Outside the Taiyuan Mansion,

Twenty brocade guards dressed in brocade clothes, gold armor, and embroidered spring knives at their waists had already lined up in two ways.

And next to the Jinyi Guard, there are also twenty officials of the government standing, although they don't look as glamorous as the Jinyi Guards of the imperial court, but they are also full of energy and sharp eyes.

A moment later, Liu Wencheng and Zheng Shiyuan walked out of the gate of the palace.

Jiang Zhen and the head of the official squad led the way on horseback, while Liu Wencheng, Zheng Shiyuan, and Han Yike followed on horseback.

The people on both sides looked at such a pomp and circumstance, and their faces were also horrified.

"Our Lord Liu is a fourth-rank official, how can he be so polite to these two seventh-grade junior officials wearing green official robes?"

"Isn't Lord Ye, the magistrate of Yanmen County, also a seven-rank petty official, and Lord Liu still has to be coaxed?"

"How many Lord Ye are there in the world, can they compare to Lord Ye?"

"They are the Qincha, the Qincha of the first level of the official university!"

In the crowd, a young man who looked like a scholar looked at the green official robe in the distance and said seriously and affirmatively.

At the same time, the people who heard this immediately became serious.

They only hope that these chincha are not blind, but they don't wronged these real 'parents'!

Under the warm spring sun,

This team, which represents the Ming court and the local government, left the government of Taiyuan Prefecture to govern Yangqu County.

In the next half month, they passed through Yuci County, Taigu County, Qi County, Xugou County, Qingyuan County, Jiaocheng County, Wenshui County, Shouyang County, Taiyuan County, Yu County, Jingle County, and Hequ County.

Among the 12 counties directly under the central government of Taiyuan Prefecture, each county has an average of two granaries, either war preparation granaries, or disaster preparedness granaries, or cash granaries.

The war readiness granaries are all full, and they are full of grain newly harvested last autumn!

The disaster preparedness granary is being built, and the progress of each project is different, some have been capped, are doing anti-corrosion treatment, and some have not yet been capped!

As for the realization of the granary that will be repaired next year, it has also begun to lay the foundation pile at the site selection!

On the official road of Yangqu County, Rao is Zheng Shiyuan, who has been serious in front of people for a long time, and it is rare to smile.

Not only that, but he also took a horseback ride while enjoying the scenery on both sides of the road.

In fact, not only Zheng Shiyuan, but also Han Yike and Jiang Zhen were also relaxed, as if they had survived some great difficulty.

Liu Wencheng looked at this scene, just touched his beard, and then nodded with satisfaction.

In his opinion, this is already the best result!

He could see that these three Chincha Lords had completely lost their so-called 'guilt' psychologically!

As the so-called cannibalism has a short mouth and a soft hand, they have enjoyed the happiness they once dared not think of these days, if they don't help them speak well in front of the king, they are not kind.

But when they are guilty, speaking up for them in front of the king is a great crime of accepting bribes, and it is worthy of the trust of His Majesty the Emperor.

But judging from the current investigation, whether His Majesty the Emperor feels guilty or not, in their eyes, they are innocent and meritorious.

In other words, even if they didn't have these treats that they couldn't think of before, they would try their best to say good things for Ye Qing.

Accepting hospitality in such a situation, and not spending a penny of the public's money, naturally does not feel guilty!

Not to mention Liu Wencheng, even if it is themselves, they have invited friends and colleagues to dinner for a long time, but their family background is not enough, and they invite coarse tea and light rice!

Judging from the net worth of his Ye Qing and Liu Wencheng, there is not much difference between this so-called hospitality and the coarse tea and light rice they invite others!

Early the next morning, on the official road next to the boundary monument of Yangqu County, Taiyuan Prefecture.

The Tongzhi and General Judge of Taiyuan Mansion are sending local products to the young men of Jinyiwei.

