In the middle of the month, Zhu Gaoxu and other people arrived in Zhongtunwei (Jinzhou) in Guangning.

Not long after arriving at the place, Zhang Sheng, the commander of Jinyiwei, walked into the courtyard, and after seeing Zhu Gaoxu, he reported: "Shengshang, Cao Yi, the commander of Liaodong, has come to Zhongtunwei. ”

Zhu Gaoxu looked surprised when he heard this. Before the northern tour, the imperial court issued a report prohibiting officials from all over the city to go out of the city without permission to greet them. And the commander of Liaodong actually left the administrative office for more than 400 miles and ran over, which is indeed unusual.

But at this time, Zhang Sheng's voice said: "He came in a cloth coat and carried a seal with him. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Bring him in." ”

Zhang Sheng hugged his fists and said: "The minister's order." ”

After a while, Cao Yi first bowed outside the door, and then came in to make a big salute. I saw that the person who came was wearing a bloated gray cloth coat with snowflakes on it, a big hat on his head, and his temples were gray, and he looked to be at least fifty years old. This image does not look like a big man in Liaodong, but like a down-and-out literati.

Cao Yi said long live, and said: "The minister is not self-bound, but he has come to ask for guilt." ”

Zhu Gaoxu took a deep breath and asked, "What is Cao Yuanjun's crime?" ”

Cao Yi glanced sideways slightly, and glanced at the commander of the Jinyi Guard, and there were no outsiders in the room. He thought about it for a while, and then began to narrate: "A few years ago, the generals of Daning City were engaged in business and business, and they did business with the Uliangha people. The minister thought that the Wuliangha people belonged to the Ming courtiers, so they did not stop him, and he was confused for a while, and accepted the filial piety of the generals. It wasn't until the Shengshangxing Beiping Mansion gave a lecture prohibiting the generals from getting involved in this matter, and the guilty ministers woke up.

However, the criminal ministers had no way to control them, and repeatedly ordered He Hao and other generals to obey the holy will, but they still could not prohibit it. He Hao and others deceived their superiors and subordinates, pretending to suspend trade with the Uliangha people, but privately connived at the salt merchants to handle the transaction and reap the benefits. The minister had no choice but to dare to meet and ask the Holy God to condemn him. ”

Cao Yi spoke clearly and spoke fluently, so he should have thought about it earlier. When he finished speaking, he shut up, still kneeling on the ground.

On the contrary, Zhu Gaoxu was very surprised, only to feel that the incident happened suddenly. No matter how he calculated, he didn't expect that Cao Yi would suddenly appear in Guangning Zhongtunwei and take the initiative to come here to surrender.

Zhu Gaoxu was a little caught off guard, standing in place, observing Cao Yi while trying to figure out the situation as soon as possible.

Cao Yi lay on the brick floor, of course he didn't dare to look up at the emperor, he could only bury his head and look at the floor tiles. Zhu Gaoxu looked down and saw that Cao Yi's expression was very solemn and seemed to be very afraid, but Cao Yi did not show any panic. Zhu Gaoxu suddenly had an intuition that this person should have thought it through and made a decisive choice.

Zhu Gaoxu had just arrived in Zhongtunwei, Quang Ninh, and after a long journey, he was tired and relaxed, and at this moment he fell into a tense atmosphere without warning. The room was quiet, and Zhu Gaoxu neither asked Cao Yi to get up, nor did he respond, and was silent for a while.

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu finally grasped a key: his original meaning, the generals went to make a fortune privately, and the old things were forgotten, after all, the imperial court had not taken care of it before. But after taking control, those generals who work against Zhu Gaoxu's new policy will inevitably be punished; Otherwise, the new rules will not count at all.

Thinking about it this way, Zhu Gaoxu immediately decided that Cao Yi was an official who could be forgiven. After all, whether Cao Yi collects money or connives, whether it is smuggling among his subordinates, it is all in the past.

"Get up and talk." Zhu Gaoxu thought of this and immediately said.

Cao Yi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and kowtowed again: "Thank you." ”

Zhu Gaoxu returned to the chair and sat down. Cao Yi took a few steps and stood respectfully in front.

"You used to do those transactions, but you could only benefit a few generals and officials, and the soldiers with the largest number could not benefit, which was not conducive to the morale of the army. There are many guards on the nine sides, and I see you getting rich, but not every place has opportunities, so it is difficult to be fair. It is still necessary to let the court unify and coordinate and reward, so that everything can serve the public. Zhu Gaoxu said something casually.

Cao Yi arched his hand and said: "The holy lesson is yes." The ministers were deeply favored by the monarch and ranked in the feudal territory, but because they were confused for a while, they could not share their worries for the saint and do their best for the court. When I woke up this time, I was ashamed. The Holy One severely punished the sinners, and the sinners did not complain. ”

"Cao Yuanjun is indeed no better than those who see money." Zhu Gaoxu said kindly.

"Holy Longen, the minister should have done his part." Cao Yi lowered his hand and sighed.

