Ming Dynasty: At the beginning, the house was ransacked and the ancestral temple was burned down.

Chapter 245 The Emperor is hysterical!

It was already late at night when Zhang Chonghui was driven out of the Qianqing Palace.

Although Zhu Yijun only ordered him to be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice pending further action, Zhang Chonghui knew that the emperor was determined to kill him this time.

However, the remaining guilt and the fear that could not be easily erased made Zhu Yijun dare not make a decision too quickly.

Just as Zhang Chonghui said, Zhu Yijun didn't dare to do so because he was too afraid of Zhang Juzheng.

The person who came to send Zhang Chonghui to the Ministry of Justice prison was Chen Yin, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhang Chonghui didn't seem surprised. Why would Chen Yin, the eternal runner-up, come to see him off? He only asked:
"Excuse me, what time is it now?"

Chen Yin didn't hesitate and replied straightforwardly: "Zi Shi."

"How many moments?" Zhang Chonghui asked again.

"Just past four quarters." Chen Yin replied.

Zhang Chonghui breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with satisfaction: "That's good... That's good..."

Four quarters past, it was already the next day.

This means that the divination he made did not work.

"I know I don't have many days left to live." Zhang Chonghui suddenly made a request to Chen Yin, saying:

"Commander Luo is my relative. For his sake, can you please grant me one last wish?"

Chen Yin was still straightforward and asked, "What's your wish?"

"I want a jar of strong liquor, the stronger the better." Zhang Chonghui looked intoxicated:

"I haven't drunk for a long time. I want to get drunk before I leave."

……

Chen Yin was very quick, as if he had prepared it in advance, and soon had someone bring a large jar of liquor.

The alcohol is so strong that it's pungent just by smelling it.

Zhang Chonghui was like a drunkard who hadn't drunk for several lifetimes. On the way to the Ministry of Justice prison, he walked and gulped down wine.

The spicy drink made his stomach burn, but even so, he still forced himself to drink a few sips.

I don’t know if it’s because Zhang Chonghui’s alcohol tolerance is too low or for some other reason, but after just a few sips of wine, his hands started shaking like Parkinson’s disease.

Along the way, he didn't drink much wine, but the wine was spilled all over his sleeves. If you didn't know, you would think he fell into the wine jar.

……

Zhang Chonghui was drunk and even when he was thrown into the Ministry of Justice prison, he was still talking incomprehensible drunken words.

The 'old acquaintance' in the next cell laughed with glee after seeing Zhang Chonghui, an acquaintance:

"Hahaha! I never thought you would end up like this!"

……

Qianqing Palace.

Chen Ju reported to the Emperor the news that Zhang Chonghui had gone crazy while drunk.

In the past, Zhu Yijun would have asked about Zhang Chonghui's drunken words. However, this time, Chen Ju was met with only a long silence.

Zhu Yijun had already sat back on his dragon throne. At this moment, he was supporting his forehead with both hands, his elbows on his knees, his eyes were red and swollen, and he was staring blankly at the ground, as if he had lost his soul.

Chen Ju didn't know what Zhang Chonghui had said to the emperor before this, but he could see that the emperor had cried very hard.

"Your Majesty..." Chen Ju tried to persuade him, "It's getting late, why don't you go to bed early?"

Zhu Yijun still didn't react at all, and his entire body was abnormally quiet.

Chen Ju felt uneasy when he saw this. He carefully touched the emperor's arm and leaned closer to say:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"

After Chen Ju pushed and shoved several times, the emperor finally responded.

Zhu Yijun slowly raised his head, and when he saw Chen Ju, his distracted eyes suddenly frowned, and the confusion in his eyes gradually turned into deep bewilderment.

"Feng Daban? Aren't you...already dead?"

……

Mao Shi.

The second day of the first lunar month is the day when married daughters return to their parents' home.

Zhang Yunxiu's wife, Mrs. Li, got up early in the morning to pack her bags. However, this year, her husband could not accompany her back to her parents' home because her nephew was in jail "again" and as an uncle, she had to find a way to get her nephew out.

