If the Qinhuai River is a gentle township, then Taoyedu is a brocade bed in the gentle township. The peach leaf ferry head water is leisurely, and the boat goes upstairs on the shore; The returning pedestrians are in a hurry, and the singing boats are full of fat.

The restaurant here is full of songs, attracting pedestrians to linger. The cruise ships on the water are like weaving, the lights are shining, and there are beautiful colors and first-class musicians in the painting boat, so that the tourists are all drunk and obsessed, and they don't know what year it is.

Although it is late, the vendors on the pier are still shouting water and wine, cooked dishes and snacks, and this is the city's commercial and entertainment center.

Since the early years of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the construction of the sixteenth floor of light smoke, easy, Chongze, guests, etc., since the official records of Guangzhu, Luan Tong and miscellaneous celebrities, competing to offer flattery and win beauty, Jinling Fengyue fat powder is very strong, "Scoop remember not to forget the country, worry about the country does not forget to advocate" The famous gentry also flocked to it.

Upstairs in the light smoke, Dai Mo frowned and said softly: "Lord Wang, is Yang Ling willing to come?" ”

Wang Qiong smiled faintly when he heard this, and looked around at the crowd: "Today, it is said that there are colleagues from the six departments of Nanjing, the imperial envoy, the political secretary, and the garrison camp jointly invited him to the banquet, if he still can't come, then it won't be Yang Ling."

Since he was demoted from Beijing, his beard has become paler, and his face has more wrinkles, but his expression is more calm and resolute than before. When he had always relied on the invincible "morality and etiquette" and could not be annihilated, and could not even get a response from most officials in the imperial court, he knew that now that etiquette and music had collapsed, it was no longer possible to govern the country and peace the world just by relying on the teachings of the saints.

The person who sent him to inquire about the news in Beijing has returned, Yang Ling has made friends with the powerful people in Beijing, and he has already known about the goods for them, and he heard that he also transported back a large number of exotic and strange things to the emperor.

As soon as this person set up an inner factory, he began to make friends with powerful ministers and loot money, looking at his methods in front of Jiangnan and the emperor, he was really ambitious. Those who achieve great things are not informal, for the sake of righteousness, why not cherish small righteousness? For the sake of the big me, why the little one? If you don't get rid of him now, when he is full-fledged, then the general trend will go.

With the help of Dongchang, it is a last resort, but if you want to prevent them from taking advantage of the situation, it is unless the hundred officials of the DPRK and China play a leading role in the process of eliminating annihilation.

But now the civil and military officials can't work together, many officials are still waiting, even including Li Daxue, and his own strategy has been ready to be sent, since he heard the situation in Beijing, he decided to meet Yang Ling for a while, and now he has to put down the last weight on the scale.

Jiang Qin, the imperial historian of Nanjing, snorted coldly and said: "The Tao is not the same, although Yang Ling is in a high position and has the right to patrol the south of the Yangtze River, but we don't have to pay attention to him, if it weren't for the face of Lord Wang, I would never come."

Bo Yanhui, who is also the imperial historian, gently pulled the placket of his clothes and gently reprimanded: "If you talk about justice, are you as good as Wang Shangshu?" If it comes to personal enmity, Lord Wang was not only demoted from Beijing because of Yang Ling, but his son also died because of Yang Ling, doesn't he hate Yang Ling more than you and me? Now that the inner servants are in turmoil, only Yang Ling can say that the emperor is moved, Wang Shangshu put aside his personal grievances and set up wine to entertain him, is it not for the Jiangshan Society and the people of Limin? You, how can you have the mind to be in case of Lord Shangshu, and you still want to talk nonsense here? ”

Jiang Qin snorted, and seeing that everyone at the table was silent, he said softly: "That's what I said, but I heard that the inner servants known as the Eight Tigers were originally the same party as Yang Ling, and even bewitching the Holy Lord was originally from Yang Ling's intention, and this matter has long been known to everyone in Beijing. ”

Bo Yanhui sighed and said: "Actually, I don't have any hope, let's do my best and obey the destiny of heaven."

"Lord Chin sent Lord Yang here!" Yang Ling came upstairs, and hurriedly glanced at none of them except for Lord Guan of the Nanjing Garrison, but the four tables were full, and the official robes were clearly high-ranking officials at all levels of the shadow political axe, and he was busy laughing and hugging his fists and said: "Your Excellency has been waiting for a long time, Yang is late, forgive your sins."

