On the first day of June, there is a slight summer heat.
Wugang Prefecture, in a restaurant.
It was noon at this moment, and the lobby was full of guests.
Wugang Prefecture is originally at the junction of Huguang and Guangxi, where military households, barbarians, traders, dragons and snakes are all mixed together.
In addition, after falling into ambush, people feel restless and uneasy.
Therefore, most of the drinkers at each Eight Immortals table were bare-chested, beaming, and the atmosphere was lively.
"That's so exciting! You don't know that a group of people rushed in at Mr. Wang's house, and when they saw the person, they were like, click! With one stab, there was such a big scar!"
A bearded man stretched out his hands, thumb touching thumb, index finger touching index finger, making a circle.
He stood up and gestured to his companions at the wine table, spitting.
I took a look at it myself in the middle and felt that the gesture was not big enough, so I simply replaced it with my middle finger.
One of the companions was very proud and exclaimed: "Kill directly? No need to go to the Yamen to review the case!?"
The bearded man sneered disdainfully: "Trial? Don't even look at who it is. Do you know what Jin Yiwei is?"
The companion shook his head cooperatively.
Another companion couldn't stand it any longer and took over the conversation: "It's not even a show off that makes the point."
"That person's name is Beizhen Fusi! I interrogated him and killed him on the spot. Don't say that I didn't interrogate him!"
"The owner of my third aunt's neighbor's daughter is a wealthy businessman in the county. I heard this time that she was also involved in something. She happened to be..."
He raised his palms and split the air hard.
Several people were chatting happily, and the guests at the next table couldn't help but join in the fun.
A short, fat middle-aged man stretched out his head and said, "A wealthy businessman? You're not even on point!"
"This time the Jin Yiwei fought all the way from Daozhou to Yongzhou Prefecture, and then to Wugang Prefecture!"
"Don't talk about wealthy businessmen, even those who have become officials, county and state government officials, generals of thousands of households, anyone who has been involved in that matter before..."
The man lowered his voice, quietly gestured, and stared: "Those royal guards rushed in and stabbed me on the spot!"
"Drag it like a dead dog and throw it into the vegetable market."
"That scene, tsk."
He smashed and smashed his mouth, which satisfied his desire for expression.
After finishing the work, he didn't forget to give some pointers: "Those killer stars, I just came to Wugang Prefecture today, there are still some to see, it's just for you guys to learn a lot."
Seeing that the topics being talked about were getting more and more dangerous, many of the drinkers who heard it were afraid of causing trouble.
After hearing this, he simply stopped drinking and slipped away quietly.
It turned out that the bearded man was quite dissatisfied when someone spoke in a pointing tone.
He scratched his neck and said loudly: "Knowledge? I don't know how much better the Sa family is than you. You are young and ignorant!"
"The Sa family has traveled all over the country, what haven't you seen?"
"I might as well tell you that according to the Sa family, we in Wugang Prefecture are involved in that matter, and I'm afraid it's us..."
He pretended to point to the royal city in the center of the city, his expression quite reserved.
The other drinkers are still waiting to be spoken to.
The waiter trotted over quickly and grabbed the bearded man by the collar.
He cupped his hands and bowed in all directions, saying in apology: "Everyone, everyone, don't talk about noble people, don't talk about noble people."
After that, he also gave half a bottle of wine to several guests in a low voice, showing enough etiquette.
As the saying goes, don't hit the smiling person. Seeing the waiter's behavior, the drinkers finally calmed down.
The noise in the lobby stopped, but the private rooms on the second floor had no such scruples.
Behind the half-open door of an elegant room, low voices of conversation could be heard.
"Brother Zong, I really can't stand it anymore."
A tall, thick-set man with an air of gangsterism stood at the base, pleading anxiously.
Although he is from a clan, he has been hanging out in a gangster den for a long time, so his habits are naturally very different.
Zhu Dingjiong kept tapping his fingers on the table, the displeasure on his face was beyond words.
"Who is your clan brother? You died long ago on the clan plate! Remember who you are now!"
"Also, how many times have I told you not to meet each other in the near future! Let's wait until the limelight has passed!"
