Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 99 Zhu Wusi's Analysis, Evidence of Treason
The atmosphere in Renshou Palace is solemn.

Jiao Fang's words obviously failed to convince Zhu Wusi.

"Does the Divine Marquis think that the King of Su can withstand the combined forces of the four land gods?" Jiao Fang asked back.

"Hmph." Zhu Wusi snorted coldly, full of disdain. "Four years ago, when the Mongols and Liao invaded the border, Yelu Wudi, Bashiba, and Sihanfei, three of the world's top land immortals, joined forces to attack, but they still couldn't stop Prince Su. Why do you think that a mere four land immortals can defeat him four years later?"

"When Ba Siba entered the Sui Dynasty, he defeated Ning Daoqi with 167 moves, nearly shattering his Daoist heart. Sixty years ago, he fought against the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian, and after fighting for a whole day and night, they ended up in a draw."

"He alone is as powerful as two land-based immortals."

"That Yelu was invincible, commanding wind and thunder with his palms, and severing immortality with a snap of his fingers. He defeated the once insolent King Xiaoyao in less than thirty moves, and then traveled north to the Turks to fight the Martial Master Bi Xuan. After three hundred rounds, Bi Xuan fled."

"Si Hanfei is known as the strongest man in the Mongol Yuan Dynasty royal family. He has a majestic demeanor that can swallow up mountains and rivers. Even Emperor Taizong failed to kill him. He has survived for over two hundred years."

"With a character like this, who among all those you mentioned can be his rival?"

Zhu Wusi's analysis was very objective. Ba Siba, Yelu Wudi and Si Hanfei, known as the Pillars of the Mongols and Liao, were all monstrous figures who dominated an era. Like Zhang Zhenren of Wudang and the former Emperor Taizong Zhu Di, they all earned their reputations as invincible by killing their way through.

One person is equivalent to several land gods.

Among the people Jiao Fang mentioned just now, no one is qualified to be compared with them, except the old Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain and the eunuch Zheng He of Sanbao.

Even if the three of them joined forces, they were still no match for Zhu Jinzhen.

Jiao Fang, however, wanted to defeat Prince Su Zhu Jinzhen with their help. Isn't that just wishful thinking?
Although the Queen Mother did not want to participate, since it was a matter of state and the Emperor's safety, she had no choice but to intervene personally: "I also want to hear the elder's advice."

"This……"

Jiao Fang looked embarrassed, what he just said was not false.

With the complex and huge power background of the Ming Dynasty civil service group, they are indeed quite confident that they can invite the people he mentioned.

But, it is also true that what you say is not entirely true.

They couldn't say in front of Zhu Wusi, the Iron-hearted Marquis, the Queen Mother, and Cao Zhengchun that they planned to invite strong men from the Mongols and Liao to come to the Ming Dynasty to deal with Zhu Jinzhen together, right?
As long as he dared to say this, even if he was a cabinet elder, the fate that awaited him would be the confiscation of property and the extermination of his clan.

Zhu Wusi snorted coldly, "Hmph, Elder Jiao, why are you hesitating? Don't you know how to say it? Or... don't you dare to say it? Or, perhaps, let me say it for you?"

Jiao Fang's pupils trembled and she looked at Zhu Wusi in disbelief.

Although he tried his best to conceal it and regained his composure in an instant, Zhu Wusi and Cao Zhengchun still saw it.

Zhu Wusi stared at Jiao Fang for a long time with a sinister look on his face, then slowly said, "Cao Zhengchun, you are collaborating with the enemy and betraying your country. What is your punishment?"

Cao Zhengchun was stunned, then showed a look of shock, looking at Jiao Fang and Zhu Wusi in disbelief. He was a smart man, and he guessed a lot from Zhu Wusi's words.

