"Steward Ai is a local merchant. He is good at speculation and has made a lot of profits. He is not a charitable person and likes to haggle over every ounce when doing business. He does not give away small profits, which is why he has the nickname of a miser. However, he is a man of his word and never shows off. It is said that Eunuch Zhang, who is guarding the area, was ordered to explore for gold and dug under Steward Ai's house. Steward Ai prayed to the gods and Buddha everywhere, hoping that Eunuch Zhang would change his location. "
Yang Ling asked, "Is there a gold mine in Bazhou?"
If there really was a gold mine in Bazhou, the people would benefit from it and the poverty in this area could be turned around immediately. However … how could a gold vein be so small? Was there a need to dig under someone else's house? Yang Ling did not know much about the ancient methods of mineral exploration, so he asked.
The guard who was sent to scout said, "I heard that they hired a geomancer master who has done Fengshui for many big families. He concluded that there must be a gold vein in this area …"
Yang Ling raised his eyebrows and said in disbelief, "Geomancer? Prospecting for gold mines, looking for Fengshui … "
He suddenly stopped here. In ancient times, many subjects did not have a clear division of labor. A lot of knowledge was indeed included under some traditional professions. For example, some witch doctors actually included the skills of psychologists and other professions. As for Fengshui masters, it did not mean that they did not know about geology.
He remembered reading a report in the newspaper. It said that in the past, when Jin was established, they chose Fengtian because the Fengshui master said that it was on the back of the Divine Turtle. There was an ancient Divine Turtle sitting on the ground, so the country could be stable. Of course, these words were said to please the officials. However, modern surveys showed that the geology of that area was a huge rock plate. Therefore, it was relatively stable and not prone to large earthquakes. It was indeed a good place to build an important city.
At that time, the news reported that this was only found after surveying a few hundred meters underground with modern equipment. It was very strange how the ancient Fengshui master made such a prediction. At that time, Yang Ling only saw it as a rumor and did not know the reliability of this news. However, it left an impression in his heart.
Yang Ling held his breath and said, "Continue. What happened next?"
"Yes, we secretly found the Ai family's escaped family members and asked them about it. It was said that the Ai family had spent a lot of money and Eunuch Zhang had already decided to change the location. Coincidentally, there were signs of a gold vein under the Ai family's house. In order to protect their house, the Ai family had to take out a large amount of property. They didn't have any money left, so they sold all their shops. After some bribing, Eunuch Zhang finally agreed. Unfortunately, the Ai family was unlucky this year. At this time, someone reported that the Ai family had dug out an antique when they were trying to bury the cave they dug out, but they hid it and refused to hand it over to the imperial court. Because of this, they were interrogated by Eunuch Zhang. In the end, the family returned … "
Bang! Song Ai raised her eyebrows and said hatefully, "Sir, there's no need to ask anymore. This is obviously Eunuch Zhang taking the opportunity to extort money. Prospecting under someone's house, that's the outer city. If the gold vein is in Bazhou City, do we still need to move the whole city? And again and again, it's clear that they covet other people's property and intend to extort money. Such corrupt officials should be severely punished! "
Yang Ling fixed his gaze on her and asked, "How should we punish them?"
"Forcing them to break up their family and make them hang themselves on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Shouldn't such inhumane corrupt officials be beheaded?"
Yang Ling kept his cool and said, "Yes, you're right. The problem is, who is going to behead him? Is it Duke Wei who was ordered to confiscate the An family's property? Or is it General Song, the Guardian of the Imperial Convent in the capital? "
"Uh …" Song Ai blushed and said forcefully, "We … can report this to the Emperor."
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Zhang Zhong is the local eunuch who guards the place and has great power. It's easy to prove that the Ai family has indeed dug out gold sand. It's also easy to find witnesses and material evidence that the Ai family has secretly hidden the antiques. So what if we report this to the Emperor? With these evidence, Zhang Zhong won't be guilty of questioning the Ai family. The people of the Ai family killed themselves, so we can't punish Zhang Zhong for this. Otherwise, how can we appease the local eunuchs in the future? Moreover … there's still that Liu Jin dragging us down. "
Song Ai said angrily, "Then … are we just going to ignore it? Sir, Xiao Ai has never been lenient in killing enemies on the battlefield. But when I saw the tragic scene of that family hanging themselves in the first lunar month, I still feel sour in my heart. Are we just going to sit back and watch this scourge continue to use his power and use some high-sounding excuses to harm family after family, causing the common people to break up and die? "
Yang Ling was silent for a moment and said, "I need to understand the details of this matter before I can make a decision. Xiao Ai, the officialdom is treacherous and ever-changing, ten times more than the battlefield. If we attack without a good reason, we will fall into a passive position. If we can't grasp the key points, it will be futile. It's not enough to be hot-blooded. All of you go and rest first. It's already late, and I still have to write a memorial to confiscate the An family and Shengfang Town's establishment of the Great Shun Empire. "
Song Ai and the rest had no choice but to cup their hands and leave. Yang Ling paced around the empty room with his hands behind his back for a while. Suddenly, he walked to the window and pushed it open. The cold wind blew in.
