Chapter 155 Zhu Houzhao became suspicious
Zhu Houzhao knew that reform meant going against the majority of the gentry in the world. He could not relax his life safety at any time, and he had to guard against dangers such as falling into the water, poisoning and explosion.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao gave an order to Admiral Gu Dayong of Xichang from the beginning, asking him to continuously expand the number of people in Xichang, so as to spread throughout the Ming Dynasty and even the whole world, especially in crowded places such as teahouses and restaurants, and even among officials and gentry. As well as placing spies in Xungui and other mansions, including the vassal king.
Anyway, Zhu Houzhao is not short of money now, and has enough funds to expand the West Factory and maintain the West Factory's intelligence work.
Now Zhu Houzhao not only requires Xichang to be responsible for his own safety, but also for the safety of reformist officials such as Ma Wensheng.
Moreover, there is a special group in charge. Once one of them or one of the reformist officials is assassinated, the members of the special group in Xichang will also lose their jobs and be directly expelled from Xichang!
Because of this, Zhu Houzhao and the reformist officials have not encountered any danger so far.
Of course, Zhu Houzhao also knew the secrets of many officials and gentry through Xichang.
The main spy agencies of the Ming Dynasty include Jinyiwei and Dongxi Factory.
Because the empire's demand for military intelligence gradually increased, Jin Yiwei began to gradually fade away from the intelligence investigation and arrest work within the empire, and was specifically responsible for the collection of military intelligence and the arrest and execution of military personnel;
Dongchang began to replace Jinyiwei in arresting civil servants and gentry and common people;
Xichang is responsible for intelligence collection within the empire except military affairs.
For example, not long after returning to Beijing, Zhu Houzhao learned from Xichang that a gentry from the south of the Yangtze River secretly went to Nanchang to meet Prince Ning, which aroused his vigilance.
But Zhu Houzhao didn't let the people in Xichang make it public. After all, the current King Ning couldn't make it.
But now, because of the murder of important court officials by craftsmen, Zhu Houzhao had to summon Gu Dayong, the admiral of the West Factory, again to ask about the recent developments of officials in the Ministry of Works system and the War Bureau system.
At this time, Gu Dayong picked up the prepared booklet and replied:
"Zeng Jian, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, suffered from sudden acute pain in the middle of the night last night. He pressed his right abdomen and kept wailing. He had sweating on his forehead and was in unbearable pain!"
"The Left Minister of the Ministry of Industry..."
……
After Zhu Houzhao listened to Gu Dayong's current situation of officials in the Ministry of Industry system and the War Bureau system, he couldn't help but think deeply. On the surface, except for the sudden request to restore the craftsmanship system by the Ministry of Engineering, it seemed that these officials None of them behaved abnormally. Is it possible that officials from the Ministry of Industry and the War Bureau really did not plan this matter?
At this time, Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, came over: "Your Majesty! The minister of the Ministry of Industry Zeng Jian Shang Shu said that he suddenly suffered from stranguria last night, so he asked for leave for ten days, and Zuo Shilang will perform his duties."< br>
Zhu Houzhao already knew through Xichanggu Dayong that Zeng Jian, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was ill last night, and he didn't think there was anything suspicious about it at first, but he suddenly remembered that people in Xichang said that Zeng Jian was holding his right abdomen and wailing, so he I read the brochure that Gu Dayong handed over again and again, and after confirming that it was written like this, I became confused and thought:
"This stone is called kidney stone in later generations, and there is severe pain. If you feel kidney pain, you should touch your back, because the anatomical location of the kidney is in the shallow fossae on both sides of the retroperitoneal spine, usually at the lower edge of the ribs, and the right kidney is pointed at the third The transverse processes of the two lumbar vertebrae should be touched on the dorsal side if there is a stone in the right kidney, not to mention that I have seen others suffer from it. ”
But Zhu Houzhao did not express his inner doubts, and only said: "I know, let's grant him leave first. Since the Minister of the Ministry of Works complained that he was ill, he summoned the left minister of the Ministry of Works and the young eunuch Chi Zong, and asked them to come to the cabinet immediately to talk to him. The report of the clerk's duty room is in the book The situation of the craftsmen! Confirm whether the craftsmen accused of committing crimes by Shuntian Mansion are registered craftsmen." After that, Zhu Houzhao asked Ma Yongcheng, the admiral of Dongchang: "Have the craftsmen who committed crimes been taken to Dongchang from Shuntian Mansion?"< br>
"My lord, they were all taken to Dongchang, but now they have all confessed to their crimes," replied Ma Yongcheng, the admiral of Dongchang.
