After Zhu Hejian and all the guests returned to the main hall of Zhanyuan one after another, he still treated Song Chengren with great courtesy and personally arranged for Song Chengren to sit at the head of the guest seats.
After all the guests were seated, Zhu Hejian was not in a hurry to continue to make things difficult for Song Chengren. Instead, he took the lead in caring about Zhou Shangjing's physical condition.
Zhu Hejian first turned his head and glared at several Huangzhuang eunuchs, signaling them not to speak first, then turned to look at Song Chengren and asked with concern: "Senior Song, juniors also sent invitations to Zhou Shoufu at the same time.
Post, inviting him to come to Zhanyuan for a banquet tonight, but now we don’t see Zhou Shoufu coming, but his physical condition is still not good? "
Whether Zhou Shangjing's physical condition is good or bad is directly related to the future direction of the situation in South Zhili. It is also one of the things that all forces in Nanjing have paid most attention to recently. Therefore, after hearing Zhu Hejian's inquiry, everyone present paid close attention.
He looked at Song Chengren and waited for Song Chengren's answer.
Under the attention of everyone, Song Chengren replied expressionlessly: "Zhou Shoufu's physical condition is pretty good. Although he was slightly unwell a few days ago, he has gradually recovered under the rejuvenation of the miracle doctor Zhang Dechengzhang, and he is now fine."
The reason why I didn’t come to Zhanyuan for the banquet late was not because of my health, but because after Zhao Gechen was ordered to inspect Liaodong, several major events happened one after another in Liaodong. The center of the capital has also been in a state of flux and instability recently...
Zhou Shoufu is the head of the hundred officials in the court. Although he is in Nanjing, he still needs to pay attention to these important court affairs, so he will stay in the East Garden tonight and want to write a memorial to Your Majesty to explain in detail his views on the situation in Liaodong and the situation in Liaodong.
Considering the situation in the capital, I don’t have time to come to Zhanyuan for the banquet. I hope His Highness the Seventh Prince will forgive me."
Obviously, Song Chengren was still playing the trick of "the imaginary makes the real and the real makes the imaginary". On the surface, he firmly denied that there was something wrong with Zhou Shangjing's physical condition, but when he explained the specific reason why Zhou Shangjing could not attend the banquet, the reason was extremely
It's far-fetched and completely unconvincing.
If Zhou Shangjing wanted to write a memorial to explain his thoughts to Emperor Deqing, why couldn't he write it during the day today? Why couldn't he write it tomorrow? But why should he choose it when the seventh prince Zhu Hejian was hosting a banquet?
Therefore, Song Chengren was obviously lying! Zhou Shangjing must have been unable to get to Zhanyuan for the banquet due to other reasons!
And the rumors that Zhou Shangjing is terminally ill and will die soon are probably the truth!
In this way, after hearing Song Chengren's explanation, many people became more and more convinced of the relevant rumors.
Zhu Hejian was suspicious by nature and would not be fooled easily at first, but because of the advance circumstantial evidence from the Crown Prince and Grand Master Wang Baoren, he was misled in the end. After hearing this, he immediately felt at ease.
As long as the rumors that Zhou Shangjing is terminally ill are true, it means that Jiangnan Jinshen Group has lost its helmsman, and there is no need to be too wary of Zhou Shangjing's clever tactics. After all, Zhou Shangjing must be low on energy at this time and cannot protect himself. He may not have the ability to control the situation, and Zhu Hejian's follow-up
You can become more bold when doing things.
Thinking of this, Zhu Hejian felt regretful on his face and sighed softly: "It is a pity that I can't meet Zhou Shoufu and take the opportunity to ask Zhou Shoufu for advice and accept his old man's teachings. But since Zhou Shoufu can't show up because he is concerned about the important affairs of the court,
To go to the banquet, the junior will naturally not dare to force it."
While speaking, Zhu Hejian turned his head again and glanced at the eunuchs of Huangzhuang.
After seeing Zhu Hejian's eyes sweeping over him, the eunuchs of the Imperial Palace immediately had no scruples and jumped out impatiently, criticizing Song Chengren again, and their attitudes became more and more fierce.
"Your Highness, according to our family's opinion, Zhou Shangjing and Song Chengren were accomplices of the same party, and they also participated in the excavation of the dam and the flooding of the imperial village. Therefore, they have a guilty conscience and dare not show up!"
"Master Song, you must give our inner court a reasonable explanation for why you, a tenant of the Song family, drowned near the excavated embankment? You were still holding a shovel in your hand when you drowned? Was it you, a member of the Song family, who dug the dam?
