serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 139 Unexpected
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the emperor will receive congratulations from all the officials in Fengtian Hall, and also worship ancestors and gods and Buddhas.

Today is still Yuanchun's birthday. At five o'clock, Mother Jia and the others began to dress up, dresses, and corresponding jewelry. They were dressed up very grandly, first for Daming Palace, then for Compassionate Ning Palace, and then for Kun Ning Gong, and finally went to Fengzao Palace to pay New Year greetings to Jia Yuanchun and wish Qianqiu.

The Fengtian Hall was already full of officials, waiting there cautiously one by one.

In the upper study
Emperor Jianwu didn't even wear the dress for the grand ceremony, he was still in ordinary clothes, and he sat on the dragon chair without saying a word.

The first assistant Song Chengliang, the second assistant Zhang Shangwen, the cabinet ministers Liu Fang, Yang Gelao, Zhao Zixun from the household department, Qian Shangshu from the official department, and the six officials and servants of the Jiuqing stood on both sides, also not saying a word.

Although Zhao Zixun joined the cabinet and became a cabinet minister, he was still an official of the Household Department, controlling the power of the Household Department, and stayed in the Household Department on weekdays. He would only go to Wenyuan Pavilion when there were important matters to discuss.

Glancing at the emperor, Zhao Zixun sighed silently.

Last night there was a big explosion in the west city, and the place was just outside Di'anmen, near Shichahai, where the royal family and princes lived.

After the explosion, the forbidden army rushed over immediately, including Da Zongzheng and King Zhongshun, seven palaces were attacked, and the scene was said to be horrible.

According to the survivors, at that time, people were drinking and listening to operas in the front and back yards of the palace, and fireworks were still being set off in the back yard, so they had no idea how the other party got in.These black-clothed men were all desperate dead soldiers, with explosives strapped to their bodies, and rushed directly into the crowd, only to hear a loud "bang", and blood rained from the sky.

Except for King Zhongshun who was left in the palace by the queen mother to escape the catastrophe, Dazong was waiting for the six palaces, except for the women and children in the backyard, almost all were blown to pieces.

And those who survived by chance were frightened crazy.

Whether they died or not, Zhao Zixun didn't care, but they still owed money to the treasury, and they were the big ones. Last year, when the arrears were being paid, the emperor ordered that the arrears of the clan be gradually withheld from their salaries.Now it's all right, more than 100 million taels are in vain.

You have to pay for their funeral, what a big loss!
Suddenly, the chime bell in the corner rang.

Except for Emperor Jianwu, all the people looked at the chiming bell, it was the right time!

After a while of silence, Chief Assistant Song Chengliang spoke: "Your Majesty, all officials are still waiting in Fengtian Hall."

As soon as he said this, the cabinet ministers, six ministers and nine officials all looked at Emperor Jianwu again.

Emperor Jianwu's eyes slowly turned to look at him: "Hello? You are waiting to see my joke!"

Everyone quickly knelt down.

Song Chengliang: "The responsibility for this matter lies with the cabinet first. As the chief assistant, I have committed the crime of dereliction of duty. This is the memorandum of the minister's confession. I ask the emperor to punish the minister. It is also an explanation to the clan, the government and the public." Said, from the sleeve He took out a memorial.

Dai Quan hurried over, took the memorial, and presented it to the royal case.

Niu Jizong also took out a memorandum from his sleeve, raised his hands above his head, and said: "The military department is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. If you say that the responsibility lies with the minister, it is the minister's dereliction of duty. He failed to find out the problem in time and gave the rebels an opportunity. This is the minister's plea."

Dai Quan quickly accepted the confession memorial in Niu Jizong's hand and presented it to the imperial case.

Second assistant Zhang Shangwen said: "Thousands of mistakes are all the fault of the ministers. Please ask the emperor to punish the ministers, which is also an explanation to the government and the public."

Emperor Jianwu didn't look at him, but looked at Dai Quan: "When will Feng Tang come back?"

As soon as the words fell, the voice of the eunuch on duty came from the outer hall: "Your Majesty, General Shenwu is here."

Emperor Jianwu: "Come in."

After a while, Feng Tang, the vice-commander of the Forbidden Army, strode in. He was startled for a while, and then he went forward to salute and said, "I see Your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu looked at him: "What's the matter?"

