Fireworks in March, the city of Yangzhou is a scene of prosperity and prosperity. Officials, scholars, merchants, and workers have jointly contributed to the prosperity of Yangzhou, and in the two years since it was ruled by the Han Dynasty, it has become even better than before.
Today's Yangzhou is not only the seat and essence of Huaidong Road, but also the only port of entry for the Han Dynasty to the Southern Tang Dynasty. There are countless merchants from the Southern Tang Dynasty who crossed the river from the east of the Yangtze River to trade. There are three boats traveling on the canal. Coming from the south, just the tax revenue from the port enriched the Yangzhou treasury.
The prosperity of Yangzhou was indeed at least three-thirds of the contribution of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Similarly, through private trade exchanges, Jiangbei's penetration into Jiangnan was becoming more and more powerful. Huaiyan salt alone has the meaning of controlling its lifeblood. For more than two years, the people in Jiangnan have almost never eaten cheap salt.
The Yamen of the Transshipment Department is set up separately and is very close to several large ports. It has a wide view and convenient transportation. The Yamen is a newly built building with great splendor and grandeur. As a well-oiled department, there is no problem in allocating some funds to build it into a decent building.
However, just as spring is blooming, an invisible cloud is hanging over the Yamen of the Transfer Department. In addition to the subordinate officers, there are hundreds of well-equipped Tokyo guards. They are accompanying the imperial envoys to investigate the case. To show their importance, Liu Chengyou directly selected two teams of soldiers from the Ouchi guards. accompanying.
After these envoys from Tokyo were stationed in the Yasi, the officials and officials who came in and out became much more low-key and no longer as public as they were at the beginning. You know, the transporter Zhao Feng is under surveillance.
The people who came to Yangzhou to investigate under the imperial edict this time were Shen Tao, the minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and Sun Fang, the censor of Zuo Qiandu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Sun Fang was a close confidant of Zhao Li, the censor of Zuodu, and was promoted by him. Shen Yu was well-known in the court and was recommended by Fan Zhi to come to the south.
At present, more than 20 staff members from the Transportation Department have been summoned. Two special envoys from the imperial court, Shen and Sun, were sitting behind the table in the hall. Zhao Feng, the transfer envoy, had a straight face and lowered his head slightly. Under the sleeves of his robe, his clenched fists showed that he was not calm in his heart. The special envoy has been investigating the case for half a month, and now it seems that there is a result.
After looking at it, everyone was here. The censor Sun signaled to Shen Tuo, and after getting his approval, he turned his head and looked at the official in the Transportation Department. He raised his chin a little, took out a clear document, and coughed lightly. voice, calling: "Zhao Feng!"
Zhao Feng's heart tightened even more, and just as he was about to respond, he heard Sun Fang's cold command: "Take it!"
His mind was in a trance for a moment, and when the guards came forward to arrest him, he struggled hard: "I am a transport envoy. Even if you are a special envoy of the imperial court, how dare you take me without permission?"
Seeing him shouting, Sun Fang touched the thin beard on his upper lip and said calmly: "Zhao Zhuan Envoy, are you asking me for evidence? I can tell you that Mr. Shen and I have a large pile of information about you. There is solid evidence for each of the charges. His Majesty the Emperor personally issued an order to investigate this case! If you have any objections, just wait until Tokyo and file your case before the Sanfa Judiciary. However, if you dare to resist the arrest now, then stop It’s my fault that I’m ruthless.”
Hearing what Sun Fang said, Zhao Feng's face paled a little, and his arrogance suddenly subsided. In fact, since the incident was brought to Tokyo, he has had trouble sleeping and eating. What’s even more shocking is that the emperor and the court paid more attention to this matter than imagined. Within a few days, the special envoy to investigate the case arrived and quickly brought everyone under control. He didn’t even think about how to deal with the evacuation. out.
In fact, if Zhao Feng was smart enough, he would have fled to the south of the Yangtze River before the imperial envoy arrived. Of course, this was not self-inflicted, and even if he escaped to the south, if he was discovered, he would probably be sent back north by the Jinling court in order to please the Northern Han Dynasty.
People like Zhao Feng have the courage to be greedy, and their greed is particularly strong. However, after the incident, they have no means or ability to resist and escape guilt, and they will just sit back and wait for death.