He was indeed a little late, and after receiving Wang Qiong's post inviting him to the banquet, Yang Ling really hesitated for a while, Wang Qiong was demoted because of him, because he lost his son, whether it was public or private, it can be said that the feud between the two is as deep as the sea, he invited himself to the banquet, which one is this?

Liu Biao is used to murdering, framing, and planting dirty methods, the first thought is that you must not go, Wang Qiong made it clear that this is a Hongmen banquet, if the old guy is ruthless and dies together, maybe he will ambush the factory superintendent.

Wu Jie asked for a post, and when he saw a dense group of officials behind him, he couldn't guess Wang Qiong's intentions, assassinating Qin Cha in front of so many officials? Wang Qiong is not afraid of death, but murdering Qin Cha is a big crime of the Jiu clan, how dare he? Unless he thinks the other way around.

Cheng Qiyun also couldn't figure out what medicine was sold in Wang Qiong's gourd, but today the joint urging is all the high-ranking officials in the entire Jinling, Yang Ling's not going will be equivalent to offending all the officials in Jinling, Yang Ling's future development focus is in the south, these people except for the six departments are idle, and the other officials are in charge of the real power of Nanzhili, how can they not go?

In the end, the few people agreed to send Fanzi to the "Yanyu Building" in advance, and thoroughly inspected the inside and outside to make sure that there was no ambush, so they sent ten shrewd and capable people with very high martial arts to secretly use sharp blades, pretending to be sedan chair men and others to accompany him to the banquet.

There are six divisions in Beijing, headed by the officials. The six departments in Nanjing are all idle positions, so they have to be arranged according to their qualifications and prestige, Yang Ling is Qincha and Wang Qiongde are highly respected, so naturally the two of them will sit.

Yang Ling sat down with Wang Qiong, but fortunately, the other officials also knew about the personal grievances between the two, and as soon as the banquet opened, they chatted with Yang Ling.

These old adults are full of poetry and books, and they are not vulgar like ordinary people when they talk about the wind and moon, although Wang Shangshu attaches the most importance to etiquette, but he attaches importance to the people's ethics of the court, and the memory is a romantic affair, without detrimental to private morality, Lao Wang himself has a five-room concubine room, the youngest is only twenty-two years old, they naturally do not scruples, and this restrained atmosphere is naturally swept away.

Yang Ling didn't know Wang Qiong's intentions, he didn't dare to drink more during the banquet, and the wine was half drunk, Yang Ling said to several adults at the same table: "Yang went south this time, just to deal with a little matter of the tax supervisor, I didn't dare to trouble you, yesterday I said that I had agreed with Nanjing Guard Feng Gonggong to send a candidate, and I wanted to quietly return to the capital in the near future, but I didn't want to come to the banquet in my busy schedule, and Yang would toast everyone again."

Although most of the officials disdain him as a person, but the officialdom is like this, and he is indignant at his friends behind his back, but when he meets, it is full of flowers, and it is not easy for anyone to get to such a high position, how many people are really willing to offend the emperor and the former celebrities for the sake of righteousness? As soon as they saw Yang Ling raise their glasses, everyone hurriedly raised their glasses.

Wang Qiong took a sip and said with a faint smile: "Your Excellency's journey to the south this time can be described as a complete merit, and you have convinced the three eunuchs in Jiangnan, and the tax supervisor is in the adult's pocket, and you can show your strength in the government."

The prestige of the adults in the army was quite high, this time Haining resisted the Japanese, it was like a generous gift sent by the Japanese to the adults, the regular army was not defeated by the Japanese fierce, and Lord Yang only relied on the hundred and ten guards, and fought against the thousands of troops, and was famous for a while, and could be called a famous general of the Ming Dynasty.

According to the old man, in the future, it will not be difficult for adults to hold the world's soldiers and horses to resist the border and resist the enemy, and to take charge of the government and subdue the four emperors, and the future is unlimited."

Yang Lingqiang smiled and said lightly: "My lord's praise, eradicating a few lawless eunuchs is not a political achievement, and besides, my Da Ming Jing Tax is the 12th regiment battalion of the Beijing Division, and the fan of the inner factory is from the Shenji Battalion, so it is naturally not difficult to deal with a group of sea robbers."

