King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 686: What is the crime for usurpation?
"How to reward is up to your Majesty to decide. How dare I say anything irresponsible!"

"If I say too little, they will complain. If I say too much, I'm afraid the prince will be unhappy...A thousand words are not as good as silence!"

Hearing Yang Jingting's words, Zhu Jinghong smiled, and then he stroked the cheek of the beauty in front of him and praised: "Ting girl, I think I am also a petty person in your heart!"

Yang Jingting smiled brightly, looked at Zhang Xiaoyue and the others and said, "The prince is always generous in his actions, and he will not treat my two sisters unfairly!"

"My two sisters, what do you think...will the prince mistreat you?"

Zhang Xiaoyue and the other person were both very smart. They knew that Yang Jingting was trying to benefit them, so how could they not act accordingly at this time?

Zhang Xiaoyue was the first to speak: "Your Majesty is right. The prince has always been generous and magnanimous. How could he treat me badly?"

Zhu Jinghong is a human being, a normal man. He would naturally enjoy the submission and awe of women. At this moment, after hearing the compliments from Yang Jingting and the other two, his mood became very good.

Thinking of Zhang Xiaoyue and Li Huizhen, who followed me and not only served me wholeheartedly in bed, but also brought me countless joy by playing music, dancing and singing...

So at this moment, Zhu Jinghong naturally came up with the idea of ​​giving Zhang Xiaoyue and the other two a status.

To be honest, compared with the Crown Prince and Prince Rui, and even compared with his other half brothers, there are really not many people in his house.

Arranging two concubines was just a matter of procedure on the princess' side and it was no big deal for Zhu Jinghong.

"You two have served the king diligently for a long time in the palace, you should be rewarded!"

Zhu Jinghong just said this, and on the surface it seemed like he didn't say anything.

Zhang and Li were at a lower level, so they were unable to comprehend the deep meaning of it at the moment, and therefore felt empty in their hearts.

Of course Yang Jingting understood, but she didn't want to point it out directly. After thanking Zhu Jinghong a few words, she pulled him into the house.

Zhang Xiaoyue and Li Huizhen were left alone there, looking at each other in dismay.

Although they didn't get a result, the two of them had to cheer themselves up and serve Zhu Jinghong in various ways.

There is no other way. Even if the clouds fail to clear, they have to keep working hard.

From this perspective, they are indeed very inspirational.

"Your Majesty, Sister Keqing has given you a little princess!"

Although she was pregnant, when Zhu Jinghong sat down, Yang Jingting still personally served him tea and water, and all the maids who were serving him were sent away by her.

Zhu Jinghong knew the news she was talking about as soon as he landed.

He also knew another piece of news, that is, Yingchun, who lived in seclusion in a Taoist temple, gave birth prematurely due to depression, and naturally the baby could not be saved.

When he first heard the news, he felt very distressed and guilty, but he did not change his plan. He would not let her enter the mansion in the short term.

He could only make up for Yingchun later.

"Ok!"

Zhu Jinghong responded without any emotion.

There are too many things involved with him. To put it bluntly, he is responsible for the life and death, honor and disgrace of countless people. He must be as firm as a rock, unmoved and indestructible.

After traveling through time and space for a few years, he has grown a lot and is no longer the same person he used to be.

"Sister Keqing is so lucky. I heard that the little girl didn't cry much after she was born, which made her worry less than Sister Bao!"

Some words should not be thought too much about. For example, Yang Jingting's words apparently say that Baochai is not worrying, but in fact she is talking about Zhu Muzhen's trouble.

Of course, because the meaning was too subtle, Zhu Jinghong would not think too much about it.

There are too many intrigues outside, so he usually lets down his guard when he returns home.

Of course, the fundamental reason for this behavior is that he is too confident. He doesn't care about the fights between several women at all, and even regards these things as material to relieve boredom.

After hearing what Yang Jingting said, he almost ignored it and was thinking about what would happen after he returned to the court.

As for returning to the court, he was not in a hurry for the time being as he had not yet finished dealing with local affairs, especially the arrangements for personnel issues.

He would not interfere with the civil officials, but this decisive battle involved too many military officers, and he had to find a way to interfere with their promotion and transfer.

While he was listening to Yang Jingting's gossip and thinking about what would happen next, the news that he responded to Tian had already spread.

He is a very popular figure. Many people in Yingtian hate him, and many people want to curry favor with him.

The former would either submit an impeachment petition or curse behind the emperor's back, while the latter would act as quickly as possible, bringing the prepared gifts and going forward to pay their respects.

Therefore, less than half an hour after Zhu Jinghong returned home, his house was already crowded with people.

This is all because outsiders are ignorant. Such a phenomenon would not occur in the capital, because everyone knows that Zhu Jinghong basically does not see outsiders.

These people came back empty-handed, and although they were reluctant to leave, they had no choice but to leave in disappointment.

But those with more sophisticated means, such as Jia Yu, Zheng Xianlin and He Gujin, knew to bring up the matter for discussion in the evening and invite Zhu Jinghong to the palace for the discussion.

