Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 638 The one who strikes first is stronger
Imperial City Si Yamen,
The lights are brightly lit, the security is tight, and there is an endless stream of guards patrolling back and forth.

Liu Chen and his soldiers were galloping all the way. His embarrassed figure looked a little arrogant. Now was not the time to think wildly, so he had to deal with the matter earlier.

Arriving at the yamen gate,
After the group got off their horses,
Liu Chen hurriedly entered the Yamen with his people and went straight to the back hall. The prince and his father-in-law were still watching from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Liu Chen came here to meet the Governor Dai Quan directly.

After entering the back hall, I saw someone on duty in the back hall and knew that the governor must be here.

Liu Chen stood respectfully outside the door and said,
"Liu Chen, who is in charge of Fu Si of Bei Town, has an important matter to report to the Governor."

"Liu Qianhu, wait a moment,"

At this time, Eunuch Yun was here. He held his throat and replied, then turned around and entered the back hall.

In the hall,

Dai Quan was sitting on the kang, drawing with a red pen. Some of the folding papers he had received were piled up all over the table. These were folding papers sent by the elders of the cabinet after discussing the affairs, and they needed to be approved by the Supervisor of Ceremonies.

Looking at some small things in the court, I moved my ink pen and made a few strokes. It was considered passed. The rest still need to be sent to Yangxin Hall for His Majesty's review.

The rights that I had worked so hard to obtain in the past are now easily available, which makes me feel a little bit emotional.

"Godfather, Liu Qianhu, the Fusi of Beizhen, is outside the door asking for an audience. He seems to be in a hurry!"

Xiao Yunzi entered the inner hall and said respectfully from a distance,

Hearing this, Dai Quan put down the ink pen in his hand, and then rubbed his fingers on the table. Liu Chen, wasn't he transferred to Wang Xiu's subordinate to hunt down demons? Why did he come here?

"Let him come in. The Za family also wants to ask about Ning Guo Mansion."

: "Yes, godfather, my son will go right now."

Xiao Yunzi took a few steps back, turned around and left the house.

Seeing Liu Chen standing outside the door, he smiled and said,
"Liu Qianhu, come in, my godfather has something else to ask."

Seeing Mr. Yun open the door and let himself in,

Liu Chen hurriedly clasped his fists and thanked;
"Thank you so much, Eunuch Yun. I will keep my humble position in my heart."

"Well, just remember and go."

Liu Qianhu didn't dare to delay, so he walked into the house and walked quickly into the back hall. He saw the governor sitting behind the desk.

He immediately knelt down on his knees and worshiped,
"Liu Chen, a humble official, has met the Governor."

"Well, get up. The Za family hasn't seen you for a while. They assigned you to capture the demon. Now I have faith."

Dai Quan raised his eyes and looked at Liu Chen. Feng Chen was plain and disheveled. There was some blood on his face and his hair was scattered.

Like this, like a defeated army, I had a guess in my mind that something must have happened. Whoever is so brave has stretched his hand too long.

"Returning to the Governor, my humble position is useless. The demon in Ningguo Mansion is not alone. He has escaped several times. Not to mention, he was rescued by people from the Taiping Sect and an unknown group of people. I guess that the demon must have escaped from the capital. Please punish me."

Liu Chen did not stand up. After finishing speaking, he kowtowed heavily again, with cold sweat covering his forehead.

"Well, as expected, there are civil servants and Marquis Luo Yun among them. If you can catch them, the Za family will really look at you highly. Now that this matter is over, let's talk about what's going on with you. , those Taiping Sect’s roosters, dogs, and thieves no longer have that much strength in the capital,”

Dai Quan asked coldly. He had sorted out the capital several times and killed many people. Even if there were still remnants of the Taiping Sect, these people would not have much strength. As for the Beishan side, as Luo Yunhou said, Phi Doing things under the guise of the Taiping Sect.

"The Inspector is very observant and admires me. Tonight, I am going back to the Yamen to report to the prince. I just arrived in front of the Ningguo Mansion. When I dismounted for inspection, I was besieged by some masked masters. Many brothers died. The people on the other side were highly skilled in martial arts. Like a dead soldier, who is proficient in combined attack skills, this is the first time I have encountered him. If he hadn't met the Marquis's soldiers, I would have been in trouble. "

Liu Chen was still a little scared. At that time, he thought he was playing a small role, but he never thought he would be a dead soldier, and he almost capsized.

