Huanhua Building
Looking at the back of the young man who walked away without looking back, all the salt merchants had gloomy faces and a thick layer of gloom in their hearts. It seemed that the aura of hunting and blood floating between their noses had been forgotten by them. .
Gu Ruoqing looked at the young man who left proudly, his eyes flickered under Liu Ye's thin eyebrows, the dagger had already been put away, and his mind was lost in thought.
Nan Ling's little face turned pale with fright, she took Gu Ruoqing's hand and whispered, "Sister Gu."
"It's okay, everyone is gone." Gu Ruoqing, with a jade-like face, said softly, and her voice was surprisingly calm, which made Liniang, who was still in shock, take a second look.
Jiang Tong looked at the few people with gloomy eyes and said, "Uncle Yong Ning is attending a banquet here. Who leaked the news?"
We are both Yangzhou salt merchants, so we naturally know that among the people present, there are a few bold ones doing maritime trade with Bei Bianer, but business is business, and sending letters to assassinate people is a bit too much.
Huang Rishan frowned, with anger visible on his fat white face, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Jiang, what do you mean by this?"
Cheng Peili sneered and asked, "Mr. Jiang suspects that one of us colluded with the Donglu to assassinate Uncle Yongning. We have always known the truth. Who has the guts to assassinate such a powerful martial artist?"
"But Uncle Yongning said so." Bao Zuhui frowned and said, "It seems that those who were captured alive were also Jurchens."
As he spoke, he looked around at the people around him, with suspicious eyes lingering on the faces of Huang Cheng, Ma Xianjun, and Cheng Peili, and asked, "Who leaked the news?"
"Old Bao, who are you looking at?" Huang Cheng said angrily.
Ma Xianjun's eyes were a bit gloomy, and he was sneering in his heart. The result of people's discord was that they were defeated one by one.
Bao Zuhui smiled contemptuously and said, "It doesn't matter if you don't admit it. Now that they have captured him alive, and Jinyi Mansion will severely torture him, I'm afraid the truth will come to light soon."
Smuggling has been banned time and time again, but ambushing a noble soldier of the imperial court was still too courageous. I don't know if it will be involved in smuggling. Anyway, he has never personally intervened.
Under the illumination of the lanterns on the corridor eaves, Wang Shouqi, old and gloomy as iron, said: "From the time I received the invitation yesterday, to the people in the north receiving the news, it took a whole day, and it took such a long time. It is not just the eight of us who know that some people in the family know Women, maids, and servants may all leak the news. Could it be that the people around Uncle Yongning and the Yanyuan Yamen didn't leak the news?"
After all, I am a talkative person, and as a result, something like this happened, but now I still can't mess up my position, and people's hearts can't be messed up, otherwise they will bite each other like Yong Ningbo renovating the river yamen in Huai'an Prefecture.
Xiao Hongsheng nodded, thinking on his handsome young face, and said: "What Mr. Wang said is true. We have a family and a family in Yangzhou, and we are dining at the same table. How can we not be so unwise? I see. Uncle Yong Ning is also very angry, and after a good explanation, it should be all right."
But having said that, he couldn't help but glance at his companions. Who colluded with Donglu?
Jiang and Wang are over sixty years old. They have a large family in Yangzhou. Whenever the court gives them a chance to survive, they will not take risks. As for Huang Rishan and Huang Cheng, they are in their forties and fifties. We have been of the same clan for several generations, and we have always advanced and retreated together. We are just a bunch of people, and they don't seem to have the guts to do such a thing.
Bao Zuhui has always been very talkative. He heard that he had done some smuggling business with the Jurchens, but how dare he do such an assassination? So who is it?
Then he looked at Ma Xianjun and Cheng Peili. One of them was bold and cautious, the other resourceful. They were also sons and daughters. Could it be that they were two people?
He shouldn't be so stupid. Even if Uncle Yongning dies...well, if he dies, then Yangzhou Salt Affairs will not be able to investigate, but if the imperial court sends other people to investigate, they may not be able to investigate. What result will come out.
Just when Xiao Hongsheng was guessing who was reporting the news, a boy ran over from the front, crawling on the ground, with panic on his face, and said: "Master, it's not good, there are a lot of officers and soldiers, surrounded by Jinyi Tiqi." Come to Huanhua Tower."
Everyone was shocked when they heard this.
