Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

To the east of Huarong City, Liu's house.

If you don’t seek death, you won’t die.

Despite being under house arrest, the Liu family set off fireworks at home.

One of the big fireworks was originally planned to be set off at night, but the second son of the Liu family insisted on setting it off now, so the place he chose was just a small yard.

With the fireworks flying everywhere, a string of fireworks flew directly into the pile of firewood next to it. Just when the second son of the Liu family was still feeling proud, the pile of firewood had already ignited into a raging fire.

Although the Liu family immediately organized firefighting, in order to welcome Liu Daxia back today and clean the house for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the large tank usually filled with water was almost bottomed out.

When Wang Zhi and Liu Zhong rushed to the door of the house, the Liu family's mansion was already ablaze.

Snapped! Snapped! Snapped!

The door of Liu Mansion was banged loudly and quickly, and the people inside asked the guards outside to open the door arrogantly.

Li Wei, a member of the Shenji Camp Qianhu, personally guarded the place. Faced with the harsh demands of Mr. Liu inside, he responded forcefully: "Shut up and go back to put out the fire immediately. This door cannot be opened without the order of the guard!"

Although he was aware that there was a fire inside, he did not rush to open the door to let the people inside out.

In fact, it's no wonder. Now Wang Zhi's order is to guard this place. Who knows if he acted and directed it himself and escaped here while taking advantage of this fake fire.

When Li Wei, a member of Qianhu in the Shenji Camp, saw Wang Zhi coming, he immediately came forward respectfully and said, "Master guard, it seems that there is really water inside. Do you want to open the door?"

"How many people are there?" Wang Zhi asked calmly after hearing that the movement inside didn't sound like he was acting or directing.

Li Wei seemed to be relieved and reported honestly: "Just now, according to your instructions, those maids and old servants have allowed them to go home for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Now, except for a group of strong nursing staff, basically everyone inside They are all members of the Liu family!"

"Quickly, withdraw the iron chains and pry open the wooden boards, and let out the people inside!" Liu Zhong saw the fire through the crack in the door and immediately gave the order.

It was also a coincidence that the Liu family had just been sealed inside the house, but a fire broke out inside, putting all Liu Daxia's family members in danger.

Of course, if they can work together to organize personnel to successfully extinguish the fire, then this door does not need to be opened.

"Wait a minute! Take the person down!" Wang Zhi stopped him immediately, and then looked towards the carriageway following him.

The person who got off the carriage was Liu Daxia, who had just been released from prison. Liu Daxia was originally full of arrogance, but he couldn't help but froze when he saw the thick smoke rising from his house.

"Liu Daxia, Zajia will ask you again, where are the Southwest files?" Wang Zhi walked up to Liu Daxia and asked with firm eyes.

this……

Li Wei and Liu Zhong immediately looked at each other, and Liu Zhong suddenly realized why Wang Zhi insisted on taking Liu Daxia with him. He wanted to use this fire to force Liu Daxia to submit.

Although the method was a bit despicable, it was still a good way to get Liu Daxia to speak.

"Bah! Don't even think about it!" Liu Daxia spat a mouthful of phlegm at Wang Zhi, his face full of contempt.

boom!

Li Wei was so angry that he immediately stepped forward and punched Liu Daxia hard in the stomach.

Liu Daxia had always been a pampered official, but he suddenly received this heavy blow. He immediately fell to the ground like a shrimp, but he glared fiercely at this little Qianhu.

Although he is no longer a doctor at the Ministry of War, with the official connections he has created, it is easy to kill a small Qianhu.

In fact, the most terrifying thing about their civil servants is not their status, but the fact that they unite through various relationships to become an organization that can check and balance the imperial power.

Wang Zhi took out a silk white embroidered handkerchief from his wide cuffs and gently wiped the phlegm from his face. His beautiful face suddenly smiled.

People who are familiar with him may know that once Wang Zhi smiles like this, he becomes stronger and often even kills people.

"Wang Zhi, if you don't immediately order the door to be opened to put out the fire, do you want me to impeach you and let the emperor chop off your head?" Liu Daxia threatened angrily as he still cared about his family.

Although there were people inside organizing to put out the fire at this time, screams kept coming and the fire had become out of control.

Naturally, Wang Zhi could not ignore this threat. He looked at Liu Daxia again and said, "Liu Daxia, Zajia asks you again, where are the Southwest files?"

"Don't think about it, you eunuch is the number one scourge of our Ming Dynasty. You are simply the second Wang Zhen. You want our Ming Dynasty to perish. Damn you!" Liu Daxia did not intend to compromise, but he insulted him.

