"I entrust you with this order."
In the lobby of the Imperial Guard, Zhou Xin lifted up the hem of his official robe and knelt down facing north. Standing in front of him was Li Chun, a member of Qianhu, a royal guard.
Li Chun read: "Xuan, Zhejiang's envoy Zhou Xin came to the palace to see him."
This was an oral order from the emperor and there was no written imperial note, but Zhou Xin did not doubt that he was there. No matter how bold Ren Jinyiwei was, he was not bold enough to dare to falsely pass on the imperial edict!
That’s fine, Zhou Xin thought to himself, there is no need for the Secretary of General Affairs to submit this memorial, I will submit it myself!
Yuan Jiang and others were also released from the Qiantang County Yamen Prison.
"Commander, you are scared!" After Yuan Jiang and the others took a shower and changed clothes to wash away the bad smell in the prison, Li Chun set up a banquet at the best restaurant by the West Lake to calm Yuan Jiang's shock.
Originally, they also invited Zhou Xin to attend the banquet, but Zhou Xin ruthlessly refused.
"This week is new, you don't know what is good and what is good!" Wang Qian of Qianhu said bitterly.
But what commander Yuan Jiang hated most was not Zhou Xin, but Ye Zongxing, the magistrate of Qiantang County, because the arrow in his leg was shot by Ye Zongxing.
"When I get to the emperor, I don't know what this guy will say!" Wang Qian was a little worried. After all, they did not do anything good in Zhejiang.
Li Chun said with a smile: "Wang Qianhu, just don't worry, the King will bear the burden for us, what should we be afraid of? Otherwise, why would you let me come?"
"That's right." Wang Qian was relieved at this. Everyone drank and talked and laughed, and naturally they invited a few singers to accompany them.
The two general bannermen, Wu Yao and Xiaoban Yang Fang, and a group of captains crowded together at the two round tables at the bottom. Neither of them was in the mood to eat. They only drank one glass after another and did not communicate. They each had their own concerns.
After the wine was half drunk, Yuan Jiang called Wu Yao and Yang Fang up.
Yang Fang walked up by himself, but Wu Yao was carried up by the captains. He was so drunk that he couldn't stand still.
"It seems that you said a lot about us when you were at Zhou Xin's place?" Yuan Jiang asked Wu Yao first, "Why, according to the method of inspecting the prison, it is comparable to the imperial edict? You can't hold it with a general banner? Or do you mean, What benefits did he promise you?"
A flash of panic flashed in Wu Yao's eyes, and it disappeared in an instant, and he immediately returned to his drunken state, talking nonsense and acting like a drunk.
Although he was drunk, he was not very crazy. If he was very crazy, he would not pour the wine on the singer, but on Yuan Jiang.
Yuan Jiang sneered and ordered the captain: "Take him out to sober up!"
The two captains who had just carried Wu Yao up carried Wu Yao outside, pulled him into the patio, and pressed his head into the lotus pond. After a moment, they carried him up again, and just as they were about to press him down again, Wu Yao's wine suddenly tumbled. When he woke up, he broke free from the captain's hand, pulled out the knife from the captain's waist, raised the knife with his hand, and chopped a captain to the ground.
Yuan Jiang and the others heard the shouts and shouted: "Go out and have a look!"
The captains put down their wine cups, bowls and chopsticks, grabbed the knives on the table by the wall and rushed out...
Yang Fang stood respectfully, not knowing what would happen to him. If he died, would he have Wu Yao's courage to stand up and resist?
The answer is no, because he still has family.
He can only let Yuan Jiang slaughter him. In this way, he can still keep his family safe.
"Yang Xiaoqi, please drink this cup to the full." Yuan Jiang just ordered someone to bring a bell of wine for Yang Fang to drink.
One bell is estimated to be half a catty. Even though it is rice wine, if you drink such a full bell, even a moderately drunk person will get drunk on the spot.
Fortunately, Yang Fang had a good capacity for drinking. He picked up the big wine clock and drank it all in one breath.
Yuan Jiang smiled and said to Li Chun who was sitting at the same table: "Li Qianhu, you are from Changshu. Changshu is famous for its wine making, so I invite you to be the wine recorder."
"Then I will do my duty." Li Chun Gong handed over his hand and asked the maid to bring Yang Fang's empty wine clock.
