Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 110 The governor who died for the country was a family slave with three surnames
Just after dawn, He Liu and Lao Hu came to the place where the former governor Zhao Jianzhi set himself on fire and died for his country - Datong governor's yamen.

The soldiers of the governor's yamen woke up the new governor Wang Tingshu who was still sleeping.

Wang Tingshu came to the front hall and asked He Liudao: "Sir, what are your orders for coming to the Governor's Yamen so early?"

He Liu asked: "Didn't Master Zhao Jianzhi burn himself to death? I've been forgetting to ask you one thing, where is Master Zhao's body?"

Wang Tingshu was stunned: "The body has been burned to ashes, and only a few bones remain."

He Liu asked again: "Since it is self-immolation and martyrdom, there should be circumstantial evidence, right? When I reported my martyrdom to the court, there must be evidence."

Wang Tingshu said: "When Mr. Zhao died for his country, his housekeeper was by his side. Later, when the Tatars broke into the governor's office, the housekeeper hid under the bed and escaped unharmed."

He Liu was full of suspicion after hearing this.Those Tartars were masters of robbery.He had seen it in the General Military Mansion, except for the latrine, the Tatars took away even the tables and chairs.The Tatars searched for their belongings through a sieve, how could they not find the butler hiding under the bed?
Wang Tingshu suddenly said: "On a mission, as the governor of the border town, I have the same right to gossip as the censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. There is something, I don't know if I should say it or not."

He Liudao: "My lord, it's okay to talk."

Wang Tingshu said: "When I came to Datong, I heard a saying. The former governor Zhao Jianzhi and the former commander-in-chief Li Hu have always been at odds! Because the commander-in-chief Li Hu has been doing business with the Tatars in private."

He Liu was surprised: "The majestic commander-in-chief of Datong actually does business with the Hulu?"

Wang Tingshu nodded: "It is said that Governor Zhao has been participating in the business of Li Zongbing and the Tatars. Last year, he got three papers. It's just that Li Zongbing has Mr. Yan Ge as his backer. All three papers He was left behind by Mr. Yan Ge."

He Liu asked again: "What else has Mr. Wang heard?"

Wang Tingshu said: "The next thing I want to say may be a bit sensational. Do you know what kind of business Li Hu is doing with the Tatars?"

He Liudao: "Doing business with the Tatars is nothing more than exchanging our Daming tea, porcelain, and silk for horses, cattle, sheep, and leather goods on the grassland."

Wang Tingshu said: "On a mission. Although the court has laws and regulations, court officials are not allowed to do business with foreigners. But the nine border towns are bitterly cold, and the generals in charge of the army do not have much money. The generals privately do business with people on the grassland to exchange cattle for tea and silk. , It’s also harmless, and no one will pursue it. But I heard that what Li Hu did with the Tatars was to exchange firearms for cattle, sheep, and leather goods!”

He Liu's heart skipped a beat: selling firearms to the Tatars?Wouldn't that be a real collaborator?

Wang Tingshu said again: "On a business trip. I'm just a rumor. There is no direct evidence."

He Liudao: "Well, I'll meet Mr. Zhao's housekeeper first."

Wang Tingshu said: "The messenger will wait for a while. He is a member of Zhongliang's family, and he is currently living in the governor's yamen. I will call him for you."

After Wang Tingshu left, He Liu lowered his voice and said to Lao Hu: "Could it be that Li Hu was afraid that Zhao Jianzhi would bite into his dirty business of selling firearms to the Tatars, so he deliberately let the Tatars into the city at the north side gate, and borrowed the Tatars? Other than Zhao Jianzhi's hand?"

Lao Hu smiled: "According to what Wang Tingshu said, there is indeed such a possibility. But Lao Liu, I want to remind you one thing. This Wang Tingshu Wang Governor - is a man of Prince Yu!"

Lao Hu has been in Jinyiwei for 40 years and is the living file of Jinyiwei.Who is the strict party, who is the Yuwang party, and who is the eunuch party, Lao Hu has a clear account in his heart.

Everyone in the officialdom knows that the Yan Party is at odds with the Yuwang Party.Li Hu is Yan Song's godson, and it is reasonable for Wang Tingshu, who is a member of the Yuwang Party, to make trouble for Li Hu.

He Liudao: "Old Hu, are you sure that Governor Wang belongs to Prince Yu?"

Lao Hu nodded: "It's not wrong. Governor Wang is a 25-year Jinshi in Jiajing, and his teacher is Xu Jie and Xu Cifu. Xu Cifu's students are naturally regarded as Yu Wang's people."

He Liu suddenly asked: "Where is that Zhao Jianzhi who died for the country? Whose person is it?"

Old Hu laughed and said, "Zhao Jianzhi? Heh, that guy is a family slave with three surnames! In the 23rd year of Jiajing, he became a Jinshi and worshiped under Xia Yan, the chief assistant at that time. Later, Yan Song took care of Xia Yan and became the chief assistant. Zhao Jianzhi didn't know who left. In the past few years, he may be thinking that Yan Ge is getting old, and King Yu will succeed to the throne sooner or later. So he changed his family and recognized Gao Gong As a teacher, Gao Butang has become a pawn of the Yuwang Party in the border town!"

He Liu sighed: "Oh, it is said that Jin Yiwei wears a tiger skin and no one dares to mess with it. But now several parties in the court are fighting like black-eyed chickens, and any case we handle will involve party disputes. It is difficult to be a human being, and it is difficult to be an official. It's even more difficult, being a Jinyiwei——it's even more difficult."

He Liu and Lao Hu were talking, and Wang Tingshu led an old man in his 50s into the hall.

Wang Tingshu said: "His name is Zhao Cai, and he was Zhao Jianzhi's steward during his lifetime."

He Liu asked Butler Zhao: "When your master set himself on fire and died for his country, were you by his side?"

Butler Zhao nodded: "That's right, when my master set himself on fire, I was by his side."

He Liu asked, "Where did Master Zhao die?"

Butler Zhao replied, "In his bedroom in the Houya."

He Liuming said: "Take us to his former bedroom."

In Houya, there was a half-burned house.The east side of the house has been turned into ruins and ashes, and the west side is also dilapidated.

He Liujin walked around the room: "Since it is self-immolation, there will always be some bones left."

Wang Tingshu said: "Report to the superior, Mr. Zhao's remains are only a few charred bones. I have packed them up in a coffin. It is said that the emperor will posthumously make him a loyal doctor. The imperial decree has arrived. The lower officials thought, wait until the imperial decree arrives, and then send someone to transport the coffin back to Mr. Zhao’s hometown."

He Liu asked Steward Zhao again: "How did your master set himself on fire? Did you pour oil on yourself?"

Butler Zhao became hesitant: "Mmmm...yes, I poured it myself, no, I also gave a hand, lifted the barrel of kerosene over our master's head, and poured it down."

He Liu asked: "What happened after pouring the kerosene? How did you start the fire?"

Zhao Guanjia said: "Yes, it is made with fire. No, torch."

Seeing this, Wang Tingshu hurriedly said: "I'm here on a mission, this housekeeper Zhao was terrified when he saw his master set himself on fire and died, and his words didn't make sense."

He Liu smiled: "So that's the case! By the way, since I am an imperial envoy, I should naturally pay my respects to the remains of loyal ministers. Where are the remains of loyal ministers now?"

Wang Tingshu said: "In the office of the office in the back office."

(End of this chapter)