Although Li was unhappy, she did not dare to say anything more and had to take her two children back to her parents' home.

At the same time, Zhang Yunxiu, who was supposed to be out "rescuing his nephew", just arrived at Ye Xianggao's house.

"The Emperor is having a hysterical episode."

Ye Xianggao, who had already changed into his official uniform and was ready to leave for the cabinet, did not hesitate at all and directly told Zhang Yunxiu the latest news from the palace:

“Not long after Zhang Minghe left, the emperor started shouting and yelling in the palace.

Sometimes he said he met Feng Bao, sometimes he said he saw the late emperor.

It is said that the scene was extremely chaotic and the emperor was mad for half an hour before he finally passed out."

Zhang Yunxiu didn't seem to care about the emperor's condition. He just asked, "How many people know this news now?"

Ye Xianggao said: "Outside the palace, there are only you and me."

Zhang Yunxiu asked again: "What about Concubine Zheng? Has she made any moves?"

Ye Xianggao shook his head: "Not yet. The Jinyiwei are keeping an eye on her, so she can't send any messages out. Prince Fu's palace is also keeping a close eye on her, so Prince Fu can't enter the palace."

"Are those two people...reliable?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

Ye Xianggao did not answer directly, but asked in return: "Zhang Minghe has been crazy all the way, and soon everyone knows that his madness is due to alcohol. What do you think?"

Zhang Yunxiu finally felt relieved, but at the same time, he became worried about another thing.

"Can you really handle Luo Sigong's situation?" This time, it was Ye Xianggao's turn to ask.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Yunxiu clenched his fist and said, "You stay in the East Palace tonight and wait for my news."

……

After Zhang Yunxiu finished speaking, he left. He was going to the Southern Pacification Office to find his fourth brother Zhang Jianxiu.

Ye Xianggao also got on the sedan chair and went to the Forbidden City Cabinet as usual. He looked calm, as if he knew nothing.

……

Outside the palace, the atmosphere was peaceful, but inside the Qianqing Palace, it was a mess.

Ever since the Emperor had a hysterical attack, Chen Ju hurriedly called the imperial physician, and he also called the Emperor's true love, Concubine Zheng.

I don’t know if it was a coincidence or something, but when the emperor fell ill, the empress dowager also fell ill. It was said that she had a headache and was in so much pain that she couldn’t get out of bed.

The Queen was not ill, but it was only dawn now, and Concubine Zheng had specifically instructed that it would be better to delay the matter as much as possible and not let the Queen know the news of the Emperor's illness so quickly.

Zheng Mengjing actually didn't want to hide it from the queen, but she had no choice.

She knew very well that if the empress knew that the emperor was so seriously ill, the first thing she would do would be to order the old men in the cabinet to bring the crown prince into the palace, that is, to let the emperor make arrangements for his funeral in advance!
But now the emperor is too ill to wake up, what arrangements can be made for his funeral?

How and what to explain at that time will still be decided by those people in the cabinet!
Zheng Mengjing was very scared. After all, the civil servants had always been very dissatisfied with her. She could not guarantee that the cabinet would use the emperor's oral order as an excuse to forge an imperial edict to execute her, the evil concubine who brought disaster to the country and the people!

"What's going on? It's already daybreak. Why hasn't the person who left the palace to help King Xuan Bok come back yet?" Zheng Mengjing scolded Cui Wensheng who was standing beside him.

Right now, she is a woman isolated and helpless, and can only hope that her own son will come to the palace to accompany her. Who knows... maybe... the emperor, who is having a last burst of energy, will make her son the crown prince?
After all, the emperor had already intended to depose the crown prince.

Zheng Mengjing didn't know what Crown Prince Zhu Changluo said to the emperor yesterday, and she didn't know what Zhang Chonghui said to the emperor.

She only knew that a great opportunity to change the crown prince had gone wrong, and Zhang Chonghui had put her in jail again...

"Your Highness, it's just dawn now, and I think His Royal Highness Prince Fu is already on his way to the palace." Cui Wensheng replied.

