Inside the prison of Gongchang Mansion, Zheng Taiji, Chief Secretary of Shaanxi Province, was sitting in the corner.
The left leg is straightened and the right leg is bent.
He put one arm on his bent knees and stared blankly at the opposite wall.
Next to him, Teruma Zhangfu was lying on the ground for a long time, with his hands on his face, as if he had given up any hope of getting out alive.
"The Wang Prefecture was captured, and even the Marquis of Dingxi was imprisoned. I think this time, the imperial envoy from Dongchang is really ready to do something big."
Glancing at Mr. Zhang, who was lying on the ground, Zheng Taiji said feebly.
"I knew the result as soon as the Dongchang people came. Now we don't think about anything. We just hope that for the sake of our hard work in disaster relief these days, he will leave us a way to survive." Teruma Zhang Fu slowly
said.
"This incident in Gongchang is serious. If we want to survive, it will be difficult for us to survive. Now I just hope that my family will not be implicated, which is already burning incense."
Teruma Zhangfu turned over and got up: "We didn't do anything. We didn't kill anyone. At most, we just didn't supervise well. We won't be decapitated, right?"
"Isn't the lack of supervision enough? Wang Kuan depleted all the grain reserves, so that there was no food for disaster relief, and almost half of the victims died. Do you think we can still survive?" Governor Zheng Taiji laughed bitterly.
"Yes, I'm afraid we really won't survive." Teruma Zhangfu slowly lay down on the ground again.
The cell door creaked open slowly, and Xiao Chen walked in with a smile on his face.
"Two adults, it's very busy outside with disaster relief. It's very comfortable for you to escape the heat in this cool cell." Xiao Chen put his hands behind his back and slowly walked towards the two of them.
Although the two of them had realized that their lives were in danger, fear still arose in their hearts when they saw Xiao Chen. They hurriedly got up and began to salute.
"See your Majesty the Imperial Envoy." They knelt on the ground and said respectfully.
"Come on, come on, lie down, lie flat and let's chat." Under the incredulous gazes of the two people, Xiao Chen leaned his back against the wall and sat down on the ground.
"Sir, what are you doing?" Turning around, the two of them looked at Xiao Chen tremblingly.
"Why, do you think I'm not worthy of chatting with you?"
"No, no." The two of them waved their hands hurriedly, "My lord, you have the final say."
"Then stop kneeling and lie down in the same position as you just did."
Although I don't know what kind of medicine Xiao Chen is selling in the gourd, at this time, his words are equivalent to an imperial edict.
The two of them had to obediently assume the same posture as before.
It’s just that I no longer feel as comfortable as before, so don’t pinch yourself no matter what.
Xiao Chen casually picked up a straw branch from the straw pile next to him, and looked at the two of them while picking at the gap between his teeth.
"Two adults, when did you start garrisoning Gongchang Mansion?"
"Sir, we have been here in Gongchang for five or six years. However, after all, we are not in charge, and we cannot make the final decision on many things."
Xiao Chen waved his hand: "Don't argue, I know you can't make the decision. Even if you can, how can you make the decision after taking Wang Kuan's money and gifts?"
With the corner of his mouth raised, Xiao Chen looked at the two of them with a wicked smile.
"Sir, the villain is also forced to have no choice. You don't know Wang Kuan, as long as you don't obey his will, he will immediately turn against you. We are all seniors, juniors and seniors, and we don't
Method."
In a mournful tone, the two began to complain again.
"Yes, yes." Xiao Chen chuckled, "You are senior and junior, but you have forgotten that you are officials of the imperial court, and it is the salary of the imperial court that supports your families. Why, you only have family in your heart, you have forgotten
The mission given to you by the imperial court?"
After hearing this, the two of them no longer dared to keep lying down, and hurriedly got up and started kowtowing to Xiao Chen again.
"Sir, we were wrong, we never dare to do it again."
"Okay, this matter will be measured by the laws of the imperial court. What I want to know is, how much money did you take from Wang Kuan?" Xiao Chen said calmly.
"This..." Cold sweat ran down their foreheads, "Wang Kuan will give each of us one hundred taels of silver every month."
"Only one hundred taels? Not much, what else is there?"
"Food, drink and lodging at his home are all free of charge."
"anything else?"
