Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 85

Wang Jiwen thought that Chen Tingjing might not be able to accommodate him, so he still wanted to play the emperor's words truthfully.He had no choice but to make a confession by himself.Wang Jiwen and Yang Wenqi worked all night, and finally wrote the notebook, with mournful words and sincere fear.Wang Jiwen himself was almost moved by this excerpt, thinking that the emperor's heart is also fleshy, and he will definitely forgive his sins.

Early the next morning, Chen Tingjing arrived at the governor's office.Wang Jiwen welcomed Chen Tingjing out of the Yimen Gate, and led Chen Tingjing to drink tea in the backyard of the yamen.

Gossiping for a long time, Wang Jiwen put down the teacup, asked Yang Wenqi to bring the notebook, and said, "Master Imperial Envoy, I have written the notebook, please present it to the emperor."

Chen Tingjing took the notebook and said: "I want you to write this notebook as a last resort. Your Majesty is extremely benevolent and can understand the difficulties below, so you won't blame too much."

Wang Jiwen said: "I also ask the imperial envoy to speak well in front of the emperor for me."

Chen Tingjing now has a solid foundation in his mind, and he feels that Wang Jiwen's words and deeds are acting.But before the time came, Chen Tingjing still pretended to be false, and said: "I still say the same thing, as long as Ku Yin has no loss and helps the people, the emperor will be able to explain it. Maybe the emperor will reward you!"

Wang Jiwen was full of sadness, and said: "I'm lucky if I can be exonerated! Then again, if I get convicted for saving the people, I have no regrets!"

Chen Tingjing nodded in approval, only saying that Master Zhitai really loves the people like a son.Suddenly hearing noises coming from outside, Wang Jiwen asked, "Wen Qi, why are you so noisy?"

Yang Wenqi said to go and have a look, and hurried out.When I arrived outside the yamen, I was taken aback.It turned out that all the merchants on Yanhang Street came and said that the governor's yamen wanted to pay back the money.Yang Wenqi panicked immediately, not knowing how to deal with it, so he wanted to go in to discuss countermeasures, but he couldn't get away.A businessman asked: "Master Yang, didn't you say that the governor's yamen will return our money today? We went to the treasury, and they said there was no such thing!"

Yang Wenqi hesitated and said, "Where to start, where to start."

The merchants were dumbfounded at once, and after a moment of silence, they immediately became noisy again.Some people shouted sharply that they should come out to make it clear, and some people said that Yang Wenqi dared not accept the money he borrowed from the door.Yang Wenqi was frightened, but pretending to be calm, he said, "Don't blame the Taiwan Governor. Take the IOU and have a look. Has the Taiwan Governor signed it? Has the governor's office stamped it?"

At this time, the owner of the Dali Tea House took out the IOU and said: "I borrowed 8 taels of silver from the Dali Tea House today, Kan Zhenzhao."

Yang Wenqi hurriedly said, "That's right, it's clearly an IOU left by Kan Zhenzhao, how did you find the governor's yamen?"

The owner of the Dali Tea Shop shouted: "The one who asked us to borrow money, but Mr. Kan and you, Mr. Yang, said that they would return it to us as soon as the imperial envoy left. We believed in Kan Zhenzhao's character, so we agreed to lend the money to the governor. Yamen! If you, Master Yang, come to the door alone, you won’t be able to borrow a tael of silver!"

Yang Wenqi smiled and said, "Really? I didn't borrow even a tael of silver! Go find Kan Zhenzhao!"

Immediately, the curses were loud, and the merchants went straight to the yamen, saying that they would kill Yang Wenqi who was talking nonsense with his eyes open.

At this time, Xiang Yuding from Fuyuan Salt Company jumped up the steps and shouted loudly: "Everyone, I believe Master Yang's words, Kan Zhenzhao cheated us! Why can't we do business in the past few months? Exclusive business? Our capital is gone, but his family still has it! My family, Yunhe, wrote a petition for everyone to sign, and sued Kan Wangda to the governor’s office. I never thought that I would be murdered by the Kan family! My son was beaten to death by the Kan family a long time ago! The Kan family is cunning, like a wolf and a tiger, we have to keep our eyes open!"

The owner of the Dali tea shop said: "Kan Zhenzhao is the master of the governor's yamen. If he borrows money, it is tantamount to borrowing money for the yamen."

Yang Wenqi said: "You don't know something. When he asked you to borrow money, he was no longer working in the governor's yamen!"

The owner of the Dali Tea Shop said bitterly: "Master Yang, you are such a villain! You were clearly present when you borrowed the money, but now you say you have nothing to do with me!"

