Chapter 572: Yuan Meng is very cooperative

"Uncle, Hong Sixiang may not be a grandmaster!"

After returning home, Ye Zhong could hardly suppress his excitement and joy. He found his uncle Ye Liuyun and quickly reported his important discovery.

Tonight, Hong Sixiang captured Li Chengze in front of everyone, and later with the cooperation of the Tiger Guards, he killed the Eight Generals, indeed showing a cultivation level that was a little more powerful than the ninth rank.

However, Ye Chong had seen his uncle Ye Liuyun's attack, and compared it with the momentum of Hong Sixiang's attack tonight, there was a world of difference between the two.

Ye Liuyun, one of the four great masters in "Celebrating Yu Nian", frowned when he heard Ye Zhong's report:

"There must be a Grandmaster in the palace. If it's not Hong Sixiang, then this Grandmaster is hiding deeper and didn't make a move tonight."

"Uncle, when the previous emperor was killed, the great master did not show up."

Ye Zhong raised an objection: "You said, is that Grand Master already dead, or has he left the palace long ago?"

After hearing his nephew's guess, Ye Liuyun became a little uncertain:

"Well, what you said is not impossible."

After thinking for a while, Ye Liuyun saw that his nephew was still excited, and couldn't help but scold him:

"My Daqing has lost a grandmaster, but you are not only not worried, but you are also happy about it?"

"Cough cough."

Ye Zhong was too embarrassed to express his thoughts, so he could only find a reason to explain:
"Uncle, there used to be a Grand Master living in the Imperial Palace, and you were often forced to leave Kyoto and wander around. Now there is only one Grand Master in Daqing, so you can stay at home more often, right?"

"Well, what you said is quite right. If there really is no Grand Master in the palace, I can stay at home more often in the future."

Ye Liuyun also attaches great importance to his family.

Now that he had guessed that there was no grandmaster in the palace, there was no one in the entire Nanqing who could force him to continue wandering around the world without a home to return to.

However, Ye Liuyun frowned as he thought of the past:
"We still need to investigate this matter carefully. The information is uncertain and we cannot act rashly."

"That's what my uncle taught me."

Ye nodded, indicating that he would not be reckless, and then said with a smile:

"Uncle, we don't need to inquire in person. I believe that at this time, Northern Qi and Dongyi City are also very confused about where the Grand Master in the palace has gone, just like us."

Ye Liuyun also nodded.

What Ye Chong and Ye Liuyun could think of, countless people in Kyoto City also thought of.

Hong Sixiang took action in front of thousands of people today. The fact that he is not a grandmaster would definitely be exposed.

As for the Northern Qi and Dongyi countries, it can be said that they had 'suffered from the Southern Qing for a long time'.

At this time, Nanqing suddenly lost a grandmaster, it would be strange if they could sit still.

So, this night, there was an undercurrent.

But inside the palace, there was silence.

Until dawn.

Su Mingzhe came to the main hall of Weiyang Palace and convened a grand court meeting, announcing that Chen Pingping would thoroughly investigate the case of "Prince Pingnan's Rebellion".

All the civil and military officials in the court who had dealings with Li Chengze were terrified.

However, more people are rubbing their hands in anticipation, looking at the heads of their superiors, wondering if they have a chance to take advantage of the chaos and move up to a higher level.

The meeting is over.

Su Mingzhe continued to stay in the imperial study to handle government affairs.

At noon, Su Mingzhe went to Yanshou Palace first and then to Yanfu Palace.

Today, Su Mingzhe did not accompany the empress dowager for dinner. After chatting for a few words, he went straight back to the imperial study to continue handling state affairs.

Even when Eunuch Hou asked whether he should allow Xue Ying and several other selected concubines to sleep with him, Su Mingzhe directly refused.

Until the evening.

Su Mingzhe suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Iron Guard dungeon in his true form.

The jailer got the message and came out to greet them:
"My humble servant Zeng San has met the great boss!"

There are six departments in the Iron Guard, and each department has a chief.

Su Mingzhe joined the Iron Guard with the strength of a ninth-rank official. His current identity is the commander of the Imperial Prison, that is, the boss of the prison.

Su Mingzhe covered his nose and walked into the dungeon. He went all the way to the torture room and then frowned and asked:
"Have all the prisoners from yesterday confessed?"

Zeng San reported with a smile:

"Your Excellency, she has confessed everything else. Now the only one left is the Noble Concubine who still refuses to admit that she participated in the rebellion. Because of her special status, we dare not torture her."

"This noble concubine is the concubine of the previous emperor, and she cannot be tortured. I will report it tomorrow and send her away."

Su Mingzhe sat on the armchair and picked up today's interrogation record.

After last night's rebellion, the Black Knights of the Inspectorate arrested thousands of rebels and thousands of related personnel.

However, the Iron Guards only held more than a hundred prisoners, more than half of whom were palace maids and eunuchs from the Prince of Pingnan's Palace, and there were no important figures.

I looked through the contents of the confession and found that they were basically the same.

It was obvious to anyone that these contents were the result of torture. Su Mingzhe suppressed his anger, put the records aside, and ordered:
"Go and fetch Yuan Meng over here."

