The autumn is high and cool, and the front of the Xiyuan Palace seems to be empty.

Lin Fu had been standing here anxiously waiting, holding a bag of fried ginkgo that he hadn't eaten in the morning, but his eyes kept looking at the movement at the palace gate.

When only one toe appeared at the palace gate, he greeted Lin Haoran who came out of it like a sharp arrow, and asked with concern: "Uncle Nineteen, are you okay?" ”

Faced with this worry, Lin Haoran was not in a hurry to respond, but looked up at the clear sky in the south, and then shook his head lightly: "It's okay!" You pay attention to the whereabouts of the tiger girl, I want to know which day this girl will arrive in Beijing! ”

At the end, his tone was clearly tinged with resentment.

Lin Fu didn't dare to ask more, and when he even accepted it, he pointed behind him and reported: "Nineteenth uncle, Hu Zongxian's second son has just come and said that Master Hu wants to see you!" ”

As he spoke, a young man who looked like a boy and brother led two house slaves to greet him.

Hu Songqi was born with a tall and thin body, perhaps because he had experienced changes in his family, which made his white face more vicissitudes, and he respectfully saluted Lin Haoran: "I have seen Lin Shangshu in Xia Hu Songqi!" ”

"Master Hu, do you know why your father wants to see this official?" Lin Haoran looked at the haggard appearance of this second son of Hu, and sighed secretly in his heart and asked.

"I don't know!" Hu Songqi shook his head first, then threw himself on the ground and cried: "My father was wrongfully imprisoned, I have heard that Lin Shangshu is fair and strict, and I asked Lin Shangshu to lend a hand to save my father, my Hu family must be grateful!" ”

Hey?

Lin Fu has always heard that this second son of Hu has a bad reputation, and he was even beaten by Hai Rui in Chun'an County. Just looking at his actions like this, he couldn't help but change his mind, and he turned his head and looked at Lin Haoran curiously.

Lin Haoran hesitated slightly, and then gave Lin Fu a look.

Lin Fu stepped forward to help Hu Songqi up from the ground, and Hu Songqi looked up at Lin Haoran with teary eyes, until Lin Haoran ordered to go to the Criminal Department before turning sadness into joy.

In fact, in the matter of Hu Zongxian, Lin Haoran was not involved in it. After all, this is Xu Jie's liquidation of the Yan Party, and there is obviously Xu Jie's will in this, and it is unwise to make a big move for the sake of an "irrelevant person".

It's just that Hu Zongxian is different from Yan Shifan after all, he is a hero who has made significant contributions to the Ming Dynasty.

Although it seems now that Hu Zongxian used a plan to kill Wang Zhi and Xu Hai, the biggest Japanese leaders in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and did not show much merit, many things cannot be judged from the results.

Like these Zhenwu camp mutinies, it seems that Hu Niu just led her own soldiers to break into the camp, and she successfully appeased the Zhenwu camp just by killing dozens of Zhu Gui's own soldiers, and her achievements seem to be very ordinary.

But without Hu Niu's seemingly reckless move this time, and without her standing up to solve the Zhenwu camp, then the imperial court is likely to compromise with the Zhenwu camp, thus burying greater hidden dangers.

Hu Zongxian's settlement of Wang Zhi and Xu Hai in that year not only directly solved the problem of the Japanese in Nanzhili and Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but also restrained the expansion of the southeastern Japanese in a timely manner, and laid a solid foundation for the pacification of the Japanese in Fujian and Guangdong.

If we want to talk about the merits of pacifying the Japanese invaders, Hu Zongxian not only effectively solved the problems of the Japanese in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but also paved the way for the comprehensive settlement of the Japanese invaders in the southeast, and his merits can actually be ranked above Qi Jiguang.

is also for this reason, Lin Haoran didn't say whether he should try to rescue Hu Zongxian, the great hero who solved the troubles in the southeast, and he would definitely see him at this side.

"Thank you Lin Shangshu!" Hu Songqi saw that Lin Haoran was going to meet his father, and he also gave a courtesy gratefully.

During the period when his father was imprisoned in the prison of the Criminal Department, he could be regarded as seeing the warmth and coldness of people. Not to mention that he was going to see his father in prison, even if he went with gifts, it would be a closed door.

However, he also understands that this officialdom has always been the icing on the cake, no one will give charcoal in the snow, and an official like Lin Haoran is already a bodhisattva.

The Yamen of the Criminal Department is located in Xijiang Mi Lane, which is closer to Xiyuan, following Dali Temple and Duchayuan on the same side of the alley, and the door is sitting west and facing east.

With Lin Haoran's sedan chair here, the criminal department was also jumping.

Lin Haoran got down from the sedan chair, but ignored the officials who were looking this way, but walked straight towards the prison of the Criminal Department, while Hu Songqi walked in the front.

"Visiting Hu Zongxian? We have an order from above: no one is allowed to visit Hu Zongxian! The cell boss faced Hu Songqi's intention, but immediately moved out of the regulations.

"Blind your dog's eyes, do you know who my family is?" Lin Fu bypassed Hu Songqi, but scolded the authenticity.

