scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 55 Ginger is still old and spicy (seeking monthly ticket)
Originally, I just wanted to test whether Fatty Lu really knew Kang Xiaomazi, and to test whether Fatty Lu's loyalty to the emperor and love for the Qing Dynasty shown these days is true or not. Zhou Peigong carefully designed a fake emperor's drama. Try to find out the hypocrisy of Fatty Lu, and get the ironclad evidence that Fatty Lu has been deceiving for a long time, then everything is easy to say, pretending to be the emperor is also meritorious, and he can also take the opportunity to track down the truth of Fu Honglie's case and put Fatty Lu to death.

If you can't find out, Zhou Peigong and Kong Sizhen are not afraid, anyway, the play is performed in the back garden of Suo'etu Mansion, where there are no outsiders, and the idlers in the garden have been kicked out. Not to mention Suo Mintai, who played the fake emperor, nor to the four servants of Suofu who pretended to be bodyguards and fed them with silver.

Although the abacus was well planned, what Zhou Peigong and Kong Sizhen never imagined in their dreams was that Fatty Lu was more ruthless than them, and even worse than them. The loyal emperor, who had to die, loved the Qing Dynasty's good shows, and suddenly magnified the matter. Not only did everyone in the Suo'etu Mansion know the trouble, but it also completely drove Zhou Peigong and Kong Sizhen into a desperate situation. ——After all, impersonating the emperor is a capital crime of beheading and destroying one's family. No matter how favored Kong Sizhen is in front of Kang Mazi, it is impossible to completely cover up this matter.

When things got to this point, Suo'etu, who didn't know beforehand, was furious and fearful, of course he hurriedly put all the blame on Kong Sizhen and Zhou Peigong, and at the same time had someone tie up Suo Mintai and personally escort him to the hospital. He went to the palace and surrendered himself, hoping that Kang Mazi would see that he was the uncle of his wife Hesheli, and spare the life of his young and ignorant brother - at least, don't involve himself.Kong Sizhen didn't dare to be negligent over there, and ordered Zhou Peigong to be tied up, and hurriedly escorted Zhou Peigong to the palace to plead guilty, so as to minimize his own guilt.Only poor Mrs. Lu, the fat man who was just fished out of the water, was thrown alone in Suo'etu's house, and his life and death were unpredictable.

Our Fatty Lu, Lord Lu, is wronged, bitter, and pitiful!

Suo'etu is not stupid. In order to reduce the crime as much as possible and save the life of the youngest brother, relying on his relationship as a palace guard, he sent the news to his 14-year-old niece Queen Hesheli in advance, so that Hesheli Hurry up to the Hall of Mental Cultivation and blow some pillow wind, and try to make Kang Xiaomazi lose his temper less, so as to have more hope.And Hesheli was frightened when he heard the news, so he had an idea, and he didn't go directly to Kang Xiaomazi's most respected Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, begging her to come forward to intercede, but in this way, after a little delay At the same time, the sign that Suo'etu and Kong Sizhen begged to meet was sent to Kang Xiaomazi who was practicing cloth with the young guards in the cloth warehouse at the same time.

"Strange, didn't I ask Suo Etu and Kong Sizhen to win over Lu Yifeng in the Suo Mansion today? Why did you just hand over the sign to ask for an interview?" Wiping the sweat from his face, Xiao Mazi asked doubtfully, "Could it be successful? But It’s not even past noon now, so it shouldn’t be so fast, right?”

"Your Majesty, it shouldn't be about this." Zhang Wanqiang, the chief eunuch of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, said tremblingly: "I heard from the servant who came in to report just now that Mr. Suoetusuo tied his youngest brother, Suo Mintai, with a rope, and said he was coming. Plead guilty to the emperor. Kong Sizhen and Si Gege also tied a seventh-rank official named Zhou Chang with a rope, and they also said that they came to plead guilty to the emperor."

"What? They're all here to apologize?" Xiao Mazi suspected that he had misheard his ears, and said in surprise, "What are they up to? That Zhou Chang, Si Gege praised and recommended him in front of me yesterday, why today? Just tie him up to plead guilty? And Suo Etu, he took the wrong medicine and tied his own brother to plead guilty? What did Suo Mintai do?"

"Your Majesty, Master Suo and Si Gege didn't make it clear, so I can't play back." Zhang Wanqiang replied truthfully, and then said cautiously: "I ask the emperor, should I let the servant ask clearly, or let them come in directly?"

