Ah Xiu saw that Kangxi's face was flushed, and he hurriedly came over to persuade him, but Kangxi waved his hand and said: "I said a long time ago, you can't intervene in national affairs!" Xiao Xiu's face turned red and he stepped aside. Su Malagu pulled her, and the two of them retreated as soon as they squatted down. Kangxi stepped a few steps to the entrance of the hall and said sharply: "Decree the Criminal Department, escort Zhang Bonian's father to the wicker side immediately-order Zhang Bonian to come in and listen to my fate!" Kangxi turned his face to Gao Shiqi and said, "I treat you so kindly, it's really chilling to think about!" ”

Gao Shiqi was so shocked that he was sweating all over, and he kowtowed to the ground: "Long live the blame, of course, but what the slave said is true, Zhang Bonian is indeed a clean official, how dare the slave be mad and lie to the master?" ”

"Shut up!" Kangxi snorted, turned around and flipped through the shelf with shaking hands, trying to find out the case file, refuting Gao Shiqi on the spot, and after looking for a long time, he thought that he had been approved to be transferred to the Criminal Department, because he said sharply: "How much silver did you receive for him to protect him?" ”

Gao Shiqi was so cross-minded, raised his head and said loudly: "The slave never wants other people's money, and he has no idea about Zhang's life, let alone his courtesy!" The servants ask for an audience today, and they also seek to counsel the Lord. The lord has a grand plan for the southern tour, which is not known to ordinary courtiers, even if there are unpleasant words, they should laugh at it, and such a major event should be edicted. The magistrates are not allowed to take the opportunity to enjoy the palace and practice the palace without permission! ”

"So, you still have a problem with my southern tour?"

"The slave didn't say that the master should not tour the south!"

"Da Shun also patrols south!"

"Da Shun Southern Tour," Gao Shiqi simply stiffened his head and said, "I haven't heard of the Cangwu Palace!" ”

"Good...... You're so good! Kangxi was so angry that he had nothing to say, and walked around the hall as if grinding, and when he saw Mu Zixu coming in, he asked, "What are you doing here?" Mu Zixu bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, Zhang Bonian mentioned that he was waiting outside. Kangxi waved his hand in disgust and said, "Let him kneel in the rain first-" Before he finished speaking, Kangxi suddenly paused. There was a howl of pain outside the door of the weeping flowers, and everyone trembled when they heard it. Wu Dan, the guard guarding the door, strode in, and said to Qian'er: "Zhang Bonian asks to see his master, and he is willing to die with a word...... Kangxi was stunned for a moment, and said coldly: "Call him in!" ”

Zhang Bonian was injured by torture and walked in with his hands on his knees. The cold rain clung his black cloth robe to his body, and his long white hair on his forehead was covered with water droplets, shivering at the bottom of the stairs as if he couldn't bear the cold. Kangxi sneered and asked:

"Zhang Bonian, you cry and please see, what do you have to say?"

"The guilty minister wants to know what kind of treatment the emperor will give." Zhang Bonian replied. His voice was loud, and there was no fear at all.

"Hang." Kangxi said lightly, "You are a big man in the field, you are familiar with the national code, of course you know what it means." ”

"Hanging is not capital punishment." Zhang Bonian kowtowed and said, "Please ask the emperor to take Ling Chi and swear not to frown and bow his head!" ”

"What?"

“…… But I beg the emperor for one thing - the minister's father is over eighty years old, and I ask the emperor to forgive the suffering of the distant soldier - the minister is also blind when he dies......" Zhang Bonian's voice choked. Kangxi snorted: "He has followed you to do all his blessings, and he has enjoyed so many people's fat and people's ointment, why not walk a few steps to eliminate food?" Zhang Bonian fell to the ground and cried: "Ask for long live insight, my father has never used half a silk and half a thread of ...... from the people."

Kangxi Tie blushed and said, "Could it be that so many people are falsely accused?" Up to Taifu, Qincha, down to Lishu Xiaomin. "Under the heavy punishment, why can't the evidence be obtained, why can't the supply be sought?" Zhang Bonian said sadly, "...... Thunder, rain and dew are all Jun's grace, how to deal with it, the minister has no complaints, and there is no regret in death. Nian Chen has served for many years, and always asks for a long live network...... Pity my house was raided, only five taels of silver were found, thousands of miles away, how can my father be ......"