"No, that's it. Are the others really gone?" The two people waved their hands hastily.
After spitting out the grass branch in his mouth with a pop, Xiao Chen looked at the two of them: "I heard that Wang Kuan often took pleasure in torturing people, and there were many people who were tortured to death by him. Don't you?
Could it be that you didn’t see it?”
"Look, I saw it." The two of them lowered their heads in unison.
"You see him murdering people and don't stop him, you are accomplices. For this reason, you are all guilty of death. In addition, you are guilty of helping Zhou, which has led to the death of thousands of victims in Gongchang. I am afraid that the nine tribes cannot be saved."
"My lord, my lord, we deserve it, but our family members are all innocent, and they don't know anything." Using their knees as legs, the two of them took a few steps closer to Xiao Chen, and their whole bodies fell to the ground.
"The subsequent behavior of the two of you showed that you were sincerely repentant. Well, I will try my best to report your later behavior to the court. However, as the family members of serious criminals, their lives may be saved, but
Being exiled is probably unavoidable."
"As long as my family can survive, that's fine. Thank you, sir, thank you, sir." The two kowtowed again with tears in their eyes.
"Ahem, cough, cough..." Xiao Chen cleared his throat, "My family is going to be exiled, why do you still need money? Tell me, after so many years, it's been thousands of taels. Where are they all hidden?"
"Here, here." The two of them hurriedly put their hands into their arms and took out two feet of crumpled banknotes.
Handed it to Xiao Chen respectfully.
"Five thousand taels? You guys live very frugally. Then I'll accept it. Then someone will take care of your family and don't embarrass them too much." With a smile on his lips, Xiao Chen took the banknote and stuffed it into his arms.
.
"Thank you, sir." The two expressed their gratitude again.
"Okay, you don't need to thank me. Don't worry about using money to help others eliminate disasters. Your matters are settled, now it's your turn to talk about Wang Kuan. Regarding Wang Kuan, I got part of the evidence, but I don't know.
It's too comprehensive. You have been together for a long time, and I want to see if there is anything you want to explain that I don't know about?" Xiao Chen said with a smile.
For five thousand taels of silver, the family's death penalty could be turned into exile. The two of them suddenly had a new understanding of Xiao Chen.
If there are too many things to explain, will his death penalty also become exile?
He hurriedly said: "We know when Wang Kuan started to use the food reserves."
"I have kept a record of the total number of people he tortured to death, as well as the time."
"He deliberately transferred those people who were on errands at Gongchang Guanyi just to embarrass Dongchang."
"Gong Changwei tried hard to provide disaster relief, but not only did he not cooperate, he also kept blocking it."
"He also said that Gong Changwei's disaster relief efforts were fake and pretentious."
Seeing the two of them talking non-stop, Xiao Chen couldn't help but laugh.
"Okay, what you are talking about are all Wang Kuan's crimes. However, Gong Changwei's disaster relief should be an act to share the worries of Gong Chang Mansion. Why should he stop it?"
"The two of them are at odds." Governor Zheng Taiji hurriedly replied.
"Why the discord?"
"We don't know the specifics very well. We only know a little bit about it."
"Then tell the truth." Xiao Chen said.
"Wang Kuan started not seeking advancement in recent years, and Marquis Dingxi was very annoyed by this. The two quarreled several times, and their relationship seemed a bit distant. Zhang Xing, the commander of Gong Changwei, was extremely respectful to Marquis Dingxi and obeyed his advice. Therefore,
Because Wang Kuan had a problem with the Dingxi Marquis, he also had a problem with Zhang Xing, the commander of Gong Changwei. Whenever he mentioned him, he would scold him for following the crowd and being despicable."
"You said that Commander Gong Changwei obeyed Ding Xihou's words?" Xiao Chen seemed to have found a new opportunity in his heart.
"Wang Kuan said this. We haven't seen the specific things. However, Zhang Xing will give gifts to Ding Xihou during the holidays. This is something that everyone knows very well." Zheng Taiji said.
"Everyone knows it well. Wei Li, the magistrate of the government office, also knows it?"
"You should know."
Putting his hands on the ground, Xiao Chen slowly stood up.
A smile appeared on his face: "The floor of this cell is really cool, so you two adults can enjoy the coolness here. If you remember anything, tell me when I come back."
