Kou Ji hoped that Chen Lin would find out a result after returning to the palace, so that he could rule out Zhao Zhen's suspicion.
It was just that Chen Lin had been in the palace for an hour, but she didn't see any movement.
Instead, Zhao Zhen hurried to the Zhuyuan in a carriage.
When Zhao Zhen rushed to Zhuyuan, Kou Ji was checking the groom's injury.
After the explosion at the Chang Xinglong artillery workshop, the groom was thrown off his horse by a frightened horse and disappeared.
Kou Ji ordered the troops from the Five Cities and the Kaifeng Mansion to search for his traces.
Less than half an hour after Kou Ji returned home, the groom was sent to Zhuyuan by the Yamen of Kaifeng Mansion.
The groom had multiple scratches all over his body, and the oozing blood had formed striped scabs on the wounds. One leg was broken, and both arms were dislocated. He looked very miserable.
The doctor who accompanied the army in the Wucheng Army and Horse Division had diagnosed and treated the horseman, and his methods were somewhat rough.
After the groom returned home, Kou Ji immediately asked the doctor at home to diagnose and treat the groom again.
When the doctor at home was helping the groom to diagnose and treat him, the groom kept grinning in pain, but seeing Kou Ji standing in front of him intact, he gasped and giggled.
"Master, just be fine..."
After the groom went through the most painful diagnosis and treatment process, he gritted his teeth, stared, and said with a smile.
Kou Ji secretly sighed and said, "After your injury recovers, I will have someone take your family to Korea."
The sweat on the groom's forehead flowed into the corners of his eyes. He blinked, took a breath, and whispered: "Just let the kid at home go. I'm not old yet, and I'm not old enough to enjoy the blessings. If I go to Han to enjoy the blessings now, my life will be shortened."
"
Kou Ji glanced at the groom and said angrily: "Then I'll stay at home and watch the door."
The groom grinned innocently and said: "People say that the prime minister is a seventh-rank official. Sir, your official position is higher than the prime minister. If a villain becomes a disciple, he will be a sixth-rank official at least..."
Kou Ji rolled his eyes. When he saw that the groom was still joking with him, he knew that the groom's life was safe.
After instructing the doctors and servants in the house to take good care of the groom, Kou Ji left the wing.
After leaving the courtyard where the wing room was located, he saw Zhao Zhen hurriedly crossed the moon gate and appeared in front of him.
Zhao Zhen was surrounded by people in front, back and left, all holding lanterns in their hands, illuminating the surroundings of the Moon Gate.
"Fourth brother?"
Zhao Zhen took advantage of the light of the lantern and saw Kou Ji at a glance.
After Zhao Zhen pounced on Kou Ji, he pulled Kou Ji and looked around carefully before letting out a sigh of relief.
"Fourth brother is okay?"
After Kou Ji bowed and saluted, he said with a smile: "Thank you for your concern, I just fell a little and there are bruises on my body, but it's not serious."
Zhao Zhen said hurriedly: "Have you ever asked a doctor for diagnosis and treatment? I brought an imperial doctor with me."
While speaking, Zhao Zhen shouted to the group of people behind him.
"Royal doctor, come quickly to diagnose and treat my fourth brother."
The imperial doctor hurriedly got out of the crowd and approached Kou Ji and Zhao Zhen. After saluting, he stretched out two fingers and touched Kou Ji's neck, then his forehead, and finally his wrist.
A cautious doctor will never only check the pulse on the wrist, but also on the neck and forehead.
After the imperial doctor carefully diagnosed Kou Ji's pulse, he saluted Zhao Zhen and said, "Guan family, Kou Gong's pulse is stable and there is nothing serious."
Zhao Zhen completely let go of his worries and exhaled, "Fourth brother is fine, I'm relieved."
Zhao Zhen looked at Kou Ji and smiled bitterly, "I was reviewing the memorial in the council hall and heard an explosion in Bianjing City, so I immediately sent someone out to find out the news.
Before the people I sent out came back, I saw Chen Linti slipping into the palace with bloody hands.
I was shocked.
After questioning Chen Lin carefully, I realized that the situation at that time was very dangerous.
I immediately led my people to see Fourth Brother."
After Kou Ji thanked Zhao Zhen again for his concern, he asked, "How is Chen Lin?"
