It snowed for half of last night, but it's sunny today.
During the New Year, we also look forward to spring. In winter, we look forward to warm spring, but spring is cold. There are white clouds in the blue sky.
The bright sunshine falls on the earth from the blue sky, and the capital city in the early morning is full of peace.
But under the sun, there are always places shrouded in shadow.
This is a magnificent building, located next to the Yuewang Temple in the western suburbs of Yingtian Mansion, the capital. The bracketed arches and cornices give it the majesty of the official government. But this is also the darkest place that everyone talks about in the Ming Dynasty.
Jinyiwei, Zhenfusi, Chaojing.
This is a place that eats people without spitting out their bones. Whether they are a duke or a high-ranking official, whether they are a relative of the emperor or a founding figure, as long as they enter this place, the only thing they can do is pray for a quick death and a death without suffering.
In the courtyard, there were some guards walking around who were not wearing Feiyu suits and only wore close-fitting robes. The blood stains on their clothes that had not yet dried were particularly dazzling.
The air was filled with the stench of burnt flesh and blood, and the continuous screams and the sound of torture instruments falling on flesh echoed in various torture chambers.
Jinyiwei Jiang Wei was sitting in a bright hall with clear windows. Sunlight shone in from the outside, making the room bright and bright. Although the place was bright, it was ominous, because the room was filled with heart-rending screams coming from outside.
The place where he sat was facing the gate. In the courtyard outside the gate, plum blossoms were blooming proudly. He looked upright, but it seemed that he was not looking at the flowers, but at his enemy.
His eyes were so sinister and his expression was so cold.
On his left hand, the dried blood in the white bandage turned black, and the fingers leaking out of the bandage were covered with bruises.
Ah! Stop fighting, stop fighting! I said, I will accept whatever you ask me to say!
Outside, the prisoner's broken begging for mercy could be heard, and Jiang Yu's cold face showed a bit of sneer and a bit of joy.
In the case of the Zhao family in Hangzhou, Jin Yiwei was completely humiliated and he himself was almost killed by the emperor. He did not dare to complain against the emperor, but he was full of hatred for the criminals who were captured in the Zhenfu Division.
He hated these people, which almost cost him his head, his official position, and everything else. Outsiders looked at him as the commander of the royal guards, but only he knew what it felt like.
He is the emperor's dog, and the Jinyiwei are a group of dogs. The emperor will not keep useless dogs. The previous Jinyiwei commander made Mao Xiang more important and more prestigious than him, but in the end he died and his family was wiped out. He had been careful for so many years,
Not only did it stand in the heart of the emperor, but it also left a good impression on the emperor's grandson, which was almost ruined by these corrupt bastards.
I was thinking in my mind that a person came in from the outside. It was Jiang Wei's confidant, Jinyi Wei Qianshi, and the Criminal Secretary Qianhu Li Baoguo. He was ruthless, but some of his brains were not enough, but he was more loyal.
Sir, we're all here! Li Baoguo casually wiped the blood from his hands on his trousers twice and began to say, "The Knock Que case involves thirty-seven officials from the capital, forty-six officials, and inspections from subordinate counties.
City Gate Army, a total of 124 arrests!
There are many foreign officials involved. My subordinates have just calculated that they are involved in almost all places. There are no less than 200 officials above the fifth rank, including the Chief Secretary of Shandong and the Chief Secretary of Hunan.
!
As he said that, he took out a few pieces of paper and put them on the table. Here is the list! There is also a detailed account book of how they divided the money.
Everyone has been arrested! Jiang Wei frowned without even looking.
The leaders have all been arrested, but the minor officials involved in Yingtian Mansion have not yet had time to arrest them!
It’s not that we didn’t have time, but that more and more people are biting out.
What are you still doing in a daze? Catch them! Jiang Wei said impatiently, it would be better to kill the wrong person than to let him go. As long as the criminal mentioned it, we will arrest him!
Okay! Li Baoguo agreed, turned around and went out, shouting, "From the Criminal Division, come out two teams and follow me to arrest the person!"
