The boat sailed slowly on the Qinhuai River outside. The city of Nanjing was in sight.
He Xi looked at the city of Nanjing and suddenly felt as if he was from another world.
When I was in Hangzhou, I reported the situation of Guo Huan's case to Nanjing. Nanjing's first reaction was not to send someone to replace Tang Shengzong to manage Zhejiang, but to order He Xi to come to Beijing immediately. As for the things in Hangzhou, it seemed not as important as He Xi.
.
It didn't take long to leave Nanjing. Even including the time of traveling, it was only more than a month. When I left, Nanjing was still lingering in autumn. Now it is winter in Nanjing. The cold air from the north,
Floating southward, it enveloped the city of Nanjing.
It turned into light snow and sprinkled into and around Nanjing.
This light snow is very fine. Even if it falls on the ground, it will melt in an instant. It will not form snow. If it falls in the river, it will be washed away immediately. Only in some calm currents, there is a trace of solidification on the water.
ripple.
He Xi stood at the bow of the boat, feeling the boat move slowly. As soon as he opened his mouth, a burst of breath rushed out. It was like a white rainbow.
"Sir, look, that is the prince's guard of honor. The prince has come to pick you up." Xu Baoer pointed it to He Xi from a distance.
He Xi looked over from a distance, and sure enough he saw a group of people waiting at the pier, about a few hundred people. Judging by their clothes, they were people from the East Palace.
Upon seeing this, He Xi immediately ordered the ship to dock.
As soon as they docked, someone immediately ushered He Xi into a carriage.
The space in this carriage is not small. There is a brazier in the middle. The person in the innermost part is the prince. The prince is reading a file and said calmly: "Sit down."
He Xi immediately felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere around the prince.
He Xi immediately saluted and sat down. Then he couldn't help but put his hands on the brazier to warm himself up.
I don’t know whether the coldness of winter is different in ancient and modern times, or whether there were too few means of keeping warm in ancient times. In short, winter has just entered, and there is still some time before the twelfth lunar month, but He Xi already feels that it is unbearable.
It seems that without things like the brazier and hand stove, He Xi turned into ice cubes.
Anyway, He Xi felt that although she had worn a lot of bulging clothes, it didn't seem to be of any use.
For a moment, no one spoke in the carriage, but suddenly there was movement outside and the wheels were rolling.
Perhaps the vehicle was bumpy and the prince couldn't stand it any longer. He put the file in his hand away and said, "Do you know you are wrong?"
He Xi immediately said: "I know I was wrong."
The prince said: "What's wrong?"
He Xi reflected on what he did in Hangzhou and said: "The mistake was that I was too impatient. Guo Huan had his thoughts revealed from the beginning. Although he made amends later, it made Guo Huan defensive. It almost led to a catastrophe.
disaster."
The prince said: "That's all?"
He Xi said: "There are still many things that are not done well-----"
The prince sneered, interrupted He Xi's words, and said: "You think there is something wrong with Guo Huan, why don't you capture Guo Huan as soon as you get off the ship?"
He Xi was stunned and said, "Is this okay?"
He Xi felt that Guo Huan was also the chief envoy. He was not an ordinary official. How could He Xi directly take down Guo Huan without evidence? This was why he was so arrogant and domineering.
The prince sneered and said: "Why not? It's just a wrong investigation. Let him go and apologize to Guo Huan. The worst is to shut him up. What kind of identity do you think I am, Zhu Biao's brother? You'd better learn how to confront him in person and go deep.
Tiger's Den is so majestic and domineering. Don't you know that the son of a rich man cannot sit down in court? Do you really not take your own life seriously?"
The prince's words moved He Xi a little in her heart. Apart from being moved, she also had an indescribable feeling.
To be honest, when He Xi confronted Guo Huan, he did not think about the danger. He was also afraid afterwards. Although he was scolded by the prince at this moment, it felt good to be cared about. However, He Xi still had to fight for himself.
A few words of justification.
He Xi said: "Your Highness, the situation was critical at that time. Guo Huan ran away if he failed to handle it."
The prince said: "So what if he ran away? The whole world is not the land of the king. Even if he escapes overseas, do you think the court will not be able to catch him? Even if Guo Huan seizes the city and rebels, he will not deserve a thunderous blow from the court."
This is not a big deal. Only your life is the most important."
"My father was very worried when I learned that you had done such a risky thing. You must never do this again in the future."
The prince's tone softened a lot as he spoke.
In fact, the prince and He Xi didn't get along for too long, and they didn't have any deep feelings. On the one hand, the prince treated He Xi like this because of his kind nature. Since Zhu Yuanzhang asked him to treat He Xi as his younger brother, the prince also did the same.
The prince acted like an eldest brother. On the other hand, the prince felt that Zhu Yuanzhang valued He Xi differently.
News came that He Xi was in danger.
Zhu Yuanzhang rarely lost his composure and said several times: "Mao Xiang deserves to die."
