Chapter 44 Misconduct revealed

Mochou Lake, located outside the Shuixi Gate, is a famous quiet and wonderful place in Nanjing.It was originally a part of the Yangtze River, but due to the westward movement of the river, the nearby sandbars were connected to land, and a large lake with a radius of hundreds of acres appeared here.According to legend, Mochou, a singing girl in the Southern Qi Dynasty, once lived here, and the lake got its name from this.In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang once played a chess game with his founding father, King Jing of Zhongshan Xu Da, but lost, so he rewarded Mochou Lake to Xu Da.However, perhaps because the Xu family has too many properties, his descendants have not put in special effort to manage them, so now except for the Shengqi Building by the lake, the Yujin Hall, and a pavilion on the small island in the middle of the lake, there are only mansions. The weeping willows of the lake are hidden in the morning glow, sunset, wind and rain.However, because of this, Mochou Lake has a unique natural charm...

On the eighth day of June—that is, the third day after Ma Shiying brazenly drafted the decree by himself, Zhou Biao hurried to Mochou Lake in a sedan chair.He was invited by Wu Yingji to attend a small gathering of Fushe members.According to Wu Yingji, this gathering was firstly to celebrate the recovery of Beijing, and secondly, to discuss important matters.Wu Yingji didn't explain what it was in the invitation, but Zhou Bi guessed about it.Because the current situation in the club is obvious: due to the failure of the plan to block Shi Kefa's retention, Chen Zhenhui's original ambitious plan has completely failed.So, what should we do in the future?Should the community members continue to stay in various yamen as aides without any effect, or should they return to presiding over the clearing discussions honestly according to Zhou Biao's original proposal?This is a major plan that urgently needs to be discussed with members of the community and determined as soon as possible.In this regard, Zhou Biao's proposition is very clear and consistent.What's more, with the lessons learned a while ago, he is confident that he will be able to overwhelm Chen Zhenhui and win the community members back to his side during the meeting.In order to make things more certain, he also found a capable helper, that is, Huang Shu, the inspector of Huguang who just came to Nanjing not long ago and is currently waiting for the emperor to "call him".Huang Shu has a good reputation as a fierce man, and is quite prestigious among the scholars of Fushe.This time he came from Wuchang, relying on Zuo Liangyu's backing, he was bent on making trouble with Ma Shiying and his like.Two days ago, Huang Shu paid a special visit to Zhou Biao as an old friend, and the two talked very congenially.If this person could attend the meeting today, Zhou Bi's momentum would naturally be even more different.Originally, Huang Shu had already agreed to attend, but for some reason, Zhou Bi was waiting at home for a long time, but he still didn't see the other party coming to meet.Even Huang Zongxi, who was sent to urge him, never returned.Seeing that it was getting late, Zhou Biao was afraid that if it dragged on, the party at Mochou Lake would end, so he had no choice but to get up in a hurry and rush to Shuixi Gate.

Now, Zhou Bi had got off the sedan chair and came to the small pier by the lake.Because today's meeting was agreed to be held in the pavilion on the island in the middle of the lake, we had to take a ferry there.Unfortunately, the boat was moored on the opposite bank.It wasn't until Zhou Biao's servant raised his hand and yelled a few times that it slowly rowed over. "Well, I've already sent Gu Zifang to go ahead to inform them, so they will have to wait until I come..." Zhou Bi thought silently while watching the boat gradually approaching.However, he soon became suspicious. He found that besides the boat lady who was rowing the oars, there were two scribes in Confucian uniforms with square scarves sitting on the boat. but can't recognize it.

"Zifang is probably here to meet me, so who is the other one?" Seeing that Gu Gao had already waved his hand to this side, but that person was still sitting motionless, without even turning his face, Zhou Biao I couldn't help but wondered more, "Well, I don't look like Wu Ciwei or Chen Dingsheng, so..." "Hey, Elder Zhong is here? Where's Mr. Huang? And Taichong—why don't you see him?" Gu Gao stood up and asked impatiently.At this moment, the boat had already reached the pier, so he stepped ashore. Zhou Biao shook his head, did not answer, but still paid attention to the familiar figure from behind.It was at this moment that the man slowly stood up and turned his face towards the pier.Zhou Biao's eyelids twitched slightly, and he suddenly recognized: it turned out to be Fang Yizhi, the editor of the Imperial Academy who escaped from Beijing not long ago.

"Oh, it's him! So he's here today!" Zhou Biao thought suddenly.Half a month ago, he learned that Fang Yizhi had returned to Nanjing, but he had never met him.During the period, he also entrusted Huang Zongxi and Gu Gao to visit Hanxiuzhai, but they said they had moved away.Where to move, even Li Shiniang can't say.Therefore, Zhou Bi did not expect to meet him here today. "Well, he looks much older! But, what did he come here with Zifang? Could it be that he came here to welcome me?" Thinking of this, Zhou Biao couldn't help becoming serious, and immediately put himself in a pose, ready to greet him .

