Chapter 403: Jinyiwei Again
Chapter 403: Jinyiwei Again
The sky gradually darkened, and the sun silently moved towards the west, leaving behind a ray of sunset glow.
The pale golden light enveloped the entire city of Kunming.
It took away some of the noise from the day and dissipated a lot of the heavy atmosphere.
Ever since the Dusi meeting, the three yamen in Yunnan have arrested countless officials at an unprecedented speed!
The most prominent among them were some powerful figures in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Although he was only suspended, he was not dismissed or investigated.
But everyone knows that dismissal and investigation will come sooner or later.
Moreover, this storm is just the beginning, and the real big wave is still to come.
By the time the news reaches the capital, countless people will be implicated.
At the Marquis of Xiping's Mansion, Mu Ying ended a day of hard work and hurried home.
Logically speaking, he should be in various government offices or even military camps at this moment.
To appease the people and the military and to quell the counterattacks of some people.
But tomorrow the Beijing troops will leave Kunming.
He still needs to explain some things when he returns home.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was extremely solemn.
Lu Yunyi, Duke Cao, Mu Chun, Mu Sheng, and Xu Zengshou all sat here, silent.
The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, but it could not dispel the solemnity on everyone's faces.
There was the sound of heavy and rapid footsteps and the clashing of armor.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and soon saw Xiping Hou Mu Ying, who looked haggard and hurriedly walked into the main hall.
His eyes were bloodshot and his hair was a little messy, hanging in front of his forehead.
Seeing that everyone had stood up, he waved his hand and quickly walked to the top and sat down.
The old servant He Bo, who had been waiting for a long time, hurried up, carrying a tray.
On it was a pot of six-tenths hot tea and a steaming handkerchief.
Mu Ying picked up the handkerchief and wiped his face vigorously.
Then he took the tea and took a big sip, then waved his hand:
"No one is allowed to come near."
"Yes, sir."
Uncle He bowed slightly and left quickly.
All the windows of the main hall were closed, adding a sense of solemnity and depression to the room.
Until this time, Mu Chun, who was sitting next to him, asked softly,
He was wearing armor at the moment. He was not young at the age of less than 30, and looked a bit weathered.
"Father, is there any result?"
Mu Ying's face was solemn, and he shook his head slightly:
"No result. Pei Yi was stabbed twice and died of his injuries. Xiong Chengyu was also struck to death by lightning.
The farmers who were rescued only knew that they were coming for revenge, and knew nothing else.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the people present became solemn.
When Pei Yi saw Miao Hong trying to escape, he hurriedly joined the battlefield.
Because he was in a hurry and rushed into the battle eagerly, he was slashed several times by the guards and died from excessive blood loss.
This also resulted in the death of both the perpetrator and the victim.
It adds a bit of mystery to the matter of heaven's punishment.
Mu Ying looked at Lu Yunyi and asked:
"How was your investigation today? Did the company that Xiong Chengyu works for find anything?"
In the afternoon, because the Censor General was not trustworthy, the investigation was conducted by the Dusi.
Because Lu Yunyi was a foreigner, he received an order from the commander to investigate the interpersonal relationships of the two people.
Lu Yunyi's face was somewhat solemn, and he spoke in a deep voice:
"Father-in-law, according to Xiong Chengyu and several of the guys who were working there.
There was nothing unusual about him yesterday. He worked slowly as usual and stayed to finish the work before leaving as usual.
It was this morning when they went to work that they discovered that Xiong Chengyu was missing and had taken away a mule cart from the business.
As for Pei Yi, he was furious at home last night.
It was because his last shop selling agricultural products in the city was squeezed out by his neighbors and had to close down in a hurry.
Then he gathered the farmers together to take revenge.
After subsequent investigation, it can be confirmed that Pei Yi's business has suffered repeated setbacks in the past year, and it was Miao Hong who was behind the scenes.
He guessed correctly and found the right person."
Lu Yunyi spoke in a calm and even voice.
This eased the originally anxious atmosphere a little.
"Is this a coincidence?"
Mu Ying's eyes flashed, and he looked at Lu Yunyi and asked.
"no!"
Lu Yunyi said decisively, his eyes firm:
"Father-in-law, there is no way to verify how the two of them got entangled.
Even if we want to check, it will take time.
But, according to the waiters in Qingyuan Pavilion, Miao Hong's decision to spend the night at No. 6 Dongxia Lane was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
The number of people who know is limited to a handful.
Xiong Chengyu and Pei Yi knew that Miao Hong was at No. 6 Dongxia Lane.
There must be a force we don't know about that helps them behind the scenes.
Perhaps that’s why they came together.”
Mu Ying's eyes were deep as he nodded in agreement, and the others did the same.