"Five taels!" Kangxi seemed to hear thunder in the wilderness, his face turned pale, his lips trembled twice, he looked back at Gao Shiqi blankly, and asked a little stuttering: "I ...... Why didn't you see it...... Manifest? Gao, Gao Shiqi, what he said is true...... It's true? ”

Gao Shiqi couldn't tell whether he was sad or happy or ashamed, a mouthful of bitter water came up and choked, he couldn't answer, he only knocked his head twice, and took out the transcription list from his arms and held it to Kangxi. Kangxi took it, his face became more and more pale and gloomy. There were only a few lines on the fluttering list of copyists:

Rent two houses, the rent is paid to Kangxi for 25 years, and it is now handed back to the original owner, and the balance is returned to one or two or five yuan; Pots and pans, spoons, cooking utensils and other sundries are discounted into three silver coins; The bed cover towel is folded into two silver coins; The bamboo sedan chair is folded into silver for one or two and a half dollars; There are also two strings of fifty texts.

Such a small piece of paper, because it was sandwiched in a dossier with a thickness of more than a foot, he had never seen it! Tears blurred Kangxi's eyes, the words on the paper became spent, he took a step forward, as if he wanted to help this criminal minister, but suddenly felt that he had no strength at all, and stopped, waved his hand and ordered Mu Zixu: "Hold ...... Bring him in......"

Zhang Bonian was brought in, and he was having a fever because of his illness, his whole body was trembling, and the water on his body was dripping in the ground. Kangxi sat back on the chair and asked in a slow voice for a while: "Why is it not on the list that you collect salt merchants and the silver from Longjiang Pass?" Zhang Bonian had calmed down a lot, and hurriedly kowtowed: "Salt traders selling smuggling are originally not tolerated by national law. Jiangning Yandao Xia Qitong did not investigate the bribery, and the minister Yue Yue had seized 3,000 taels. Longjiang Guan Zhou used Zhongtong Yandao to accept a bribe of 10,000 taels of silver, which was verified and intercepted by the minister. Sizhou and Zhili Prefecture were flooded, and the governor Ahsan borrowed them as a guarantee for disaster relief, and Ahsan has not returned them after being transferred. Somehow, this IOU was actually lost after the seizure of the vassal's office - the minister is really hard to argue......"

"In that case, why didn't you have the actual participation in Xia Qitong and Zhou Yongzhong in the first place?"

"Talk back to the emperor." Zhang Bonian kowtowed and said, "The rank of the minister is in Sanpin, and he is the acting governor, and the folds are presented by the governor's palace as usual." Whether it will be presented to the royal court, the minister does not know. ”

"Gregory!"

There was nothing more shocking to Kangxi. He didn't understand, why didn't Suo Etu and Mingzhu know anything about such a big thing? Kangxi took a cup of tea and took a bite, it was cold, he splashed it with his hand, and asked, "What's going on with Nanshi Building?" Zhang Bonian said: "This matter is guilty of negligence. The people of Jiangnan are not good, and they must always teach the scholars with holy oracles - but not to rebuild the Nanshi Building, but to build a new holy oracle hall at the old site of the Nanshi Building - because the ministers have just arrived, they only want to spend less money, and they have not been able to investigate the previous situation in detail...... "Kangxi listened, his face was already purple, and he pressed and asked: "I sent a messenger to the meeting, you are wronged, they can do these things on their behalf, why don't you explain it to them face to face?" ”

"The minister did not meet Lord Qincha." Zhang Bonian said, "The interrogation is passed on by the officials of the Governor's Palace. The father ordered his ministers to endure the torture desperately, leaving one life to enter Beijing, or let the lord know the truth. Therefore, the minister went to the criminal department to retract his confession, refused to admit a crime to death, and begged the holy cave to learn the suffering of the minister. ”

"Torture?" Kangxi couldn't help but be shocked, he had told Ethan that he was not allowed to be tortured, and he asked for a long time, "Is there torture?" ”

Zhang Bonian really didn't understand why he angered the two powerful ministers, and a group of people hooked up to put themselves to death! Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel sad, and I felt sad in my heart, and whimpered and said, "Please...... Lord ...... Examine...... Examination ......"

