Li Wei and Xue Xiang hurriedly entered the palace with umbrellas to ask for a meeting, and finally came to Zhu Yuanzhang after passing through the ceremony.

Zhu Yuanzhang had been waiting for a long time, and when he saw them, he only glanced at them lightly.

"Your Majesty!"

Li Wei and Xue Xiang saluted together.

"Your Majesty, Xu Yong of the Ordnance Bureau is corrupt and abuses craftsmen, and the craftsmen are also oppressed, so they rose up to resist in desperation, please be gracious to Your Majesty!"

Li Wei said eagerly.

Xue Xiang immediately followed: "Your Majesty, this matter can be testified, that Xu Yongchen also reprimanded him, but he repeatedly refused to change, so he caused this disaster, and the craftsmen were also forced to be helpless." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored Xue Xiang, looked up at Li Wei slightly, and asked lightly: "I heard that you asked that Tao Youqing to incite the craftsman?" ”

"Yes, it's the minister, please punish Your Majesty!"

On the way here, Xue Xiang had already told him in detail what had happened, and now that Tao Youqing was dead, whether he said those words or not was up to him.

If he denies it, then these craftsmen are beating officials and beheading them for public display, but if he admits it, then these people are equivalent to obeying his orders, and they are blindly obedient, and the sin is much less.

Although he is also arbitrary, he is a sixth-grade official, higher than Xu Yong, and Zhu Yuanzhang did this to force him to be obedient, so he just followed his wishes.

When Xue Xiang heard what he said, he couldn't help but look at him worriedly, this is not a trivial matter, if he really punishes the crime according to law, it is not impossible to lose his life.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat up slightly, but opened his mouth to ask a topic that had nothing to do with it: "Have you finished writing your statement?" ”

Li Wei's face paused slightly, hesitated and said: "Weichen is only a shallow learner, and the expression still needs to be considered one or two more. ”

"Then you go back and think about it, don't bother us here!"

Zhu Yuanzhang directly waved his hand angrily to drive people away.

“……”

After being silent for a moment, Li Wei sighed inwardly, whether he wanted it or not, he couldn't resist this lord of the world after all.

"I'll write it tomorrow."

Saying this, Li Wei's whole person was like a deflated ball, and the whole person became listless.

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled with satisfaction and said softly: "The craftsmen are all locked up in the criminal department, go tell them yourself." ”

When Li Wei heard this, he was pleasantly surprised: "Thank you, Your Majesty! ”

With Zhu Yuanzhang's words, those craftsmen can at least survive.

But Xue Xiang didn't let go of it, and said worriedly: "Your Majesty, then Lord Li ...... him."

Li Wei confessed to this sin, and if there is no reasonable explanation, it will definitely be punished.

Li Wei himself was not very worried, he knew that as long as he promised Zhu Yuanzhang, then he would be fine.

Sure enough, Zhu Yuanzhang unhurriedly took out an edict and threw it to Li Wei.

Li Wei took it and opened it, and it was written an edict appointing him to act in charge of the affairs of the Ordnance Bureau, dated six days ago, obviously, this was prepared by Zhu Yuanzhang a long time ago.

With this edict, it is justified for him to order the craftsmen of the Ordnance Bureau to do things, although this is obviously a forcible cover-up, but with the emperor's edict and the endorsement of Xue Xiang, the number one leader of the Ministry of Works, no one can find fault with him.

At the same time, he was once again tied up in the Ordnance Bureau, and if he refused to accept it, or if he could, it would definitely happen again today.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Wei put away the edict and hurriedly saluted.

When Xue Xiang saw this thing, he also understood, and finally put his mind at ease.

"Your Majesty, if there is no other command, the minister will retire first!"

Li Wei went on to say that now those craftsmen are locked up in the Criminal Department, and he should explain it clearly as soon as possible, so as to save people as soon as possible, so as not to have too many dreams at night.

"Get out, get out!" Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand impatiently.

Li Wei and Xue Xiang bowed down and retired together.

After leaving the palace, the two did not dare to stay, and hurriedly went straight to the criminal department.

Xue Xiang is also a scholar after all, after the two came to the Criminal Department, although Zhang Zongyi was displeased, he still took care of his face and received the two in person.

