Chapter 140 Killing and Punishing the Heart

Chapter 140 Killing and Punishing the Heart

Chapter 140 Killing and Punishing the Heart

After King Lin explained the details, Xu Qing glanced at Gao Gongyuan and said, "This matter is simple. Brother Gao, please come with me to the government office of Yingtian Prefecture. However, in order to save your family, you will have to stay in jail for a while."

"Ah?" Gao Gongyuan exclaimed in surprise.

King Lin was a man of rough but thoughtful character. He was surprised at first, but then he reacted and said, "You want Lao Gao to go to the government office to confess his crime, and then arrest his family members in the name of the government?"

Xu Qing nodded: "That's the general idea. As for the details, I need to step in."

He then told her his plan.

Gao Gongyuan was arrested in the name of the inspection office, and the charge was that he was related to the Japanese pirates' riot along the coast. He was then handed over to the Yingtian Prefecture government, and his family members were taken into custody in the name of Yingtian Prefecture.

There are two keys to this matter. One is to deal with Yingtian Prefecture, and the other is to deal with the Duke of Wei's Mansion.

As for the Inspectorate, the current surname is Xu, which is wrong. It should be Feng, so there is no need to consider it.

Moreover, the Japanese pirates' rebellion and harm to several coastal prefectures must have been caused by internal forces. This was the consensus of the court. No matter how to deal with it in the end, the cause must be found out first and someone must be found to take the blame.

Arresting Gao Gongyuan can not only use him to take the blame without making the matter worse, but also serve as a means of cracking down on the people behind the Giant Whale Gang. This is definitely a result that the central government is willing to accept.

If the Duke of Wei does not want to bring trouble to himself at this juncture, it can be generally accepted.

This is the plan, but we must communicate with Yingtian Prefecture in advance.

Moreover, the person is locked up in the prison of the government office, and we have to ensure that nothing goes wrong after the process is completed.

This is not difficult at all. Su Lie, the former chief constable of Yingtian Prefecture, is now working in the Inspectorate's Office. He has been running the Yingtian Prefecture for many years. Now he has a relationship with the Inspectorate's Office, so the original relationship has naturally been continued. Then, in the name of the Inspectorate's Office, he will be sent to the prefecture jail to personally guard Gao Gongyuan. This will ensure that Gao Gongyuan will not encounter any accidents in the prefecture jail.

In addition, Xu Qing's old mentor, Prefect Wu, was a sworn brother of Prefect Xu of Yingtian Prefecture when he was the Inspector General, and they had a deep relationship.

After Magistrate Wu left office, this relationship was naturally continued by Xu Qing.

Another key point is that behind Prefect Wu is the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Prefect Xu will have to leave office in more than half a year, and he is worried about not being able to find a way to curry favor with Vice Minister Zhang. How could he not give face to Prefect Wu's favorite student Xu Jieyuan?

When we are all out there together, the most important thing is to get promoted and make money together.

What I fear most is that I cannot help my “friends”, rather than being afraid that my “friends” will ask me for help.

Personal relationships are built in the process of you helping me and I helping you. Moreover, this case can also add merit to Prefect Xu.

Therefore, Xu Qing was confident that he could convince Prefect Xu.

Gao Gongyuan was stunned. How could it be done this way?

Although King Lin knew that Xu Qing was very capable, he had to admit defeat after hearing what he said.

As for how Gao Gongyuan and his family escaped afterwards, the two did not ask.

With Xu Jieyuan's connections, there must be plenty of ways to deal with the aftermath.

If we ask this question now, wouldn't it be like underestimating Xu Jieyuan?

We are all people of society and we are not ignorant.

Besides, Gao Gongyuan had no choice.

As for King Lin, he didn't have to take the risk of going to Tiger Roar Villa to rescue people, so he was naturally happy to see it happen.

Seeing that both of them agreed to this action, Xu Qing continued, "Brother, just hand Brother Gao over to me, and I will definitely send him to the island for you. Right now, Dongdao is still waiting for you to return and take charge of the situation."

King Lin laughed loudly: "Gongming, I knew that there is nothing you can't do in Nanzhili. I gave this little thing to my sister-in-law. After the matter is accomplished, I will share a good thing with you."

He took out the cold jade beads and explained their general effects.

