Chapter 326 325 Wang Zhi's Confession

On December 25, the 38th year of Jiajing, Wang Zhi was beheaded at the port of Hangzhou Chenggong, and his head was sent to the coastal prefectures and counties of Zhejiang for public display. His family members were given as slaves to the families of meritorious officials.

So far, the once famous and dominant generation of heroes on the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty has come to an end. There is no such person in the world anymore, but the large amount of maritime merchant power he left behind still threatens the safety of the coastal prefectures and counties of the Ming Dynasty.

"What did he say?"

Sitting in the sedan chair, Wei Guangde asked curiously.

"Just now I heard from the yamen escorting Wang Zhi that Wang Zhi kept saying in the prison car, 'If I die alone, I am afraid that the people of Liangzhe will suffer' or something like that."

Zhang Ji whispered beside the sedan chair.

"Oh, this sentence, it is also recorded in the file, it's not surprising."

Wei Guangde suddenly paused when he said this. Wei Guangde also knew that the Japanese pirates might retaliate before, but at this time, Wei Guangde suddenly understood Wang Zhi's thoughts a little.

In the past, Wang Zhi's pirate force was the most powerful force on the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty, so many rules in the Japanese pirate group were decided by Wang Zhi. If there were Japanese pirates who did not follow Wang Zhi's rules, Wang Zhi would teach them a lesson in his own way.

Therefore, the Japanese pirates at that time seemed loose, but in fact they all had rules, and the rules came from Wang Zhi's mouth.

But now, Wang Zhi is dead, and the rules he set before naturally no longer exist.

Wei Guangde learned about these rules when he checked Wang Zhi's case files, including that the people of the Ming Dynasty were not allowed to be killed at will at Wang Zhi's request, and only when they encountered strong resistance, everything was based on looting as the first priority.

After contacting Hu Zongxian, Wang Zhi began to restrain his men's looting actions, which was also an important reason for the easing of the Japanese invasion in Jiangnan in recent years.

In fact, even if the Japanese pirates did not loot, they could survive by relying on the smuggled goods provided by the coastal gentry.

In fact, the economy of the coastal counties of the Ming Dynasty during this period was entirely supported by the Japanese pirates, or the armed smuggling merchants controlled by Wang Zhi. They continuously smuggled the Ming Dynasty goods smuggled to the sea by the gentry and sold them to Japan and Southeast Asia, and imported a large amount of silver into the Ming Dynasty.

Wei Guangde didn't know this before.

However, what Wang Zhi confessed was only recorded in the abandoned case files, or the confession records that the Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Department had not had time to destroy, but there was no mention of it in the bound files.

Wang Bengu responded that Wang Zhi knew he would die, so he made random accusations, and those confessions were certainly not credible.

Wang Zhi's confession in the court can be said to have directly revealed the truth about the collusion between officials and merchants in the coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty. If such a file was handed over to the capital, it would be hard to say how much trouble it would cause.

In fact, the Japanese pirates reported by the prefectures and counties along the coast were real. They were all Japanese pirates who came ashore to rob property. More often, the Japanese pirates came ashore to trade goods with mainland merchants.

Even if the Ming army patrol officers and soldiers found these things, they would not issue an alarm, because they had been bribed by the local gentry. If they could not be bribed, they would contact their senior officials to transfer people away.

In fact, the complexity of the anti-Japanese situation in Jiangsu and Zhejiang was largely due to the misconduct of these gentry.

However, although he was an imperial censor, Wei Guangde had no way to deal with it.

There were many officials in the Ming Dynasty who knew the inside story of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but no one had ever opened the lid. The water was too deep and he could not play with it.

Now it is snowing heavily in the north of the Ming Empire, and the temperature in the north of the Yangtze River in Nanzhili has dropped sharply. It is impossible to return to the capital.

Wei Guangde was on a business trip. Although his official duties had been completed, he still couldn't go back to Jiujiang Prefecture to celebrate the festival. First, there was not enough time. Second, he had to stay in Hangzhou and wait for the reply from the capital because of the joint memorial he had sent to the capital.

For more than a month, the people sent out came back from the surrounding prefectures and counties one after another.

Wei Guangde read the news he brought back. The people were definitely dissatisfied with the tax increase, but judging from the current situation, it was still within the controllable range. After all, the threat of Japanese pirates was real. Even in those places that had not encountered Japanese chaos, the people knew the cruelty of Japanese pirates, so they were still trying their best to endure it.

However, this was not a long-term solution.

According to the news sent back, Hu Zongxian's additional taxes and labor service for the common people were actually very limited, with an additional military salary of one cent and three cents per mu, but in fact, when it came to the local area, the additional taxes and labor service had reached three cents per mu, or even four cents.

