A war was about to break out in the Forbidden City. Although there was no smoke or fire in this war, it was more intense than the mobilization of thousands of troops and horses. It was more powerful than the gains and losses of capturing several cities and mansions. Because today's war would decide who would control the political situation in the imperial court of Ming Destiny in the future.
At the same time, a rebellion that seemed insignificant and had no impact on the overall situation of the imperial court also began in Bazhou. At first, the number of people was only a few hundred, like a little fire in the boundless dry land, inconspicuous …
Zheng De Emperor had just announced that the six departments of affairs had been initiated, and the hundred officials had responded to the impeachment of Yang Ling and Liu Jin, requesting the two of them to defend themselves in court, when Liu Jin let out an anguished wail and suddenly rushed forward two steps, kneeling in front of the imperial table. In a loud and sorrowful voice she said, "Your Majesty, this old servant has shared Your Majesty's worries, racking my brains, never daring to be even the slightest bit negligent. However, the Old Slave was an internal official and was always feared and despised by the outer court. They wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.
Your Majesty, do you still remember that at the beginning of your ascension to the throne, the Old Slave was just a humble slave who ran around Your Majesty to serve Your Majesty? He had no power. What heinous crime did he commit? But Liu Jian, Xie Qian and other traitors forced Your Majesty to abdicate the throne with the power of hundreds of officials and forced Your Majesty to kill the Old Slave and other people. The past is still vivid in my mind. Today is just a repeat of the past. The difference is that Liu Jian and Xie Qian are gone and replaced by Yang Ling and Jiao Fang. "
Speaking of this, Liu Jin raised his head with tears and snot. He pointed to Yang Ling and said, "Yang Ling was inspected by the imperial edict. He led a group of ignorant teenagers to be unreasonable and arbitrary, so that the supervision was paralyzed and all the officials felt insecure. It was Huang's duty to report to the Secretary, but for some reason, Yang Shen made a false accusation, accusing the old servant of trying to divert the target and exonerate Yang Ling.
Your Majesty, who doesn't know that Yang Shen was a disciple of Yang Ling? They were master and disciple and recommended each other. Yang Shen must have been instructed by Yang Ling to frame the Old Slave. Your Majesty, please investigate it clearly. "
Yang Ling glanced at Liu Jin and said, "This fellow's speech is full of emotion. It looks like he must have done a lot of homework last night. Last time Liu Jian, Xie Qian and the others had arranged countless crimes for them and themselves. At that time, Liu Jin was indeed not a great evil. He was only a servant, trying his best to find some fun for the young master. In the end, he said that he brought disaster to the country and the people, that his heart was extremely evil. Your Majesty recalled the past and will certainly have the same feeling about what he said today."
Looking at Emperor Zhengde, sure enough, there was a sympathetic expression on his face. Yang Ling remembered Zhu Xiang 'er's instructions and did not dare to directly attack the vital point. The incisive speech that he had originally prepared could not be used anymore. He had no choice but to say after some deliberation, "Your Majesty is open-minded and open-minded like a valley, and is good at accepting honest advice. Quoting the remonstrations of hundreds of officials, reflecting on one's mistakes, in order to purge the governance of the officials and correct the source of the Way of Science. Your subject is extremely fearful. Given such a heavy responsibility, how would I dare to not fulfill my duties? "
"Your subject investigated the corruption of the Way of Science and a large amount of evidence pointed towards Liu Jin. As the Minister of Internal Affairs, Liu Jin has the power to 'approve the red', and is also in charge of the investigation, appointment and dismissal of hundreds of officials. Your subject has found out that most of the corrupt officials are in cahoots with Liu Jin. Liu Jin has distorted the original intention of the investigation and arbitrarily placed private people in positions. There are less than a hundred and fifty officials in the Way of Science in the capital, and more than half of them are guilty. Liu Jin has unjustly indulged in evil, and it is clearly seen by everyone. He is fearful because of this, and that is why he is making a false accusation! "
Yang Ling wanted to first catch the corruption case and see how it would go. When Zhang Cai heard Yang Ling mention the governance of the officials and the appointment and dismissal of officials, he would definitely be involved. He could not help but step out to defend himself, "Your Majesty, investigating the Way of Science and rectifying the governance of the officials is originally a good thing. However, once one holds great power, the harsh laws and regulations will affect the officials, causing the people's hearts to be turbulent, and everyone will feel insecure. Your subject is very worried about this, and there are some things that must be said.
Your Majesty, the people in the Way of Science are the elites of the scholarly world. Among them, there may be those who take bribes, bend the law, or abuse their power for personal gain. However, Duke Wei has already implicated more than half of them, and is still investigating, looking like he wants to catch them all in one fell swoop. Could it be that there are no officials who are loyal, patriotic, and honest? Yang Ling's action caused the officials to keep quiet out of fear, and not dare to do anything.