"Oh, it turned out to be like this. Dead man, that's interesting. The Zajia asked you, has there been any change in Ningguo Mansion?"

Dai Quan instantly thought of the family of courtiers and even Wu Xun, but there were not many people in the capital who had such courage. In the past, most of the dead soldiers were the followers of the vassal princes. Could it be that the princes, with a sudden move in their hearts, thought of the safety of Ningguo Mansion? At that time, if something happened, the Imperial City Secretary would be in trouble.

"Back to the Governor, everything in Ningguo Mansion is as usual. I have sent people to strictly guard Ningguo Mansion. No servants inside have been moved. No one is allowed to come in or out. But on the way back with the Marquis, the market square in the East City was destroyed by the people. We robbed the grain store and caught fire, burning most of it. I felt that the situation was urgent, so I reported to the governor that there were too many people, so I let him go first. "

Liu Chen knelt there motionless, lowering his head and dripping with cold sweat on the ground.

Dai Quan narrowed his eyes and stared at Liu Chen, and the people let him go. This idea should have come from Marquis Luo Yun. How could Liu Chen have the courage? The Marquis's intention is worthy of scrutiny. Well, come back with the Marquis, where are you coming from? of.

"You just said that you would accompany Marquis Luo Yun back. Where did he go and how did you accompany him?"

Liu Chen didn't dare to hide anything, so he told what happened at Yan Chun Tower from beginning to end, detailing everything, especially the confrontation between the Forbidden Army's Right Guard General and Xiao Cheng, and Luo Yunhou.

"Governor, I left my humble post late, and I had a confrontation with the general and Marquis Luo Yun at Yanchun Tower. It was all because of the quarrel between Mr. Yang, the minister of Guanglu Temple, and Mr. Xue, the son of the Xue family."

"Why is it him again who is confused with the general? It's true that Yan Chun Tower and Luo Yun Hou are there. There are so many lovely wives and concubines at home. Why go to a brothel?"

Dai Quan was a little speechless, as if Marquis Luo Yun was angry as soon as he went to the brothel, but Yanchun Tower is the property of Princess Yueru. Most people don't know that, and they don't know what Marquis Luo Yun's purpose is.
Liu Chen was kneeling in the hall, not daring to interrupt. There were some complexities behind Yanchun Tower that he, a thousand households, could not ask.

"How's it going now in Dongshi?"

"Going back to the Governor, I asked my subordinates to block it, and everyone rushed back. Although the people followed blindly, I found some people, and someone took action, because the handymen guarding the market were all killed with one knife. They should be people from Lao Jianghu. Move your hands.”

Liu Chen thought about the rewards from his men, the market guard was killed, and then thought about himself being ambushed, he always felt like something was arranging all this behind him.

Dai Quan tapped the table with his fingers. It seemed that someone couldn't sit still. Is it aimed at the Imperial City Division or himself?
Dai Quan was wary and wanted to inform the Royal Horse Supervisor Zhao Si later that he was about to take action now. If he didn't move, anyone would be able to intervene. Those dead soldiers had the right to strike first to gain the upper hand. If you are going to suffer disaster, you cannot let those civil servants and noble families speak first and give instructions;
"Liu Chen, since the demon has run away, he will run away. In the name of hunting down the demon, you will continue to find out where those dead soldiers came from. As for Dongshi, don't ask about it, the Royal Horse Supervisor It’s time to take action. The price of food in the capital has given them a chance.”

"Yes, Governor, I humbly accept my order."

"Go." Liu Chen kowtowed, then stood up and left, but the back behind him was already soaked.

As soon as people leave,
Xiao Yunzi stepped forward slowly,

"Godfather, my son feels strange about Liu Qianhu being ambushed and killed. Everyone knows that he is doing it for the case of Ning Guo Mansion. Why did he take action at this juncture? It seems to be to help Ning Guo Mansion. Could it be that he is from a family of civil servants? But according to what Liu Qianhu said, the people who came here are all masters and are proficient in combined attack skills, which is rare and doesn’t feel like it.”

