From Jingshi to Jiangnan, although due to winter, there are many sections of the Grand Canal that cannot be directly taken by boat, so the itinerary is a little slower. But generally speaking, no matter how slow it is, it will not be until the end of February of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, and it will almost reach Jiangnan.

The reason why this is so is because along the way, although there are many magistrates who dare not do anything about the patrol of the imperial history who go out on the order, but if you want to embarrass them, it is not too simple.

For example, if the livestock used suddenly becomes strained, it will delay the trip! Or the livestock that can be given by the post station are either old and weak or sick, and will delay the trip! All these problems, Zhang Pu had never encountered before, and this time when he went out of Beijing, the seemingly accidental situation was all encountered by him. Even if he is a Qincha and has Dongchang by his side, there is nothing he can do in this situation.

In this regard, Zhang Pu is actually clear in his heart, and the officials and gentry along the way are expressing their dissatisfaction with him.

In fact, he wouldn't want to do it if he could. It's just that I didn't expect that the scene directed and acted by himself is still hanging in the air, and I don't know if the damn Zhang Zonglie is dead or alive, as if he disappeared out of thin air. On the side of the East Factory, there is no news. This has always made Zhang Pu worried.

It is also because of this so-called assassination incident that these Dongchang fans look at him very strictly. The ostensible reason was to prevent him from being assassinated again. In this regard, Zhang Pu knows it bitterly, and he can't object. I can't say that the assassination is fake, I wasn't assassinated at all, you don't need such personal protection!

When going to the toilet, there is Dongchang Fanzi standing at the door; When sleeping, there is a Dongchang fan guarding the root of the wall; No matter what he does, there is always Dongchang Fanzi by his side, and this feeling makes Zhang Pu really feel like he is being detained.

However, what made Zhang Pu a little strange was that Wu Changshi didn't know what he thought, so he didn't make any noise. Whether it is in Beijing or on the road, it is all in order. Could it be, he is really determined to do the errand handed over by the emperor, right?

If that's the case, it's okay to go slower on your own side and let Wu Changshi do things first.

If he does it well, it shows that those Jiangnan gentry are actually still afraid of national law and will not resist much. In this way, you can do it yourself with confidence!

But if he doesn't do it well, it means that it will be tricky as imagined. Then you can't do things in a high-profile way!

Zhang Pu was thinking about this, when he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves coming from the shore, and then a voice shouted loudly, as if it was Jinyiwei, asking if it was his own fleet here?

Jiang Dong, the head of the Dongchang stall, happened to be at the bow of the ship, and saw that there was indeed a brocade guard on the shore, and after confirming it, he let the fleet dock, saying that there was something important.

When Jiang Dong heard this, he immediately told his subordinates to guard Zhang Pu, and then he shouted loudly while letting the boat move towards the shore: "If there is anything, you might as well speak up!" ”

"Wu Xun fell into the water, my family said, let Jiang Jie protect Zhang Xun here, don't have an accident."

Jiang Dong was taken aback by the words of the brocade guard on the shore, and hurriedly asked people to speed up and lean towards the shore, and at the same time asked, "What's the matter, will it fall into the water on such a cold day?" So what's going on with Wu Xunji now? ”

Zhang Pu, who was in the cabin, also heard their conversation and couldn't help but be surprised: Why did Wu Changshi fall into the water at this time?

In this kind of weather, even if you don't drown, you will definitely freeze to death, right? Did he do it on purpose, or was he careless, or did someone harm him?

Thinking so, Zhang Pu wanted to get out of the cabin in order to figure out this matter.

Immediately, two Dongchang officers, one left and one right, were on either side of him and went out of the cabin with him.

"Although Wu Xunji was rescued, he had a cold and fever and was being treated in Yangzhou, so I am afraid that he will not get better in the short term. He wrote a recital, and he was sent to Beijing as soon as possible. ”

Hearing this, Zhang Pu couldn't help but immediately guess, should it be, this guy actually did it on purpose, right? He himself is a Jiangnan clan, although he is not very clear, but it is estimated that he knows water. With Jinyi Wei watching by his side, even if he doesn't know how to water, he will definitely be rescued quickly, but it's such a cold weather?

When he thought of this, he felt as if his body was a little colder. I poked my head out to see how the river was going. Unexpectedly, the two Dongchang servants beside him had also heard the conversation, and when they saw him like this, they were frightened, and immediately both stepped forward, grabbed him left and right, and dragged him to stand in the middle of the boat.

