Chapter 537: Pursuit, Mother
Yang Bai adheres to the health-preserving method of early to bed and early to rise, and goes to bed an hour after dinner.
He is a light sleeper, and after he goes to bed, his family members will not walk around his bedroom unless necessary.
So when Yang Bai was awakened by the hurried footsteps, he asked angrily, "Who?"
The maid's voice came from outside the door, "Master, it's urgent."
Yang Bai got up and went to the front yard. The steward whispered, "Jiang Qingzhi said that he had done a test and that the explosion of the biogas tank was limited in power and it was impossible to kill six people. And why were there no injuries? Therefore... this was murder!"
Yang Bai narrowed his eyes, "He is trying to win public opinion!"
The steward said, "That must be the case."
Yang Bai smiled, "Does he think this is the capital? This is Jiangnan, Suzhou Prefecture. Here, the emperor's decree is useless. Suzhou Prefecture is a united front from top to bottom. What murder... Tomorrow he will find that he is a joke."
He went back and fell asleep immediately.
Yang Changhe had not slept yet. He waved his hand after hearing the news. After the visitor left, his wife said worriedly, "Although I don't know how this matter turned out, my husband, you are too close to Yang Bai and others. I'm afraid you will be implicated."
Yang Changhe sighed, "Do you think your husband is willing? But whose world is this? It's the world of the literati. Do you know what the first thing an official does after taking office?"
The wife shook her head.
"During the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao, new officials had to pay respects to their predecessors upon taking office. Most of those predecessors were skinned and stuffed with straw as a warning." Yang Changhe said, "Nowadays, the first thing a new official does upon taking office is to visit local celebrities. What are celebrities? They are people like Yang Bai. If you don't make friends with them, your decrees will be worthless once they leave the government office."
"This... isn't this a local tyrant?" Yang Changhe's wife didn't like socializing and just stayed at home to take care of her husband and children.
"Remove the word 'earth'." Yang Changhe's eyes were dim. "Then why is Jiang Qingzhi being hated by everyone? It's not because of his status as the son of a concubine, but because of his words and deeds!"
"That young man sounds pretty good."
"He is one of the most famous generals in the Ming Dynasty. No, he is the only famous general in the Ming Dynasty. But he is quite dissatisfied with the annexation of land and the preferential treatment of scholars and officials. He said that this is digging into the Ming Dynasty. Who is most afraid of this?"
"Yang Bai and others!"
"So, who is the enemy of Confucianism? It's not the Mohists, let alone the Mohist masters. Whoever dares to touch their interests will be their mortal enemy. Even if that person is an emperor!"
"God, this...how is this different from treason?"
"What's the point of rebellion? What good will it do them to smash all the pots and pans?" Yang Changhe said softly, "Take power away from the emperor, make the emperor's words become nonsense outside the imperial city, and make the emperor's will become ashes paper outside the capital. This is what the Confucians are doing today."
The wife shook her head and sighed, looking worried.
"Don't worry." Yang Changhe said: "Why did Qin fall in the second generation? It was because the First Emperor refused to compromise. The emperors of Han and Tang learned to compromise, so their dynasties lasted for a long time.
The scholars and officials are more powerful than ever before. The Ming Dynasty is still their world. Besides, I am one of them. What are you worried about?"
His wife looked at him in amazement, "But what about Daming?"
Yang Changhe was in a trance for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's late, go to sleep!"
After his wife entered the bedroom, Yang Changhe stood up, walked to the candlestick and blew hard.
The lights went out and it was pitch black outside.
Yang Changhe stood there, blankly, for a long time, not knowing who he was asking: "Yes! But what about the Ming Dynasty?"
……
In the morning, it rained a little last night. The autumn rain was cold, and after waking up, Yang Bai changed into thick clothes and asked for some soup to replenish qi and blood for breakfast.
After breakfast, he continued to walk in the courtyard.
A steward came to report, "Master, a farm in our hometown caught fire in the middle of the night and burned a farm girl to death... Second Young Master happened to pass by."
Yang Bai did not stop there, "It is obvious that he is unlucky. Give his family some money to burn and bury him."
"Yes." The steward lowered his head, "In addition, this year's wheat harvest..." He raised his head and glanced at Yang Bai, "Our family harvested more than 10% more."
When biogas digesters were promoted, the first to respond were not ordinary farmers, but large landowners like Yang Bai.
"Prepare incense and candles to worship our ancestors later."
"Yes!"
"Is there any unusual movement from Jiang Qingzhi's side?"
"Since the message was delivered last night, there has been no unusual movement."
"Keep an eye on him."
"Yes."
The steward left, but came back again soon after.
His face looked a little pale. "Master, someone from Jiang Qingzhi's side spread the word that the coroner had forged the case and his wife was kidnapped by someone who had ordered her to go to the capital. I have sent someone to chase after her."
In an instant, he saw Yang Bai's body shake.
His eyes narrowed!
"Yang Changhe, that idiot, actually let Jiang Qingzhi find out about this."
"Master, Magistrate Yang is here."
Yang Changhe came, looking gentle and kind.
The steward left. Yang Changhe watched him walk away, a cold look flashing in his eyes. "I knew that Jiang Qingzhi would attack the coroner. This matter was originally a secret, and I don't know why the news leaked..."
Yang Bai said coldly: "It's your fault." "Why are you saying this now? Are the people you sent reliable?"
