The first month has passed, and the capital has ushered in a beautiful February.

Early in the morning, a prisoner car slowly drove out of the yamen of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the wheels crushed against the dewy green brick street, and the mighty procession headed in the direction of Xishi.

"Steamed buns, fragrant meat buns!"

"Noodles, noodles fresh out of the pot!"

"Wonton, wonton with thin skin and big filling!"

……

The people on West Chang'an Avenue have already gotten up early to get busy, and because there are more and more people working early in the morning, there are many steaming breakfast stalls on both sides of the street.

The prosperity of a city often only needs the rise of one industry, such as Dongguan, which was famous in later generations.

An old man in a new cotton coat pulled the noodles neatly and wrapped them up, chatting with the regular customers who came every day: "This time, there are craftsmen recruiting people, and if you go to Luzon to work, your monthly salary is three cloth tickets." If I'm 10 years younger, I'll sign up too! ”

"Come less! Your stall is so hot now, and you make a lot of money in a month, how can you be willing to buy and sell here! "The old diners live nearby, but they have a sour taste.

The old man put the noodles into the hot cauldron, showed his mouth full of yellow teeth, and said: "The situation in recent years has been really good, but if it is really like before, give me three cloth tickets a month, and I will definitely go to Luzon for a few years!" ”

"I read Luzon all day long, I really don't know what good Luzon can do, the youngest couple in our family shouted yesterday that they want to go to Luzon to sell noodle soup!" An old woman walked over and picked up the noodles she had just scooped up, and interjected with an unhappy face.

The old man added seasoning to the noodle soup and blamed his wife, saying, "You are a woman's kindness." Luzon is a big gold mine, and it can be mined for twenty years, and my son will earn much more than us if he works there for a few years! ”

The reason why he talked about going to Luzon just now was not that he really wanted to go as a worker, but that he wanted to send the noodle stall to Luzon.

It's just that he is now old after all, and he still has his mother to take care of at home, so he dispelled this idea, but he is very supportive of his younger son and his wife.

"With such a big battle in today's prison team, who are they going to cut?" The regular customers on the side were destined to pass by the prisoner procession, so they inquired curiously.

The old man seemed to be a know-it-all, and immediately picked up a bowl of noodles and smiled mysteriously: "Who else could it be?" If you don't take a penny, this hypocrite should be beheaded! ”

"It's obviously a big corrupt official, but someone still washes it, it's really ridiculous!"

"He Qiao has received 100,000 taels of valuable things, do you really think that everyone in the world is confused?"

"Fortunately, the current Emperor Shengming, otherwise he would have succeeded in this kind of deception!"

……

Hearing that the death row inmate who was pushed to the guillotine today was He Qiaoxin, the former secretary of the Criminal Department, the diners here participated in the discussion one after another, and all pointed the finger at He Qiaoxin without exception.

At this moment, He Qiaoxin, who was wearing a prison uniform, was trapped in the prison car, and his hearing, which he had always been proud of, brought him a burden, and he clearly heard the voices of the people on both sides of the road.

The "don't take a penny" that was originally advertised on oneself, but now it comes out of the mouths of the people here, but it is full of irony.

It's just that he still doesn't understand, how did things turn out like this, how did he become a street rat?

"The gold list has been proud for 30 years, and the family is sleeping in the music department. The name is spread in the sea, who believes that it is notorious today? He Qiaoxin knew that his Qing official character was shattered, so he pretended to recite poetry miserably.

His father was a high-ranking official Shangshu, so he was born without worrying about food and clothing, not only with endless glory and wealth, but also with an enviable talent for reading.

After successfully gaining fame, he became the new hope for the prosperity of their He family, and it was also the umbrella of their He family for decades to come.

He also lived up to expectations, starting from a small head of the Ministry of Rites, and then step by step to the position of the secretary of the Criminal Department, in charge of the national judiciary and prisons.

It's just like a dream.

Obviously, he has become the core personnel of the civil official group, and it has taken decades to successfully establish a character for himself, but now it seems that he has become a street rat overnight.

Originally, he didn't believe the news brought by his son in prison, and he didn't want to bear his image in the hearts of the people, but now he has to believe it.

"Although this poem is not comprehensible, it still has a bit of flavor, but it's a pity that I don't know where to lose!" Wang Yue, who was wearing a first-class official uniform, rode a horse and accompanied him, but he couldn't help but brush his beard and comment.

