It was the intelligence services that were the first to prepare for war!

Spring River Plumbing Duck Prophet. As the most important intelligence agency of the Ming Dynasty, the role of the Military Department is multiple, but now the Military Department has the Left Army Zhengcheng and the Right Army Zhengcheng, the left Cheng is responsible for military discipline, and the right Cheng is responsible for intelligence. The two yamen don't even work in the same place.

Compared with the military department located next to Xuanwu Road in the north of the central capital, the military department detective bureau located outside the city seems to be a little secretive, and even few people know about this organ, often people will confuse him with the military department on Xuanwu Road, in fact, unlike the latter responsible for military crime detection, the military department detective bureau is responsible for intelligence work.

In the past few years, when the Governor's Office of the Five Armies had a "horse in Nanshan" shape, the war was going on in the Investigation Bureau of the Military Headquarters, and the war on the hidden front was not limited to Xi'an, but also fought here.

Seven years after entering Xingqian, as the countdown approached, the Investigation Bureau of the Military Principal Division became busier, and many things had to be completed in the near future.

On this afternoon, Li Shaobai got a rare opportunity to rest, after ten days of continuous work, he could finally go home to rest for a few hours, change clothes, take a shower, and of course, linger with his wife and concubines, in this regard, it seems that the director can also understand their busy work, and even the director of the bureau also specially explained: let the bureau coachman send his colleagues home in a carriage, and then pick them up after 12 hours.

Twelve hours, this is their rest, and for the past ten days, they have eaten and lived in the office, and now they can finally catch their breath.

"Go home and relax and sleep for a while!"

Wang Wenbai's voice was not loud, but his tone was very kind, and he said with concern.

"At the end of these twelve hours, you may need to work continuously for the next few days, and now I ask you all to go home and rest—this is the only thing I can do for you right now."

Looking at the slightly old face of the director, Li Shaobai knew that the director in front of the Ming Dynasty could be called a legend, he made friends with the Mongolian princes on the steppe with his own strength, became their guests, persuaded them to accept the canonization of the Ming Dynasty, and also found out the reality of those loyal to the Manchu and Mongolian tribes, it can be said that the current Mongolian pacification has a direct relationship with him. Life on the grassland made him older than his peers, but at this time, Li Shaobai, who was slightly old and bloodshot in his eyes, glanced at each other and walked silently outside the conference room.

Chandeliers hung on both sides of the corridor to keep the underground corridor without window lighting from dimming, and after leaving the basement, I came to the lobby of the Detective Bureau of the Military Principal Division. The sunlight streaming in through the glass windows was a bit harsh, and the hall was bustling with people, and the officials of the various confidential departments were hurrying as if they were being whipped with whips in the back.

When they walked out of the hall, Li Shaobai and Wang Mingwen stood still, they first looked up at the rising sun, then turned their heads to look at each other, and then said silently.

"The action must have begun!"

"It should be!"

At the same time, in this early morning, hundreds of carriages with the insignia of the military commander in the city of Zhongdu were galloping on the roads of the city, and those carriages were all sitting on the military officials wearing long and short guns and swords, and they all looked at each other with serious expressions.

In the morning, as in the past, Xu Lin'an came to the shop where he was, and as in the past, after he arrived at the shop, a young man immediately brought him tea, which was brewed in advance, and when he arrived at the shop, he could drink it.

"Did you settle those two orders yesterday?"

While drinking tea, Xu Lin'an asked the guy, and then continued to talk about today's affairs, just as he was talking, the door of the business over there was suddenly opened.

Everyone's eyes looked towards the door of the business: a stout figure walked in, followed by several men in black uniforms with firearms in their hands...... Patrolling?

Wrong!

Not the patrol, because they wore a hat that was very different from the white hat of the patrol, and his hat was black.

"Who are you?"

In the sound of the guy's questioning, in front of everyone's eyes, the leader walked directly to Xu Lin'an's side, and then stared at him, at this time, Xu Lin'an was already sitting there paralyzed, he couldn't stand up at all, and there was a second cabinet of a business, and he wanted to jump down from the second floor, but he saw those people holding the fire gun in their hands.

When the second cabinet was frightened and didn't know what to do, two men rushed to his side and grabbed him, and at this time he tried to push the arms of the two soldiers away.

"You, who are you......"

Xu Lin'an stared at the person in front of him, although his legs were weak, he still tried to cheer himself up, and then wanted to figure out the identity of the other party.

"Are you Xu Lin'an? The owner of Shenghe Firm? ”

The visitor asked with a blank face.

Xu Lin'an nodded, at this time, his face had become pale without the slightest blood.

"Who are you?"

The reason why he asked this was because he wanted to be able to bring a letter to his family and hurry up and find a way.

"The military department punishes rape ......"

When he heard this name, Xu Lin'an only felt that his legs were weak, and he who had just stood up immediately sat down and muttered.

