The Ming Dynasty started with caution

In Yan Chengjin's view, face is the least valuable thing, only life is important.

If Your Majesty doesn't search the house, others will pop up and continue to cause trouble.

It's better to let Jin Yiwei search clearly.

Let Prince Ning find the painting by himself.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin and frowned: "Yan Qing's family, do you really want to search it? If word gets out, the ministers will discuss it. I am protecting you, and you don't know it."

Wei En encouraged him hurriedly: "Master Yan is as clean and honest as water, why should you be afraid of searching the house? Your Majesty..."

"What Eunuch Wei said is absolutely true. I am not afraid. I sincerely ask your Majesty to search the house." Yan Chengjin seemed to have lost his mind.

Emperor Hongzhi was afraid of this guy and said to Mu Bin: "Go and search. If the movement is quieter, just report it to me."

Mou Bin came to Yan Mansion with Jin Yiwei.

Although he often monitors outside the mansion, he knows that there are two courtyards in Yan's mansion.

When I actually entered the mansion, I was a little shocked. It was so big and spacious.

Fifteen imperial guards spread out, looking east and west around the house.

Thinking that the house was about to be ransacked, He Neng was so frightened that Chunxiao and Qianjin sisters stood aside with their servants.

"You, why did you break in! Master Mou, where is my young master?" He Neng stopped him quickly.

At this moment, Yan Chengjin walked in and ordered: "You have to search carefully. These chickens and the melons growing here must also be counted clearly, and reported to Your Majesty. Someone, come, open the warehouse, and come over and count the two Jinyi guards."

The imperial guards looked strange, even though they had also searched other people's houses.

But this was the first time he was so enthusiastic.

Give them the illusion...

We are hired by the master to work, right?

He Neng cried, hugged Yan Chengjin's thigh and said: "Master, you can't open the warehouse! You can take people to search the master's room. You must not open the warehouse... If you want to open it, wait until the master comes back."

The warehouse is full of silver and filled with rare antiques.

If it was really stolen by the imperial court, the Yan Mansion would go bankrupt.

Yan Chengjin grabbed the key, kicked He Neng aside, and opened the door to the warehouse.

"Master Mou, please!"

Mou Bin walked into the warehouse and almost couldn't open his eyes.

In front of you is a mountain of gold and silver, shining under the bright yellow light.

Several Jin Yiwei took a breath of cold air, Yan Mansion has... too much money, right?

Mou Bin shouted: "Yan Chengjin, where did you get so much money?!"

"My father, as well as Mr. Qingshan and Mr. Chuanshi, all the hard-earned royalties are hard-earned money." Yan Chengjin's expression did not change.

Mou Bin looked sour, hard-earned money! This is other people's blood, other people's sweat!

He knew that Cheng Minzheng and Wang Yue wrote books to buy money.

All the royalties went to this guy.

Hey, I have never encountered such a good thing.

His Majesty only ordered people to look for the paintings, but did not let them search the house. Mou Bin did not count how much money he had.

Since he served as a royal guard in the previous dynasty, he has seen ten times more silver than this in Wan'an and Liu Ji's homes.

There was no room for it in the warehouse, so they were buried in the yard.

"Uncle Shi, please search more carefully." Yan Chengjin reminded again.

Mou Bin was a little impatient: "I know, please don't remind me again."

Half an hour later, the entire Yan Mansion was searched, even the stove in the kitchen was looked at, but the painting was not found.

Mou Bin and his people quickly returned to the palace to recover.

Huagai Hall,

Emperor Hongzhi always wondered why Yan Chengjin asked the Jin Yiwei to search his mansion, and always found it a bit strange.

Seeing his sad face, Xiao Jing comforted him and said, "Your Majesty, Master Mou will be back soon."

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Wei En and asked, "Have you seen that painting?"

"My servant has seen it before. This painting has no name or seal, and its painting skills are as good as those of the No. 1 Scholar." Wei En said.

He was able to come to Huagai Hall to serve him because he knew how to paint.