Li Wei got straight to the point and said straightforwardly: "Lord Zhang, those craftsmen acted like this only after listening to my orders, and I ask you to give a lenient sentence." ”

When Zhang Zongyi heard this, he sneered, of course he heard this when he interrogated those craftsmen, this Li Wei is really bold, he is not honest when he is demoted to the teaching department, and he dares to make such a mess, and those craftsmen are also stupid, so they dare to obey.

Li Wei has an official body, unlike those craftsmen, according to the law of the Ming Dynasty, the crimes of the official can only be impeached to the emperor, waiting for the emperor to issue an order to punish the crime, and the small Beijing officials have to ask for their lives before they can be questioned, this is the privilege of the elite class, even if it is a local sesame official, he can't be sentenced if he is caught, just like the Daotong incident, Zhu Liang's ancestral marquis and a political envoy Xu Ben, can't directly do anything to him, they can only play a false accusation.

Zhang Zongyi naturally couldn't directly arrest Li Wei for interrogation, and had to ask His Majesty for his life, but he didn't expect Li Wei to dare to send him to the door himself at this time.

"Li Wei, you are an envoy of the sect, you dare to give such a disorderly life, and this official is about to ask His Majesty for an order to punish your crimes!"

Zhang Zongyi said coldly.

Li Wei was unhappy when he saw him like this, but now that the craftsman was still locked inside, he couldn't stop messing around, so he directly took out the edict and showed it to him.

When Zhang Zongyi saw this edict, his face suddenly turned ugly.

This is obviously covered up by His Majesty, why didn't you take out this thing earlier, the days above were six days ago, and Li Wei was still at home at that time.

"If you have this edict, why didn't you take it out earlier?" Zhang Zongyi asked angrily.

"I'm busy, I'm sorry." Li Wei opened his eyes and said nonsense, anyway, the emperor is shameless, why does he still have a face.

Xue Xiang also echoed on the side: "This edict is known to the official, Lord Li has already informed the official, and it is the fault of the official to fail to inform the yamen in time. ”

Zhang Zongyi was so angry that his face twitched, this group of people, from the emperor to the boss of the Ministry of Industry, colluded, what else could he say?

Although it is not in accordance with the rules to issue such an edict, but Zhu Yuanzhang has done a lot of unruly things, and you can't say that he is illegal, after all, the emperor himself is the law.

"Hmph, even so, you are abusing your power and acting recklessly! This official will impeach you to Your Majesty! Zhang Zongyi said angrily.

Li Wei looked indifferent: "Those craftsmen can always let them go, right?" ”

"I can let it go, but a few of them have already been escorted to the execution ground, I'm afraid it's too late!"

He now understands why Mao Xiang hinted to him to kill less before, it turned out that this had been arranged a long time ago, and His Majesty just wanted to use his hand to kill a few chickens and monkeys.

Li Wei stood up abruptly in shock: "What? How could it be so fast? ”

Xue Xiang was also shocked, it stands to reason that the trial process of the Criminal Department is cumbersome, and it has only been less than two days, so it should not be sentenced so quickly.

"Hmph, big and important cases, do it quickly, what's not to do?" Zhang Zongyi sneered.

"You!" Li Wei glared angrily, reached out and grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up.

"What are you doing, how dare you be rude to this official? Let go! ”

Zhang Zongyi shouted and reprimanded, although Li Wei is a weak chicken, he is an old man, and he is afraid of being young.

Xue Xiang hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Li Wei: "Master Li, don't be impulsive, it's important to save people!" ”

When Li Wei heard this, he didn't care about anything else, and asked directly: "Where is the execution ground?" ”

Zhang Zongyi, in line with the old man's consciousness that he would not suffer the loss in front of him, did not hide it, and said directly: "It is set up in the Ordnance Bureau." ”

Of course, he did this to deter those craftsmen of the Ordnance Bureau, and of course this is also what Zhu Yuanzhang meant.

Li Wei pushed him away, turned around and was about to rush to save people, walked to the door and said to Xue Xiang: "Lord Xue, the rest of the craftsmen will be handed over to you, you watch carefully, let them release!" ”

Although Zhang Zongyi agreed to release him, he was still not at ease and told Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang was going to follow him to the execution ground, but when he heard this, he paused, nodded and said, "Okay, I'm staring here, you can go quickly." ”

Li Wei no longer hesitated, turned around and ran out.

