Chapter 965: The Frustrated First Young Master
The atmosphere at the North Gate is not right.
Sun Chonglou was confused and asked Boll: "Who did this?"
Bol's face was solemn as he stared at Chen Lian who had dismounted from his horse at the city gate. "Brothers knew their limits and avoided the chest and abdomen and other vital parts when they attacked. This... is not right!"
"Is it a frame-up?" Sun Chonglou was honest, but not stupid.
"Yes." Bol has been making a living at sea for many years. These days, sailing at sea can be regarded as a journey to death. Human nature is a joke at sea. For the sake of survival and wealth, people who used to be close to each other can stab you in the back in an instant.
As for framing others, it is even more commonplace.
The cavalry in front made way for him, and Jiang Qingzhi rode out slowly.
He noticed that the atmosphere was not right.
It seems to have a taste of sadness and anger.
"Did Shitou do something cruel?" Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile.
Bol came and whispered, "My Lord, three of those scholars are dead!"
Jiang Qingzhi's eyes narrowed, and he immediately asked, "Is it a frame-up?"
It's the boss indeed... Bol nodded, "Brothers, you should be careful when you act."
Xu Wei sneered, "Those people are so cruel that they actually attacked their own people."
Chen Lian hesitated for a moment inside the city gate. He wanted to wait a little longer and wait for Jiang Qingzhi to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision outside before going out.
But someone shouted from behind: "The Lord of the Palace is here."
Oh shit, who is it?
Chen Lian was furious. Three lives had been lost in public. What should he do as the prefect?
Even if the person who came was a prince, he had to act impartially, question the other party, and arrest the murderer.
Isn't this forcing me and Jiang Qingzhi to fall out?
On the second floor of a street restaurant, Zhu Yi saw Chen Lian's hesitation from the window and sneered, "Chen Lian wants to avoid the limelight, how can we let him do that?"
The person who shouted was Zhu Yi's servant.
Zhao Fu smiled and said, "You did a good job. Chen Lian is in trouble. If he backs down, he will definitely be regarded as a traitor, and then he will be beaten together with Jiang Qingzhi. If all the things he has done in Songjiang Prefecture over the years are exposed, he may not be exiled, but he will definitely be dismissed from office."
"He has no way to avoid it!" Zhu Yi said calmly: "Look, he's out."
"That young master is here." Zhao Fu suddenly changed his tone to teasing, "In the past, he was always followed by many people when he went out, but today, there are only a few people following him, and he even changed his clothes into cloth. Tsk tsk, is he so afraid of Jiang Qingzhi?"
Zhu Yi leaned over to glance to the left, and saw Xu Fan standing in the street surrounded by several men. He said something and it seemed that he was about to go into a cloth shop.
After hesitating for a while, Xu Fan did not go in, but stood outside the cloth shop and looked at the city gate.
"Jiang Qingzhi is here, and Chen Lian is here too." Wang Mengqiu said with a smile, "Chen Lian is a cunning man, and this time there is no way to avoid him."
"It's just right to make him completely devoted." Xu Fan said.
After the tragedy, Chen Lian and Xu Fan communicated many times. Chen Lian said that this matter should be severely punished... This is just a gesture.
——If you are unable to make Jiang Qingzhi retreat, then I will have no choice but to act impartially.
He is an official and cannot avoid the rules of officialdom. If this matter is exposed, Xu Fan and others will be able to find an opportunity to escape, but he, as the prefect, will not be able to escape the responsibility.
Therefore, Chen Lian had an ambiguous attitude on this matter. While communicating with Xu Fan, it could be said that he was colluding with him, hoping that this young master could repel the aggressive Jiang Qingzhi, so that he could also benefit from it afterwards.
On the other hand, Chen Lian inquired about the case every day, took people running around to look for clues, and showed a diligent attitude.
At this moment, the prefect who wanted to please both sides walked out of the north gate, looked at the young man standing in front of him with a calm expression, and bowed, "Your humble servant, Chen Lian, the prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, greets Lord Chang Wei."
"Are you Chen Lian?" Jiang Qingzhi looked down at Chen Lian.
"Yes."
Just as Chen Lian was about to speak, he heard someone shouting behind him, "Jiang Qingzhi's followers killed three scholars from Songjiang Prefecture. Prefect Chen, please make a decision for us!"
"Those scholars are coming." Xu Wei saw a group of scholars pouring out of the city and whispered, "It seems that this incident was indeed the work of those people."
Xu Wei was worried that Sun Chonglou did not use enough force. If he really caused a death, and Songjiang Prefecture stood firm and refused to give in... Nanjing would also retaliate.
But the timing of the scholars' arrival was just too damn coincidental.
It was as if someone had known about this in advance, and today Jiang Qingzhi's followers would beat the scholar to death.
The scholars went out of the north gate and then made way for them.
Three carriages drove out slowly.
There was a corpse lying on each carriage.
"Mr. Chen!" A scholar came over and bowed. "These three people were just reciting poems by the river, but I don't know how they offended you..."
The scholar turned his eyes and pointed at Sun Chonglou, who was the most burly. "This man murdered us. It's a pity for the three talented people. They were planning to win the provincial examination this year. Who would have thought... the murderer is here. Please ask Mr. Chen to deal with them."
"Please ask Mr. Chen to make the decision for us!"
Dozens of scholars saluted together.
The pressure came suddenly.
Isn't this forcing me and Jiang Qingzhi to fall out?
Chen Lian cursed in his heart, but he had to keep a straight face, "Chang Wei Bo, you have to give an explanation to the people in Songjiang Prefecture for doing such a thing!"
"Arrogant and brave generals, they really look down on everyone." Someone sneered.