Zhao Zhen said frankly: "The imperial doctor has already looked at it, it's just some skin trauma."
Kou Ji said in a heavy voice: "What the other party did this time was indeed a bit excessive."
Hearing this, Zhao Zhen's anger rose in his heart, and he said angrily: "I have ordered people from the Wucheng Military and Horse Division to blockade the three streets where Chang Xinglong Artillery House is located, and asked them to arrest all suspicious people.
I also ordered Yang Wenguang to take the troop deployment documents and go to the camp outside the city. He dispatched 5,000 elite forbidden troops and blocked all the main roads leading out of Bianjing City.
As long as I catch someone, I will punish them."
Kou Ji hesitated for a moment and said: "The imperial court has not used Lingchi's punishment for a long time..."
Zhao Zhen glared and asked, "When did Fourth Brother become so kind and soft-hearted? In the past, if Fourth Brother encountered something like this, he would never stop until he killed a person and his head was rolling.
Now you actually intend to advise me not to impose the punishment of Lingchi?
I tell you, I will not only use Lingchi’s severe punishment, but also bring a group of vicious dogs from the hunting ground and eat their meat alive.”
Kou Ji shook his head and said with a smile: "It's not that I'm merciful, but it's not that simple behind this matter. It's better not to kill anyone until the matter is found out.
After the investigation is clear, it will not be too late to kill slowly.
When the time comes, I'm afraid that officials will be reluctant to take action."
Zhao Zhen's face darkened, he knew exactly what Kou Ji meant by his words.
The explosion at the Chang Xinglong Artillery Factory was obviously closely related to the palace. If someone in the palace was finally traced, it would be a question of whether Zhao Zhen could be ruthless.
"I will never tolerate it!"
Kou Ji nodded and said, "As long as you have an official family."
Zhao Zhen still wants to speak.
Kou Ji spoke again, "The officials should return to the palace as soon as possible. The palace servants have connections with Chang Xinglong Gunsmith, and no one knows whether they brought gunpowder into the palace.
What the officials need to do most now is to send someone to carefully check the palace to see if anyone has hidden gunpowder."
After a pause, Kou Ji added, "The Queen Mother, Queen, Prince, and all the princes and princesses are the darlings of the official family, and there is no room for failure."
Zhao Zhen pondered for a moment and said solemnly: "I will ask Chen Lin to send you the military seal tomorrow. You can send troops to Beijing if necessary."
Kou Ji refused, "The military seal is an important weapon of the country, and it is related to the dispatch of more than one million soldiers of the Song Dynasty. Since I have stepped down from the position of the Privy Council, I can no longer hold the military seal."
If the officials are worried, Xu Chen can fire thirty-three arrows."
Zhao Zhen thought for a while.
"As per you..."
Kou Ji handed over his hand and sent Zhao Zhen away.
As soon as Zhao Zhen and Zhao Zhen's men disappeared at the Moon Gate, Liu Heng appeared next to Kou Ji and asked in a low voice: "How many percent?"
Kou Ji put his hands behind his back and gave a pertinent answer.
"Forty percent..."
Liu Heng raised his eyebrows and sighed: "Forty percent...that's a lot...is it really made by officials?"
Kou Ji smiled and said: "Everyone else is 60%."
Liu Heng was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said: "That means the official family is the least suspicious."
Kou Ji nodded.
Liu Heng suppressed the smile on his face slightly, and whispered to Kou Ji: "I have already dispatched people from the Third Army Office to Beijing..."
"Tri-Services Office?"
Kou Ji looked at Liu Heng suspiciously.
Kou Ji knew the Song Dynasty thoroughly, and he also knew Liu Heng thoroughly. He had never heard of any military service in the Song Dynasty.
Seeing Kou Ji's confused look, Liu Heng explained in a low voice: "Some of the people I stayed in the Song Dynasty were on the river transport, and I called them the navy army. There were also some people who were carrying camels and doing business in the Western Regions. I called them the camel army."
, the rest are scattered around Bianjing City, doing business by foot power, I call them infantry.
Added together, we have the three armies.”
Kou Ji said funnyly: "Why do you make it so fancy? You plan to imitate the Imperial City Division and the Wude Division, and also give Bo Xu an unattractive yamen."
Liu Heng did not hide anything, nodded and said: "These people need to do some dirty things and shameful things."
