Daming heir

Return to Yingtian Outer City from Little Ande Gate, on the way to the Qinhuai River in the northeast.

Sun Cheng still couldn't figure out one thing.

That is, who helped this group of Japanese sneak into Yingtian, and how they could avoid the pursuit of Jin Yiwei.

Sun Cheng even had some empathy.

If he was the leader of that group of Japanese, if he wanted to sabotage the abdication ceremony and assassinate the entire Ming court's top brass, then he would never have killed three people in the first month of the first month, and then killed three people opposite the Yamen of Yingtian Prefecture. Kill all thirty-seven people inside the house.

This defies logic.

If the Japanese people were planning for the abdication ceremony, they would not have been able to alert the enemy before that.

But these Japanese still did it.

Under the eyes of millions of Yingtian subjects, an earth-shattering murder was committed.

All of a sudden, they were exposed under Jin Yiwei's nose.

This group of Japanese people may not be willing to expose their existence before this.

Sun Cheng keenly felt that this matter must have been requested by those behind the scenes who helped the Japanese sneak into the capital.

But why do these people do this.

Even if the Japanese are exposed to Jin Yiwei, they still want to kill them?

Yingtian City looked a little cold in the dark night.

In order to ensure their activities, the Jin Yiwei did not wear too thick clothes, but everyone was blushing due to running for a long time.

The darkness of night well hid Sun Cheng's route.

Yingtian outer city does not have the same dense population as the inner city.

In the outer city area, there are more cottages and fields.

This was considered during the expansion of Yingtian City.

When Yingtian City was besieged by foreign enemies, Yingtian City could still guarantee a certain supply of food.

However, this arrangement seems to be somewhat outdated now.

Visible to the naked eye, the capital of the Ming Dynasty was unlikely to be invaded by foreign enemies, let alone besieged by enemies.

That's why.

During this period, the Zhili Governor's Office and Yingtian Mansion were discussing whether to use the outer city of Yingtian City as a pilot to try a new economic experiment integrating urban and rural areas.

In fact, this matter already has some foundations.

In recent years, many of the government-owned and private factories in Yingtian Mansion have been built in the outer areas of Yingtian City.

Let’s talk about Sun Cheng and his team.

Wait until the end of the hour.

Sun Cheng and the others finally arrived at the south bank of the Qinhuai River in the outer city.

To the west of the south bank of the outer city is Zhengyangmenwai Street.

To the east of the main street outside Zhengyangmen is the Beijing Army Campus. On weekdays, military and horse drills or troop dispatches are mostly held here.

But under normal circumstances, there is a huge open space next to the campus, and there are not many soldiers and horses stationed there. There are only a few teams of officers and soldiers responsible for daily maintenance.

After passing the Grand Campus, you will find Zhonghe Bridge Street.

Across the street, there is a wasteland close to the Qinhuai River.

Opposite the wasteland, to the west is the Shanchuan Altar outside Zhengyang Gate, and to the east is the Temple of Heaven.

In the middle of the two locations is Kagura Xiandu, one of the most beautiful places in Jinling.

And Kagura Sendu is famous for its divine optimism.

The sacred temple is in charge of worshiping fields, gods, Zonggao and Sheji with music and dance. There are officials such as Tidian and Zhiguan in the temple. It was established in the eleventh year of Hongwu and came under the jurisdiction of Taichang Temple.

To the west of Shengwang, close to the Shanchuan Altar, is the livestock farm, which is dedicated to raising livestock for royal sacrifices.

Qian Huguan was lying on the river bank, looking at the north bank of the Qinhuai River with only scattered lights on the other side.

"Zhenfu, if those Japanese are going to take action at the abdication ceremony, then the other side will be their final destination."

As the capital of Yingtian City, even the vegetation is protected to a certain extent on weekdays. The people in the city used to go out of the city to cut firewood.

In recent years, with the development and application of coal, the vegetation in Yingtian City has become increasingly lush.

On both sides of the Qinhuai River, there are dense vegetation and graceful trees.

Sun Cheng narrowed his eyes: "Tell me, did the Japanese cross the river via the Zhonghe Bridge in the west, or the Shangfang Bridge in the east? Or did they cross the river upstream from this river?"

This is critical.

Wherever the Japanese crossed the Qinhuai River, they were likely to ambush in that direction, waiting for the abdication ceremony to begin during the day before executing their final blow.

Qian Huguan whispered: "During the day, His Majesty held the abdication ceremony. After leaving the city, he first went to the Shanchuan Altar and led the civil and military officials to worship the Shanchuan Sheji. Then he entered the Temple of Heaven along the Temple of Heaven Street, and attended the Temple of Heaven in front of the princes, ministers and people. Relinquish the throne of emperor to the prince. The prince needs three words and then receives the emperor's seal. At that time, the new emperor will lead the civil and military officials to comfort the ancestral temple, offer sacrifices to the heaven and earth, and finally return to the city and enter the palace."

