Chapter 667: Jiang Qingzhi's brilliance
When someone from the Lu family introduced Chen Ting to King Jing, King Jing was attracted by this man's demeanor at first sight and felt that he was indeed a master.
In this era where information is not well developed and communication basically relies on shouting, a person's appearance and demeanor can be regarded as his or her business card.
For example, if a man looks extraordinary, others will think he is either a gentleman or a master at first sight. But in the eyes of later generations...even beautiful women may be a big man dressed as a woman. Appearance can prove nothing.
Jiang Qingzhi was holding a cigarette in his mouth when Yan San came over. "As Chang Wei Bo said, someone went to contact Chen Ting last night."
King Jing's pupils narrowed, "It's actually a guard."
The palace guards contacted Chen Ting. What is the purpose behind this?
Chen Ting calmed down at this moment. "From Jiangnan to the capital, I have no flaws along the way. Even the imperial doctors in the Imperial Hospital respect me. How could Lord Wei see through my identity?"
Everyone present was fooled by this old man. When they heard him admit that he was not a miracle doctor, their faces turned colorful as if they had opened a paint shop.
Jiang Qingzhi took a puff of medicinal smoke. "When I first saw you, the miracle doctor, I was a little puzzled. A miracle doctor, no matter how talented he is, must be focused..."
Everyone was still confused.
Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "What kind of smell should a dedicated doctor have?"
King Jing blurted out, "It smells like medicine!"
Huang Jian slapped his cheek lightly, "Yes, it smells like medicine."
"But you are wearing a lot of incense, the smell is light, but my sense of smell is very good." Jiang Qingzhi also likes fragrance, such as sandalwood or agarwood. But he can't use it, once he uses it, his throat will inevitably be inflamed.
"For a doctor, it is instinctive to distinguish the authenticity and quality of medicinal materials. How can you smell the scent of medicinal materials if you have the scent of incense on your body? How can you smell the scent of the patient if you observe, smell, ask and feel the patient?"
Seeing Chen Ting's pale face, Jiang Qingzhi shook off the cigarette ash and said, "I am just a little curious. If you are talking about cheating, it would be enough to cheat Lu. But you dared to cheat the prince. Do you want money but not life? I want to see how you, the miracle doctor, will perform next and what your purpose is."
Jiang Qingzhi pointed at the guards, "I asked His Majesty to keep an eye on you. There should have been no movement in the first two days! On the third day, someone spied on you. Last night, someone even approached to pass on a message...very cautious, but also very nervous, which shows that you are not sure. Why do you dare to do something you are not sure of?"
Jiang Qingzhi walked up to Chen Ting and said, "The greater the risk you take, the greater the demand must be. Come, tell Benbo what your purpose is in approaching King Jing."
Chen Ting laughed miserably, "If I die, I die..."
Jiang Qingzhi punched Chen Ting in the abdomen fiercely. When Chen Ting bent over, he grabbed his hair and lifted it up. Looking at his twisted face, he said softly, "People who can dress themselves up so meticulously are probably a bit of a germaphobe. People with germaphobia probably can't stand the punishment. Should they accept the toast or the penalty drink..."
Chen Ting smiled bitterly, and Yan San said, "This guard is really tough. I tortured him all night last night, but he didn't say a word."
Jiang Qingzhi glanced at the guards and asked, "Death squad?"
Yan San nodded and pointed at his mouth. Jiang Qingzhi then realized that the guard's mouth was badly swollen.
"Let's do it!" Jiang Qingzhi left Chen Ting behind and said to King Jing, "Old Four, go and take a look too."
Two eunuchs of the Yan cavalry dragged Chen Ting into the side hall, and then a scream of pain was heard.
Yan San then said, "After being arrested last night, this man actually tried to bite his tongue to commit suicide."
Jiang Qingzhi sighed, "Even if you bite off your tongue, you won't die. Don't you even know this?"
Yan San was stunned, "Chang Wei Bo actually knew about this?"
Last night, after the guard bit off his tongue, the bleeding would not stop. Just when the Yan cavalry thought that the man was dead, the bleeding stopped in the middle of the night.
"The human body is a delicate thing. You wouldn't understand even if I told you." Jiang Qingzhi came over. "Since he is a dead soldier, his family must have made arrangements."
"Last night we had people arrest his family members and tortured them in front of him. But this man remained calm." There was annoyance in Yan San's eyes.
"His family must be unaware of this." Although he knew that the guard's family was innocent, Jiang Qingzhi also understood that collective punishment was a feature of this era.
"Yes." Wang Ze interrupted, "This man's grandfather was a general in the army, but his father's generation fell into decline."
Jiang Qingzhi thought of Sun Bu Tong, who was waiting outside the palace, sneezed, "Who is talking about me?", and then continued to brag to Sun Chonglou about his hard life when he was down and out...
"But has his generation become prosperous again?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
"Does Lord Changwei know this person?" Yan San asked.
"Who would risk their life for someone else if there weren't enough benefits? And I bet this person definitely has a woman and children outside."
Wang Ze and Yan San smiled bitterly at each other, both feeling that Jiang Qingzhi was a man of such intelligence that he was almost a demon.
"I'm not a demon." Jiang Qingzhi sighed, "It's the same old saying, people are greedy for profit. Without sufficient benefits, let alone talking about suicide, even cutting off a finger would be a pain. Believe it or not, within an incense stick of time, Chen Ting will tell everyone about how he peeped at women bathing."
Seeing that some people did not believe him, Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "If Chen Ting was a deadly warrior, he would not have spoken to me before. Since he is not a deadly warrior, he must have been driven by interests.