"Hurry up and send someone to check again!" Zheng Mengjing was still worried. She didn't know why, but she always felt uneasy.

But no matter what, she had to let her son enter the palace first, and the prince absolutely could not enter first!
"Chen Ju!" Zheng Mengjing stared at Chen Ju and warned him word by word:

"You are someone I promoted. Remember, the Queen is not in good health. Don't let her know that the Emperor is ill!
In addition, let the imperial doctors treat the emperor as soon as possible! Also, as doctors, they should be careful with their words, let them cover their mouths tightly and don't go out and say nonsense! "

Although Chen Ju was extremely reluctant, he had to nod and agree, because he had risen to the position by currying favor with the imperial concubine.

Even though Chen Ju knew very well that if the emperor fell, ten concubines would not be able to save him, he was still willing to repay the favor.

After all, she is the emperor's most beloved woman. Even if not for himself, he has to consider the emperor's sake.

……

Cabinet Office.

Ye Xianggao was the first person to arrive at the cabinet. Not long after he arrived at the office, someone from the Imperial Household Department came.

The person who came was Zhang Cheng, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department.

"How come Eunuch Zhang has come here in person?" Ye Xianggao smiled very gently, not as arrogant as other civil servants who looked down on eunuchs.

Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "I was just walking around when I had nothing to do. I happened to see a memorial that I didn't quite understand, so I came to ask the elder."

"Oh?" Ye Xiang raised his eyebrows: "Which memorial?"

"It's about the great victory in the southwest." Zhang Cheng said as he opened the memorial in his hand and said:

"This general named Qin Liangyu has won many victories in the suppression of the rebellion in the southwest. The emperor was very happy when he heard about this."

Having said this, Zhang Cheng suddenly stopped, moved closer to Ye Xianggao, and whispered:
"Even the dragon body feels much better."

"It is the duty of a minister to share the worries of the sage." Ye Xianggao said, and then changed the subject and asked:

"The emperor's dragon body should be almost recovered, right?"

Zhang Cheng nodded and said something ambiguous: "Of course, the emperor summoned the imperial concubine to sleep with him last night."

"I see..." Ye Xianggao nodded thoughtfully.

"The emperor loves his son." Zhang Cheng continued, "The emperor summoned the crown prince yesterday. Today, I guess he will summon His Royal Highness Prince Fu."

When he said this, another person came. It was Yu Shenxing.

Yu Shenxing's arrival undoubtedly broke the strange conversation between the two.

Zhang Cheng and Yu Shenxing had a grudge against each other more than ten years ago. Both sides disliked each other, so Zhang Cheng left first.

Yu Shenxing did not ask Ye Xianggao what he had said to Zhang Cheng. He only asked Ye Xianggao one question seriously:

"I heard that Zhang Chonghui was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice last night. Do you know what happened?"

"What?" Ye Xianggao was immediately surprised, as if he had no idea about this matter, and even smiled with a gloating look:

"He's in jail again? Hahaha!"

……

When Zhang Chonghui woke up, he felt a splitting headache. When a familiar strange smell floated into his nasal cavity, which had never been very sensitive, he already knew where he was.

"Hahahaha, Deputy Zhang... ah no, Chief Zhang, long time no see! I never thought that one day we would actually meet in a place like this! Hahahaha!"

A familiar voice was heard in the cell next door. Zhang Chonghui looked over and in the dim light, he could see clearly who the dishevelled, white-haired old man was.

Zhang Chonghui ignored Shen Weijing. He first smelled his clothes and made sure that they were full of the smell of alcohol. Then he sat up, rubbing his dizzy head.

Seeing that Zhang Chonghui ignored him, Shen Weijing was unhappy, thinking that the reason why he fell to this point was largely due to Zhang Chonghui. However, Shen Weijing also looked down on it. Since he was captured from Korea and brought back to the Ming Dynasty, he has looked down on life and death.

Live one more day and it’s a day less, and you will be reincarnated sooner.

As for hatred, it fades away in the face of life and death.

