In terms of reputation, it is the government of Songjiang Prefecture, in fact, Lou County is far inferior to Shanghai County dozens of miles away in terms of population and economy, and Chen Tinghuang, the prefect of Songjiang who is stationed here, is far less than Yuan Zupi, the prefect of Shanghai County, and Wu Jianzhang, who holds the customs, in terms of opportunities to make money, but fortunately, Chen Tinghuang is a relatively honest official, and his reputation is far more important than money, but he can also accept this calmly, a pot of tea and a book every day, and enjoy himself.

Not causing trouble and not being jealous does not mean that you can stay away from trouble, no, Chen Tinghuang has just finished his few official duties this day, and has just soaked a pot of West Lake Longjing, picked up the Song version of "Zhuzi" borrowed from friends in the literary world and prepared to read it, Master Qu who spent a lot of money invited from Shaoxing ran in in a panic, and changed his usual steadiness and calmness, and just entered the study, he couldn't wait to shout: "Dong Weng, it's not good, it's not good!" Woe to you, woe to you! ”

"What are you panicking about?" Chen Tinghuang, who was about to read the masterpieces of the sages, was a little dissatisfied, and scolded: "What do you have to say, this is the study room where the official reads, not a vegetable market, nor a bazaar!" ”

After scolding, Chen Tinghuang also picked up the Junyao tea bowl bought at a high price, held it to his lips and tasted it, Master Qu also found that he was a little out of shape, and was busy saying a crime, and then he gave up his hand and said: "The villain is rude, Dong Weng forgives the sin, but this matter is really troublesome, two foreigners came to the government to complain, and kept saying that they must see you, please give them justice!" ”

"Poof", the tea in Chen Tinghuang's mouth sprayed directly on Master Qu's face, and then our Chen Tinghuang and Chen Governor's Mansion also jumped up directly, staring at me and yelling: "Foreigners came to me to complain?" Really? How did they get into the city? Why didn't the magistrate Yamen report there? ”

"Absolutely." Master Qu wiped the tea on his face and said: "Those two foreigners took a large piece of paper and showed it on the street, asking the lord to give them justice, and now the whole city of Lou County is a sensation, and the gate of the prefect's yamen is already full of people watching the excitement." As for how the foreigners entered the city, the small ones don't know yet. ”

Dumbfounded for a long time, Chen Tinghuang came back to his senses and yelled and asked, "Who are the foreigners suing?" Did you send someone to arrest it? By the way, why are you so stupid, the county government of Lou County is also in the city, why don't you push the trouble to the county yamen first? ”

"Dong Weng, I can't push it off!" Master Qu said with a sad face: "Those two foreigners told Yuan Zubi, the prefect of Shanghai, that Yuan Zubi harbored the Shanghai thugs, beat and killed the Shanghai parishioners, and also abused his power to resist the arrest of innocent parishioners. So the little ones didn't dare to shirk, and the street patrol officials in Lou County also ran away early, for fear of being involved in this matter! ”

"Yuan Zubi! Your mother's eighteenth generation ancestor! Chen Tinghuang, who has always been gentle and elegant, rarely scolded a dirty word, and scolded: "You son of a bitch, it's not good to cause trouble to this official, but you want to make trouble for foreigners for the old man!" Can you afford this foreigner's trouble? This official has to be killed by you this time! ”

No matter how much you roar and scold, it's useless, Shanghai County is subordinate to Songjiang Mansion, and Yuan Zubi, the magistrate of Shanghai, is suspected of favoritism and oppression of the people, and Chen Tinghuang must first interrogate and investigate, so no matter how unhappy Chen Tinghuang is, he can only quickly change into his official uniform and go to the court to ask about the case, and then see two foreigners standing outside the yamen of the mansion with paper-like papers in their hands, and when there are crowds of people watching the lively people, Chen Tinghuang can't help but roar in his heart again, "Yuan Zubi, you wait for this official!" ”

The next thing is very simple, although the petition written by Wu Chaoyue is in the vernacular, it is better to be direct and simple, Chen Tinghuang can understand the meaning even if he is in contact with it for the first time, and at the same time, the two French priests who have received Wu Chaoyue's prior guidance also grabbed the subordinate relationship between Chen Tinghuang and Yuan Zubi, and insisted that Yuan Zubie was harboring the murderer's abuse of power, and forced Chen Tinghuang, Yuan Zubi's direct boss, to give them an explanation.