Outside, there was another noise.
Jiang Wei sat in the room, thinking to himself. It was easy to catch the officials from the capital, but it would take some effort for the foreign officials. Should he notify the local Jin Yiwei, or send someone from the capital?
Thinking of this, I felt annoyed again. The Jinyi guards everywhere are also a bunch of trash. They couldn't get any information about such a big case.
Suddenly, he understood something. It wasn't that he couldn't find out, but that the Jinyi guards in various places concealed it and didn't report it. Maybe they had colluded with the local officials.
It’s time to cleanse!
Jiang Wei snorted in his heart, picked up the list Li Baoguo put down, and started to look through it.
Arresting and accusing people has become a means for corrupt officials in the capital to make money. The local officials' filial piety is shared among them, forming a huge profit network.
Although the amount of filial piety money in the local government is not much, the maximum one divided is only a few hundred taels a year, and the people below are dozens of taels, and the people running errands are just a few taels. However, the favor is huge, which means that the local officials have leverage.
In other people's hands.
There is so much money on the surface, but there is no telling how much it is privately! For example, if Chen Ji, the prime minister of Yingtian Prefecture, wanted money, would the local officials dare not give it to him?
It is said that Jin Yiwei has a black heart, but it is the officials who have a black heart!
Jiang Wei cursed, but the next second he was so frightened that he almost bit off his tongue.
The Nancheng Inspection Department is divided into 300 taels of silver every year, 100 taels for the command of troops and horses, 60 taels for the command of troops and horses, 40 taels for inspections, and the rest is divided to nourish the soldiers...
With a swish, Jiang Gu broke into a cold sweat. The commander of Nancheng's troops and horses was none other than Zhao Sili, the future father-in-law of the emperor's grandson!
These bastards, who the hell wrote these names!
If the water is clear, there will be no fish, and no matter how honest a person is, there are things he cannot do without. Besides, this money is distributed in the form of rewards. If Zhao Sili wants to live in Yingtian Mansion, he must accept this money. Otherwise, he will be punished.
He is ostracized by his colleagues, disobeyed by his subordinates, and guarded by his superiors.
Jiang Wei understood this very well, but when it came to this person, he was too scared!
At that moment, he rushed out with the order and caught up with Li Baoguo who was about to go out.
Don’t catch me! Don’t catch me!
Jiang Wei prayed to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky. He had already lost face with the emperor. If he angered His Highness Taisun, it would not be a matter of getting a knife on his hand, but his head would be lost.
Li Baoguo!
Li Baoguo, who was leading people out, turned around and said, "Sir, do you have any other orders?"
Jiang Wei pulled him to a secluded corner and whispered, "Have you captured Nancheng's military commander Zhao Sili?"
Zhao Sili? Li Baoguo thought about it, it should be gone! After saying that, he asked, "Sir, I'm going to catch the little one!"
Catch your grandma!
Jiang Wei rounded his arms, which was like a big-eared scraper. The latter suddenly had stars in his eyes and could not stand steadily.
You don’t know who he is? Jiang Wei continued to scold, “Why don’t you read the imperial newspaper or the emperor’s imperial edict?”
Li Baoguo covered his face and thought for a long time, who is he?
Jiang Wei was speechless, you idiot! He is the father-in-law of the emperor's grandson, and now their family still has the royal guards appointed by the emperor to guard the front door!
No wonder the little one thought it sounded familiar! Li Baoguo was startled and covered his face. Fortunately, he didn't scratch it, otherwise it would have been wrinkled!
It’s already wrinkled now! Jiang Wei said angrily, who bit out Zhao Sili’s name? Has anyone seen this list?
Recruited from Nancheng Inspection! Li Baoguo Road, you are the only one who has read this list, there is no other person!
Get me the files and transcripts! Also, get the record secretary! Jiang Qi said angrily, Hurry!
If Zhao Sili's name is reported, he will be dead as the commander of the Royal Guards, and maybe he will live for the rest of his life. He, Jiang Gu, has seen it with his own eyes and heard it with his own ears. The old emperor is full of praise for the future emperor's concubine.