He slowly sat down at the table by the window. Facing the cold wind, he picked up a brush and began to write a memorial to the Emperor. Yang Ling wrote two memorials. The first one only briefly explained that many things had happened in Bazhou recently. The confiscation could not be completed in time for some reason. This memorial was to be sent directly to the Office of Transmission and would probably be sent to Liu Jin as soon as possible. Liu Jin must be secretly happy that this annoying fellow could not return home in time.
The second one was not so genteel. It was more like a letter between relatives. He first greeted the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor and paid his New Year's greetings. He then explained that because he wanted to sell the An family's property, he wanted to sell it at a good price so that the money from the palace treasury would not be used when building Gai Huang Nunnery. As a result, it was more time-consuming and laborious to deal with the related real estate and properties. Some precious treasures had to be shipped to the wealthy areas of Jiangnan in order to sell for a good price and needed to be screened one by one.
In the end, Yang Ling told of how he had discovered the foolish couple in Shengfang Town proclaiming themselves as Emperor and how they had only sent two servants to capture the conspirators. Yang Ling's writing was exaggerated and interesting, making it seem like a child's game. He also deliberately mentioned how the Hongzhi Emperor had dealt with the foolish people proclaiming themselves as Emperor. He hoped that the young Emperor of Zhengde would laugh at it after reading it and not pursue it with great fanfare. Otherwise, it would be a major case of rebellion. Those hundreds of people, including their families, would probably have tens of thousands of heads rolling on the ground.
Yang Ling wrote to the end and paused for a moment. He added one last line of words: "The Horse Bandits in Bazhou have been extinct for a long time. However, when I was in Bazhou, I was shocked to learn that the scourge of the Horse Bandits was not far behind. The officials are corrupt, the swindlers run amok, and the horse bandits disappear and disappear. The harm they do is ten times worse than the Horse Bandits. I see that Your Majesty's people are suffering and I am terrified.
I am favored by Your Majesty and dare not not do my best. If these three evils are not eliminated, the people in Bazhou will not be at peace. Therefore, I volunteer to restore Your Majesty's prestige, purge the officials, eliminate the horse bandits, and ensure peace. I am afraid that the news will leak out and alarm the corrupt officials, causing them to be on guard. Therefore, I have written a secret memorial to ask Your Majesty to grant me temporary control over the military and political officials in Bazhou. "
After finishing writing the secret memorial, Yang Ling blew on the ink and wrote on the cover: "Long live the Emperor". He then looked out.
The sky was bright with stars and a bright moon. A branch of plum blossoms was slanting. The branches were twisted and the plum blossoms were either budding or blooming proudly. It was already late at night and the atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.
The wind blew the plum blossoms and the branches swayed. The four corpses floating in the air and Song Ai's disappointed eyes flashed in Yang Ling's eyes. He slowly stood up with his hands behind his back and looked at the quiet night sky. He let out a long sigh and said, "The red sun will rise in the east tomorrow. The water cannot calm the heart of a warrior. No matter who treats me like a toothless tiger, they will pay the price of not even leaving a corpse behind. "
※ ※ ※
Liu Jin was angry. He slammed the table and scolded, "Hey! The mischievous ones really don't stop. Yang Shen, that little bastard, has settled down and now there's this Xi Kui. What did he say? We sent him a note but he still refused to hand over the military achievements in Yulin? "
The little eunuch beside him bowed and said, "Yes, Sir Xi said that there were no major battles at the border this year. There were more than a hundred and twenty generals in Yulin who reported their military achievements and 1,400 heads of the enemy's generals. However, there were no relevant military reports in advance. Therefore, we need to check to prevent the border generals from falsely claiming the military achievements or even killing people to pretend to be the enemy."
"Bastard! Bastard! How dare he offend our family's face, a mere sixth-level Imperial Censor! " Liu Jin was so angry that he blew his eyebrows and glared. Governor Shen Ying had contacted the Yulin border generals and presented him with a large amount of gold and silver. Liu Jin had long promised to reward them for their merits and increase their promotions. He did not expect to stumble over a small Imperial Censor, Xi Kui.
