It was a bright cell, very different from the cold, damp, foul-smelling, and torture-ridden cells that most people would like, with a small bed, a small set of tables and chairs, and even a kettle and a tea set.

This is the highest-level cell of the Department of Commerce.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Zhu Wenqi himself would not have believed that the boundary of Quanzhou was so clean and tidy that even the prison was placed in such a clean and tidy place.

But in the whole of Quanzhou, the only person who can live in the prison cell of the Department of Commerce is Ma Chi, the president of the Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce.

His father, Ma Boliang, was the president of the Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce, that is, the merchant who had discussed a partnership with Geng Jiang, then the director of the shipping department, to do the slave trade.

Later, although Geng Jiang was killed, the implication was not great, and it did not affect his father Ma Boliang, and later Ma Boliang died of illness, and Ma Chi, the eldest son, inherited all this.

A businessman who is more daring than Marborian.

dragging the entire shipping division to smuggle this kind of thing, Zhu Wenqi couldn't understand how could there be such a bold person in the world, or rather, such a stupid person?

When Zhu Wenqi entered the cell, Ma Chi was reading a book peacefully, as if this was not the last stop of his life, but a hotel, a hotel that could leave at any time.

"Don't mention anything else, just your current calmness, you are a great character."

Zhu Wenqi sat opposite Ma Chi, and there were two protective yacha standing behind him, but in fact, Zhu Wenqi didn't even want to bring guards, even if Ma Chi didn't even get on the torture equipment.

"Wait a minute, let me finish this paragraph."

did not rush to respond to Zhu Wenqi's words, Ma Chi was still reading quietly.

Zhu Wenqi didn't urge him, poured himself a cup of tea, saw that there was only a small half of the tea bowl left in front of Ma Chi, and helped add a mouthful, Ma Chi's right index finger on the table lightly tapped the table twice, which was regarded as a thank you.

The quiet atmosphere lasted for a few minutes, and Ma Chi closed the book and put it aside, and smiled at Zhu Wenqi: "Lao Zhusi is waiting." ”

"It's fine."

Zhu Wenqi took the book, and when he saw the title, he was slightly stunned, it turned out to be the sixth volume of the "Jianwen Canon".

looked at Ma Chi in amazement: "You actually like to read this book?" ”

What kind of operation is a wealthy businessman, a bold criminal, holding a book of emperors full of positive energy to study, as the saying goes?

And I'm still reading the sixth volume of politics.

Is this what you want to do to be an emperor?

"Your Majesty's book, after reading it, it is really cited as a book from heaven."

Ma Chi sighed: "Reading books makes people enlightened, I often couldn't understand this before, but after reading His Majesty's holy works, I have a deep understanding, the rise and fall of dynasties, the rise and fall of history, are all in this volume with the simplest white text annotation thoroughly, since the Xia Dynasty of four thousand years, hundreds of millions of stories, are inseparable from the word politics." ”

Zhu Wenqi couldn't help laughing a little, and shook his head: "I'm not here to discuss the classics of His Majesty's holy works with you, you know my intentions, just tell me anything, don't find guilt for yourself, right?" ”

"I don't quite understand." Ma Chi looked at Zhu Wenqi with some surprise: "Your intention is nothing more than to ask about the smuggling case in the 18th district of Quanzhou Port, I heard about it, but you asked me to confess, what did I confess?"

Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce smuggling is true, but the Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce is not my alone, it is the entire Quanzhou businessmen, so who is smuggling in this Chamber of Commerce, I don't know, I just like to read, and I study at home in my spare time, ah, I also passed the Quanzhou entrance examination last year, and I plan to enter politics after I am busy this year. ”

The president of the Quanzhou Chamber of Commerce and one of the deacons of the Daming Federation of Industry and Commerce, should he be a public servant in politics?

This really surprised Zhu Wenqi, he really didn't expect Ma Chi to have such an experience.

Seeing Zhu Wenqi's thoughts, Ma Chi smiled: "Look, you still want to arrest me for questioning, but you don't even understand my basic situation clearly, this is not good."

In the words of His Majesty, when we are in a confrontation with an adversary or enemy, we must know not only ourselves, but also our enemy, and even know the enemy to a greater extent than we know ourselves.

