Chapter 051 Huai'an Cao Gang II
Starting from this chapter, the word count will be about 4,000 words per chapter. The most important thing is to make everyone less irritable while reading.
The official rank of Yang Yipeng, the governor of water transportation, is the third rank, and the official rank of Chen Cao's Nanzhen Fusi commander is also the third rank. The two have the same rank, but due to the distinction between civil and military personnel, in this era, the civil and military ranks are not on the same level. Of course, this It is an official rule, artificially formed, not legal.
Therefore, after Chen Cao met Yang Yipeng, he also showed his official power: "I have heard about Mr. Yang's high reputation for a long time. When I saw him today, he really lived up to his reputation."
Yang Yipeng felt that Chen Cao didn't understand etiquette and official rules, but now that others had spoken first, he couldn't stand it, so he bowed his hands to the left politely: "Mr. Chen, it's a pleasure to meet you. Already..."
Yang Yipeng's movements were clear to Chen Cao. If he turned his hand to the left, it represented respect for the emperor, while if he turned to the right, it showed contempt. When Yang Yipeng and Chen Cao met for the first time, they would definitely not turn to the right. But he looked down on Chen Cao, so he cupped his hand on the left side.
Chen Cao was secretly unhappy. After the two guests of honor took their seats, Chen Cao spoke first: "Master Yang, Mr. Chen is here today. He has both official and private matters. I wonder which one Master Yang wants to talk about first?"
you ask me?
Yang Yipeng felt that Chen Cao had mistaken his identity, making him seem like a guest: "Did Mr. Chen make a mistake?"
"It's not wrong," Chen Cao shook his head: "I am from the military, and civil servants have never looked down upon us. The most important thing is that we speak directly and don't know how to be tactful. Some things we say are not good, but Chen has never liked it. Half of it is told in a roundabout way, and the other half is left to people to guess.”
"Master Chen, don't forget that you are also a Confucian apprentice..." Yang Yipeng interjected.
Chen Cao pretended to be suddenly enlightened: "I really forgot about it, but it's better to just say it directly, Mr. Yang, let's talk about private matters first."
Yang Yipeng couldn't figure out what kind of medicine Chen Cao was selling in his gourd. When he came up with it, it was about both public and private matters, so he said: "Master Chen and I have never met, how can we discuss private matters?"
"Yes..." Chen Cao said in a long tone: "When we talk about Li Yangchong later, aren't we familiar with Mr. Li..."
Yang Yipeng's eyelids trembled obviously, and then he showed a trace of unkindness. Chen Cao was the best at observing words and emotions, so he laughed twice: "Let me just say, we must have private matters to discuss."
Yang Yipeng didn't want to argue with Chen Cao from the bottom of his heart, so he said, "Then let's ask Mr. Chen for advice."
Chen Cao handed over his hand and said, "Let's open the skylight and speak frankly, Master Yang. Weng Meixin, the young lady of the Weng family in Caobang Yanzhou Prefecture, has an old relationship with Chen. I came here today to ask for a favor from Master Yang and let the young lady of the Weng family go." "
After Chen Cao finished speaking, the two of them remained silent for a long time. They could even hear each other's breathing in the hall. Yang Yipeng stared at Chen Cao's smiling expression and blurted out: "Master Chen, do you know?" This case has been closed. The evidence of Weng Meixin's collusion with the horse thieves is conclusive. The Shandong governor's office personally submitted the official documents and went to the Ministry of Punishment together with the official documents from the prosecutor's office. Mr. Chen, you have to know that the stakes here are very important, not you. A word of human kindness can complete it.”
When Yang Yipeng was talking, Chen Cao crossed his arms on his chest and stared at Yang Yipeng with a look of contempt. He also followed Yang Yipeng's example and remained silent for a long time, and then said: "I believe that with Master Yang's ability, he will be able to recover the official document. The Ministry of Criminal Justice will then remand the case for retrial.”
Yang Yipeng was a little annoyed with Chen Cao's way of speaking: "Why should I help you?"
Chen Cao did not answer his words at all: "Actually, the matter is very simple. As long as Master Yang hands over Miss Weng to Chen, Chen will naturally handle it properly for Master Yang and will not cause any embarrassment to Master Yang." place."
Yang Yipeng looked unkind and said: "What qualifications do you have to ask me to help you? Don't forget, Master Chen, I am not familiar with you at all."
"You guys are so ignorant..." Zhao Xin, who was standing aside, immediately became angry.
"Presumptuous..." Yang Yipeng scolded Xin Zhao: "You are a mere warrior, how dare you yell at me? Do you really think that I am easy to bully?"
Chen Cao waved his hand to signal Zhao Xin to shut up, then he laughed twice, still with a smile on his face and said: "Master Yang, please don't be as familiar with my subordinates. As Chen said, the matter is very simple. As long as Master Yang takes care of it, If Miss Weng is handed over to Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen will definitely not make things difficult for Mr. Yang, and he will also provide benefits."
