"If there is really someone behind the scenes, Kong must know about it."
Sun Chuanting said with great certainty.
Hong Chengchou pondered for a moment and said, "Without evidence, Kong is not willing to move."
"The man behind the scenes may have thought the same way. He knew it was inconvenient for us to touch the Kong family, so he borrowed the Kong family's hand to do things." Sun Chuanting said.
Hong Chengchou thought for a while and finally said: "The key issue is to catch the person. As long as the Kong family member who is secretly connected is caught and the evidence of the Kong family's involvement is obtained, everything will be easily solved."
"We still have too many concerns about the Kong family. For ordinary people, as long as they are put in a prison for a few boards, they won't be able to find out anything if they don't believe it." Sun Chuanting sighed.
Hong Chengchou picked up the tureen on the table and took a sip of the tea inside, and said: "It's pretty good. As long as there is evidence, we can arrest people. If it were clear before now, no government would dare to go to Kong's family even if there was evidence." Arrests."
The Kong family's status among officials is too extraordinary, and the prestige passed down for thousands of years cannot be completely eliminated in a day or two.
"I will leave for the capital in two days. I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in the governor's office to help you." Sun Chuanting said.
He decided to go to the capital to take the examination for the martial arts hall.
After all, he was born a dignified scholar. He was unwilling to spend his whole life returning to the mountains or giving advice to others as a staff member. He also had his own ambitions in his heart. To be admitted to the martial arts hall was, in his opinion, an opportunity to participate in government affairs. .
Hong Chengchou looked at Sun Chuanting in surprise and said, "You're leaving so quickly. Didn't you say you wanted to think about it before? Your attitude changed too quickly."
A cup of tea showed two attitudes, which made him wonder whether Sun Chuanting was really going to the capital to apply for the martial arts school, or was he using this as an excuse to avoid the trouble in Shandong.
"I can't help you with the matters here in Shandong, and you're right, I can't go back to the Ming Dynasty. It's better to stay here in Tiger Flag, work with peace of mind, and show your ambition." Sun Chuanting said .
Hong Chengchou sighed with resignation and said: "Forget it, going to the capital will be good for your future, and you are different from ordinary scholars. You have been an official and have experience in current affairs. I will also write a letter of recommendation for you. , maybe we can directly confer an official position, and then you and I can be officials in the same court together."
"Thank you so much, Brother Hengjiu." Sun Chuanting cupped his hands gratefully.
The recommendation of a local governor carries enough weight.
Hong Chengchou waved his hand and said: "You haven't helped me less these days, and you are capable and capable. It is a waste of your ability to be by my side all the time. Go to the capital with peace of mind. Don't worry about the travel expenses. I will take care of you. Be prepared, and don’t refuse. Your trip to the capital will inevitably be more expensive, and it will be easier to do things if you have money."
"Thank you Brother Hengjiu." Sun Chuanting bowed his hand again.
Now that Sun Chuanting was preparing to leave Shandong, Hong Chengchou no longer blamed Sun Chuanting for the scholar's troubles and the Kong family, but asked his confidants in Shandong to investigate.
A few days later, the people sent to Qufu returned to the governor's office, and Sun Chuanting had also left the governor's office and was on his way to the capital.
"Small incompetence, failed to find people."
People returning from Qufu brought bad news to Hong Chengchou.
Although he had already expected this possibility, Hong Chengchou couldn't help but show a disappointed expression.
There was no direct evidence that the scholars causing trouble in Jinan City were related to the Kong family, so he had no reason to take action against the Kong family, and the matter could only be limited to the arrested scholars.
This result was not what he wanted.
"Stay back first!" Hong Chengchou waved his hand to his men to retreat.
Soon the people left, and Hong Chengchou was the only one left in the room.
In the past, when Sun Chuanting was still around, there was someone with whom he could discuss. Now that Sun Chuanting was gone, he suddenly realized that he didn't even have anyone with whom he could sit and discuss when he encountered trouble.
"Futai, someone from the capital has arrived outside the government office." A panting officer from the governor's office came to report to Hong Chengchou.
Hearing this, Hong Chengchou was stunned and said in surprise: "How could the capital send someone here so quickly!"
"Futai, why don't we go out to greet him? He is an imperial minister after all." Seeing that Hong Chengchou was still in a daze, the officer who reported the news couldn't help but remind him.
Hong Chengchou came to his senses and said hurriedly: "Quick, follow me to meet the imperial minister."
Regardless of the rank of the imperial envoy, he is always the senior official when he arrives at the place.
Before Hong Chengchou arrived outside the main entrance of the governor's office, he saw several people walking towards him halfway.
The person leading the way was a servant from the governor's Yamen.
Hong Chengchou, who reacted quickly, immediately realized that the person coming was probably the imperial envoy from the capital.
He immediately hurried forward to greet you, and at the same time greeted with a smile: "I wonder who is the imperial envoy sent from the capital?"
As his words fell, the officer who was leading the way ducked aside to let the real master behind him.
"Hong Futai, this is something to prove my identity. Next, I need to discuss some matters with you alone." The imperial envoy took out something and handed it to Hong Chengchou.
Hong Chengchou took it and took a look and found that it had the seal of the Military and Political Department on it.
When he was with Li Shuheng in the past, he often saw writings stamped with the seal of the Secretary of Military Affairs. Later he became the governor and saw it several times, so he was very familiar with the imprint of the seal of the Secretary of Military Affairs.
He knew that the Military and Political Department was the highest power center of the Tiger Flag.
All important texts and orders of the Tiger Character Flag are issued through the Military and Political Department.
After confirming that the identity of the other imperial envoy was correct, Hong Chengchou warmly invited: "Please come with me, the imperial envoy. There is no one in the back office this time."
The imperial envoy nodded.
The two people quickly came to the back office and sat down separately.
After Hong Chengchou had tea served, he asked everyone to leave, leaving only him and the imperial minister sitting across from each other in the back office.
"I wonder what instructions the imperial envoy brought when he came to Shandong?" Hong Chengchou asked respectfully.
The imperial envoy said: "I came to Shandong this time for the memorial that Hong Futai sent to the capital. The Lord was very angry when he saw the memorial that Hong Futai sent. He ordered me to cooperate with Hong Futai to investigate this matter. case."
"Imperial envoy, don't worry, everyone in the governor's office, including me, will fully cooperate with the imperial envoy in handling the case." Hong Chengchou said with assurance, patting his chest.
Now that the imperial envoy is here, he can just throw this troublesome case away.
After finding Kong, he cut off the clues. In his opinion, this case had become a hot potato. Sun Chuanting hid. He, the governor, could not hide. But now that there was an imperial envoy, the pressure shifted from him to the imperial envoy. On the body.
(End of chapter)