Xu Qing was surprised to hear this.

This item is just right for helping Feng Wu cultivate his soul. Once Feng Wu has mastered the art of driving objects and has broken through to the point of revealing his form, he can give it to Su Lianqing.

He took the jade pendant and said with a smile, "Thank you, brother."

King Lin naturally trusted Xu Qing, so he said goodbye and left. Then Xu Qing fed Gao Gongyuan a pill and then removed his joints.

Gao Gongyuan couldn't help but smile bitterly, but he didn't object.

King Lin acted with the spirit of a hero and was very confident in his kung fu. He was not afraid that Gao Gongyuan would escape.

As for Xu Qing, he is ruthless and meticulous, which is completely different from King Lin's style.

In general, Lin Tianwang has a higher charisma, and once they become close to each other, they will be willing to die for such a person. And Xu Qing's style of doing things will make his subordinates feel safe.

After a while, Su Lie came over.

It turned out that Feng Wu had been listening quietly not far away. After knowing that Su Lie was going to be used, he handed him over.

I also went to my father to ask for the document and have it stamped with the official seal.

After enough foreplay, Xu Qing didn't care that it was getting late, and directly asked Su Lie to escort Gao Gongyuan. They set out from the Inspector's Office and arrived at the Yingtian Prefecture Office.

Prefect Xu had received the notice in advance and canceled tonight's banquet. As soon as the guests arrived, he immediately invited Xu Qing to the backyard of the government office to discuss the matter.

Xu Qing did not reveal the entire plan, but only said what he could and let Prefect Xu understand what benefits doing so would bring to him.

Big and small foxes, there is no need to explain everything.

Prefect Xu said, "Xu Jieyuan, the other matters are minor, but we need to be cautious in going to Huxiao Villa to arrest the suspect's family."

Xu Qing: "I have already made preparations for this. Lord Xu, please go and deliver this letter to Duke Wei in person. Also, if Duke Wei still cannot make up his mind, you can show him these pages of accounts."

Prefect Xu nodded and said, "Then Xu Jieyuan, you wait in the government office first, or what?"

Xu Qing smiled and said, "I will wait for news from Lord Xu in the torture chamber of the government office."

"Okay, I'll go find Duke Wei right away." Prefect Xu knew that there was no time to lose, so he hurriedly took the letter and left the government office.

Xu Qing walked towards the torture room.

Su Lie was personally in charge of the punishment room, which was filled with his former brothers. Ever since he arrived at the Inspectorate, the lives of his confidants had become much worse than before.

This time when Su Lie came back, he relied on the power of the Inspectorate, and the officials in the government office were more respectful to him than before.

Su Lie now felt as refreshed as if he had taken an elixir.

"Everyone, pay attention. This is a major case that is personally supervised by the Inspector General and the Imperial Scholar. If anything goes wrong, you will definitely be punished." Su Lie said.

Soon, Xu Qing arrived.

Su Lie hurried forward to greet him.

Xu Qing asked him to get busy, and Su Lie became more excited, wanting to show off in front of his son-in-law. The surrounding officers, seeing that it was the inspector's son-in-law, Jie Yuanlang, who came to supervise the battle, did not dare to slack off.

...

...

The Duke's Mansion of the State of Wei.

Duke Wei warmly entertained Prefect Xu, then heard the purpose of Prefect Xu's visit and opened Xu Qing's handwritten letter. The letter did not say anything explicitly, but Duke Wei could feel the subtext.

His face turned pale. "Master Xu, is this Xu Gongming taking advantage of the fact that there is no one in my house? He must be taking me for a fool."

After arresting his subordinates, they also asked him to hand over their families. What do they want to do?
Prefect Xu coughed and said, "Duke, I wonder how close you are to the Giant Whale Gang."

Duke Wei quickly denied it and said, "It doesn't matter."

He felt that this statement seemed to treat Lord Xu as a fool, and continued: "Maybe the people below have some business dealings with the Giant Whale Gang."

Prefect Xu continued, "Does the Giant Whale Gang have anything to do with this Japanese pirate rebellion?"

"how could I know."

