The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 339 The person who wrote the announcement turned out to be

Neichang, Xichang and Jinyiwei spent thousands of manpower within ten days, punishing 900 civil servants to kneel down, arresting 300 civil servants, and even starved to death of five civil servants. After so much effort and nothing, Liu Jin and Gu Dayong were almost embarrassed by their great-grandma's family.

In the end, the job fell to Chang Feng.

Dongchang lobby.

Zhang Yong discussed with Chang Feng: "The Emperor asked us to find the person who wrote the post criticizing Liu Jin. Should we do this perfunctorily, or should we really go and investigate?"

Chang Feng thought for a while: "We have to really check it out. We don't have to tell the emperor to find out who wrote it. We can just protect it secretly."

Zhang Yongjie: "We might as well not investigate him at all. Wouldn't he be safer?"

Chang Feng said: "The inner factory just handed over the physical evidence, that is, the unveiling note. I have read it and found that this person not only writes well, but also draws well. His writing is also clear and well-founded. "

"Such an upright and talented civil servant will definitely come in handy when we have a showdown with Liu Jin in the future. So we have to find him."

Zhang Yongdao: "I understand. Then where do we start investigating?"

Chang Feng analyzed calmly: "Investigating a case is like untying a ball of thread. You must first find a thread. Liu Jin and his gang have already used the method of checking handwriting. We can't use handwriting as a thread."

Zhang Yong asked: "I only know how to fight, but not how to investigate cases. Mr. Chang, don't be too pretentious. Tell me, what are you going to use as a thread?"

Chang Feng pointed to the caricature on the post: "Caricature is also a painting. Painting has its own genre. I plan to use this caricature as a thread."

Having said this, Chang Feng shouted towards the door: "Jing Wu, come in."

You Jingwu entered the lobby: "Father, what are your orders?"

Chang Feng asked: "During the Mid-Autumn Festival, I asked you to give a festival gift to Shen Lao Qianhu of Jinyiwei. How is Shen Lao Qianhu?"

The old Shen Qianhu mentioned by Chang Feng is Shen Zhou.

Shen Zhou, the founder of the Wu School of Painting. Later generations will call Shen Zhou, Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin and Qiu Ying the "Four Ming Dynasties".

He was depressed for most of his life, and it was only when he was in his sixties that he found a job in Jinyiwei, painting the faces of suspects.

Chang Feng is good with him. Ten years ago, Shen Zhou handed in documents to resign due to old age. At that time, Chang Feng helped him find an official position with the title of Qianhu.

Shen Zhou is now eighty-three years old and is about to celebrate his eighty-fourth birthday.

You Jingwu replied: "Shen Qianhu is not doing well. He has no children, and his wife has been dead for twenty years. Now he relies on two servants to take care of him."

Chang Feng said: "Jing Wu, accompany me to Shen Zhou's mansion."

A clean courtyard in the north of the city.

Chang Feng and You Jingwu pushed open the door and walked in.

This is where Shen Zhou retires. From ancient times to the present, artists have been romantic but lonely. The great painter Shen Zhou of the Ming Dynasty was like this, and the same is true for modern Internet writer Fat Coke.

Shen Zhou was lying on the recliner, taking a nap with his eyes closed. People in their eighties tend to take naps more often.

Chang Feng pushed Shen Zhou gently: "Shen Lao Qianhu."

Shen Zhou opened his eyes: "Ah, Master Chang."

Chang Feng was secretly happy: Lao Shen still knew the person, and he didn't seem confused.

Chang Feng said: "Brother, how are you always in good health?"

In fact, according to his age, Shen Zhou is more than enough to be Chang Feng's grandfather.

Shen Zhou replied: "Thanks to Master Chang, I should be able to live until my eighty-fourth birthday. Well, seventy-three, eighty-four, the king of hell won't ask me to go."

Chang Feng asked: "How many days are left until your eighty-fourth birthday?"

Shen Zhou hesitated for a while and said, "There are still two days, no, three days."

Chang Feng said: "Okay. I will take care of my brother's eighty-fourth birthday. Then I will call all the brothers from Jinyiwei to celebrate your birthday."