Due to the sinister nature of officialdom, in order not to be attacked by the official of Kedaoyan, he has not composed poetry for a long time. It's just that my love for poetry has gone deep into my bones, so I can't help but comment.

He Qiaoxin turned his head to look at Wang Yue, who was in the limelight in front of him, and never thought that his situation was as similar to that of a lonely minister: "Where is the loss?" Probably we all underestimate him! ”

This is a sentence in their hearts, after they saw that Emperor Chenghua could not control it, they put a lot of energy on the prince, and desperately instilled the idea of Renjun to Zhu Youji, who was still the prince at the time.

not only worked education, but also instigated the public opinion that their civilian-official group resisted to the death to maintain the position of Prince Zhu Youji, and even arranged for Zhang Yujiao, who was close to Xu Pu, to become the queen.

It is said that after Zhu Youzhu ascended the throne, he had to deal with Wan An, Liu Ji and Yin Zhi and other courtiers, but who knew that the knife would fall on their bodies.

Now that the tyrant has full wings, even if he is already known in the world as "not taking a penny", he still guillotined the tyrant this time.

"It's just one thing, the most important thing is there!" Wang Yue nodded lightly, and then pointed to a bookstore in front of him.

It's still early, but the bookstore has already opened its doors.

Since Hongzhi's accession to the throne, the number of places in the imperial examination has increased greatly, and after the imperial court financed the country, many practical disciplines have been added.

It is precisely because of this that the literary style in the capital is now flourishing, and the business of various bookstores has also become prosperous.

At the entrance of the bookstore, there is a propaganda poster, and the most conspicuous position is: The first issue of the first year of the "Ming" magazine Hongzhi is grandly listed today, and you are welcome to order.

"It's still Mr. Xie who said it well! If you don't take a penny, you will get ten thousand taels in your belly! ”

"It used to be said that the one who didn't take a penny was wronged, but how can that kind of person be wronged?"

"I heard that He Qiaoxin spent money to invite fame, otherwise how could there be so many indiscriminate people?"

……

At this time, several scholars standing at the door of the bookstore looked around one after another, and saw the prisoner team passing here, pointing at He Qiaoxin in the prisoner car.

He Qiaoxin looked at the scholars who were pointing at him, and said angrily: "Those ignorant people are blinded, why are these scholars already indistinguishable, it is really the trend of the world!" ”

"It's not that the world is going down, but that you can't play that way anymore! In the past, the old man only wrote a poem, but because he didn't fit in with you, he was wronged to write a poem and resentment! Wang Yue looked at the propaganda poster, as if he had seen through all the authentics.

For a long time, public opinion was actually in the hands of scholars, so they were often able to characterize people and things, even the emperor.

This time, He Qiaoxin obviously received a full 100,000 taels of valuables, but under the encouragement of this group of literati, He Xin turned out to be an innocent person.

It's just that everyone doesn't realize that some things are quietly changing, and the right of public opinion is no longer the exclusive property of the civilian clique, and the "Ming" that came out of nowhere has become the biggest weapon of public opinion.

He Qiaoxin's brows furrowed slightly, but he retained the old concept and said, "What do you want to express, why can't I understand?" ”

"Ming" magazine published your affairs on it, and after it was listed a few days ago, no one in the capital dared to shout for you anymore, but shouted at you!" Wang Yue saw that He Qiaoxin really didn't know the reason, so he told him directly.

Just when He Qiaoxin was happy that he had successfully rebuilt his momentum, he did not know that the power of public opinion was no longer completely controlled by the civilian clique, and "Ming" had already become the best-selling publication and the empire's biggest propaganda weapon.

In the latest issue of the journal "Ming", it was written by Xie Qian, a bachelor of Hanlin Attendant.

Unlike the literati who like to chase after the wind and catch shadows, Xie Qian chose to list a large amount of money and incriminating evidence to reveal He Qiaoxin's crimes to the world, and there are the two ginseng that He Qiaoxin gave to Fei Hong as evidence.

There are no so confusing sounds, and there is not so much nonsense, so that the truth of the matter can be presented in front of everyone as it is.

Not to mention that the people's eyes are bright, and now "Ming" has become the most widely read material nowadays, so that everyone sees He Qiaoxin, a hypocrite, through "Ming".

Of course, the most important thing is that the emperor has successfully created the most powerful public opinion weapon of the Ming Dynasty through the operation of the "Ming" magazine, and the current public opinion is no longer presided over by the civil official group.