After Liu Jin finished cursing, he asked, "When will he go to Yulin to check?"
"He will leave with the military carriage early in the morning tomorrow."
Liu Jin's eyebrows furrowed. He thought for a moment and then laughed coldly, "Have someone send him a gift. If he is willing to accept it and let this matter go, then we will let it go. If not, after he leaves, have someone send something to his residence under the guise of sending it back. Once he returns to the capital, we will arrest him and charge him with corruption. We will send him directly to the Brocade Guard!"
"Yes, yes," the little eunuch hurriedly answered. At this time, another little eunuch hurried in and said, "Gonggong, the Guozijian Chancellor Lord Wang has arrived and wants to see Gonggong."
"Hmm? The Guozijian Chancellor? What is he doing here? "Liu Jin thought," Could it be that he has come to deliver gifts? "Liu Jin sat down on a chair and said," Call him in. "
The Guozijian Chancellor Wang Yunfeng hurriedly came in. As soon as he saw Liu Jin, he kneeled on the floor and said, "This lowly official Wang Yunfeng pays his respect to Liu Gonggong."
Liu Jin gave him a sidelong glance and said unhurriedly, "Hmm, get up. You have come to see our family, what's the matter?"
Chancellor Wang smiled obsequiously and said, "Gonggong, two days ago you ordered the Guozijian to increase the number of students from Shaanxi. You also sent six scholars and two martial students …"
"That's right, what's the matter?" Liu Jin impatiently asked.
As soon as Wang Yunfeng saw Liu Jin's expression, he was a little flustered. He stammered, "This … increasing the number of students from Shaanxi has caused a disturbance among the students. Gonggong recommended several students to go, but they … they are not too law-abiding in the Guozijian. Yesterday they even injured an Imperial College student from Guizhou. Today many people have come to protest to this lowly official. Even the secretaries and the secretaries are not satisfied …"
Liu Jin was worried about how to promote more than a hundred high-ranking military officers who had sent him gifts. It was not just because he had received the gifts; his influence in the army had always been low. Although Yang Ling had retired, his influence was still greater than Liu Jin's. Only by promoting some high-ranking military officers who had been promoted by Liu Jin as soon as possible could the army obey his command. This was the most important matter. What kind of trouble did the Guozijian scholars cause?
Liu Jin slammed the table and stood up. Pointing at Wang Yunfeng's nose, he cursed, "Scoundrel! Trash! Useless thing! There are so many important matters of the country that we have to manage. Why are you bothering me with these trivial matters? Why are the students not studying properly? Why are they interrupting? If they don't know their place, get them to pack up and leave!
Are the secretaries and secretaries dissatisfied? Good, how many idle officials are worried about not having a place to put them? Every day there are as many people as ants coming to the door to ask for a position. Who is dissatisfied? Get them to pack up and quickly make room for the good people! And you, what are you doing as a Libjiu? Can't you handle such a small matter? Libjiu, libjiu, what libjiu? Pei! A mouthful of pig's hair. "
Wang Yunfeng was so frightened that he knelt on the floor and repeatedly kowtowed, "This lowly official knows his mistake. This lowly official knows his mistake." He hurriedly wiped his sweat, afraid that Liu Jin would really remove him in a fit of anger. He hurriedly flattered, "This lowly official is not here to complain to gonggong. It is because I have seen many students and officials complaining and cannot understand gonggong's painstaking efforts. Gonggong's administration is strict and your orders are like a mountain, but the civil and military officials are often conservative and do not understand, so … "
He raised his head to look at Liu Jin and said with a smile, "So this lowly official wants to … invite gonggong to the Imperial College for an inspection and talk to the students about important matters of the country, so that they can understand gonggong's painstaking efforts. In addition, this lowly official wants to compile your speeches, decrees, requirements for handling various public affairs, and examples into a book in the order of six parts. It will be promulgated as a law throughout the country, so that the officials will have rules to follow and will not be blindly confused in governing. "
The pitiful Central University's president was frightened by Liu Jin and started spouting nonsense. He actually wanted Liu Jin, who could not even recognize words, to give lectures to the students who were full of knowledge. Wasn't this shameful?
But Liu Jin did not feel that he was not qualified. Once he heard it, his anger turned to joy and he chuckled. "Get up, hmm … go to the Imperial College for an inspection and give lessons to the students?"
