After a long time, Ji Qingwen suddenly raised his head and asked: "Old Zhangtou, let me ask you, if it wasn't Yuan Chonghuan who led the army at the beginning, wouldn't the Manchurian Tartars enter the Beijing division to plunder?" Will there be no loss for the people? If you kill Yuan Chonghuan, will it be a hundred? Without Yuan Chonghuan, who can take Yuan Chonghuan's place? ”

Lao Zhang Tou was speechless by Ji Qingwen's questions for a long time, and after a long time, he remembered that he was just a ravioli, and said with a smile: "What did you say, sir?" My old Zhang Tou is a wonton seller, if it weren't for the fact that my family was forced to go to private school for a few years when I was a child, otherwise I wouldn't even be able to recognize a few big characters, how could I talk about an important court minister like Inspector Yuan? ”

Lao Zhangtou's wife also came over to help: "It's not." I don't know what's wrong with my husband today. In the past, how many adults ate wontons with us, and they never said half a sentence, but what should be said and what should not be said today is a lot of words with the lord. ”

As he spoke, the old Zhang family put a plate of peanuts in front of Ji Qingwen, and said, "Sir, don't take it to heart." ”

Ji Qingwen raised his eyes and smiled to express his gratitude, but suddenly found that although Lao Zhang's family was an old woman in her forties, she still had charm, which showed that she was also a beauty when she was young, and somehow she would marry Lao Zhangtou who set up a stall to sell wontons.

So Ji Qingwen said with a smile: "The old Zhang family can speak, and the two of you are really a loving couple when you sing and harmonize." But I'm a person who speaks and does things very casually, and when I say it casually, I listen to it, what's the big deal? ”

"It's not, 'the rise and fall of the world, the husband is responsible', I am also a puppet, there are so many mouths in the world, it doesn't matter if I say more." Lao Zhangtou said.

Ji Qingwen chatted with Lao Zhangtou again, but he didn't mention Yuan Chonghuan anymore, and later saw that the hundred officials came back from the court, and he didn't want to say hello to these officials more, so he paid the money and received Huang Degong and went back to the Yunlai Inn.

Ji Qingwen didn't sleep well this night, and when he returned to the inn, he saw that everyone had just gotten up, and there was nothing to help him deal with, so he immediately went back to his room and fell asleep.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard a rough and rapid knock on the door, and Xiao Duozi's voice came from outside the door: "Young Master, get up quickly, Old Xu Ge is here, come to find the young master." ”

Ji Qingwen was tired all over his body, and he was not happy to be disturbed, but when he heard that Xu Guangqi came to visit him, he could only say, "I know, please come to the elegant house later, I will come later." ”

After that, Ji Qingwen got up and put on the clothes he had just taken off again, washed his face again, and then went out to see Xu Guangqi.

Xu Guangqi's expression was very flustered, and when he saw Ji Qingwen entering the house, he didn't have time to say hello: "Brother Ji, something is wrong." ”

Ji Qingwen's heart tightened when he heard this, and he hurriedly asked, "Why did Xu Ge Lao say that?" Could it be that the emperor has already decreed that Yuan Chonghuan will be executed? ”

Xu Guangqi frowned and said, "Although it is not hit, it is not far away." Brother Ji still remembers that the emperor wanted officials above the fourth rank in Beijing and officials above the fifth rank in the local government to discuss Yuan Chonghuan's sins? In the past few days, the officials have handed over the concerts, and the old man has made a rough count in the cabinet, and those who advocate killing Yuan Chonghuan have not nine out of ten concerts, but seven or eight of them! ”

Ji Qingwen exclaimed: "How can this be? Didn't Zhou Yanru say that he would greet hundreds of officials in the imperial court? How did it end up like this? Is Yanru a wreck this week? ”

"I don't know if Lord Shoufu Zhou greeted the officials. It can be seen that the content of the chapter seems to be that the hundred officials indulged Yuan Chonghuan in the Tartars to plunder the surroundings of the Beijing Division

It's a lot of trouble. The old man also talked to several protégés of the above chapter, and heard from them that the properties, manors, and fields they had purchased in the suburbs of Beijing had been trampled to pieces by the Tartars and plundered to ten rooms and nine emptiness. The officials have suffered such a big loss, how can they intercede for Yuan Chonghuan! Xu Guangqi said.

