Chapter 61: Grudges

The day after Dai Yun was beheaded, Li Jishen asked for the arrest of the head of the Ministry of War, the squire of the Ministry of War, and other officials of the Ministry of War, Empress Dowager Xu, and Qian Hongzuo.

Li Jishen is completely different from ordinary interrogators, he does not have to be tortured, as Dai Yun's former adviser, he knows most of the Dai family's crimes. He asked only about the role and testimony of each person who committed these crimes. The officials who were arrested in the military department, as well as the strategists and dead soldiers who were arrested in Dai Yun's mansion, in front of him, concealment has become a futile matter.

One confession after another was transmitted to the Empress Dowager Xu and Qian Hongzuo in the palace two days later. The amount of dirty silver involved far exceeded their expectations; And the number of officers and men involved in the army is even more incalculable. There are very few generals in the army who did not give bribes to Dai Yun, and the difference is only the amount of silver. Among them are fledgling rising stars in the army, middle-aged generals who have not been promoted for a long time, and generals who have already served as commanders in various states. Li Jishen was very proud of himself for finding out so quickly.

After reading all the confessions, Empress Dowager Xu said to Qian Hongzuo: "There are so many soldiers involved, how does the saint plan to deal with it?" ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "If you really investigate it, in the Wu Yue Army, the generals will go out of ten; If you don't pursue it, it will be difficult to correct the law. What does the queen mother think? ”

Empress Dowager Xu thought for a while and said: "The mourning family intends to let Xie Xiangcun take charge of the military department in the future, after all, it is a major event in the army, I want to hear his thoughts." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "Xie Aiqing is still participating in the ritual of transcending the soul, and he can't leave the Huguo Temple. ”

Empress Dowager Xu said: "Holy Lord, why don't you go to Huguo Temple today to offer incense." If you can get rid of Dai Yun this time, you really have to thank the Bodhisattva for your blessing. In the future, the mourning family will solemnly thank Forn, and you will go to worship for the mourning family today. But don't go to the Jizo Temple, where the evil spirit is too heavy right now. ”

When Qian Hongzuo came to Huguo Temple to offer incense, the repentant abbot has been by his side, Qian Hongzuo in addition to the Dizang Temple, the other halls are bowed to worship, to the direction of the Dizang Temple, glanced at it, and said to the repentant abbot: "Lord Xie who came to listen to the transcendent ritual is okay?" If he is in the Jizo Temple, trouble the abbot master and let him come out for a while. The lonely king has something to discuss. ”

The repentant abbot said: "Lord Xie has been chanting the scriptures sincerely for many days, and he has overspent his soul, probably because he was overworked, and he fainted in the Jizo Hall yesterday. The poor monk specially told him to rest in the meditation room today. ”

Qian Hongzuo was taken aback and said, "Take me to see him." ”

Walking into the meditation room where Xie Xiangcun was resting, I saw Xie Xiangcun lying in the tent, and the imperial doctor was taking his pulse.

Seeing Qian Hongzuo come in, the imperial doctor hurriedly gave a salute, Xie Xiangcun also quickly got up and got out of bed, Qian Hongzuo hurriedly pressed him back to the bed and said, "Aiqing doesn't have to be polite." It's still about the body. After that, he turned his head and asked the imperial doctor, "What illness does Xie Aiqing have?" ”

The imperial doctor said: "Wei Chen can't be completely sure, it seems that he is depressed and sick, or it may be that he has suffered from external evil and has a disordered heart. Weichen plans to help him make some recuperation medicine first, and then try the curative effect before deciding. ”

Qian Hongzuo said to the imperial doctor: "Xie Aiqing has worked hard a lot, but I'm afraid it's too much. When King Gu heard about him, he had suddenly fainted when he was in Taizhou in the past, so you have to diagnose carefully, find out the cause, and cure it completely, so as not to become the root of the disease. ”

The Imperial Physician said yes.

Qian Hongzuo said to the repentant abbot and the imperial doctor: "You guys retreat first, the lonely king has something to tell Xie Aiqing alone." ”

The repentant abbot and the imperial doctor retreated, but Wu Dezhang and other Qian Hongzuo's attendants stayed in the meditation room. Qian Hongzuo said: "You go outside and guard." ”

Wu Dezhang hesitated slightly, and then retreated with the attendants.

