In the capital, since Emperor Yongming showed his power in the hall, all officials kept a low profile, for fear that something would arouse Long Yan's fury and his family would be ransacked and exterminated. The verdict of the Hengyuan Hou Mansion came down at an astonishing speed. The emperor was furious, and the officials below naturally did not dare to neglect. Coupled with the fact that the wall was falling and everyone was pushing, and some people with good intentions were behind the push, the investigation of Hengyuanhou Wei Chunlin and the Hengyuanhou's mansion soon came to a conclusion. How can a family that has existed for a hundred years not have done anything wrong. Which of the four big families in Dream of the Red Chamber is clean.
Wei Chunlin has many heirs, and Wei Hongzheng is definitely not the only son who cheated on his father. After such a settlement, the Hengyuan Hou Mansion stepped on a lot of dirty water.
Emperor Yongming was quite lenient—on the persuasion of the veterans headed by Weng Lao and Dai Lao General—he did not punish the nine clans, but only the three clans. What Wei Hongzheng said had a lot to do with Wei Chunlin's disrespect towards Emperor Yongming in private. With this one alone, Wei Chunlin's head is hard to keep. If it was Emperor Kang Sheng, the first emperor, then within the nine clans of Hengyuan Hou, they would definitely be decisive. At the same time, the Marquis of Hengyuan's mansion is seriously encroaching on land, and there are countless cases of robbery and robbery, and there are many people whose children do anything wrong. In the end, Emperor Yongming directly ordered that Wei Chunlin, Marquis of Hengyuan, be punished for several crimes and ordered to be executed after autumn. Among the sons, those who are involved in a life lawsuit will be executed; if there is no life lawsuit, but they have violated the law, and it is very serious, they will be executed;
Within the three Wei clans, all males who were not involved in lawsuits were all sent to the frontier to be exiled into the army. Women and children all enter the court, that is, enter the palace to do labor. Wei Hongru, the first son of Wei Chunlin, is willing to be punished in place of his father, life for life, filial piety is commendable. The emperor thought of his filial piety, and sentenced Wei Chunlin to 20 years in prison without mercy. Wei Hongru and his wife were exiled in Suzhou. Because Wei Hongwen was expelled from the Wei family by Hengyuan Hou, he was not implicated in the case, but he was not allowed to return to Beijing for five years. Wei Hongwen and his wife went to Suzhou with Wei Hongru and his wife. But the heinous Wei Hongzheng and his family were all asked to be executed.
The entire Hengyuan Hou Mansion collapsed in an instant, Wei Chunlin valued concubines and despised concubines, Wei Hongru and Wei Hongwen were able to escape, if they had a deep relationship with Wei Chunlin and his son, and were too involved in the affairs of Hengyuan Hou Mansion, even if Emperor Yongming wanted to forgive them They can't die, otherwise it will be difficult to stop everyone's mouth. Wei Chunlin's current wife's natal family is also a big family. When something happened in the Hengyuan Hou Mansion, his natal family came forward and asked Wei Chunlin to write a letter of reconciliation. Wei Chunlin's old mother was also sentenced to Yeting, and the queen came forward to let her go to Suzhou with Wei Hongru.
The death of the Hengyuan Hou Mansion, the scattered and scattered, all the gold and silver money confiscated from the Hengyuan Hou Mansion were all put into the treasury, and the antiques, calligraphy and paintings were put into the private treasury of Emperor Yongming. Emperor Yongming sent Xiao Baichuan to ransack the house, and the household department cooperated. One month after the property of the Hengyuanhou Mansion was merged into the national treasury, Emperor Yongming showed his power again. Five boxes of gold ingots confiscated from the Hengyuanhou's Mansion unexpectedly appeared in the household of Shangshu Hubu. Shangshu Hubu was dismissed and investigated, and his family was imprisoned.
This is a later story.
Just as the Hengyuanhou Mansion was mourning from top to bottom in the capital and headed to the place of exile, an official from the Qin Tianjian wrote to Emperor Yongming that Ziwei’s star light was dim, and a strange star stood out beside Ziwei Star, and a disaster star that threatened the emperor’s dragon luck came to the world, and the direction was straight Refers to Yongxiu County. Immediately afterwards, there was an urgent report from a hundred miles away. A vision suddenly appeared in Xiushui Village, Yongxiu County. Birds and beasts wailed, the earth trembled and the mountains shook, and the flood flooded the sky. The vision continued for three days straight from midnight.