Yang Yipeng sat up straight and said in a businesslike manner: "If it's for this matter, I would also advise Mr. Chen not to get involved. I won't help and can't help you."
"Since Mr. Yang insists on breaking up, then Chen can only deal with business matters." Chen Cao immediately changed his smiling face to a serious expression: "Mr. Yang, according to Shandong Tiqi's report, Weng Meixin is suspected of collusion. There is another hidden story in the horse theft case, and I have ordered Jin Yiwei to go to the Criminal Department to transfer the files, and the case will be retried soon."
Yang Yipeng was shocked. He forgot Chen Cao's identity.
"The horse thieves caused cholera incessantly during the reign of Emperor Wu Zong. In order to protect the peace of the court, I, as the commander of Nanzhen Fusi, have the responsibility to handle this matter. I am here today to promote the person involved, Weng Meixin. She is here where?"
Yang Yipeng completely forgot about the identity of Chen Cao's Jin Yiwei and their means of doing things, but he could not lose his face as the governor of water transportation at the moment, so he said firmly: "Her case has been decided. Besides, she is an important prisoner. If she falls into your Jin Yiwei might be planning to do something in his hands, but what if he dies?"
"Mr. Yang, have you not understood the power of the Jin Yiwei?" Chen Cao frowned: "You don't appreciate my kind advice. I have to break my face and tell you that the Jin Yiwei is the emperor's personal army. He is only responsible to the emperor for his affairs. You If you insist on not handing over Weng Meixin to me, I can't help but wonder if she is not the only one who colluded with the thieves, or are all of you involved? When the time comes, I, Jinyiwei, will be issued a driving post, let alone you, the governor. , even the Minister of the Ministry, I, the Jin Yiwei, will catch him without fail."
...
"Little sister," Weng Linzhi was very grateful. The moment he saw Weng Meixin, he knelt down to Chen Cao excitedly: "My lord, no common people can repay your kindness. Please accept my respect..."
Boom...
Chen Cao failed to stop him, and Weng Linzhi kowtowed heavily on the floor of the room.
Weng Meixin cried very sadly. All three of his brothers were dead and his father was also imprisoned. It was all thanks to Chen Cao that he could be released now.
Chen Cao found Weng Meixin staring at him and crying, and said: "I know you didn't ask your brother to come to me, and the jade pendant is still in your hand, but the last time you saved my life, I said you will definitely repay me, Meixin , Don’t worry, your matter is my matter, Chen Cao’s, and I will definitely arrange it for you."
Weng Meixin wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then saluted Chen Cao: "Thank you, Sir. The daughter of the people, please help me to save my father."
"Your father's matter is not a small matter," Chen Cao said with a serious face as he sat on the chair: "Do you know how the Shandong Governor's Yamen convicted your father?"
Weng Meixin shook her head: "I was arrested by Ren Chengwei after the Jinan incident. I don't know anything."
Including Weng Linzhi, he still doesn’t know why his father was brought to Huai’an: “When the incident in Jinan happened, I was delivering goods in Beizhili, so I escaped and just arrived in Yanzhou Prefecture, over there The people came after me."
Chen Cao said with a serious look on his face: "Weng Shijie colluded with the thieves to take advantage of others with the intention of disrupting water transportation."
The brother and sister both frowned.
Chen Cao added: "Water transport is related to the lifeblood of the entire Ming Dynasty. Anyone who dares to touch water transport is an enemy of the emperor. Whatever the past governors of water transport say, that's what they say. The censors and these people are all on the same side, as long as they are on both sides." Once the official document is handed over, your father...will undoubtedly die..."
"Furthermore, the three brothers of the two were arrested in Jinan, and a large number of men from the Cao Gang were armed to fight with the inspection department. Although they were finally wiped out by the government troops, this was the reason for the rebellion of your Weng family. It is already a certainty. ." Xin Zhao interjected.
Weng Meixin is extremely smart, but she doesn't know the seriousness of this crime. Now it seems that as soon as the other party takes action, her whole family will become rebels.
Chen Cao nodded: "I, Chen Cao, can only protect you temporarily. Fortunately, I am a royal guard and can investigate major rebellion cases. If it were someone else, you would not be able to get away with it. Now you are still safe and sound. I am afraid it is because of your father." I haven’t agreed to Pan Yourong’s request, or the request of those in the court, otherwise.”
Chen Cao didn't finish his words, then sighed and shook his head.
Weng Meixin bit her lips tightly, and then said angrily: "Third brother, since these people are unkind, don't blame us for being unrighteous. Why not just rebel against this coward court and earn back by killing one more thief?"
Oops...
Zhao Xin couldn't help but sneer: "Miss Weng is so courageous. She really dares to say rebellious words in front of our Jin Yiwei."
Chen Cao didn't know where Weng Meixin got the courage, so he stopped him and said, "Don't be impulsive. If you guys are not bragging, I'm afraid you won't even be able to defeat the River Guards of Huai'an Prefecture."