"They are not taking the official road." Yang Bai looked at him with contempt in his eyes. "Even if Jiang Qingzhi goes to pursue them, he will only come up empty-handed. So, why are you panicking?"
"How could I be panicked?" Yang Changhe spread out his hands.
Yang Bai pointed at the hem of his shirt. Yang Changhe looked down and saw that it was wet. Then he remembered that he had knocked over the teacup after hearing the news.
After his old face turned red, Yang Changhe said, "I think we can send someone to chase them and ask them to change their route and find a place to hide for the time being, and then come out after this incident."
Yang Bai nodded. This was what he was going to do. "I will send someone to go."
"Also, be careful not to be followed by Jiang Qingzhi's men."
"I don't need anyone's advice when I do things!"
Yang Changhe sneered, "By the way, don't do anything to the coroner, otherwise... you will confess yourself."
"Jiang Qingzhi's people must be keeping an eye on the coroner, but the coroner and his wife are deeply in love, and his wife is in our hands. Unless Jiang Qingzhi gets the evidence..."
"It is my duty to do this. If you want to arrest my subordinates without any evidence, it is wishful thinking!"
"So, what are you worried about?"
……
"Ye Bu Shou's most elite troops have been sent out. They will take the official roads and the side roads and will definitely find the woman."
Chen Ji hadn't slept all night, but he looked quite energetic. He hesitated for a moment, and Jiang Qingzhi scolded him, "Why are you hiding so much?"
"It is rumored that my uncle was born with bad luck. Back then... he killed my mother, and later... he killed my father." Chen Ji lowered his head.
Jiang Qingzhi remained silent for a long time.
The original body's biological mother passed away after giving birth to him, and did not leave much impression in the original body's memory.
"A star of misfortune?" Jiang Qingzhi smiled. Nothing to do today, so he asked Sun Chonglou and others to go to the Ye family's old house to take a look.
After entering the alley, Sun Chonglou talked about the two conflicts that had occurred between him, Jiang Qingzhi and the Ye family members here.
"...The young master and I rushed forward with bricks, but they were outnumbered and we couldn't defeat them. The young master told us to squat on the ground and hold our heads in our hands..."
Xu Wei listened with great interest.
When we arrived outside the old house, we saw a woman standing outside with a bag on her back, talking to the gatekeeper.
When Jiang Qingzhi went to Beijing, he thought that he would not come back in this lifetime, so he left a few servants to guard the old house and do the cleaning and maintenance. He sent people to check it every year.
"Greetings, Uncle!" Menzi bowed quickly when he saw Jiang Qingzhi.
The woman turned around and squinted at Jiang Qingzhi, "They look exactly like each other! They look exactly like each other."
Jiang Qingzhi was about to ask the man's identity when the woman squatted down and said, "I am Liang Yun, and I am honored to meet you, young master."
Jiang Qingzhi was startled. The woman said, "I was your lady's sidekick back then. After your lady left, I stayed with you for three years. I watched the young master gradually grow stronger, and then I returned home. The other day, I heard that the young master had returned again, so I couldn't help but want to come and see him."
The doorman said, "Master, Madam Liang was a close friend of yours back then. She took care of you until you were three years old before returning home."
Jiang Qingzhi asked gently: "How is your life now?"
Liang Yun said: "I learned some embroidery skills in the mansion, and after returning home, I made some embroidery to supplement the family income. The two sons at home are filial and always let me rest. But I can't rest. Once I rest, my energy and spirit will be gone."
Jiang Qingzhi listened with a smile.
"Look at me, talking at the gate and being disrespectful to the young man." Liang Yun slapped his thigh and quickly apologized.
Everyone went in immediately.
After sitting down, Jiang Qingzhi said, "I don't know much about my mother. Please tell me more."
"The lady is beautiful, and many people came to marry her... But the family has no children, so the old master wanted to find a..." Liang Yun hesitated, "After the marriage, the master and the lady loved each other very much, and soon she became pregnant..."
Jiang Qingzhi took out the medicinal cigarette and played with it.
"When the baby was about to be born, the old man was walking back and forth outside the delivery room, feeling anxious. The lady laughed at him at first and told him to go back and rest. But after a long time, the baby still didn't come out, so the old man heard the news and rushed over, and asked someone to invite a new midwife..."
"The wife is screaming in agony inside, the master is kneeling outside praying to the gods, and the old man is spinning in circles..."
Jiang Qingzhi seemed to see the woman lying on the delivery bed, pushing hard and howling miserably.
"Later, the doctor came and said that my wife couldn't survive until the beginning of the Chou hour, but she survived until the beginning of the Chen hour." Liang Yun wiped away her tears. "After giving birth to my little boy, my wife was dying. The old man went in and asked if she had any unfulfilled wishes. My wife said..."
Liang Yun looked at Jiang Qingzhi, "Child."
Jiang Qingzhi lowered his eyes.
"The midwife brought the little boy in and placed him next to the lady's pillow. The lady was dying, but she raised her head and kissed the little boy on the forehead. Then she lay down and kept looking at the little boy until she died..."
Liang Yun choked up and said, "The master said at the time that he wished he could die in his wife's place."
Mo Zhan appeared outside the door: "Master, someone followed Sun Bu Tong and others and was arrested. He was said to be a servant of a powerful family. How should we deal with him?"
Jiang Qingzhi exerted force with his right hand, and the smoke broke. He whispered, "Spying on military intelligence, kill!"
(End of this chapter)
