I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 706 The First Shot

Pan Yinglong looked at Ren Boan and Yang Guian opposite him, the two newly crowned champions and runners-up of Gyeonggi weightlifting, and felt a little worried.

To investigate this case, we must rely on the help of the Pacification Office.

The pacification envoy Su Feng was also happy to accept this great contribution, so an agreement was reached between the pacification department and Shuntian Prefecture to jointly handle the case.

According to the agreement, the case would be investigated and handled by the Zhenfu Division, and Shuntian Prefecture would be responsible for providing various assistance.

Shuntian Prefecture is a local tyrant, and it knows the capital city very well. But because of this, no one knows who in Shuntian Prefecture has connections there.

The Police Department is a fence with holes in it on all sides, and so is Shuntian Prefecture.

Su Feng was not even completely reassured about the internal affairs of the Zhenfu Division.

In the past, the Jinyiwei was a large group that included the sons of nobles, powerful officials, and relatives of the emperor. The court would grant them a position in the Jinyiwei, ranging from centurions to thousand-man commander.

Although they were all honorary titles with official salaries, they were part of the Jinyiwei after all, so they were colleagues and the relationships among them were complicated.

During the Longqing reign, the emperor made major changes to the military system. All the military posts previously under the name of the Jinyiwei, including small flags, centurions, thousand-household members, commanders, and other non-actual officials, were transferred to the left and right Jinwuwei.

In the past, all the hereditary military positions in the various guards, the hereditary military officers above the rank of a hundred households recognized by the court, and the hereditary military officers later awarded for military merit, were all registered under the names of the Left and Right Qianniu Guards.

After the big changes, it is even more unclear who among those remaining in Jinyiwei has close ties with that side.

After hearing about the case, Su Feng didn't dare to gamble.

He thought about it for a long time, and accidentally saw the report about Ren Boan and Yang Guian going to Beijing for further studies, which made him suddenly enlightened.

These two can do the job.

First, he is your trusted confidant and is trustworthy.

Second, the abilities of the two are obvious to all. Ren Boan, needless to say, was once a benchmark in the Jiangnan Lahu Club industry and an elite in the arena.

When Yang Guian was working in Wuchang, he disguised himself as a merchant and deliberately allowed himself to be robbed by pirates in Zehu. After a battle of wits and courage, he finally escaped with intelligence and successfully delivered it to Wang Yi'e, who was in charge of Huangzhou. He then captured all the pirates who were entrenched in the rivers and lakes of Huangzhou and Wuchang.

The ability is not bad either.

Su Feng recommended the two of them. Pan Yinglong looked at their resumes, but he was still unsure and decided to take another test.

"Mister Ren, how are you going to investigate this case?"

Ren Boan thought for a moment and said, "I will first look for Chen Ronghua and use him as a breakthrough point."

Chen Ronghua, who is it?

Shen Wanxiang was stunned for a moment.

Oh, I remember now. That guy promoted the amusement fair vendor license business in front of the emperor and me that day, which attracted the attention of the emperor and the prefect and uncovered a corner of this dark water.

Pan Yinglong asked with a smile: "Why did Ren Dushi start with Chen Ronghua?"

"Prefect Pan, this is what I think. First, those nobles don't do many things in person, but they all go through people like Xiu Qiguang.

When a goose passes by, it leaves traces. Even if Xiu Qi Guang is kept in the dark about many things and doesn't know the details, they are the specific persons in charge after all. As long as they do it, there will be traces.

Therefore, if you want to find out the illegal activities of those nobles, you can get clues and evidence by thoroughly investigating Xiu Qiguang and his ilk.

But once we move Xiu Qiguang and his ilk, it will easily alert those nobles. Eliminate the evidence and destroy the clues. It will be difficult to convict them without solid evidence of their identities."

Pan Yinglong and Su Feng nodded repeatedly.

Su Feng's face was full of relief, and a slight smile flashed across Pan Yinglong's face.