Duke Cao Li Jinglong looked puzzled, his features furrowed:
"I still don't quite understand, how could Miao Hong, a person who is not worthy of being on the stage, attract heaven's punishment?
Or did the person in charge of this matter know that there would be a divine punishment today?"
After saying this, Li Jinglong himself felt that it was a bit ridiculous.
Who has such great ability?
How could someone with such ability kill a mere Miao Hong?
Mu Sheng and Xu Zengshou were both filled with doubt.
Their brains were confused and they couldn't make sense of it.
Mu Chun pursed his lips, his mature face full of sternness, and reminded:
“After the punishment from heaven, Miao Hong is no longer a nobody.”
Mu Ying leaned back in his chair and stretched out his hand to pinch his brows:
“That’s right, no matter who died under the thunder today.
They are no longer small people.
In just one afternoon, no less than thirty officials from the three departments were imprisoned, and the people were shaken.
What little person could have such ability? "
At this point, Mu Ying waved his hand:
"Alright, we'll slowly investigate Miao Hong's death and the purpose of the person behind it.
The first priority is to eliminate the subsequent impact of heaven's punishment.
Now the people in the city are in unrest and the officials are worried.
When the return document arrives tomorrow, we must publicize it.
Especially in the military, morale cannot be allowed to decline any further.
In the afternoon, a general came to report that the soldiers were doubting whether the battle with Luchuan had resulted in excessive killing.
At this point, Mu Ying's gaze fell on Lu Yunyi, who had a calm face.
Immediately afterwards, many eyes came over, most of them with strange expressions.
In this great battle, the heaviest killings were not committed by the local Yunnan garrison soldiers, but by a northern army from the capital.
The ingredients are so complex that it's staggering.
The most discussed topic in the city was the young general who had killed prisoners, who was considered to be against the harmony of heaven.
God then sent down divine punishment to warn the world.
Lu Yunyi looked normal. He looked up at Mu Ying and said in a deep voice:
“Father-in-law, our troops are motivated and their morale is even higher!
Although there are some rumors, it doesn't affect anything.
Most of our soldiers are from the northern border areas, living in the bitter cold of the border.
Fighting against the sky and people all day long, it is not easy to survive.
Soldiers prefer to trust themselves rather than rely on luck. "
As soon as the words fell, a solemn atmosphere began to spread, and the temperature in the main hall seemed to drop a little. Everyone seemed to see a scene of the north covered with snow.
Mu Chun's serious face melted and turned into a smile. He nodded slightly. He agreed with this statement very much.
But he still reminded:
"That's true, but it's fine for this matter to be discussed among family members. Don't tell anyone else about it. It's not good to spread it out, and you'll be criticized."
Lu Yunyi nodded, "Brother, I understand."
Mu Ying also laughed:
"In short, tomorrow the Beijing army and the local garrison troops will leave Kunming one after another, and the city will be able to live in peace."
Mu Ying looked at Xu Zengshou and Lu Yunyi:
"I wanted to go to the capital with you guys, but now it's not possible.
I will stay in Kunming to take charge of the situation, and I will catch up after the situation stabilizes."
"I'll leave Chengxiu and Chu Ting to you.
It's been a hard journey back north, so don't complain about the trouble."
Mu Yingyu was serious, and Mu Chun and Mu Sheng were moved.
They, the sisters and brothers, grew up together since they were young.
Now that the men have joined the army and the women have gotten married, the family has become broken apart.
After this separation, I don’t know when we will meet again.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn.
Xu Zengshou and Lu Yunyi both looked solemn. They stood up at the same time and bowed:
"Please rest assured, father-in-law."
Mu Ying stared at them for a long time, nodded gently, and waved at them:
"Go back and prepare. You came in a hurry and you will leave in a hurry. Thank you for your hard work."
"Yes!"
Xu Zengshou and Lu Yunyi clasped their hands together.
Li Jinglong, the Duke of Cao who was sitting nearby, also stood up suddenly and bowed to him:
"Uncle Mu, Jiujiang will take his leave first. There are still some things in the army that need to be taken care of."
Mu Ying looked at Li Jinglong in surprise, then nodded with a look of relief:
“Okay, okay, you juniors all have important things to do.
As an elder, I am happy, go ahead."
He looked at Mu Chun and Mu Sheng:
"You guys should go too. Before the Beijing troops leave tomorrow, make sure to spread the word and make all the necessary preparations."
"Yes!"
After some of the young people in the room left, Mu Ying sat quietly for a while.
Soon, Commander Ning Zheng came hurriedly.
Without saying a word, he sat down in the chair at the top.
Both of them are tall and strong.
It seemed particularly oppressive at this moment, and the atmosphere was extremely solemn.
Neither of them spoke, letting time pass by little by little.
After an unknown amount of time, Ning Zheng's dull eyes became more lively.
