Chapter 40 Confused Case (Part 2)

"Who, where, and when did something happen?" Zhu Chongjiu was shocked, widened his eyes, and asked like a cannon.

Since drinking the Yangtze River at the end of the year ago, the Huai'an Navy has launched targeted attacks on the water bandits roaming the river. Within a year, more than 100 thieves were destroyed, and more than 100 thieves were shot or captured. Now, the larger bandits on the river have either been swept the holes by the plough or fled far to the upper reaches west of Wuchang. A few small fish and shrimp that have escaped from the net also fled far away when they saw the banner of Huaiyang. Which one of them had eaten the courage of the bear heart and leopard, and actually dared to take the initiative to pick up the tiger beard of the navy.

"Cai Liang, deputy director of the Bureau of Industry, ranked fifth in the first scientific expedition, and was promoted to deputy director of the Ministry of Industry at the beginning of this year." Xu Hongsan did not think about it and reported as clearly. "He bought a ship of iron ingots from a local big-name household in Dangtu three days ago. He should be afraid that Baigongfang would be in a hurry to use it, so he took the cargo ship back without waiting for the navy to escort. Unexpectedly, the ship was kidnapped by the thieves as soon as the ship passed by Hezhou. According to the escaped guys, the thieves secretly boarded the ship in the middle of the night, and they all covered their faces. They only robbed Chief Cai and the cargo and did not kill anyone."

"It must be Zhu Chongba's people." Huang Laowai immediately jumped up next to him and roared loudly, "That guy has been spying on our secret art of making artillery for a long time. Last time he sent someone to steal and was caught, he made excuses to get over it. This time, he was thief's heart was undead."

"It's Zhu Chongba, it must be Zhu Chongba." Several masters and officials from the Ministry of Works also stood up one after another, full of righteous indignation.

In the entire Huaiyang General Administration, except for Zhu Chongjiu and Liu Bowen, there was almost no third person who had a good impression of the Hezhou Army. For a moment, adjectives such as "ungrateful, despicable, shameless, insidious and cunning" were all unceremoniously.

When Zhu Chongjiu heard this, he was very suspicious. His respect for Zhu Yuanzhang came entirely from historical materials. According to another traditional saying in the folk in time and space, those who have accomplished great things in ancient times were all ruthless and thick-skinned. Since Zhu Yuanzhang could be the emperor, he could naturally see the importance of firearms, and then steal or rob, which belongs to the category of minor details. As long as he can achieve the final victory, he does not have to be condemned.

Moreover, most of the current government orders of the Hezhou General Administration are clearly distinguished from Huaiyang and Jingwei. The more Yangzhou advocates equality between people, the more order and ethics are promoted in the Hezhou. The more restricted the clan power is, and the various preferential treatments are cancelled to scholars and traditional gentry. The more respectful they are to the scholars and officials, Zhu Chongjiu sometimes can't help but secretly wonder whether Zhu Chongba was deliberately sing an opposite tune with him and forced himself to take the initiative to attack him in order to gain moral advantage.

"The Bureau of War has formulated an emergency response plan and is preparing to transfer the Fifth Corps back. They will face the Wujiang River with General Mao and force the Hezhou Army to fight with people. The navy's fleet will also gather urgently. As long as the Grand Chief Executive gives orders, they will block all ports of the Hezhou Army and cut off the connection between Zhu Chongbagou and Jiangnan." Seeing that Zhu Chongjiu frowned and refused to make a decision, Xu Hongsan raised his voice a little and took the initiative to remind him.

"Don't be anxious first, be careful that someone is framed and blamed." Zhu Chongjiu suddenly slammed in his heart and waved his hand decisively, "You should send someone to the War Bureau and the Navy immediately to let everyone rest assured. What does Zhu Chongba mean? But he is definitely not a fool. He will take the initiative to provoke trouble again and again at this time."

"Yes." Xu Hongsan raised his hand and saluted, turned around and left quickly. As Zhu Chongjiu's most trusted chief of guards, he habitually did not question any decisions of his lord.

However, Huang Laowai, the head of the Works Bureau, had a very different reaction from Xu Hongsan. He had a lot of things on his side and was busy every day. He finally developed an arm that he could rely on, but was intercepted by others. How could he endure it? So before Xu Hongsan's back went away, he turned to Zhu Chongjiu's front and spoke loudly: "Lord, I am, I am brave. Please don't indulge Zhu Chongba anymore. Even if he is your brother who has been separated for many years, you have been enough to treat him in the past. Today he dares to hijack the Works Bureau chief. Tomorrow, who can guarantee that he will not put his ideas on your own?"

"That's it." Jiao Yu, the head of the Dajiangyuan, was not very harmonious with Huang Laowai, but today he rarely helped the latter. "Although Chief Cai is a scholar, he is rarely a willing person to bow his head to do things. He has long been able to grasp the secrets of casting cannons and hydraulic boring machines. If he can't stand the punishment on Zhu Chongba's side and hand over these secrets, he will definitely become a major concern for my Huai'an in the future."

