On a midsummer night, it was extremely hot and muggy, and the city of Qingzhou fell into silence. Even the watchmen and garrison soldiers who used to watch the night were nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, there was a burst of rapid footsteps, and a dozen men in black and gray uniforms ran quickly across the street, and in a blink of an eye, they rushed into the alley and disappeared into the night.
Not far from this small alley is the Han Dynasty Palace.
The Han Palace is located in the east of Qingzhou Fucheng, not far from the former Qinglai Town General Military Palace, which is now the New Army Middle Camp General's Palace, just two blocks away.
The moon was dark and the stars were sparse. Two large lanterns were hung outside the gate of the Han Palace, illuminating the street outside. A dozen men in black poked their heads out of the alley not far away. The first one was Wang Yang.
"Chief, is the new army deployed in place?"
"Nonsense, don't ask what you shouldn't ask, let's just do our own thing."
"yes."
Wang Yang looked around and made sure there was no one, so he nodded to his subordinates on the left and right. Each of them took out a hand crossbow, pointed it at the lantern at the entrance of Prince Han's Mansion and fired the crossbow arrows. With a whoosh, the two lanterns fell down. Falling down, the candle flame instantly burned the lantern on the ground.
"superior!"
Wang Yang roared, and rushed forward with a dozen of his subordinates. Each of them held a small clay pot in his hands, and many of the same small clay pots were tied to his body.
"Throw!"
More than a dozen people struggled to throw small clay pots into the tall courtyard wall. The pots were filled with kerosene. When they fell into the Han Dynasty, they broke into pieces and the kerosene flowed all over the floor.
"ignition!"
After all the small clay pots were thrown away, Wang Yang and his two subordinates threw the lit fire jars in. With a roar, the fire instantly ignited and destroyed the Han Palace.
A few dozen steps around the gate were set on fire.
At the same time, fires were gradually burning around the Han Palace. From front to back, from left to right, there were at least dozens of fire points. In the blink of an eye, the raging fire surrounded the Han Palace, and the fierce fire began to spread from the outside to the outside. spread within.
"withdraw!"
Wang Yang shouted in a low voice, and everyone followed Wang Yang into the night not far away, disappearing without a trace.
"It's gone!"
At this time, the palace of the Han Dynasty was in chaos. King Zhu Youxu of Han Dynasty ran into the courtyard in fear, looked at the fire all around, and shouted: "Fight the fire! Go and put out the fire!"
The current King of Han is not of the same lineage as Zhu Gaoxi, the King of Han in the Yongle period. In the Xuande period, Zhu Gaoxi rebelled and died, and his country was eliminated. The current King of Han is a peer of Emperor Chongzhen, and he is also famous for his arrogance. He is also somewhat similar to Zhu Gaoxi back then. It can be seen that the title "King of Han" also has a certain inheritance.
Many servants, maids, and guards were running around in fear. A group of servants surrounded Zhu Youxu and wanted to run towards the door, but were forced back by the fierce fire.
"Your Majesty, the fire came from outside. Someone wants to kill Wang Jijia!"
Zhu Youxu immediately thought of Liu Yan and said in disbelief: "How is it possible? How dare he!"
"My lord, be careful!"
A guard yelled and pushed Zhu Youxu away. Then a red-hot corridor beam fell down and hit the guard underneath. Suddenly, screams rang out. The guard was pressed underneath and was directly hit by the fire. ignite.
Zhu Youxu saw the guard twisting his body crazily, with a hideous face. He was so frightened that he backed away and ran towards the side door regardless.
at
At this time, Zhu Youxu heard the sound of a large group of people running outside, and then heard shouts: "New Army Central Camp, come to rescue!"
"Ah? Liu Yan's troops are here!"
Zhu Youxu suddenly became happy. It seemed that he had misunderstood Liu Yan: "I am here, put out the fire quickly, I am at Dongbianmen!"