Suddenly, a faint laugh rang out, the sound was hollow and lingering:
"What a great opportunity." Mu Ying's beard fluttered slightly, and he also chuckled:
"When I feel sleepy, someone comes to give me a pillow. It's just timely rain.
The matter of heaven's punishment can be big or small. Let's see how the court will use this matter to stir up trouble.
It is also a good opportunity for us.
We can take this opportunity to clear out some stubborn people in the government, and there will be no unrest among the people."
Ning Zheng's eyes flashed with cruelty, and his rough, calloused hands clenched tightly, revealing a fierce look:
“Yunnan has been unstable in recent years, and anyone can interfere.
I will take this opportunity to clean up some of them.”
Maybe it was about something happy.
Mu Ying's face was more smiling. He picked up the tea beside him and sipped it quietly, not wolfing it down like he had just done.
"Who do you think did this?"
"Whoever benefits from it will do it." Ning Zheng said lightly, his eyes narrowed.
"Hehe, Maoxiong is quite capable.
You are so impatient to do things without informing us in advance. You are asking for trouble."
Having said that, Mu Ying's words were full of satisfaction, without the slightest dissatisfaction.
In their opinion, the person who could do such a big thing quietly under their noses was
There is no other family in the whole world except the Jinyiwei!
Moreover, the punishment from heaven came down,
Whether it is Yunnan or the imperial court, there will definitely be a storm.
When the time comes, we will thoroughly investigate the Qingyuan Pavilion incident and find out what happened.
Whether it was the Duke of Shen behind him or the Duke of Han behind him,
Who you want to find out depends on who the court and Your Majesty want to find out.
Once this happened, the imperial court had completely taken the initiative.
At this time, Ning Zheng tilted his head and spoke in a strange tone:
"We have investigated it thoroughly, but is there really someone behind the scenes trying to take advantage of the situation?"
Mu Ying nodded: "Last night, someone sent a letter to Pei Yi.
It was only after receiving the letter that Pei Yi realized that Miao Hong was behind everything and he decided to kill him.
The letter had been burned, but some ashes were found.
Similarly, such ashes were also found in the grassland where Xiong Chengyu was.
Judging from the year and style of the paper, it is the same as the paper used in the pawnshop at No. 18 Dingxi Street.
Moreover, the people who were monitoring the Jinyiwei also reported some suspicious things.
Last night, some suspicious people of unidentified identities were found at the north and south ends of Dingxi Street.
It is now speculated that he is the person who secretly implicated Pei Yi and Xiong Chengyu.
Moreover, this incident came so suddenly. The war had just ended and the spearhead was revealed. It was obvious that it had been prepared for a long time.
I can’t think of anyone other than the Royal Guards.”
At this point, a trace of fear flashed across Mu Ying's eyes, and he slowly leaned back:
"Something went wrong with the Jinyiwei in Yunlongzhou.
If Yun Yi had not been alert and prepared, the situation in Dali would have deteriorated long ago.
I had planned to go to the capital and cause trouble for Mao Xiang.
Now it seems that the Jinyiwei's abilities are not inferior, and they even have some knowledge of celestial phenomena."
Ning Zheng also smiled and said, "A few days ago, the Five Senses Lingtailang of the Imperial Observatory came to Kunming quietly. He was hiding all day long, and I don't know what he was studying."
"That's right." Mu Ying's voice was cold and he chuckled.
After a pause, Mu Ying continued:
"Okay, this time Mao Xiang handed over the knife.
We have to do him a favor and not pursue the Yunlongzhou matter, it would be a pity if we do that."
Ning Zheng smiled and said: "The Jinyiwei have always behaved erratically, why do you keep getting on bad terms with them?
I will still need them when you go to the capital."
Mu Ying stood up with a bang, his face showing some anger, and paced back and forth in the room:
"I am your Majesty's adopted son, guarding southern Yunnan for my father and elder brother. What evil intentions do I have?
A bunch of traitors, they are so defensive against their own family members!"
"Hahahahahaha."
For some reason, Ning Zheng laughed heartily when he saw him so angry.
In the front scout camp, darkness covered the entire world like spilled ink.
The camp was brightly lit and noisy.
Groups of soldiers were busy in the camp.
Fold up the tents, organize the weapons, count the men, horses and food,
Looking around, people are as densely packed as ants.
Although the order to return to Beijing was issued in a particularly hasty manner.
But the soldiers were filled with joy. Leaving the battlefield did not mean the end of the war.
But returning to the capital must mean the end of the war.
Next, they have a long time to rest, study, and go back to see their families.
This is the most important thing for soldiers fighting outside.
After settling matters at home, Lu Yunyi hurried to the military camp with a serious expression.
A group of people walked quickly in the military camp.
The soldiers who saw him stood up and greeted him.
