…
When Honglin returned to the palace, it was already time to hold the lantern.
Li Shen, who had been accompanying him all the time, immediately said to Yang Chunsheng: "Eunuch Yang, why don't you make some tea for Long Live Lord? You've been tired for a whole day and you still haven't refreshed your eyesight?"
Yang Chunsheng immediately went to the imperial dining room to make arrangements, while Li Shen stayed by Hong Lin's side. He watched Hong Lin clenching his fist with one hand and lightly beating his head on his head. He immediately said: "Long live my lord, are you tired? Let me give you a shoulder massage." ?”
Honglin stopped and said, "I'm not tired, it's just that I feel something fishy about today's matter."
Li Shen was stunned: "Why did Long Live Master say this?"
Honglin said: "You think about it, Old Man Hu lives in Qiantang County, which is at least four to five thousand miles away from the capital. How did he get to the capital?"
Li Shen was shocked: "This servant didn't even expect this."
Honglin continued: "If you think about it, at his age, this journey would take at least two months. Not to mention that he is an old man on the verge of death. Even a man in his prime may not be able to survive. Why is it like this?" Arrive in the capital easily?"
Li Shen whispered: "I was at Mr. Zhang's residence just now. I also heard about it. There were several refugees who were also affected by the disaster with Old Man Hu."
Honglin: "That's the problem. Think about it, how can a group of refugees who don't know each other gather together and go to the capital to file a petition? This is against common sense."
Li Shen: "What does Long Live Lord mean?"
Honglin took advantage of the situation and lay down on the couch: "I think there must be someone behind the scenes to instruct this matter. Otherwise, how could Old Man Hu have the courage to go to Beijing to file a complaint?
This matter must be thoroughly investigated. You immediately arrange for people to rush to Qiantang County eight hundred miles away to find out who instigated Old Man Hu to come to Beijing. "
"Slave obeys the order!"
Li Shen did not dare to neglect, and immediately bowed and left the imperial study.
He couldn't imagine that Honglin's thoughts were so meticulous. He could think of so many things from a civilian complaint, and he couldn't help but feel chilled.
…
On March 18, less than half a month later, the people sent by Li Shen came back and brought the latest news from Qiantang County.
When Li Shen read the contents of the report, he couldn't help but be shocked.
After verification, it was found that Old Man Hu and the refugees came to Beijing to complain because a local gentry named Peng provided financial support and instructed them to go to Beijing to describe the disaster situation in Jiangnan.
The reason for doing this was because the official of the Peng family had a dispute with Na Diao Mantu due to differences in official matters.
Of course, this is just an analysis. Li Shen came to the answer that Peng Gang wanted to fabricate the disaster and encourage the victims to come to Beijing in order to overthrow the unruly plot.
According to the intelligence collected now, there are no disasters in any part of Jiangnan this year. People have resumed farming at the beginning of spring, and there are no so-called natural disaster refugees at all.
Li Shen did not dare to neglect and immediately went to Honglin with first-hand information.
After Honglin saw it, he immediately became furious: "What a Peng family! Fortunately, I and the late emperor treated him well in the past years. Unexpectedly, it was because of jealousy of the unruly people that they wanted to achieve political achievements, and they did not hesitate to encourage the unruly people to falsely accuse a local minister!
This trend will not help the rise. I want to investigate and deal with these people involved! "
Li Shen handed over another piece of information: "Long live Lord, this is a piece of information that is stated in a savage way. The Penggang family has been very critical of the current affairs of the government when meeting people in private all year round. It is even more critical of Long live Lord since he came to the throne. It is really taboo for the country to write down a few things as secrets!"
Li Shen's words completely revealed another side of Honglin: "Immediately draw up an edict, Peng Gang's evil words deceived the public and caused trouble for the government, inciting the people to plot evil.
Diao Mantu was ordered to confiscate the Peng family's home. The chief envoy, Peng Gang, his family members of the nine clans, and all those close to the Peng family, were all escorted back to Beijing to await disposal.
