Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 42: Gengchen Coup! (Falling Tower!)

[On December 24th, the 73rd year of the Chongzhen reign, the Divine Emperor's 89th birthday officially arrived!]

If it's a tenth-year anniversary, then according to past custom, the capital will certainly be decorated with lanterns and hold a grand celebration!

[At that time, all the ministers and officials should go to the imperial palace to pay their respects. The chief officials of Nanjing and the thirteen provinces should also be present. They will not only present priceless gifts, but will also participate in the birthday celebration.]

Besides the Ming dynasty's officials, the surrounding vassal states would also send envoys to pay their respects. These included Korea, Japan, Annan, the Ryukyu Islands, the Mongols, and so on. Some of these were former vassal states that had long since accepted the title, while others were new vassal states recruited by the Divine Emperor.

[In addition to the vassal states, there are many distant nations that have not yet received the Ming Dynasty's canonization. They are awed by the power of this true god on earth, and so they spontaneously come to pay their respects. Besides paying their respects, their envoys are also curious to inquire about the changes that have taken place in this ancient Eastern country...]

[In short, that scene was truly magnificent, and anyone who witnessed it will surely remember it for the rest of their lives!]

[In comparison, this impromptu 89th birthday party seems rather shabby...]

There were no foreign envoys or envoys from vassal states. Even the chief officials from Nanjing and the Thirteen Provinces were absent. It wasn't even held in the Imperial Palace, but in this hastily constructed small Changchun Garden...

[This is so shabby it can't even be called a Divine Emperor's birthday banquet. It could more like be a banquet hosted by some wealthy Jiangnan businessman!]

But as the saying goes, "A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the presence of immortals; a river is not famous for its depth, but for the presence of dragons"!

Although the conditions were poor, considering that the Divine Emperor himself would be arriving, as would the heads of the six ministries and the cabinet in the capital, and that this garden was a birthday gift from the recently appointed Prime Minister to the Divine Emperor, this humble banquet was instantly elevated to a new level...

"Minister of Personnel Xiao Renxin has arrived! Congratulations! A hectare of Jurchen Eastern Pearls!"

"Minister of Revenue Zhuang Yaoqi has arrived! Congratulations to the Western Fire Lens!"

"Minister of War Lin Xinwen has arrived! Congratulations on the three Nanyang golden nanmu trees!"

【“…”】

"The Cabinet's Chief Minister, Chen Shu, has learned something! Congratulations to the Sui Dynasty's Zhan Ziqian for his painting 'Spring Outing'!"

Early in the morning, officials from the capital, feeling uneasy but forcing themselves to remain calm, arrived one after another. There was the Prime Minister and the Grand Secretaries, the six ministers and vice ministers, the six departments, the Censorate, the Supreme Court... and so on and so forth!

[One after another, these powerful officials wield immense power. Each one is a figure that ordinary people will never meet in their lifetime. Yet, at this moment, even though these powerful figures, capable of covering the entire sky with one hand, know that this journey is risky, they still have no choice but to come and enter this small Changchun Garden...]

They had no time to appreciate the scenery along the way, meticulously arranged by the craftsmen. Instead, they walked past pavilions and towers, and crossed stone arch bridges with heavy thoughts in their hearts.

The koi fish in the clear water blew out round bubbles, playing and curiously gazing at this strange group of people. Unfortunately, humans don't understand the joy of the fish, and the fish can't understand the sorrow of humans, so the encounter between the two is doomed to end in nothing.

[Perhaps many years later, these fish will occasionally remember these strange people they met, and this may be the last trace they left in the world...]

【…】

After walking for a long time, they finally arrived in front of a small building decorated in a rather Western style.

The worried crowd looked up, only to see a Chinese-style plaque hanging on the Western-style building...

"What a weirdo!"

The Minister of Personnel could not help but sneer, "This strange mixture of Western and Chinese decorations is so forced together that only a pretentious Shaanxi native like him could appreciate it!"

His poignant comments were met with unanimous agreement from the crowd: Indeed!

[It's not that everyone is disparaging you, but this is really ugly, and the style is different... Although everyone is a corrupt official, at least they are also truly cultured people, coming from a family of scholars, so they still have a basic aesthetic sense.]

Only the Cabinet's Chief Minister, Chen Shuxue, was reading the inscription on the small building's plaque, which also served as its name.

[“Gongjingdong?”]

Prime Minister Chen pondered the words for a long time, but couldn't discern any literary flavor from them: Why is this shabby building named after a hole? What's the meaning of the word "Gongjing"? I've memorized the Four Books and Five Classics and ancient allusions by heart, yet I've never seen this allusion before?!