The spring rain in Xili didn't seem to be big, but Li Wei ran in a hurry, and his lower body was wet with an umbrella, and the official robe was really inconvenient, so he threw down the umbrella directly, lifted the robe and ran.

When he ran to the Ordnance Bureau out of breath, he heard a faint cry from a distance, and his heart sank.

When he got closer to see the scene here, his breath was stagnant!

I saw five or six people with their heads tied with ropes and their hair hanging at the door of the Ordnance Bureau, and their dirty hair covered most of their faces, but those who knew each other could still recognize whose appearance it was.

The errand action did not stop, and two more were hanged up, and then stopped.

There were family members crying miserably on the side, collecting the headless corpses, and the heads of the public could not be recovered until the official government was finished.

Li Wei looked at all this, standing on the spot, his hands and feet were cold, and his whole body was stiff!

He has seen a lot of dead people, even peeling the skin and grass, a few human heads, so as not to scare him.

However, the people who died now were people he was familiar with, and several of them were stewards he had promoted.

These people used to build a blast furnace with him, study lathes together, polish parts together, make bicycles and steel armor for him together, and ...... together

Together......

……

The officers of the Criminal Department finished their work, and when they left, they saw this person standing stupidly in official uniforms, but they didn't come forward to talk, and hurriedly packed up their things and left.

It's still raining after all.

Although the weather is getting warmer now, the rain is still very cold.

The cold rain extinguished the temperature on Li Wei's body and also extinguished his heart.

If Xu Yao was angry and sad when he died, and there was some panic, then now, he can only be cold.

These people only resisted after listening to his words, although it was Tao Youqing lying, but they would only listen if they took it seriously, strictly speaking, these people still died for him.

After the officers packed up their things and left, the family members also left with the mutilated corpses crying.

Some of the craftsmen who ran past saw him, the former squire, but their eyes were no longer as enthusiastic and respectful as they once were, but with fear!

Li Wei stood blankly, and when the craftsmen walked by, they all bypassed him from a distance, no one stepped forward to talk, and no one called him Master Li again.

The crowd gradually left, leaving him alone to stand in the rain for a long, long time......

I don't know how long it took, but someone finally came out of the armory bureau and came to him.

Lu Ti stepped forward to hold up an umbrella for him and persuaded softly: "Master Li, go back!" ”

Li Wei stared at the heads of those who were hoisted, motionless, and said in a somewhat hoarse voice: "You say, why do they listen to me?" ”

Lu Ti was slightly stunned when he heard this, and replied with a deep groan: "Because the adults have brought them hope." ”

He was born in a craftsman's household, and he had been in the Armory Bureau for many years, since the former Armory Bureau was still a quartermaster's depot, and he knew very well the thoughts of these craftsmen.

They used to live a hard life and didn't feel anything, but after Li Wei came, everything changed, they don't have to be beaten and scolded anymore, they can get bonuses for working more, as long as they work hard, they can live a good life.

But all this was gone with his departure.

Li Wei was stunned, he understood this truth, people without hope will be confused, and if there is hope, they will do their best to grasp it.

He was the hope of these people, but he backed down.

"Lord Lu, are you afraid of death?"

Li Wei took a deep breath and asked softly.

Lu Ti was stunned for a moment, and was silent for a long time before he said faintly: "Of course I am afraid, but if there is hope, I will not be afraid anymore!" ”

Li Wei's role in the Ordnance Bureau was in his eyes, and the craftsmen used to worship him as a god, and Lu Ti was the same.

Although he couldn't understand many things taught by Li Wei, those magical creations were real, and more importantly, Li Wei was really good to them, and that kind of egalitarian attitude from the heart was something that other officials had never had.

When Li Wei heard this, he took his gaze back and stared at him for a moment, Lu Ti smiled and did not dodge.

Li Wei instructed softly: "Help me collect the evidence of Xu Yong's embezzlement." ”

"The subordinate obeys."

Lu Ti happily agreed, he didn't know that Li Wei had an edict from the Acting Ordnance Bureau, but it didn't matter.

After Li Wei finished speaking, he turned his head again, looked at those heads, and let out a long sigh.

He didn't explain what to do after collecting the evidence, and Rutty didn't ask.

