Chapter 037 The Final Decision
Li Weihan already knew half of what these people wanted to do to him. Out of the instinct of survival, he was ready to resist and wait for someone from the capital to come to rescue him: "Ever since Emperor Taizu, it has been stipulated that no one can go into the sea. You are like this What nonsense are the thieves talking about here? After the Jiajing War against the Japanese, Zhejiang's coastal control was very strict. How can you still go out to sea and become a thief?
Oh... I understand. You want to join forces to frame me. Wei Guogong, where did you find the thief? "
Xu Hongji was so angry that he blew his beard and glared. He was a young man and was no match for an old man like Li Weihan. Zhu Yanrong knew that, but now he didn't know how to answer the question.
Chen Cao said loudly: "Mr. Baoguo, I wonder if the suspicion of the lower official can be cleared? Can the official's powers be restored?"
Zhu Yanrong nodded: "There are indeed too many strange things about this matter. Although Chen Cao has some suspicions, it seems that he has been unjustly accused." Then he turned to look at Wu Chun: "What do you think, Eunuch Wu?"
Wu Chun said with a smile: "We don't dare to interrupt. The purpose of our coming here is to collect information for His Majesty. Duke Bao Guo has the final say on what to do."
"Well..." Zhu Yanrong nodded, and then said seriously: "This matter involves other matters. Chen Cao's suspicion has been cleared. I will act on behalf of Heaven. I will reinstate Chen Cao's official position immediately and order Nanzhen Fu. I will assist Wei Guogong in investigating the case."
"Mr. Baoguo, you..." Li Weihan stared at Zhu Yanrong and really wanted to curse him, but when he saw Zhu Yanrong looking at him coldly, thinking that no matter how big an official he was, he couldn't defeat him, he grew a long hair. He said in a tone: "When I return to Beijing one day, I will definitely give you a generous gift."
"Don't go back to Beijing," Chen Cao interrupted Li Weihan: "Master Li, I have resumed my post. Now I have to ask you something."
"Why do you have that?" Li Weihan said arrogantly.
Chen Cao tugged on the crimson flying fish robe on his body and said: "With it, it is the attire of the emperor's personal army, and my official position as the commander of the Nanzhen Fusi."
"Nanzhen Fusi is not Beizhen Fusi. What can you do to interrogate me?" Li Weihan asked again.
Everyone present felt a little powerless. Li Weihan was obviously starting to cheat. Maybe he knew it, or maybe he did it on purpose.
Qiao Yunsheng said: "Master Li, let's get down to business."
Li Weihan didn't want to deal with this group of people from the Third Law Division, but they were all Donglin Party members. Now he had to rely on these people to save his life: "You can also try me if you want. Let someone from the Criminal Department of the Capital or the Metropolitan Procuratorate decide."
"Come here, this guy is obviously trying to confuse the public. Let's hit him ten times as a warning to others." Chen Cao said coldly.
"You dare?" Li Weihan said angrily, and everyone present was shocked by him: "I am the younger brother of Concubine Li, who of you dares to hit me?"
"Chen Cao, he is the censor of Youdu, can he be punished?" Xu Hongji asked in a low voice.
Chen Cao nodded, and then said loudly: "Li Weihan's affair with the Japanese pirates is already a certainty. He is just delaying time here by relying on his official position." Then he looked at Li Weihan and said: "It doesn't matter if Mr. Li doesn't admit it. However, before the case is concluded, you are not allowed to leave Nanjing, and your entry and exit must be monitored by my Jin Yiwei."
Li Weihan sat on the chair and started drinking tea leisurely, ignoring Chen Cao.
Chen Cao said again: "Come here, go to Zhejiang immediately and arrest Li Sicai, the manager of Huiyuan Trading Company. The matter will be clear." He looked at Li Weihan leisurely as he said: "Master Li, Li Sicai heard that he is the bastard of your Li family. Your brother, don’t you know whether you know or not?”
Li Weihan's hand holding the tea was obviously stunned for a moment, and then he drank the tea tremblingly into his mouth.
Five days later, news came back from the capital. The imperial court was furious about the fact that the canal was blocked by pirates. The emperor reprimanded the Duke of Wei for failing to defend well, and ordered him to be punished for half a year. He also ordered Cao Jiang to rectify the navy and investigate all matters. There is the housekeeper of Zhao Nanxing, the censor of Zuodu, the capital procuratorate.
