The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Li Zhang also completely understood the situation.

He doesn't need to think about how to play tricks. He can basically follow Li Rong's path. He will do whatever Li Rong does. Even if it is to act as a cow or horse for Zhang Zhou, it is hundreds of times better than any act of his own.

When leaving, Li Zhang quickly made an appointment with Zhang Zhou to go to Fusi in Beizhen. The name was to discuss the situation, but in fact he was just to follow Zhang Zhou's orders.

"Brother Zhang."

In front of Zhang Zhou's carriage, Zhu Feng had already come out early and was waiting.

Zhang Zhou nodded: "You have worked hard for so many days and you haven't gone back to take a look?"

Zhu Feng said: "I want to open a mansion. I don't want to take care of the family affairs. Anyway, I won't inherit the family business. I can just concentrate on taking care of my own mansion."

Because of some trivial family matters, Zhu Feng was already preparing to separate from Cheng Guo Gongfu.

In the past, in the eyes of family and friends, Zhu Feng was just a kid who didn't grow up and needed others to plan everything for him. However, as Zhu Feng's experience in politics increased, he could no longer help but want to be an "adult" and no longer wanted to be an "adult". Accept the family's control over his destiny.

"Very good." Zhang Zhou nodded.

Zhu Feng was too closely tied to the Chengguo Palace, which may not be a good thing for Zhang Zhou, because at that time Zhu Feng had to consider the family's position when doing things.

At the moment, Duke Chengguo's office is in agreement with him, but that doesn't mean that Duke Chengguo's office won't have other thoughts in the future.

Zhu Feng asked: "Has the matter in Yongping Mansion been settled? I think Jinyiwei will continue to investigate this case, and the situation will continue to expand, and many people will not live in peace."

Zhang Zhou said: "Zhijie, are you also related to this matter?"

"No." Zhu Feng said, "I'm just thinking about your reputation, Brother Zhang. I'm afraid they will criticize you secretly or even try to harm you."

The implication is that if the local families are unable to protect themselves, I can't say whether they will jump over the wall in a hurry. In addition to malicious slander, they may also choose to physically eradicate Zhang Zhou, the "Ming Dynasty cancer."

"You don't have to worry about this. It's best that you don't go anywhere except to Yanwu Hall these days. If anything happens, I will send someone to find you at any time." Zhang Zhou told Zhu Feng.

"Ah."

Zhu Feng didn't have many places to go, so being an idler in the capital was already half of his dream.

……

……

Jinyiwei North Town Fusi.

Li Zhang arrived first, and Mou Bin later brought Guo Ang and others in to salute him.

"It's very good. I didn't expect that Duke Cai Guo would help you morally. In this way, you are the heroes who have dedicated their lives to the Ming Dynasty. Even if you have gone too far in some places, you have finally lived up to the emperor's kindness. No matter you are a civil servant in the court or in China , or the local officials, they can’t find fault with you.”

Li Zhang first expressed his comfort.

Guo Ang stepped forward and asked: "Eunuch Li, you understand your humble position so well. Does this mean that the Yongping Mansion matter will continue to be investigated, but some people whose homes were ransacked will be excluded from those involved?"

"Ah."

Li Zhang glanced at Mou Bin in passing, and he knew that Guo Ang was asking for Mou Bin.

Mou Bin himself was embarrassed in the court, but he seemed to be doing his duty, and even asked his subordinates to do things like questioning.

Guo Ang said: "Then who can be excluded and who cannot?"

Li Zhang frowned and said: "You Jin Yiwei handle cases by relying on connections and scheming? Don't you base it on the facts? Who is guilty and who is not? It depends on whether he is really guilty. I don't need to teach you this. ? Should you let people from the Ministry of Punishment teach you?"

Guo Ang looked embarrassed and said: "It is said that people from Dali Temple will also participate, for fear of finding fault."

Li Zhang put on the air of a factory official and said: "If you have done things well, others will naturally not be able to find fault. The point is not the evidence or the progress, but whether they followed Cai Guogong's instructions. Do you think the people in Dali Temple will do it?" Are you qualified to challenge Cai Guogong?"

"Eunuch Li's words are really enlightening. I have learned a lesson from my humble position." Guo Ang quickly made a respectful gesture.

Mou Bin then asked a less urgent question: "Will Mr. Cai Guo come today?"

Li Zhang said: "We have made an appointment, but it also depends on whether Cai Guogong is free. He has been away from the capital for more than a month. He will naturally be busy with official duties when he comes back. Although he is in charge of the case, the specific investigation and other matters still have to be dealt with." I want you to implement it, but don’t ask about everything. First, compile a roster and submit it to Cai Guogong so that Cai Guogong can know more about the case."