Although he wanted to spit at Wang Zhi again, his entire face was pressed to the ground and could not cause any harm to Wang Zhi.

Wang Zhi motioned to his men to bring down a chair from the carriage, and said with a heart of stone, "Then the Zajia will sit here with you and wait for your family members to be burned alive!"

"Shu Geun, you are so disrespectful of human life!" Liu Daxia glared and accused him when he saw that he had no intention of saving his family.

Liu Zhong had been watching from the side, and now he heard the screams of someone dying in the flames. He couldn't help but dissuade him: "Eunuch Wang, isn't this inappropriate?"

Liu Daxia was actually seeking fame, but he naturally cared about the life and death of his family.

Just after seeing Liu Zhong's statement, he knew that the governor of Huguang was indeed a civil servant who read the books of sages, and he would definitely not be able to watch his family members being burned to death inside.

Even if Wang Zhi didn't dare to save his family in the end, Liu Zhong would definitely not be able to just sit back and watch.

"Governor Liu, do you think the few Liu family members are more important, or the war in the southwest? Until now, do you still think that a woman's kindness can get things done?" Wang Zhi naturally could not be dissuaded by Liu Zhong, so he said calmly asked rhetorically.

"Eunuch Wang, Governor Liu, if you two don't save my family quickly and let Shihlin know about such bad behavior, the whole world will not tolerate you two." The main target of Liu Daxia's rebellion was Liu Zhong, even if he directly threatened.

Liu Zhong frowned slightly, but he made a decision in his heart.

Since killing Qiu Jing, the magistrate of Anlu, he has known that his path is no longer to be a so-called wise minister, but to be a good official who truly does practical things for the people.

Just as His Majesty warned, "Empty talk will harm the country, but hard work will prosper it." It is true that Liu Daxia's family members are included in it, but the Annan Files are related to the Ming Dynasty's war against the Li Dynasty.

Which one is more important is clear at a glance.

"Go on, if there is no order from the Zajia family, whoever dares to open the door will be dealt with by military law! In addition, each door must be reinforced to prevent people inside from breaking out!" Wang Zhi never thought that he was a good person, so he immediately ordered coldly road.

Li Wei is a soldier who has experienced the baptism of blood on the battlefield, and he said respectfully: "I humbly accept my order!"

"Wang Zhi, are you really crazy?" Liu Daxia was firmly controlled and asked in disbelief.

Wang Zhi was already sitting on the chair, but he asked calmly: "Do you want to hand over the Annan files, or do you want all your family members to be burned to death inside? Which is your choice?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone turned to look at Liu Daxia, wondering what choice the virtuous Liu Daxia would make.

"Governor Liu, please bear witness for me! I will not disclose the location of Annan's files for the sake of the world today. If my family is burned to death in the house, it will be Wang Zhi's fault, and he will ruin my family!" Liu Daxia invited Liu Zhong helped witness, but Wang Zhi was directly convicted.

Liu Zhong did not expect that Liu Daxia was still unwilling to reveal the location of Annan's files. The corners of his mouth could not help but twitch slightly, but he turned to look at Wang Zhi worriedly.

Things backfired. Just when Wang Zhi and Liu Zhong thought they could use the fire to force Liu Daxia to submit, a voice came from inside saying: "It's out, the fire is out!"

Went out?

When he heard the news, Wang Zhi frowned slightly.

Liu Zhong also sighed secretly in his heart. It was definitely impossible for Liu Daxia to reveal the hiding place of Annan's files.

"Wang Zhi, you are lucky, otherwise based on your actions today, you should be guillotined and buried with the old couple and their children!" Liu Daxia knew that there were large water tanks in every yard of his house, so he snorted coldly. .

ah……

But just as Liu Daxia's voice fell, a scream suddenly came from inside, and the sound was burned as if it was heartbreaking.

Act? Or is it true?

The soldiers of the Shenji Battalion outside the door couldn't help but become confused when they heard the heart-rending screams.

what happened?

When Liu Daxia heard the scream, he immediately looked at his mansion in shock.

Originally everyone thought that the fire inside was really out, but the development of things was beyond everyone's expectations. Heart-rending screams kept coming, and the knocking on the front door became more urgent.

Young Master Liu's arrogance had disappeared, and he turned to the door and begged: "Please, let us out quickly!"

"Our Lord Guard has already said it! If your father is willing to hand over Annan's files, he will open the door and let your whole family escape. Otherwise, you will be burned alive inside!" Li Wei deliberately raised his voice and told the people inside. road.

