Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 451: Chang'an Serial Murder Case

"Carry them away! Carry them all away!"

Zhang Guangsheng, who had been "promoted" to the rank of General of the Jinwu Guard and concurrently the Inspector General of Chang'an, ordered his men to carry the body of a man who had fallen dead on the roadside and was frozen like an ice cube, barely visible in the snow, into the car.

The snow is the same every year, but the corpses are different every year.

This scene was like time going backwards year after year, and it was exactly the same. Even Zhang Guangsheng, who had been in Chang'an for many years, was numb.

Ever since he joined the Jinwu Guard, he had been patrolling the streets in the ice and snow with his men every year, loading passers-by who had frozen to death onto ox carts and transporting them to the mass grave in the south of the city for hasty burial.

These people don't even have tombstones left behind, and no one will care about their names or how they ended up freezing to death on the streets.

At the beginning of this year, the imperial court carried out a drastic reorganization of the imperial guards in the southern and northern courts of Chang'an. The Qianniu Guard was further reduced in size, with less than 200 people left. The Jinwu Guard also gave up the defense zone of the imperial city, abolished the left and right divisions, and also further reduced its size.

At the same time, the imperial court created a new position of "Inspector", which was a job without rank and was usually held concurrently by the general of the Jinwu Guard, responsible for the general defense of Chang'an City (excluding the inner city).

The defense of the Imperial City, Daming Palace and other places were all taken over by the Northern Yamen Imperial Guards. In short, the military power of the Council of State was cut again and again, almost to nothing.

So Zhang Guangsheng seemed to have been "promoted" and was given the job of "Patrol Inspector". But in fact, the number of people under his supervision and the defense areas he was responsible for decreased!

It just sounds more impressive.

"Why are there still so many people frozen to death? Aren't we already starting to burn coal?"

Zhang Guangsheng muttered something, with a puzzled look on his face. Now Guanzhong has developed several places for mining coal, with Bingzhou being the closest.

Between spring and autumn, coal was transported from Bingzhou via the Jing River to a special warehouse on the bank of Guangyuntan. In winter, the "Charcoal Envoy" took the lead and the Gou Dun Office was responsible for implementation. In the official shops, coal was sold to various customers throughout Chang'an.

Logically speaking, with the availability of coal, the price of charcoal would drop, and eventually the supply would be abundant, allowing both the rich and the poor to "get what they want."

Those who can afford to burn coal burn coal, and those who can afford to burn charcoal burn charcoal, so that everyone can enjoy a warm winter indoors.

How could someone freeze to death on the roadside?

Zhang Guangsheng, with his simple mind, could not understand this situation. For example, when he was in Hexi, when there was silk imported from outside, the locals had clothes to wear. Otherwise, they would have to go naked or mend their clothes for another three years.

Why was it that, even though there was a large amount of coal imported into Chang'an, the people's lives didn't get better?
While Zhang Guangsheng was in a daze, a Jinwu Guard came running over, saluted and said, "General Zhang, the Right Prime Minister wants to see you. He is waiting in the Council Hall."

Right Prime Minister?

Zhang Guangsheng thought about it for a while and then he realized that the current right prime minister was Zheng Shuqing!
The country is empty-handed. An old dog like Zheng Shuqing can be the right prime minister!

He sighed in his heart, but nodded calmly to the soldier who delivered the message and said, "I will go to the Council Hall now."

Zhang Guangsheng rushed into the imperial city and came to the Council Hall. He saw Zheng Shuqing sitting at his desk meticulously. He crossed his arms and saluted, "The Right Prime Minister asked me to come here. What do you want me to do?"

"Call all the Jinwu Guards and follow me!"

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly with a calm expression, and he didn't look like he was joking.

"All? Some people are taking a break."

Zhang Guangsheng was stunned and blurted out that he was going to refuse.

But Zheng Shuqing would never give him the chance to refuse!
"Do you need to repeat the truth again?"

Zheng Shuqing became angry and his tone became stern.

"I dare not. Please wait for a moment, Right Prime Minister. Within half an hour, all officers and soldiers of the Jinwu Guard must gather outside the Imperial City!"

Zhang Guangsheng saluted Zheng Shuqing with his arms crossed.

The right prime minister's expression eased a little. He nodded slightly, waved his sleeves, and said nothing more.

Just as Zhang Guangsheng turned around, Zheng Shuqing added: "Don't prepare the five-colored sticks this time. Go directly to the treasury to get the horizontal sword."

"Order!"

Zhang Guangsheng clasped his fists and bowed before leaving.

Only after he left did Zheng Shuqing breathe a sigh of relief.

"Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs."

He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

As expected, Zhang Guangsheng, as a leader who has been in the Jinwu Guard for many years, has countless confidants and is quite prestigious.

In less than half an hour, all the hundreds of Jinwu Guards had gathered outside the Suzaku Gate of the Imperial City.

"Let's all follow the truth."

Zheng Shuqing held a stack of address lists in his hand and walked straight to Pingkangfang, not far from the imperial city.

Li Linfu's old house was here, but after losing Li Linfu's protection, his family members obviously could not keep this big house and have disappeared long ago.