Shen Zhou hurriedly said: "Thank you very much, Mr. Chang Shuai, for taking the trouble."

You Jingwu brought a chair to Chang Feng. Chang Feng sat opposite Shen Zhou.

Chang Feng asked: "Why don't you see those two servants of your family?"

Shen Zhou replied: "They went to the vegetable market to buy vegetables."

Chang Feng finally made it clear why he came: "I encountered a difficult case and I need my brother's help."

After speaking, Chang Feng took out the sticker and pointed the caricature to Shen Zhou.

After Shen Zhou saw the satirical painting, Chang Feng asked, "Can you tell the lineage or style of this satirical painting?"

When it came to painting, Shen Zhou talked eloquently, and his cloudy old eyes seemed to radiate with light: "Satirical painting is a category that is not popular among the painting genres."

"But no matter how hard you get on the stage, you still have style and style to follow."

"The style of this caricature is typical of Zhang Shiping's style in the Yongle Dynasty."

Chang Feng said: "Which calligraphy and painting master is Zhang Shiping? I have never heard of him before."

Shen Zhou smiled and said, "You must have never heard of it. Satire is a minor genre of painting. Zhang Shiping is also a minor genre of satire. Almost no one knows about it."

"Not many of his paintings have survived. I have only seen one volume in my life. Do you remember the case of Tang Gu, a young minister of Dali Temple, in the fourth year of Hongzhi?"

Chang Feng replied: "I remember. Tang Yu, the young minister of Dali Temple, was corrupt, sold his stolen goods, and bent the law for personal gain. I handled this case by myself, and I was also responsible for checking his family property."

Shen Zhou said: "At that time, our Jinyi Guards ransacked the house. If any paintings were copied, they would all be authenticated by me."

"Tang Yu's family copied an original copy of Zhang Shiping's "Book of Satires". After I appreciated it, I handed it over to the internal transportation warehouse."

Chang Feng said: "You mean, Zhang Shiping's caricatures are only available in the inner shipping warehouse now?"

Shen Zhou replied: "At least I only know the volume in the inner transport warehouse."

Chang Feng murmured to himself: "In other words, the person who wrote the satirical paintings probably came into contact with Zhang Shiping's "Satire Book" in the inner shipping warehouse. After falling in love with it, he imitated his painting style."

"Wait a minute!" Chang Feng thought. "Jing Wu, we and Liu Jin's group have all thought wrong! The person who wrote the unveiling notice may not necessarily be a civil official, but may also be an eunuch in the palace!"

You Jingwu said: "You can't. The palace is full of Liu Jin's disciples and grandsons."

Chang Feng said: "That's wrong! There are hundreds of people, all kinds of people. What's more, there are tens of thousands of eunuchs in the palace? It's hard to guarantee that some of them have righteous hearts and are dissatisfied with Liu Jin."

"Isn't Eunuch Zhang Yong the best example?"

You Jingwu said: "If that's the case, no wonder Neichang, Xichang and Jinyiwei spent so much time and failed to find out anything! Their direction is wrong. They put all their efforts on civil servants."

Chang Feng stood up: "Brother, thank you very much! You have done me a big favor this time."

Shen Zhou said: "Fengzhu is still old and feeble, so I can only help Chang Shuai with this small favor."

Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Brother, let me take my leave first. I will send Basha to bring someone over this afternoon to help you decorate the yard for your eighty-fourth birthday."

Chang Feng and You Jingwu returned to Dongchang.

Chang Feng found Zhang Yong and told Zhang Yong his judgment.

After hearing this, Zhang Yong felt enlightened: "So that's it. I said that Liu Jin couldn't find that person even after digging three feet! It turns out that he is not a civil servant, but an eunuch."

Chang Feng said: "Eunuch Zhang, you have been in charge of the inner transport warehouse since this spring. You can secretly check to see which eunuchs have access to the "Book of Satires" in the inner warehouse. Which handwriting is neat and round in it. "

Zhang Yong nodded: "Sure. I'll take care of this matter. But in order to hide Liu Jin's eyes and ears, I have to investigate this matter slowly."