"For, why ......"

They may not have come into contact with the punishment of traitors, but they are by no means strangers, because the punishment of traitors is an institution dedicated to punishing traitors, and I don't know how many scum who have been cleared up are put in prison by them, and finally sent to exile ships and exiled overseas.

"Do you know why I arrested you?"

The person who came asked expressionlessly, and then sneered.

"If you know, why did you do it in the first place?"

Why bother?

Xu Lin'an smiled bitterly, but kept shaking his head. People who are not confused at the time?

But now, it's too late to regret it!

On this day, the entire Central Capital and even many places in the Ming Dynasty, the military department and local patrols were carrying out operations, and the targets of the operations were those merchants who participated in the smuggling of arms and military supplies to the Manchus.

When the businessmen and the hidden spies were arrested, in the office of the Detective Bureau of the Military Division, a bald middle-aged man with a slightly fat figure was standing there, wearing a black military uniform on his body, which looked a little ridiculous, but his expression was very serious, but Wang Wenbai, who was sitting there, looked at him with a smile.

"What, Fat Zhang, do you have a lot of questions to ask?"

Putting down the pen in his hand, Wang Wenbai glanced at Zhang Gongshan, six years ago, it was under his order that Zhang Gongshan appeared in the business field of Zhongdu as a businessman.

"The subordinates don't dare!"

Zhang Gongshan hurriedly shook his head.

"You must want to say that you hooked many of those merchants into the water in the first place, so if you want to stop them from smuggling arms, why lead them into the water?"

Wang Wenbai still had a smile on his face.

"Don't forget, when they found out that they could make huge profits from smuggling arms to the Manchus, they immediately took the initiative to participate in it, and at the beginning, it was precisely because they found that someone was smuggling arms to the Manchus that they would let you infiltrate it, okay, now that the problem is solved, this time, it is basically a net of efforts!"

"Yes...... Why now? ”

Zhang Gongshan's tone was questioning.

"We could have wiped them out a few years ago."

This is his biggest question, as early as three years ago, he had completely grasped the list and evidence of participating in the smuggling of the Manchus, and he could completely catch them.

"At that time, instead of taking action, they even deliberately made it convenient for them, and even some people ......"

It is also in the last three years that some of them, driven by profits, have started to invest in this kind of business. And even under his temptation. to devote himself to this business.

For those people, he will inevitably have some guilt. After all, he used them as friends a lot of the time.

Maybe that's a sadness. The sorrow of the body involuntarily.

But what could she do? There's absolutely nothing you can do to stop this. I could only watch them jump into the well.

And what is even more tragic is that this trap was dug by his own hands.

Flies don't bite seamless eggs, and perhaps that's the only consolation.

"Because at that time, the time was not yet ripe!"

Wang Wenbai replied directly.

Of course, he didn't say that another reason was because His Majesty needed to let some weapons fall into the hands of the Manchus, after all, when you borrow a knife to kill someone, you always need to provide some ammunition. If there were no guns and gunpowder from the Ming Dynasty, how could they solve the problem in the northwest so easily. And in addition, more importantly, even if some people were stopped at that time, it could not stop the traders from selling weapons to the Manchus under the huge profits.

In the past, how many people might be able to stop the head of the smuggled salt trafficker? Those people can do anything for the sake of profit.

This kind of person has never been lacking since ancient times.

"At that time, even if you were caught, how many people could you catch? Can it cause any sensation? It can't cause any sensation at all, and it can't be used as a warning to people! ”

Looking at Zhang Gongshan, who seemed to be in a trance, Wang Shaobai continued to explain.

"According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, the people can hold the guns, but they must be Han people, and the guns merchants are not allowed to sell the guns to non-Han people, otherwise they will be punished severely, but driven by interests, those gun merchants and gun craftsmen often ignore the national law. Those guns are a threat to the imperial court and to the Han people, but who can sell them to them? It is the Han profiteers, such people, catch one, and ten more will pop up, those mountain barbarians are willing to buy a fire gun with twenty taels of silver, which is several times the profit, not to mention the merchants, even the ordinary people are not impressed! What to do? ”

Staring at Zhang Gongshan, Wang Shaobai asked rhetorically.

"They are selling more and more shells, which is a threat to the imperial court, what will they do in the future? can't catch it all, can't close it endlessly, and occasionally catch a few, they will inevitably have a fluke mentality, so ......"

Wang Shaobai finally smiled coldly. It seems to be ironic about the naivety and naivety of those people.

The family did not know that everything they did was actually under the control of the imperial court. Or rather, it was within the plans of the imperial court. They even think they are smart enough to buy off the officials just to make the smuggling smoother.

They didn't know that all this was under the connivance of the imperial court. Now those people not only gave the court an excuse to sanction them, but also gave the court an excuse to liquidate those corrupt officials who were not strong-willed.

