Spring Stream Inn.

Feng Gouzi pondered the copper gossip box.

Basha was an impatient: "Try smashing it with a sledgehammer?" ”

Feng Gouzi said: "Ba Qianhu, don't worry. Let me think of ideas. ”

Chang Feng was drinking tea on the side. Zhang Cai reminded Chang Feng: "Master Chang, Yan Pan'er is back." ”

Chang Feng lifted the window and looked out. I saw Yan Pan'er and dozens of Fujian merchants and hundreds of servants returning to the guild hall.

Chang Feng said with a smile: "When she returned to the bedroom and saw that the copper gossip box was gone, I don't know what expression would appear on that charming face." ”

Let's say that as soon as Yan Paner entered the hall, she went straight to the bedroom. The account books and silver tickets in the copper gossip box are extremely important, and there can be no mistakes for her.

As soon as she entered the bedroom, she was dumbfounded! The whole bedroom was in shambles, as if it had been turned over by a thief.

The copper gossip box is also missing.

Yan Pan'er let out an exclamation: "Ah! ”

Steward Lin walked in: "Madam, what's wrong?" ”

Yan Pan'er gritted her teeth and said: "Go to Father-in-law Qian, just say that the accounts and dividends of the past three years have all been lost!" ”

"Let Father-in-law Qian help find it. Nine times out of ten, it is in the hands of Changfeng! ”

Money can be a good toss for this night. As soon as he fell asleep, he was told that Xu Fatzi invited Yan Pan'er into the Jinyi Guard.

He had no choice but to get up and go to Jinyiwei to order Xu Fatzi to release him.

When the man was released, he returned to the outer house and just wanted to sleep. An apprentice came to him: "Master Yu, the housekeeper of the Lin family in Quanzhou asks to see you." ”

Qian Neng frowned: "What's going on again?" Let him come in and see me. ”

After a while, Steward Lin told Qian Neng with a sad face: "Master Qian, something is wrong. The accounts of dividends and three million taels of silver bills were all lost! ”

Qian Neng's face changed: "What? ”

Of the three million taels of silver tickets, 150,000 taels were available to him.

Qian Neng has been very honest all these years. Do not sell official positions, do not embezzle and accept bribes. Earn only silver from the smuggling trade.

The annual dividend of 50,000 taels is his biggest income.

It should be said that there are two sides to everything.

The smuggling trade violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty and led to the rampant coastal plagues.

The smuggling trade is not without its positive significance.

The magnates of the Ming Dynasty found that selling official positions and embezzling bribes were far less expensive than participating in the smuggling trade.

So why take the risk of selling official positions and embezzling bribes?

For example, Xie Qian has a reputation for honesty in the DPRK. His incorruptibility was cultivated by the smuggling trade.

The rule of officials of the Hongzhi Dynasty is far better than that of the Chenghua Dynasty. Part of the reason for this is that the powerful make a fortune by participating in smuggling, and are too lazy to take risks to do other bad things.

Exploiting the people? The people are all poor ghosts, how many children can be exploited? And being poked in the back. Don't do it, don't do it.

It is still more appropriate to maintain the ancestral system of sealing the customs and forbidden the sea on the surface, and to make maritime trade wealth behind the scenes.

Whoever has money earns it. Japanese merchants and Western merchants are the richest, and there is nothing wrong with them.

Qian could hear the news of the theft of account books and dividends, and gasped.

The dividends are gone, and they are second. In that account book, the names of hundreds of powerful people from inside and outside the court can be recorded.

Once it is made public. It's like throwing a thousand pounds of boulder into a small water tank.

The Hongzhi era has been used for fifteen years, and today's Ming Dynasty has one of the biggest characteristics in politics, that is, the four words "a group of harmony" hanging in the cabinet room.

The celebrants, the cabinet, the nobles, and the clan, everyone is harmonious. Bathing in the spring light of the prosperous times, living a comfortable life, loving the people like a son, and smuggling trade wealth.

No one wants to upset the political balance.

If someone takes the Lin family's dividend account book to make trouble. The ending will be out of order.

