Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 658: What is a dressed-up beast?
Outside Chongwen Gate,

Compared to the two people standing there, everything around them was quiet except for the imperial guards guarding the door. At this time on weekdays, the officials of various ministries and departments had already reached the time and went back to rest early. Even if there was a big event, they would stay on duty. There is no mention of working overtime for the rest.

Zhang Jinyu looked at Shen Zhongxin's face and asked with deep meaning, only he knew what he was thinking.

Shen Zhongxin's face was slightly embarrassed. He didn't know how to plead guilty. It was inconvenient to say more about the matter. It involved the teacher, so he should be more cautious. Looking at Luo Yunhou in front of him, who was dressed in rich clothes, he had no choice but to clasp his fists and replied;
"Master Marquis, my subordinates don't know the inside story. It seems that Cui Dehai felt repentant after being imprisoned and wanted to atone for his crimes, so he felt repentant."

Seeing how Mr. Shen didn't mean what he said, he probably didn't even believe it when he said it.

Zhang Jinyu suddenly laughed. People, sometimes they are quite helpless. Even though they know it is all fake, they still tell lies. After all, it is better to be blind than to make mistakes.

"Ah haha, that's good. Now that I have repented, I want to see how Cui Dehai repented. Let's go and see him in the prison. It seems that I haven't seen him in some days."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

There was a slight suspicion in Zhang Jinyu's heart. Although there were comings and goings, it was too fast. Could it be that the Ministry of Revenue had already prepared it. When she met her today, she just went with the flow. What kind of medicine was sold in this gourd was still important to know. Say it again.

but,

The people from the Imperial City Division followed Cao Ji, the thrifty minister, and went to the prison to arrest people.

The person on duty at the Yamen was Imperial City Secretary Jianshi Cao Ji. There were not many people here in the entire Yamen. When they saw Luo Yunhou and the Minister of Household Affairs coming here, they hurried over and said with fists in their hands;
"Cao Ji, who holds a humble position, has met the Marquis and Minister Shen."

If I really want to intervene, then I have to ask carefully. Thinking of the interrogation a month ago, Cui Dehai gave a lot of information. The Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Personnel were both involved. The grain station leader Tian Fangzheng was suddenly involved. According to my own understanding, there should be quite a few officials colluding with each other in the official warehouses in southern Jingnan, and it is not limited to this.

"Well, you're welcome. I will still accompany Shilang Shen to trial the Jingcang case. How is Cui Dehai doing now?"

"Master Cui, please take care of yourself and show your dignity."

A few words,

"Cui Dehai, someone from the Ministry of Revenue is coming to interrogate you today, so just go along."

"Going back to the Marquis, Cui Dehai and all the important criminals are staying well in the prison. The subordinates always send people to keep an eye on them and they are not neglected. Don't worry, the Marquis."

Several people came and shouted;

Cao Ji nodded. Just take these deadly prisoners away as soon as possible. If they stay here, they will be in trouble sooner or later.

Cui Dehai's hair was disheveled. He had long lost the arrogant and domineering look of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Affairs official before. His hair had turned white. When he was in a daze in the cell,
In the corridor outside the cell,

"Yes, Master Shen, please."

Cui Dehai seemed not to have heard anything and just sat there. When the cell leader saw no response, he winked at the two people behind him. The two jailers nodded, took out the key and opened the lock, then handed over a comb and a A basin of clear water and said,

"Yes, Lord Marquis, please take your seat first."

Cao Ji said a flattering reply there, which seemed a bit flattering. Within the Imperial City Department, except for a few people in the Imperial City Department, only Luo Yunhou could have such power. Most of the people in the Imperial City Department in the capital There are not many people who have benefited from it.
"Sure, let's interrogate Cui Dehai right here in the Yamen, so that the case can be put to rest."

Inside the dark prison, there is a stench and a bad smell. Where the prisoners live, each cell is a separate room. Every hour, the prison leader will lead the people around, just to prevent The prisoner committed suicide.

at this time,

Zhang Jinyu was too lazy to chat with Cao Shi. Nanzhen Fusi usually worked in logistics, and Beizhen Fusi took care of everything outside, so it was a waste of time to talk about useless things. Besides, why is there no such thing in such a big yamen? How many people did you see?
Shen Zhongxin straightened his clothes. He was a civil servant. He had no good impressions of people like the Imperial City Secretary and the eunuchs, so he didn't say anything.