Li Chun took the empty wine clock and tilted his mouth downwards forty-five degrees, calling it a cup test. He saw the remaining wine in the empty wine clock falling drop by drop...
When no more wine dripped out, Li Chun shouted flatly: "There are seven drops!"
Yuan Jiang said: "According to your drinking regulations, how should I be punished?"
"One drop is a penalty." Li Chun said with a smile.
Yuan Jiang: "One cup?"
"No, it's one bell!" Li Chun quickly changed his words.
"Serve the wine!"
The seven-minute wine was brought to Yang Fang.
Yang Fang now only hates why he drank so much wine just now, and now he has no stomach to pretend to be. But when he stepped back and thought about it, no matter how empty his stomach was, Yuan Jiang would definitely fill it up for him. This could be described as walking away without food.
Yang Fang was stupid and couldn't speak, and he knew he was wrong and didn't know what to say. He only hoped that Yuan Jiang and the others would spare his life after drinking as a punishment. He didn't deserve to die for his crime, right?
Then, with a sudden heart, he picked up the wine bell and drank the seven bells of wine one after another like a cow drinking water.
I drank more slowly this time. Firstly, I couldn't drink it. Secondly, I was afraid that Li Chun would be caught if I didn't drink it all.
Li Chun checked the wine glasses again. This time, no wine dripped out of the wine clock, but this did not trouble him. He took a piece of silk, wiped the seven wine clocks one by one, and then wiped the silk silk Knead it into a ball in the palm of your hand, raise your hand and squeeze it——
Three drops of wine dripped from the silk, but he deliberately made trouble for Yang Fang and shouted: "There are five drops!"
Normally, Yang Fang would dare to be angry but dare not say anything, but now he is so drunk that he is emboldened and defends himself: "It seems, it's three drops..."
"Then you're saying I'm being unfair?" Li Chun glared, "Those who fined me a drink just to defend themselves are disturbing the order! They must be punished! Commander, how many drinks do you think I should be fined?"
Yuan Jiang said calmly: "You are the one who records the affairs. Of course, you have the final say."
"Then there will be two more penalties!"
So, another seven-minute wine was brought to Yang Fang.
OK! I will risk my life to play with you today! Yang Fang was silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and picked up the wine clock...
He was really sincere, he wouldn't lie, and he didn't dare to lie. Not even a drop of wine flowed from the corner of his mouth.
After a while, he drank up the seven-minute wine again.
"Hiccup--" Yang Fang let out a long wine burp, and his stomach surged. He felt that the wine had filled his throat. He tried hard to suppress it so as not to spurt out of his mouth, but he felt the urge to urinate underneath.
Li Chun was about to test the cup, but Yuan Jiang raised his hand to stop him.
"Yang Xiaoqi, you have to know, for whom are we imprisoned?" Yuan Jiang said slowly.
"Because...because of the humble position." Yang Fang said, "He deserves to die because of the humble position! Please command and punish him!"
"That's all!" Yuan Jiang said, "After all, you are strict with your mouth. I have been drinking for a few minutes today to let you understand a truth. You can drink wine randomly, but you must not talk nonsense!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the captains who had just chased him out came back. They threw Wu Yao's limp body to the ground and said, "Sir! I've brought him back."
Apart from the singers, there are also Jin Yiwei. This is how everyone usually does things, so there is nothing weird about beating people to death and throwing them in front of the dinner table.
Yuan Jiang waved his hand.
Li Chun said: "Take it down!"
So Wu Yao's body was dragged away again.
"Yang Xiaoqi." Yuan Jiang looked at Yang Fang.
Yang Fang was startled and quickly looked away from the backs of the captains, lowered his head and saluted: "My subordinates are here!"
"Xin'an County Prince's Mansion needs the help of the Jin Yiwei for something." Yuan Jiang said, "You should go and make a trip!"
"Subordinates take orders."
Li Chun added: "Don't say we won't give you a chance. After you go, help King Xin'an and don't let the commander worry about you anymore!"
Yang Fang bowed his head in thanks, took the knife leaning on the side and prepared to retreat.
"Don't be in a hurry. Let's eat and drink well today and then set off tomorrow." Yuan Jiang said.
Yang Fang had no choice but to put down the knife silently. He could eat well, but drink, but he definitely couldn't drink...
