It was only after he was imprisoned in the backyard firewood room of the customs supervision yamen with Wu Jianzhang that Wu Chaoyue learned from Wu Jianzhang's mouth that the Qin messenger who came to investigate the Wu family this time was the secretary of the Ministry of Industry. For this reason, Wu Chaoyue was extremely happy and muttered secretly, "Fortunately, it's just Weng Xincun, not Weng Tongxiao, if it's Weng Tongxiao's bastard, then I'm miserable - even Li Hongzhang was killed by him, let alone me." ”

Wu Jianzhang didn't have time to know that his baby grandson had offended Weng Xincun's father and son to death, and kept comforting his baby grandson: "Grandson, it's okay, don't worry, you help foreigners preach and buy land, even if the court refuses to agree to pursue it, it is absolutely impossible to punish you for capital crimes." After your father received the news, he will definitely go to the capital immediately to carry out activities and try to save us. ”

After that, Wu Jianzhang comforted himself in his heart: "There will be no major crime, there will definitely be no major crime, even if the court really wants to kill the head, I will definitely rush to carry the charge of killing the head, and I must keep my only grandson no matter what." ”

Wu Jianzhang and Wu Chaoyue soon became completely desperate, although the customs supervision yamen officers who assisted Weng Xincun's subordinates to take care of them were Wu Jianzhang's old department, and they didn't abuse them with some old feelings, and quietly sent them quilts and food, but just when Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren comforted each other and ate together, the door of the firewood room was suddenly pushed open, and when the lantern light shone, the son of Weng Xincun, who had only kowtowed to Wu Chaoyue during the day to make amends, entered with his head held high, and took the initiative to greet Wu Chaoyue very cordially: "Young Master Wu, what a coincidence, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon. ”

Wu Chaoyue was silent, and finally understood the real reason why Weng Xincun deliberately locked himself and his comprador grandfather in the backyard of the customs yamen - it was obvious that he wanted to give his baby son a chance to avenge his anger. And Wu Jianzhang, who still doesn't know the specific situation, asked suspiciously: "This son, do you know my grandson?" Dare to ask your high name. ”

"Lord Wu is polite, I don't dare to be a big name with a high surname, and I am in the same place." Weng Xincun's son smiled and reported a name that made Wu Chaoyue completely dumbfounded, and said with a more cordial smile: "Weng Shangshu of the Ministry of Works, who was ordered to come to Shanghai to handle the case, is his father, because my father is old, and I happen to be free, so I accompanied the waiter to his left and right. This morning, I met with Lingsun on the dock once, and I had a little friendship. ”

"It turned out to be Gongzi Weng!" Wu Jianzhang was shocked and regained hope, and hurriedly invited Weng Tongrong to sit down, while bowing to Weng Tonggong, and couldn't wait to plead: "Gongzi Weng, transcending things, I hope you will say a few more kind words in front of Weng Shangshu, surpassing him wronged, he is just young and ignorant, I don't know how important it is to make a few foreigner friends, I don't know that helping foreigners to preach and buy land will be such a big sin, and I also ask you to say a lot of good words in front of Weng Shangshu, the old man must be rewarded, he must be rewarded." ”

"Well said, well said." Weng Tongyi nodded with a smile, and said with a smile: "Lord Wu, don't say anything in return, my father's family education is strict, and he won't accept anything from you." But you can rest assured, don't say anything else, just based on my friendship with your grandson, I will definitely say more good things for you and Young Master Wu in front of your father - Young Master Wu, don't you say? ”

Wu Jianzhang was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly thanked Weng Tongyun for his kindness, and then scolded Wu Chaoyue, who had never spoken: "Chaoyue, what are you still doing?" Hurry up and salute and thank Gongzi Weng? ”

Wu Chaoyue didn't take the comprador grandfather's stubble, he just looked at Weng Tonggong with an expressionless face, Weng Tonggong smiled, and in his beautiful eyes, all flashed were the smug light of a cat playing with mice. It was only when Wu Jianzhang came up to salute Weng Tonggong that Wu Chaoyue spoke: "Grandpa, don't waste your strength, it's useless to beg him, the purpose of this hypocrite coming to see me is to gloat and revenge, begging him is in vain." ”

"What do you say? Why can't I understand? Wu Jianzhang was completely dumbfounded.

"I said it was useless to beg him, because I forced him to kowtow to me this morning to make amends."