Subsequently, Li Sicai, the shopkeeper of Huiyuan Commercial Bank, was escorted to Nanjing two days later. Chen Cao did not participate directly, but allowed Qiao Yunsheng and other officials from the Third Law Department to discuss secret matters with Zhao Nanxing's housekeeper. As for the specific matters, Chen Cao did not need to guess, it must be a compromise. .
As expected, Li Weihan finally admitted everything with a depressed face, and was escorted back to Beijing by Zhu Yanrong and his entourage along with the Jin Yiwei of Beizhen Fusi...
...
The matter is not over yet. There are still many follow-up matters that Chen Cao needs to deal with. Zhao Tianlin's placement is a big problem, but this person is a good player. If he is left at sea to serve as a bandit, it will be an inferiority. Therefore, Chen Cao prepared a back-up plan, so he first Let Zhao Tianlin take the goods intercepted by Cao Jiang Navy to trade with Japan, or stationed at Daqushan Island and wait for Chen Cao's instructions.
"Sir," Xin Zhao walked into the lobby with an official document, and Chen Cao was checking the accounts: "Sir, Pang Zhifan's arrangement has been completed. He will be transferred from the Hengzhou Qianhu Station and transferred to the Caojiang Navy as a Qianhu Officer. The merits and demerits are equal. "
"I heard that his brother Pang Zhihuan is the commanding officer of the Yangzhou Prefecture Guard?" Chen Cao put down the things in his hands, then picked up the teacup: "This person must be bribed."
Xin Zhao handed over his hand and said, "I understand and will take care of it soon."
"By the way, next time I make you disgusting, please don't throw excrement at me again. This method is not smart."
Xin Zhao laughed awkwardly, and then said: "I think this method is the most disgusting."
"You bastard, everyone knows that it was me, Chen Cao, who did it, but this method is too unethical. I am the commanding officer of Nanzhen Fusi, and I am a fourth-rank official. Why do I do all the rogue things?" Chen Cao said, wanting to curse.
Xin Zhao quickly admitted his mistake: "I know that I was wrong. Please tell me what I should do next time."
"Remember Liu Lei?"
Xin Zhao suddenly realized, and then said with a wicked smile: "I understand... By the way, my lord, there is news from the capital that Li Weihan was impeached after entering the capital, has been dismissed from office, and will be jailed and threatened with death..."
"Well..." Chen Cao nodded: "He can't die, but it's okay to be demoted to a commoner. For Concubine Li's sake, this guy can live until he dies. By the way, has there been any big event recently? ?”
Zhao Xin's eyes darted around, and then he said: "Yes, over in the capital, the imperial court has given temple names to Wanli Master and Taichang Master. One is called Emperor Shenzong and the other is called Emperor Guangzong; Emperor Shenzong was buried at the beginning of the year, and Guangzong The emperor only entered the mausoleum last month; and Duke Baoguo has already sent people to deliver documents after he returned. He is still at the mouth of Longjiang River and is expected to arrive in Jinling early tomorrow morning."
"What else?" Chen Cao asked again.
Zhao Xin thought for a while and then remembered what happened: "The newspaper the day before yesterday mentioned that there was a severe drought in Shaanxi. In October, the roads were blocked by heavy snow and there was no harvest. There were refugees in Baishui County who had gathered to rebel and had fled into the surrounding mountains. , Baishui County was looted, and all the county magistrates and other officials were killed. Baishui County Inspection Department and other officers and soldiers did not resist, and some even took the initiative to join in. "
"Rebellion again?" Chen Cao sighed. Before he could figure out the affairs in Liaodong, the civil unrest in Shaanxi came.
However, what Chen Cao still doesn't understand is that he has read so many novels and history books in his previous life. Most of the uprisings in the late Ming Dynasty occurred between the fifth and seventh years of Apocalypse. This is only the second year of Apocalypse. How could so many uprisings begin? ?
"Could it be that just as those people imagine, if my soul travels through different time and space, what I do will only affect the process of this time and space, but not the process of another time and space?"
Zhao Xin didn't know what Chen Cao was talking to himself, so he asked carefully: "Sir, do you have any orders?"
"Ah?" Chen Cao came back to his senses, then shook his head: "There is no order."
After saying that, he fell into deep thought: "I traveled through time and space, which has affected the progress of this time and space. In addition, in the original history, this 'Chen Cao' was probably a low-level military attache, and would not be in these situations at all. Maybe Decades later, he will be strangled to death abroad together with the unlucky Emperor Yongli, well, that must be the case, my coming through time and space must have affected this time and space."