Kou Ji nodded and said, "So, you have not been idle in the years you have been with me in Bianjing City."
Liu Heng looked at Kou Ji with a bright smile and said nothing.
Kou Ji said to himself: "Bo Xu is in Xiyang, and his family resources are a bit thin. If you don't help him poach people from the Song Dynasty, it will be very slow for him to completely establish a foothold in Xiyang.
You finally look like a father."
Liu Heng smiled and was about to speak, but heard Kou Ji say: "However, there is no need to send them to the capital. There is no danger for us to stay in Bianjing. It is not easy for you to manage some people. If you show it to the public, those people will be in trouble in the Song Dynasty."
I can’t stay any longer.”
The smile on Liu Heng's face froze and he stared, "Isn't it dangerous yet? If the thieves set fire to the cannon house again when you arrive at the gate of Chang Xinglong Cannon House tonight, you will be dead.
The thieves first targeted the concubines, then the artillery workshop, and maybe muskets and artillery in the future.
You made that artillery thing, but you still don’t know how powerful it is when it’s blasted out?”
Kou Ji's face darkened and he frowned.
"If someone really uses muskets and artillery, they are seeking death. No matter who it is, they will die miserably."
For Zhu Neng, Li Zhaoliang, Zhong Shiheng and others, muskets and artillery are the things they dream of.
For the Song Dynasty, especially the Song people who were at the top of the ruling class, that thing was not something they could only dream of.
As long as they are willing to spend money, some people in the army will definitely take risks.
It is easy for the nobles in the palace to win over the hearts and minds of one or two Imperial Army generals.
If you bribe the Imperial Guards General, you can get firearms.
In recent years, there have been many cases of gun theft in the military, and no less than a hundred soldiers have been beheaded for this reason.
"The human heart is complicated and cannot withstand temptation or test. So I will never watch you put your life in the hands of others.
I can’t trust anyone else.”
Liu Heng's words are very straightforward.
His attitude towards people's hearts has never changed.
Kou Ji knew clearly that he acted like this because Liu Congmei killed a member of the Liu family.
Kou Ji also knew that it was not appropriate to place his life in the hands of others, but he was still unwilling to show his hands openly, giving people an air of ambition.
He is already a powerful minister and has to be cautious in what he says and does.
If there is a slight mistake, the people under your command will misunderstand and do something outrageous and resentful.
Kou Ji said to Liu Heng: "I will bring a musket, and you will bring a gun when you turn around. You don't need to dispatch people."
Liu Heng raised his voice a little higher and asked, "What are two guns enough for?"
Kou Ji sighed inwardly. He felt that he had to show Liu Heng some details in order to make Liu Heng give up the idea of sending people to Beijing.
Kou Ji said to Liu Heng angrily: "Do you think you are the only one who can manage people? Do you think you are the only one who can hide people? When I was managing people across the Western Regions, you were still resting on your laurels in the Imperial City Division.
When I hid people, you were still a dandy."
Liu Heng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "I knew that Fourth Brother wouldn't do things honestly."
Kou Ji rolled his eyes, "Then you still send people to Beijing?"
Liu Heng smiled dryly and said: "I'm not afraid that you will be carried away by friendship and give up some tricks that are not on the table."
Kou Ji asked: "What kind of person am I?"
Liu Heng said: "Cao Lili, Zhang Yuan and those two heartless people are your people, right? They used your people and your guidance to conquer a huge territory.
You missed your old feelings and didn't deal with them.
Each one of them is like a white-eyed wolf who has forgotten your kindness.
Nowadays, everyone is breaking up the soil and claiming to be king, and they don’t want to share some benefits with you.
You are affectionate and righteous to Cao Lili and Zhang Yuan, but they cannot be called affectionate and righteous to you.
You have feelings and righteousness towards the officials, but do you know what they think in their hearts?
People say that emperors have the most complicated and ruthless minds.
So you cannot put your wealth and life on the emperor."
Kou Ji glared at Liu Heng, "I also have feelings for you."
Liu Heng puffed up his chest boldly and said, "I can lay down my life for you! They can't!"
Kou Ji waved his hand, "Okay, hurry up and tell your people what to do."
Liu Heng did not leave, but chased Kou Ji and asked, "Fourth brother, where are your people?"
