The Ming Dynasty started with saving the eldest grandson

Chapter 415 The Last Blind Spot

Hu Mei, Marquis of Linchuan, was one of the founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty. His daughter entered the palace as a concubine and was called Concubine Hu Shun.

She was one of the imperial concubines, and her status was second only to Empress Ma.

Concubine Hu Shun gave birth to a son, Prince of Xiang Zhu Bo.

One of the core members of Zhu Xiongying's small circle.

Therefore, Concubine Hu Shun was more favored than in history, and Hu Mei naturally benefited from it.

No one expected that his son-in-law Zhao Fu would also be involved.

However, no matter who is involved in matters such as defiling the imperial palace, they will be sent to prison.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards went out overnight and raided Zhao Fu's house.

Even Hu Mei's entire family was confined to their homes by the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and not even a fly was allowed to leave without permission.

Zhao Fu was not as tough as Zhou Ji and Wang Yong. As soon as the Jinyiwei took out the torture instruments, he confessed everything.

Then, as expected, Hu Mei was also exposed.

To be precise, this case was originally caused by him.

He himself was a nobleman, his daughter was a royal concubine, and his grandson was the very favored Prince of Xiang.

Naturally, he was qualified to enter and leave the palace.

Then he became so bold as to have an affair with a palace maid.

With the help of this palace maid acting as a pimp, several other palace maids got involved.

There is no wall that is impenetrable, and it wasn't long before his affair was discovered by his son-in-law Zhao Fu.

He was unable to bear the exploitation of the palace maids and even dragged Zhao Fu in.

The father-in-law and son-in-law became like-minded people.

Zhao Fu couldn't help feeling a little proud as he had been having an affair with the palace maid for so long without being discovered.

Once when drunk he showed off and told Zhou Ji about it.

Fearing that Zhou Ji would report him, he brought him in.

Later Zhou Ji pulled Wang Yong in again.

After getting the confession, Chen Jingke was completely numb, and Zhu Yuanzhang exploded on the spot.

"Wow..."

Zhu Yuanzhang turned into a desktop cleaning master. With a wave of his hand, he swept everything on the table to the ground, making a crackling sound.

"This is deceiving God..."

"How dare you bully me..."

"I am too kind-hearted, that's why I was humiliated by them..."

Zhu Biao sat quietly on the side, his face also full of murderous intent.

Not to mention Zhu Xiongying, who was directly shouting that he wanted to kill people.

I can tolerate other things, but not this one.

Although palace maids were not concubines, strictly speaking they were all reserve women of the emperor.

If others move, it is like putting a hat on the emperor.

But for the royal family, being labeled is a small matter. What is really fatal is the royal bloodline.

If this is contaminated, it will be the most deadly.

This matter must be dealt with seriously so that people will not have any other thoughts in the short term.

Chen Jingke on the side also frowned. He was really fed up with these people.

Is your brain filled with shit?
Don’t you have any idea of ​​what you can do and what you can’t do?
You can't live a good life, right? You want to have thrilling experiences every day, right?
In this life, Zhu Yuanzhang did not massacre the nobles, which indeed made many of them become arrogant.

Especially using fiefdoms in exchange for their support for reform made them feel very powerful.

They were so powerful that even the emperor had to exchange interests with them.

This gave them the illusion that the noble group could compete with the imperial power.

Otherwise, no one would dare to force the emperor to abdicate during the welcoming ceremony.

Since you guys want to play, let’s go big this time.

It's a good opportunity to clean up the noble class so that no one can become a prince.

Just when Old Zhu was jumping up and down, Ma Niangniang pushed the door open and walked in, consoling him:
"Calm down, don't get angry and make yourself sick. If you get angry, how can you deal with these traitors?"

Hearing this, Lao Zhu suppressed his anger and said:
"Sister, don't stop me this time. If you do, I will turn against you."

Ma Niangniang kicked the broken porcelain pieces on the ground aside, walked over to him, and pressed him down on the chair:
"Why would I stop you? Those people really need to be taught a lesson."

Old Zhu immediately sneered and said, "Okay, sister, your words are enough. This time we have to teach them a lesson."

Then he turned his gaze to Chen Jingke and asked:

"Are you going to plead for someone else this time?"

Chen Jingke shook his head and said bitterly: "I beg his mother's legs..."

Madam Ma glared at him and said, "Speak properly."

Chen Jingke smiled awkwardly before continuing, "If it wasn't for the overall situation, I wouldn't bother to care about their lives before."

