From the capital to Jiangnan, although there are many sections of the Grand Canal that cannot be taken directly due to winter, so the itinerary is slower. But generally speaking, no matter how slow it is, it will not be until the end of February of the 13th year of Chongzhen that it will almost reach Jiangnan.

The reason for this is that along the way, many local officials have been exposed to the imperial censors who are not willing to do anything to the inspectors who are ordered to go out, but it should not be too simple to make things difficult for them.

For example, if the livestock used suddenly becomes diarrhea, it will delay the itinerary! Or the livestock that can be given at the post station is either old or weak or sick, it will delay the itinerary! All these problems that Zhang Pu had never encountered before, this time he left Beijing, seemed to be accidental. Even if he was an imperial envoy and had a Dongchang military service, there was no way to do so in this case.

Zhang Pu actually knew this clearly that the officials and gentry along the way were expressing their dissatisfaction with him.

In fact, if it was possible, he wouldn't want to do it. But he didn't expect that the scene he directed and acted was still hanging in the air. The damn Zhang Zonglie didn't know whether he was dead or alive, and it seemed as if he had disappeared out of thin air. There was no news on the Dongchang side. This made Zhang Pu feel worried all the time.

It is also because of this so-called assassination incident that these Dongchang actors took him very seriously. The superficial reason was to prevent him from being assassinated again. Zhang Pu knew it hard but could not object to this. It can't be said that the assassination was actually fake. I was not assassinated at all. You don't need such close protection!

When I was in the toilet, there was a Dongchang man standing at the door; when I was sleeping, there was a Dongchang man standing at the base of the wall; no matter what I did, there was a Dongchang man following me. This feeling made Zhang Pu really feel like he was being taken into custody.

But what surprised Zhang Pu was a little strange was that Wu Changshi didn't know what he was thinking, but he didn't make any noise. Whether in the capital or on the road, he was always in a proper manner. Could it be that he was really determined to do the errands assigned by the emperor, right?

It would be great if this is true. I will walk slowly here and let Wu Changshi do his job first.

If he did it smoothly, it means that the officials and gentry in Jiangnan were actually afraid of national laws and would not be too resistant. In this way, he could do it with confidence!

But if he doesn't do it well, it means that this matter is as expected and will be very difficult. Then he can't do things in a high-profile manner!

Zhang Pu was thinking about this when he suddenly heard a rush of horse hooves coming from the shore, and then a loud voice shouted, as if it was the Jinyiwei, asking if it was his fleet here?

Jiang Dong, the head of the East Factory, happened to be at the bow of the boat. When he saw that a Jinyiwei was indeed coming on the shore, he asked the fleet to dock and said that there was something important.

After hearing this, Jiang Dong immediately told his subordinates to protect Zhang Pu. Then, he asked the boat to lean towards the shore and shouted loudly: "What's the matter? Why not say it straight!"

"Mr. Wu Xunzhang fell into the water. My master said that if Jiang Zhangtou protects Zhang Xunzhang, nothing will happen."

The words of the Jinyiwei on the shore immediately surprised Jiang Dong, and he quickly made people move towards the shore faster, and asked, "What's going on? Will you fall into the water in such a cold day? What's wrong with Wu Xunzhang now?"

Zhang Pu, who was in the cabin, also heard their conversation and was shocked: Why did Wu Changshi fall into the water at this time?

In this kind of weather, even if he doesn't drown, he will definitely be frozen to death, right? Did he do it on purpose, or was it accidentally, or someone hurt him?

Thinking of this, Zhang Pu thought of leaving the cabin to figure out the matter.

Immediately, two Eastern Factory soldiers, one on the left and one on the right, left and right, left and left, and left the cabin with him.

"Although Wu Xunzhang was rescued, he had a cold and fever and was being treated in Yangzhou. He may not be cured in the short term. He wrote the memorial and was sent to the capital soon."

Hearing this, Zhang Pu couldn't help but immediately guessed, "No, this guy actually did it on purpose, right?" He is a native of Jiangnan. Although he is not very clear, he probably knows how to water. With the Jinyiwei watching by his side, even if he doesn't have water, he will definitely be rescued soon, but in such a cold weather?