It is precisely because of this that Chen Tinghuang can't get rid of this trouble no matter how hard he racks his brains, and he is forced to be helpless, so he has no choice but to pat the wood and say loudly: "Don't worry, your paper has been accepted by the official, and the official will send someone to Shanghai County to investigate this matter, if it is really as you and others said, Yuan Zubi, the magistrate of Shanghai, really has a cover-up of fraud, and the official will definitely report to the imperial court, and ask the imperial court to severely punish Yuan Zubi and give an explanation to the two!" ”

"Thank you, Mr. Prefect." According to Wu Chaoyue's instructions, the two foreign priests thanked them very politely, and said in stiff Chinese: "Thank you Mr. Prefect for your fair law enforcement, we will also stay here for a while, and wait for Mr. Prefect's inquiry at any time, and also wait for Mr. Prefect's investigation results, Mr. Prefect, when will you find out, and when will we leave." ”

Chen Tinghuang almost fainted when he heard this, but the person who complained did need to be questioned at any time before the facts of the case were clarified, and the two foreign priests took the opportunity to rely on Lou County not to leave, and Chen Tinghuang had nothing to do with them. So there was no way, Chen Tinghuang could only nod his head in agreement while crying and mourning, and couldn't wait to yell at Master Qu next to him: "Quick! immediately sent an official document to Yuan Zubi, ordering him to solve the case as soon as possible and give an explanation to the foreigners! ”

Master Qu nodded in agreement first, and then cautiously reminded: "Dong Weng, the two foreigners sued Yuan Zubi, it seems that this case should not be handed over to Yuan Zubio himself for direct investigation, right?" ”

Chen Tinghuang slapped his forehead, only then did he realize that he was so nervous that he forgot that Yuan Zubi should avoid suspicion in this matter, and hurriedly changed his words and ordered to prepare the carriage and horses quickly, and planned to go to Shanghai County to investigate the matter in person. And Master Qu was even more shocked when he heard it, and hurriedly reminded in a low voice: "Dong Weng, are you in a hurry?" Yuan Zupi's township test master is Yang Wending, the governor of this province, Yang Futai, you personally went to investigate Yuan Zubi, where Yang Futai is, how do you explain? ”

Chen Tinghuang's face changed, and then he remembered Yang Wending's famous cautious eyes, if he went to check his protégé without saying a word, what kind of miserable end would he have in the future. So after scolding Yuan Zubi a few more times, Chen Tinghuang could only change his words again, and said: "Then you personally take some capable officials to Shanghai County to investigate the case, first quietly find out the ins and outs of this matter, and find out whether Yuan Zubi did such a thing, and the official also used an official document to explain the matter to Yang Futai and ask him to decide!" ”

"Dong Weng is smart!" Master Qu hurriedly patted his ass and said: "First secretly find out the facts of the case and get the evidence, if Yang Futai wants to protect his protégé, we will press down the case and find other ways to prevaricate the foreigners." If Yang Futai is also afraid that foreigners will make trouble and want to kill his relatives in righteousness, we will immediately shake out the evidence and give the foreigners a satisfactory explanation. This not only does not offend Yang Futai, but also prepares for both, Dong Weng is really ....... ”

"Alright, let's get on errands!" Chen Tinghuang was not angry enough to plan Master Qu's flattery, and roared: "Take someone to Shanghai immediately, remember, you must check quietly, it is best to get real evidence!" ”

…………

Although Chen Tinghuang, who was quite conscientious and quite calm, took appropriate measures, he somewhat underestimated Yuan Zubi's activity energy, although Master Qu rushed to Shanghai County with a team of capable officials to investigate the case, but when Master Qu and others were still on the road, Yuan Zubi had already received the news that foreigners had gone to Lou County to complain in advance. In addition to being shocked, Yuan Zubi had no choice but to hurry up and ask the case, forcing those few ghosts to bear all the charges, in a vain attempt to perfunctory and end the matter.

The cruel facts completely shattered Yuan Zubi's dream, because those bitter masters who were killed and beaten were originally members of the Shuangdao Society, and the Shuangdaohui and the Bird Party formed a mortal enmity with the Bird Party, and it had already reached the point where either you died or I lived, so although the ghosts who substituted for the dead all admitted that it was their poisonous hands to beat and kill people, the bitter masters insisted that the real person who did it was Xiao Fujian - in fact, it was indeed him. For the dead ghost rushed to confess his guilt but couldn't, the bitter lord bit Xiao Fujian to death and forced Yuan Zubi to tear and kill the horse, Yuan Zubi was anxious and helpless.