He slammed the table and scolded: "You insist on pestering me today. You don't understand what I'm saying, or you don't understand what a life-threatening disaster is!"
The angry man looked depressed, gritted his teeth, and swallowed his anger.
Fortunately, he didn't lose his composure. He just said in a low voice: "The general of the auxiliary country has taught you a lesson."
He changed the name directly without knowing who he was mocking.
"It's a very important matter. Ever since that incident happened, I didn't hesitate to abandon my old nest. I hid with only my core staff and never thought about getting into any trouble."
"Even if several thousand households are driven by Liu Zhen like crazy, searching everywhere, I still act cautiously, for fear that my tail will be exposed and the government will be implicated."
"But there's really nothing we can do now!"
"Those Jin Yiwei have no regard for the laws of the Ming Dynasty. Any wealthy businessmen who may be involved will directly destroy their families!"
"Without the support of these wealthy households, the hundreds of people under my command have not had a full meal for several days!"
"If this continues, once it gets agitated, I won't be able to restrain it, and it will only be a matter of time before it gets implicated in the government!"
He said he was pleading, but after he said it, his expression became a little fierce.
He was also a clan member of the Min clan. In his early years, he was accused by the governor of being careless and killing people.
When Emperor Shizong ordered his death, the officials and eunuchs who gave him the poisoned wine were bribed heavily, so that he could escape by pretending to die.
Then he took over the water thieves kept in the house and did some shady tricks.
The banditry on Dongting Lake was caused by him following orders from the government.
I said I was just making a fuss, but who knew it would lead to such a big thing!
Now that I feel unprecedented pressure and can no longer handle it, I have to ask the government for help at this critical moment.
Zhu Dingjiong, the general of the auxiliary country, looked ugly.
The reason why King Min can entrust him with the task of raising bandits is naturally because he is the heart of King Min and the mainstay of Min Fan.
He also knows more than the cousin in front of him.
Last month, King Min went to Wuchang to make peace with Wu Jinghe, but the two parties broke up unhappy.
Since then, Liu Zhen personally led the Beijing camp, replaced the Yuezhou guards, and followed Li Zaiting to bite people everywhere in the name of training the Beijing camp.
As for Duke Cheng Guo, he was so arrogant that he only let his son lead his guards in royal robes, set up prisons privately, and killed the people.
Under this situation, Min Fan did not dare to show any flaws, for fear of being caught.
The water thieves secretly raised by the palace can only be slightly supported through the large households controlled by the palace.
Now that Jin Yiwei handles the case without providing evidence, he resorts to beatings and cuts off the hands and feet of the palace, what can he do?
Do you really want to take risks?
He thought about this section and finally made a plan!
Zhu Dingjiong suddenly raised his head, gritted his teeth, and said one sentence from between his teeth: "A strong man must cut off his wrists!"
Zhu Dingshuo raised his head in shock and said in shock: "Brother Zong!?"
His business is in full swing, so he just gives up?
What about Zhu Dingshu’s right to speak? Hasn’t he become a wild dog again!?
Zhu Dingjiong shook his head, with a serious look on his face: "Get rid of all your 'brothers' and hall master who know about it."
"The rest are left to fend for themselves."
Seeing this clan brother's expression of reluctance, he frowned and was about to scold him.
After thinking about it for a while, I was afraid that I might be rebellious and ruin things.
After a pause, he said softly and comfortingly: "My brother, there is no shortage of bandits in our dynasty. As long as Min Fan is not in chaos and does not lack this little foreign object, they can gather at any time!"
Zhu Dingshuo was unwilling, but he understood the truth.
After thinking about it, he reluctantly nodded.
Zhu Dingjiong breathed a sigh of relief, stood up and patted his shoulder: "After the matter is done, you can go outside and have fun. I have worked hard for you these years."
Over the years, this clan brother did not know how much he had handed over and how much he had saved by robbing homes and blocking businesses.
It's a pity that not only does this sect brother have to be used to do things, but this sect brother also has a good backup plan.
Otherwise, he would be tempted to kill the donkey.
Zhu Dingjiong shook his head, shook this thought out of his mind, and ordered his disciples to be sent out of the restaurant through a secret passage - the restaurant was secretly an property of the Min Palace.