Chang Feng smiled and said, "There's no rush. Anyway, I'm not really investigating Liu Jin's case." Zhang Yong's investigation lasted three full days.

Three days later, Chang Feng brought Xu Fatty, Wang Miaoxin, Zhang Daoshi, Shi Wenyi, Basha and other senior brothers from Jin Yiwei to Shen Zhou's house as promised to celebrate his eighty-fourth birthday.

Shen Zhou, a childless old widower, was so happy to have such a lively birthday party that his eyes turned into crescent moons.

His face was flushed with blush, and he looked a bit like an old man.

It was rare for all the old Jinyiwei brothers to gather together.

More than twenty years ago, when Chang Feng led them to protect the late emperor and fight against the imperial concubines, they were still young and prosperous people in their early twenties. They are now middle-aged.

An ancient sage once said, "Extreme joy brings sorrow."

The ancient sages also have a good saying, seventy-three or eighty-four, the King of Hell will not ask you to go.

Shen Zhou was rarely so happy and drank a few more drinks. At noon, the right time for birthday wishes, everyone bowed to him and gave him birthday gifts.

Shen Zhou sat on the Grand Master's chair, smiling from ear to ear. Then he died!

Seeing that Shen Zhou was silent, Chang Feng thought he was asleep. He also covered Shen Zhou with a cloak to prevent him from catching cold in the Taishi chair.

A group of brothers were sitting at the table, drinking and reminiscing.

The heavy drinking lasted until noon. All the old brothers had a good time.

Chang Feng came to Shen Zhou and wanted to wake him up. Everyone said goodbye to him and left.

However, Shen Zhou couldn't wake him up no matter how hard he pushed.

Chang Feng used his hand to check Shen Zhou's breathing, and found that he was no longer breathing!

Shen Zhou, the founder of the Wumen School of Painting and a great painter whose paintings sold for tens of millions a few hundred years later, traveled westward.

Chang Feng wailed: "Old Shen Qianhu has passed away! My old brother!"

The birthday party became a funeral.

Seventy-three or eighty-four is like the most effective curse since ancient times. Shen Zhou just stepped into the threshold of eighty-four and within a day, he returned to the realm of painting.

Shen Zhou did die of old age, not poison. The eighty-four-year-old man is taboo against both great sadness and great joy. In the words of later generations, Shen Zhou must have been overjoyed to celebrate his birthday and suffered a cerebral hemorrhage or myocardial infarction.

The old brothers set up a tent and a mourning hall for Shen Zhou, and went to Fulu Street to buy a coffin and a shroud, and agreed to take turns to keep watch for him.

Fortunately, there are a group of old brothers here, otherwise Shen Zhou's death might be very tragic.

At noon three days later, Chang Feng was keeping vigil for Shen Zhou.

Suddenly Zhang Yong walked into the mourning hall. He first offered incense to Shen Zhou, then walked up to Chang Feng and lowered his voice: "The person who wrote the caricature should have been found. It's almost him!"

Chang Feng asked: "Who?"

Zhang Yong replied: "A fifteen-year-old young eunuch named Mai Fu. According to the eunuchs in the inner warehouse, Mai Fu can write very well. He also likes to read Zhang Shiping's "Satire" in the calligraphy and painting pavilion of the inner warehouse. book"."

Mai Fu, a great virtuous eunuch in the Jiajing Dynasty. Of course, this is all for later. Now he is just a small internal envoy of the ninth grade in an internal transportation warehouse. The lowest level among eunuchs.

Chang Feng was surprised: "The person you are talking about is only fifteen years old?"

Zhang Yong nodded: "Yes. Only fifteen years old."

Chang Feng asked: "Where are others?"

Zhang Yongdao: "I asked him to wait for me in Dongchang."

Chang Feng said to Fatty Xu who was kneeling next to him: "My lord, please take care of me here in the mourning hall. I'll go back to Dongchang."

Half an hour later, Chang Feng and Zhang Yong saw Mai Fu in the lobby of Dongchang.