Qian Neng instructed a little eunuch: "Quick, call Qian Ning up!" Go to Changfu. It must be Chang Feng, this kid is muddy! ”

This side of the Quanliu Inn.

Feng Gouzi is worthy of being a master of unlocking.

He found that the key to opening the interlayer copper plate was still on the Bagua copper button.

He stuck his head straight into the copper box and pressed his ears to the copper plate on the upper layer.

At the same time, he asked Zhang Cai to listen to his command outside, twisting the copper button: "Twist one grid to the right, one grid to the left, and then one grid."

After tinkering for half an hour, Feng Gouzi pinched and counted with his hands, and there were words in his mouth: "Dui, Kun, Gen, Gen, Gen, Zhen." That's right, it's these six trigrams! ”

Chang Feng got up when he heard the words and came to him.

Feng Gouzi stretched out his hand and twisted the copper buttons in order, only to hear a "click". The upper copper plate inside the copper box bounces.

Chang Feng looked at it and saw an account book and more than a dozen stacks of silver tickets in the mezzanine.

Chang Feng took out the account books and silver tickets.

The silver tickets are all 10,000 taels of large tickets.

Zhang Cai was stunned on the side: "Good girl, this must be a few million taels." ”

Chang Feng said: "Without the little widow of the Lin family to speak, such a large amount of silver tickets would not have been redeemed." ”

The silver bills that appeared in the middle of the Ming Dynasty were actually like deposit receipts in later generations, rather than checks.

Although the silver ticket is bearer, there is a secret mark on the bill.

If there is no letter or signature from the person who deposited the silver, the money bank will not exchange it.

Compared with this stack of silver tickets, Chang Feng is more interested in the account book.

He looked through the account books carefully, even though he had been in Jinyiwei for so many years and held authority for so many years, he still felt a chill down his spine.

There were more than 100 magnates in the books. Cabinet members, scholars, squires, dukes, marquises, as well as clans and relatives.

If Chang Feng wants to be an enemy of them, it is equivalent to being an enemy of the entire imperial court, and even Emperor Hongzhi himself.

These people are all people who are favored and reused by Emperor Hongzhi.

As far as Chang Feng knows, these are just people who have dividends in the capital.

Local governors, three divisions, prefects, and prefects are not listed.

In particular, the coastal provinces, divisions, prefectures, and counties. It's all about the sea and the sea.

Chang Feng stared at the account books, and strengthened his previous decision: this time he only punished the Lin family and avenged You Tianjue. None of the powerful will be held accountable.

He doesn't have the ability to fight one person against a hundred powerful people.

Even Emperor Hongzhi himself probably wouldn't dare to easily pursue so many powerful people in Beijing. Emperor Hongzhi is not a decisive grandfather.

Chang Feng said: "You have been busy all night. Let's go to sleep first. Early tomorrow morning, let the people of the inn prepare the dinner. ”

"Tomorrow night, I'm going to feast on the heads of the court at this inn."

Over there in Changfu.

Qian Neng and his son entered Chang's house late at night.

As soon as he entered the hall, Qian Neng shouted loudly: "Where is Chang Feng? I'm in a hurry with him. ”

Not long after, Liu Xiaoyan came to the hall: "Father-in-law Qian, it's so late, why are you here?" ”

Qian Neng said: "What about your family? I have an urgent matter to find him. ”

Chang Feng had already expected in advance that many people would come to him tonight without sleep. He stayed at the Quanliu Inn and didn't return home, in order to hide from these people.

He told Liu Xiaoyan in advance that if someone came to him tonight, he would have to be perfunctory.

Liu Xiaoyan's face suddenly drooped, and tears began to appear in her eyes.

Qian Neng said: "How do you say this?" I'm looking for Chang Feng, Mrs. Chang, why are you crying? ”

Liu Xiaoyan wiped her tears and said, "Father-in-law Qian, Chang Feng has been sick recently. Let him take a concubine, he doesn't accept it, but he likes to go to the fireworks willow field, looking for flowers and asking willows. ”

"Since ancient times, a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as stealing, and stealing is not as good as a prostitute."

