In the court, it was quiet in an instant, and the ministers looked at Gong Jichang together, and they didn't know what was going on. There is only one person, and he is secretly happy, and he is Li Zhangtong, the leader of the Huai Army.

The Empress Dowager of the Lala clan in the Jinluan Palace, she is more sober than anyone else, Gong Jichang's reckless behavior has violated her majesty, but because Gong Jichang has helped him reach the peak of power in the Dune Palace, imprisoning Gong Jichang is also to protect him.

"Gong Junmen, what do you want?" Su Yuanchun chased after him and pulled Gong Jichang's sleeve and said.

"The Governor wants the Queen Mother to ask for an explanation...... Su Junmen, what are you stopping me for? Gong Jichang said, he shook off Su Yuanchun's hand, walked forward more than ten steps, and arrived at the Jinluan Palace.

"Gong Aiqing, why is it so angry?" Lala, who was sitting on the Jinluan Palace, said slowly.

"Minister Gong Jichang played the Empress Dowager, why do the dishes they eat are all delicacies from the mountains and seas, but the ministers eat cow deflated, bamboo shoots, and bracken?" Gong Jichang hugged his fists.

"Oh. I see. This palace asks you, do you know the name of the emperor's imperial meal? Lala laughed.

"The minister is blunt, I don't know." Gong Jichang responded.

"The minister played the queen mother, and Gong Jichang, the governor of Jingnan, overturned the imperial meal above the court, and acted boldly and recklessly, which was really disrespectful to the emperor and the queen mother." Minister Li Zhangtong stood up and took the opportunity to make a big statement, "The minister also learned that Gong Jichang killed more than 1,000 Dong people who surrendered in the four-legged ox......"

"Lord Zhongtang, you are a fool!" Dongge University scholar Yin Zongtang came out of the battle and spoke to Gong Jichang, "Empress Dowager Qiyu, as far as the minister knows, the four-legged cow tragedy was committed by Li Zhangtong and Lord Li's second protégé, and it has nothing to do with Gong Junmen. ”

"Lord Yin, Minister Er Naiqin, who has been supervising the military affairs of Xinjiang since last year, how do you know about Guimao County?" Li Zhangtong asked Xu Zongtang rhetorically.

Li Zhangtong, one of the main leaders of the Qing and Guo's Westernization Movement, a native of Luzhou, Anping County, is mostly called Li Zhongtang in the world, also known as Li Luzhou, the word gradually Fu or Zihuang, the name Shaoquan, in his later years, he called himself Yisuo, alias Worry, and Wenzhong. As the founder and commander of the Huai Army, and the leader of the Westernization Movement, he was appointed as the Governor of Zhili and the Minister of Beiyang Commerce, and was awarded the Scholar of Wenhuadian University.

Li Zhangtong was incompatible with the Jingnan County Group in the court, and he and the minister of the Imperial Mission, Yin Zongtang, could be said to be incompatible. He wants to take the opportunity to fight against the rising governor and admiral of Guimao County, who are trying to keep his protégé, the governor and admiral of Guimao County, and must get rid of Gong Jichang, who likes to be "nosy".

"Li Zhongtang, you and I are both important ministers in the court, with red mouths and white teeth, holding a high amount of money, conniving at their protégés to act recklessly, Gong Jun's protégé is upright, what is wrong with exposing your protégé?" Yin Zongtang's eyes widened angrily.

"Fifty steps to laugh and a hundred steps...... Li Zhangtong sneered and said, "Gong Jichang is a fellow villager, and he believes that he has made meritorious contributions to Pingmiao, but now he offends the queen mother and the emperor, ignores the court, and does not punish the death penalty, how can he be in the sea!" Li Zhangtong did not give in at all, "The governor also heard that Gong Jichang embezzled silver and salary during the period of Guimao's suppression of seedlings, and he was seriously suspected of embezzling ink. ”

As soon as these words came out, the court was shocked.

"Lord Zhongtang, you are making a false accusation, the wicked will sue first!" Gong Jichang shouted that he was fooled. It turned out that this was a trap designed by Li Zhangtong a long time ago, just waiting for Gong Jichang to jump down.

