Now that the Ministry of Industry has obtained the power to mint money from the imperial court, Kou Ji, as the chief official of the Ministry of Industry, can openly use new money to replace the old money. Naturally, there is no need to continue to maintain the Jiangling money-making workshop.
After all, no one likes to be sneaky when things can be done openly.
Kou Zhong agreed and immediately went down to send someone to deliver the message.
As soon as the front foot stepped over the threshold, the back foot was stopped by Kou Ji again.
"Kou Zhong..."
"The old servant is here..."
Kou Ji pondered: "I asked you to send people to keep an eye on Wang Qinruo and others. Did you find anything?"
Kou Zhong bowed and said, "To tell you what the young master is saying, Wang Qinruo has been very quiet these days, but the Eighth Prince's Mansion is very lively."
Kou Ji said thoughtfully: "The abolition of the general supervisor has harmed the interests of many people. It is reasonable for some unwilling people to join the Eighth Prince's Mansion.
Nowadays, the Eighth Prince's Mansion is full of people.
We just need some troops and horses."
While thinking about it, Kou Ji stared at Kou Zhong and said, "Send people to keep an eye on the movements of the Sanyamen. We should pay close attention to the movements of some Xiang army generals who have returned to Bianjing from various places to report on their duties."
A wry smile appeared on Mr. Kou Zhong's face and he said: "Young Master, the manpower in the mansion is limited. If we send people to keep an eye on the movements of the Third Yamen, there won't be enough manpower to keep an eye on the Eighth Prince's Mansion."
Kou Ji clicked his lips and sighed: "It would be great if Liu Heng was here, he can control the Imperial City Division."
Kou Zhong muttered: "If you need it, young master, I can find a way to help you recruit some people."
Kou Ji shook his head, "Such people need to be trained from a young age. If they are recruited halfway, it is difficult to find out whether they are loyal or not."
Kou Zhong pondered: "How about... seconding some scouts from the army?"
Kou Ji continued to shake his head, "That's inappropriate... The scouts in the army are accustomed to spying on the battlefield, but they are not suitable for use in Bianjing City. In this way, you ask the manpower in the palace to pay close attention to the generals of the Xiang Army who have close contacts with the Eighth Prince's Palace.
Can.
However, I sent someone to Qingtang again to ask Liu Heng if he had had enough fun in Qingtang.
When you’ve had enough fun, let him come back to me as soon as possible.”
Kou Zhong nodded and said jokingly: "What if Mr. Liu says he didn't have enough fun?"
Kou Ji was stunned and sneered: "Then I don't mind letting Zhang Yuan and Yu You occupy the Western Regions as kings and make him their khan."
Kou Zhong was stunned when he heard this.
Immediately, a thick smile appeared on his face, "That Mr. Liu will be scared to death."
Kou Ji curled his lips and said, "If I don't force him, he really regards Qingtang as his home..."
"By the way, what's the situation at Cao Li's house?"
Ever since the young eunuch who asked Kou Ji for bribes mentioned Guo Huai and Cao Lili, Kou Jike has been sending people to pay attention to the activities in Cao Lili's house.
Kou Zhong pondered: "There are some things in Cao Li's house that are difficult to talk about."
Kou Ji said in shock: "What's wrong?"
Kou Zhong lamented, "That eunuch Guo Huai is so cruel. He has squeezed all the money out of Cao Ling's house. Cao Ling's family is now living off bran-thick vegetables.
If it weren't for the ladies from Cao Wei's house who are giving out porridge now, and Cao Wei's people from his house mixing in to beg for some food, I'm afraid he would have starved to death long ago."
Kou Ji raised his eyebrows, "It's really not easy for a Privy Council member to be forced into this position. And that dead eunuch Guo Huai is too bold and reckless.
If this matter spreads out, Liu E will not be able to protect him.
Guo Huai, a dead eunuch, really wants money rather than his life."
"It's really..."
Kou Zhong nodded in agreement, "According to reports from the spies in the mansion, Guo Huai's man has recently been interested in Cao Yuli's house."
Kou Ji sneered, "He really doesn't know how to live or die. If he forces Cao Lili to become homeless, the civil and military forces of the entire dynasty will probably explode."
"Being homeless doesn't mean..."
Kou Zhong shook his head and said: "In the past, when the relationship between the master and Cao Lili was good, the old servant also had a few encounters with Cao Lili. This person is not a person who can bend and stretch. When pressed, he will do anything.
Gotta come out.”
Kou Ji said in astonishment: "A little paranoid?"
Kou Zhong nodded heavily.
Kou Ji pondered: "If he is forced to do anything, can he still rebel? It is true that he is a privy minister, but he has no troops at his disposal. How can he rebel without soldiers and horses?"
Kou Zhong thought for a moment and said, "There is also the possibility of committing suicide."