A young man in brocade looked at the small bag in his hand, the fabric of this small bag was very poor, like a foot cloth, it can be said that he was disgusted by looking at the dog.

The small bag is not big, and it doesn't contain many things, which is just a handful.

But it's not a lot of local products, but it's really a bit heavy!

At this moment, Liu Wencheng personally handed over three bags of local products to Zheng Shiyuan and the others!

The material of the bag is still disgusted by dogs, but the capacity is several times larger!

The bag for the Jinyiwei boys is as big as a purse, and the bag for them is as big as a backpack!

Not to mention Zheng Shiyuan and Han Yike, even Jiang Xuan, who is strong in martial arts, almost didn't hold it firm.

"Why is it so heavy?"

Liu Wencheng said with a smile: "Some worthless souvenirs!" ”

Jiang Zhen took out a handful of 'native products' and placed them in the sun, which instantly reflected the dazzling gold and silver light.

"Lord Liu, you say these are worthless souvenirs?"

Liu Wencheng still explained with a smile: "Of course it's a worthless souvenir!" ”

"What is money, my Daming money refers to copper coins and treasure money, not these gold and silver coins that I don't know where they came from."

"If you look at the patterns and words on this, take this gold coin as a metaphor, it is still a woman wearing a crown and holding a scepter, and these words that look like earthworms crawling, don't you recognize them?"

"These things can't be spent directly as money, so they are naturally worthless souvenirs!"

"Because Lord Ye is doing a good job in foreign trade, these worthless souvenirs are our local specialties here!"

"General Jiang, do you think the lower official is right?"

Jiang Zhen just rolled his eyes, and immediately nodded with a smile and said, "Lord Liu is right, but the general is disrespectful." ”

"Please rest assured, Lord Liu, we will repay the truth!"

As soon as the words fell, Jiang Zhen turned into a coachman again, driving the carriage in the direction of Yingtianfu.

After the carriage,

Zheng Shiyuan looked at the big bag of souvenirs under his feet, and the cold sweat on his forehead couldn't stop popping out.

He glared at Han Yike on the other side and scolded: "Lord Han, how can you accept such a valuable gift?" ”

"It's just that you accept it, how can you call the Jinyi guard to drag me into the car, and I am not allowed to refuse?"

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"You touch your head, it's still there!"

Han Yike not only didn't get angry, but also said with a light smile: "Lord Zheng, which ear did you see that I asked Jinyiwei to do it, and which eye saw that it was me who glanced at Jinyiwei?" ”

Zheng Shiyuan thought about it carefully, although Han Yike did not refuse, he did not explicitly hint at Jinyiwei.

Immediately afterwards, Han Yike whispered to Zheng Shiyuan again.

It was this whisper that reminded Zheng Shiyuan of a detail that he had overlooked before, that is, when Jiang Zhen was talking to Liu Wencheng, the hand hidden behind him also made a gesture to Jinyiwei.

"Is it General Chiang?"

Han Yike whispered: "Master Zheng, it's right for you to go out on errands and talk about principles, but sometimes you still have to learn to be flexible." ”

"If the weapon is too strong, it is easy to break!"

"My dynasty is the lowest in history, and this is the fundamental reason why corrupt officials cannot be killed!"

"This Lord Ye uses this way to rule the world, and he can also make His Majesty want to kill but is reluctant to kill, what does this mean, this shows that His Majesty's concept may be changed by Lord Ye!"

"If Lord Ye is really a fish and a common man, if I don't accept the gift, he will die!"

"But what he has done is enough for me not to accept the gift, and I will do my best to speak for him!"

"In that case, why not accept it?"

"Some gifts must not be taken, while some gifts are better than not taken!"

"And these sustenances are better than not to take them!"

"Besides, these sustenances are indeed valuable to you and me, but for Lord Ye, they are really just some worthless souvenirs!"

“.”

Under Han Yike's painstaking guidance, Zheng Shiyuan can be regarded as a little enlightened, but only a little bit enlightened.