"Master makes a decision quickly."

"Lord, please send troops quickly and take back Chief Cai. Zhu Chongba's shameless person must have dared to use any tricks."

"What happened near Hezhou, how could it have nothing to do with Zhu Chongba?"

"He competed with his lord in everything, how could there be wild water thieves on the ground?"

A group of master craftsmen and officials of the Bureau of the Works Bureau spoke again, urging Zhu Chongjiu to take early warnings to completely eliminate Zhu Chongjiu's shameless future.

"Everyone does their own things, and I will consider whether to go to war with the Hezhou Army." Zhu Chongjiu was so quarreled that he waved his hand and responded in a deep voice, "Rifled cannons are not just a few rifles. Even if you arrest Master Cai, he would not be able to create the same cannon as ours within a month or two. If there is conclusive evidence, I will definitely not give up with him this time, but if there is no conclusive evidence, my Huai'an army cannot leave a verdict that I would be guilty of being punished."

"This minister obeys the order." Although Huang Laowai and others were unwilling to give up, they did not have the courage to push their lords. They all lowered their heads and claimed that they were.

"Xiao Cui, go to the Military Intelligence Department and the Internal Security Department to send an order to Chen Ji and Zhang Song, the two chiefs, bring their respective capable subordinates to the meeting hall to wait for me." Seeing everyone's dejected look, Zhu Chongjiu must take the initiative to show his next arrangement, "Such a large ship suddenly disappeared, and it is impossible for no clues to be left. The Military Intelligence Department and the Internal Security Department jointly investigated. I don't believe that anyone can hide the ship under the water."

"Yes." The guard company commander Cui Sheng saluted and trotted away.

Seeing this, Huang Laowai, Jiao Yu and others felt a little relieved. At least they were sure that their lord would not tolerate Zhu Zhongba like before.

After Zhu Chongjiu ordered people to issue a convening order to the Military Information and Inner Way Departments, he fell into a state of contemplation again. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that there were many doubts about this matter. Zhu Yuanzhang, who he knew, could not be so reckless. At least, before the Hezhou Army had no strength to fight against the Huai'an Army, or before the Mongols fought again, Zhu Yuanzhang could not take the initiative to launch an excuse to launch a war on Huaiyang.

Just as he was puzzled, he saw Xu Hongsan, the commander of the Guards, hurried back, and saluted everyone from a distance, and then blushed, "Report to the lord, a false alarm, Chief Cai is back, he has just entered the port with a cargo ship, and he is following behind."

"I think this little bastard will be itchy if I give it a little color." Huang Laowei heard the news, his face immediately turned red like a cockscomb flower, with his arms and sleeves exposed, and he was about to rush out to teach his subordinates a lesson. "My lord, don't be angry, I will bring him over to you now. Should I be beaten with a military stick or punish him for his salary. The Works Bureau will never plead for him."

"Come back." Zhu Chongjiu glared at his eyes and scolded loudly, "The reason has not been found out yet. What are you doing? Be honest and squat here, and you are not allowed to go anywhere."

After saying that, he quickly turned his gaze to Xu Hongsan, "What else is there to follow? How long has he been missing in total, and where did he go during this period."

"He, he" Xu Hong San looked around, with a hint of laughter and crying expression on his face, "Behind him was a group of women's soldiers, saying that it was his wife and family members. He was missing for the day and night. Su Changshi had already been with the women. He had already treated him and the women separately, and specially sent someone to ask the lord to rush back to the General Administration to discuss how to deal with the matter."

"Ah." Huang Laowai and others looked at each other and their thoughts of pleading for Cai Liang were all completely wiped out by Xu Hongsan's words.

My wife, my mother's family, is still a bunch. How is this possible? In order to keep it confidential, in the past two years, even a mouse in the Industrial Bureau, the Fire Equipment Floor and the Dajiang Courtyard have been investigated by the inner guard and the Military Intelligence Department. Who has ever heard that the minor official Cai Liang has a fiancée near Hezhou, and this fiancée is still from the Green Forest, and all the relatives of my mother's family are good at ships.

"It's good if you come back safely, you can figure out everything else slowly." In a curious look, Zhu Chongjiu calmly made a decision, "Everyone continue to do things, I'll go back first and come again another day."

In fact, the surprise in his heart was no less than that in everyone. He was plundered for a day and a night, and then brought back a large number of women's soldiers. Cai Liang, the deputy director of the Ministry of Works, was extremely charming, but according to his impression, this person was clearly a fat little man. Not only was he ordinary, but he was also taciturn. No matter how he looked, he could not see the potential of being a husband by a woman.
Chapter completed!