Kou Ji's eyes widened in astonishment, somewhat unbelievable.
Kou Ji carefully recalled Cao Yongli's life recorded in history books, and found that Cao Yongli finally committed suicide in grief and anger after being humiliated by the eunuchs.
Although with Kou Ji's interference, the fate of many people has been changed.
But Cao Cao's fate of being humiliated by the eunuchs did not seem to have changed.
As always, it fell on Cao Li.
It is really possible that Cao Lili committed suicide in grief and anger after being humiliated by Guo Huai.
When I think of this.
Kou Ji quickly ordered: "Let the people lurking near Cao Lili's house pay close attention to the movements of Cao Lili's house."
Kou Zhong bowed and said, "Old servant, I understand."
Kou Zhong exited the room.
Kou Ji said with a joking smile on his face: "If when Guo Huai forces Cao Lili to death, I lead the civil and military forces of the court to break Guo Huai's face, then Guo Huai and the Queen Mother will definitely be extremely happy."
If Kou Ji could really lead the civil and military forces of the Manchu dynasty when Guo Huai forced Cao Cao to death.
Then Guo Huai and Queen Mother Liu E were left in the cold.
By then.
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty went crazy and had to tear Guo Huai alive.
Let alone Liu E, even if Zhao Kuangyin is resurrected, he cannot protect Guo Huai.
How many civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty regarded eunuchs as human beings?
Not many.
A eunuch who was not even a human being bullied a second-ranked eunuch to the point of committing suicide in grief and anger.
Who can tolerate the civil and military power of the Manchu Dynasty?
Are we, the civil and military ministers of the Song Dynasty, worse than slaves?
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty beat Guo Huai to death in front of Liu E and Zhao Zhen.
Then we have to turn around and ask Liu E about the crime of indulging his servants to commit murder, and ask Zhao Zhen for an explanation.
No explanation is given.
All the civil and military officials in the dynasty dared to stop the dynasty together.
I dare to sit back and watch the Song Dynasty become a mess.
After Kou Ji thought about the consequences of Guo Huai forcing Cao Lili to death, he felt happy for a long time, and then suddenly raised his eyebrows.
"Did Liu E know that Guo Huai acted so boldly? Or didn't he?"
"If Liu E knew about it and allowed Guo Huai to act like this, then she must have something up her sleeve?"
"If Liu E doesn't know, then is Guo Huai really a pig teammate by doing this?"
"..."
Kou Ji groped his chin and thought to himself, "Whether Liu E knows it or not, I always feel that there is something weird in this matter... To be precise, there is something weird in most things recently.
It's a pity that Liu Heng's fellow is not here, otherwise we can use the manpower of the Imperial City Division to investigate this matter."
"..."
Kou Ji secretly speculated on the strangeness at home.
I have been speculating for more than half a month and have no clue at all.
Until Liu Heng returned to Bianjing from Qingtang, Kou Ji had no clue.
Liu Heng, who had been wandering around Qingtang for more than half a year, returned to his house to visit Liu Mei, but was caught by Liu Mei and beaten severely.
To put it bluntly, Liu Heng is a traitor.
Liu Heng went to Qingtang and wandered around for more than half a year, and he was very happy.
But it was a bitter experience for Liu Mei.
Liu Heng gave up the errands of the Imperial City Department and the errand of sealing the pile warehouse, and threw them all on Liu Mei.
In order to help his son keep his official position.
Liu Mei worries a lot about packaging libraries.
In order to avoid being caught, Liu Heng was impeached.
After Liu Mei went out and saw other officials, she didn't even dare to speak loudly.
I was afraid that if I spoke too loudly, someone would be noticed, and then Liu Heng would be implicated.
As much as Liu Mei had suffered in the past six months, she beat Liu Heng as hard as she could.
Liu Heng was beaten forcefully by Liu Mei and lay in bed for three days.
Then, he was carried by two Qingtang men to the Kou Mansion.
"Fourth brother..."
As soon as I entered the Kou Mansion.
Liu Heng sat up from the couch and stretched out his arms to Kou Ji.
Kou Ji saw that Liu Heng's body was wrapped in gauze in many places, and he stepped forward angrily and funny, and gave him a bear hug.
Kou Ji also thoughtfully rubbed the many scars on Liu Heng's body.
Liu Heng gritted his teeth and screamed in pain.
"It hurts, it hurts..."
Kou Ji let go of Liu Heng and snorted coldly: "You have to thank me for calling you back. If you stay in Qingtang any longer, your father can lead people to rush to Qingtang and bring your body back."
"
Liu Heng ordered two men from Qingtang to carry him into the backyard of Kou Mansion. After sitting down, he hummed to Kou Ji: "You don't understand the benefits of Qingtang at all?"
Kou Ji glanced at Liu Heng and said disdainfully: "What's so good about Qingtang?"
