Chapter Seven: The Revelation of Central Cadres

What the heck, this thing still has a mark on it

This person stands in their cabin, holding a golden leaf and talking to themselves in the sunlight

Yang Feng took a sip of wine and, searching for conversation, said

Is there no water bandit on the Yangtze River?

Yang Feng drew his pistol without the slightest hesitation, swiftly pulled back the bolt, and just as the two Qing soldiers approached, two gunshots rang out in quick succession. The bullets instantly pierced their skulls, and the two Qing soldiers fell back as if struck by a heavy blow, screaming in shock. Before the officer could draw his sword, Yang Feng had already aimed his gun at his head. At that moment, the people on the boat finally reacted, and Cheng Ziming's concubine let out a scream before fainting.

There are bandit troubles everywhere, and countless merchants travel along the Yangtze River, so it is inevitable that some make a living from this.

It is evident that this gun is different from what he knows

The butler bowed and said

A Qing soldier on the warship, who had raised a shotgun in preparation for a surprise attack, fell down with a scream

Brothers work together, united we can break gold

Yang Feng curiously asked

Cheng Ziming was taken aback for a moment, and he stood up with Yang Feng to peer back. In the distance, they could see a red lantern swaying on the dark river surface, sending out a signal. Although they did not understand the meaning of this signal, the captain had said that it must be a request to stop the boat

Yang Feng sat there in a bold manner, casually looking at the concubine and speaking, completely adopting the demeanor of a spoiled young master. The more he acted this way, the more serious Cheng Ziming became. After all, the young nobles from the capital displayed this kind of disposition when they ventured into the provinces. It was not just a mere sixth-rank assistant magistrate like him; even a provincial governor or a circuit intendant was regarded as nothing more than a household servant in the eyes of these individuals. Whatever they did for them was taken for granted, and if one were to show excessive gratitude, it would instead seem abnormal.

Uh ? ! ''

Looking at the golden leaves, Yang Feng roared in grief and anger

I will ask again, who will explain this?

Since the last incident at the Qianqing Palace, he has been particularly concerned about his safety. While on the road, he continuously searched for an armory to arm himself. Although he did not find an armory, he stumbled upon a group of soldiers who were training, and without hesitation, he took a Type 92 pistol and four grenades. After boarding the ship, he kept all of them on his person to avoid any accidents. With the firepower he currently possesses, he could easily wipe out everyone on both boats, which made him behave exceptionally arrogantly.

Yang Feng sneered disdainfully; he did not know who Zhu Zhongjun was. However, this expression was perceived differently in Cheng Ziming's eyes, as it was evident that Governor Zhu was hardly worth mentioning in the eyes of this gentleman

Cheng Ziming clasped his hands and said: "I am the official."

However, he immediately let go of his hand, it was impossible for it to be for him. Although five days might barely allow an urgent message to travel eight hundred li from Beijing to Wuchang, the Governor-General of Huguang could not possibly think that he was running as fast as the urgent message, so there was no need to be overly anxious

Brother Yang

He!

Bang

Cheng Ziming is here to invite him to the banquet

Yang Feng was preparing to continue his pretentious act when the captain steering the boat suddenly approached Steward Cheng Ziming and whispered a few words to him

"Gun, gun!" Cheng Ziming said with trembling lips, suddenly exclaiming: "He didn't load the bullets!"

What is the name of your governor

This fellow brought Yang Feng to the bow of the ship, where a feast had already been laid out, clearly quite sumptuous.

At this moment, Yang Feng finally understood why he was so enthusiastic, not only refusing to take a single cent for giving him a free ride, but also treating him like a distinguished guest, providing him with good food and drink, to the point that he almost pushed his concubine into his cabin at night

Cheng Ziming said

Damn it, Fei Yanggu, you old thing actually schemed against me

In fact, he had only just escaped life-threatening danger; true recovery, along with his somewhat ostentatious appearance before the court wearing a golden mask, would not occur until several months later. At this time, he merely met with important nobles and ministers to encourage his sons. He also announced that during his convalescence, the Crown Prince would act as regent. Additionally, he bestowed honors upon the loyal ministers who had been injured while rescuing him, specifically those who had been splashed with sulfuric acid by Yang Feng. Among them, the Commander of the Nine Gates, Kai Yinbu, received neither reward nor punishment for his actions, while the Minister of Personnel, Li Guangdi, who had suffered severe burns on his right hand and had to undergo amputation due to infection, was heavily rewarded.

Cheng Ziming hurriedly said

Sir, there is a boat behind us asking us to stop

Uh, are there really water bandits?

Yang Feng quickly agreed and put the golden leaf in his bag, but he did not notice that the golden leaf below, which he had not picked up, had four more characters than the one he held.

However, immediately afterwards, Kang Mazi issued another baffling order

In fact, no one knows who Yang Fenglian, the Governor of Liangjiang, is, but even if it is his identity in the script, it is impossible for him not to know who the Governor of Liangjiang is. However, it is quite normal not to know who the prefect is

Wishing the Governor, whose name is Zhong Jun, of the Yellow Banner

The sluggish sandboat soon approached the shore, then dropped anchor to stop. Before long, a small warship bearing the flag of the Governor-General of Huguang overtook it from behind, drawing close to the sandboat. On the warship were a dozen Qing soldiers, and at the forefront was an officer with a waist sword. After the two boats were alongside each other, he immediately leaped over, looked at the crowd, and asked: "Which one of you is the Tongpan of Songjiang, Lord Cheng?"

