Pan Weixing knelt in front of She Yue, with cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"So, the Qian family now knows that I have arrived in Suzhou, and that I am in the Governor's Mansion?" She Yue's expression was indifferent, and her voice was as calm as water.
Pan Weixing didn't even dare to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and said in fear: "The old minister just wanted to relieve the princess's worries, so he made his own decisions and sent a guard to the Qian family to tell the Qian family that the court was about to encircle and suppress the Taihu bandits, and asked them to donate military resources.
This way we can build the ship as quickly as possible, and I have no intention of leaking the princess’s whereabouts.”
"The comfort of Suzhou has made your brain more and more useless." She Yue said coldly: "Without my instructions, you made your own decisions. Do you want to make great achievements? Pan Weixing, when you were in Kyoto, I met you
You are considered a shrewd person, so I sent you to Jiangnan. It has only been a few years, but you have become so stupid."
Pan Weixing said: "Princess, I deserve to die for my crime, but...even if the Qian family knew the princess's whereabouts, would they still dare to do harm to the princess? The seven surnames in Jiangnan are all able to survive today because of the princess's protection. The princess is theirs
My benefactors, they...if they have evil intentions, they are not only treasonous, but also ungrateful."
"You have been in Suzhou in the past few years, so you know the Qian family very well." The princess said, "Has there been any change in the Qian family in the past few years?"
Pan Weixing said hurriedly: "When the old minister came to Suzhou, he understood his responsibilities and must keep an eye on the Qian family. In the past few years, the old minister has not dared to slack off at all. The Qian family's business is booming and they pay taxes on time every year. The Qian family is in Suzhou
The old minister has sent people to keep an eye on the ships in the dock, no matter the number of ships or where they are going." Finally he raised his head and said: "The old minister ventured to say frankly that the Qian family should not have any rebellious intentions, and there is no way they would be hostile to each other.
The princess has unfavorable thoughts."
"How much money have you taken from the Qian family over the years?" The princess said with a frosty look on her pretty face.
Pan Weixing was startled, lowered his head, hesitated, and finally said: "I didn't take a tael of silver from the Qian family, but... it's just that the Qian family often gave some antique calligraphy and paintings, and I accepted them all.
.”
"No wonder you speak for the Qian family." The princess leaned forward slightly, stared at Pan Weixing and said, "Pan Weixing, your family members are all in Kyoto. You naturally know what will happen if you collude with the Qian family."
Pan Weixing's expression suddenly changed and he said solemnly: "Princess, the old minister may have made mistakes, but his loyalty to the court and the princess will never change in the slightest."
"If the Qian family is really rebellious, what do you think they should do?"
Pan Weixing was silent for a moment and then said: "The Qian family is indeed not short of money, but they don't have soldiers and horses. Even if he has treason, he can't stir up trouble. The Qian family has only a few dozen people in the nursing home. Even if there are more
There are only three to four hundred people at most in the shops and boatmen in the city. And these people will never dare to follow the Qian family to rebel. Even if they are really incited by the Qian family, there are three hundred elites in the governor's office.
Chief Shi Ma Xingguo also has about 400 people in his hands. Together with the people from the Suzhou magistrate's office, he can mobilize nearly a thousand soldiers and horses at any time to surround the Qian family immediately." After a pause, he added: "Just as a precaution.
If this happens, I will order Liu Hongju to move the Suzhou camp from outside the city into the city now."
The princess sneered and said: "I only said that the Qian family might have rebellious intentions, but did not say that he would definitely rebel. Now there is no evidence to prove that they will rebel. At this time, they act rashly, send troops to surround them, and spread the word, which will spread the word to the whole Jiangnan people.
Panic, do you want to see Jiangnan look like that?"
"Old minister, I don't dare." Pan Weixing was sweating like rain.
"Besides the Qian family, did you let anyone else know about my arrival in Suzhou?"
Pan Weixing said hurriedly: "The old minister only asked Wei Tairan to go to Qian's house to discuss donating military supplies. He never mentioned the princess's arrival in Suzhou to anyone else."
The princess thought for a moment and then looked at Qin Xiao: "Qin Xiao, what do you think?"
"Immediately ask the father and son of the Qian family to come to the Governor's Mansion to meet His Highness." Qin Xiao said simply and neatly: "In addition, let Governor Pan pass the order, and let Chief Shi Ma Xingguo, not to mention Tairan, Suzhou Camp Commander Liu Hongju and Suzhou Magistrate Liang Jiangyuan come immediately
Come to the Governor's Mansion."
The princess instantly understood what Qin Xiao meant, nodded and said: "Yes, since the Qian family knows that I have arrived in Suzhou, it is natural that they should come to see me. Mr. Pan, you should send someone to the Qian family now and tell Qian Guanghan that I want to go to Suzhou in person."