Then order the local patrol to collect evidence of the Peng family's crimes and submit them to the special Yamen for verification! "
Li Shen: "I obey the order."
Then he asked in a low voice: "What about Old Man Hu and those refugees..."
"Old Man Hu and the unruly people who came to the capital are not in compliance with the laws of Dajin. Since they are willing to be hawks and dogs, they should be punished as guilty and immediately send people to arrest and interrogate them. After the crime is confirmed, they should be abandoned at Caishikou!"
Word by word, Honglin can be said to have no mercy at all. He will destroy anyone who threatens his imperial power or challenges his authority, both physically and mentally.
Li Shen's heart was beating wildly. This was the first time he had seen royal methods in so long as he had been an official, and it could be said that blood flowed like a river.
…
Soon, the matter of Peng's house being ransacked in Qiantang County became an uproar.
On the streets of Qiantang County, Diao Mantu was sitting on horseback, personally escorting the "chief criminals" of the Peng family, and walking towards the government with a arrogant look.
"You're a savage figure! You must die a happy death!"
In the prison car, Peng Gang angrily shouted at the dog officer.
When Diao Mantu heard this, he snorted coldly and said to the people who were watching: "Everyone has seen it! Peng Gang accepted the emperor's favor in vain and actually encouraged the unruly people to come to the capital to disrupt the imperial court!
Fortunately, the current emperor is wise and wise, and he quickly saw through Peng Gang's conspiracy, so he was escorted to Beijing by his own officers. I hope everyone can take this as a warning! "
Listening to Diao Mantu's confusing words, Peng Gang almost vomited a mouthful of blood on the street.
He funded Old Man Hu and a group of homeless people to go to Beijing because he really couldn't bear to see officials like Diao Mantu misbehaving, and he also wanted the court to focus its attention on the disaster-stricken area south of the Yangtze River.
But he never thought that he underestimated the level of corruption in the court and misjudged the tyrant Hong Lin, which caused him and his family to be in trouble.
You don't need to think about it to know that countless unfounded charges will soon be imposed on the Peng family, and you can't even explain it.
The Peng family's house was searched and sealed, and all relatives and friends with whom they had even the slightest connection were also in trouble. The interrogation of refugees like Old Man Hu in the capital is also going on brutally.
Poor old man Hu was taken to the court and was beaten fifty times without saying a word. The crime was for assaulting Tianyan. After the fifty beatings were over, old man Hu died directly in the court without waiting for his death. Come to your own share of "justice and fairness".
As for other refugees, the government's treatment method is simple and crude, which is to directly torture them to extract confessions.
In the end, everyone could no longer bear the torture and was forced to surrender, which indirectly confirmed the Peng family's crimes.
Honglin was still very satisfied with the handling of these incidents, and at the same time stepped up the process of the southern tour.
Officials far away in the south of the Yangtze River immediately began their "responsible work" after learning that the emperor was going to tour the south.
First, they demolished a large number of houses and drove the homeless people away from the local area. Then they made money from merchants. Then they placed valuable potted plants and flowers and trees on the clean houses, and then repaired the roads neatly. It can be said that Flowers filled the sky, and loess paved roads stretched for hundreds of miles.
During this period of time, all the officials were busy dealing with the emperor's southern tour, and they all wanted to perform well.
As for the people?
Just a group of unruly people, what kind of trouble can they cause?
On a certain hillside, a large group of homeless refugees watched their homes being reduced to ruins by the brutality of the officers and soldiers, with their eyes all red.
Suddenly, a man knelt on the ground, looked up to the sky and shouted: "Oh God! Please open your eyes! This is forcing people to a dead end!"
Immediately, a burst of muffled thunder sounded in the sky, as if in response to the man's cry, it was transmitted to the misty Nanyang.
At this time, on the rough sea, a fleet of sixty-two large ships of various types came riding the wind and waves.
"It's thundering!"
Gan Ziba stood on the flagship mast, looking at the gloomy sky with a smile.
Looking down, he saw Yue Shaomu standing at the bow of the ship, holding a looking glass, quietly staring at the rolling waves.