Despite this, Shen Weijing was still happy to hear that Zhang Chonghui was also imprisoned. In order to watch the fun, he simply leaned against the fence between the two cells and teased with a strange smile:
"I remember you had a good alcohol tolerance, but how did you get so drunk last night? You said a lot of drunken words, and I didn't understand a word of them."

After hearing his drunken words, Zhang Chonghui looked at Shen Weijing and asked:
"What did I say?"

A hangover is not scary, what is scary is that others help you recall it afterwards.

However, at this time, Zhang Chonghui was not afraid of others helping him recall his embarrassing state after being drunk. What he was more afraid of was that he might have let something slip.

"You said too much, I can't remember it all." Shen Weijing scratched the lice on his head and said with a smile:
"I remember you asked the most, you wanted to make tea, and specifically you wanted to make that...

What red tea is in the bag? You said your uncle's family grew the tea themselves, so you can drink it for free.

You mumbled something... Old man, this tea is enough to sentence you to a suspended death sentence, drink it with your life."

"What a mess..." Zhang Chonghui was speechless. He didn't understand what Shen Weijing was saying at all. He just thought that the other party was talking nonsense because he was old.

Shen Weijing could hear Zhang Chonghui's disdain, and he said unhappily:
"How should I know what all that shit is? You said it yourself, and I still want to ask you what all that shit is!
Oh, yes! You even disrespectfully called your grandfather by his name, saying: I am not Zhang Juzheng, what does it have to do with me?

And you also said..."

Perhaps because no one had spoken for too long and he felt suffocated, Shen Weijing continued to talk incessantly.

Zhang Chonghui ignored Shen Weijing and began to sit cross-legged in meditation, looking like an old monk in trance.

At this point, Zhang Chonghui didn’t know what was happening outside, all he could do was wait patiently.

Do your best, leave the rest to fate, and be prepared to accept any results.

……

On the second day of the first lunar month, time passed slowly. On the surface, both the inner and outer courts seemed so peaceful and normal.

The cabinet was no different from the past, the only difference was that Yu Shenxing told the other two cabinet ministers when he was on duty that he was not feeling well and might not be able to come tomorrow.

Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe politely tried to persuade him to stay, saying something like "What would we do without you?" Yu Shenxing just smiled and said nothing more.

The cabinet seemed calm, but Concubine Zheng in the Qianqing Palace was so panicked that she could not sit still. She was even so panicked that she loudly scolded the imperial physician for not waking up the emperor yet.

The imperial doctors really had a hard time expressing their grievances. The emperor was already in poor health, and after his excited crying he inexplicably developed hysteria.

Everyone in the Imperial Hospital knew that the emperor would not live long as he was so ill, but this rude concubine locked them up in the Qianqing Palace and would not let them go out!
This left the imperial doctors, who could only prescribe tonic medicine for the emperor, with no idea what to do...

The imperial doctors were helpless, and so was Zheng Mengjing. She waited for her son for the entire day, from dusk until almost dark.

Those who were sent to summon her son to the palace were like a drop in the ocean, and they never came back after they left.

Zheng Mengjing knew the situation was not good, but what could she do now? Fortunately, Chen Ju was in charge of the East Factory, and the East Factory was in charge of the Imperial Guard, so she could feel more at ease...

"Chen Ju, it's almost dark, otherwise..." Zheng Mengjing gritted his teeth and said nervously:

"How about... you ask the Royal Guards to call Prince Fu into the palace?"

Chen Ju was startled, and his first reaction was: "My Lady Concubine! You absolutely cannot do this! Our ancestors stipulated that the harem is not allowed to…"

Chen Ju didn't say anything else, but Zheng Mengjing knew what Chen Ju was going to say. It was just that she, a woman in the harem, was not qualified to mobilize the Eastern Depot's Jinyiwei.

Chen Ju has already used his personal power to help the imperial concubine conceal the news of the emperor's serious illness because of personal connections. He dare not and cannot cross the line again!

After all, his real master is only His Majesty the Emperor!

"Your Highness, we can't keep this secret any longer. You should... tell the Queen first..." Chen Ju advised.

