My Chinese ancestors

Chapter 456: The Japanese Case

"Can you find any ideas?"

"The idea is dark, and we can continue to struggle."

"How deep is the pond?"

"The lower silt contains loaches."

"Need to drain the water to clear the pond?"

"If you're looking for mud, just get it. No need to bother."

……

In Shengkang City, in a certain alley on the noisy and bustling long street, two voices in a private house muttered slang.

Then the door opened with a creak, and a salesman dressed like a streetwalker came out. He nodded to the figure in the small courtyard wearing a brocade robe, then opened the courtyard door with a load of goods, looked around and saw that there was no one around. After coming out and closing the courtyard door, his face suddenly lit up with joy, he shouted loudly and continued walking down the street.

In the courtyard behind the closed courtyard door, in the central hall with the open door, there is a long case with two tables put together. It is piled with papers. The walls are also hung with papers covered with writings and portraits of human faces. .

If officials from Shengkang City were here, they would definitely recognize the eight portraits of faces on the wall, which were some of the city's gentry and officials. However, after the salesman left, the people in the house took down six of the eight portraits, leaving only two on the wall.

"Only two people have access to military intelligence."

The speaker was Xu Yongshou, Li Bai's deputy brought south this time. He was a shrewd person, his martial arts was between the second and third levels, and he was even more rigorous in his work. Based on the suspects provided by Guan Ping, he listed several detection points.

After the investigation by the 'goodsman' just now, the two men were finally identified, named Xu Changyin and Feng Changqing. The former worked at Wuzhou Military Shipyard, and the latter joined the military at Shengkang Sicang. Only officials of this level can work from ship maintenance and warehouse. The movements of grain, fodder, and weapons can all be used to detect the movements of the Wuzhou navy.

"It will be easy to determine who it is."

Xu Yongshou was about forty years old. He was a heroic knight in the north in his early years and a master in the Huangshen Sect. After Xiao Wenbi died, Xiao Mo fled and the Huangshen Sect dispersed. After the uncle of the emperor of the country, everything he did was to pave the way for Su Chen, he had the idea of ​​joining Su Chen.

Later, Xiao Mochuo was wanted and fled the north. He was worried that he would be implicated, so he had to wait until the emperor later established the Embroidery Department and recruited masters from the northern martial arts. He and several fellow Huangshen sects who were living in the rivers and lakes officially joined the imperial court. , from the rivers and lakes, to the Huangshen Sect, and now the Embroidery Department, from the rivers and lakes to the imperial status, he also has a house in Yanjing, started a family, and has two children under his knees, both over five years old. .

This is a life that I never dared to imagine before. After all, if you come out to hang out, you will pay it back sooner or later.

Xu Yongshou stared at the two portraits on the wall with eyes like hawks. His face was cold and cold, "Your Majesty has decreed that those who cooperate with the Japanese will be executed on the spot. We came to Shengkang to kill people."

"How to find out the evidence that they communicated with Japan?"

"We need help from General Guan to find a way to search their mansion," he said calmly.

In fact, after locking the candidate, he could use some underhanded methods, but he didn't bother to use it, and he didn't want Commander Li to look down on him.

He picked up the paper on the table and glanced at it, then asked his men to quickly go to the prefect's mansion and go to Guan Ping to apply for assistance.

……

The sun is setting in the west, and the backyard of the prefect's mansion is where Guan Ping currently lives. Since his father was transferred to Yanjing the year before last, he and Zhou Cang have stayed here until qualified officials were transferred before taking over with him.

At the same time, there are also arrangements to guard against Japanese pirates.

Half a month ago, Japanese pirates landed in several places along the coast of Linjun, killing more than 800 people and destroying more than a dozen villages. When the news came, he also got angry. Although that area was not under his jurisdiction in Wuzhou, He deployed and commanded the Wuzhou Navy. Because of this matter, his father Guan Yu even wrote a letter from Yanjing. Although he did not mean to scold him, it still made him feel a lot angry.

After the embroidery department went south, he received the news and discussed with Zhou Cang and Zhang Bao until midnight, and listed eight people who might have access to the Japanese. Originally, they could have investigated it themselves, but Shengkang was so big, and if there was any movement, Maybe it would alert the snake, so it would be better to let the Embroidery Department who secretly entered Wu handle this matter.