The fire in the front yard grew stronger, and a
Teams of cavalry in fine clothes surrounded the entire Huanhua Tower like a tide, and the sounds of people roaring and horses neighing could be heard endlessly.
While several people were talking, a group of twenty or thirty Jinyi Tiqi came from outside and entered the courtyard. The leader was a Jinyi Baihu wearing a red robe and flying fish suit and a black official hat, with a gloomy look on his face. , eyes like hawks, staring at several people like hooks.
In the midst of the eight salt merchants' confusion, they said in a deep voice: "Come here, take all these people back."
As soon as he said this, Wang Shouqi's expression changed drastically, and he said anxiously: "My lord, what crime have we committed?"
The first hundred households said indifferently: "According to the order of the governor of my family, the enemy nobles personally led the dead soldiers to Yangzhou to assassinate Yong Ningbo. You are all witnesses and may be suspected of collaborating with the enemy. All of them were brought to the Yanyuan Yamen to record the details. More questioning."
As soon as this statement came out, several salt merchants were shocked and asked? Is this treating them like prisoners?
"How can you be so rude! I have the status of a third-grade vassal counselor given by the Supreme Emperor." Jiang Tong heard this and said urgently.
"Third-grade participation in politics? Not even a second-grade governor can do it in front of Jin Yi! Come, take it away!" The first hundred households smiled contemptuously and waved their hands.
Immediately, several Jinyi Mansion guards came with their swords drawn.
The hundred households said in a deep voice: "Zhang Zongqi will follow me in to search the criminal's body, protect the scene, and wait for the autopsy to be done."
At this time, the face of Liniang, the madam of Huanhualou, changed slightly. She was over forty years old, a smile appeared on her fair-skinned face, and she said with a smile: "This gentleman, our Huanhualou..."
The hundred households pushed hard and said in a deep voice: "The Governor has ordered to take them all back to assist in the investigation, and take away the women from Huanhualou as well!"
Gu Ruoqing stood under the eaves of the corridor, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed, her jade face covered with autumn frost and winter snow, and she felt helpless in her heart. She originally wanted to use Uncle Yong Ning to get out of trouble, but she didn't want to cause a bigger trouble.
Wang Shouqi looked calm and composed. He turned to look at the several salt merchants who looked frightened and sighed: "Everyone, I didn't expect something like this to happen. Let's go to the Yanyuan Yamen first and explain it clearly."
This kind of scene where Jin Yi came to ask questions was nothing. Even if they were imprisoned for no reason, Liangjiang officialdom would not sit idly by.
At this moment, everyone left the backyard, but the fire in the Huanhua Building in front was still burning, making crackling sounds from time to time. Fortunately, with the evacuation of the Yangzhou government officials and the helping housekeepers, many singers and guests were driven out. , and the fire was gradually brought under control, but some curtains and gauze were burning, and the fire was very strong.
At this moment, Jia Heng, surrounded by a group of guards in brocade robes, stood in front of the building and looked at the woman and guests who fled from the building in panic.
Yuan Jichong, the prefect of Yangzhou, led several general magistrates and subordinate officials around. Their faces were ugly and they did not dare to express their anger. In addition, there were Nie Hong, a member of the Yangzhou Hundred Household Office, and Nie Hong, the envoy of the Jiangbei Daying Festival, Shui Yu and Jie. The judge Huang Xian, the general Feng Gui, the guerrilla general Wan Qin, and other generals from the Jiangbei camp.
At this moment, an official who looked like a police officer cupped his hands and said, "Sir, everyone has been evacuated."
"Uncle Yongning, what do you see here?" Yuan Jichong's forehead was dripping with sweat, and he had already scolded the eighteen generations of salt merchants in his heart.
"Continue to put out the fire without any casualties." Jia Heng ordered.
Then, he ignored Yuan Jichong and looked at Nie Hong, a member of the Yangzhou Jinyi Hundred Households. This was a man in his early thirties with a strong build. He said in a deep voice: "The Jurchens sneaked in without any warning in advance. You, the Yangzhou Hundred Households What do you want to eat?"
Nie Hong, a member of a hundred households in Yangzhou, knelt down and said, "This is a delinquent duty." "Come here, drag me down with twenty sticks!" Jia Heng said in a cold voice, his face as gloomy as iron.
Immediately, two Jinyi palace guards dragged Nie Hong away. After a while, a muffled sound was heard.
