After dinner, Tang Xing, the commander of Songmen Guards, brought Xiao Chen to the living room.
There was no one else, not even a guard.
After Xiao Chen sat down, Tang Xing began to pour tea himself.
"Master Commander, don't you need any guards around you?" Xiao Chen looked at the empty hall, a little surprised.
"There are some things that I want to talk to Mr. Ziyi alone. So, I sent the others away." Tang Xing said with a smile as he pushed the tea bowl in front of Xiao Chen.
There was a hint of embarrassment on Xiao Chen's face: "As the commander of the Songmen Guards, how can you still trust the people in this guard? If this is the case, your life will be difficult."
"To be honest, sir, although I, the commander, may sound like the highest military attaché of the Songmon Guards, the results of the orders issued are really dumbfounding. At first, I was also engaged in military law. However, when I reported it,
When we arrived at Dusi in Zhejiang Province, we were easily resolved by the commander of the capital." Tang Xing said in a low voice with a sad face.
"Zhejiang Dusi has been resolved? What does the commander mean?" Staring at the other party, Xiao Chen felt a faint feeling of disbelief in his heart.
If a commander cannot command the thousands of households below, what is the difference between that and having nothing but food and wine?
So this pine gate guard is not equal to a mere appearance, just a facade?
No wonder thousands of people were lost and not even a single Japanese pirate was caught. It’s no wonder that such a guardhouse could catch Japanese pirates.
"Songmenwei was established during the Hongwu period. In the fifteenth year of Yongle, the commander of Songmenwei passed away due to illness. The emperor transferred me from Nuergandusi to Songmenwei as the commander. After getting to know each other over the past few years,
, the thousands of households under the Songmen Guards are more or less related to Mr. Zhao Wuming, the commander of Zhejiang Dusi Dusi, and have a close or distant relative. In this way, outside I am the commander of the Songmen Guards, but in fact I am basically the same as the commander of the Songmen Guards.
It makes no difference if they are emptied out. With the upper level behind them, each of these thousands of households becomes increasingly difficult to manage."
"All Qianhu are related to Zhao Wuming?" Xiao Chen's face was filled with disbelief.
Tang Xing nodded: "Yes, all Qianhu."
"Commander, what do you want Dongchang to do when you tell me this specifically? To help you enforce strict military discipline?"
"No, no, no." Tang Xing waved his hand hurriedly, "As long as the Zhejiang Dusi is the culprit in the matter of Songmen Guards, without direct evidence, we have no way to punish these thousands of households. I will call your Excellency alone into this living room.
I’ve heard about your Excellency’s previous deeds in handling cases. Only Your Excellency can dig out the real mastermind behind the rampant Japanese pirates.”
"Who's behind it? Is there someone behind the Japanese pirates' rampage? What does the commander mean, besides the Japanese pirates, is there anyone else involved?"
"Sir, do you think it's normal to lose more than a thousand people and not even a single Japanese pirate can be spared?"
"It's not normal." Xiao Chen shook his head, "No matter how poor the combat effectiveness of the soldiers at the guard station is, a thousand lives cannot be exchanged for one Japanese pirate's life. This cannot be justified."
"These recent Japanese pirates have been out and about during breaks in our coastal defense patrols. And every time the Japanese pirates rob, our soldiers are always late to arrive. I suspect that someone within the Songmen Guards is colluding with the Japanese pirates."
Looking at Xiao Chen, Commander Songmen Guard Tang Xing had a serious look on his face.
With the tea bowl in his hand, Xiao Chen was speechless for a long time.
As the commander of the guard station, he suspected that someone inside was connected with the Japanese pirates and did not dare to investigate. This shows how far Tang Xing was ignored.
This Zhejiang Dusi seems to be really not that simple.
"Commander, do you have any specific suspects?" Xiao Chen was silent for a moment and asked softly.
"Yes, Qianhu Baimulberry."
"Where is he stationed?"
"Longmen Qianhu House to the east of Songmenwei." Tang Xing said.
"Okay, then I will start looking for traces of Japanese pirates from Longmen Station."
Qianhu Baisang of Longmen Qianhu Station had just returned to the camp of the guard station and summoned all the deputy Qianhu.
In the hall, there were five people sitting together with Bai Sang.
"The people from Dongchang have arrived at Songmenwei. Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow, he will definitely come to our Longmen Qianhu Office. Mr. Zhao's secret letter." Looking at the other four deputy Qianhu, Bai Sang lowered his voice.
