Chapter 747 846 Threat

"Get off the sedan."

After a light shout, a sedan stopped steadily outside the side door of the Wei Mansion. The curtain of the sedan was lifted, and Wei Guangde stepped out of the sedan.

Looking up and casually glancing at the setting sun, Wei Guangde sighed and then stepped into the mansion.

"Master, there is a letter from Madam's parents' home. Madam asks you to go there directly after you come back."

Zhang Ji quickly approached Wei Guangde and said in a low voice.

"Oh, I see."

Wei Guangde agreed and stepped through the mansion door in a few steps, but suddenly stopped again.

He remembered that in the previous correspondence, it was mentioned many times that Wei Guogong Xu Pengju was in poor health. Could it be that his condition had worsened there?

Wei Guangde turned around and asked Zhang Ji: 'What was your expression when Madam gave the order? '

"Very serious, as if with anger."

Zhang Ji did not answer immediately, but said it because he believed it.

"Angry?"

Although it was a bit strange, Wei Guangde still walked towards the backyard again.

It's good to know that it's not Xu Pengju's health that's wrong. It's just that the family is angry about the letter. Could it be that the father-in-law took a concubine again? That's not a big deal.

It's normal for a powerful family to have a few concubines.

Wei Guangde is just young and can have children now, so he is embarrassed to take the initiative to take a concubine.

Wait a few more years, and his wife can't have children, and Wei Guangde will have a reason to take a concubine.

If you don't do this official, it's actually easier. At this time, no one cares how many concubines you take. You just need to settle down your family and support them.

If the people don't report it, the officials won't investigate it. Even if it violates the "Great Ming Law", it won't be a problem.

But he is now a cabinet minister, a role model for all officials. If he takes a concubine casually, it would be strange if the mad dogs in the Censorate don't bite him to death.

Although such an impeachment will not hurt him, it is a big deal to damage his reputation.

Therefore, when he was enjoying the flowers, Wei Guangde sometimes regretted that he should not be an official, or he should be sent to work in the prefecture and county for a few years, resign with some money, and go home to be a rich man, and his life might be more comfortable.

Not long after, he arrived at the backyard and met Xu Jianglan. Wei Guangde learned the content of the letter from her. His father-in-law was really in poor health, but he still had the energy to work on the matter of the title.

Wei Guangde got the letter from his brother-in-law, sat aside and read it carefully twice, put down the letter, and gently tapped the table with his right hand.

"Dong Dong Dong"

The rhythmic tapping sound echoed in the room. Xu Jianglan stood behind him, gently rubbed his shoulders with both hands and asked: "Is this matter difficult to handle?"

"No, it's actually very simple, but it's a bit difficult to choose."

Wei Guangde replied.

"What choice?"

Xu Jianglan asked again.

"The easiest way is for me to go to your cousin and Duke Zhu and ask them to suppress the matter.

As long as the petition for enthronement is not submitted to the emperor, your second brother's succession to the title will naturally be out of the question.

When that day comes, the Ministry of Rites will not accept his succession to the title. I have arranged it all."

Wei Guangde said.

"In that case, what are you still struggling with?"

Xu Jianglan felt relieved when she heard Wei Guangde say this, and spoke softly.

"In addition to this method, there are actually other ways to make your father, my father-in-law, completely give up the idea. If you hope, you can directly recover Zheng's imperial edict.

But in this way, the Duke of Wei's Mansion will lose face."

Hearing that it would hurt the Duke of Wei's Mansion, Xu Jianglan certainly disagreed, after all, it was her brother who would inherit the title.

The Duke of Wei's Mansion's reputation would be damaged, and it would eventually fall on his brother, which was really not worth it.

"Then you go to the mansions of Duke Ding and Duke Cheng and ask them to suppress the matter."

In a moment, Xu Jianglan had made a decision.

"I believe that as long as I go there, they should give me face. After all, they should also know the current situation of Duke Wei. Whose face is valuable, they will naturally settle this account, but I am afraid that there are others.

After all, there are so many noble families in the capital, and they are all qualified to meet the emperor, and I can't take care of them.

And this matter, even if I ask several people in the inner court to smooth it out, it is a matter of meeting the emperor after all, and they dare not stop it at will, which is really a bit difficult to handle.

Or else, it is shameless to mention this matter in front of His Majesty, but what is the difference between this and asking the Duke to meet the emperor, so I feel a little embarrassed."

Wei Guangde talked about his thoughts. It would be best if he could not make a fuss in the palace. With the character of Emperor Longqing, he did not like to interfere in such matters.

But the Duke Wei's mansion was a great noble family since the founding of the country. Although they lived in Nanjing for generations, they might have some connections in the capital.

It is very difficult to stop the matter in front of the emperor.

"After all, I can't stop it. It's better to talk to His Majesty directly. I remember that you said that His Majesty also knew about my family affairs.