When everyone saw this, they all felt alarmed.
Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "This time they are not ordinary thieves, but the nobles who went south from the East, colluded with local merchants, and wanted to assassinate me!"
Start by dealing with the suffering of your own people first, then let alone others.
When Yuan Jichong heard this, his expression changed slightly, and the officials of the Yangzhou Prefecture behind him also changed their expressions greatly, secretly saying that something was not good.
Because in Yang
From some private gossip among the officials of the state government, some vaguely heard that Yangzhou salt merchants had business dealings with Donglu, or that they were not directly dealings.
At this moment, the Yangzhou salt merchant came out of a corner door on the west side of Huanhua Building and looked at the young man in green shirt facing the street, who was surrounded by stars and the moon. .
At that time, the Huanhua Tower was in blazing flames, and the trees and silver flowers were shining brightly. The bright firelight shone on the young man and his group, like the eyebrows of a sword, and the lines on his face were as cold as frost, as if even the firelight could not warm them.
"Uncle Yongning, I want to see Uncle Yongning." Jiang Tong shouted when he saw Jia Heng.
A guard in brocade clothes behind him pushed me and said, "It's not too late to meet you at the Yanyuan Yamen later."
Gu Ruoqing, who came out with Liniang and other girls from Huanhua Tower, looked at the young man in green shirt who stood proudly among them with bright and clear eyes.
Nan Ling raised her eyes to look at the young man in green shirt. The fear in her heart dissipated for some reason, and she said softly: "Sister Gu, why did Uncle Yongning arrest us?"
Gu Ruoqing whispered: "We'll find out later."
She had some vague guesses, maybe it was coming towards the salt merchants behind her.
Jia Heng turned to Shui Yu, who had a gloomy and uncertain face, and said: "A Jurchen big shot sneaked into Yangzhou with the intention of assassinating me. He has been wounded by me. He should still be hiding in Yangzhou Jiangbei Camp. The sergeant has been blocking it all night." Water and land routes."
Yangzhou is a prosperous place, and it is impossible to block it forever. However, it is possible to block it for a few days and let Jinyi Tiqi search for people.
Shui Yu, Jiedu judge Huang Xian, general Hu Gui and others heard this and did not dare to be negligent. They all raised their hands and said, "I obey my order."
Jia Heng looked at Yuan Jichong, whose expression suddenly changed and was hesitant to speak, and said in a deep voice
He said: "Prefect Yuan, this time the fire broke out. If I hadn't been here, it would have caused a tragedy in Yangzhou. Brothels are painting boats and the lights are on at night. We still need to take fire prevention measures."
With that said, he gently patted Yuan Jichong on the shoulder.
If Yuan Jichong, the prefect of Yangzhou, dares to be ignorant and make irresponsible remarks about the blockade, he will be guilty of the same crime as the enemy.
Yuan Jichong heard a hint of evil in the calm words, and felt awe-inspiring. He bowed and cupped his hands and said, "I would like to listen to Uncle Yongning's teachings."
After Jia Heng finished speaking, he ignored Yuan Jichong, and when the fire was gradually extinguished by Yangzhou government officers and soldiers, he left Huanhua Tower and returned to Yanyuan Yamen under the escort of a group of Jinyi Mansion guards.
The news that Jia Heng was assassinated by Donglu in Huanhua Tower spread like a whirlwind to the streets and alleys of Yangzhou as the guests dispersed from the fire in Huanhua Tower. For a time, Tiqi came out in all directions and attacked the whole city.
Yangzhou Yanyuan Yamen
The guards of the Jinyi Palace were severely interrogating Tu Shan in a temporary torture room converted from a warehouse. The female true Baturu bit her tongue several times and committed suicide. But let’s not talk about whether biting her tongue can kill herself. Even the guards of the Jinyi Palace were on guard. Faced with the torture from Jinyi Mansion guards, he shut up tightly and said nothing.
The governor's room and government offices on both sides of the official hall of Yanyuan Yamen are brightly lit and full of people.
The eight Yangzhou salt merchants looked ugly. Except for Wang Shouqi, they were all ushered to the governor's room by clerks from the Jinyi Mansion's Experience Department and asked about the records.
From what channel did I receive Wang Shouqi’s banquet a few days ago, when did I set out, and where did I go in the past two days? Question and record them one by one.