"Continue to interrogate why they dared to kill important members of the court and who is the mastermind behind it."
Zhu Houzhao ordered that he naturally could not trust the people in Shuntian Prefecture. Letting Dongchang be responsible for hearing the case would naturally make him feel more at ease, and he could also use this to dig out the people who were planning the matter behind the scenes. Zhu Houzhao believed that if there were no big bosses in the DPRK, Planning in secret, it is impossible for a few craftsmen to have the courage and opportunity to murder three court officials, and directly use firearms!
At this time, Ye Heng, the left minister of the Ministry of Industry, and Chi Zong, the young eunuch of the Military War Bureau, came to the cabinet and the supervising room of the ceremonial department. After saluting Zhu Houzhao, they handed the craftsmen's booklet that had not been revoked to Zhu Houzhao and personally pointed it out. Position: "Your Majesty, you see, the craftsmen suspected of killing the imperial officials are all registered craftsmen. I dare not lie!"
In his heart, Zhu Houzhao hoped that the Ministry of Industry and the Military War Bureau would randomly find a few people who were planning the imperial court orders, and then ask Shuntian Prefecture to pin the charges on a few craftsmen. With the name of a murderer, he had to admit for a moment that the officials who were against him behind the scenes were indeed doing things cleanly.
Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to ask these two people to retreat.
Seeing this, Jiao Fang, the bachelor on duty in the cabinet, could only say: "Your Majesty, it looks like this. We can only wait for the results of the case in the East Factory! As long as the murderous craftsmen are willing to tell the mastermind behind the scenes, they can also directly Execute them on the pretext of murdering imperial officials, and teach these officials who try to prevent the imperial government from abolishing the craftsmanship system!”
Zhu Houzhao nodded: "This matter must be resolved as soon as possible. The imperial court must hire skilled craftsmen to build excellent weapons immediately after canceling the craftsmanship system. Not only if this delay continues, the recovery of the Loop will only be delayed for a few more years!" Let’s wait and see when Dongchang will get the results.”
……
At this time, in the prison of Dongchang.
Qiu Ye, the stall owner of Dongchang, walked in and asked Zhang Yan, the stall owner on duty: "Where is the Governor?"
"Go back to the main stall. The governor is still talking to the emperor. He will come back later," Zhang Yan replied.
"Where are the criminal craftsmen who were detained now?" Qiu Ye asked.
"Go back to the main stall, in Xuanzi's room," Zhang Yan replied.
"Come with me. These criminal craftsmen are related to important cases, so we must not be careless. I have to explain it myself! Of course, this is what the Governor ordered before!"
As he spoke, Qiuye took Zhang Yan into the narrow corridor of Xuanzi Room. When he saw no one was around, he suddenly took advantage of Zhang Yan not paying attention and strangled Zhang Yan with the rope. Then he tied it tightly and swung it to the beam before hanging him. He got up and placed a stool under Zhang Yan to create the illusion that Zhang Yan had hanged himself.
Then, a muffled sound came from the Xuanzi room, and all the craftsmen died.
Qiu Ye walked out calmly and shouted to the Xuanzihao gate: "Secretary Zhang, it's a good look! I will come back to check later, don't be careless!"
(End of chapter)