Guo Ang said with emotion: "It is true that I have not handed over the case file to Cai Guogong before. Even so, Cai Guogong was able to turn the tide in the court, leaving the ministers speechless. It seems that Cai Guogong has always been hiding it."

"Otherwise?"

Li Zhang said with a dark look on his face, "Do you really think that when Cai Guogong arrived at Yongping Mansion, he would not hear anything about what happened at the bottom of the mountain? No matter what happens in Yongping Mansion, he can't hide it from him. And there is also a very attentive Ji. Governor Liu, this person may be transferred back to the capital in a short period of time, he is the number one figure."

Guo Ang asked: "Do you want to go and take care of Governor Liu? I heard that he..."

Li Zhang said: "You don't need to tell me, our family also knows that this person is not an incorruptible person, and he also has some problems that are not tolerated by the world. But this kind of person is also eager to climb up, as long as he has the ability." , even if there are some misdeeds, it is something His Majesty can tolerate. Your Majesty does not want the government and the public to be a group of people who claim to be honest and self-sufficient, but are mean and unkind to others."

Guo Ang said: "As a humble official, I will ask someone to write the file and deliver it to Cai Guogong's house today."

"Don't rush to show it to Duke Cai first." Li Zhang was a little annoyed.

Guo Ang was startled at first.

Mou Bin reminded: "Of course, let Eunuch Li check it first. If there is no problem, then send it to Eunuch Cai."

"Yes." Even if Guo Ang pretended to understand, he had to pretend to be confused now.

……

……

That night.

A grandson from a thousand households in Jinyiwei came to deliver the case to Zhang Zhou.

By the way, Zhang Zhou also diagnosed and treated Sun Shangqi's wounds, and Sun Shangqi was moved to death. After all, with Zhang Zhou's current identity and status, it would be a favor to show concern for his subordinates' injuries. Now he actually treated the injuries himself. Shangqi has the idea that he didn't vote for the wrong person.

Zhang Zhou said: "The injury is not serious, but you still need to rest. Sun Qianhu, you have been running around and not getting enough rest recently, and it is easy for the wound to burst again."

Sun Shangqi responded: "You are right, sir, but after all, in a humble position, one must obey orders."

"Then transfer me back to me for a few days. Apart from occasionally delivering cases and communicating with Jin Yiwei, you don't have to do anything else." Zhang Zhou said.

"Yes." Sun Shangqi lowered his head. Then Zhang Zhou picked up the file and read it.

Seeing that Zhang Zhou was looking at it seriously, Sun Shangqi couldn't help but make a note: "Master, look, the families involved in the case in Yongping Mansion, even if some have been excluded, there are still fourteen or five, and most of them have... The relationship between in-laws is very close, because some evidence has been obtained before, so it is hard to say who will be punished and who can get away with it."

Zhang Zhou said: "Where are the local officials?"

Sun Shangqi said: "Several local officials were also involved before, but Commander Mou thought it was best not to touch those who were officials in the dynasty, so later even local officials were released. But actually...these people are deeply involved in the case."

"Yes." Zhang Zhou said with a smile, "If the people who work in the local government are not involved in the case, they will only blame the local officials and gentry, and it will not be justified in any way."

In the Ming Dynasty, the law was still limited to yamen above the county level. Most of the affairs of the middle and lower classes were still handled by the squires. The people who contacted the squires in the yamen were not the county magistrates, but subordinate officials and officials at the lower levels. scribe.

These people can be regarded as a truly intertwined local force. Previous incidents such as riots in the mines had the shadow of organized organizations organized by this group of people.

Sun Shangqi asked: "What do you mean, sir, to put these people in jail and hold them accountable?"

Zhang Zhou said: "In handling the case, we have to deal with the leader of the thief. It seems that the person who dares to hurt you is not something that a few local tribesmen who only have land dare to do. Shouldn't those who have knives in their hands be listed first in this file? ?”

"Yes." Sun Shangqi seemed to understand what Zhang Zhou meant.

Zhang Zhou then sighed with emotion: "After I finish eradicating evil, I also want to set an example in Yongping Mansion. After all, mines will be opened everywhere in the future. Many people think that I am wasting people and money, or even endangering the Ming Dynasty. I also know that I will encounter resistance in this way. However, if the Ming Dynasty wants to enrich the country and strengthen its army, it must have these mines as its foundation. I have no choice but to do it."

Sun Shangqi said: "My lord is devoted to the imperial court. If anyone steps forward to stop him, he will be an enemy of the Ming Dynasty."

"Yeah." Zhang Zhou nodded.

Then Zhang Zhou looked at the roster again.

Sun Shangqi said: "Among this list, the Zhao family, together with these families, were the ones who caused the most violent troubles before. This is also related to their deep local background. After the incident, how many members of the Zhao family People even learned of the news in advance and escaped first, and this time... everyone with evidence points to them."