He felt that this idea was pretty good, so he nodded his head and said, "Alright then, make the arrangements. I'll definitely go to the Directorate of Imperial Academies in my busy schedule and give those ignorant imperial students a good lesson. I'll talk about the laws of the court and the rules of being an official. Compiling my administrative examples into a book and promulgating them to the world is also a very good suggestion. Go do it as soon as possible. I can ask the Ministry of Revenue to pay for the expenses of compiling and printing the book. If you do it well, I will definitely report it to the Emperor and reward you heavily. "
Wang Yunfeng was overjoyed. He did not expect that he would not only escape danger, but also gain the favor of Eunuch Liu because of this bright idea of flattery. He hurriedly agreed and complimented him again before hurriedly retreating. He arranged for Liu Jin to give lectures at the Imperial College and the compilation of "Liu's Compilation."
Wang Yunfeng exited the door and happened to run into an elegantly dressed scholar in a white robe and high hat walking in. He did not recognize who this person was, but looking at his manner, head held high and chest puffed out, as if there was no one else around, and his eyes habitually looked at the door frame, he seemed to be a very important person. He hurriedly bowed.
As the saying goes, it is not strange to be overly courteous. Wang Yunfeng bowed and raised his head to strike up a conversation, but he saw that the person in front of him had already disappeared. He turned his head and saw that the person had already entered the hall. Perhaps he was used to walking this way and did not trip on the threshold. President Wang could only rub his nose and walk away in embarrassment.
Liu Jin was very happy to see Lu Shijie. He still had a lot of respect for this famous scholar from the same hometown. When he saw him, he hurriedly said with a restrained smile, "Ah, Sir is here. Please sit. Servants, come and serve tea. "
"Sir, how is the matter of building the palace going?" Lu Shijie had just sat down when Liu Jin asked impatiently.
Liu Jin was now in a high position of power. Looking at the imperial court, no one could compete with him. Full of ambition, he wanted to bring honor to his ancestors and pray for immortality. He wanted to build a Xuanming Palace outside of Chaoyang Gate to worship Emperor Xuanming.
Originally, the imperial court's finances were tight and Zhengde did not allow it. Liu Jin used flowery words, saying that the Princess Yongfu was praying for the Empress Dowager and wanted to become a nun to cultivate. This moved the aristocrats and merchants in the capital. They repeatedly petitioned to build a huge palace to pray for the Empress Dowager to live a long life. This was to express the love and respect of the subjects. If the Emperor did not allow it, it would inevitably hurt the subjects' hearts. When Zhengde heard this, he was very happy. Thus, he decreed that Liu Jin would be in charge of building a Xuanming Palace outside of Chaoyang Gate.
With this excuse, Liu Jin occupied hundreds of hectares of land outside of Chaoyang Gate. Before the construction of the nunnery in the western suburbs of the capital started, work was in full swing outside of Chaoyang Gate in the winter. Liu Jin demolished nearly two thousand official residences and excavated nearly three thousand graves. Liu Jin did not dare to go too far and let the people freeze to death in the winter. He still approved the relocation fees and land, but they had to pay extra for the occupation of the graves. As a result, except for a few officials and aristocrats who had the money to buy land, most of the people did not have the money to buy graves. As a result, the white bones were exposed in the wild and the people cursed endlessly in the city.
After that, Liu Jin sent people from the East Faction Guards to collect donations one by one. The people from the East Faction Guards came to ask for money with a smile that did not reach their eyes. They kept on saying that they wanted them to show their filial piety and raise money for the construction of Xuanming Palace for the Empress Dowager's safety. Who dared to pay less? Liu Jin was indeed a financial expert in Zhengde's eyes. Using this method, he managed to raise more than four hundred thousand taels of silver in just half a month. It was enough to build a magnificent hall.
Liu Jin took this opportunity to speak to Zheng De, saying that when he was building the Palace of Prayer for Good Fortune for the Empress Dowager, he often shed tears in the dark of the night, his heart was restless, but he had to serve the Emperor, he could not fulfill his filial piety. He asked Zheng De Emperor to remember that he had served the Emperor for many years, to bestow him a horizontal inscribed board, so that he could erect a memorial arch in front of his parents' graves to show his glory.
Zhengde could not agree to this request, so he wrote the two words "loyalty and righteousness" and gave it to Liu Jin. Liu Jin took Zhengde's handwriting and immediately issued an edict. He ordered the local officials in Shaanxi to ask a Fengshui master to investigate and find a piece of land to build a tomb and a temple. For Liu Jin's parents, an ancestral hall with stone steles and a tomb was built. He also built a Yong An Temple for Righteousness and Courage in the tomb. The tomb was as grand as a Marquis's.