The smarter ones did not want to conflict with the scribes. They slowly said that it was not convenient to say anything, but they were all vague. The scribes of the Experience Department of Jinyi Mansion soon saw through it.
Lin Ruhai was sitting behind the desk in the lobby of the Yanyuan Yamen. He was wearing a black gauze hat and a scarlet robe official uniform. His brows were slightly furrowed, with worry in his eyes. He looked at the imperial guards standing outside with swords in their hands, and pine oil torches were glowing. The crackling sound illuminated the courtyard as bright as day.
Gu Ruoqing was also sitting behind a table at the moment, with a faint expression on his cold, jade-like face.
Her identity has been concealed for a long time, but she is not afraid of investigation at all. However, after such an assassination, there was such a big movement.
"Name." The scribe wrote down and the guard of Jinyi Mansion on the side asked.
"Gu Ruoqing." "Age."
Gu Ruoqing's beautiful eyebrows frowned, and there seemed to be displeasure on her fair skin and beautiful face.
With a look on his face, he whispered: "Nineteen."
"Lord Lin, what crime have we committed to be detained here and questioned like prisoners?" On the other side, Wang Shouqi bowed his hand towards Lin Ruhai and said.
Lin Ruhai comforted him and said, "Master Wang, please be patient. This move is also to find out the origin of the villain. I heard from the guards of the Jinyi Palace that this is a Jurchen big shot. He wants to assassinate Uncle Yong Ning. If not for the protection of Uncle Yong Ning, he will die." , they almost succeeded."
Wang Shouqi gave a wry smile and said: "Mr. Lin, I was very frightened just now. It can be said that I almost lost half my life. That gangster killed people on sight. For this reason, I also killed two or three loyal servants. Uncle Yongning How can you doubt this old man?"
Lin Ruhai said with relief: "Mr. Wang misunderstood. This is not a suspicion. It is just to assist in the investigation and identify the suspect."
Wang Shouqi rolled his eyes and said quickly: "Mr. Lin, can you please allow me to send someone to deliver a letter home?"
Lin Ruhai pondered for a moment and said, "It won't be too late until Uncle Yong Ning comes back."
At this moment, the officer's loud call came from outside: "Uncle Yongning has arrived."
As soon as he finished speaking, the young man in a straight green shirt and a blue scholar's square scarf walked into the courtyard under the guards of Jinyi Mansion. At this moment, several salt merchants who were writing notes on all sides of the corridor followed the sound. Looking around, it was quiet at first, then restless, and the shouts kept coming.
When Jia Heng entered the lobby, Lin Ruhai left the case and went up to him. Seeing that the young man was safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked with concern: "Zi Yu, what's going on?"
"A Jurchen Baylor came here and wanted to assassinate me in the chaos of Huanhua Tower. I suspect that the Yangzhou salt merchant disclosed the information to the Jurchen in advance to facilitate the gangsters. Further investigation is now underway." Jia Heng explained.
After saying that, he looked at Wang Shouqi, who had stood up to greet him with a look of panic on his face, and said, "Master Wang, please be patient and the assassin will be caught soon."
He just gave away the banknote, how could he have the intention to assassinate the person.
"Uncle Yong Ning, misunderstanding, this is all a misunderstanding." Wang Shouqi explained quickly.
Jia Heng's face softened slightly and he said, "Don't worry, Mr. Wang. This time the gangster's identity is special. We need to find the people who colluded with him for verification. I am also protecting a few of them. Otherwise, if they go back, they will be ambushed by the gangster again." , what can I do?"
At this time, Chen Xiao walked out from behind Jia Heng, walked towards Gu Ruoqing, Nan Ling, Liniang and several women, and said, "I'll do it."
The experienced Si Dushi was about to say something, but he was stopped by the hundreds of brocade-clothed households on the side, who couldn't stop him.
Gu Ruoqing looked at Chen Xiao, who had willow eyebrows and starry eyes and a cold face, and nodded without saying a word.
Jia Heng looked at Wang Shouqi and said, "This time the Jurchen is here with a big shot. I want to arrest him tonight. Mr. Wang will drink tea first. If you come, let's serve tea first."
Liu Jixian had been sent before, and six hundred Jin Yiti cavalry were sent to block the streets and alleys, and then along the blood-stained land, looking for the whereabouts of the thieves.