Kangxi didn't get up, he was already angry. Zhang Bonian's bare neck and arms were covered with blood, as well as his legs that were pinched, and there was no need for careful examination. For a long time, Kangxi Fang gritted his teeth and smiled: "Good slave, this is a good Qincha and a good governor!" With that, Huo Di jumped up, took off a sword from the wall, and shouted: "Where is Wudan?" ”

When Wu Dan heard this, he agreed loudly, strode in, arched his hands and asked, "What is the master's will?" ”

"You take this sword and go to Jiangnan quickly," Kangxi said gloomily, "Immediately lock up the men and women of Naqin to send Isan A, Governor Ge Li, and enter Beijing, and if you dare not obey the edict, you will correct the law on the spot!" ”

"Wow!"

Wu Dan took the sword and turned around and left. Zhang Bonian took a few steps on his knees and hugged Kangxi's legs, and pleaded: "Long live the anger - long live the gullible words of people and want to punish the ministers, and now listen to the words of the ministers and raise the prison again, how rash!" ”

"Well, good!" Kangxi's eyes lit up, and he said appreciatively, "Sure enough, there is the amount of Xinjiang ministers!" It's just to test your heart - Wu Dan rode a fast horse to the Criminal Department to pass the decree: Pardon the old father of Bo Nian - I still want to meet this old gentleman! Zhang Bonian couldn't hold back any longer, and actually hid his face and cried bitterly. Gao Shiqi was shocked and painful, and he was also sad, and Kangxi was even more gloomy. After a long time, Kangxi asked again: "Bonian, why are you not allowed to build a palace in Longtan, is it bad feng shui?" ”

"Long live this matter, don't ask, the minister will also play." Zhang Bonian said, "Longtan is close to Mochou Lake, and although the scenery is good, it is not easy to close. Several palaces are close together, and the garrison flag camp is dozens of miles away, in case it becomes a hurry, it is difficult to deal with the escort. The saint is attached to the world, and the ministers are in the place, so they can't pay more attention. ”

"Hmm."

"For example, if you have just been peaceful today, in recent years, it has been rumored that the third prince of Zhu has infiltrated Jiangnan, and several prefects have arrested him. They were all withdrawn and transferred as soon as they had a clue, and the culprit was not obtained, which is very worrying! Zhang Bonian said calmly. In fact, he himself had such a big bad luck this time, and it was said that this was the reason for it. He was very suspicious that Yang Qilong was hiding in the Governor's Palace, but now he was in a lawsuit with Ge Li, and if he said it, he would be suspected of retaliation, because he said vaguely, "...... For example, there is a Pilu courtyard adjacent to Longtan, in recent years, the incense is prosperous, the tourists are like clouds, mixed, the year before last year, there were four high monks who showed the period to sit and pass away, this year the minister is in prison, I don't know how. This is also suspicious! The emperor likes to travel in micro-clothes, next to such a place, how can it be reassuring? ”

Kangxi thought for a while and said with a smile: "The senior monk will sit for a while, four in two years, isn't it child's play?" Have you checked it? Zhang Bonian smiled bitterly: "Where is the minister!" The construction of the palace and the repair of the academy were not finished, and they were subjected to the imperial case...... I only went to the Pilu Courtyard to inspect it once, and then I was relieved of my post pending investigation. Kangxi thought about this matter strangely, and felt that it was not clear to ask again, so he smiled and said: "Today I frightened you." There are some things that I will talk about slowly in the future - your belongings of less than five taels are still called copying, and they are too poor. Come, take three hundred taels of silver to reward Zhang Bonian! ”

Kangxi stood at the foot of the stairs, ordered someone to carry the sedan chair in and carried Zhang Bonian out, and ordered Gao Shiqi to take Zhang Bonian's father and son to the mansion to rest and send them out in the drizzle.

