Both inside and outside the imperial envoy's camp were members of the Imperial Guard. Especially the room where Liang Bohong was imprisoned, it was like an iron barrel.
Someone did send an assassin. The assassin conveniently sneaked into the house using the identity given by the local officials. However, Jin Yiwei watched too closely, and they couldn't succeed at all.
This worried the officials involved in the salt case in Jiangnan.
Dogs jump over walls when they are anxious, and bite people when they are anxious.
Of course, among a group of two-ranked Jinshi, there are some who have quick minds. One of them came up with a plan. If there is no chance to assassinate Liang Bohong, is it possible to kidnap the two people close to the imperial envoy and exchange them for Liang Bohong?
Li Dongyang's daughter Li Ping'er did not return to Beijing after marrying Chang Ponu in Shandong. Instead, she followed her husband to Yangzhou and lived in the imperial envoy's camp.
At night.
Li Ping'er's room was lit by candlelight. Through the window lattice paper, you can see the figures in the room. A woman is sitting at the table, embroidering needlework.
Chang Ponu stayed up all night with Wang Miaoxin and several hundred households in the hall to discuss how to dig deeper into the shady story of the salt fields in Huaihe and Zhejiang. Unfortunately, his new daughter-in-law had to stay alone in the empty house.
Chang Ponu seemed to have made a mistake. All the men were transferred to protect the key criminal Liang Bohong. There was no one guarding outside Li Ping'er's room.
Suddenly, two men in black slid down from the roof on a rope. They wore short knives at their waists.
"Creak", they pushed the door open and entered Li Ping'er's room.
After entering the room, they saw a woman wearing a silk skirt and silk coat, sitting at the table, embroidering red needlework with her back to them.
The two men in black were overjoyed: kidnapping a helpless woman was not something that could be done easily.
They slowly approached the woman from behind.
It's too late, but it's soon. The woman turned her head.
When the two men in black saw the woman's face, they couldn't help but tremble!
What's the matter, looks uglier than a dog? Still have stubble on your chin? His face is still full of pits and pockmarks?
broken! Fell into a trap! That's not a woman at all. He's a strong man disguised as a woman!
That's right, this "Li Ping'er" is disguised as a strongman from the Jin Yiwei.
"Li Ping'er" suddenly took out the scorpion crossbow from her waist and pointed it at the two men in black.
"Hula". The silk curtain of the bed opened, and five big men jumped out. He also held a scorpion crossbow in his hand.
The tall man in black blurted out: "The wind is so tight!"
The two turned around and prepared to run away through the door. Want to run? There is no door!
"Hula la". More than a dozen Jin-clad warriors blocked the door.
These two men in black are dead men. The so-called dead soldiers usually have relatives who are used as hostages in the hands of the master's family. If captured alive, their relatives will undoubtedly die.
Two men in black took out a pill from their waists at the same time and put it in their mouths.
The commander-in-chief of the Jinyi Guards shouted: "Come on, don't let them take the poison! Wang Tongzhi and Mr. Chang let us catch them alive!"
There is still no time. After the two men in black swallowed the pills, they immediately fell to the ground, bleeding from all seven holes.
Not long after, Wang Miaoxin and Chang Ponu walked in.
Wang Miaoxin reached out and pulled off the black veil covering the faces of the two men in black.
Chang Ponu said: "I think I've seen these two people before. I remembered that they were the two waiters serving tea at the Imperial Envoy's office."
The servants at the Imperial Envoy's camp were all locals sent by the Yamen of Yangzhou Prefecture.
Wang Miaoxin used her hands to detect their breathing: "They have expired."
Chang Ponu angrily said: "Thankfully, uncle, you have a clever plan. You expected that they might kidnap Ping'er and force us to release her."
"Damn it, are those people crazy? Ping'er is the daughter of the deputy minister of the cabinet! My old Taishan is one of the heads of the civil service!"
Wang Miaoxin smiled bitterly: "A poor rat eats a raccoon dog, and a dog jumps over the wall in a hurry. Those civil servants are no different from mad dogs. They even bite their own people when they are cruel. It's a pity that they didn't catch them alive."
Chang Ponu asked: "The two assassins were sent from the Yamen of the Yangzhou Prefecture. Can the Yangzhou Prefecture be held accountable?"
Wang Miaoxin shook her head slightly: "I'm afraid it will be difficult. The Yangzhou magistrate will definitely push six, two and five. Come on, transport these two people to the countryside and find a place to bury them."
Several strong men carried the bodies of the two men in black out.
Chang Ponu said: "My father often told me that running Jin Yiwei's secret errands is like walking on a knife's edge. If you are not careful, you will be in catastrophe."
"Although I am not a member of the Jin Yiwei, I am on errands with the Jin Yiwei this time. I have fully understood what my father said. If Uncle Wang hadn't been prepared and planned in advance, Ping'er might have been kidnapped by them."
"My new wife has only been married for two months. How terrible it would be for me if she were kidnapped by bad guys!"
Wang Miaoxin said: "Yes. Your father's half life has not been easy. It has not been easy for me either. It is not easy for all the robes of Jinyiwei."