Your Majesty, the reason why Emperor Taizu set up the Way of Science is to supervise the governance of the officials, and the selection of the officials must be of Jinshi background. Could it be that the teachings these Jinshi received since young have all been wiped out? Moreover, with Your Majesty's personal judgment, the appointment and dismissal of the cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel, and the internal court's examination system, how many mediocre and corrupt officials can there be? If this goes on, won't the Imperial Censors not dare to speak, and the officials of the world will lose their restraints? This matter concerns the country, and this subject has no choice but to remonstrate: Duke Wei should stop the confiscation of the Way of Science! "
Liu Jin can cry, and his cries soften the Emperor's heart. However, in terms of eloquence, Zhang Cai can still speak, and her words move people's hearts. Liu Jin's spirit was roused, and immediately stretched his neck to look at Yang Ling: Let's see what this brat has to say!
Yang Ling did not say anything, because Yang Shen jumped out first. Some words that shed all pretense of cordiality, even if it is just a sarcastic retort, when a high-ranking official says it, people will say that you are not cultured enough, and that it is better to have a younger brother do it. If it is right, then it is young and promising, and if it is wrong, then it is young and impetuous. In any case, no matter what, it is full of youthful energy, and one must judge a person by their development.
Yang Shen bowed deeply and said politely: "Official Zhang's words are wrong, this lowly official thinks … …"
Liu Jin hated this troublemaker to death. Moreover, he has been crying and kneeling for half a day, and the Emperor forgot to let him get up. His legs are also numb. When he saw Yang Shen jumping out, he immediately stood up and pointed at him: "How dare you! The Minister of Personnel and Duke Wei are speaking in front of the Emperor, and you are just a small sixth-ranked official, and you dare to interrupt?"
Yang Shen was calm and collected, and slightly bowed to him. He smiled shyly and only said four words: "I, am, Imperial, Censor!"
Liu Jin was immediately speechless. What is an Imperial Censor? An Imperial Censor is the combination of a supervisor and a remonstrant, also known as a Desk Remonstrant, and generally known as an Imperial Censor. Although the official position is small, it is an official representing the Emperor to supervise officials of all levels. It is an official who can directly remonstrate with the Emperor's mistakes, and even return imperial edicts. If the Emperor can directly remonstrate with the Emperor, how can others put on airs?
Liu Jin's old face was very red, and he resentfully retreated to one side. Yang Shen brushed his sleeves, as if dusting, and said respectfully: "Official Zhang said that the selection of Imperial Censor comes from Jinshi, and they are all elites of the scholarly world. They have long received the teachings of sages, and there is nothing wrong with their moral character. However, if being a Jinshi is a guarantee of moral character, then eight or nine out of ten of the hundred officials in the court are also Jinshi, and their moral character is naturally enough to be self-disciplined. Why is there a need to set up Imperial Censor?
"Within the Imperial Censor, third-rank and above Imperial Censor officials must self-reflect, and also accept the Ministry of Appointments' investigation. The rest of the supervising officials also have a periodic examination system. Isn't it to prevent the appearance of wolves and wolves from the official family, hawks and dogs from the private school?
Right now, the Emperor is the source of the purging of officials. If he really finds that there are countless corrupt officials, it will prove that this path is correct. It will prove that the situation in Mingba Province where everyone is corrupt is precisely because the Imperial Censor officials themselves are corrupt, and have already lost the function of their ears, eyes, and mouthpiece. Using thunder and storm to clean up the Imperial Censor, why worry about the governance of officials is unclear, and the world is not at peace? "
This eloquence is also good! The people sent by Yang Ling also became spirited, and their gazes quickly shifted to Zhang Cai. Some of the officials who had already heard that Liu Jin had used the letters they had requested and the calligraphy and paintings he had gifted as evidence of their close relationship, and that he was threatening them not to participate in the attack were both hateful and afraid. It was not convenient for them to stick their heads out, but seeing Yang Shen speak like this, they also felt that their anger had been vented. As long as the accusation was not a heinous crime that implicated them, they could not wait to embarrass him a few more times.
Zhang Cai took a step forward, raised his eyebrows, and said in an awe-inspiring voice, "In Advisor Yang's words, who are the wolves and wolves from the official family, and who are the hawks and dogs from the official family?"
Zhang Cai's figure was tall and imposing, and his appearance was extremely handsome. Although he was over forty years old, he had an even more mature temperament, and was a famous handsome man in the capital. Yang Shen was delicate on the inside, and in terms of appearance and dignified manner, especially the kind of aura that comes from being in a high position in the officialdom for a long time, he naturally could not compare.
Impeaching Liu Jin, that was committing a grave offense, and regardless of whether it was right or wrong, one must not lose one's integrity. Now, he was asked to point out by name which of his colleagues in the scientific field had flattered Liu Jin, and who had joined Liu Jin's faction. This was suspected of being a snitch, and Yang Shen could not help but hesitate for a moment.
He was just thinking about how to tactfully reply when Yang Ling had already taken over the topic, saying, "Lord Zhang, this official has followed His Majesty's orders to investigate the officials in the scientific field, and discovered that a few of the long-standing cases involving Liu Jin had been detained. After interrogation, I found out that these officials had colluded with Liu Jin, embezzled money, and violated the law and order."
