Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 316

In the evening, Chongzhen and the scholars returned to Guozijian.

At this time, part of the Forbidden City in Nanjing has been restored.

At least the Taimiao, Sheji Altar, and the Qianqing Palace in the Harem have been restored.

It's just that Chongzhen still didn't plan to live in the Qianqing Palace, but planned to live in the Guozijian dormitory with the prince Qin's scholars and continue to live a collective life.

As for the reason, it is naturally for their own safety.

In any case, Nanjing is the stronghold of the Donglin Party.

Since the Donglin Party has the ability to blow up his ship in Yangzhou, it also has the ability to burn his bedroom.

He didn't even need to burn down his bedroom. If he had the opportunity, just a eunuch and a rope could easily strangle him to death in his sleep.

Didn't Emperor Jiajing almost be strangled to death?
A few court ladies dared to kill the king. Who would believe that there was no one behind the scenes?

At that time, because of the great ceremony, there was a very deadlock between Emperor Jiajing and the civil official group, so the answer is self-evident who is the mastermind behind this.

So Chongzhen had to live in the Guozijian with the scholars of King Qin.

And before going to bed, even Chongzhen himself didn't know which dormitory he would live in.

This greatly increased the difficulty of the Donglin Party's assassination. Coupled with the double protection of Prince Qin and Yi Ding, it would be impossible for the Donglin Party to carry out a precise assassination of him.

All in all, personal safety is no small matter.

Chongzhen didn't want to "die before leaving the teacher, and make the hero cry."

As soon as he returned to the Imperial College, he saw Wang Chengen, Lu Jiude and Gao Qiqian waiting at the gate.

"Long Live Lord." Seeing Chongzhen, Gao Qiqian cried out loudly, "Long Live Lord, this old slave almost lost sight of you, this old slave was almost blown to pieces."

In order to deceive the Donglin Party, Wang Chengen and the three of them all followed Luanjia.

When the assassins attacked, Wang Chengen and Lu Jiude were guarding the other two warships, and only Gao Qi was guarding the imperial boat.

The veteran Gao Qiqian was also clever, seeing the first fire boat attacking, he jumped into the river quietly from the stern of the boat without hesitation, and then took his life in the water.

"Dog thing, it's really fate."

Chongzhen was also a little dumbfounded, thinking how many times has this been?

Once in the Chahar Mongolian Grassland, once in the charge of Yanzhou Prefecture, and this is the third time at the Yangzhou Canal Wharf. If it were someone else, he would have died three times, but this old eunuch was able to recover his life every time he returned.

"The main reason is that you, Long Live Lord, have great blessings." Gao Qiqian said flatteringly.

"This old slave is only a little bit of your luck, and he was able to turn bad luck into good luck, and bring good luck to death."

"Success, then get more of my luck." Chongzhen said with a smile, "In the future, if this kind of thing happens again, I will still use you as a lucky general. Anyway, you are lucky, and you won't die."

"Ga?" Gao Qiqian's face collapsed.

No, my lord, you can't do this.

You can't catch my sheep and squeeze it hard.

Chongzhen didn't pay attention to Gao Qiqian any more, and said to Zhu Cihong: "Xiao'er, you don't have to stay in the Imperial College with your father, hurry back to your father-in-law's house to accompany the Crown Princess."

Zhu Cijiong winked at Zhu Cihong.

Zhu Cihong said shyly, "Father, why don't you come over tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow what tomorrow, Xiaobie is better than a newlywed, father is an unreasonable person." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "By the way, prepare the accounts of the Royal Bank, and bring them here to father to have a look tomorrow."

"Yes, my servant is taking the decree." Zhu Cihong gave a long bow, turned around and left quickly.

Seeing this, Zhu Cizhao also frowned and said: "Father, my son also wants to go back to Nangong."

"What Nangong are you going back to?" Chongzhen said, "You will live in the Imperial College during this time."

"Oh." Zhu Cizhao's face fell down, and she followed Chongzhen unhappy.

After the father and son had dinner with the scholar in the Imperial College, Jin Xuan and Li Ruolian arrived one after another.

"Jin Qing, tell me first." Chongzhen signaled Jin Xuan to step forward, "How is the trial of Tongkou going?"

"My lord, I'm afraid this case is a little troublesome." Jin Xuan said, "Because the gang of pirates captured by the Admiral Caojiang's Office had all been burned to death in a cell fire, and none of them survived."

"All burned to death?" Zhu Cijiong asked with a dark face.

"Yes, they are all dead." Jin Xuan said, "Now there is no one alive."

After a pause, he continued, "What's more troublesome is that the jailer who set the fire also hanged himself, and the only clue is broken."

"Hanging?" Chongzhen said with a smile, "I'm afraid it's not hanging, but being hanged?"

"There is no wiser than the Holy One." Jin Xuan said, "It is hung on the beam after being strangled to death."

"It's like their way of doing things." Chongzhen said, "It doesn't leak."

"Where is Liu Kongzhao?" Zhu Cijiong said, "Is Liu Kongzhao still alive?"

"This is a fool." Jin Xuan shook his head and said, "Being used by others without knowing it."

Chongzhen thought thoughtfully: "So, is Liu Kongzhao really ignorant?"

Jin Xuan said: "Most of the inside information is unknown, but there is a desire to please the Donglin Party."

"Doesn't that mean that the Tongkou case has become an unsolved case?" Zhu Cijiong said with a dark face, "All the chains of evidence are broken. Even if Ma Mingpao and Zhan Yangzhi jumped into the Yellow River, they can't clear it up?"

