The winter of the fifteenth year of Wanli will be colder than all other years. When Shen Yiguan left the residence of the Deputy Prime Minister, his beard was quickly frozen with ice due to his breathing.
The air is filled with the smell of soot, with a simple and spicy taste, just like the big-headed soldiers that Shen has always looked down on. He is so arrogant that he often cannot distinguish between left and right, but it also carries a sense of threat to his life.
Several Jin Yiwei stood on the street not far from the gate of Shen Shixing's mansion. Their red clothes had some black dark lines on them, which looked like dried blood from a distance. Shen Guanyi frowned and wanted to walk to the other side of the street to stay away from these people.
As a result, instead of seeing the trembling feeling of the civil servant, the group of people looked at him with rude eyes.
Shen always didn't want to get involved with them, so he took a few steps quickly. At the same time, he searched the street with his eyes, scolding his butler in his heart - why didn't he arrange a sedan to wait outside Shen's mansion?
One of the people in red clothes on the street suddenly shouted loudly: "Shilang Shen?"
Shen Yiguan was startled at first, then reacted, turned around and ran towards the gate of Shen Mansion. In the rush, he didn't realize that the corner door that sent him out just now was closed, and the servant who usually stood outside the door was nowhere to be seen.
The men in red held their arms in their arms and watched with interest as Shen Guiyi ran outside the corner door, banged the door hard with his hands, and shouted "Appearance", but showed no intention of stopping him.
Shen Guanyi shouted several times, and the panic on his face gradually turned into despair. He cried out and hammered weakly a few times, then turned around to face the red-clothed men with a wry smile on his face.
A man in red clothes wearing a flag-colored uniform couldn't hide the mocking look on his face: "Shilang Shen, my commanding officer has invited you, and the sedan chair has been prepared for you - shall we walk?" After saying that, he After waving at the entrance of the alley, Shen Guanyi saw his housekeeper and the bearer running over carrying the small sedan he usually sat in.
At the same time that Shen Guanyi was "invited" to the National Security Bureau, a manhunt had already begun in the capital. Gangster Du Liu was found when he was riding a dung truck out of the city. He thought he would die, but he didn't expect that he was only notified to be a witness at the National Security Bureau, which made Yi Leyao breathe a sigh of relief.
Even though the double-plug layman Hongbao was hiding in Shen Mao's house, he was still found out. Shen Maoxue admired his talent, and originally planned to find Zhang Sixiu of the royal family of Zhongxing County to rescue him, but was informed that the opera master Tang Xianzu, who was in the prince's palace, was arrested by the Jin Yiwei because he had a close relationship with Tu Long.
Suddenly, thousands of people in the capital were in silence, and the officials and the people were once again shrouded in the pressure and fear brought by the imperial power. The last arrest on this scale was when the emperor was sacked and Zhang Wenming was assassinated. People who didn't know what was going on asked what happened. Earth-shattering event.
When Shen Guanyi entered Wang Tong's signing room, he saw the person sitting in the main seat reading. This man has a fair face and a straight back. His first impression on Shen Yiguan is that of a gentle gentleman.
But the neatly combed gray beard and hair gave this "gentleman" a kind of demonic charm, like a poisonous snake with "black substance and white chapters" entrenched there.
Although the Ministry of Punishment and the National Security Bureau often have business dealings, this was the first time Shen Guanyi met the director, who was still called "Commander" by his subordinates, because Wang Tong did not attend court meetings and did not communicate with courtiers on weekdays.
My own minister often saw Wang Tong in the conference room of Wuying Palace, but he never commented on his appearance when he came back. He even frowned when he heard the name.
The person at the main seat was reading quietly, and did not respond to the story "Shen Yiguan brought" to him. The man nuzzled at the chair on the east side, gesturing for Shen Yiguan to sit on it, while he sat on the chair opposite.
Shen, always pale, sat quietly, as if he was in a trance. Wang Tong was still reading quietly, occasionally turning a page, or picking up the tea cup and taking a sip.
After a while, he suddenly read aloud: "I heard from a certain minister that I can't do something. Why? I don't know the details of something, the internal and external connections of something, and the laws of something. I can only do it with humility. , the honest mind leads to its whole, essence, and laws, and it is not difficult to make the leap from 'sensibility' to 'rationality' and 'deduce' it."
"Master Shen, have you ever studied His Majesty's "On Practice"?"
Shen Yiguan was stunned, raised his hands, and replied: "Of course I have to read it over and over again. I don't dare or forget it."
After hearing this, Wang Tong put down the book and picked up another booklet on the table. Opening one of the pages, he read: "We swear to oppose Jiangling, bear the great hope of the world, uphold integrity, adhere to the right way, and respect the holy will. We will delay the examination to open up the way of speech, and abolish the whip to appease the gentry and suppress the university. The Methodists will stand up for their merits and uphold the example of their sages. This is an oath. Heaven, earth, ghosts and gods will all learn from it."
There was no color left on Shen Yiguan's face, his eyes also lost focus, and he could only feel waves of dizziness.
Wang Tong said in a slightly mocking voice: "This subject in the second year of Longqing's reign is amazing. It has produced some 'gentlemen'."
"Zhang Wei, Zhao Zhigao, Shen Shenxiao, Tian Yijun, Xi Kongjiao, and Wu Zhongxing from the fifth year of Longqing. I heard that you are known as the 'New Seven Sons' - where do you plan to place Principal Wang Fengzhou?"
Hearing Wang Tong talk about Wang Shizhen, Shen Yiguan's face showed some vitality, and he said timidly: "We formed a society just to harmonize poetry and prose, and have no other intention."
Wang Tong's expression was amusement, and he said in a longer voice: "Is it -?"
"yes."
"Very good. With ready-made pen and paper, I would like to ask Mr. Shen to think about where you have performed singing and harmony over the years. Is there anyone else attending the party? Is that okay?"
Shen Yiguan's face turned green and white for a while, and he struggled and said, "I am already in the third rank. You cannot detain me unless you are ordered to do so."
When Wang Tong heard what he said, his face became solemn. He stood up and went to the table, opened a sandalwood box, and took out a scroll with both hands.
In Shen's unbelievable look, Wang Tong said seriously: "There is a will."
Shen Yiguan and the minister sitting opposite him knelt down together and listened to Wang Tong's announcement: "Today, the Procuratorate has reported that Shen Yiguan, the left minister of the Criminal Department, has been secretly conspiring with party members. The prince's young protector Wang Tong is asking Wang Tong to inquire about the secret affairs he has conspired by. I appreciate this. October 26, the fifteenth year of Wanli."
After Wang Tong announced the edict, he combined the imperial edict with a sneer and said, "Shen Yiguan, what else do you have to say?"
Shen Guanguan was sweating profusely, and said tremblingly: "I have nothing to say." Then his heart skipped a beat, and he put his hands forward, "I'm already here, please ask the young guard."
Wang Tong looked at Shen Yiguan and saw that he lowered his head and said nothing. He groaned and motioned to his subordinates: "Since Mr. Shen shows that he is not afraid of being scalded by boiling water, please invite him to the execution room."
Shen Yiguan once again had a look of disbelief on his face, "Wang Xizhi, you want to punish a third-grade civil servant? Do you know that the initiator will have no descendants?"
Wang Tong's face bulged with flesh and he sneered: "I'm asked by the imperial decree, what do I fear?"
(End of chapter)