After Kangxi lifted the maritime ban following the downfall of the Zheng family, it was only closed again after a few years. However, it was reopened by the young idol. As for the complete closure of the country, that was carried out by Qianlong. This was precisely the time when the ban was being lifted, and one can imagine how lucrative it must have been for the local officials in that region

Who can explain this?

After waking up, Kang Mazi did not show much reaction to the fact that his sons were already at odds with each other, vying for the throne while he lay in the hospital bed. Although it was certain that someone would inform him of such matters, he seemed completely unaware of it.

He is watching, and outside, the voice of Cheng Ziming can be heard calling.

How Kang Mazi brings misfortune to his sons has nothing to do with Yang Feng, who is currently drifting down the Yangtze River towards Songjiang. Cheng Ziming is aboard a sand boat, which is not a vessel for transporting sand, but a type of flat-bottomed boat widely used in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, also suitable for near-sea navigation. He is from Jingzhou, and this time he returned home to visit his ailing mother. After her recovery, he plans to return to Songjiang. This man is quite wealthy; at this time, Songjiang Prefecture is a foreign trade port, making it much easier to make money than elsewhere. He has served as a deputy magistrate for two years and is currently preparing to serve another term.

The officer, with cold sweat on his brow, cautiously stared at the muzzle of the gun, and then slowly took out a gold leaf from his pocket, showing it to him under the light. On it was clearly the same as what Yang Feng had seen before, except that this one had four additional characters.

Everyone was terrified, two Qing soldiers lay on the deck, one with a gaping hole in the back of his head, blood and brain matter splattered all over the officer, and even Cheng Ziming was not spared, with quite a bit splattered on him, appearing particularly eerie and horrifying under the flickering light

It is evident that this old man still finds his sons' commotion insufficient; he hopes that these wolf cubs will continue to strive and fight until a final victor emerges, who will then inherit his everlasting empire.

The officer nodded and suddenly pointed at Yang Feng, shouting: "Capture the criminal!"

At first, he only wanted gold leaves because he had watched too many television dramas, but he did not expect such things to actually exist. These are square sheets of gold foil, each weighing a standard one tael at this time. Using this for consumption is akin to a wealthy boss flaunting a checkbook in later generations; just one sheet could sustain an ordinary family for an entire year of hard work. More importantly, these sheets bear the bank's trademark, just like his own, which are all marked with the words "supervised by the Ministry of Internal Affairs." This item is only used for purchases made by the inner court as gifts from the emperor. If he were to use such an item, it would be no wonder if Cheng Ziming mistakenly thought he was a noble from Beijing.

He was not only promoted to the position of Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, but he was also elevated to the status of a member of the Plain Yellow Banner, allowing him to refer to himself as a servant when he next encounters Kang Mazi

Yang Feng furrowed his brow and touched the pistol in his bosom

It is evident that this individual is seeking to climb the social ladder

Of course, the main concern is to prevent Yinreng from developing certain inappropriate thoughts. In this regard, Kang Mazi is quite vigilant, as this crown prince has been in position for quite some time. He needs to make it clear to his son that as long as I am alive, you will ultimately remain the crown prince. With so many wolves surrounding you, it is best to behave yourself.

He, being young as the Crown Prince, found it difficult to handle so many state affairs alone, and thus issued an edict commanding several of his sons to take charge of the six ministries. The eldest prince was to oversee the Ministry of Personnel, the third prince the Ministry of War, the fourth prince the Ministry of Revenue, the fifth prince the Ministry of Rites, the seventh prince the Ministry of Works, and the eighth prince the Ministry of Justice. In short, since they were all brothers, they were to share the responsibility and not let the Crown Prince bear the burden alone.

Poor Yinrang truly wishes to say that he really wants to toil alone

Another gunshot rings out

Yang Feng said with concern

Yang Feng, while speaking, took out a grenade, bit off the safety pin, aimed at the warship, and threw it. With a loud explosion, a fireball erupted, sending several Qing soldiers flying. Fortunately, they had not yet caught fire, but the ship was already rendered unusable, and more than half of the Qing soldiers on board were either dead or injured. He then reached into his bosom and immediately pulled out another grenade.

Come, come, Brother Yang, there is nothing of value on this boat. Let us make do for now, and when we arrive at Songjiang Prefecture, I will properly host you.

Cheng Ziming gestured for the concubine to pour wine while speaking

Yang Feng, with a demeanor befitting a sixth-rank official, nodded slightly, his expression as ephemeral as a passing cloud

You are a Tongpan, of the sixth rank, correct

The news spread, and the entire court resounded with shouts of "Long live the wise ruler"

Brother Cheng, you are being too modest

At this moment, the ship behind was clearly closing the distance, and even the characters on the lantern could be faintly discerned. Cheng Ziming, who had excellent eyesight, immediately said: "Quickly approach the shore and stop the boat; it is a naval vessel under the command of the Governor of Huguang"

Sir, the water bandits do not dare to operate in this area, for Wuchang is the location of the governor's office, and there are Green Camp soldiers stationed here. However, downstream in Poyang Lake and the Taihu section, they do exist. After robbing merchants, they hide in the lakes, making it very difficult to apprehend them at that time. But in this section, there is nowhere for them to hide

The butler said

The steward immediately stepped forward and said

Oh

Exactly