Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 238 Bribery and Confession

Lu Wenzhao walked out of the guard room, sword in hand. Before he even reached the main gate of the Pacification Office, a lieutenant in embroidered uniform came forward to report, "Captain, someone wants to see you." These lieutenants on duty were ordered not to let anyone in without his permission.

"Who is it?" Lu Wenzhao asked.

"It's the one with the surname Han." The captain replied.

"What do you mean by his surname is Han? He is a third-rank official after all." Lu Wenzhao signaled the captain to open the door.

The doors opened left and right, making a teeth-grinding sound. Lu Wenzhao's eyebrows unconsciously raised.

"Han Tongzhi, what are you doing here?" Han Chengkui was not alone. Beside him were the deputy commanders Jiang Guangchun and Wang Guozhen. However, Lu Wenzhao knew that these two were not the ones in charge, so he just ignored them.

"Of course, I'm inviting you to come to the yamen to take care of government affairs. Tianjin has a lot to do, and now that the backbone has arrived, I can finally take the burden off my shoulders." Han Chengkui waved his hand earnestly towards the carriage parked at the door and said, "Sir, please do me the honor of riding with me in this carriage."

"Han Tongzhi, you're still not ready to let go of this burden." Lu Wenzhao, though young and of low rank, patted Han Chengkui's shoulder like an elder. "As Zhou Qianshi said, Tianjin is right next to the capital, and the affairs are numerous. I've lived in the capital for a long time, and I've only ever been involved in surveillance and arrests, never managing local affairs. If something goes wrong, I won't be able to report it to my superiors."

"Are you going to the yamen for work?" Han Chengkui was already hunched over, and after Lu Wenzhao slapped him several times, he hunched even more.

"Of course I have to go. I have to learn something after all. And your carriage has arrived. How can I refuse your kindness?" Lu Wenzhao lowered his head and got into the carriage. Immediately, two captains in embroidered uniforms followed to escort him.

Last night, Lu Wenzhao made adjustments to the two small flags he had brought with him. The Jia flag remained stationed at the four gates of Tianjin, but the number of men at each gate had been reduced from three to two. The three vacant men were assigned to the Shen residence, responsible for sealing and securing the property and evidence within, and for collecting evidence at any time.

The Yi Banner was also divided into two groups. The first group, consisting of six people, was led by General Luo and was responsible for staying in the Pacification Office to supervise the interrogation and ensure that the witnesses did not die accidentally due to factors other than the Jinyiwei. The other group of five people, led by himself and Lu Jianxing, was responsible for controlling the Tianjin Guard Commandery Office.

Currently, Lu Jianxing and three of his men were guarding the Commandery Office, while the other two accompanied him. One was for protection, and the other was to facilitate the transmission of complex orders at any time. As for simple commands like "assemble" or "seal the city gates," the Jinyiwei's internal whistles would suffice.

Seeing Lu Wenzhao get on the carriage, Han Chengkui breathed a sigh of relief. Then he got in as well.

"Tongzhi Han, do you have anything to say?" Lu Wenzhao spoke first.

"Commander in chief. Have you found out the whereabouts of Shen Caiyu?" Han Chengkui chuckled and looked naive.

"It seems that Han Tongzhi is very concerned about this matter." Lu Wenzhao smiled in response.

"Shen Caiyu not only disregarded the laws and regulations of the country, but even fled for fear of punishment. Anyone can kill him, and I, an official, cannot help but feel indignant." Han Chengkui had already prepared a set of high-sounding remarks.

Lu Wenzhao's face turned cold, and he interrupted Han Chengkui. "Don't beat around the bush, Han Tongzhi. Once we get off the car, I won't listen to your nonsense."

Han Chengkui wasn't angry. As he spoke, he pulled two stacks of banknotes from his sleeve pocket and pressed them into Lu Wenzhao's hands. "It's not easy for you to make such a trip. This is just a small token of your gratitude. I hope you will forgive me." Han Chengkui had wanted to treat the Jinyiwei to a meal the previous night, but Lu Wenzhao refused. This had made them very nervous, so Han Chengkui had come early in the morning with the banknotes to curry his favor.

"Xuanchang, Yonghe, and Chongguang. Your banknotes are quite a mix." Lu Wenzhao fiddled with them briefly and saw the insignias of three banks. "How many are there in total?"

Upon hearing this question, Han Chengkui's face immediately lit up with joy and relief. "Twenty-three brothers, one hundred taels each. You've worked hard, so you'll take two thousand taels. They're all new year notes, and they'll be redeemed on sight." The total came to four thousand three hundred taels.

Lu Wenzhao didn't continue the conversation, but put the banknote beside him and looked up at Han Chengkui. "I wonder if Shen Caiyu has told you about this."

"What did he say?" Han Chengkui's heart, which had just calmed down, began to rise again.

