Chapter 707: Quick Decision

Yongning Palace is one of the six palaces in the east, Yongle Hongxi has always been the residence of the high concubines, and now the one who lives here is Sun Guifei. The name of the main gate facing south of the second courtyard is called Yongning Gate, and the main hall of the front yard is Yongning Palace. The main hall is five, the front is connected to hug the building three rooms, the yellow glazed tile is the top of the beast-shaped eaves corner, the eaves are colorful buckets, the dragon and phoenix and the seal color painting are painted. In the center of the main hall hangs the golden lacquer plaque of the current emperor Zhu Zhanji, with the inscription "Gongsu Deyi".

There are three halls in the east and west, and all of them are inscribed by Zhu Zhanji himself, the east is called Mingxingtang, and the west is said to be quiet, but it is very different from the words Zhenshun Wanning and other words commonly used in the six palaces of the east and west. Now the emperor sat in a chair in the middle of the Mingxu Hall next to the sash window of the double-crossed Siling flowers, laughing and teasing his only daughter, while looking at the embroidery that Sun Guifei showed to herself.

"Your craft is getting more and more exquisite."

Compared with the wooden-like Queen Hu, Sun Guifei has always been the best at coquettish and foolishness, so she snorted lightly at this time: "The emperor is used to saying good things to coax people, the day before yesterday, the concubine gave the embroidered handkerchief to the queen mother, but the queen mother didn't say anything, she still used the weekday piece, but the queen's fan was used." The concubine's craftsmanship is very ordinary, where can she compare to the queen. ”

Seeing his sweetheart's aggrieved expression, Zhu Zhanji didn't know what was going on, but he couldn't persuade anything, so he could only divert the topic. Fortunately, Sun Guifei was not obsessed, and soon said something else with a smile, and his mood naturally improved, and he promised to stay here for the night at night. With such a letter, even if Concubine Sun Guifei has always been the favored crown of the Sixth Palace, she was very happy in her heart, and immediately said that the dinner in the imperial dining room was just a false story, and she went to prepare for supper in person, leaving her daughter and going.

As soon as she walked like this, although Zhu Zhanji's eyes looked at her daughter babbling at her feet, she couldn't help but think of her mother, Empress Dowager Zhang, who had a cold and indifferent attitude towards Sun Guifei. It stands to reason that Sun Guifei entered the palace at a young age, and was personally sent in by his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Peng Chengbo, and has been raised by the side of Empress Dowager Zhang, but now Empress Dowager Zhang is stunned to enter the palace after getting close. It's just that even if he, the emperor, can't say anything or do these things, only it is better to treat Sun Guifei on weekdays.

The little princess is now two years old, listening to her milky voice calling her father, Zhu Zhanji was happy, so he smiled and took the bright pastries in the fruit bowl on the table, and when he was happy, he suddenly saw Wang Jin standing sneakily at the door, so he casually handed the piece of red bean cake to the nurse on the side, and ordered him to look at the little princess, and then stood up.

When he arrived at the door, he saw Wang Jin hurriedly saluting, he waved his hand angrily, and asked, "You have sent the British Duke for so long, but what did he say?" Or did it give you any benefit to inquire about the news? ”

"Yes, the English Duke has indeed entrusted a small matter, but this benefit has never been there. The British public is square and serious, where is it to do this kind of business of buying people with small favors. Wang Jin saw Zhu Zhanji's gesture before his knees touched the ground, so he naturally stood up, and repeated Zhang Fu's entrustment with a smile, and then said, "To be honest, I was puzzled and puzzled at that time, the British Duke has never been an insatiable person, and Zhang Xin's ability to be a squire in the military department is already an extra favor, how could he casually ask for grace, how can this hereditary be so easy?" ”

"No wonder the emperor's grandfather trusted him the most when he was alive, and his father also praised him for being a military minister, knowing the etiquette of the six kings, he can hold a high position for many years, this is not arrogant or impatient, those civil officials should really learn hard."

Zhu Zhanji had already understood at this time, but he didn't point it out to Wang Jin, and after a sigh of emotion, he ordered: "You go to the military department to pass the decree, summon Zhang Xin, the squire of the military department, to the Qianqing Palace, I want to see him, and see how the British duke 'painstakingly' recommended the person is." ”

Zhang Xin used to be a waiter in the Ministry of Works, and he had seen Zhu Zhanji, who was the grandson of the emperor at the time, from afar, but then he was degraded and worried, and he has been wandering outside the center of the imperial court. Therefore, at this time, Wang Jin, who was leading the way, came to this Qianqing Palace, he only felt indescribable excitement in his heart, and when Wang Jin hinted that the British public had recommended him when he was driving, he felt his heart beating fast.

After many years, he finally waited for the day when the clouds cleared and saw the day!

