Outside the gate of the Tianyi Inn in the eastern suburbs, it was surrounded by many officers and soldiers, and there were many people around to watch the excitement, and they were blocked out of the boundary. The innkeeper walked out and stood in front of Guozhi and said, "Official, we are serious businessmen, and we have not broken the law." ”

"Whether there is a violation of the law, you will know after checking," Then rushed in a lot of officers and soldiers, up and down the door to carry out a comprehensive search, it was good not to break in, but after breaking in, I was shocked. There are many officials of the imperial court here, as well as people who enter Beijing to prepare for the exam, businessmen, etc. Lying on the bed smoking opium, there are also women in the Qinglou waiting beside them, some of them are sleeping soundly with beautiful women in their arms, there are smoking guns next to them, and there is smoke in the room that has not dispersed. After Guozhi walked in, he said: "Bring them all back to the yamen of Dali Temple, and the official will be fully interrogated." ”

The drums of Dali Temple spread to the sky, and Guozhi sat down in the hall of Wang Fa, and said: "Spread the merchant Wang Jia to the hall." ”

The merchant Wang Jia slowly walked up to the lobby, looked at the national rule above the lobby, knelt down with weak legs, and said, "My lord." ”

"Wang Jia, a profiteer, secretly bought a prostitute in Qinglou for the inn, and the evidence is conclusive at present, what should he be guilty of? Sentencing and punishment can also be imposed from the actual recruitment. ”

"The grass people know the guilt, the grass people know the guilt, the grass people recruit, all the recruits."

"Okay, you write down all the Qinglou or the female prostitutes who bought the Qinglou in the capital, including all the evidence of their crimes," and then picked up a piece of paper on the desk and handed it down in front of Wang Jia. Wang Jia stretched out his trembling hand, held a brush and dipped it in ink, and wrote down all the Qinglou and the inns where they bought the Qinglou female prostitution ***, and passed it to Guozhi's desk. He took back the paper and put it aside, and said, "Passing the examinee Zhang Liang." ”

Candidate Zhang Liang walked into the hall of Wang Fa, stood in the lobby and made a look of empty eyes, slowly turned around and saluted, and said, "Lord He." ”

"The hall is a student Zhang Liang."

"It's Xiaosheng Zhang Liang yes, Xiaosheng doesn't know what crime he committed to detain Xiaosheng in the lobby, and please let Master He explain."

"Zhang Liang, you are a scholar, you read moral articles, and if you put the words of the sage behind your head and smoke opium, wouldn't you miss your own future."

"The style of prostitutes has existed since ancient times, and it is the elegance of the vassal of the literati, which has made me Zhang Liang and romantic."

Guozhi stood up and said angrily: "Such words are still high-sounding by you, such misconduct will be repaid if you become an official in the future, take it and put him in prison, let him reflect on it." ”

"My father is Zhang Tingsong, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, who dares to arrest me?"

"No matter what your identity is, in the current Wang Fa, the Son of Heaven is guilty of the same crime as the common people, how can you argue, as long as you violate the law, the official will dare to arrest you, come on, take it." Zhang Liang sat down after being escorted down by the officials on both sides, faced these Qinglou women, and said, "In the future, you must be good people, and you must not do something that violates morality." Then he faced the master beside him and said, "Give them some money, it will be useful to redeem themselves." ”

"Yes, my lord, the little girl will be a good person after she is good."

As it gradually got dark, Guozhi returned to his official residence, took off his official uniform and hat, and sat down at the desk with a sigh of relief. Open the paper and look carefully, there are more than 20 large and small green buildings in the capital, if it is sealed according to what year and month will it be completed, and how many princes and ministers are involved in it, what is in front of him is a hot potato, a difficult bone to gnaw, if it is not done well, it may die if the law is changed. At this time, Guozhi had already considered the seriousness of the problem, strengthened his confidence, and sent the master to his house for questioning.

Master Su Chang entered the mansion of the country and said, "My lord." ”

"Master, please take a seat."

"Yes," Master Su often sat aside and waited for Guozhi's question.

