Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 54 Punishing Traitors Requires Loyal and Virtuous Officials

Wei Zhongxian was thrilled; he was just worried about not having any work, and this job was immediately delivered to his doorstep.

When it comes to catching spies, he's really good at it.

When the late emperor was alive, he had spies all over the capital. He could find out who was hiding at home and talking badly about him.

This is practically falling into his lap!

He eagerly followed Zhu Jue on horseback to the outside of the sturdy shack, then leaned out and whispered, "Your Majesty, shall we conduct the interrogation here?"

Yes, I want to see your methods.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly and said, "Yes, let's examine it here first."

After saying that, he told Lu Xiang-sheng and Fang Zheng-hua to dismount and walk into the shack.

Wei Zhongxian quickly rolled off his horse, summoned two skilled torturers, and followed them inside.

The spy snorted disdainfully as Zhu Jue, Lu Xiangshan, and the others entered.

However, upon seeing Wei Zhongxian behind Zhu Jue, he immediately turned pale with fright and stammered, "Your Majesty, have mercy!"

Can't you even speak properly?

His Majesty is right here. Why are you calling him "Grandpa Nine Thousand Years Old"?

Enraged, Wei Zhongxian rushed forward and slapped him hard across the face, then shouted sternly, "You want to harm me, don't you? I'm just a eunuch who runs errands for His Majesty, what kind of 'Grandpa Nine Thousand Years' do you mean?"

Can't I call him Grandpa Nine Thousand Years Old?

By the way, these are all officers of the Imperial Guard, they see the young emperor every day!
The spy quickly changed his tune, saying, "I was a little out of it and misspoke. Please spare me, Eunuch Wei!"

That's more or less.

Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly, then said sternly, "Tell me honestly, who are you, and who sent you here to spy on us?"

The spy confessed as if pouring beans from a bamboo tube: "I am Gray-haired Rat Baitang. I don't know who sent me."

What is all this mess?

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian was furious and said, "Are you asking for trouble? How dare you mock me? Tell me, who sent you?"

I really don't know.

The gray-haired rat, Bai Tang, trembled with fear and said, "I don't know who sent me here. A few nights ago, a masked man in black suddenly came to my house and gave me five taels of silver. He said he wanted me to come here to spy on things. If the information was useful, there would be a reward. The more information I found, the greater the reward."

Uh, so you're not a casual entertainer after all.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian looked at Zhu Jue with a face full of embarrassment.

How can this be done?

If this guy knew who it was, he could definitely pry it out of him.

The problem is, we don't even know who this guy is.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue understood. No wonder those traitors dared to send people over to spy on him so brazenly; it turned out they had bought these spies with money.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "How do you inform them after you've gathered the information?"

Why should I tell you?
The gray-haired rat Bai Tang turned its head to look at Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian was furious. He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face again, then shouted sternly, "What are you looking at? Speak up now! If you dare not speak, I'll gouge your eyes out!"

do not!

This guy is really stingy!
Gray-haired Rat Baitang quickly explained, "That person said that if I find out any information, I should light a New Year's lantern and hang it outside the gate, and that person will bring money to find me."

Maybe we can use this kid to catch a fish.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment and then asked, "Your name sounds like you're involved in the underworld, right? What kind of underworld are you involved in?"

Gray-haired Rat Baitang honestly replied, "I am from the Renshou Temple area of ​​Mule and Horse Market Street in the outer city."

Renshou Temple?
It's located north of the Altar of Mountains and Rivers, a sparsely populated area.

These traitors are quite cautious. Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then winked at Wei Zhongxian before walking out with his hands behind his back.

Upon seeing this, Wei Zhongxian hurriedly followed him out.

Zhu Jue walked more than ten steps before asking, "You know Renshou Temple, right?"

Wei Zhongxian nodded repeatedly and said, "This servant knows, this servant even went to offer incense."

You even went to burn incense?

Zhu Jue asked curiously, "Why did you go there to burn incense?"

I don't just go there to burn incense.

Wei Zhongxian said with a devout expression, "Before I entered the palace, my life was not very good, so I often went to burn incense and pray to the Bodhisattva. Later, my luck changed and I visited all the temples in the capital."

When I have free time, I often go to the Biyun Temple in Xiangshan and the Dabaoguo Temple in the outer city to listen to Master Qiuyue and Master Yuguang preach. Both masters said that I have good comprehension and a connection with Buddhism.

You still believe in Buddhism!

Is he still connected with Buddhism?
Are the two masters telling you to lay down your butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot?
I won't go into that.

I need you to take the blame, so you can hold this executioner's knife for me for now.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then said solemnly, "Since you have been to Renshou Temple, you should know that it is a sparsely populated place. Strangers can be easily identified. If you send too many people there, the person who paid Baitang to go will probably not show up."

However, we still need to try and catch this fish. Tonight, have someone escort Baitang back and hang lanterns there; let's see if we can catch that masked man in black."

Oh, you mean fishing? I thought you meant praying to Buddha.

Wei Zhongxian nodded repeatedly and said, "This servant understands."

There's a very high chance we won't be able to catch this fish.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then carefully instructed: "You must send secret guards to patrol here secretly at all times, and arrest anyone who is found to be sneaking around and probing."

If you are under the command of Tian Guozhang or Yuan Guozhang, you can only be let in if the village head or head of the village designated by them comes to escort you. This applies to those within their work area. If you are not within their work area, or even if you want to run to the inner city to report a message, you will be treated as a spy.

As for the spies from the inner city, the southern city, and other places, interrogate them after you capture them to see if you can find out who's behind them. If you can't, take them all back and try to catch them.

Does this mean there are many spies?
Wei Zhongxian nodded, then cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, if we can't catch any fish, what should we do with these spies?"

This kind of person cannot be kept around.

Zhu Jue said coldly, "Whether or not they catch any fish, those who would gather information for traitors and collaborators for money should not be allowed to live. Make them disappear silently and don't cause a big fuss."

Oh, so you're going to take care of burying them after killing them?
Wei Zhongxian nodded repeatedly and said, "This servant understands."

Zhu Jue then instructed in detail: "As for those real traitors who collude with the enemy and betray the country, their entire families will be executed. After you find them, send someone to keep an eye on them secretly, so as not to alert them."

This is something I'm good at.

Wei Zhongxian nodded repeatedly and said, "This servant understands."

Zhu Jue glanced at the faint outline of Tongzhou City to the south, then beckoned Lu Xiangshan over and instructed him in detail: "Jiandou, you must not let any traitors find out about your selection and training of the Beijing garrison."

Perfect timing! There's still a large open space to the north of this factory. I don't plan to build any more factories here. Order people to surround it with high walls, and then build barracks and a drill ground inside to secretly train the troops.

Make the access control more stringent; anyone not recruited or trained by you should not be allowed to enter.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiang-sheng nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, I understand."

Zhu Jue then asked, "How many troops do you think could be hidden in such a large area?"

Lu Xiang-sheng estimated, "That place is about six li in circumference. If we set up camp there, we could probably garrison 30,000 to 40,000 troops. If we build dense camps, we could probably accommodate 50,000 to 60,000 troops."

Fifty or sixty thousand men should be enough.

We'll give the Jurchens a huge surprise then!

Zhu Jue nodded slightly and said, "Then let's build barracks for 50,000 men. Once the East City is finished, you can quietly recruit men and horses to go there for secret training."

(End of this chapter)