Kangxi changed into a micro-suit, rode a horse with Mu Zixu, and went out of Donghua Gate one after the other. Seeing that Mu Zixu was silent, Kangxi turned around and smiled on the horse: "Zixu, you have been with me for more than ten years, right?" ”

"Back to the master's words," Mu Zixu replied with a courtesy, "The slave is the one who followed Brother Huchen from the dragon in the sixth year of Kangxi." ”

"It's not easy, I've survived many life and death moments." Kangxi was overwhelmed, and said with a smile: "I heard that you and Xiao Weizi got married?" Xiao Weizi said in the fold, you are like a gourd, are you afraid of eating your wine? Mu Zixu was stunned for a moment, and said with a busy smile: "How dare the slave expect to have such a big face, thinking that it is the private matter of the children, and he didn't dare to alarm the master." Kangxi smiled and said: "You, Xiao Weizi, Wolf Blind, and Wu Dan are different people, they are the people who followed me 'hammer', big and small things, they are jokes, tell me to listen, make the master smile, and it is also your loyalty - are you still on the errand of patrolling the yamen?" ”

The chief of the patrol yamen is the commander of the Nine Gates. Mu Zixu didn't know what Kangxi meant by asking, and replied after thinking: "The slave is in charge of the camp, and Kangxi took over the Admiral of Jiumen in the twelfth year, but he is the acting officer, and he does not go to the government to do things, and now it is managed by Tong Guowei in the military department......"

"Tong Guowei?" Kangxi restrained his horse, raised his face and thought for a while, "It's the younger brother of the Empress Dowager Xiaokang, if you are in a small family, you are the uncle of my Zheng'er Bajing - how is this person?" Mu Zixu smiled and said: "He is very careful, because he is a relative, he rarely interacts with people...... Kangxi marched on his horse, nodded and said: "Okay, in this position, knowing that being careful is a good slave - I promoted him and transferred you to serve as the political envoy of Liangjiangbu, and also in charge of Jiangning weaving, how about it?" ”

The political envoy of Liangjiang is not a very big official, but he is in charge of the army and the people, and his authority is very heavy. Although there have long been legends that Mu Zixu was asked to be a political envoy, but today on this occasion, listening to Kangxi say it himself, Mu Zixu was still surprised, so he paused and replied: "The slave is the person who is adjusted by the emperor, and everything is assigned by the emperor." It's just that...... The slave was born from a stunned young horse thief, followed the emperor, and never ran an errand by himself, so I am afraid that he will live up to the emperor's trust. ”

Kangxi laughed when he heard this: "Compared with Wei Dongting, you are more cautious and less enterprising, Wei Dongting still thinks he is too old and careful!" Rest assured to go, rest assured to do! I will give you a good taste, the same as Xiao Weizi! I went to discuss with Wei Dongting when I had something to do, but I still took care of you! ”

The Yamen of the Ministry of Household is located in the north T-shaped mouth of the Iron Lion Hutong, only a stone's throw away from the Ministry of War, and there is a long official sedan chair lined up at the door, all of which are the yamen of the provincial feudal divisions who come to Beijing to return to Beijing and extract treasury silver. The two of them dismounted at the T-shaped mouth, and Mu Zixu saw that the people in the hall were very chaotic, so he smiled and said: "Master, when you come to the front, someone must be able to recognize you, it's better not to provoke them, the slave is very familiar here, let's go in through the side door." If Feiyanggu is coming, he will definitely go to the Military and Political Department to fight with them in a silver lawsuit - find a quasi-child! Kangxi nodded with a smile, so he came in one after the other.

The yamen was very deep, Mu Zixu took Kangxi to turn around, avoiding people, until he was in front of a house in the northernmost part, and saw an iron sign hanging at the gate of the courtyard, which read, "Emperor Shizuzhang's holy edict: This place is a military cardinal, and civil and military officials are not allowed to enter without a ministry!" A Goshha had already come out, and when he saw that it was Mu Zixu, he hurriedly saluted and smiled: "Yo! It's Mu Junmen! The little one hasn't been invited for a long time - please come in! ”

"Are the officers there?"

