On the second day, Mingzhu rushed to Changchun Garden to perform. After listening to Mingzhu's words, the emperor looked displeased, and said: "In this way, what Chen Tingjing played is true?" ”

Mingzhu said: "Everything is true. The accounts of the copper warehouse of the Baoquan Bureau do not match the facts over the years, and the officials appointed are responsible. It is also true that Colcoin allowed the stove to be confused by loyalty, and he himself profited from it. The most hateful thing is the stove head Xiang Zhong, who has controlled the money factory for more than 30 years and has done many evils. The profiteer Su Ruzhai disrupted the money law and committed a heinous crime. ”

The emperor shook his head and sighed: "In this case, no matter who is involved in the copper material deficit case, it will be investigated to the end." The family should be raided, the official should be seized, and the head should be killed! Those profiteers and villains, needless to say, just ask the case clearly and handle it strictly. ”

The emperor actually didn't want to deal with too many officials, but he had to take into account the laws of the Qing Dynasty. Mingzhu understood the emperor's thoughts, so he said: "The emperor strictly enforces the law, which is a great blessing for the country." Although the facts of the Baoquan Bureau's copper material deficit case are conclusive, there are too many people involved, and the years are long, and it is difficult to distinguish between the ugly and the ugly. If we don't get it right, we will wronged good people, and it will inevitably cause shock in the government and the opposition. When Mingzhu said this, he deliberately stopped and secretly peeked at the emperor's expression.

The emperor asked, "What do you say about it?" ”

Mingzhu said: "The minister thinks that this matter can only be traced to Colkun and Xu Da. ”

The emperor asked: "Only chase them, what should I do with the deficit of copper?" ”

Mingzhu said: "Your Majesty, the minister expected that the deficit of copper materials has not only been replenished, but also has a large surplus. The emperor was puzzled and asked, "Who has so much silver to compensate?" ”

Mingzhu said: "Chen Tingjing has raided the home of Xiang Zhong and profiteer Su Ruzhai and seized a large amount of stolen goods. As long as the emperor approves it, the homes of Colcun and Xu Da can also be raided. ”

The emperor thought that Chen Tingjing had figured out his own thoughts, and the most important thing was to make up for the deficit in the Baoquan Bureau, and there was no need to deal with too many people. The emperor nodded for a long time and asked, "What should Kolkin and Xu Da do?" ”

Mingzhu said: "Colkun dismissed, Xu Da was killed." ”

The emperor didn't speak, only nodded slightly. After a long time, the emperor said: "The money method has made Chen Tingjing smooth." Since the recasting of light money, it is unprofitable for profiteers to destroy copper, and the people have money in their hands. ”

A few days later, the emperor listened to the government at Qianqingmen, and discussed Xu Da's crime, saying that he should be beheaded.

Chen Tingjing immediately knelt down and played: "Xu Da can't be killed!" ”

The emperor kept a calm face and did not speak. Mingzhu said: "Your Majesty, Xu Da is ineffective, and allows profiteers to behave indiscriminately, and the Baoquan Bureau has suffered great losses and should be severely punished!" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "It is Colcoin who should be killed!" He colluded with profiteers to resell copper and profit from it. What's more, Xiang Zhong, the head of the stove, sent the newly minted money directly to the profiteer Su Ruzhai, and then sold it to the Baoquan Bureau after melting the copper. Su Ruzhai also used the copper that destroyed the money to fake the old bronzes, and later dared to simply drum up fake money. Traitors such as Xiang Zhong and Su Ruzhai are so bold, all because of the backstage of Colquin! ”

The emperor said angrily: "Don't say it again! I'll die of anger when I hear the bad things these traitors do! ”

The hall was quiet, and no one dared to do anything for a while.

The emperor had no choice but to look at Chen Tingjing and say, "You haven't finished yet, have you?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Not long after Xu Da was appointed as the supervisor of the Baoquan Bureau, the minister went to supervise the money law. If as long as he is in office in the Baoquan Bureau, he is guilty, and the minister is guilty of the same crime as Xu Da, he should be killed! ”

The emperor became more and more annoyed, patted the dragon case and said: "Chen Tingjing, what do you mean by such angry words? Is it true to scold the faint king? Don't forget the Minister's Body! ”

At this time, Samuha stepped forward and knelt down and said, "Please calm the emperor's anger!" The minister thought that Chen Tingjing's words were a bit of a collision, but he was also reasonable. The minister also thought that Xu Da could be dealt with leniently, and Colkun should be beheaded! ”

It turned out that Samuha wished that Korkoin would die quickly, so as not to set himself on fire. Samuha said again: "Originally, the new money repeatedly increased in weight, but the money was minted but I couldn't see it, it was all Colkun and the stove head Xiang Zhong and the profiteer Su Ruzhai who were making trouble in the middle!" ”

