Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 18: Boring, I want to see a river of blood!
"Sure enough, it's in the clock tower..."

Seeing that his "other self" had successfully found the target person, Zhou Liang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief:

Although Zhou Liang, as the leader of the rebellion, always knew that these people were stationed near the Bell Tower in Xi'an on a daily basis, he had no idea whether civilians would be lucky enough to run into them.

Fortunately, they met by chance, or rather, they were drawn here on their own initiative...

They are the Jinyiwei, the legendary emperor’s personal army!

Before the Divine Emperor ascended to the throne, the Imperial Guard had always been an extremely powerful entity, with a reputation for "robbing loyal officials and arresting them indiscriminately".

After the Divine Emperor ascended to godhood, the Imperial Guards became even more powerful. Not only were they granted a great deal of divine power by the Divine Emperor, becoming human-skinned monsters capable of destroying an army single-handedly, they were also highly trusted by the Divine Emperor and given the privilege of supervising local areas!

They are scattered throughout the major cities of the country, maintaining direct contact with the Divine Emperor at all times. If local officials fail to perform their duties, or if a peasant uprising breaks out, they can immediately suppress it... They are simply the Divine Emperor's most loyal and brutal lackeys, their hands stained with the blood of the people...

Zhou Liang's pig-killing society was also suppressed by the Jinyiwei, and he himself even died from the Jinyiwei's persecution, so he never had a good impression of these lackeys of the God Emperor.

If there was no other way out this time, Zhou Liang would not have asked his "other self" to seek help from the Jinyiwei...

"I didn't contact the Imperial Guards before because it was too risky. If I reported it rashly, I might be accused of being an accomplice..."

"Secondly, these lackeys are likely to know about the provincial exam scam. After all, they're constantly seeing each other, so it's impossible for them not to know... But even though they know, they don't do anything. This shows that they're likely part of a network of interests. If I just go to them to report the provincial exam issues, not only will they ignore it, they might even kill me..."

Zhou Liang, who has studied the Ming Dynasty officialdom for many years, is not as naive as the newbie in thinking that the Jinyiwei will help the common people. Zhou Liang is certain:

As the saying goes, you have to use big bait to catch big fish. If you want to bring the high and mighty Jinyiwei down to earth to help the common people get justice, you can only make a big news for them!

And there are probably few news stories in the world that could be bigger than the news of "The discovery of the remnant of the rebel Li Laiheng"...

Besides, doesn’t Li Laiheng also want to make a big news?

Then let your dream come true!
Zhou Liang pursed his lips...

【Assassination of the Governor?】

[Boring, I want to see a river of blood! 】

[In the excitement, once you open your mouth, you can't stop talking anymore...]

"Li Laiheng is in my hometown, Mizhi County!"

"And the entire Shaanxi Provincial Administration Office is involved in the anti-Ming organization!"

[Jinyiwei: ...]

"I have to admit, your shocking claims sound like a false accusation, so the Jinyiwei don't quite believe them. But after all, this is about the remnants of the bandits, so whether it's true or not, we should investigate first. If it's false, that would be the best, we could just take you away and deal with you. But if it's true, then we're in big trouble..."

[So, after a brief discussion, several Jinyiwei took you back to Mizhi County. Then, based on the character description you provided, they targeted those old men.]

[However, they didn't directly arrest anyone for questioning. After all, they didn't know how many people were on the other side, nor did they know if the old man was actually Li Laiheng... Anyway, they had to investigate first!]

[And this investigation immediately revealed the problem...]

Because these people did behave strangely. Although they acted like ordinary civilians, the sharp-eyed Jinyiwei quickly noticed: These old men must have been soldiers before! And elite soldiers at that!

After all, the inherent competence and murderous aura of elite soldiers is indelible. Even if they conceal it well, a professional will always find flaws if they observe carefully.

[At this age, he still served in the military...]

[Several Jinyiwei looked at each other strangely: I wonder if they've really caught a big fish...]

"Tell me, who are their accomplices?"

[A Jinyiwei said with a hint of meaning: "You can say whatever you want..."]

[No one is stupid, and you've made it perfectly clear: reporting the thief is clearly not your real goal, otherwise you wouldn't have immediately attacked the entire Shaanxi officialdom.]

[Everyone can see that you're trying to take advantage of this opportunity to settle a personal grudge...]

[But the Jinyiwei don't care. They don't care what grudges you have against others. Since you gave them a big fish, as a trade, they don't mind helping you.]

[In fact, not only are they not afraid of you speaking up, but they actually hope you'll open your mouth and bring in more important people. After all, the more powerful the person you report, the bigger the case they can handle... After all, as the emperor's personal soldiers, there are few people in the world they can't afford to offend. They're only worried that the case isn't big enough, because the bigger the case, the greater their credit...]

You: Since everyone knows this, I won’t act in this drama anymore!

[Excited, you begin to recall the darkness you have witnessed in this short life...]

Your master, along with the academician and the county magistrate, repeatedly marketed fake child prodigies, defrauding them of huge bounties! The impoverished scholars of northern Shaanxi, following your lead, wantonly fabricated unofficial histories, slandering the long-dead Li Zicheng. Because they were so ruthless, you were hacked offline by the remnants of the bandit group, and you were nearly killed!

