Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 478: Enough is Enough
Jingcheng Jingcang,

The white land halfway up the mountain,

In the C-shaped area, everyone was searching carefully around. There were still some residual fires in the thick ashes. Everyone was extremely careful. If someone stepped in without paying attention, they might be burned.

Everyone used long sticks to explore the way. If they encountered any remaining fire, they would naturally be able to see it by turning it over. However, the progress was quite slow and wasted time, but it was better to be safe.

Therefore, Zhang Jinyu was anxious, but did not rush. Shen Shilang was also intently watching the people in front of him groping around.

But in a large warehouse, probably close to the center, Yu Baihu stood motionless on the side, touching his feet and grinning. Zhang Jinyu asked aloud,
"Yu Baihu, what's going on? Your foot is pricked? Be more careful."

"Thank you, Mr. Marquis, for your concern. I'm fine in my humble position. It doesn't seem like my foot is pricked..."

Yu Baihu paused for a moment. He felt no pain in the soles of his feet. It just felt like someone had grabbed his ankles. There was just too much ashes and he didn't know what they were. Then he replied,

"Master Marquis, there seems to be something down there. I'll dig it out for him."

After saying that, he asked the few people who were following him to come over and start digging with their hands, digging down to the place just now. This action also attracted the attention of Minister Shen, and it seemed that they had discovered something.

"Master Marquis, what do you think is below?"

How could Zhang Jinyu know what was underneath? Such a huge fire would have turned it into slag long ago. But after all, it seems that the sand can turn into colored glaze when it encounters high temperatures. We will see when the time comes. If we can really find some The turbid mixture of colored glaze, I am afraid that what is stored in these granaries is not food at all.

"Secretary Shen, don't worry. As long as we find evidence, it will be easy to handle. Otherwise, there is really nothing we can do against them without evidence. If the sand is really transported as food and burned by the fire, there may be clues left."

"What the Marquis said is true. Ordinary sand will condense together and turn into a black paste after being burned by fire. It is recorded in ancient books. So as long as this thing is found, this is evidence, enough to prove that these stored things are Sand.”

Shen Zhongxin seemed to have a sudden enlightenment and wanted to understand the intention of the Marquis. At this moment, he knew that the Marquis had thought so cleverly that he had not noticed it, and he felt a little ashamed of what he had learned.

Zhang Jinyu was a little confused after hearing this. Didn't the sand turn into colored glaze when it was burned? Could it be that he remembered it wrong? The black paste was just black paste.

"Now that Mr. Shen has figured it out, he is just waiting for the news. He is not in a hurry and gives the officials in the prison time to think. However, during the interrogation, I felt that although Cui Dehai was a lot greedy, he just went there after all. He has been in office for less than four years. As the saying goes, "The king of hell is so easy to deal with." Those grain ordering orders and petty officials have been doing business for more than ten years. They know the twists and turns inside better than anyone. Food, wherever there is a shortage of food, everything will be cleared. Now that you dare to run out of food, where do you think the food has gone?"

Zhang Jinyu thought about it while riding on the horse. Everyone must have a share in corruption, but some people get the big ones and some get the small ones.

The one with the big head will definitely get more silver, but the one with the small head will not necessarily get less silver. Long flow of water is also the way to accumulate wealth. Besides, the grain is sold for money. How to sell so much grain and how to transport it? Anyone who went out must be planning something behind his back.

Shen Zhongxin frowned. Everything the Marquis said was reasonable. If it were him, these grains would have to be sold for money. He couldn't be greedy for so much money on his own. There must be someone to help him accept this batch. Food, those people can arrange things in the capital without anyone noticing, presumably they are also members of the court.

Even if he didn't say it, he would know that he was an important official of the imperial court. Otherwise, how could he instruct Cui Dehai, the doctor in the household department, to be so obedient? I guess it was the teacher who said that Mr. Lu Ge was the most suspicious, but it was a pity that he couldn't move.

When thinking about this,
Yu Baihu's exclamation came from the front, as if he had noticed something. Yu Baihu and several people from the Imperial City Division in front seemed to have discovered something, and they all started digging on the spot, covering themselves with ashes. , constantly choking and coughing.

Suddenly, Yu Baihu saw a raised place below. He touched it with a wooden stick, and the ashes dispersed. It turned out to be the bones of a corpse. He tried it with his hands and found that there was still warmth. I am afraid that it was burned to death last night. This Something strange happened. Yu Baihu picked up a leg bone and went back to report it.
"Report, Lord Marquis, I found a skeleton among the ashes in the warehouse. The bones are still warm. I'm afraid it was burned to death last night."

Zhang Jinyu and Shen Zhongxin looked happy, the clue was coming.

"Master Shen, can anyone report the number of casualties last night?"

"Master Hou, I came here in a hurry last night. I asked briefly and found that there were no casualties at that time. Moreover, Master Hou, this person died under strange circumstances."

Shen Zhongxin can be sure that no official reported to him last night that a fire had burned people to death. Moreover, the imperial army came and immediately took over the place. There were only a thousand soldiers guarding the place, and they were all under control, so these burnings were The person who died must have discovered something, or the person who set the fire must have been a dead man.

He turned to look at Yu Baihu and asked,

"Yu Baihu, where was this skeleton found?"

