Du Quqiu has been extremely busy these days. He first went to inspect a copper mine in Jingzhou, and then participated in the relocation ceremony of "Tianxia Xinbao" and "Chang'an Express". Both newspapers moved to Chang'an New City at the same time.
Early this morning, Dugu Guqiu went to Xianyang County again. Today was a holiday. The Dugu family's sugar refining workshop in Xianyang was completed, and he wanted to take a look.
The Dugu family built a sugar mill each in Fengzhou, Yuzhou and Guangzhou. The three places are close to the origin of raw materials. They first refined the sugar into coarse sugar in the three states, and then transported it to Chang'an for refining, including refining into fine brown sugar and frosted sugar.
In fact, the government also had large-scale sugar boiling workshops, but the government only boiled the raw sugar into coarse sugar. Some small workshops could purchase jaggery from the government for fine processing. Sugar is not like salt. The imperial court allowed large merchants to grow raw materials and boil raw sugar.
Therefore, several former Guanlong families and big businessmen began to purchase sugar cane gardens and establish sugar boiling workshops. The Dugu family was the first to do so and has now entered the final stage of refining refined sugar.
The carriage entered Xianyang County, and there were eighteen warriors on both sides of the carriage to guard it. Today, Du Qiu was doing private business, so he did not specifically ask for the guard of the warriors of the Jinwei Mansion, but asked his own servants to protect him.
The carriage slowly stopped in front of a large courtyard. A follower opened the door and helped Ding Duqiu get out of the car.
At this moment, a short arrow shot out with a 'whoosh!', hitting Dugu Lingqiu in the back of the heart. The arrow was powerful and shot into the body. Dugu Lingqiu screamed and fell on his back.
More than a dozen guards were shocked and shouted: "There is an assassin!"
They drew their swords and chased towards the place where the arrows were fired, but found nothing and no trace of anyone.
"This arrow is poisonous, call a doctor quickly!"
The two guards pulled out the short arrow from Du Lingqiu's back, and found that the arrowhead was blue and obviously poisonous. They suddenly shouted anxiously.
The steward in the workshop also ran out, and he hurriedly went to find a doctor. By this time, Du Qiu had fainted and his face began to turn black.
When it was time for a cup of tea, a doctor hurried over with a medicine box. He felt Dugu Lingqiu's breath and pulse. He stood up and shook his head. Dugu Lingqiu had stopped breathing.
...........
The assassination in Xianyang County immediately shocked Chang'an? Prime Minister Du Guoqiu was assassinated? This is a huge thing anyway. Before the "Chang'an Express" published the news the next day, the incident had already spread throughout Chang'an.
.
King Guo Song of Jin Dynasty was furious and immediately convened an emergency meeting in the Zhongshu Provincial Round Hall in the Political Hall. There was a lot of discussion among the six prime ministers in the hall.
The Prime Minister was assassinated. This was the first time since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. Who was so crazy and crazy? Even the Prime Minister wanted to be assassinated?
The six prime ministers all looked solemn? They all had a sense of crisis. This time it was Du Qiu who was assassinated, so who is next?
"Could this be Zhu Si's doing? To retaliate against us for seizing Mi, Yan, and Yizhou? Or to retaliate against us for canceling the negotiations." Zhang Qianyi asked doubtfully.
"Zhu Si is unlikely!"
Du You shook his head and said: "After so many years, there has never been an assassination case against a minister. What if Zhu Si did it? There must be a precedent. Besides, if he killed our people? I would also kill his people. This kind of thing is reciprocal.
? He shouldn’t break this rule.”
Zhang Qiu'an also said: "I don't think it was Zhu Si who did it. If it was him? His target should also be the left and right prime ministers? Or is it me, the Minister of War? There is no way I would assassinate Dugu Xiangguo, who is in charge of commerce and handicraft industry.
.”
Everyone was silent. If it wasn't Zhu Si, then who could it be?
"His Royal Highness the King of Jin has arrived!"
The guards outside shouted loudly, and the prime ministers stood up one after another. Guo Song walked in with a serious face. The ministers bowed and saluted, "See your highness!"
Guo Song waved his hand, "Everyone, please take a seat!"
Everyone sat down, and Guo Song also sat down. He slowly said to everyone: "Everyone should know that Old Prime Minister Dugu was assassinated in Xianyang County this morning and died unfortunately. It makes us extremely sad and indignant. We must
There is no doubt that the murderer will be severely punished if found, but I have called you here today to tell you a few things."