When he thought of this, he felt that his body was a little colder. He poked his head out to see the river. However, the two Dongchang soldiers beside him had already heard the conversation. Seeing him like this, he was so scared that he immediately stepped forward, grabbed him from left to right, dragged him to stand in the middle of the ship.

Jiang Dong looked back at the situation, immediately frowned, and reminded coldly: "Mr. Zhang, we all don't know how to water. If you fall into the water, it will be a bit difficult to save you."

Zhang Pu had a ghost in his heart. When he heard the faint warning in this sentence, he subconsciously did not dare to refute it, but just replied: "There are so many mistakes and falling into the water, and he is thinking too much!"

After saying this, he didn't want to continue talking to Jiang Dong, so he asked loudly to the Jinyiwei on the shore: "I wonder how Wu Xunzhang fell into the water at that time?"

"It seems that the poem is very excited. I stand at the bow of the boat to recite poems and essays. Then the boat suddenly shook a few times, and Wu Xun fell down." The Jinyiwei stopped shouting loudly when he saw the boat approaching the shore and said in a normal voice, "The boatman said that there happened to be a torrent here. My master checked it and it was indeed a very fast water flow. At that time, there was a wind blowing again."

With this reply, Zhang Pu could not determine what was going on in Wu Changshi's fall into the water? So he decided to go and see him and explore his words when he passed by Yangzhou Prefecture.

No matter what, Wu Changshi's current situation must be impossible to continue to do it! This means that Zhang Pu must do what the emperor told him first.

When Zhang Pu thought of this, he couldn't help but feel a little tricky. If this is the case, he would have no previous examples to refer to, so he could only cross the river by feeling the stones!

To check the matter of exemption from the quota and exemption of officials and gentry and the qualifying taxes, how to do it and to what extent, all of which depend on your own adaptability!

Thinking of this, Zhang Pu couldn't help but want to scold Wu Changshi. Could it be that he had made up his mind and asked himself to do the job first. He watched from behind and was going to give him a reference?

If this is the case, then he would have fallen into the water on purpose.

Just thinking about this, he soon arrived at Yangzhou Prefecture.

According to the emperor's assignment, Yangzhou Prefecture was the mission site for Zhang Pu to inspect. Wu Changshi still had to go south, but now he stayed here, maybe he really wanted to see how he did it here!

Thinking of this, Zhang Pu wanted to figure out whether this Wu Changshi did it on purpose!

Therefore, after Zhang Pu arrived in Yangzhou Prefecture, he did not immediately take the initiative to check the quota of officials and gentry, nor did he collect debts, and even did not ask for the local account books. He just went to visit Wu Changshi immediately.

As the head of the East Factory, Jiang Dong mainly guards Zhang Pu's safety and monitors him without making trouble. As for when and how he does things, he has no right to decide for Zhang Pu. In fact, he also wants to see what the situation was like for Wu Changshi?

So, they soon met Wu Changshi.

In fact, before people saw him, they heard his cough first. They could tell that this was a real cough, not a pretender.

"Brother Wu, how are you in good health?" Zhang Pu asked in a worried tone as he stepped into the threshold.

Wu Changshi heard it in the house and asked the maid to support him against the head of the bed. At the same time, he looked at Zhang Pu who was strode in, and said with a wry smile: "Brother Zhang, it's a bad year for me. I didn't expect that I would fall into the water. Fortunately, I returned to the boat in time, but I fell ill. Cough cough..."

As soon as he said this, he started coughing again. When the maid saw it, she hurriedly brought a handkerchief to pick up the phlegm.

Zhang Pu is all in his forties, so he naturally sees him a lot. It can be seen that Wu Changshi is very ill. However, this did not dispel his suspicion.

He sat down on the stool in front of the bed. After Wu Changshi finished coughing, he pretended to be concerned and asked, "Why did you go to the bow of the boat in this cold day? How could you fall off the boat?"

Jiang Dong beside him also looked at Wu Changshi when he heard this. If this guy was like Zhang Pu, he really didn't want to punish those corrupt officials, but did so on purpose, it would be really cruel and would be in the same way as Zhang Pu.

"Oh, don't mention it!" Wu Changshi heard this and sighed, "Is it so unhappy all the way?"