Destroyed the dike upstream of Huangzhuang?"
"What other explanation is needed? It must be someone from the Song family who is up to something! He has long disliked us eunuchs who are in charge of the village. He led all the Jin gentry to make things difficult for us some time ago. He has also been on the same page as us for a long time. It's a pity that he has never been like this.
Taking advantage, he has every motive to destroy the dike and flood the imperial village, just to retaliate and warn us!"
"Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, you are aware of everything and must severely punish the Song family. They deliberately damaged the royal property, which is a heinous crime and is no different from treason!"
After hearing the questions and accusations from all the imperial eunuchs, Song Chengren remained expressionless and did not respond directly.
Song Chengren was the head of the Jiangnan Jin gentry. He was once a high-ranking official in the imperial court and an official in the border areas. To argue with these imperial eunuchs face to face was to lower his status.
Therefore, Song Chengren just turned his head slightly and glanced at the Jin gentry not far away.
Following Song Chengren's gaze, some lower-status Jiangnan gentry also jumped out and confronted the eunuchs of Huangzhuang.
"Jiang Dawei, have you lost your mind and gone crazy? You have not been held accountable for your previous rude remarks to Mr. Song, and now you are maliciously slandering Zhou Shoufu. Who gave you the courage? Who gave you the qualifications? Even if you are a member of the inner court,
We can’t just let this kind of thing go! I will definitely unite with the Nanjing Supervisory Office and impeach you to the imperial court for committing the crime of being arrogant and arrogant!"
"Why do you assume that the Song family dug up the dike and flooded the imperial village just because of the corpse of a tenant? This is clearly a frame-up!"
"That's right! The Song family has thousands of fertile fields and thousands of tenants. As long as someone wants to frame them up, it would be easy to kidnap a few tenants and drown them in the flood. The Song family is a big business.
It's so big that it's impossible to detect the abnormality in time. It's really far-fetched to throw dirty water on the head of the Song family based on just the corpse of a tenant!"
"If you ask me, this matter might have been directed and staged by your Imperial eunuchs from beginning to end. It was just a trick..."
Seeing that the disputes and conflicts between the Huangzhuang eunuchs and the Jiangnan Jin gentry became more and more intense, and the situation became increasingly chaotic and out of control, but no one could gain the upper hand, the Nanjing garrison eunuch Xi Cheng finally spoke slowly.
"Actually, our family doesn't believe that the head of the Song family sent people to dig up the dikes and flood the imperial village. But now there is some indirect evidence pointing to the suspicion of the head of the Song family. The eunuchs in charge of the village are also very angry, and it also involves deliberate damage to the royal village.
Property is a serious crime, so after discovering the suspicion of the Song family, we cannot ignore it or ignore it..."
Having said this, Xi Cheng raised his head and stared at Song Chengren closely, and said slowly: "In that case, our family is willing to send several teams of royal guards to the various properties and homes of the Song family to conduct a detailed investigation of all the children of the Song family in recent times.
The specific trends since then, as long as the Song family has a clear conscience, it will be possible to prove the Song family's innocence soon, and clearing the Song family's suspicion will also be a good thing for the Song family... What does the head of the Song family think?"
Xi Chengnai was the eunuch guarding Nanjing and the eunuch responsible for etiquette Bingbi. He was also a top figure in the entire inner court. His power was enough to check and balance the six departments in Nanjing, which was very important.
With Xicheng's status, it was worthy for Song Chengren to personally deal with it.
What's more, Xicheng's proposal also had sinister intentions. Once the Jin Yiwei were allowed to enter the Song family's property and residence to search for evidence, even if there were no problems in the first place, the Jin Yiwei would definitely investigate various problems.
At that time, let alone clearing the suspicion and proving innocence, the Song family will be found guilty of various crimes.
Therefore, Song Chengren finally responded slowly: "I am not afraid of shadows, and the Song family has a clear conscience, so if Xi Zhenshou wants to send Jin Yiwei to investigate the Song family, of course he can! However... although I have become an official, I was also
I have two high-ranking ministers in the imperial court. One of my two sons is the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the other is a second-rank minister who is waiting for his post!
According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, all officials in the capital and officials of the fifth rank and above who have committed a crime will report to the court and ask questions without permission! Although I also want to prove my innocence, I am not willing to let Xi Zhenshou and the Jinyi guards directly violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty, otherwise I will end up in the end.