He discussed the encirclement and suppression of Taihu pirates and asked him to come quickly."
Pan Weixing also felt that the matter was not simple. He did not dare to say anything at this time and said respectfully: "I will send someone to send them to the governor's office now." He hurriedly withdrew.
"Do you think Qian Guanghan will come over?" She Yue pondered for a moment and looked at Qin Xiao.
Qin Xiao shook his head and said, "I don't know, little minister."
"It turns out there are things you don't know." She Yue chuckled: "There is tea there, go and pour it yourself."
Qin Xiao was flattered and said: "Thank you princess for the tea."
"I want you to drink tea to refresh yourself and make suggestions for me." She Yue said, "Don't look listless."
Qin Xiao smiled bitterly and said: "I haven't had a good sleep since I came to Suzhou. I worked hard all night last night and my energy is indeed a bit low."
"You are a martial arts practitioner, but your body is so weak?" She Yue said with a half-smile but not a smile: "You broke into Qingyi Hall alone and faced an enemy with hundreds of faces. I thought you were a god descending to earth, made of copper and iron.
The body of bones turns out to be of no use."
Qin Xiao couldn't help but said: "Princess, do you want to settle old scores?"
"I have no interest in entangled with you for a few street gangsters." She Yue smiled lightly, and the corners of her beautiful lips curved slightly: "Qin Xiao, who is your master?"
Qin Xiao was most worried about this problem, so he bit the bullet and said: "My martial arts skills are ordinary, and I have never been a master."
"Do you know that the guards under Mrs. Cheng Guo are not ordinary people." She Yue said lightly: "You killed seven guards of the Duke of Guo in front of the Dali Temple. If you are self-taught and have the ability like you, this
All the masters in the world are too big." His beautiful eyes turned, he looked Qin Xiao up and down, and said quietly: "I think I know you very well, but sometimes I find that what I know about you is really just the tip of the iceberg."
"The princess really doesn't believe it, and there is nothing I can do about it." Qin Xiao looked helpless: "Even if Qian Guanghan and the others come over, it will take some time. The princess is tired on the journey, so take a rest first."
She Yue sat back on the chair and chuckled: "I want to say a few words to you, but you don't know the current affairs." She raised her hand and said: "Please step aside first!"
Qin Xiao was afraid that She Yue would continue to question him about his martial arts. After hearing what She Yue said, he hurriedly left the house as if he had been pardoned.
It is already bright, the sun is rising from the east, but it is good weather again today.
After leaving the courtyard, the governor's mansion had beautiful scenery and lush flowers and plants. Qin Xiao felt a little hungry and was looking for something to eat when he saw a few people passing by not far away. He looked carefully and saw that there were indeed three soldiers escorting a man.
He was a young Taoist boy, and he immediately recognized that Taoist boy was Zhang Tailing of Taixuan Temple.
He immediately stepped forward. When the soldiers saw him, they hurriedly bowed and saluted. When Zhang Tailing saw Qin Xiao, he was like a drowning man grabbing straw, showing joy.
"Where are you taking him?"
"This boy is a traitor from Taixuanguan." The soldier said hurriedly: "The captain of the Song Dynasty ordered us to escort him back to the governor's mansion and hand him over to the governor for questioning."
After annihilating Taixuan Temple last night, Qin Xiao and Ma Xingguo came back early to report, while Song Liang stayed at Taixuan Temple to deal with the aftermath. He remembered that before Ma Xingguo left the Taoist Temple, he also ordered Zhang Tailing to be taken back to the governor's Yamen and imprisoned pending interrogation.
.
"The Governor is very busy now, just leave it to me." Qin Xiao said.
The two soldiers had seen Qin Xiao's amazing sword skills last night and were in awe of the young official and did not dare to disobey him. They handed Zhang Tailing to Qin Xiao. Qin Xiao waited until they left before asking Zhang Tailing
He said: "Come with me." He led him to an empty room and closed the door. Zhang Tailing's hands were still tied behind his back, but he knelt on the ground and begged: "Sir, I will follow your instructions.
I didn’t say a word, I’m really not a gangster, please let me go.”
Qin Xiao sat down on the chair, looked at Zhang Tailing, and then said: "Zhang Tailing, the fire thunder you made killed many officers and soldiers. The government will not let this incident go easily. Even if you are not a traitor to the party, you have killed many officers and soldiers."
If you are guilty, you will be beheaded."
"Sir, it's Huang Yang... Taoist Huang Yang forced me to create fire thunder. I didn't know he was using it to deal with the officers and soldiers, otherwise I wouldn't listen to him no matter what I said." Zhang Tailing begged repeatedly.
Qin Xiao sneered: "You told him the method of making fire thunder, and if the fire thunder hurts someone, you will not be able to escape the blame."