[When you were taking the provincial examination, that gatekeeper openly sold you the title of Juren!]

[After the provincial examination, you should have passed, but because your paper was replaced, you failed! ]

When I went to the Xi'an government office to check the exam papers, the clerk lied with his eyes open, claiming that someone else's failed paper was yours!

[When you went to the Provincial Administration Office to report it, the guard who clearly knew something yelled at you to get out!]

[…The butcher Zhang in Mizhi County always shortchanges his customers by weight.]

[…That profiteer who sells grain always uses the trick of using different buckets to make a profit.]

[…The student in the school nicknamed "Leopard Boy" also always liked to bully younger children. He and his scoundrel cousin often committed crimes in the county town, beating people, stealing money, and molesting women…]

Suddenly, you thought of so many people and things that made you angry, some big, some small, from the powerful provincial governor to the street thugs and delinquent students... Darkness is everywhere, and it makes you feel disgusted and nauseous. You wish you could turn into Sun Wukong and beat them all to the ground, turning everything upside down and into ashes!

[In the past, you were too weak and powerless, so you couldn't do anything.]

[And now, the world's most powerful enforcer of violence is right in front of you, and they are willing to use their tangible hands to help you accomplish a small favor that is a piece of cake for them...]

[You smiled, then seized the opportunity and refined it in an instant!]

……

"Are there any accomplices? Of course!"

You solemnly told the Imperial Guards: The rebel Li Laiheng has lived in seclusion in Shaanxi for years, yet he has never been discovered... Is this possible? Is Ming Dynasty politics really that corrupt?

[Obviously not! Because under His Majesty the Divine Emperor's meticulous governance, the world has long been peaceful, everyone lives and works in peace and contentment, it's like the era of Yao and Shun, where people don't pick up things on the streets and doors are left unlocked at night!]

[The whole world sings the praises of Chongzhen's prosperous era, and the six realms all worship the God of Coal Mountain! ]

How could the Shaanxi officials, in such a prosperous era under the rule of such a wise and benevolent emperor, be so corrupt that they couldn't catch Li Laiheng? Not to mention that Li Laiheng had been living in his hometown of Mizhi County in northern Shaanxi. If they couldn't catch him right under their noses, do you think the officials were truly innocent?

"Therefore, all Shaanxi officials must have been involved in hiding Li Laiheng. It's not just this term of officials who are at fault; even those from previous terms are implicated! From the 17th year of Chongzhen to the present, over the past 30 years, every provincial governor, prefect, county magistrate, and official should be thoroughly investigated!"

【Jinyiwei: ……】

You're getting more and more excited: These traitors, disloyal to the Ming Dynasty and even more so to the Divine Emperor, must be the thorns Li Zicheng deliberately planted in the Ming Dynasty! We should ruthlessly pluck them out and completely eliminate the remaining poison of Li Zicheng!

"How can we manage politics properly while hanging around these insects? For the sake of Ming and His Majesty, we should send them to heaven one by one!"

[Jinyiwei: ...You are a bit too extreme.]

During the Tang Dynasty, the cruel official Lai Junchen wrote a book called "The Art of Fabricating False Stories." The book specifically teaches people how to fabricate charges and frame others. It was so incisive that even Zhou Xing, a fellow cruel official, exclaimed, "Lai Junchen is even more extreme!"

[But in fact, truly "gifted" people don't need to learn the "Art of Fabricating Fabrics" specifically, because they only need to use their natural talents, which are enough to make the old cruel officials who have studied the "Art of Fabricating Fabrics" all their lives exclaim in admiration...]

You're clearly quite talented. In just a few words, you've presented the entire "Shaanxi Anti-Ming, Anti-God Emperor Organization" to the stunned Imperial Guards!

Your ambition shocked the Imperial Guards. While they really wanted to make a big story, they never imagined you would go so far as to make the situation so blatant!

[From the provincial governor to the grassroots officials, from this term to thirty years ago... You've plowed Shaanxi several times! Even when Emperor Taizu was frantically implicating all the officials in the court, he didn't bite everyone like you do...]

"That's outrageous...please be milder."

A Jinyiwei shook his head. "At most, they can take down the current governor. And if there's no direct evidence proving the governor's connection to the rebels, then even that won't be taken down. At most, they can take down a few prefects."

[After hearing this, you can't help but feel a little disappointed. It seems that killing people and flowing blood is unlikely. After all, you have no evidence. You are just biting people randomly...]

[Wait! Evidence?]

You were stunned for a moment, then asked in a strange tone, "Does the intruder's own words count as evidence?"

A Jinyiwei raised his eyebrows, as if understanding your meaning, and said, "Just blaming others is actually of limited use... But if we can find a letter written by the rebel to the governor, and search the governor's house, then it might be possible..."

You smile knowingly, then walk straight towards the house where "Li Laiheng" lives in the distance, wanting to discuss a business deal that would satisfy both parties...

【Revenge, you are serious! 】

……

(End of this chapter)