Rather than owe them favors, it is better to explain the matter directly in front of His Majesty. No matter how many tricks my father has, as long as His Majesty doesn't nod, his plans will only be in vain."

Xu Jianglan also figured out the importance of it at this moment and made a decision immediately.

In recent years, she has been in charge of the internal affairs of the Wei Mansion and has become decisive in handling things without any procrastination.

"If possible, let the court retrieve Zheng's imperial edict to avoid any more waves."

Xu Jianglan also hated Xu Bangning in her heart. At the beginning, he relied on Zheng's favor in the mansion and often bullied her and her brother Xu Bangrui.

When Mrs. Zheng first got her royal decree, she was extremely arrogant. She often called her there, euphemistically saying that she would learn the rules so as not to lose the reputation of the Duke's palace after getting married. This was also the tone.

Without the imperial decree, my father's health is also like this. Let's see how arrogant and domineering the Zheng family is in the Duke's mansion.

"It's really not difficult to win the imperial edict. It was all arranged by Yan Shifan in the first place. It was easy to win in the name of bringing order to the chaos.

When I was cleaning up, I was at the school admission ceremony, but I forgot about it and missed the opportunity.

It is estimated that at that time, Mr. Xu Ge and the others were also concerned about the matter involving the Duke of Wei, so they settled the matter directly without going over the old score. "

Wei Guangde analyzed, "Now we need to find an entry point to turn this matter around."

After all, the person who directly instructed him to mention this matter was a little too deliberate. Those in the capital had keen eyes and ears and would soon discover it.

After all, it's not a glamorous thing.

"I'll take a look at all the family letters I asked you to collect before. Maybe I can find a way."

Wei Guangde said.

Soon, Xu Jianglan found a thick stack of letters from a box and piled them in front of Wei Guangde. They were all placed according to the time of correspondence. Wei Guangde also directly took out the front letter, which was the earliest correspondence, and opened it. It seems.

After he and Xu Jianglan got married, the matter of Wei Guogong's ruin was naturally not allowed to be mentioned. It could only be mentioned before, that is, the part about sealing the seal.

But soon, Wei Guangde noticed that Xu Bangrui's previous letter to him mentioned the Nanjing Imperial College.

At the beginning, someone bribed the junior officials of the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy to give Xu Bangning a green light to enroll in school and made things difficult for Xu Bangrui in every possible way.

But after all, it has been many years, and I don’t know what the current situation of Jiang Bao and Zheng Rujin mentioned in the letter is.

But since their hands and feet are so unclean, if they find someone to impeach them, see the censor first to interrogate them, get a confession, and just throw all the dirty water on Xu Bangning and the Zheng family, it will naturally not harm Xu Pengju's reputation.

As for the trial and the confession, when it comes to that place, they are not allowed to say whatever they want. It is nothing more than hiding the real person behind the scenes so that no one knows that it was Xu Pengju who arranged it.

It is only said that the ridiculous thing Zheng did in order for her son to successfully seize the title, and it can be used to prove that the reason for Zheng's canonization was done by Yan Shifan. As a concubine, Zheng was not qualified to be promoted to a wife.

"People from Nanjing should arrive in the capital soon. Let Zhang Ji send people to keep an eye on the pier and control them when they see them."

Wei Guangde said.

"Then I'll tell people to call Butler Zhang."

Xu Jianglan agreed and went outside the house, calling the maid to go to the outer courtyard to ask Zhang Ji to come in.

When Wei Guangde entered the house, Xu Jianglan arranged for someone to take the child out to play, and sent everyone else out.

After Zhang Ji entered the room and saluted, Wei Guangde ordered: "Someone from Nanjing's Duke's Palace will come to the capital in the past few days. You can bring some good people and go to the pier to keep an eye on them. As soon as they arrive, take action to control them first and send them to Zhuangzi outside the city." , no harm to human life. ’

"Sir, there are many merchants coming and going on the dock. I don't know anyone from Nanjing's Duke's Mansion."

As soon as Zhang Ji heard this, he realized that this matter was difficult to handle, mainly because he didn't know the people there.

How many people come and go at the dock every day? If the wrong person is kidnapped, the master will be in trouble.

"Take the person you placed today. He knows the people in the house."

Xu Jianglan said at this time.

"You should handle this matter yourself. If you meet people from the officialdom, ask them to come to me."

If Zhang Ji is allowed to control people, he will inevitably not encounter people from the government.

Ordinary Zhang Ji can handle it. After all, he is the steward of the cabinet minister's family. However, if a special situation occurs, he can only personally suppress the matter.

Zhang Ji saw that both Wei Guangde and his wife had serious faces, and knew that this matter was not a big deal. Although he didn't know why he wanted to intercept the people from Duke Wei's Mansion in Nanjing, he could only do as he was told, and he had to get things done.