While making noise, Chen Tingjing and Wang Jiwen came out from inside.It turned out that Chen Tingjing heard the noise outside getting louder and louder, and knew it was time, so he went out to see what was going on.Wang Jiwen couldn't stop him, so he had to follow.When the merchants saw Wang Jiwen, they all shouted for the governor's yamen to pay back the money.Wang Jiwen didn't expect this situation to happen, and he was confused for a while.

Chen Tingjing asked: "My lord, why is this?"

Wang Jiwen turned around and asked Yang Wenqi, "Why?"

Yang Wenqi said: "Returning to the imperial envoy and the Taiwan lord, Kan Zhenzhao borrowed a lot of money from the merchants, falsely claiming that it was borrowed from the governor's office. The Kan family made all the merchants unable to do business. The merchants didn't know the truth, so they vented their anger on On the master of Taiwan."

Wang Jiwen pretended to be confused and asked, "Why did Kan Zhenzhao borrow so much money?"

Before Yang Wenqi could answer, he heard the owner of the Dali Tea Shop ask loudly from below: "Is this sir an imperial envoy?"

Chen Tingjing cupped his hands and said, "My official, Chen Tingjing, has come to Yunnan by imperial order. If you have anything to say, you can talk about it here."

The owner of the Dali Tea Shop said: "Master Imperial Envoy, a few months ago, Master Kan and Master Yang came to my house and said that Master Wang is a good official who has not burdened the people of Yunnan with a tael of silver in recent years. The apportionment made the treasury bank empty. The imperial court sent an imperial envoy to check the accounts, and Governor Wang was about to be unlucky, so he asked me to lend money to the governor's office to make up the money. At least let the governor pass this test."

Wang Jiwen looked very surprised, and asked Yang Wenqi: "What? You borrowed the money in the treasury from a merchant?"

There was a commotion below, and no one could hear Wang Jiwen's words clearly.Someone said again: "However, after the money was borrowed, Master Yang came to the door again to deliver a message, saying that you must never tell the truth to the imperial envoy, or the money will be confiscated."

Yang Wenqi reprimanded: "You are talking nonsense!"

Chen Tingjing glanced at Yang Wenqi, and Yang Wenqi didn't dare to say more.The owner of the Dali Tea Shop said again: "Master Yang also said that the money that was short in the yamen should have been paid out of your business tax. If you talk nonsense in front of the imperial envoy, I will confiscate your money, and I will pay you back." It’s not unreasonable. We are worried about the confiscation of money, so we dare not say a word.”

Wang Jiwen suddenly stomped his feet and was furious: "Yang Wenqi, you and Kan Zhenzhao misunderstood my name!"

Yang Wenqi fell to his knees, prostrating and weeping: "My lord, the little one is guilty! The little one has hurt you!"

Wang Jiwen shouted: "Take Yang Wenqi down, and I will interrogate myself with the imperial envoy!"

After Chen Tingjing appeased the merchants, he went back to the yamen to try the case.Yang Wenqi knelt under the hall, and made up many words casually: "Master Hui, the money and food affairs in the governor's office are all in charge of Kan Zhenzhao, and the younger ones only help him. He is a native of Yunnan, and he is a small private. Forget about the world. Every time there is apportionment by the imperial court, Kan Zhenzhao will say that the people in Yunnan are suffering, and they will use the bank bank to pay for business. The governor is not aware of this, and he always thinks that Kan Zhenzhao is doing things well."

At this time, Chen Tingjing also had difficulty distinguishing the truth from the fake, so he asked, "Tell me, how much money did Kan Zhenzhao use in total?"

Yang Wenqi replied: "90 taels were spent!"

Chen Tingjing thought for a while, and said: "But I checked the accounts of the governor's office in Yunnan in the past few years. Together with the payment and disaster relief, it was only 78 taels of silver. How about another 12 taels?"

Yang Wenqi said: "I don't have any real evidence, so I don't dare to talk nonsense. I guess I'm afraid Kan Zhenzhao has lost his pocket!"

Chen Tingjing said: "You originally borrowed money from merchants together with Kan Zhenzhao. Now that someone came to your door, you insisted that Kan Zhenzhao did it alone. It can be seen that you can't believe your words. I will settle the score with you again. Here I am I just want to ask you, you clearly borrowed money from the merchant, how do you pay it back? Return it as it is, what about the Ku Yin that you lost?"

Yang Wenqi said: "Kan Zhenzhao is very scheming and has already figured out a solution. His father and son have concocted a new tax law, and they want businesses to use the money they lent to offset taxes, so that the debt can be settled."

Chen Tingjing did not expect a new tax law to emerge.He didn't understand it for a while, so he had to figure it out first, so he asked, "Master Taiwan, do you know the new tax law introduced by the Kan family and his son?"