He said and glanced at Wang Qiong deeply, is Wang Qiong praising me? It seems that I am an all-round talent in civil and military affairs, but this is the main army and the government, and I am also in charge of the four empires, why are I thorny in every sentence?

Wang Qiong smiled and said: "Lord Yang is too modest, as a close minister of the Son of Heaven, he has such talent, why is it difficult?" However", his eyes froze, his expression became cold, and he said solemnly: "The Son of Heaven is young, and it has recently been said that there is a group of slanderous ministers in the court to charm the emperor, so that the emperor neglects government affairs and abandons his studies. ”

When he asked, the four suddenly fell silent, and many people pricked up their ears to listen to Yang Ling's reply, Yang Ling saw Wang Qiong's eyes burning, and couldn't help but be stunned in his heart.

Yang Ling thought for a while and said: "As a courtier, Yang has his own responsibility to persuade the emperor, after returning to Beijing, Yang Ling should be reasonable to the emperor, and ask the emperor to care more about the government."

Wang Qiong said coldly: "Six subjects and thirteen ways, and even the three scholars in the cabinet don't know how much they have written, how can they persuade the emperor to return to his heart?" A few insignificant chamberlains, with the authority of the adults in hand, can't they eradicate the side of the annihilator and the Qing monarch? ”

Yang Ling couldn't help but be taken aback when he heard such open and honest words, but considering that those officials and cabinet ministers bluntly asked the emperor to kill the Eight Tigers in their performances, and even secretly planned to kill himself as a powerful minister, then it was not surprising that Wang Qiong dared to openly instigate himself to get rid of the Eight Tigers during the banquet.

According to Wang Qiong's plan, it is the middle strategy of secretly synthesizing Qiyun, but it is more radical. However, he clearly remembered that Liu Jin and the others had been in the limelight for a while in history, could he kill them? And will the civil and military officials dispel the idea of eradicating themselves because of this?

Since ancient times, there are few opponents who have sympathized with each other in virtue but fought to the death for political opinions in the court? If the Eight Tigers were really killed, the emperor would be suspicious, and the hostile forces in the inner court would not be damaged in the slightest, and those who held great power in the outer court would still be resistance.

Yang Ling smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "My lord, the emperor is young, and he is greedy for play, so he thinks that he will be guided correctly and let the emperor reduce his play, besides, the state has national laws, how can Yang break into the palace and get rid of the Eight Tigers?" Rebellion? ”

Wang Qiong sneered and said, "What's so difficult about that? A prisoner who is handcuffed to a prison chair and cannot move can be killed for deliberately assassinating an official, and he will die an honest and unjust death. ”

Yang Ling stood up suddenly, his face suddenly turned blue and white, and he only said in his heart: "Could it be that when I killed Wang Jinglong, he actually saw the clue?" No, the son of the Zhizi Mo Ruo, the son in his heart, is still the scholar of Si Swenwen, even if he can't get the evidence, he still thinks in his heart that I designed to kill him."

Yang Ling said bitterly: "Lord Wang, what are you talking about?" Ling Gongzi's death, the Criminal Department has already made a conclusion, if it weren't for the adults and Ling Gongzi's hard work, why not? ”

The officials knew that Wang Qiong wanted to persuade Yang Ling to return to Beijing to get rid of the annihilation, although they felt that his idea was a little naïve, but they also sincerely hoped that he could succeed, but they didn't expect that when he mentioned the death of his son, Wang Qiong couldn't hold his breath so much.

The Ministry of Industry Shangshu next to him had just stood up and was about to persuade a few words, Wang Qiong had slowly got up, and said with a gloomy smile: "The old man still didn't believe it, but now it seems that the rumors in Beijing that the Eight Tigers were instructed by you are indeed true, and you are naturally reluctant to get rid of your own eyes and ears!"

Playful? The Son of Heaven is the king of a country, how can he be like an ordinary family? You induce the emperor to like some strange tricks and silver tricks, obviously with ulterior motives, seeking power and disorderly government, you are a minister of annihilation, the old man has a breath of air, and vow to persuade the hundred officials to get rid of you and the eight tigers together! ”

Wang Qiong said and flew a palm, and a loud slap slapped Yang Ling's face, this palm was extremely powerful, and the official hat was also blown away, and the banquet was suddenly chaotic.

The persuasive, the struggling, the gloating, the quarrel for a while. The fans who had been guarding the downstairs heard the noise upstairs, and hurriedly rushed up before forcibly pulling the two sides apart, and Yushi Jiang Qin and others hurriedly confessed and dragged Wang Qiong away.

