Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 76

Just when Zhu Gaoxu met with Taoist Qingxuan.

Wenhua Hall.

"Jiang Wei, I asked you to pay close attention to the two county princes Lingshou and Gaoyang. What have you found out in the past two days?"

After Zhu Di succeeded to the throne, Jiang Yu remained one of the commanders of the Jinyi Guards.

"Your Majesty, I have found out that Prince Lingshou intends to spread rumors and slander His Highness the Crown Prince." Jiang Yu said respectfully.

"What rumors is he trying to spread?" Zhu Di asked.

"I dare not say it."

Jiang Wei said hurriedly.

After he finished speaking, he quickly took out a pamphlet from his arms, and then presented the pamphlet to Zhu Di respectfully.

Zhu Di knew that this booklet was a document carried by the Jinyiwei spies to monitor the civil and military ministers.

Under normal circumstances, Jinyiwei will record every word and deed of the person under surveillance in detail, and even draw pictures on it.

The contents of the rumors Zhu Gaosui intended to spread are recorded above.

After reading it, Zhu Di was so angry that he threw the pamphlet to the ground.

"This scoundrel is simply insane!"

It turns out that Zhu Gaosui wanted to start with Zhu Gaoxu's concubine, the Wang family, and then discredit Zhu Gaoxu.

The general content of the rumor was that Zhu Gaoxu's concubine, the Wang family, was unlucky. She was not only from a foreign race, but also had scars on her face. She was the reincarnation of an evil spirit. After she entered the palace, she brought bad luck to the royal family and led to Zhu Yuanzhang's death. He had no choice but to kill her. Only in this way can she avoid bad luck from happening again.

Rumor has it that there are noses and eyes. Yan Wang gave birth to a son on the seventh day of the month, and Taizu passed away on the eighth day of the next day. The timing was just right.

After people who don't know the truth hear the rumors, it is estimated that most people will feel disgusted with Wang.

In this day and age, people are still very superstitious.

At that time, under the pressure of public opinion, if Zhu Di disposed of the Wang family, it would be equivalent to admitting that Zhu Gaoxu's concubine, the Wang family, was unlucky.

According to this logic, Zhu Gaoxu is responsible for the oversight. In this way, Zhu Gaoxu is also jointly and severally responsible for the death of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Di knew that this was purely Zhu Gaosui's crazy slander. Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Gaoxu to bring the Wang family into the palace, and Zhu Yuanzhang's death had nothing to do with the Wang family.

"But there are others?"

Zhu Di suppressed his anger and asked again.

"Prince Lingshou bribed a censor a few days ago. He instructed the censor to report that the consort Ouyang Lun had embezzled money from the Royal Merchant Company on the day of His Majesty's coronation ceremony. Unexpectedly, the censor was afraid of His Majesty's power and did not jump out to report it. Prince Consort Ouyang Lun."

Zhu Di knew that Ouyang Lun and Zhu Gaoxu had an unusual relationship. If Zhu Gaosui brought down Ouyang Lun, he could use this to ruin Zhu Gaoxu's reputation.

"Is it true that Ouyang Lun is corrupt?" Zhu Di asked.

Jiang Wei replied: "I am still investigating."

"I asked you to monitor all the officials. Can you find out who are dissatisfied with me for choosing Gao Xu as the crown prince?" Zhu Di asked again.

He originally planned to let Zhu Gaoxu successfully implement the new currency and imperial examination reforms in a few years, and then take the opportunity to appoint him as the prince.

After all, Zhu Gaoxu was the second legitimate son. Although Zhu Gaochi had a foot problem, he was the eldest son alive.

However, the plan could not keep up with the changes. Some ministers held high the ancestral system and asked him to appoint his eldest son Zhu Gaochi as the crown prince.

As everyone knows, Zhu Yuanzhang named Zhu Gaoxu, the second son of Zhu Di, as the Crown Prince of Yan on the grounds that Zhu Gaochi was born with foot problems.

Nowadays, some ministers support Zhu Gaochi, the king of Gaoyang County who has foot problems, as the crown prince.

In Zhu Di's view, these people wanted to use the ancestral system to force him to bow his head.

Zhu Yuanzhang only named Zhu Gaoxu as the Crown Prince of Yan during his lifetime, but did not make Zhu Gaoxu the grandson.