Of course, what was being discussed was a small matter. The real purpose was to meet Zhu Jinghong in advance and get the opportunity to give him instructions in person.

"Your Highness, the evidence has been verified, and Xu Xin'an has been dismissed!"

"But I think that Xu Xin'an can be spared, but those who rebelled against him must not be let off easily!"

The person who spoke was Jia Yucun. Compared with Zheng and He, he had the least experience, but he had the strongest desire to perform.

Although the three of them were able to remain standing thanks to Zhu Jinghong, only Jia Yucun was promoted successively by Zhu Jinghong, and was able to grow into a powerful official in just three to five years.

For this reason, Jia Yucun is most concerned about Zhu Jinghong's "grand plan".

Walking in the garden, Zhu Jinghong listened quietly to Jia Yucun's analysis, and then turned to look at Zheng and He.

"What do you think?"

Zheng and He were both extremely smart people, especially He Gujin, who had been a criminal lawyer for more than 20 years. He took the initiative to reply, "Your Highness, Zhongcheng Jia's analysis was thorough, but His Majesty has already issued a decree on this case. It would be inappropriate to start a dispute again!"

This is easy to understand. Whether it is for the sake of maintaining the face of the Eastern Palace or maintaining the stability of the court, the case is closed after the emperor has issued an order to deal with it. It is indeed inappropriate to cause trouble again.

Jia Yucun was so eager and wanted to show himself too much. It can only be said that he wanted to make progress too much.

"Cheng Zheng, what do you think?" Zhu Jinghong asked with a smile.

"Your Highness, there are some things...I don't know whether I should say them!" Zheng Xianlin looked cautious.

Looking around at the people present, Zhu Jinghong said, "There are no outsiders here. If you have anything to say, just speak up!"

"Then I will speak frankly. If there is anything inappropriate, please forgive me, Your Highness!"

Turning around and continuing to walk forward, Zhu Jinghong said, "Just talk... stop nagging!"

"Yes!"

"Your Highness has just recommended Jia Zhongcheng to be promoted to a ministerial position for the sake of the overall interests of the court, so that he can handle the financial and grain affairs of several provinces in the southeast!"

"Your Highness recommends people with talent, but there are many treacherous and sinister people inside and outside the court. They will definitely slander Your Highness for nepotism and regard Jia Zhongcheng as Your Highness's crony..."

"Xu Xin'an came from the Eastern Palace, and most of the people who colluded with him are supporters of the Eastern Palace. If we investigate this case in depth, it will definitely cause a big stir!"

"Your Highness will return to the capital with a great victory, and all the glory and favor of the Emperor will be at the peak of his powers. Why should we create more trouble?"

"The emperor has always regarded your highness as kind and honest. If someone misunderstands your intention to attack the East Palace, I am afraid it will be more trouble than it is worth!"

Zheng Xianlin's words were indeed from the bottom of his heart. The meaning was similar to He Gujin's, but he said it more thoroughly, which made Zhu Jinghong fall into deep thought. At this time, Zheng Xianlin continued, "It is good that Jia Zhongcheng is loyal to your Highness, but everything is too much... Your Highness should be cautious!"

In fact, he only said half of what he said. What he wanted to say more was that Jia Yucun was too loyal and ignored the overall situation in order to climb up.

However, what he said just now was already explicit enough, so Zheng Xianlin would not say any more, so as not to bring himself hostility.

"I am a humble and ignorant person, and I spoke recklessly... I hope Your Highness will forgive me!" Zheng Xianlin said, bending his waist.

Zhu Jinghong stopped, turned around and looked at Zheng Xianlin, then said to Jia Yucun: "Zheng Zhongcheng's words are so mature, Jia Zhongcheng...you must learn them well!"

Jia Yucun was a man of deep thoughts and cunning thoughts. Hearing this, he immediately replied, "Your Highness's teachings will be remembered by me."

Turning around again, Zhu Jinghong continued to walk forward, and then said: "You are all capable people. You have previously implemented the national policy of surveying land, and now you are organizing the local supply of military supplies. You have done all your tasks properly and comprehensively. Your future is limitless..."

This was just empty talk, but because there was a good chance of getting it, the three people present listened attentively and thought about their next move.

Zhu Jinghong had basically no foundation in the civil service sequence. The three people in front of him were quick-witted and capable, and by some strange coincidence they had formed a personal dependence on him, which would be an excellent handle for him to control the court in the future.

Because of this, he wants to focus on training these three people and make full preparations for the future.

"When you do things in the future, you must think more carefully so that you can be comprehensive and leave no loopholes..."

"You must continue to do your best to carry out your duties. If you encounter young people with strong abilities and high understanding like you, you must recommend them to the court..."

At this point, the theme has begun to change, and Jia Yucun and the other two also felt it.

Zhu Jinghong continued speaking, and the main point was very clear, which was to ask them to recommend more people and recommend more people to the court.

To put it more bluntly, it means recruiting followers for the Prince Xiang's Palace.

As for politics, if you can't reduce the number of enemies, making more friends is also a solution. Zhu Jinghong thought about this very clearly.