Shen Wanxiang asked, "If we don't investigate, there will be no clues or evidence. If we investigate, we will alert the enemy. What should we do?"

Ren Boan glanced at him.

Although they are in the same subject, he is quite far behind Li Mingchun.

"So Governor Pan secretly detained Chen Ronghua and kept the case of the injured members of the Hammer Team unsolved."

After hearing what Ren Boan said, Su Feng couldn't hold back his smile, which appeared from the corners of his mouth and eyes. Pan Yinglong also praised him.

"Well, he is indeed a capable general recommended by Su Zhenshi, and he is very smart. Qianhe, have you not figured it out yet?"

Shen Wanxiang smiled bitterly and said, "Prefect, I seem to understand, but I don't understand anything."

Pan Yinglong laughed, "Jingxiu, explain it to Qianhe."

"Yes, Prefect Pan."

Ren Boan glanced at Su Feng, and after receiving a nod with a smile in response, he started talking.

"Shen Lingshi, Prefect Pan has found evidence against Anlianghang. They are responsible for reselling the licenses of vendors at the amusement park and assaulting members of the Iron Hammer Team. We have to investigate. Otherwise, the person behind the scenes will become suspicious.

In this case, let's go all out to investigate these rotten things. I know the details of this kind of underworld gang, and there are so many rotten things that they cannot be ignored.

As long as you investigate carefully, you will definitely find other messy things, such as bullying, market domination, prostitution and gambling, and so on.

These things are a disaster for the underworld gangs, but for the nobles behind the scenes, it is a troublesome matter of no small magnitude, and there are only two choices.

First, give up Xiu Qi Guang. He is just a pet dog. This one was killed, so we can just change it. Then we can use the same trick against him. Xiu Qi Guang dares to be so arrogant, he just relies on the power of the nobleman and hopes that the nobleman will rescue him.

Now that the nobleman had abandoned him, his thoughts were completely cut off. Without thoughts, Xiu Qiguang had to come up with something genuine and valuable to save his life.

Second, we are reluctant to let them go now that they are well-trained, so we step in to protect them. As long as they make a move, they will definitely reveal their true colors, and we can follow the clues and conduct a thorough investigation.”

"Wonderful!"

Pan Yinglong applauded, "It's more thorough than I expected, and every move hits the vital points. It's really brilliant!"

Shen Wanxiang hesitated and said, "Investigate An Liangxing and Xiu Qiguang's scandal openly, and secretly investigate the clues we want. Investigate both openly and secretly, and then use the open case to force Xiu Qiguang and the others to tell us everything they know."

Pan Yinglong added, "Jingxiu's words just now hit the nail on the head. Those nobles will not do those dirty things personally, they can only do it through their minions. Xiu Qiguang and others must be a key link.

Xiu Qi Guang has managed to reach his current position, so he is definitely not an ordinary, dull person. I believe that he must have kept a life-saving amulet in his hand.

We are going to use other cases to force him to hand over the amulet.

If he vomits, there is still a glimmer of hope. If he doesn't, he will die without a burial place!"

Pan Yinglong spoke the last sentence in a calm tone, neither hurried nor slow, but Ren Boan and Yang Guian felt a chill in their hearts when they heard it.

The power of language does not lie in how angry you are or how arrogant you are.

“If you lack authority, you will be angry; if you lack credibility, you will talk too much.”

Your word is as good as your bond. If you say someone will kill an entire family, then the entire family will be killed. No matter how casually you speak, it will be like a bolt from the blue when it falls on others.

Pan Yinglong turned to Shen Wanxiang and said, "This trick of cutting off the branches first and then breaking the trunk, picking the melons along the vine, is the best for the civil officials of the imperial court, but they play it more elegantly and even gave it a name called peeling the skin to the bones."

The skin was peeled off and the bones were revealed. Shen Wanxiang kept it in mind.