Although our innocence has been proven, we have made you bear the infamy and take the blame! Let's do this. We will immediately submit a memorial to the imperial court and let His Majesty decide the matter. As long as Your Majesty allows the Jinyi guards to search the Song family, then I, Song
I will definitely open my door and welcome the search by the royal guards, how about that?"
These words immediately blocked Xicheng's subsequent moves.
Everyone understands that with Emperor Deqing's steady character, as long as he is not completely anxious, he will never send out the Jin Yiwei to search a noble family like the Song family.
Xicheng sneered and asked again: "Thank you Mr. Song for your concern, but you still want to protect the reputation of our inner court and Jinyiwei... However, the Song family is certainly a high-ranking family. If our family does not have His Majesty's will, it will indeed be...
I don’t dare to offend easily, but the tenants of the Song family are not wealthy, right? So our family can also arrange for Jin Yiwei to interrogate the tenants of the Song family one by one, which can also prove the innocence of the Song family, how about it?"
Song Chengren still did not refuse, but he also put forward his own conditions: "Of course! However, the eunuchs of Huangzhuang are too hostile to our Song family, and Jinyiwei has a close relationship with the eunuchs of Huangzhuang. I am worried that Jinyiwei will be influenced by the eunuchs of Huangzhuang.
, when interrogating the tenants of the Song family, they will be beaten and framed, so if the tenants of the Song family are to be interrogated, the relevant rights and responsibilities should be handed over to the Nanjing government, and the Jinyi guards only need to observe and record! And... when the tenants of the Song family are being interrogated,
, my Song family's land will also delay farming and affect the harvest, who should compensate for the related losses?"
*
In this way, as Xicheng came forward to express his position, the situation changed from a fierce argument between the eunuchs of Huangzhuang and the wealthy Jin gentry to a confrontation between Xicheng and Song Chengren.
Although he was subjected to all kinds of accusations and criticisms, Song Chengren still refused to give in and used every opportunity to deal with the attacks, defusing the wave after wave of attacks by Xicheng and the eunuchs of Huangzhuang in a well-founded manner.
However, after seeing Song Chengren's unyielding performance, everyone present who was familiar with Song Chengren's style of doing things felt strange.
Even though Song Chengren always seemed easy-going and easy-going in front of Zhou Shangjing, Zhang Decheng and others, when he actually did things, he always had a tough attitude, even aggressive.
In short, the approach of "not giving in an inch" and "taking advantage of each other" seems to be a firm stance, but it has never been Song Chengren's style of acting. "An eye for an eye" and "defense is used to attack".
A tougher attitude has always been Song Chengren's habit of doing things.
And Song Chengren's various performances at this moment, compared to his usual style and habits, are simply unprecedentedly weak and easy to bully.
In fact, Song Chengren's "weak performance" was because he was still waiting for Zhou Shangjing's reply at this time.
Because of the variable Huo Zhengyuan, and Huo Zhengyuan's follow-up plan was obviously to add fuel to the flames, further confuse the situation, and completely detonate all the conflicts in South Zhili, Song Chengren was worried and didn't know whether he should still do it under such circumstances.
According to the established plan, he adopted an aggressive attitude and put extreme pressure on the seventh prince Zhu Hejian. He was worried that his attitude would play into Huo Zhengyuan's hands.
Therefore, before Song Chengren entered Zhanyuan for the banquet, he had already sent someone to return to Dongyuan quickly and informed Zhou Shangjing of his meeting with Huo Zhengyuan. He wanted Zhou Shangjing to come up with an idea as soon as possible as to whether he still needed to implement the established plan and show more
for a tough attitude.
Before receiving Zhou Shangjing's reply, Song Chengren naturally had to exercise some restraint and was unwilling to completely intensify the situation.
Zhanyuan and Dongyuan are not far apart, and Zhou Shangjing has always been very decisive, so Song Chengren does not need to restrain himself for too long.
According to Song Chengren's estimation, Zhou Shangjing should reply to him soon.
Song Chengren's idea was absolutely correct. Just as he maintained restraint and delayed for time, a Song family messenger finally arrived at Zhanyuan, entered the main hall of Zhanyuan in the name of Zhou Shangjing, and handed Song Chengren a note.
Song Chengren unfolded the note and saw that there were only four words written on the note, which were obviously Zhou Shangjing's handwriting.
These four words are - "the plan remains unchanged"!
After seeing these four words, Song Chengren suddenly sneered.