Chen Cao was comforting himself. Zhang Fengnian trotted into Fusi Yamen in Nanzhen and said urgently to Chen Cao who was in a daze: "Sir, sir... Go back home quickly. Madam is about to give birth. Po Wen has already entered the house. .”
Seeing that Chen Cao was still in a daze, Zhao Xin whispered in Chen Cao's ear: "Sir, someone has sent money."
"Ah..." Chen Cao immediately stood up, rubbed his hands, stared at Xin Zhao and smiled: "Who is so open-minded? Come with me to greet him."
Zhang Fengnian shouted loudly: "No need to greet me, my wife is giving birth..."
"Huh?" Chen Cao didn't care about scolding Xin Zhao, holding up the hem of his robe and sprinting outside.
When Chen Cao ran into his home, he had no time to talk to the wives and concubines waiting outside the door. He was about to rush into the delivery room, but Liu Min'er stopped him outside the door.
"Sir, the delivery room is a filthy place and you can't enter it?"
This was the first time Chen Cao had heard of such a thing. It was obvious that his thoughts were still modern: "Nonsense, we could enter the delivery room at that time."
"At that time?" Liu Min'er, the second monk, was confused and couldn't understand what Chen Cao was talking about.
Chen Cao realized that he had said the wrong thing, so he interrupted: "Forget it, if you don't go in, you won't go in. Let me ask you, how long has it been? Why is there no sound?"
"Four Mrs. Wen are here. Madam Wen is still shouting just now." Liu Min'er had given birth to Zhang Shuhua and knew what it was like to give birth to a child: "It's not easy to give birth to a child. Didn't sister Fengchun give birth to her too? Wait, then."
ah...
Li Xiang's shout suddenly came from the room, and Chen Cao became nervous for a while. Liu Min'er blocked the outside of the room and could not get in or out, so she could only walk back and forth outside the room.
Not long after, a Wen woman hurriedly ran out with a basin of bloody water. Just as Chen Cao was about to ask, the Wen woman ran in with clean hot water from the maid's hand.
In December, the weather was cold, and the heat in the basin increased significantly.
"gave birth..."
After waiting anxiously for a long time, a shout finally came from inside the house. Chen Cao turned his head and looked at Po Wen walking out of the house with a happy face: "How's it going?"
There was blood on Mrs. Wen's hands, and she saluted Chen Cao as she left the door: "Congratulations, sir, I'm very happy Lin'er..."
The corner of Chen Cao's mouth raised, and he was about to rush in, but was stopped by Po Wen: "Sir, don't be impatient. The delivery room is dirty, please wait a moment."
It was quite laborious for Li Xiang to give birth. If it weren't for a few fine ginseng, something else might have happened.
"Xiang'er..." Chen Cao slowly walked to the bedside and held Li Xiang's hand: "Thank you for your hard work."
In winter, Li Xiang's hair was soaked due to excessive exertion. He lay flat on the bed weakly and said with a weak smile: "It is also a blessing for me to give birth to an heir for my husband."
"You have a good rest..."
Chen Cao sat by Li Xiang's bed all night. Apart from breastfeeding his son, he didn't seem to do anything else. He had his maids waiting for him when he pooped and peeed.
This is the so-called eldest son. Compared with the eldest son of a concubine, his status is much higher, but there does not seem to be that much hierarchy in Chen Cao's family.
The eldest son was named Chen Bohao. Now Li Xiang's status in the Chen family has skyrocketed, so let's not talk about it.
...
As the end of the year approaches, Chen Cao has a big thing to do, dig sweet potatoes...
This sweet potato, which is considered unworthy of the market at this time, will be a good thing in later generations. Of course, Chen Cao, who planted it first, can be said to be the first person in the Ming Dynasty.
"Sir, can this thing fill your stomach?" The weather was cold, but Zhao Xin, like Chen Cao, rolled up his trouser legs and sleeves and wielded a hoe to dig sweet potatoes in the field. In addition to his group of people, there were also several tenants in the field.
Chen Cao took out a relatively large sweet potato and patted the soil on it vigorously: "That's it, Zhao Xin, I'm not an adult, I'm bragging. You kid will be full after eating it. Of course, you have to eat it in advance." It’s steamed.”