Although the local officials in Shaanxi tried their best to please him, they could not afford so much money. Moreover, it was his hometown. Liu Jin treated his hometown very well and could not bear to let his hometown elders pay for it. This sum of money naturally fell into the hands of the common people in the capital. Liu Jin used the opportunity to build a Xuanming Palace to get more than four hundred thousand taels of silver. He took out eighty thousand taels of silver and sent it to Shaanxi to build his parents' tomb and ancestral hall.
Liu Jin also knew that his subordinates were all greedy. If he gave them the task, they would definitely be exploited. However, Lu Shijie did not like money, so he asked him to take care of them. Lu Shijie cupped his hands and said, "Eunuch Liu, the Xuanming Palace still has a shortage of nearly one hundred thousand taels of silver. Now that the construction has just started, there is no need to rush. However, in the later stages of construction, there will definitely be a shortage of funds. We need to prepare as soon as possible."
Liu Jin was shocked and blurted out, "We still need that much? Didn't we … "He was halfway through his sentence when he remembered that he had taken out eighty thousand taels of silver. Naturally, the shortage was even more. He changed his words and said," If that's the case, we can just ask people to donate to the merchants and rich families. "
Lu Shijie pretended to advise him and said, "Eunuch Liu, I'm afraid this is not a good idea. After all, this is the territory of the Emperor. Many of the aristocrats and rich families are inextricably linked to the nobles. The last time we collected money, it has already caused a lot of dissatisfaction. If we collect money again, these people's complaints will reach the heavens …"
Liu Jin was startled and said, "Teacher's concern is right." He frowned and said, "Rabbits do not eat the grass near their nests. We can't be too excessive towards the capital. However, one hundred thousand taels of silver is not a small amount. Do you want me to pay from my own pocket? How hateful! It will take a few more months for all the provincial governors to enter the capital. Otherwise, this amount of money … "
His eyes lit up and he said, "Oh yes, Zhang Zhong reported that there is a gold mine in Bazhou. He requested an imperial decree to explore it. I wonder how it is now. Hehe, this matter will fall on him. Teacher, don't be anxious. I will immediately ask Zhang Zhong to raise one hundred thousand taels of silver and send it to the capital within two months! The Xuanming Palace is built for the Empress Dowager. The Emperor is also very concerned about it. It cannot be delayed. "
※ ※ ※
Fan Mo Li said worriedly, "Zhang Gonggong, it is not appropriate to make such a big fuss now. Although Duke Wei cannot control us, he is the Emperor's man. If he were to say a few words to us, the Emperor will be angry and we will not be able to handle it.
Now that the farmers enter the city to sell vegetables, grains, meat and other miscellaneous goods, the taxes are extremely high. When entering or exiting the city, the taxes are extremely high. When entering or leaving the city, the people do not dare to enter the city. The shops in the city do not dare to open and everywhere is desolate.
That's not all. Most of the servants recruited by eunuch are local ruffians and scoundrels. These people collect taxes for eunuch while they make their own money, causing the people to be filled with resentment. Some of the servants recruited by Gu 'an openly confiscated the property of their enemies and didn't even bother to find an excuse. Some of them even used eunuch's name to flog local officials and rob passing merchants. This caused widespread resentment among the merchants. The people of Bazhou have always been warlike. If this goes on, I'm afraid there will be trouble. "
Zhang Zhong did not think much of it. He rolled his eyes and said, "What trouble can there be? Those unruly people! They are willing to give the money to the Divine Swindlers, but they will cry for their parents when they ask them to give it to us! Don't worry, this is Eunuch Liu's order. It is to pray for the Empress Dowager to build the Xuanming Palace. The Emperor knows this. The more we work, the more loyal we will appear.
Hehe, if there really is a mistake, it is because we are too loyal to the Emperor and overdid things. We are the Emperor's servant. At most, he will scold us a little and trust us more. Don't be afraid. Just stay in the Zhizhou yamen. If anyone dares to complain, we will be punished to death! "
Zhang Zhong finished his words and asked, "Has Duke Wei received the An family's property?"
Zhizhou Fan helplessly sat back on the chair and said, "Yes … yes, he did. He was very careful. He looked at the land piece by piece and checked the objects. After half a day, he did not receive much. Then, some of the squires who were deceived by the Four Divine Swindlers came out to thank them and gave them a banquet. Until now, they have not even checked half of the property."
Zhang Zhong knew about this because Zhang Mao had mentioned it to him. Zhang Mao was actually not his brother from the same clan. It was only because they had the same surname and similar tastes that they got along and called each other brother. When they met, they said that they were brothers from the same clan.