This Maifu was so handsome and beautiful, if he hadn't lost his roots, I don't know how many women in the capital would have fallen in love with him. It's so elegant and elegant, so handsome.

Chang Feng asked Mai Fu: "Do you know who I am?"

Mai Fu handed over his hand: "I know. You are Chang Feng, a loyal minister of the imperial court!"

Chang Feng smiled and said: "Loyalty and treachery are not based on hearing, but seen with one's own eyes."

Mai Fu said: "Master Chang dared to scold the traitor Liu Jin in the morning. If you are not a loyal minister, who is?"

Chang Feng thought to himself: This young man speaks freely. He is really lucky that he was not caught by the inner factory.

Chang Feng showed the irony of the unveiling note in front of Mai Fu: "Did you write this unveiling note?"

Mai Fu replied: "I don't lie in front of loyal ministers. I wrote it. I posted it outside Fengtian Gate under the cover of night."

Chang Feng asked: "Did someone instruct you to do this?"

Mai Fu replied: "No one ordered it."

Chang Feng said: "Your handwriting is very good, it doesn't look like it was written by someone of your age."

Mai Fu explained: "My father was originally the magistrate of Ju County, Shandong Province. When he went to Beijing to report his work, he had no money to bribe Liu Jin. Liu Jin found an excuse to punish him and beheaded him. The male members of the family were castrated and sent to the palace as punishment."

"My father taught me calligraphy since I was a child."

Chang Feng suddenly realized: "That's it. I said you mentioned Liu Jin in a bitter and hateful tone. This also explains why you are so bold and dare to post Liu Jin's revelations."

Mai Fu said: "I did it all by myself. I don't care what Master Chang does with me."

Chang Feng thought for a while: "Let's do this. I will write you a letter of recommendation to Concubine Jiang of Prince Xing's Mansion in Huguang and Lu Song, the commander of the Yiwei Department. You can change your name and go to Prince Xing's Mansion with the letter of recommendation."

"With my letter, Prince Xing's Mansion will take you in."

Mai Fu asked: "Master Chang wants me to leave the capital?"

Chang Feng nodded: "It is too dangerous for you to stay in the capital. If Liu Jin finds out about the revelation, you will die without a burial place. What is more terrifying than death is the torture of being unable to die."

"Go to Prince Xing's Mansion. Let me tell you, Liu Jin's defeat is not far away. Maybe one year, maybe two years. By then you can resume your real name and return to the capital."

Mai Fu knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you Master Chang for your kindness. You are a loyal minister. I will go wherever you ask me to go."

According to historical records: Maifu, whose name is Tianci and whose name is Chang'an. In the first year of Jiajing's reign, he was appointed as Zuo Jiancheng, the royal horse supervisor. In the same year, he was promoted to Zuo Shaojian and was given the gift of riding horses in the palace.

In the third year of Jiajing's reign, he was promoted to eunuch. The admiral Si Yong Battalion is also in charge of military affairs and Shanglin Garden.

In the sixth year of Jiajing's reign, he was promoted to Qianqing palace steward.

In the seventh year of Jiajing's reign, he was promoted to the post of Royal Horse Supervisor, admiral of all the soldiers and horses of the 12th regiment and battalion, and also in charge of the affairs of the Qing palace.

In the 16th year of Jiajing's reign, he was the admiral of Dongchang.

In the 24th year of Jiajing's reign, he was transferred to the Chief of Ceremonies, first serving as Bingbi, and then as Palmprinter. Power reaches its peak.

He was quite famous, and together with Gao Zhong, Lu Fang, and Huang Jin, he was known as the four most virtuous officials of the Jiajing Dynasty. He was highly trusted by Emperor Jiajing.

Naturally, these are all things for later.

The beginning of Mai Fu's rise to prominence was the letter of recommendation written for him by Chang Feng in the autumn of the third year of Zhengde to Prince Xing's Mansion in Huguang.

This is exactly what the unintentional planting of willows and willows creates, and good deeds will be rewarded with good deeds.

(End of this chapter)