On the thirteenth day of the first month of the thirteenth year of Yongle, Ji Gang asked Xie Jin in prison to drink wine.
Xie Jin has been imprisoned for more than three years since he was sent to imperial prison in the ninth year of Yongle.
The snow was falling, and Xie Jin was standing in the yard several feet square, looking up at the snowflakes flying in the sky, lost in thought. The cold wind howled, and snowflakes fell on his messy beard and hair, which had not been trimmed for a long time.
This is the courtyard within the courtyard of Zhenfu Si Chao Prison, the wall within the wall. People like Huang Huai, Yang Pu and others who were captured into Chao Prison not long ago were also imprisoned respectively after eating the routine killing stick in the dungeon execution room. Moved to their respective courtyards.
Only high-ranking officials like them or prisoners involved in serious cases are eligible to enjoy a small courtyard like this.
The iron-cast courtyard door is usually deeply locked. The prisoners live in the west wing, and the middle hall is the recording room. The east room is usually empty, and is used for the interrogation officer to drink tea after interrogating the prisoners. The three rooms are all facing north and south, and each has a door that is not connected to each other; high walls on both sides and iron gates in front enclose a deep courtyard.
Although they can't visit each other to chat, they are not too lonely. Even if they are imprisoned, people will come to show their kindness. Many people believe that they may one day be released and restored to officialdom. The position can be reused again. Yang Shiqi, who was released a few days ago, has proved this.
This is an investment, but it does not have much risk. On the contrary, the rate of return is still very high.
Therefore, many people are happy to invest.
Xie Jin was often invited to drink and chat with him. He was the captain of the Jinyi Guards who was responsible for looking after him.
Xie Jin was absorbed in looking at the snow when he heard the sound of iron locks outside and thought it was the captain again. However, when the iron door opened, it was Ji Gang.
Ji Gang came in alone with a food box, and the iron door closed again.
The two of them sat in the west wing of the small courtyard, relatively speechless. The table in front of them was filled with good wine and food brought by Ji Gang.
Xie Jin was not polite and just drank one glass after another. He knew that if Ji Gang came, he would be more likely to kill him than let him go.
"Brother Chunyu, is this the second time we sit together and drink like this?" Ji Gang finally spoke first.
Xie Jin remembered that banquet. Ji Gang recited the phrase "The teal duck in the pond has a flat mouth and short feet and screams Xiaxia; the turtle in the cave has a long neck, a hard shell and a squat body" for him to answer. He satirized Xie Jin for his short stature and unattractive appearance.
Xie Jin heard that he had bad intentions and was not polite, so he replied: "Reeds on the wall are top-heavy and shallow; bamboo shoots in the mountains have sharp mouths, thick skins and hollow bellies." Upon hearing this, the ministers present all knew that he was mocking Ji Gangcaixue. He is crude and shallow, so he admires Xie Jin's courage.
As expected, Ji Gang always remembered this! Xie Jin was even more convinced that he was here to kill him.
"Brother Chunyu, the emperor asked me about you yesterday." Ji Gang added, "Brother Chunyu is more talented than Dongfang Shuo. Do you know what the emperor means?"
It had been three years since the emperor saw his prison record before he thought of himself. For such a long time, he had been harboring the hope of being re-employed. Now, his heart suddenly felt empty.
"It's snowing." Xie Jin looked at the snow outside the window. It was getting heavier and heavier. Next year should be a good year.
Xie Jin drank all the wine in the cup and became very drunk.
Ji Gang dragged him up and walked into the snow...
…
Zhang Fu only stayed in Beijing for a few days before he went to the Annan front again. The remnants of the Chen army, Chen Yuehu and others, rebelled again, and the court ordered him to serve as the commander-in-chief of Jiaozhi to guard the area.
Before leaving, Zhang Fu and Zhang Bi had a conversation.
Zhang Fu said: "The value of Lin Linyou is to make Ji Gang relax his guard against us and even completely trust us! Daming will remember Lin Linyou."
"Why does it have to be him?" Zhang Ben was shocked.