"Don't look at the majesty and majesty of each of us, but we are the only ones who know the dangers."
Two days later, Wang Miaoxin received a letter from the capital.
Wang Miaoxin immediately found Chang Ponu after reading it: "Ponu, your father has come to Feige to deliver a message. It's really an old woman who got under the covers and entertained me."
"Cabinet Chief Assistant Liu Jian and Cabinet Member Xie Qian tried to impeach us in Yangzhou to seek bribes but failed and slandered officials and salt merchants."
Chang Ponu's expression changed: "What? I...I am Li Dongyang's son-in-law! They actually want to kill Li Dongyang's son-in-law!"
Wang Miaoxin snorted coldly: "Humph, it's indeed cruel enough. They bit back and framed him. But they have no actual evidence, so there is no need to worry about asking for bribes."
"Dad You asked us to stay in Yangzhou and continue to dig into the shady story of the salt farm. He sent You Jingwu south to escort Liang Bohong to Beijing. As long as Liang Bohong successfully enters Beijing and is interrogated, the case will be certain."
"None of those silverfish can escape!"
Let’s talk about the capital.
In the main hall of Qianqing Palace. Emperor Zhengde is tying a bow. Chang Feng and Liu Jin, one on the left and one on the right, helped him press the bow.
Emperor Zhengde said: "It was the imperial aunt who taught me how to ride and shoot when I was young. I have a godly relationship with the Chang family, as well as a master-disciple relationship. Uncle, this time you must clear Ponu's reputation of asking for bribes."
"I also plan to train him for ten or twenty years before letting him join the cabinet and be my right-hand man."
Chang Feng said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. I have been working in the Jinyi Guard Office for more than 20 years and I have some experience."
Emperor Zhengde tightened his bowstring: "Oh? What do you think?"
Chang Feng said: "What is true cannot be faked, and what is false cannot be true. You know Po Nu, he was born rich. The more naturally rich a person is, the less he cares about money."
"The so-called 'bribery' is just a way that Liu and Xie, the two elders, came up with to delay and divert attention in order to preserve their disciples."
Emperor Zhengde said: "Oh, I would like to see what shameless and despicable things these two gentlemen who teach me about benevolence, righteousness and morality will do in order to preserve their greedy disciples."
Liu Jin said: "Your Majesty, hypocrites have always been the same from ancient times to the present. Those who clamor for the most ferocious literati are often those with the weakest knees."
"Those who clamor for benevolence, justice and morality the most ferocious often have the least bottom line."
"Those who talk about serving the country with loyalty and loyalty every day will always be the first to become traitors and traitors when foreign enemies invade!"
Emperor Zhengde said: "That's right! Warriors and eunuchs are more pure and loyal."
The three of them finally tied their bows and arrows.
Emperor Zhengde said: "Sooner or later this bow will be bent and the arrows will be shot at the civil servants in the court."
"Uncle, Liu Dabaner, you two must be my strongest bowstring."
Chang Feng and Liu Jin said in unison: "I obey your order."
Liu Jian's mansion.
Xie Qian's face was full of sadness: "Chief Assistant, although we have won the opportunity to calm down this turmoil, it is not easy to let Liang Bohong commit suicide? Jin Yiwei will definitely protect him strictly along the way."
Liu Jian smiled slightly: "It seems that the inside line in Jinyiwei will be used."
Xie Qian was startled: "Do you have an insider in the Jinyi Guards?"
Liu Jian nodded: "Not only is there an insider. And the insider is one of Chang Feng's most trusted people."
Xie Qian clapped his hands: "Oh, good! With help from inside sources, things will be easier to handle."
Liu Jian smiled bitterly: "Ah, but when I think about it carefully, I always feel guilty. Our disciples are too old to live up to their expectations. No matter how much they like money, they should not secretly share the salt and embezzle the imperial salt. Tax."
"What we are doing now, to put it bluntly, is to frame Zhongliang and protect corrupt officials."
Xie Qian comforted Liu Jian: "We are doing this for the overall good. If the Eunuch Party takes this opportunity to suppress our civil servants. In the future, the government will be controlled by the Eunuch Party, and the foundation of our ancestors may be destroyed."
Liu Jian sighed: "Oh, that's all I can think about now."
Xie Qian said: "By the way. Li Dongyang seems to be very calm in recent days. We impeached his son-in-law, but he was indifferent."
Liu Jiandao: "I think Li Dongyang has the possibility of falling to the Eight Tigers. We still have to be careful about this person in the future."
Xie Qian took a sip of tea: "He is the second assistant, so he naturally covets your position as the first assistant. Taking refuge with the Eight Tigers is a shortcut to defeat you and replace you. Huh, he is really a shame for a scholar!"
Xie Qian kept saying that Li Dongyang was a disgrace to literati. This is like a comparison: if you have a hairy face, you have to say that others are monkeys.
Chang Feng waited peacefully in Beijing for Liang Bohong to be escorted to Beijing. He knew the abilities of his adopted son You Jingwu, and it would not be a problem to bring a criminal into the capital safely.
What Chang Feng is now worried about is that someone will be unfavorable to his son if he uncovers the secrets of the Civil Service Group in Yangzhou.