Zhang Jinyu withdrew and invited Shen Zhongxin to leave first. Afterwards, the two of them were polite and went to the main seat in the hall of the government office.

Zhang Jinyu got on the horse and waited for a moment. Shen Zhongxin followed and got on the carriage. The group hurried to the imperial prison.
The bumps along the way, riding a horse,
It pours quickly,
Arriving at Nancheng, in front of the prison gate of Nanzhen Fusi Yamen,
Zhang Jinyu and his party dismounted, handed over their waist badges to verify the tokens, and then led the soldiers into the Nanzhen Fusi Yamen. As soon as they entered the Yamen, they felt uncomfortable all over. The surroundings were still gloomy, and the entire dungeon They are all pitch black in broad daylight, and they all have torches lit. I don’t know who designed them.

In a cell near the exit,

The jailer placed the comb in front of Cui Dehai,
When I first saw the comb,

Only then did Cui Dehai react. He picked up the comb numbly and suddenly burst into laughter.

"Haha, that's how it should be. This is the end of my life. Whether I comb my hair or not, it doesn't show any dignity. Can my old mother and son go out?"

The jailer didn't dare to answer and looked back at the cell leader.
"Ahem, Mr. Cui, your wife and concubine have a son and a daughter, and they have gone out with the old lady. Someone is guarantor, but you only need to know about this."

Seeing no one around, the prison boss told him that after all, there were so many such things, they could only pretend they didn't see anything, and maybe some officials would turn over.
"That's good, let's hit the road."

Cui Dehai's eyes moved, and he had an idea in his heart. He only hated Na Tian Fangzheng and others for daring to deceive him.

I'm afraid I won't have a chance to take revenge. If I have a chance, I can't let Tian Fangzheng and the officials up and down, even Shen Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue, go. The official warehouses in the world are all the same. How can they really be full?

"Okay, let's go."

The prison head saw this,

Without saying much, Cui Dehai was taken to the prison and escorted by the two of them to the Yamen in front.

And Zhang Jinyu,

Sitting on the high platform, looking around, Nanzhen Fusi is still the same, in tatters, and I don't know how to spend some money to repair it.
Looking at Mr. Shen next to him, he has piercing eyes and a serious expression. He is a good person, not necessarily an official. A backbone of the Civil Service and Northern Party cannot only care about the court and not care about personal interests.

"Report, Lord Marquis, Cui Dehai will bring you."

"Okay, bring it in."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Subsequently,

Cui Dehai, who was shackled, was brought to the lobby and only took a look.
Zhang Jinyu couldn't believe it. Cui Dehai, who was still eloquent back then, was now so haggard. Could it be that someone had given him a severe punishment?

Zhang Jinyu's face darkened and he asked;

"What's going on, Master Cui was tortured?" "It's absolutely impossible to return to the Marquis. He's in jail. Except for the chief interrogator, everyone else is under custody and cannot be lynched, especially the officials registered by the Ministry of Punishment. ”

Cao Ji secretly pointed out that the Imperial City Division did not do whatever he wanted, especially the Nanzhen Fu Division that was reduced to prison.
Shen Zhongxin was also a little shocked. He had not been seen for more than a month and was like this. He didn't know how to say hello for a while.

Zhang Jinyu felt a little regretful. At that time, she really wanted to punish him, but when she thought of the urinary nature of the military officials, Cui Dehai was not too greedy and was deceived by his subordinates.
"Come here, take off Master Cui's shackles and bring a stool over."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Cao Ji responded, and someone put the shackles on Cui Dehai, and also brought a chair and placed it in the center of the lobby. Cui Dehai seemed to have thought about it, and thanked him with a fist in his arms;
"Your Majesty, Cui Dehai, thank you, Lord Marquis."

After saying this, she lifted her hair with her hand and sat down calmly.

at this time,

Shen Zhongxin also came to his senses, asked the scribe to start recording, and then asked;

"Cui Dehai, can you plead guilty to the corruption case in Beijing?"

"Pleas guilty, the lower official pleads guilty, but Mr. Shen, the lower official only admits his own part in corruption, and the rest has nothing to do with the lower official. The grain station commander Tian Fangzheng and Ku Ling Zhou Ji collaborated with the grain merchants to resell grain. The lower official committed malfeasance in his duties. It is a crime, and corruption also has its share of responsibility.”