As soon as this urgent report came out, there was an uproar in the hall. The Qin Tianjian here just said that there was a disaster star coming to the world, and it was in Yongxiu County, and there was an urgent report that there was a sudden vision in Xiushui Village. The ministers of the Manchu Dynasty immediately went up to play, imploring the emperor to send someone to Yongxiu County to investigate. Emperor Yongming was also a little confused. Although the ministers didn't say anything, he knew who some people were referring to. Shao Yun'an is in Xiushui Village. However, Emperor Yongming didn't believe that Shao Yun'an was a disaster star. Ever since he knew Shao Yun'an, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he was lucky.
"Your Majesty, this matter must be investigated, otherwise, if your Majesty's Dragon Fortune is endangered, our Great Yan Kingdom cannot bear it."
"Your Majesty..."
An Guogong, Ning Guogong, and Zhaoyang Hou—the people all knelt down after receiving the master's gaze, begging the emperor. Jinglinghou, Lu Guogong, Pinganhou, Zhengyuanhou—the people sent by their master kept quiet when they saw that their master was not moving. King Luo Rong said: "Your Majesty, I don't know what disasters and disasters are. But disasters and disasters come to the world, it must not be a good thing. Xiushui Village is full of earthquakes and floods. Why didn't the newspaper say how many people were killed or injured?"
Dai Mingo asked the person who sent the emergency report: "How many casualties are there in Xiushui Village? Why don't you tell me?"
But the man showed a bewildered expression, and said tongue-tiedly: "Well, the emergency report didn't say anything. It just said that the ground in Xiushui Village was shaken, and there was a flood, and the birds in the mountain forest flew into the sky. They lived for days; the wailing of beasts could be heard everywhere, and it was very miserable."
Dai Mingge said with a serious face: "Since there is such a big commotion, how can we not report the casualties?!" He turned to Emperor Yongming: "Your Majesty, I think you should send people to Xiushui Village to check the disaster situation and see if there is any concealment. report the suspicion."
Dai Minge was impartial, at least this sentence did not favor the county magistrate Jiang Kangning. However, someone spoke up: "Your Majesty, Jiang Kangning, the magistrate of Yongxiu County, concealed the disaster situation. It is a great evil! I think that we should send people to Yongxiu County as soon as possible, escort Jiang Kangning back to Beijing, and strictly investigate the disaster situation in Xiushui Village."
An Guogong lowered his eyes and remained motionless.
Then someone said: "Your Majesty, I heard that Jiang Kangning, the county magistrate of Yongxiu County, is an upright and upright official. There is no report related to casualties in Yongxiu County. Maybe there are no civilian casualties."
Duke Lu glanced at Duke An and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"How could it not be possible!" Another minister said, "The earth is shaking, the birds and beasts are howling, and the flood is spreading. The disaster is so serious. How could there be no civilian casualties! It must be that Jiang Kangning was afraid of being punished by His Majesty, so he concealed it and did not report it. !"
"The evil star came out of Yongxiu, and there was such a change in Xiushui Village, so the evil star is in Xiushui Village!"
"What is a disaster? Maybe it's the big worms in the mountains making a fuss! The urgent report doesn't mention civilian casualties, and the county magistrate of Yongxiu has no reports of casualties, so the county has no casualties!"
For a while, the courtiers quarreled - a pot of porridge. Weng Lao and Dai Lao General basically do not go to court on weekdays, unless the emperor orders, such as the time at the Hengyuan Hou Mansion. Three lords and five lords, now four lords. Three lords, four lords and one king will be outside, only King Luo Rong speaks out, and none of the three lords and four lords express their views.
Emperor Yongming sat in the upper seat with a gloomy face. When both sides were arguing, Bai Zhantang, Hou of Jingling, said: "Your Majesty, if there are any casualties in Xiushui Village, send someone to find out."