Half a month later, Zheng Shiyuan and his party returned to Yingtianfu, but when they arrived, the early dynasty had ended.

On the way to the imperial study, the two were dressed in court clothes, holding the war knife given by Zhu Yuanzhang and the unopened handwritten holy decree.

Not only that, but they also carried the 'native products' given by Ye Qing on behalf of Liu Wencheng!

Although Han Yike thought that judging from the situation at that time, it was better to take these souvenirs than not to take them, but he knew that only with the permission of His Majesty the Emperor, these souvenirs could really be held without being hot!

But when they entered the imperial study, they were stunned by the scene in front of them.

It turned out that they were not the only people who realized this, even Jiang Zhen and those young men in Jinyi also had this understanding.

On the dragon case in the imperial study, there are a large bag of souvenirs, as well as twenty small bags of sustenances!

Looking at this scene, Han Yike only felt that he was underestimating Jinyiwei!

These people are people carefully selected by Zhu Yuanzhang from the pro-army, can they not understand Zhu Yuanzhang's personality?

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the two burdens behind the two, and only then did he have a little relief in his eyebrows.

Long before the two of them came in, he had made up his mind, if the two of them didn't bring these sustenances over, Ye Qing would not die, and they would have to die!

Fortunately, these two made the wisest decision and did not have the idea of accepting Ye Qing's gift behind his back.

Actually, it's not that he doesn't allow his people to accept Ye Qing's gifts, Mao Xiang and them don't accept Ye Qing's gifts from him?

But there is an essential difference between accepting it in front of him and accepting it behind his back, but fortunately, their behavior is no different from accepting a gift in front of him!

Zhu Yuanzhang just said solemnly: "The results of your investigation, Jiang Zhen has already said. ”

"Now, let's hear you say it again!"

The two of them put down their burdens, presented their swords and holy decrees, and then began to pick out the key points.

After talking about the results of the investigation, the two began to say good things for Ye Qing.

But as soon as they started talking, they saw Zhu Yuanzhang frowning and looking extremely impatient.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately interrupted: "We want you to investigate the truth, not for you to decide right and wrong for us." ”

"Let's go down!"

The two of them quickly shut up, just bowed, and then withdrew from the imperial study.

After the two of them left the imperial study, they just looked in the direction of Yanmen County, their eyes were full of worry, they just sighed and went straight out of the palace.

They also wanted to speak for Ye Qing, but if they continued to speak, their heads would be lost.

There is no way, this Lord Ye, who they think has no merit, can only ask for more blessings!

At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang just sat on the dragon chair, looking at so many local products in front of him, his eyes were deep and complicated.

When he dealt with Ye Qing's problem, he was like this, even if he knew that Ye Qing was doing the right thing, he didn't want his own people to say good things about Ye Qing to him.

It can be understood that he is jealous, and it can also be understood that he doesn't like the feeling of being dug into the wall.

"Someone,"

"Go and call the queen and the crown prince to us!"

A moment later, Queen Ma and Zhu Biao came to the imperial study one after another.

After hearing the truth about Ye Qing's evasion of agricultural taxes, the mother and son immediately appeared in front of Zhu Yuanzhang and vividly brought the words 'overjoyed' to life.

"Chongba, it's still right for me to say, you almost killed a virtuous minister who served the country and the people, and you regretted it and cried!"

"Dad, your temper has really changed, and you have to listen to your mother a lot of times."

“.”

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Queen Ma and Zhu Biao, who were about to change their surnames to 'Ye', and really wanted to slap them one by one.

But after thinking about it, what their mother and son said was indeed the truth.

He just said solemnly: "Is he not wrong at all?" ”

"Are you two blind and can't see so much baggage on our desk, open it yourself and see what's inside!"

The two of them looked at so many unsightly burdens, and then opened them curiously.

They looked at the 'souvenirs' that could not be directly spent as money, but could be exchanged for a lot of money, and immediately knew what was going on.