Cui Dehai's expression remained unchanged. Although he allowed himself to plead guilty, there were certain responsibilities that he must not be involved in.

Shen Zhongxin looked at his former colleagues expressionlessly, feeling very sorry.

"This is not dereliction of duty, it is clearly complicity. Although the money they paid for selling grains was falsely reported to you, the dirty money was collected by pretending to be confused. Can this be called dereliction of duty? You and I are in the same court. How can an official be worthy of the people of the world?"

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha"

Cui Dehai, who was sitting in the hall, suddenly laughed loudly and wantonly. Zhang Jinyu didn't understand what was so funny. Could he be crazy?
"Ji Dehai, why are you laughing?"

Shen Zhongxin's face turned cold and he continued to ask coldly.

"Oh, Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen, you are so majestic. You and I are officials in the same dynasty. It is like riding on the same boat. When the wind and waves come together, no one will be spared. The one who falls into the water first and the one who falls behind will not be spared. My lords here, no matter what No matter what official position, what position, in the Dawu Dynasty, I am not the only Cui Dehai. Whoever takes this position will do the same as me. There are a few official positions in the world that are full of real numbers. It is a joke to say it."

Having said that,

The confident and aloof person from the household department seemed to be back.
Cui Dehai's eyes were somewhat calm, he raised his head firmly, stared at Shen Zhongxin, and said;

"Master Shen, you are now the Minister of Household Affairs. Logically speaking, this position should belong to me. In terms of seniority and seniority, it is impossible for you to sit in this position. However, who gave you a good mentor?

Of course, I won’t mention it later. Although you have been in office for a short time, there are some things that you will understand after you work for a few years, haha. "

"Shut up, Cui Dehai, don't talk nonsense. We read the books of sages and serve as officials to benefit the people of the world. How can we cholera the people of the world? I am an upright official and not afraid of the shadow. How can it be that you, a dressed-up beast, made up the nonsense? Although the officials of my Dawu court have flaws, according to you, have they all become beasts now?"

There was anger on Shen Zhongxin's face. He had shaken out the old affairs of the household department. How could he not be angry? The family scandal should not be exposed to the public, and the dirty affairs of the department should not be spread to the outside world. Talking too much would lead to death. Misfortune, it's too late to regret it.

"Master Shen, right or wrong does not depend on who has the loudest voice or who is right. The robes of civil servants and ministers are woven with birds, and the robes of military officers and noble officers are embroidered with animals. Shilang Shen, Lord Marquis,

My lords, I was a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy during the Great Wu Dynasty, and my annual salary was only one hundred and eighty taels of silver. I was a member of the household department, and my annual salary was only more than two hundred and eighty taels of silver. All of this. It was decided according to the previous dynasty.
Even if you raise an eagle or a tiger, you won't be able to eat enough with this salary. If you put on this robe, you and I will not be "dressed beasts". Today I am a prisoner, and I may not be able to do this to you tomorrow, yes or no! The lower official admitted the crime. "

Zhang Jinyu was shocked when he heard that the salaries of imperial officials were so low. He had never paid attention to it in the past. He only heard that many officials in the capital had poor food and housing. What he said was true.
Also, I glanced at my robe, and it was indeed embroidered with an animal. I couldn't see anything at first glance, but after a closer look, it was a unicorn.
Let’s look at Shen Zhong’s new official uniform. The third-grade official is embroidered with a peacock. He is really a beast of prey. Grandma’s, it’s bad luck.

"Since you have confessed, come here and sign and sign. As for Tian Fangzheng and others, they are gone. Sir, I have promised to protect you. Mr. Cao, I will arrange for Sir to eat better in the future. In addition, I know that Cui Dehai His family members have all been released from prison. In this case, let’s unblock his house first and let his family have a place to stay. As for the confession, Mr. Shen, please report it truthfully.”

Zhang Jinyu knew that a person who could be a member of the Ministry of Revenue must have skills and means. What he said about the granary of the Ministry of Revenue made Zhang Jinyu concerned. If His Majesty decided to go north, the people in the official warehouse of the treasury How much food there is is a mystery. As the saying goes, check for corrupt officials and you will be sure. The routines of those corrupt officials are similar, so it may be useful to keep them.