Of course, Yuan Zubi didn't think about taking the initiative to punish those bitter people, forcing them to change their tunes and stop biting Xiao Fujian to death, but it's a pity that Wu Jianzhang had actually mixed in under the pretext of tracking down the deserters, forcing Yuan Zubi not to dare to be too presumptuous; Martin and other foreign priests were also entangled under the instruction of Wu Chaoyue, under the pretext of protecting the parishioners, preventing Yuan Zubi from torture the bitter master, and the bitter masters who had tasted the sweetness of the foreign religion also became emboldened, and threatened to ask the church to be their master at every turn.

In the end, there was really no way, Yuan Zubi could only quietly call Xiao Fujian again, and asked Xiao Fujian to be wronged and go to the prison for a few days, first plugging the mouths of foreigners, and then slowly pushing the charges over others, turning big things into small things and small things. Although Xiao Fujian was full of unhappiness, he did not dare to continue to make this matter bigger, and finally agreed in frustration after complaining for a long time, and quickly arranged for his powerful subordinates to manage the Bird Party on his behalf, and then took the initiative to surrender in front of the county yamen and took the initiative to go to prison to cooperate with the investigation.

Not to mention, Yuan Zubi lost the car and Bao Shuai really received the desired effect, after Xiao Fujian was imprisoned, Father Martin and others had no excuse to continue to make trouble, and Wu Jianzhang had no way to force Yuan Zubi to re-handle Xiao Fujian strictly, even if he knew that Xiao Fujian could still be at ease after entering the prison, there was no way, at most he could only verbally ask a few words for Yuan Zubi to handle the case strictly.

Wu Jianzhang's verbal request, of course, Yuan Zubi agreed, and when he sent Wu Jianzhang out in person, Yuan Zuzhang's face was not only full of smiles, but also his eyes were full of resentment, and he kept thinking about how to retaliate against Wu Jianzhang, who had no foundation in the officialdom after the incident. However, just when Wu Jianzhang boarded the sedan chair, Wu Chaoyue, who was also an old acquaintance with Yuan Zubi, suddenly appeared, smiled at Yuan Zubi, and said: "Yuan Xianzun, it's amazing, to retreat as advance, to bend and seek justice, the officialdom doorway is played by you." ”

"What do you mean by that? Why can't the official understand? Yuan Zubi asked with a puzzled face, and snorted coldly in his heart: "Knowing that this official is advancing by retreat and seeking justice by bending, what can you do with this official?" But how did this little deflated san know about these officialdoms? Could it be that Wu Ashuang's family has a master behind them? ”

"Yuan Xianzun doesn't have to be modest, can you understand the younger generation very well." Wu Chaoyue sneered and said: "The younger generation still knows, the county honor, you must be saying in your heart, even if I know that you are advancing by retreat and seeking justice by bending, what can I do to you?" The decision is in your hands, as long as Xiao Fujian insists that his subordinates did it privately, he can easily get away with the crime in the future, right? ”

Yuan Zuyi's face finally changed, Wu Jianzhang couldn't stand it and drank Wu Chaoyue, but Wu Chaoyue still added, and said with a smile: "Yuan Xianzun, don't be too happy too early, to tell you the truth, this matter is not over, I will not stop if I don't seek real justice for those innocent dock workers who were killed and beaten, and investigate the real culprits." Let's ride a donkey and read the record book, and we'll see! ”

After that, Wu Chaoyue jumped into the carriage and followed Wu Jianzhang away, leaving Yuan Zubi to grit his teeth in front of the county yamen, and at the same time, Yuan Zubi couldn't help but say viciously in his heart: "Xiao Qisan, you're right, let's ride a donkey and read the record book, and we'll see!" The official doesn't believe it, you and Wu Ashuang, the two devils who rely on foreigners to eat, can treat the official, a protégé of the governor who was born as a jinshi? ! ”

…………

"Ahh Ahh ”

Almost at the same time, in the yamen of Jiangsu in Suzhou City (the yamen of Jiangsu governor was stationed in Suzhou during the Qing Dynasty), Yang Wending, the governor of Jiangsu who was leaned on by Yuan Zu as Mount Tai, suddenly sneezed twice, and the henchmen next to him hurriedly asked Yang Wending if he needed to add clothes, Yang Wending shook his head and said that he didn't have to, and continued to watch the official document sent by Chen Tinghuang, the prefect of Songjiang, and kept scolding his protégé Yuan Zu for causing trouble for himself, and provoking the most unprovoked foreigner.