Some people were dissatisfied: "Such a big event happened in Xiushui Village. As the parent official of Yongxiu County, Jiang Kangning didn't write a letter or give a performance. Just because of this, he should be held accountable for not reporting it!"
"Exactly. Jiang Kangning, magistrate of Yongxiu County, didn't say a word about the shock in Xiushui Village. He deceived the emperor. He committed a heinous crime!"
Someone came out and said unhurriedly: "This statement is wrong. For the parents and officials of one party, it is the most important thing for the people under their jurisdiction to live in peace and not suffer from natural disasters and man-made disasters. It's just some birds and beasts commotion, so why make a fuss Alarm your Majesty. I have a family in Yongxiu County, but I have not heard of the change in Xiushui Village, so it must be a rumor. If there is such a change in Xiushui Village, I should know."
It is Su Qianyun, the Duke of Lu.
Another person said: "Your Majesty, there are also people in my family who live in Yongxiu County. If the changes in Xiushui Village are really as stated in the urgent report, I should have received a letter from my family."
It is an official surnamed Chen.
Then someone came out: "Your Majesty, there are also people in my family who live in Yongxiu County, and I haven't received such a letter. It must be that the matter is not as serious as the urgent report said."
It is an official surnamed Cao.
"Your Majesty!" The official of Xiushui Village, who thought that something serious happened in Xiushui Village, was in a hurry to defend himself, but was stopped by Emperor Yongming's picked up hand.
Emperor Yongming looked at King Luo Rong: "Uncle Emperor, this is a serious matter. Please trouble Uncle Emperor to go to Xiushui Village in person to find out the truth for me."
King Luo Rong saluted: "The minister accepts the decree."
The officials who wanted to say something at first shut up. King Luo Rong doesn't care about the government, even if he listens to the court on time, he rarely speaks, but if he speaks, it will be convincing. No one can deny that King Luo Rong's question is right. If such a catastrophe happened, Xiushui Village would at least have to die for ordinary people, but there was no mention of it in the emergency report, and everyone would have doubts.
Emperor Yongming sent King Luo Rong to investigate the matter, but no one said anything. The officials of the Qin Tianjian said again: "Your Majesty, that disaster star..."
Emperor Yongming said impatiently: "You said that the evil star is in Yongxiu County, who is that? Could it be that I arrested everyone in Yongxiu County to investigate one by one! First find out the earthquake and flood in Xiushui Village. Thank you Uncle Huang will go immediately."
"The minister obeys the order."
Guo Xun immediately shouted: "There is something to play, nothing to retreat to the court~"
Without any action from the ministers, Emperor Yongming stood up and left in an extremely bad mood. Luo Rong Wang Murong Duan beat his old waist, ready to leave with a tired look, many ministers immediately surrounded him, Luo Rong Wang pushed them away: "What's the matter, I will ask you when I come back from Xiushui Village. The emperor ordered This king will go there immediately, this king slept late last night, this old waist is about to break."
Luo Rongwang looked unwilling to talk, and no one could stop him. King Luo Rong walked away with his hands on his back and sighed, as if he really didn't want to make such a trip.
Some people watched King Luo Rong leave the hall with unhappy expressions, Jing Linghou stopped Dai Mingge: "Nephew, is Qiantui feeling better?"
Everyone pricked up their ears. The two wives of the old general Dai came from the Bai family, and the Bai family also came to the position of Marquis step by step because of their in-law relationship with the Dai family. In terms of seniority, Dai Mingge wants to call Jing Linghou a cousin.
Dai Minge sighed, and said: "Your Majesty has ordered you not to say more about the matter of Qiantui." But judging by his appearance, it is obviously not good.
Bai Zhantang immediately said: "It's my uncle who has overstepped the rules. Do you still have something to do? If there is nothing else, why don't you go to my uncle's house?"
"It's good to have another day. Father's leg has been a little sore these few days. The elder brother and the second elder brother are not at home, so my nephew needs to take care of her."
"That's it. The cousin will tell you, look at your brother."
"good."
Dai Mingge and Bai Zhantang left hand in hand, and someone murmured immediately: "Maybe Qiantui was not poisoned by someone, but a disaster from the stars."
