Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

After hearing the old eunuch's order, Zhang Shikang was a little confused.

"Zhao! So fast?"

According to my father's estimation, he would have to wait for at least a few days, but less than a quarter of an hour after my father came back, the emperor summoned him?

Could it be that Zhu Zhengliang's father is trying to trip him up behind the scenes?

After all, a broken leg is not a trivial matter, and it is understandable that Zhu Chunchen is eager to avenge his son.

Besides, it’s already so late. It will be dark in another hour. How can we let people into the palace at this time?

"Sir, may I know where your young master is?" Wang Chengen had never seen Zhang Shikang before, so he asked Zhang Zhiji.

"Eunuch Wang, he is my son Zhang Shikang. My son, come and meet Eunuch Wang Chengen." Zhang Zhiji pointed at Zhang Shikang and replied.

As he spoke, Zhang Zhiji took out a silver note, intending to ask what the matter was about so that he would have a better idea of it. However, Wang Chengen simply waved his hand and refused.

"Sir, there is no need to do this. The emperor is still waiting in the palace. Please follow us into the palace immediately." Wang Chengen glanced at Zhang Shikang and found that the other party was also looking at him with a strange look.

Wang Chengen didn't ask any more questions, just urged.

Zhang Shikang couldn't figure it out, so he simply gave up thinking about it. He hadn't committed any serious crime anyway, so he said to his father:

"Dad, we're entering the palace right now. Tell my mother that there's no need to worry."

Zhang Zhiji wanted to say something but stopped himself, but Wang Chengen had already run to the carriage, and Zhang Shikang followed him. When they reached the carriage, Wang Chengen paused for some reason and turned back to say:

"It's for official business."

Zhang Zhiji understood immediately, and he was also worried that Zhu Chunchen had met with the emperor alone again after he left and said something bad.

It's just official business... This prodigal son of his never spits ivory from his dog's mouth, so what official business can we talk about?

Could it be... that letter again? Oh! I really should open it secretly and take a look.

The angel team was not large in number. In addition to a carriage, there were ten Jinyiwei strongmen and four eunuchs as guards and attendants.

After Wang Chengen finished speaking, he got on the carriage. Zhang Shikang was stunned for a moment, looked around and found that there was no other carriage prepared for him, so he got on the carriage with a little disgust.

In the carriage, Wang Chengen remained silent and closed his eyes to rest, while Zhang Shikang looked at him from head to toe.

Firstly, it was the first time he saw a living eunuch, so he was curious. Secondly, he actually knew Wang Chengen because he had appeared in many historical documents and novels.

He was the mourner of Emperor Chongzhen and the only person who accompanied him to his death.

Wang Chengen looked a little thin in his official uniform, his hair had turned gray, and his expression was calm but slightly tired.

Apart from that, Wang Chengen looks no different from an ordinary person, and even his voice is not as shrill as in TV dramas.

Although there were many treacherous ministers in the court, none of them chose to die for their country. Logically speaking, Wang Chengen should be trustworthy.

"Why is Captain Zhang staring at us? This is not polite."

Although he closed his eyes to rest, Wang Chengen still felt that Zhang Shikang was staring at him, which made him feel very impolite.

Although Zhang Shikang was only nineteen years old, his family background was there after all, so he was given a position in the Rear Army Governor's Office, serving as a captain of the Yingyang Guard of the Rear Army Governor's Office.

If I were to write an essay, it would definitely be my father, the governor, or my brother, the governor-general and deputy governor. In fact, he had never even been to a military camp.

"Oh, sorry, I remembered an old friend. My father-in-law looks a bit like him." Zhang Shikang lied.

"Old friend? Who is it?"

"An old friend is naturally someone who is already dead, who cares who he is!"

Wang Chengen: "..."

"Ask the eunuch what kind of person our Majesty is so that we can be careful about what we say when we meet him later."

Zhang Shikang said shamelessly, he knew that walls have ears, so he spoke in a low voice.

Wang Chengen frowned when he heard this. He already knew that the third son of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion was uneducated.

Now it seems to be true. His behavior is frivolous and his words are reckless. If it were someone else, he would have ordered his strong men to take him to jail long ago.

After all, it is not excessive to punish someone with the death penalty for making irresponsible remarks about the emperor.

But Wang Chengen knew that Zhang Shikang was not an ordinary person. With the Duke of Ying around, nothing would happen as long as the crime was not particularly serious.

So, Wang Chengen simply continued to close his eyes and rest, ignoring him.

"I heard that your majesty's dragon robe was patched. Is this true?"

"It is said, it is said, that His Majesty only sleeps two hours a day, is that true?

I'm not saying anything, but even an iron man can't stand playing like this!"

……

When they arrived outside the Meridian Gate, Wang Chengen got off the carriage without any hesitation. He had been harassed by Zhang Shikang all the way, and his head was buzzing. He just wanted to have some peace and quiet.

Zhang Shikang followed Wang Chengen into the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate, passed the Huangji Hall, Zhongji Hall, and Jianji Hall, and walked around for ten to twenty minutes before finally arriving outside the Qianqing Palace.

