Chapter 139 – The Ripple Rises

“Report.”

The carriage stopped only two streets away from Suzhou Mansion, and as the tiger guards watched the surrounding movements vigilantly, a secret agent of the Supervisory Yuan in civilian attire leaned over, inspected his waistband, and came over to the window of the carriage to speak softly.

Fan Xian in the carriage was holding a book and looking at it carefully, and nodded: “Speak.”

“There is no resistance in the Ming Garden, people from all around have already gone in, and are currently searching, with no results for the time being.”

Fan Xian pondered briefly and said, “Pay attention to the proportion and tell Zi Yue not to be too arrogant.”

The secret agent answered and turned to leave the carriage, disappearing into the morning crowd of Suzhou City.

The carriage moved slowly again, and after half a block in the direction of Suzhou Mansion, another secret agent of the Supervisory Office flashed out from the street corner, came to the side of the carriage, and lowered his voice to report, “There is no movement at the pier.”

Fan Xian was silent, waving his hand and letting this person go.

From Hua Yuan to Suzhou Mansion, it is necessary to cross half of Suzhou City, on this way, the carriage walks silently, and does not cause too much attention, most of the people of Suzhou City, do not know that this morning, the officials of the Supervisory Yuan have already broken into the Ming Yuan like a wolf like a tiger.

And in this distance, the temporary mobilization of the Supervisory Yuan crows began to return all aspects of the news, all the information related to the response of the Ming family, are summed up in this moving carriage.

For example, the situation in the Ming Garden, for example, the situation of the Ming’s merchant bank opening its doors as usual, for example, the response of the Governor’s Office, all of them were transmitted to the carriage as fast as possible, and were handed over to Fan Xian for overall consideration.

In other words, this carriage was the centerpiece of the Inspectorate’s actions today.

Fan Xian also felt a trace of abnormality, even if the Ming family showed weakness, it is impossible to be bullied into the face, there is still no counterattack initiative, on the contrary, it is the Governor’s Yamen began to tense up, there has been the wind of the deployment of troops.

In today’s plan, to see the reaction of the Ming family is a pile, and to catch the steward surnamed Zhou, is the most important. Over the past few days, the Ming Garden had been under the close surveillance of the Supervisory Yuan, and that steward Zhou should not have much of a chance to escape.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that the Ming family should not be aware that the news of Housekeeper Zhou’s hiding in the Ming Garden had been grasped by the Supervisory Yuan until now.

Thinking of this section, Fan Xian’s lips could not help but raise a self-deprecating smile, the world’s big families, if it is from the outside to kill in, it is always a hundred-footed insect, a moment shall not die, but to be from the inside to make a fuss, then it will face the real hardship – this sentence is Cao Xueqin in the dream of the red chamber has said. And the reason why he would have this kind of sigh at this time was that – the hiding place of Housekeeper Zhou was a person of the Ming family, and a very powerful person within the Ming family had told Fan Xian through a certain channel.

Otherwise, with the strict defense of the Ming Garden, the Supervisory Yuan hadn’t succeeded in placing a nail in the upper echelon for more than ten years, so how could it have calculated that Housekeeper Zhou was in the Ming Garden?

As long as Butler Zhou was in Mingyuan, this matter would be accomplished today.

The carriage gradually approaching Suzhou Palace, and there is a spy of the Supervisory Yuan to report a certain way of news, and then no more difference, the carriage drilled into the middle of an inconspicuous alleyway, leaning against a thick wall, parked there, do not know what to do.

Ten feet away from the side hand side of the Suzhou government office is the big prison where prisoners are held. Prison in the fall to kill, spring to raise, so now it is the “people thrive” time, a prison, actually locked up forty or fifty people.

From the prison iron door to the inside, until the end of the straight road, there is a light from above hit down, a little more warm, dispersed a little wet, compared to other dark, sunless cells, to be much more comfortable.

This cell is padded with hay, underneath the grass can be seen vaguely forbidden quilts and so on, a middle-aged man is pale and drinking alone, enjoying the treatment that ordinary prisoners can not enjoy.