Shen Zhongxin didn't know why, if he reported it truthfully, Cui Dehai would at least be exiled. It depends on what Marquis Luo Yun wants, and he should handle it with care. This is to protect Cui Dehai. What is the purpose of the Marquis from the Ministry of Finance being so concerned?

It has to be said that Shen Zhongxin is overthinking. After all, it is impossible for Cui Dehai to be the outsider of the Ministry of Finance without some skills. He must be aware of some things in the Ministry of Finance. Seeing that Cui Dehai has already signed his signature,
Shen Zhongxin asked,
"Master Marquis, Cui Dehai is from the Ministry of Household Affairs. What is Master Marquis going to do? Is it possible to protect him?"

Zhang Jinyu grinned and looked at Minister Shen beside him, who was becoming more and more shrewd now.
"Haha, Mr. Shen is joking. The country has national laws and the family has family rules. How can I protect people at will? Of course, I really want to protect people who are of some use to me. Although Cui Dehai is wrong, but what others said is not true. That’s right, the clothes and beasts don’t distinguish between you and me, so keeping them is still useful.”

As for what to use and how to use it, that is what I will think about later, and I will talk about it after I have thought about it.

"Master Marquis, I don't have any other intention. I just feel that it is inappropriate for Master Marquis to keep this person. I don't know what the use of Master Marquis is?"

Shen Zhongxin was still a little hesitant. The Ministry of Revenue now sealed Cui Dehai's mouth, and Marquis Luo Yun crossed his arms, fearing that there would be another disturbance.

Zhang Jinyu patted the dust on his sleeves. The table had not been wiped for a long time, and a layer of floating dust was floating on it. She looked at Cao Ji who was standing there silently in the hall. He would definitely know a word about what happened in the hall. Pass it to His Majesty without leakage,

"What's the use? I haven't thought about it yet. It won't be too late to tell Mr. Shen when I think about it. In addition, Cao Jian said, your Nanzhen Fusi Yamen doesn't even have a cleaning person, right? Look at this desk, it’s dirty,”

Zhang Jinyu pointed at the dust on the desk and asked,

Cao Ji heard this and said,

One step forward, he walked closer, his face looked a little aggrieved, and he cupped his fists;
"Master Hou, it's because the lower officials were not in good shape and neglected Master Hou. Now almost all the people from Fusi Yamen in Nanzhen are here. The manpower of a prison guard pales in comparison, so many things have been neglected, which is why we are like this." Condition!"

"Huh? We don't have enough manpower. You can't just talk about Cao Jian's affairs, right? Marquis Meng Ben. The Imperial City Department can also be short of people. Is it because you are lazy and don't want to do it with more hands?"

Zhang Jinyu absolutely did not believe that the Imperial City Department could still lack manpower. It was not an exaggeration to say that there were guards and spies inside and outside the capital, all over the government and the public. The Fusi Yamen in Nanzhen was responsible for guarding the imperial prison, so who would be short of people?

Even Shen Zhongxin, the Minister of Household Affairs next to him, was full of disbelief. The people in the Imperial City Department were untrustworthy and kept telling lies.

Cao Ji also knew that the Marquis did not believe it, so he smiled bitterly and explained;
"Master Marquis, what I said in my humble position is all true. Ever since the deputy commander Shi Ma and Li Yun Qianhu came to Nanzhen Fuyamen, they began to vigorously rectify the situation, leaving the old and the weak behind, and the remaining people began to practice. Now After more than a month, all the men and horses in the training were incorporated into the Guards. I must have heard about it. "

Hearing Mr. Cao say this, Zhang Jinyu suddenly remembered the scene when he came to Kilometers early in the morning and saw a large number of Imperial Guards on the street, escorting payers to the Anhu camp. At that time, he asked why there were so many people there. , it turned out that he was transferred from Fusi Yamen in Nanzhen. It’s no wonder.

I don’t know what Dai Quan means by doing this. No, it should be His Majesty’s intention. It seems that His Majesty is also laying a secret plan and preparing something.
"Okay, let's leave this matter as it is. Lord Shen and Lord Cao, now that the trial is over, I will return."

After speaking, Zhang Jinyu stood up directly, glanced at the three people in the hall, and walked out with a smile. When he came to Cui Dehai, he didn't say a word.

As soon as people leave,
Shen Zhongxin had no choice but to stand up and shout with Cao Ji;
"Farewell to the Marquis!"

(End of this chapter)