Jiang Dong looked back at the situation, immediately frowned, and reminded in a cold voice: "Lord Zhang, we don't know how to water, if you fall into the water, I'm afraid it will be a little difficult to save you." ”

Zhang Pu had a ghost in his heart, and when he heard the faint warning in his words, he subconsciously didn't dare to refute it, but replied: "There are so many stumbles and falling into the water, and the stall thinks too much!" ”

After saying this, he didn't want to continue talking to Jiang Dong, so he asked loudly to the brocade guard on the shore, "I don't know how Wu Xunji fell into the water at that time?" ”

"It seems that the poetry is flourishing, standing on the bow of the boat to chant poetry, and then the boat suddenly shook a few times, and Wu Xun fell down." When the brocade guard saw the boat coming to the shore, he stopped shouting loudly and said in a normal voice, "The boatman said that there is just a torrent here, and my lord checked it, and the current is indeed relatively fast. At that time, the wind was blowing again. ”

Just listening to this reply, Zhang Pu couldn't determine what happened when Wu Changshi fell into the water? So, when he passed by Yangzhou Mansion, he decided to go and see him and probe his tone.

No matter what, Wu Changshi's current situation must not be able to continue to do errands! This means that what the emperor explained, he Zhang Pu has to do it first.

Thinking of this, Zhang Pu couldn't help but feel a little tricky in his heart, if this is the case, he will not have any precedent to refer to, so he can only cross the river by feeling the stones!

Check the preferential exemption limit of the official gentry and the matter of calling for arrears, how to do it, to what extent, and so on, it is all up to you to improvise!

Thinking about this matter, Zhang Pu couldn't help but want to scold Wu Changshi in his heart, should he also have an idea, so let him go on an errand first, he watched from behind and gave him a reference, right?

If this is the case, then his misstep and falling into the water are definitely intentional!

Thinking so, he soon arrived at Yangzhou Mansion as well.

According to the emperor's assignment, this Yangzhou Mansion is the task place of his Zhang Pu inspection. And Wu Changshi is still going south, but now that he is here, he really wants to see how he does his errand here!

Thinking like this, Zhang Pu wanted to find out more and more about whether this Wu Changshi was intentional or not!

Therefore, after Zhang Pu arrived in Yangzhou Mansion, he did not immediately put on a posture of verifying the preferential and exemption limits of the official gentry, nor did he collect the arrears, and he did not even ask for the local account books, but immediately went to visit Wu Changshi.

Jiang Dong, as the head of the East Factory, is mainly to protect Zhang Pu's safety and monitor him from ghosts. As for when and how he will do things, he has no right to decide for Zhang Pu. In fact, he also wanted to see what was the situation with Wu Changshi?

So, they soon met Wu Changshi.

In fact, before anyone could see him, they heard his cough. They can tell that it's a real cough, not a fake.

"Brother Wu Xian, how is your health?" When Zhang Pu stepped into the threshold, he asked in a worried tone.

Wu Changshi heard it in the house, and hurriedly asked the maid to help him lean against the head of the bed, and at the same time looked at Zhang Pu who strode in, and said with a wry smile: "Brother Zhang, the younger brother is not good for the year, I didn't expect to fall into the water, fortunately I returned to the boat in time, but I also fell ill." Ahem......"

As soon as he said this, he coughed again. When the maid saw this, she hurriedly took a handkerchief and leaned over to receive the phlegm.

Zhang Pu is in his forties, so he has naturally seen a lot, and he can see that Wu Changshi is not lightly ill. But that didn't dispel his suspicions.

He sat down on the stool in front of the bed, and after Wu Changshi finished coughing, he pretended to be concerned and asked, "On this cold day, how could the virtuous brother go to the bow of the boat, and how could he fall off the boat?" ”

Jiang Dong beside him listened, and he also looked concerned, staring at Wu Changshi. If this guy is like Zhang Pu, he really doesn't want to rectify those corrupt officials and corrupt officials, and if he does it deliberately, he is really ruthless enough, and he has to fight with Zhang Pu.