In such an environment, almost 80% to 90% of the output of the land was handed over to the government and landlords, and the farmers could hardly even meet their basic food and clothing needs.

As for the extra part, it was naturally the levy of the government office. After all, there was a labor cost for collecting grain, and the yamen runners in the county government also had a share.

It was precisely because of this that the people in Jiangnan "drained their blood and flesh", cut off their livelihood, and some people were forced to become tenants or even refugees, and some even chose to join the ranks of Japanese pirates.

"Now the price of land here is only five or six taels of silver per mu?"

Wei Guangde looked at the things Zhang Ji sorted out and said with a little surprise.

"Yes, sir, the price of land here is lower than that of Jiujiang Prefecture.

I heard that those families who have no scholars who have achieved fame are now subject to additional levies, and those who have more land are considered to be grain chiefs and serve as officials, so most of the additional levies fall on them.

Now these people are in a hurry to get rid of the land in their hands. Didn't the land price of ten taels of silver in the past drop to five or six taels of silver?

It seems that no one wants it at this price. It is said that someone bought a field for four taels of silver, only to regret not buying it the next day and even got into a lawsuit. "

Zhang Ji replied on the side that these were the people who were sent out to inquire about the news. He was really surprised.

But I feel relieved when I think about it. In Zhejiang and Nanzhili, the Japanese pirates are making troubles, which has greatly affected agricultural production. With additional taxes and servitude, those who do not have tax exemption qualifications have no choice but to get rid of their fields as soon as possible.

However, those gentry with a good reputation are also evil-minded. The price of land has been lowered to 40% to 50% of previous years, which is still not enough. Seeing this, they are not planning to sell even 40 taels of silver.

Land annexation, this term came to Wei Guangde's mind.

It’s hard to describe the Chinese people’s love for land. In previous years, you might have tried your best to buy land from others, because it was meant to be passed down to the family. Unless they were forced into a desperate situation, most people would not sell it. own land.

The current situation in Jiangnan is naturally a God-given opportunity for those local gentry and powerful people, so they do not want to annex it.

But Zhang Ji is right, they are really dark-hearted, and they still don’t take action when the land prices are so low.

Wei Guangde is not very interested in the fields here, but he likes the gardens here. Unfortunately, most of the gardens are built near the state capital, and there are many Ming troops stationed here. Generally, no Japanese pirates will come here to take advantage of it, so the price of the gardens is a bit expensive.

Wei Guangde has money, but unfortunately he doesn't want to leave it here, so he can only think about it.

At this time in the capital, everyone in and outside the city must be busy. Officials in the government offices are waiting for the government offices to be locked, and craftsmen and Lehu are busy preparing for the celebrations in the palace and the Aoshan Lantern Festival.

It's a pity that he won't be able to attend this event this year, as the Chinese New Year is approaching.

At this moment, a messenger dressed in brocade rushed into the inner city of Beijing from Chaoyang Gate on horseback and ran along Dong'anmen Street. Along the way, the patrolling military officers saw the knight on the horse and decisively stepped aside. , pretending not to see it.

Just doing this caused the crowds of civilians on the street to suffer. Amidst the sound of horse hooves, the people scattered in all directions and fled to both sides of the road. Even the horse-drawn carriages and ox-carts on the street also gave way. For a time, the entire street Chickens are flying, dogs are jumping, and people are shouting.

The Jinyi messenger flew all the way to the Fusi gate of Jinyiwei North Town before reining in the reins. Then he jumped off the horse. The captain in front of the gate hurriedly stepped forward to take the reins of the horse, and he took off the bamboo tube from the horse and ran all the way into the gate. .

Not long after, the urgently delivered bamboo tube was in the hands of Lu Bing. After checking the seal, Lu Bing opened the bamboo tube and poured out the contents. There were only two confessions. He looked carefully into the bamboo tube and found that it was empty. things.

Wei Guangde would not tell Lu Bing anything in a letter. God knows whether Lu Bing would keep it or destroy it immediately. He didn't want to be the one to make friends with the emperor's ministers. Everything was a trick discovered by Jin Yiwei himself. As for Lu Bing's thoughts If he doesn't want it, then it's none of his business.

However, Wei Guangde believed that with Lu Bing's intelligence, he would not have thought that this was a bargaining chip for negotiating with the Yan family.

Even if there is no evidence for the things mentioned in the confession, as long as the news is released through the Jin Yiwei, the censors in the Metropolitan Procuratorate who have nothing to do all day will know what to do.

The facts were just as Wei Guangde thought. Lu Bing frowned when he saw the contents of the confession and the name of the person signing below.

The contents of the two confessions are closely related, but they are very different.

The bamboo tube that conveyed the message was carried by the people he sent to Wei Guangde. Jinyiwei had strict regulations on the use of these objects. One look at the bamboo tube and he knew where the message came from.