.
Later, in the bright hall where the windows were bright and clean just now, the windows and doors were covered and blocked. The Jin Yiwei who participated in the interrogation, the recording secretary, etc. all arrived.
Jiang Wei solemnly ordered that the files and confessions be rewritten, and that the prisoners be re-marked. He also sternly told everyone that the word Zhao Sili was not allowed to appear in anyone's confession.
After his subordinates dispersed, he lit a brazier in the room and threw all the orders involving Zhao Sili into the fire.
But the next second, regardless of the flames, he took out the confession file again, carefully wiped off the stains on it, and stuffed it into his arms.
~~~
Nancheng, Niangniang Lane, Zhao Mansion.
Zhao Sili and his wife carefully looked out through the gap in the door.
Outside the door, two guards in golden clothes were guarding the door, but the entrance to the alley was crowded with anxious people. They were the family members of colleagues in the yamen, and even the family members of the former boss.
Master, why are they still there? What should we do? Zhao asked in a trembling voice.
Zhao Sili was pounding in his heart and said, "Don't be afraid, let's close the door and see no one!"
Since his daughter was appointed by the emperor as the grandson's wife, Zhao Sili's status in the government has skyrocketed. These days, there is an endless stream of people who have connections. The threshold of his Zhao family is about to be breached. Even his former boss treats him very badly.
They all started to flatter me carefully.
But there were not as many people there that day as there were yesterday.
As soon as the Kouque case came out, his colleagues and superiors were arrested one after another. Their families all came to his house and asked him to help find them.
He, Zhao Sili, was not that arrogant. The Jin Yiwei arrested people without going through the Ministry of Punishment, which was clearly the emperor's intention. At this time, it was too late for him to tell the truth, so how could he still get involved?
But others didn't think so. The family members of his colleagues and friends who were close to him acted like they would die in the Zhao family if they didn't help. After finally being cleared out, these people blocked the entrance of the alley.
Although he is a big official, he has seen a lot as a Beijing official. In the past few years, Hu Weiyong's case and Li Shanchang's case were all in this manner. Some people were directly arrested just because they asked casually about the case.
Jin Yiwei took it, ransacked the house and beheaded him.
Several marquises and dukes who fought against the old emperor have died. If the Zhao family is really involved, something will happen.
Besides, he actually didn't know what he was doing. Although he was honest and didn't take the money he shouldn't have, he still had a certain amount of gray income that he couldn't refuse since he was in charge of the security patrols in Nancheng.
If it is turned out......
That was the Kouque case, a shocking case! As long as you get involved, don’t expect a good ending!
They will definitely be found out, let alone enter the Jinyiwei's Zhenfu Division. Even if the prisoner enters the Bingma Division's prison, he will have to bite desperately in order to survive. A prisoner can often pull out a bunch of them.
Fortunately, my ancestors blessed me with a good daughter. Otherwise, he, Zhao Sili, would have gone in at this time.
Head, our family can't be implicated, right? Zhao asked with a pale face.
With our daughter here, as long as we don't open the door or interfere with them, it'll be fine! Zhao Sili had a backbone in his heart and said, "We are in-laws with the emperor!"
Dad! Mom! What are you doing? Suddenly a voice came from behind, it was Zhao Ning'er.
Zhao Ning'er is still the same as before, she doesn't wear gold and silver because of the change in status.
Girl, it's okay! Zhao Sili forced a smile, if you don't stay in the room, what are you doing out here?
Zhao Ning'er curled her lips and said, "Learning the rules in the house all day long makes people go crazy!"
Among the emperor's rewards were several nuns. In addition to serving Zhao Ning'er, they also taught her the rules and etiquette of the palace every day.
Even if you are stupid, you have to learn! Zhao Sili said, the rules are the rules, you will be the emperor's grandson and the concubine in the future, and you will be the mother of a country in the future!
Got it! Zhao Ning'er sighed and said, just now the eldest sister said that there is nothing to eat or drink in our kitchen, and she said she would send people out to buy it, but you still refused!