"Both Suo'etu and Kong Sizhen are not people who make a fuss out of a molehill. It seems that something big must have happened." Xiao Mazi suddenly had a bad feeling, and hurriedly said: "Put in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and then send someone to take Suo'er Tu and Kong Sizhen are both declared to enter the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

All the guards and eunuchs agreed together, and after a while, Kang Xiaomazi changed into a fake dragon robe, and led a large group of guards and eunuchs to attack the Hall of Mental Cultivation in a mighty manner. As soon as he entered the hall, Suo Etu and Kong Sizhen personally escorted him Suo Mintai and Zhou Peigong came in together, and the two gangs of four were far apart, and kowtowed together and said: "I kowtow to the emperor, my emperor, long live, long live, long live."

Xiao Mazi took a closer look, and saw that Suo Mintai brought by Suo'etu was indeed tightly bound by a thick hemp rope with thick wrists, and there were clearly visible tears and a red five-fingerprint on his face, while Zhou Peigong brought by Kong Sizhen She was tied up like rice dumplings, her nose was bruised and her face was swollen, and blood was still oozing from the corner of her mouth. It was obvious that she had suffered a lot.Xiao Mazi was even more strange, and asked in confusion: "Suo Aiqing, Kong Aiqing, what are you two doing? How did you get into this?"

"Your Majesty, I'm a slave!" Suo'etu and Kong Sizhen replied in unison: "This slave deserves death, and I'm here to plead guilty to the emperor!" He dared to stare back, but turned his face away, not daring to look at Suo'etu's fire-breathing gaze that could kill people.

"What's the matter? Tell me carefully." Xiao Mazi urged impatiently.

"Back to the emperor, the slave godbrother has no way..." Suo'etu hurriedly said.

"Back to the emperor, the servant has no way to rule..." Kong Sizhen also rushed to say at the same time, but the voices of the two were mixed together, so neither could understand nor understood.

"That's enough." Xiao Mazi became angry and shouted, "What the hell are you doing? Suo'etu, you talk first, Kong Sizhen, you talk later."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Suo'etu was overjoyed, quickly kowtowed, and explained in detail what happened at home today, and desperately pushed the responsibility to Kong Sizhen and Zhou Peigong, emphasizing again and again that he did not know in advance.At the end, Suo'etu said with a mournful face: "Your Majesty, this slave is incapable of disciplining my younger brother. He was lured by an adulterer and committed such a treasonous thing. This slave is willing to accept the crime. But please look at the Hesheli family. For the sake of the emperor's loyalty, and for the sake of Suo Mintai's youth and ignorance, please spare his life."

"Kong Sizhen——!" Xiao Mazi almost lost his temper, slammed the table, and roared at Kong Sizhen: "You dog slave, you are so brave, you dare to send someone pretending to be me The life officer died innocently! Do you know the crime?"

"Slave deserves to die! Slave deserves ten thousand deaths!" Kong Sizhen kowtowed desperately, and hurriedly evaded responsibility: "The emperor made a clear investigation, and the slave was also confused for a while. False, that’s why you did such absurd thing. But you can swear to God, it’s really not the slave’s idea to try to force Lu Yifeng to death, it’s all arranged by Zhou Chang! After the incident, the slave also knows that The matter is serious, and I dare not hide it, so I quickly brought this servant to plead guilty to the emperor."

"Zhou Chang—!" Xiao Mazi's eyes spewed fire, and he turned his gaze to Zhou Peigong with a murderous look.

"Your Majesty, this humble minister is guilty!" Everyone put the blame on themselves, and Zhou Peigong also knew that he was doomed today.Left and right are dead, Zhou Peigong is also willing to go all out, raised his head and said loudly: "But before the emperor kills the nine clans of the humble minister, please let the emperor let the humble minister finish his speech and express his heart, even if the humble minister dies, he will have no regrets!"

"What else do you have to complain about?" Xiao Mazi roared: "You, a little enshrined in the Hongwen Academy, dare to deceive others to pretend to be the emperor, deceive the emperor and commit crimes, frame loyal ministers, and almost cause loyal and innocent people to die! As bold as you are! The servant who committed the crime deserves to die, so what else can I complain about?"

"Back to the emperor, this humble minister is guilty of death, but the loyalty of my humble minister to the emperor can be demonstrated by the world, and the sun and the moon can learn from it!" When death was approaching, in order to seek the last chance of life, Zhou Peigong made up his mind and said loudly: " Your Majesty, I know that you appreciate Lu Yifeng and Lord Lu very much, and I am quite jealous of that, but what I did today was not for myself, but to keep you from being deceived, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, there are many doubts in the Fujian case. The two adults, Fu Honglie and Yang Guotai, died mysteriously and tragically. So far, the truth has not been found out. However, there are obviously fatal loopholes in Lu Yifeng's confession! Such a person, his speech can be reliable. ?!"