Liu Heng said seriously: "He is a good person..."
Kou Ji spat and said disdainfully: "Qingtang is useless, it is not as good as Xixia or Liao, let alone the Song Dynasty. You are just greedy for other girls' bodies, you are despicable!"
Just as Liu Heng was about to speak, he saw the man from Qingtang next to Liu Heng saying angrily: "General Liu is in my Qingtang, he is a first-rate warrior. Even if he covets the body of our Qingtang girl, that's what he should do."
My most beautiful pearl in Qingtang should accompany my bravest warrior in Qingtang."
Kou Ji was slightly startled when he heard this.
Liu Heng winked at Kou Ji and said, "Did you hear that? Did you hear that..."
Kou Ji glanced at Liu Heng and said calmly: "Listen to what he means, you have been on the battlefield a lot in Qingtang?"
"No, General Liu is in our Qingtang..."
"Shut up!"
The man from Qingtang wanted to interrupt, but Kou Ji snorted coldly.
The Qingtang man stared with his eyes as big as copper bells, with an unhappy look on his face. Just as he was about to open his mouth to argue, Liu Heng reprimanded him: "Badar, shut up! The person sitting in front of you is my brother. General An praised
My brother, even if Zanpu meets him, he will be treated as a guest."
When the man from Qingtang heard this, he hurriedly saluted Kou Ji.
"Please forgive Badar's offense..."
Kou Ji was too lazy to talk to him, stared at Liu Heng and asked, "How many times have you been on the battlefield?"
Liu Heng shook his head and said: "I haven't counted... Anyway, with the thief's head, I already have the qualifications to lead two thousand people to fight in Qingtang."
Kou Ji rolled his eyes at Liu Heng and said, "I said you were a little too happy to stay in Qingtang. It turns out that Qingtang Zanpu gave you the power to lead the troops to fight."
Liu Heng chuckled and said: "I only have this little hobby. I didn't have the opportunity in the Song Dynasty. I went to Qingtang and had the opportunity to lead troops. I have to give it a try."
Kou Ji glared at Liu Heng, "It doesn't matter if you are playful, but you have to know the importance."
Liu Heng nodded and said: "Compared to those people you sent out, I know the importance best."
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment and said in deep thought: "Did you bump into them?"
Liu Heng nodded heavily and waved to the two Qingtang men beside him. After they left, Liu Heng said with admiration: "The people you sent out are really powerful.
Especially the one named Zhang Yuan, he is so awesome.
If I hadn't known you were in Bianjing City, I would have thought you were disguised as him."
Kou Ji pondered: "In order to help me get horses as quickly as possible, they turned into a group of horse thieves. I know this."
Liu Heng said seriously: "It's true that they are horse thieves, but they are also guests in many king's tents. Many horse thieves from the Western Regions are now working for him, with tens of thousands of people under his command. Now, in the entire Western Regions, except for them
, no one can provide enough cloth, salt and other materials for the king's tents.
They are businessmen by day and horse thieves by night.
He was rampant in the Western Regions.
Some small tribes are simply no match for them.
Some large tribes did not dare to provoke them easily.
In other words, Qingtang can firmly suppress them, but it is not easy to break up with them."
Kou Ji nodded slowly.
Kou Ji also knew what Liu Heng said.
After all, Zhang Yuan, Yu You, and the leader of the patrol guards would send letters to Kou Ji every month, reporting on the areas they were responsible for.
Therefore, even though Kou Ji was not in the Western Region, he still knew the movements of Zhang Yuan and the others very well.
The power they have now is indeed not something that some small tribes can deal with.
But it would be easy for Qingtang to deal with them.
Zhang and Yuan also caused trouble in Qingtang.
Qingtang also sent people to exterminate them.
but.
Zhang and Yuan would always lead their troops and escape into the Song Dynasty at the critical moment.
The soldiers and horses in Qingtang could only stop moving forward when they reached the border of the Song Dynasty.
It would be strange if he could not gain a reputation while operating in the Western Regions with the support of the Song Dynasty's border troops.
"I know about this. I need a huge number of horses. It is understandable that they used some extraordinary means to help me get enough horses. Besides, the Western Region is not a kind place. If they were not more ruthless, they would have been killed long ago.
He was swallowed so hard that not even the bones were left."
When Liu Heng heard what Kou Ji said, he nodded and said, "That's true..."
Liu Heng had been in the Western Regions for more than half a year and had seen the brutality of the Western Regions. Naturally, he knew that what Kou Ji said was not a lie.
In the Western Region.
Wherever there are people, there will be fights and deaths.
A kind person will become meat on the chopping board within thirty miles of entering the Western Regions.
Only evil people can live happily in the Western Region.
The more evil people are, the more prosperous they will be in the Western Region.
It is said that in the Western Region, a new force is born every day, and a new force dies every day.