Chapter 78: Burning Millet and Cutting Pig to Cure Diseases and Save Lives

The Duke's Mansion of the State of Wei.

Xu Bangrui held a piece of letter tightly in his hand, with a look of amazement on his face.

"Good! He also knows that the Zhu family is to blame for the poor administration!"

He actually met such a capable emperor. No wonder he dared to ask him not to seek death. It’s not unfair, it’s really not unfair!
Xu Weizhi stood behind his father and said anxiously, "Father, this was sent urgently from Northern Zhili. Hai Rui is still some distance away from Yingtian Prefecture. Please make a decision soon!"

Hai Rui has almost figured out the whole thing, but my father still has the mood to praise the emperor. It really makes me anxious.

Xu Bangrui ignored his son and continued to stare at the emperor's edict of repentance.

He murmured, "My heart is clear and my determination is unwavering... Good, good, good!"

"My son, to be honest, even I can't help but be impressed by this heroic spirit."

He found it hard to believe that this was a descendant of Emperor Sejong.

Now I have a little understanding of the feelings of my ancestor Xu Da when he followed Taizu as recorded in the letters left in the ancestral temple.

It’s a pity that the prince cannot understand this feeling.

Xu Weizhi was still pacing anxiously behind him, urging him, "Father, let's think about this later. Hai Rui is coming soon, and we don't have much time!"

Even Northern Zhili could get the news, not to mention Huai'an Prefecture.

Basically, as soon as the Angel passed Shandong, we already knew about it in advance.

Finally, Xu Bangrui became impatient with his son's urging and could not help but scold him, "I am not in a hurry, why are you in a hurry?"

"You were tricked into going to Hai Rui and got embarrassed, but you still haven't learned your lesson. You keep thinking about getting back at me. I don't even dare to think about it, how can you be worthy!?"

Xu Weizhi was scolded and wanted to explain himself but stopped.

He turned his head away somewhat embarrassedly and said in a muffled voice: "My child is considering the safety of the Duke's Mansion."

Xu Bangrui frowned and looked at his son.

I wanted to do it several times, but then I thought about my son's age and held back.

He said coldly: "Decision? How do you want me to decide?"

"Do you want you to do the same as that idiot Huaining Hou and secretly dispatch soldiers to kill the imperial envoy?"

"Or should we learn from those civil servants and try to manipulate public opinion?"

"Use your brain!"

"I would never be so anxious to send you up even if I wanted to die."

"Isn't the loss you suffered last time enough to teach you a lesson?!"

Xu Weizhi was a little unconvinced and argued, "But we can't just sit there and wait for death?"

Xu Bangrui took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said in a deep voice: "Just sit there and wait for death? What crime have I committed?"

"How long have I been back in Nanzhili? You can't kill me!"

Not long after returning to Nanzhili, he had already reaped the benefits for half a year, but he was always pushed out to take the blame.

Not to mention committing a crime, he couldn't even command the various rooms in Duke Wei's mansion.

Xu Weizhi was startled and couldn't help but said, "Father, the Tiger Guards were transferred privately before, and they were the third and fourth houses in the mansion..."

Xu Bangrui stood up, interrupted his son, and said coldly: "Yes, you also know that it is the third and fourth rooms."

He said with a cryptic meaning: "If these people have the emperor and their clan in their hearts, they should just sit there and wait for death."

This statement is extremely straightforward.

Xu Weizi finally understood what his father meant, and also finally understood why his father sat calmly and was not in a hurry at all.

It turns out that I was prepared to make some sacrifices!
I couldn't help but feel a chill.

It was as if he realized for the first time that his father was his father and the Duke of Wei was the Duke of Wei.

The thought of sending his family to death so casually almost frightened him!
This is not some distant relative beyond the five degrees of mourning, but a real blood relative!

Not to mention anything else, when certain people were not in Nanzhili, Xu Weizi relied on these uncles. Their kindness and affection were no less than that of his father!

This is the ruthlessness of Duke Wei, this is the bloody struggle! ?

Xu Bangrui put his hands in his sleeves, glanced at his son who was unable to accept it, and said softly: "His Majesty said, Xu Bangrui, don't seek death."

He turned around, patted his son's shoulder, and turned away.

He only left one sentence: "You don't want your father to die, right?"

……

Hubu Yamen.

Cao Bangfu, the Minister of Finance of Nanzhili, threw the letter in his hand into the brazier with a grim look on his face.