"I'll go down and make arrangements right away. I'll go to Tongzhou Pier early tomorrow morning to keep an eye on it."

Zhang Ji immediately expressed his stance.

"Bring more people."

When Zhang Ji went out, Wei Guangde just gave instructions.

In the evening, Wei Guangde wrote another letter to Lin Fiao and Xu Bangrui in Nanjing in his study, explaining his plan.

This matter came to prominence in the Nanjing Imperial College, so naturally it would be best for people in the Nanjing Imperial College to break the news.

Lin Fiao happened to be in charge of Nanjing's Ministry of Rites, so he took advantage of the situation to control people, interrogate them, and obtain confessions and deliver them to the capital.

As long as the confession from Nanjing arrives, he will instruct the Ministry of Rites to investigate the old account of the conferment of the Duke's wife, and it will be logical to directly deprive the Zheng family of the imperial edict.

However, the letter to Lin Liao will not be sent directly. Instead, it will be given to Xu Bangrui first, so that he can confirm that he wants to do this, and then arrange for someone to send the letter out.

On the second day, Wei Guangde arrived at the cabinet on time, dealt with some matters, and then got up and went to Qianqing Palace.

Wei Guangde also figured it out. Even if he could suppress the matter this time, on the day when his father-in-law died, Xu Pengju's suicide note would still have to be delivered to Emperor Longqing.

After all, he is a prince, and the funeral is arranged by the court. If you don't remind the emperor earlier, it will be troublesome for the emperor to just nod if he becomes soft-hearted.

At this time, in Suzhou, Yingtian was the governor of the Yamen. Hai Rui was furious after reading Xu Jie's reply.

Xu Jie rejected his request. Not only did he deny the donation, he also refused to admit that someone in his family had sent it fraudulently. As for the accusations of colluding with local officials, spreading factions, and hanging, he also denied the accusations. Naturally, there was no way to talk about sending it to the village.

Ji Zhuang, this was something Hai Rui suspected only after that. Didn't Xu Jie move his native place to Jiangxi in order to get closer to Yan Song?

Naturally, there might be land in Jiangxi.

When it came time to collect taxes, they only needed to take out the Xu Mansion's sign, and naturally they could use the name of the Xu Mansion to suppress it, and falsely claim that they had already paid taxes in Songjiang Prefecture.

Ji Zhuang was also a popular way to evade taxes and labor service during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Landlords bought land outside their native place and set up manors to collect rent, which was called Ji Zhuang. It started in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and was even more serious in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

In the Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty, in order to evade labor service, landlords often set up manors on their own land, or set up manors in the name of foreign bureaucrats.

"Zhao Dai Jing Yi Yan" records Tang Long's "Jiangxi Ji Yi Shu" saying: "There are wealthy families in Jiangxi and other places who usually buy land. When the list is compiled, ... there are some who secretly attack the roles of Jinshi and Juren in the Beijing officials and pretend to be in the farm. The list is just a copy on paper, and the household is even more like a shadow in the air." It has become a big malpractice of hiding grain.

This method of buying land in other places can effectively evade government supervision. After all, information was not smooth at that time.

This matter was not stopped until the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, when the court issued an edict stipulating that the prefectures and counties of the farms should compile the number of acres, household names, and money and grain in the farms, and transfer them to the prefectures and counties where the landlords lived, and collect taxes together.

However, by this time, the trend of officials buying land outside their hometowns was prevalent, just to evade taxes and labor.

Hai Rui certainly did not believe Xu Jie's excuse.

If it was before this, he might still believe in Xu Jie's integrity, but after seeing one case after another, he had doubted the Xu family's integrity.

He wanted to go to Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture, to meet with Xu Jie in person, but he felt it was inappropriate.

If the time came, it would be fine if the negotiation was successful, but if it failed, there would be no room for maneuver.

This time, Hai Rui decided to write to Xu Jie again, but the wording was more severe, and he even put a copy of the Guanwen in the letter. As for the content, it was naturally to arrest the eldest son Xu Fan, the second son Xu Kun, and the youngest son Xu Ying.

Putting in this copy was naturally to put pressure on Xu Jie, that is, to arrest people and bring them to court for trial.

The so-called Guanwen is a kind of document used by ancient officials to question each other.

The governor of Yingtian wanted to send officials to Songjiang Prefecture to arrest people. If they did not bring the Guanwen, they would not be able to take the people away because of the wrong procedures.

In fact, it was the same in later generations.

When the police handled cases in other places, they needed to bring procedures, and they also needed to ask the local public security department to assist in the arrest, and then hand the people over to them after they were caught.

In ancient times, it was not allowed for the yamen's officials to handle cases in other places, and the yamen needed to issue relevant documents.

Showing the pass to Xu Jie was to express his attitude and that he did not want to continue to delay time with Xu Jie on this matter.

Threat, this is a naked threat, using the power in his hands to threaten Xu Jie and force him to submit.