Wei Li listened to Dao Xu's words, felt that his thinking couldn't keep up, and asked, "No matter what, the Hu family has such a big family business, and there are so many people in Yue Jian Hall, how can you make them disappear?" ”

Dao said confidently: "Lord Wang, as early as when I found out that Mao Xiang was a fake prince, I had already started to prepare. The Hu family mainly relied on trade with Nanyang, plus silk textiles, and without the support of the prince and Jiangnan officialdom, his business would not have been so big. On the other hand, if the imperial court wants to raid his home, it is also a matter of one sentence, and I have already made the Hu family understand this. The Hu family can take a large amount of money and take a sea ship to Nanyang, as long as the prince does not fall, they can continue to trade with Dasui in the future. As for Yue Jiantang, he also went to Nanyang with the Hu family first, and came back when the matter passed. ”

Wei Li said: "Will the imperial court let them go like this? ”

Daoxu said: "It's not to let them go, but it won't force them to be anxious and involve the prince and the prince." The Inspection Department has always been vigorous and resolute, but this time it will definitely leave some time for us to prepare, and I don't think the Inspection Department will take action before the New Year. So I'm going to go to Jiangnan tonight and try to set everything up. ”

Speaking of this, Dao Xuan paused for a while, and then said earnestly to Wei Li: "Lord Wang, when Dao Xuan was desperate, the prince did not give up, took me in, and sent his heart to his heart, obeyed his words, and Dao Xuan was grateful. There are a few heartfelt words, I hope the prince will adopt them. ”

Wei Li said: "You just say. ”

Daoxu said: "Since the prince hopes that the prince will inherit the unification, his vision should be from Jiangnan to the entire Dasui, and the interests of the entire Dasui should be considered first when encountering major events, so that the emperor will change his view of the prince and rest assured of the prince." ”

Wei Li nodded and said, "I will." ”

Daoxu took out a letter and handed it to Wei Lidao: "After I go to deal with the matter, for the best of all, I will not return to the capital for the time being." After asking the prince to copy the house in the Hu family, he immediately uploaded this recital. ”

Wei Li took the envelope and asked, "What transcript?" ”

Daoxu said: "Please ask the imperial court to set up a municipal shipping department in Haizhou, Jiangnan, which will be directly managed by the imperial court, in charge of the maritime trade in Jiangnan and Lingnan, collect taxes in a unified manner, and hand over all to the imperial court." ”

Wei Li hurriedly said: "Originally, there were tax departments in various places, which were under the jurisdiction of the local government, why should they be handed over to the imperial court?" ”

Dao Xu: "The prince knows that the tax collection of local tax departments is nominally handed over to the imperial court, but it is always a confused account, and smuggling and tax evasion are even more serious. The annual tax received by the imperial court is only one million guan, and the Hu family evades nearly 2 million guan in tax revenue a year, which is shared by local officials, including our royal palace. The court knows that sooner or later it will have to do something to this piece of fat, since the Hu family is not guaranteed this time, we simply take the initiative to propose that it be managed by the imperial court, and the emperor will remember the prince's affection. ”

Wei Li was really distressed: "This is a lot of money!" ”

Dao Xuan persuaded: "I persuaded the prince just now to focus on the entire Dasuisei, but now the displaced people in the south of the Yangtze River are scattered, and the court has no money to appease them." The prince gave up this money, and the court could solve the affairs of the displaced people, and the prince was on this script, and the emperor's sacred heart was comforted, and he felt that the prince was concerned about the great follow, which was of great help to the prince to become the prince. ”

Wei Li hesitated for a long time before gritting his teeth and said, "Okay, for the sake of Zong'er, I admit it." ”

Daoxu said: "The last thing, please keep an eye on the prince." ”

Wei Li said nervously: "What's wrong with the prince?" ”

Dao Xuan said: "I think the prince of the world pays unusual attention to that Ye Qi. I inquired, the last time the prince entered the palace, he learned that Ye Qi was summoned by Concubine Li, so he hurried there. ”

Wei Li couldn't help but scold: "This rebel! He dedicated my favorite Nanqu class to Concubine Li, and came back to tell me that in order to make Concubine Li happy, I would admit it. Who knows it's to please other women, see that I don't break his legs. ”

Dao Xuan said: "The prince is angry, this is just speculation." The prince has a noble vision, and his mind and bearing are no better than mortals, maybe he has a deep meaning, and the prince only needs to pay more attention. ”

Wei Li said: "I know. ”

Dao Xuan got up, folded his hands and said goodbye to Wei Li, and then left in a hurry.