Guo Song [District 8] was silent for a moment and then said: "The reason why this assassination was successful was to take advantage of a loophole in our security system, and to take advantage of the rule that the warriors of the Jin Wei Mansion protect the public but not the private. This rule will be used from now on."
Beginning to be abolished, from now on, regardless of official or private matters, whether in the morning or on holidays, Jin Weifu warriors must protect them. This is a.
Secondly, the scope of the Jinwei Mansion’s protection has been expanded from the rank of prime minister to officials of the third rank and above. The Jinwei Mansion will be merged with the inner guards to increase manpower.”
"Who does your Highness think this is?" Pan Liao asked.
Guo Song nodded, "This is also an important reason why I summoned everyone. Is there something I need to let everyone know?"
Everyone was refreshed. Could it be that His Highness had any clues? Everyone listened attentively.
Guo Song pondered for a while and then said: "About the beginning of the year, the internal guards accidentally discovered a mysterious organization called the Tangzhou Chamber of Commerce. This chamber of commerce has attracted many people who are hostile to us to join, so I initially judged that this chamber of commerce is a group that is hostile to us.
organization, my intuition tells me that this assassination incident was caused by them?"
Everyone looked at each other, this was something they had never thought of.
Du You quickly asked: "Your Highness, who organized this Tangzhou Chamber of Commerce?"
Guo Song shook his head, "This Tangzhou Chamber of Commerce is very well hidden. They are all connected through one line. So far, we still know nothing about it. Perhaps this assassination incident will be a breakthrough that lifts its mask.
"
Cao Wannian stood up and said: "Your Highness, no matter how the internal guards investigate, I suggest that our official investigations should be arranged simultaneously!"
"Cao Xiangguo is right. This case will be jointly investigated by the Criminal Department, Dali Temple and Yushitai. Cao Xiangguo, your Privy Council will take the lead."
"Wei Chen understands!"
...........
In Xianyang County, the internal guard commander Wang Yuezheng led thirty elite internal guard men to inspect the assassination site.
The sugar mill covers an area of about ten acres and consists of two large courtyards inside and outside. There is only the main entrance. Directly opposite the gate is a row of poplar trees and a small river. On the other side of the river is a very dilapidated mud mill.
, about thirty steps away from the gate. Judging from the direction, the assassin should be a short crossbow fired from the mud roof.
Wang Yue was not in a hurry to draw a conclusion. He carefully looked at the place where Du Lingqiu fell to the ground and asked someone to draw two circles with lime. He found a subordinate who was similar in height to Du Lingqiu and said to him: "You stand between the two."
A white circle!"
He also had a carriage pulled over and stopped behind his men, imitating the way Du Lingqiu got off the carriage.
Wang Yue returned to the dilapidated mud house, lay down on the ridge and looked this way, stood up again, looked at it, and shouted: "You take a few steps toward the door!"
His men walked towards the door. Wang Yue looked at it for a moment. He shook his head and walked back to several of his men: "The assassin did not assassinate on the roof. He was blocked by the carriage. He had to walk to the threshold, and Dugu Xiangguo's carriage was even more dangerous."
It’s so big that you might not be able to see it even if you walk to the threshold.”
Several men looked at a dozen large poplar trees together. The poplar branches were lush and leafy. If it wasn't the roof, it could only be shooting from the trees.
At this time, a subordinate came with two men, "Commander Qi, these two may have seen the assassin!"
Wang Yue quickly asked: "How did you see it?"
The elder among them pointed to a row of houses not far away and said: "My home is there. In the past two days, I saw a man walking around by the river and climbing a tree. I saw him again this morning.
I thought he was here to dig out the bird's nest."
"I saw it too!"
Another young man said: "Early this morning, I was planting vegetables in the distance and saw a man in black climbing up a tree."
"What kind of man in black is he?" Wang Yue asked again.
The older man hesitated and said: "I guess he is in his thirties! He is very thin and looks like a young boy of fourteen or fifteen years old."
"What are the characteristics that are different from normal people?"
The two looked at each other. The older man thought for a long time and suddenly said: "That's right! He seems to have a long scar on his face!"
Is there a scar on his face? Wang Yue thought of a person like a flash of lightning in his mind.
At this time, Wang Yue saw a group of officials coming with a large number of soldiers and servants. The leader was the Privy Councilor Cao Wannian, followed by Cheng Ruxiao, the Minister of Punishment, Meng Jianchun, the Censor Zhongcheng, and Xue Fan, the Minister of Dali Temple.
Wang Yue knew that this was the court coming to investigate the case, so he asked one of his subordinates to stay and cooperate with the investigation, and he led his men to withdraw first.