In many cases, it is necessary to lure the snake out of the hole, and of course the snake must be under the control of the imperial court.

"You need to kill chickens to show the monkeys, these people are chickens, this time in addition to the Manchu hidden spies on the arrest list, there are a total of 75 businessmen, most of them are businessmen with heads and faces, after these people are caught, they will naturally cause a sensation, I kill the head, my family is exiled, we need to take them to warn the people, tell them that selling the guns to outsiders will pay the price! So ......"

After a pause, Wang Wenbai said.

"This chicken must wait until now to kill!"

Killing chickens to show monkeys is a matter of timing. If you can't seize a powerful opportunity, then the chicken is also killed in vain.

"Subordinates understood!"

Zhang Gongshan hurriedly replied, and then said tentatively.

"What about that person?"

"The ......"

Wang Wenbai glanced westward, and then said.

"You have to leave someone to report to the master, and in the future, you will have a chance to cooperate!"

"In the future?"

Looking at the director in surprise, Zhang Gongshan's eyes were puzzled, more puzzled.

"Is there a future?"

Will the arms trade with the Manchus continue in the future?

"Before I implemented on-the-spot taxation in the salt farm, the smuggling of salt was beheaded, but the salt in this world is still half out of the official, half out of the smuggling, and the great crime of killing the head can't stop their desire for profit, and then for example, the Jin merchants, when they smuggled materials to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, how could they care that it was a big crime of killing the head? People are profit-seeking, and those who take risks for profiteering are not the only ones in the past? If you don't sell, others will sell, and when the time comes, they will sell more than just weapons, they will be like the Jin merchants, and even sell military intelligence to lead the way for the Qing army and be a guide. ”

The director's answer made Zhang Gongshan say again and again.

"How could it, no, it won't ......"

In his opinion, all this seems a little unlikely, after all, the lessons of those Jin merchants back then have been very profound. How could they continue to do whatever it took for the silver to be like those Jin merchants.

"How could it not?"

Wang Wenbai said with a sigh.

"At the beginning, the Jin merchants just wanted to make some money and make some huge profits, but later, they fell deeper and deeper, this is human nature, when they can get more benefits from there, they can do whatever it takes Those Jin merchants didn't think they wanted to be traitors at the beginning, they just wanted to make some money at the beginning, just like selling the fire gun to the small merchants and peddlers in the southwest, he could earn a dozen taels of silver by selling a fire gun, and selling one was equivalent to doing it for a few months, he would think, if he sold ten pieces, wouldn't it be sent? Then. The thought is not anything else, but silver. He earns money, and then what? Ten, hundred, thousand, and finally, in order to get more silver, they will become more and more bold, more and more unscrupulous, in order to get money, they will do everything they can, he will do everything he can, and the other party will try his best to grab more things. At that time, I am afraid that there will be another "Eight Emperor Merchants", they will have no bottom line, no lower limit, and in the end, all they think is themselves, and they will do whatever it takes for that bit of silver. ”

The director's explanation made Zhang Gongshan's whole person fall into silence, as the military director of the military department, of course he understands human nature, and has been in the business for so many years, naturally he also knows that greed is human nature, in the process of smuggling arms to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, I don't know how many small merchants and hawkers are aiming for the windfall profits, over the mountains and mountains to sell guns to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, if it were not for his control of the "bulk trade", those small merchants and small merchants may have developed into the new "Eight Great Emperor Merchants" as the director said 。

After a long silence, he looked at the director and asked with some puzzlement.

"Then why do you want to do it to them now? After all, this is a network that has been built with great difficulty. ”

"You're stupid! If they continue to develop, they will not be able to lose their tail! Are you really ready to turn them into the new "Eight Great Emperor Merchants"? ”

Sometimes, the place where you have to admire Your Majesty is here. His Majesty has always been able to see the darkest part of human nature. Then make some targeted plans. Lead those who are self-righteous into the trap.

When those people are self-righteous and complacent, they don't know that everything is just planned.

Some subordinates who don't know why. Wang Wenbai laughed.

"Pigs are fattened for the New Year, and they are raised as a goblin, but it's not easy to kill, go down! As for this batch of arms......"

Pigs have been raised for so many years, and now it's time to kill them. This is also the original plan, on the one hand, to make an example of a hundred people, and on the other hand, to kill pigs.

After all, pigs are fattened and kept to be killed.

After a moment of silence, Wang Wenbai said.

"First part of the past, what about you? Stay out of the limelight for the time being......"

The reason why I told him this is because there will be more use in the future, after all, His Majesty has a detailed plan, and he will continue to use those people as guns. This also means that the plan can be continued.

Raising pigs is like cutting leeks, stubble by stubble. After cutting this stubble, there is still the next stubble. Now it's harvest time.

So this stubble can't be kept, and now it's time to harvest.

It's time to kill the pigs. After all, it's the New Year.