"Gong Jichang, there is no wind and no waves, there is no wind, what else do you have to say." Li Zhangtong sneered.

As soon as Lala heard Li Zhangtong say that Gong Jichang was greedy for military salaries, he couldn't help but be furious, and immediately announced his order: "Come on, take Gong Jichang down, put him in prison of the Criminal Department, and suspend him for investigation!" ”

"Queen Mother, don't-" Yin Zongtang took a step forward and pleaded to the Lala clan, "Gong Junmen has always been above board, and all rewards are equally distributed to the soldiers, so why do you want to be greedy for military salaries?" ”

"Lord Yin, don't say more, this palace has its own decision." Lala waved his hand.

"The Queen Mother, the minister has something to say. Today, the imperial diet given by the emperor, bamboo shoots, bracken and the minister's hometown are everywhere in Houlongshan, why do you give the minister these wild vegetables? And the cow is deflated, which is also a hundred herbs! Gong Jichang said angrily.

"Oh. The palace thinks that the bamboo shoots are famous for their magnolia slices, and the bracken is the dragon's claw, and there is nothing wrong with giving the imperial meal. Why are you furious? Lala muttered.

"Lafayette, Gong Jichang roared at the court, in order to despise the imperial power, and he should be put on the top and show the public!" Li Zhangtong played.

"Li Zhongtang, what Gong Jichang said is not unreasonable. The imperial food given was unfair, and Gong Jichang was sent to prison, and good wine and food were served. According to the law calendar of our Qing Dynasty and the country, even if the feudal officials are corrupt and pervert the law, there is no precedent for beheading. The farce of greedy military salaries and wild vegetables will be decided after being investigated. It's decided, let's all retreat—"

The Lala clan waved his hand to the ministers, and the civil and military capitals of the Manchu Dynasty dispersed one after another. Only Yin Zongtang was still in the main hall, standing motionless.

"Lord Yin, when do you have any time?" Lala sat down on the Golden Luan Hall again.

"Li Zhangtong is ill-intentioned and brutalizes loyal ministers, and the old minister implores the Queen Mother to think twice." Yin Zongtang hugged his fists.

"Old general, you're too worried. The palace will order the criminal department to thoroughly investigate the case. Lala said, "The palace also received a secret fold, stating that Gong Jichang commanded more than 80,000 troops, supported the army and respected himself, and during the counterinsurgency in Guimao County, he sent people to contact the rebels many times, and he already had the heart to rebel......"

"This twist must have been done by the Huai Jun faction. Gong Jichang was once a subordinate of the old minister, he was brave and loyal, and there was no intention of rebellion. Yin Zongtang defended, "One Li Zhangtong is worse than ten Ouxi people." ”

"Lord Hao, this palace can only let you work hard again, go to Baocheng Mansion in Jingnan County to investigate Gong Jichang's rebellion case." Lala said.

"The Queen Mother, Xinjiang is still in turmoil, and the old minister can't pull it out, so the minister asks the Queen Mother to send someone else instead." Yin Zongtang refused to accept the order.

"Who should you send?" Lala asked.

"Let Wang Wenshao, the governor of Jingnan, go." Yin Zongtang replied.

"Wang Wenshao does not belong to the Jingnan group, and also belongs to the Huaijun faction. It couldn't be better to send him. Lala nodded in agreement.

As a result, the Lala clan issued a decree in the name of Emperor Guangxu, and Pegasus passed the book, ordering Wang Wenshao to organize a task force and go to Baocheng Mansion.

Wang Wenshao, the word Kuishi, the number of Gengyu, Gengyu, also known as the retreat, ancestral home of Shangyu Lianghu, Zhejiang Renhe (now Hangzhou) people. In the second year of Xiantong, he was the head of the Ministry of Households, the governor of Jingnan during the Tongqing period, the squire of the Ministry of Soldiers in the Guangxu period, the military machine, and later the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, and set up the Beiyang University Hall, the Railway School, etc., and the university scholar was co-organized by the Ministry of Household Books, and the official was the Minister of State and the Wuyingdian University. His eldest son married Gong Jichang's daughter, so the two were sons and daughters.