Hearing this, Ji Qingwen's sleepiness was swept away, and he suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Lao Zhangtou, who sold wontons, not long ago, and said quietly: "Taking people's money is like killing your parents." It seems that Yuan Chonghuan has formed a blood feud with hundreds of officials in the imperial court. ”

Xu Guangqi sighed: "Alas! That's it...... It seems that Yuan Chonghuan has become a rat crossing the street, and everyone shouts and beats. Brother Ji, the old man advises you, you can't get involved in this matter anymore, if you pull up the radish and bring up the mud, and even the brother you are implicated, it won't be easy to do......"

It's really not easy to do.

Emperor Chongzhen wanted to execute Yuan Chonghuan, and Ji Qingwen knew it. His original plan was to use the power of the courtiers to persuade the emperor to change his mind, but he didn't expect that most of the officials in the court also suggested that Yuan Chonghuan be executed. And what's even more terrifying is that Dolgon, Ao Bai and others came inexplicably, and put a basin on Yuan Chonghuan's head for "fornicating with foreign countries", which is equivalent to condemning Yuan Chonghuan to a hard capital crime.

Thinking of this, Ji Qingwen couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Hahaha." Elder Xu Ge, I finally know why when I went to Shanhaiguan before, Teacher Sun Chengzong also told me to leave Yuan Chonghuan alone. Alas! Jiang is still old and spicy, and Mr. Sun has long seen that Yuan Chonghuan has reached the point of death, and any attempt to rescue him is actually just a bamboo basket to draw water. ”

Xu Guangqi also sighed and said, "Old Inspector Sun can be regarded as having eyes like a torch. It's just a pity that now is the time for the imperial court to employ people, and Yuan Chonghuan has some talent, so killing him like this, although he deserves it, he also feels a little pity......"

Ji Qingwen gritted his teeth and said, "Elder Xu Ge, this is not just a pity! Elder Ge, you said, killing Yuan Chonghuan now, is the advantage outweigh the disadvantages? Or do it do more harm than good? ”

Xu Guangqi sighed and said, "The old man understands my brother's thoughts very well. It's just that now Yuan Chonghuan is a chestnut roasted on the fire, and if you want to take the chestnuts from the fire, you have to start the fire. If Brother Ji is also implicated, it will be even more disadvantageous......"

"No, Elder Xu Ge." Ji Qingwen still didn't give up, "I can't swallow this breath!" Who are the people who want to kill Yuan Chonghuan? It's just eunuchs, Manchurian tartars, and a selfish and stupid official. And you, me, and Teacher Sun Chengzong all feel that Yuan Chonghuan's life should be retained. If Yuan Chonghuan dies like this, wouldn't it be a matter of pain for relatives and happiness for enemies? ”

"Brother Ji said this thoroughly." Xu Guangqi said, "But there is a saying that 'people are in the rivers and lakes, and their bodies are involuntarily', but 'when people are in the temples, they are also involuntarily'." Many things are clearly wrong, but you have to do them with a clear conscience; There are also many things that are clearly right, but you can't do them. ”

"If you can't do it, you have to do it! Xu Ge Lao, Confucius said: 'Do it when you know what you can't do', you are a gentleman. I'm going to do something I can't do by sitting down. I am very grateful that Xu Ge can come and say these few words to me in a hurry today. Xu Ge is always a pillar of the imperial court, so please protect yourself and stop meddling in this matter! If the younger generation offends the emperor because of this, and is also implicated, I have to rely on Xu Ge Lao to speak for me in front of the emperor! ”

With that, Ji Qingwen got up from his seat and gave Xu Guangqi a deep bow.