"So the focus is on the Temple of Heaven."

Sun Cheng crouched and placed his hands on the cold ground on the river bank to dissipate the warmth from his body.

Qian Huguan nodded: "At that time, most of the time will be spent in the Temple of Heaven. But..."

Qian Huguan hesitated.

Since the abdication ceremony was confirmed.

The Ministry of Rites and Yousi Yamen began to prepare all the schedule for the abdication ceremony.

The Metropolitan Governor's Office, together with the direct military guards, surrounded the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Mountains and Rivers a year ago, prohibiting all outsiders from approaching.

If the Japanese want to create chaos and take the opportunity to assassinate the top officials of the Ming Dynasty, they can only succeed by entering the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Mountains and Rivers.

Qian Huguan thought for a while, and finally hesitantly said, "Maybe the Japanese will take action on Temple of Heaven Street."

There is also a great possibility at this time.

Although it is said that there will be a large number of imperial guards around the emperor and the civil and military officials.

But on the Temple of Heaven Street, people were allowed to watch.

On both sides of the street, there were only soldiers and soldiers from the army and soldiers guarding the streets to prevent civilians from blocking the Temple of Heaven Street.

And if you do it on the Temple of Heaven Street, it is easiest to distinguish the positions of the emperor and the prince.

Although the casualties that may be caused will be much smaller, the princes and ministers who can be around the emperor and the prince are all high-ranking people.

Killing ten magistrates is not as cost-effective as killing one minister directly.

Sun Cheng narrowed his eyes and whispered: "If something is really going to happen during the abdication ceremony, no matter where the Japanese want to take action, they will definitely leave secret sentries around here to keep an eye on the court's movements secretly."

Qianhuguan answered immediately: "So, we can't cross the river on the bridges on both sides now."

"If there are really Japanese people here, you can't walk on Zhonghe Bridge and Shangfang Bridge."

Qian Huguan's eyes sunk, his eyelids shrank, he raised his head and quickly scanned both sides of the north bank of the Qinhuai River.

"Then we can only wade across the river from here."

Sun Cheng nodded: "Take off your outer robe, wrap it in the leather cloth, and put it back on after crossing the river. Be quick."

There were only a few hours before dawn.

After daybreak, the ceremony in the palace will begin, and a little later, the royal family and the princes and ministers in the court will leave the city.

Sun Cheng gave an order, and the Jinyi guards around him began to take off their robes and put them into the waterproof cowhide bags they carried.

The night was dark.

There are faint stars rippling on the Qinhuai River, and in the distance to the west is the waters of Dongshuiguan Wharf, which is busy day and night.

At this time, many ships have begun to sail from the Yangtze River into the Dongshuiguan waters, waiting to unload the cargo on board so that they can return to the Yangtze River before the waterway is congested during the day.

Sun Cheng and others pushed the package and marched silently in the cold river water.

The aquatic plants along the water's edge on the north shore hid their tracks very well.

A group of awakened teal ducks squawked across the water, breaking the ripples they created on the water.

The last traces disappeared from the Qinhuai River.

In the water grassland on the shore, Sun Cheng and others quickly changed into dry clothes, and then began to approach the shore.

Perhaps because the abdication ceremony was approaching, Shen Optimism and the Animal Storage Station had already lit up lights one after another, illuminating a large area on the shore.

Water drops dripped from his forehead.

Sun Cheng pushed his loose hair to one side and stared at the street construction outside the woods on the shore. "Zhenfu!"

"There's something going on here!"

A low voice reached Sun Cheng's ears from the east.

Sun Cheng's eyes twitched and he quickly looked over.

It is the Jinyi Guard Tiqi who is responsible for reconnaissance in the east.

Sun Chengli immediately took Qianhuguan and took a few steps back toward the shore, then slinked toward the east.

After passing through a bush and seeing the scene clearly, Sun Cheng and Qian Huguan's eyes couldn't help but shrink violently.

On the grass among the bushes, there was a corpse wet by the river water lying on the grass.

Two Jinyi guards were rummaging through the corpse.

"It's a Japanese."

A Jin Yiwei raised his head and took off the black clothes on the body, revealing the clothes underneath.

It is clearly a Japanese costume.

And on this man's waist, there are two knives, one long and one short.

This is also a common equipment used by Japanese warriors.

The corpse of the Japanese!

Still here on the north bank of the Qinhuai River near the Temple of Mountains, Rivers and Temple of Heaven!