He took a step forward, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, this official has investigated the scientific field, and discovered that many cases involving Liu Jin have been investigated. I originally wanted to investigate them one by one before presenting them to Your Majesty. Since we are confronting each other in court today, this official will present the cases that have already been investigated to Your Majesty."
When the civil and military officials heard that he was going to report Liu Jin, they couldn't help but become nervous, not knowing what kind of crime he was going to accuse Liu Jin of.
After Liu Jin had seized power, he was extremely dedicated to his work, taking care of both internal and external affairs. Whether it was official or private matters, if the officials wanted to make things easier for him, they all had to go to his head, and he had to nod his head. As a result, they all paid their respects and went to greet him.
This kind of thing did not mean that they were all the same kind of people. Those who gave gifts to the leader were not necessarily his trusted aides, some of them were even secretly opposing him. These were two different matters, the same principle applied in ancient times. The only difference was that in ancient times, the law of association was too fierce. Ordinary corruption was not an issue, but forming a clique to disrupt the government, shaking the foundation of the country, and making a wide range of henchmen was considered treason. If the Emperor suspected these two things, he would inevitably be implicated.
Liu Jin was good at flattering, and also liked to enjoy other people's flattery. In order to cater to his favor, these officials, although they were officials and generals of the Yuan Dynasty, would always refer to themselves as juniors, students under the tutelage, and his trusted aides would refer to themselves as Liu Jin as benefactor, benefactor, etc.
For example, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, Zhu En, who was currently in the hall, was promoted by Liu Jin during the political examination this time. Zhu En was deeply grateful to him, and whenever he wrote a greeting card to Liu Jin, he would not write "Greetings" at the bottom, but "Top", meaning that he was kneeling on the ground with the greeting card above his head.
On Liu Jin's birthday this year, Zhu En sent a congratulatory gift and wrote a greeting card. In the heat of the moment, he committed a huge taboo, and actually addressed Liu Jin as "Long Live". Although it had two meanings, such as wishing him a long life because it was his birthday, but he was playing around with ambiguity, so how could he say it clearly?
There were many officials like him. The civil and military officials looked down on internal eunuchs the most, but how powerful was Liu Jin's influence? Based on the arrogance of Wang Zhen and Wang Zhi in the past, the civil and military officials in the imperial court would kneel when they saw Wang Zhen, three out of ten would kneel when they saw Wang Zhi, and seven out of ten would kneel when they saw Liu Jin.
There were also many who danced with literature, and praised him. The Xuanming Palace, which Liu Jin had spent a large amount of the people's blood and sweat to build, was obviously a move that would bring disaster to the country and the people. However, with Li Dongyang's status, in order to prevent Liu Jin from creating trouble for himself in the imperial court, he had no choice but to feign civility, and even made a 'monument' to praise Liu Jin's meritorious service.
Yang Ling said, "Your Majesty, this official investigated and discovered that the local officials who were detained had reported that Liu Jin wanted all the military and military treasuries in the world to be sent to the capital, emptying the county's stockpile. Once there is a drought or flood disaster, if there is no timely relief, the consequences will be dire. What's more, more than half of the money and grain sent to the capital has actually fallen into Liu Jin's personal pocket. Not one person could have done this, and there are many people who know about it. As long as this matter is investigated, the truth will definitely be revealed.
Liu Jin accepted bribes and gave more than a hundred local ruffians in the capital the position of Imperial Bodyguard, and forcibly placed them in the North Discipline Commission. What was his intention? In addition, Zhang Jun and the others of Hanlin Academy gave bribes to Liu Jin. Liu Jin falsely accused the original Hanlin Academy editors of not being respectful in their copying, and ordered these people to copy it again, so that they could skip ranks and be promoted. Even the craftsmen who decorated this book, Dou Mao and the others, were promoted to the Deputy Minister of the Literature Academy.
The imperial court official position has become a commodity for Liu Jin to sell at a high price, how can it not make people's hair stand on end? Also … "
He looked at the somewhat pale face of Liu Jin and said, "Liu Jin's corruption, taking bribes, using private officials, breaking the law and violating discipline are too numerous to mention. This official has conclusive evidence in my hands, so I will try to mention one or two to Your Majesty. There was a sinner who drowned and died, he insisted that it was the fault of Imperial Censor Kuang Yizhi, and seized the opportunity to remove him and replace him with his own trusted aide.
Hanlin Academy Scholar Wu Yan was incompetent and unwilling to bribe, so he found an opportunity to remove him from his official position. He also appointed his own family servant's son-in-law as Shandong's School Administrator, working hand in glove with the then Shandong Garrison Guard, Bi Zhen, to corrupt the local government, to the point that the Shandong river was flooded with fish.