"Go back to Mr. Shen, it's in the big warehouse near the gate, and a little further in." Yu Baihu replied with certainty. After all, the foundations for building the big warehouse have outlines. This person is indeed at the gate of the official warehouse. He fell to the ground not far away.

After saying this, Zhang Jinyu, who was listening nearby, immediately understood that these people had set the fire without asking. As long as all official warehouses were sealed, no one was allowed to enter. Even entering, they needed to be registered by the grain order and the inspection treasurer. Who entered and when? Since he can die inside, it becomes clear.

"Master Shen, I have almost understood that these people are probably the ones who set the fire. Since there is one here, there must be one in other warehouses. Yu Baihu will send people to check first, and then work harder. Go to the middle and see if there is any sand that has been burned by the fire, dig out a big piece and take it with you."

"Yes, Lord Marquis, I humbly accept my order."

Yu Baihu also understood that the fire in Jingcang was set by people, so this matter would be difficult.

After receiving the order, he called for people to go straight to other warehouses, only searching for bones near the door of the warehouse. The other people went to the ashes in the center of the warehouse and started digging.

The results were soon obtained. All the remaining ten large warehouses were found, confirming Zhang Jinyu's guess, and pieces of sand paste were dug out from the depths of the ashes.

Seeing this, Shen Zhongxin knew that the matter was clear, so he asked,
"Master Marquis, since the fire was set by man, it must have been instigated by someone. What should we do next? There is indeed something fishy in the warehouse, and sand is used as a food storage. It's like a bear's heart and a leopard's courage."

Zhang Jinyu turned around and laughed,
"Haha, what Mr. Shen said is quite interesting. Since they are all greedy, why are they still afraid of this? If they were really afraid, they would not dare to act like this. Since it is certain that they are greedy for food, I think this trend cannot last. Ordered to seize the families of all officials in Jingcang, ransack their homes, detain all the guards, and then report to the emperor. After all, they are officials of the imperial court, what do you think, Lord Shen?"

Shen Zhongxin thought about it secretly, and wanted to take this opportunity to find out the truth, but what he saw today was just the tip of the iceberg, the water was too deep, and if he wanted to make up for it now, it would only be to make up for the shortfall and find a scapegoat. Let the household confess, but I am not willing to let the people behind the scenes go.

Zhang Jinyu also saw what Shen Zhongxin was thinking, but he didn't want to get caught up in it. One was acres, the other was granaries, and the third was taxes. These three things seemed to have not been solved in all dynasties. They were all sinkholes and thankless for their efforts. , it is better to cut through the mess quickly.

He comforted me and said,

"Master Shen, there are some things that we really can't get to the bottom of. Among other things, was there less food before it was shipped in, or after it was shipped in? Where did the less food go, and to whom was it sold in exchange for money? Whose pocket did this money go into? Now that Enke is about to come, or there may be other things happening, Mr. Shen will definitely be disturbed by it. From now on, Mr. Shen will still have to pay attention to the household department. "

What Zhang Jinyu said was from the bottom of his heart. It can be said that in the end the investigation will inevitably end in nothing. How is it possible that what was eaten can be spit out again.

Shen Zhongxin suddenly bowed to Marquis Luo Yun, bowed his hands in a salute,

"What the Marquis said is true, and I also understand it. Marquis, this matter depends on your opinion. However, before I go to the palace, I also want to know whether the grain in the granary is sand or not. Real food."

Zhang Jinyu sat on the horse and gave her some support.
"Master Shen, you don't have to be like this. You and I have not been cooperating for a day or two. In this case, how do you want to verify it, Master Shen?"

"Master Marquis, choose an official warehouse at will and inspect the grain on site. The specifications and layout of each large warehouse are the same. As long as it is full, it can store fifteen thousand dan of grain. And as long as it is stored properly, it will last for ten years. Let it go."

Shen Zhongxin suddenly felt confident. Although he could not investigate the case, he could make up various matters about the Ministry of Household Affairs and had many matters in mind.

Zhang Jinyu nodded and thought it would be better to take a look. If the emperor really launches troops in autumn and there is no food, it will be over.
"Okay, since Mr. Shen wants to find out, I will accompany you, and I also want to see what is stored in it. Ningbian, blow the rally horn, call the people from the Forbidden Army, and let's empty a warehouse. .”

"Yes, Lord Hou."

Immediately, Ning Bian took out the horn he had brought with him and started blowing it. The face of the captain of the imperial army who was on duty at the gate changed drastically. When he heard that the horn was coming from the mountain, he thought something had happened and shouted out loud,
"Quick, quick, gather together, everyone go up the mountain, quick!"

General Han also ran out from the camp. The first one to assemble was his own barracks. He didn't care about the others and ran up the mountain with his barracks.

Looking down from the mountain, a chaotic group of people from the Forbidden Army rushed up without any formation. They were loyal, but their performance was a bit messy. Zhang Jinyu saw that only the elite battalion in the hands of Marquis Baoning could enter. After all, the performance of the Imperial Guards on guard duty was indeed unsatisfactory.

Soon, the Forbidden Army ran up panting. When they saw the Marquis and Master Shen waiting in front, nothing happened around them. They couldn't help but feel confused and ran over.

"I've met Lord Marquis, I've met Lord Shen, but what happened? Why are you blowing the horn?"

"Why, we can only call you if something happens?"

(End of this chapter)