met free Chapter 664 Hu Weiyong: You're all doomed!
Chapter 664 Hu Weiyong: You're all doomed!
Yang Yuanqing's heart trembled, and he cried out, "This humble subject confesses! This humble subject confesses!"
"A large portion of those children were indeed sold to various workshops."
"One hundred of them were sold to the workshop of Master Wu in Zhangzhou Prefecture."
"One hundred of them were sold to the workshop of Master Liu in Huizhou Prefecture."
"..."
Yang Yuanqing spilled the beans like beans from a bamboo tube, listing a string of names, and even honestly recounting the time and amount of each transaction involving the abducted children.
However, Yang Shaofeng merely gave Xia Yu a wink, then turned back to Yang Yuanqing and coldly asked, "Aside from those who were sold to the workshop, what about the remaining children?"
Yang Yuanqing hesitated for a moment before replying, "Reporting to Your Highness, I have entrusted the remaining children to Master Shihang. The Master said... the Master said..."
After struggling for a while, Yang Yuanqing still couldn't come up with a coherent explanation. Instead, he collapsed to the ground as if all the bones in his body had been removed.
Hu Weiyong, Wang Guangyang, and Xia Yu first glanced at Yang Yuanqing, then exchanged glances with each other.
Yang Yuanqing is finished.
Xia Yu waved his hand and ordered, "Someone, take Yang Yuanqing away and let him recall where those children went. Also, bring Yang Zhongyuan up."
……
As it turns out, the Embroidered Uniform Guards truly lived up to their infamous reputation for being infamous far and wide.
Xia Yu said he wanted to "make Yang Yuanqing recall where those children went," so the officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately arranged a series of packages for Yang Yuanqing.
From manicuring nails to playing the pipa, almost every single thing was done on Yang Yuanqing.
The key point is that it was used in front of Yang Zhongyuan.
When Yang Zhongyuan was dragged into the main hall for trial, he was so frightened that he could not walk.
Yang Shaofeng glanced at Yang Zhongyuan and said coldly, "I just asked Yang Yuanqing a few questions, but unfortunately, he didn't seize the opportunity."
"Now, tell me, where did those children go? Who instigated the abduction of children? And where did all those ironware end up? Who was involved in all of this?"
"I hope you can seize this opportunity and not let my good intentions go to waste."
Yang Zhongyuan was terrified and cried out, "This humble subject will certainly confess honestly!"
"Most of those children were sold to workshops, including Master Wu Ren from Tong'an, Zhangzhou, and Master Liu Shan from Haifeng, Huizhou..."
After giving a similar but more detailed answer to Yang Yuanqing's, which included several more names, Yang Zhongyuan continued, "The remaining small group of children are all quite young, mainly around one or two years old. They were given to Shihang University by Yang Yangqing... Shihang Thief Bald."
Yang Zhongyuan licked his lips. "Shihang, that bald thief, is an old friend of mine. Years ago, he committed a crime and became a monk. Later, I don't know how, he left the monastery and became a guest of honor for many local gentry and gentry."
"It seems that this case of the missing children was instigated by that bald thief Shih Hang."
"Yang Yuanqing once mentioned unintentionally that Shihang the Bald Thief seems to have some kind of method that can make people live forever... I have no idea where those children are. Your Highness still needs to interrogate that Bald Thief Shihang."
"...That's all I know, and I really don't know anything more."
As Yang Zhongyuan recounted everything in detail, Yang Shaofeng, Hu Weiyong, Wang Guangyang, Xia Yu, and the others were all dumbfounded.
Good guy.
He calls Yang Yuanqing by his first name and doesn't even call him "father." Zhongyuan is truly a filial son.
While inwardly complaining, Yang Shaofeng looked at Yang Zhongyuan and asked, "How did you and Gu Chengzhi get together?"
Yang Zhongyuan answered honestly, "In reply to Your Highness, Gu Chengzhi's father originally studied in Ji'an, but later returned to his hometown of Wuxi. Therefore, I can say that Gu Chengzhi and I are old acquaintances."
Is it Ji'an again?
Yang Shaofeng turned his head and glanced at Hu Weiyong.
Hu Weiyong's face had already turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Now, seeing Yang Shaofeng looking at him, Hu Weiyong was furious. "Why are you looking at me like that? Yes, these bastards are from Ji'an, but I was the prefect of Ji'an for two years. Do you think these people have anything to do with me?"
After criticizing Yang Shaofeng, Hu Weiyong glared at Yang Zhongyuan and shouted, "I ask you, who else has connections with your father Yang Yuanqing, Gu Chengzhi, and Gu Chengzhi's father? And where are these people registered?"
Yang Zhongyuan stammered out a list of names.
Hu Weiyong turned to Yang Shaofeng and said, "Let's arrest them. These things may not be clean either."
What the hell?
Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at Hu Weiyong for a moment.
Wang Guangyang leaned close to Yang Shaofeng's ear and whispered, "He's getting anxious, he's getting anxious."
Is he anxious?
Upon hearing these three words, Hu Weiyong completely lost his composure.
Damn it! I served as the Prefect of Ji'an for two years and recommended a guy named Ding Dalu, but that bastard Ding Dalu is a complete scoundrel!
Because they saw that Gu Chengzhi had some talent for studying, they took care of his family and even allowed him to befriend Jie'er. In the end, this bastard wanted to drag Jie'er to her death!
Hu Weiyong grew angrier the more he thought about it, and finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he whispered to Yang Shaofeng, "Your Highness, how about we make a deal?"
Yang Shaofeng was slightly taken aback and asked, "What does Councilor Hu want to discuss?"
Hu Weiyong said, "I know that the Prince Consort always feels that there are not enough people."
Yang Shaofeng nodded directly, and Hu Weiyong continued, "How about this, I'll find a way to relocate some people from Ji'an to Liaodong, and then find a way to get some laborers for the Prince Consort from Liaodong, what do you think?"
"As for those in power, and Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen, I will speak to them myself."
"As long as the prince consort doesn't try to take her away from me, I'll take care of the rest."
"For every person I move there, I'll find a way to bring back ten laborers for you."
"We guarantee that they are alive and capable of working; we will never use the elderly, the weak, the sick, the disabled, or women and children to fool them!"
Yang Shaofeng's eyes lit up immediately.
Why move one civilian there and bring back ten laborers?
This is a damn good deal!
Hu Weiyong, that old scoundrel, is now burning with rage, his mind filled with thoughts of how to take revenge on the local gentry and gentry of Ji'an.
What if he comes to such an outrageous offer once he's sober?
As for those local gentry and scholars who were targeted by Hu Weiyong?
Let alone the local gentry and worthies of Ji'an, even if all the local gentry and worthies of the entire Ming Dynasty were put together, it would be a case of "if we behead them one by one, there might be innocent people; if we behead them one by one, there might still be fish that escape the net!"
Yang Shaofeng extended his palm, staring intently at Hu Weiyong, and said, "A gentleman's word is his bond!"
Hu Weiyong directly struck back with his palm, replying, "A chariot cannot be overtaken!"
Yang Shaofeng smiled and nodded, then turned to Chang Xiaojiu and instructed, "Bring Tu Jie up."