When the people inside heard this transaction condition, they immediately shouted Liu Daxia.

The corners of Wang Zhi's mouth were slightly raised, and he seemed to be sitting very leisurely on the chair. He opened the white fan in his hand and wrote: "My slave went to Liu's house to search for Annan's files but failed, so I closed the house to search, and the Liu family burned themselves on fire! This minister blackmailed Liu Daxia to tell the truth about Annan. The files are hidden in the archives. If he wants to save the young and old in his family, he can only tell the truth! The servants are not easy to kill. However, the use of troops in the southwest is related to the life and death of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and is related to the Ming Dynasty's ability to defeat the enemy. Therefore, I cannot give in at all. I hope His Majesty Shengming will be considerate. A slave plan!"

There are dozens of words written eloquently, and the writing is a bit sloppy, but at least Wang Zhi knows what he is writing, and he will become neat when he copies the secrets.

Liu Zhong heard the heartbreaking sounds coming from inside. The whole Liu residence was already ablaze, and the knocking at the door was not strong but weak. He couldn't help but turn his head and look at Liu Daxia.

He knew that he could not persuade Wang Zhi, and he had no reason to persuade Wang Zhi.

What Wang Zhi did was to help the Ming Dynasty defeat the Warring States Period, and to consider the life and death of the 100,000 soldiers who were about to go on the expedition. Since the Annan archives belonged to the Ming Dynasty, how could there be any reason for Liu Daxia not to hand them over?

If Liu Daxia refused to hand over the Annan files even in such a situation, he really should have allowed his family to be buried in a sea of ​​fire. He would have brought it upon himself.

"Governor Liu, are you going to be an accomplice?" Liu Daxia knew that Wang Zhi was a hard-hearted person, so he turned to threaten Liu Zhong.

Liu Zhong couldn't help but laugh, and made his position clear: "Master Liu, this governor will not take action, and there is no reason to take action! If you don't want your whole family to die inside, you'd better hand over the Annan files, otherwise no one can be saved now. Your family!”

ah!

The fire spread faster than expected, and the heart-rending screams got closer and closer. The fire seemed to have reached the door, and thick smoke even came out from the crack in the door.

Liu Daxia originally wanted to bet that Liu Zhong and Wang Zhi would not dare to commit the most serious crime in the world, but after seeing this situation and seeing the two people who seemed to have a heart of stone, he finally relented and said: "I said, open the door and put out the fire immediately! "

"Where? Don't think about lying. You should know that your enemy's eyes can see through whether you are lying. There is only one chance!" Wang Zhi closed the paper fan in his hand and put pressure on Liu Daxia.

Liu Daxia did not explain, but made a condition: "You open the door first to save my family!"

"The Zajia... don't believe you! Or, we can wait a little longer?" Wang Zhi had already experienced the character of civil servants, and he seemed very straightforward.

Ahem...

There was a violent coughing sound from behind the door, and there was no sound of knocking on the door, or maybe the knocking was too gentle and could not be heard.

The magistrate of Huarong County has organized a large number of people to come to put out the fire with buckets. But seeing the intensity of the fire in front of them, everyone retreated.

Liu Daxia knew that he could not waste any more time, so he even compromised and said: "The Annan file is still in the archives of the Ministry of War, but I changed the Annan file and replaced it with the Jianzhou file!"

The so-called Jianzhou archives are actually the first plowing court in the third year of Chenghua. Since it was a battle that completely crushed the Jianzhou Jurchens in strength, it did not have high military value, so most people would not access it. Besides, the real Annan files are hidden below

If Liu Daxia hadn't said it, no one would have known that it was hidden so deeply, and it would be very difficult to find it out from so many files.

"Open the door!" Wang Zhi knew that Liu Daxia was not lying, so he immediately ordered Li Wei.

Since it was locked very tightly with iron chains and the cracks in the door were reinforced with layers of wooden boards, it took a lot of effort. But after Li Wei pried open the door panel, he found that the door could not be pushed open. He couldn't help but asked in confusion: "What's going on?"

At this moment, there was only billowing smoke coming out of it, but there was no movement inside.

"Quick, everyone push it open together!" Li Wei discovered that the door could actually be pushed, and immediately called all his men.

It's just that it's too late!

When the door was pushed open, the people inside were already lifeless.

It's not just the flames that kill people in fires. In fact, more people die from the billowing smoke.

None of Liu Daxia's four sons and several grandsons were spared. Those who were lucky enough to escape here have all choked to death at the door.

Before everyone could go inside for final rescue, the fire and thick smoke had spread to the door, choking all the rescuers to retreat.