The retired Imperial Censor Qian Yue and several other officials tried to impeach Liu Jin, but he also provoked them to confiscate their houses. Moreover, one family broke the law, unexpectedly even the neighbors were implicated. Imperial Censor Qian lived on the left side of the river, and even the houses on the right side of the river were ransacked … "
Yang Ling recounted Liu Jin's various misdeeds after he came to power, starting from corruption, selling official positions, salt administration, taxation, and all other aspects, including the matter of Imperial Bodyguard Yang Yu and Shi Wenyi aiding the tyrant, planting false charges, arresting people and extorting bribes. The Count of Pingjiang, Chen Xiong, did not deliver the bribe and was framed by Liu Jin for corruption, so he ordered Yang Yu and the others to arrest him and seize the death-exemption certificate granted by the previous court. Finally, his title was stripped and his family confiscated, and his entire family was sent to the army.
As for Zhang Cai, Liu Yu, and the others, Yang Ling thought that if he exposed them now, it would be far less shocking than accusing Liu Jin of forming a clique to disrupt the government and plotting to rebel, so he deliberately left them out. In any case, he had just stated that today's report was about the crimes that had already been investigated and verified, so it would not be strange for there to be new crimes in the future.
When the various officials saw that Yang Ling's report never left Liu Jin's crimes of corruption, bribery, and abusing his power for personal gain, they secretly calmed down. Liu Jin, Zhang Cai, and the others felt a little strange and even disappointed. Liu Jin pretended to be anxious and even cried, hoping that Yang Ling would rush over and arrange a huge crime for him, taking the opportunity to suppress him. Why did Yang Ling …
Could it be that they had overestimated him? Political opponents were like life and death enemies. This person abided by the rules and could not be cruel and merciless. Even if he won the hearts of the people, had prestige, and was favored by the Emperor, what achievements would he have? Zhang Cai, Cao Yuan, and the others were disappointed and could not help but despise him.
Emperor Zhengde had an ugly expression on his face as he listened, but he was also rather embarrassed. Many of Liu Jin's actions had been done under his guise, and he had also used some grandiose reasons to report to him. For example, he had escorted the money and grain from the government treasury to the capital, saying that it was for the convenience of centralized transfer and unified management, and he had also punished officials by extorting money from them to make up for the lack of funds. He had truly approved of these actions, and he had truly resolved the problem of the court being dishonest.
There were also a few other matters that he had never heard of. Just how much Liu Jin had gained from these matters and how much had been used to work for him? Zhengde truly did not know. He would never be willing to publicly question Liu Jin, as the slightest mistake would cause him, the Son of Heaven, to be dragged into this mess.
But Yang Ling's words were backed up by evidence, and he had even named names. How could he remain indifferent? Emperor Zhengde felt ill at ease, sitting on his throne as if he was sitting on pins and needles. He was just wondering how he could muddle through this when Cao Yuan came out of his office and began to accuse Yang Ling of committing unjust imprisonment and torturing him for extorting a confession.
He then analyzed that there were not so many corrupt officials in Bazhou, and that there were not more than half of the mediocre officials in the imperial court. These were all confessions that Yang Ling had obtained through torture. He also cited Yang Ling's interrogation methods, saying that the princes did not abide by the law, insulted the educated, and caused the scholars to lose their minds and shake the foundation of the country.
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiao Fang responded and stepped out. However, the commander-in-chief had not yet reached the vital point and had not given the order to attack, so they could not rashly make a move and throw the situation into disorder. But they could only counter every move and criticize each other. It was already very intense and the Hall of Zhong He was immediately filled with smoke.
In the middle was a deep pit, a pit big enough to bury a person. Both sides, intentionally or unintentionally, were walking around it. One accused the other of corruption and abuse of power for personal gain, the other accused the other of destroying the cruel laws of the imperial court. Both of their words were like pearls, impassioned and impassioned.
This kind of battle seemed intense, but it was like two troops separated by a large river. Arrows rained down on each other, and the sound of war drums shook the heavens, but not a single soldier made physical contact.
The debate became a group battle, and the main character became a supporting character. Liu Jin and Yang Ling stood on both sides of the imperial table in silence. The officials below argued until their faces were red to the ears. Yang Ling's heart had already flown out of the hall. "We must not mention the crimes of political disorder and treason, which are punishable by death. What actually happened? If we don't figure this out, how can we attack with all our strength? "
Liu Jin was also trying to guess Yang Ling's intentions. "Can these crimes bring me down? I did many things in the name of the Emperor. How much of it was used for the Emperor's work, and how much of it went into my own pocket? You will not be able to figure this out unless I fall. But if you don't figure it out, how can you bring me down?
Yang Ling, ah, Yang Ling, you put in so much effort, but it turns out that you only have this little ability. I really overestimated you. The so-called Great Jinx Yang, hehe, is nothing more than this! "
Some officials who knew the news saw that Li Dongyang, Yang Tinghe and the other big shots did not seem to know, so they took advantage of the chaos and whispered a few words. The two scholars then understood why Yang Ling had lost his drive. Since their side could not be united, before this matter was resolved, it would not be good to stake everything in a life-and-death battle.