Thinking of this, Queen Ma and Zhu Biao also looked embarrassed, this Ye Qing really can't boast, if you praise something!

This matter is called bribery, but it is not impossible to say that it is small!

Queen Ma gave Zhu Biao a look, and the two tacitly became a good wife and a filial son, one helped Zhu Yuanzhang sit down, and the other made tea for Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Don't, you two don't come to this!"

"We will definitely reward him for Ye Qing's efforts in building a warehouse, but we must also punish him for Ye Qing's crime of bribery!"

As soon as the words fell, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't sit down or drink tea, crossed his hands, held his head high, and looked extremely tough.

Queen Ma saw that Zhu Yuanzhang's oil and salt did not enter, so she went directly to the back of the stigma.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew at a glance that she was going to get a feather duster, so he immediately sat down and said, "Sister, if you have something to say." ”

"Hurry up and get back to us, we have something to say, we are a family, what can't we say?"

"You, don't run into there at every turn!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was also quite speechless, saying that the cockroaches in the kitchen could not be killed, but when they came to him, it was a feather duster in the corner of his imperial study, which could not be destroyed.

Under Zhu Yuanzhang's tough order, Ma Huang really smiled and 'got out' back.

Beneath the golden roof of the five-clawed golden dragon,

The three of them sat around the dragon case and discussed Ye Qing's merits and demerits.

Queen Ma said gently: "Your Majesty, his Ye Qing's contribution to building a warehouse, this is absolutely not said." ”

"Even if you put this matter in the court, it will be meritorious, if you insist that he is wrong, the hundred officials will look at you differently."

Zhu Yuanzhang pouted and said: "Let's not discuss this matter, he does have merit." ”

"What we want to cure is that he will never escape the crime of bribery, and you should not scare us with a feather duster, this is not something that a feather duster can solve, unless you use reason to persuade us!"

Queen Ma just smiled confidently and said, "When did I say that I didn't convince people with reason?" ”

"You?"

"Do you convince people with reason?"

"Come, Ma Xiuying, in front of our son, persuade us to try it with reason!"

"If you don't convince us, you are not allowed to hide a feather duster in our imperial study from now on!"

Zhu Biao, who was on the other side, looked at this scene, and directly crossed Erlang's legs, and took the tea cup in his hand, and instantly had the feeling of watching a play in the garden.

In Zhu Biao's eyes, Queen Ma was lying on the other side of the dragon case, nodded with a light smile: "Then let's talk about it first, what is 'bribery'!" ”

"Officialdom bribery refers to giving gifts to officials or supervisory officials to cover up their illegality or help them break the law, right?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Queen Ma and nodded, "Yes!" ”

"Then he, Ye Qing and Liu Wencheng, let them help cover up the lawlessness, or help them break the law?"

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately frowned and said, "No!" ”

Queen Ma continued: "Officialdom bribery refers to the acceptance of gifts by superiors or supervision officials, covering up illegality for subordinate officials or officials under investigation, or helping them to break the law, right? ”

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said, "Yes! ”

"Then did they help Ye Qing and Liu Wencheng cover up their lawlessness, or help them break the law?"

Zhu Yuanzhang whispered: "No! ”

Queen Ma pointed to these big and small burdens again: "Not only that, but they also took the initiative to hand it over to you, are you sure you want to punish them?" ”

"These things are indeed extremely valuable to others, but to him Ye Qing, they are really just a simple 'gift'."

"Have you forgotten that after Mao Xiang and those young men helped him arrest the Northern Yuan envoy Ma Hamu, didn't he also send these things in front of you?"

"What's the difference between this and giving it to your face?"

"Chonghachi, you have to remember that it's good to have the people below fear you, but it's not good to let them fear you!"

"Nothing can be too much, as the saying goes, the extremes of things must be opposed."

In Zhu Biao's eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang already knows nothing but nodding.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the mother-in-law in front of him, and now he really hates it.