The fire in front blocked the way, and Zhu Youxu could not get close to the side door, but the new army soldiers outside had blocked the streets.
Suddenly, Zhu Youxu thought of a question: Why did the guards stationed in Qingzhou near the palace not move, but were farther away, and the new army camp stationed in the military camp in the city arrived first?
Where have the soldiers and horses of the Central Guard gone?
Thinking of this, Zhu Youxu suddenly sweated profusely, as if he had been washed with water. He tremblingly pulled the servants on the left and right, and said with a grimace: "What should we do!"
Outside the Han Palace, General Shen Tuo of the Central Camp rode his horse to look at the palace that had been shrouded in fire. This time Shen Tuo brought more than 3,000 soldiers from the central camp to surround the Han Palace.
The central guerrilla general Teng Jianghe was leading his troops to evacuate the people around the palace. The remaining soldiers blocked the gates of the palace and patrolled along the walls of the palace, but no one went to put out the fire!
Less than half an hour later, Teng Jianghe rode over and said: "General, hundreds of households have been relocated within the three streets around the palace. My subordinates have arranged for soldiers to guard the streets. No one will come. .”
"Where are the people putting out the fire?"
"It's been arranged. People keep bringing water in from the outside, and then my subordinates arrange for people to dump it next to the palace. Outsiders can't tell the clues."
"Um,
very good. "
Shen Tuo said coldly: "If you dare to confront the governor, you are seeking death!"
Teng Jianghe whispered: "I heard that during the Xuande period, King Zhu Gaoxi of Han rebelled and was roasted to death by Emperor Xuande. I don't know if it's true. Now the King of Han has the same fate. It's really God's will! "
"God damn it!"
Shen Tuo glared at Teng Jianghe and said, "Here in Shandong, the governor's will is God's will!"
"hey-hey."
Teng Jianghe smiled and nodded, and then said: "Huh? The heat should be almost done!"
Shen Tuo then remembered that what he had for dinner was barbecue. His stomach suddenly turned and he couldn't help but glare at Teng Jianghe again.
At this time, the fire was soaring into the sky, and almost half of Qingzhou City was illuminated by the flames. The New Army soldiers around the Han Palace were forced to retreat a little. The scorching heat waves kept coming, burning the cheeks of the soldiers.
"Order all troops to prepare to put out the fire!"
Seeing that it was almost done, Shen Tuo ordered all ministries to start stocking up on water. Teng Jianghe said, "No need to wait any longer?"
"wait?"
Shen Tuo said: "If we wait any longer, the fire will be out of control. What will happen if the fire spreads?"
"yes."
After a while, the New Army soldiers of the brigade rushed towards the fire with buckets. Shen Tuo also mobilized a dozen water dragons to spray water on the areas with larger fires.
After a night of fighting, at three o'clock in the morning the next day, the fire in the Han Palace was finally extinguished. However, by this time, the gorgeous Han Palace had turned into scorched earth and broken walls everywhere.
In the palace, no one was left alive, including Zhu Youxu, the king of Han, down to the maids, eunuchs, and guards.
When Shen Tuo led the team
When the soldiers and horses entered the ruins of the Han Palace, they saw only countless collapsed houses, wood burned into charcoal everywhere, and burned and curled corpses everywhere.
"Search immediately and we must find His Highness the King of Han!"
Shen Tuo gave orders to the surrounding New Army soldiers, and then said to himself: "Hope it's not too late!"
The officers of the new army's middle camp began to rummage through the ruins, carrying out the charred corpses one after another, and then trying to find a way to identify them. Of course, most of the charred corpses could no longer be identified. It was not easy to tell whether they were male or female.
"General, found it!"
An hour later, a New Army General Manager shouted loudly, and Shen Tuo and Teng Jianghe hurried over to check. Beneath several charred corpses, a half-burnt corpse was lying on the ground. The prince's four-clawed dragon pattern could still be seen on the corpse.
