Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 50: Palace affairs, a hassle-free person!

royal palace.

It was already dark and Liu Sanwu had already left.

Old Zhu was still sitting in the pavilion. Under the dim candlelight, his face did not look very good.

The palace maids and eunuchs serving around held their breath and dared not make even the slightest noise.

Just two hours ago, Liu Sanwu suggested that His Majesty the Emperor appoint a crown prince as soon as possible.

At this time, news came from outside the palace that His Royal Highness Prince Wu led the Jinyiwei to surround the Duke of Liang's Mansion, intending to capture Duke of Liang Lan Yu.

Liu Sanwu immediately reported the matter to the King of Wu, saying that he acted in an absurd and wanton manner, had no courtesy like a subject, and had no filial piety like a descendant, and that he should be severely punished by imperial decree.

At the same time, he also said that King Xian was loyal, filial, benevolent and righteous, and could be made the crown prince.

Unexpectedly, his words aroused His Majesty's fury.

Liu Sanwu was also expelled from the palace by His Majesty on the spot.

Although there was no immediate decree on how to punish him, it would probably come soon.

Those who anger His Majesty never have a good ending.

soon.

News from outside the palace came in one after another.

Zhu Yuanzhang monitored the capital by relying on the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Inspectors.

If the Jinyiwei is the knife in Zhu Yuanzhang's hand, then the Jianxiu is the real eyes and ears.

Unlike the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Censor is very mysterious and low-key.

The personnel composition is also very complex.

There are officials in the court, ordinary people, Taoist priests and monks...

Their shadows are everywhere.

Wine shops, brothels, private residences... every street and alley is filled with spies from the Censorate.

All kinds of strange and interesting things in Jinling City, such as officials visiting prostitutes and playing cards, reciting poems and painting, entertaining guests and giving gifts, and even quarrels between couples... the inspectors would collect and inquire about them, and report them to His Majesty the Emperor as intelligence.

It was through these spies that Zhu Yuanzhang was fully aware of every move of the officials in the court and all the big and small events that took place in the city of Nanjing.

Even though it was already night, because a big event had happened in the city today, news was still continuously coming in from the outside through the secret compartments in the palace wall.

"The King of Wu commissioned the founding duke Chang Sheng to capture a man named Yang Shiqi."

The paper also clearly states Yang Shiqi's date of birth, hometown, family situation, specific life experiences, as well as the scope of his activities after coming to Jinling City, the friends he interacted with, etc.

If Zhu Yunhuan saw it, he would be shocked.

Because even he didn't get such specific and detailed information.

"King Wu and Yang Shiqi had a secret conversation in the dungeon of the Duke of Kaiguo's Mansion. Since no outsiders were present, the specific content of the conversation is unknown."

"But later, the King of Wu personally and respectfully took Yang Shiqi out of the dungeon, sent him back to the King of Wu's palace, and announced that he had accepted Yang Shiqi as his teacher."

"After that, the King of Wu immediately went to the Jinyiwei Yamen to mobilize troops to surround the Duke of Liang's mansion and capture Duke of Liang Lan Yu."

On the paper, lines of small characters clearly wrote the whole story.

"It seems that it must have been Yang Shiqi's idea for Yun Hu to lead the Jinyiwei to capture Lan Yu."

Old Zhu muttered to himself.

A strange color flashed in his eyes.

It is unexpected that a scholar who has not even passed the imperial examination can come up with such an idea.

The most important thing is that Zhu Yunhuan actually listened to his advice.

"I just don't know how Yun Hun knew about Yang Shiqi? Why did he send someone to look for him?"

Even though the inspectors' spies were omnipresent, they were unable to obtain any information on this matter.

Lao Zhu threw the note into the brazier next to him, and soon it turned into ashes.

Then he picked up another note.

"After the King of Yan learned that the King of Wu led the Jinyiwei to surround the Duke of Liang's mansion, he immediately sent someone to notify the nobles and generals in the capital. This led to Wang Bi leading his men to besiege the King of Wu and the Jinyiwei."

"The two sons of King Yan tried their best to stir up trouble at the scene."

Later, it recorded in detail how Zhu Yunhuan entered the Duke of Liang's mansion, how Fu Ye led the servants in the mansion to stop him, how Lan Yu appeared, how Zhu Yunhuan beat and scolded Lan Yu, how Lan Yu submitted, how Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu instigated him... and even how Wang Bi led the crowd to intercept him and tried to save Lan Yu... etc. Everything that happened in the Duke of Liang's mansion today was recorded in great detail from beginning to end.

It also includes many inside stories that Zhu Yunhuan didn't know.

After all, even if Zhu Yunhuan was at the scene, he could only see from his own perspective.

The intelligence gathered by the spies comes from multiple angles.

"Old Four really can't bear to be lonely!"

"He was the one who started this incident first."

"If he hadn't deliberately leaked the information to Yun Hun, Yun Hun probably wouldn't have acted this way."

"Isn't it good to be a peaceful prince? Is the position of emperor so good?"

Lao Zhu quickly threw the note into the charcoal brazier, and then picked up the third note.

"The source of the news in the capital that the King of Wu should be made the crown prince and ascend the throne to become emperor was not someone close to the King of Wu, but was instigated by the King of Xian's teachers Huang Zicheng and Fang Xiaoru."

"Today, the King of Wu arrested the Duke of Liang. Fang Xiaoru was watching from the outside, but he did nothing."

"Huang Zicheng went to the East Palace to meet with Lu."

"Mrs. Lu gave him a piece of clothing she had sewn herself."

"After Lu had a secret conversation with Huang Zicheng, he entered the palace overnight."

Old Zhu looked at the note, the expression on his face changing constantly, like sunny or rainy.

for a long time.

He also threw the note into the brazier.

Then, the fourth note was opened.

The words on this note were very brief.

"The King of Qin secretly keeps assassins in his palace. His intention is unclear."

The Prince of Qin was Zhu Yuanzhang's second son Zhu Chong.

Logically speaking, after Zhu Biao's death, the Prince of Qin would be the first candidate for the crown prince.

However, the King of Qin was cruel and murderous, and Zhu Yuanzhang was very dissatisfied with him.

Moreover, before this, in order to win over the famous Northern Yuan general Wang Baobao and divide and disintegrate the remaining forces of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately let the King of Qin marry Wang Baobao's sister Wang Yuemin, who was later known as the famous Guanyin Slave.

If the Prince of Qin is made the crown prince and inherits the throne, then after his death, the heir to the Ming Dynasty will be Guanyinnu's son.

How could an emperor of a Han dynasty have foreign blood?

This is what Lao Zhu doesn't want to see.

The civil and military officials in the court will certainly oppose it fiercely.

This one point alone was enough to block the possibility of the King of Qin being made the Crown Prince.

During the time he came to Beijing to attend Zhu Biao's funeral, the Prince of Qin had been very honest and did not cause any trouble.

Can't bear it now?

Old Zhu frowned and snorted, "What do you want to do, Old Second?"

Then, the note was thrown into the brazier, and then another note was picked up.

"The King of Jin has been in the capital recently, and has had frequent exchanges with the King of Zhou, often having private conversations."

"The King of Jin and Duke of Ying Fu Youde, and the King of Zhou and Duke of Song Feng Sheng, also had many secret meetings, but the content of their discussions is unknown."

Old Zhu's expression changed slightly.

His eyes gradually turned cold.

He sat there without moving, as if he was petrified.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Almost a quarter of an hour passed.

Old Zhu sighed deeply and said, "None of my sons are easy to deal with!"

(End of this chapter)