In the end, Prime Minister Chen could only shake his head: This kid is indeed a troublemaker from northern Shaanxi, a mere pretentious dilettante, with no real sense of purpose...

【"Walk!"】

[The Prime Minister entered first, and the other officers followed in awe...]

[When they entered the "Palace Well Cave" of "Changchun Garden", the chief officers were shocked at first!]

[There were already people in the room. One was none other than the new Prime Minister, Zhou Liang, whom they had been longing for. The other was Lu Zhongcheng, the commander-in-chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, neither of them was enough to shock the crowd. The real reason for shock was that a middle-aged man in a yellow robe was sitting at the head of the table...]

[How did Your Majesty arrive first?!]

Everyone was already nervous, and now upon seeing the Divine Emperor, they hurriedly kowtowed and paid their respects. The Divine Emperor smiled calmly and told everyone to sit down.

Seeing that the Divine Emperor didn't seem to have any intention of embarrassing them, everyone felt relieved and secretly delighted: "It seems we were worrying too much. This isn't the Hongmen Feast. Your Majesty still cherishes the past..." [The relieved people took their seats one by one.]

[After seeing that everyone who was supposed to come had arrived, you smiled and began the banquet. Maids carried various bowls and plates and placed them in front of everyone. There were all kinds of delicacies, fine wines, and everything in between!]

【Then, you invited a group of singing girls and dancing girls to entertain everyone with singing and dancing.】

In such a comfortable environment, the officials, who had been somewhat wary and cautious at first, gradually relaxed and began the feast, which was a joyful occasion for both the host and the guests...

[After three rounds of wine, the dishes have five flavors.]

[Around noon, seeing everyone completely engaged, your gaze finally turned cold...]

You clapped your hands again, and the dancing girls followed your command and left. Then, two rare Korean singing girls walked in!

The two North Korean singers seemed a little nervous, but they still began to softly sing the songs of their homeland.

[After hearing the foreign music, everyone looked at them in surprise, but then stopped looking and continued feasting...]

[“A little song about killing insects and shooting at the sun…”]

You smiled, perhaps adding a background music to what was about to happen...

[Then, while the Korean singer was singing, you turned around and saw Lu Zhongcheng, who came with you, quietly eating his food... Seeing you looking at him, even though he had already prepared himself mentally, he couldn't help but tremble at the moment!]

[That’s nervousness, that’s fear…]

After all, although he held a high position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards and had apprehended many high-ranking local officials in the past, those local officials were at best provincial governors or provincial governors. While they were considered high-ranking officials, they were not considered that great in the eyes of the imperial court officials.

[Right now, those seated at the banquet are at the lowest level, such as the Vice Ministers and the Six Departments Censors, while those above them are the ultimate bosses, such as the Ministers of the Six Ministries and the Prime Minister of the Cabinet!]

[What's even more unsettling is that His Majesty the Divine Emperor is also present...]

How can I not be nervous?

[But, you won’t let him continue to be nervous…]

"Come on, brother."

【You smile and raise the wine jug towards him.】

"Stop looking so sad and have a drink!"

[With that, you poured him a full glass of fine wine without question, your gaze cold and grim...]

Lu Zhongcheng shuddered, then slowly lifted his glass. Then, as if making up his mind, he raised his head and drank it all in one gulp!

[The drink seemed to give him immense courage. He gritted his teeth and suddenly spoke loudly.]

"Prime Minister! If you don't come to implement His Majesty's new policies, who else will?"

【As soon as the words came out, everyone was shocked! 】

But he didn't stop there. Lu Zhongcheng glared fiercely at the officials not far away.

"How can I implement the New Deal with a bunch of bugs like you?"

[After saying this, taking advantage of everyone's astonishment, Lu Zhongcheng roared, picked up the dinner knife, and rushed towards the Prime Minister!]

[The Prime Minister, Chen Shuxue, was in a daze, and Lu Zhongcheng was the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guards. His skills and power far surpassed his. This was a surprise attack, so the result was naturally no surprise.]

In a split second, the ferocious Lu Zhongcheng had already thrust the knife into Chen Ge Lao's neck!

【"you!……"】

Everyone was shocked. Elder Chen, blood gushing from his neck, also looked at him in horror... Then, Elder Chen seemed to understand something and with difficulty turned his gaze to look at you, who had a cold expression, and the Divine Emperor, who remained expressionless.

[Finally, he reluctantly took his last breath...]

[And with his death, the coup d'état known in history as the "Gengchen Coup" officially kicked off!]

……

(End of this chapter)