Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 72

Wang Yongji's face immediately turned red.In the style of the ancients, the word "knowledge" is the most important.Guan Zhong once said, "Parents who gave birth to me, Uncle Bao who knows me", he said that the most difficult thing in a person's life is that others see themselves as more important than themselves, so they can trust their confidants to life and death!The fellowship between the upper and lower is called a bosom friend, and the fellowship of the same generation is called a bosom friend.If this confidant is also someone I admire, then it is "I don't need to be a ten thousand householder in life, but I hope to know Han Jingzhou once."

This is how Wang Yongji feels now, and what can he say when we get along so well: "Brother Gangfeng, you think too highly of me. Whatever you want me to do, just say it."

Hai Rui: "Please take care of my mother and my family."

Wang Yongji was stunned for a while, and then remained silent for a while: "The matter should not have reached this point yet. The Weaving Bureau has done many things worse than Zheng Michang and He Maocai under the name of the palace. I know that. We must follow them. Fight, we will fight together, as well as Zhao Zhongcheng. As long as the three of us thoroughly investigate, the outcome is still uncertain."

Hai Rui: "Will Zhao Zhongcheng investigate thoroughly?"

Wang Yongji: "Should be. After all, he is also a Neo Confucianist, and he is a student of Mr. Xu Ge."

Hai Rui looked at Wang Yongji and slowly shook his head: "Runlian, you are still too scholarly."

Wang Yongji straightened his face and said: "Scholars have their own guts! Zhao Zhongcheng is also a scholar."

Hai Rui: "That's wrong. There are no scholars when you become an official. I will investigate this case thoroughly. In the end, it is not the Weaving Bureau that can kill me, but Zhao Zhenji!"

Wang Yongji was really surprised at this, and he was speechless for a long time: "You, why do you think like this?"

Hai Rui: "Because what Zhao Zhenji wants to do is Zheng Michang without Zheng Michang!"

Wang Yongji realized something in shock, and stood there in a daze.

"Runlian, think about it, the imperial decree told us to confiscate Shen Yishi's family property and return it to the state treasury. Zheng Michang and He Maocai sold Shen Yishi's family property to Huizhou merchants. Why did Zhao Zhongcheng not dispute the imperial decree? Sign and seal the contract? There are only two reasons: one is that he has another secret decree; the other is that he is trying to figure out the holy will to cater to the emperor!"

Wang Yongji thought for a while, then nodded heavily.

"I guess the emperor didn't give him another secret decree. If there is a secret decree, he will stop me last night and won't let me interrogate Zheng Michang and He Maocai. He asked me to interrogate him to test the reaction of the palace. The emperor protects the Weaving Bureau , The crime belongs to me, and the bad reputation belongs to the emperor. The emperor tracked down the Weaving Bureau, he will not offend the palace, and he can invite a clear name. His intentions are even more damnable than Zheng Michang!"

Wang Yongji thought about it: "It's serious. He and Zheng Michang should still be different. Maybe it's because of the pressure from the palace, at least it's not for his own sake."

"It's the same. Zheng Michang is greedy for money, he's just greedy for fame! You saw it this morning, he told us to go to the lobby to read the imperial decree, and deal with the case together. We went, but he was wearing casual clothes in the signing room, pretending to be leisurely, intentionally waiting A few Jinyiwei came and asked the Jinyiwei that I was investigating the weaving bureau, but he disagreed. With such a plan, one can imagine what he will do next. If he doesn’t investigate the weaving bureau, he will force those Anhui merchants to produce More silk, but bought the raw silk of Sangnong at half price, to please the palace and the emperor. The treasury is still empty, and the people are still exploited. Without checking the weaving bureau, Zheng Michang, He Maocai and those officials who are greedy for ink will not be able to find out. Even in May of this year, they destroyed embankments and flooded fields, and secretly informed Japanese pirates to frame good people. They will not ask or investigate! Runlian, such a shocking case has been publicly issued and the government and the public know it. If Zhao Zhenji is allowed to do it , once this wind blows, my Ming Dynasty will be hopeless!"

Wang Yongji: "If Zhao Zhongcheng really put his heart into it, then the investigation of this case would be impossible..."

"I didn't even think about being able to investigate it thoroughly, just to expose it to the world, and the government and the public will have their own opinions. Therefore, I can do it alone, and you don't need to follow me to work hard. If you leave you, you will stay. The person who will reopen the case in the future. My family will also depend on you to take care of me. Yun Lian, you are more difficult than me."

Wang Yongji stood there in a daze by what he said.