Zhao Xin had eaten it once before, but he didn't finish it because he thought it was too sticky for his teeth. But now it seems that Chen Cao wants to regard this thing as a mainstream food: "Sir, how is the output of this thing? Can it be used in military camps? "
Chen Cao took out a smaller sweet potato, washed it in the ditch next to the field and ate it directly. It was crunchy and crunchy: "The yield is very large, and besides, this vine can also be fed to pigs. It can be preserved for a long time after being pickled. Sweet potatoes are used for Keep it in the cellar and it will be fine until next year; naturally it cannot be used as a staple food in the camp, but it can be eaten as a combination. This thing is only eaten during war or marching, so it is convenient."
"Sir..." Zhang Fengnian ran to the edge of the field, cupped his hands and said: "Sir, Pang Zhifan, a member of the Navy's Qianhu family, wants to see you."
Chen Cao did not wash his hands, but sat down by the woods not far from the field. Zhang Fengnian and Pang Zhifan got up and walked over.
"Pang Zhifan, a humble official, has met your Excellency." Pang Zhifan said and gave a military salute to Chen Cao.
The man next to him also saluted Chen Cao, and then Pang Zhifan said: "Sir, this is my brother, Pang Zhihuan, the commander of the Yangzhou Guard."
"Pang Zhihuan, who holds a humble position, has met Mr. Chen."
Chen Cao looked at Pang Zhihuan carefully. He was about forty years old, slightly older than the thirty-five-year-old Pang Zhifan: "What do you want from me?"
"Sir, I have already told my brother what happened last time."
Pang Zhifan spoke first. Seeing this, Pang Zhihuan said: "Master Chen, I have figured it out. I am willing to serve you."
"Hey..." Chen Cao waved his hand: "You are not serving me, you are serving Wei Guogong..."
"It's from the Ministry of Home Affairs... it's from the province..." Pang Zhihuan said repeatedly.
"You are in the Yangzhou Guard Station. You should know that Yangzhou is a key point in the south of Zhili and the only way to pass the canal. You should do your job well as a commander. I will let you be the commander of the Yangzhou Guard someday." Chen Cao said and clapped his hands. of soil.
Pang Zhihuan quickly knelt down on one knee: "Thank you for your promotion."
...
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month of the third year of Tianqi, all government offices began to be on duty normally. Chen Cao was busy in the military camp when he received a big news.
"Wang Er and Zhong Guangdao were originally farmers in Baishui County. There have been severe droughts in Shaanxi this year, and the people have lost their harvest. However, the local government in Shaanxi is forcing the collection of Liao's wages. Not only did the people hand over the seeds, some of them couldn't get it. Those who paid taxes could only sell their sons and daughters. Baishui County was close to Shaanxi Xingdusi and was located in a desolate place. The county magistrate Zhang Douyao also used the name of Liao's salary to plunder and extort money, which made the people of Baishui County miserable. This led to this incident. Counterproductive.”
After Zhao Xin finished speaking, Gao Chong continued: "This matter is of great importance. The Shaanxi Chief Envoy and the Dusi Yamen were too afraid to report it. Shaanxi Governor Tang Tong could not bear the responsibility and reported it secretly to our Jinyiwei."
Chen Cao frowned: "Ye Xianggao is pressing this matter?"
"I don't know," Zhao Xin shook his head: "Tang Tong is a member of the Chu Party. Shaanxi Chief Minister Si Yamen and Dusi Yamen are both from the Donglin Party, so they must be related. According to reports from investigators, Wang Er and Zhong Guangdao are both from the Donglin Party. After killing Zhang Douyao, there were a lot of responders, and now they have been struggling with the government troops north of Luoshui, and there are as many as 5,000 thieves."
"Shaanxi Dusi was surprisingly well-prepared," Gao Chong continued: "The neighboring Shaanxi Xingdusi sent troops to help, but they were ambushed by rebels on the north bank of Luoshui River. The two guards were defeated and defeated, and some even directly on the formation So he surrendered to the rebels."
"What's the court's reaction?" Chen Cao tapped his fingers on the table, thinking about the matter carefully.
"My lord, my subordinates have reported the matter to the Tianjin Yamen in accordance with regulations. After all, Tang Tong is a secret report. We cannot bear this responsibility. If we are blamed in the future and conceal military information and fail to report it, it will be a serious crime of beheading." Zhao Xin said Then he handed the copy to Chen Cao to read: "As for what the Tianjin Yamen does, that is their business."
"Tianjin Yamen?" Chen Cao thought for a moment, then remembered that Luo Sigong and his son were in Tianjin. They were out-and-out Donglin Party members: "Pay close attention to the war in Shaanxi. If you have any news, you will report it to me in time."
"It's my lord."