Zhu Sizheng, you treat me as an enemy, but you don't know anything about me, so how can you defeat me? ”

After speaking, he spread his hands, with a look of contempt and pride.

Facing Ma Chi's provocation, Zhu Wenqi laughed: "You want to provoke me? ”

"Nothing." Ma Chi's face calmed down again, and he laughed at himself: "Since ancient times, the people don't fight with officials, you are an official and I am a citizen, you are a bird and a beast, I am now locked up in this cell in plain clothes, which angered you, and rushed in two yacha can take my life with a knife, how dare you."

I'm just explaining a fact to you, I have heard a little about smuggling in Quanzhou, and I have also been to the prefect's yamen many times to find Chen Fuzun and Ma Tongzhi to report, but I have not found out any specific clues.

Not only me, but the whole Quanzhou is celebrating and applauding you, but you want me to confess the so-called smuggling crime, which is a matter that has no shadow.

How big is the 18th arrondissement?

The size is so much that the reserves are full of smuggled goods, and how much tax can be avoided by loading them once a month?

Contemptible people don't dare to say that the wealth is rivaled by the country, there is still a net worth of 350 million, there is no reason to take such a big risk for this bit of silver, after all, there are more than a dozen wives and concubines in the family, and there are many children. ”

These words were written in a relaxed and coherent manner, without the tension and panic of a guilty person.

Zhu Wenqi also knew that a criminal of the level and level of Ma Chi wanted to overcome the psychological defense line at the first meeting, and it was unrealistic to ask for all the useful intelligence information, so he was not discouraged in his heart.

Lifting the tea bowl and handing it to his lips and moistening it gently, Zhu Wenqi took Ma Chi's words: "You also know that there are many wives and children at home, although the environment in this place is much better than that of the prison, but in the end, you still can't see your family, don't you want to go home to see them?" ”

"I think I thought, didn't I was summoned by you?"

Ma Chi laughed twice and shook his hand: "Anyway, I'm telling everything I know, Zhu Sizheng should go to other people to try it, maybe you can ask something, the official law is like a furnace, but it's impossible not to confess anything that is a crime, right."

But I have to remind you Zhu Sizheng, nearly 100,000 workers under Quanshang eat, they depend on Quanzhou Port, depend on the entire Quanshang business, 100,000 people have no food and hunger, but these 100,000 people still have their families, don't be hungry and have any human tragedy.

Now that the entire Quanzhou business is suspended, no one has gone out to preside over the overall situation, and after a long time, there will definitely be something that undermines the stability and prosperity of the good situation, and at that time, even if the Quanzhou prefect yamen is upright in enforcing the law, it is still a crime.

Because, you have destroyed the people's livelihood, and you are the sinners of the court if you destroy the people's livelihood, and at this point, Your Majesty has repeatedly emphasized that no matter what the banner of anyone is flying for the country and the people, as long as it affects the people's livelihood, it will not work!

If a good coup becomes tyranny, and the law becomes a cruel people, then justice is meaningless. ”

Zhu Wenqi who said this was really angry, and said with a change of face: "Are you intimidating me, using the so-called 100,000 workers to intimidate me?" ”

"I've never liked to intimidate anyone." Ma Chi put his hands staggered on the table, his words were sincere, and his eyes looked at Zhu Wenqi calmly: "I like to tell the truth, and I only like to say some easy-to-understand truths, and what I state is the truth."

The matter in Quanzhou, you said it well, all of them have enforced the law justly, that is, because you can only see what is happening at this height because of the angle you stand and the position under your ass, that is, the case must be investigated, and the guilty must be arrested.

But after the chaos, the incident spread to Nanjing, what did the monarch overlook?

It was originally a peaceful, rich, stable and prosperous Quanzhou has become a disaster city full of chaos and the people are waiting to be fed. ”

The last sentence Ma Chi said in Zhu Wenqi's ear with a suppressed voice, which directly startled the latter.

"This official doesn't believe it, without you, Quanzhou will be in chaos!"

Throwing down these words, Zhu Wenqi took a deep breath, turned around and left, and Ma Chi's bland but extremely disgusting voice sounded behind him.

"Slow down and don't send it."