Chang Feng doesn't want to die. So he came to Duke Dingguo's mansion and found Fatty Xu.
Fatty Xu retired from his job at the Elephant Taming Institute, and became an idle nobleman in the mansion.
He is the same age as Chang Feng and has already entered his forties.
Fat people are often in poor health as they age.
Fatty Xu recently had symptoms of diabetes. I drink four liters of water a day and eat more and more, and I can't get enough. Foaming when peeing.
Searching for famous doctors has no good solution. Diabetes can only be treated but cannot be eradicated.
The two of them sat down in the hall of the Duke's Palace.
Fatty Xu smiled and said: "Po Nu's nephew is a good guy. I heard that he has turned Jiangnan's official circles upside down recently."
Chang Feng said: "It's not just Jiangnan officialdom. I don't know how many people in the capital want to trap him in an unexpected situation. He seems to be on the tip of a knife in Yangzhou."
Fatty Xu frowned: "What do you mean? Do you suspect that someone is going to harm him? Those corrupt officials dare to assassinate the imperial envoy?"
Chang Feng smiled bitterly: "Is there anything they dare not do? I am here to ask you to do something."
Fatty Xu asked: "What's the matter? We are brothers who have died. Just say it."
Chang Feng said: "Can you go to Yangzhou? It is reasonable for the Duke to travel to the south of the Yangtze River. I will give you two hundred strong men. You take them to Yangzhou to protect Po Nu."
"I've been having nightmares every night recently. I always dream about Po Nu getting into trouble in Yangzhou."
Fatty Xu comforted Chang Feng: "Dreams usually have reverse consequences. I will set off tomorrow."
At the critical moment, brothers in life and death can still be relied on. Fatty Xu really had nothing to say to Chang Feng.
Chang Feng asked with concern: "What's your illness?"
Fatty Xu waved his hand: "Dialysis is just like that. It can't be cured. It's not that easy to die. It's not a problem."
Chang Feng said: "Fat man, thank you very much!"
Fatty Xu said half-jokingly: "Damn it, people say they lose weight due to diabetes mellitus. I don't think it's lighter, it's still 200 kilograms."
"The two-hundred-pound Duke is going to Yangzhou City. Let me see which monster dares to hurt my Ponu nephew at all!"
When Fatty Xu was young, he used too many bullets on the infertile fireworks woman. So far, he has not had any heirs. He regarded Chang Ponu as his son.
Chang Feng looked at Fatty Xu with grateful eyes.
Fatty Xu asked: "Master Chang, there is a question I have been wanting to ask you these days. You are a person who always puts the overall situation first when handling cases. To put it bluntly, you are just trying to make peace. Why did you completely break up with the civil servants this time? Faced?"
Chang Feng said: "I'm a coward and I'm still angry. These corrupt officials have gone too far. I also want to understand that the so-called overall situation is more important, but it's just a high-sounding reason made up by people in order not to make enemies."
Fatty Xu said: "Actually, I can't blame you for getting old and stubborn over the years. The late emperor was good at everything, but he was too indulgent towards the civil servants. The previous emperor even gave in to the civil servants, so what can you do? You can only' The overall situation comes first'."
Chang Feng said seriously: "The current emperor is different from the previous emperor. In my opinion, the previous emperor was a virtuous emperor. The current emperor will be a promising monarch in the future. To clean up the rule of officials and eliminate the accumulated abuses, you must be a promising monarch."
After coming out of the Duke's Mansion, Chang Feng returned home.
Lao Taishan Liu Bingyi has been seriously ill recently and can no longer get out of bed. Several groups of famous doctors in Beijing were called, and the famous doctors all asked Chang Feng to prepare Liu Bingyi's funeral arrangements.
Chang Feng's brother-in-law Huang Yuan and his father, Lao Laizi, came to Chang's Mansion and made paper figures, horses, and cranes to guide the way.
The Huang family's father and son are from a white-collar business background, and are very good at papermaking.
Chang Feng entered the house and first raised his hand to the old lame man: "I'm sorry to bother you, dear brother-in-law."
The old lame man said: "Why don't you bother me? I'm just afraid that I haven't done any paper work in more than ten years, and my hands are raw. The things I put out will not be put on the table."
Chang Feng said to Huang Yuan again: "It's hard for you, a princess who was born as a Jinshi, to do such a thing."
Huang Yuandao: "Brother, what are you talking about? We are all one family."
At this time Liu Xiaoyan came over.
Chang Feng asked Liu Xiaoyan: "How is our father today?"
Liu Xiaoyan sighed: "I have been sleeping for a day. I haven't eaten any water or rice. He woke up just now, and I fed him half a bowl of porridge, but he vomited after eating it."
Twenty years ago, Chang Feng hated Liu Bingyi. Hate his power, hate him for breaking the engagement.
After so many years, the hatred has long since dissipated. What replaced it was an unbreakable family bond.
Chang Feng was extremely sad after hearing this: "Oh. I really want to honor him for another ten or twenty years!"
Liu Xiaoyan shed tears: "No one can escape old age and illness. What can I do?"
(End of chapter)
