Chapter 323: Changsun Wuji, who once covered the sky with one hand
"Such a place harboring filth and evil was able to be cleaned up to this extent in just over ten days. You have done a great job!"
Li Yan was located in Beishi, looking at the slave meeting place and speaking in approval.
Jin Liangtu and Gong Siguang stood on his left and right, both showing expressions of excitement and glory.
Jin Liangtu was the first to speak: "Li Jiyi is overrated. We still have many shortcomings. These slave traders are all so bold. The report letter is absolutely correct. They actually dare to sell people from the Tang Dynasty to other countries!"
Li Yan nodded slightly: "In the eyes of the world, scholars, farmers, industrialists, and merchants are often greedy for profit and unjust. Although it does not need to be generalized, there are still businessmen with conscience, but these slave merchants are extremely rare.
…”
Li Yan never talked about death, but Jin Liangtu knew that not only were they extremely rare, but there were no clean slave traders. He immediately said: "Trading foreign slaves in the Tang Dynasty is a huge profit, and for the same reason, selling Tang slaves in foreign countries is also a huge profit."
, how could they hold back?"
"Please rest assured, Li Jiyi, maybe this kind of thing cannot be completely eradicated, but as long as I am in the capital, I will definitely fight to the end. I will not let people from the Tang Dynasty become slaves in other places. If I encounter them, I will save them and return!"
As expected of the boss of the Tang Dynasty, his indignant tone was definitely sincere. Li Yan appreciated this and nodded: "Very good!"
Gong Siguang flew up with the new grass in his arms. The cat finally stopped resisting fiercely, but his eyes were tired and he moved his paws from time to time.
But he became even more happy: "Li Jiyi, the Gong family's property has been basically withdrawn, but there is still a lot of money left. I want to arrange for the clan members to open a slave meeting place."
Li Yan's brows moved slightly: "You have to think clearly, entering at this time will be a thankless effort."
Gong Siguang said: "I have thought about it clearly. Didn't the slaves of the Chengyi Chamber of Commerce catch foreign spies? Humph, those small countries dare to take the attention of my great country. Wait until I open a slave meeting.
If I can collect intelligence from foreign races, even if I don’t make any money, I’d be happy to provide some different sources of intelligence for the internal guards!”
Jin Liangtu couldn't help but be impressed after hearing this. This was the same as the Gong family building Luoyang in the past when Li ruled the Eastern Capital. They were spending money to obtain political resources.
However, in the past, Gong's target was the sage and emperor, and this Gong Siguang's target was Li Jiyi, who had a bright future.
Jin Liangtu felt that this choice was more sensible. After all, Li Jiyi was really good to his own people.
Of course, Gong Siguang really couldn't transfer his money. The Gong family had accumulated a lot of wealth in Luoyang over the years, which explained what it meant to be pregnant with a jade. Instead of being plundered by the enemy and becoming more greedy after seeing the blood, it was better to give it up.
A clean one.
But Gong Siguang couldn't handle the small things, but he was courageous in the big things. He just threw down all the money and firmly hugged the inner guard's thigh.
Li Yan was very pleased with this: "You asked the Gong clan members to work hard. If this matter can be done well, the inner guards will not treat those who have made a difference."
Gong Siguang nodded heavily: "I will definitely supervise them."
Just as he was about to continue his inspection, he came quickly and the inner guard came to report: "Li Jiyi, Qiu Wuwei said that the results of the interrogation have been obtained, please go back immediately."
Li Yan made a few instructions and returned immediately. As soon as he entered the imperial city, he saw Qiu Shenji standing with the imperial guards equipped with crossbows: "Liu Lang, I didn't see you in the inner guards. I didn't dare to leave the imperial palace when I thought of Jia Sibo."
The city is waiting for you under the guard of the Forbidden Army."
Li Yan solemnly said: "It seems that this answer is not trivial. Who is 'Zuoming'?"
Qiu Shenji said: "According to Yang Jiaben's account, the 'commander' is a member of the Changsun family."
Li Yan was a little surprised when he heard Yang Jiaben's name, but his focus was mainly on the answer: "Unexpected, but reasonable!"
He believed in Qiu Shenji's interrogation ability. After interrogating him for so many days, he still couldn't find out. It was obviously because the truth was too important. Once it was revealed, not even the Yang family of Hongnong could handle it.
Extrapolating from this point, the range is actually very small. Combined with the various traces of the Neiwei old man, the Changsun family is the most reasonable among them.
Since Li Yan entered the court, whether it was the unfairness of the imperial examination or the illustrious Duke, he could feel the terrifying influence of the Guanlong clan. But in fact, this was the time when the Guanzhong gentry was severely hit by Li Zhi.
The way it passed.
