First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 665
Ordinarily, such people who have repeatedly betrayed the master should not be used, but Mei Sizu's ability to mix in everywhere proves that he is indeed capable of leading troops.

After entering Lao Zhu's command, he conquered Shengshanshui village, surrendered Wu general Lu Zhen, conquered Huzhou, and surrounded Pingjiang. , Shanzhou, Tongguan and other places.

Then he followed Zhu Biao to make military exploits in the Northern Expedition. The most recent one was to follow Fu Youde in the southern expedition to Mingxia. Mei Sizu led his troops to Chongqing and conquered it.

Otherwise, he would not be qualified to take over the power of the Beijing camp temporarily after Xu Da, Fu Youde and others left Beijing. Without a nomination, it is estimated that Lao Zhu deliberately kept it in preparation for Zhu Biao to be kind to him after he ascended the throne.

Zhu Biao is still not sure whether this person is secretly colluding with Hu Weiyong. After all, it is not uncommon for Wu Xun to gather together to drink, and no one can expect any troubles in the Beijing camp under the emperor's feet.

It would not be surprising if there was one. Comrade Zhu experienced frequent betrayals in troubled times. He only looked at talents and abilities for such people, but Zhu Biao had a lot of room to choose. It used to be his old department during the Northern Expedition, but it did not enter the circle of the direct line of the Eastern Palace.

Therefore, it is not surprising that he was lured by Hu Weiyong with resentment. After all, Hu Weiyong is the prime minister of Ming Dynasty and the representative of Huaixi Xungui in the court. Now who knows that Hu Weiyong's fate is determined.

Zhu Biao turned his attention to Jining Marquis Gu Shi, the governor of the Metropolitan Government, and Xu Da, who is currently in charge of the Metropolitan Government, asked in a deep voice, "Marquis Jining, who issued the transfer order of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion?" of?"

Gu Shi took a deep breath and replied: "It was sent by a recorder of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, ordering the Commander Zhao Dong to change the city gate."

"I remember that the city gate has its own timing for changing defenses. Why is it so abrupt? Where is the record?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the recorder heard about the Beijing camp and hanged himself in the hall. After careful inspection, I found that it was this person who conspired with Zhao Dong to smuggle private salt into the city. For the crime of negligence, please be punished by Your Highness."

It is not easy to live in the capital. Although the price of official salt is not unaffordable, as a necessity of life and an important pillar of income for the imperial court, the price is not particularly cheap, especially when compared with private salt.

Both the price and the taste are far inferior. The production of official salt is undertaken by hereditary kitchen households. The products of the kitchen households are not sold in the market, but are completely controlled and sold by the government. The kitchen households are equivalent to serving corvee. The quality can be imagined.

Illegal salt has never been eradicated since ancient times. No matter how the imperial court tortured it, the reason is that it is beneficial. As long as there is a way to transport it into the city, there will never be a shortage of buyers. The common people will get cheap and delicious salt. They will not report, but will help to cover up. After all, without private salt dealers, they can only eat expensive and bitter official salt.

It is not uncommon for someone in the capital to secretly sell private salt. This is not uncommon. It is not uncommon for city guards to participate in it. There are only a few ways for soldiers to get money. The pro-army Duwei Mansion and the Bingma Division have reported it Zhu Biao.

But this is obviously just an excuse. Compared with making a big move, it is better to throw Zhao Dong out of the situation, so as not to become a disaster in the future, and not to kill too many salt dealers and soldiers guarding the city.

The corner of Zhu Biao's mouth twitched slightly, but he still endured it. It is already the limit to use the Marquis of Runan to scare the chickens and monkeys. If other Marquis are involved, it will be difficult to cover up the matter.

"The Metropolitan Governor's Mansion governs the world's soldiers and horses. How important is it that something like this happened. We must investigate and find out. We will exile the recorder, Zhao Dong, and other people involved in the case in Guizhou, and execute them in the fall!"

"Nuo, I will take the crime and make meritorious deeds, in order to thank His Highness for your forgiveness."

In this way, the case of treason in the Beijing camp has also been crushed into a case of some soldiers using power for personal gain. When the world advocates honesty and corruption, this matter is just a drop of water into the sea, and it is not worth mentioning.