Zhang Mao's cousin, Jiang Bin, came from Datong to take over the army of Zhou De 'an and was appointed as the Guerrilla Warfare General of Bazhou. He and Yang Ling were old acquaintances. With this relationship, Zhang Mao and Yang Ling were now very familiar with each other. Today, Zhang Mao and his cousin, Jiang Bin, invited Yang Ling to the banquet and even sent someone to ask if he would like to join them.
Zhang Zhong laughed and said, "You don't have to worry about Yang Ling. He is now a Duke with a salary but no power. He is more prestigious when he is out on official business. Isn't he taking the opportunity to accumulate wealth? It is just that he is a Duke after all. He can't swallow his pride and rob openly like me. Didn't Ai Jing, that damned rooster, and his whole family hang themselves because he was the one who found out and sent the case to your Zhizhou yamen? Yang Qingtian? Did you see him fart about the case? Isn't he still drinking and having fun every day? "
He stood up and patted Fan Mo Li on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry. With me here, you will be fine. I am going to Gu 'an to check on the mining situation. I will invite you for a drink another day. "
Fan Mo Li saw that Zhang Zhong did not listen to his advice and could only smile bitterly and leave. After Zhang Zhong sent off Zhizhou Fan, he immediately turned to the housekeeper Han Bing and said, "Did you just say that Gu 'an's Prefect Hua Yu flogged our men?"
Han Bing said, "Gonggong, that's not all. That Prefect Hua did not know how to appreciate favors. When our men went to Gu 'an to dig, those unruly people went to Prefect Hua to complain. He often brought people to stop our men from digging into the houses of the rich families. Yesterday, when we sent tax collectors to the countryside to collect taxes, the people rebelled and chased after the tax collectors. Our men rode to the yamen to report the case and asked for reinforcements. That Prefect Hua used the excuse that our men rode into the yamen and broke the rules. He tied them up and whipped them. "
Zhang Zhong was furious and shrieked, "This Hua Yu is so daring. He dares to look down on us!"
Han Bing added fuel to the fire, saying: "Gong-gong, I think this Hua Yu must have received some benefits from those rich families. With this person backing him, the rich gentry of Gu 'an will dare to oppose our tax collectors. This person is a hindrance, our brothers will not be able to collect any money. Why didn't Gong-gong mention this to Master Fan just now?"
Zhang Zhong laughed coldly, saying, "So what if I did? That is the Gu 'an Prefect Hua Yu. Even though his position is lower than Fan Mo Li's, Fan Mo Li can't get rid of him. Come, let's go to Gu 'an. I will personally meet this Hua Yu. Let's see if his bones are harder or if our whips are harder! "
※ ※ ※
At Zhang Mao's residence, the guests and the host were enjoying themselves.
Zhang Mao's public identity was that of a large landlord and a great aristocrat. His cousin and Yang Ling were old friends. When Zhang Mao heard about this, he was overjoyed. To him, Yang Ling was an important person in the capital. To be able to get to know him would only benefit him. Therefore, he used his cousin's relationship to hold a grand banquet to entertain Yang Ling.
In order to delay his stay in Bazhou, Yang Ling put down his pride and attended every banquet. Today was Jiang Bin's invitation. Yang Ling was at the prefectural yamen, holding two large necklaces that the An family said were strung with 108 pearls each. He was checking and counting the pearls. When he heard that he was invited, he immediately left. Fan Mo Li saw that this was exactly what he wanted and took the time to go to Zhang Zhong to complain.
Zhang Mao did not have the rotten air of a country gentleman. He was forthright and generous. Yang Ling found him pleasing to the eye. During their conversation, he found out that Zhang Mao's ancestor was not a Han, but a descendant of the Duoyan Sanwei who moved inland during the Yongle period. At that time, a large number of the Duoyan Sanwei's descendants were settled in Bazhou. Zhang Mao's ancestor changed his surname to Han and settled here. After a hundred years, he established this foundation.
Jiang Bin proudly bragged to his cousin about his relationship with Yang Ling when they were at Chicken Crow Inn. At that time, Yang Ling was still an advisor in the prefectural yamen. In the battle of Chicken Crow Inn, there was no merit to speak of. But from Jiang Bin's mouth, it seemed that Yang Ling was born a brave and astute general. If not for Yang Ling, the battle of Chicken Crow Inn would have long been flattened.