Hai Rui sat in front of the case in the arraignment room again, and the clerk who took the record was also sitting beside the case. The paper, pen, ink and inkstone were neatly placed on the tray, but the clerk didn't seem to be taking notes at all.

Hai Rui lowered his head and flipped through the file: "Get ready to record."

"Yes." The scribe replied, but still did not put the things in the tray on the table.

Hai Rui raised his head and looked at him.

The clerk: "Which criminal will be interrogated today, my lord?"

"Let's mention Zheng Michang first, and then He Maocai." Hai Rui said and looked down at the case file.

The scribe: "My lord, these two people are no longer in the prison."

Hai Rui raised his head abruptly, "Where did it go?"

The scribe said, "He was taken away by Lord Jin Yiwei before dawn."

Hai Rui immediately stood up and walked outside.

This is the signing room of the governor's yamen in Zhejiang!The secretary office on duty couldn't stop him, so Hai Rui pushed open the half-covered door and broke in. The secretary office turned pale and stood by the door, but he didn't dare to enter the room.

Hai Rui also stopped when he entered, and looked at the reclining chair next to the big case.

Zhao Zhenji was still dressed in casual clothes, without covering anything, lying there and fell asleep.

There is a saying in the photo book that a person's sleeping state can best see a person's heart.Breathing evenly, eyes and mouth lightly closed, those with loose brows and faces are open-minded; those with uneven breathing, eyes and mouths that seem to be open or closed, and those with tightly wrinkled brows and faces must be deeply scheming and still calculating in their dreams.

But at this moment, Zhao Zhenji was neither the former nor the latter, she was sleeping soundly, her breathing was not only even, but also long, her eyes and mouth were closed, but her eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, and two deep grooves appeared at the corners of her mouth .

Looking at this face, Hai Rui's eyes were also complicated, so he couldn't call him, so he sat down on the chair by the window.After all, he hadn't slept all day and all night, and he also closed his eyes.

Zhao Zhenji's eyes slowly opened, and seeing Hai Rui who was sitting there with his eyes closed and lightly sleeping, he stood up and said, "Come on."

The book office on duty immediately went in and knelt down: "Lord Zhong, Zhongcheng, Haizhi County must see Zhongcheng, the villains can't stop..."

Hai Rui also stood up at this time.

Zhao Zhenji: "Who told you to stop? Why didn't you report it?"

The book office on duty: "The little people see that Mr. Zhongcheng has not slept all night, so they can't bear to wake him up..."

Zhao Zhenji: "This time, I will be exempted from responsibility. Next time, if Haizhi County comes, report immediately."

Clerk on duty: "Yes."

Zhao Zhenji: "Go out."

The secretary on duty got up and withdrew.

"Excuse me, Zhongcheng, where are Zheng Michang and He Maocai transferred?" Hai Rui immediately asked the Chinese army.

Zhao Zhenji was still unhurried: "Sit."

Hai Rui: "It's been seven days since the imperial decree arrived in Zhejiang, Zhongcheng, aren't you going to interrogate the criminal today?"

Zhao Zhenji: "All the criminals have been arrested, and their homes have been confiscated. They can be interrogated at any time."

Hai Rui: "But some cases are not brought to trial in time, and the criminals may collude and confess, and the truth will not be found out if it is too late."

Zhao Zhenji: "What cases?"

Hai Rui: "In May of this year, nine counties broke their embankments at the same time. Did someone intentionally destroy the embankments and flood the fields? In June, the Japanese leader Shishiro Inoue, who had been imprisoned for many years, appeared in Chun'an County from the prison of the yamen. How did he get out? Yes! Knowing that Shen Yishi’s family property will be confiscated according to the order, why did Zheng Michang and He Maocai sell it to Huizhou merchants! Zhongcheng, these three items must be investigated immediately for a thorough investigation.”

Zhao Zhenji: "We need to check all these, but these are not the most important things right now. Since you are here, let me show you something first." He said, picked up a military newspaper from the desk and handed it over.

Hai Rui took the military newspaper, looked at it, and his eyes sparkled.

Zhao Zhenji: "Suppressing the Japanese is the top priority. This battle was a big victory, and the Chun'an Yimin you sent made the first contribution. I will also ask for credit for you."

Hai Rui: "A lowly position has no merit. Mr. Zhongcheng, fighting against the Japanese is a major military matter, but it is a matter for Hu Butang and the soldiers in front. What we should do is to handle the case as quickly as possible."

Zhao Zhenji: "What is the purpose of handling the case?"

Hai Rui looked at him.

Zhao Zhenji: "If we don't handle the case, where can we get the military supplies and food to supply Hu Butang and the front soldiers to fight against the Japanese? This time, those Huizhou merchants who took over Shen Yishi's family property took out 50 taels of silver in time, and they also contributed."

