Survival countdown

Zheng You summoned a dozen shopkeepers in the bank, who were in charge of accepting bribes in the capital and other provinces to help some candidates cheat in the imperial examinations in recent years.

The money collected by Qiu Wei last year was stored in the bank, about 150 million taels of silver, and the abacus was planned to be able to move out 80 taels of silver for use.

Zheng You: "I didn't want to touch this money at first, but unfortunately the situation is serious, and you have seen it. I will take half of the money first, and the rest will be settled after the limelight passes. I will never treat you badly, let alone make up for it. I will embezzle this money. You know my Zhengyou style of doing things. If you follow me, as long as you are honest, loyal, and do your errands well, I can make your family live comfortably. But if anyone is rebellious, betray everyone behind my back , don't blame me for being ruthless!"

More than a dozen shopkeepers said in unison: "You guys understand!"

"Very good. Although our heads are hanging on a rope, we don't need to be too frightened. There are people from the court behind us to help us deal with it. During this time, be more careful, guard against outsiders of unknown origin, and drink less flower wine. !"

More than a dozen shopkeepers gave guarantees, and Zheng Youcai asked someone to get the keys and take out the banknotes that can be exchanged in 31 prefectures of [-] provinces, a total of five small boxes.

Four of the boxes contained banknotes, and a book of poetry was placed in the fifth box. Zheng You went straight to the fifth box to take out the book of poetry.

As soon as he put it in his hands, the doors and windows were kicked open, and well-trained guards in black robes and armor broke into the bank, surrounded the meeting hall, and took down more than a dozen shopkeepers.Zheng You quickly threw the Book of Songs into the stove, a Tang saber pierced through the air, with a bang sound, the stove fell to the ground, and was trampled down by a foot wearing high boots. How powerful a person must be!

The adjutant picked up a corner of the book and asked, "What is this?"

Zheng You: "My lord can't read? It's clearly written on it—Book of Songs." He waved his arms and brushed off the imperial guards who detained him: "May I ask which law did you use to detain us when you trespassed on the bank? We abide by the law People, the moon is as bright as water, and if you talk about poetry and Taoism while you are in the mood, which law of the great scene is violated?"

The adjutant said clearly: "You colluded with the examiner, bribed the public, practiced favoritism, murdered and silenced you, and committed the felony of decapitation. Dali Temple is not qualified to detain you?!"

Zheng You's face was pale, and a dozen shopkeepers were frightened instantly, and some of them passed out on the spot.

"Collude with examiners from other provinces, steal the day and change the day, replace other people's papers with candidates who have paid a lot of money, or circle the candidates who have no real talents to make them rank. Crippled! You even intercepted and killed the candidates who went to Beijing to sue for the imperial certificate without authorization! You are so bold and reckless, how dare you tell me about the laws and regulations of the Great Scene and the Criminal Law?"

The adjutant scolded: "Come on, take them back to Dali Temple!"

***

Zheng You was stubborn, he was whipped to the brink of death and refused to confide a word, the other shopkeepers were not as tough as him, they first threatened the false, and then punished him, in less than half a day, someone confessed to bribing the examiner, engaging in malpractice and killing others crime.

There is a simple tea room in the torture hall of Dali Temple, which is only separated from the torture hall by a wall.The adjutant walked into the tea room and presented more than a dozen statements to Huo Jingtang.Huo Jingtang rested his elbows on the armrest of the Grand Master's chair, propped his upper body, and sat obliquely, not a bit like a scholar-bureaucrat sitting upright, looking extraordinarily lazy and unruly.

Huo Jingtang flipped through the confession, ten lines at a glance: "It's almost there."

After a moment of silence, he asked again: "Is there any use in asking about the Book of Songs?"

Adjutant: "The question came out, and it is said to be a black account. Remember the chief examiners who accepted bribes in the Jiangnan examination room, the examinees who bribed the examiners, and the transaction money in the past year, each transaction is clearly recorded, and the highest one is nearly 30 taels of silver. There are at least a thousand taels, ranging from scholars, tribute students, Juren, tribute scholars, and even Jinshi. The prices are clearly marked, and the nature is similar to that of selling officials and nobles. Such a huge network of relationships cannot be managed by a single member of Zheng. The bigger backer is either King Qin or Duke Zheng Guo."

As soon as the words fell, Shaoqing of Dali Temple next to him couldn't help trembling in his calves.

He is a member of King Qin's family. Although he has not been in refuge for a long time, it was only because of his tip-off during this period that the plan of King Qin's party was carried out smoothly.If King Qin suffers, it may also affect his wealth and life.

So, how can you not be afraid?

Huo Jingtang flipped through the Book of Songs: "How do you read this black book?"

Adjutant: "This is the first half of the book. It only records the entry and exit of stolen money. There is also the second half of the book that records the examiners and candidates. Zheng You deposited the second half of the black account in the pawn shop, and the deposit slip is with him. Only he knows the whereabouts of the black account. .Even if the first half of the black account is found out, as long as the second half is hidden, we will at most find Zheng You here and it will be broken. Taking ten thousand steps back, the second half of the black account is accidentally lost, no matter how genius People can't figure out that a Book of Poems actually records officials who bribed and accepted bribes in the entire Jiangnan examination room! This Zheng You is really capable, but it's a pity that he didn't follow the right path."

Huo Jingtang: "Have you found out the whereabouts of the second half of the black book?"

Adjutant: "Ask it, but lost it."

Huo Jingtang: "Where did you lose it?"

