As Sheng Yong, a veteran of three dynasties, was imprisoned, all forces in the court were bound to be shaken.
But for now, it's not the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division's turn to worry here.
Because Sheng Yong also has another identity, that is Xungui!
Xungui is a collective, which is different from the political party in the court.
On weekdays, everyone can fight each other to death, but at certain times, Xungui is the most united group of people in the Ming Dynasty.
So now, the one who should be most anxious is not the Five Cities Military and Horse Division under Chen Kan, but a group of nobles led by Li Jinglong.
Chen Kan is now the Marquis of Jinghai, and theoretically he is also a member of the nobility.
But in the Ming Dynasty, there were two ways to ennoble a marquis. One was to ennoble a marquis based on military merit, and the other was to enshrine the title of a marquis based on the merits of the country, the country, and the country.
Although Chen Kan's origins bear the shadow of the nobles of Huaixi, he was a man who assisted Sheji and became a marquis.
The Puding Marquis lineage has long been severed, so even if Chen Kan sat back and ignored this matter, none of the nobles would be able to pick on him.
The reason why Chen Kan chose to wait and see was because he expected that Sheng Yong would not die in Jinyiwei's prison, because it was only the first year of Yongle, and Sheng Yong in history had been strong until the second year of Yongle, and then he could not stand Zhu Di's Suspicion chose to commit suicide in prison.
Xu Yuan's wisdom is naturally no problem. It's just that his location prevents him from receiving some information that has a relatively small circulation range.
But now, Chen Kan just mentioned it a little bit, and he figured out the joints.
After a silent exchange of opinions, Xu Yuan asked: "In that case, sir, do we need to make some preparations first."
Xu Yuan's preparation was naturally to take action at the critical moment.
The Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division also needs credit now.
Zhu Di handed over the affairs of the Northern Territory to the Jin Yiwei. If the Five Cities Military and Horse Division wanted to take credit, they could only find a solution from the Jin Yiwei's prison.
Chen Kan thought for a moment and muttered: "Preparation naturally requires some preparation. You go back to the Yamen first, and I will find some helpers for you."
"Looking for help?"
Xu Yuan was stunned for a moment, but he didn't ask any more questions. Since the adults felt that the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division needed help, it must be necessary.
After sending Xu Yuan away, Chen Kan also felt that it was time for him to do some exercise.
As for the helpers Chen Kan mentioned, they were the three censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate who were ready to poach him when Chen Kan went to Yunnan.
A yamen with only a group of warriors will never last long.
Just like a normal person cannot walk on one foot.
The current shortcomings of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division are as obvious as their advantages.
The biggest advantage among them is that behind the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division stands Chen Kan, and behind Chen Kan stands Zhu Di.
With Zhu Di's support, the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division was able to run rampant in the capital and even steal people from the Jin Yiwei.
But the shortcomings are also obvious. Once Chen Kan leaves the Wucheng Bingma Si for something, the Wucheng Bingma Si becomes deaf and blind.
This is determined by the nature of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division.
The Five Cities Military and Horse Division only has the power of law enforcement, not supervision.
Unlike the Jin Yiwei, who can arrange his eyes and ears among the officials without any scruples, and get first-hand news of any troubles in the court at any time.
There is also a big shortcoming, that is, all the soldiers and horses in the Five Cities are Qiu Ba, and they are Qiu Ba whose status is not very high.
And the Wucheng Military and Horse Department was a person who needed to deal with various government offices at any time. When Chen Kan was not available, those Qiu Ba could easily get stuck by various government offices.
Although the three censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate are only seventh-rank minor officials, they are veteran officials who have been around the court all year round. How to deal with officials is their strength.
When the time comes, you can let them handle things like asking for money, people, and food. You can give gifts when they should, and use relationships when they need to.
With their third person to assist Xu Yuan, Chen Kan can save at least two-thirds of his energy.
Just like what happened today when Sheng Yong was imprisoned.
If someone had mentioned something to Xu Yuan, Xu Yuan would not have come to Chen Kan's house to ask for advice.
Among the officials hanging around the court, no one knew that Zhu Di hated Sheng Yong because of Zhang Yu's incident.
Sheng Yong was imprisoned because Zhu Di had indicated it.
Since it was a matter indicated by Zhu Di and the Wucheng Army and Horses Division took action rashly, wouldn't it be equivalent to handing the handle to Jin Yiwei?
This is the real reason why Chen Kan signaled Xu Yuan to wait and see.