Hai Rui: "Lord Zhong Cheng, according to this inference, did Zheng Michang and He Maocai who invited those Huizhou merchants also have merit?"

A flash of anger flashed in Zhao Zhenji's eyes, and then his face sank: "What do you mean by that?"

Hai Rui: "For major military and state affairs, as a rule, the yamen should provide food, grass and military supplies. Shen Yishi's family property has been transferred to the national treasury, so the court will have money and food. Huizhou merchants bought so much property that should be remitted to the national treasury at a low price, and spent such a small amount of money Come on, what merit do they have?"

Zhao Zhenji was angry: "Shen Yishi's sealed family property is less than [-] yuan in cash, and there are only a hundred pieces of silk. The military situation in the front is like a fire. Can three thousand looms be sent to Hu Butang to fight!"

Hai Rui: "Shen Yishi has 25 workshops, more than 6 shops, and more than [-] mu of mulberry fields. Even if he sells it to any merchant, he can get back tens of millions of treasury silver. The southeast resists the Japanese, and the north resists the Tatars. , enough for one year’s military supplies. What’s more, every year in the future, these merchants will have to pay taxes to the state treasury according to the law. I don’t understand why I don’t do this, but I want to transfer these family properties to the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau?”

Zhao Zhenji stared closely at Hai Rui: "Hai Zhi County, there is a saying that everyone understands in the officialdom, have you never heard of it?"

Hai Rui: "Please speak frankly, Zhong Cheng."

Zhao Zhenji paused word by word: "If you're not in your position, you don't plan for politics. It's time for you to restrain yourself."

Hai Rui: "But I don't know how Zhongcheng ordered his subordinates to restrain themselves?"

Zhao Zhenji: "Take care of what should be taken care of, and don't take care of what should not be taken care of."

Hai Rui: "The imperial decree asked me to handle the Qin case, and I take care of all the things the imperial decree told me to take care of. I don't know what the Zhongcheng said that I shouldn't take care of it?"

Zhao Zhenji: "I am the chief judge and you are the juror. I will interrogate the criminal and you will accompany me to ask questions. This is your responsibility. Confiscate Shen Yishi's family property and recover the stolen money of Zheng Michang, He Maocai and others. What is the use of it?" , It’s all your business. Last night you interrogated Zheng Bichang and He Maocai without asking for instructions. I tolerated you. Today you actually took care of the military and state affairs between me and Hu Butang. Haizhi County, no one A Jinshi has never entered the Imperial Academy, so he should know the rules."

This is not just about oppressing people with power, fame and family background are the most valued in the officialdom, but if there is a little bit of benevolence, those who come from a righteous way tend to avoid the word "Kejia" when they come from a bad way. As a boss, Zhao Zhenji , To actually say such words, so mean, it can be seen how much he hates Hai Rui.

Hai Rui was Hai Rui, so he remained unmoved in these places, and calmly replied: "The subordinates don't understand Zhongcheng's words. Could it be that people who have passed Jinshi and entered the Imperial Academy can't even understand the imperial decree? The imperial decree clearly ordered us to confiscate Shen Yishi’s family property and return it to the national treasury, but Zhong Cheng signed and sealed the agreement to resell Shen Yishi’s family property from the Weaving Bureau. You are the presiding officer, you are the governor, and all the wealth of the province belongs to you Because of this, Zhongcheng can't act in violation of the order! As a juror serving the order, it is the job of a subordinate to persuade Zhongcheng to handle the case according to the order."

Although Zhao Zhenji had heard that this Hai Rui was an unreasonable person in the officialdom, he still did not expect that this person was so unreasonable.This is not here to be an official, but it seems to be here to tear down the stage.

The shame in Zhao Zhenji's heart can be imagined. After all, a generation of "Master Confucianism" has spent half his life on "getting things to know". Putting down his identity as the boss, he stared at him closely: "You know how many people the Japanese pirates have killed and how many cities have been destroyed along the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian! You know how the soldiers in the front are fighting hard without military supplies! Your family stay well Chun'an, have you ever thought about the people who were killed and looted by the Japanese pirates! Why did I agree with the Weaving Bureau to resell Shen Yishi's family property to Huizhou merchants? Just to prepare military supplies immediately to suppress the Japanese and defend against the enemy. It seems like you are standing on the shore watching Overturned, named after Bo Zhi. Haizhi County, don’t you feel that you are so loyal?”