That afternoon, information about the two targets selected there was secretly transmitted to the Prefect's Mansion. Guan Ping glanced at the list in his hand, and then his eyes fell on the middle-aged figure on the other side of the curtain, with his feet crossed on the desk.

"Commander Li, your people work quickly."

"The Embroidery Department specializes in doing this kind of thing... Hier..." The figure sitting on the chair with his feet on the desk was none other than Li Bai. He rested his head on the chair, closed his eyes and fell asleep, with a bottle of wine hanging in one hand. , let out a wine burp, and then said: "...As long as you do something bad, it is impossible not to leave clues, oh...This is what Di Renjie said. If His Majesty allows him to come over, I am afraid this matter will be revealed." Solve it two days in advance.”

Guan Ping was born in the army and grew up with Guan Yu in the army. He was somewhat curious about the functions of the Embroidery Department.

"Haha... Tongwa naturally has to send the news out. How to send it? Who sent it? Which way did it go? Who did it give it to in the end? How did he find out about the movements of the navy, and how did he know about the patrol of the Wuzhou navy in Lin County? Do you have enough time? As long as you follow these doubts one by one and unravel them, the clues will naturally come out."

"This is what a peaceful and prosperous age should be like!"

Guan Ping smiled and walked to his desk, took out a token from the drawer, and threw it to Li Bai: "With this token, you can travel unimpeded to all important places in the city, and you can also let others assist you at will! "

In mid-air, the token was caught by Li Bai with his eyes closed. He put his feet back on the ground and stood up. He held the wine bottle in his hand and staggered out.

"After finishing the work, let's go have a drink with you!"

The bohemianism is evident in him.

The sky was dark, and the lurking agents of the Embroidery Department had their orders to clear the way. They divided into several groups to go to Minggang and the four gates of Shengkang. At midnight, everyone rushed back to the city called Fengyue. Gather in front of the building.

The spies sent out all held a record in their hands, which was the record book at the city gate and Yuegang. The important clues in it had been sketched out with a cinnabar pen by the spies who went there, so they could be seen at a glance.

Xu Yongshou glanced at several documents and sneered at the corner of his mouth, "Although it is not evidence of Japanese communication, it is enough to win the trial."

He raised his head and looked at the second floor of Fengyue Tower, "Commander, you can take action!"

Wow!

Li Bai, who was leaning on the guardrail of the balcony on the second floor, flew down and walked straight down the long street late at night. He hooked his fingers in the air and said, "Let's go."

The night wind blew through the long street, and more than a hundred pairs of feet stepped on the ground. Each one was dressed in embroidered robes and had a knife hanging on his waist. They passed Li Bai in front and divided into two groups. One group was led by Xu Yongshou to the nearest Xu Mansion, and the other group was led by Xu Yongshou. Li Bai led him towards Feng Mansion in the south of the city. It was late at night, and almost everyone turned off the lights and went to sleep. Only the gates and courtyard gates of wealthy families were still illuminated by lanterns, and there were no guards at the gates.

The old concierge, who was sleeping soundly, was soon awakened by a rapid knock on the door. He walked out of the small room next to the door of the house in a single coat and asked through the courtyard door: "Who are you? My family has already gone to bed. Tomorrow morning Come here again."

The Xu family was not a big family in Wu. After Shengkang was destroyed, it was not liquidated. Xu Changyin was originally an official in the city, but his official position was not high. Later, many people were liquidated in the city and the position was vacant, so he was promoted by Guan Junhou. Came up and made pipe collars for the dock timbers.

They were considered a group of people who were valued, so much so that the old concierge had the confidence to scold people outside the door.

But his scolding didn't work at the moment, and there was even a sentence coming from outside the door.

"I have been ordered to come here on an errand and open the door immediately. If I don't open the door, I will perform the Fa on the spot!"

The tone of this voice is not something that anyone can pretend to be, especially the old concierge who often sees high officials. His heart suddenly trembles. He trembles and steps forward to pull the door bolt. As soon as he opens the door to a gap, The force of the push from outside the door caused him to stumble and sit on the ground.