Upon hearing the word "secret letter", the four of them stood up quickly with respectful expressions on their faces.
"Made all the old ships under your management into new ones. If Dongchang requisitions them, these ships will be given to them." Bai Sang narrowed his eyes slightly and lowered his voice.
"These ships, when they reach the sea, will fall apart after a few storms. If something happens to Dongchang, we won't be able to afford it," a deputy Qianhu said worriedly.
"Don't you know the fighting power of Japanese pirates? Isn't it normal for their firepower to break up ships? What's more, there is no proof of death. As long as the people in Dongchang die, who can know why they died?" Eyes
Squinting slightly, Bai Sang said coldly.
"Yes, we will go back and renovate the ship right away." The four people responded hurriedly.
"You must arrange for someone you trust to do this. If it doesn't work, kill someone and silence them after it's done." Bai Sang raised his right hand and wiped it on his neck.
The beaches under Longmen's jurisdiction were brightly lit, and many soldiers gathered around the dilapidated ships and began to renovate them.
After bidding farewell to Tang Xing, the commander of the Songmen Guards, Xiao Chen slowly walked into the barracks that Tang Xing had specially vacated for the East Factory.
This is a big yard.
To the north is a row of houses, each with a large bunk bed that can accommodate twenty people.
To the south is a row of stables, with a lot of fodder piled up.
Duan Tianming stood at the door of the first room after entering, looking at Xiao Chen with a smile: "The doorman is not bad, and the accommodation arranged for us is absolutely amazing. We both have separate rooms. Your room
I've packed it for you, come in and see what else you need."
"Isn't it? Isn't that the same as our residence in the Thirteenth Battle?" Xiao Chen took the words and walked towards the room.
"No." Duan Tianming chuckled and followed Xiao Chen, "This Song Gate Guard is much better than Zhejiang Dusi."
The house is not big, but it is definitely not small either.
A table and a bed were placed, leaving a fairly large open space.
Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, wiped the tabletop, and looked at it: "Not bad, there is no dust at all."
"This is not my fault. I made the bed for you. When I came in, the table was quite clean." Duan Tianming said.
"The pine guard is pretty good." Xiao Chen nodded, walked to the table and sat down.
"I just went to see the commander. How do you understand the situation of the Japanese pirates?" Duan Tianming pulled the chair at hand and sat across from Xiao Chen.
"The commander has been completely ignored, and there is a traitor within the Songmen Guards who is working with the Japanese pirates." Xiao Chen's face became cold.
"A conspiracy? Collaboration with the enemy?" Duan Tianming was also a little surprised, "Is it the conspiracy of Zhejiang Dusi?"
Xiao Chen nodded, "Commander Tang Xing was transferred here a few years ago. The thousand households guarding Songmen are basically all relatives of Zhao Wuming. His orders are not taken seriously by these thousand households. And among them
A member of the Qianhu family is highly suspected of collaborating with the enemy."
"The Japanese pirates burned, killed, and looted the people along our coast, and thousands of families joined them in the fight. Once such people get the evidence, they should kill the nine tribes." Duan Tianming was very angry, clenched his right fist, and punched the table hard.
Hit it hard.
"Money, it's all money that harms people. These people must be motivated by profit when they inform the Japanese pirates. If it's just a Qianhu collaborator, it would make sense. If there is someone behind Qianhu who instigates, this imperial guardhouse will...
I’m afraid it’s going to take a lot of rectification.”
"Do you suspect that Zhejiang Dusi was also involved in this matter?" Duan Tianming frowned even more.
"I hope I'm wrong." Xiao Chen shook his head, "No matter how corrupt it is, it's only an internal matter within our Ming Dynasty. But if the entire Zhejiang capital has connections with Japanese pirates and plunders property from coastal people, their behavior will be likened to Japanese pirates."
I look down upon you. You have really thrown the face of the Ming Dynasty into the Ryukyu Kingdom."
"What should we do next? First investigate their collaboration with the enemy, or look for traces of Japanese pirates?" Duan Tianming asked.
"Tomorrow, let's start with the villages where Japanese pirates have ravaged and understand their activities. After eliminating the Japanese pirates and allowing the people to live a stable life, we can then take a closer look at the problems that exist within the Zhejiang Dusi."
Xiao Chen raised his right hand and gently rubbed his forehead.