Prefect Xu sighed, "Xu Jieyuan also said that Duke Wei has nothing to do with this turmoil. It's just that the criminal's family is in Tiger Roar Villa, so it's inevitable that your mansion will be involved. And if his family died in the villa, or was hidden somewhere else, there is no guarantee that there is not a powerful person involved in this matter, deliberately killing to silence them, or obstructing the court from finding out the truth... And Xu Jieyuan also said that he has the criminal's family, so he can control the other party and make him confess his guilt and close the case. Otherwise..."

"What else?"

Prefect Xu: "I am advising Xu Jieyuan to put the overall situation first. It is best for the case to end here. If the Duke does not believe me, you can come to the government office and I will close the case in front of you. What do you think?"

Duke Wei's face was gloomy and uncertain.

Gao Gongyuan was the deputy leader of the Giant Whale Gang and knew some secrets. But to say that he could kill the Duke of Wei was just wishful thinking.

Duke Wei felt that he was very wronged. This Japanese pirate rebellion had nothing to do with him at all.

The problem is that the Big Whale Gang did contribute.

"The Giant Whale Gang is a little disobedient now. It's time to teach them a lesson." Duke Wei weighed the pros and cons again and again and felt that if this matter was exposed, the court would definitely demand an explanation.

Besides, the Giant Whale Gang is a little disobedient right now, so why not take this opportunity to give them a beating?

He just couldn't swallow this.

When Prefect Xu saw that Duke Wei was still hesitant, he remembered Xu Qing's instructions, took out the pages of accounts, and said, "Oh, Duke, this is what Xu Jieyuan asked me to pass on to you."

Duke Wei took the account and was stunned at first, "What is this?"

"I don't know either." Prefect Xu was confused. Why did Duke Wei's Mansion seem to be unfamiliar with the account? Did Xu Jieyuan make a mistake?
Duke Wei frowned. He really didn't know what the accounts meant, but Xu Qing would definitely not be making a fuss.

He called the chief steward Yan Fu and told him about the accounts.

Yan Fu took the account and examined it carefully. Suddenly his expression changed and he whispered to Duke Wei: "Master, this is the list of gifts sent to Beijing by Qingfeng Temple."

Duke Wei was stunned at first, then he suddenly realized.

It turned out that this account was a gift he sent to Chaotian Temple in the name of Qingfeng Temple.

Duke Wei couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. Could it be that this kid had found out something?

He has an illegitimate son who is now very favored in Chaotian Temple. If Xu Qing finds any clues and lets the emperor know...

Duke Wei was a little uneasy, but he didn't show it. He said, "Lord Xu, go back and tell Xu Gongming that it's better to resolve a feud than to create one. I'll give him some face this time."

He paused, then continued, "They will leave by boat early tomorrow morning."

Prefect Xu understood Duke Wei's intention and hurriedly bowed, saying, "I will return now."

Duke Wei hesitated and did not keep Prefect Xu. He knew that Prefect Xu must not know about the gift-giving at Qingfeng Temple, and this matter should not be known to more people.

After Prefect Xu left, Duke Wei smashed a tea bowl on the ground.

Yan Fu looked at him with pity.

With this smash, several hundred taels of silver were gone.

Duke Wei was angry again and said, "How dare the people of Qingfeng Temple leave this bill? I think these people below are becoming more and more lawless and don't take me seriously."

Yan Fu: "Master, it's useless to say this now. Besides, Qingfeng Temple was wiped out by Xu Gongming."

Duke of Wei: "How much do you think Xu Qing knows?"

Yan Fu pondered and said, "I don't think he knows much about the young master, but he has some clues."

Duke of Wei: "No, is this man a monster? Even the people from Qingfeng Temple only know that the gift is sent to Chaotian Temple. How can he guess that this matter is so important?"

The abbot of Chaotian Temple is the current imperial master. As a Taoist temple, Qingfeng Temple cannot be faulted for sending gifts to Chaotian Temple.

Yan Fu couldn't figure it out either, so he asked, "Master, what should we do next?"

Duke Wei said in a deep voice: "In any case, the people below do need to be disciplined. If it weren't for this incident, we would continue to ignore it."

Just as the imperial court gradually lost control over the local areas, southeastern giants like the Duke of Wei had similar troubles.

We are all human, and human struggles are often similar.

Everyone has selfish motives.

Moreover, the Duke of Wei did not even have the righteous status of the central government.