Just as he was about to wait for the time to slip, he left the restaurant in a swaggering manner.
But at this moment, a eunuch rushed in from outside the private room with a panicked look on his face: "General Fuguo! The royal guards have arrived at the house!"
Zhu Dingjiong's heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously asked, "What?"
The eunuch was still in shock and hurriedly added: "Just now, Zhu Shitai led the Jinyi guards and broke into our house! He didn't even wait for the call to be passed and broke in directly!"
"This slave doesn't dare to look any further, so he quickly came to report to the general."
Zhu Dingjiong frowned, suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "Tell me clearly, is it Min Prince's Palace or our Lishan Prince's Palace."
The former is the Prince's Palace, representing Min Fan, and the latter is the County Prince's Palace, one of more than ten county princes.
The meanings represented are naturally completely different.
The eunuch then came to his senses and quickly replied: "Lishan Prince's Palace! It's Lishan Prince's Palace!"
Zhu Dingjiong breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it's not the worst yet.
He forced himself to stay calm and told the eunuch: "I am going back to the royal city now. You catch up with my sect brother and watch him finish the matter."
Then he asked Dianbo beside him: "Those landowners and gentry, please go and comfort me. I will leave a branch of my clan's blood for them and send it back to Jinan."
"As for the big families who forge armor and coins for us, we will deal with the people for them. If it is time to replace the clan leader, you can make the decision for them."
At the end of the sentence, his tone gradually became lower. He looked at Chang Shi and held his hand: "If anything happens to me, let the prince sacrifice my mother for me."
He spoke very quickly and gave instructions to the eunuchs, Dian Bo, Chang Shi and others, as if explaining the affairs of the deceased.
When several people saw this, they all moved.
Just as he was about to persuade him again, Zhu Dingjiong had already opened the door, left the private room, and went downstairs.
There were sharp-eyed drinkers downstairs. When they saw a member of the royal family coming downstairs, they immediately shut up and even hinted at the drinkers at the opposite table.
Someone with the same extraordinary status even stood up and saluted: "General assisting the country."
Zhu Dingjiong responded calmly and with a smile, and left the restaurant calmly.
It wasn't until he walked away that the drinkers started talking quietly.
"Isn't this the filial son of the Prince of Lishan?"
A knowledgeable businessman explained: "This is the son of Zhu Yuxi, the general of Zhenguo. General Zhenguo passed away early, and this man who served his mother was a pure filial piety."
"I heard that at the beginning of the year, King Min also made a memorial for this gentleman, requesting that this general who was supporting the country be canonized as the general who ruled the country."
At first the beard was dismissed with disdain.
He taunted: "Pure filial piety? Pure laughter is more like it!"
"It was said that his mother was seriously ill, so he cut off the flesh from his thigh to treat her illness."
"If you believed it, you would end up here in your life."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two parties started arguing again, and their faces turned red.
Full of summer dryness.
…
The heat of summer is not just a physical sensation.
The irritability in Zhu Dingjiong's heart was even worse, so much so that he even ignored the fact that he was sweating profusely as he walked quickly.
Especially when he first stepped into the Lingxing Gate and entered the royal city.
A smell of blood wafted out from the direction of Lishan Prince's Mansion.
Zhu Dingjiong's expression changed drastically, his pace became faster and faster, and the followers behind him could hardly keep up with him.
After passing the Chengyun Gate, as soon as he walked to the front of Lishan Prince's Mansion, he saw a scene that made him feel like he was dead!
Soldiers, palace guards, and eunuchs gathered in front of the Lishan Palace.
The Jin Yiwei stood on the steps in front of the palace gate, standing down and confronting everyone.
The door of Lishan Prince's Mansion was wide open, and several corpses lay inside.
Among them are the guards, servants, and even... brothers and nephews that Zhu Dingjiong is familiar with!
His favorite rockeries and the gates of the palace were accidentally stained with blood, making the red brick doors even more glamorous.
When Zhu Dingjiong saw this situation, his eyes turned red.
Regardless of everything, he will rush into the house directly!
The Jin Yiwei naturally fulfilled their duties and wanted to keep him out.