"First, think of a way to get rid of the worries!" Thinking of this, the two scholars immediately joined in enthusiastically. Li Dongyang, who did not publicly express his position, added many side issues to this pot of imperial chowder at the right time and conveniently.
Suddenly, the decisive battle became a war of wrangling …
Zhengde finally understood. "I was so worried that I couldn't eat, all the civil and military officials … are all idle!"
※ ※ ※
Liu Liu, Liu Qi, Liu Hui and the rest changed into the earthy grey robes again. There was a red scarf around their necks, but it was not covered. The long hilted sabers were slung behind their shoulders, the red tassels swaying in the wind. In front of them, there were rows of strong men, all of them dressed in martial attire, leading fierce horses.
"Big Brother, I have already informed our brothers. Everyone is rubbing their palms together, ready to fight with the untrustworthy officials. I have gathered our men, the horses are all ready-made, but the weapons have been confiscated, so there is no time to get them now. You, Feng Lei and Tiger return to the Anti-Theft Camp, gather our men in the army, and break open the armory at night. I will rush in, distribute the weapons, and immediately attack Bazhou City at night. "
Zhang Mao stood in front, the torches were swaying, reflecting his face and his pair of black eyes, as if there were two balls of fire jumping in his eyes. "Good! With just us brothers, we can go anywhere in the world. Oh yes, my cousin is stationed at the Armor Camp in the north of the city, I want to send someone to look for him to start a rebellion, what do you think? "
Feng Lei was stunned and said, "Big Brother, he has always been an official, why would he want to follow us?"
Zhang Mao said, "I trust him, my brother is also a righteous man, now the officials are forcing the people to rebel, and he has long been angry with Liang Hong, so he has long been unhappy. To tell you the truth, when I was just arrested, my cousin wanted to break out of the prison, save me, and leave. If he knows that I am rebelling, my cousin will definitely come to join me. "
Tiger Xing thought for a while and said, "Big Brother, the sky is already dark, and if we start a rebellion tonight, we will first attack the Anti-Theft Camp, take the weapons and then take over Bazhou. Your cousin is far away in the Armor Camp, even if he is willing to join you, he will have to first reorganize the internal affairs, and then get people who are willing to follow him to join, it will take too long. Also, this is a big matter, it is better to be careful. "
Liu Liu thought for a while and said, "Big Brother, Tiger Xing is right, in my opinion, we should still act according to plan, take over Bazhou, get the soldiers, horses, money, and rations first, if your cousin is willing to join you, he will make a decision after hearing the news. Anyway, it is just a small Anti-Theft Camp, we do not need to help you, what do you think?"
Zhang Mao thought for a while and said, "Good! Let's do it this way! I will return to the camp now, I will first deal with Guard Tong, as soon as you see the fire, immediately set up camp, take the weapons, and we will head straight for the prefecture! "
Zhang Mao brought Liu Twenty-Seven back to the Anti-Theft Camp. Liu Twenty-Seven is his subordinate, a confidant who has followed him for many years, and also Zhang Mao's most trusted assistant. In the army, alcohol is not allowed, women are not allowed, but because the Anti-Theft Camp is not far from the city, it is convenient to come and go, so Guard Tong does not care about these. At this moment, not only is there wine and meat in his big tent, there is also an enchanting woman sitting on his lap, using her mouth as a cup, pouring wine into his mouth.
Just as Guard Tong was enjoying himself, suddenly the curtain of the tent was lifted, and a tall figure walked in with his waist bent. That woman screamed and wanted to jump up, but Guard Tong grabbed her slender waist and laughed, "Darling, don't be afraid, in this army camp, I have the highest position, you, ah, just wait on Master with peace of mind."
After Guard Tong said that, he said with a straight face, "It is Official Zhang, what is it? You came in so late at night without notifying, do you still want to follow the rules? "
Zhang Mao was dressed in a neat military uniform, he was tall and handsome, much taller than the thin Guard Tong. Zhang Mao said with a smile, "Sir is right, this lowly official went home today and saw that life in the army is poor. Sir, you are working hard for the country and living a poor life, this lowly official is very touched, I specially brought 200 taels of silver back to show my respect to you."
As he spoke, he walked over. When Guard Tong heard this, his expression immediately changed, and he said with a smile, "Aiya, Sir Zhang, there is no need to be so polite, hehehe, you see … hmm … do you want to sit down and have a drink?"
"No, no, no, Sir, please do what you need to do, this subordinate is going back to the camp to rest. You know I have many friends and relatives in the city, hehe, this social interaction …"
Guard Tong understood, but his eyes were fixed on the hand in his bosom. At this moment, Zhang Mao had already walked in front of him, he knew that this Guard Tong looked thin, but his martial arts was not weak. The people of Bazhou were fierce, and they had always been martial, how could there not be officers in the Anti-Thief Camp who did not know martial arts?
