The prince nodded after hearing this.
Next, he really pretended to be sick and ignored government affairs.
And on the day of Beginning of Winter in the twenty-eighth year of Wanli, the warm sun shines.
The clatter of horse hooves suddenly appeared on the bluestone slab near the Xiuning County Government Office. Suddenly, more than ten horses appeared, which made people look at them.
It didn't take long.
The dozen or so cavalry soldiers who rode on horseback entered the county government office with their post office tickets, and directly met the prince himself, who was claiming to be ill and had not seen anyone.
"Urgent delivery, the imperial edict requires strict investigation into private mining matters."
The prince also obtained the latest imperial edict from these soldiers, and not long after that, he informed Zhang Yunsheng of this.
Zhang Yunsheng asked: "Dong Weng is really not from a family of officials?"
The prince smiled and replied: "Of course!"
"Then Dong Weng should immediately ask his mentor or backer. Dong Weng should do whatever he wants Dong Weng to do. He must not act rashly according to the imperial decree."
Zhang Yunsheng hurriedly suggested.
The prince glanced at him: "Why?"
Zhang Yunsheng couldn't help but explain: "This decree is clearly aimed at the gentry and powerful people in the world. Dong Weng comes from a humble background and has no foundation. It is not appropriate to offend the local officials and powerful people. Otherwise, someone will be watching Dong Weng in the future, so that Dong Weng will not dare to commit any crimes." Wrong! And even if you want to offend, you must first find a backer. In this way, even if you offend the local officials, there will be a backer to support and protect Dong Weng in the future. Otherwise, Dong Weng's career will be difficult to achieve in the long term. "
"It's not that I really have to be a high official in this county. I don't have to be a famous minister, but I have to be a loyal minister."
The prince rejected Zhang Yunsheng's suggestion and said after that:
"Go and ask Commander Wang to come."
Zhang Yunsheng was stunned for a moment after hearing this, and then he just raised his hands and said yes.
Soon.
Wang Jingdi came to the prince.
The prince gave him the decree: "Commander Wang must know the purpose of the imperial court's decree?"
"I understand."
Wang Jingdi cupped his hands and replied.
The prince said: "Okay! Please ask Commander Wang to immediately investigate the matter of private mining. This county will ask officials at all levels to cooperate with you. If there is anyone who does not cooperate with you, you can kill them first and then report them. If something goes wrong, this county will bear the responsibility." .”
Wang Jingdi raised his hand and said yes.
…
"Our people just came to report that more than ten cavalry soldiers arrived at the county government office and met with the county magistrate."
Wang Dabin also came to Wang Huan on the day of Beginning of Winter and started talking.
Wang Huan, who was practicing calligraphy, couldn't help but put down his writing and said: "Recently, many prefectures and counties have such express delivery agencies. It seems that there is a new order coming. However, our county official obviously has a powerful one." The staff pointed out that he is still pretending to be ill and refuses to be driven by us."
"Then will he be willing to drive for us next?"
Wang Dabin asked.
Wang Huan smiled and said, "Who knows?"
Wang Dabin said uneasily: "I'm afraid they are targeting us now. Should we stop all those activities that are illegal?"
"That's too late!"
"Besides, we haven't even figured out what the imperial court's purpose is. If we act haphazardly, it might only make the imperial court worse."
"As the saying goes, if you stick your head out, it's a knife, and if you shrink your head, it's a knife. It's better to earn more quickly. As long as the clan is not exterminated, you might not have to spit them all out!"
Wang Huan replied.
Wang Dabin nodded: "You are right. After all, the imperial court is a imperial court, not a county official. If they really come to confiscate our home, if we don't let the imperial court confiscate the property, it may make the imperial court unhappy and directly control it. Soldiers are bandits.”
Therefore, the Wang family did not ask their subordinates to stop mining.
The same goes for many rural officials, who are still frantically mining privately.
At that time, Wang Jingdi had bribed the local people in advance, found a mine first, and led his troops to find a path to lurk here, and immediately surrounded the mine.
Bang bang!
Due to the Ming Dynasty's internal ban on mining, although those who dare to mine privately have the support of wealthy families, the mine owners and miners who mine are desperadoes, not to mention brave and ruthless, and some dare to fight directly.
Therefore, when Wang Jingdi led his troops, the owner of the mine directly led the miners to resist. He even took out his privately hidden firearms and started shooting at the police. After the shooting, some miners still organized the foreman. Next, he first launched a charge against the police soldiers.
In general.
At this time, if it were an ordinary policeman, his legs would have been weak from fear, and he would be defeated in a short time.
But now, these miners encountered veterans who had just returned from a fierce battle on the front line. Therefore, they soon discovered that these government police soldiers had not retreated, and were even waiting for them. When they rushed closer, they would A barrage of bullets was fired at them.
Soon, in a misty white miasma, many miners fell to the ground.
When some daring miners who were not afraid of death rushed forward, they discovered that these officers and soldiers also dared to fight with them, and they were in groups of three. Their cooperation was so tacit that when they rushed forward to fight, only those on their side were there. The share of being killed.
There is no way, the miners who are good at group fights but just brave and brave, lack tactical training, so they can only be beaten passively in front of the officers and soldiers who have experienced hundreds of battles.