"Six officers, one was on a business trip yesterday," Goshha said with a smile, "and the remaining five are taking care of the Feijun Gate." Wait, let's go and give it a bit. ”

Mu Zixu looked back and saw Kangxi shaking his head, so he smiled and said, "I don't need your brother to be diligent, what kind of friendship do I have with Lao Fei?" It's divided! With that, he and Kangxi entered the quiet compound of the Military and Political Division. The two men walked halfway down the porch when they heard someone talking in the signing room. Kangxi approached the window, and when he looked through the window lattice, four or five well-dressed principals turned their backs to the window, and were reporting to Feiyanggu on the situation of the military camps in various places, and then looked at Feiyanggu, and almost didn't laugh: Feiyanggu was wearing a crimson gauze robe, lazily half-lying on an easy chair, with his face facing Kangxi, a thirty-two-thirteen-year-old man, with an old-fashioned and tired look, and his eyes closed as if he couldn't sleep.

“…… Gubeikou, where Feijunmen is located, has a total of 4,000 Chahar Mongolian soldiers, according to the military cantonment system, each person per household should plant 20 acres, 1,500 catties of military food per year, and 6 million catties of grain should be reduced in a year, and now the household department has reduced it to 400,000. The director, Xiao Jizu, was probably refuting Feiyanggu's demand for salary, and said eloquently, "Now that the military gate still says that the household department refuses to take care of it, the lowly officials will inevitably be wronged......"

"Hmm."

"Do you want to return the number of acres of tuntian in the provinces to the military gate, and you have a good idea?"

"Yes." Fei Yanggu only nodded.

"This is all sent out in the Di newspaper this year."

"Hmm."

Kangxi couldn't help but snicker: The principal was obviously impatient to give Feiyanggu a return, but he just wanted "um"! The director swallowed helplessly, glanced at the sleepy first-class officer, first-class guard, and commander on the other side, and quickly reported a large number of numbers: "...... That's it, please take a closer look at the military gate, the household department is also on an errand for the emperor, how dare you do anything to deceive? ”

"Finished?"

"Yes."

Fei Yanggu slowly sat up, pressed his hands to his knees, no longer sleepy, and said slowly: "I know that you have difficulties in doing things here, but I am not here today to ask for money, I wanted to have a deep talk with Brother Guangdi. Where are the soldiers used in the northwest? No matter who is the commander, the emperor must use my Gubeikou Tun army! Kangxi saw that he suddenly became so energetic, and he was surprised to hear that he was reasonable, and couldn't help nodding secretly. But when he heard Feiyang's ancient tone, he said again with a smile, "Brother Guangdi is busy, please tell your brother about the situation, but why fight with your brother instead?" ”

The five people looked at each other in one sentence, Xiao Jizu got up and bowed and sat down, and said with a red face: "Please enlighten your lordship." ”

"I can't talk about Mingxun." Feiyanggu sneered, "Seven million four hundred and forty-nine thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight acres of Tuntian in Zhili, two million nine hundred and forty-five thousand five hundred and eighty thousand in Shandong Tuntian, three million three hundred and thirty-six thousand and ninety-five acres in Shanxi, six million and four thousand four hundred and nineteen acres in Henan, two million and five hundred and eighty-six thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight acres in Jiangsu, and ...... in Anhui." There are whole and zero, as large as millions, as small as one or two acres, without any mistakes, not only Kangxi and the principals, but even Mu Zixu, who was eavesdropping next to him, couldn't help but be speechless. “…… Not including my Gubeikou, a total of 94,673,000 acres, you say 4,8741,521 acres—but you say the whole number of my tuntian, which is 1,411 acres more. Chief Xiao, I am the general of the unified army, and I shouldn't have to worry about you like a woman - 500 catties per person for the four thousand Chengcheng soldiers, and you give a lot, but you don't know that every Chengcheng soldier is a person with a family, and it is good to be able to support himself, and he still expects to draw out food? There is a big gap here, it's not that you are confused, it's that you are unfair in your hearts, if you want to go to the front line to lead the army to fight like the princess of Gongon, you have to mutiny! ”

Although these words were eloquent, they were not violent, but they made sweat oozing from the heads of several officials, and they couldn't refute a word. When Kangxi heard this, he pulled the corner of Mu Zixu's clothes, turned around and left. Until he left the gate of the Military and Political Division, Mu Zixu asked, "Master, don't you want to see Feiyanggu?" ”

"Haven't I seen it before?" Kangxi smiled, "If I want to go in, I can only see what clothes he is wearing, what the etiquette is, and where can I see such details!" ”