Jin Xuan said helplessly: "At least from the current situation."

"That's not necessarily the case." Chongzhen said, "As long as the Donglin Party admits that it was planned by them, and that Ma Mingpao and Zhan Yangzhi were just planted and framed, they will be able to return their innocence."

Zhu Cijiong said: "Let the Donglin Party admit to being framed? But how is this possible?"

Chongzhen said: "Originally, I wanted to wait and see if the Donglin Party would mobilize public opinion to create pressure on us, but now that the Tongkou case has entered a dead end, we can't wait any longer, because state affairs can't wait any longer. Well, the Ming Dynasty is still waiting for Ma Mingpao, the God of Wealth, to return to his throne as soon as possible to make money."

Having said this, Chongzhen asked Li Ruolian again: "Li Qing, how is your investigation?"

"I'm ashamed, and I haven't found out any clues." Li Ruolian said in shame, "Yuan Pengnian doesn't get involved, and I have talked about all kinds of interests, but he just refuses to explain."

After a short pause, he said again: "I thought he would never speak unless he was punished."

"The Donglin Party is waiting for your execution." Chongzhen snorted coldly, "Then you say that you tortured and framed Zhongliang, and you, Li Ruolian, will become a treacherous minister, and I will become a corrupt emperor, and the people in Jiangnan will be full of resentment. "

"But..." Li Ruolian said with a frown, "How can there be no penalty for handling a case? This has never happened before."

"Then I will let you open your eyes this time." Chongzhen said, "You don't need to use punishment, but you can still make people confess."

"Eh?" Li Ruolian said in astonishment, "What does His Majesty mean, you want to ask the question yourself?"

"Yes, I want to inquire about the case myself." Chongzhen said, "I will personally try the case of regicide."

After a pause, Chongzhen said again: "However, we have to find someone first."

"Looking for someone?" Li Ruolian said, "Who are you looking for?"

Chongzhen said: "I heard that there is a very good storyteller in Nanjing named Liu Jingting. When he is telling a story, it is said that he can imitate a dozen or even dozens of different accents, and he can even imitate the sound of a dog barking, a chicken crowing and a horse crowing." The calls of animals hissing can almost be mistaken for real, is this a rumor or true?"

"It's true." Li Ruolian said, "I've heard about it too."

After a pause, he continued: "However, this person seems to have joined Zuo Liangyu's shogunate."

Chongzhen said: "Send people to Wuchang to look for it immediately, and if you find it, bring it back to Nanjing immediately, hurry up!"

At this time, Zhu Cizhao who was next to him suddenly said, "Father, there is no need to go to Wuchang to look for it. Liu Mazi has already returned to Nanjing, and he is now telling stories in the teahouse on Chaoku Street."

Chongzhen said: "How do you know that Liu Jingting is on Chaoku Street?"

An inexplicable anger surged up, it seemed to come from the original host of this body, the original Chongzhen?
"Father, don't you believe it?" Zhu Cizhen became anxious immediately, "I saw it with my own eyes. Really, I passed by Chaoku Street when I went to play in the old courtyard the night before yesterday, and I even listened to a story by him..."

The Yilun hall suddenly fell silent, and Zhu Cizhao immediately realized that something was wrong.

"Father!" Before Chongzhen could make a move, Zhu Cizhao jumped up and ran, yelling in panic, "I just went to the old courtyard to have a look, really, just to have a look, I really don't have anything. Dry."

"Stop!" Chongzhen took off one of his shoes and ran after him, "As long as you stop, I promise not to kill you."

"Father, do you think I'm stupid?" Zhu Cizhen said anxiously, "If my son really stops, you can't beat him to death?"

It's just that Zhu Cizhao still underestimated the insidiousness of his father. While he was speaking, Chongzhen had already cut corners and blocked Zhu Cizhao.

By the time Zhu Cizhao realized something was wrong and wanted to turn around, it was already too late.

Chongzhen grabbed Zhu Cizhao like an eagle catching a chick, then pressed him to the ground and beat him up. Suddenly, Zhu Cizhao's screams like killing a pig sounded in front of Yilun hall.

"Father, my son dare not!"

"Father, my son really dare not."

"Father, stop beating, it hurts!"

After beating Zhu Cizhao violently, Chongzhen said again, "Where is He Zhikong?"

He Zhikong who was hiding in the corner hurried forward and knelt down in front of Chongzhen.

Chongzhen stared at He Zhikong coldly, and said in a deep voice: "He Banban, is this how you serve Yongwang? Yongwang is only twelve years old, he is only twelve years old, you take him to the old courtyard to recruit prostitutes ?”

"Long Live Lord, this old slave doesn't know about this." He Zhikong said in panic.

"You don't know?" Chongzhen said, "You are the eunuch Bingbi, the supervisor of ceremonies, and you say you don't know?"

He Zhikong didn't dare to look into Chongzhen's eyes, and said anxiously: "The old slave is only responsible for assisting King Yong's court and approving redemption. It is Li Chengfang and Yuan Sheng who take care of King Yong's daily life."

"Li Chengfang? Yuan Sheng?" Chongzhen asked calmly, "Where are they?"

"Long live, this servant is here." The two young eunuchs stepped out and fell to their knees.

Chongzhen shouted: "It's you two dog slaves who brought King Yong to the old courtyard to call prostitutes? Drag them down and die!"

When even four strong eunuchs stepped forward and dragged Li Chengfang and the two of them, Li Chengfang and the two screamed like pigs: "Long live Lord, please forgive me, please forgive me..."

The eunuchs around looked awe-inspiring.

(End of this chapter)