Today's Zhao family is no longer just like them in the past. There are servants in the family plus eunuchs, maids, mothers, etc. There are dozens of people, and there are dozens of mouthpieces.
Just eat whatever you have at home! Zhao Sili said, you won’t die of hunger even if you eat a few meals!
Dong Dong, suddenly there was a knock on the door outside.
I would like to ask for an audience with the commander of the Jinyi Guards, Jiang Ying!
~~~
When foreign guests come, the female relatives avoid them.
Zhao Sili welcomed Jiang Wei into the living room, and the maid served him fragrant tea.
Jiang Wei covered his hands with his sleeves, held tea and said with a smile, are there people outside asking for help?
Zhao Sili smiled awkwardly. They were also panicked, but what can I do to help? He said, cupping his hands, "Master Jiang, don't worry, I will never interfere with anything that shouldn't be done!"
Tsk, look at you! Jiang Wei said with a smile, you are the future father-in-law of the country, there is no reason to call me "sir"! He said, smiling again, brother, I am handling this case. You have a distinguished status, don't worry, who
I dare to involve you if I take the courage of a leopard!
No worries! Zhao Sili took a reassurance.
I'll ask people to drive away the people who come back to the alley entrance! Jiang Wei said again, don't disturb the purity of your house!
That's not necessary, there are brothers from the Jin Yiwei guarding the outside, and they can't get in even if I don't open my mouth! Zhao Sili still sympathizes with the families of these colleagues.
It was not easy to be an official in the Ming Dynasty. He looked prestigious, but once he committed a crime, his family would be ruined.
They must be driven away, otherwise they will fall into the eyes of those who are interested, and they will be easy to say and not nice to hear! Jiang Wei took out the dossier transcripts from his sleeves, put them gently on the table, and said with a smile, people nowadays dare to say anything in order to survive, no matter how dirty they are.
Dare to splash water!
You have a distinguished status, but even if you keep yourself clean, others will still try to take advantage of you!
When he saw the huge word "dossier" on the file with some blood stains, Zhao Sili suddenly felt nervous.
He picked it up tremblingly, opened it, and saw his name.
Hiss! He gasped on the spot and cursed, “These are idiots!”
People, in order to survive, are eager to drag others into trouble! I have seen this matter many times! Jiang Yu is still smiling. Brother Zhao, don’t worry, as long as I am here, everything will not be related to you. As he said it, he laughed again. In fact,
How is this a big deal? It's just a piece of money that can't be refused, and is used to share the profit in the yamen.
Although the money is small, what is involved is the knocking case.
These gray incomes can be big or small. Zhao Sili has a clear mind. If he really digs it out and presents it to the emperor, he will not have anything to do with the Zhao family. But the impression he has on the old emperor is more or less not good.
Thank you, Mr. Jiang! Thank you for your trouble! Zhao Sili said with a hand.
It depends on what you say, who among us will follow whom! Jiang Wei said with a smile, whoever throws dirty water on you will have trouble with my surname Jiang. As he said that, he tilted his head and lowered his voice and said, "It's such a small favor, please don't do it again."
You're welcome. Maybe I will be able to ask you for help in the future, Lord Zhang!
Humph! This is a good sale!
Zhao Sili sneered in his heart. Although he was straightforward, if the city government didn't have this, he wouldn't have to hang out in Yingtian Mansion.
Easy to talk about! Zhao Sili smiled.
Suddenly, Jiang Wei, who was sitting, stood up and knelt down directly in the direction of the door.
The humble minister Jiang Yu, my empress is a thousand years old!
Outside the living room, Zhao Ning'er's figure was looming.
Mr. Jiang is so polite, I am not yet.........
Sooner or later, your Majesty is tolerant, but I cannot be rude! Jiang Gu knelt on the ground, bowed his head and said respectfully.
Outside the door, Zhao Ning'er paused. She had nothing to do these days and made two pairs of cotton shoes for His Majesty. Please bring them into the palace and present them to His Majesty!