"I can't live this day! He didn't come home tonight. I guess I'm going to around in some little prostitute's bed! ”

Qian Neng couldn't cry or laugh: "Mrs. Chang, don't worry." I'll discipline this boy for you. Which Qinglou does he usually like to go to? ”

Liu Xiaoyan said: "He is getting older, and the older he gets, the uglier he gets." The toad looks for a frog, looks ugly and plays with flowers. He loves to go to the south building and the north building. ”

"This year, he almost visited more than 40 well-known pickled places in the capital."

Qian Neng gasped: "How to find this." ”

Liu Xiaoyan continued to cry bitterly: "Woo woo, woo woo." Father-in-law Qian, you are Chang Feng's top boss. You must help me take care of him! ”

Liu Xiaoyan's crying made Qian Neng's scalp tingle.

Qian Neng said: "Chengcheng." Then he left Changfu and returned to the official sedan chair parked at the entrance of the mansion.

Qian Ning asked Qian Neng: "Godfather, what should I do?" ”

Qian Neng said: "Transfer all the people who are on duty at night in the factory guards." Inventory of the entire capital's green buildings. Even if you turn the capital upside down, you have to find out Changfeng before dawn. ”

Qian Neng is afraid that the wind will be muddy, and tomorrow morning, in front of the civil and military officials, he will make the Lin family's account books public.

Once that happens, the imperial court will surely be shaken.

Pity the Qinglou female branch in the capital. was turned over by Jinyi Wei overnight.

However, Jinyiwei even searched the small courtyard of the liuying in the small alley, but he didn't find the shadow of Changfeng.

It is usually dark under the lamp. How could Qian Neng think that Chang Feng was sleeping in the inn opposite the Fujian Chamber of Commerce.

In the early morning of the next day, Qian Neng was on duty at the Imperial Gate.

He stood by the Jinshui Bridge and looked around, searching for Chang Feng's figure with his eyes.

It's strange that all the officials have finished lining up outside the Jinshui Bridge, and they haven't seen Chang Feng.

At this time, Wang Shouren walked up to Qian Neng: "Father-in-law Qian." ”

Although Wang Shouren is only the head of the Liupin Military Department, he has a father who is a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, and he is still a person valued by the emperor, and a famous young talent in the court.

Ordinary six directors talk to Qian Neng, and Qian Neng doesn't even need to be dealt with.

Wang Shouren was treated differently. Qian Neng asked: "Lord Wang, is there something wrong?" ”

Wang Shouren said: "Jinyi Wei Changye asked the lower officials to announce a leave of absence with the public on duty in the early dynasty on his behalf. He was overworked last night and fell ill, and he couldn't come to the morning court. ”

Qian Neng looked at Wang Shouren suspiciously: "Overworked? Don't lie to me. Is he doing something big somewhere? ”

Wang Shouren smiled slightly: "Father-in-law Qian, the lower officials are just small people. I don't know what's the big deal. ”

Qian Nengxin said: It's okay if Chang Feng takes a leave. As long as he doesn't take out the account book in the early morning. There's still room for manoeuvre.

Over there in the Fujian Chamber of Commerce. Yan Pan'er was busy sending people out to inform the magnates that tonight's dividend meeting was postponed.

The account books were lost, the silver tickets were also lost, and the dividend meeting also opened a yarn.

In the Quanliu Inn, it is rare that Changfeng does not have to get up early to go to the royal gate. I slept until three o'clock in the morning, and then I got up lazily.

He first found Zhang Cai and instructed: "Zhang Cai, you write one hundred and three invitations according to the names in the account book." Send it to the shareholders of the Double Wood Club and let them come to the inn for a banquet tonight. ”

Zhang Cai arched his hand: "Yes, Chang Ye." Books you give to the small."

Chang Feng didn't give him the account book, but took out a piece of paper: "I have sorted out the names of people last night." ”

After speaking, Chang Feng patted his chest. His chest was bulging, apparently hiding something: "This account book is extremely important. I have to take it well, and I can't give it to others. ”

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's for your own good."