Sun Cheng's eyes narrowed silently.

Qianhuguan was full of surprise: "Why are there Japanese corpses here?"

He walked up to the body and used the embroidered spring knife in his hand to take off the clothes and lay them on the ground.

Officer Qianhu looked at the corpse carefully.

"There are no wounds on the front. Turn it over and take a look."

The Jin Yiwei who was squatting aside immediately turned the body over.

He also took off all the black clothes from the corpse.

"Still no wounds!"

Qian Huguan's eyes narrowed and his eyes became a little cold.

Jin Yiwei, who was squatting next to the corpse, turned the corpse over again, face up.

Jin Yiwei began to open the mouth of the corpse and dug into the mouth with a stick.

"There are no foreign objects. It doesn't look like he drowned."

It was not homicide, and there was no sign of drowning!

Qian Huguan's eyes were in a trance, and he turned back to look at Sun Cheng, who was silent and frowning.

Sun Cheng squinted and pondered for a long time before speaking in a low voice: "Look at the limbs and neck. If there are no injuries, take off all the clothes."

The two royal guards immediately obeyed the order.

Start looking at the limbs and neck position of the body.

There are no abnormalities in the limbs.

There were no marks on the neck.

The two Jinyi guards took a breath and then began to take off the clothes from the corpse one by one.

Although the body was soaked in river water, it was not white or swollen.

This shows that the body was not dragged from the water to the shore.

Two Jinyi guards were checking the corpses one by one.

Suddenly, a guard in Jinyi made a sound, frowned, and pressed his finger on the heart of the corpse.

Then under a few pairs of eyes.

I saw a drop of blood seeping out from the heart of the corpse.

"Is it the eye of a needle?"

Jin Yiwei, who was holding his heart, muttered, and then pressed down harder with his hand.

Drops of blood began to seep out from the heart.

Then Jin Yiwei put both hands on his heart.

The drops of blood began to form a small stream of blood.

"Zhen Fu?"

Qian Huguan's tone changed somewhat.

Sun Cheng stepped forward lightly, his brows furrowed and his face frosty.

Official Qianhu gave up his position: "My subordinates really can't understand now why there is a Japanese corpse here?"

Sun Cheng whispered: "Kill him?"

Qian Huguan glanced at the spot where blood was oozing from his heart and shook his head: "I'm not sure, it's hard to say. But it's impossible to do this by yourself."

Sun Cheng hummed and then fell into thinking.

Official Qianhu was not sure whether the Japanese was killed by him, but he said that the needle hole in his heart could not have been made by himself.

That is to say, it is also possible that this Japanese took the initiative to let people take action during his lifetime.

Or was asked to do so.

Things suddenly became complicated again.

"But now we are sure of one thing!"

After a long pause, Sun Cheng spoke with a faint look.

Official Qianhu nodded: "The Japanese are indeed around here."

But where are the Japanese hiding?

Qian Huguan raised his head and looked at the lights on the shore.

Under the forest on the shore, shadows are dancing.

Sun Cheng stood up, glanced at the corpse on the ground, frowned a little and said: "Hide it up! You take people to the Shanchuan Altar and the Temple of Heaven, and let the forbidden troops there check it out. Take a look at the Shanchuan Altar and the Temple of Heaven. Is there anything hidden in the Temple of Heaven?"

He did not dare to say whether it was possible that the Shanchuan Altar and the Temple of Heaven were hidden by the Japanese with a large amount of gunpowder, waiting for the abdication ceremony to begin, and then ignited and blew up the entire Ming Dynasty to the sky.

But Qian Huguan understood the meaning.

Nod and take orders.

Qian Huguan looked at Sun Cheng again: "Then I will comfort you..."

"The rest of you are with me and hiding as well."

Sun Cheng squinted his eyes, making it unclear what he was thinking.

Qian Huguan thought for a while, but couldn't think of any better way now.

Unless the court is asked to temporarily schedule the abdication ceremony in a few hours.

But such a request is definitely impossible to obtain.

Not to mention that this was a date set by the emperor himself and received theoretical support from Qin Tianjian.

It is said that once the abdication ceremony is suspended or postponed, countless rumors may arise in the court and among the people.

Some people may even think that this is because the imperial court sensed that God might not agree with this abdication, so the imperial court had to suspend the abdication ceremony.

At that time, the prince will be in a dilemma.

So no matter what.

Even if the sky is about to fall in a few hours, the abdication ceremony must be held as scheduled.

Qian Huguan took a deep breath, and for a moment he felt as if his shoulders were as heavy as a ton of weight.

He led the people and quickly disappeared on the river bank.

Sun Cheng also took the remaining people and started groping on the shore, gradually disappearing without a trace. (End of chapter)