This dinner was obviously aimed at the Hongmen Banquet of the Song family, but Song Chengren had been enduring hardships and restraining himself in order to take the overall situation into consideration.
And now, since Zhou Shangjing is not worried about things getting serious, Song Chengren doesn't have to be forbearing and restrained. He can finally do whatever he wants and do things according to his own habits and style!
Therefore, Song Chengren decided... to give His Highness the Seventh Prince, who held the Hongmen Banquet, a small shock to the Jin gentry.
"The emperor and the gentry rule the world together" - this sentence is never a joke!
*
Thinking of this, Song Chengren ignored Xi Cheng's offensive and stood up directly to look at the seventh prince Zhu Hejian and said loudly: "Your Highness, as the eunuchs in the inner court said, whether it is deliberately destroying the dam to cause floods, or deliberately damaging the royal property.
, are all serious crimes that can make the world look at you! Since the eunuchs in the inner court have determined that my Song family is the culprit behind the scenes, in order to find out the truth and prove innocence, I am willing to lead all the Song family members to take the initiative to enter the prison of Jin Yiwei and let them go.
The inner court and Jin Yiwei interrogate you at will!"
Following Song Chengren's statement, all the Jin gentry present were stunned at first, but they quickly came to their senses and understood Song Chengren's true thoughts.
As a result, the Jin gentry also stood up and expressed their stance.
"Deliberately destroying the dam to cause floods, deliberately damaging the royal property, such crimes are enough to punish the nine clans! And my Li family and the Song family have been in-laws for generations, and they are also among the nine clans. If something happens to the Song family, then my Li family will not be able to escape.
Open a relationship! Therefore, I am also willing to lead all the Li family members to enter the Jinyiwei prison on their own initiative like the Song family, and allow the inner court and Jinyiwei to interrogate them at will!"
"My Wang family has the same attitude! Please also ask the Jinyi guards to clear the cells as soon as possible. Our Wang family has a large number of members. If the Jinyi guards cannot clear the cells in time, I am afraid that they will not be able to accommodate all the members of our Wang family!"
"My He family is not willing to be second to none in this grand gathering! As soon as this dinner is over, I will immediately summon all the clan members and go to the Jinyiwei prison to attend the meeting!"
Just like this, in just a few moments, seventeen influential Jiangnan gentry families have stood up one after another, saying that they have a close relationship with the Song family. If the Song family has something to do, they have something to do, so they must follow the example of the Song family and take the initiative.
He was thrown into the prison of Jin Yiwei and handed over to the inner court and Jin Yiwei for interrogation!
After seeing these Jin gentry competing to express their opinions, whether it was the seventh prince Zhu Hejian, the prince's grand master Wang Baoren, or the Nanjing garrison eunuch Xicheng, their expressions changed drastically for a while.
At the same time, eighteen Jiangnan wealthy families were imprisoned and interrogated. Everyone knew what this meant!
That means the situation in Jiangnan is completely out of control! That means the people have lost all support and the world is in chaos! That means the government and the opposition are rallying to condemn it!
On the other side, Huo Zhengyuan, who had been watching from the sidelines, saw that Song Chengren and the gentry were confident, and then saw the embarrassment of Zhu Hejian, Wang Baoren, Xi Cheng, and the eunuchs of Huangzhuang, and knew that he did not need to come forward to support.
So, Huo Zhengyuan just smiled and continued watching the show with a calm expression.
But at the same time, a trace of fear and worry flashed through the depths of Huo Zhengyuan's eyes.
This is because, as a smart man, Huo Zhengyuan has long deduced the general future trend of the imperial court structure - although there are still many details that are not yet clear, and there are still many variables that will emerge one after another, one thing is certain.
.
That is - sooner or later, the "Zhao Party" will also become the enemy of the Jiangnan Jingentry Group.
Whether it is the agricultural reform plan that Zhao Junchen is currently pushing, or the ocean-going trade monopoly plan that Huo Zhengyuan is currently preparing, or the Sichuan Salt Development Plan that has not yet shown results, they will completely intensify the relationship between the "Zhao Party" and the Jiangnan Jinshen Group.
contradiction.
Therefore, the "Zhao Party" will also encounter the embarrassing dilemma Zhu Hejian is currently encountering sooner or later.
But how the "Zhao Party" will resolve the obstacles of the Jiangnan Jinshen Group in the future, Huo Zhengyuan has not yet thought of a specific method.
Perhaps Zhao Junchen also has no good solution and is just taking one step at a time.