The Minister of Rites Qin Minglei sat at the bottom, sitting quietly.

Two pairs of eyes looked at the brazier, with flames reflected in their pupils, swaying and dancing.

He stared at it intently, as if he wanted to memorize the words on it in his heart.

The sky was dark, which just made the two people's faces look flickering.

The two had never thought that after having experienced the reigns of Jiajing and Longqing, they would welcome such a sage ruler just when they were about to retire.

Such a person is rarely seen in all the history. Who would have thought that I would meet one for the first time in history!
Good Saint King, if this isn’t a good Saint King, who else can be one?
This is the welfare of the people, the dawn of the Ming Dynasty, and... for them, a catastrophe.

Qin Minglei shook his head and sighed, praising him: "I spent a long time trying to figure out how the emperor reached a consensus with the officials on the way here."

This is not just a story. When the emperor gives an order, everyone obeys it.

Not to mention such a thing that would damage his reputation, even if the emperor lost a penny, he would forget it.

Cao Bangfu was not very interested and shook his head: "It's nothing more than coercion and inducement."

"Opening China and France and opening the sea are two bones that are enough for them to gnaw on."

"It's just a way to bring people together so that they can take advantage of South Zhili."

It is impossible for those noble officials to willingly dig out their flesh and bleed to carry the emperor's sedan chair.

There must be compensation.

According to what he knew, Zhang Siwei's father was a salt merchant, and he announced his support for the Sino-French Treaty among the salt merchants.

Ma Ziqiang's father had just died, and the emperor took this opportunity to seize his lover.

In addition, many nobles sent people to the south to investigate sea transportation.

Lots and lots of them.

All in all, the stolen money was returned, but everyone benefited from it.

Only those people in Nanzhili were not qualified to bargain with the emperor.

How can this not be infuriating?
Qin Minglei couldn't help but exclaimed: "Even so, this skill is unbelievable to me."

Discussing compromises one by one... This is not an emperor, but a prime minister!
Don't think that it is an easy thing to overcome the majority's opinions or to convince everyone one by one.

Without the qualifications of a prime minister, it is impossible for him to have such skills.

This means that the person sitting on the throne now is a monster who has the talent of a prime minister and the righteousness of an emperor.

Cao Bangfu frowned and said, "Let's not talk about this for now. The question is what should we do now?"

The emperor was so determined that he seemed unafraid of the situation escalating.

Then Nanzhili must either bow its head or show the same determination.

To bow your head means to cut off your flesh, to make up your mind means to gamble your life. It is not an easy choice - Xu Jie just lost the bet.

Qin Minglei reminded meaningfully: "The Duke of Wei's Mansion and the Marquis of Huaining's Mansion are now really closed to visitors. Even the Ministry of War couldn't knock on the door."

This was a reminder to Cao Bangfu that these two military leaders were cowardly, so he should forget about showing off his muscles.

Cao Bangfu also sighed: "If it weren't for that old man Xu Jie, how could we have ended up in this situation?"

Originally, at most Xu Jie would die, and if Yingtian Prefecture spent a little money, Hai Rui could be coaxed back.

But in order to survive, Xu Jie panicked and forced everyone to stick together, which made everyone fall deeper and deeper.

Qin Minglei shook his head: "Minister Cao, it's not us. I have only been in Nanzhili for a short time. Even if I took some, it is not a big crime."

Compared with some people in the Ministry of War who used bows and crossbows, and some people in the Ministry of Revenue who controlled the grain transport, he, Qin, could really escape at any time.

Cao Bangfu was stunned.

He said angrily: "Don't use these words to pressure me. Tell me what you mean."

Qin Minglei nodded, leaned forward, and said seriously: "If you want to get out, you must first understand what the emperor wants!"

"Did Hai Rui come here to take our lives?"

Cao Bangfu immediately responded: "The emperor wants money!"

Qin Minglei nodded: "Southern Zhili is a complicated place, it's not something that can be conquered by just Hai Rui."

He paused, then added: "It would be the same even if Xu Jie came instead!"

Cao Bangfu followed Qin Minglei's line of thought.

He thought: "Since they are not going to make any changes to the official system and territorial divisions of Nanzhili, then they will not force us to be imprisoned."

"Rather than political turmoil, the emperor should hope that Hai Rui can unravel the mystery and bring back the fruits of the salt administration!"

Qin Minglei glanced at the Minister of Revenue, who was still cautious in his choice of words, and felt convinced.

