Wang Zhi's local deeds soon spread through various channels in the circles of Beijing officials, and the officials could no longer sit still.
This time, not only civilian officials, but also military generals and nobles reacted strongly.
After the Ming Dynasty opened the sea for trade, everyone saw the benefits brought by the ocean as a cornucopia. Not only the officials and gentry were secretly involved, but the noble group also participated early on.
There are many people who use their power to run maritime businesses, and there are also many smugglers.
Japan is not far from the Ming Dynasty. It is rich in mineral resources, especially silver mines. The silver produced is of excellent quality. Doing business with Japan not only has low costs, but also high returns.
And there is another benefit of smuggling trade, there is no need to pay taxes!
The benefits of this are staggering.
Destroying people's wealth is like killing their parents. How could they tolerate Wang Zhi being so unscrupulous?
Of course, everyone knew that this was the emperor's idea, but now they could no longer defeat the emperor and could only attack Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi is an imperial envoy. It is impossible to assassinate him. He can only...impeach!
Ever since, Wang Zhi brought trouble to the place, accepted bribes... and even raped women.
After the basins of dirty water came down, Wang Zhi looked like a beast.
Of course, impeachment alone is not enough to make the emperor doubt Wang Zhi, there must be evidence and the perpetrator...
These people's means and energy were not ordinary. For a time, countless people came to the capital to complain, and they had a great influence in the capital.
The people also disliked the eunuchs as a group. Under the instigation of thoughtful people, a public opinion offensive soon formed, and the situation reached a level where the emperor was wise or not.
Zhu Jianshen felt great pressure. He could naturally see that these were the strategies of the smuggling group, but he had to take them.
His reputation among the bureaucrats is already bad. If he loses the support of the people again, he will really become a foolish king!
No emperor is willing or able to take this scapegoat. No one can control what future generations will say. However, if he is labeled as a coward when he is in power, he cannot bear it.
At least it will lead to infamy, but at worst, the society will be unstable.
But if we stop here and allow smuggling to flourish, it will have a great impact on the imperial court's fiscal revenue.
As a last resort, Zhu Jianshen had no choice but to resort to procrastination tactics and directed Dongchang and Jinyiwei to verify the situation, which also made his attitude clear.
Of course he knew that Dongchang and Jinyiwei had been in Kuxichang for a long time, so doing so would not get the results he wanted, but it was also a helpless move. If the censor was asked to investigate, the effect would be even worse.
He could only hope that Wang Zhi could collect enough evidence as soon as possible.
A new round of fighting was staged again, but this time, Zhu Jianshen, who had always been invincible, was very passive.
Because this time, he faced not only his ministers, but also countless people who were being held hostage...
"I don't know if Wang Zhi can withstand it... Oh, it's so difficult!" Zhu Jianshen had a headache. Every time he tried to attack those with vested interests, he never went smoothly.
What's more, this time it involves not only civilian officials, but also military generals and nobles.
Zhu Jianshen knew that the resistance would be great, but he did not expect that the other party would be so vicious and coerce the people to fight.
~
Hangzhou,
The back hall of the prefect's Yamen.
The heads of the two factories and one health department gathered together, and the atmosphere was tense.
Wang Zhi showed no fear when facing Admiral Dongchang and Commander Jinyi. Instead, he dismissed them and confronted Admiral Dongchang first:
"What is your identity, and what is our family's identity? Even if Wynn comes, our family won't be afraid of him. How dare you, a eunuch with a pen, dare to point fingers at our family?"
He has arrogant capital, and the eunuch in charge of the Royal Horse Supervisor is on the same level as the eunuch in charge of the Si Li Supervisor.
Wang Zhi is in charge of the Forbidden Army and has military power. How can he take Admiral Dongchang seriously?
"Wang Zhi, don't be so presumptuous!" Admiral Dongchang was furious, "We and Commander Wan are here to investigate you on the emperor's orders. We just need to cooperate with the investigation honestly, otherwise..."