Zhu Di wanted to punish Sheng Yong because Zhang Yu was besieged and killed by Sheng Yong, but with Sheng Yong's prestige among the Southern Army, Zhu Di would not directly kill Sheng Yong for a small loss.
The most you can get is a period of jail time.
Moreover, the Xungui Group will not sit idly by.
What the Wucheng Military and Horse Division has to do is to find an opportunity to get Sheng Yong out after Zhu Di's anger subsides. That is a big achievement.
It is completely unnecessary to confront Jin Yiwei now.
After asking Yuncheng to prepare the carriage, Chen Kan got into the carriage and headed towards Hongwu Gate.
At this time, the Great Court Meeting should have just ended. Chen Kan wanted to see Chen An, so he only needed to intercept him halfway.
Arriving outside the Hongwu Gate, the dynasty would end exactly as Chen Kan expected.
Except for the six senior officials who stayed in the palace to work, other officials had to return to their respective yamen to work.
The Yamen of the Metropolitan Procuratorate is in Beicheng, in the same place as the Imperial College and Gongyuan.
The officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate are easy to recognize, because 90% of the officials in the court wear red and purple, but the official uniform of the Metropolitan Procuratorate is a green robe.
Chen Kan spotted Chen An among a group of green seventh-rank officials at a glance.
When Chen An saw the carriage with the Jinghaihou logo, his eyes couldn't help but light up.
After confessing his crime to his colleagues beside him, he walked straight towards Chen Kan's carriage.
Before stepping into the carriage, Chen An said with a bitter face: "Master Marquis, I can't live this life."
"Tell me in the car."
Chen Kan opened the curtain of the carriage, and Chen An didn't care about anything and got straight into the carriage.
Now that Chen Kan and his comrade-in-arms who violently beat up Chen Ying in Chuzhou have spread throughout the capital, and someone in the court has vaguely labeled him as a member of the Chen Party, he naturally doesn't need to hide anything anymore.
"Go to Jude Tower."
After giving instructions to the driver, the driver nodded and turned the horse's head, whipped the horse's buttocks, and the driver of Jinghai Marquis Mansion headed towards the Qinhuai River.
Chen An sat down opposite Chen Kan. Chen Kan took out a pastry from the secret compartment of the carriage and handed it to him: "Eat something first to fill your stomach."
Chen An was not polite to him. He reached out to take it and started eating slowly.
The court meeting had been going on since the fourth watch, and he was so hungry that his chest was pressed against his back.
Your Majesty's food is only given to the officials of the six departments, and small officials like them are not included in the food.
Chen Kan asked: "Why can't we live longer?"
Chen An shook his head and said nothing, but rolled his eyes from time to time.
Chen Kan reluctantly took out a pot of water from the secret compartment and handed it to him. Chen An took it and drank a few big mouthfuls of the pastry into his stomach.
Then he responded: "After Chen Ying took office, the entire Metropolitan Procuratorate became his one-spoken hall. We censors are usually bullied by the imperial guards, but now we are being squeezed by the superior officials. It is really impossible to live this life." .”
Chen An would receive special care from Chen Ying when he came back, which was within Chen Kan's expectation.
Even Chen Kan knew that even if all the censors from the Metropolitan Procuratorate united, it would not be enough for Chen Ying to fight with one hand.
After all, he is a cruel official with a long-lasting reputation.
Regardless of the ability of those who can be selected by the king to become cruel officials, at least in terms of political skills, they are definitely not comparable to ordinary officials.
Chen An was very upset and didn't believe Chen Kan's words, so he insisted on going back to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to meet Chen Ying.
Now that I'm suffering a loss, that's to be expected.
Chen Kan ignored his nonsense and said bluntly: "What do you mean, Chen Ying will beat you every day?"
Chen An choked at Chen Kan's words, poured a few large sips of water into his mouth, and said helplessly: "That's not the case, but the previous memorials from the Metropolitan Procuratorate were delivered directly to His Majesty. Now they were not only intercepted by Chen Ying, Even memorials that don't suit his liking will be beaten back by him directly."
"What the Metropolitan Procuratorate does is not just gossiping, but now it has been turned into a tool to suppress dissidents."
"If this continues, we censors will become street rats that everyone shouts about."
Chen An's face was full of bitterness, but he didn't mention anything about his affairs in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He just kept accusing Chen Ying.
Chen Kan didn't expose him either.
Men have the right to be tough at any time.
In Jude Building, Chen Kan, as a regular guest here, naturally has an exclusive private room of his own.
After the old shopkeeper put all the dishes on the table, Chen An began to eat like a storm.
Chen Kan watched him eat silently.