To put it bluntly, if the Duke of Wei can lead everyone to make money, get promoted and get rich, others will naturally regard his words as an imperial decree. If they deviate from this direction.

These people's loyalty to him is probably not as great as that of Prefect Xu and others to the court.

In his letter, Xu Qing used history to criticize present events, which undoubtedly hinted at this point.

Although the Duke of Wei was angry, he had to face the problem.

He now even envied Xu Qing for starting from scratch and being able to use his own prestige to drastically strengthen the organizational structure.

The Dayu Dynasty had been in ups and downs for more than two hundred years, but it was still too powerful to be eliminated.

The same is true for the Duke of Wei's Mansion.

The difference is that the Duke of Wei's Mansion can still temporarily dig up Dayu's roots and suck Dayu's blood.

But the corruption in their bones is no less than that of the Dayu Dynasty.

Because they themselves are the rotten part of the Dayu Dynasty.

After he thought all this through, he couldn't help but sigh, "He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. In his lectures at the Fushe Society, Xu Qing clearly pointed out the shortcomings of nobles like us, but it's a pity that I denied it at the time..." Yan Fushen nodded in agreement.

Because these housekeepers were also digging up the foundation of the Duke's Mansion, just like the nobles dug up the foundation of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The most despicable thing about Xu Gongming is this. He said many things that should not be seen in public in plain words, and even gave them advice. Not only that, he also encouraged those scholars and the unhappy children of the nobles to discuss these problems in literary gatherings and find solutions...

Therefore, I heard that some of the children of wealthy and noble families have recently made jokes at home.

Duke Wei naturally heard some rumors and thought they were jokes at first, but now that he thought about it, they were the joke itself. Finally, he sighed, "Learn from history, this is a story like Bian Que meeting Duke Huan of Cai. We can't just turn a blind eye to it. Bring me the more radical views of the Fushe..."

Yan Fu was silent for a moment, then asked, "Should we order someone to handle the Giant Whale Gang's affairs now?"

"Well, it's just a small matter for you to handle."

Yan Fu was startled when he heard this, and then he broke out in a cold sweat. He knew that the master was testing him.

Damn Xu Gongming.

...

...

After returning, Prefect Xu told Xu Qing about his trip in detail.

Xu Qing was not too surprised, and he basically judged one thing: there were people or things in Chaotian Temple that were extremely important to Duke Wei.

This story has to start with Feng Wu.

Su Lianqing was careful in his work and discovered that Qingfeng Temple had an extremely secret account book, so he reported the matter to Xu Qing.

After browsing, Xu Qing relied on his memory to write down the things in the account book.

In fact, the account book only records the things, but does not record where they went.

The key point is that Xu Qing found a rare item recorded in the account book at Feng Wu's place. After asking Feng Wu, he learned that it was a gadget given to her by the abbot of Chaotian Temple.

Xu Qing couldn't help but connect the dots.

The abbot of Chaotian Temple was the imperial teacher of the time and was highly trusted by the emperor.

Once the fact that Duke Wei was secretly befriending the abbot of Chaotian Temple was exposed, it would definitely have a huge impact on both parties.

No matter what the truth of this matter is, it must be extremely important to Duke Wei.

He was also using this incident to test the Duke of Wei. If the other party did not respond, Xu Qing would naturally have a backup plan and persuade the Duke of Wei to hand over Gao Gongyuan's family, but it would only be more troublesome.

Now the reaction of the Duke of Wei undoubtedly confirmed his guess.

"This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Duke Wei must want to find out how much I know." Xu Qing felt a slight headache.

There is no way around it. Knowing the secrets of big shots is a double-edged sword.

Not on this shore, not on the other shore, not in the middle. This is how the world of suffering works. It all comes down to the contradictions and conflicts of human nature, and the logic of behavior is also limited by the limitations of one's own identity.

Xu Qing himself is not very smart. He has only learned a little bit of dialectics to look at the problems he encountered, and mixed in some principles of the Book of Changes.

...

...

There is a kind of person who can always be recognized at a glance no matter how many people are in the crowd.

Lin Tianwang is that kind of person, and so is Tianyou, the leader of the Giant Whale Gang.

His face, viewed from a distance, looked like a roc, with sharp eyes, tall stature, and an appearance that was unforgettable at first sight.

