Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Chapter 151 Three Groups of People

Lu Zhong frowned as he looked at the account books his men had brought back from Shanxi.

The document records many transactions between "Mr. Liu" and Wang Chongde.

The timing and what Wang Chongde said match up, so this "Mr. Liu" should be Cao Jixiang.

What made Lu Zhong frown was the second half of the ledger, which recorded not transactions, but a string of names.

Each name was followed by a number, ranging from a few hundred taels to several thousand taels.

"The Duke of Wei's mansion, three thousand taels of silver."

"The Imperial Son-in-Law Zhao Hui, two thousand taels of silver."

"Zhang Yong, Right Vice Minister of the Nanjing Court of State Affairs, eight thousand taels of silver."

If these ledgers are genuine, it means that Nanjing was rotten from top to bottom.

But the question is, is this ledger genuine?

Soon, Wang Chongde was dragged into the house by two Imperial Guards.

Lu Zhong threw the account book in front of Wang Chongde: "Take a look at this."

Wang Chongde's hands trembled as he opened the account book, and as he looked at it, his expression changed.

After reading it, he froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.

Lu Zhong stared at him: "What?"

Wang Chongde suddenly raised his head: "Commander Lu, this isn't my ledger!"

Lu Zhong frowned: "What do you mean?"

Wang Chongde held up the account book: "Commander Lu, please take a look. Although the handwriting is very similar, it is not mine!"

'

He flipped to the previous pages: "And these transaction records, I never did them!"

Who is this Mr. Liu?

I don't know them at all!

Lu Zhong didn't speak, he just looked at him quietly.

Wang Chongde was so anxious he was almost in tears: "Commander Lu! I really didn't lie to you!"

The little man's account book says Cao Jixiang! It's Cao Jixiang!

No, it's not this Mr. Liu!

Even a petty person can swear an oath to Heaven!

Lu Zhong slowly spoke: "But this account book was found in the place you gave me, and it's the only one we found."

Wang Chongde was stunned. After a long while, he suddenly roared, "Someone has been replaced!"

Someone must have replaced it!

Cao Jixiang!

It must be him!

Lu Zhong's eyes flickered.

Wang Chongde kowtowed frantically, pleading, "Commander Lu, everything I said is true!"

After a moment of silence, Lu Zhong stood up and said to the Imperial Guards beside him, "Keep a close eye on him. Don't let anyone approach him. If he dies, you will all be executed."

After saying that, he quickly walked out of the house.

Half an hour later, in the East Warm Pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qiyu flipped through the account book.

Lu Zhong stood aside and repeated Wang Chongde's words in detail.

After listening, Zhu Qiyu looked at Lu Zhong and asked, "Do you think Wang Chongde's words are credible?"

Lu Zhong lowered his head and said, "Wang Chongde's performance does not seem fake."

Moreover, I have repeatedly compared the handwriting on that account book.

Indeed, there are some slight differences between this and the previous testimony given by the Lord Chongde.

"The imitation was so perfect that I wouldn't have noticed it if Wang Chongde hadn't pointed it out himself."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Lu Zhong, do you think the officialdom in Nanjing could be this rotten?"

Lu Zhong dared not respond.

Zhu Qiyu continued speaking to himself: "The scrap rate of the firearms transported from Nanjing last year was 23%."

I was thinking at the time that those people in Nanjing were quite bold.

But I don't think Nanjing is this bad.

Therefore, it is highly likely that Wang Chongde's account is genuine and that the account books have been switched.

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Lu Zhong asked, "But why did Cao Jixiang want to switch them? Since he could find the account book, why didn't he just destroy it?"

Zhu Qiyu smiled and said, "It's just using someone else to do his dirty work. These people are probably not on good terms with him."

In addition, these people all hold high positions, which can also distract me.

This is a calculated scheme, even if I think the records in these ledgers are all fake.

However, we must investigate; it's better to believe it exists than not.

Moreover, there's the matter of the firearms in Nanjing.

But what is Cao Jixiang's purpose?

Or is this matter unrelated to Cao Jixiang?

Is Wang Chongde deceiving me?

Zhu Qiyu suddenly stopped speaking at the end.

Wang Chongde is a businessman; he wouldn't get involved in such a political struggle for no reason.

This isn't just about losing his head, but also the heads of his entire family.

Therefore, it must have been instigated.

Whether it is true, as he said, that Cao Jixiang was behind it all, remains to be investigated.

Seeing that Zhu Qiyu looked thoughtful, Lu Zhong did not interrupt.

After a moment, Zhu Qiyu spoke: "At tomorrow's court assembly, I will announce that an investigation team will be sent to Nanjing."

The stated purpose was to investigate the firearms transported from Nanjing during the Battle of Beijing.

Lu Zhong nodded in agreement.

Zhu Qiyu continued, "In addition, you should select a group of people from the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly follow them."

This investigation team is operating openly, so it's bound to be watched by those people in Nanjing.

Your secret agents within the Embroidered Uniform Guard are the ones who are truly investigating.

Check whether the records in this ledger are true.

Lu Zhongxin understood immediately: "Your subject obeys the decree."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Go, select the right people and then await my decree."

Lu Zhong bowed his head, accepted the order, and withdrew.

Zhu Qiyu summoned Xing'an: "How is the replenishment of manpower for the Eastern Depot going?"

After the purge of the Eastern Depot, only about two hundred people remained.

Most of these two hundred-plus people were sent to important border towns.

Zhu Qiyu set very high requirements for the recruitment of personnel for the Eastern Depot.

In the past, the Eastern Depot, apart from the more than one thousand core personnel who were the Embroidered Uniform Guards, had a total of over a thousand members.

The other thugs were all hooligans and scoundrels.

These people are alert and cunning, and adept at gathering information and probing into privacy.

They were the most important source of intelligence for the Eastern Depot.

However, it is also a typical symbol of political corruption and social terror in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty.

What Zhu Qiyu wanted was a supervisory body that belonged exclusively to him.

Instead of a terrorist organization that strikes fear into the hearts of the entire nation.

Therefore, Zhu Qiyu abandoned the practice of recruiting local ruffians as servants this time.

All personnel being recruited now are "official employees" of the Eastern Depot.

Their backgrounds were better than most of the Imperial Guards, and they had to go through layers of screening.

Therefore, even now, the people recruited by the Eastern Depot cannot cover all the important prefectures and towns in the country.

This has led to many princes and ministers across the country being left to their own devices for the past few months.

Xing'an bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot currently has 1,521 personnel."

Of these, 1,021 have already completed the training.

They were then assigned to border towns such as Xuanfu and to places like Shandong where large numbers of guards had been stationed.

In addition, two hundred people were left to supervise the officials in the capital.

Zhu Qiyu nodded and handed the account book that Lu Zhong had brought to Xing'an: "Alright, send a hundred men to Nanjing."

They secretly investigated all connections between Nanjing officials.

The key is to identify these individuals and verify the veracity of their claims.

Xing'an took the account book: "Your subject obeys the decree."

Zhu Qiyu thought for a moment and continued, "In addition, the whereabouts of all officials who have been to Beijing this time must be recorded."

You must record for me when, where, who you met, and what you did.

Remember, don't let them find out.

Oh, and I also sent a team of Imperial Guards to investigate secretly.

If things change in Nanjing, the Eastern Depot has the right to call them up.

However, do not let them know of your existence unless absolutely necessary.

Xing'an's heart trembled, and he immediately bowed his head: "Your subject understands."

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