Not long after, after many miners who dared to risk their lives were killed one after another, the remaining miners woke up, finally felt afraid, and began to retreat one after another. Even those who had the courage only dared to go back and attack the mine wall. And defend, but dare not take the initiative to charge.
"Damn it, we have encountered a tough enemy!"
"It should be a police soldier who was recently transferred back from overseas."
"Master Zeng, what should we do?"
After Jin Dajun, the foreman of the mine, ran back, he hurriedly came to the mine owner Zeng Changxin and started talking.
Zeng Changxin walked up to the upper floor of the mine village with a face, and shouted to the officers and soldiers outside: "Fellow soldiers, I am the owner of the mine here. I don't know where I have offended you. I have to force you like this? Can you give me some help?" Brothers have a way to survive, so naturally, brothers will be very grateful!"
"You have not offended us, but you have offended the king's law!"
"The ban on mining within the customs is a clear decree, and you must obey the decree."
Wang Jingdi replied loudly at this time, and said: "Pull the cannon up, and listen to my order later, and fire the cannon to bombard the mine wall!"
"yes!"
Here, Zeng Changxin said: "But the real owner of the silver mine is the property of the Wang family, a famous official in this town. Do you really want to ban mining here?"
"No matter who you are, you are not allowed to mine in the pass!"
"If you know better, surrender as soon as possible, otherwise I will have no choice but to kill you, including your relatives and family members in the mine!"
After Wang Jingdi spoke loudly, Zeng Changxin's face became even more ugly.
"Let me tell you, Your Majesty has a decree, and he will not kill you if he can. Therefore, as long as you are willing to surrender, your heads will not be cut off, but you will only be exempted from the death penalty!"
Wang Jingdi continued to speak at this time, and after speaking, he ordered: "Fire!"
boom!
boom!
Not long after, the two artillery pieces burst into flames, knocking down the mine wall on the spot.
"Don't fire!"
Zeng Changxin trembled suddenly, and then shouted, "We surrender!"
As a result, the mine was successfully taken over by the police, and both the mine owner and the miners were detained.
After Zeng Changxin was detained, he took the initiative to ask Wang Jingdi:
"Master, does the court really want to spare us from the death penalty?"
"Of course! The imperial edict stipulates that those who surrender will not be killed and the wives and daughters of criminals will not be humiliated."
"But to be detained pending disposition."
After Wang Jingdi answered, he had Zeng Changxin and others detained.
After the prince learned from Wang Jingdi that the Wang family was suspected of colluding with Hao You to mine privately, he immediately ordered: "Immediately arrest everyone in the Wang family. To prevent changes, the county will go there in person!"
"Don Weng think twice!"
"The Wang clan is no better than other clans. If Dong Weng insists on doing this, he may inevitably be called a cruel official!"
Zhang Yunsheng persuaded.
At this time, the prince rode on Sun Zhonghe's horse and said: "Mr. Zhang, there is no need to persuade me anymore. Although I am of ordinary origin, it does not mean that I am not qualified to be a loyal minister just because I am of ordinary origin!"
After the prince said that, he personally took Wang Jingdi and others to the Wang Mansion.
Although a county government official does not have many soldiers on the payroll, there are actually quite a few soldiers who are not on the payroll. Basically, in large counties like Xiuning County in the wealthy areas of the south, the number of soldiers who are not on the payroll ranges from several thousand to more than 10,000. between.
However, when the prince went to raid Wang's mansion, it was not just Wang Jingdi's more than a hundred soldiers and a few convoys, but a large group of soldiers.
There is no completely airtight wall in this world.
With the promulgation of Zhu Yijun's decree requiring government agencies at all levels to strictly inspect the banned mines, Wang Huan and others already knew that the imperial court was going to strictly inspect the banned mines.
But Wang Huan and others neither asked the mine owners below them to stop mining, nor did they choose to escape. Instead, they chose to sit back and wait.
Therefore, when the prince came, the Wang Mansion was still as usual.
"Why didn't they escape?"
When the prince saw Wang Huan and others coming, he couldn't help but ask Zhang Yunsheng.
Zhang Yunsheng replied: "Because they know that Dong Weng will not do anything to them, and they also know that the holy will cannot be violated."
The prince nodded after hearing this, and after seeing Wang Huan, he also asked: "Presumably Mr. Wang also knows why we are here in this county?"
Wang Huan then bowed and said: "The dog's eyes are devoid of the king's laws. He indulged his slaves in amassing money and mining, and violated the national law. I am guilty of lax discipline, and I am willing to be punished."
Then, Wang Huan asked: "I just don't know how the court will deal with us?"
The prince replied: "The decree is that all those involved in private mining, regardless of principal or auxiliary, and the three generations of the three tribes who have been exiled overseas, will not be killed. Although their homes will be confiscated, subscription coupons, silver dollar coupons, cloth, non-technical books and furniture will be confiscated." "Except for antiques and jades, handicrafts, clothing, footwear, knives and weapons, as well as carriages and horses, etc. are not included in the confiscation. There is a specific list of items that do not need to be confiscated according to the decree."
"In addition, the criminals in Xiuning County are ordered to be sent to Dinghaiwei for detention first, and then sent to the Honshu Correctional District in batches. The specific placement will be arranged by the Capital Yushi Xingbu Hall."
After the prince said this, Wang Huan fainted immediately. (End of chapter)