"Who among the Jin Yiwei is more discerning than him?" Zhang Fu said, "Because he is your brother, and you are my Zhang Fu's brother!"
Zhang Bi regretted it very much. He should have let Lin Lin swim to the West without hesitation! In this way, he might be able to save his life! Second brother, second brother, you are too unwilling to let the eldest brother worry. This time, the eldest brother may not be able to protect you...
"There is news, Yang Shiqi has released it." Zhang Bi spoke absentmindedly.
"I know." Lin Linyou said.
"There is another news. Jie Jin is dead." Zhang Bi added, capturing the expression on Lin Linyou's face, "Ji Gang killed him."
"I know too." Lin Linyou said expressionlessly.
"You and I are both familiar with history, and we know that the prince is incompetent. No matter how hard you and I serve, we can't compare to the deep brotherhood between him and the King of Han." Zhang Ben said, "You can't even protect him from Jie Jin. Are you as strong as Jie Jin?"
"No." Lin Linyou shook his head honestly. But I also heard what Zhang Bi meant. It turned out that the treasure Zhang Fu had been betting on was not the prince, but Zhu Di's great grandson, the emperor's grandson Zhu Zhanji.
Also, Zhang Fu, a military general, may not be optimistic about the weak prince. On the contrary, Zhu Zhanji, who was only fifteen years old, had practiced martial arts in Fangshan, and even accompanied the emperor on the Northern Expedition. It can be said that he was both civil and military, much stronger than his father. Got it!
No wonder, Zhang Bi said that they were playing a big game of chess. It turned out that they didn't like Ji Gang at all, and they didn't care at all about the fight between the prince and the king of Han Zhao.
"Then you still dare to go against Ji Gang?" Zhang Ben said, even someone with such a strong backstage of Jie Jin could become an outcast and be killed by Ji Gang. "You should know that Ji Gang is the first person in "History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of Yan Xing"!"
"When did I confront him?" Lin Linyou said, "I have always listened to you. I have been very low-key during this period! I didn't do anything."
"You still want to hide it from me?" Zhang Ben said, "Why did you go to investigate the internal prison guard Zhang Xing?"
"What? Zhang Xing is also a member of your old Zhang family?" Lin Linyou said with a smile, "Young Master, shouldn't you let your brothers join the palace as eunuchs?"
"Then what do you want to do? Even if you capture Zhang Xing, you will ultimately target the King of Han. What does it have to do with Ji Gang?" Zhang Bi asked back.
Lin Linyou was silent for a long time, and finally told his elder brother what was in his heart: "I am not doing it for the prince."
"Then what are you doing?" Zhang Bi always thought that everything Lin Linyou did was for the overall situation, and it was for the overall situation that he wanted him to keep a low profile and not interfere. After all, they are still outsiders in this story. Now I suddenly feel that I can't figure out this brother.
"We all know the direction of history. Since history is like this, Ji Gang will die and the King of Han will be defeated. Why should I engage in meaningless struggles?" Lin Linyou said, "I want to kill Ji Gang purely out of personal grudges?"
"Personal grudge?" Zhang Bi asked, "For Rong'er and my little sister?"
"Brother, have you forgotten your experience in Suzhou Mansion?"
When did you start wanting to kill Ji Gang?
Perhaps it started from the day Li Chun threw him off the boat and then kidnapped Yue Rong and Lin Long.
Perhaps, it was the moment when I met my little sister Lin Long on the official ship of Ji Gang and the ship was full of orphans and widows.
Or maybe it was the moment in the Wang family's mansion in Suzhou Mansion when the Wang family's daughter stabbed a fork into Lin Linyou's waist and watched her stare at him with eyes of resentment and despair.
At that moment, Lin Linyou wanted to kill Ji Gang.
Zhang Bi sighed softly, his second brother was quite heroic and his blood was still there.
This is something he cannot compare to Zhang Bi.
"Aren't you afraid that you will be the next to die?"
"Did I come to Ming Dynasty just to live an ignoble existence?"
Ji Gang made him live in fear and made him live very unhappy.
This is just an adventure arranged by God. If I live, I will live gracefully; if I die, I will die generously.
…
