Qi Jiguang surrounded all the reformist officers with his cavalry, ordering them to dismiss their families one by one, leaving only the centurions and above for subsequent interrogation regarding any cruel treatment of the common people.
Zhu Mo came out to meet them, and everyone felt as if they had lived through a thousand years. They had experienced countless storms in their lives, but none were as gripping as this night. It seemed that with the slightest misstep, they would be doomed forever, and the danger was tenfold greater than on the battlefield.
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After reading the order for a while, Zhu Mo could not help but sigh—
Zhang Juzheng had taken a tremendous risk this time, but it had also come at the most opportune moment. Had it been even a moment later, the situation would have been irrecoverable.
At this moment,
Liu Yingjie brought Wan Cai over. The crowd saw that Wan Cai, a dignified Provincial Administration Commissioner, appeared somewhat dishevelled, as if he had been terrified by the night's events. Zhu Mo saw that Wan Cai still seemed confused, so he showed him the order that Qi Jiguang had just read aloud.
Wan Cai read it three or four times and blurted out,
"Grand Tutor Zhang's order? How could it also be the Crown Prince's will?"
Qi Jiguang, who had always disliked Wan Cai, said indifferently,
"Master Zhang is a Grand Secretary. If this order is not the Crown Prince's will, whose else would it be? Lord Wan, it is not too late to mend your ways!"
Wan Cai's question was, in fact, the question on everyone's mind—
The order clearly stated that it was issued under the Crown Prince's decree. How could Zhang Juzheng, a dignified Grand Secretary, dare to impersonate it? That would be a crime equivalent to issuing a false decree. It was evident that the Crown Prince's will was not false, but why had the Crown Prince suddenly changed his mind? Were Zhang Yu's previous five policies not the Crown Prince's wishes?
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Zhu Mo had a rough guess. Given Zhang Juzheng's personality, he was indeed daring. If truly desperate, he would dare to do anything. Perhaps he considered that if Jiangnan failed, he would be finished, and thus might have issued a false decree. However, with his exceptional talent, he would most likely have found some hint from the Crown Prince, or some other excuse...
But, none of that was important now. What mattered was Zhang Yu!
Zhu Mo said in a deep voice,
"Since there is a decree from the Crown Prince ordering Jiangnan to disband the reformist officers, then, Lord Wan, you will have to be inconvenienced a bit... Uh, you will have to stay here at the Northern Training Ground for a few days and clarify the matter of the reformist officers from beginning to end, and then write it down..."
Wan Cai exclaimed in surprise,
"Duke Zhu, I, I am being wronged..."
Zhu Mo patted his shoulder and said gently,
"Lord Wan, we all see you for who you are... Tonight, you did not exert yourself fully, and I am very grateful to you for that... General Qi just mentioned mending your ways, Lord Wan, you know what you're doing! As long as you clarify the important matters here, I guarantee you will be fine, what do you say?"
Huh?
Wan Cai immediately knelt down with a thud and shouted loudly,
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"Thank you, Duke Zhu, thank you, General Qi, thank you, all lords!"
He understood clearly at this moment—
The court had likely turned around again, and the Yan family had probably suffered another setback, even causing the Crown Prince to change his tune. This decree would not be false! Moreover, the imperial army had already been stationed in various places, and Zhang Yu had been waiting for a reason. Now that Zhang Juzheng's order had arrived, everything was complete! Zhang Juzheng was a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat and Minister of War, so regardless of whether it was true or false, the responsibility would fall on him. It was already a great blessing to be able to escape.
Zhu Mo, Zhang Han, Liu Yingjie, and Qi Jiguang all nodded simultaneously, feeling that Wan Cai was sensible. As long as he explained the origin of the reformist officers, Zhang Yu's guilt would be undeniable.
Zhu Mo paced a few steps, thinking that Zhang Yu was, after all, an imperial envoy, and it was indeed difficult to do anything to him. The chaos in the latter half of the night was clearly not Wan Cai's doing; he guessed that Zhang Yu had instigated the Yan family faction. If he let Zhang Yu go, he would still be unwilling! After all, tonight was truly one of the most dangerous scenes of his life...
He looked at Wan Cai, then at the captured leaders of the reformist officers. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and a plan emerged!
He immediately said,
"Wan Cai, have these leaders go to Zhang Yu to demand an explanation. Ask him why the reformist officers were suddenly disbanded, and whether the previous five policies were an impersonation of the Crown Prince's decree?"
This?
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood—
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This was a case of turning the tables and returning the favour!