"Lu Yifeng kept saying that he was loyal to you, the emperor, but he devoted himself to Prince Pingxi's mansion. He only cared about being on the saddle for Prince Pingxi's errands, running around, but he completely ignored your embarrassment. No, duplicity, treachery seems loyal! Such a person, if the humble minister does not find out his true intentions for the emperor and expose his true face, do you dare to use him with confidence?"

"Although I deserve to die for what I have done today, in the final analysis, I also did it for the emperor! If it is found out that Lu Yifeng is really loyal to the emperor, you can use him with confidence! I will also report to him Kowtow to make amends, and apologize to the emperor! If it is found out that he is treacherous and loyal, duplicity, and his hypocrisy is exposed-then the emperor and the humble minister really don't know what crimes I have."

Zhou Peigong's words are righteous and powerful, and he has indeed fulfilled his duty as a slave.But it's a pity that Xiao Mazi was angry right now, so he just gritted his teeth and asked with a sinister smile: "So, you let someone pretend to be me to test Lu Yifeng, so I have to thank you?"

"This is what a humble official should do, how dare you be thanked by the emperor?" Zhou Peigong replied through gritted teeth.

"Ha!" Xiao Mazi laughed more ferociously, and said, "Since you keep saying that Lu Yifeng is duplicity, treacherous and loyal, then you have evidence!"

"I don't have any!" Zhou Peigong said decisively: "But my intuition tells me that this Lu Yifeng is definitely not as simple as it seems! If you, Your Majesty, entrust him with a heavy responsibility and believe in his words, then Weichen I dare to conclude that the emperor will definitely regret it in the future!"

"Hey." Xiao Mazi smiled, and said in a dark voice: "If you think that Lu Yifeng is not simple and unreliable, I will cut Lu Yifeng into pieces and put him to death, then what is the law of my country? ? Where is the code?"

"What if the Ai family also thinks that Lu Yifeng is not simple and unreliable? What does the emperor think?"

At this time, Xiao Zhuang's voice suddenly came from the back hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. While speaking, Xiao Zhuang had already walked out slowly with the support of the personal maid Lagu Su Ma and Queen Hesheli, holding the leading crutches.Kong Sizhen, Suo'etu and the others didn't dare to be negligent, they quickly kowtowed together and called the Thousand Years Lafayette; Xiao Mazi also hurried up to meet Xiaozhuang, and said, "Grandmother, why did you alarm the old man?"

"The Ai family has been here for a while, and the Ai family has heard what Zhou Chang said." Xiao Zhuang remained calm, first sat down beside Xiao Mazi's dragon chair, and then said to Xiao Mazi: "Grandson, Although this Zhou Chang's method is wrong, his heart is right. Like him, Ai Jia also thinks that this Lu Yifeng is not simple, at least he is definitely not as loyal as you seem."

"Grandmother, there is no evidence." Xiao Mazi said with a bitter face, "Although grandson is the emperor, there is no proof, and grandson can't punish him."

"If there is evidence, the Ai family would have asked you to kill that Lu Yifeng a long time ago." Xiaozhuang said in a dark tone, and then said: "Grandson, the past few days when you and Lu Yifeng met, the Ai family also asked you to kill that Lu Yifeng." I have heard a little bit, yes, the words he said and the things he did are really very pleasing to you. But don’t you suspect that he has already recognized your identity a long time ago, so deliberately Say these things and do these things?"

"Grandson did suspect it too." Xiao Mazi said with a wry smile: "But grandson sent someone to investigate carefully, and that Lu Yifeng was indeed in Beijing for the first time, and he had never seen me before. He has never revealed his identity, even if he wants to know my identity, there is no way."

"But if Wu Yingxiong had told him, what about your appearance, Your Majesty?" Xiaozhuang suddenly asked again. ——By the way, Xiao Mazi's facial features are very obvious, and most people will not forget them once they see them.

"This..." Xiao Mazi was tongue-tied and said after a long while, "This is indeed possible."

"Isn't this the end?" Xiao Zhuang said calmly: "Since Lu Yifeng may have detected the identity of the emperor in advance, and he can still pretend to be so nonchalant, Kong Sizhen and Zhou Chang will test him for you, what's wrong?—— Of course, their approach was very wrong."

"If this is the case..." Xiao Mazi shuddered, and added in his heart: "If this is the case, then this Fatty Lu is not simple."

"Your Majesty, in fact, the Empress Dowager Lafayette felt that this Lu Yifeng was not simple last time in Fujian." Aunt Su Ma interrupted and said, "Think about it, Your Majesty. No one can prove whether that letter is from Taiwan Zheng Ni." The only evidence is the confession of Lu Yifeng and Pingnan Wangfu Xiao Gege. Although the possibility of Xiao Gege helping Lu Yifeng to perjure his testimony is extremely small, it is not impossible! Pingnan Prince and Pingxi Prince Discord, but in many places, they still have common interests."