Kou Ji said calmly: "Half of the people in the steel forging workshop and the equipment workshop were born in the infantry camp. The people in the transport camp are now in charge of the two docks in Bianjing City. The people in the Huotou Army are now running foot shops and
Tea shed.
People from the scout camp are now serving as postmen at various post stations outside Bianjing City."
Liu Heng's eyes lit up and he said with a bright smile: "There are people on land and waterways, just as I thought."
Kou Ji waved his hand, "Are you relieved now? Go down and find your people."
Liu Heng nodded quickly and walked away.
After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped and turned around to remind: "Fourth brother, when you go out in the future, take more guards with you."
Kou Ji nodded.
Liu Heng strode out of the wing and entered the yard.
Kou Ji let out a breath of thick air.
In fact, Kou Ji placed far more people in Bianjing than he said.
Kou Ji couldn't tell Liu Heng in detail for a while, so he picked out a few important ones and told them.
For example, Chen Datou, who once ranked as the number one sharpshooter in the Kou Mansion, is now the captain of the Imperial Guard.
There is another person who hides even deeper, and is now the warehouse manager of the imperial firearms warehouse.
Among the two forbidden armies stationed outside Bianjing City, there were two generals who were willing to die for Kou Ji.
In addition, there are many, many more.
The Kou family has a great business. It has been in business for many years and has been benevolent for many years. There are countless people who have benefited from the Kou family, and there are also countless people who are willing to work for the Kou family.
After Kou Ji left the yard where the wing room was, he returned to the backyard. After being pulled by Xiang Yan, he carefully checked the bruises on his body before falling asleep.
The next day.
The sun is shining brightly.
Before Kou Ji woke up, a horse trampled through the door of the bamboo courtyard.
When Kou Ji opened his eyes amidst the sounds of chickens and dogs jumping, he saw a man walking like a dragon, wearing armor, carrying a knife, carrying a gun, and carrying a musket, appearing in front of him.
"Brother..."
"You think I didn't die quickly enough?"
Kou Ji rolled his eyes, sat up unsteadily, and shouted angrily.
Di Qing, smelling of sweat, came closer to Kou Ji. After looking around Kou Ji carefully, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's okay, brother."
Kou Ji stared at Di Qing and took a good look around. When he saw Di Qing standing there with a heavy back and a short beard at the corner of his mouth, he smiled and said: "You have matured a lot..."
The ignorant young man he brought out from the Criminal Division in the past has now become a big man exuding a mature and steady aura.
Kou Ji felt very emotional.
Di Qing smiled and said: "It's already past thirty..."
Kou Ji nodded and said, "Aren't you at the Mangshan Martial Arts Hall?"
Di Qing said frankly: "In the middle of the night last night, Privy Council Yang sent someone to the martial arts hall to tell me that you were attacked, so I rushed back that night."
Kou Ji pointed at the attire on Di Qing's body and said in a confused tone: "Then you shouldn't be dressed like this, right? You are the commander of the Forbidden Army, in charge of hundreds of thousands of imperial troops in the Song Dynasty, and your identity is very sensitive.
I am the first minister of the Song Dynasty again.
If you dress up like this and come to my house, others will think that I am up to no good."
Di Qing said sternly: "I know the importance, so I didn't bring anyone with me. I came here to visit my brother by myself, and it was an act of filial piety to punish his evildoers.
If anyone dares to make irresponsible remarks, I will take him to Chui Gong Hall to have a good discussion."
At the end of Di Qing's words, his voice unconsciously became much louder and very tough.
Kou Ji nodded with satisfaction.
This is what the great generals of the Song Dynasty should be like.
You have to be tough when you speak and domineering when you do things.
I can no longer let civil servants take advantage of me, let alone watch civil servants kill my lieutenant, but I dare not say a word and can only cry secretly.
You dare to kill my lieutenant for no reason without an edict.
I dare to carry your head to see the official.
This is the true general.
Kou Ji believed that with the toughness Di Qing was showing now, Han Qi would not dare to touch Deputy General Di Qing even if he took the position of participating in the affairs of the Grand Council.
"How is the promotion of Mangshan Wushu Hall to Chinese Studies going?"
Kou Ji asked with a smile.
Di Qing smiled and said: "It's going well, except that the academy is not allowed to be located in Bianjing City."
Kou Ji nodded and said: "The martial arts hall is a martial arts academy, and it involves many military secrets. It really shouldn't be set up in a busy city. It should choose a more remote place outside Bianjing City."