Wu Chaoyue told Wu Jianzhang what happened this morning very calmly, but Wu Jianzhang was dumbfounded, dumbfounded, his whole body trembled for a long time and he couldn't make any sound, and then slapped Wu Chaoyue in the face and roared: "Little beast, you are looking for death!" You dare to offend even the son of Lord Chincha? Still offended so badly? ”

Wu Chaoyue was silent for a while, and Wu Jianzhang immediately knelt down on Weng Tong's knees, and pleaded with a crying voice: "Gongzi Weng, the grandson of the lower official has offended you, please forgive me, the lower official kowtows to you to make amends, kowtows to you to make amends, surpassing him is only seventeen years old, he doesn't understand anything, please let him go, let him go, the lower official is bankrupt, and he will definitely repay your great kindness!" Weng Gongzi, I beg you......! ”

Constantly begging, Wu Jianzhang kowtowed to Weng Tonggong again and again, his appearance was extremely miserable, but Weng Tonggong was unmoved, and knocked Erlang's legs and swayed, his face was full of smug smiles, and his ruthless eyes always only looked at Wu Chaoyue, making it clear that he wanted Wu Chaoyue to kneel down and kowtow to him and beg for mercy, doubling the revenge on the dock.

If it was someone else, then for the sake of his precious life, Wu Chaoyue might still bow his head, but Weng Tonggong couldn't, Wu Chaoyue knew too well how narrow-minded Weng Tonggong was and how despicable his character was - in order to retaliate against Li Hongzhang's impeachment of his brother Weng Tongshu, after serving as the head of the household department, Weng Tongling did not give the Beiyang Naval Division a tael of silver for military expenses, and instigated Guangxu to force the Beiyang Naval Division, which had only one shell in its main artillery, to go to sea and fight a decisive battle with the Japanese Navy, which single-handedly led to the fiasco of the First Sino-Japanese War! Therefore, Wu Chaoyue knew very well that he bowed his head to Weng Tonggong and begged for mercy, except for his own humiliation, he would never receive any effect.

Because of this, Wu Chaoyue ignored Wu Jianzhang's order to kneel, but instead forced Wu Jianzhang to get up, and said, "Grandpa, get up, it's useless to beg this hypocrite!" This kind of hypocrite with a honey-mouthed sword, even if he agrees, will never ....... ”

Before Wu Chaoyue finished speaking, Wu Jianzhang's big ear slap slapped him in the face again, and then Wu Jianzhang roared with red eyes: "Little beast, things have come to this point, you still dare to talk nonsense!" What kind of person is Weng Shangshu, a famous eunuch, a leader of the Qingliu in the court, how is his son that kind of person? ”

"Grandpa, have you forgotten Yuan Zubi?" Wu Chaoyue asked fearlessly: "Yuan Zubi is not a famous family?" Isn't it some kind of bullshit? You relented and spared him at the beginning, how does he repay you today? After suffering a loss, do you want to be fooled a second time? ”

Wu Jianzhang was stunned for a moment, and suddenly he was a little shaken - when Weng Xincun read the holy decree today, he made it very clear that Xianfeng ordered a thorough investigation of the Wu family, precisely because Yuan Zu Bian reported the impeachment of revenge! Taking advantage of Wu Jianzhang's stunned opportunity, Wu Chaoyue forced him to sit down, squatted in front of him, stroked his thin hands and comforted: "Grandpa, it's okay, I have a feud with this hypocrite, but the imperial court will hand us over to the ministry and enter the criminal department, and his father will not be able to control us." It's still for this reason, no matter how much you beg his father, it's useless, his father is the secretary of the Ministry of Works, not the secretary of the Ministry of Crime, and he can't save us either. ”

Although he felt that his baby grandson's words were a little reasonable, Wu Jianzhang still cried bitterly, and he had been looking at Weng Tonggong pitifully, Weng Tongyong, who had been called a hypocrite by Wu Chaoyue several times in a row, had an extremely gloomy face, and looked at Wu Chaoyue with a vicious gaze, Wu Chaoyue was calm, and looked at Weng Tonggong with blazing eyes, without the slightest fear. In the end, Weng Tongyi, who confirmed that it was impossible for Wu Chaoyue to bow his head to him, completely lost his patience, got up and said: "Okay, Young Master Wu is really a hero, let's ride a donkey and read the record book, and we'll see!" ”

After that, Weng Tonggong strode out of the door, and when he left, he did not forget to explain that Goshha, who was guarding the door, kept an eye on the ancestors of the Wu family, and did not give the ancestors of the Wu family any opportunity to pass on the news to the outside world. And Wu Jianzhang rushed to the door and kowtowed desperately to Weng Tongyi, constantly begging loudly, but Weng Tongrong still ignored it and walked away.