Hai Rui saw that Zhao Zhenji was so generous and eloquent at this time, and he even decided that this person was really a "traitorous and loyal" person.After he finished speaking, he stared at himself, and then calmly replied: "Master Zhongcheng has such a heart of worrying about the country and the people, then everything is easy to talk about. When it comes to the Japanese pirates, whether Zhongcheng can tolerate humble positions sentence."

At this time, Zhao Zhenji was already in a state of agitation by his grand theory: "Say it."

Hai Rui looked out the window with empty eyes, as if he was reciting a historical fact: "In the 11th year of Hongwu, Japanese pirates invaded Danzhou, Hainan, killing thousands of people from the Han and Li ethnic groups in our Ming Dynasty, and abducting more than 19 young and strong women! In the 20th year of Hongwu , Japanese pirates invaded Danzhou, Xinying, and Yangpu in Hainan; they invaded Qiongzhou in 12 years; In 35, Japanese pirates invaded our villages in various states and counties in Hainan thirteen times. Tens of thousands of our people were killed, and tens of thousands of our people were taken to overseas islands as hard labor! Zhao Zhongcheng, Japanese pirates killed and looted in my hometown much earlier than Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces! What I want to say is that in the 37th year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty, Japanese pirates invaded Chengmai and Lingao in Hainan, when I was four years old, my father died at the hands of Japanese pirates!"

Zhao Zhenji was startled.

Hai Rui turned his gaze to him: "The pain of killing my father is unforgettable! Just now Zhongcheng said that my family stayed in Chun'an well, so I didn't know the people in the coast were suffering from the Japanese invasion. Please take this back. "

Zhao Zhenji was fixed there as if being nailed by a nail, and the light in his eyes slowly retracted. In his eyes, this subordinate with only seventh rank was so imaginary yet so real, so far away and yet so real. so close!He immediately felt that the previous rumors and his own judgment were far from this person.This person must not be discussed by ordinary people, nor can he be discussed by strange people.Inferred from the Taizhou School of thought, such people are closer to the "simple people" respected by Duke Zhou and Confucius!But in today's world, "plain people" are "savages"!Breaking into such a savage in the officialdom, everything is in the middle but outside the outside, and all the rules that seem to be true but not built up for many years are completely broken!

Zhao Zhenji's face was flushed, and the theory of "searching things to learn" for many years was useless at this time.But Hai Rui is still waiting for him to take back the words that he was so proud of forcing on him just now, which is absolutely impossible for Zhao Zhenji.After being embarrassed for a while, I couldn't do the Tao, so I had to use magic.Zhao Zhenji waved his hand: "Since Haizhi County and the Japanese pirates still have revenge for killing their fathers, and we know how serious the Japanese pirates are, this court will send you a job right now. After the Seventh Battle, our army has formed a momentum to wipe out the Japanese pirates in one fell swoop. The top priority It is to send the next batch of military supplies to the front immediately. This batch of military supplies will be escorted by you and delivered to Hu Butang barracks within five days!"

Hai Rui: "Excuse me, Zhongcheng, is the Qin case not going to trial?"

Zhao Zhenji: "Eunuch Yang is crazy, you should know. What is the relationship between Shen Yishi's family property and the weaving bureau? Who else can you go to find out besides Eunuch Yang? The case must be stopped now, and I have sent the report in [-] li express delivery this morning." The imperial court, what to do next is to wait for the imperial court's new order. What you should do now is to escort the military supplies to Hu Butang camp immediately, and come back ten days later to handle the case according to the new order."

Hai Rui was silent there.

Zhao Zhenji: "You don't want to go?"

"I'll go." Hai Rui replied loudly.

After eight hundred miles of urgent delivery, Zhao Zhenji reported that Yang Jinshui's insane notebook went straight to Chongwenmen at dusk five days later, and it was almost dark when it was delivered to Xiyuan Sili Supervisor's office.

The four heads of the four eunuchs who were in charge of ceremonies gathered together, and their eight eyes were still staring at the playbook in front of the lantern after reading the contents of the playbook on the big case, and there was a great silence.

"Wow!" Chen Hong, the chief eunuch holding a pen at the center, finally spoke out, his eyes flashed with a look of anger but implied excitement, "The investigation found the weaving bureau, and the investigation came to the palace." At this point He suddenly elongated his voice: "Come!" The voice was high and shrill, and the long breath he exhaled almost blew out the candles in the lantern on the big case.The other three Bingbi eunuchs were taken aback.

The candlelight dimmed and then brightened again, but he saw that the envelope with three feathers had been blown into the air by his breath. Chen Hong grabbed the feather envelope with one hand, and pressed the note on the desk tightly with the other hand!

(End of this chapter)