"I asked Ren Qing from Lu Zhenzhi to be the secretary of the military department, but at that time, I didn't expect that Qing was the younger brother of the British duke." Looking at Zhang Xin, Zhu Zhanji felt that the other party was a little similar to Zhang Yue, so he said with a pleasant face, "The Zhang family is a family of generals, and they have deep insight into the purpose of using soldiers. Now that you are the head of the military department, I would like to ask you, what advice do you have for the current military situation? ”

Since Zhang Xin took office, he has made great efforts to understand the affairs of the Ministry of War, and since Li Qing, the secretary of the Ministry of War, was transferred to Nanjing, he spent several days of hard work to sort out what he thought in his heart.

Because after Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, he suspended the use of troops, suspended the Western Ocean, and abolished all gold and silver classes, etc., he felt that although Zhu Zhanji opened the sea ban, the rest of the affairs should also follow the previous set. In addition, the Warat Tatars in the north said that the ministers were very obedient, and after Huang Fu went to Annam, the calm gradually returned there, so he naturally advocated reducing the troops in the north and south to prepare for the border, and stationed heavy troops in the Beijing division, and pointed out that Yangwubo Zhang You had been guarding Jiaozhi for four or five years, and it was time to rotate.

Zhu Zhanji listened to it, and gradually felt a little disapproving. He had different ideas from his father Zhu Gaochi, who felt that during the Yongle years, there were many wars between the north and the south, and now the army should be dismissed in order to recuperate, and at the same time, the military power and influence of those nobles can be gradually reduced. But he once went out with Zhu Di, knowing that Mongolia in the north is a wolf's ambition, and if he doesn't fight for a long time, he will not only let it grow, but also the border garrison will gradually weaken. When his grandfather Zhu Di went on his third northern expedition, the generals had already weakened too much.

Before leaving, when Zhang Yue gave him ten articles on military affairs, he clearly pointed out that the general army of Jiaozhi must not be replaced again and again, and the officials of Jiaozhi Buzheng should not be easily transferred-not only that, but the imperial court also needs preferential treatment. Jiaozhi is lonely in the southwest, and has not been subordinate to the king for many years, and it is easy to use a general and a group of officials to make the people of the upper and lower levels attached, and changing people at every turn means that the policy has changed greatly, and the previous situation is likely to be ruined.

After listening to this tirade, Zhu Zhanji thought to himself that Zhang Fu was a scheming man, and said with a smile: "Zhang Qing is really a family scholar, if civil officials can be as willing to work hard as Qing to study martial arts, why worry about the world?" Come to someone, take the crown and clothes. ”

Zhang Xin saw the two little eunuchs coming in from the door on the side with things in their hands, and he didn't have time to take a closer look, so he hurriedly bowed to Xie En. However, to his surprise, he felt someone walk up to him, gently remove his black gauze hat, and put on something else. Puzzled, he raised his head, but saw that in addition to the emperor, the two little eunuchs with low eyebrows and pleasing eyes were holding a set of clothes embroidered with tiger and leopard patterns. For a moment, he felt his mind go blank.

"Since I am a family of Jiangmen, I will make an exception! Changed the military position, awarded the Jinyi Guard Commander Tongzhi, and the hereditary commander of the affairs. I know that your eldest son is now a Hanlin Shujishi, and he is also a young talent, and this hereditary military position is not needed, so it is good for your other son to inherit this hereditary commanding officer! The three generations of the Zhang family are loyal and brave, don't let down my expectations. ”

Guangzhou and the capital are separated by thousands of miles in the south and north, and it often takes more than ten days for fast horses to be transmitted, so any news from the imperial court here often becomes outdated news. And the Tiangao Emperor is far away, and there is a Guangxi between Yunnan and Guizhou, among which there is a large vine gorge that has repeatedly rebelled, so the military rations of Jiaozhi are rarely levied from here, and the people of Guangdong live and work in peace and contentment from business and agriculture. So, at the beginning of Zhang Yue's tenure, he took such a big case, but he didn't mean to use the topic to play, but instead sent all the small servants he brought to learn about farming in Sixiang, and sent people to the wharf where Huangpu Town is located to learn about the situation of merchant ships.

He took a idly deserved attitude towards the case, and several subordinate officials of the Institute of Reasoning were in trouble. Although the chief officer didn't ask, he ordered someone to take it back, so naturally he couldn't fool the past; However, several of the political senators of the Political Affairs Department often sent people to inquire about the situation, and some even directly talked about people's feelings, which made them really unable to resist. It's hard to say whether this is abducted or not, but selling one's own population to other countries has been a ban since the Hongwu period.

Seeing that the result of the left and right sources is that both sides are not pleasing to each other, Xiong Hao was so anxious that a blister appeared at the corner of his mouth, and it hurt to eat and drink. After discussing it several times with the deputy manager and several scribes in charge of the case file, he finally decided to go directly to Zhang Yue and report the details one by one, and then how to deal with it when the time came.