Zhang Zhou smiled and asked: "How many people are really involved in Tongfan?"

Sun Shangqi hesitated and couldn't explain.

Because it is obvious that the crime was just the crime Li Rong initially assigned, and there was no actual evidence. In the final analysis, it was just a random accusation, but privately doing business with foreign barbarians. In fact, many families on the border were involved in this.

Just like the case of Zhang Yu, the governor of Liaodong, it was also because of this.

Zhang Zhou said: "I have to consider the matter of conviction again. You don't have to worry about it. Just bring the two sides' opinions to each other. After this incident, your official position may still have opportunities to be promoted. Do more with the people below. Good relationship."

"I don't dare to have any delusions in my humble position. I just hope that I can do my best."

After all, Sun Shangqi was not from the core faction of the imperial court. He was originally just a member of the Imperial Guard.

In just three years, he has become a member of a thousand households in Jinyiwei. For him, his life goal has been achieved, and further advancement is something he never dared to think about in his life.

Zhang Zhou nodded and said: "If you have the ability, don't be afraid of being promoted. Just like me, sometimes you don't need to care what they think. Only by being promoted to a high position can you have more opportunities to serve the court. No matter how ambitious you are at the bottom, , It’s also about running errands for people. Big things still need more channels to complete.”

"Yes."

Although Sun Shangqi didn't understand what he heard, he somewhat understood Zhang Zhou's trust in him.

It was also because Sun Shangqi didn't read much. He was literate but not illiterate at most. It was difficult for him to understand the truth.

But in Zhang Zhou's opinion, Sun Shangqi's character should be taken seriously. He didn't give Sun Shangqi too many opportunities to make meritorious deeds before, so he can use it with confidence and boldness in the future. Anyway, Zhang Zhou doesn't have to be shy now. What a reputation for nepotism.

Is there anything else besides nepotism? Who else will listen to him?
  ……

……

Until late at night, Zhang Zhou was in the study looking at the list and the detailed cases.

It wasn't until Jiang Pingyu came to bring him hot tea that Zhang Zhou raised his head and asked about the time, and realized that he seemed to be working hard. He had to enter this continuous working mode as soon as he returned to the capital.

"Master, what are these?" Jiang Pingyu asked curiously.

"Case file." Zhang Zhou said, "Although these pieces of paper are inconspicuous, a casual sentence can lead to the death of a family. So far, more than a dozen families have been convicted, from the owner to the servants, and more than a thousand people have been implicated." Zhang Zhou also had some sighs in his words.

The Jin Yiwei's handling of the case is equivalent to demonstrating the imperial power.

These are the people on the list now, but next time I won’t be sure who they are.

When working for the royal family, the most important thing is to be "one emperor and one courtier". Zhang Zhou also knew this very well. If he wanted to control his destiny in this era, it seemed that the only way he could take over was to take his place.

But how easy is it to rebel?

Especially in a relatively stable dynasty, the probability of successful rebellion is almost zero. Zhang Zhou currently has a better way to realize his ambitions, which is to use the emperor's trust, but who knows whether this trust can last long. ?
  Zhang Zhou waved his hand and asked Jiang Pingyu to sit down on the stool next to him.

Jiang Pingyu's eyes were still on those papers.

Obviously Jiang Pingyu herself is also curious about the process of conviction and conviction, and is also concerned about whether her and Zhang Zhou's fate will one day be affected by these so-called files.

"Master, are there women among these people?" Jiang Pingyu asked.

"Yes." Zhang Zhou said, "This time the crime will be relatively serious. Many female relatives have actually been taken into custody by the government. If they are found guilty in the end, their future lives will be very different from the past. Being displaced is a minor matter. Many things they have experienced …It’s unimaginable.”

Jiang Pingyu said: "That's quite pitiful."

Zhang Zhou said: "That's how it is with Lian Si. We share the ups and downs of the family, and there is nothing wrong with it under the rules. You don't need to worry about our own family's affairs."

"Yeah." Jiang Pingyu nodded.

"Recently, I should tidy up the house more." Zhang Zhou also wanted to find something for Jiang Pingyu to do. "By the way, I will also take care of a few shops. I will buy a village outside the city. Occasionally I may go out of the city. Go do something. Then let Qing'er and the others do something too, so don't be idle all the time."

"Master, you don't have to worry about family matters." Jiang Pingyu knew very well what role she should play.

Good wife.

Don't let Zhang Zhou worry about family affairs.

Zhang Zhou nodded with a smile and said: "You should supervise Zhang Jun's studies more. As an official in the court, it is difficult to take care of the family. The popularity of the family should also be more prosperous. If you are an extremely popular minister, you should also be a bit of an extremely popular minister." appearance."

Jiang Pingyu pursed her lips and smiled and said: "Master, don't talk nonsense, it will be bad if outsiders find out." (End of Chapter)