Therefore, as soon as Wang Wenshao received the official letter from the Criminal Department, he immediately sent someone to Baishui Village, Gong Jichang's hometown, and told Gong Shengdi, the housekeeper of the Gong family, to quickly hide the stone horse and stone lion in front of the house, so as not to be caught by Li Zhangtong.

When Li Zhangtong learned that the Empress Dowager Lala asked Wang Wenshao to investigate the matter, he was very unhappy, and he entered Beijing again to put pressure on the Shangshu of the Criminal Department. In desperation, the Criminal Department made a resolution to let the squire Weng Tongyi personally go to Rulin County, Baocheng Prefecture to handle the case.

Before leaving, Li Zhangtong specially told Weng Tongyi: "Gong Jichang's case must be handled for me as an iron case, and he must be shut up forever, do you understand?" ”

Weng Tongyi is the emperor of the two dynasties, left and right, and he is also a veteran figure in the court, belonging to the Qingliu faction, although he is very disgusted by Li Zhangtong's behavior, he can't slap him in the face.

Since Lord Li Zhongtang has confessed, he has to buy him a face, and he promised on the surface that he would get to the bottom of the so-called "Gong Jichang Rebellion Case" behind his back, and then make a small report to the Queen Mother, and save Gong Jichang, a cynical feudal official, is also a great merit.

"Lord Zhongtang, the lower officials must act impartially." Weng Tongyi said seriously.

"Brother Weng, Li doesn't want Gong Jichang to appear in the court again, you know what I mean." Li Zhangtong smiled.

"Lord Zhongtang, if you don't say it, how can I understand." Weng Tong looked at each other and smiled.

"Brother Weng, you said that this Gong Jichang doesn't know a few big characters, why do you want to go against me?" Li Zhangtong asked, the expression on his face was very stiff.

"Shimokan has been in Kyoto for a long time, and he rarely goes to the local area, so he doesn't know much about the factional struggles in each prefecture...... cough cough cough ......" Weng Tonggong coughed a few times.

"Brother Weng, you are humble. As far as this governor knows, Er is very close to Yin Zongtang of Jingnan County, how can he not know the truth about the place? Li Zhangtong said.

"Lord Zhongtang, General Yin Zongtang is now supervising the military affairs of Xinjiang, and he doesn't have much friendship with Weng." Weng Tongyi said.

"Okay, let's go to Jingnan, it's a long way, take care of Brother Weng." Li Zhangtong grabbed Weng Tongyong's hand and patted the back of his hand, "After the matter is completed, the Xijin Villa on the Bund in Shanghai will be Brother Weng's." ”

"Lord Zhongtang, it's better for you to keep the Bund villa for your own retirement." Weng Tongyi said.

A month later, they arrived at the four capitals of Rulin County, investigated and secretly visited, and learned that Gong Jichang had an excellent reputation in the local area, and the people spoke highly of him, especially Gong Jichang spent a huge amount of money to help the villagers and benefit one party, but he felt that this case was an unjust case.

One day, Weng Tongyi and his entourage turned into refugees and arrived at Gong Jichang's hometown Baishui Village, only to see the green bamboo around the village all over the mountains, bamboo shoots and bracken everywhere, but I knew that Gong Jichang overturned the table in the court for a reason.

The villagers were not surprised by the arrival of Weng Tonggong and others, and when they saw that they were in shabby clothes and carrying lotus flowers, they all thought that they had fled from Anping County, and each family gave Weng Tongrong a bowl of rice.

Weng Tongyi carried the rice on his back and led an entourage to the front of the largest mansion and stopped. Looking left and right, I didn't see the stone horse and stone lion that Li Zhangtong said, and I was very surprised.

At that time, Gong Jichang's son Gong Shengjie was only five years old, he took a slingshot, aimed at a group of local chickens in front of the house, and with a snort, shot out the stone bullets, and the group of local chickens flew around in fright.

Gong Shengjie took out a wooden stick from his waist and smashed it at the reed hen behind him.