Lu Yunyi waved his hands and told them to get busy first and not to be polite.
Soon, Lu Yunyi saw Liu Heiying who was busy in the army at the front and giving orders.
At this time, a soldier in front pushed a cart and walked past quickly.
A stone happened to stop the wheel from rolling.
Seeing the tent on the cart about to collapse,
Lu Yunyi rushed forward and grabbed the crooked cart fiercely, straightening it in an instant.
"Thanks, brother."
A voice came from behind the tall stacked tents.
Lu Yunyi smiled, pulled hard, and pulled the cart over the stones to regain balance.
Only then did the soldier turn his head to the side.
When he saw that it was Lu Yunyi, his eyes suddenly widened, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth in an instant, but then he turned serious.
"General!"
Lu Yunyi smiled and said, "Go ahead, be careful."
"Yes!"
The soldiers left happily with smiles on their faces.
Liu Heiying, who was far away, noticed the situation here and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
He handed the thick stack of documents in his hand to Zhang Yu beside him and instructed:
"You make the arrangements. I have something to do."
"Yes!"
Zhang Yu quickly took the documents and continued to make arrangements.
Liu Heiying ran over hurriedly, breathing a little rapidly, and finally followed Lu Yunyi.
"How are the retreat arrangements going?
We must have all the food, fodder, and weapons, especially muskets and gunpowder!"
Lu Yunyi walked towards the army while speaking quickly,
Liu Heiying's face was serious:
"Don't worry, Brother Yun'er, I've already arranged it.
Ten people are divided into groups, each of whom is responsible for food, fodder and weapons.
If there is any mistake, we can find out who lost it."
“Well, how are the wounded?
Take away what you can, and hand over what you can’t to the Dusi immediately so they can take care of it.”
Lu Yunyi came to the central military tent, pulled aside the curtain and walked in.
Liu Heiying followed and said:
"Chen Chen, the deputy commander of the military department, is in the army right now, helping Duke Cao to arrange for the wounded.
The Dusi has already prepared a place for recuperation.
There are some sanatoriums on Chongyi Street in the north of the city."
Lu Yunyi nodded, quickly returned to his desk and sat down.
While looking at the urgent document in front of him, he asked:
"Is there anything else that needs to be dealt with?"
"Yes, at the current speed of the military's collection, it can be completed by tomorrow morning, but there is not enough time to complete the inventory."
"what do you need?"
"We also need some laborers and accountants who can read and write."
Lu Yunyi took out his badge and handed it over:
"Order someone to take my badge to Hong Fuwei's camp,
Borrow their laborers, and let Mu Sheng find some accountants."
"Yes!"
Liu Heiying's face was solemn. He stood up suddenly and walked out quickly. After a while, he returned.
"Brother Yun'er, it has been arranged."
At the same time, he moved closer and lowered his voice:
"Brother Yun'er, Xue Lan has been captured. What should we do with her?"
Lu Yunyi paused while taking the document, thought for a moment, and spoke decisively:
"Interrogate him strictly. Record everything about Qingyuan Pavilion and Miao Hong.
Finish it by tomorrow morning and dispose of it afterwards."
"Yes!"
A ruthless look flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes. He nodded slightly and ran out again.
After a while he ran back again.
This time his face was not so solemn. He leaned forward and asked in a low voice:
"Brother Yun'er, how did I handle this matter?"
As he spoke, Liu Heiying raised his head and chest with a proud look on his face.
It’s like saying, praise me now!
Lu Yunyi didn't even raise his head, just glanced at him and slowly laughed:
"Yes, the worst thing to do is to do things perfectly, because that means there must be some clues.
The most successful way to tell a lie is to tell nine truths and one lie, and to conceal the big thing while giving up the small one.
Finally, bringing the matter to the Jinyiwei was a good move.
It's worth the effort we spent on Liu Changshi."
After receiving the praise, Liu Heiying laughed, a simple and honest look flashed across his face, and he kept scratching his head.
After a while, he smiled and said:
"I think it's a pity that such a good method of attracting lightning is wasted on such a small person."
Lu Yunyi shook his head solemnly:
“If something is used, it is not wasted; if it is not used, it is the biggest waste!
We are insignificant and have little influence, let alone the giants like Duke Shen and Duke Han.
We can't deal with even the branches of the Huaixi Group.
This time, I borrowed the power of heaven to hand over a knife to the imperial court.
This is the limit of what you and I can do. As for the follow-up treatment, we will wait and see what happens in the court."
At this point, Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Alright, we'll make a decision on this matter after we're on the road. Let's gather our troops first. We'll have plenty of time later."
"Yes!"
Liu Heiying's face was solemn, he turned around and left quickly.
Peace was restored in the military tent.
Lu Yunyi's eye sockets were deep. He sat for a while and then continued to be busy.
(End of this chapter)