However, unexpectedly, although Fang Yizhi had already reached the shore, and Zhou Bian was clearly standing in front of him, he just lowered his head and passed by silently, as if he didn't see or recognize him at all. Then he walked forward along the embankment shaded by green poplars without looking back, leaving Zhou Bi stunned, staring at his back for a long time, feeling dazed in his heart. "Old Zhong," Gu Gao leaned over and said in a low voice, "Leave him alone, let him go. Please, get on the boat first, and Wansheng will tell you later—everyone is waiting over there!"

Zhou Biao looked at the young scholar suspiciously, nodded, stretched out his hand, and with the help of his servants, he stepped onto the boat with some difficulty and sat down in the cabin. "Well, Fang Mizhi—what's the matter?" Zhou Biao finally couldn't help it and asked suspiciously after the boat sailed a few feet on the lake. "Oh, it's like this—" As if awakened from some kind of thought, Gu Gao turned his neck unnaturally, and replied with a little frustration, "Mizhi has moved to live in Tianjie Temple. No one has done anything about it." Tell me, no wonder we couldn’t find him. Later, it was Wu Ciwei who found out about it, so he went to invite him here today. Unexpectedly, he was in the pavilion just now. Zhang Ergong said that many officials had fled from the north recently. Personally testified that Fang Mizhi had lost his integrity when he was in Beijing and surrendered to the bandits, and was promoted by the puppet court. At that time, the secret had not yet arrived, and Lang San said: "This is not a good thing, because the secret is listed as the fourth in the restoration society." My son, I have long been looked at by villains. Now that he does such a thing, it is not good to cause trouble. I am afraid that he will be used by the villain to endanger our society.' Everyone is still believing in the matter of surrendering the thief. Hearing what Lang San said, he became worried. At that time, he didn't see what Dingsheng had planned, but when the secret one arrived, he pulled the secret one aside with the second tail, avoiding everyone After talking for a long time, I don't know what they talked about. When Wan Sheng heard his master calling from here, he quickly sailed to meet him, but he saw that he didn't say goodbye to everyone, so he hurriedly boarded the boat. Shicai, brother also I tested him, but he didn't say a word, so he still didn't get the truth."

Zhou Biao listened silently, and then he understood.In fact, before that, he also heard news of some Ming Dynasty capital officials surrendering to the "traitors", including his cousin Zhou Zhong who was a concubine in the Imperial Academy - and a well-known figure in Fushe. .However, he and Zhou Zhong have always been at odds, and in the past two years, they have become more and more antagonistic. The two sides attacked each other, and the situation became fierce.So Zhou Biao didn't feel much pain for his cousin's disobedience.On the contrary, there is still a kind of cold pleasure in my heart.However, he did not expect that Fang Yizhi would do the same shameful thing. "Hmph, this is called self-inflicted evil, you can't live. Since you were greedy for life and afraid of death, you have to swallow this cup of bitter wine today!" Zhou Bi thought coldly.So, he raised his head, looked at the Huxin Pavilion that was gradually approaching, and began to turn his mind back to the upcoming party, not planning to pay any attention to Fang Yizhi's matter.

Gu Gao was obviously a little uneasy. Seeing Zhou Biao's silence, he tentatively said: "Old Zhong, look at Mi Zhi's appearance, the matter of surrendering the bandits is probably not groundless. If the traitor takes the opportunity to incite and threaten our society, How should it be done?" "Everyone has their own account!" Zhou Bi shook his head indifferently, "He Fang Mi surrendered the thief, but we didn't surrender the thief! What is there to incite? It won't work in the end, and we can also be punished as traitors gone?" "This statement is right." Gu Gao lowered his head, looking a bit embarrassed, "It's just that there are quite a few Beijing officials who have surrendered thieves this time. Apart from Fang Mi, I heard that there are Chen Baishi, Gong Xiaosheng, Qian Yuli, Lu Linsheng and others have all been listed in our society. Now the villain is gaining power and arrogance. I am afraid that in the prison of the same text, "unnecessary" can also become a scam. Besides, I heard that even Zhou Jiesheng..."

As if being pricked by a needle, Zhou Biao's expression suddenly changed.Yes, if Gu Gao only listed those people in front of him, maybe Zhou Bi would be able to calmly evaluate them, but when he mentioned his "hateful" cousin Zhou Zhong, he was full of grievances and immediately provoked him again. "Hmph, this Gu Zifang! I thought he was usually smart enough to be an arm. Who would have thought that when he saw the truth, he would be timid and useless!" He thought angrily, then waved his hand, and said roughly: "Right now, haven't you seen anyone inciting? When the incitement starts, you can worry about it!"

After resolutely blocking the other party back, he turned his head away and stopped talking.