He took over the conversation and added: "Hai Rui should have enough cash to pay for the raid on the salt merchants alone."

"The key point now is that he is investigating how much salt is produced in Nanzhili in order to determine this year's tax amount."

"give him!"

"Sell the future salt tax to the emperor, and we will take the harvest of previous years and apply for retirement!"

This is like a gecko cutting off its tail, stopping the loss in time.

Cao Bangfu was not the kind of person who would rush into flames without hesitation. Once reminded, he immediately understood.

He immediately stood up and said: "Not only the salt administration, but also the grain tax for two seasons can be handed over to Hai Rui!" "Let's go find Hai Rui!"

Qin Minglei quickly pulled him back and reminded him, "We don't have enough weight. Xu Yu, the Chief Censor of the Censorate, went to find Hai Rui and was arrested and brought to the capital. We'd better be cautious."

Cao Bangfu stopped and nodded slowly: "You mean..."

Qin Minglei nodded and said, "Let Li Chunfang come forward for everyone. He has enough status, and if we are all tied together, it will be easier to talk to him."

After the two of them agreed, they went out together.

……

At the Huaihe River port, someone got the news, but it spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred, and everyone knew that Hai Rui was coming to investigate the case.

They crowded at the port and looked into the distance.

In addition to ordinary people, there were also some unknown servants from various mansions who stood at the shore and in the rooms of restaurants, trying to find out Hai Rui's whereabouts.

Soon.

A large ship flying the imperial commissioner's flag slowly appeared in everyone's sight.

Some people watched the fun, while others waved their arms as a way of welcoming them.

The servants and runners looked at each other, then disappeared into the crowd and returned home to report the news.

The big ship approached.

The people around him played the governor's avoidance and silence card and dispersed the crowd.

The Jinyiwei occupied key positions to prevent hidden arrows from hurting people.

The first one to get off the boat was Wei Chao. He led the young eunuch away and went straight to the government office, asking the prefect of Yingtian to copy the emperor's edict of guilt.

Xu Jie watched the eunuch leave and murmured, "He is actually going to announce it to the world. No wonder he uses plain language. It's really bold."

Hai Rui said without any unnecessary expression: "This edict is worth reading for everyone in the world, so that we can know...what the overall situation will be in the future."

"Your Majesty said this is called the greatest possible unity of the front."

Uncommon words do not affect understanding.

Xu Jie was speechless.

Everyone got off the boat one after another.

Xu Jie was surrounded in the middle, like a puppet, being driven forward.

Ever since he saw the emperor's edict of guilt, he understood that none of the people involved in the case would be able to escape.

The determination that comes through the paper is truly unshakable unless it means rebellion.

He suddenly understood why the emperor went to the Western Garden.

At that time, some people speculated that the cabinet was extremely powerful and colluded with the empress dowager to undermine the emperor.

Some people also speculated that the emperor was at odds with his court officials and deliberately hid in the Western Garden.

But in Xu Jie's eyes now, it is very clear - this is a rainy day preparation, and he has been prepared for this moment long ago!
If it weren't for this caution, the emperor would probably have died young.

So, how long in advance was this planned!?

He could hardly see any flaws in the emperor.

Cruel and vicious, yet upright.

Move forward courageously, yet be cautious.

It's really a hopeless opponent.

Xu Jie casually asked, "What do you want my old bones to do?"

He was wondering if there was any way out for himself and the Xu family.

Xu Jie was not a man who would wait for death. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would struggle to survive.

Rebellion? There is no need to think too much about this. We have already found the Marquis of Huaining and the Duke of Wei. It is impossible for them to make such a big mistake and give these people the opportunity to collude and rebel.

Escape? Xu Jie looked up at Hai Rui. If it were an ordinary person, he might be able to play a trick of faking his own death and escaping with him. Unfortunately, this was a hard and stinky stone.

So, true surrender? But the emperor seemed to hate him to the core, even if we take a step back, he himself had no bargaining chips to surrender.

Thinking of this, Xu Jie couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness in his heart.

If he was still in the center and knew the emperor's character earlier, he would not have fallen to this point!

Hai Rui fell behind and hesitated for a moment, "Let's go find Zhang Jing, the garrison commander of Nanjing first!"

……

Nanjing Garrison.

"What, dead!?"

Hai Rui and Xu Jie looked at each other and saw surprise in each other's eyes.

Zhang Jing nodded: "The Huaining Marquisate issued a funeral this morning."

Xu Jie quickly asked: "Have you seen the body?"