Guozhi looked at these large and small Qinglou Smoke Houses, raised his head, and asked, "Master, how long have you been in Dali Temple?" ”

"It's been more than ten years since the adult's predecessor," Master Su Chang made careful calculations from the beginning of his own entry into Dali Temple, and then said slowly.

"In the past ten years, I am very familiar with the situation in the capital."

"Yes, my subordinates are very familiar with the important affairs of the capital."

"Let's take a look, which of these green buildings has a more complex background and is the most difficult?"

Master Su Chang stood up and stepped forward to take a look at the more than 20 Qinglou in this paper, pointed out one of them, and said: "It is this Mengxian Xige that has the most background in the capital, and it is very luxurious. ”

"Okay, let's talk about some things about this Mengxian Xi Pavilion," Guozhi nodded, put down the paper in his hand, raised his head and looked at Master Su Changdao.

"Mengxian Pavilion was opened by Prince Qing, Prince Qing served as the prime minister of the cabinet, Manchuria inlaid with yellow flags, the great-grandson of Qianlong Ye, the grandson of King Yongxuan of Qingxi, the eldest son of the Duke of the Auxiliary State, born in the eighteenth year of Daoguang, succeeded the Qingjun Wang Mianmin as the heir, the first general of the Auxiliary State, and later entered the Jue Beizi. In September of the 11th year of Tongzhi, he was crowned the king of the county and served as the former minister. In the tenth year of Guangxu, he served as the prime minister, the minister of national affairs, the king of Jinqing County, and the prince of Jinjue in the twentieth year of Guangxu. Mengxian Pavilion was opened in the tenth year of Guangxu, for the pleasure of princes and ministers or consuls of various countries, and there are also first-class officials in the court to participate in it. ”

After listening to this, Guozhi got up angrily and said: "How can this be reasonable, such a corrupt officialdom and country can not fail, these officials do not think of progress, do not think about national difficulties, and enjoy themselves all day long. Master, gather all the officers and soldiers to go to Mengxian Pavilion. ”

"My lord, you want to seal the Mengxian Pavilion, for fear of getting into trouble," the master said in surprise after hearing Guozhi's words.

"All the disasters will be borne by the official together, and the official will enter the palace to ask for the holy decree."

Guozhi entered the palace overnight to face the saint. At this time, the Guangxu Emperor was reviewing the chapter in the Qinzheng Palace, and put the approved chapter aside. The eunuch next to him stepped forward and said softly: "Your Majesty, it's late at night, it's time to pay attention to rest." ”

"The revolutionaries in the south have rebelled, and I can't sleep well."

At this time, the eunuch who was guarding outside the palace gate entered the report and said, "Your Majesty, Lord He of Dali Temple is waiting for the summons outside the palace gate. ”

"Quick."

After entering the country, he knelt down and said, "The minister is here to meet His Majesty the Emperor." ”

"He Qing is flat." Guozhi stood up, and Emperor Guangxu continued to ask: "He Qing, what is the matter with entering the palace this time?" ”

"Your Majesty, according to the minister's investigation, there are more than 20 smoke houses in the capital, among which there is a fairy dream pavilion is the most grand, there are many palace ministers, a member of the court, and consuls of various countries enjoy it. Your Majesty, the practice of prostitutes is prevalent, and the ministers come to ask Your Majesty for advice. ”

Emperor Guangxu was very surprised after hearing this, stood up, paused for a while, and said: "This wind cannot last long, it must be stopped, and the Mengxian Xi Pavilion will be sealed immediately, and the officials involved will be strictly investigated, and then a list will be handed over to me, and the holy decree will be issued immediately." ”

Emperor Guangxu sat down to write the holy decree, and after writing it, he stamped the emperor's jade seal and handed it over to the country: "This holy decree does not need to be issued directly through the military aircraft department, so go and do it immediately." Guozhi knelt down to greet the holy decree and took it with both hands, and then withdrew from the Qinzheng Temple.

The leader of the national rule went to Dali Temple, gathered all the officers and soldiers to go to Mengxian Xi Pavilion, and surrounded Mengxian Xi Pavilion. The leading soldier led these officers and soldiers to rush in, but was stopped by the thugs led by the pavilion master. The pavilion master walked out and looked at the officers and soldiers who rushed in, and said, "You are from the yamen, and ask your lords to come out and talk to me." ”

"We are Dali Temple, you operate illegally, and it will be seized according to law," Guozhi walked out from behind these officers and soldiers, and said.

