General, he's cheating again

Chapter 3 The Blood Book

Yesterday morning was still a warm spring breeze and sunny weather, and in the afternoon, cloudy clouds gathered in the sky and gradually enveloped the entire Kaifeng city.

The guests who went to Gu's mansion to express their congratulations stayed shortly after seeing that the weather turned cloudy, and scattered all over before the evening.Sure enough, there were sporadic drizzles when it was just dark, and the rain continued throughout the night and became more and more fine and continuous.When waking up in the morning, when each household opened the doors and windows, what they saw was the capital city that had been washed by the spring rain.

This morning, Song Xunxuan was in the early court, and the front palace people lit the palace lanterns at Yinshi.The eunuchs carrying the dragon chariot outside the Funing Hall were hanging their heads in the corridor to wait for orders, and the imperial dining room a few palace roads away from the Funing Hall was also busy with people coming and going.

It was bright when Song Xun arrived at the Daqing Hall on a dragon chariot after breakfast. When Song Xun walked into the Daqing Hall, the ministers in court uniforms were bowing their heads and standing in their seats. Song Xun sat on the dragon chair and all the ministers gathered together. Kneel together.

In the early court, Song Xun first commended Gu Zhen's achievements, and then asked carefully about the border deployment in Liaodong after the war and the current national conditions in Koryo, etc.

Wearing a gauze hat and a purple python wide-sleeved brocade robe, Gu Zhen came out of the line with a wat board in his hand and leaned over and replied: "If you go back to the emperor, I have already set up watchtowers in various cities in Koryo and deployed soldiers to guard them. If there is any change, Kaifeng can receive information in time."

Gu Zhen's voice was vigorous and powerful, and even Song Xun, who was bowing down at the moment, felt that Gu Zhen's whole body was full of heroism.Song Xun suddenly remembered when he was in the Imperial College, he remembered that Gu Zhen was still a dissolute and cynical person at that time.

After Gu Zhen finished speaking, Song Xun disagreed and said: "Okay, the Gu family has two generations of soldiers and horses, and now they are better than blue. You, Gu Zhen, are unbeatable for your father's bravery."

"Your Majesty, this old minister has something to say." A medium-sized Confucian official in Zifu came forward to speak out.

This Confucian minister has white and black hair intertwined, and the narrow eyes on his wide-eared square face always have a bit of city.He was over half a hundred years old but still spoke with full of air. He glanced sideways at Gu Zhen who was tall and straight, and shook his head in disapproval on his face.

Song Xun had already guessed what Lin Wenshan was going to say, so he shifted his gaze to Gu Zhen and glanced at him. He pretended to be suspicious and said to Lin Wenshan, "What does Prime Minister Lin have to say?"

"Your Majesty, Gu Zhen is a man of bad conduct, and the late Emperor once sneered at him. Now the Emperor trusts him so much just because of his military exploits. I'm afraid he will be proud of him in the future!" Lin Wenshan sneered. He snorted softly, he had already grasped a small trick of Gu Zhen in his hand, and today he wanted to take advantage of the fire to destroy his prestige.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang, Minister of Rites, Zhang Youwei, came back from the Gu Mansion yesterday, and he felt very anxious." Lin Wenshan straightened his back and looked at Gu Zhen with a questioning expression, "After thinking about it, Mr. Zhang decided to come and complain to the old minister. Mr. Zhang said that he went to Gu's mansion to give congratulatory gifts. When he met Gu Zhen in the mansion, he first expressed his admiration and then talked with Gu Zhen about the etiquette of the country. Unexpectedly, Gu Zhen's nature is dissolute and frivolous. Girls are invited to go to the mansion to have fun.

We must know the importance of a country, legislate from time to time, and regulate rituals according to circumstances.Only two days after Gu Zhen returned to Beijing, he was so proud of being favored. According to the old minister, His Majesty should take precautions to prevent him from taking credit for himself! "

Gu Zhen raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and thought that Lin Wenshan was indeed an old fox, such a trivial matter could be elevated to the top of the country by him.Song Xun's majestic eyes fell on Gu Zhen, and he tapped the golden dragon head on the armrest of the dragon chair with his knuckles, and said, "Gu Aiqing, is there such a thing?"

In the hall, Ye Ruan, who was standing behind Qin Qingrong, tapped Qin Qingrong's back lightly with a wat board. Qin Qingrong turned around and saw Ye Ruan remembering yesterday's "flower viewing", with a smile on his face watching the show.

Qin Qingrong turned her head, and her eyes fell on Gu Zhen who was still calm.