Wang Jiwen said: "The Kan family and their sons indeed concocted such a new tax law, and wanted me to implement it in Yunnan. I looked carefully, and it was really harsh on the villagers. It was extremely absurd, so I ignored it."

Chen Tingjing thought for a while, and said: "Master Taiwan, first detain Yang Wenqi, and quickly bring Kan Zhenzhao to question?"

Wang Jiwen thought that if he found Kan Zhenzhao at this moment, everything would be exposed, so he used a strategy of slowing down the army, saying: "Let it be arranged by the imperial envoy. It will be too late just to go to Kan Zhenzhao's hometown to make a round trip. Why don't we try Kan Zhenzhao tomorrow?"

Chen Tingjing nodded in agreement, exactly what he wanted.It turned out that Chen Tingjing had asked Liu Jing and Ma Ming to go to the countryside and the prison, and hid the Kan family father and son.

Not long after Chen Tingjing left the governor's yamen, a yamen servant came to report that Kan Zhenzhao could not be found in the village, and Kan Wangda was also robbed.Wang Jiwen guessed that Chen Tingjing did it, and secretly complained.

Liu Jing and the others returned to the posthouse, and each replied to Chen Tingjing.Liu Jing said: "Master, we have sent the Kan family and his son to Huating Temple on the other side of the Dianchi Lake. But I think, when they confront Yang Wenqi, they will just say that the public is right, and the mother-in-law is right."

Ma Ming said: "Yes, Yang Wenqi is not a good thing at first glance, but I can't see what is good about the Kan family and his son."

Dashun said: "I think it is true, Kan Zhenzhao is hypocritical! Kan Wangda speaks arty, but secretly he is evil!"

Chen Tingjing said: "I told you to hide the Kan family and his son first, just to ask them first. No matter what, the black cannot be changed into white."

Zhen'er came in from the outside and said: "Master, Xiang Bao was eavesdropping just now, and when he saw me coming, he ran away. I heard the door of the post house, so I guess he went out."

Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "I must have reported to Wang Jiwen. He should report it. Tomorrow, the disturbance in the governor's yamen is none of my business. Let's go to Huating Temple to worship Bodhisattva!"

Early in the morning, Chen Tingjing put on his casual clothes and prepared to go to Huating Temple.Xiang Bao stood aside with his hands down, bowing his head and obeying orders.

Just as Chen Tingjing was about to get into the carriage, Liu Jing said, "My lord, I have an idea."

Liu Jing said half a sentence, but stopped talking.

Chen Tingjing asked: "What? Say it!"

Zhen'er looked at Liu Jing's half-smile, guessed his plan, and said, "I know, they want to bring the glass chess."

Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "What's wrong with that? Take it with you."

Ma Mingdao: "When I went to Huating Temple, facing the Dianchi Lake, I played a few rounds of chess. I felt very uncomfortable."

Zhen'er got off the horse and said, "I'll fetch the chess pieces for you!"

Zhen'er returned to the room, opened the box, and was immediately dumbfounded.It turned out that the glass chess pieces were missing.Zhen'er was so frightened that she didn't even have time to close the box, and ran out in a hurry.She ran to Chen Tingjing's side and whispered a few words.Chen Tingjing looked shocked, turned around and walked into the post house.Liu Jing and Ma Ming didn't know what happened, so they followed in.

Chen Tingjing looked at the opened box and said in panic, "It's a serious crime to lose something bestowed by the emperor!"

Dashun said: "It must be Wang Jiwen who is doing something wrong, he wants to muddy the water!"

Chen Tingjing hurriedly said: "Search quickly, and make sure to find the glass chess piece!"

Liu Jingdao: "My lord, I believe that glass chess pieces can only be visited unannounced, and should not be observed clearly. Otherwise, I'm afraid if the chess pieces are not found, I will implicate you and be convicted first!"

Chen Tingjing sighed and said: "Seeing that the matter in Yunnan is about to come to light, it's another problem!"

Liu Jingdao: "It might as well be like this, Ma Ming will go to Huating Temple with the imperial envoy, and I will stay and visit the glass chess unannounced."

Seeing that Chen Tingjing's carriage was getting far away, Liu Jing suddenly ordered Xiang Bao: "Come to my room!"

Xiang Bao didn't know what was going on, and didn't dare to vent his anger, so he followed Liu Jing into the door.Liu Jing entered the room and sat down, picked up the tea on the table, and just drank it slowly.Xiang Bao bowed his head tremblingly.After a long time, Liu Jing shouted loudly: "Kneel down!"

Xiang Bao didn't understand what was going on, so he knelt down and said, "My lord, I don't know what my crime is!"

Liu Jing said sharply: "Hand over the glass chess pieces!"