It was also when there was no one else in the firewood room that Wu Chaoyue whispered in Wu Jianzhang's ear: "Grandpa, don't worry, don't forget that we still have a big backer like foreigners." ”

"Foreigners?" Wu Jianzhang choked up and asked rhetorically, "Will they take care of this matter?" ”

"Definitely." Wu Chaoyue replied in a low voice: "The imperial court sent Qin to arrest you and me because we helped foreigners preach, and we also cooperated with foreigners to build factories, both of which are related to the vital interests of foreigners, and foreigners will not interfere. ”

"But this time the emperor sent Qin to arrest us, and the foreigners can still manage it?" Wu Jianzhang asked worriedly.

"Grandpa, do you think Xianfeng is not afraid of foreigners?" Wu Chaoyue sneered and said: "As long as we use the old method, and then invite foreigners to the capital to complain and cry out for us, the court will never dare to do anything to us." ”

"This ......, can it work?" Wu Jianzhang was still extremely worried.

"It must be fine." Wu Chaoyue, who was extremely aware of the cruelty and cruelty in the Manchu court, replied confidently, and then frowned and said: "Now we only have two questions, one is how to send the news out and ask foreigners to help us, and the other is to prevent the hypocrites of the Weng family, father and son and Yuan Zubi from attacking us on the road, and not giving foreigners the opportunity to cry out for us." ”

After thinking about it for a while, Wu Chaoyue came up with an idea, first took out his handkerchief and spread it out in the moonlight, then took out a thin wood with a sharp tip from the pyre instead of a pen, and then bit his arm with his teeth, dipped it in blood, and wrote a letter of help in English on the handkerchief. Wu Jianzhang was stunned by the side, and finally came back to his senses before he hurriedly praised his grandson for being smart, while Wu Jianzhang whispered to Wu Jianzhang to stay in front of the window to prevent outsiders from peeking, and then concentrated on writing letters to foreign friends such as Martin, Luo Weilin, and Maadox to ask for help, asking them to go to the capital to petition and cry out for grievances, and also asking them to send people to escort him and Wu Jianzhang to the north, so as not to give political opponents the opportunity to poison him and Wu Jianzhang on the road............

…………

By the way, let's take a look at the situation on Weng Tong's side, when Weng Tonggong returned to his father Weng Xincun, although the night was dark, Weng Xincun still did not rest, and was still looking at the account books of the customs yamen. It will be much easier to check the accounts tomorrow. ”

"Father, have you found any clues of Wu Jianzhang's embezzlement of tax money?" Weng Tonggong kindly reminded: "That Wu Jianzhang's mansion is luxurious, with luxurious food and clothing, just to let his grandson build a foreign factory in partnership with foreigners, as soon as he makes a move, it is a huge amount of 200,000 taels of silver, such a huge amount of property, I am afraid that the source will never be the right way." ”

"Not yet." Weng Xincun yawned and said: "The major customs of the Qing Dynasty have three taxes in parallel, and the accounts are known for being complex and chaotic, and even the household department has always been most afraid of checking the accounts of the customs, and it will not be so easy to find out Wu Jianzhang's corruption evidence in a moment." ”

"Gongzi Weng, it is not easy to find out Wu Jianzhang's corruption evidence by checking the accounts." Yuan Zubi next to him also echoed: "As far as the lower officials know, Wu Jianzhang himself is a master of making accounts, and the general ledger is recorded by him personally, and he never borrows people's hands, and he has to check the big and small account books every day, even if there are any loopholes, they must have been made up seamlessly, and it is difficult to find." However, the lower officials can assert that Wu Jianzhang's hands and feet will never be clean when he is in the customs, and he must have accepted a lot of silver! ”

Weng Tongyi was disappointed when he heard this, and said in his heart that there is no evidence, what is the use of suspecting Wu Jianzhang of corruption? And Weng Xincun really opened his mouth and scolded: "Lord Wu said carefully, we are Qing officials, we must talk about evidence in everything, and if we insist on corruption of our colleagues without real evidence, it is slander!" ”

Yuan Zuyi was submissive, and even pleaded guilty, Weng Xincun waved his hand, yawned again, and said: "The night is indeed too deep, and the old man is tired, let's go here today, and you should go back to rest early." With the same dragon, he sent Lord Yuan for his father. ”