The adjutant's expression was quite strange: "Zheng You was drinking and gambling with someone, and exported the deposit slip. The black account was taken away by a traveling businessman surnamed Zhao, and the traveling businessman was Zhao who competed with Zheng You for the singing girl at the flower tea house that day. whitefish."

Huo Jingtang was surprised: "...?"

The adjutant broke down a bit: "I just said that Zhao Baiyu is evil!"

***

Yan Bing: "Although Mrs. Liu has already confessed, her testimony can at least prove Mr. Chen's innocence, but how to send this testimony to Dali Temple together with Mrs. Liu? How do you explain why Mrs. Liu was sent to Dali Temple rashly? Mrs. Liu is in our hands? How to explain the tooth card? How to prevent Mrs. Liu from biting us back and saying that we lynched to extract a confession?"

Wei Bo also had this concern: "Why don't you throw Mrs. Liu and the confession at the gate of Dali Temple in the dark?"

Zhao Baiyu: "It won't work. Leaving aside the night ban, Dali Temple is even more heavily guarded. It is said that Mrs. Liu has seen my face, and from our conversation, I can deduce that I am working in the Yamen of the Kyoto Prefecture. It’s a matter of time before it happens to me.”

Yan Bing was very distressed: "Then what should I do?"

Wei Bo said harshly, "How about Mrs. Liu's poisonous hoarse voice?"

Zhao Baiyu: "The confession that proves the innocence of the teacher will be greatly reduced." He put his hands in his hands, interacted with his fingers in his sleeves, and said, "Ask the ten princes for help."

Wei Bo was puzzled: "Why is the ten princes willing to help?" He didn't know about the Wannian Xuepo.

Zhao Baiyu said in the future: "Master Ji always said that he is a noble person, and when he mentioned it, he was full of respect. He must be of high status and has a close relationship with King Kang. This nobleman owes me a life-saving favor, and he must be willing to help to say a word to the little county king. talk."

"The tenth prince has always had a good relationship with the uncle and nephew of the Prince of Lin'an, and he is indeed the best candidate to take over the Liu family." Wei Bo was thoughtful.

Zhao Baiyu: "I'm going to find Mr. Ji now."

***

In the county palace, the adjutant who was earnestly admonishing Huo Jingtang to have an audience with His Majesty to return Zhao Wulang's marriage as soon as possible: "General, you asked His Majesty to give you a marriage in the first place to let His Majesty test the depth of the Zhao Mansion, as well as the princes and court officials. The reason for contacting the official cannot be taken seriously. As long as you open your mouth, His Majesty will definitely withdraw your order. I guess the old man will wait for you to speak first. It is impossible for a man to enter our county palace."

"General, don't be angry with Your Majesty. Now that the poison on your body has been cured, what worries do you have? Besides, Zhao Wulang was also forced to accept a marriage gift. Isn't it just a way to repay your life-saving love by rescinding the engagement?"

The adjutant felt that Zhao Baiyu was an evil person, how could there be such a coincidence in the world?

Either it was artificially arranged to get close to the general on purpose, or it was God's will, that would be even more evil!

The old god Huo Jingtang was still there, continuing to carve his purple wood, and he had already seen the embryonic form of a Bodhisattva.

He beckoned, beckoning the adjutant to come over, and waited for the adjutant to show a curious and puzzled expression before speaking: "You said that if I engraved Manjushri Bodhisattva and gave Zhao Wulang as a betrothal gift, would he like it?"

The adjutant didn't hesitate: "Who would like a wood-carved Manjushri Bodhisattva as the bride price?"

Huo Jingtang: "How about changing it to Guanyin? Manjusri means wisdom, and Guanyin means compassion. It is true that Guanyin is more auspicious. I heard that he also cares about giving birth."

Adjutant: "What's the use of sending a son to a man?"

Huo Jingtang didn't care at all: "It's just a good intention. Zongzheng, why are you so serious?"

He is serious?The adjutant swallowed his anger: "General, I'm telling you business, but now it's best to find someone to steal another black account from Zhao Wulang, so as not to cause trouble."

"What's the rush? Zhao Wulang is the one who is in a hurry now, and he will take the initiative to send the other half of the black account."

As soon as the words were finished, the voice of the ten princes came from the courtyard: "Ziyu, guess who I brought here? Haha, it's the Liu family that the crown prince, King Qin, and Dali Temple can't find anywhere!"

Missing Liu?The adjutant was shocked and curious.

Ten Princes: "Guess again who sent Mrs. Liu to the door? You must not be able to guess! You will never be able to guess! Even I was caught off guard—" Kang Wang, who was in a hurry, revealed the answer before Huo Jingtang could ask. Come out: "It's Zhao Wulang! Zhao Baiyu, my nephew!"

Zhao Baiyu?Why is it him again? !

The adjutant felt struck by lightning in his heart, and turned his head to look at Huo Jingtang in astonishment.

Huo Jingtang propped his chin and smiled flamboyantly: "I said he would take the initiative to deliver it to the door, so it's here?"

The adjutant despaired.

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The author has something to say:

Adjutant: Am I really the only one who thinks Zhao Baiyu is evil?

PS: Lao Huo's eyes are glazed yellow. The glazed color written in the article refers to the very clear colored glazed yellow. The default is glazed yellow.

In fact, there is no such thing as colored glaze. There are many colors of glazed glass. I thought it was a little ugly to write colored glazed yellow, so I replaced them with colored glaze.