After several soldiers took the order and left, Huang Qiong turned his head and looked at the Chu family in front of him with extremely cold eyes. He coldly ordered the military attaché behind him: "Send someone to remove all the Chu family members." Separate them into men and women, and take them all to Tongmingmen. I want to interrogate them personally. I want to see how many dirty things the Chu family, which is known as half of Xijing, hides that outsiders don't know about."
"Other slaves, those in charge and above, regardless of gender, including men and eunuchs, are all escorted to your military camp. No matter what method you use, pry their mouths open in the shortest possible time. Their masters have all done it. Everything must be paid for by the widow. You don’t need to take care of the rest of the women. They will all be sent to Yeting Palace and handed over to the custody of the Minister of Internal Affairs."
Then he looked at the fifth master Chu who had caused so many troubles and completely dragged the Chu family into the abyss. Knowing this dandy, he doesn’t know much inside information. No one would leave truly private matters in the hands of such a waste who only knows how to eat, drink and have fun. Even interrogation of such a person is of little value. I'm afraid he may not know as much as a few general managers.
My energy is limited, so there is no need to waste too much time with such a person. After pondering for a moment, Huang Qiong pointed at the Fifth Master Chu with his riding crop and said to the military attaché leading the team: "This guy will also be escorted to your military camp and handed over to you for interrogation. Don't let me play to death. Leave a breath until the day when the punishment is canon. And this house is sealed, leaving fifty people to garrison it."
After that, Huang Qiong ignored the Chu family members who collapsed on the ground and strode out directly. Behind him, the military attache who led the team immediately separated the Chu family members, and the Chu family members were escorted to the Tongming Gate of Taiji Palace. The other slaves were escorted to Yeting Palace or to their own military camps. Although the Chu family is said to be powerful, it is obvious that there is great resentment and anger among the people in Chang'an City.
The news that the Chu family was sealed and arrested spread throughout Chang'an in the shortest possible time. Just as Huang Qiong led people back to the palace, there were celebratory firecrackers everywhere. Some people even set off fireworks in broad daylight to celebrate that the city of Chang'an had been freed from a great harm. Even the poorest families who couldn't even afford meat during the Chinese New Year spent their last money and bought a firecracker to celebrate.
When escorting the Chu family back to Tongmingmen, not only were there people setting off firecrackers to celebrate along the way. Along the way, there were even more angry crowds, throwing rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs at the Chu family. Every one of the Chu family was beaten into an extremely embarrassing state. Even the officers and soldiers who escorted them suffered a lot in vain, including a lot of rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs. When the officials learned about this, they all trembled.
These people are not the Lord with sharp ears and eyes. They already knew everything about what happened between the Crown Prince and the Fifth Master Chu in Dongshi today before they returned home. After knowing what the spoiled Mr. Chu, who had not grown up at all in his thirties, had done in Dongshi. These officials couldn't help but lament that that Fifth Master Chu was simply stupider than a pig.
He himself couldn't see people clearly and mistook the tiger for a sheep. It didn't matter if he was desperately seeking death. But now, not only the Chu family will be in trouble, but even the people who appeared in the Chu family today don't know how much they will be involved. They didn't even expect that this prince really didn't rub any dirt in his eyes, and he didn't give face to anyone. The Chu family copied it as soon as they said it would.
They all knew about the close relationship between the Chu family and the King of Shu, and later Concubine De and the King of Song. Just a few years ago, the Chu family, under the banner of Concubine De and King Song, bought them both generous gifts. Originally, these officials thought that even if they were the prince, they would not have to give face to the dead King of Shu. But the honor of the concubines in the palace and the King of Song still have to be taken into consideration.
However, what they didn't expect was that the prince didn't give any face to anyone. The Chu family, which was still known as half of Chang'an in the morning, was completely ransacked before they even arrived. The whole family was locked up and taken to the palace and military camp. The movements were so fast that they all felt caught off guard. And in this case, even if they wanted to intervene, they couldn't.
There is no criminal department in Xijing, and all cases are generally tried jointly by Yushitai and Dali Temple. Originally, these people were still thinking that even if the prince ransacked his house and arrested people, they would still have to hand the prisoners over to them for trial. As long as the person is in their hands, they have ten thousand ways to silence the Chu family. But no one expected that the prince would not give them this opportunity at all.
Those captured were either imprisoned in the guards' barracks. Either he was taken directly to the palace and it was made clear that he would be interrogated in person. If they do this, even if they want to protect people or silence them, there is nothing they can do. It's just that this time, I don't know how many people there are in Xijing's various departments. They can't keep their official hats or even their heads. They had too many benefits from taking over the Chu family before.
After learning that the Chu family was ransacked and everyone in the Chu family was locked up and taken out. The officials who attended the banquet at the Chu family today were all panic-stricken, thinking about how to protect themselves or silence themselves. Huang Qiong, who returned to the palace, went directly to the tower of Tongming Gate. As for the people of the Chu family, they were also detained in the city tower. After Huang Qiong returned, the first person to be interrogated was naturally the head of the Chu family.
Huang Qiong took a sip of the tea brought by the eunuch, raised her head to face Uncle Chu who was kneeling on the ground, the rope had been replaced by a chain, and said with a faint smile: "Did you take the initiative yourself, or did I send someone to pry your mouth open?" ? You must know in your own mind that if you take the initiative to speak out, I am not an unreasonable person at all, and you can consider leaving some blood to your Chu family."