Qian Hongzuo gently combed Xie Xiangcun's messy hair, and seeing Xie Xiangcun's sallow face, he was quite worried: "Aiqing, are you suffering from internal injuries, but you don't know it, and now you have a seizure?" ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Weichen's body is fine, maybe he is a little tired, and he faints after a while, so he will be fine after a rest." ”

Qian Hongzuo gently hugged Xie Xiangcun's shoulders and said, "It's hard to love Qing." ”

Xie Xiangcun's sallow face showed a hint of redness. was somewhat shy about Qian Hongzuo's intimate move, but it was only for a moment, and he said: "The saint said something just now, and he wants to tell Weichen alone, I don't know what?" ”

Qian Hongzuo told Xie Xiangcun in detail about the progress of Li Jishen's trial of Dai Yun's case, and then asked: "The queen mother intends to let you take charge of the military department in the future, and I want to hear how you want to deal with 'these people in the army who have taken refuge in Dai Yun and colluded with bribes'." ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Saint, Dai Yun was originally the generalissimo of soldiers and horses, and when the soldiers and horses in various states were under his control, if the soldiers wanted to get sufficient military salaries, or wanted to be reused, or even wanted to keep their official positions, they had to bribe Dai Yun to do it. And some officials in the military department acted as intermediaries for him to take bribes. ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "If all of them are brought to justice, the generals of Wu Yueguo may be seven or eight out of ten, and the officials of the military department will no longer be able to use them." ”

Xie Xiangcun said worriedly: "Not only that, if Dai Yun's cronies take the opportunity to instigate, it will also cause a mutiny." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "In Aiqing's opinion, what should I do? ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Taking advantage of the fact that it is still top secret, send someone to rob the prison, kill the main intellectual, don't leave a living mouth, just say that the case has not been interrogated, the criminal department has been attacked, and all the criminals related to the Dai Yun case have been killed and killed." ”

Qian Hongzuo disagreed, and asked, "So much dirty silver, don't you chase it?" ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Most of the dirty silver was hidden by Dai Feng in the secret treasury of the border army, and he was the one who collected it for Dai Feng, plus the income from the raid of Dai's mansion, this largest stolen silver will definitely be recovered." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "The head of the military department and the squire are also greedy for a large amount of silver, no less than Xu Wei, the former head of the household department. ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "Then instruct Li Jishen to immediately raid the homes of these two people, confiscate all the proceeds from the seizures, and directly kill them to atone for their crimes." But others, please forgive them and give them a chance to mend their ways. ”

Qian Hongzuo said angrily: "King Gu really didn't expect that these dignified high-ranking officials, full of benevolence and morality, would be so filthy in private. The soldier is older than Dai Yun, and he actually recognizes Dai Yun as his godfather. ”

Xie Xiangcun smiled dumbly, and then persuaded: "The last time I heard that General Zhuge Youcheng, the sailor of Taihu Lake, talked about Tuntian, and said that there was a commander to give Dai Yun filial piety and respect for silver, if you don't treat yourself as a son, you can't say the word 'filial piety'." Then he said, "There is something that the Holy God should consider." ”

Qian Hongzuo said: "Aiqing, please speak." ”

Xie Xiangcun said: "The Ministry of War has eliminated the officials who have committed the most heinous crimes, and Weichen wants to continue to use other people. I am not familiar with military affairs, and I still have to rely on them for support in many things, but their official positions have to be temporarily demoted. After Weichen implemented Tuntian, he would regard the results of Tuntian as a military merit and the basis for promotion. In addition, the border army is more stable, Weichen wants to transfer unswervingly, and he is in charge of the military department with me, he is familiar with things in the army, especially the methods of corruption and bribery, and deducting military salaries, and he is deeply hidden and good at cheating. He is a nominal cronie of the Dai family, if even he can be reused, then other soldiers who have something to do with Dai Yun and have bribed Dai Yun to show their loyalty are far less guilty than him, and they will believe that their crimes are really not exposed. As long as there is a way to live, they will not lightly embark on the dead end of rebellion. Saint, we tried our best to kill Dai Yun, what we want is nothing more than the loyalty of the soldiers to the royal family, and the safety of the entire Wuyue country, and now only forgiveness can be exchanged for loyalty. ”

Qian Hongzuo finally nodded and said: "If the water is clear, there will be no fish, and if people are observed, there will be no friends, and the lonely king will pretend to be confused this time." But I don't want to keep Qi Chongwu in the Criminal Department anymore, such an important position is not what this villain deserves. ”

Xie Xiangcun thought for a while and said, "Let Li Jishen prepare, after the rituals are over, hand over the prisoners and confessions to Qi Chongwu, and then immediately arrange for people to rob the prison, burn the evidence of the crime, and kill people to kill people." Such a dereliction of duty will be borne by Qi Chongwu. His position as head of the penal department ......"

Xie Xiangcun's voice did not fall, only to hear a broken drink outside the window, it was Wu Dezhang's voice, and said, "Who is it that dares to eavesdrop here?" ”

Xie Xiangcun pushed open the window, he was stunned for a while, on the road outside the window, there was Qi Chongwu standing, Qian Hongzuo also saw Qi Chongwu, and shouted: "Qi Chongwu, you are so bold, why are you standing here?" ”