"I came to your place before winter last year," Lu Wenzhao said with a faint smile. "I only stayed here for one night. I wonder if you've heard of me?"

"I've heard that. But I didn't realize you were the one who came." Han Chengkui's face was filled with both realization and regret. "It's such a shame. I haven't even had a chance to show my hospitality before you've gone back."

Han Chengkui had certainly heard of this incident, but because it had nothing to do with the Tianjin Guards, and because the Jinyiwei arrested someone that night and left without a word the next day, Han Chengkui didn't take it to heart.

"At that time, Shen Caiyu wanted to give me silver. It was also two thousand taels. Do you know why?" Lu Wenzhao asked.

"No, I don't know." Han Chengkui's flattering smile froze on his face.

"Because I caught him soliciting a prostitute in the government office." Lu Wenzhao and Lu Wen held Han Chengkui's hand. Han Chengkui's palm didn't even have the most basic callous marks, and it didn't look like the hand of an officer at all. "Guess, did I take his money back then?"

"This!" Han Chengkui felt like he was about to stop breathing. The outrageous and unbelievable reason for the arrest suddenly became reasonable.

"Don't be silent. Guess." Lu Wenzhao patted the back of Han Chengkui's hand, then let go with a rather disgusted look. He didn't dislike civil servants without calluses on their hands, but he did dislike military officers without calluses, even if they were mostly handling civil affairs.

"Probably, no?" Han Chengkui felt very uncomfortable.

"Why do you think I didn't accept his money?" Lu Wenzhao continued to ask.

Han Chengkui didn't answer. He lowered his head, his eyes filled with panic. The Inspector General wasn't scary, but an incorruptible Inspector General was.

"The reason is actually just two words." Lu Wenzhao leaned close to his ear and whispered. "Not enough."

These two words were like heavenly music, giving Han Chengkui a sudden sense of enlightenment. He took a deep breath and said, "If it's not enough, add more. Just name your price. We'll do our best to make it up."

"Come together? Han Tongzhi, please don't cry poor here. What is Tianjin? It's the terminus of the canal heading north to Beijing. Those two assistants outside the carriage, one is in charge of the grain ships passing through, the other is in charge of the military farms. You're crying poor here to me? And you're trying to come together, huh?" Lu Wenzhao pressed his thumb against his index finger, clasping his middle finger, and tapped the stack of banknotes several times. "We won't waste time. Just give me your price, how about that?"

"Twenty thousand." Han Chengkui frowned and made an extremely painful expression.

"Hmph, you're really insincere." Lu Wenzhao said loudly. "One hundred thousand, in cash."

"One hundred thousand, and in cash!" Han Chengkui asked in surprise, "Do you know how much that is?"

"Six thousand two hundred and fifty kilograms. Why don't you just hire a few more trucks? I don't believe you can't come up with the money." Lu Wenzhao looked obsessed with money. "Think about what happened to the Shen family."

"Fifty thousand, please. I'll prepare it for you within half a month." Han Chengkui cut the price in half.

"Bargaining?" Lu Wenzhao looked displeased. "Do you think I'm the only one taking this money? I'm just a deputy captain, and I have so many people above me. Which level don't I have to bribe? How much can I get in my hands? Han Tongzhi, since you've decided to spend money to buy peace, don't be so stingy. Just treat it as making a friend."

"One hundred thousand is too much." They could afford it, but it would be painful. "And even if we ransacked all the banks in Tianjin, we wouldn't be able to come up with that much cash." "Then let's put it this way. Let's each take a step back and agree on a price of eighty thousand in cash. I'll give you ten days. As long as you can gather the money, I'll declare the case closed." Lu Wenzhao picked up the stack of banknotes and stuffed it back into Han Chengkui's hands. "Of course, I won't ask about your shielding of Shen Caiyu."

"Oh, this..." Han Chengkui was stunned by the blame.

"Don't complain to me. Shen Xie woke up last night. Do you know what he said?" This time, Lu Wenzhao gave a direct answer. "He said that before Shen Caiyu fled, you had close contact with the Shen family, and there are records to prove it."

"This is a New Year's exchange!" Han Chengkui couldn't help it, and his voice tone instinctively rose a lot.

"You said it's a New Year's visit, so it's a New Year's visit?" Lu Wenzhao remained as nonchalant as ever. "Do you think the Jinyiwei can use this to arrest you?"

Han Chengkui gritted his teeth and nodded stubbornly, "Okay. Eighty thousand. But you have to hand over the booklet and the people to us."

"This is another price." Lu Wenzhao stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers, making the stack of banknotes tremble.

"Ah?" Han Chengkui had seen greedy people, but he had never seen anyone as greedy as this.