"If you go back to the emperor, I'm innocent!" Gu Zhen gradually frowned, his tone full of misunderstood innocence. He raised his head and looked at Lin Wenshan sincerely.

"I think it's because I didn't send an invitation to Prime Minister Lin yesterday, and Prime Minister Lin was displeased, and now I'm picking on my minister in every possible way."

Lin Wenshan froze, turned around and looked at Gu Zhen with surprise and anger.

Song Xun couldn't help showing a smile on his lips, and the smile flashed across his Yan Jun's face with doubts, "Oh? How should I say it?"

Gu Zhen didn't change his face, but his innocent expression and phoenix eyes showed a bit of narrowness. He leaned down and said: "I think Prime Minister Lin misunderstood. Yesterday Lichen didn't send invitations to any of the ministers." , but there was an endless stream of ministers who came to give congratulatory gifts. Since the minister is the host, there is no reason to neglect the guests. So he ordered the servants at home to simply set up the banquet, and bought a wedding ceremony that the minister had bought in Jiangnan with a lot of money. A group of dancers are invited to cheer everyone up. Although these dancers have been bathed in the Qinlou Chu Pavilion since they were young, they are already good people.

All the ministers praised them yesterday, if Lin Xiangxiang missed the wonderful singing and dancing at Weichen's mansion and was upset, then Weichen will send them to Lin Xiangfu's mansion today as an apology.

only……"

Looking at Lin Wenshan's astonished expression, Gu Zhen's smile deepened in his heart. There was still a deep sense of self-blame on his face. Gu Zhen straightened up and wondered: "It's just a private matter between me and Xiangruo Lin. If you are dissatisfied, please tell me directly in private next time. At the court, the war should be discussed and the people's sentiments should be discussed. This minister Lin feels that it is a waste of the precious time of the emperor and all the ministers."

Song Xun nodded secretly when he heard the words, he didn't expect that Gu Zhen was also a eloquent person.

"You...you! You are talking nonsense!" Lin Wenshan pointed at Gu Zhen angrily, stuttering angrily.He had always sneered at those rambunctious voices, but Gu Zhen actually made him look like a small-bellied old pervert!

"Your Majesty, this person is stubborn, he doesn't listen to instruction and speaks eloquently. Veteran..."

"Your Majesty, I have something to do."

Qin Qingrong, who had been standing aside with no expression on his face, took out a piece of paper from his wide sleeve, and knelt down to salute.

Song Xun sighed softly, looked at Lin Wenshan and comforted him: "Okay, Prime Minister Lin, I know the situation. But since it is a private matter between you and Gu Qing, it should be settled in private. Now I have to listen to other ministers."

Lin Wenshan gritted his teeth unwillingly, looked at Gu Zhen fiercely, and secretly made a note for Gu Zhen in his heart.

"Qin Qing, tell me." Song Xun rubbed his brows lightly.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Wei Chen and Ye Shaoqing received a pleading paper from a woman in Dali Temple the day before yesterday." Qin Qingrong held the pleading paper in both hands, and Li Chengfu took it from Qin Qingrong's hand and handed it to Song Xun.

Song Xun fixed his eyes on the pleading paper, but he didn't expect that the pleading paper was written in blood.

Qin Qingrong got up and cupped his hands and said: "Return to the emperor, this woman was originally from a family in Tanzhou. After she went to Beijing to file a complaint, she killed herself in the street. According to the paper, her husband, Qian, was originally a slave in charge of salt and iron transportation in Tanzhou. First, the daily responsibility is to load, unload, store and transport the salt and iron flowing into Tanzhou to neighboring counties. Qian has been transporting salt and iron for many years, and there has never been a mistake in the years. But half a year ago He never returned in one of his shipments, and has never heard from him so far.

Qian's wife initially reported the case to the local county government, but there was no response from the county government for a long time.She went all out and told the governor of Tanzhou.At first, the governor would reply to her one or two letters, but later the news also disappeared.As a last resort, he wrote a blood letter and went to Beijing to sue. "

"This woman is also a pitiful person," a minister in the palace interjected, "But it is not ruled out that her husband wants to abandon her. She killed herself this time, could it be because of this thought that she committed suicide recklessly? ah!"

Qin Qingrong's peaceful voice came back to deny the words: "I'm afraid that's not the case, this woman came to file a complaint the day before yesterday, and besides bringing the pleadings, there was also a letter of proof that someone had hidden salt and iron.

This certificate states the private storage place of the salt and iron, the witness who discovered the salt and iron, and the time of discovery.