Xiao Mazi, who admired Fatty Lu, couldn't help shivering after being told by two shrewd women, Xiaozhuang and Lagu Su Ma, and began to reconsider his attitude towards Fatty Lu——to Fatty Lu. , Is the impression too good?Too much trust?
"Of course, all of this is speculation, and it is impossible to prove whether this speculation will be confirmed." Xiaozhuang said solemnly: "We can't make rash decisions until we find out the truth. Let's see, Lu Yifeng's capital is not In order to meet your majesty according to the rules? Let the official department lead him into the palace to see you tomorrow. Aijia will meet him with you. Aijia wants to see it with his own eyes. Lu Yifeng, who has disturbed Guangdong, Fujian and the capital, What does it look like, whether it is traitor or loyalty."

"Okay, grandma's eyes are as sharp as a torch, and she can see clearly. She will definitely be able to distinguish between loyalty and evil, and distinguish between black and white." Xiao Mazi was overjoyed, and was still very confident in her grandmother's ability to discern people.At the end, Xiao Mazi pointed to Suo'etu, Kong Sizhen and Zhou Peigong and asked: "Grandma, what about them?"

Xiao Zhuang didn't answer directly, but beckoned Xiao Mazi to the front, and whispered in Xiao Mazi's ear: "The Suo'etu family and Oboi are sworn enemies. Kong Sizhen is in Guangxi to watch over Monk Wu Sangui for you. It's gratifying. If you cure him Their crime is to cut off their own arms and wings, hurt their loved ones, and speed up their enemies, understand?"

"Grandson understands." Xiao Mazi lowered his head and asked in a low voice: "But the crime of impersonating the emperor is so serious, grandson has to explain to the world, otherwise, will fake emperors fly all over the sky in the future?"

Xiaozhuang no longer spoke to Xiao Mazi, but turned to Suo'etu and asked, "Master Suo, I heard that your younger brother likes to sing operas, is that true?"

"Min Tai likes to sing opera?" Suo Etu was confused at first, then suddenly came to his senses, and hurriedly said: "What the Empress Dowager Lafayette said is very true. Min Tai really liked opera since he was a child. He is simply an opera idiot. Any character thinks he is who he is. Today he sang "Fighting the Dragon Robe" in the garden because he was too involved in the drama and said some things that shouldn't be said. It happened that Zhou Chang and Lu Yifeng both misunderstood Mrs. Lu , because he is really the emperor, so such a joke was made."

"Lafayette is holy." Zhou Peigong was not stupid, and immediately kowtowed and said: "I have never seen the emperor before my humble position, so today I encountered the self-proclaimed words of young master Suo when he sang, and misunderstood his identity, which led to the following The misunderstanding, I should die, damn it!"

"You think you are smart, you mistakenly identify the Holy One, you can avoid the death penalty, but you can't escape the death penalty." Xiao Zhuang said calmly: "The Ai family sentenced you to twenty sticks, dismissed from your post, and sent to Guangxi to serve as an army. Are you convinced?"

"Weichen surrendered, thank you Lafayette for your kindness, and thank the emperor for not killing me." Zhou Peigong happily agreed, and kowtowed desperately.

"Your Majesty, do you think it is appropriate for the Ai family to settle the case and punish them like this?" Xiao Zhuang turned to Xiao Mazi and asked.

"Grandmother's decision is very true, the judgment is very true." Xiao Mazi nodded repeatedly, and then said: "But Lin Tianqing and Lu Yifeng were present at the time, they..."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty—!" At this moment, a young guard suddenly stumbled in outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but it was Xiao Mazi's extremely trusted bodyguard Cao Yin, who knelt down on his knees as soon as he entered the hall, angrily Panting and kowtowed, he said, "Report to the Emperor, something is wrong! Your Western teacher, Father Nan Huairennan, was killed in his church!"

"What?" Xiao Mazi jumped up violently, and shouted, "Who killed it? Did the murderer catch it?"

"Father Nan was discovered after he died for nearly half an hour, and no one saw the murderer." Cao Yin wiped his sweat and said, "However, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture reported that he found information on the identity of the murderer on the body of Father Nan." The key evidence!"

"What evidence?" Xiao Mazi asked loudly.

"Going back to the emperor, it's a waist badge." Cao Yin kowtowed tremblingly and said, "The waist badge of the guards in Ao Bai Ao's middle hall was found in the hands of Reverend Nan! It may be that when Reverend Nan was assassinated, he died. Torn from the murderer!"

(End of this chapter)