In addition, the New Army soldiers also found a seal on the waist of the corpse, which was the personal seal of the King of Han. After checking it, Shen Tuo nodded and said, "It is indeed the King of Han!"
Then Shen Tuo said to the soldiers on his left and right: "Let the King of Han be buried and send it to the military camp for the coffin to be laid."
"yes!"
"Immediately report to the Governor: There was a fire in the Han Dynasty Palace late at night, and the rescue in the middle camp failed, and as a result, the Han Dynasty King and his family were killed!"
"yes!"
Teng Jianghe asked: "General, what should we do with the Qingzhou Central Guard? Guo Rong is still guarding there with his people."
Shen Tuo said: "With the King of Han gone, is it still necessary for the Qingzhou Central Guard to exist? Send someone over and ask Guo Rong to reorganize the Qingzhou Central Guard troops on the spot."
"yes."
"At the same time, order the right guerrilla general Yu Qian to lead his troops to blockade the city and arrest the arsonists in the city!"
Teng Jianghe said with a smile
Said: "I have the order!"
For two days in a row, the entire city of Qingzhou was restricted to entry and exit. The New Army officers began to search for "arsonists" door to door. Within two days, more than 190 people were arrested and all were imprisoned in the city prison. Inside.
Qingzhou Magistrate Wang Congyi and others did not dare to say anything. Although everyone knew that the more than 190 people had contacts with the Han Dynasty Palace, and many of them were even members of the Han Dynasty clan, they were replaced by the new army's Zhongying General. Shen Tuo was labeled as an "arson suspect".
Anyone with a discerning eye can see the reason for this, but no one dares to say it.
Two days later, Shen Tuo summoned the Qingzhou prefect and other civil and military officials in the city to discuss matters in the general's house, preparing to explain the fire in the Han palace and discuss with everyone the transfer and escort of the suspect.
Soon everyone arrived. After Wang Congyi saw Shen Tuo, he said: "General, such a big thing has happened, what should we do?"
According to the rules of the imperial court, if you fall into the trap of a feudal lord, a circle of heads will be killed!
Shen Tuo looked at Wang Congyi, who was in panic all day long, sighed and said, "I have reported this matter to the governor, and now I can only wait for the governor's order."
"But early this morning, Prince Heng has sent someone to question him. Although I have tried to put him off, there must be an explanation for this matter."
"statement?"
Shen Tuo said with a smile: "Didn't I, the general, already give me an explanation? Those prisoners in prison will be escorted to Jinan Fucheng soon and handed over to the shogunate's Intelligence Department for interrogation. The truth will definitely be revealed by then."
Wang Congyi didn't dare to speak anymore, and the rest of the people didn't dare to speak anymore.
When Shen Tuo saw this, he wanted to speak, but Guerrilla
General Yu Qian strode over, clasped his fists and said: "General Qi, I just received news that something happened to the prisoners detained in the temporary prison in the military camp. The temporary prison caught fire. All the prisoners were not spared. I was unable to rescue you because of my humble position. Please come and apologize!" "
Wang Congyi and other officials from the Qingzhou Prefecture suddenly stood up in fright. Everyone's face was full of fear, as if they would be dead and dismembered next time.
"General, this, this..."
Wang Congyi looked at Shen Tuo with a sneer on his face. He didn't know what to say for a moment. His heart was beating violently. He wished he could pass out immediately at this moment. It would be better than going through such a big case!
Shen Tuo sighed and said, "Are they all dead? That's such a pity!"
"My lords, what do you think should be done about this matter?"
Everyone was speechless, and Wang Congyi was even more excited. Asking us what to do about what you have done, isn't this a lie?
"Since none of you have any ideas, let me deal with the aftermath of this matter. But please remember, don't say or do anything after you go back. The weather is dry now, and there is no guarantee that things will go wrong again. Everyone will It’s better to be careful.”
Everyone was shocked when they heard this.
