Chapter 4920 Feeling confident
Several people greeted each other and sat down separately.
As a landowner with the lowest official position, Li Anqi took the initiative to hand tea and water to several people. Fang Jun took the tea cup with a smile and took a sip and asked: "How is the situation?"
Ma Zhou glanced at Liu Xiangdao, who said: "After interrogation, it was found that the matter was serious. These people not only colluded internally and externally, used their own hands, embezzled public funds, and manipulated lawsuits, but they were even found to be involved in the construction project of Zhaoling..."
Fang Jun was stunned for a moment and quickly waved his hand: "How the case is tried has nothing to do with me. I'm just cooperating with you. If you have any requests, just speak up."
Civil and military affairs have different paths. Nowadays, the civil-military conflict between North Korea and China has become very serious, and more and more attention is needed.
Liu Xiangdao nodded and said: "So please ask the Duke of Yue to send someone to summon the people involved in the case. We will try the case here. After we make progress, we will go to the palace to report to His Majesty. At the same time, we must pay more attention to every place in the city. To prevent anyone from taking risks and causing chaos.”
Since it involves the construction of the Zhaoling Mausoleum, it is a serious crime of confiscating homes and exterminating families. It is inevitable that some people are too involved in the case and know that they are guilty of serious crimes, so they risk their lives and intend to abscond in fear of crime...
Fang Jun looked solemn, nodded and said: "That's exactly what it should be!"
Turning around, he ordered Cheng Wuting and Sun Renshi: "Send soldiers to follow the officials of Yushitai to summon all the people involved in the case. No matter who they are, they must be detained and brought to the case. If there is any obstruction, they will be arrested! In addition, send people to various city gates to coordinate Garrison, anyone leaving the city tonight will be subject to strict interrogation, and if there is any suspicion, they will be arrested! ”
When Liu Xiangdao heard this, he hurriedly said: "This... is a bit of a stir-up, right?"
Nowadays, the curfew system in Chang'an City has been abolished. It is also the New Year's Eve. The commercial atmosphere in the entire Chang'an City is extremely strong. Countless people leave and enter the city every day. Even in the middle of the night, the city gates do not stop. If they rashly block people leaving the city, they will definitely be killed. Caused huge confusion and panic.
Fang Jun said sternly: "Dare to tamper with the construction of Zhaoling, it will be a big case, no matter how rigorous the investigation is. Don't worry, doctor censor, I will bear the consequences. You only need to Investigate the case to the end!”
He also told Cheng Wuting: "Go to the Duke of Xi's mansion to summon the Duke of Xi. You should follow him there personally. If the Duke of Xi resists to the end, tie him up."
Cheng Wuting was shocked and quickly responded: "Here!"
"Go ahead and act quickly, otherwise the longer you delay, the more trouble you will have."
"Here!"
Cheng and Sun took the order and strode out of the government office.
The streets and alleys were already densely packed with the elite soldiers of the Jinwu Guards on the left and right, standing in the heavy snow with their formations neat and motionless, with a chilling air, ready for action.
At the same time, the officials of Yushitai also walked out of the gate quickly. Immediately, a school captain led a group of soldiers to contact them and obey the command. In the blink of an eye, more than ten groups of people walked quickly out of the streets one after another, braving the heavy snow. They galloped their horses and rushed to various places in the city.
The rapid sound of horse hoofbeats was very clear on the long street on a snowy night. After arriving at the destination, they called for the gate to be opened. The waiters were stunned and drove straight in. They went straight to various houses, broke open the doors and rushed in, taking the people directly according to the roster. , but any disobedience or obstruction will be arrested.
There was great chaos in the city of Chang'an. The lights were brightly lit everywhere, and people were at a loss as to what was going on.
Even the left and right leading guards who inspected the imperial city discovered that something was wrong, and quickly sent additional soldiers to guard the city gates. While sending people to the left and right Jinwu guards who were responsible for the defense of the city to inquire about the news, they also reported to the palace...
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In the Taiji Palace, Li Chengqian had just had dinner, bathed and changed clothes. After sitting in the bedroom for a while without feeling sleepy, he put on his robe and went to the imperial study room with his chamberlain carrying a lantern.
Looking at the large pile of memorials piled on the desk, he couldn't help but sigh softly. The heavy government affairs almost exhausted his energy. Although he could barely cope with it, it also overdrawn his body, causing him to neglect the concubines in the palace.
The reason why I don’t sleep in the dormitory is probably a subconscious escape...
Ask the chamberlain to make a pot of strong tea, light the candlestick, sit behind the imperial desk, and bury his head in the desk.
I don’t know how much time passed, but Li Chengqian, who had a stiff waist, put down his pen, rubbed his waist, and looked up at the falling snowflakes reflected in the light of the lantern outside the window...
The climate in Guanzhong has been very different in the past few years. Summers are rainy and scorching hot, and winters are snowy and freezing. The four seasons are not as peaceful as in previous years. A few days ago, houses in Chang'an City were collapsed by heavy snow, and some people even died of freezing in the snow. This made him extremely angry. He warned Jingzhao Yin and Ma Zhou, but he didn't know if he could deal with it.
As the New Year approaches, we can’t let the people have a bad New Year, right?
There were hurried footsteps outside the door, and after a moment, Wang De, the chamberlain's chief chamberlain, walked in quickly: "Your Majesty, General Zheng Rentai, the right commander of the army, would like to see you."
"Huh?"
Li Chengqian frowned and said immediately: "Xuan!"
"Here."
Wang De turned around and went out. A moment later, Zheng Rentai, wearing a helmet and carrying armor, stepped inside to greet him.