Feng Tang: "Returning to Your Majesty, there is no problem with the Gunpowder Depot of the Military Weapons Bureau, the Chongwenmen Daying Warehouse, and the Yongwei Camp Gunpowder Warehouse. Only the gunpowder quantity in the Shenji Camp Warehouse does not match. They have already been arrested and are being tortured!"

There was a look of disappointment in Emperor Jianwu's eyes, as well as a hint of doubt.

Feng Tang hesitated for a moment, then said: "Jingtian Hou Qiuliang, the commander of the five cities' army and horses, and Wang Ziteng, the commander of the infantry's yamen, knelt outside the gate of the Qianqing Palace to plead guilty. This is their pleading memorial." He took out two memorials from his arms.

Emperor Jianwu glanced at Dai Quan and motioned him to put it away.

Dai Quan hurried over, collected Qiu Liang and Wang Ziteng's apology, went back to the imperial case, and presented it to the emperor.

Emperor Jianwu took it without looking at it, and threw it on the imperial case, "You all go back, let me think about it alone."

Minister of Rites: "Your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "It's all gone."

Everyone looked at the first assistant Song Chengliang.

Song Chengliang got up on his own, bowed and retreated.

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, hesitated for a moment, then got up and retreated.

At this time, Feng Tang took out a trial record from his sleeve, "Your Majesty, it has been found out that the gunpowder was bought by the Chang Shi of the Beijing Palace. There are only a few servants left in the Beijing Palace."

Emperor Jianwu's eyes flashed, and he stood up: "Let's go to Dragon Head Palace!"

There was a lot of snow.

Under the escort of a group of cavalry, Jia Hu's carriage drove into the west city.

According to the royal etiquette, Yuan Chun should give a banquet, but after such an incident, more things are worse than less things. Jia Mu and others drank tea and snacks in Fengzao Palace, talked with Yuan Chun for a while, and then returned home.

Jia Hu couldn't leave, he had to stand in the Fengtian Hall and wait for the order. After standing for more than an hour, the emperor was really inhuman.

Jia Hu, who was dressed in an official uniform, sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, his body shaking slightly with the rolling of the wheels.

Jia Hu didn't expect Shui Rong to be so ruthless, killing six clan princes and dozens of clan children in one go, it's a pity that King Zhongshun escaped!
God doesn't open his eyes!

I don't know what happened to the Supreme Emperor?

At this time, Lin San's voice came from outside the car window: "Commander, there is an urgent letter from Tianjin Wharf."

Jia Hu opened his eyes suddenly, opened the window, took the letter in Lin San's hand, tore it open to read, and then his face changed. The spies at Tianjin Wharf suspected that Shui Rong hadn't boarded the ship.

Didn't Shui Rong go south with the boat?Where will he go then?Also, what does he want to do? !

Thinking of this, Jia Hu pushed open the window and said to Lin San: "Someone tell Jiao Da that they have stared at the long history of the Beijing Palace."

Lin San responded with the word "yes", pulled the reins, and whispered a few words in the ear of a bodyguard, and then the bodyguard led the other two cavalrymen and galloped away.

Soon, the carriage drove into Ningrong Street and stopped in front of the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

The middle door of Ningguo Mansion was wide open, Lai Sheng and Lin Zhixiao led the servants in charge of the whole mansion to wait in the snowstorm.

The door opened, and Jia Hu got out of the carriage.

All the servants in charge knelt down under the leadership of Lai Sheng and Lin Zhixiao: "Welcome Patriarch!"

Jia Hu's eyes swept over everyone, and said lightly, "Get up."

Lai Sheng and the others: "Thank you Patriarch." As they spoke, they climbed unevenly.

Lai Sheng took a step forward: "The old ladies and gentlemen are waiting for the Patriarch in the ancestral hall."

Jia Hu nodded, and today he had to worship the ancestors, so he walked towards the gate.

At this moment, there was a rush of hoofbeats. Jia Hu turned around and saw a horse gradually approaching and stopped beside the carriage. The rider took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to personal soldier.

Jia Hu knew this person, he was Niu Jizong's personal soldier, took the letter and tore it open to read, his face sank, Niu Jizong was dismissed from the post of minister of the Ministry of War.

(End of this chapter)