Zhang Cai took the piece of paper: "Yes." ”

At this time, Basha walked into the bedroom: "Master Chang, Liu Jin and Liu's father-in-law are here, saying that they have something important to do with you." ”

Chang Feng frowned: "How did he know that I was in the Quanliu Inn?" ”

Chang Feng came to the first floor of the inn.

Liu Jin stood up: "Little uncle." ”

Chang Feng asked, "Why are you here?" ”

Liu Jin said with a smile: "I heard that the little uncle got a treasure and a big fortune. I'm here to congratulate you. ”

"This treasure can make the heads of countless powerful people in the capital fall to the ground. Uncle Xiao can now kill those powerful people. ”

Chang Feng sighed in his heart: Could it be that in the robe of the Quanliu Inn, there is Liu Jin's internal response?

There is indeed Liu Jin's internal response in the robe of the inn, and it should be Zhang Cai.

Liu Jin has been developing his own henchmen and forces over the years.

The Eight Tigers are only superficial brothers. Everybody has their own agenda. It's not Liu Jin's best friend.

Liu Jin has a total of four sworn friends.

Jiao Fang, the left attendant of the Ministry of Officials, Zhang Cai of the Ministry of Wenxuan, Zhang Cai, Jinyi Wei Qianhu, and Gu Dayong, the eunuch of the internal officials.

These four people are Liu Jin's core circle.

Last night, Zhang Cai took advantage of the wind to sleep, quietly slipped out of the inn, and reported to Liu Jin.

Liu Jin said: "Little uncle." It's sensational. There are more than 100 people in the court who hold great power, and they are full of courtesy, righteousness and shame, but they are engaged in smuggling business behind their backs, and they are not clear about the Japanese invaders. Dig the corner of the Ming Dynasty. ”

"If these people are not removed, Daming is in danger!"

Chang Feng smiled slightly: "How do you know everything?" Did you put eyes and ears around me? ”

Liu Jin swore a curse: "How dare I! I'm going to bury my eyes and ears in front of you, and I'll let the dung truck that pulls the night incense hit me and kill me when I go out. ”

Chang Feng smiled: "You have always been sleek and sophisticated. How can you be indignant this time, with a posture of wanting to divide black and white? ”

Liu Jin said: "Cough! Well, there is always a time when you are full of blood. We are all people who are old and inward-looking. ”

"When the old prime minister was alive, he was always jealous and hateful."

Chang Feng sat down in a chair: "Oh? What do you want me to do? ”

Liu Jin said: "Copy a few copies of that account book." One copy to the emperor, one copy to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, one copy to Dali Temple, and one copy to the Criminal Department. Expose the evil deeds of the powerful to the world. ”

Chang Feng said: "And then? set off a big case and swept away the powerful people in the court. ”

Then there was a vacuum in the power of the court. You'll be able to take advantage of the situation. Become the master of ceremonies and even the entire court? ”

Liu Jin was stunned for a moment, and then he said unabashedly: "You are only half right." ”

"I love power. But I don't want to have the power alone. I want to share the power of the court with you, little uncle! ”

"As long as the big case is set off, you will look at me completely. I can guarantee that after the case of the Shuangmu Society, our uncle and nephew will become the masters of the court. ”

Chang Feng sighed: "Who doesn't like power? I'm not a saint. However, people are self-aware. ”

"Do you have the talent to govern the country, or do I have the talent to govern the country?"

"Fly camp dogs, side doors, pickled errands, we are experts."

"But if you and I were in power. It will hurt the world! ”

Liu Jin was a little anxious: "My little uncle, this is a godsend!" Are you missing out? ”

Chang Feng said: "Liu Jin, my father-in-law Liu." We've known each other for seventeen years. I know that little ninety-nine in your belly. ”

"Those in the books of accounts are greedy. But I know that if you and your men replace them, you will only be more greedy than them. ”

"Ming told you to put it. This time, I only destroyed the Lin family in Quanzhou to avenge You Tianjue. will never set off a big case and make the court a chicken. ”

(End of chapter)