The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

During the eighteen days from the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the fifteenth year of the Zhengde reign to the first day of the first lunar month in the sixteenth year of the Zhengde reign, the Zhengde Emperor was in good health. It seemed that the vomiting of blood on the day of the heaven and earth sacrifice was just an accident.

However, after the New Year, Emperor Zhengde's condition suddenly worsened. He first had a fever all over his body and had a high fever for several days. The guys in the Imperial Hospital who only dared to prescribe "neutral and peaceful" medicines could not cure him at all.

The high fever did not subside until the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. However, on the same day the fever subsided, Emperor Zhengde developed a rash all over his body, which was extremely itchy.

After ten days of suffering from the rash, Emperor Zhengde began to suffer from abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and also coughing.

On the 26th day of the first lunar month, Emperor Zhengde began to cough up blood and sputum.

Empress Dowager Zhang issued a strict order, not allowing palace maids and imperial doctors to disclose the emperor's condition. However, there is no such thing as a wall that is impenetrable.

The bigwigs inside and outside the court all learned the news that the emperor was seriously ill. The civil officials knelt in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple every day to pray for the Emperor Zhengde. In fact, they were ecstatic deep in their hearts: this living king of hell is finally going to meet his ancestors! If he is allowed to be emperor for a few more years, I am afraid that all the power of us civil officials will be taken away by him.

Chang Feng's residence. The Chang family members were having a secret conversation around the fire.

Chang Po Nu said, "Eunuch Zhang saw me last morning and told me that the emperor has had symptoms of lower abdominal swelling again in the past two days. It feels like stone when touched."

Chang Feng took a deep breath and said, "Could it be a liver tumor? My godfather, the old Prime Minister Huai En, had a liver tumor before he died. The emperor is only 31 years old!"

He turned around and asked Liu Xiaoyan: "How is the matter of finding a famous doctor in the capital for the emperor going?"

Liu Xiaoyan cursed: "Bah! I don't know who spread the news of the emperor's critical illness to the people. The four famous doctors in the capital have all left the city. They are hiding!"

Chang Po Nu said, "Let the Jinyiwei bring them back! Take them to the Leopard Room to see the emperor."

Chang Feng waved his hand: "Forget it. When a famous doctor treats ordinary people, he can bring them back to health. But when he treats a dying emperor, the famous doctor will become a mediocre doctor. Who dares to prescribe strong medicine to the emperor? Especially the dying emperor."

Chang Po Nu said, "Father, let me say something disrespectful. If the emperor really dies without an heir, the Ming Dynasty will be in chaos. Our Chang family must make plans early. In recent years, the civil officials have regarded our family as an enemy. If the civil officials are allowed to take power after the emperor's death, won't they eat our family alive?"

Chang Feng said, "If the emperor really dies, as a minister, what I should consider is not my own honor and disgrace, but the survival of the country!" At this point, Chang Feng smiled slyly, "Of course, the Chang family shares the honor and disgrace of the country. If the country survives, the Chang family survives. If the country perishes, the Chang family perishes."

Liu Xiaoyan said quickly: "It's a pity that I had to hand over the military power of the capital. I will go and ask Queen Mother Zhang to get it back."

Chang Feng sighed, "Who would have thought that the emperor would be critically ill just after the military power was handed back to him? Do you think the military power is like the cucumbers and radishes in our own fields, which we can hand over and take back as we please? However, according to the rules set by the emperor, the military power of the capital is now in the hands of the Imperial Stables. Eunuch Zhang Yong is in charge of the Imperial Stables, which means that the military power is still in our hands."

Chang Feng and Zhang Yong were close friends, and they had followed Wang Yue to conquer the Helan Mountains together. He had absolute trust in Zhang Yong.

You Jingwu said, "I still have the two battalions of Ganyong and Guoyong. Should I ask Eunuch Zhang to transfer my two battalions into the city?"