Zhu Gaoxu pondered for a moment, made a look of heart-to-heart, and said, "However, I'm afraid you won't be able to stay in Liaodong." ”

Cao Yi said: "The crime of death of the minister, I dare not beg for mercy." ”

Zhu Gaoxu shook his head and said, "That's not what I meant. As the chief of the Liaodong Prefecture, you came to expose the subordinate generals; He Hao and the generals involved in this matter will definitely be brought to justice. What will the rest of the Liaodong civil and military forces think of you, and do you still dare to believe Cao Yuanjun? You shouldn't be a good official now. ”

"The minister feels ashamed of Jun's grace, has the heart of death, and can't take care of other things." Cao Yi said.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I thought of a way. Nuer Gandu Si is far away in the north, and it is really a bitter cold place, but because it is far away from the interior of the Ming Dynasty, it is far away from trouble. In this situation, it is still beneficial for you to stay for a few years. ”

Cao Yi's relaxed face naturally revealed a little moved, "How can the minister be so virtuous, so much love from the saint?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "If you are loyal to me, I will treat you sincerely." ”

Cao Yi bowed down again and said, "Holy and sage." ”

"Alright." Zhu Gaoxu said, "Are you willing to go to Nu'er to do Dusi?" ”

Cao Yi said: "Willingly, the minister is grateful to the saint for not killing, and he is even more grateful to the saint for arranging for the minister." ”

Zhu Gaoxu also breathed a long sigh of relief, patted the arm of the chair with one hand, and said in his heart: Zhang Xin has been in the bitter cold place of Nuergan for several years, and this time he seems to be quite sensible, and he has not heard anyone impeach him for doing anything bad, and has maintained the operation of Nuergandusi, and has delivered many wooden boats to the imperial court every year. Now is the time to make good on the promise and transfer Zhang Xin to the south.

The biggest mistake of Zhang Xin's career was to make a feud with Qi Tai, the secretary of the military department. But he was the hero of the "Battle of Jingjing", and took refuge in the weakest stage of King Yan, just like Mu Sheng's role in the "Battle of Crime"; If the "Battle of Jingjing" Yanwangfu failed, Zhu Di's whole family would have finished, and what would happen to Zhu Gaoxu now?

So what the grievances are, Zhu Gaoxu can still tell them clearly.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Cao Yuanjun will go to Nu'er to do the capital in the future, and he will be an official over there, and he will do a good job." In a few years, when the opportunity is right, I will transfer you back. ”

"Yes, the minister will live up to the cultivation of the saint." Cao Yi said busily.

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at him, and said very sincerely and matter-of-factly: "This is how to do it, after I go back, I will ask the imperial court to go to Daning to investigate and deal with relevant people.

All of them are severely punished in accordance with the law. But it won't let He Hao and others bite randomly, it's useless for them to talk nonsense, and Cao Yuanjun can't be involved in the file.

Of course, as soon as this case broke out, the world would think that Cao Yuanjun had a share. At this time, I decreed that you should be sent to the bitter cold land of Nuer Gandusi, and everyone understood that they could generally accept the result of exile. ”

He paused and said earnestly: "But don't think that Cao Yuanjun is exiling you, understand?" ”

Cao Yi kept nodding and said, "I understand, I understand." The saint is thinking about the ministers, how can a person who is really exiled be an official, let alone think of coming back. ”

Zhu Gaoxu patted the handrail again and said, "It's decided." ”

Cao Yi listened, bowed and said, "The minister thanked him and retired." ”

Thinking about it, this is a big deal, but Zhu Gaoxu didn't discuss it with anyone, and made a decision on the spot. Something didn't seem right, but the emperor was okay with it.

Cao Yi retreated to the side of the threshold, and then turned around and went out. After he left, Zhu Gaoxu didn't do anything else immediately, he still sat on the chair and thought about it again.

This matter came suddenly, and after it was done, Zhu Gaoxu thought of more details. Judging from Cao Yi's performance just now, Cao Yi seems to be very satisfied with the result, and it doesn't seem like he is pretending.

Guessing more inside information, Cao Yi may have determined in advance that his life was in danger this time, and the situation was serious. Therefore, when the emperor promised him only a temporary transfer, his heart was naturally like a boulder falling to the ground, and he felt joy.

Under such speculation, it is reasonable for Cao Yi to take the initiative to come to ask for guilt and betray his subordinates. After all, if you fall into death, you can only live at any cost and put it to death.

However, why can Cao Yi believe that the situation is serious and his life is in danger? After all, it seems that things have really not reached that point at present, and Zhu Gaoxu wants to exert efforts to rectify the border army, and it is not something that can be done in a short time.

Zhu Gaoxu suddenly felt that this Cao Yi's judgment and sense of smell were very sharp and sharp. Cao Yi is a military general, but his skills do not seem to be limited to military affairs, and there are very few generals who can have such a mind.

In any case, after this bad thing, Zhu Gaoxu had a deeper impression of Cao Yi.

Zhu Gaoxu sat for a while, then lifted the curtain and went out to breathe. This room is a bit closed, and there is charcoal burning in it, which makes him feel that oxygen is sparse, and it is not comfortable to stay for a long time. He wanted to go out and get some fresh air, but as soon as he stepped out of the door, a biting chill hit his face. The coldest season in Liaodong is really worse than Beiping Mansion.

At this time, the eunuch Cao Fu came out of another door and hurriedly persuaded: "Emperor, it's too cold outside, your dragon body is important, please let the emperor go inside to drive away the cold." ”

Zhu Gaoxu asked, "Isn't there a kang in Liaodong?" ”

Cao Fu said: "Back to the emperor's words, there is a kang." However, the Jingshi did not use a fire kang, and he was afraid that the emperor would not be used to it, so he burned charcoal in the house, which was smokeless charcoal burned with high-quality firewood. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Change to a room with a kang, it's too stuffy to burn charcoal with the door closed." ”

Cao Fu hurriedly said: "The slave obeys the order." ”

There are several months of cold weather in Liaodong a year, and the Ming people who migrated over can slowly get used to it if there is a fire kang. Liaodong is rich in forests, coal, and even oil (oil), and the land is fertile, and Zhu Gaoxu believes that further development is still feasible in this era.