The ancestral system stipulates that the eldest son should be appointed as the crown prince, so those officials asking Zhu Di to appoint his eldest son Zhu Gaochi as the crown prince does not conflict with the ancestral system.

After all, Zhu Yuanzhang's secret edict was given to Zhu Di, and the officials who supported Zhu Gaochi did not know about it.

Zhu Di was originally extremely angry at those ministers who caused trouble in the court by establishing a prince on the grounds of ancestral system.But he is a sinister and ruthless person.

As the saying goes, one emperor and one courtier, Zhu Di decided to take advantage of the situation. He wanted to take this opportunity to suppress dissidents and support those who were hiding in the palace to rise to power.

Zhu Di understood the essence of Zhu Yuanzhang's fishing and law enforcement, so he directly canonized Zhu Gaoxu as the prince without announcing Taizu's secret edict in the court.

He wanted to see who was trying to use the ancestral system to force him to submit.

As for Jie Jin, who supports Zhu Gaochi, he is a bait sent by Zhu Di to confuse the public and confuse those who adhere to the ancestral system.

"I have drawn up a list."

While Jiang Wei was speaking, he took out a memorial from his arms.

Zhu Di took the memorial and unfolded it and found that it was densely written with the names of nearly a hundred people, some he knew and some he didn't.

On this list, except for Yu Xin, the Minister of Household Affairs, there are no other ministers or minister-level officials.

Zhu Di had an impression of Yu Xin and knew that this person was not a stubborn person. Perhaps the reason why he supported Zhu Gaochi the day before yesterday was to make him unhappy.

Yu New Year has a lot of things to do, and he will become an official sooner or later, and Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Household Affairs, is deeply favored by the Holy Family.

If Yu Xin retires due to the turmoil surrounding his appointment as the crown prince, he can gain a reputation for speaking out.

Moreover, after he retired, Zhu Di promoted Xia Yuanji to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

"Except for the Minister of Revenue, I want evidence of the crimes of everyone else."

Zhu Di ordered in a low voice.

"I know what to do." Jiang Ying said respectfully.

"You step back."

Zhu Di sent Jiang Ying away.

After a while, the chamberlain on duty reported: "Your Majesty, the chamberlain advisor Xie Jin is leading Hanzhong professor Fang Xiaoru to seek an audience outside the palace."

"See you soon." Zhu Di said loudly.

Later, Xie Jin led Fang Xiaoru into the Wenhua Hall, and they both saluted at the same time.

"My attendant and advisor Xie Jin is here to report back to Your Majesty." Xie Jin bowed and bowed.

"Professor Fang Xiaoru of Hanzhong bows to pay homage to His Majesty, Long Live Your Majesty!"

Fang Xiaoru touched his head to the ground and bowed to the new emperor.

He happened to meet Zhu Gaosui, the king of Lingshou County, but he was set up by Zhu Gaosui, and the so-called "guest on the throne of Lingshou County" was just what Zhu Gaosui said to the outside world.

In fact, Fang Xiaoru only stayed at Zhu Gaosui's residence for less than half an hour.

After he bid farewell to Zhu Gaosui, he was taken into the palace to the Wenhua Hall by Jie Jin, who was ordered by Zhu Di.

"Let's all be flat."

Zhu Di looked at Fang Xiaoru, who had an elegant demeanor in his movements, and said, "Mr. Fang has come all the way here. Thank you for your hard work. Please give me a seat."

The chamberlain on duty had quick eyesight and quick hands, and quickly moved a chair and placed it next to Fang Xiaoru.

"How could I be so virtuous and capable as to dare to sit down in front of His Majesty? I would never dare!"

Fang Xiaoru said with great respect.

"In that case, that's all."

Zhu Di waved his hand and signaled the chamberlain to remove the chair.

"When Taizu was still alive, he told me about Mr. Zhengxue's name, and asked me to promote him to cabinet adviser after I came to the throne. This time I asked Mr. Xie to invite you to the capital in his name, but I didn't expect to involve you. In the midst of the turmoil surrounding the establishment of the new crown prince, I really feel a little sorry, and I hope you will forgive me, sir."

After a pause, Zhu Di said in a sincere tone.

"I dare not, Your Majesty is merciful." Fang Xiaoru bowed quickly.

(End of this chapter)