Chen Cao still decided to go to the Wei Guogong Mansion. Since he was beaten, Chen Cao was still a little unhappy that Xu Hongji refused to save him. But fortunately, this young man stood up to Li Weihan, otherwise Chen Cao would definitely make up his mind to fight back. water.
Xu Hongji was a little embarrassed when he learned that Chen Cao was here, but he was also the host after all, so he received Chen Cao as usual.
"Yew Chung, what's the important thing for coming here this time?"
Chen Cao saluted Xu Hongji, and then repeated what happened in Shaanxi, but what he was worried about now was Liaodong. Things in Shaanxi were now big or small, and he couldn't take care of them.
"My lord, my disciples are not interested in matters in Shaanxi, but this matter must be known to your lord." After speaking, he added: "We can put aside the matter at hand, but the matter of going to sea is a big deal. Please forgive me." Please help me."
The reason why Chen Cao is so anxious is because he feels that if the rebellion in the next few years is so early, some things cannot be delayed, let alone what if...
But Xu Hongji did say before that Chen Cao would be the deputy general of the Caojiang Navy. Now what Chen Cao has to do is to develop the navy in an open and honest manner, and let the Ming Dynasty's river navy go out and become the overlord of the ocean.
When Chen Cao mentioned this, Xu Hongji was somewhat able to react and said: "I know, are you talking about Cao Jiang Navy?"
"My lord, you have a clear lesson." Chen Cao handed over his hand.
After all, Xu Hongji was also the Duke of Wei, so he felt a little uncomfortable being asked about things like this, not to mention that he was still his lackey. However, Chen Cao did bring benefits to his group of people, so he said: "I know, the March Dynasty At that time, our guild will report to His Majesty, please appoint you as the deputy general of Cao Jiang Navy. With this, you can do whatever you want... Okay, you can go back..."
Chen Cao left the Duke's Mansion. Zhao Xin looked solemn behind him. Chen Cao turned his head and looked at the gate of the Duke's Mansion, then stared at Zhao Xin and said, "What, you think I'm anxious?"
Xin Zhao quickly clasped his fists and said, "I don't dare..."
"Then your expression doesn't look like a dead person?" Chen Cao frowned, and then said after a long time: "Xin Zhao, do you think I'm really anxious? To be honest..."
Xin Zhao handed over his hand: "Sir, I feel that you are really anxious."
"Really?" Chen Cao frowned and looked at the sky.
"I'm really worried, my lord." Chen Cao walked in front, and Zhao Xin was very close behind him: "My lord, I often say that we should take one step at a time, but now that you are forcing Wei Guogong, no one will be happy, lord." Didn't you see Duke Wei's expression just now?"
expression?
Only then did Chen Cao remember that Xu Hongji had received him very warmly when he first went there, but after bringing up the navy matter, Xu Hongji's expression changed obviously.
No wonder, no one else would be happy being forced by his subordinates...
"You reminded me. Go on." Chen Cao sighed.
Zhao Xin continued: "Now the imperial court still has border troops in Shaanxi Xingdusi, and there are still hundreds of thousands of people in Shanxidusi. No matter how bad the guard troops are, the rebels will not be able to reach the southern border of Zhili. As long as you follow the previous arrangements. Step by step, we will slowly strengthen ourselves. Even if the rebels reach the southern border of Zhili, I believe that at that time, your Majesty will have the freedom to defeat the thieves, right?"
Chen Cao suddenly stood still, turned to look at Zhao Xin curiously and said, "I told you that your boy is suitable for being a high official and you still don't believe it. That's right. Why should I be panicking?"
"My lord's arrangements are being made step by step now. If I rush now, I will make Wei Guogong unhappy. There will be no one to help me at that time, so I think it's okay for me to do it step by step."
Chen Cao suddenly looked sideways at Xin Zhao, making Xin Zhao feel very uncomfortable: "Sir, what's wrong with you?"
"Xin Zhao, are you worried that if I make a wrong move, my lord, you will lose your future glory and wealth?" Chen Cao squinted at him and said with an evil smile.
Zhao Xin is also an upright person and does not hide anything: "The current subordinate Yaorong got along with the adults. If there were no adults, the subordinate would still be a small flag in Qianye Baihusuo. I would definitely not be able to make it to the south in this life." "The position of governor is the governor, so," Zhao Xin also said with an evil smile, "the wealth of my subordinates depends on the adults, so naturally I have to think about the adults."
Chen Cao nodded: "What you said makes sense..." Then he kicked Zhao Xin: "I'll fuck you..."
