Ming Dynasty: Moral blackmail? I, Emperor Chongzhen, have no morals!

Not long after.

Wang Chengen pushed open the door to the small room and turned slightly to the side.

Cao Huachun, who was standing nearby, quickly walked up to Zhu Jian and knelt on the ground: "This servant greets Your Majesty!"

A few snowflakes still clung to his shoulders and tobacco hat, and with Cao Huachun's movements, they scattered to the ground, then melted into water droplets and dissolved into the blue bricks.

Zhu Jian felt the slight chill brought back by the two men. He remained silent, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, making a soft tapping sound.

For a moment, you could hear a pin drop in the room.

Cao Huachun, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed, saw that Zhu Jian showed no intention of letting him get up. His throat bobbed as he wondered what he had done to offend the capricious emperor, whether it was something his subordinates had done to offend the emperor, or something else entirely.

As a result, the emperor, as usual, was about to perform the ceremony when he was excused...

"No need for formalities..." Prosecutor Zhu's voice carried a hint of displeasure, as if he were suppressing his anger.

"I have read your resignation memorial! Although I am reluctant to see you go, Eunuch Cao has already decided to leave, so I can only grant your request!"

When Prosecutor Zhu called him "Eunuch Cao," Cao Huachun, who had just stood up, was so frightened that he immediately knelt down again. The last person Prosecutor Zhu addressed as "Eunuch" was Wei Zhongxian, whose grave was now overgrown with weeds.

"This servant is old and fears that I may hinder Your Majesty's important affairs, so I request to resign..." Cao Huachun said nervously, her voice trembling.

He didn't want to end his life like Wei Zhongxian, who died halfway through his journey with a white silk ribbon.

Zhu Jian glanced at Cao Huachun out of the corner of his eye, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Go to Baoding Prefecture and wait for Li Banghua. Assist him in handling the imperial estate matters. Once this is done, return home!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Huachun felt even more uneasy. He wondered where the emperor, who was usually kind and gentle to him, had gone, and why the emperor was so cold towards him today.

"This servant obeys the decree!"

At this moment, Cao Huachun's head was already pressed to the ground, and he dared not get up at all.

"Let's set off now and wait for Li Banghua in Baoding Prefecture!" Zhu Jian set a time for him, leaving him no time to even hand over his duties at the Directorate of Ceremonial.

"yes!"

After saying this, Cao Huachun slowly stood up, bent over and took two steps back, opened the door, stepped out, and then slowly closed it again.

Zhu Jian has now exiled Cao Huachun, effectively stripping him of his power in the palace and sending him to Baoding to assist Li Banghua in reorganizing the imperial estates.

Although Cao Huachun cleared up many unjust cases left by Wei Zhongxian, he never made excessive demands, abused his power, or formed cliques, and his reputation among the officials was quite good.

But Zhu Jian still couldn't use him. He planned to install another Wei Zhongxian and let him form a faction to directly participate in factional struggles.

This completely disrupted the small-scale factional struggles of the Chongzhen Emperor Zhu Youjian's era, and ushered in a major factional struggle in the Zhu Youjian era.

He, Zhu Jian, isn't afraid of factional strife; he's afraid of not strife at all. If he's afraid of factional strife, what kind of emperor is he? He might as well abdicate!

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, disliked factional strife because of the uncertainty of the future and the unknown he felt trapped in an information cocoon.

Zhu Jian had already seen through everything. If he were to implement the same policies as the previous Chongzhen Emperor Zhu Youjian, wouldn't his trip have been in vain?

Seeing that Cao Huachun had left, Wang Chengen held the seal of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs in his palm and raised it to the side in front of Zhu Jian: "Your Majesty! The seal of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs!"

This seal is the emperor's jade seal, representing imperial power. Only when this seal is affixed to a draft document approved in red ink does it become effective.

Therefore, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was also one of the most powerful eunuchs among the twenty-four directorates of the inner palace.

Zhu Jian picked up the imperial seal with one hand, twirling it in his hand, feeling the supreme charm of imperial power.

"Cheng'en! Go and summon Wang Dehua, then go to the Directorate of Ceremonial and write a note summoning Li Banghua to the capital!"

"Yes!" Wang Chengen replied, then took two steps back and went to the duty room of the Directorate of Ceremonial to summon Wang Dehua.

After thinking for a long time, Prosecutor Zhu wondered who could organize a political party like Wei Zhongxian or Liu Jin.

Wang Chengen is the person Zhu Jian trusts the most right now; he is loyal but not very politically capable.

Gao Shiming is politically capable and loyal, but his methods are not ruthless enough and he is not very good at it.

Gao Qiqian is ruthless enough to frame others and commit all sorts of evil deeds. He also has political ability, but he is prone to losing control.

After much deliberation, Zhu Jian still felt that Wang Dehua was the most suitable person. He had the means and political ability, although he was not very loyal. He had welcomed Li Zicheng into the city when the capital fell in the seventeenth year of Chongzhen's reign. But now he was the most suitable person, mainly because he was controllable!

.......

Inside the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs' duty room, the charcoal fire was blazing, and the crackling sound of burning charcoal could be heard from time to time.

Wang Dehua was helping Cao Huachun, who had just returned to his post at the Directorate of Ceremonial, prepare his belongings for his journey to Baoding.

Upon learning that Cao Huachun had been summoned by the emperor once and then exiled, and that snow was falling outside today and it was very cold, the emperor showed no mercy and issued the decree immediately.

This startled Wang Dehua, but Cao Huachun only told him that he was going to Baoding by imperial decree and would not be returning, and asked him to continue the work that the Directorate of Ceremonial had not finished.

So Wang Dehua simply agreed silently and didn't dare to ask any more questions.