After Zhu Biao hit a few more words, he asked them to retreat. There was no need for Zhu Biao to think about how many people in the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion would be trapped. They would pick out a group of suitable people by themselves.

Maybe some crimes can't be covered up, maybe some uncooperative political opponents, but there must be tainted criminal evidence, don't look at what Zhu Biao said is to ask the Marquis of Jining to investigate, but to find out, you have to go through the Ministry of Criminal Justice and the Ministry of Justice. Dali Temple.

The Ministry of Punishment may turn a blind eye, but Dali Temple is Zhu Biao's private land, and most of the officials there are direct descendants of the Eastern Palace, who were personally selected and trained by Yan Donglai, the purpose is to prevent them from accusing white as black at this moment.

Zhu Biao doesn't mind killing corrupt officials, and he doesn't mind watching them fight each other, but he must not sit back and watch the honest and thrifty officials in the court be squeezed out and framed to death.

The corrupt will be punished and the honest will be rewarded. Punishing the evil and promoting the good is the right way in the end. After Liu Jin sent them out, he came in with a stack of memorials and reported: "Master, most of them are from the Beijing camp. There are also some sent from Yushitai."

Zhu Biao could probably guess that these were the impeachment of Jiang Yu without looking at them, so he didn't rush to read them. After chopping off his feet, he ordered: "Send them all to the Wenhua Palace, and I will review them there later."

"promise."

"Order Tai Hospital to immediately send someone to the East Palace to ask for a safe pulse. If there is no problem, then go to the Harem to see the princes and princesses."

"promise."

Both Wang Rui and Nuan Yu were watched closely, that is, they went out to get some air, and they didn't hear any discomfort along the way, so they should be fine.

But after all, she is pregnant with a child. It is always good to ask the imperial physician to take a look. The other princes and princesses are also the same. Those little guys had a good time today, and they are prone to get sick when they are sweating and exposed to the wind.

Not long after hearing the report, the prime minister brought six ministers to ask for an interview, and Zhu Biao was waiting for them, so there was no reason not to see him.

"I will pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince, His Highness Qianqiu."

"You dear ones are free of courtesy, come and give me a seat."

Hu Weiyong and the others stood up and said with excuses: "I thank Your Highness for your compassion, but I have been sitting in the government office for a whole day, so let's stand for a while."

Although the Huagai Hall is not as good as the Jinshen Hall, it is not the place where the courtiers should sit. Zhu Biao doesn't care whether they sit or not. Too many rules.

"You should have heard about the Beijing camp. It's really out of place."

Hu Weiyong replied: "Just now when I came here, I met the Marquis of Jining and others, and I asked a few words. Your Highness's handling of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion and the Beijing Camp is very appropriate, but is Marquis Runan stricter?"

Zhu Biao frowned slightly. What does Hu Weiyong mean? If he really wanted to help Mei Sizu, he should have acted when the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Ministry of Punishment of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion were discussing crimes. Isn't it adding fuel to the fire by saying this now?
Isn't Marquis Runan one of his people?

"The Beijing camp is no different than other places. As the chief general left his post without permission and caused turmoil, the Palace did not directly convict him because he considered his past achievements and gave him an extrajudicial favor. Why is it so harsh?"

Hu Weiyong bowed down and said: "My minister made a mistake, please forgive me, Your Highness."

What exactly does this guy mean? That's all. The left and right have no intention of putting Mei Sizu to death. Just look at his subsequent moves and it will become clear.

Zhu Biao stretched out his hands to help Hu Weiyong get up, then looked at the Minister of War and said, "Where is King Kaiping? How long will it take to reach the capital?"

The Minister of the Ministry of War immediately responded: "His Royal Highness, according to the news from the local area, King Kaiping returned to the capital by water after paying homage to the emperor and the empress, and he will arrive in about seven or eight days."

Zhu Biao nodded and said: "Since this is the case, there will be no chief general of the Beijing camp, and we will just wait for King Kaiping to come back. These days, the Ministry of War and the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion have to take good care of the Beijing camp. If there is any trouble, the palace will not forgive it lightly!"

"promise."

Zhu Biao asked the Minister of the Ministry of Households again: "The King of Chu should organize manpower to resume spring plowing. After the disaster, everything will be difficult. The Ministry of Households will continue to raise and supply some grain seeds and agricultural tools. Don't slack off."

"promise."

………………

(End of this chapter)