhangjiao

"Collusion between officials and bandits?"

In the room, Fang Yun and Pei Yaozheng were eating together. When he heard these words, Fang Yun couldn't help but paused slightly as he picked up the food.

"According to the information from the secret investigation, this is not impossible."

Pei Yao looked solemn and whispered.

Fang Yun put down the chopsticks in his hand and frowned, "I chatted with the ladies today and came up with some words. I learned from them that ordinary people's merchant ships must go out to sea safely if they want to." Traveling with the government ships, and the government will also charge high protection fees from these merchant ships. Even if you come back safely on your own ability, you still have to pay some benefits to get the ship to dock at the dock. Concubine I thought this was someone below using power for personal gain, but if it is linked to the collusion between officials and bandits discovered by the Emperor, this..."

"The water in Lanzhou's pond is also very muddy." Pei Yao said coldly.

Fang Yun nodded, "If this matter cannot be investigated clearly and completely resolved, it will be a huge hidden danger in the future. It is not impossible that the good maritime trade road will be cut off from now on."

If the cost of going to sea becomes higher and higher, people will naturally no longer want to take risks, and overseas businessmen will definitely no longer be willing to come to Daqi to do business. If things go on like this, this good way of making money will naturally be abandoned.

"Lanzhou needs to be cleaned up." Pei Yao narrowed his eyes.

At that time, the magistrate of Lanzhou, Chen Shili, was also in his wife Wang's room.

"What did the Imperial Concubine say to you today? How did the Imperial Concubine treat you?"

"The empress is very kind and has no airs at all. She smiles at all of us and talks to me more often. I think it's because you have the highest official position among the female relatives present," Wang said.

Chen Shili was still worried, "Have you asked me anything weird?"

"Zuo is just doing business overseas. The empress is very interested in all these Western things. She also told us that the Western things are fresh, but the prices are not very cost-effective and are a bit exaggerated. We think so, but it’s not easy to go to sea. If you want to transport things back safely and sell them, you have to give up a lot of benefits. Don’t these expenses all add to the selling price?”

As Wang said this, he looked like he was calculating the price. Unexpectedly, when Chen Shili heard this, he suddenly slapped the table.

"Oh, you idiot, you idiot!"

"Who are you scolding me? Your Majesty, you have told me today that you have developed Lanzhou into such a prosperous place during these years as an official. Your Majesty is thinking of your achievements. Piracy is inevitable. Your Majesty." I'm not that kind of person, if I know that if this matter is resolved, it won't be a big problem."

Wang was still chattering, but was interrupted by Chen Shili's scolding.

"Regarding the merits, the Imperial Concubine is obviously trying to get information from you. Aren't those few words of yours just an explanation to the outside world? The government is asking for protection fees from the caravan going out to sea. Now the pirate matter has not been reported to the Emperor. An explanation lets the emperor know the benefits of the Lanzhou government's arbitrary collection of taxes. This is corruption! Then the emperor will not be able to let us go!"

"Ah, I don't know about this. It's obviously just chatting over tea."

Wang's face suddenly turned pale, and she was so anxious that she didn't know what to do.

But Chen Shili was even more anxious. He had already left his wife behind and hurried to the study. He also ordered his confidant to quietly ask a few of his officials to come to the house to meet him.

As everyone knows, Pei Yao's people are already staring at Zhizhou Mansion.

As soon as the boy went out, he was followed.

That night, several officials entered the Zhizhou Mansion and reported clearly to Pei Yao.

When Pei Yao heard the official positions and names of these people, his face became colder by the inch.

He immediately wrote two secret letters and secretly sent them out overnight. In the next few days, Pei Yao watched Chen Shili and others perform in Lanzhou.

As expected of an old fox who has been in the officialdom for many years, Chen Shili still has two skills.

First, they reorganized the navy and took the initiative to exterminate the pirates. They had a solid fight with the pirates, and indeed wiped out several groups of people and rescued many surviving businessmen. Then they ordered people to redecorate the coastal defense map. The coastal defense of the entire Lanzhou territory has been tightened.

At the same time, a plan was also given, and it was decided to send a government fleet to the sea to discuss with countries on several nearby continents, jointly send troops to suppress bandits, and jointly create several routes specially opened for maritime trade to ensure the safety of people's maritime trade.

This series of operations is naturally good, but the premise is that it must be true.

But according to Pei Yao's investigation, the pirates seemed to be repelled with heavy losses, but in fact they only suffered superficial injuries. The main force just retreated and hid in their dens.

As soon as the limelight of this period of time passes, they will still come out to rob money and hurt people immediately.

As for the naval defense and control, as long as Pei Yao is not here to keep an eye on it, no matter how the troops are dispatched, Chen Shili, the governor, has the final say.

This last point sounds tempting, but it takes a lot of effort to go to sea and negotiate with other countries.

How could Pei Yao stay in Lanzhou for a long time and watch him complete this plan.

In the final analysis, it is still a big picture.

However, Pei Yao was not in a hurry to expose him. Instead, he gradually showed satisfaction and revealed that he would be leaving for Beijing in half a month. This undoubtedly made Chen Shili breathe a sigh of relief. Perform harder and harder.

But five days later, he couldn't laugh anymore.

The garrison from Cangzhou next door did not know when they appeared on the border of Lanzhou. Together with the escorts and guards brought by Pei Yao from Kyoto, they quickly took action and surrounded the Zhizhou Mansion. Several officials under Chen Shili who were close to him also The mansion was surrounded.

In less than half an hour, a group of Lanzhou officials headed by Chen Shili were escorted to Pei Yao.

Up to this point, Chen Shili was still complaining, but when Pei Yao put all the evidence that he had found in the past few days in front of him, he became completely mute, his lips wriggled, and he was speechless.

A group of people, except Chen Shili, were all imprisoned. Chen Shili was to be escorted to Kyoto for execution.

After taking care of the officialdom, there is still the matter of pirates that has not been resolved.

Of the two letters Pei Yao secretly sent that day, one was sent to Cangzhou, asking its garrison to come for support so that Chen Shili could be captured in one fell swoop. After all, he was in Lanzhou City. If Chen Shili wanted to do something treasonous and unethical, Pei Yao would be around. The men and horses he brought were not enough to resist the garrison of a state.

In addition, there is another idea behind letting the Cangzhou garrison come, and they are preparing to let the Cangzhou and Lanzhou armies work together to suppress the bandits.

This brings us to another letter sent by Pei Yao, which was rushed to Kyoto for eight hundred miles, asking Kyoto to send people to lead the troops in battle.

The rampant piracy cannot be solved in a short time. We must be prepared to fight a protracted war for a year.

However, what Pei Yao revealed to Chen Shili that he would leave for Beijing in half a month was true.

It's been long enough since I've been out, and I've handed over the matter to a reliable person, so it's time to go back.

What Pei Yao didn't expect was that the pirates in Lanzhou would be so daring. Seeing that Chen Shili, the governor of the state, was captured and the government sent additional troops to suppress the bandits, they decided to take a desperate risk and sneaked into Lanzhou City at night to assassinate them. (End of chapter)