These reformist officers were all Zhang Yu's own men. If they surrounded Zhang Yu and prevented him from leaving, demanding an explanation, it couldn't be said that Zhu Mo was bullying him...
As soon as everyone realized this, they felt that this move was truly brilliant!
Wan Cai understood immediately and walked over to the leaders, saying,
"Let's go! Follow me to find Lord Zhang Yu and demand an explanation! Why have we reformist officers suddenly become illegal? Is it true that he impersonated the Crown Prince's decree from the beginning? If so, we will hold him responsible! We will not take this blame!"
Yes, yes!
We will not take it!
"Zhang Yu, you scoundrel!"
"We absolutely will not take the blame for impersonating the Crown Prince's decree!"
"Zhang Yu, you bastard!"
"Zhang Yu must give an explanation!"
"My lord has long said that Zhang Yu is a scoundrel!"
"..."
Most of these leaders were stewards from influential families and often knew about official matters. Seeing this with their own eyes, they realized that Zhang Juzheng had navigated the channels in the capital for two months and it was time to change course quickly! Grand Tutor Zhang was ruthless, and he would likely return to Jiangnan soon. If he targeted them then, it would mean confiscating their property and exterminating their families...
On the contrary, this Zhu Mo, who came from a Taoist background, never did things to the extreme. This move, though brilliant, was not cruel. It was merely to make Zhang Yu suffer the consequences of his own actions. If everyone followed this plan, it would mean that in the matter of the reformist officers, they were all deceived by Zhang Yu, and to a large extent, they could clear their names. Who wouldn't do it?
Everyone bowed to Zhu Mo together, and in twos and threes, cursing all the way, they hurried towards the city.
Upon arriving at the Ciren Shrine,
Wan Cai deliberately lagged behind and turned back home. The leaders rushed forward and burst into the main hall, only to see Zhang Yu pacing anxiously, and beside him was another person whom they all recognized, the former Provincial Governor Yang Hengchang.
The leaders immediately shouted,
"Lord Zhang! You must give us an explanation!"
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Hiss!
Dozens of people rushed in, and Yang Hengchang had no time to escape.
Zhang Yu was furious and said,
"Who allowed you to come in? You entered the Imperial Envoy's yamen without reporting. Have you rebelled?"
The crowd immediately erupted in a clamour—
"Forget it! Lord Zhang, this is not the place for that!"
"Lord Zhang, you must give us an explanation! We followed you, rallied so many people, and the money spent every day was like water. Now, it's illegal! Haha, Lord Zhang, please be kind and give us an explanation!"
"Lord Zhang, our men are being arrested or have fled, and we can't explain to our lords when we go back!"
"Zhang Yu! Did your five policies have the Crown Prince's approval?"
"That's right, that's right!"
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"Zhang Yu! Don't play coy! Did you impersonate the Crown Prince's decree?"
"..."
Hiss!
Hiss!
Zhang Yu was so enraged that he almost choked, trembling and saying,
"What? My policies are fake?"
Yang Hengchang leaned in and whispered,
"My lord, it's likely Zhu Mo sent them to bite you back..."
Oh...
Zhang Yu immediately understood and blurted out a curse,
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"Zhu Mo! You are truly a ghost!"
But despite cursing, he understood clearly—
These leaders were also very clever. By biting back like this at this moment, they could naturally clear their own names... And he, on the other hand, had to suffer the consequences of his own actions... http://m.kuaisugg.net
He immediately regretted it. When Yang Hengchang had told him to hurry to Nanjing to hide, he hadn't believed it, thinking that as an imperial envoy, what could Zhu Mo and Qi Jiguang do to him? But in less than an hour, he was trapped by Zhu Mo with this tactic. Now, it was too late to leave. These people, after all, were Zhang Yu's own subordinates, not official troops, so it couldn't be said that Zhu Mo was forcing an imperial envoy...
With a thud,
He slumped onto the Grand Tutor's chair, completely at a loss.
Seeing Zhang Yu at a loss, Yang Hengchang inwardly cried out, "This is bad"—
The matter of killing Zhu Mo was something he and Zhang Yu had planned together!
Zhu Mo acting like this meant he knew everything and intended to have these leaders corner him...
At this thought,
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He wanted to slip away stealthily, but was spotted by a few sharp eyes. He had no choice but to sit next to Zhang Yu, feeling like an ant on a hot pan, unable to rest for a moment. After all, Zhang Yu was an imperial envoy, but he Yang Hengchang was a dismissed official. He would have to take the blame for Zhang Yu...
None of the leaders were simple either. On the surface, they were making a fuss, but in reality, they were watching him closely. This situation was no different from house arrest.