"You..." What the old man saw was a group of people in brocade robes embroidered with plum blossoms filing in. The leader just glanced over, and the old man was so frightened that he swallowed back what he said.

"Search the study and living room!"

Xu Yongshou raised his hand and waved, and the two teams of agents from the Embroidery Department separated from behind him. He led five people and walked straight to the backyard. The nursing staff who were patrolling in the courtyard saw someone coming in. Before they could call each other, they were rushed towards them. The spy fell to the ground.

Xu Yongshou stepped over them and came to Xu Changyin's bedroom. With a bang, he kicked the door leaf and frame together into the room, smashing it against the round table and breaking it into several pieces.

Xu Changyin and his beautiful concubine were suddenly awakened on the bed, and they saw the figure coming in waving their hands to drive away the flying smoke and dust.

"who are you?"

When he asked this question, someone had already come in, picked up the candlestick on the ground, lit the candle and placed it on the messy round table. Xu Yongshou took a stool with one hand, put it in front of the bed and sat down, looking at the faces on the bed. Scared old man.

"Embroidery Division!"

Then, Xu Yongshou raised his finger and made a 'shush' gesture, "Don't talk. I'll ask, and you answer."

Xu Changyin, who was on the bed, naturally knew what the Embroidery Division was. It was a sharp blade in the hands of the emperor. Of course, outside, some people called it Eagle Dog.

When the Embroidery Department came to his door, Xu Changyin felt panicked and broke out in a cold sweat. He nodded repeatedly: "Commander, you ask...you ask..."

"On February 11th, what was your servant named Xu Fa doing out of the city?"

"He...he went home to visit his relatives..."

"Haha... Guanling Xu, you have to understand that since I asked this, I must have discovered something. The last question, why did the servant named Xu Fa go to Minggang? I heard that he took a letter The letter left.”

"This……"

Xu Changyin's face turned pale and he was speechless. At this moment, the team of spies who went to search the study came over, entered the bedroom and whispered something in Xu Yongshou's ear, then took out a letter and handed it to In the hands of Xu Yongshou.

"Take a look, what is this?"

In fact, Xu Yongshou already knew the answer from the other person's expression. He raised the letter in his hand, then stood up, turned around and walked to the door, his voice cold.

"killed."

"No...no...please..."

In the dormitory where he left, Xu Changyin stammered and begged, but the spy who came forward grabbed his hair and pulled him to the bedside, and chopped off his head with a sharp knife.

As for the matters behind the Xu family, it is for the Shengkang government office to handle it. The embroidery department only needs to obtain the evidence and then execute the person on the spot.

On the other side, in Feng's house, Feng Changqing also woke up from his dream.

Then he saw that the bedroom was brightly lit, and a drunken middle-aged man was sitting on his desk, looking at a stack of letters. He seemed to hear some movement, turned his face slightly, and smiled at him: "Are you having a nightmare?"

"You...who are you?"

Feng Changqing stood up and wanted to call to the nursing home outside, but after calling twice, no one responded.

"Don't waste your voice, they won't be able to get in even if they hear it."

Li Bai read the letter in his hand, then folded it and stuffed it back into the envelope, saying in a calm tone: "I really don't know what to say about you and Xu Changyin. Living a good life is just about collaborating with the enemy.

However, I do admire you a little. For the sake of loyalty, you risked the lives of your whole family. You are so loyal! "

Li Bai walked towards the bed with a smile. Feng Changqing on the bed was also standing on the ground at this moment, rushing to get the sword hanging on the wall.

"Loyalty also depends on the person. Gu Chongwen left his family, Fan Li, and Xiao Zhiyi behind. You still talk about loyalty to such a person and collude with the Japanese pirates to burn and kill the people... Be careful in the next life and don't talk too much about loyalty! "

Over there, Feng Changqing took the sword and turned around to draw it. A streak of white blood flashed across his neck in the candlelight, and a trace of bright red blood instantly spattered an arc on the white wall.

After wiping the edge of his sword, Li Bai pushed open the door and walked out, giving instructions to his subordinates on the left and right.

"Inform the people from the government office to come and clean up the mess. The family members will be imprisoned and executed at a later date!"

(End of this chapter)