"Plain body!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Wang De, make a cup of hot tea for Duke Tong'an."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zheng Rentai took the hot tea from Wang De and took a sip.
Li Chengqian asked: "If Aiqing is not on duty in the imperial city, why did she come to the palace at night?"
Zheng Rentai put down his tea cup and said: "Your Majesty, there was chaos in Chang'an City just now. There were soldiers coming and going in many places. I heard that Yushitai and Jinwu Guards were dispatched together, arresting many people, and all the city gates were closed." Martial law, no entry allowed. The general is responsible for guarding the imperial city, but he has no idea what is going on. Does your majesty need to close all the gates of the imperial city and strengthen the security? "
The imperial city is outside the palace city. Although it is divided into two, it is actually connected into one body. It shares the responsibility of guarding the palace with the Beiya Imperial Army stationed at Xuanwu Gate, Chongxuan Gate and other places. Therefore, once the left and right leading guards strengthen their guard, patrol, and Even the gates of the imperial city were blocked, and the whole body was affected by the move, and the Beiya Imperial Army was bound to follow up.
This created a tense atmosphere throughout the palace.
No matter in any era, "Martial Law in the Palace City" is a huge event, and the consequences are extremely serious...
Li Chengqian thought about it for a moment, shook his head, and said: "There is no need to make a big fuss. Since the Jinwu Guards on the left and right have started martial law, Chang'an City is impregnable. Besides, it is just a corruption review in Wannian County, nothing major."
"Here!"
Zheng Rentai accepted the order and saw that His Majesty had no further instructions, so he resigned and returned to the imperial city.
Standing on the tower of Zhuque Gate, overlooking the streets of Chang'an City that were clearly outlined and dotted with lights in the night, I couldn't help but sigh.
He sympathized with Li Chengqian a little. When he was the crown prince, he did not enjoy the respect and glory of "the successor of the empire". Instead, he was always on guard against the knives stabbed from behind by his brothers. Emperor Taizong was also prone to the idea of "easy storage" ,all The days were full of trembling and fear. Even after ascending the throne as emperor, first Guanlong Gongxun and then Jin Wang Li Zhi launched mutinies one after another. Xuanwu Gate was captured twice, and we were only one step away from usurping the throne...
To this day, there are still disloyal people who covet it.
It is really not easy for the emperor to do this despite internal and external troubles and walking on thin ice...
*****
At the Duke of Xi's residence, Li Xiaoxie was checking the accounts in the study. As the New Year was approaching, old relatives and old friends sent gifts to each other, and each transaction had to be recorded in the book so that they could return gifts or compare them in the future. But looking at the accounts, Li Xiaoxie was filled with worry and longing. sigh.
His son Li Sizhong poured a cup of tea and placed it in Li Xiaoxie's hand, wondering: "Why does father sigh?"
Although the Duke of Xi's palace is now declining in popularity, after all, it is the lineage of Gaozu, and it is the current eldest son of King Xi's branch. It is respected by generations, so at the end of the year, the gifts sent out are few and the gifts received are almost the same. The depleted storehouses were filled again.
Li Xiaoxie took a sip of tea and said depressedly: "If it weren't for Fang Jun's blackmail, how could the government be so short of money and food? Relying on receiving gifts to survive, he has become the laughing stock of the clan!"
It is precisely because of this that he becomes more determined to follow Li Shenfu to start a rebellion, otherwise he does not know when he will be able to earn back the money extorted by Fang Jun...
After a pause, he asked again: "Why didn't the Chengxi Brick Kiln send its account books?"
Li Sizhong said: "I have sent someone to inquire, and they said they are doing calculations. They will probably deliver it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. At the same time, they will also deliver the money and silk."
Li Xiaoxie nodded: "The brick kiln has made a lot of money this year, and the government's expenses have been greatly eased. Let's wait until after the new year to see if there are still suitable brick kilns, and then build one or two of them. We can also have enough food and drink with Zhaoling." ”
When Empress Wende passed away, she left her last words and asked for a "shallow burial". Emperor Taizong agreed very well. However, within a few years, large-scale construction began, especially since the Royal Navy occupied a large number of gold and silver mines overseas. Countless gold and silver were transported to Chang'an and used as internal funds. Emperor Taizong, who was wealthy and wealthy, became more and more interested in the construction of Zhaoling. The scale was more than doubled compared to before.
Correspondingly, various building materials are naturally consumed in large quantities, and many families responsible for supplying materials have made a fortune...
Li Sizhong hesitated and said cautiously: "We still need to be more cautious. His Majesty attaches great importance to the construction of Zhaoling, and the prices of various materials are also very high. As long as we supply them on time and in quantity, we can make a lot of money. Why bother with If something happens, it’s a serious crime!”
That is the tomb of Emperor Taizong and Queen Wende!
Once the incident happened, even without the need for His Majesty to punish him, those Zhenguan ministers who followed Emperor Taizong in the southern and northern wars dared to knock on the door and tie up their father and son and bury them alive in Zhaoling to apologize to Emperor Taizong...
Li Xiaoxie disagreed: "This kind of thing is not done by our family. Your Majesty thought that the clan was in awe of Zhaoling and did not dare to do anything about it, so he distributed most of the material supplies to the clan, but it was the clan who was confident... Even if the clues are discovered, what can be done? Can the clan be brought to justice? "It's not that Li Chengqian is causing trouble for the clan, but that many people in the clan are trying to overthrow Li Chengqian... If Li Chengqian can't appease the clan, how dare he? Raise troops to investigate?
(End of chapter)