Now this house has been taken back by Brother Ji on some pretext and is temporarily deserted.

When passing by Li Linfu's old house, Zheng Shuqing and Zhang Guangsheng couldn't help but stop for a moment, looking at the peeling plaque, the old and yellowed threshold, and the torn white paper seal.

Even the copper ring on the copper lock of the gate was stolen. I couldn't help but sigh at how much the world has changed.

How long has it been since then, and the Li family has become so decadent?

Thinking about the bustling crowds at the newly built "Pingxi Prince" mansion in Lantian County, the saying "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west" is indeed very appropriate.

"When Li Linfu was alive, his honor and favor continued. Now that he is gone, his wealth and glory have also gone with the wind.

It is true that no man is good for a hundred days, and no flower is red for a hundred days. The ancients were not deceiving me. "

Zheng Shuqing sighed with emotion again.

Zhang Guangsheng just watched him pretending to be elegant quietly without saying a word.

Zheng Shuqing led his team to a large courtyard in the southeast corner of Pingkangfang. He pointed at the gate and told Zhang Guangsheng: "This courtyard is full of thieves. Take your men in and behead them all!"

ha?
Zhang Guangsheng was stunned, not understanding what Zheng Shuqing was talking about.

"Right Prime Minister, the country has its own laws. Even if he is a thief, he must be tried before being executed, right?"

Zhang Guangsheng looked at Zheng Shuqing in confusion.

Brother, I am a Jinwu Guard, not a bandit!
You are asking me to rush in and kill people openly. Even when Li Linfu was at his most arrogant, he never did such a thing!

"This case has already been tried, what else do you want to try?
Do you want those people to find out who is behind this?

You want them to talk nonsense and insist that it was the saint's brothers and many royal relatives who instructed them to privately mint copper coins.

Or do you want them to insist that it was high-ranking officials in the court such as the Minister of Rites and the Vice Minister of Revenue who asked them to mint the coins privately?
What exactly do you want to find out? What exactly do you want to know? "

Zheng Shuqing asked in a harsh tone, and his barrage of questions left Zhang Guangsheng speechless.

"I am the humble one who spoke too much, please don't blame me, Right Prime Minister!
I will go and do my job now!"

Zhang Guangsheng was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and immediately clasped his fists and bowed to apologize.

"Go ahead, don't talk to those thieves, don't ask any questions.

Don’t delve into things you don’t need to know.”

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly and said, with a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes!
"Right Prime Minister, that woman and child..."

Zhang Guangsheng asked uncertainly.

"If you are afraid that they will come after you ten years to seek revenge, or that you will be implicated in the illegal minting of copper coins, then don't be too soft-hearted.

Of course, if General Zhang doesn't mind, then there's nothing wrong with doing things according to your ideas."

Zheng Shuqing scolded with a cold face, his patience was almost exhausted!
"I understand, I understand..."

Zhang Guangsheng couldn't help wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, wondering whether he should leave Chang'an.

Chang'an is in great danger because they can easily wipe out the whole family! Those who were slaughtered today were those who minted copper coins privately. Don't you know that one day they will become you?
"Do it!"

Zheng Shuqing waved his hand, then turned around and walked towards Zhuque Street west of Pingkangfang.

Mr. Zheng is kind-hearted. He cannot bear to hear others screaming. He will cry.

Zhang Guangsheng gritted his teeth and ordered his men:

"Wait a minute and go in, and leave no one alive. If you guys want to take something, feel free to do so, but don't take too much.

I have only one request, that no one be left alive and no one be allowed to steal the privately cast furnaces, templates, and copper coins.

Do you understand? "

"Order!"

Several Jinwu Guard officers saluted to Zhang Guangsheng. This was not the first time they had done such dirty work.

But this time it was the most extreme one.

Since Zhang Guangsheng said "leave no one alive", that means killing everyone inside, even innocent children.

The Jinwu Guards were not surprised by this.

The "karma" mentioned in Buddhism does not mean that if someone does not do bad things, he will have no karma.

In this era, one person is a family. If your father does evil, then you are implicated by him. In fact, his karma is transferred to you, and you are implicated by him.

So you need to bear these karmas, even if it means death.

This was a common occurrence and people at the time understood it very well.

"kill!"

Zhang Guangsheng roared, and several alert Jinwu guards climbed over the wall in a few seconds and opened the gate of the courtyard from the inside. The soldiers were like tigers and wolves, each holding a horizontal sword, rushing into the courtyard and killing anyone they saw without saying a word!
Suddenly, screams and cries rang out one after another.

It didn't take long. After killing more than a dozen people in the yard, Zhang Guangsheng found the furnace needed for privately minting copper coins in the backyard. It was an "upgraded" furnace that burned coal.

As well as several templates of "Kaiyuan Tongbao", more than ten strings of copper coins had been privately minted.

"Put away the evidence. The Wannian County officials will come to handle the aftermath!"

Zhang Guangsheng snorted coldly and gave orders to the many Jinwu guards.

"Order!"

They collected some valuables that they could carry with them and put them in their pockets, then followed Zhang Guangsheng out of the courtyard.