Hearing Huang Qiong's question, Uncle Chu was not ambiguous and said to Huang Qiong: "They say that God's evil can be forgiven, but one's own evil will not survive. This is true. Back then, the Chu family had already been clinging to Shu. Wang Fajia, I have already anticipated this day. Although I am a merchant, I have read some history books and know that the competition for the reserve position in the past dynasties has been extremely cruel."
"The winner may not share the same fate with those around him, but the loser has always been deeply involved. At first, my father was unwilling to be just a businessman, and was always suppressed by the Fan family in Xiangyang. Regardless of the fact that he was just a businessman, he insisted on seeking refuge with the King of Shu, and Chu The outcome of the family is already doomed. The King of Shu has a gloomy mind and acts recklessly. Although the Chu family can get rich quickly by clinging to the King of Shu, it may not end well."
"The King of Shu is the kind of person who can only share the hardships, but never the joys. Not to mention that the King of Shu may not really be able to make it to the end in this battle for the right to inherit the throne. Even if he takes the throne, those who were originally Those who do secret things for him are probably the first ones he wants to get rid of. Although the Chu family has never done anything harmful to him, the Chu family has always been involved in the King of Shu's business in the northwest."
"The Chu family's secrets about him are far inferior to those of his secret guards, but not at all. If he really ascends to the throne, the Chu family will definitely become one of the people he wants to get rid of. But back then, I was under I tried hard to persuade my father, but he never got what he wanted, so he could only drift with the tide. After I took over the family business, the Chu family was already tied to the King of Shu's boat, and there was no way to get off the boat."
"I have heard for a long time that the prince, although he is ruthless, is a man who values friendship, keeps his word, and behaves upright. Although there are countless people who have died in your hands, everyone is guilty of death. As long as The Crown Prince has promised to leave a trace of blood to our Chu family, and I will naturally say whatever I want. I don’t want anything else, just a word from the Crown Prince."
Huang Qiong frowned slightly at the words of Uncle Chu, who was very bachelor after being arrested. Originally, he thought that businessmen were always big on profits and would do anything for money. This so-called Chu family took refuge with the kings of Shu and Song just to make money. But he didn't expect that this seemingly wealthy and harmless businessman would have such a long-term vision.
Such a person, if not his brainless fifth brother, would probably be himself. Even if they knew that he was willing to serve the two kings of Shu and Song, it might not be easy to cause trouble for him. After thinking for a moment, Huang Qiong looked at the head of the Chu family who was kneeling on the ground. He motioned to a soldier next to him and moved him a stool for him to sit on before replying: "You are quite talented, but it's a pity that you took the wrong path."
"You, the Chu family, are just businessmen. How can you interfere in the struggle of the Tian family? Not only the King of Shu and the King of Song, but I am afraid that the ultimate price for you to take refuge in that prince is not something you can afford. Don't be afraid if you are ambitious. , but you have to take the right path to realize your ambition. Tell me, if you tell the truth everything you know, I can leave a bloodline to your Chu family. "
Uncle Chu, who sat on the chair and looked better, sighed after hearing Huang Qiong's reply: "Then I would like to thank the prince. If I believe the prince, I will naturally not fool the prince with lies. I know that the prince With my method, even if I make up some lies, it will only be able to deceive him for a while at most. The Crown Prince has a close relationship with the Fan family, and the Fan family is very powerful in the northwest."
"It won't take long for the prince to find out the truth. What's more, once what happened today comes out, even if I don't tell the truth, if something like this happens to the next family, some people will not let the entire Chu family go in order to silence them. Not only the King of Shu and the King of Song, there are also many people in Xijing City who hope that the Chu family will never be able to open their mouths after what happened today."
"It is better to die in the hands of the prince than to die in the hands of others. Compared with those with darker hands, judging from the prince's previous actions, the prince is more trustworthy. The Chu family was originally a middle-class man in Chang'an City. A businessman, the business in his hands may be big or small, but it is not big. Although it is far from the level that it is now, at least it is enough to have enough food and clothing."
"As the eldest son in the family, I have always helped my father with his business. I am busy earning some hard-earned money every day, but I am also happy and carefree. But ten years ago, my father went to Sichuan on a business trip, and his temperament changed drastically after he came back. , trying their best to expand the Chu family's business. At that time, the Xijing yamen were already officials from Shaanxi and Longyou Road, and they also facilitated the Chu family's caravan along the way."
"I didn't know at the time that my father had been linked to the King of Shu. I never thought that although I had always been dissatisfied with the Fan family's suppression of merchants in the northwest, my father could not expand due to limited strength. What kind of magical powers did my father have? , actually obtained the monopoly rights of Shanxi Luchi Salt and Green Salt. And the reason why the Chu family really started is because of the acquisition of the monopoly rights of these two salts."
"This dynasty adopts the sun-salting method. Compared with previous dynasties that adopted the salt-boiling method, the salt production has indeed increased significantly. However, the northwest areas are too far away from the sea. Although it is relatively close to Sichuan, which is rich in well salt, the road to Shu is difficult to get up. Qingtian. If a bucket of salt from central Sichuan is transported to Shaanxi and Longyou Road, the price will be several times higher. Therefore, the salt used in the northwest is basically Shanxi pool salt and Qinghai lake salt."