Everyone agreed, each saluted and retired, and Weng Tongyi also sent Yuan Zubi away according to his father's request, but after walking to a no-man's land, Yuan Zubi suddenly stopped, bowed his hand to Weng Tongyi, and whispered: "Gongzi Weng, forgive the official for taking the liberty to remind you, Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren, and they have to prevent their ancestors and grandchildren from repeating their old tricks, and like last time, they instigated foreigners to shout for them everywhere and make trouble, forcing Lord Qincha to give in and release people. ”

"Afraid of what?" Weng Tongyi smiled and said, "Didn't my father want you to follow the example of Guangzhou and strictly prohibit foreigners from entering the city?" As long as you do this, what are you afraid of foreigners coming into the city to make trouble? ”

Yuan Zubi was in great difficulty, because he didn't have the courage to learn from Guangzhou to offend the foreigners to death, let alone offend the Qincha Weng who brought the holy decree to clean up his mortal enemy, and after a little calculation, Yuan Zubi could only bite the bullet and say: "Since the Qincha Lord has an order, then the lower officials should try their best to prevent the foreigners from entering the city to make trouble." However, the lower officials were worried that even if those foreigners could not make trouble in front of Lord Qincha, they would probably go to the Yamen of the Songjiang Prefect and the Yamen of the Governor of Jiangsu to complain, and they might even go to the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion in Jiangning to make trouble. ”

Weng Tong smiled but did not answer, and said in his heart that it was a headache for the prefect of Songjiang, the governor of Jiangsu, and the governor of Liangjiang. Yuan Zubi observed his words and looks, guessed Weng Tong's thoughts, and then whispered again: "Gongzi Weng, forgive the official for daring again, those foreigners may still be able to go to the capital to make trouble, and go directly to the gate of the Forbidden City to shout for Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and ......grandsons." ”

Weng Tongyi's eyes flashed, and he asked coldly: "The friendship between Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and foreigners is so close that foreigners can go thousands of miles to the capital to cry out for them?" ”

"It's hard to say." Yuan Zubi replied: "Wu Jianzhang's grandson's friendship with foreigners, Gongzi Weng, you have seen it with your own eyes, and the Wu family's financial resources are placed there, it should not be difficult to buy a few foreigners to go to the capital to cry out for them." ”

Weng Tongyi was silent, and such a picture involuntarily appeared in his heart - several foreigners ran to kneel outside the noon gate with the paper in their hands to shout grievances, or knelt down with the paper to stop the sedan chair of one or two military ministers, and then sent the paper to Xianfeng, Xianfeng saw that it was a foreigner who made trouble and complained, and Long Yan was furious and ordered a thorough investigation......

Then even if Weng Xincun acted according to the order and did not bear any responsibility, then the joke of our Weng Gongzi kowtowing to Wu Chaoyue to make amends would spread throughout Beijing! Completely ruin the bright and lofty career of our son Weng!

Yuan Zubi was very good at thinking about it, and saw that Weng Tongyi had been awakened by his warning, so he whispered again: "Weng Gongzi doesn't have to worry too much, in fact, there is such a way once and for all, as long as Lord Qincha gives an order to put Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons in the prison of Shanghai County, ...... the lower officials guarantee that even if the foreigners want to make trouble, they will not be able to find the bitter master." ”

"No way!" Weng Tongyi categorically refused, and said: "My father was ordered to investigate this matter thoroughly, and now the crime has not been determined, Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren have an accident, how can my father explain to the imperial court?" ”

"But Gongzi Weng, if foreigners are given the opportunity to cry out for Wu Jianzhang's ancestors, this matter will be difficult to clean up." Yuan Zu hurriedly reminded again.

Weng Tongrong kept silent with a straight face, and after thinking for a long time, Weng Tonggong said quietly: "The emperor's will is for my father to continue to thoroughly investigate the collection of customs duties after taking down Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren, and did not let my father personally escort Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandsons back to Beijing. This Wu Jianzhang's ancestors and grandchildren are on the way to Beijing, if there is any ...... of their enemies. ”

Speaking of this, Weng Tongyi didn't say any more, but Yuan Zubi already understood and hurriedly saluted and thanked Weng Tongyong, "Thank you Gongzi for your guidance, Xia Guan understands, Xia Guan will definitely do things beautifully, and will never involve anyone." ”