Zhang Pu didn't understand the meaning, but he nodded truthfully and said, "Yes!"

"In this way, I know in my heart that some people don't want you and me to go south." When Wu Changshi said this, his expression seemed to cheer up a little, and he raised his voice and said, "But Your Majesty's decree, we are ministers, so we must do it naturally. What's more, the emperor has already explained the two things we are going to do, and it is of great importance. I have also made a promise in front of the imperial court that even though I go through fire and water, I will never refuse. Therefore, when I think of all the things on the road, I feel more and more that even if there are swords and seas of fire in front of me, I will still break through fearlessly. I have been so proud that I want to go to the bow of the boat to blow against him in the cold wind, and write a few poems to express my feelings, cough cough cough..."

As soon as he said this, he started coughing again. After coughing for a long time, he stopped. The maid next to him was so busy that he received phlegm and gave him warm water again. He was very busy for a while.

Although Zhang Pu did not hear any flaws, he was unmoved. Seeing him as he finished, he pretended to admire and said, "My brother is really kind and has unparalleled talent. Brother Wei also knows this. I don't know what masterpiece can I get? Brother Wei believes that if the emperor knows, he will appreciate it very much."

When Wu Changshi heard this, he showed a hint of ashamed and said, "Oh, don't mention it. Before he could think of a good sentence, he didn't expect the ship to encounter a torrent. In a flash, he fell down without any precaution. I almost couldn't even save my life. Even if there were any masterpieces, I was already scared to the sky!"

"Oh, is that?" Zhang Pu said a little surprised when he heard this, "Your brother thought that when you report to the emperor, you will attach your poems to it to express your thoughts!"

There was a faint sarcasm in these words. Jiang Dong couldn't hear it, but Wu Changshi and Zhang Pu were very familiar with him and his talent was not bad, so he immediately heard it.

He couldn't help but curse in his heart, but on the surface, he was still as hypocritical as Zhang Pu, and he didn't show it. He just said regretfully: "I really want to do what Brother Zhang said. It's a pity that I was tortured by this disease and was drowsy all day long. How could I have a little peace of mind when I want something, cough cough cough..."

Zhang Pu stared at him. From the conversation just now, he still couldn't tell whether this guy was deliberately in trouble or something else?

However, one thing that is clear is that this guy is so sick now that he will definitely not be able to leave again. In this way, he is still far from his place of work, so he can watch what he does? No matter what he originally did, at least from the result, this guy will definitely take advantage!

Just as he was thinking, Wu Changshi finished coughing, suddenly showed a trace of sincerity and said to him: "Although I didn't attach the poem to the report, although I was sick, I was still willing to do things. I just didn't know when the illness would be cured. If I went south to do business, I might delay my work. Therefore, I suggested to the emperor that I wanted to change places with Brother Zhang. In this way, after my illness was cured, it would be easier to start the work immediately!"

When Zhang Pu heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little suspicious again. What does he mean? He actually took the initiative to change places with him? You know, the Yingtian Mansion, who is responsible for, is a place that is a capital and has many officials and gentry, and it is definitely not easy to investigate. Will this guy take the initiative to ask for such a place? The sun will not come out from the west, right?

The two of them have been together for many years and must have known each other. Although Zhang Pu heard Wu Changshi say this, he still didn't believe it, thinking that Wu Changshi's original intention would definitely not be as he said in his surface words. However, he had no evidence.

He was thinking, and Wu Changshi was also staring at him, probably guessing what he was thinking, and suddenly asked, "Brother Zhang, I just care about myself and forgot to ask. I wonder if the assassin who assassinated Brother Zhang found out who was so brave?"

When Zhang Pu heard this, he felt a little embarrassed and annoyed. Do you want you to talk too much?

However, Jiang Dong was by his side, and he didn't dare to show it, so he had to pretend to be indignant and said hatefully: "When Brother Wei went south, the murderer had not been found yet. You don't know, fortunately, Brother Wei's life was great, and that knife just stabbed Brother Wei's leg. This Jiang Zhangtou arrived in time, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable..."

Speaking of this, he didn't want to mention this matter anymore. But Wu Changshi caught this matter and asked about it, even the details, which was more careful than when the Dongchang investigated the case before.
Chapter completed!