The warm winter sun fell on Cao Xinyue's shoulders. At the busy ferry, the Cao family's merchant ships were loading and unloading cotton and other supplies. The business provided by Zhu Zhanyi made the Cao family make a lot of money. What did the third and fourth uncles who separated from the family look like?
How can I not be jealous?
My two aunts were not idle during this time, they were constantly creating rumors to frame Cao Xinyue and Chen Xu.
"Miss Cao has finished counting her things, please check them." The quartermaster had special respect for Cao Xinyue, because she was the person appointed by the emperor and grandson.
Cao Xinyue took the order and checked it carefully. Her mother was not feeling well now, and she was doing many things. She was careful and attentive, and nothing went wrong.
After the verification was completed, the quartermaster took out a beautiful whip, mixed with red and black, from his clothes, and handed it to Cao Xinyue.
"This is what Eunuch Zhuang asked me to pass on to you. Eunuch Zhuang said that the Fifth Highness has been busy with official duties recently, but His Highness the Crown Prince still urged him to learn to ride a horse. The Fifth Highness thought the whip looked good, so he thought of bringing one to you."
Cao Xinyue accepted the whip and thanked her.
After the quartermaster left, he looked at the exquisite whip in his hand with a shy face. Although it was not a valuable thing, in the end he was thinking of himself.
…
At the Royal Racecourse, Zhu Zhanyi was riding a horse full of complaints.
Recently, the army at the border has been successfully organized, and good news has come that the Prince of Han Dynasty relied on new firearms to capture Mahamu's youngest son alive without spending a single soldier. The overall situation is very good, and it has become much easier for Zhu Zhanzhen to assist in supervising the country.
Zhu Gaochi saw that he had become lazy again, so he ordered him to ride a horse. Because Zhu Zhanzhen was not good at riding, it was probably because Zhu Gaochi himself had been scolded by Zhu Di for riding horses since he was a child.
There is nothing he can do about his poor health. Zhu Zhanzhen's body is so good that he cannot be as poor in riding skills as himself.
Zhu Zhanzhen was quite helpless, but Zhu Gaochi still sent someone to supervise him. He was exhausted and sweating. In the cold winter, if his body and bones were almost sick, he would still get sick.
After wiping his sweat, Zhu Zhanzhen asked: "Xiaosheng, have you delivered the whip?"
"Sent to His Highness."
Zhu Zhanzhen looked at the exquisite pastries on the table again: "Send some of these to Mr. Zheng He's house and give them to Li Xianyu. The woodworking toy I bought in the morning will be given to Li Xiaozhu when I return to the palace."
"As you command, Your Highness."
What bad intentions could Zhu Zhanzhen have? He just wanted to give every girl a home.
After practicing horse racing, I saw my second brother Zhu Zhancheng in a hurry as soon as he entered the palace gate.
"Second brother, what's wrong?"
"The banditry in Jiangxi has not been quelled for a long time. These people are not doing their job well. I will go to the military camp first."
Seeing the hurried look of his second brother, Zhu Zhanyi raised his head helplessly. His second brother was different from himself. The current situation in the north was stable and our army's situation was excellent. Zhu Zhanyi had fewer things to worry about.
However, Zhu Zhanquan was a little confused when he regarded the suppression of bandits in Jiangxi as his political achievement.
In the courtyard, the black-clothed monk was already waiting for him.
"Master, why are you here?"
"The Japanese spy matter is finally over, and I came here to report it to His Highness."
"Sit down first."
The two sat down, and Yao Guangxiao took a sip of tea: "The tea in Your Highness's courtyard is much better than before."
Zhu Zhanzhen was very embarrassed. This monk despised his tea every day. Now this tea was sent by the princess.
"Master, how many Japanese spies have been caught?"
Yao Guangxiao smiled with satisfaction: "There was an unexpected gain this time. Twenty-five spies from Japan and five spies from the Jurchen tribe in Jianzhou were captured."
"Jurchen?!" Zhu Zhanchen almost exclaimed, why is there still something happening with the Jurchen tribe here?
Yao Guangxiao nodded: "Before, everyone thought that the spies caught this time were only Japanese people, but the young man who insisted that Li Quan was the leader of this incident was actually a Jurchen. According to his confession, the Jurchen tribe has connections with the Japanese generals, and
Plan together."
Zhu Zhanyi frowned deeply, the Jianzhou Jurchens were so ambitious, how could these two get together?
Yao Guangxiao smiled disdainfully: "It's funny, Your Highness, do you know why that young man insisted that Li Quan was the leader of this incident?"
He shook his head, expressing confusion.
"Not long after the cooperation between the Jurchens and the Japanese began, these spies did not trust each other. In this incident, the Japanese sent two new spies to take charge, the two who committed suicide, so the Japanese spies identified these two as the commanders."
"But when the Japanese spies communicated internally, they all spoke Japanese and did not let the Jurchens know. Li Quan was ordered to pass on the message. The young man thought that Li Quan was the leader and investigated them separately. After more people were arrested,
, the Jurchen spies were also brought out."
This kind of temporary alliance of spies is not reliable, and spies who get married and have children in the local area are even more scrupulous. This kind of assassination attempt to break through the high wall of the Ming Imperial City is simply a fantasy.
What everyone is worried about is not these low-level details.
"Master, have you caught any big fish?"
Yao Guangxiao nodded: "This matter also involves two officials who were bribed by Yingtian Mansion. They are not high-ranking and have little real power. Fortunately, they were caught in time. If they are allowed to continue to corrupt, it will be quite dangerous.