"No." Zhang Tailing immediately shook his head and said, "I didn't tell him how to create fire thunder."
Qin Xiao frowned and said: "How dare you deceive me? Didn't you say that Taoist Huang Yang killed your master and brother just to get the formula of Huo Lei? Isn't it because you survived because you gave the formula to him?"
"Sir, I...if I had handed the formula to him, I would have died a long time ago." Zhang Tailing said: "Two years ago, he arrived at Ping'an Temple and knew that the master had to pay a large sum of money for the formula of Huo Lei. The master categorically refused
He refused. The master said that Taoist Huang Yang had evil intentions and that if the Fire Thunder formula fell into his hands, many people would die. Huang Yang threatened the lives of his two senior brothers, but the master did not change his mind, so Huang Yang was really angry.
Kill both senior brothers."
Qin Xiao sighed: "Your master is a sensible person."
"When the master saw that he had killed his senior brother, he fought with him and was slapped to death by him." Zhang Tailing said: "After Taoist Huang Yang killed the master and his senior brother, he asked me if there was a formula hidden in Ping'an Temple. I said I didn't know.
, Huang Yang turned the Taoist temple upside down and found nothing. When he was angry, he originally wanted to slap me to death, but I said that I knew how to create fire thunder, and that's how I escaped death."
"You mean you didn't tell him the formula?"
Zhang Tailing nodded and said: "I did not tell him the formula. My life was in danger at that time. I knew that if I didn't tell him that I knew the formula, he would kill me. But if I told him the formula, he would not let me go after he got the formula."
Qin Xiao thought that this little Taoist priest was young, but not stupid. If Taoist Huang Yang really got the fire thunder formula from Zhang Tailing at that time, and it was of no use value, Huang Yang would naturally not spare his life.
"Then why would he let you go?"
"I said that when the master made fire thunder before, I was there to help him. I probably know how to prepare fire thunder." Zhang Tailing said: "But I couldn't remember the formula right away. I needed to think about it for a while. Huang Yang believed it to be true, so he started from Ping'an.
Guan brought me to Suzhou City."
"What happened next?"
"When I arrived at Taixuan Temple, he kept asking me every day if I remembered how to prepare Fire Thunder. After more than a month, I knew I couldn't stop trying, but if I told him the formula, I would be killed by him immediately, so I just confessed to him.
Tell him that if he needs fire thunder, I can help him make it, but I will never tell him the formula of fire thunder. If he wants to kill him, he will die anyway. If I tell him, he will kill me.
If I kill my master after I die, he won’t let me go.” Zhang Tailing’s eyes were red and his tone was stubborn.
Qin Xiao thought that the little Taoist priest seemed submissive, but he was still a bit tough at heart, and asked: "He agreed?"
"He didn't agree at first and tried to torture me." Zhang Tailing shed tears thinking about those painful days: "Not only did he beat me every day, he also lit candles and dripped them on me, tied me with a rope and hung me up. Once
He also starved me for several days and didn't give me food or water, but I didn't give in. In the end, he finally agreed that he would spare my life as long as I helped him create fire thunder."
"It seems you have a lot of backbone." Qin Xiao said: "Then how can he be sure that the fire thunder you created is effective?"
Zhang Tailing said: "I gave him a list of items needed to make fire thunder. In order to confuse him, I deliberately added unnecessary materials to the list. Then when making fire thunder, no one was allowed to be present. After the fire thunder was successfully made, the fire thunder was
I gave him the thunder, and he took it out of the city and tried it, and there was indeed no problem. He came back and told me that as long as I help him make fire thunder, not only can he survive, but he can also have food and clothing." After a pause, he continued.
: "In the past two years, I have been trying to find an opportunity to take out the Taixuan Temple, but there are people staring at me day and night, and I can't run away even if I want to. Last night, officers and soldiers stormed into the Taoist Temple, and Huang Yang asked me to throw in all the materials for making fire thunder.
In the latrine, after I threw the materials, the officers and soldiers went to the backyard, and I...I hid in the latrine and didn't dare to go out, and then...I was discovered by you, sir."
Qin Xiao immediately thought that the reason why he paid attention to the latrine last night was because there was a strange smell in the latrine. Now it seems that it is naturally the smell of the materials for making fire thunder.
"In that case, you are really not their accomplice." Qin Xiao leaned forward and said: "Zhang Tailing, I want you to hand over the formula of Fire Thunder, otherwise I will chop you with a knife. Do you want to hand it over?"
"No." Zhang Tailing shook his head: "If I hand over the formula, your Excellency will immediately label me as a traitor to the Party, and then chop me up with a knife." He raised his head slightly and closed his eyes: "Taoist Huang Yang did not let Xiao Dao give in, Your Excellency.