Because it was a major crime of rebellion and rebellion, the Zhang brothers were immediately escorted to the execution ground to execute Ling Chi after the verdict was announced. Even in the capital, Ling Chi was uncommon, and there were a lot of people around the execution ground, and people were both a little scared and a little excited.

The Zhang brothers were stripped naked, tied to a pillar, and after many days of detention and fear, both of them seemed to be a little numb, not struggling or crying. After the executioner tied his mouth with a strip of cloth, the execution began.

The sentence for the crime of rebellion is generally not commuted, but due to Zuo Zhenkun's insistence, Zhang Fangping still got a chance, that is, Ling Chi after his death. The executioner first stabbed him in the heart with a sharp blade similar to an awl before proceeding with Ling Chi.

Zhang Fangliang was not so lucky, the executioner used a special knife, starting from the chest, to cut off the slices of meat the size of fish scales one by one, and with each knife, Zhang Fangliang struggled desperately, but his mouth was gagged, and he could only let out a whining wail.

Legend has it that after an experienced executioner cut 3,600 knives, the bones of the prisoner were exposed, but the person was still not dead. Zhang Fangliang encountered such a situation, and later, he was already completely skinned, bleeding all over his body, but he had not yet lost his breath, and every time he went down, he was no longer able to struggle, and he could only convulse all over his body.

Due to the long time, most of the onlookers dispersed, but there were still a group of people guarding under the execution platform, discussing and admiring, and watching the knife by knife, knife by knife————

At this time, no one in the court cared about the life or death of the Zhang brothers, and after Zhang Fangping confessed to the Hu family and Yue Jiantang in Jiangnan during the interrogation of the Three Law Divisions, according to the usual style of the Inspection Division, a large number of people would immediately rush to Jiangnan and deal with it vigorously. But for some reason, this time there was no action, and people speculated that it might be because the evidence was insufficient, and the inspection department was secretly investigating first.

After that, the officials didn't care about speculating about the inspection department, because it was almost the end of the year, and all kinds of sacrifices, celebrations, and evaluations of the imperial court came one after another. In addition to official activities, all families are also busy preparing for the New Year, receiving New Year's gifts from subordinates, giving gifts to their superiors, and the official thresholds of some important departments have also been stepped on by the people sent by various localities to pay tribute.

The Xue family brothers and sisters are also very busy, Xue Ding was named the commander of the Sima Army in front of the palace, this is the senior general of the forbidden army in the capital, and he needs to settle down in the capital. Schröding wrote a letter to his wife asking her to move to Shangjing after the New Year.

Although "it is not easy to live in the capital", there is such an uncle as Xue Jiabi, the secretary of the Ministry of Etiquette, and Xue Ding himself is a young general who is deeply appreciated by the emperor. Xue Jiabi's housekeeper personally helped to get busy, and soon purchased a medium-sized mansion, and the furniture and servants were quickly completed.

Xue settled in the official diligently, and after taking office, he was busy with official affairs, and the family affairs were mainly handled by Xue Xiangyun. Although he was worried about taking risks, in order to worry less about his brother, Xiang Yunqiang cheered up and was busy, and the new home was soon new inside and out, and it was in order.

After Wei Qi no longer went to the Hanlin Academy, Ye Qi had more time, and the affairs of Prince Ming's Mansion had already been on the right track, with Xiaohong and Xiaoxi, many things did not need Ye Qi to worry about, so she often accompanied Xiangyun. In fact, Xiangyun has lived in Shangjing since he was a child, and he is much more familiar with Shangjing than Ye Qi, not so much that Ye Qi helps, it is better to say that Xiangyun takes Ye Qi to familiarize himself with the capital.

was reprimanded by Emperor Jing'an for presuming his intercession, but Wei Qi did not show frustration or grievances at all, and did things as usual. At the end of the year, all kinds of celebrations, pilgrimages, and sacrifices are full, and since the beginning of previous years, except for particularly major events, Emperor Jing'an has personally presided over them, they are all represented by Prime Minister Lu Yichu, and this year Wei Qi was arranged.

This seems to be another important signal, because it is the prerogative of the crown prince to preside over some activities on behalf of the emperor. However, the emperor's edict said that because the prime minister was old and busy with government affairs at the end of the year, Prince Ming presided over Yunyun on his behalf.