At this time, he handed over all the case files in the main hall, briefly reported the situation, and then sat upright without saying a word, but the corner of his eye was looking at the plaque that had just been replaced. The two words Xuande in the past have now become Xuanren, the same black and gold characters, as if nothing has changed. However, the meaning of the words "virtue and benevolence" is similar, and if this new feudal lord can really do this, then people up and down can really feel at ease. Thinking about it this way, he peeked at Zhang Yue's gaze, but his eyes were still full of apprehension.

"Xu Daya confessed that he had indeed sold more than 100 men and women to envoys and merchants?"

"Yes."

"Is there any evidence that the woman's love affair is abducted and trafficked?"

"Yes......"

"The reason why there is no evidence is because the woman resolutely refuses to reveal her surname?"

Seeing that Zhang Yue was asking questions while flipping through the case file, and after a while, he asked the most critical one, Xiong Hao couldn't help but twist his body to make himself sit straighter, and then lowered his head and said: "Therefore, the woman is the bitter master, and her subordinates are not good at asking roughly, so I really can't ask her real name." Listening to the tone of speech, observing the manners, it is very much like a serious family coming out, maybe it is afraid of revealing the name and surname, and then the neighbors will laugh at it, so the subordinates dare not act rashly to slander people's innocence. ”

"Good, good." Seeing that Xiong Hao heard these three words, he became even more uneasy, Zhang Yue couldn't help but laugh dumbly, thinking that he was careful to observe his words and expressions when he faced Zhu Di at the beginning, and now these subordinates are the same when facing him. As soon as his belief changed, he smiled and said, "Those who are in charge of punishment should be like walking on thin ice on the edge of the abyss, like you, so why should the people be cruel?" The matter was handled with the crime of privately leaving the country, and the woman's identity deed was returned. ”

Hearing that this was indeed a compliment, Xiong Hao breathed a sigh of relief, and when he realized that Zhang Yue only talked about things and had no plans to expand, he was even more overjoyed, knowing that he could now explain to other officials of the Political Secretary. One by one, he agreed, and changed his way to greet Zhang Yue, and then he stepped forward to pick up a thick pile of case files, bowed and exited the lobby.

"Xuanren...... This time it is enough to kill chickens and monkeys, after all, there is no evidence. If I go wherever I go like before, I will be surrounded by people, and my reputation will really be used to stop children's night crying. ”

Zhang Yue looked at the plaque inscribed by himself, muttered to himself, and then impatiently reached out and pulled the collar. Although it has been half a month, he is still extremely unaccustomed to the hot and humid weather here. He was born with a fear of heat and cold, and what he was most afraid of was Dafutian, but now at this season, he just sat upright and talked for a while, and his vest was completely soaked. When he came to Guangzhou before, he completely forgot about the heat here, but now he can stand it.

The office of the Counsellor is on the left side of the Counsellor's Yamen, and there are one mezzanine room on the left and one in the front hall, and the three main halls in the back are the places where the Counsellor retreats, and several rooms in the corridors on both sides are used to store case files. Although there are also one or twenty rooms in a variety of rooms, due to the passage of time, the beams and pillars are quite old, and the furniture is not in shape. In contrast, the prison behind the Institute of Inquiry was even more dilapidated, and Xiong Hao only stood at the door for a moment, and then did not want to step into it again.

This matter can be handled whether it is handed over to the local county government or the government office, but because Zhang Yue personally confessed, he had to go out in person, and now that Xu Daya is locked up in this women's prison. The people who can go down here are all serious offenders, and there are never less than 100 prisoners in the prison, and there are at least a dozen death sentences in prison every year, and the smell of rot and dampness is naturally extraordinary. At this moment, he pondered Zhang Yue's attitude, and then ordered the jailer at the door to bring the plaintiff and defendant to the main hall. These days, he has been very perfunctory to her for the sake of Ana Xu's big tooth, but now he has to cut through the mess quickly.

"According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, anyone who sells horses and cattle, military quarters, iron goods, copper coins, boils, silk, silk cotton, and goods that go out of the country privately and go to sea shall have one hundred rods. The person who carries the burden shall be reduced by one. Cargo ships and wagons were incorporated into the Officer. In the internal rate of 10 points, three points to pay the informant reward. If the people are armed out of the country and into the sea, they will be hanged. The convict Xu Daya privately took the population out of the country and was hanged according to the law. ”

In the prison, it is more than ten days, and it is also a prison in the Institute of Reason, so Xu Daya naturally has a depressed face. At this time, she was kneeling in the lobby, her legs couldn't help but weaken, and she was trembling, and she couldn't even hear the questions from above. When she heard Xiong Hao's cold sentence, her eyes were even darker and she fainted. But Xiong Hao didn't even look at her, and when he saw Jiu Niang kneeling silently on the side, he said in a deep voice: "The folk girl Jiu Niang sued Xu Daya for abduction, and there was no evidence to investigate, and the deed of return was left to her own devices." ”