Don’t use some trick like the one on fire that makes it hard to see the face.

Zhang Jing was born a eunuch, and habitually said with flattery: "Master Xu, I went to see it myself, it is Sun Shizong himself."

"The Sun family said he died of illness, but... in my opinion, he committed suicide out of fear of punishment!"

"Not only the Huaining Marquis' Mansion, but also the Duke of Wei's Mansion this morning has also received tragic news of family members dying from illness."

Having said that, he couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

It would have been fine if Marquis Huaining, who had previously clashed with him, had died suddenly overnight, but he did not expect that the Duke of Wei would also kneel down so quickly.

Was he scared to death by the imperial envoy?

Zhang Jing is still confused about what exactly happened.

Hai Rui sneered, "They are probably all related to the unusual movements of Huai'an Guards, Feixiong Guards, and Huben Right Guards."

This is meant to preserve one's dignity and avoid being involved in too many issues. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that.

Marquis Huaining was conferred the title during the Tianshun period and gained the title through the Battle of the Gate. He has always been at the bottom of the contempt chain.

The current Marquis of Huaining, Sun Shizong, is the eighth generation and inherited the title during the Jiajing period.

The Nanjing garrison commander was also in charge of the Central Military Governor's Office, and he had been operating in Nanjing for a long time, so he could almost be said to be the top figure in the Southern Zhili military.

The Duke of Wei was the local tyrant in Southern Zhili.

After all, he was a founding hero and had been doing business in Nanjing for generations. In terms of deep roots, he was unrivaled.

Basically, each guard and each office were influenced by the Duke of Wei's Mansion.

I just didn't expect these two companies to kneel so quickly.

It can be said that these people were scared to death.

But this is not the end. After all, this matter is probably related to the Ministry of War.

The fact that he was the assistant minister of the Nanjing Garrison Office, who also served as the Nanjing Minister of War, was enough to implicate him.

Just when everyone is thinking.

A eunuch suddenly ran in and whispered something into Zhang Jing's ear.

Xu Jie took advantage of his seniority and slammed the table: "As the governor of Nanzhili, I cannot bear to hear such words!"

Zhang Jing was startled and blurted out: "Former Grand Secretary Li Chunfang wants to see the two imperial envoys!"

Hai Rui and Xu Jie looked at each other.

Then, without saying a word, they all stood up at the same time.

……

Although Li Chunfang was from Yangzhou Prefecture, he also purchased a house in Yingtian Prefecture to facilitate his socializing and traveling.

This house is not big, but it has a literary temperament.

The mansion is dotted with pavilions and towers in an orderly manner, all in blue and gray, appearing cold and aloof.

Even with its flying eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, it is not gorgeous but rather exquisite and elegant.

In the rippling pond in the center of the courtyard, there are unknown plants planted in red and green.

Li Chunfang casually sprinkled some bait, attracting the koi to shuttle back and forth, causing ripples.

"Master, Xu Shaohu and Hai Gangfeng are here." The servant reported.

Li Chunfang clapped his hands and slowly stood up.

Throw all the bait in your hand into the pond.

He turned around and said, "Please ask them to come over."

As soon as he finished speaking, a voice came from behind him.

"I am here to investigate the case. I can go to any place involved in the case. I don't need anyone to invite me."

Li Chunfang turned around and saw Xu Jie and Hai Rui entering together. The Jinyiwei behind them spread out in all directions like a tide, guarding key positions.

Hai Rui looked at Li Chunfang and said expressionlessly, "According to the criminal Wang Ruyan, when he was promoted from county magistrate to return to Beijing, he followed Li Shilu's path, and even when he was corrupt afterwards, he would pay tribute to Li Shilu. Is this true?"

Li Chunfang glanced at Xu Jie and then at Hai Rui.

He shook his head helplessly: "Hai Gangfeng doesn't need to play any tricks to grab the attention of others. He really has something important to do."

Hai Rui was exposed, but he didn't feel embarrassed. He continued, "So Xu Shaohu's example moved Li Shilu, and now he wants to surrender himself?"

Since you have come to find Li Chunfang on your own initiative, you must not lose the initiative in the conversation.

Li Chunfang is very good at cultivating his qi and remains unmoved.

He pondered for a moment, raised his head and looked straight at Hai Rui, and said, "I can guess your majesty's purpose."

He paused, and said seriously, "I can help your majesty share his worries and split up Nanzhili!"

(End of this chapter)