Three days later, hundreds of officials with their heads lowered stood in the Shuihu Gang compound.
The official hats have been taken off, and everyone is still wearing official uniforms except Yang Hu, the prefect of Hangzhou.
Among them, not a single person on the list provided by Wang Dachuan was omitted, ranging from the Chief Envoy of the Chief Secretary of Zhejiang Province to the hundreds of coastal defense households at the Coastal Guard Station.
On the street outside the gate, there were hundreds of carriages, each with a cage installed on it.
Each carriage is equipped with two guards. One is responsible for driving the carriage and the other is on guard.
A little further away, people from Hangzhou City were standing.
The arrest of so many court officials at once was something that the common people had never seen before. They took to the streets one after another to see that these former officials were now prisoners.
In front of these officials in the courtyard are Xiao Chen and Duan Tianming, and behind them are the captains from Dongchang.
Xiao Chen glanced towards the courtyard door a few times, as if waiting for something.
Wei Qi's figure flashed in from the door and walked to Xiao Chen in a few steps.
"Has everything been arranged?" Xiao Chen asked.
"Your Majesty, Hangzhou City Defense and the Wang Family's two warehouses have already arranged sufficient manpower. I have squeezed out another hundred guardsmen to escort these prisoners back to the capital with your Majesty." Wei Qi replied with clasped fists.
"No, there is currently no chief official in Hangzhou Prefecture. The new prefect assigned by the imperial court is on the way. During this period, you must do a good job in city defense and ensure the safety of the two warehouses. There are only a thousand guards in total, and I have already mobilized two
Hundreds of people, no need to send more people." Xiao Chen waved his hand and said.
"There are more than a hundred important prisoners of the imperial court, and they have a long way to go back to the capital. Are the two hundred people escorting them a little short of manpower?" Wei Qi asked a little worried.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly: "No matter how far the journey is, it is still within the territory of the Ming Dynasty. There are many guard posts along the way. If there is any problem, I will seek their support. But the city of Hangzhou is empty, so I am a little worried. These one hundred people, you
Keeping it and ensuring the stability of Hangzhou is the greatest support for me."
"Sir, will you come to Hangzhou again in the future?" After thinking for a while, Wei Qi raised his head and asked.
"Well, if nothing happens, I probably won't come. Why, Wei Qianhu can't bear to leave me?" Xiao Chen laughed.
Wei Qi smiled awkwardly and said, "I have been working with you for these few days, and I don't feel as useless as before. I miss these days very much."
"Do your job well, and don't bow to anyone within the scope of your authority, and you won't be embarrassed anymore." Xiao Chen patted his shoulder and said.
After a while, a school captain followed Wang Dachuan into the courtyard.
Holding a booklet in his hand, Wang Dachuan handed it to Xiao Chen with both hands: "Sir, what is recorded on it is all the Wang family's properties in Hangzhou City."
"Okay." Xiao Chen took it and handed it to Wei Qi: "Seal up all these properties and wait for the imperial court to approve them."
"Yes." After taking the booklet, Wei Qi turned and left.
After straightening his body, Xiao Chen looked at the officials standing in the yard: "Everyone, although Jiangnan is a good place, we are tired of being officials. Today, I will take you back to the capital to have a chat in the lobby of the Ministry of Justice.
.”
No one spoke.
Every official standing in the courtyard has received bribes above the capital punishment line. Going to the capital is nothing more than a trial in the Ministry of Punishment, and then a negative example in the court to spur other officials.
"The carriage outside is the means of transportation I prepared for you. The reason why I didn't take off your official uniforms is because I want the world to see that if you can't discipline yourself as an official, this is what you will end up with. Of course, some people will definitely be dissatisfied.
I will think, then so and so has done something that violates the laws of the imperial court, why did he only arrest us and not him? Don't worry, I, Xiao Chen, will give you this opportunity to vent your dissatisfaction."
"In your carriage, there is a driver and a guard. The guard carries pen, ink, paper and inkstone. If you are dissatisfied and feel it is unfair, you can tell the names and positions of the people you know who have not been captured.
, tell the guards in your car about the crime you committed, and they will record it and forward it to me."
"Please remember, everyone, if the clues you provide are true and valuable, it may give you a chance to survive. Of course, if someone deliberately framed someone in order to retaliate against others, once the court's energy is wasted, it will be found out that it was a false accusation.
Words, needless to say, cut and decide."
"That's all I have to say. The opportunity is given to everyone. As for whether you can seize it and find a way out for yourself, it depends on you. Now, everyone go out and get in the car. Let's go back to the capital."
As Xiao Chen's words fell to the ground, everyone slowly turned around, got on the carriage on the street outside in order, and entered the prison cage.
The man led a fat and strong horse and handed the reins to Wang Dachuan.
"Master Wang, you don't have any share in this carriage. I'd like to forgive you, but why don't you ride back to Beijing with us?" Xiao Chen said with a slight smile.
It is said to be a carriage, but there is a cage on it. Riding a horse alone is a symbol of personal freedom.
How could Wang Dachuan not hear that Xiao Chen was speaking ironically. It seemed that he had wronged himself, but in fact he had given himself a great honor.
Although there is a suspicion that he deliberately told other officials, it was very useful to his own ears.
"Thank you, sir, for giving me this opportunity to report. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't even have a chance to ride in the carriage. I'd probably be dead by now." Wang Dachuan deliberately raised his voice, causing those who had already walked out of the yard to walk into the cage.
Officials can hear his words clearly.
The mighty procession slowly moved forward on the streets of Hangzhou City, heading towards the city gate.
People were standing on both sides of the street, pointing at the prison cars one by one.
"Isn't this our Lord Magistrate of Hangzhou? How come he doesn't even have his official uniform?"
"Is the crime committed too big? Others seem to be still wearing official uniforms."
"That one seems to be Zhang Qianhu from Hainingwei. He bought tea from our stall last time. I didn't expect him to be a corrupt official."
"Did you see that the person in the second carriage was the Chief Envoy of our Zhejiang Chief Secretary? Such a big official was actually arrested."
"..."
Listening to the comments of the people, the officials in the prison car were so ashamed that they lowered their heads and did not dare to look directly at the people on the roadside.
Seeing this scene, Xiao Chen felt quite satisfied.
The reason why they didn't take off their official uniforms was because they wanted the common people's guidance. Only by completely crushing their strictness can they dig out everything they know.
Following Xiao Chen, Wang Dachuan was like a big butler, with his bloated body and his head shaking while riding a horse, but his eyes were full of respect.
