Daming: My boss Zhu Yuanzhang

When Zhao Ben heard this, he suddenly became cold, as if a basin of ice water had been poured on his head.

When the guard saw that he didn't move, he went in and pulled him out. Other officials who wanted to run out were shouted back by the guards with knives, and the cell door was closed again.

After a while, Zhao Ben was brought in. He looked at the human-shaped charcoal on the big iron plate, as well as the remaining hair and clothes with horrified eyes. He suddenly had no doubts in his heart.

Although he was not frightened and fainted like Du Ze, his legs became weak and he collapsed to the ground.

Li Wei glanced at him and said, "You see, this is what happens if you don't confess easily. If you don't want to end up like him, just confess it honestly. Du Ze saved his life only by confessing honestly."

"You, what do you want me to tell you?" Zhao Ben looked at Li Wei with frightened eyes and asked in a trembling voice.

"Who gave you the evidence you all used to impeach me?"

When Zhao Ben heard this, he hesitated for a moment, and Li Wei immediately shouted: "Put him on the rack and roast him!"

"Yes!"

The guard ordered him to immediately push him onto the big iron plate. When Zhao Ben saw the "scorched corpse" getting closer and closer, he was so frightened that he struggled violently and shouted:

"Zhang Zongyi, this is a letter from Zhang Zongyi to me!"

Li Wei then raised his hand to stop the movement of the guard and continued to ask: "Where did Zhang Zongyi get it?"

Zhao Ben thought for a while, and Li Wei immediately shouted: "Roast him!"

Zhao Ben was so frightened that he shouted in panic: "No! Please give me a moment, sir. I have to think about what to say!"

"Oh, okay then, think quickly!" Li Wei stopped the guard's operation again.

Zhao Ben took a long breath and pondered for a moment before speaking softly: "If my prediction is correct, Zhang Zongyi should have got in touch with Xian Lin."

"Xianlin?" Li Wei repeated the name, "Who is Xianlin?"

"Xianlin is not a name for a person, but refers to a place where Confucian talents gather." Zhao Ben explained.

"Then where is this gathering place?" Li Wei asked.

However, Zhao Ben shook his head: "I don't know."

Li Wei glared and immediately shouted: "Roast him!"

The guard immediately pushed Zhao Ben onto the iron plate.

"No! Listen to my explanation, listen to my explanation!"

Zhao Ben was about to cry. It's not like he didn't say anything. Li Wei pushed him onto the fire plate at every turn, and there was a burnt corpse on it. This was too scary!

Li Wei was just trying to scare people and didn't want to actually roast him. When he saw that he was subdued, he asked the guards to pull him back. "Then explain quickly!"

"Yes, if Xianlin wants to hold a meeting, it is usually invited by several teachers in advance through letters. The location is not fixed. Sometimes it is an academy, sometimes a teahouse, sometimes a mountain loft, etc. Since I entered the court, After that, I didn't receive any more invitations, so I don't know where Xian Lin is now." Zhao Ben spoke faster, fearing that if he spoke too slowly, Li Weizhen would roast him together with the corpse.

When Li Wei heard this, he was filled with surprise and doubt.

This Xianlin is quite well organized. It would be difficult to catch them if they just shoot and change places.

"Did Zhang Zongyi receive the invitation?" Li Wei asked.

Zhao Ben was not sure about this and said softly: "I am just guessing that the Xianlin has rules. If you enter the court and do not enter the Xianlin, they will only invite talented and wise men without official status. After Zhang Zongyi is dismissed from office, there may be Opportunity to receive an invitation.”

Li Wei frowned and said nothing. It seemed that this matter would have to wait until Zhang Zongyi was caught before the truth could come to light.

Fortunately, those who were sent abroad have begun to return to Beijing one after another, and Zhang Zongyi is also on the list. If nothing happens, he will be arrested and returned to Beijing soon.

Li Wei put Zhang Zongyi's matter aside for the time being and continued to ask Zhao Ben: "Did Zhang Zongyi also do the murder of the emperor's grandson and the queen?"

"I really don't know this. Didn't the emperor's grandson and the empress both die of illness? Why do you keep insisting that someone murdered them?"

Zhao Ben was also confused. He originally thought that the things Li Wei asked about, such as the murder of the emperor's grandson, were all excuses for him to take revenge. But looking at Li Wei's appearance, it didn't seem to be the case, which made him feel very strange. , the queen and the emperor's grandson obviously died of illness, but he had never heard of any signs of murder.

Li Wei also frowned. In fact, he didn't know this matter. Zhu Yuanzhang said this himself. As for what Zhu Yuanzhang based his judgment on, he didn't know.

"Forget it, you should talk about this Xianlin thing. When was this organization established and who leads it."

Li Wei put aside the murder of the emperor's grandson and asked about Xianlin.

Zhao Ben paused, with a look of reminiscence on his face. Li Wei did not let anyone roast him again this time, but waited patiently for a while.

"The Forest of Sages, the Forest of Sages, is a place where Confucian sages gather to exchange knowledge and cultivate talents." Zhao Ben finally spoke leisurely, describing a long-standing organization.

"At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolian cavalry crossed the river and destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty. Some Confucian scholars and scholars died in observance of integrity, and some hid in the mountains and forests..."

"There are more surrenders!" Li Wei interrupted.

Zhao Ben was at a loss for words and had to bypass the question and continued: "Since Yashan, there has been no Chinese clothes in the world, and Confucian scholars have been despised. As the saying goes, there are seven craftsmen and eight prostitutes, nine Confucians and ten beggars, especially in Jiangnan. The land has a low status, so some people with lofty ideals who are not willing to be humiliated gathered together and formed this land of virtuous people, with the mission of cultivating virtuous people and restoring the clothes of China."

When Li Wei heard this, he couldn't help being surprised. Is this a just organization composed of patriots?

In fact, Zhao Ben's words are also biased. After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, although the status of Confucianism was not as good as that of the Song Dynasty, it was similar to other religions and was still higher than that of the common people. However, this huge gap was a big gap for literati like them. It was hard to accept, and he even complained that Confucianism was worse than prostitution.

Li Wei didn't understand this, so he didn't refute. Zhao Ben continued: "Later, the Yuan Dynasty opened schools, the status of literati was improved, and many people in the Xianlin joined the court. The name of Xianlin became false, but after Ruya entered the court, However, their status was always not as good as those of the Mongolian and Yuan nobles. By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, when everyone saw that the power of the court was exhausted, they resigned one after another and reunited in Xianlin to support the heroes of the various rebel armies."

Li Wei listened for a long time and finally understood that these so-called people with lofty ideals were holding the banner of justice and doing everything for their own benefit. Meng Yuan did not treat them well enough, so they turned against Meng Yuan. After the Yuan Dynasty was opened, they joined forces and waited until the disaster was over. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, they would start anew to support the rebels. What the hell!

"So your Majesty was also one of the rebels you supported?" Li Wei asked. (End of chapter)