Chang Po Nu interrupted, "The regiment camp came to the capital without an imperial decree, and the civil officials will definitely criticize it." Chang Feng shook his head, "You are listening to the crickets chirping and not farming? You just think the civil officials are a group of noisy crows. In times of trouble, you don't need to consider what others say when you act. In addition, the number of Han generals in charge of the garrison of the imperial palace in the Jinyiwei will be doubled."

The Chang family is sitting on the Diaoyutai, but Jiang Bin and his followers are in a state of panic!

Jiang Bin knew better than anyone that he had done too many outrageous illegal things over the years, relying on the favor of Emperor Zhengde. He had offended everyone he should and shouldn't have offended. Once the person who backed him passed away, Jiang Bin would be doomed forever!
Chang Feng was also a favorite minister. In addition to the support of Emperor Zhengde, he also had Empress Dowager Zhang as his sworn sister-in-law; among the civil officials, Yang Yiqing, Minister of War Wang Qiong, and Jiangxi Governor Wang Shouren were his allies; the seal holder and two pens of the Imperial Household Department were his best friends; among the relatives, the Zhang brothers followed his lead; the head of the nobles, Duke Dingguo Xu Guangzuo, was his brother in life and death, not to mention Chang Feng's son Chang Po Nu was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, holding the real power of the court's finances.

Even if Emperor Zhengde passed away, the Chang family would still be rich and prosperous with the Empress Dowager + the pragmatic civil officials + the Prime Minister + the relatives + the nobles protecting the Chang family.

But Jiang Bin was different. As long as Emperor Zhengde died, his death would not be far away.

Jiang Bin paced back and forth in the hall of his own mansion, and all his followers were at a loss.

Eunuch Zhang Zhong said: "In my opinion, Marshal Jiang, you'd better do it once and for all! Put into practice what you wanted to do but didn't do in Jiangnan!"

What Zhang Zhong meant by "things I wanted to do but didn't do" naturally refers to treason.

Zhang Hong, the commander of the rear army, was promoted by Jiang Bin. He stood up and said, "If you ask me, if you don't make a decision, you will suffer the consequences! While the old brothers of the frontier army are still in the capital with the emperor's triumphant return, let's just... Yeah!"

Jiang Bin was a man of indecisiveness. Rebellion was not just a dinner party, it was a big deal and he could not make a decision at the moment.

You know, people are not plants or trees, who can be heartless? He and Emperor Zhengde ate, slept, played, worked and fought together for a full ten years. The two were not only monarchs and ministers, but also friends.

Jiang Bin couldn't get over the rebellion against Emperor Zhengde.

The governor Zhang Hong seemed to see through Jiang Bin's inner struggle. He said: "We are not rebelling, but we are clearing out the emperor's entourage. We should wipe out all those civil servants in the court. Isn't the emperor's greatest wish to eliminate the civil servants? Now that he is terminally ill, we should fulfill his wish for him!"

Jiang Bin whispered, "Twelve Battalions. How many battalions can we control?"

Zhang Hong said quickly: "Two of the Four Brave Camps are in You Jingwu's hands; two are in Wei Bin's hands. The commanders, assistant governors, and assistant officers of the Four Martial Camps and the Four Power Camps are all from the Leopard House. Two-thirds of the troops in the regiment are in our hands. As long as you give the order, it will be easy for the brothers to enter the capital."

Zhang Yong, the official in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Horse Department, nominally controls the strongest army in the capital, the Twelve Regiments. But the Twelve Regiments are made up of one person at a time. If the commander, the deputy commander, the assistant commander, and the thousand households listen to Jiang Bin, Zhang Yong is just a figurehead commander.

Jiang Bin pondered for a long time and made a compromise: "I've heard it all. If the emperor can be blessed with great fortune, escape danger and recover, we will give up everything. If the emperor dies, we will immediately transfer the old brothers of the regiment to the capital, appoint civil officials and protect the country for the emperor."

Jiang Bin's decision was simply this: he would not rebel until Emperor Zhengde died. Once Emperor Zhengde died, he would rebel.

He made a fatal mistake: rebellion requires speed. Waiting for the life and death of Emperor Zhengde is equivalent to missing the opportunity. (End of this chapter)