Weng Meixin had already covered up her previous look of a crying little woman, and replaced it with the aura of a heroine: "Master Chen, don't put gold in their faces. The Ming Guards are now in dilapidated condition, just like Dahe." I'm not exaggerating. As long as we have 300 close brothers, we can beat them to a complete defeat."
Chen Cao's left eye trembled, thinking that this woman is really not simple: "This is in the territory of Southern Zhili. Although the guardhouse in Huai'an Prefecture is rotten, don't forget the garrison of Southern Zhili. The number alone can I’ll crush you to death.”
"I know," Weng Meixin didn't care at all: "Didn't Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and the others also have a family of 300 people back then? In the end, the White Army grew to more than 100,000 people, and the whole of Shandong was their world. At that time, the Ming Dynasty There are no internal and external troubles like today, right? There are at least one or two thousand horse thieves in Yanzhou Prefecture. No guard troops can catch up. The imperial court has to rely on our water gangs to maintain water transportation."
"Oh," Chen Cao joked, "Miss Qingweng, you really know the horse thief."
"Not only do I know him," Weng Meixin said angrily: "All the senior people in Caobang know him."
"No wonder..." Chen Cao suddenly realized: "I casually accused you of colluding with thieves. Now it seems that you are not unjust."
Weng Linzhi did not want to rebel. If he had wanted to rebel, he would have done so with his three other brothers in Jinan: "Master Chen, now my Weng family relies entirely on your help."
"Third brother..." Weng Meixin looked at Weng Linzhi with some disappointment: "Aren't we bullied enough over the years?"
"Shut up," Weng Linzhi was really angry: "The most important thing now is to save my father."
"Xin Zhao, bring Weng Linzhi a set of official uniforms of our Jin Yiwei. Let's go to the Governor's Prison together and see Hall Master Weng first."
...
Yang Yipeng was very angry, but he had nothing to do. Chen Cao was a Jin Yiwei, and as long as rebellion was involved, both the Northern and Southern Divisions could intervene in the investigation.
So Chen Cao wanted to see Weng Shijie, and he had no reason to refuse.
"Jin Yiwei is asking questions, and the rest are waiting to avoid it." Zhao Xin blocked the door of the cell door, blocking Yang Yipeng who wanted to follow in.
"You..." Yang Yipeng was choked and speechless, and walked away: "Sweet the floor politely..."
"Dad..." As soon as Weng Linzhi entered, he saw Weng Shijie covered in bruises.
Weng Shijie opened his eyes, looked at Weng Linzhi, and nodded vigorously, with tears still in his eyes: "Okay, okay, my Weng family has no descendants..."
"Dad, this is Mr. Chen, the commander of the Jinyi Guards. He is here to rescue our Weng family." Weng Linzhi pointed at Chen Cao behind him.
Weng Shijie turned to look at Chen Cao, and bowed respectfully with clasped fists: "I met Mr. Chen in Xia Weng Shijie."
Chen Cao returned the greeting to Weng Shijie: "Hall Master Weng is so polite. I came here today mainly because I want to ask some questions."
"Master Chen, please speak."
Chen Cao looked around and saw no one before he said, "Does Pan Yourong want to annex Caogang?"
When he mentioned Pan Yourong, Weng Shijie became furious and immediately greeted the ancestors of the Pan family: "That thief colluded with Yang Yipeng and forced me to hand over Rentang, so that he could monopolize the Cao Gang, and the officials in the DPRK and the Central Government turned a blind eye. With one eye closed, I only regret that I didn't kill that thief Pan Yourong back then."
Chen Cao didn't want to listen to the past events, so he asked: "They didn't kill you for so long, they only tortured you. Except for Brother Weng and your concubine, they haven't fallen into their hands yet. Chen Cao wants to ask Hall Master Weng , what other reasons are there?”
Weng Shijie's eyes were a little cloudy, and he said after a long time: "The founding of our Caogang was the result of our ancestors. During the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties, the Qian family and the Pan family came to invest, and the three families jointly established the Caogang to serve the court. My Weng family has the strongest foundation, within the Shandong Canal. There are nearly a million family members of the Cao Gang, and when the Jinan incident occurred, only a thousand people were arrested, and those who took refuge were all members of the Rentang Gang in Nanzhili."
Chen Cao nodded: "No wonder your daughter-in-law dared to speak out about the rebellion before. It turns out that there are so many people in her hands. Chen probably knows that the reason why they dare not kill you is because once you die, they will I was afraid that Brother Weng and my daughter would launch an uprising of millions of people, so I never dared to touch you."
Weng Shijie nodded: "This is the secret of my Weng family."
"I know," Chen Cao said with a stern expression: "The reason why Hall Master Weng dared to tell me is because you yourself know that even if you don't hand over Rentang, you can still be killed by the court for the legitimate reason of intending to rebel. ..”
