It rained in Jinling at the beginning of winter, and the temperature suddenly dropped. It was unbearable and people began to put on more clothes like crazy. They were all bloated and looked like penguins.

Outside the Wenhua Hall, Chen Yunfu put away the oil-paper umbrella and handed it to the waiter beside him, and asked.

"How are you doing in the palace these days?"

"Young master, everything is fine." The chamberlain responded as he bent down to change Chen Yunfu's court boots.

Chen Yunfu nodded, said that's fine, and led Yang Shiqi into the hall.

He was the first to arrive, and several other cabinet ministers had not yet arrived. Chen Yunfu just watched a bowl of hot tea, closed his eyes and rested his mind.

"Young Master came early."

Chen Yunfu opened his eyes and nodded when he saw that it was Xu Ben: "Xu Ge is old, please take a seat. I don't know how Zhang Yan has been in the past few days. I won't be able to sleep well this night."

"There should be no surprises." Xu Ben sat down and continued: "A few days ago, Zhang Yan led the army to Yongshun. Calculating the time, it is almost time to arrive in Yongshun. The latest news from Huguang has come, and it is estimated that it will be

This is the situation these days, so Master, there is no need to worry."

While the two chatted for a few words, Shao Zhi, Qi De and Xu Huizu arrived one after another. They all rubbed their hands and stamped their feet, saying that it was suddenly cold.

"Today's regular cabinet meeting will be chaired by Mr. Shao Ge. Let's talk about the crime and punishment standards just formulated by the Three Laws Division. Starting next year, the punishment for various criminals will be reform through labor."

Shao Zhi was ordered to general, nodded and took the words from Chen Yunfu, and began to talk about the labor reform standards of the Sanfa Division.

Everyone's attention could not be said to be very focused. Both Qi De and Chen Yunfu seemed to be a little distracted.

Shao Zhi kept talking there alone for nearly two quarters of an hour. Finally, he stopped talking and looked at Chen Yunfu: "Young Master, it's finished."

"Oh, okay." Chen Yunfu calmed down and asked, "Does anyone have any opinions?"

I don't have any opinions. Zide obviously didn't care much about such a 'little matter'. Xu Ben didn't know much about the business of the Sanfa Division, so he didn't speak casually. Just like that, everyone passed the proposal casually.

Later, Xu Ben and Qi De each talked about a bunch of things they were in charge of.

At this time, Hu Sizong hurriedly walked in from outside the palace, walked quietly to Chen Yunfu, bent down and whispered in the latter's ear.

"Young master, Zhang Jinglue's letter has arrived. He only said eight words. Yongshun has been decided. Don't worry, young master."

Chen Yunfu's eyebrows suddenly raised, adding a hint of joy, but he said nothing so as not to interrupt Xu Ben who was narrating.

After the report, Hu Sizong did not stay beside Chen Yunfu, and went to sit down next to Yang Shiqi. Both of them were in the General Affairs Department, the former was the left counselor, and the latter was the right counselor, so they were familiar with each other.

"Huguang is flat?"

Yang Shiqi whispered something, which attracted Hu Sizong's surprised look: "How did Shiqi know?"

"Young Master's face looked happy just now, and the worries he had been feeling for many days were gone. The one who worried Young Master was nothing more than Yongshun, so I made a bold guess."

Hu Sizong raised his thumb: "Shiqi has good eyesight."

This Yang Shiqi actually has such insightful and meticulous observation skills, which can be said to be the magical skill of a secretary.

"When the young master decided to divide Yongshun between two peaches, he said it would not take three years. Now it seems that the young master is indeed smart." Yang Shiqi praised: "Once the Yongshun chieftain is eliminated, the country will have less of a big worry. It doesn't need to be

In a few years, Yongshun will be my Yongshun of the Ming Dynasty."

"yes."

Hu Sizong also echoed: "All the things that the young master decided back then have been proven by practical practice in recent years. With the expansion of finance and taxation after the resumption of business, Liaodong is becoming increasingly stable and prosperous, and Huguang is now in danger."

Barbarism, the hidden danger of chieftains, ten years from now, our Ming Dynasty will definitely usher in a prosperous and prosperous age."

"It's a shame that in the imperial court, there are always some people who are just sitting there and doing nothing, and they are always against the young master."

Although Yang Shiqi didn't name him, Hu Sizong couldn't tell and quickly made a gesture: "Shiqi be careful what you say."

The whispers between the two people would obviously not be heard by the five people who were in the meeting. Zid didn't know that he had been regarded as a mediocre official who was sitting on a table and was talking in high spirits at this moment.

He's having trouble again.

This year the imperial court's finances are very healthy, and the autumn harvest has filled dozens of official warehouses in Zhili. As soon as there is money in his pocket, Qi De wants to spend some of it.

He plans to hold a grander banquet for the elderly next year, and invite all the elderly people over fifty in Zhili who are willing to come, to congratulate the imperial court on the beauty of the mountains and rivers.

Can't this Qide be more stable?

The so-called Senior Citizen Banquet is the predecessor of the so-called Thousand Old Man Banquet. The Senior Citizen Banquet is held every year on the Lantern Festival. The general size is controlled at about two to three hundred people, all of whom are prestigious and older elders in Yingtian Mansion.