The prince also saw from this incident that He Xi held a special position in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart. As for why this was so? The prince did not know. But it did not prevent the prince from viewing He Xi differently.
He Xi said: "I thank Your Highness for your care."
When the prince saw He Xi wearing a cotton coat, he said something to the eunuch beside him. Immediately, someone brought a mink fur coat to him. The prince shook it off for He Xi and asked him to put it on. He said, "It's very cold in Nanjing this year."
.Be careful.”
He Xi said: "Your Highness -----"
The prince said: "Don't call me your highness, just call me eldest brother in private."
He Xi said: "Then thank you, eldest brother."
The prince said: "Actually, I came to welcome you today because I have something to discuss with you."
He Xi said: "Brother, please speak."
The prince said: "Uncle Tang submitted a letter to discuss Guo Huan's rebellion. What do you think?"
He Xi said: "Rebellion?"
He Xi was shocked and couldn't help but secretly thought: "It's so cruel."
He Xi was not thinking about Guo Huan, because Guo Huan's crime was committed in the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was already dead. It was just a different way of death. He Xi felt cruel, but if he was involved in this case according to Tang Shengzong's ideas,
All the officials here will probably die.
After all, corruption cases and rebellion cases are completely different in terms of sentencing.
The former is merely an economic case, while the latter is a political case.
Some corruption cases are minor and can be punished by redemption, which means returning the stolen goods and fines. But those involved in the latter will have to shed their skin even if they are not dead.
He Xi now understood a lot about what Tang Shengzong said to He Xi in West Lake. Tang Shengzong wanted to communicate with He Xi in advance.
He Xi said: "This matter is not something that lower officials can say."
The prince said: "This is in private, not in court. It doesn't need to be so formal. Besides, you are the person in charge of this case. Even in front of my father, you are qualified to speak. Just say it."
"
He Xi was actually able to figure out the prince's thoughts.
Whether it is from history books or from He Xi's actual experience, the prince is certainly not a fool. He is a politician with scheming and skill. If he had succeeded Zhu Yuanzhang in history, the Ming Dynasty would have been different.
However, even so, one label still followed the prince for his whole life, and that was benevolence.
This is also true.
Compared with Zhu Yuanzhang, who came from a commoner to the present, he encountered too many problems and never trusted anyone. He was always full of a sense of crisis. As for the prince Zhu Biao, he has been the prince since he was born, and has been surrounded by countless people since he was a child.
I have received heir education since I was a child, and I feel that the world belongs to the Zhu family.
Therefore, the prince Zhu Biao could not understand or understand Zhu Yuanzhang's sense of crisis. Coupled with Song Lian's education, benevolence was deeply rooted in the prince's bones.
Rebellion and corruption cost thousands or even more lives.
He Xi said: "Your Highness, in my opinion, Guo Huan may have the intention of treason, and then the Zhejiang officials just colluded with Guo Huan in corruption. It is not considered a crime of rebellion. The case should be decided separately."
Anyway, Guo Huan cannot die anymore. Adding another charge of rebellion will not let him die a second time. He Xi has no part in interceding for Guo Huan. After all, some of Guo Huan's actions are indeed worthy of his death.
The charge of rebellion. But it is different for others.
Although when it comes to corrupt officials in Zhejiang, He Xi doesn't think they are very innocent. Even if they are executed, He Xi doesn't think it's a big deal.
But we must also consider practical factors.
First, killing too many people is not good after all. There are many things that need to be paid attention to the political impact. Second, He Xi clearly felt the undercurrent of this case. Instinctively, he felt that it would be better to suppress the intensity of the political battle.
The prince said: "What brother He said is exactly what I want. This case involves the central area, hundreds of officials, big and small, and the families of the officials, there are already more than 10,000 people. Today is peaceful, and such torture is not a grand event.
.Wait a while, when I see my father, please ask Brother He for more advice."
He Xi said: "Your Highness, I will naturally give you advice. However, Your Highness also knows what kind of person your Majesty is. I don't know how useful my words are."
He Xi had actually guessed it.
The prince came here, and finally fell into this matter.
The prince smiled and said: "As long as Brother He opens his mouth, I will naturally help him. Don't worry, I will not forget Brother He's contribution."
He Xi secretly thought: "I hope so."
After all, Zhu Yuanzhang was not someone else. Although He Xi was confident in what he said, Zhu Yuanzhang still listened to him. But no matter what, He Xi suddenly felt a little nervous when he thought of meeting Zhu Yuanzhang.
It's useless to be nervous.
When the horse bells outside stopped ringing, a eunuch said: "His Royal Highness, Secretary He has arrived."
He Xi opened the curtain and saw that the Qianqing Palace was already in sight. This was because He Xi had benefited from the crown prince. If he hadn't been the crown prince, He Xi definitely wouldn't have the qualifications to ride directly into the palace. This chapter has been completed!