Although Zhang Shi looked unhappy, he still maintained his stubborn attitude.
He didn't answer directly: "Fang Zhengyi, I'm dead, do you think you're okay?"
"You are a civil servant who has fallen into depravity. Why did you become a Jinyiwei? Everyone will be afraid of you. In the future, all officials will stand against you."
"They are all watching how I die. If you have the guts, torture me. But I'm telling you, you will never have a good ending if you stand in this position today!"
"I have been in the officialdom for so many years, I will not be wrong."
Fang Zhengyi slowly squatted down, his eyes as calm as water, and asked softly: "Do you hate me?"
"Hate! I wish I could cut you into pieces. Isn't it you who caused my current situation? I should have sent someone to kill you before Your Majesty got alert!" Zhang Shi said angrily.
Fang Zhengyi smiled slightly: "I don't hate you. No one in this world is worthy of my hatred. This is the difference between you and me."
"You are in the fog and can only guess at the future, but I can see farther and more clearly than you. In my hands, the Jinyiwei will become something you can't imagine."
"You are right. All officials are watching how I treat you. Your Majesty has just established the Jinyiwei, and everyone is worried about what the future situation will be like."
"Especially when they were in my hands, they were even more worried. But they were wrong. I never thought of making things difficult for anyone. I might even come forward to protect them at a critical moment."
"The same goes for you. If you cooperate with me, not only will I not torture you this time, I may even be able to save your family's lives. As long as you tell me the location of the silver vault and the news about King Wu."
Zhang Shi's face was full of disdain, and he said sarcastically: "That's nice talk, but do you think I will believe you?"
"His Majesty trusts you and appoints you as the commander of the Imperial Guard. The power to handle all cases in the world is in your hands. With your ability to throw dirty water, can't you kill anyone you want?"
"With the princes around you, won't you be even more lawless when he ascends the throne? Congratulations, Master Fang, you are already more powerful than anyone at such a young age!"
"But don't get complacent too soon, or you'll end up like me. The higher you stand, the more painful it will be when you fall!"
Fang Zheng sighed, "I'm different from you. I don't care about power or wealth. I only pursue happiness in my life. Do you understand happiness? You don't understand. Your realm is too low."
Mr. Yan next door suddenly laughed out loud: "You hypocritical villain! You actually have the nerve to say that you don't value wealth. It's said that your newspaper is making a fortune, but your reporters are as poor as dogs. Isn't it because you are greedy?!"
Fang Zheng picked up the stick on the ground and hit him a few times!
Old Yan immediately curled up on the ground, not daring to say a word.
Fang Zhengyi was a little puzzled.
Has the newspaper spread such rumors? Before he left, reporters were still a job that everyone envied. How could such rumors spread now? Could it be that there were too many new people and people were complaining everywhere?
It seems that the problem should be solved as soon as possible, otherwise I will be exposed.
"Well, Master Zhang, I've spent so much time talking to you, what do you think?"
Zhang Shi shook his head: "I don't believe a word you say!"
Fang Zhengyi remained patient, calmed down and continued, "I don't want to embarrass you. You're right. If I'm too ruthless, all officials will be afraid."
"So I'm trying to find a way to give you a good ending. In theory, the King of Wu has made contributions to the country, and as an accomplice, you can be considered to have made up for your crime to some extent."
"I like fairness the most. Killing with one blow is not my style. I hate collective punishment and killing the whole family for no reason."
To be honest, Fang Zhengyi really didn't want to make things too miserable for him.
Of course, it’s mainly for my own consideration.
Jinyiwei has too much power, and officials are really afraid of him throwing dirty water. No one in the court is clean, and you can always find faults if you want to.
The sword of Damocles hangs over everyone's head and may fall at any time.
He is now the sword bearer, and all officials may have to act according to his mood.
If things go wrong, everyone will be in danger, which is not what Fang Zheng wants to see.
If the situation continues to develop normally, it would not be surprising if the successor comes up with some weird thing like literary inquisition.
As it has evolved among the people, maybe ghosts cannot be called ghosts but ghosts, money cannot be called money but rice but dabulu, and death cannot be called death but mouth.
If the ruler wants his subjects to speak, the subjects have to speak... People who speak are like hemp...
The Ming Dynasty, from Zhu Yuanzhang's generation to Emperor Tianqi, had literary inquisitions, and the main force was naturally the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Is literary inquisition a bad thing? Not necessarily for the upper class, it is an excellent weapon to combat dissidents.
But the side effects are also huge overall, destroying trust, corrupting officialdom, imprisoning thoughts, distorting culture, and restricting creativity...
Now that the King of Wu has fled overseas, capital is emerging and the private employment system has begun to develop. If we go astray, the consequences will be disastrous.
The system has inertia. If the Jinyiwei is changed from the beginning, it may take a different path.
Zhang Shi still had an expression on his face that said, "I've seen through you." "Don't talk anymore. I don't want to hear it."
Fang Zhengyi resisted the urge to beat him up, stepped forward, and whispered, "How about I give you a bottle of poison?"
"You will die in prison without suffering. Your crime against the three Yi clans is already a foregone conclusion. Just tell me the location of the treasury. I will go to His Majesty to plead for mercy. Maybe there will be a glimmer of hope."
Zhang Shi's eyes changed: "Are you really so kind?"
"Otherwise, do you want me to torture you to death, make everyone afraid of me, and put myself on the opposite side of the officials, so that I won't have a good end in the end?" Fang Zheng smiled and said, "I want to be a good person and make friends with everyone. I wonder if you will give me this opportunity?"
“..........”
The atmosphere became silent and Zhang Shi was thinking.
Fang Zhengyi was not in a hurry and waited for him quietly.
The only panicked person was Old Yan. Although he was old, his hearing was still good.
He heard what was said before. Fang Zhengyi said during the negotiation that he could save Zhang Shi's family's lives.
Zhang Shi is not a fool. He is considering it now. It shows that there is really hope!
Old Yan crawled over excitedly, lay on the wooden railing and stared at Zhang Shi nervously.
The Yan family is also rich, and now that they are doomed to die, they would be willing to do so as long as it can save the life of a younger generation in the family!
After thinking for a long time, Zhang Shi staggered to his feet, stared at Fang Zhengyi and slowly bowed, saying solemnly: "Master Fang, I don't know if you are lying to me, but there is no other hope. I have three silver vaults, and I can give you one of them now. Tomorrow I want to see the imperial decree and the poison, and I hope you can keep your promise."
"Deal." Fang Zhengyi uttered these two words softly.
Old Yan, who was standing by, suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Master Fang! Master Fang! My family is rich too, I can do it too!"
Fang Zheng glanced at him coldly: "You die!"
....
Also, it’s later, everyone can watch it tomorrow morning
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