If he had traveled through the era of Yonghui's rule, he would have truly witnessed the most glorious moments of the Guanzhong family. Changsun Wuji responded to his call and gathered an unprecedentedly powerful political force that was above the imperial power.
Li Zhi, who had just ascended the throne at that time, was in his early twenties. He was not a prince originally. It was his turn that Li Chengqian committed suicide. In just a few years, he could not cultivate a qualified team. It was natural for him to be ignored by a powerful figure like Changsun Wuji.
matter.
However, Li Shimin's prestige still existed, and the loyalty of the military forces to the Li and Tang royal families was extremely high. Li Zhi took advantage of the post-abolition opportunity and obtained the statement of the British Duke Li Ji, the leader of the military, and finally broke Changsun Wu.
Avoid a dictatorial pattern with one hand covering the sky, and stay in power with your own hands.
From then on, the rule of Yonghui ended, and the queens and queens supported by the Guanlong family were deposed, which represented the decline of Changsun Wuji from his peak to prosperity.
Even so, the Duke of Zhao managed to hold on for four full years, his power gradually being deprived of power, and finally he was idle at home.
At that time, Changsun Wuji probably did not expect that his nephew, who was always known for his filial piety, would actually kill all his nephews. Not only did he slander him for treason, but he also launched an unprecedented implicated attack, which affected so wide a range that it was unimaginable.
If Li Yan remembered correctly, not to mention the living members of the Changsun family, even the dead Changsun Sheng had not escaped, and even the temple for sacrifices had been knocked down.
That was Empress Changsun's father, the saint's maternal grandfather, and he died a truly filial piety.
If we also consider that Changsun Wuji was the third chief of the inner guard, his death meant that the inner guard was officially abolished. It was not until the disastrous defeat of Dafeichuan that Li Zhi reactivated the inner guard. The hatred and entanglement involved became even more complicated.
Seeing Li Yan frowning, Qiu Shenji was equally worried: "Liu Lang, although we know the target, it is not easy to investigate. The case of Changsun Wuji's rebellion has become a taboo in the court, and few people dare to even mention it."
Li Yan thought for a while and said, "After the death of the former Duke of Zhao, all his family members were sent to Lingnan, right?"
"If 'Zuoming' is a member of the Changsun family, he is either a fish that slipped through the net during the arrest, or one of the criminals exiled in Lingnan escaped."
"This is the job that Jin Langzhong is currently responsible for. Go to the capital to check the information first."
Duguansi is responsible for managing slaves, captives, exiled officials and their families, and the records of criminals who were exiled to Lingnan are stored in it.
Jin Liangtu was quickly called over. When he heard that he wanted to investigate the heir of a high-ranking official who died fifteen years ago, he immediately hurried to do it.
Having come to the Tang Dynasty ten years ago, he obviously had no impression of Changsun Wuji.
But the officials who were involved in the lawsuit, all the older ones, changed their expressions when they heard that the criminals of the Sun family were to be investigated, and one of them even trembled.
Qiu Shenji couldn't help but be speechless when he saw it: "More than ten years have passed, and this Duke of Zhao still has such influence?"
Li Yan observed their expressions carefully: "I'm afraid it's not just about influence..."
He looked at the oldest Yuanwai Lang, who trembled slightly: "Marquis Yuanwai Lang?"
Yuan Wai Lang is the deputy of the doctor, from the sixth rank, the rank is not low, and the salary and fortune are equally rich.
This official was obviously over fifty years old, but he had fewer wrinkles and a rosy complexion. He had obviously lived a pampered and wealthy life. When he came up to him, he said respectfully: "Li Jiyi!"
Li Yandao: "Based on Hou Yuanwai's age, he should have been an eyewitness to Zhao Guogong's conspiracy, right?"
The Hou Yuanwai pursed his lips and said dryly: "Li Jiyi clearly knows that I was in the capital court and was appointed as the commander-in-chief."
Li Yan asked: "This case is of great importance, and there are many people in exile. Go and get all the case records for me. If there are none in Luoyang, send someone to Chang'an to get them. Don't miss any of them. Can you do it?"
The waiter showed a bitter look on his face and bowed his hands: "Li Jiyi, I'm afraid it won't be possible. A fire in the first year of Linde burned all the previous case records."
Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly: "The first year of Linde...that was the fire ten years ago?"
The Hou Yuanwai bowed his head and said: "Yes, the fire was so fierce that all four departments of the Criminal Department were affected and suffered serious losses. Most of the case files and records were burned. What the Criminal Department has now are from the past ten years...
"
Li Yan thought that when he was investigating the Jiangnan murder case six years ago, he was worried about a fire and burned the case files. Fortunately, it did not happen at that time and he found the truth from clues. But now the case records of the family members of the criminals are being stored in lawsuits, but
Destroyed by fire…
He waved his hand: "In that case, you can go and do your own business!"