The cell boss knew that he had met a big man, and when he saw Lin Haoran wearing a second-grade official uniform, he immediately knelt down and saluted: "The little one meets Lord Shangshu!" ”

"I want to see Hu Zongxian!" Lin Haoran faced the cell head kneeling on the ground, and it seemed that he could not refuse.

The cell leader's face showed a look of embarrassment, but he explained in fear: "Lord Shangshu, this is indeed Lord Qian's death order!" ”

"Open up, let's take care of something!" Lin Fu glanced at Lin Haoran, and immediately ordered with a straight face.

The cell boss secretly felt a headache, looked at Lin Haoran pitifully and said, "Lord Shangshu, let me be small, please don't be embarrassed!" ”

Lin Haoran's brows furrowed slightly, but he walked to the wine table in the hall and sat down. Although he is now in a high position, he is not too self-serving, and he knows that this cell boss is indeed not easy.

"Quick, tea! Lord Shangshu, please wait a minute, I'll go to Tongyu! The cell boss was overjoyed, and even asked people to serve tea to greet Lin Haoran, and then hurriedly ran out.

Lin Haoran didn't like the tea here, but he asked someone to bring a bowl of boiled water. I just performed hard in the Wanshou Palace, especially I shed a lot of tears, and I need to replenish water at this time.

The Yamen of the Criminal Department, the Left Shilang Office.

Qian Bangyan, the left attendant of the Criminal Department, was in charge of the Criminal Department's Criminal Department Division and the Criminal Division, so he held the jurisdiction of the Criminal Department's prison, and it was Qian Bangyan's decision to deprive Hu Zongxian of his right to visit the prison.

Qian Bangyan was dealing with official business in the signing room, and in the face of the cell boss's report, he muttered in confusion: "He can't protect himself, why did he come to see Hu Zongxian?" ”

"My lord, how should this be?" The cell boss asked pleadingly.

Qian Bangyan's face was slightly gloomy, and he immediately sat up from the chair and said, "The old man will meet him!" ”

When Qian Bangyan came to the front hall of the prison of the Criminal Department, Lin Haoran was leisurely eating peanuts, and when he heard the footsteps of Qian Bangyan and his party, he raised his head lazily and glanced at it.

Although Qian Bangyan was completely defeated by Lin Haoran in terms of age and qualifications, and he also knew that Lin Haoran was facing big trouble, he still stepped forward and arched his hand in a proper manner: "I've seen Lin Shangshu!" ”

"Qian Shilang, can't this official catch up with Governor Hu if he wants to?" Lin Haoran didn't raise his head, and continued to peel the peanuts on the plate.

Qian Bangyan said in his heart: Of course not, but when the words came to his lips, they became: "Lin Shangshu, this is a prisoner of the imperial court!" ”

"If the court doesn't convict one day, he can only be regarded as a suspect!" Lin Haoran threw a peanut into his mouth, and glanced at Qian Bangyan seriously.

Qian Bangyan was very dissatisfied with Lin Haoran's behavior, but he still suppressed his anger and said: "That being said, but now that the evidence is there, it is really not appropriate to meet!" ”

This......

Lin Fu glanced at Qian Bangyan in confusion, but he didn't expect that this person would really dare to stop them.

"What if the official wants to see it?" Lin Haoran's brows furrowed slightly, and he looked at Qian Bangyan with a straight face and said in a deep voice.

At this moment, when Qian Bangyan saw the official authority exuded by Lin Haoran, he couldn't help but shrink his head.

Qian Bangyan has been in officialdom for many years, but he responded fearlessly: "This is the decision of the Criminal Department!" ”

"Really? Huang Shangshu also means this? Lin Haoran patted the peanut dander on his hand and asked Qian Bangyan for verification again.

Qian Bangyan's chin was lightly raised, and he responded with confidence: "Yes! ”

If only [Jiujiu .cn] is only a left-hand servant of the Criminal Department, it is already a little bit of weight, but with Huang Guangsheng, the Shangshu of the Criminal Department, then this weight should be able to suppress this kid.

"Huang Shangshu treats the Criminal Department as his own private prison!" Lin Haoran said lightly, and then ordered unceremoniously: "Come on, open the door, I'll see who dares to stop this official!" ”

Of course, officialdom wants to make money in harmony, but since people don't give him face as a household secretary, if he accompanies him with a smile on his face, he is really the number one coward in the world.

Lin Fu stepped forward viciously and grabbed the cell head and asked him to open the cell door.

"You ......" Qian Bangyan didn't expect Lin Haoran to be so strong, and he was speechless for a while.

But he wanted to stop it, but he couldn't. Even if people are going to lose their official positions and return to their hometowns tomorrow, they are still dignified and second-class household books, and they are the existence he looks up to.

The cells in the Prison Department are very damp, and the environment here is not good.

Hu Zongxian waited for the treatment of death row prisoners and was locked in the innermost part of the cell. As we went deeper, the ground became more and more humid, and the air was filled with a pungent smell.

Lin Haoran is a person who can tolerate pain, and if an official from a wealthy background like Zhang Siwei arrives here, I am afraid that he will also have to retreat.