"Since they are seeking their own death, let's just settle the accounts this time."

"It's a good opportunity to clean up the noble group and get rid of the dregs before the Great Enfeoffment."

"Because they become vassal lords in the future, they will bring disaster to the people and destroy our imperial plan."

Old Zhu said with satisfaction: "That's more like it... Humph, let Du Tongli take action. We need a detailed report."

Chen Jingke said: "I have asked him to do it, and there will be results soon."

"Most of the nobles serve in the military. Your Majesty may as well ask Duke Liang to investigate from within the military."

Old Zhu nodded and said, "Okay, let's issue the order right away."

After the general policy was determined, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger subsided a lot, but his murderous intent rose.

Chen Jingke felt creepy after staying with him for a while longer.

Now that things outside the palace have been regulated, the next thing to do is to deal with things inside the palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "What's going on in the palace? Does she know about this?"

This "she" naturally refers to Concubine Hu Shun.

Madam Ma shook her head and said, "I asked her, but she didn't know about it."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at her straightly: "Such a big thing, how could she..."

Madam Ma said: "It is true that she is Hu Mei's daughter, but she is also Zhu Bo's biological mother. How could she not consider her son?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was suddenly speechless.

Chen Jingke secretly gave a thumbs up, it has to be Empress Ma.

On the surface, this means that Concubine Hu Shun will not cover up for her own father for the sake of her son.

In fact, it was a reminder to Zhu Yuanzhang to take Zhu Bo's feelings into consideration.

How will he cope with the situation if you kill his mother?

Moreover, Zhu Bo is not an ordinary son. He has outstanding abilities and is a member of Zhu Xiongying's small circle.

Lao Zhu must consider the consequences of doing this.

At this time, Zhu Xiongying also stood up and looked at him with pleading eyes:
"Grandpa Huang..."

Although it was not stated explicitly, the meaning was obvious.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened his mouth and finally sighed:
"It's best if she doesn't know, but she is also guilty of negligence in this matter. All her titles will be revoked and she will be banished to the cold palace."

"After Zhu Bo is enfeoffed, let her go with him to spend her old age in peace."

Zhu Xiongying said quickly: "I would like to thank Grandpa Huang on behalf of my twelfth uncle."

Chen Jingke breathed a sigh of relief, at least Zhu Bo's mother was saved.

In fact, Hu Mei and others have not been exposed for such a long time, and no one would believe that there is no one in the palace to clean up their messes.

This person is undoubtedly the imperial concubine Hu Shunfei. But if Hu Shunfei is to be dealt with, Zhu Bo cannot be avoided.

Old Zhu didn't want to make things too awkward with his son, and Zhu Xiongying pleaded for him.

So even though he knew that Madam Ma was lying to him, he still pretended to believe her.

Of course, it has to be Empress Ma. No one else could persuade her, nor would they dare to.

At this time, anyone who dares to speak for the people involved in the case will be attacked.

Even Zhu Biao can't do it. He will definitely be scolded to death and then chased and hacked by Zhu with a sword.

Only Empress Ma could make him willingly be deceived.

Banishing her to the cold palace and waiting for Zhu Bo to be enfeoffed as a vassal was the greatest kindness he could show her.

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, and then asked the question that everyone was most concerned about:
"Who else is involved?"

The subtext is, besides the palace maids, are there other concubines involved?

Madam Ma thankfully said, "Only thirteen palace maids were involved in the case, and some eunuchs accepted their bribes and helped cover it up."

Hearing this, everyone felt relieved.

As long as there is no problem with the concubines, it is a blessing in disguise.

Old Zhu's tense heart was relieved a lot, but he still said angrily:
"Continue to investigate. We must clean out the harem and execute all those involved in the case."

Madam Ma's expression also turned cold: "Don't worry, I will take care of it."

She just didn't want to kill people indiscriminately, but if someone rode on her face, she would never show mercy.

After the small meeting, Chen Jingke went to Kunning Palace under the pretext of examining Empress Ma's health.

Just when he was hesitating about how to start, Madam Ma spoke first:

"Tell me, what do you want to see me for?"

Chen Jingke complimented, "Your Majesty is wise."

Ma Niangniang glanced at him and said: "I watched you grow up too. As soon as you stick your butt out, I know what shit you are going to do."

"Pfft..." Xu Miaojin couldn't help laughing.

Chen Jingke was so embarrassed: "Madam, what you said is detrimental to your image."