"Come, come, the food has gotten cold after all the chit-chat. Lao Su, Jingxiu, Mu Ping, come and eat. The chef of this restaurant is good at Jiangxi and Huguang cuisine, and it tastes delicious in my mouth." "Okay, eat and drink." Su Feng laughed.

At the Zhang Mansion in Renshoufang, Minister of Rites Pan Sheng was walking on the stone path along the corridor, led by Zhang Tong.

Zhang Tong turned around and wanted to chat with Pan Sheng, but when he saw the frost on his face, he swallowed back all the flattery in his heart.

I walked in silence all the way to the door of the study.

"Master, Minister Pan from the Ministry of Rites is here."

"Please come in quickly."

Zhang Juzheng looked up and was about to make a joke, but when he saw Pan Sheng's expression, his face turned serious.

"Siming, what happened?"

Pan Sheng turned his head and stared at Zhang Tong. His heart sank and his anus tightened when he saw his gloomy face.

"Master, I'll go and ask them to serve tea."

Zhang Juzheng waved his hand, told Zhang Tong to leave quickly, stood up and turned to Pan Sheng, "Siming, what's wrong?"

"Look!"

Pan Sheng took out a newspaper from his arms and threw it to Zhang Juzheng angrily.

"look by youself."

Zhang Juzheng took it and unfolded it. "Wencui Newspaper?"

“Who publishes the new newspaper?

“It’s written below.”

Pan Sheng sat down on the chair angrily.

Zhang Juzheng glanced down and saw two lines of words printed at the bottom of the Wencui Newspaper, "New Daming, New Culture", "Sponsored by the Daming Cultural Construction Committee", and below that was the routine newspaper number issued by the Taichang Temple, as well as the printing address, "The First Printing Factory in the Capital, Wanping County, Shuntian Prefecture".

"Zhang Fengpan has some skills. He has been in other places, from the capital to Henan, then to Wuchang, and now to Nanjing. Unexpectedly, he can give orders through letters and gather a group of people in the capital to start a new newspaper."

After reading the headline on the front page, Zhang Juzheng, who had been chatting and laughing just now, fell silent.

"The Ming Dynasty does not need the study of national destruction!"

The article has about 2,400 words, and every word is sharp and every sentence is sharp. Indeed, only those who are familiar with Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism can understand where its fatal flaws lie.

Zhang Juzheng sat next to Pan Sheng and read the article twice, his expression becoming more and more solemn.

"I never thought that the first person to attack Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism would be Zhang Fengpan. But if you think about it carefully, it is unexpected but reasonable."

Pan Sheng glanced at Zhang Juzheng and said, "The tower that has been built for decades has collapsed, and you are indifferent."

Zhang Juzheng gently placed the Wencui Daily on the table. Seeing the teacup next to him, he simply stood up and placed the newspaper on the desk.

"Siming, over the years I have come to understand more and more that the tower we have gathered in our hearts is nothing more than a tower of sand. It will collapse sooner or later. Rather than lingering on, it is better to end it all."

"Uncle Zhang, you really think clearly."

Zhang Juzheng spread his hands and asked, "What if I can't understand it? Should I go to the Confucius Temple to cry? Should I go to the Confucian Temple to call back the souls of Master Cheng and Zhu and ask them to show their spirits?"

Pan Sheng was stunned.

Zhang Juzheng continued to ask: "Siming, why do you and I study the classics of the sages? Isn't it to show our ambition to help the world and make the country strong and the people rich? Can it be that by reading the classics of the sages, we have really become filial sons and grandsons of Master Cheng and Master Zhu?"

Pan Sheng looked at Zhang Juzheng's indifferent expression and felt angry. He said, "I see you have been wanting to jump off the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism boat for a long time. Now you have finally succeeded. Are you happy?"

Zhang Juzheng was both angry and amused by Master Pan's childish words, and could not help but ask him back, "Master Pan, are you planning to be buried with Master Cheng and Master Zhu? Do you want to live and die with the sages and scriptures?"