He was now sitting in the lobby of Huxiao Villa, having a pleasant conversation with the leader of Zhengang Sect, Gu Wuji, and also receiving two elders from the Wenxiang Sect.

He has the air of a leader in the martial arts world of Southern Zhili.

Gu Wuji had to admit that Ren Tianyou had this kind of style, but whether he was better than him or not, he would have to fight him to know.

The respect between martial arts masters is earned through fighting.

Of course, now is not the time to compete with Nintendo.

During the banquet, there was Yun Yuzhen, a gorgeous old witch who practiced the Tianxiang Secret Canon, and there was constant laughter and joy.

"Is there a Lin Gongsheng in the Duke of Wei's Mansion?" Ren Tianyou instinctively felt that something was wrong, so he asked Yun Yuzhen in detail about the other party's physical characteristics.

"Not good." Ren Tianyou is an old hand after all. After asking the truth, he immediately realized that something was wrong.

He was about to send someone to look for Gao Gongyuan's family when Yan Fu, the chief steward of the Duke of Wei's mansion, came over with the Five Elders of Zhongshan.

Ren Tianyou could only go to greet him, secretly feeling dissatisfied.

He was a hero who roamed the seas, but on land, he still had to rely on the support of the Duke of Wei's Mansion.

This greatly undermined his previous dominance at the banquet.

As for Gu Wuji, Yun Yuzhen from the Wenxiang Sect, and Elder Li, they all came to pay their respects to Yan Fu.

Yan Fu saw everyone, hesitated for a moment, then bowed and said with a smile: "Sorry to bother you all with your drinking, I would like to borrow the help of Gang Leader Ren, is that possible?"

Everyone naturally praises it.

So Yan Fu took the Five Elders of Zhongshan and Ren Tianyou to the secret room of the villa.

Before leaving, he gave Gu Wuji a wink.

Gu Wuji understood secretly, found an excuse to leave, and followed quietly.

...

...

Inside the secret room.

Yan Fu directly stated his purpose.

Ren Tianyou was very dissatisfied and said, "Gao Gongyuan must have betrayed us. Now Xu Gongming wants us to take his family. It is obvious that he wants to completely subdue Gao Gongyuan. Mr. Yan, we can't hand him over."

Yan Fu's face darkened: "You are teaching me and the Duke how to do things."

Ren Tianyou sighed helplessly and explained his speculation and the interests involved in the matter to Yan Fu in detail.

After listening to this, Yan Fu said calmly, "Anything else?"

"No more." Ren Tianyou suppressed his anger.

Yan Fu whispered, "Boss Ren, what is the Duke's intention in supporting the Giant Whale Gang?"

Ren Tianyou: "Of course, I want to help everyone get rich together."

Yan Fu: "Boss Ren, isn't the wealth you have now enough? Isn't it enough to enjoy it?"

"Of course... that's enough."

Ren Tianyou had no money before, and the cultivation resources were far from enough. Now that he has all these, he naturally wants to have more power and more say.

Yan Fu nodded and said, "Boss Ren, I advise you to just enjoy yourself. There is no need for us to have so many thoughts and make things difficult for ourselves. Look, you colluded with other nobles in private this time and did such a big thing, but didn't the Duke cover it for you?"

Ren Tianyou's expression changed slightly.

Yan Fu looked at him deeply and said, "Hand over Gao Gongyuan's family members, and this matter ends here."

Ren Tianyou's expression changed several times but he didn't make a decision.

Yan Fu said softly, "Just say that Gao Gongyuan is in trouble and that his family will be sent away by boat tomorrow morning. As for being kidnapped, it's because the enemy is too cunning, and it can't be blamed on you."

Ren Tianyou nodded silently.

Yan Fu smiled and said, "Boss Ren, this is also a helpless move. Don't take it to heart."

Ren Tianyou: "I just feel that the Duke is too tolerant of Xu Gongming. Can the Duke marry his daughter to him to win him over?"

Yan Fu snorted coldly: "Boss Ren, listen to my advice, don't get involved in things that you shouldn't be involved in."

"Got it, Mr. Yan."

Ren Tianyou's expression darkened.

Yan Fu: "The imperial court is always the imperial court, and the current situation in the world is not bad. If it weren't for the Duke covering up for you this time, think about it, if the imperial court really made up its mind to clean up the southeast, would the Giant Whale Gang be able to continue its business?