"What else?" Wang Zhi sneered and sneered, "Do you really think of yourself as a person? What the hell!"
Admiral Dongchang was very angry, but in terms of rank, he really couldn't compare with Wang Zhi, so he had no choice but to carry out the commander in brocade clothes.
"Master Wan, please say something."
The Jinyiwei directly obeyed the emperor's orders, and the commander Wanxi was the younger brother of Concubine Wan Guifei. With this relationship, he expected that Wang Zhi would not dare to be domineering towards him.
Wanxi put down the tea cup and said calmly: "Eunuch Wang, it is the emperor who ordered us to investigate your use of power for personal gain and harm to the local area."
"Master Wan!" Wang Zhi reminded, "Don't forget who you are working for!"
Wang Zhi showed basic respect to the imperial concubine's younger brother.
But Wanxi said: "It's not my father-in-law's turn to teach me how to handle the case."
When Wang Zhi heard this, his tone became stiff: "In that case, bring me the imperial edict."
"Your Majesty's instructions are oral." Admiral Dongchang said.
"I'm sorry, our family won't recognize it without an express imperial order. Who knows if it's a private revenge under the guise of the emperor?" Wang Zhi didn't buy it.
Of course he knew that the other party did not dare to falsely convey the imperial edict, but he also knew what the emperor wanted. The fact that he did not give an explicit imperial order already explained everything.
"You..." Admiral Dongchang was furious, "How dare you disobey the Holy Emperor and the imperial court?"
"You are the one who defied the Holy Emperor!" Wang Zhi took out the imperial edict from his arms, unfolded it, and said calmly, "Open your dog eyes to see what this is?"
"I have been ordered by the emperor to investigate and deal with the smuggling caravans south of the Yangtze River. No one is allowed to obstruct them in any form. Otherwise, I have the right to detain them and hold them accountable!" Wang Zhi said coldly: "If necessary, I have the right to kill them first and report them later!"
"Wang Zhi, don't be arrogant!" The admiral of the East Factory laughed angrily, "The East Factory was established by Emperor Taizong. Your West Factory has only been established for a long time. Do you really think that no one can control you?"
"At least you are not qualified as an admiral!"
"You..." Admiral Dongchang had no choice but to continue to ask for help from Wan Xi, "Commander Wan, the Holy One has told us to search for evidence of Wang Zhi's crime. Now that he refuses to cooperate, what do you think we should do?"
Wanxi was also a little hesitant. His sister had said hello when he came, but he felt uncomfortable in his heart.
The West Factory was so popular that it eclipsed Jin Yiwei and gave him no room to develop as a new commander.
"Eunuch Wang, your Majesty has indeed asked me to investigate you." Wanxi said in a deep voice, "If you insist on having your own way, don't blame me for being unkind."
Wang Zhi's face also darkened, and he said: "As I said before, if you want to investigate our family, you must produce the imperial edict. Otherwise, our family will take down two people for obstructing official business." ωＷω.ＧoＮЬ.οrＧ
"you dare!?"
"Clang!" Wang Zhi drew out a three-foot green peak, placed it in front of him, and said calmly, "Shang Fang's sword is here, do you want to test its sharpness?"
Wanxi was annoyed and said deliberately: It's not a disadvantage for me to embroider a spring sword. But when he thought that what he was wearing was Shang Fang's sword, he couldn't help but feel weak.
Another thing is that he has heard how domineering Wang Zhi is. When he was a station eunuch, he dared to beat hundreds of officials with his stick. In the first battle after the establishment of the West Factory, he even stole the Yang family, one of the three Yangs. , and also led a group of Beijing officials to have their heads chopped off.
He really didn't dare to quarrel with such a person.
The Hangzhou magistrate had been watching with cold eyes. At this time, he saw that Dongchang and Jinyiwei were also frightened by Wang Zhi and had to stand up and speak.