As soon as he took a step forward, a voice came from the house: "Let him come in."
No matter how thoughtful Zhu Dingjiong was, he had no intention of distinguishing this matter.
He angrily pushed away the blocking Jin Yiwei and rushed in!
As soon as he entered the house, the smell of blood became stronger.
Several corpses lay scattered in the courtyard, corridors, and halls, and their blood was even steaming.
Zhu Shitai saw the visitor standing in the courtyard in a daze, his hands unambiguous.
He pulled out the long knife from a person's belly, took out the portrait in his arms, took two steps closer, and looked at the person for comparison.
After a while, Zhu Shitai nodded with satisfaction, looking dandy: "Zhu Dingjiong, right?"
"Don't be afraid, these people are stubbornly resisting. As long as you wait for death, you don't have to lie among these people."
After saying that, he looked at Zhu Dingjiong expectantly, hoping that he would also say something like "Do you know who I am?", "What a courage", and other words that he liked to hear.
Clinker, Zhu Dingjiong was silent for a long time, closed his eyes tightly, raised his head and took a deep breath.
He asked in a calm tone: "Commander, please tell me, I don't know what crimes were committed by everyone in the Lishan Prince's Palace, but you killed them on your own without His Majesty's sanction."
His eyes were still red, but his expression remained calm, and he asked seriously: "If you kill the clan without any consultation, do you Jin Yiwei want to rebel?"
Zhu Shitai had never seen such a clan before, and was a little confused for a moment - it was okay to let him do the simple work of killing people, but forget about debating scriptures.
He thought for a moment, then simply refused to answer and nodded to the left and right: "Take it back to the Jinyi Guard Qianhu Station."
At this moment, there was a commotion outside the house.
A roar, taking the lead: "Who dares! Who dares!"
Min King Zhu Dingyao finally arrived belatedly.
Wearing armor and carrying a sword, he strode into the Prince of Lishan's palace.
Seeing this situation, he lost his composure on the spot, pointed his sword at Zhu Shitai, and said tremblingly: "You have bullied me, Min Fan! I will kill you! I will kill you!"
After saying that, he started to chop it up.
Zhu Shitai quickly took a few steps back, hid behind him, and exclaimed: "Prince Min! The Jinyi Guards are ordered to handle the case! Don't make a mistake!"
He came to handle the case of Lishan Prince's Mansion. He bullied and bullied the prince, as his father had told him.
He couldn't bear the prince's appearance.
Zhu Dingyao didn't listen to what he said. If he couldn't chop, he simply grabbed Zhu Dingjiong.
With red eyes, he commanded his personal guards and was about to kill this group of royal guards in Prince Min's palace: "Kill! Why are you standing there in a daze! Kill them! I will reward you with ten taels of silver per head!"
He was dealing with other things today, and less than half a day after leaving the royal city, he saw this situation when he came back!
In the royal city, someone was actually killed on the spot!
Even if it wasn't his Min Prince's Mansion, but the Lishan Prince's Mansion, it would still be a blow to him, the vassal lord!
How can he care about Jinyiwei at this time?
When the emperor comes, he will be hacked to death in his house!
The royal guards were waiting in full formation, but the palace guards were hesitant.
Just then.
"Cough...cough..."
A weak cough sounded.
The voice was weak, but it was like a basin of cold water, dousing the tense situation.
Everyone turned their heads.
I saw a figure in a wheelchair being slowly pushed out of the study room of Prince Lishan's Mansion.
Zhu Xizhong was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a stack of envelopes in one hand, holding a towel in the other hand to cover his mouth and coughing, causing his back to arch.
He was pushed into the courtyard, between the royal guards and the palace guards.
Looked around.
He took away the handkerchief, revealing a face full of grooves, and looked up at Zhu Dingyao, whose eyes were red and moist.
He said softly: "King Min, don't be in a hurry to cry... I will come again after I find out the matter of Lishan Prince's palace colluding with the water thieves."
He paused and put the handkerchief stained with blood from coughing into his sleeve.
Zhu Xizhong continued with a sincere face: "When I finish killing, King Min will cry together."
Chapter completed!