Dai Miao, Jiang Qin and others followed Wang Qiong's official sedan chair to the front of his house, Wang Qiong got off the sedan chair, it seemed that he was still angry, he saw several friends looking at him very worriedly, and couldn't help laughing: "Old friends don't have to worry, even if he Yang Ling is good, what can he do with the old man?" He dares to kill me? ”

Dai Miaoqiang said with a smile: "What the old man said is that when Li Dongyang University Scholar also whipped the imperial prince Shouning Marquis Zhang Heling with a horsewhip on the streets of Beijing, it's just alas! I knew that persuading Yang Ling to be good was just seeking skin with the tiger, and I was so tired that the adults would have new grudges with him.

Wang Qiong said with a smile: "The old man is over seventy years old, and his future life has come to an end, why not offend a power annihilation?" I'm afraid of what he will do! Come on, let's go back to the house and taste tea and poems together. ”

Wang Qiong held Dai Mill and Jiang Qin, smiled at Bo Yanhui, and walked towards the door of the mansion, the four red lanterns under the lintel were as bright as day, Jiang Qinfu looked up, only to feel a black shadow in the corner of his eyes, and when the wind sounded, Wang Qiong beside him had stopped.

Jiang Qin turned his head, only to see Wang Qiong's eyes looking straight ahead, the muscles on his face twitched slightly, his cloudy old eyes were reflected by the red light, and there seemed to be two flames burning in his eyes, and there was a sharp arrow with a black shaft stuck in his throat.

Jiang Qin was stunned for a moment, and suddenly shouted in unison with Dai Miao: "Lord Wang! Lord Wang? Catch the assassins, catch the assassins! ”

The guards who rushed to hear the news hurriedly drew their swords and rushed to the corner, the alley was empty, and there was still half a figure.

Guan Shoubei and the others saw that the banquet had turned out to be like this, and they all felt that their faces were dull, except for those who were familiar with each other or wanted to cling to Yang Ling, most of them said goodbye and left.

Although Yang Ling is young and vigorous, Wu Jinglong is indeed what he planned to kill, look at that Wang Qiong's white hair and seventy years old, although he slapped the corner of his lip and bled from the corner of his mouth, he did not have the idea of revenge. But he didn't have the shame to stay here any longer, seeing that the guards and several officials were still persuading, Yang Lingqiang smiled and talked to them for a few words, then hurriedly went downstairs and went home.

Wu Jie, Cheng Qiyun, and Liu Biao were still waiting in the hall for his news, and when they saw half of the adult's cheeks swollen and came back, they couldn't help but be startled, Gao Wenxin heard about it in the back hall and hurriedly ran out, there is no ice in this weather, and it can't be cold, in order to dissolve the swelling and desilting as soon as possible, Gao Wenxin covered his face with a hot towel, and gently dissolved the bruises on his face, looking at her distressed and angry appearance, if it weren't for Wu Jie and others standing next to him, Wang Qiong would probably be scolded by him.

The governor of the inner factory was slapped in public, I am afraid that this matter will spread all over the south of the Yangtze River tomorrow, and then become a joke in the world, such a shameless thing, Wu Jie and Liu Biao, as the top people in the inner factory, how can they not be angry?

After Yang Ling finished speaking, he saw that their faces were blue with anger, and he was about to say a word of relief, but he saw Cheng Qiyun looking at himself with his waist bent, with a hint of a playful smile in his eyes.

Yang Ling couldn't help glaring at her when she saw it, Cheng Qiyun pursed her lips and smiled: "I hope this slap can wake up adults, people's prejudices, if everyone can make sense of reason, then there will be a lot less right and wrong in this world."

Throughout the ages, those famous ministers who want to make a difference, which one has not vigorously suppressed political opponents? Don't they want everyone to be convinced and supported by all the people to carry out their strategy? If you don't want to, you can't.

If you want to convince people with reason and morality, you should study at home honestly. If you don't do things, there are still people who don't understand it after hundreds of years, and you should try hard when you are in power, as long as you do it really effectively, the unconvinced person can let him slowly convince him, and the person who is still unconvinced has to obey the general trend, which is enough.

Now it's just a slap, with the wonderful hand of Miss Gao, it will disappear in one or two, if it is a knife in the neck, what should adults do? Three strategies for lowly duties, I hope that adults will think about it".