"You are Lord He of Dali Temple, how many of you dare to seize Mengxian Pavilion, do you know who opened it? It's better to quit and don't scare away the guests. "This pavilion master is so big-hearted, he doesn't pay attention to this Dali Siqing at all, presumably we should know who he has behind to support him, and his waist is so hard.

"This official is not right about people, no matter how strong your background is, as long as you break the law, this official will still investigate, come here, search carefully upstairs and downstairs," Guozhi retreated, and the officers and soldiers rushed up.

"I think any of you dare?" Dozens of thugs rushed out, seemingly trying to do a hard job.

"Stop," a middle-aged man walked out of it, stood in front of Guozhi, and said, "Guozhi, you are messing around, do you know who opened it?" It's Prince Qing, Prince Qing, are you offended? Don't bring your people back yet. This middle-aged man can say such a thing standing in front of the country, he must be a member of the court.

"Master Li, I didn't expect you to come here. The emperor has worked hard to rectify the rule of officials and eliminate corruption, how long can officials like you maintain our country. ”

"Guozhi, this official is the secretary of the criminal department, can't he control you? You step aside. ”

"Master Li, do you dare to resist the decree? This official is ordered to investigate the case, who dares to stop it? "The rule of the country invited the emperor's holy decree to be held high, and its momentum overwhelmed everyone and did not dare to make a mistake. Guozhi personally led the officers and soldiers to rush into various rooms to register the officials and businessmen involved in the case in the DPRK and China, and finally sealed the Xianmengxi Pavilion. After returning to Dali Temple, Guozhi submitted the compiled list to Emperor Guangxu.

Prince Qing rushed to Cining Palace overnight to meet the Empress Dowager Cixi, knelt down and said: "Empress Dowager, they have seized the minister's Mengxian Pavilion, this is the drunkard's intention is not to drink, its purpose is to cut off the retreat of our old ministers." ”

"Who seized it?"

"It's He Guozhi, the secretary of Dali Temple, he went by the emperor's will, and the old minister didn't dare to disobey, so he implored the queen mother to listen to the government."

Li Lianying, the eunuch next to her, stepped forward and knelt down to ask the Queen Mother to hang the curtain and listen to the government. At this time, the Empress Dowager Cixi still maintained a clear mind, did not panic, and said: "Who is the rule of this country?" ”

"The reformist figures, they are clamoring for changes every day, in fact, they mean to weaken the power of our old ministers, control the power of the government alone, and ask the queen mother to be the master."

"Prince Qing, you step back first, the mourning family will make decisions for you." After Prince Qing withdrew, the Empress Dowager Cixi faced the eunuch Li Lianying beside her and said, "Go and call the emperor to come to Cining Palace." ”

Emperor Guangxu entered Cining Palace, looked up at the Empress Dowager Cixi in front of him, and saluted: "The emperor came to greet the queen mother." ”

"Come forward and sit down," Emperor Guangxu stepped forward and sat aside. The Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "How long has it been since the emperor came to Cining Palace, and I wonder what the emperor has been busy with recently?" ”

"Recently, the emperor has been busy reviewing the recitals and handling the affairs of the DPRK and China."

The Empress Dowager Cixi asked urgently: "What is the affairs of the DPRK and China?" ”

"This ——," looked at Emperor Guangxu very embarrassed. The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at Emperor Guangxu who was sitting next to her, her face was a little ugly, and she said, "Dismiss He Guozhi Dali Siqing from his official position and exile him." ”

"Queen Mother, He Qing is a rare talent in the court," Emperor Guangxu stood up, dissatisfied in his heart, and said, "The emperor disagrees." ”

"The emperor doesn't dare to agree."

"The emperor is subject to the vacillation of his ministers, do you want the reformers to dominate? Become their puppet and be at their mercy, you have disappointed the mourning family too much," the Empress Dowager Cixi forced Emperor Guangxu to issue three holy edicts in a row, controlling personnel appointments and dismissals and military and political power in the Beijing-Tianjin region, and preparing to launch a coup d'état.