"Since you want to believe me, then I'll take you around."

Li Wei said to himself in his heart.

……

Because Li Wei had legal acting documents, the craftsmen of the Ordnance Bureau were quickly released, but it was impossible to save these beheaded ones.

However, the head did not hang up forever, and was forcibly taken down by Li Wei and returned to the families of each family for burial.

After returning home, Xiaoqing helped Li Wei change out of his soaked clothes, and instructed Xiaoyue to boil water for him to bathe.

Li Wei sat in the wooden bathtub, the warmth of the water dispelled the cold on his body, but it could not warm the cold in his heart.

Xiaoqing poured water on him while wiping him, and the slender jade hand touched Li Wei's shoulder, Li Wei turned his head and finally showed a smile on his face.

But only a hint of it.

The death of these craftsmen made him realize the reality that in this feudal society, people are not qualified to lie flat, either they take the initiative to climb up, or they are trampled under their feet, and they have to work hard to lift others up.

It's just that in Zhu Yuanzhang's era, the higher he climbs, the faster he will die, and if he wants to achieve enough to control the imperial power and even subvert it, it is undoubtedly a life of nine deaths.

Thinking about his repeated actions of lying flat before, it is also a kind of subconscious self-preservation.

It's a pity that Zhu Yuanzhang didn't allow it.

In that case, he had no choice.

Li Wei gently grabbed Xiaoqing's slender jade hand and asked softly: "Xiaoqing, if one day I am guilty of you, are you afraid?" ”

Xiaoqing's movements paused, and he smiled lightly: "Since Xiaoqing has followed the master, he will be the master's person for the rest of his life, no matter whether it is a blessing or a curse in the future, as long as the master is there, Xiaoqing is not afraid." ”

The smile on Li Wei's face grew, and he reached through her hair, pressed his little head, and kissed it.

……

The next day, Li Wei copied the sheet left by Wu Bozong and attached a gift slip to it.

Marrying the emperor's daughter is also a bride price, and Li Wei attached the shares of the Yicheng Minghuang Chamber of Commerce and the tens of thousands of yuan deducted by Laifu to Zhu Yuanzhang.

If you want to take it, you must give it first, and if you want to rebel, you must first show loyalty.

That one percent of the shares was bought by him for 100,000 yuan, but according to the accounts of the Minghuang Chamber of Commerce last year, it must be worth at least about 300,000 yuan now, and it will only be higher in the future.

Laifu has tens of thousands of dollars, and he must hand it over, although he has already done a good job of the accounts, but it is expected that this matter will not be hidden from Zhu Yuanzhang, and his lack of investigation does not mean that he does not know, this point of consciousness must be realized.

Under the guidance of the head of the Ministry of Rites, Li Wei presented the expression to the eunuch and handed it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

In addition to the nonsense of loyalty and gratitude, the main thing is the gift list and the wedding date.

The wedding date has long been calculated by Qin Tianjian Bu, and now it is just a formality, and the most important thing is the gift list.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw what was written on it, he immediately showed a satisfied smile, this stinky boy is finally interested.

Nodding, Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed the text from the eunuch again, and then the eunuch sent it to the harem to report that the princess's wedding date had been set.

Sending the eunuch away, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Li Wei who was standing respectfully with his head bowed in front of him, and frowned slightly.

After thinking about it, he comforted softly: "We know about those craftsmen, we didn't expect the Criminal Department to do it so quickly this time, let's arrange someone to appease you when you go back, don't take it too seriously." ”

Although he secretly operated this matter, he still had to let others carry the pot.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Although Li Wei knew that Tao Youqing was a spy, he didn't know if Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he already knew.

No matter what, you have to pretend to be stupid now, just treat all this as Tao Youqing's mishearing and misinformation.

As for the accounts that should be calculated, that Xu Yong, he has already planned it, and he will be able to clean it up soon, Zhang Zongyi, Lan Yu, Li Shanchang, none of these people can run, as for Zhu Yuanzhang, hey......

"From now on, you will be a family, you don't have to be so formal, you used to be quite bold!"

Zhu Yuanzhang had a gentle smile on his face, which was very different from his previous attitude.

Li Wei thought about it and relaxed a little, since Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to show his closeness, he had better cooperate.

The two-in-one chapter, sent together, begged for a ticket

(End of chapter)