He didn't actually think about anything, he just wanted to find a crime to rectify Ye Qing, but now it's okay, he can really only reward but not punish.

But after thinking about it, he Ye Qingwen has the merit of governing the world, the great merit of creating and improving agricultural products, the merit of defending the city, and the great merit of suggesting strategies and finding the jade seal of the country, and he can really be rewarded and not punished!

But it's still the same sentence, the people who are ministers are too civil and military, and if they don't make any mistakes, they won't be able to sleep when they become emperors!

Queen Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's embarrassed face, and immediately realized this problem.

"Heavy eight, the crime of bribery is too big, it can't be used on him, if it is used on him, the happy people will only be Hu Weiyong and them."

"Although he has made a meritorious contribution to building a position, he knows and does not report it, so you almost killed Zhongliang by mistake, and you can cure him for the crime of 'knowing and not reporting'!"

Zhu Yuanzhang must have it, so he immediately smiled and nodded: "The girl still has a way, so let's do it!" ”

"By the way, we want to postpone Ye Qing's promotion for two days."

"We want to reveal this news first, and see what kind of moth will come out of our Prime Minister Hu Cheng, as well as the old Xiangguo (Li Shanchang) who is still in his hometown and has not forgotten the court."

After hearing this, Queen Ma and Zhu Biao also felt that this matter was feasible.

The next morning, when Zhu Yuanzhang talked about the results of the investigation, he could be said to be a dragon-faced joy.

Not only that, he and Zhu Biao also praised Ye Qing, praising as if they were singing a double reed!

In the afternoon of the same day, Kong Kebiao, Zhu Liangzu and others entered Hu Weiyong's mansion through the back door in a low-key manner.

In the hall of Hu Weiyong's mansion,

Zhu Liangzu frowned and said: "Hu Xiang, I never thought that the truth about his Ye Qing's evasion of agricultural taxes turned out to be the construction of grain storage?" ”

"How is this good, my father and mother were killed by him!"

Kong Kebiao also frowned and said: "Your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sang such a song in the court, but they never said what official he was promoted, what does this mean?" ”

Hu Weiyong just smiled with relief, and said, 'You finally have a brain', but he was stunned but didn't say it.

Hu Weiyong nodded and said, "Your Majesty is releasing news to see what we will do." ”

"This minister warns you, don't slander Lord Ye after you go back, he is the number one hero of my Ming Dynasty."

"After today, don't come to the Prime Minister's Mansion again."

"This prime minister will go to write to the old minister, and everything will wait for the old minister's reply!"

meanwhile

Wang Baobao, Li Wenzhong, Tang He, Fu Youde, Geng Bingwen, and Lan Yu also sat in the meeting hall of the Wei State Mansion.

It's just that the content of their chats, there are not so many conspiracies.

Their only 'conspiracy' is how to make their own daughter compare with the second girl of Xu Da's family.

Since his status is not as good as Xu Da, he can only compare his daughter!

If the identity and status of the father can't be compared, and the appearance and talent of the daughter or sister can't be compared, after Ye Qing is promoted to Beijing, they will have no chance at all!

Xu Da looked at the guys in front of him who were looking at him with blank eyes, and naturally knew the purpose of their coming today.

It's nothing more than seeing that Ye Qing's promotion to Beijing has been confirmed, so I want to come to him to 'investigate the enemy', so that I can know myself and the enemy, and win all battles!

"It's okay,"

"Let's call out the second brocade and let you know what it means to 'retreat in the face of difficulties'!"

"In addition to Wu Ke being handsome and Wen Ke being the prime minister, my biggest skill is to give birth to a good daughter!"

Thinking of this,

Xu Da immediately beckoned the housekeeper and asked him to call Xu Miaojin to greet his uncles!

I ask the officials to follow up on the support, and ask for the support of recommended tickets and monthly passes, thank you!

(End of chapter)