In the next two days tomorrow, the officers and soldiers of Henan Dusi will also speed up their march, heading to Yangzhou one after another and stationed in the Jiangbei camp.
Seeing this, Wang Shouqi had no choice but to agree. He didn't know how to feel in his heart. He bowed his hands and said, "Thank you, Uncle Yongning."
As he said that, he sat down slumped on the pearwood wooden chair beside him, feeling uneasy and feeling that the rain was about to come.
Jia Heng and Lin Ruhai came to the back hall. There were two pearwood chairs separated by a small table. Lin Ruhai's staff, He Shuming, held a lamp for the two of them and went to the front yard to wait for them.
Lin Ruhai hesitated and asked, "Zi Yu, what's your intention in doing this?" Jia Heng said in a deep voice, "Knock on the mountain to frighten the tiger and lure the snake out of the cave. We will interrogate first to see if we can find out anything. We will dispatch troops and horses here in the next two days to Prepare for the unexpected."
Later, after the salt merchants were released, the soldiers and horses of Henan Dusi entered Yangzhou City. He went to Yangzhou to ask for pay and began to investigate the old cases of Yangzhou salt merchants.
Lin Ruhai nodded and reminded: "Ziyu, Wang Shouqi has a close relationship with Hao Jixian, the governor of Liangjiang and the former grand master. If he is detained for a long time without reason, it will lead to the impeachment of Jinling. It is best to have conclusive evidence."
Jia Heng said: "Uncle, I know, but it is useless to impeach them when it comes to national affairs such as the Donglu."
He would not arrest anyone without conclusive evidence, and anyone who impeached someone would be suspected of transferring benefits, and would be on his and the emperor's blacklist.
In the face of major issues of right and wrong, it is better for a smarter bureaucrat to keep his mouth shut, unless he arouses public outrage, then the salt merchant becomes an excuse for his political enemies to overthrow him.
"Ziyu, as long as you have something in mind." Lin Ruhai said softly. Jia Heng whispered: "The next step is to wait for the news of Jinyi's torture and arrest. If it is found that there is collusion among these people, then the arrest will be made immediately."
However, he felt that these people would not be that stupid. Direct contact with the Jurchens must be indirect, and the captives who were captured alive knew that
Dao doesn't know the inside story, and is still in a state of ambiguity.
After a while, Li Shu hurriedly came over and said with cupped hands: "Sir, Na Tushan has been interrogating him for a long time, but he still hasn't said a word. He is humble and incompetent."
The Jurchens obviously have some tough guys. Facing the torture from the guards of Jinyi Mansion, Tushan remained loyal to his master and remained silent.
Jia Heng looked at Li Shu with deep eyes and ordered: "Detain him first, torture him slowly, and don't kill him."
Li Shu cupped his fists and obeyed the order, but was stopped by Jia Heng. He only heard the young man say: "In interrogation, the priority is to attack the heart. I will go and see for myself."
If they were tortured blindly, such slave-minded people would rather die than betray their master, so they would definitely not say anything at all.
To put it bluntly, he had some disdain for the crude torture methods used by the Jinyi Mansion Guards. How could he ask about Duduo's whereabouts? Roundabout ways of eliciting confessions and observing his behavior were often more useful than direct questions.
Torture itself is a psychological game.
Jia Heng and Li Shu came to the execution room and saw a burly man with a black forehead and pigtails tied to the cross stake.
The big man was covered in blood, his dark face was stained with yellow paper, and his fingers were bloody. There were several fingernails on the porcelain plate beside him. It was obvious that he had clamped sticks and pulled out nails.
He frowned, looked at Shang Ming and Fan Zi from the Li Xing Bai household, and asked, "Did you ask anything?"
The Jinyi Mansion only has these methods, which can be used to deal with ordinary people, but they cannot deal with people with a strong mind.
"Sir, this man's bones are so hard that he didn't even moan in pain." Li Xing Bai Hu Shang Ming, who just now had a sinister and ferocious look on his face, said with a smile.
"Prepare some honey water to let him calm down, and I will ask him personally." Jia Heng ordered, and Li Shu from the Hundreds of Brocades hurriedly moved a stool.
He is not a factory official in a red robe and sitting on a python, and he does not want to use people as his stool.
Shang Ming hurriedly responded. It was rare for his governor to interrogate him personally. I heard that the governor was very good at interrogation. He would learn two tricks later.