To be honest, Zhang Shikang didn't feel bored. Everything in the palace was new to him, and he also had many questions in his mind.

But Wang Chengen walked so fast that he didn't have time to ask. He was really not a good guide, Zhang Shikang felt resentful in his heart.

Wang Chengen asked Zhang Shikang to wait outside while he walked into the Qianqing Palace in small steps.

Emperor Chongzhen sat in front of his desk, which was filled with memorials from various places submitted by the Ministry of Public Administration.

The half-foot thick stack on the left should have been reviewed, but there are more on the right. Emperor Chongzhen is holding a copy in his hand and reading it carefully, frowning and sighing from time to time.

Finally, he picked up the red brush and wrote a few words on the memorial. Perhaps he was a little tired, so he picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.

Then he stared blankly at the map of Ming Dynasty on the right wall.

He ascended the throne at the age of seventeen, and for eleven years he did not dare to slack off for a single day. No matter how late it was every day, he insisted on reviewing the memorials personally, instead of handing them over to the eunuchs like other previous emperors.

The Ming Dynasty he took over was one in tatters. Only if he worked harder and set an example for all officials in the world could he have a chance of reversing the decline.

At that time, his elder brother, Emperor Tianqi Zhu Youxiao, was also very young. Who could have thought that his brother would die suddenly? He was only 23 years old!

Emperor Chongzhen always felt strange about his brother's sudden death.

When he first ascended the throne, he was very young and knew that he was not very talented or well-educated, so he trusted the old ministers in the court very much.

They said that Wei Zhongxian was corrupt and abused his power, bringing harm to the country and the people. Emperor Chongzhen agreed with them and quickly got rid of Wei Yan with the cooperation of his ministers.

They said that the East Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were persecuting loyal officials and had too much power, so Emperor Chongzhen took back most of the East Depot's power and cut many of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's staff.

A minister with great military insight said that if he was given five years, he could pacify Liaodong. Emperor Chongzhen trusted him very much.

Even though he had not made any achievements, some even murdered generals of the same rank as him without his consent.

Emperor Chongzhen still chose to believe him, thinking that he was considering the overall situation. Not only did he not blame him, he also issued an edict to commend him, tightened his belt, and prepared military pay and food for him.

But in the end, after a few years, not only did there be no progress in pacifying Liao, that man actually allowed the Jiannu to cross his defense lines and surround the capital.

When bandits were rampant, another minister said that the bandits were rebelling because of famine, and that disaster relief and appeasement should be the main approach, with pursuit and suppression as a supplement. Emperor Chongzhen agreed with this and gave him power, trusted him, and handed over full authority over the matter of the bandits to him.

But after a few more years, the bandits not only did not disappear, but instead increased in number and became more and more widespread.

Every year, every month, and even every day, Emperor Chongzhen did not dare to slack off and tried his best to stabilize the situation. However, the situation not only did not improve, but got worse.

When he first ascended the throne, he worked hard to govern the country and vowed to be the leader of revival. Now it seems like a joke.

Now he no longer has unrealistic ambitions and is content to do his best to avoid becoming a king who loses his country.

But now it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain it, and the ministers in the court only know how to ask him for money and food.

They knew exactly how much silver was in the treasury, yet they still forced him to give them the silver every day.

I believed again and again, and was disappointed again and again. The situation is getting worse day by day. I feel powerless, helpless and frustrated.

He vaguely felt that the group of people had united, so a few years ago he recruited that man's son, Yang Sichang, who is now the Minister of War.

Yang Sichang was quite satisfied with him at the beginning. The net he proposed to set up in four directions, six corners and ten directions did indeed make the bandits less arrogant. However... this plan was too costly.

Last year, he had no choice but to levy additional suppression funds at the suggestion of Yang Sichang, and he vowed that as long as the suppression funds were in place, the bandits would be wiped out within a year.

Emperor Chongzhen knew that the Liao tribute had already made life miserable for the people, and that levying additional suppression tribute would make the people even more resentful, but he still gritted his teeth and agreed.

Now another year has passed, and Yang Sichang has disappointed him again. The bandits are still rampant, and they are forcing him to continue to levy additional suppression pay. What's worse, he has to add training pay on top of the suppression pay.

As the Son of Heaven, he had to break his promise to the people. All the officials even united and forced him to agree.

Compared to the helplessness and frustration a few years ago, Emperor Chongzhen now only feels pain... and anger.

He put in all his effort and energy, trusted them and valued them, but what did he get in return?

Make him lose the trust of the people? Make him bear the eternal infamy?

We can no longer trust them, we can no longer trust those civil officials.

But if he doesn't trust them, who else can he trust?

Ancestors, please give some guidance to this unfilial son Zhu Youjian!

Zhu Youjian bows down to the Ming Dynasty for being a true hero.

"Your Majesty, the son of the Duke of England..."

Wang Chengen walked in with small steps, but just as he started to speak he realized that Emperor Chongzhen seemed to be in pain, so he tactfully shut his mouth and waited aside with his head down.

Emperor Chongzhen quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeves, straightened his dragon robe, and regained the majesty of an emperor.

"Let him in."

……