Chen An and Chen Kan were so familiar with each other that when Chen Kan refused to eat, he simply pulled the food in front of Chen Kan in front of him.
But he seems to have obsessive-compulsive disorder when eating. He only eats one side of the dish. After eating half of each dish, he leaves the other half alone.
"Hiccup~"
After letting out a long burp, Chen An once again picked up the elegance and propriety he had discarded, poured a small glass of rice wine and sipped it slowly.
"Boy, bring me a food box."
Taking out a handkerchief and wiping his mouth, Chen An gave instructions to the waiter who was guarding the door of the private room.
Then he looked at Chen Kan and said, "Master Hou is laughing. My mother has been thinking about this meal in Judelou for a long time. With the salary of a lower official, I will never be able to bring my mother here to have such a meal in my whole life. Now Zhan After hearing the news from Mr. Hou, I thought of taking some back to give my mother at home a taste."
After saying that, he went about his own business and put the remaining dishes into the food box one by one.
Chen Kan already had a full understanding of the shamelessness of Ming officials.
Chen An just packed some leftovers, which was already very reserved.
What's more, when you go to someone's home to eat, you take away all their silver tableware, and you forcibly label this behavior as an elegant affair.
The scholars of Ming Dynasty were really not very moral.
Chen Kan didn't care much. It was just a meal. Being able to recruit a seventh-grade censor to work for him was a very cost-effective deal.
That's right, with just one meal, Chen Kan had already achieved his goal.
From the moment Chen An was willing to get on Chen Kan's carriage in public, it meant that Chen An was a member of Chen Kan's family from now on.
There are some things that everyone understands tacitly, and there is no need to say them out loud.
We are all smart people, and it would be boring if we talk too much.
However, Chen Kan's target was not only Chen An, but also two censors who were also involved in Chen Kan's beating of Chen Ying. If nothing else, life for both of them would be equally difficult in the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
Now that he was full and full, Chen Kan asked about business.
"Is it Chen Ying's handiwork that Sheng Yong was imprisoned?"
Facing Chen Kan's inquiry, Chen An thought for a moment, then shook his head and said: "I don't recommend that the Marquis get involved in this matter. Although the Wucheng Army and Horses Division has won your Majesty's trust, there are some things that are not your Majesty's responsibility." Trust and you can do whatever you want."
Chen Kan understood the meaning of Chen An's words.
It's nothing more than Chen Ying being just a knife in His Majesty's hand.
However, the point is not here. The point is that Chen An is implicitly telling Chen Kan his value.
Although he is a seventh-grade official, his sources of information in the court are very accurate.
This is exactly why Chen Kan values him so much.
Chen Kan nodded: "I have no intention of getting involved in this trivial matter, I just asked casually."
"Those two colleagues of yours?"
"They have applied for release and should not return to the capital in the short term."
Chen Kan couldn't help but be stunned by the news given by Chen An, and subconsciously asked: "Is the situation in the Metropolitan Procuratorate already so urgent?"
Chen An responded with a wry smile: "I don't know, my lord, just now I said that I couldn't survive this day. I was not complaining, but stating a fact."
"The Metropolitan Procuratorate has now become Chen Ying's voice, and the officials who relied on Chen Ying have now become yes-men. The few officials who are unwilling to collude with Chen Ying have been deprived of their power by him under various excuses, including Submit me."
"Your Excellency may not believe it. Although Xiaguan still goes to court every day, in fact, Xiaguan has never submitted a memorial to His Majesty since he came back from Yunnan."
"In other words, there is no difference between the official and the puppet now."
Chen An smiled bitterly for a while, with a flash of hatred in his eyes.
As a royal censor, his greatest power is that he can bypass all officials and directly write to His Majesty to report matters.
But now, Chen Ying simply gave him a cold treatment.
As the saying goes, destroying someone's future is like killing their parents. Now Chen An's future is not just destroyed, but Chen Ying has directly cut off the basis for pursuing his future.
Such an approach would be more uncomfortable than killing him with one knife.
Otherwise, with Chen An's extremely noble body as a censor, how could he get on Chen Kan's carriage today.
After hearing Chen An's complaint, Chen Kan gloated: "Why, I remember that Chen Yushi was very tough when he returned to the capital."
"Hey, it's Xiaguan who made a mistake. Now that Xiaguan has nothing to hide, I would like to ask Lord Marquis to give Xiaguan a hand for the sake of our past friendship."
When things got to this point, Chen An was sure that he did not have the ability to defeat Chen Ying, so he could only place his hopes on Chen Kan.