"Alas, don't mention it!" Wu Changshi listened, sighed and said, "Along the way, is there a lot of trouble?" ”

Zhang Pu was puzzled, but he still nodded truthfully and said, "Hmm! ”

"In this way, little brother, I know in my heart, some people don't want you and me to go south." When Wu Changshi said this, his expression seemed to perk up a little, and he raised his voice and said, "But Your Majesty's will, we will naturally do our best to do it as a courtier." What's more, the two things we want to do, the emperor has already made it clear to us, and the stakes are very high. Little brother, I have also made a guarantee in front of the emperor, even if I go to the soup, I will not hesitate. Therefore, when the younger brother thought of all the things on the road, he felt more and more that even if there was a sea of swords and fires ahead, he had to pass through without fear. I was proud all my life, and I wanted to go to the bow of the boat to blow him in the cold wind, and write a few poems to express my heart, cough cough cough ......"

As soon as he said this, he coughed again, and coughed for a long time before he stopped. The maid on the side was busy receiving phlegm and giving him warm water, and she was very busy for a while.

Although Zhang Pu didn't hear any flaws, he was unmoved in his heart, and when he saw that he was good, he pretended to admire and said: "Brother Xian is really hearted, his talent is unparalleled, this brother also knows, I don't know what good work Brother Xian can get?" Brother Wei believes that if the emperor knew about it, he would appreciate it very much. ”

Wu Changshi listened, and said with a hint of shame: "Alas, don't mention it, I didn't think of a good sentence, I didn't expect the boat to encounter a torrent, and I was defenseless in a flash, so I fell down." The little brother almost lost his life, and even if there is a good work, he will already be scared out of the clouds! ”

"Oh, really?" When Zhang Pu heard this, he said with a little surprise, "Brother Wei thought that when the virtuous brother played the emperor, he would attach your poems to it to show his heart!" ”

There is a hint of irony in these words. Jiang Dong couldn't hear it, but Wu Changshi was very familiar with Zhang Pu, and he was not bad at learning, so he heard it immediately.

He couldn't help scolding angrily in his heart, but on the surface, he was still the same as Zhang Pu, all fake, and did not show it, but said regretfully: "The little brother really wants to do what Brother Zhang said, but it's a pity that the little brother is tormented by this disease, and he is drowsy all day long, so where can he have a little peace of mind when he thinks about things, cough cough cough cough ......"

Zhang Pu stared at him, from the conversation just now, he still couldn't tell, did this guy deliberately fall into the water or some other reason?

But one thing is clear, this guy is now sick like this, and he will definitely not be able to go again. In this way, Lai is in Yangzhou, far away from his place of work, so he can watch what he does? No matter what he originally was, at least judging from the results, this guy is definitely going to take advantage!

When he was thinking about it, Wu Changshi finished coughing, and suddenly said to him with a hint of sincerity: "Although the little brother did not attach poems to the newspaper, although the little brother is sick, he still has the heart to do things, but I don't know when he will be well, and if he goes south to do things, I am afraid that he will delay the errand." Therefore, the younger brother proposed to the emperor that he wanted to change places with Brother Zhang, so that after the younger brother recovered from his illness, it would be convenient to start running errands immediately! ”

As soon as he heard this, Zhang Pu couldn't help but be a little suspicious again, what did he mean by this? He even took the initiative to change places with himself? You know, Ying Tianfu, who is in charge of himself, is a place with many officials and gentry, and it is definitely not a place to investigate, this guy will take the initiative to ask for such a place? This sun, it must not come out of the west, right?

The two of them have been together for many years, and they must know each other. Although Zhang Pu heard Wu Changshi say this, he still didn't believe it, and felt that Wu Changshi's original intention was definitely not as he said on the surface. It's just that he has no evidence.

He was thinking about it, Wu Changshi was also staring at him, and probably guessed what he was thinking, and suddenly asked, "Brother Zhang, the younger brother only cares about himself, and forgot to ask." I don't know if the assassin who assassinated Brother Zhang has been found, who is so bold? ”

As soon as he heard this, Zhang Pu felt a little embarrassed in his heart, and at the same time a little annoyed, asking you to talk more?

However, Jiang Dong was by his side, and he didn't dare to show it, so he had to pretend to be indignant, and said hatefully: "When my brother went south, the murderer had not been found. You don't know, fortunately for my brother's life, that knife only stabbed my brother's leg, and thanks to this Jiang stall head arrived in time, otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable......"

At this point, he didn't want to talk about it anymore. But Wu Changshi caught this matter and asked about it, and even asked about the details, which was more careful than when Dongchang investigated the case before.

With Jiang Dong by his side, Zhang Pu couldn't avoid it, and he couldn't lie, but he couldn't tell the truth all of them, which suddenly made him feel very difficult, and he longed for Wu Changshi to die immediately!

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