"
"Just catch them all."
Yao Guangxiao shook his head again: "The leader of the Jurchen spies is a sophisticated and cunning person. He ran away when he got wind of it. Now he can't be found. According to the confessions of the Jurchen spies, a young man will occasionally appear next to their leader."
Beautiful women, these two have not been arrested yet, but they have been alerted first, and it is estimated that it will be difficult to find them."
"Such a cautious spy is the most troublesome. I wonder if there is any information on him that has not been uncovered."
"Young and beautiful woman?" Zhu Zhanchen murmured.
"How old is that woman?"
Yao Guangxiao was satisfied with Zhu Zhanzhen's reaction: "According to the account, she was between fourteen and sixteen years old, but she wore a veil every time we met. No one else could see her face clearly, but because of her dress, she was guessed to be a beautiful woman.
son."
"This range is too broad, and it will be difficult to find if there are no characteristics."
"Yes, the Jurchen spies are more careful. Looking for these two people now is like looking for a needle in a haystack. What the poor monk is afraid of is that the beautiful woman will seduce my Ming Dynasty ministers with her seduction."
Ordinarily, even if these foreigners took root in the Ming Dynasty and had descendants, it was very difficult to enter the court as an official or enter a key department. The imperial examination was not so easy, and there were no Yin officials in their ancestors. Unless they had made great contributions or were extremely outstanding themselves.
, such people are rare.
On the other hand, it is simpler for women. If you are seduced by sex, some lustful ones will be controlled.
"Master, we still have to continue to track down these two Jurchen spies. The rest of the information should be compiled into a package and handed over to my father and Grandpa Huang. As for the spies and their families, we should wait until Grandpa Huang comes back to deal with them."
Yao Guangxiao took another sip of tea: "Your Highness, the Criminal Department has executed all of them."
"Ah?" Zhu Zhanzhen was shocked. Counting his family members in the Ming Dynasty, there were at least a hundred of them. All of them had been executed without his knowledge, which made him a little overwhelmed.
These spies deserved to die, but the spies' families who got married and had children in Ming Dynasty without knowing the inside story made him a little unsure.
Seeing Zhu Zhanzhen's astonished expression, Yao Guangxiao had already expected it: "Your Highness, the law has legal provisions. The poor monk heard from the people in the Ministry of Punishments that His Highness had promised to keep Li Quan's wife and children safe, and specially allowed them to go.
Three thousand miles away from the south, Your Highness is not guilty of making a mistake."
This old monk was cunning and scheming. No wonder Zhu Di trusted him so much. A gentleman's words are hard to follow, so he carefully preserved Zhu Zhan's promise.
This is why he blamed the Minister of Punishment for letting Zhu Zhanzhen try the case by himself.
It is not uncommon to use coercion and inducement to make promises during a trial. They, the junior officials in the Ministry of Justice, can break their promises, but Zhu Zhanzhen cannot, because of his identity and status, he cannot keep his word.
Those who can share the emperor's worries are the important ministers, and those who can take the blame for the emperor are the close ministers.
Yao Guangxiao knew the result that Zhu Di wanted, and he also knew the result that Zhu Gaochi wanted. It was impossible for these spies and their families to survive, and the trouble would be endless.
But benevolence is Zhu Gaochi's character. Many of these spies are people of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Gaochi cannot give this order, but Zhu Di can, but it will leave a stain on the emperor.
If the Criminal Department doesn't dare to take the blame, Yao Guangxiao will do it.
Any emperor would like to have such a minister by his side.
Zhu Zhanyi poured a cup of tea for Yao Guangxiao: "Thank you for your hard work, master."
"Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness."
The two raised glasses and saluted each other.
Chu'er was waiting by the side and heard everything. After Yao Guangxiao left, he started talking to Xiaosheng: "This master was so cruel. He killed hundreds of people at once, many of whom were women and children of our Ming Dynasty.
"
Xiaosheng made a gesture of silence: "Don't talk nonsense. Please remember that in the future, you can hear His Highness's conversations with the master and others by waiting nearby, but you must not talk to others, let alone gossip."
Rumor has it, otherwise you won’t even know how you died.”
Chu'er was shocked: "Your Highness is not that kind of person. Sang Yu often chatted about the harem and Your Highness never blamed her."
"Can it be the same? What Sang Yu is talking about is innocuous gossip. What you just said can be beheaded. You are His Highness's personal maid. If you can't control your mouth, His Highness will definitely replace you."
"I know, I know." Chu'er was a little impatient.
Xiao Sheng sighed and reminded: "Hey, our Highness is not the former Highness, and the news you heard is not the useless news before. If some things are leaked, it will be detrimental to everyone."
"I understand, why are you as verbose as an old man?"
Xiaosheng looked at the figure of Prime Minister Yao Guangxiao in black, and murmured: "Being a minister and doing this is the best."
"Just now, Your Highness, they said that there is a beautiful woman who is a Jurchen spy. I wonder if she has infiltrated into the house of a certain high-ranking official. Is there a strict investigation?" The little palace maid did not have Yao Guangxiao's thoughts.
"have no idea."
Chu Er continued to speak innocently: "The officials are all in high positions and have never seen anything before. Is there anyone who would be fascinated by a little girl? How beautiful must this be? How erotic must this be?"
…
Outside Shuntian Mansion, a group of foreigners with long braids were walking slowly.