Xu Guangqi also trembled and got up and saluted back, saying, "This matter."

It's wrapped around the old man. If Brother Ji is also questioned and imprisoned, then the old man will have to save his brother even if he doesn't do this official and fights for his life! ”

Xu Guangqi's words made Ji Qingwen's heart warm, and he said a few words of gratitude, and then he personally sent Xu Guangqi, who was old Longzhong, out of Yunlai Inn.

At this time, Li Yan had also gotten up, and when he saw Xu Guangqi coming and leaving, he asked Ji Qingwen what happened.

Ji Qingwen briefly told Li Yan the origin of Yuan Chonghuan's case, and finally added: "Brother Li, I originally thought that Yuan Chonghuan had been saved by me. Unexpectedly, overnight, all the successes were all back to the original state. It seems that this matter will have to be handled anew. ”

Li Yan frowned and said, "Brother Ji, this matter is easy to say and not to do. It was not easy to shake the emperor's sacred heart to kill Yuan Chonghuan before. How easy is it to change the Sacred Heart again? ”

"Humph! It is the mission of this lord to change his life against the sky, Brother Li, you are optimistic about it! ”

After saying that, Ji Qingwen greeted loudly: "Xiao Duozi, prepare a sedan chair for me!" ”

Xiao Duozi hurriedly took a few steps forward and said, "Young master, you haven't slept all day, and now you have to go out to run errands, even the iron beaters are going to collapse!" ”

Li Yan said on the side: "Then don't prepare a sedan chair, ask the innkeeper to borrow a carriage, and then pack up the futon and put it on the carriage, and let Brother Ji rest while walking, isn't it?" ”

Ji Qingwen got into the rickety carriage and fell asleep after a while.

The carriage did not dare to gallop fast in Beijing, and the speed of action was not much faster than that of a light sedan chair, and after walking for about half an hour, he came to the prison of the Criminal Department according to Ji Qingwen's instructions.

Ji Qingwen woke up from his sleep, got out of the car and came to the prison door, and said to the guard at the door: "This brother, I'm going to see Yuan Chonghuan, I don't know if it's convenient?" ”

The officials and cell heads of the criminal department have been fed with silver by Ji Qingwen, and when they saw that the gold lord was coming, they spoke very politely, but the meaning of the words was extremely tough: "Return to the lord." It's not that the villain doesn't give face to the lord. Early this morning, Wen Shangshu passed the holy decree to the little ones. It is said that Yuan Chonghuan may collude with the Manchurian Tartars, and the small ones should be carefully guarded, and they should not be allowed to meet with anyone, otherwise the guards will be severely punished! ”

"Oh? Can't even me? Ji Qingwen asked.

"As long as there is one person who can see Inspector Yuan, it will be you, Lord Ji. But the emperor's holy decree is powerful, if you disobey it, it will be a crime of defrauding the king...... The little ones only have one head on their shoulders, and if they cut it off, it will be gone, so I ask the adults to be considerate, but don't be embarrassed for the little people anymore...... "The official said.

At this point, Ji Qingwen had nothing to be reluctant to, turned over and climbed into the carriage without a sound, and said to Li Yan, who was in the same car: "Brother Li, did you hear what you just said?" What should I do? ”

Li Yan said: "It seems that the emperor is ruthless." The problem now lies in two places. One is the Manchurian Tartars: now that Commander Li and Miss Zhou have not sent the news back, they can only wait first. The second is the officials who impeached Yuan Chonghuan: it was too late to talk to them one by one, and now it was better to go to Zhou Yanru. ”

"Yes, let's go, go to Zhou's mansion!"

After that, Ji Qingwen lay down again, and fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

When he woke up, the carriage had stopped in front of an official's mansion with a wide lintel, and he heard Xiao Duozi who was driving the carriage say, "Young Master, Zhou Yanru's mansion has arrived." ”

。 m.