Just then.

Wang Chengen entered the duty room, shaking off the snowflakes from his clothes and his tobacco hat: "Wang Dehua, His Majesty summons you!"

Wang Dehua was taken aback upon hearing this and subconsciously turned around to look at Cao Huachun. He saw that Cao Huachun seemed not to have heard him and was busy packing his things without even turning his head.

Unable to obtain any useful information, he quickly put down what he was holding, hurried to the door, lifted the curtain, and headed towards the small side room of the Wuying Hall.

At this moment, Wang Dehua was filled with trepidation, unsure of what would happen next.

Because he was walking fast, the road was slippery, and he even slipped and fell. Ignoring the snow covering his body, he staggered to the Wuying Hall.

Standing at the door, she straightened her clothes, brushed away the snow, and then carefully pushed open the wooden door of the small room, entering the room: "This servant, Wang Dehua, greets Your Majesty!"

Upon seeing Wang Dehua arrive, Zhu Jian, still toying with the imperial seal in his hand, leaned back in his official hat chair and asked, "Wang Dehua, I've heard you've made personnel arrangements in the court?"

"Now they're actually imitating Wei Zhongxian..."

When Wang Dehua heard Zhu Jian accuse him of emulating Wei Zhongxian and even placing people in the court, he hurriedly explained in a trembling voice, "This servant has never placed people in the court, and would never dare to emulate the traitor Wei. Please, Your Majesty, understand!"

Wang Dehua felt beads of sweat forming on his back and his calves cramping.

It was as if an invisible knife was hanging over his head, ready to take his life at any moment.

"Tell me, who has been appointed by the court, and what positions they hold!" Zhu Jian glanced at Wang Dehua and said unhurriedly.

Zhu Jian didn't know whether Wang Dehua had arranged for anyone, but he felt that Wang Dehua, as the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, must have someone in the court, so he was trying to trick Wang Dehua.

"This servant...this servant has no...nothing in the court..."

Before Wang Dehua could finish speaking, Zhu Jian interrupted, "Think carefully before you speak. I won't give you a second chance!..."

Wang Dehua's throat bobbed, and his kneeling body trembled visibly.

He felt as if he had already stepped into the underworld with one foot, and now only his other foot remained in the human world.

"Li Dongying...Censor..." Wang Dehua stammered.

Wang Dehua was certain that if the emperor wanted to kill him, he would die whether he spoke or not.

If the emperor doesn't kill him, he might live if he tells one thing.

"Just one?" Prosecutor Zhu's voice was somewhat cold.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dehua bowed even lower: "This person is from my hometown, and we have some acquaintance, but I have never interfered in court affairs... I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

After thinking for a moment, Prosecutor Zhu decided that one would suffice, as the main objective had already been achieved.

"Stand up and answer!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Dehua slowly stood up, but because his legs were numb, he could only stand with one shoulder higher than the other.

"Censor-in-Chief, seventh rank!"

"Tell him he can quit being an imperial censor!"

After Zhu Jian finished speaking, Wang Dehua's heart skipped a beat. What was bound to happen would happen eventually. He felt like a deflated balloon, about to collapse.

"Go privately and speak with Liu Yuliang in the cabinet, asking him to recommend Li Dongying for the position of Supervising Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue!"

Although the position of Supervising Secretary in the Ministry of Revenue was also a seventh-rank official, the same as that of the Censor, it wielded immense power. It allowed for the rejection of imperial edicts from the Ministry of Revenue. While it appeared to be a lateral transfer, it was actually a promotion. Of course, this was also to facilitate Zhu Jian's extraction of funds from the Ministry of Revenue, preventing procedural rejections...

When Wang Dehua heard that Zhu Jian had promoted Li Dongying, his listless posture straightened up again, indicating that the emperor still trusted him.

"Arrange for two more capable people to enter the Censorate!"

When Wang Dehua heard that Zhu Jian had not only promoted his fellow townsman but also asked him to arrange for someone to do the same, he immediately felt that the emperor was going to give him an important position. Cao Huachun, who was above him today, had already been exiled, so he stood even straighter.

"Yes!" Wang Dehua agreed without hesitation. He was now forming a faction by imperial decree, and no one would dare to impeach him. It seemed that his era was about to begin.

A eunuch who doesn't want to become like Wei Zhongxian isn't a good eunuch...

Zhu Jian then slowly rose, carrying the imperial seal, and approached Wang Dehua, handing it to him: "The position of Director of Ceremonial Affairs has been vacant for some time, so you will take on the role..."

Wang Dehua reached out and accepted the imperial seal. Tears welled in his eyes as he knelt on the ground again, choking back sobs as he said, "This servant obeys the decree!"

"Get everyone arranged today!"

"Yes!" Wang Dehua stood up quickly, holding the imperial seal, took two steps back, and with excitement in his heart, turned around and strode out of the small room.

Seeing Wang Dehua leave, Zhu Jian slowly walked to the window, opened it, put his hands behind his back, and gazed at the snowflakes falling haphazardly outside. He said meaningfully, "Having cultivated a form like a crane, two scrolls of scriptures beneath a thousand pines. I came to inquire about the Way, but there is nothing more to say; clouds in the blue sky, water in the bottle..."

Wang Dehua, who had just stepped out of the Wuying Hall, heard Zhu Jian reciting the poem, glanced back towards the small side room, then turned away, head bowed in thought, and hurried off...

Silence returned to the room, with only the soft crackling of the charcoal fire.

Zhu returned to his desk, picked up his pen, and in the dim firelight, wrote the headings for three letters...

Outside the window, the night was as dark as ink, and Zhu Jian's war silently began in this small side room of the Wuying Hall.