After He Qiaoxin heard the answer, he said in disbelief: "Ming magazine has such a great influence? ”

"You are standing too high, and you can't see that the current scholars are also changing, and now the empire is no longer what you people say!" Wang Yue looked up at the sky that was slowly becoming brighter, shook his head lightly, and said.

He Qiaoxin saw the scholars around him pointing at him, and no one defended himself anymore, knowing that he had completely failed this time.

The prisoner cart is getting closer and closer to the West Market, and everyone can already see the torture platform from a distance.

He Qiaoxin knew that he was in a catastrophe, and looked at Wang Yue and couldn't help but say with emotion: "I really don't know where you got your shit luck, and now you have even put on a first-class official uniform!" It's just that all you do in the procuratorate are doing work that offends people, even if the emperor gives you a false title of crown prince, it won't be able to save you from dying well! ”

"You're deliberately trying to sow discord between me and His Majesty's monarchs, right?" Wang Yue is so smart, even if he sees through He Qiaoxin's little tricks.

He Qiaoxin was directly asked to the bottom of his heart, but he still said stiffly: "With your merits, you could have been crowned an earl, but now you still want to be someone else's sword, are you really willing to do so?" ”

"If you are knighted, you can't enter Jiuqing, let alone enter the cabinet, why should the old man be obsessed with the little earl?" Although Wang Yue knew that this was a provocation, he still showed his attitude.

Although the hereditary titles of the Ming Dynasty are tempting, this belongs to the pursuit of small wealth and peace.

If it weren't for the fact that the descendants could be outstanding, they could often only receive a little Lu rice every year to live, but it was difficult to make a difference in the court, and they had no chance to get to the position of Jiuqing.

Then again, if the descendants are outstanding in their personal abilities, especially their grandson Wang Yu is now getting better and better, accepting the little earl will limit his growth.

It was precisely like this, he didn't mind the earl's matter at all in his heart, and He Qiaoxin in front of him thought that he could make himself unhappy through this matter.

He Qiaoxin saw that he really couldn't arouse Wang Yue's dissatisfaction, but he suddenly chose to mock and said: "You are not a Hanlin official and still want to enter the cabinet, it is really a fool's dream, it is ridiculous!" The best outcome for you is to ask for an earl! ”

"Don't you know about the old man's promotion to a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion?" Wang Yue saw that He Qiaoxin was talking more and more like that, and immediately decided to give the other party an unpleasant authentic explanation.

He Qiaoxin's eyes suddenly widened, and he said incredulously: "This ...... How can it be? You are not a Hanlin official, how can you enter the cabinet to worship the prime minister, this is ridiculous! ”

"The first emperor used the preacher officials, His Majesty had more courage to reform than the first emperor, and he respected it when he ascended the throne - empty talk misleads the country, and hard work prospers the country. Now you can't even see clearly, and you still think that Your Majesty is talking to you Qingliu but doing nothing! Wang Yue saw He Qiaoxin's reaction in his eyes, but shook his head gently.

He always had a strange feeling that these important ministers were obviously old foxes fighting in the court, but until now He Qiaoxin couldn't see the current emperor clearly.

Although he was very shocked to enter the cabinet to pay homage to the prime minister, he also realized that the current emperor and the people are no longer superstitious and boastful, but favor capable ministers who can do things.

When He Qiaoxin heard these words, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

The reason why he was not afraid of death earlier was to a large extent because he had been comforting himself, thinking that he would be rehabilitated like Yu Qian after his death. It's just that now public opinion has fallen into the hands of the emperor, and even the cabinet will no longer be controlled by Qingliu, what chance does he have to turn the tables?

It is precisely because of this that if he dies this time, he will probably be nailed to the pillar of shame forever.

The prisoner cart had already arrived in front of the execution platform, and He Qiaoxin was personally escorted to the execution platform by Hu Jun.

"Slash!"

After hearing the official announcement, Wang Yue also threw a red sign.

He didn't sympathize with He Qiaoxin, although he generally thought that corruption was taking silver, and "Da Ming Law" was also convicted of two amounts of silver, but He Qiaoxin was just a big corrupt official who took advantage of loopholes.

Now the emperor not only ordered He Qiaoxin to be killed, but also used He Qiaoxin as a negative teaching material, and added precious ambergris, 100-year-old ginseng and thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum to the upcoming "Punishment Regulations".

"Master, please get on the road!"

The sturdy executioner raised his broadsword, and then slashed at He Qiaoxin's neck with all his might.

Burst!

As the big knife fell, a stream of blood splashed high, and He Qiaoxin's head rolled to the ground. (End of chapter)