Hu Zongxian was locked in the last cell, and even though it was covered with straw, there was still not a dry place on the ground.

"Daddy!"

Hu Songqi followed in, and shouted when he saw him sitting in the corner shivering, tears welling up in his eyes.

Seeing this, Lin Haoran also sighed secretly.

But I have to admit that sometimes it's really unfair.

Yan Shifan had no merits, but ended up living in a clean and comfortable cell, with big fish and meat to serve. On the other hand, the first person who contributed to the pacification of the southeastern Japanese was not only framed as a prisoner, but also lived in such a dirty cell.

When the cell boss unlocked the door, Hu Songqi rushed in and hugged the father who used to allow him to run rampant in the southeast, and tears poured out uncontrollably.

When Hu Zongxian saw his own son like this, his heart was also like this.

Although Hai Rui beat this second son back then, he didn't ask for an explanation for his son, but he still cares about his son very much in his heart, and he has always been a father who wants his son to become a Chan.

"I've seen Governor Hu!" Lin Haoran walked into the cell, and when Hu Zongxian cast his eyes on him, he saluted respectfully.

Regardless of whether Hu Zongxian has a communication with the Japanese or not, his exploits in pacifying the southeast of the Ming Dynasty are enough for him to maintain a respect for Hu Zongxian.

Hu Zongxian looked at Lin Haoran like this, but he seemed to sigh from the bottom of his heart: "Human affection is like thin paper, and the world is like a new chess game, but I don't want Lin Shangshu to see me, a guilty person!" ”

"Lord Hu thinks he is guilty?" Lin Haoran immediately picked up the idiosyncrasy of the language.

Hu Zongxian smiled bitterly when he heard this, looked up at Lin Haoran and said, "Lin Shangshu, do you believe that I have fornicated with the Japanese?" ”

"It doesn't matter if I believe it or not, the important thing is that they have your fornication and straightforward faith as proof!" Lin Haoran has been in officialdom for many years, and his speech is quite smooth and authentic.

Hu Zongxian sighed lightly and said seriously: "Lin Shangshu, do you know why I transferred wolf soldiers from Guangxi back then, and insisted on begging the court to allow recruitment?" ”

"Why?" Lin Haoran said quietly.

Hu Zongxian seemed to have returned to the years when the southeast was in dire straits, and said sadly: "Although there are hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the southeast, not to mention the lack of guards, the armament is even more dilapidated, and the morale of the army is even more scattered. If it weren't ten times as many as the would-be robbers, they wouldn't dare to fight, and they would often flee on their own when they saw them! Although he was recommended by the elder of the Yan Pavilion and was reused by the emperor, it is undoubtedly a fool's dream to rely on the southeast soldiers to solve the trouble. The new army was not successful, and the court was impatient, so I knew at that time that I could only outwit and not fight. ”

"That's why you've adopted a strategy of recruitment!" Lin Haoran nodded lightly.

In all fairness, if he is in Hu Zongxian's position, I am afraid that he will not do as well as Hu Zongxian. If it was really so easy to deal with the Japanese invaders, then no dozens of Japanese would have been able to run to the city of Nanjing.

Hu Songqi turned his head to look at his father, his eyes were both proud and regretful.

Hu Zongxian nodded lightly and said: "If I don't follow the strategy of appeasement and don't give Wang Zhi repeated assurances in the letter, he will not come back from Japan's Kyushu Island, and it will be impossible for him to obediently go ashore to accept Zhao'an!" Although there are inappropriate words in the letter, it is indeed a promise to Wang Zhi, but it is also an expedient measure, in order for Wang Zhi to help pacify Chen Sipan and other gangs of Japanese gangs, so that Wang Zhi can go ashore to accept the appeasement! ”

"The contents of the letter may confirm that you and Wang Zhi had an affair?" Lin Haoran knew that Hu Zongxian's actions were beyond reproach, but he asked with concern.

Hu Zongxian shook his head bitterly and said: "It's been a long time, and the letters I wrote to Wang Zhi back then were all delivered by Luo Wenlong, and I don't know which letters he kept!" As he spoke, he looked directly into Lin Haoran's eyes and said: "But I can guarantee that I have no intention of fornicating with Wang Zhi, even if there are some inappropriate words in the letter, it is also to appease Wang Zhi to go ashore!" ”

"The triage of the three divisions is also a place that pays attention to evidence, and this letter is quite crucial! Even if I believe you, if it is confirmed in the letter that you have an affair with Wang Zhi, I will not be able to help you! Lin Haoran met Hu Zongxian's eyes and looked open and honest.

Although he and Xu Jie have officially broken up, and they also want to help this great hero who pacified the southeast war, if the facts are there, then he can only watch Hu Zongxian subjugate the law.

When Hu Songqi heard this, he immediately grabbed his father's elbow nervously.

Hu Zongxian said happily: "I, Hu Zongxian, dare not say that it is as clear as the Yangtze River, but I have never done anything wrong, let alone be ashamed of the Ming Dynasty!" I invited Lin Shangshu to come over this time, just because I want you to say this, I hope that when the three divisions are tried, there will be a fair trial, and not like Yan Shifan, who died in vain! ”