He cupped his hands and said, "Father, sir, do you really have the emperor's decree?"
"Of course there is!" Admiral Dongchang snorted, "Do we still dare to fake the emperor's oral instructions?"
"If that's the case, then why..." He glanced at Wang Zhi and said with a hint of teasing, "Jinyiwei was established by Taizu, and the East Factory was established by Taizong. Are you still afraid of the newly established West Factory?
Since the emperor has issued such an oral edict, the previous decrees naturally do not count. "
He was also afraid of Wang Zhi, but he had to stand up. If the investigation continued, he, the magistrate of Hangzhou, would have done his job, and he would have to be punished, and at the very least he would have to face prison.
Their eyes lit up and their momentum instantly increased: "Wang Zhi, did you hear me?"
Wang Zhi smiled: "You also believe a corrupt official who cannot protect himself?"
"Stop talking nonsense!" Admiral Dongchang has been unhappy with Wang Zhi for too long, and now that he has a reason, he is not willing to let it go, "Here comes someone!"
"Come here!" Wanxi also responded.
Wang Zhi yelled: "Here comes someone!!"
Following the greetings of the three people, people from two factories and one guard immediately poured in, and the whole backyard was crowded.
Wang Zhi came to investigate the smuggling caravan, while Admiral Dongchang and Wanxi came to investigate Wang Zhi, so even though Xichang was one against two, they still had an overwhelming advantage in numbers.
"Draw the knife!"
"Qiang Qiang Qiang...!"
After Wang Zhi finished speaking, the Xichang fanzi knife was unsheathed, the sharp blade moved forward, his face full of evil spirit, and he was looking at him eagerly.
Dongchang Fanzi and Jinyiwei suddenly lost a bit of momentum, and they all looked at their boss.
One soldier is raging, and the general is raging in a nest.
Wang Zhi has nothing but courage. However, Wanxi and Admiral Dongchang obviously do not have this courage.
If fire really comes together, no matter what is right or wrong, no one of the three can get along with each other!
"Wang Zhi, do you dare?"
Wang Zhi didn't bother to say anything and pointed at the two of them: "These two are obstructing official duties, take them down!"
"Jin Yiwei drew his sword!" Wan Xi was furious. His sister was the imperial concubine, so he had the confidence.
Since you both draw the knife, then I will draw the knife too...Admiral Dongchang also stiffened his waist and hummed: "Dongchang draws the knife!"
"Qiang Qiang Qiang...!"
The war is about to break out!
Seeing this, the Hangzhou prefect's legs became weak.
Admirals Wanxi and Dongchang are also fierce in appearance but soft in heart, and they are strong and self-supporting.
I don't believe it, you really dare to let the factory guards fight... The two of them glared at Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi really didn't dare. If a real fight broke out, the nature of the fight would be much more serious than the beating of officials with a stick.
So he took out the imperial edict again and read it out:
"The emperor is destined to be carried by heaven, and Zhi said:
Follow Wang Zhi, the director of the West Factory, to investigate smuggling in the south of the Yangtze River..."
As soon as he spoke, the tense atmosphere just now changed.
'Crash...' Everyone fell to their knees, including Wanxi, Admiral Dongchang, and the prefect of Hangzhou.
Although this imperial edict was not issued to them, there is no one who stands still and listens to the imperial edict. If you dare to despise the imperial power, you will be dealt with in a minute without any room for negotiation.
After a while, Wang Zhi finished reading the imperial edict and carefully put it away: "This governor is carrying out errands according to the edict, and no one is allowed to hinder it. Do you want to resist the edict?"
No one dared to answer, Dongchang Fanzi and Jinyiwei all looked at their boss.
The two guys are very cowardly and dare not deny the will.
But Wang Zhi is different.
He pointed at the three of them and said, "Take it. If the Holy Spirit punishes you in the future, I will bear it alone!"