Di Qing nodded and said: "It has been selected. It is five miles west of the Tianwu Army and Japanese Army camps. Now we are building a school building according to the appearance of the Mangshan Lecture Hall."
Kou Ji pondered and said: "After the new martial arts academy is on the right track, you should immediately return to the Privy Council and handle government affairs with peace of mind."
Di Qing was stunned for a moment, "I am in charge of the martial arts academy, so I will be suspected by others."
Kou Ji rolled his eyes, "I didn't say anyone was suspicious of you. I just wanted to tell you, don't waste all your time on the Martial Arts Academy. You also have to take good care of the affairs of the Forbidden Army Department.
You are the commander of the Forbidden Army Department, and you don’t bother to take care of the affairs of the Forbidden Army Department. Once your subordinates do something wrong, you will be the one who takes the blame."
Di Qing hesitated for a moment and said, "You can also let me serve as the mountain chief in the new martial arts academy."
Kou Ji glared at Di Qing, "That will have to wait until you are sixty years old. In principle, the envoy of the Third Academy cannot be in office for more than ten years. In other words, Yang Wenguang will retire in a few years.
When the time comes, you will have to step up and take over Yang Wenguang’s position.”
Neither Kou Ji nor Di Qing were worried about whether Di Qing could successfully take over Yang Wenguang's position.
Kou Ji told Di Qing a long time ago.
Di Qing's outstanding achievements were enough to make him a king.
Zhao Zhen did not grant Di Qing the title of king, but kept Di Qing as the privy envoy.
Yang Wenguang was appointed Privy Councilor just to build a ladder for Di Qing.
However, Yang Wenguang was very capable. After becoming the Privy Councilor, he managed the Privy Council in an orderly manner and quietly did many important things.
It is precisely because of this that both Kou Ji and Zhao Zhen hope that Yang Wenguang can sit in the position of Privy Councilor for ten years.
Ten years later, Yang Wenguang will be old. When the time comes, whether he is in another town or as the head of the martial arts academy, it will be a good choice.
Ten years later, Di Qing would be over forty.
He happens to be in the golden age of a general.
The art of war, strategy, government affairs, etc. are all at their peak.
Just enough to take on a big responsibility.
However, Di Qing had his own ideas, and he didn't like to carry it around in Bianjing City.
"Brother, I want to go to the battlefield and fight, and I want to find an enemy to challenge."
Di Qing stared at Kou Ji and said seriously.
Now that Di Qing has reached middle age, everything he has learned is rapidly climbing to the top.
He really hopes to find an enemy who can temper himself and verify what he has learned.
Kou Ji glanced at Di Qing and said, "Who do you want to fight? The leader of the Eastern Tianzhu Kingdom? Zhu Neng? Li Zhaoliang? Gao Weizhao? Or the Han Dynasty blessed by God?"
When Di Qing heard this, his face drooped and he let out a long sigh.
The emperor of Eastern Tianzhu left a huge Jiaozhi to the Song Dynasty. After nearly two years of management, the Song Dynasty turned Jiaozhi into a large granary.
Every three or four months, new grain from Jiaozhi would flood into the Song Dynasty, pushing the price of grain in the Song Dynasty to an extremely low position.
In addition, there are two granaries in Liaodi and Hexi.
Grain prices have reached a low point in the history of the Song Dynasty.
The common people of the Song Dynasty would basically not starve to death as long as they did not commit suicide by eating, drinking and gambling.
Although there are still some people at the bottom who don't have enough to eat, they will not starve to death.
It is precisely because of this that officials and common people in the Song Dynasty had a good impression of the leader of the Eastern Tianzhu Kingdom.
Even those grain merchants who scolded their mothers in their hearts had to say good things about the Lord of Eastern Tianzhu openly.
Therefore, if Di Qing wanted to attack the Eastern Tianzhu Kingdom, it would be impossible.
Neither the officials nor the people would agree.
As for Zhu Neng, Li Zhaoliang, and Gao Weizhao, they were all vassal kings of the Song Dynasty. As long as they did not rebel, they were our own.
Unless Zhao Zhen wanted to find an excuse to cut down the vassal vassal, the Song Dynasty would have no way to trouble him.
As for Kou Tianci's fiefdom of Han, that's even worse.