Soon, the rumor that the emperor and empress Chitose was killed by the evil star spread like wildfire in the palace. Emperor Yongming snorted coldly in the East Hall, Guo Xun said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, do you want me to see who is chewing my tongue?"
Emperor Yongming: "Let them chew. I can't wait to see the day when they slap your face."
Guo Xun covered his mouth and snickered.
Emperor Yongming narrowed his eyes: "Qin Tianjian..."
In Teacher Weng Academy, Mr. Weng, who was studying the "Book of Changes" with Mr. Cen and Kang Rui, got the news about the remarks of the "bad star". Elder Weng immediately frowned. Old Cen shook his head: "Why bother to say that Brother An is a disaster star?"
Kang Rui said cautiously: "They say that the ground in Xiushui Village is shaking and the mountains are shaking, and the birds and beasts are wailing. Anyone who wants to check will know the truth. Maybe it's not a fake. Teacher, I'll go back. You and I are not here, only Kang Ning, I'm afraid No. The imperial examination list is about to come down, and you and I are masters of the academy, so we can't be absent forever."
Old Weng nodded: "You are right. You two are the only two masters in Yongxiu County, so you can't both be here. Kang Rui, you should go back to Yongxiu County quickly and ask what is going on with Kang Ning. The emperor sent Luo King Rong went to investigate, which means that the emperor doesn't believe what Qin Tianjian said, King Luo Rong's road will not be fast, and you - you will definitely be able to see Kang Ning before him."
Kang Rui stood up immediately: "I'll pack up and go back."
Elder Cen: "If there is such a thing, you have to delay the time. As long as the new tea comes out of the warehouse, I will have the opportunity to wait. The emperor sent King Luo Rong to go there. I guess it is also to give Kang Ning and An Geer time."
"I see!"
Kang Rui nodded solemnly to the two teachers and left quickly.
Elder Cen looked at Elder Weng: "They made a move."
Elder Weng: "If it weren't for Qiantui's health, Qin Tianjian's hand is hard to keep and it will really cause trouble. I will enter the palace right away, and you don't need to do anything. I don't know how many people are staring at you now."
"I know."
Mr. Weng went back to his room, changed his clothes, and immediately entered the palace.
In the imperial palace, Emperor Yongming, without the company of his queen, could only focus on state affairs. Knowing that the old master was coming, Emperor Yongming immediately summoned him. As soon as Weng Lao entered the East Hall, Emperor Yongming spoke first: "Master, some people can't wait."
When the emperor said this, Weng Lao immediately put it back with a firm heart. Emperor Yongming asked Weng Lao to sit down, and then asked: "Does the emperor know about the earthquake and flood in Xiushui Village?"
Weng Lao shook his head: "I don't know. The old minister is also very puzzled why Kang Ning didn't write a letter to report. But this is the critical time for the production of new tea, and all the tea that can be blended in Chinan Prefecture will be sent to Yongxiu County. He also said that roads need to be built, otherwise a lot of new tea would be lost every year for nothing, just because the roads are not smooth. He hasn't heard from him, and I'm afraid that Xiushui Village has no casualties. Otherwise, with Kang Ning's temperament, he will definitely write a letter to the emperor."
Emperor Yongming said: "After the new tea incident is over, I must call Jiang Kangning to Beijing to report on his duties. Now the Qin Tianjian pointed the finger at him and Shao Yun'an, and said that the queen is related to the evil star. It is not appropriate for the queen to come forward now. Think about it." Shut those people's mouths."
Weng Lao thought hard, and Emperor Yongming said: "Let's look at the results of the investigation by the emperor first. If it's just an earthquake and flood, I'm afraid that if there are casualties, it will be difficult for me to silence everyone." Afterwards, Yongming The emperor was a little annoyed, "Whether there are casualties or not, Jiang Kangning should play, otherwise I won't be caught off guard by them today!"
"Kang Ning didn't think carefully about this matter. The old minister wrote him a letter, asking him to play first and explain clearly. For the rest, when he returns to Beijing to report on his duties, he will carefully plan how to deal with it."
Emperor Yongming nodded slightly.