I know that you are used to being fearless on the sea, but without silk, tea, porcelain and other in-demand goods, what can you do business with other countries overseas?
Without money, why would your gang listen to you? "

At the end of his speech, his expression darkened: "Don't forget, many of the lands and properties of the Giant Whale Gang are under the name of the Duke's Mansion."

Ren Tianyou's expression changed again and again. After a long while, he bowed and said, "Mr. Yan, I was a little aggressive just now. I apologize to you. I hope you can be magnanimous and not bother with a rough man like me."

Yan Fu said: "Boss Ren, you are a wise man. You need to know who is protecting your Giant Whale Gang from the wind and rain."

"I understand."

"Okay, I'll stay here for one night and leave at dawn. I hope I won't disturb your drinking pleasure."

"do not bother."

What else can Ren Tianyou say?

It goes without saying that Yan Fu is very powerful. The Five Elders of Zhongshan are old villains of the Hanbing Sect, with profound Taoist skills. There is also the old guy Gu Wuji keeping watch outside, not to mention the two elders of the Wenxiang Sect. If a fight really starts, they will definitely not stand on his side.

He had no choice but to agree.

And Yan Fu was right. Without the support of Duke Wei's Mansion, the Giant Whale Gang would surely fall apart.

Unless he raises the banner of rebellion, he can preserve the fertile land, beautiful houses and many industries of the Big Whale Gang.

But he simply doesn't have the ability.

Ren Tianyou now understood that Gao Gongyuan's matter was just a cover-up. In the final analysis, it was he who secretly colluded with other nobles in Nanzhili, which made Duke Wei dissatisfied and wanted to use this as an opportunity to punish him.

After realizing this, whatever Ren Tianyou said would be in vain.

Even if he swore and cursed, he had to endure the beating.

He couldn't help but think of a poem that Dog-Headed Military Advisor had taught him not long ago, "The inner treasury was burned to ashes, and the streets were trampled with the bones of the nobles."

Only when the world is truly in chaos, these nobles will realize how powerful people like them are.

As for now, he could only be patient and bide his time.

Yan Fu knew clearly that this kind of criticism would only make Ren Tianyou unwilling to accept the punishment.

But if we don't stop them, they will only become more and more unscrupulous.

"Xu Gongming's move is truly murderous and heartbreaking." Yan Fu thought to himself.

He knew that if Xu Gongming had not caused this incident, the Duke might not have dealt with Ren Tianyou at this time.

But no way.

Xu Gongming is not afraid of making things worse.

But the Duke of Wei did not want to stand out at this time, so he could only endure it for the sake of the country.

Throughout history, many great men have made foolish moves. Were they really foolish? In hindsight, perhaps, but at the time, they were certainly forced to do so by circumstances.

Xu Gongming is not only good at taking advantage of the situation, but also likes to use the overall situation to oppress his opponents.

"This man likes to take risks in his life and use the overall situation to pressure others. I'm afraid that one day he will be oppressed by others using the overall situation and be trapped in his own web." Yan Fu couldn't help thinking.

But there was one thought he dared not think about: what if Xu Gongming became powerful and he would be in charge of the overall situation?
He really couldn't imagine that Xu Gongming would have this day.

But deep down, Yan Fu had to admit that if Xu Gongming could survive normally, there would definitely be this opportunity.

Sima Yi was still able to rebel when he was over seventy years old.

If Xu Gongming can endure for another forty years, he will not be sixty years old by then. He is still a martial arts expert and will be in the prime of his life.

The Great Yu Dynasty has been in existence for more than 200 years, which is not considered short-lived when looking at the unified dynasties of ancient and modern times. Even if the Prime Minister's reforms are effective, can they last another 40 years, so that the world will not fall apart after 40 years?

I'm afraid it's not very realistic.

How can the rise and fall of the world be reversed by human power?

...

...

Capital city, Yanyue Hall.

"Grandpa Tai'a, Xu Gongming has the talent of Guan Zhong and Yue Yi. We should make great use of this man for the benefit of the people of the world." Xie Quan rushed all the way to the capital and went directly to the Yanyue Hall to pay a visit to the Prime Minister.

(End of this chapter)