Chapter 395 The general behind
The weather in the capital was getting colder day by day. The emperor always temporarily decided to stay in the study or the bedroom. The eunuchs prepared charcoal basins in both rooms to keep them warm as spring.
In the study, Meng E studied the ink and took a step back. She is now a palace maid and can no longer stand quietly in the corner.
Han Ruzi picked up the pen, but after dipping in ink, he didn't write for a long time. After a while, he put the pen down, turned his head and asked, "Is there any grievances in the righteous island?"
Han Ruzi had planned to reply to Yang Feng, but he didn't know what to write.
Yang Feng is in the process of electing the leader of the Jianghu Alliance in Yunmengze. There are a lot of people participating. Even many heroes in the capital are tempted and go to show their faces. friendship.
"Of course there are. There are more sects in the sea than Yunmengze. A small battle every six months and a major battle every three years are definitely inevitable."
Han Ruzi suddenly laughed, "It's really weird, why do I always forget that you are from the sea? I've been looking for generals of pirates everywhere, but you're actually the most suitable."
Meng E glanced down at the palace clothes on her body, "I can't be a general, not to mention the Great Chu, there was no female general in the previous dynasty, right?"
Han Ruzi was just joking, but he did ignore the value of Meng E before, so he put aside the matter of writing letters and asked, "How many 'sects' are there in the sea?"
The so-called sects are gangs of pirates, and Han Ruzi followed Meng E's speech without specifying it.
"Well... it is said that there are seventy-two island owners and thirty-six cave owners, a total of one hundred and eight."
Han Ruzi pointed to the stack of official documents on the table, "The official documents sent by the coastal generals also said the same, and also said that the seven islands and three caves are respected, and their strength and status are higher than those of other families. There is the righteous island, but the strongest The family is... a fairy mountain."
"Penglai Island." Meng E sneered, "It's all nonsense, various schools fight each other, every few months, a few are destroyed, and at the same time, a few groups will arise, swallowing each other, It is more common to become a king after being powerful. When there are many sects in the sea, there are hundreds of schools, and when there are few schools, there are 20 or 30 schools, and there is no fixed 108 schools. It takes a long time. But when everyone gathers, they always prepare 108 chairs. Anyway, there are many big and small leaders, so just sit on them temporarily and make up the number."
"Is that Penglai Island true or false?"
"There are true and false. If it is true, there will always be people who claim that they have been to Penglai Island, and some even claim that they are ordered by Penglai Island to command all the sects on the sea, and those who do not obey will do so. Say it false - those who claim to be not Run away if you die, but I have never seen the fleet on Phong Peng Island come out to take revenge."
Han Ruzi laughed.
"The strange thing is that even so, many people still believe that there is a powerful Penglai Island hiding in the distant sea, and it will not show up until the time is right. We, the Righteous Island, have sent people out to look for it, and so far no one has come back alive, I don't know if it is He died at sea, but was left behind by Penglai Island."
Han Ruzi shook his head with a smile, and suddenly put away his smile, "It's a bit like Chun Yuxiao, who is looking for air, everyone says they have seen him and learned the art of sophistry and lobbying from him, and some people claim to be him, but after they are caught, they neither."
Yang Feng stubbornly believed that Chunyu Xiao really existed, and Han Ruzi felt incomprehensible.
He sighed and asked again, "If you were a general, how would you destroy all the factions at sea?"
"I will tip off the news, so that they can escape if they can escape, hide if they can, and don't confront the officers and soldiers."
Han Ruzi was stunned for a moment, then laughed again, remembering why she hadn't consulted Meng E about the situation in the East China Sea. She was a descendant of Chen Qi from Righteous Shidao and had no loyalty to Da Chu.
Someone knocked on the door outside, Meng E went to open the door, the person who came was a eunuch, did not enter the room, bowed and handed a letter to Meng E.
The letter was written by Jing Yao. On his way back to Beijing, he sent someone to deliver the letter to the capital in advance. The content was extremely simple, with only one name: Huang Pugong.
Ordinary people could not understand the meaning of this letter, but Han Ruzi immediately understood, although this was the first time he had seen the name.
"Master Yan Peng really took the merits of others." Han Ruzi put down the letter, although he was expected, he was disappointed, "It's really strange, why did this Huang Pugong refuse to write to explain the truth?"
More details will not be known until Jing Yao returns, Han Ruzi sighed again, and said to Meng E: "For the emperor, the most difficult thing is to choose people. With the world, the emperor can see very few people. Among these people, there are many falsehoods, and it is hard to see two or three people, but they may not be willing to serve the court."
Meng E thought about it and didn't answer.
Han Ruzi asked again: "Some people do everything possible to increase their ranks, but some people give up their rank and honors. I'm really confused, why are some people unwilling to do things for the court?"
One hundred people would have one hundred answers, Meng E's answer might not be the most accurate, but the most direct, "Because some people also want to be emperors, if this is a troubled world, they are all enemies of His Majesty, but it's a pity that Da Chu is not so messed up. , they have no chance to compete for the world, and they would rather retire than be subservient to others."
"'Is there no king's land under the whole world, and a king's ministers on the coast of leading the land', after all, it's just a dream."