Xiao Yunzi made some guesses. There are many forces in the capital now, and there are countless people fishing in troubled waters in the dark. They have touched the people of the Imperial City Division. Isn't this a shame for the godfather?

Dai Quan closed the memorial, then pushed it,
"These will be brought to the Yangxin Palace for His Majesty's approval tomorrow. Those sent by the Cabinet on weekdays will remain the same.
As for what you just said, it makes sense. The Za family has also thought of these, but just these are the flaws. The aristocratic families recruit all knights from the martial arts world. It is natural that they are good at martial arts, but they may not be that high. They are all flesh and blood. His body cannot stop the imperial army,

As for the dead warriors who are proficient in combined attack skills, these people are not accessible to Jianghu people. There were also four princes and eight princes at that time, and not only them, but also the private armies of many vassal kings. The Zajia family had something bad in their hearts. a premonition,"

Although Dai Quan cannot say that he knows the entire court in his mind, he is well-informed at least. He has been in charge of the Imperial City Division for so many years, and has been in contact with many people in the dark. His characteristics have long been memorized. The Supreme Emperor is resting in Changle Palace. , those feudal kings may not be able to sit still, but they are negligent.

"Daddy, what do you mean, the Changle Palace in the palace, the vassal kings."

Xiao Yunzi's face turned pale, it was a big deal, and he couldn't help but feel a little frightened.

"What are you afraid of? Since something has been leaked, it is also a reminder for us to be prepared. Inside the palace, you can tell us to go down and pay attention to everything. We will see who is cheating. As for the outside, let Zhao Si lead the troops and tell Zhao Si to handle it. Be more neat, the emperor is worried about the safety of food prices in the capital, but he is watching. "

"Yes, godfather, my son will definitely keep an eye on him."

The two of them discussed it in the back hall. Xiao Yunzi took the warrant from his godfather, took the tiger talisman and went to the Royal Horse Prison, and sent a message to Zhao Si overnight.

Eunuch Zhao received the order from the internal minister and the tiger talisman, and did not dare to neglect. He hurriedly sent his confidants to the Forbidden Army camp to order troops. He looked at Eunuch Yun in front of him and carefully asked for advice;
"Eunuch Yun, why is it that the Prime Minister is launching troops tonight to hunt down the remnants of the Taiping Sect?"

"Eunuch Zhao made a mistake. Tonight, my godfather wanted to thoroughly inspect the grain shops and confiscate the houses according to the list. These wealthy families drove up grain prices, disrupted the capital, wantonly agitated the people, and even burned down Dongshifang. The crime was It's unforgivable. The Grand Eunuch must check the money seized. The guest troops from the Anhu Camp are gathered. This is all salary money, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs must send it out. "

Xiao Yunzi took out a white brocade cloth and handed it over. This was the list of inspections. The godfather took this opportunity to establish his authority, which might shock all the forces in the capital. Although His Majesty did not say anything, he was always watching.

Zhao Si hurriedly took it over and took a sneak peek. He saw many grain merchants listed there. The Sheng family, the Shen family, and the Zheng family were all wealthy merchants, especially the Sheng family. Behind them were Li Shoufu's retainers. ,this,

"Eunuch Yun, the first family on the list is the Sheng family, is that correct?"

"Eunuch Zhao, the list will never be wrong. Just follow the list and search your house. This has been decided a long time ago. If it weren't for the delay in the Ministry of Internal Affairs due to the incident in the capital, the people from the Imperial City Department would have done it. Sheng I don’t know what to do, but I dare to sell a stone of ordinary rice for five taels of silver, and it’s all registered in the Imperial City Department.”

Xiao Yunzi said sternly, remembering that when he heard the price of the food sold by the Sheng family grain store, he couldn't believe it. The people from the Imperial City Department confirmed it again and again before reporting it to the governor. Although the Sheng family was a former client of Li Shoufu, it was a pity. We can only kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.

"What. How dare the Sheng family do this."

Zhao Si's eyes widened even more. Although he was greedy, his heart was not that dark. It was simply,

"In this case, the Zajia family understands in their hearts, please tell Eunuch Yun to tell the internal minister that none of these people can escape tonight. As for ransacking the house, uh, Eunuch Yun, I want to ransack the house. Marquis Luo Yun is a good hand. Can you please help me?"