Pan Sheng rolled his eyes. Only his grandson would be buried alive with his ancestors who had long since rotted into bones.

Eating and drinking well is not better than anything else, so why would you want to commit suicide?

Zhang Juzheng laughed loudly, and then said meaningfully: "Siming, if it was ten years ago, when I saw this article, I would definitely rush to Nanjing overnight to fight Zhang Fengpan to the death and become a martyr for Neo-Confucianism.

Not now. I will not die for Neo-Confucianism. If I have to die, I will only die for the New Ming Dynasty in my mind."

Pan Sheng couldn't help but sigh, "Uncle, oh uncle, have you found the new Ming Dynasty in your mind?"

"I found it." Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and answered resolutely, "Twenty years ago, the New Ming in my mind was very vague, hidden behind the Neo-Confucian classics, looming, and I wanted to reach out and grab it, but I could never catch it.

Later, he was recommended to go to Xiyuan Xi'an Gate Academy to teach the emperor, who was then the prince of Yu. It was truly an unforgettable time.

I argued and discussed with the emperor, and slowly, the outline of the new Ming Dynasty emerged in my mind, but it was still like a mirage, out of reach. "

Pan Sheng looked at Zhang Juzheng and listened quietly to his inner thoughts.

"Later, I became the governor of Shandong and witnessed with my own eyes all kinds of bad policies in the local area. At a certain moment, the New Ming Dynasty in my mind suddenly disappeared and became almost invisible.

I was so distressed that I could not figure it out, until one day, I was in a basket and transported on a large sailing ship with the goat. At that moment, I saw the vast ocean.

Then, on the green sea east of Chengshan Cape, six princely sailing ships fired hundreds of cannons at once, with the force of the sky collapsing, the earth splitting, and the cities and nations being destroyed. At that moment, some of the stubborn barriers in my heart were shattered by the cannons.

My new Ming Dynasty, like the rising sun suddenly rising from the sea level, suddenly appeared in my mind.

Later, I followed the emperor to inspect the Luan River, and the appearance of the new Ming Dynasty became clearer and clearer. I boarded the Xuanwu Navy Ningbo from Qinhuangdao and sailed on the sea. I saw the morning sun rising from the sea again, and suddenly I realized it.

Previously, the new Ming Dynasty in my mind had always been vague and difficult to see, because it was blocked by Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. It built a stone wall in my heart and formed an obstacle to knowledge. "

Zhang Juzheng looked at Pan Sheng and said word by word: "In the end, it was the cannons of the prince's sailing ship, the steam engines of the Kaiping coal mine, and the steelmaking furnaces of the Luanzhou Steel Plant that smashed, penetrated, and melted this barrier of knowledge."

Pan Sheng murmured, "Shanbi, Zhizhizhan, my uncle, I am not as good as you."

Zhang Juzheng smiled faintly, "Siming, don't think of me as that great man.

To be honest, when I read this article, my first thought was what Zhang Fengpan was up to! He was the first to come out and smear the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism under the banner of the Cultural Construction Committee. His intentions were not small. Did he want to enter the cabinet?

Once this big fly enters the cabinet, there will be no peace in the world!"

Pan Sheng was stunned at first, then he burst into laughter, pointed at Zhang Juzheng and said, "Haha, you, Uncle Zhang, are also a trickster!"

Zhang Juzheng smiled but said nothing.

Zhang Tong knocked on the door outside the study.

"Sir, the Minister of Public Administration Zeng is here."

"San Sheng's sudden visit must be for some reason. Please come in."

"Teacher, Master Shuilian is here too." Zeng Xingwu said anxiously as soon as he entered the room, "Master Meilin, something happened to him."

Zhang Juzheng and Pan Sheng's faces changed. "Ah, what happened to Hu Zongxian?"

(End of this chapter)