Yang Ling was amused when he heard this. Zhang Mao did not doubt him. Yang Ling's performance in Datong, Jiangnan, Manchuria, and even Sichuan had been courageous and astute. Who would have thought that he was still a rookie at the Chicken Crow Inn? After listening to Jiang Bin's introduction, Zhang Mao was full of admiration. He quickly raised his cup and toasted Yang Ling.
The three of them laughed and drank a few cups. Jiang Bin took the opportunity to ask, "Duke, when I went to the prefectural yamen to invite you, I saw a court eunuch go out. Did the court issue an edict? Could it be dealing with the rebellion in Shengfang Town and claiming to be the Emperor? "
In fact, Yang Ling had already received a secret edict from Zhengde last night. Emperor Zhengde saw that Yang Ling had sneakily presented him a secret edict through Tang Yixian. He also wanted to ask for a secret edict to order him to handle a case incognito. For a moment, Emperor Zhengde felt playful and immediately wanted to meet him in Bazhou. They wanted to punish the corrupt officials and catch them together.
He did not care about the sharp mouths of the three scholars, but he could not stand Tang Yixian's mouth. As soon as he said the idea, he was greeted with a roar of a lion. The roar made Zhengde lose his soul and he obediently gave up the idea of leaving the capital to cause trouble. He replied the edict to Yang Ling, ordering him to control the officials and troops in Bazhou and be fully responsible for the relevant matters.
His edict also mentioned how to deal with the foolish people claiming to be the Emperor. Zhengde was young and was not as open-minded as Hongzhi. In his view, there could not be two suns in the sky and two rulers in the country. No matter how big or small the country was, whether it was child's play or not, claiming to be the Emperor was the same as seeking death. If Ming Destiny allowed a person who had claimed to be the Emperor to live safely, wouldn't that be encouraging others to rebel?
Therefore, in the edict that Zhengde gave to Yang Ling, Zhao Wanxing, who claimed to be the Emperor, must be executed. As for the left and right Prime Ministers, the six ministers and the great general, they must all be banished. As for the rest of the people and the weak women, the Emperor was magnanimous and did not pursue the matter. This morning, when he went to the Zhizhou yamen to count the confiscated items, the edict to deal with this matter had just arrived. Yang Ling listened to it again and there was no need to hide it now.
Yang Ling nodded and said, "Not bad. These foolish people, although funny, are also pitiful. The current Emperor is benevolent and has issued an edict to pardon those ignorant people. However, as for the main prisoner Zhao Wanxing who claimed to be the Emperor, in order to warn the world, we can … "
Yang Ling shook his head. Jiang Bin did not care about the lives of those fools. He only cared about Wang Mantang. Jiang Bin couldn't help but say nervously, "So, the main criminal cannot be pardoned. That Miss Wang, who claimed to be the Empress, will also be beheaded?"
Yang Ling said, "That won't happen. What chaos can a woman do? The Emperor has issued an edict that the main criminal must be eliminated. Those who are second-rank officials and above will be banished to Hami Wei. The rest and the women will be pardoned. "
When Yang Ling said this, he frowned and said in confusion, "If you want to talk about strange, I just wonder why it is not Liaodong, but Hami Wei. Why would the Emperor think of that place? It's so strange. "
In the past two years, the criminals had generally been sent to Liaodong according to Yang Ling's proposal. There were no criminals sent to the Western Regions. Moreover, Hami Wei was not in Ming Destiny's hands. Hami Wei was first established in the fourth year of Yongle. In the ninth year of Chenghua, Turpan seized Hami Wei. Another nine years later, Ming Destiny recaptured Hami Wei.
From then on, Ming Destiny and Turpan started a tug-of-war in Hami. In the first year of Hongzhi, Turpan seized Hami Wei again. In the fourth year of Hongzhi, Ming Destiny recovered the lost land. In the sixth year of Hongzhi, Turpan seized Hami Wei three times. In the eighth year of Hongzhi, Turpan seized Hami Wei again, but it was soon lost. In the tenth year of Hongzhi, Hami Wei was recovered again. But in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, taking advantage of Hongzhi's death, the Tatar cavalry attacked the nine borders. Turpan sent troops to seize Hami Wei again.
In history, the Great Ming Dynasty never recovered Hami again. After repeated attempts, the army could only retreat to Jiayu Pass. After nearly a hundred years of repeated battles, the Great Ming Dynasty finally had no choice but to give up Hami Wei and give up this important road that guarded the throat of the Western Region.