The marquis, as if he had been granted amnesty, bowed and stepped down.
After exiting the gate of the Criminal Department, Li Yan immediately looked at Jin Liangtu: "Has this person also been bribed?"
Jin Liangtu immediately said: "Before the official came, there was no clean case in any lawsuit."
Li Yan said: "Shen Ji, let someone keep an eye on the Hou Yuan first. If he contacts others, he will follow the clues. If there is no movement from him in the past few days, we will use Dali Temple to arrest him on the charge of accepting bribes and ask him to find out."
Hidden secrets.”
Qiu Shenji accepted the order: "Yes!"
After Jin Liangtu and Qiu Shenji went to do business, Li Yan pondered for a moment, not wanting to waste time on this little Yuanwailang, so he sent a message to the North Gate Bachelor of the East Palace.
Soon, Yuan Wanqing, one of the North Gate scholars, came to the inner guard.
Ever since the prince accepted Empress Wu's intellectual team, Miao Shenke brought five others to visit him at his residence. He was very grateful. Li Yan also received them once, but he didn't move around much after that.
It’s not that he is deliberately cold, the main reason is that the North Gate bachelor is so busy that he works almost eight hours a day. He only goes to work before noon, and his work is mainly about practicing martial arts, so it is better not to disturb other people’s struggles.
Yuan Wanqing was also interrupted at work, but when he heard that it was him calling him, he did not dare to neglect and came in a hurry: "I have seen Li Jiyi!"
Li Yan looked at this man with a slender figure and a hint of arrogance in his eyebrows, and smiled and said: "Yuanshe people don't need to be polite, please sit down and serve tea!"
Yuan Wanqing sat down, drank tea, breathed a sigh of relief, and showed a questioning look: "I wonder if Li Jiyi has summoned the officials to come here, what are your orders?"
Li Yan said: "Allow me to be offended. In the past, Yuan Sheren was punished by a saint because of Goryeo's propaganda. He was punished and exiled to Lingnan, right?"
It was this man who wrote a memorandum, scolding Goryeo for not knowing the dangers of the Yalu River, and then the other party actually sent troops to guard it to stop the Tang army, and was directly convicted and exiled by Li Zhi.
Yuan Wanqing showed embarrassment, and lingering fear appeared on his brows: "To be honest with Li Jiyi, this official is young and frivolous, and does not know how powerful he is. He deserves to be punished and exiled, but Lingnan is really well-deserved!"
"The weather is humid and the miasma is dense. At the turn of summer and autumn, everything is rotten, and people are not gold and stone. How can we live here for a long time? Xiaguan only lived there for a year, but he got seriously ill and almost couldn't come back."
Li Yan knew that the so-called miasma was actually the ancient people's fear of being acclimatized and was not a real poisonous gas.
For example, the summer heat, humidity and heat in Lingnan make northerners extremely uncomfortable and sick and die. Coupled with the infestation of snakes, ants and mosquitoes, which can easily spread germs, people feel that the air there is poisonous.
This is the same as the poison in Miaojiang. If you are sick and cannot be found out, you are infected with the poison. At first, it is the fear of the unknown, but as time goes by, it becomes more and more evil.
Of course, there is no need to explain these to Yuan Wanqing. His main concern is: "Did Yuan Sheren meet other relatives of criminal officials when they were in Lingnan?"
Yuan Wanqing nodded: "I have met many people. To be honest, Li Jiyi's ancestor was the Emperor Wu of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Although his family status has declined, his family is wealthy, has spent a lot of money, and has poor life support. He has been taken care of by many people.
Hold on until the day of absolution and return to Chang'an."
Li Yan asked: "Among the relatives of these sinners, is there any Changsun family?"
Yuan Wanqing's face changed slightly, and his voice softened subconsciously: "A relative of the former Zhao Guogong?"
Li Yan nodded: "Not bad."
Yuan Waqing recalled it carefully: "I have never seen it personally, but I did mention it to others. I'm sorry, Li Jiyi, but I really can't remember exactly what he said."
Li Yan didn't take it seriously: "It doesn't matter. It's been a long time and it's normal to not remember clearly. I'd rather bother Yuanshe people to make this trip."
Yuan Wanqing hesitated for a moment and then said: "Actually, if Li Jiyi wants to ask about Lingnan, there must be one family who knows best."
Li Yan was a little surprised: "I wonder whose family it is?"
Yuan Wanqing looked at him and said cautiously: "He Lan Minzhi was rectified by Li Jiyi. There is no incense inheritance in the Queen's family. In the past, the children of the Wu family were pardoned and passed back to Chang'an. Now they have followed Luoyang. They have lived in Lingnan for a long time.
, I am much more familiar with the people there than I am in Xiaguan..."