Yuan Meng was originally a prostitute at Zuixianfang on Liujing River.

Of course, this is an open identity, just like the "jade girl" in the entertainment industry, that's all open stuff.

In fact, Yuan Meng is Li Hongcheng's woman. She is in charge of the pleasure boat business of Prince Jing's Mansion on Liujing River on behalf of Li Hongcheng. She is considered the second prince's money bag.

In the novel, Yuan Meng was cruel and ruthless, and killed countless people.

Now that she was a prisoner, she was like a frightened bird. She hugged her shoulders, lowered her head and walked into the torture room.

Seeing that the jailer was about to tie her to the rack again, she was so frightened that she immediately kowtowed to Su Mingzhe who was sitting on the armchair and begged for mercy:

"Sir, please stop torturing me. I will confess whatever you ask me."

As the head of the Imperial Prison, Su Mingzhe likes this kind of obedient prisoners the most. He raised the corners of his mouth slightly and smiled faintly:
"You said you confessed everything? But how come your confession doesn't say you confessed anything?"

Yuan Meng is able to manage the business of hundreds of pleasure boats on the Liujing River for Li Hongcheng, and she is herself an intelligent and talented person with great wisdom and strategy.

As soon as she heard the man's words, she knew there was something else behind them, and she kowtowed again and begged for mercy:

"My lord, maybe I forgot. How about you remind me?"

"You guys go out first."

Seeing this woman coming forward, Su Mingzhe waved his hand, signaling the other prison guards to leave first, and sat back on the armchair. Then he smiled and said:

"How did Prince Jing meet you? How did he use you to take charge of the pleasure boat? How much do you know about Prince Pingnan's affairs? Tell me everything from beginning to end."

Yuan Meng was a little surprised to find that the questions Su Mingzhe asked were all ones she had answered before, but she still repeated what she knew.

Yuan Meng was originally the daughter of a convicted official and ended up in the Music Bureau. Before she could receive any customers, she was taken away by Li Hongcheng.

However, Li Hongcheng is not a good person either. He values ​​Yuan Meng's beauty and ability.

Afterwards, Yuan Meng was taken for training, and before long, there was a talented prostitute on Liujing River.

As for the matter of King Pingnan.

Yuan Meng said hesitantly:
"Sir, the Prince of Pingnan and the Prince of Jing came to play together on the Liujing River. The Prince of Jing also asked me to train some beauties and give them to the Prince of Pingnan. But I really don't know anything else. My main responsibility on the Liujing River was to help them launder money."

Su Mingzhe saw that this woman finally said a little bit of what she wanted, and then he smiled slightly:
"Money laundering? What money?"

Yuan Meng didn't know what she had said yet, she just said what she knew:

"The money was sent by Ming Qingda of the Jiangnan Ming family."

"Very good, tell me more clearly what you know about the Ming family."

Su Mingzhe picked up the brush and began to record.

Half an hour later, a new transcript was completed.

Su Mingzhe looked at the transcript and confirmed that there was no problem, then smiled with satisfaction:
"Come here and sign your name."

After Yuan Meng signed her name obediently, she saw Su Mingzhe was about to take her back to the cell, so she knelt down and begged:

"Sir, I will confess whatever you ask. Can you please forgive me and let me go?"

"It depends on your confession. Is it useful or not?"

Su Mingzhe neither refused nor agreed.

For a crime like Yuan Meng's, it would not be excessive to be cut into pieces.

However, for a small person like her, if she is given some credit when reporting herself, her name can basically be included in the amnesty list.

The question is, why should I help her?

On the second day.

In the imperial study, Su Mingzhe called Chen Pingping over and angrily threw Yuan Meng's confession at him, angrily scolding:
"President Chen, look at this. The largest family in Nanqing not only colluded with pirates to rob our Qing merchant ships, but also bribed the inner treasury and undermined the foundation of our court. Is this how your Inspection Office monitors the world?"

"Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty!"

After reading Yuan Meng's confession, Chen Pingping did not say any excuses, but just bowed his head and admitted his guilt.

Chen Pingping already knew the inside story about the inner treasury, the Ming family, and the pirates.

However, when Chen Pingping wanted to investigate before, he was stopped by Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing insisted on letting the second prince Li Chengze serve as a whetstone for the crown prince Li Chengqian.

The second prince Li Chengze has neither power nor position. If he wants to be a good whetstone, he will definitely need supporters.

Without the support of the Ming family and the inner treasury, the violent Li Chengze would be nothing.

Therefore, the connections between the Ming family, the inner treasury, and Li Chengze were all tacitly approved by Emperor Qing.

Now that Emperor Qing is gone, facing the new emperor's wrath, Chen Pingping can only take the blame for Emperor Qing.

After Su Mingzhe got angry, he suppressed his anger, but still said with a bad face:
"Chen Pingping, I don't care what you do, but within one month, you must take back the tens of millions of taels of silver that the Ming family has embezzled!"

"I accept the decree!"

After Chen Pingping received the order and returned to the Inspection Office, he immediately ordered his Black Cavalry to go to Jiangnan and search the Ming family.

From now on, the rebellion of Prince Pingnan is just the fuse for major events in the future!
(End of this chapter)