"Replying to the Divine Marquis, you should be executed, and your entire clan should be punished." Cao Zhengchun's expression also turned cold. Although he was a eunuch and ambitious, he was not above treason. Jiao Fang's expression changed drastically, but he quickly forced himself to calm down and replied coldly, "I don't understand what the Divine Marquis means by this."

Zhu Wusi's face was gloomy, and he pressed on step by step: "You have violated the imperial authority, without the consent of His Majesty, and falsely conveyed the imperial edict to privately mobilize heavy troops from all sides. This is already an unforgivable crime. Colluding with the Mongol Emperor Temur, intending to cooperate with foreign enemies, to deal with Prince Su, and to overthrow the Ming Dynasty, is even more unforgivable."

Upon hearing this, Jiao Fang, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, instantly stood up. He pointed at Zhu Wusi and roared, "That's nonsense! We mobilized the troops to rescue Your Majesty. How can we say that we are collaborating with foreign enemies and intending to overthrow the Ming Dynasty?"

"Although the Divine Marquis is in charge of the Guarding Dragon Villa and has the power to execute first and report later, I am a first-rank minister in the court and a second-in-command in the cabinet. You are making groundless accusations without any evidence. Do you really think I dare not report you to His Majesty?"

A flash of surprise flashed in Zhu Wusi's eyes, but it quickly faded away. He sneered, "The Minister of War, Lord Yang Yuxuan, secretly sent the evidence to Hulong Villa before he died."

"Not only does it contain letters and evidence of your collusion with the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty, but it also reveals your crimes of undermining the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commandery, attempting to control all military power."

"The evidence you want will be delivered soon."

Zhu Wushi has evidence?
Not to mention that Jiao Fang was struck by lightning, even Li Dongyang, Yang Yanhe and others in the cabinet looked at each other in disbelief, and at the same time, they kept a distance from Jiao Fang without saying a word.

Cao Zhengchun was also confused. "Hiss, the Divine Marquis left the capital this time. Could it be that the news about investigating whether Prince Su's Mansion was plotting treason was false, and the evidence of Jiao Fang colluding with the enemy was true?"

Zhu Wusi glanced at Cao Zhengchun and replied with a false air of candor, "The rumors circulating in the capital are true. Yang Yuxuan secretly sent evidence of his crime to Hulong Villa before his death. It's also true that I came here partly to investigate whether a certain cabinet elder was secretly communicating with the Mongols."

"But what I didn't expect was that something unbearable to watch still happened."

When he said the last sentence, Zhu Wusi deliberately looked at Jiao Fang with a meaningful look.

Jiao Fang was extremely confused at this time. She was not sure whether Yang Yuxuan really knew something before his death and told Zhu Wusi. However, without seeing the evidence, it was impossible to make him confess based on just a few empty words from Zhu Wusi.

In fact, as time went by, Jiao Fang became calmer.

He thought carefully about his actions and found no loopholes. He burned the letters after reading them, leaving no evidence at all.

Thinking of this, Jiao Fang felt relieved. "Hmph, I am upright and have no shame in heaven and earth. If the Divine Marquis has any evidence, just bring it out. I have nothing to fear."

"Oh, Lord Jiao is so sure. He thinks he did it perfectly and didn't leave any evidence behind, right?"

"But have you forgotten that the letters you sent out, as well as those sent from the Mongols, could not only reach you and Temur, but could also be intercepted by my Hulong Villa?"

Zhu Wusi sneered, as if he was looking at an idiot.

"You..." Jiao Fang's face turned pale with horror and she could no longer remain calm.

The seemingly cloudy eyes of Yang Yanhe and others in the cabinet all flashed with solemnity.

"The Ming Dynasty and the Mongols are thousands of miles apart, and they traveled a lot along the way. We just need to find clues and keep an eye on the person who sent the letter. If we intercept him along the way, we can indeed obtain the correspondence and evidence, but..." Cao Zhengchun was suspicious and couldn't help but glanced at Zhu Wusi and the panicked Jiao Fang. He always felt that something was wrong.

(End of this chapter)