When he arrived outside Pingkangfang, he reported to Zheng Shuqing: "Right Prime Minister, it has been dealt with."

"Have all the survivors been dealt with?"

Zheng Shuqing asked with his back to Zhang Guangsheng, his voice very cold.

"Report to the Right Prime Minister, they have all been dealt with."

Zhang Guangsheng answered somewhat helplessly.

"Great, now on to the next one!"

Zheng Shuqing turned around and gave instructions to Zhang Guangsheng.

However, Zhang Guangsheng had some doubts. He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Right Prime Minister, if we do this, it is very likely to alert the enemy. What if the people behind us run away?"

"If he runs away, let Jingzhao Prefecture issue a warrant for his arrest. That's not something you should worry about!"

Zheng Shuqing answered in a serious tone.

Zhang Guangsheng instantly understood the logic behind this "family annihilation operation."

In fact, whether or not the private minters were killed was secondary. The most important thing was to express the court's determination to strictly prohibit private minting!

The only way to deter villains is to use an iron fist!
As for killing a few more people or a few less people, Zheng Shuqing himself didn't care.

The two men brought a group of Jinwu Guards to Xiuwenfang. Many of the people living here were court officials and their clansmen.

Zhang Guangsheng asked in confusion: "Right Prime Minister, do these officials also mint copper coins privately at home?"

"What do you say?"

Zheng Shuqing looked at Zhang Guangsheng meaningfully and asked back.

"Understood! Please wait here, Right Prime Minister."

Zhang Guangsheng quickly volunteered to fight, fearing that Zheng Shuqing would vent his anger on him.

"General Zhang, go do your job. I will go back and report to the Saint. Kill all the people in these addresses, regardless of gender, age or status.

The furnace and the foundry templates will be confiscated."

Zheng Shuqing handed Zhang Guangsheng a stack of lists with addresses densely written on them. Upon a quick glance, there were no less than a hundred names!

If there are ten people in a family, the amount would definitely be over a thousand!
Do you really have to play it that hard?
"Order!"

Zhang Guangsheng put away his inner thoughts and turned to walk towards the Jinwu guards behind him. He muttered to the officers leading the troops for a long time and seemed to have agreed on the details.

Hundreds of people rushed into Xiuwenfang in a mighty force, causing chaos all at once.

……

After more than half a year of renovation, Huaqing Palace has partially restored its former appearance. As for the complete restoration, it will take at least several years.

However, Brother Ji came to Huaqing Palace to avoid the cold, so he just didn't need to look at those places that had not been repaired. It would not have any impact.

However, I don’t know if it’s a psychological effect. When Brother Ji was soaking in the Jiulong Hot Spring, he could always smell a disgusting barbecue smell.

It reminded him of the atmosphere of murder and arson during the coup.

So Brother Ji asked someone to light "Rui Long Nao" incense next to the bath to suppress the faint smell of meat.

The dilapidated state of Huaqing Palace made Brother Ji feel a little heavy.

This palace was like his body. It seemed to still have all its functions and could be used without any hindrance. But it was not as comfortable as before.

I wish I could tear it down and rebuild it!
Just as night fell, Brother Ji was resting in the Nine Dragon Soup with his eyes closed when Gao Lishi quietly walked up to him and said, "Saint, the Right Prime Minister is here."

Right Prime Minister?

Brother Ji couldn’t even remember who the current Right Prime Minister was for a moment!
It seems that even if a different person were to take the position of Right Prime Minister, he wouldn’t feel any big difference now.

"Zheng Shuqing said he had something important to report to the Saint."

Gao Lishi said in a low voice.

"Let him in."

Brother Ji answered lazily without even opening his eyes.

After a while, Zheng Shuqing walked up carefully, bowed to Brother Ji in the bathtub and said, "Your Highness, I have something important to report."

"Go ahead."

Brother Ji, who was in a bad mood, was very frugal with his words and refused to say a single word.

"Saint, the issue of private coinage in Chang'an has been dealt with. There are a total of 108 companies and 2,325 people. More than 300 furnaces used for minting coins have been confiscated, and more than 10,000 strings of private coins have been confiscated."

Zheng Shuqing spoke word by word, observing Ji Ge's expression as he spoke.

However, he didn't see anything. Brother Ji heard it but acted as if he didn't hear it.

“Let’s put this matter on hold for now and observe the results first.

The private money collected was used as rewards for border troops.

Oh, nothing went wrong, did it?"

Brother Ji asked slowly.

How can private money be used as Kaiyuan Tongbao!
Zheng Shuqing cursed Brother Ji for being a scoundrel in his heart. But he also knew that he had offended many dignitaries by confiscating private coins. If he lost the emperor's favor again, it would be difficult for him to get out of this mess in the future!
He had no choice but to cross his arms and bow to Brother Ji, saying, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, all those involved in the case have been dealt with. I will seal the file right away, and the case ends here."

"Well, go ahead.

This time, it was handled very well.”

Brother Ji waved his hand gently, not even bothering to look at Zheng Shuqing.

(End of this chapter)