The key to the armory was with Guard Tong, and the majority of the soldiers in the army were loyal to Guard Tong. If they did not kill him first, it would be a lot of trouble to successfully attack the Anti-Thief Camp.
Zhang Mao took out his hand from his bosom, and there was a gold ingot that was shining with a tempting light. The prostitute's eyes immediately lit up, and a pair of beautiful eyes stared at the gold ingot. Guard Tong, however, was stunned. He raised his head in confusion and said, "Didn't Sir Zhang say two hundred …"
Just as he said this, he discovered that the smile on Zhang Mao's face had completely disappeared, and there was a murderous look on his face. Guard Tong was shocked, and immediately pushed the woman in his bosom toward Zhang Mao, at the same time punching toward his lower abdomen. But it was already too late. In the instant he raised his head in question, Zhang Mao had already grabbed his unguarded throat, and there was a crisp sound of bones breaking.
His fist was already weak halfway through, and when it hit Zhang Mao's steel-like abdominal muscles, it was already completely powerless. However, the woman was still pushed into Zhang Mao's bosom.
"Ah ~!" There was a short scream, and a large hand had already covered her mouth. Half of her face was covered by that large hand, and only a pair of round, almond-shaped eyes could be seen.
"Shut up, if you don't want to die, then shut up!"
"Wuwuwu." The woman wanted to nod, but the large, powerful hand had completely fixed her face in place, and she couldn't even nod her head.
Zhang Mao smiled slightly and let go of the woman. He then picked up Guard Tong and reached for the key at his waist. As soon as the woman saw Guard Tong's half-protruding dead fish eyes, she screamed again, "Ah!"
It was still an extremely short scream. Zhang Mao waved his hand and chopped down on her slender neck. Her neck bone was immediately chopped off, and her head hung limply at a strange angle. The corpse stood upright for a moment, and then fell to the ground with a "plop" sound.
"Must you die before you'll shut up? Woman! "Zhang Mao glanced at her disdainfully, took the key from Guard Tong's bosom, and turned to walk out of the tent.
Only one of the lanterns at the entrance was still lit. Under the dim light, there were two corpses lying on the ground. They were the two soldiers who had been standing guard in front of the tent. Now, it was Zhang Mao's men who were standing.
Zhang Mao said in a low voice, "Throw these two corpses inside. I'm going to the armory. Twenty-seven has gone to inform our men. When the drums sound, immediately light up the tent."
"Yes!" Two of his trusted men replied, and bent down to pick up the two corpses and threw them into the tent.
Zhang Mao tidied his clothes and walked towards the armory. With Guard Tong dead, the Anti-Thief Battalion was like a group of dragons without a leader. As soon as his men made a move, they would definitely scatter and flee. The officer in charge of the armory was also Guard Tong's men, but with only a few of them, they were caught off guard. With Zhang Mao making a move, he would definitely succeed.
Liu Liu stood under a jujube tree on the slope, nervously watching the situation at the Anti-Thief Battalion. The night was dark, and tonight the moon was thin, reflecting the barracks like shadows in the darkness.
Suddenly, a fire broke out, followed closely by another. Liu Liu laughed excitedly, "Success! Brothers, get on your horses and charge into the camp."
With a beautiful somersault, Liu Liu mounted his warhorse and unsheathed his long sword. He shouted loudly, "Charge!" Kicking the horse's belly, he shook the reins and was the first to charge out.
The Ringing Horse Bandits followed their old habits and still covered their faces with scarves. They rode their warhorses, and with a wave of piercing whistles, they galloped towards the Anti-Thief Battalion. The Ringing Horse Bandits attacked the camp and lost all their weapons …
※ ※ ※
Liang Hong was still awake. Tonight, the Zhizhou, Tongzhi and the others had invited him to dinner, and he had just returned. During the period of national mourning, there were no banquets or entertainment, but there were not many local people who really followed this rule. Besides, this banquet was just a pretense of eating together to discuss official matters, and it was not a big crime. Who would want to offend Eunuch Liang, who had a strong backing?
After washing his body, he changed into a soft white robe and sat on a chair. Picking up the freshly brewed fragrant tea, Liang Hong happily hummed an opera tune, and said to the housekeeper, "Master, I went out to attend the banquet. Did Zhang Mao and the others come?"
The housekeeper hurriedly said, "Master, no. No one has been here tonight. "
Liang Hong narrowed his eyes, and took a sip of tea from the mouth of the teapot. He squinted his eyes and said, "Well … not crying until you see the coffin, you don't know how powerful I, Master Liang, is. Fine, you won't come without an invitation, right? You won't drink a toast, right? I gave you face, but you don't want it, right? I … "
He had just spoken to this point when the doorman rushed in and called out, "Laoye, Zhang … Zhang … Zhang Mao is here!"
"Hahaha!" Liang Hong slapped his thigh, and said happily, "This grandson, can't help but be arrogant."
"Sizzle." Another sip of tea, "Looks like you really feel the pinch. You only came at this hour, what are you waiting for? Call him in. "
"Ah? Come … come in? " The doorman suddenly widened his eyes, "Master … Master, Zhang Mao rebelled and is attacking the city. He will come in soon."