This is called face-to-face instructions. At this moment, being assigned these important matters, the three people felt that their efforts in the past few years have not been in vain, and they have finally become the core of the Xiangwang Party.

Once Zhu Jinghong sits on that chair, one of the three of them will definitely become a Grand Secretary, and it is not impossible that all of them will be promoted to the cabinet.

After some discussion, the meeting came to an end and everyone returned home satisfied.

In the following period, Zhu Jinghong frequently inspected the combat readiness of various naval forces and military commanders, but in fact he was meeting with generals from all over the country.

As for the originally scheduled celebration banquet, he had no time to attend it, as the time was pushed back and forth...

While he was busy, the capital city welcomed an ordinary night.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the emperor sat alone at his desk. He had been reading memorials for the whole day.

Zhu Xianming became almost all of these emperors in this way, and he really worked hard to be a good emperor.

There has been a lot of good news in the southeast recently, but the northwest has always been in a difficult situation, and the tug-of-war between the two sides is fierce.

Of course, what is more important is that frequent military operations have led to the depletion of the national treasury, and now even the silver in the imperial treasury has to be used.

But it should be clear that after land surveying and the development of maritime trade, the court's tax revenue increased a lot overall, but it was only due to excessive spending that it became empty.

Fortunately, the war in the southeast has now stopped and there are no major expenses. Only money needs to be allocated to continue building warships and artillery.

These things are very complicated, and Zhu Xianming thinks about them every day. To use a not-so-appropriate word to describe them is "devoting all his life to them."

"Your Majesty...it's time to rest!" Cheng Ying stepped forward to remind him.

In the past month or so, the emperor has been particularly busy. He even has to read memorials after dinner, reading the massive amount of reports submitted by the imperial guards.

"What time is it?" Zhu Xianming asked.

Cheng Ying replied: "Your Majesty, it is almost midnight!"

Zi time is 11 o'clock in the evening, which was very late in ancient times. It can be seen how hard Zhu Xianming has been working recently.

"Ok!"

Zhu Xianming rubbed his dizzy eyes and his sore old eyes. He closed his eyes and rested for a few seconds, then reluctantly put down the report in his hand.

"Please wait for me to rest!"

"Yes!"

After answering, Cheng Ying waved his hand, and immediately several eunuchs came forward, holding various things to serve the emperor and let him rest.

Zhu Xianming was indeed very tired and fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

It’s a pity that even when he slept, he even dreamed that he was attending court meetings.

Standing outside the Fengtian Hall, looking at the tightly closed door in front of him, Zhu Xianming simply reached out and pushed it open.

Then he discovered that the room was full of ministers, all looking at him with surprise instead of kneeling to him as they had done in the past.

"How dare you! Why don't you bow to me when you see me?" Zhu Xianming scolded angrily.

He was about to call the guards to arrest him, but an old voice appeared in front of him: "Xiao Si, you are so majestic!"

Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a man sitting on the dragon chair on the throne in the hall.

Although he couldn't see the man's face because he was too far away, Zhu Xianming still recognized the man by his voice.

"grandfather?"

Zhu Xianming couldn't believe it, so he strode into the hall and quickly came before the court officials.

Sure enough, on the throne, his most respected grandfather, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Shenzhuo, was looking at him with sharp eyes.

Beside Zhu Shenzhuo, the deceased emperor Zhu Xinkan also looked at Zhu Xianming coldly.

Below the imperial steps were his elder brother and younger brother, as well as their murdered children, all looking at him with hatred.

Zhu Xianming was horrified and looked elsewhere. He saw his sons on the left side of the imperial steps, all kneeling obediently awaiting their fate.

On the right side of the imperial steps were his concubines, all of whom were wearing shackles.

"Father, please confess your crime to the Grandmaster!"

Zhu Xianming's legs were hugged by someone. When he lowered his head, he found it was the prince. He was so frightened that his eyes were filled with tears.

"Father, as long as the green mountains remain, there will be no fear of running out of firewood. You should beg for mercy from Emperor Taizu first. You have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty... Emperor Taizu will not kill you!" Zhu Jingyuan also crawled over and said.

Hearing the two men's noise, Zhu Shenzhuo stood up from the dragon throne and asked in a cold voice: "Little Fourth, you disobeyed my will, killed your brother and usurped the throne... What crime should you be punished for?"

No matter how hard Zhu Xianming tried to cover up, he could deceive the world but he could not deceive himself.

Emperor Taizu appointed Zhu Xinkan as the emperor, and his preferred successor from the next generation was "Prince Li". His "good and holy grandson" Zhu Xianming was fake.

Zhu Xianming had great respect for Emperor Taizu, but also endless fear of him.

Being interrogated by Emperor Taizu at this moment, he was naturally extremely frightened.

But he was tough after all, and at this moment he answered with a stiff face: "Grandpa, as the emperor, I have stabilized the country you founded, expanded the territory for the Ming Dynasty, and carried forward your civil and military achievements. I am innocent!"

Upon hearing his sophistry, Zhu Shenzhuo, who was sitting on the dragon throne, was furious and shouted, "I want to ask you what crime you deserve for usurping the throne!"

(End of this chapter)