Yang Ling smiled bitterly and said in his heart: "Who am I?" The court has no foundation, the foreign ministers regard me as an outlier, the inner court is intrigued, and there is an emperor above, can I do whatever I want? Build a special zone and speak with practice? There is no political soil at all, unless I am in power and reshuffle the power of the imperial court, what kind of movement is that? ”

Before Yang Ling could answer, a "Little Red Riding Hood" at the door rushed in again and said to Yang Ling: "Lord Governor of the Factory, Lord Jinling Garrison Guan asks to see you!" ”

Yang Ling was stunned when he heard this, Guan Jiangong was still having a banquet with himself just now, what did he suddenly come to do? ”

Yang Ling glanced at Wu Jie and Cheng Qiyun, and the two of them willingly avoided behind the screen, and after a while, the guard hurriedly came under the guidance of Fanzi, and the general was still dressed in silk and casual clothes on the table, but at this moment, he actually put on his helmet and armor, and put it on neatly.

Yang Ling saw that something big had happened, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Master Guan, who are you?" ”

When the garrison saw him, he hurriedly gave a salute and said: "The humble official is leading the garrison battalion, the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division, and the Inspection Division to Suo the whole city, passing through your mansion, so I personally came to inform him, please restrain your subordinates, and say don't go to the street today."

Yang Ling asked in surprise, "The whole city of Dasuo?" What happened? ”

Guan Shoubei looked at him deeply, and said softly: "Lord Qiongwang, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, met an assassin when he returned to the mansion."

"What?" Yang Ling was at a loss, and only after a while did he ask, "Wang Shangshu, how is he now?" ”

Guan Shoubei lowered his eyelids and sighed lightly, and said, "An arrow pierces the throat!" Lord Wang, he's dead."

Guan Shoubei asked something again, Yang Ling couldn't hear it at all, but the meaningful glance when he was about to leave pierced his heart like a needle. Wang Qiong died, but this Lord Qincha, who had a former grudge and a new grudge, came to Jinling, and just after the conflict with him, he died!

Wu Jie and Cheng Qiyun had already walked out of the screen, standing on his left and right and looking at him, stunned for a long time, Yang Lingcai shouted: "Zheng Baihu, call him to see me."

Zheng Baihu walked into the hall and asked blankly, "My lord, what do you command?" ”

Yang Ling rushed over and grabbed his clothes, and said with a blushing face: "You sent someone to kill Wang Qiong?" Zheng Baihu rushed to the "Light Smoke Building" with him, and now if Wang Qiong is dead, there is a good chance that these soldiers will see that they have been humiliated, and assassinate Wang Qiong for him, which is too lawless.

Zheng Baihu was startled and said in shock: "Wang Qiong is dead? How is this possible? Didn't he pay it back, my lord, the lowly position has always been by your side, without your order, how dare the lowly position assassinate the minister of the court? I brought a total of ten people, and many of them came back with you, and Wang Qiong was definitely not killed by our people."

Yang Ling let go of his hand and said in a daze: "Who is it?" Who wants to kill Wang Qiong? ”

Cheng Qiyun had never seen him with such a look, although she knew his temper and usually dared to joke with him, but when she saw him angry, she was also awe-inspiring, she hesitated for a moment before reminding softly: "My lord, whoever wants to kill Wang Qiong has his own Jinling Yamen to investigate, it's none of our business." Wang Qiong is dead, and the news will soon reach Beijing, what should we do? Your Excellency can't help but make a decision now."

Yang Ling's heart was shocked, yes, as soon as Wang Qiong died, all the officials in the outer court who were still watching would have the same hatred, at this time, even if he had Su Qin's talent, he could say that the sky was falling and the rivers were flowing backwards, and no one would believe it anymore, now that all the retreats have been blocked, there is no second way to go except for that knife mountain.

What about doing it right with Dongchang and Jinyiwei? What about opposing the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty? Is there a way back now? I'm going to fight! Have to fight!

The look on Yang Ling's face gradually calmed down, he turned his head, his eyes looked like two faint ghost fires under the reflection of the candle flame, and he said in a cold and faint voice: "Zheng Baihu, tell me to go down, all the brothers are not allowed to leave the mansion one step tonight, and they are ready to leave at any time." Wu Lao, Cheng Da stall head, Liu Qianhu, follow me to the study! ”

(To be continued)