Now Qi De is lucky, he actually plans to invite all the people over fifty in Zhili Prefecture, and he doesn't even think about whether the palace can accommodate them.

Even if they can sit down, if tens of thousands of people really come to Wuyangyang to eat, drink and stay, how much money will the imperial court have to spend.

When the court is treating guests, you can't treat everyone to steamed buns and pickles.

I dare not say that a state banquet will be given. It will require dozens of expensive dishes and a thousand or eight hundred tables. How can it be so expensive?

Chen Yunfu pinched his brows and waited for Qi De to finish speaking, then said: "It's cold and freezing at the end of the year. What kind of banquet for the elderly should we have? Don't end up doing bad things with good intentions. Let's avoid it."

"Yes, it's rare for the imperial court to be rich for a year. When you have money, you spend a lot of money. When you don't have money, why do you scrimp on food and clothing? It's better to save this money and keep it. Sooner or later, it will be useful."

Xu Ben, who has always been pragmatic, also disagreed, and then Shao Zhi also expressed his opposition. This is great, three people in a row opposed it, and Qi De's face suddenly looked a little ugly.

He also didn't expect that his good intentions would be collectively opposed by so many people, and they were opposed in person.

This is too disrespectful to others.

It was dark at the moment, and I sat down and said no more words.

"Okay, let's just get here today and be dismissed."

Chen Yunfu was anxious to reply to Zhang Yan, so after rejecting Qi De's inappropriate proposal, he immediately announced the adjournment of the meeting, got up and left in a hurry.

"Young Master."

Shao Zhi caught up behind him and whispered: "I received a letter from Heng'er early this morning. He said that there has been some instability in Guangdong recently."

Chen Yunfu, who was putting on his shoes, was stunned for a moment, then left with Shao Zhi and asked on the road.

"What happened?"

"Heng'er said that during this period, there have been many serious cases in Guangzhou. He vaguely felt that something was not right, so he has not taken any rash measures so far. I will give you a letter about the specific situation later."

"good."

Chen Yunfu sent Shao Zhi away, looking south and frowning.

A series of major and important cases?

The clans in Guangdong can no longer sit still.

But it doesn't matter if they can't sit still, it means that the two volumes have been merged, and the tax law reform has stabbed their lungs.

As long as we dig deeper into this matter and put a little more pressure on them, success is probably not far away.

Putting this matter aside for the time being, Chen Yunfu went to the General Affairs Department to understand the situation in Huguang at the moment, and then wrote a letter back to Zhang Zhen, and then rushed to Shao Zhi's house to check the urgent letter sent by Shao Ziheng.

.

It happened twenty days ago.

Because Shao Ziheng went to Dali Temple, Hu Rang, the chief envoy of Guangdong, assigned the punishment to Shao Ziheng, and he was also responsible for judging major cases together with the prosecutor's office.

Shortly after Shao Ziheng took over, Guangdong Inspector Zhang Yunbi fell ill and recuperated, and within seven days, more than ten major thefts and robberies occurred in Guangzhou.

Because Zhang Yunbi was recovering from illness, the task of solving the case naturally fell on Shao Ziheng's shoulders.

The latter didn't realize it at first. As a parent official, it was his duty to protect the country and the people. Since Zhang Yunbi was not around, he naturally shouldered the responsibility of solving the case.

What really made Shao Ziheng feel that something was wrong was that not long after he took over the task of solving the case, the official below told him that the gangster who had committed numerous crimes had been arrested and confessed at this moment!

Holding the confession and looking at a row of more than a dozen so-called criminal thieves who had been tortured until they were deformed, Shao Ziheng smelled a hint of conspiracy.

Hu Rang felt that at this moment, the evidence was conclusive and the suspect was brought to justice, so he urged Shao Ziheng to close the case quickly, but Shao Ziheng temporarily delayed it and wrote this letter to Shao Zhi instead.

"What do you think?"

Shao Zhi brought two cups of tea and gently placed them in Chen Yunfu's hands. Seeing that the latter was deep in thought and silent, he asked and stopped urging.

"Brother Zi Heng thought well. There is indeed a conspiracy in this."

Chen Yunfu frowned and said: "Zhang Yunbi won't get sick sooner or later, but he gets sick at this time. He is very good at choosing the right time to get sick. What's more, it is too easy to solve such a big case. It is only ten minutes before and after.

In the coming day, the criminal thief who committed evil will be arrested and brought to justice, and he will confess?"

"Someone is pushing me from behind."

"It is most likely an act directed and performed by the Guangdong clan."

Seeing that Shao Zhi didn't understand, Chen Yunfu explained the meaning of the word.

In ancient times, there was no director as a profession, so of course there was no such thing as self-directing and self-acting.

"Self-directed and self-acted, that's quite appropriate."

Shao Zhi pondered: "Then what is their purpose for doing this?"

"I estimate that this is for Brother Ziheng or me." Chen Yunfu speculated: "If a big case is handled well, it will be a great success, but if it is not handled well, it will lead to big disasters. I'm afraid that Brother Ziheng won't be able to handle this case well."

.”

"How to say?"

"Tell me, what would happen if Brother Zi Heng suddenly discovered that the real culprit was someone else after he put this gang of thieves to death, and that the people who had been caught and sentenced to death were actually innocent people? What would happen to this case?
To be continued...