Ma Niangniang leaned back in her chair and found a comfortable position to sit down:

"You're going to tell me or not. If you don't, I'm going to take a rest."

Chen Jingke said quickly: "Don't worry... I just want to ask, why did those palace maids still..."

"It would be fine if one or two people were brainless, but thirteen people, I think it's a bit abnormal."

Madam Ma said calmly, "Does this matter?"

Chen Jingke said seriously: "It is very important. If we don't clarify the problem, there is no guarantee that similar things will not happen again in the future."

Madam Ma seemed to have realized something was wrong, and said worriedly:
"Of the thirteen palace maids involved in the case, six were abused and wanted someone to help them."

"Four of them are old and feel that there is no hope for them to leave the palace. They don't want to die of old age in the palace."

"Another one discovered their affair and was raped by them. Afterwards, he joined in half-heartedly."

"The remaining two are the brainless and fearless ones you mentioned."

"The eunuchs who protected them either took their money or hoped to improve their lives in the palace through them."

Chen Jingke sighed, "It's pretty much what I thought."

Madam Ma raised her eyebrows and asked, "Oh, what did you think of?"

Chen Jingke replied: "Once you enter the palace, you are no longer a human being."

Madam Ma frowned and said unhappily, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Xu Miaojin quickly winked at him, telling him not to talk nonsense.

Chen Jingke ignored their expressions and continued, "Even if you are unhappy, I will say it."

"You know how strict the palace rules are, even without me telling you."

"Many departments can't even be described as harsh. They don't treat people as human beings at all. The laundry department is the worst."

"My lady, do you think that being in the laundry department is any different from being dead?"

Empress Ma stopped talking. She knew very well how cruel the laundry department was.

Anyone who enters there is no longer considered a human being.

Everything else is false, data is the most real.

Just to give you one piece of data, the department with the highest number of deaths in the palace every year is the laundry department.

In fact, three of the palace maids who participated in the adultery had once been in the laundry department.

Later, with the help of Hu Mei and others, he escaped.

Chen Jingke was delighted to see that she had listened, and continued:

"Eunuchs are all human beings, with emotions and desires. It is impossible to expect them to be selfless and work hard without complaint."

"You can only enter the palace but not leave. Once you enter the palace, it is almost impossible to leave."

This mainly depends on Zhu Yuanzhang's character.

At first he regarded all people in the world as slaves, but later under the influence of Chen Jingke, his view of the world changed.

But it is difficult to change one's nature, and he can treat the people of the world rationally.

It is difficult to change the attitude towards eunuchs.

In his eyes, eunuchs were his slaves and they could forget about having human rights.

He also despised eunuchs, believing that they were lowly and needed to be strictly guarded against.

Under such circumstances, one can imagine how miserable the eunuchs' lives were.

"They only have one way to go, up."

"If you can make it out, it's good. If you can't, your fate will be very miserable."

"So everyone in the palace will try their best to climb up, so they will do whatever it takes."

“If you can’t climb up, it’s easy to give up on yourself.”

"Some people go to extremes. Rather than dying like this, they would rather live one day at a time."

"At least before they were discovered, they felt like they were living like human beings."

"If someone outside the palace offers them benefits, they will cling to it as a lifeline."

"This is true for eunuchs and palace maids alike."

If it were Lao Zhu, he would definitely say with murderous intent: Kill, kill until they dare not.

But Empress Ma is different, she is more empathetic and knows the importance of solving the problem at its root.

"What you said makes sense."

"Since you've raised this question, I think there's already a solution. Just tell me."

Chen Jingke stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point:
“Treat them as human beings and give them hope.”

"More specifically, change the lifetime system of eunuchs to a contract system."

The concept of employment has become popular with the implementation of the Employment Law, and Empress Ma naturally knows what it means.

She also understood Chen Jingke's plan.

Although there is no clear stipulation that eunuchs are lifelong employees, it is true that once you enter the palace, it is like being stuck in a deep sea with almost no possibility of leaving.

When it is impossible to climb up and there is no hope of leaving the palace, someone will inevitably choose to take risks.

It was changed to a contract system, and students could leave the palace when the term was reached.

Given the chance to live a normal life, naturally not many people would do something that would cost them their brains.

To put it bluntly, the appointment system is to give them hope.

But she also has her own concerns: "There are many secrets in the palace. If the appointment system is adopted, will it lead to the disclosure of royal privacy?"

(End of this chapter)