Zhao Si has now done a lot of things with Marquis Luo Yun, and has tasted the benefits, especially the house confiscation. Zhao Si can't learn the Marquis's techniques, because he is afraid that painting a tiger will turn him into a dog. When he thinks of confiscating homes, he thinks of Luo Yun. Marquis Yun, I still need to ask for instructions.

Eunuch Yun looked stunned. He didn't explain the matter. He also heard about the raid on the house by the Marquis. He hesitated for a moment. Eunuch Yun didn't dare to agree to such a thing.
"Eunuch Zhao, you still need to make your own decision on this matter. Xiao Yunzi is just passing on the message. The Marquis is not free now. The Hanyuan Palace examination room is decorated. In these few days, there are many things that cannot be said openly. Dad is not unreasonable, so, Eunuch Zhao, you can do whatever you want."

Seeing Eunuch Yun's vague words, Zhao Si had an idea in his mind.

"Excuse me, Eunuch Yun, for a trip. The Za family knows it well. Please rest assured, Mr. Governor, the money will definitely not be less than a tael. What about the burned shops in Dongshi?"

"Eunuch Zhao, what the Ministry of Internal Affairs wants is money, so you can sell it as much as you like."

"Haha, Zajia understands."

Following Zhao Si's silly laugh, Eunuch Yun nodded and returned with the eunuch in charge.

Just waited for a while,
In front of the gate of Shang Gong Palace, the Royal Horse Supervisor,
A total of 6,000 men and horses from the Warrior Camp and the Royal Forest Camp have been assembled. They are all dark and murderous. They are indeed His Majesty's elite, and they are all wearing heavy armor.

Ji Antao, the leader of the warrior camp, and Lu Fengyang, the leader of the Yulin camp, dismounted their horses and performed a military salute.

"Ji Antao, the commander of the final warrior camp, has met the Grand Eunuch."

"The last general, Lu Fengyang, the leader of Yulin Camp, has met the Grand Eunuch."

"Okay, tonight, the Zajia family has been ordered to search some traitors and traitors in the cholera capital. The two generals must have heard about the price of food in the capital. One price per day. To be honest with the two generals, they are going to search the house tonight. You should pay attention. Everyone has an idea in mind,"

It seems to be a warning. How dare the two generals disobey orders?
"As ordered."

: "Okay, in that case, the North City and West City Square will be handed over to the Warrior Camp, and the East and South City Square will be handed over to the Yulin Camp. The Miscellaneous Family will follow them to the East. According to the list, we must be quick."

Eunuch Zhao did not delay and handed two copies of the list to the two generals. After the two generals took it, they immediately arranged for their respective lieutenants to lead half of the troops to Xicheng and Nanchengfang, while he went to the north and Nancheng square in person. east,
"The whole army turns around and runs forward, fast."

Following the order, the two battalions of soldiers and horses walked out of the palace gate with heavy steps and dispersed.

Zhao Si took many people from the Imperial City Division and finally left the palace gate.

: "Godfather, where are we going?"

Godson Xiaodongzi hurriedly followed behind, carefully helped Zhao Si into the carriage and settled down, and asked in confusion beside him,
Zhao Si sneered. Behind these wealthy businessmen were many civil servants and wealthy families. Their homes were confiscated. How could the masters behind them sit still?

"Wherever I can go, of course I go to the Sheng family. Although the chief minister doesn't care about things, his disciples and old friends are all over the government and the public. Although the Sheng family is a disciple, they must give a lot of money every year. The Za family is afraid of delaying the important affairs of the internal minister, so they still One thing is that I feel uncomfortable when the Marquis is not around when it comes to confiscation of the house. "

Seeing the regretful look on his godfather's face, Xiao Dongzi couldn't help but said,
"Then godfather, why don't we go find the Marquis and then...then..."

Before he finished speaking, he looked at his godfather looking at him coldly and cursed;
"It's no brainer to go to the Marquis' Mansion in the middle of the night. With the Marquis' temper, I'm afraid I won't get you into trouble."

"He's the godfather, his son has no brains."

(End of this chapter)