The emperor closed his eyes, very sad, and said: "Xiang Zhong, Su Ruzhai, and Zhang Guang's gang of traitors have all been killed!" ”

Mingzhu said again: "Your Majesty, the Corkun case, the minister thinks it can be retried." If the evidence is true, he should be beheaded according to the law! ”

Samuha said: "The minister thinks that the facts are already very clear, and there is no need for a second trial." ”

The emperor said: "I think that the Colquin case is already very clear, and there is no need to retry it. Kill it. Xu Da, change to Yili! "The emperor's words are very hard, and no one dares to say more.

The emperor was exhausted, closed his eyes and leaned on the dragon chair, and asked softly, "What should Chen Tingtong do?" ”

After all, because of Chen Tingjing, no one said anything for a long time. Gao Shiqi coughed dryly and said carefully: "According to the law, you should be killed!" But this is a strange matter and should be treated with caution. ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Your Majesty, it has now been ascertained that in order to contain Chen Tingjing's case, Kolkin conspired with Xiang Zhong, the head of the furnace, and instructed Su Ruzhai to borrow silver from Chen Tingtong. Chen Tingtong didn't know Su Ruzhai before. ”

The emperor was extremely angry and said: "This Colkoin, without the slightest ethics of a scholar, is really hateful. But Chen Tingtong borrowed money from others after all! There is a folk saying that flies don't bite seamless eggs! ”

Chen Tingjing said: "My brother Chen Tingtong has lived up to the emperor's grace and let it fall!" ”

The emperor said coldly: "Chen Tingjing, I am not talking about any of your younger brothers, but the officials of the imperial court. ”

Chen Tingjing was inconvenient to speak again, and he was just anxious in his heart. Xu Qianxue said again: "If you don't pardon Chen Tingtong, you will really fall for Colquin's trick." Besides, the minister had played the emperor before, and Chen Tingtong borrowed money from Qianzhuang, which should be two different things from borrowing money from ordinary people. ”

The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Colkun will make a decision, and Xu Da will exile Ili." Xiang Zhong, Su Ruzhai, Zhang Guang and others were all killed. The above-mentioned people and other family properties were confiscated, and they were all put into the government. Chen Tingtong's case happened for a reason, and he was dealt with lightly. Let him go down and be a magistrate. ”

The ministers said that the emperor was wise, and they were all relieved. Chen Tingjing still wanted to speak, but when he saw Xu Qianxue's eyes, he had to stop talking.

The emperor said: "Colquin's character is so bad, he has been assessed very well year after year, and this time he was promoted to squire." Mingzhu, I want to ask you this official book, why is this? ”

Mingzhu hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down, and said, "The minister has neglected to supervise, please ask the emperor to punish the crime." ”

The emperor said: "Mingzhu, don't be a good person, do everything by yourself." ”

No one spoke for a while, and the emperor said, "It seems that no one dares to admit it?" ”

Samuha's face was sweating, and he bowed forward and knelt down: "The emperor forgives his sins!" The minister was deceived by Colkouen! ”

The emperor said: "You still have self-knowledge. You have been greedy for a long time in the office of the head of the household, and your political performance is mediocre. The money law is chaotic, and you can't escape the blame. I read that you are old, and I have played many times to ask for old age, and you are allowed to rest in your original product! A one-year fine! ”

In fact, Samuha never said anything to the old beggar, and when the emperor said so, he had no choice but to admit it, and hurriedly knocked his head on the ground, and said: "The minister accepts the sin, and the minister thanks the emperor for his grace!" ”

On this day, it was idle in the yamen, and Chen Ting invited Xu Qianxue to find a restaurant to drink. Chen Tingjing raised his glass and said, "Lord Xu, thanks to you, otherwise Ting Tong would have died this time." Come, I salute you! ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Master Chen doesn't have to be polite, let's drink together." ”

Chen Tingjing said: "No one cares about Colkoin's handover account books anymore. ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Clear-sighted people know that the account book is fake, doesn't the emperor know? The emperor doesn't want to ask, so don't mention it again. The emperor only needs to make up for the copper materials in the warehouse, and decades of confused accounts will let it pass. ”

Chen Tingjing shook his head and sighed, and drank a glass of stuffy wine alone.