Zheng Mengjing became excited when he heard this, and slammed the table and cursed: "You little bitch, do you want me to die?"

……

The Qianqing Palace was in chaos, and the imperial concubine was so anxious that she was jumping up and down.

In a panic, Zheng Mengjing even wanted to get Zhang Chonghui out of jail to help her find a solution.

But she couldn't even mobilize the Jinyiwei, let alone Zhang Chonghui who was imprisoned by the emperor himself.

……

Beizhen Fusi.

Luo Sigong was a little surprised that Zhang Jianxiu, who had never paid much attention to him, actually took the initiative to come to the Beizhenfusi Yamen to find him and said he wanted to treat him to a drink.

"Hey, Zhang Sizhe, why did you invite me personally? Don't you have any bad intentions?"

Luo Sigong joked with a smile. After all, ever since Zhang Jianxiu was ordered by the emperor to be transferred to the quiet place of Nanzhenfusi, he had hardly set foot here.

"Why else!" Zhang Jianxiu said with an unhappy face, "My nephew was arrested by your subordinate Chen Yin and taken to the Ministry of Justice for no reason. I invited you to dinner to bribe you. Is that okay?"

"Hahaha." Luo Sigong smiled and put his arm around Zhang Jianxiu's shoulder, and told the truth: "It's useless for you to bribe me about this matter. This is the emperor's intention."

Zhang Jianxiu shook it off in annoyance: "I just want to ask you if you want to go out to eat and drink tonight!"

Luo Sigong smiled bitterly and shook his head: "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. Eunuch Chen specifically told me not to leave these days unless necessary."

"Okay!" Zhang Jianxiu was furious, pointing at Luo Sigong's nose and yelling:

"I came to you in person with a shameless face and invited you to have a drink, but you refused! Fine! If I say another word to you from now on, I will no longer be named Zhang!"

After saying this, Zhang Jianxiu strode away with a tough attitude that said, "I've broken up with you."

Luo Sigong was also dumbfounded. He didn't even understand why Zhang Jianxiu was so angry. After a moment of hesitation, he still found his subordinate Chen Yin:

"I have something to do tonight. If Eunuch Chen comes to see me, just tell him that my wife is making a fuss about going back to her parents' home and I'm going back to deal with her."

Chen Yin didn't ask any more questions, just nodded and said:

"Okay, Boss. Go ahead and do it."

……

Luo Sigong did not expect that Zhang Jianxiu's legs were so fast. After asking along the way, he found out that Zhang Jianxiu had gone to Zhang Yunxiu's house.

Although he didn't like his cousin Zhang Yunxiu, Luo Sigong still shamelessly knocked on Zhang Yunxiu's door.

To Luo Sigong's surprise, the person who opened the door was Zhang Yunxiu himself.

"Uncle, today is the second day of the Chinese New Year. Aren't you going back with my cousin?" Luo Sigong asked with a wry smile.

Zhang Yunxiu also asked back with a fake smile: "Didn't you go back home with your wife?"

"Haha." Luo Sigong laughed dryly and asked about the business: "Where is your fourth brother? He said he wanted to treat me to a drink, why is he hiding here with you?"

"What? They arrested my nephew yesterday, and today they are arresting my fourth brother? Are they going to arrest me tomorrow?"

Zhang Yunxiu spoke in a teasing tone as he walked towards the central courtyard. Although he did not look back, he knew that Luo Sigong was following him.

Luo Sigong laughed and said, "What are you talking about, cousin uncle? I just came to ask your fourth brother to go out for a drink. Please let him come out. Don't hide and get angry."

"What if he refuses to see you?" Zhang Yunxiu suddenly stopped.

Luo Sigong was about to say something when he saw Zhang Yunxiu smiling helplessly at him:

"Forget it, I don't want to bother with your business, so you wait here for a while, I'll go and persuade my fourth brother.

Of course, I have a condition. You have to help me take good care of my nephew in prison and don't let him get cold or hungry."

"Okay." Luo Sigong agreed readily, "We are all relatives, so it's only right that we help each other."