How much benefit he can get will determine how long he can hold on. I'm sure that benefit won't keep him going for more than a stick of incense, otherwise he wouldn't have the heart to burn incense."
Less than an incense stick of time later, Chen Ting's voice came from inside, "I say, I say everything..."
Jiang Qingzhi was at the back, leaning against the white marble railing and smoking a medicinal cigarette. Seeing everyone turning their heads to look at him, he said calmly, "It's a little faster."
Damn!
This person... is a monster!
Wang Ze whispered, "Fucheng was quite arrogant in the palace back then. Let's just say why he was willing to follow Chang Wei Bo to the capital..."
"Many people in Yanqi laughed at him at that time." Yan San sighed.
"Now it seems that he is laughing at us." Wang Ze glanced at Jiang Qingzhi and said, "Chang Wei Bo is...unfathomable." "This has nothing to do with us!" Yan San said.
"Yes." Wang Ze lowered his head.
King Jing came out, and seeing that he looked normal, Wang Ze praised him, "If it were anyone else who saw torture for the first time, they would definitely be pale. Your Highness is really good."
Jiang Qingzhi smiled, thinking that this guy even dared to dig up graves and dissect corpses and use torture...that was child's play.
King Jing walked up to Jiang Qingzhi and said, "Chen Ting has a son who committed a crime and deserves to be put to death. Someone contacted him and said that he could save his son's life..."
"Got it." Jiang Qingzhi shook off the cigarette ash.
"Uncle, aren't you surprised?" King Jing asked.
"What's the surprise?" Jiang Qingzhi glanced at him. "If Chen Ting was someone else's subordinate, then this must have been planned for a long time, and he would not have made such a big mistake as burning incense. I am just hoping... that's all. Leave the rest to Yan San and the others."
"Yes." King Jing glanced at Yan San. "I heard their conversation just now. They probably said that my cousin is so smart that he is almost a demon. Father should be a little afraid of him."
"But do you think I went a little too far today?" Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile.
King Jing nodded and said, "My cousin is very talented, but he often hides his incompetence in public."
In the past, Jiang Qingzhi preferred to speak with his fists, which gave the outside world the impression that he was a rough man.
"When the Mohist School first emerged, it was suppressed by all parties. If I had shown my strength at that time, I would have attracted more ruthless means. So I used my fists more often. Do you understand my character setting?"
King Jing nodded, "Yes, my cousin is trying to make the outside world think that he has a rough and unruly personality."
“Do you hear the cicadas chirping?”
"I heard it." There were no big trees in the palace, and the cicadas that came from nowhere were calling desperately.
"Summer is getting thicker, and I seem to hear the sound of horse hooves on the grassland. This battle... Fourth Brother, His Majesty is hesitating about who to let lead the army."
"Shouldn't it be my cousin?"
"As for the ability to command the army, I have no qualms about it. But this is a war. According to convention, the prime minister or important ministers are the ones who can command the army, at least in name only. With the war imminent, Your Majesty will inevitably make some compromises in order to unify the opinions of the court and form a joint force..."
"My cousin showed off his talent today just to make Father..."
……
"...Chen Ting was pointed out by Lord Changwei's words, and then he couldn't stand it and was tortured... Your Majesty, Lord Changwei even calculated how long Chen Ting could endure."
Yan San lowered his head.
"Everyone thinks he is a rough and tumble person. If he didn't have the Mohist tradition, he would have been a military commander. Who knew this idiot was actually playing dumb?"
Emperor Jiajing said calmly, "You didn't show up in the past, but you suddenly show up today. What do you want to do?"
Emperor Jiajing glanced at the map. This map had been placed on the table since last month. Emperor Jiajing looked at it every day, wondering what he was thinking about.
"I don't know." Yan San said.
"Xu Jie mentioned the war in a vague way yesterday, and he wanted to recommend himself. It is customary for civil officials to lead the army. Qingzhi is capable enough, but his qualifications are far from enough. If he is the deputy... there will definitely be friction between him and Xu Jie. This kid, he wants to tell me not to use those idiots to interfere with him."
Yan San was shocked, and only then did he understand the riddle between the monarch and his subjects. He thought of the time when the Minister of War Zeng Xin led the army and wanted to retake the throne. But in the end, he ruined himself and brought down Xia Yan.
The civil servants lead the army, and the hidden secrets behind it are unfathomable. If things go wrong, people will die. Jiang Qingzhi suddenly showed his edge. Who is he trying to warn?
"This matter..." Emperor Jiajing closed his eyes, not knowing whether he was practicing or thinking.
……
"Your Excellency has never led an army before, so this may be difficult."
In the Ministry of Rites, Xu Jie and his confidants were discussing the matter.
Xu Jie said calmly, "Having an important official lead the army is more about control and checks and balances. I didn't have such an idea, but since I fell out with Yan Song, I can't even go to Zhilu. If I don't find a way out, in a few years, even though the court is big, I will no longer have a place to stand."
Last time, Yan Song happened to hear that Xu Jie was planning to dig a hole to bury him and his son, and then his revenge came swiftly and fiercely.
——The Ministry of Rites has a lot of things to do, so you go and do your work.
——Some things have been going wrong in the Ministry of Rites recently, so you, Lord Xu, should not slack off.
——I and my son are here at Zhilu. The Ministry of Works has something to do. Lord Xu, please go and take a look...
This person is not a prime minister at all, he is clearly just a minor clerk who runs errands.
If this continues, Xu Jie feels that his future is bleak.
The upcoming war will be his chance to turn things around.
"Chang Wei Bo will definitely lead the army, but the relationship between him and the elder..."
"Go tell Chang Wei Bo that I'd like to invite him to drink tonight," said Xu Jie.
"Yes."
(End of this chapter)