In the inner academy, he is somewhat famous.

Therefore, when Emperor Hongzhi came to Huagai Hall, Xiao Jing would ask him to come and serve him.

Xiao Jing smiled and said, "Your Majesty, Wei En doesn't dare to deceive you. If he says he has it, he will definitely find it."

Jin Yiwei Wu Wei said: "I have never painted such a painting. I don't know who painted it. If I see the painting, I might be able to recognize it."

Wu Weiduo has done research on famous painters in the Ming Dynasty.

As far as he knew, there was a talented man named Wen Zhengming in the south of the Yangtze River.

This man is good at all kinds of paintings, and his skills are so high that it is amazing to see him.

Emperor Hongzhi nodded: "I also want to see it."

Not long after,

Mou Bin and Yan Chengjin walked into the main hall. When Emperor Hongzhi saw that their hands were empty, he asked: "Have you found anything?"

Mou Bin shook his head: "I didn't find the painting, but... Sixty thousand taels of silver and four hundred taels of gold were found in Master Yan's house."

Emperor Hongzhi choked. When I ascended the throne, the treasury did not have so much money.

"But I looked at the accounts and found that they were all income from selling books by Mr. Yingkesong, Mr. Qingshan Jun and Mr. Chuanshi." Mou Bin continued.

Emperor Hongzhi looked slightly better.

Isn't this Wei En cheating on us? Xiao Jing was a little panicked and suspicious: "Master Mou, didn't you find the painting?"

Mou Bin was a little unhappy: "No!"

Wei En knelt on the ground, trembling and said: "Maybe... maybe I have seen it wrong. I deserve to die. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

Emperor Hongzhi was a kind man. He grew up among eunuchs and maids, and he had a kind of family-like feeling for eunuchs.

"Hmph! If you don't know, how dare you swear so confidently and slander the minister."

Xiao Jing quickly lowered his head. The Chief of Ceremonies was in charge of all the eunuchs in the palace.

Wei En was also his man, but at this moment, he wanted to kill Wei En himself.

"Please punish your majesty!"

Emperor Hongzhi's face remained unchanged: "Drag Wei En out and give him ten heavy strokes!"

This is a very light punishment.

Since he knew that he was Prince Ning's man, Yan Chengjin wanted to kill him.

Yan Chengjin hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, wait! I have another question to ask Eunuch Wei. Where did you see this painting, and how did you know that it was in my office?"

Wei En's face changed drastically. Ten heavy strokes would not kill him.

If the person who bribed him was involved, his head would be moved.

"I heard it from someone, maybe I heard it wrong. Please forgive me, Lord Yan."

Is it only me who knows that the painting is in Min Guishou's hands?

Yan Chengjin stopped asking. If he continued to ask, your majesty would be suspicious.

Besides him, who else could know that the painting was thrown away in front of the Meridian Gate?

Back at the Censorate,

Min Gui met him and asked, "What did His Majesty summon you to do?"

Summoning the censor is most likely to investigate court officials.

The cabinet and the six ministries will be summoned to discuss court affairs.

There is a clear distinction between the two.

As the chief censor, he naturally needs to know which official His Majesty wants to investigate.

Yan Chengjin thought about it. Isn't the painting in Min Gui's hands? "Your Majesty is looking for a painting. In the painting, there is a person sitting on a wooden bench under a pine tree. Has Lord Min seen it?"

Min Gui's heart skipped a beat, his expression changed drastically, and he asked anxiously, "What is Your Majesty looking for that painting for?"

Yan Chengjin said, "I don't know, but in order to find the painting, His Majesty also ordered the Jinyiwei to search my mansion."

Min Gui's legs softened and he almost knelt down. Could it be that His Majesty lost the painting?

He hid in the mansion for two days and wanted to secretly possess it. If the Jinyiwei found out, wouldn't it be a crime of greed?

Damn it, which bastard who was moving the painting accidentally dropped it on the ground! It hurt me!

Min Gui supported the imperial desk, his body trembling: "This official, this official will go back to the mansion for a while."