At present, Ming Destiny was still trying to recover Hami. At the same time, in order to suppress Wala, he forced them to fight for the grasslands with the Tatar Empire. Although Hami City had been lost, Yang Ling and the Emperor had set an agreement to wait and see. While the internal strife weakened the Tatar Empire, he still ordered the army to stay outside Hami Wei. This was both an attempt to recover Hami Wei and to exert pressure on Wala at any time.
Now was not the time to launch a large-scale attack on Turpan. Everything else was easy, but they were short of money. It would take a few years for the various measures to strengthen the national power to be effective. When Ming Destiny's national power was sufficient, every time he recovered Hami, he would need at least two to four years to reorganize his armaments. Based on Yang Ling's estimation, even if he mobilized elite troops for an expedition to fight, it would not be an easy task to recapture Hami Wei.
If he used troops at the wrong time, the correct goal would become militaristic, which would be harmful to the country and the people. The Emperor's every move and many small things were a sign of some of his goals and views. Yang Ling was very worried that this was a sign that Zhengde was going to immediately attack Hami Wei. But if he really had this kind of idea, Jiao Fang, who had stayed in the capital, would have heard of it. So Yang Ling was very confused.
How could he know that this was all Liu Jin's sudden inspiration? When Liu Jin heard that someone was pretending to be the Emperor, he angrily expressed his loyalty to Emperor Zhengde and demanded that these rebellious commoners be exterminated. Unexpectedly, Zhengde had already read Yang Ling's secret letter and preemptively did not want to carry out a massacre. Helpless, Liu Jin could only find a loophole in Zhengde's words.
Zhengde only said to send them away, but did not say where. Liu Jin remembered that Hami Wei and Turpan were constantly fighting small battles, and the garrison was full of soldiers. Because they were far away in a foreign land, more than thirty percent of the able-bodied soldiers had died due to illness or plague. If he sent a few slaves over, their living conditions would be even more difficult, and they would probably be better off suffering a blow. So he took the liberty and added the words "Hami Wei" to the edict, sending the Left and Right Prime Ministers of Great Shun, the Six Ministers, and the Formidable Great General to the border to risk their lives.
When Jiang Bin heard that the Emperor wanted to pardon the beautiful woman for her great crime, his heart was wild with joy. At first he was worried that this was a major case of rebellion, and he didn't know how the Emperor would deal with it. No matter how enchanting the woman was, she was still a criminal to the throne. It was fine to take advantage of her along the way, but he didn't want to go against his own head. So even though he didn't want to, ever since she was locked up in prison, he didn't want to touch her again.
Now that he heard that the Emperor wanted to release her, Jiang Bin's cunning mind immediately became active. Her husband was about to be beheaded, and she was the wife of a criminal to the throne. As a grand You Ji General, wouldn't it be easy for him to bring this beautiful woman into his mansion as a concubine?
Thinking about this, Jiang Bin's heart was itching hard to scratch; he wished that he could grow wings and fly to prison, and make love to this beautiful woman first.
Jiang Bin thought to himself, "The Emperor's edict won't be sent to prison so quickly. The Zhizhou yamen needs to arrange for Yamachi and make prison carriages to escort these exiled prisoners to the faraway Western Regions; it will take several days to prepare. If I go to prison and confiscate her house and execute her to intimidate her, a commoner woman who doesn't have much experience will certainly be terrified.
At that time, I'll leak some information and promise to help her get out of her crime, and let her take the initiative to beg me … hee hee, when she gets out, won't she be deeply grateful to me? Hmm … maybe in prison, I'll be able to bluff that flirtatious young lady into serving me well, and I'll enjoy the taste of this beautiful and delicate woman to my heart's content. This young lady's body is delicate and tender, hahahaha … "
Yang Ling couldn't understand the sudden banishment of the prisoners to Hami Wei no matter how he thought about it, so he could only put this matter to the back of his mind. Setting aside his worries, he raised his wine cup and said, "It's the New Year, let's not talk about these bloodstained matters. Jiang Xiong, we … Jiang Xiong …?"
Yang Ling looked strangely at Jiang Bin. The dancers in the hall had already left when they were chatting, so what was Jiang Bin looking at? Why was he staring at a plate of roasted chicken and smiling so lasciviously?
"Jiang Xiong?" Yang Ling raised his voice and called out again.
Jiang Bin was imagining the flirtatious little seductress Wang Mantang moaning under his body, and for a moment, he was extremely aroused. His little brother, who hadn't tasted meat for a long time, also raised his head and sang the same song as his boss. Suddenly being called out by Yang Ling, he jumped in fright. His hand touched the wine cup, and with a crash, a cup of wine fell onto the table.
Instantly, the crotch of his pants became wet … it was a little stinging …
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