Xu Qianxue said: "As ministers, we can only do our best, not force. ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Yes, I can see that the emperor is pretending to be confused about many things. The dismissal of Samuha officials is only a superficial article, and if you seriously investigate it, you are afraid that you should be killed. Samuha is not the only one who is advocating for Korkoin. There are also those princes and ministers who have collected money from the Baoquan Bureau for many years, and the emperor doesn't want to study it in detail. ”

Xu Qianxue said: "The emperor has the idea of the emperor, he doesn't want to know that his court is full of corrupt officials. ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Xu Da's exile in Yili was too severe. He's just a little more bookish and unshrewd. ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Let the emperor go smoothly first, and let him go to Ili." Tell you good news. ”

Chen Tingjing hurriedly asked, "What good news?" ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Yushi Zhang Pengxi will return to Beijing soon!" ”

Chen Tingjing was very happy and asked, "Really?" That's great! ”

Xu Qianxue said: "Can there be a fake? This is all to help Lord Zhang Ying, before he went home to defend the system, he found a time to talk to the emperor, and the emperor agreed. The emperor is also a human being, let him dissipate his anger, and it will be fine. Don't worry, Xu Da will let him come back in a year and a half. The two drank and chatted, and the sun and evening dispersed.

A few days later, Zhang Pengxi really came back and was appointed as the head of the Criminal Department. Zhang Pengxi visited Chen Tingjing that night. The two held hands and faced each other, and couldn't help but cry.

Chen Tingjing said: "Lord Zhang, you can suffer! ”

Zhang Pengxi was as proud as he was back then, and said: "Where, it's not bitter, it's not bitter!" I have been in exile for the past few years, and I have seen things that I have never heard of before, but I have written several volumes of good poems! Alas, Master Chen, I have heard that you have not had a good time in the past few years. ”

Chen Tingjing smiled bitterly: "No way, I really want to do something well, it's difficult." ”

Zhang Pengxi said: "Mingzhu has a honey-bellied sword and manipulates the government, and many people are still being deceived." ”

Chen Tingjing said: "In the years since you went out, the court has become a different person. Let your heart understand all things, but be careful with your words. ”

Zhang Pengxi smiled: "I'm seen as a nail anyway, so I just make a nail." Next time, I'll take the pearl! ”

Chen Tingjing shook his hand and said, "This matter must not be done!" ”

Zhang Pengxi asked, "Why?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "The emperor still needs a pearl at this time, you can't join him!" ”

Zhang Pengxi shook his head and smiled, and said, "The problem of my person is that I always forget that I am on an errand for the emperor!" ”

Soon it will be late autumn. The two chasers escorted Xu Da and walked out of the capital. When he arrived in the suburbs, Xie Jie wanted to take off the wooden flail for Xu Da, and Xu Da said: "How can this be done?" He was really a little roundabout, thinking that since the emperor condemned him, even if he was wronged, he should wear a shackle.

Xie Cha said: "Lord Xu, Lord Chen has instructed you to take off your wooden shackles when you leave Beijing City, and don't let you suffer." ”

Xu Da asked Xie Cha to take off the wooden flail, and he didn't think much about Chen Tingjing's kindness. Xu Da's wrists had already been ground out of blood, and he rubbed his wrists lightly, looking up at the gray sky.

Xie Cha said again: "Lord Xu, please get in the car." ”

It turned out that there was a horse-drawn carriage parked not far away. Xie Cha said: "This is also the car that Lord Chen hired for you. Master Chen repeatedly told us to take good care of you along the way! It's a coincidence today, Lord Chen's younger brother is going to Fengyang to be the magistrate, otherwise Lord Chen himself will come to see you off. ”

Xu Da shook his head and smiled bitterly: "What kind of day is today?" One was exiled to Yili, and the other was sent to Fengyang. ”

Chen Tingjing always felt ashamed of Xu Da, and he was ready to see him off. It's just that Chen Tingtong also set off on this day, so he can't take care of it. Chen Tingjing set up wine and food in the long pavilion outside the city, and drank opposite his younger brother. Outside the pavilion, the autumn leaves are flying, and a few crows stand in the treetops, occasionally chirping once or twice. Zhen'er, Da Shun, Liu Jing, and Ma Ming all followed, and they all stood far away.

Chen Tingjing raised his glass and said, "Tingtong, you are so sad to be the magistrate, I can't rest assured!" ”

Chen Tingtong said: "Brother, I really can't be happy. ”

Chen Tingjing said: "You picked up your life from the knife this time, you should be glad!" ”

Chen Tingtong shook his head and sighed, and said, "I only blame myself for being confused!" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Fengyang is barren and poor, and it is not easy to do a good job as the magistrate there. Don't think about the past, just do a good job of this seven-grade sesame official. After drinking this glass of wine, you can get in the car. ”

The brothers toasted and walked out of the pavilion. Chen Tingtong said some cherished words from his brother and got into the carriage. As the carriage drifted away, Chen Tingjing suddenly came from sadness and turned his back.