These private collections of salt and iron were hidden in a deserted mountain in Longshan County, Tanzhou. A month ago, a boy from a nearby village went up to the mountain to collect herbs.After the boy returned to the village, he told his family members, and the family members went to confirm with the head of his village.Qian's wife passed by here on her way to Beijing, and happened to catch up with this incident, so she asked the village head for this certificate.

After this incident, the woman vaguely felt that these hidden iron and salt were closely related to Qian's disappearance.She no longer trusts the local government office, and would rather sue in blood, and hopes that the truth about Qian's disappearance will finally surface. "

"There's no reason for that!" Song Xun patted the armrest of the dragon chair with his hands tightly clenched on the paper, and said angrily, "The governor of the county government in Tanzhou is so incompetent that he forced a murder case! Where is the envoy of Yantie?"

A lean old Confucian dressed in scarlet court clothes came out, holding the wat board with both hands hanging over his head and knelt down, "My minister Dong Wen sees the emperor."

Song Xun looked at Dong Wen's kneeling figure and asked in a cold voice, "Dong Wen, since you are in charge of the Yantie Division, you didn't notice that there was someone hiding the salttie?"

"Returning to the emperor, there are many things in the Yantie Division. In addition to regular and quantitative delivery to the major states and counties, there are also military and diplomatic supplies on weekdays. The minister is mainly responsible for distribution and negotiation, and the specific delivery responsibilities have always been Master Chen Linxiang is in charge."

Chen Linxiang, who was hidden in the crowd, couldn't help taking a deep breath. He was short, and it took him a while to get out of the queue.Lifting his eyes and peeking at Long Wei's enraged Song Xun, he quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to be punished for neglecting my duty!"

"Your Majesty," Qin Qingrong remonstrated, "salt and iron monopoly has been practiced since the time of Qi State. omission."

Song Xun shifted his gaze from staring at Chen Linxiang to Qin Qingrong, and his tone softened a little, "In Qin Qing's opinion, what should we do now?"

"Your Majesty, this case involves a lot of things, and I'm afraid it will be very tricky. I request that you go to Tanzhou together with Chen Linxiang, the envoy of Yantie, to find out the truth."

After Qin Qingrong finished speaking, Ye Ru'an hurriedly came out and knelt down: "Your Majesty, this matter in Dali Temple is closely related to our economic exchanges, and I am willing to go to assist you."

Song Xun nodded thoughtfully, glanced at Chen Linxiang and said, "Chen Linxiang, I think I will give you a chance to make up for your hard work over the years. Don't let me down!"

Chen Linxiang hurriedly accepted the order to thank him and said: "Your Majesty is kind, this humble minister will definitely live up to His Majesty's expectations!"

Sitting on the seat, Song Xun thought for a while and finally turned his gaze to Gu Zhen, "Gu Qing, the Yantie case is very involved and the situation is dangerous. Qin Qing and the others are important ministers of the court. I order you to bring a group of troops with you." Do it and help Qin Qing and others find out the truth, would you like to?"

Ye Ru'an secretly clicked his lips, sighed unlucky, and prayed that Gu Zhen, a difficult evil spirit, would never agree.Hearing what the emperor said, Qin Qingrong froze while kneeling on the ground, expecting Gu Zhen's answer.

Gu Zhen raised the hem of the purple python brocade robe and knelt down, cupped his hands and said with a slight smile, "I take orders."

"Very good!" Song Xun asked Lin Wenshan again, "President Lin, what do you think?"

There was a murderous look in Lin Wenshan's eyes when he bowed his head, he already had a plan in mind that could bring down Gu Zhen and Qin Qingrong.One of these two always stumbled his footsteps in the political affairs hall, and the other ruined his reputation for many years when he first took office.Since the emperor doesn't care about it in the early court, he will revenge privately.

Lin Wenshan cupped his hands and said in a low voice, "The veteran has no objection."

"Okay." Song Xun looked a little tired, "I will leave this matter to you, and you should leave as soon as possible. If you have nothing important to do, you should retreat first."

Seeing Song Xun winking, Li Chengfu stood on the side of the dragon chair and took a step forward, holding Fuchen in his hand and shouting: "Retire!"

After finishing speaking, the courtiers retreated one after another after saluting.

It was cloudy and rainy outside the hall, Qin Qingrong walked in a hurry this morning without an umbrella.He stood on the porch and looked at the rain in front of him, without moving.

Just as he was about to step out, there was an umbrella covering his head across the top of his head. Qin Qingrong couldn't help raising his head, but when he turned his head, he saw Gu Zhen smiling at him with raised eyebrows.

At this moment, the distance between the two was less than a palm, Qin Qingrong looked at Gu Zhen with a slightly dazed expression, remembering that yesterday's ear could not help but blush.