This is the Ming four masters, because the Supervisory Board to deal with the Ming family, he became the first to be taken out to sacrifice the flag, was forced into the Suzhou House, has been more than a dozen days, has not been released out of the wind. However, the Ming family after all, the power of the family, Suzhou House is like being raised by them in general, he lived in the prison, naturally, from top to bottom of someone to take care of, living days are quite comfortable. The next cell is escorted by a number of Jiang Yang thief, all with envious eyes looking at him.

Ming fourth master lazy to pay attention to those thieves, just squinting eyes, looking at the three magistrates outside the cell door, the corner of the lips showed a hint of shame smile, said: “Today and what is the matter?”

The cell door clanged and was opened by the magistrates, one of the magistrates bowed and smiled fawningly, “Fourth master, these days have suffered you, but the Supervisory Yuan stares tightly, we are not good at arranging a single room for you.”

Fourth Master Ming shook his head and sighed, “Being able to get out earlier is the right thing to do, did the family say anything?”

At this time, the other two magistrates have already brought in good food and wine, arranged in front of him, the aroma of the nose.

Ming fourth master slightly surprised, thinking that it is not yet time for lunch, how come this day so early to send food? Suddenly, he thought of a pile of things, and could not help but change his face dramatically, hissing, “What do you mean?”

“Eat this meal so you can get on your way.” The magistrate sighed.

Fourth Master Ming’s face turned pale, somewhat disbelieving his ears, thinking that at most he was just bullying the market, how could it not be a capital offense, and that he was a member of the Ming family, how could the officials dare to kill him so casually. He subconsciously backed up, his eyes looked at the magistrate with resentment, and said fiercely, “What do you mean by that, I don’t understand.”

The yamen slightly lowered his head and said, “The meaning of the Supervisory Court, the fourth master is not to blame.”

Ming fourth master is not a confused person, a little thought, then understand this before and after, silent for a long time and then laughed miserably, “What Supervisory Yuan! I’m afraid it’s the family that wants to kill me.”

Yamen straightened up, lowered his voice and said: “The fourth master since he understands, then do not care too much, it is not for the good of the family …… Supervisory Yuan now on the family pressed tightly, I heard that this morning has been into the garden, if you don’t do something to make some noise, the Supervisory Yuan, how to be willing to stop? You are the fourth master, with one of your life, temporarily protect the family half a year peace, always worth it.”

Fourth Master Ming cursed angrily, “You bastards! Why don’t you let Old Taijun die? Fuck her ancestors!”

Has come to the moment of life and death, he is certainly clear, why the Ming family will send people to kill themselves, it is certainly not to silence, they simply do not know the core business of the family, this is just a pen ink, a painted in the face of the Supervisory Yuan ink, the Ming family from the end of last year to draw up a show of weakness and sadness in the war, it is necessary to use the death of the fourth master of the Tang Tang Ming, to do that outbreak of the opportunity.

Thinking of this section, his heart how desperate unwilling, how angry.

That yamen’s face changed and said, “Old Taijun is the protector of the Wan family, fourth master speak with respect.”

Fourth Master Ming laughed miserably, the person retreated towards the corner, cursing under his breath, “I’m also a master of the Ming family, why do you want me to die? Just because I’m not her own?”

At this time, two magistrates had already walked to the side of the fourth master Ming, simply ignoring the fourth master Ming’s screaming and resistance, took out a ball of dirty rags and stuffed them into his mouth, blocking his filthy language, while tying his hands behind his back.

By this time, the commotion in the inner room had already alarmed the entire prison, and many of the inmates were looking this way with curiosity and fear.

The magistrate in the lead frowned and droned, “The Procuratorate is on duty, all be quiet!”

Even if they were locked up in the prison, these prisoners knew that nowadays, the Supervisory Yuan was suppressing the Ming family, but the crowd did not expect that the Supervisory Yuan would actually go deep into the prison to assassinate the Fourth Master Ming, they could not help but feel a chill in their hearts, gradually creating some injustice for the Ming family, but nobody dared to look that way for more than a single glance, fearing that they would get into trouble.

The magistrate looked at the food plate in front of him, shook his head, and said regretfully, “The last meal, and can’t eat well, it’s really bitter for you.”

After saying this, he waved his hand, and the two magistrates who had twisted Master Ming Si took a rope and put it around his neck.