"This stack is for Shen Xie. Once you've gathered the silver, bring another stack to exchange for the ledger." Lu Wenzhao pushed the wooden window open a crack and said, "We're here. Make a decision. Once you get off the car, I won't take a single penny from you." Lu Wenzhao leaned close to Han Chengkui's ear and whispered in a hoarse voice, "If it comes to a house search, I'm afraid I'll still be the one to do it. How much do you think I can take from you then?"

"The superior is really good at doing business." Han Chengkui smiled bitterly and handed over the banknote.

"Tongzhi Han said that we are doing business. Since it is business, it is a matter of exchanging money for goods. I will not accept your money now." Lu Wenzhao pushed back the banknote handed over by Han Chengkui.

"What does this mean, Shangcha?" Han Chengkui was shocked by this action.

"The whereabouts of Shen Caiyu are still unknown. Let's keep that fat pig for two more days, and when it's almost squeezed dry, I'll hand it over to you to slaughter. Don't worry, there won't be any new requests. As for business, it's settled once the hammer falls." Lu Wenzhao patted Han Chengkui's shoulder, lowered his body, and got out of the car that had been parked for a long time.

------

In the back hall of the Tianjin Guard Commandery, there is a quiet room specially set aside for the Jinyiwei.

Lu Jianxing pushed open the door, holding an inkstone filled with ink in his hand.

"Just put it here." Lu Wenzhao patted the empty area on the table.

"Master Qianhu." Lu Jianxing's hands moved steadily, but his tone was anxious.

Lu Wenzhao stopped him and said softly, "Close the door."

"Oh!" Lu Jianxing sighed and turned to close the door. "Captain, why don't we just arrest and interrogate all these useless officials in the outer hall? Otherwise, I'm afraid we won't be able to complete this mission."

"We can't catch him." Lu Wenzhao shook his head.

"why?"

"The twenty-four of us are all reckless men. Are you going to do your job by arresting them? It is estimated that there will be more than twenty large and small grain ships entering Beijing today. Do you know how to dispatch them?" Lu Wenzhao asked back.

"I don't know." This time it was Lu Jianxing's turn to shake his head.

"That's it." Lu Wenzhao pulled out a piece of white paper from the pile, unfolded it, and placed it in front of him. "Besides, even if Shen Caiyu runs away, we can still complete this mission."

"What mission is there for him to perform if Shen Caiyu runs away?" Lu Jianxing asked in confusion.

"We are not here to arrest him." Lu Wenzhao decided to explain to Lu Jianxing.

"If we're not going to catch Shen Caiyu, then what are we doing here?" Although the area around here had been cleared and there were two people guarding outside, Lu Jianxing still approached Lu Wenzhao's desk with a cautious mindset.

"Search for evidence." Lu Wenzhao picked up his brush, dipped the wolf hair brush into the inkstone, and rolled it around. After taking it out, he gently scraped the edge of the inkstone a few times to remove the excess ink.

"Search for evidence? What evidence?" Lu Jianxing even squatted down.

"Have you heard that Taizu abolished the prime minister?" Lu Wenzhao picked up his pen to write a letter.

"The Hu Weiyong case?" Lu Jianxing was stunned.

"Our real job is to find a pretext for the higher-ups, just like they did with the Hu Weiyong case. As long as we find enough evidence, we'll be done." Lu Wenzhao's handwriting wasn't beautiful, even less elegant than Shanghai's. But he wrote quickly, and he could convey his ideas clearly in short sentences.

Lu Jianxing suddenly realized something. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to ask, "Are the higher-ups planning to close down the Tianjin garrison?"

"Not only the Tianjin Guard, but all three guards, including the Left and Right Guards, will be cut. This is the national policy set by the emperor." Lu Wenzhao nodded slightly.

"National policy!" Lu Jianxing suddenly felt his face light up.

Lu Jianxing's voice wasn't loud, but Lu Wenzhao subconsciously glanced at the door. "The Chief Guard said that before the official assignment, this rumor was only spread among the cabinet ministers and officials. Even now, not many people know about it, so don't go out and make a fuss about it. Wait until the assignment is over before showing off to your mother."

"Of course." Lu Jianxing nodded repeatedly.

Lu Wenzhao finished writing and began reading it from beginning to end, occasionally deleting and revising it. "The original plan was to bring Shen Caiyu back to Beijing and interrogate him thoroughly, using him as the lead. The reason for arresting him wasn't important. But since he's escaped, we have to find someone else. The man you intercepted yesterday is the new lead we're looking for."

"You mean Wang Gui?" He thought of the scholar who was about to be thrown out and buried alive while still breathing. "This is indeed a good card."

"Not good enough yet." Lu Wenzhao pulled out some fresh white paper and began copying. "In the end, this is just an ordinary murder case, not going to cause any big stir. We'll have to see if it's good enough."

"What are you looking at?" Lu Jianxing asked.

"Let's see Shen Zhengping. Let's see if what he writes can match Shen Caiyu's mouth."

(End of this chapter)