There was another knock on the door outside, the voice was relatively soft, and he seemed a little hesitant, not sure whether his behavior was appropriate.
"Jin Chunzhong, let him in." Han Ruzi heard him.
Sure enough, Jin Chunzhong walked in lightly. He was the son of Marquis Guiyi, but he was bullied since he was a child in the honorable circle. 's words and deeds.
Although it was not an official summons, Jin Chunzhong still knelt down and kowtowed, and got up only after getting permission.
When Han Ruzi faced him, he always maintained the majesty of the emperor, not just because he was a close minister, he sat upright and nodded, indicating that he could speak.
"Wei Chen has found some clues these days. The person named 'Yunxiong' must not have left the capital. He is probably hiding in a noble man's house, and it is a place that Jingzhao Yin's house cannot enter."
Jing Zhaoyin is in charge of the capital, equivalent to the county governor, with a higher rank, and he is powerless to the high-ranking officials of the court.
"Continue to investigate, no matter who the shield is, we must find out."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Jin Chunzhong continued: "Many clues show that not only Yun Xiong is the assassin among the businessmen, but even Danchen, the judicial member of Jingzhao Yin's House, has locked seven people, but he has not been alarmed and has to wait for the assassin. After more accomplices show up, they will be wiped out."
Han Ruzi nodded in agreement. Although the King of the East China Sea made a contribution, it was too early to arrest someone. The assassin named Ma Mu knew very little and could not provide much useful information. Jin Chunzhong and Lian Danchen would not commit the crime again. similar error.
Jin Chunzhong was hesitant to speak, but finally said: "Wei Chen also discovered some other things during the investigation."
"Say."
"It is rumored that the imperial court will issue a decree to cut all the debts of the young mansion, and only repay 30 to 50%. The merchants gathered in the capital have been tempted by this recently, and they have sold their IOUs to others at low prices."
Han Ruzi thought for a while, and patted it on the table, "Hey, it really is a businessman who is not a traitor, it must be the work of a Luoyang businessman, they heard that I have a handle on them, so they are going to use a trick to mix everything up. The IOUs are all in the hands of a few people, and if I don’t pay it back then, I’ll lose my trust in the world, and if I pay it back, I can’t tell the difference.”
Jin Chunzhong was silent, he was only responsible for providing clues and did not give the emperor any other ideas.
Han Ruzi thought for a while, "What else?"
"WeChen also found a rumor, but it's not very credible."
"But it doesn't matter."
"It is said that Yun Mengze invited a rare expert in the arena, who could enter a thousand armies to assassinate generals, and never miss a shot within a hundred steps. Yun Mengze pinned his hopes on this person, and everything he did was Send this person to His Majesty's 'within a hundred paces'."
Han Ruzi couldn't help laughing, "If there is such a master in the world, he can be the emperor directly, why just threaten the emperor?"
"The martial arts must be exaggerated, but please be careful, Your Majesty, don't easily summon strangers in the near future."
Han Ruzi hummed noncommittally. He couldn't make any guarantees. He had not finished meeting the generals sent from various places, and his uncle's family would soon arrive in the capital... These were all strangers he had to meet.
Jin Chunzhong was about to retire, but Han Ruzi saw the letter sent by Jing Yao on the desk, so he stopped Jin Chunzhong, "Wait a minute, have you heard the name Huang Pugong?"
Jin Chunzhong raised his head, with obvious surprise on his face, nodded and said: "I heard that this person is a entourage by Yan Pengshi's side. He once came to the Marquis Mansion with him. How could His Majesty know about him?"
After all, the assassin Ma Mu was brought into the capital by Yan Pengshi. After Jin Chunzhong was awarded the envoy of Xuanyi, the first person to investigate was all the people around Yan Pengshi, even the groom and the cook, including Huang Pugong. .
"What kind of person is he?" Han Ruzi did not disclose the source of the letter.
Jin Chunzhong thought for a while, "Forty-two years old, a native of the East China Sea, born as a fisherman, sold himself as a servant at the age of seventeen, moved around a few times, entered the Yan Mansion at the age of thirty, and has served the master until now. What's the problem. Does Your Majesty want me to investigate again?"
"No, he should have nothing to do with assassins."
When Jin Chunzhong withdrew, Han Ruzi was confused, and said to Meng E: "An ordinary servant, can he help the master to direct the naval battle?"
"Resumes can be faked."
"Jin Chunzhong was deceived? His methods of questioning are very skilled, and he will not listen to one side of the story. There must be evidence."
"Maybe it's not Jin Chunzhong who was deceived, but the Yan family. In order to cover up the false leadership of the military, the Yan family needs an unsuspected rhetoric."
"Hey, Yan family." Han Ruzi had a very good impression of Yan Pengshi at first. He had high expectations at one time, but after discovering many problems, he was even more disappointed.
Assassins, merchants to collect debts, uncle's royal family... Many trivial matters came together, Han Ruzi couldn't concentrate on looking for the general, picked up Jing Yao's letter, threw it in a nearby charcoal basin, and watched it burn to ashes.
"Deal with the merchant first, this matter can't be dragged on any longer."