Master Ming Si’s neck was tied, his face was suffocated red, and his two feet kept stomping on the ground, stomping the hay flying about and the brocade underneath was stained.

Rope tied more and more tight, Ming fourth master’s eyes seem to bulge out, nostrils open the boss, looks unusually horrible, feet stomping force is also more and more small, just like a dying frog general, breathless bouncing.

The fourth master of the dying Ming, the despair of the heart can be imagined, that the old woman of the Ming family, the resentment of the Ming Qingda can be imagined, but he has to die, and what can be done?

Coldly looking at the dying Ming four masters of that magistrate suddenly felt a little strange, his afterglow glanced near the prison room, the prisoner is looking at himself.

Very coldly looking at himself, not like cold-bloodedly watching, and without a trace of fear.

He turned in consternation, then saw the prisoner take something out of the haystack and aim it at himself.

A crossbow!

Shine shine shine! Three crossbow bolts rang out, three crossbow arrows came out, accurately and incomparably stabbed in the throats of these three magistrates, the three of them covered their throats, and they didn’t even have time to let out a single sound before they collapsed on the ground, stomped their feet twice, and were killed in this way.

The magistrate died, the rope immediately loose, the already dying Ming four masters stomped helplessly feet, gradually regained strength.

He slowly opened his eyes, with a confused and cloudy eyes looked at the prisoner next door, do not know why the other party to save themselves, not to mention did not see clearly, how the other party saved himself.

That prisoner at this time, but as if nothing had been done, eyes flat in front, crouched next to the fence.

Ming fourth master is sore and weak, there are already remains of drowning in his pants, the stench is unbearable, but he knows that he has already escaped from death.

At this time, behind him, the thick wall, but as if by the ghosts and gods transport general, silently opened a mouth, revealing the outside of the blue sky!

Gao Da retrieved that long knife, his face slightly white, forcing through the thick wall of Suzhou House’s prison had also depleted a lot of his true qi. He entered the middle of the cell, and with the Fourth Master Ming in one hand, he exited the prison.

Another official from the Supervisory Court entered and pulled out the crossbow arrows between the throats of those three magistrates, and carefully set up the situation in the cell, before walking to the side of the fence and stretching out his hand.

Without a word, the prisoner who had previously saved Master Ming Si’s life passed the concealed crossbow in his hand into this Supervisory Yuan official’s hand, and pointed to the food box next to him.

The Procuratorate official picked a chicken leg and placed it in his hand.

The prisoner smiled, somewhat satisfied.

The Procuratorate official lowered his voice and said, “Wait for another two months, the lord still needs you as a witness.”

That prisoner nodded while gnawing on the chicken leg.

Shortly after the inspectorate official exited, the prisoner flicked the leftover chicken leg into a cell on the opposite diagonal with one finger, and suddenly his face changed, terrified, hissing, “Help! Help! Someone kills and robs the prison!”

Carriage away from the Suzhou House back of the alley, slowly driving to the Governor’s Office where the Yamen, but at this time on the carriage, there has been more than one person.

Fourth Master Ming sat paralyzed under the carriage chair in a miserable and incomparable state, looking up at the handsome young lord, half speechless.

Fan Xian shook his head and sighed, “The great families of the gentry are indeed every bit as grim and dirty.”

He then smiled and said, “Now that you naturally see and understand, this official does not need to say much, in the future, the Ming Clan, you must take good advantage of the Ming Clan, and cooperate well with Ming Laoqi.”

Ming fourth master swallowed a mouthful of water, the scene of escaping from death gave him too much of a psychological impact to allow him the slightest consideration, he nodded his head fiercely.

Fan Xian said softly, “The old Taijun wanted to kill you, plant it on my Supervisory Yuan, proclaim it to the folk, create an image of my Fan Xian as shameless and cold-blooded, and stir up the folk’s emotions to protect her Ming family …… But now that I’ve saved you from yourself, I’ve instead planted it on the Ming family, stating that the family’s robbery of a prison …… What do you think, how will she respond?”

Ming fourth master’s eyes were godless, shook his head, endured the pain in his throat, and hissed, “My lord …… don’t underestimate the old …… that old bitch.”