"So what? Can arrogant soldiers and brave generals disregard the law and kill people at will? If a prince breaks the law, he will be punished just like a commoner. What's more, they are just a few guards."
"This is your Majesty's cousin, a famous general of the Ming Dynasty. If he refuses to take down his guards, who dares to take action?"
"Mr. Chen is fair and strict in his actions, so he will naturally take action."
"Kill for life!"
Chen Lian stared at Jiang Qingzhi, "Please ask Chang Wei Bo to hand over your subordinates!"
"This is a frame-up!" Sun Chonglou roared. Boll quickly grabbed him and whispered, "Leave it to you, my lord." Jiang Qingzhi waved his hand, and Sun Chonglou shut up obediently.
Such a notorious giant man now looks like a well-behaved child.
The contrast was so great that everyone was a little stunned.
"My people act with discretion." Jiang Qingzhi said slowly, "Boer, why did you do it?"
Boer said: "My Lord, we were ordered to lead the way. When we were about to enter the city, we met a group of scholars outside the city who were shouting and humiliating you. We argued with them, and during the argument, someone started fighting, and then both sides fought.
Lord, these scholars look impressive and I thought they were good fighters, but who would have thought they were weak women... But we avoided the chest, abdomen, head and other vital parts when we attacked..."
"Nonsense." Several injured scholars came and said angrily, "You didn't know how to beat them. Even after Brother Wang and others fell to the ground and begged for mercy, you still beat them severely in the chest, abdomen, head, etc...."
At this time, someone said beside the carriage: "Look, they all have scars on their heads."
"Take off your clothes!" someone shouted.
Someone immediately unbuttoned the clothes of the three corpses, and found that they had wounds on their chests and abdomens.
Chen Lian sighed in his heart, and was also secretly delighted, thinking that the evidence was irrefutable, so how dare you, Jiang Qingzhi, not admit it?
My subordinates killed someone, and they were in the wrong, so it was only natural for me to take action. Even His Majesty had to say it was okay.
"Capture this guy!" Chen Lian pointed at Sun Chonglou and shouted.
Jiang Qingzhi coughed dryly and took out the medicinal cigarette.
On the second floor of the street. Zhu Yi smiled and said, "Chen Lian really took action, good."
Zhao Fu said: "Jiang Qingzhi is in a dilemma. He must protect Sun Chonglou. Prepare to pass the message. Nanjing must have been waiting for a long time."
After hearing the news, Xu Fan smiled slightly, "Jiang Qingzhi is in trouble. It seems that this matter should have a result."
Wang Mengqiu said: "Those people's methods are not bad, but they are a bit cruel."
He even killed his own people!
This is not just cruel, it's vicious.
Xu Fan sneered, "After this incident, cut off all contact with those people."
"That's right!"
Wang Mengqiu suddenly laughed and said, "Faced with this dilemma, no one can do anything. I am looking forward to what Jiang Qingzhi can do..."
Xu Fan shook his head, feeling somewhat resentful… He claimed to be in charge of the matter, but those people ignored him and did as they pleased. He was quite dissatisfied with the feeling of being sidelined.
Looking back, some people should be punished. Xu Fan was thinking about what would happen next...
As for Jiang Qingzhi, what can he do when he is in front of everyone and with irrefutable evidence of his guilt?
Outside the north gate, Jiang Qingzhi pointed at the scholars and said, "Catch them!"
Chen Lian was startled, "Chang Wei Bo, you..."
"I suspect they are the ones who framed the murderer!" Jiang Qingzhi said, "Go ahead!"
More than ten soldiers rushed over, pinned down the scholars like wolves and tigers, and then retreated while carrying them.
Everyone was furious.
"Jiang Qingzhi has arrested someone!"
Zhao Fu, who was listening to the excitement, was startled and said, "Ask."
There was a commotion at the city gate, and then a scholar rushed in and said to the long street in anger: "Jiang Qingzhi was so angry that he arrested people."
Zhu Yi asked, "Who did he catch?"
Over there, Wang Mengqiu was also shouting, "Who did he catch?"
"Those scholars who escaped the disaster." someone shouted.
In an instant, Zhu Yi's expression changed drastically.
Zhao Fu's eyes narrowed.
Wang Mengqiu was stunned.
"Not good!" Wang Mengqiu said, "Those scholars have clearly been informed by those people. This is the only flaw. Once their words are pried open..."
Xu Fan's face was calm, but Wang Mengqiu saw that he clenched his fists.
As the so-called number one son of Songjiang Prefecture and even the south, Xu Fan had many flatterers around him. Even the prefect Chen Lian, or the celebrities of Suzhou Prefecture today, had to put down their airs when they saw him.
People are like this. When the people around you are praising you and saying you are awesome, even if you reflect on yourself, it will be useless. Gradually, you will become arrogant and really think you are the best in the world.
This is the case with Xu Fan.
He thought he was unrivaled and the best among the younger generation.
Jiang Qingzhi's rise in the capital made him want to compete... This was also Xu Fan's real motive for disobeying Xu Jie's orders and insisting on taking charge and standing up for Songjiang Prefecture and the southern literati.
He felt that he simply had not had the opportunity to realize his ambitions. This time Jiang Qingzhi's trip to the south was a good opportunity to show off and compete with others.
He had been planning this for a long time.
Today Jiang Qingzhi came to the city, and he prepared some tricks to welcome him.
But someone took action first.
Moreover, the timing and means of the attack made Xu Fan feel impeccable.
But just when he was feeling unhappy...
In an instant!
Jiang Qingzhi found the only flaw and breakthrough in this matter!
(End of this chapter)