After Zhao Feng was taken down, the remaining people didn't dare to say anything more. Those whose names were called were all taken into custody. Some people even directly prostrate themselves and confess their sins. In just a moment, almost half of the staff of the Huaidong Transfer Department were captured.
Seeing that the overall situation had been decided, Sun Fang turned to Shen Yu and said, "Mr. Shen, what do you think will happen next?"
Shen Yu is a humble person, he is gentle and soft-spoken on weekdays, but at critical moments, he is still very dignified. After hearing this, he thought for a while and said, "Our troops are divided into two groups. You lead people to confiscate the homes of these criminal officials, and I will go to the police!"
"Okay!" Sun Fang was not long-winded, and was even arrogant.
This time he came to Yangzhou to investigate the case, but Sun Fang took the initiative to ask Zhao Li for help because he wanted to do something in his career and add credit to his resume. This was a rare case that the emperor paid special attention to.
After arriving in Yangzhou, he immediately controlled several censors in Huaidong. His methods were very tough. He was even more skillful in the internal investigation and found out the two censors involved in the case without wasting too much energy. .
The Han Dynasty established the country in less than ten years. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the bad habits and customs of the old era were followed, and the corrupt and corrupt behavior of the traitors was actually very superficial and flamboyant, and could not withstand inspection and scrutiny at all. Perhaps in another ten years, corrupt officials in Han Dynasty will become more "artistic" in their actions after fighting against the Supervision and Law Enforcement Department.
On this day, the fourth day of March, the atmosphere in Yangzhou City was always tense. From top to bottom, from the government to the people, there were a lot of discussions. Regarding the officials in Yangzhou and Huaidong who were dismissed, most of the civilians in Guizhou Province were interested in watching the excitement and talked a lot. But those powerful merchants who were interested in the government were worried, fearing that they would be implicated.
In the evening, the chief envoy Wang Pu returned to Yangzhou without any fanfare and returned to the Yamen in secret. As soon as I returned to the office and before I had a sip of hot tea, my subordinate, counselor Zhang Yi came up to me and said, "Your Majesty, you are finally back!"
Wang Pu went north this time to inspect the Hongze Lake project in Si and Chu. After a year and a half of excavation and tens of thousands of laborers, the project was already making good progress. Of course, Wang Pu chose this opportunity to go north, not necessarily because he wanted to avoid the political turmoil in Yangzhou.
However, no matter what, Yangzhou is now considered his territory. If something happens, it is not easy to stay alone.
"What happened?" Seeing Zhang Yi's anxious look, Wang Pu blew the hot air from the tea cup and asked calmly.
Zhang Yi was originally a Tang Army general in Shouzhou and a subordinate of the surrendered general Xu Xiang. He was the one who initially urged Xu Xiang to surrender and showed extraordinary "power".
After returning to the Han Dynasty, he was also entrusted with an official position. Later, he was discovered by Wang Pu. He felt that this man was capable and decisive, and was a rare talent, so he was gradually promoted. Now, he is a high-ranking official, and he is doing well among the surrendered cultural relics of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Seeing Wang Pu's leisurely look, Zhang Yi calmed down a little and said: "Today, Shen and Fang made a large-scale arrest and ransacked their homes in the city. Half of the officials from Zhao Feng on down in the Transport Department were captured. , has already affected the operation of the department's affairs. On the Chasi side, several officials were also captured in front of Mr. Zheng!
Shen and Fang, although they have the mission of the imperial court, are too domineering and domineering. They treat me, the Huaidong officials, as if they are nothing! Especially Sun Fang, who was cunning and cunning, and wanted to make meritorious deeds. Sir, we have to do something, otherwise I'm afraid he will bring the fire to the Chief Secretary's Yamen! "
After hearing what he said, Wang Pu held the chariot cup and pondered for a while, then raised his hand to comfort him: "In your opinion, what should I do? Shen and Fang are special envoys and are responsible for the imperial edict. I can still take the lead." Do you want to engage in confrontation? Furthermore, are the officials of the two departments who were imprisoned unjustly? Did Shen and Fang arrest people without asking what was right and wrong?"
Zhang Yi also gradually calmed down, thought for a while, and said with a serious expression: "However, now in Yangzhou City, people are in panic, and all the officials in the departments have no thoughts!"
After he finished speaking, Wang Pu's expression suddenly turned serious and he said: "In this case, what we should do is to tell the superiors and subordinates, let them all abide by their duties and behave peacefully! If you are calm in your heart, there is no need to be suspicious!"