However, Lu Bing thought for a long time, and at first he still didn't understand Liu Shou's purpose in sending the confession. Shouldn't this thing be kept by the Zhejiang Procuratorate?

After Wang Zhi was executed, the confession should have been kept in Wang Zhi's trial file. How did it end up here?

Lu Bing naturally understood the weight of this confession. It was a bit involved, and Lu Bing did not dare to expose it casually.

Give it to the emperor. Although Lu Bing is loyal to Emperor Jiajing, he is not ignorant. Giving this thing to the emperor is not showing loyalty but harming others.

A little confused, and regardless of the fatigue of the messenger from traveling for days, Lu Bing ordered the messenger to be brought to him.

Yes, after handing over the bamboo tube he brought, the courier was already slumped in a duty room, sipping ginger soup, with several pastries placed on the table beside him.

It was freezing cold and he was galloping all the way. His physical strength was severely exhausted and his whole body was frozen. At this moment, he could only rely on the stove to slowly restore his body temperature.

Delivering letters in this weather is like walking through the door of hell, but luckily I survived.

Being brought before Lu Bing by the two captains, the messenger hurriedly saluted and already reported: "I am a humble guard in Hangzhou."

"Excuse me, tell me what the person who gave you the bamboo tube asked you to bring?"

Seeing that the man was still struggling to salute, Lu Bing said hurriedly.

"Reporting to the Governor, Liu Baihu only said that this was something given to the prisoner by your Excellency, and nothing else."

The messenger hurriedly replied.

"Something given to someone in prison?"

Lu Bing frowned and repeated, "Do you have anything else to say? Think about it again."

Lu Bing was worried and reminded him again. After getting a clear answer from the messenger, he nodded and everyone left.

"Things belonging to people in prison?"

Lu Bing kept repeating this in his mouth. How fresh. Just looking at the signature, he knew that it was the confession made by the prisoner. However, Lu Bing felt that the "prisoner" here should not be the person who signed the confession. That was redundant.

If it refers to someone else, who is that person?

Lu Bing thought for a long time but still couldn't understand. Did Liu Shouyou and the others drink too much? What about the things that the adults gave to the prisoner?

Lu Bing was a little angry. The messenger answered very straightforwardly. He should not have brought the wrong words. Moreover, the messenger of the Jinyiwei still had some awareness and would definitely not remember it wrong.

Adult?

Prisoner?

Suddenly, Lu Bing's mind flashed Wei Guangde's appearance.

Liu Shouyou and the others were nothing adults. The messenger said that Liu Baihu said that this was something that the adults gave to the prisoner. So this adult was referring to Wei Guangde?

Wei Guangde handed it to him through the Jinyiwei communication channel and said that it was something given to the prisoner. Could it be referring to Yu Dayou?

Wei Guangde said to give this confession to Yu Dayou?

"Hiss"

Instantly, Lu Bing seemed to understand the purpose of this confession.

This is Wei Guangde who found some unreported situations in Wang Zhi's case in Zhejiang. It is very complicated, but it involves Hu Zongxian and others. Does he mean to use this thing to make a deal with the Yan family and exchange Yu Dayou?

Yu Dayou's case has been hanging. Lu Bing can only ensure that Yu Dayou lives comfortably in the imperial prison, but he can't get him out. After all, it was Emperor Jiajing who ordered the arrest.

And to release him, the case must be closed first, and Yan Song and Yan Shifan are in a dilemma. Lu Bing is helpless about not releasing him.

Lu Bing dare not say that he will plead with Emperor Jiajing directly. This is not helping him but harming him.

Lu Bing took out the confession and looked at it carefully. There are really many places for operation. Forging the pardon edict and the whereabouts of 800,000 taels of silver remain a mystery.

Lu Bing put down the confession in his hand and unconsciously reached out to rub his chin.

Wei Guangde had no control over what Lu Bing would do in the capital, so he could only spend the Spring Festival in Hangzhou.

The Spring Festival was called "releasing the soul" in the Hangzhou dialect in the Ming Dynasty. Starting from the New Year's greetings on the first day of the first lunar month, people would have fun.

Young people would even go to temple fairs and other entertainment venues to have fun day and night.

Wei Guangde was also young. During the day, he took Zhang Ji and others to visit temple fairs and watch operas, and at night he participated in various banquets in the Hangzhou officialdom.

Starting with Hu Zongxian, the governor of Jiangnan, officials in Hangzhou Prefecture took turns to entertain guests and invited local famous courtesans to perform.

In ancient times, officials were almost all officials in other places, and the system did not allow officials to take office in their hometowns, so everyone could only celebrate the festival together. Every festival was full of thoughts about family, which might be a portrayal of this.