"Ah!" Liang Hong jumped up, and the teapot fell to the ground and shattered. Liang Hong trembled and said, "You … What are you talking about, Zhang Mao rebelled? He still dares to rebel? "
"It's true, Master. The patrol office sent news that the Zhizhou, Tong Zhi, Prefectural Magistrate and other officials have already arrived at the city. They are sending people to send you a message. Why don't you listen, you can hear the battle cries from the courtyard. "
Liang Hong wore a white robe and shoes as he ran to the courtyard and listened. Bazhou City wasn't that big, but the battle cries could really be heard. Liang Hong panicked and hurriedly asked, "How many people did Zhang Mao have? How many people rebelled? "
The doorman shook his head, "I don't know. I heard from the patrol officer that there were more than 2000 people. The anti-thief camp was on fire, and they are all gone."
"Si … ya!" Liang Hong took in a breath of cold air, and stood there in a daze. His eyes rolled around, and after a while, his eyeballs stopped, as if he was a little confused. He blinked a few times before he found the doorman, and shouted at him, "Quickly, bring the sedan … No, no, no, bring the horses here, bring the horses here immediately! Family warriors, servants, quickly put on your clothes and equip yourselves with weapons. Those who have horses, bring them here! "
The courtyard was busy, and those who weren't asleep, those who were awake, all the servants started to get ready. Liang Hong was dressed in white, and like a wandering spirit, he wandered around the courtyard. Once he saw someone bringing the horses, he immediately snatched the reins and walked out of the main door. He looked around and asked, "Zhang Mao is attacking the west gate?"
"That's right, Master, shouldn't you put on some clothes? If you want to go up the city, it won't take too long … Master! You're going the wrong way! "
They saw Liang Hong getting on the horse and heading straight for the east gate. The horse was actually as fast as it was flying, and dust flew everywhere. The doorman's eyes widened, and before he finished shouting, Master had already disappeared with a few trusted family warriors.
The group of servants were puzzled when they heard the sound of hooves thundering. Liang Hong had led his men back.
The doorman smiled and went up to welcome them, "Guardian Master, you're going the wrong way, Zhang Mao is at the west gate."
Liang Hong jumped off the horse, and stretched out his hand to pull the door. He didn't pay attention to him at all, and rushed straight into the residence. The housekeeper was old, and when he followed out just now, he was a little slow. Before he could understand what was going on, he saw Master rushing back, and ran straight into his bedroom.
In a short while, Liang Hong was seen running out with a box in his arms.
Bazhou was not a frontier fortress now, and even though there were city restrictions, there were no soldiers guarding the city. The only armed force at the edge of Bazhou was the Anti-Thief Camp. What kind of battle could those few old soldiers who were only responsible for opening the city gates fight? Since Zhang Mao could gather thousands of men and horses, and even the Anti-Thief Camp was wiped out without anyone knowing, how could Bazhou be defended by a group of patrol officers?
Liang Hong was not a fool, and he was the best at calculating personal gains and losses: Usually, I have the final say, but when it comes to the Patriarch, it's not me, it's the Zhizhou. He has the responsibility of being with the city. If he dies defending the city, he will be rewarded, but if he abandons the city and flees, not only will he be beheaded, but he will also be cursed. I don't want to die with him, Zhang Mao won't spare me. Liang Hong understood these things, and once he analyzed that the city could not be saved, he made a prompt decision and fled to the capital!
This time, Liang Hong jumped on the horse and headed straight for the east. This time, he never came back …
※ ※ ※
The long-prepared plan to eliminate the traitor turned into a quarrel. Both sides insisted on a point, and attacked each other. In the Hall of Zhonghe, they argued until their faces were red, but the two parties involved and the judge became bystanders.
The core members of the two sides argued until the time was up, and the Emperor had to order them all to leave the palace. Only then did the argument come to an end.
Yang Ling only now knew the truth, and after a discussion with Jiao Fang and the others, they could only dejectedly accept this reality. The love of the officials for their reputation was truly incomparable. If they did not get rid of this worry, out of love for their reputation, they would cower and retreat, and even become a hindrance. It would be very difficult for them to unite and fight against Liu Jin.
If there was no consensus, given the young Emperor's personality, he would never allow someone to ransack Liu Jin's home and frame him. The crux of the matter was that letter box. They had to obtain it to appease the hearts of the officials, and only then could they regroup.
The next day, Yang Ling and Liu Jin both took leave at the same time: they were sick.
The attack on the two continued in the court, but the number of bystanders was obviously increasing. Continuing to attack was to keep this topic open, so that the case would not be closed, so that they could wait for an opportunity to launch another attack. Liu Jin and Yang Ling were busier than in the court. Liu Jin was busy roping in the officials. Anyway, they had already fallen out. In the past, he used threats and promises, but now he even used letters to blackmail, in order to gain enough power to defeat Yang Ling.