Scolding and scolding, but it is impossible for Yang Wending to kill his relatives and clean up his protégé Yuan Zupi, since the five trade fairs twelve years ago, Shanghai has developed from an unknown small county, has developed into a first-class county with a population of more than 500,000, money and food are sufficient, the economy and trade are developed, the abundance of oil and water is second to none among the counties under the rule of Yang Wending, Yuan Zuding's annual filial piety disciple ceremony is also in the forefront of Yang Wending's protégés, Yang Wending is of course reluctant to clean up such an obedient and filial protégé, and is reluctant to give up the Shanghai cornucopia that can be indirectly controlled, So Yang Wending quickly made up his mind in his heart - no matter what, he had to keep Yuan Zubi.

If you want to keep Yuan Zubi, your protégé, it is not difficult for Yang Wending, who is more sleek and spicy in the officialdom, to make a little calculation, Yang Wending instructed his staff: "Write a letter to Chen Tinghuang for this official, so that he can rest assured to investigate this case, he can't cover up and connive, but he can't blindly listen to the words of the foreigners. ”

Yang Wending said it so lightly, the purpose is, of course, to imply that Chen Tinghuang has made a big thing a small thing, and a small matter, and don't involve Yuan Zubi in the perfunctory past. The staff who was familiar with Yang Wending's character agreed, and asked cautiously: "Futai, is there a time limit?" ”

Yang Wending glanced at the staff, snorted and said: "The case involves foreigners, and the case is complicated, so don't burden Chen Tinghuang, just ask him to investigate carefully, and there is no need to solve the case within a time limit." ”

The staff suddenly realized, and then they understood that Yang Wending acquiesced to Chen Tinghuang and Yuan Zubi that they could drag the case out until the foreigners gave up on their own, and quickly scolded the villain for being confused, and then wrote a letter. However, at this time, outside the door of the signing room, a Goshha rushed in quickly, and said with an extremely nervous expression: "Futai, the city gate came to report, saying that there were three foreigners holding paper, and suddenly came to Suzhou outside the city to ask to enter the city to complain, suing Yuan Zubi, the magistrate of Shanghai, for harboring the murderer of the people, and the city gate official did not dare to let them into the city, so he could only ask Lord Futai what you mean." ”

With a bang, the tea bowl in Yang Wending's hand was shattered all of a sudden, and after being stunned for a long time, Yang Wending jumped up and said angrily: "Foreign devils, lawless!" Dare to go to the governor of Suzhou City to make trouble, is it really that the official is afraid of them? ”

"Go and tell the city gate official immediately that foreigners are not allowed to enter the city, and foreigners are absolutely not allowed to enter the city!"

"What are the foreigners talking about, tell Suzhou County to deal with them! Don't bother with this official again! ”

The Goshha who came to report the news sang a promise, and then said cautiously: "Futai, the little one has to report to you, the origin of the three foreigners doesn't seem to be simple, they said it themselves, two of them are the two foreigners who originally taught the Qingpu case, they said that this time they just want to ask Lord Futai to preside over justice, and they don't want to be like last time, so they directly drove the foreigner gunboat to Jiangning City." So please Lord Futai, you handle the case impartially, and don't cover up Yuan Zu who heard that it was your protégé, Yuan County, otherwise you ......, otherwise you will ....... ”

"Or what? Let's just say it! Yang Wending shouted with a blushing face.

"Otherwise, they will go to Jiangning to complain to the Governor of Liangjiang." Nagoshha had the courage to say: "Please ask the governor of Liangjiang to uphold justice and punish the culprit Yuan Zubi and the people who harbored Yuan Zubi." ”

Yang Wending's face turned even more pale, gritted his teeth and calculated for a moment, Yang Wending suddenly turned to the staff who was writing a letter to Chen Tinghuang, and ordered with a gloomy face: "Don't write a letter, use the official document to order Chen Tinghuang instead, within three days, you must find out the truth about the Shanghai Christians case, severely punish the murderer, and investigate the culprit!" No matter who is involved, no favoritism is allowed! Be sure to give a satisfactory explanation to foreigners! The official document must also indicate to the official that the long hair has already entered Hunan, and at this time, it must not cause chaos to the imperial court! ”

The staff who had already heard the situation hurriedly agreed, and hurriedly redrafted the text, Yang Wending secretly scolded in his heart, "Yuan Zupi, who was raised by a son of a bitch, will make trouble for this official!" Damn, how would foreigners know that Yuan Zubi was the official's protégé? also got Jiang Ning's complaint to threaten the official, this is to see the weakness of the official and fight to the death? ”