Xiang Bao was so frightened that he was dumbfounded, and it took him a long time to say a whole sentence: "What glass chess? I haven't even heard of it!"

Liu Jing said coldly: "Are you still pretending to be garlic?"

Xiang Bao said with a sad face, "I really don't know, little one!"

Liu Jingdao: "Don't think that you are doing things without anyone noticing! On the first day and night when the imperial envoy lived in the post house, you went into the room and rummaged through the cabinets. I went to Yunhe's house, and you followed behind in a sneaky way. Report to Wang Jiwen! Do you think I don’t know what you’re doing?”

Xiang Bao trembled all over, kowtowed, and said: "The young ones dare not deny what the adults said. But the young ones did not steal the glass chess pieces!"

Liu Jingdao: "I told you a long time ago that the pieces of paper and ink in the imperial envoy's room are all important things. If you lose them, just ask you for them! This glass chess is a gift from the emperor, and if you don't hand it over, you will be punished with death!"

Xiang Bao cried and said, "Even if my lord removes my head right now, I still can't hand over the glass chess pieces!"

Liu Jing scolded: "Stop crying like a mouse! You lost things here, just ask for them!"

Xiang Baochao and Liu Jing bowed incessantly, shouting that the adults have wronged him.Liu Jingdao: "Don't flatter me, I'm not an adult. You are a rankless postman, why do you have such close contacts with the master of Taiwan? Tell me everything you know, or you may be spared the death penalty!" "

Xiang Baodao: "My lord, the master of Taiwan just told me to keep an eye on you, I don't know anything else!"

Liu Jingdao: "You don't have to say anything, just the theft of the glass chess is enough to put you to death! I'll kill you here first!"

As Liu Jing spoke, he pulled out the knife and put it on Xiang Bao's neck.Xiang Bao was so frightened that he lay down on the ground and shouted for injustice.

Liu Jingdao: "Wrong? The glass chess was lost in your post house. It wasn't you who stole it. Who stole it? No one dares to enter the imperial envoy's room! If you tell what you know, the glass chess was stolen. Advocating for you in front of the imperial envoy."

Xiang Baozao was so frightened that his clothes drenched in sweat, he said: "The little one said, the young one told everything."

Liu Jing put down the knife, took a pen and paper, and said, "You have to tell the truth in every sentence. I can't read the confession in black and white here!"

Wang Jiwen was waiting for Chen Tingjing in the second hall, his heart was burning with anxiety, but he still waved his fan calmly.Suddenly a yamen servant came to report: "Lord Zhitai, Chen Tingjing has gone to Huating Temple."

Wang Jiwen was quite surprised, guessing that the Kan family and his son must be in Huating Temple.After all, he is a person who has seen the big world, Wang Jiwenming knows that he is facing doom, but he still wants to fight to the death.He ordered the servants to bring Yang Wenqi.The yamen servant was about to go out, Wang Jiwen said: "Forget it, I'd better go see him in the prison."

Yang Wenqi was sitting in the cell, playing fan and drinking tea as if nothing had happened. Wang Jiwen wanted to get angry when he saw it.Unexpectedly, Yang Wenqi stood up first, bowed to Wang Jiwen, and said: "Yongshu knows that the Taiwan-making master must be very anxious. Taiwan-making master, don't worry, don't be afraid!"

Wang Jiwen asked: "Are you really sitting on the Diaoyutai?"

Yang Wenqi said with a smile: "Yinzi is dumb, Kan Zhenzhao and I are the ones who can speak. He has one mouth, and I have another mouth, and the IOU is signed by him."

Wang Jiwen said: "Don't think so lightly, Chen Tingjing looks difficult to deal with!"

Yang Wenqi squinted his eyes and smiled, and said: "Master Taiwan, there is a plan for mediocrity, which can not only make the Kan family and his son suffer from the enemy, but also make Chen Tingjing mess up, so he can't continue to investigate in Yunnan!"

Wang Jiwen hurriedly asked: "What plan? Tell me quickly!"

Yang Wenqi said: "Why do businesses suddenly hate the Kan family?"

Wang Jiwen said anxiously: "When is it, it's still a secret! Tell me quickly."

Yang Wenqi said: "Not only because Kan Zhenzhao borrowed money from merchants for you, but also because the new tax law leaked out! Merchants know that the new tax law must take money out of their pockets! Now you might as well let people go outside to let the wind out." He said that Chen Tingjing praised the new tax law of the Kan family and his son, and was going to present the imperial court's approval, so that Yunnan merchants will not be able to live a good life in the future."

Wang Jiwen nodded and said repeatedly: "Good! Good! With this method, I won't be waiting to die!"

(End of this chapter)