He knew that if Yang Ling lost this time, he would only lose fame and fortune. If he lost, he would lose his life. How could he not do his best? Yang Ling did not make any big moves. Liu Jin used threats and blackmail to control the officials. In addition to fear, the officials' hearts corresponded with anger and hatred.
The greater the fear, the greater the hatred. This was a double-edged sword. If one was not careful, it would backfire. The power that caused it to retaliate was to obtain the brocade box. But this was the weapon that Liu Jin used to deal with Yang Ling. He must be very careful with it. How could they obtain it?
Because of this matter, Yang Ling was very worried. Even Cheng Qiyun, who was always smart, had no idea what to do. One day, the two were discussing in the study when Butler Gao suddenly came to report, "Master, the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards, General Song Ai, requests to see you."
"Xiao Ai?" Yang Ling was stunned. These days, he had been busy with political affairs and did not have time to see Xiao Ai and Xiao Wu. But they should know the current situation. If it was not an important matter, they should not visit.
"Invite her in!" After Yang Ling said this, he watched the butler leave. A thought suddenly flashed in his mind, "Xiao Ai … Xiao Wu! Can Xiao Wu do it? Maybe this secret box will fall into his hands! "
Yang Ling felt a wave of excitement in his heart. At that moment, he heard the clanking of armor. Song Ai, dressed in martial attire, walked in quickly with a scimitar strapped to her ribs. Yang Ling's lips had just curled into a smile when he suddenly froze. There were eight guards behind Song Ai, and two of them were prostitutes. This posture … Is she here to pass on an imperial edict?
Sure enough, Song Ai put on a straight face and did not look at Yang Ling. She entered the study and stood there arrogantly. She shouted in a deep voice, "Yang Ling, receive the imperial edict!"
Yang Ling left the table in shock. He hurriedly took two steps forward and knelt down. Cheng Qiyun also hurriedly knelt down. Song Ai unfolded the imperial edict and announced loudly, "By the will of the Emperor, the imperial edict says: Today, the people of Bazhou are in rebellion. The traitors Zhang Mao, Liu Liu, Liu Qi and the others have rebelled. They have attacked the prefectural government, pillaged the city and robbed the people.
These traitors are the horse bandits that Yang Ling recruited. Yang Ling did not know the right people and led the wolf into the house, causing a great change. I am very distressed. I order Yang Ling to stay in the residence and listen to the edict. During this period, he is not allowed to leave the residence. With this order, the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards, Song Ai, will strictly watch over him. End! "
"I … I accept the imperial edict. Thank you." Yang Ling was in a trance. What happened? Did Bazhou's Zhang Mao rebel?
The Imperial Bodyguards and the court eunuchs were just decorations. They had to return to the city after passing the edict. Since Song Ai had the responsibility of watching over him, she did not need to leave. The bodyguards and court eunuchs had just left when Song Ai suddenly put her hand on the hilt of her knife and laughed loudly, "Ha ha ha ha …"
Yang Ling's eyes went wide. After waiting for a long time, seeing her laughing happily, Yang Ling couldn't help but ask, "What is so funny?"
"Heh heh heh …" The laughter turned into a sinister laugh, "Mr Yang, oh Mr Yang, I didn't think you would have such a day."
"Huh?"
"In the past, it was always me worshipping you. Today, you are finally worshipping at my feet, ha ha ha ha …"
Yang Ling didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He shook his head and sighed, "Xiao Ai, oh Xiao Ai, you are really heartless."
"Hmm?" Song Ai looked at his worried face and couldn't help but touch her chin curiously. She said, "Isn't it just a thousand or eight hundred people? So what if they rebel? It's not a big deal. Isn't it just a matter of two or three days to wipe them out? Will the Emperor punish you for this?"
Cheng Qiyun also stood up and comforted her, "Yes, the Emperor did not arrest you. Instead, he ordered you to stay in the residence to listen to the edict. He restricted your movements but sent your subordinates. Didn't that show the Emperor's intention? You don't have to worry too much. "
Yang Ling shook his head and said, "What I'm worried about is that Liu Jin's faction won't miss this opportunity. If they take the opportunity to make a big deal out of it, who knows what kind of disaster it will lead to in the future? It's hard to say if a small sore spot will not become a serious problem. No, I have to immediately send someone to find Xiao Wu. There is a big matter that he is looking for. "
"No!" Song Ai put an arm in front of her chest and frowned. She said very sternly, "The Emperor has given a strict order that not even a cat is allowed to run out of the Wei Public House. Not even a mouse is allowed to run in. Otherwise, I will be held responsible. Please forgive me, High Duke."
So serious and indifferent? Yang Ling was a little disappointed, but he refused to believe that she would be such a person. He looked at Song Ai in a daze. He really did not know what to ask.
Song Ai put down her arm and her eyes curved into crescent moons. Then, she smiled sweetly at him with her small white teeth and asked softly, "I don't know what's the matter, sir. Xiao Ai will have to work hard and help you run a few more trips!"
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