……

Zhang Yunxiu went to persuade people. He was away for only a quarter of an hour and came back soon.

Meanwhile, it was getting dark.

"My fourth brother said that he no longer wanted to go out for drinks, so he decided to just set up a table at my house.

I have already asked the servants to prepare wine and food. You just wait for my fourth brother here in the corridor.

Oh, and I have to go out for something later, so I won’t be drinking with you guys, so please do as you please.”

Zhang Yunxiu said it very calmly, as if he didn't want to get involved between these two people.

Luo Sigong wished Zhang Yunxiu wasn't there. Seeing him running away, he didn't forget to tease:
"Uncle, don't go too far when you go out to whore. My cousin will be jealous."

Zhang Yunxiu, who had already left, suddenly turned back after hearing this ridicule. He seemed very angry and immediately put on an elder's face and scolded:

"What kind of obscene words did you say? What do you mean? Are there any rules?"

Luo Sigong still smiled playfully: "Oh, I was just kidding, why are you still angry?"

"Remember, I am your elder. I will never..."

Zhang Yunxiu's elder face was soon broken. He stared blankly at Luo Sigong's back and murmured:
"Fourth brother..."

When Luo Sigong saw Zhang Yunxiu suddenly become distracted and call him "Fourth Brother" from behind, his subconscious reaction outweighed all his rationality and he immediately turned around.

Luo Sigong thought he would be able to see Zhang Jianxiu when he turned around, but the dark corridor that came into view was empty.

In a flash, Luo Sigong knew he had fallen into a trap!
However, it was too late.

Even though he was a military general, the moment he turned around, the sharp blade in Zhang Yunxiu's sleeve had already stabbed into his back!
"Puff puff!"

Zhang Yunxiu stabbed Luo Sigong three times like a madman, each stab deeper than the last!

Luo Sigong was a martial artist after all, and even though he was stabbed and couldn't scream, he still endured the severe pain, turned around, and tried to snatch the knife from Zhang Yunxiu's hand!

However, something happened that surprised Luo Sigong. Zhang Yunxiu actually threw the knife to the ground!
The next moment, Zhang Yunxiu quickly jumped back, trembling and laughing strangely:

"Luo Sigong, there is a deadly poison on the blade. You will be dead in a moment!"

"Hahaha! I told you long ago that I would kill you with my own hands! I did it! I avenged my big brother!"

Zhang Yunxiu laughed louder and louder, and his revenge made him laugh crazier and crazier.

The piercing pain started from the wound and quickly spread throughout the body. Luo Sigong saw stars in pain and fell to his knees.

At this point, Luo Sigong knew that he was doomed. He looked at Zhang Yunxiu who was laughing like crazy, and with a feeling of unwillingness, he used up his last bit of strength and gritted his teeth and said:
"How dare you kill me! I am a retainer of the emperor! Your Zhang family is finished!"

"The emperor's retainer?" Zhang Yunxiu stopped laughing crazily. He picked up the knife, walked up to Luo Sigong, raised his leg and kicked him hard!
Once, twice, three times!
It was not until Luo Sigong was kicked to the ground and couldn't get up that Zhang Yunxiu continued to taunt him:

"You are still a retainer of the emperor? The Ming Dynasty is about to change dynasties. What does it matter if you die as a dog?"

As time passed, Luo Sigong's consciousness became more and more confused. The severe pain in his internal organs made him cough desperately, and black blood spurted out of his mouth. His scene was miserable.

His throat was blocked by blood and he couldn't speak, but he still coughed wildly and asked incoherently:

"Sizhe...where is he? I want to see him..."

Zhang Yunxiu actually couldn't hear clearly what Luo Sigong was saying, but he guessed it.

Zhang Yunxiu laughed, and then he started crying again...

He laughed at Luo Sigong, who was about to die, but was still thinking about his fourth brother.

He cried. He had clearly gotten his revenge, but he found it was not as satisfying as he had imagined...

"Want to see my fourth brother?"

Zhang Yunxiu looked at Luo Sigong, who was bleeding from all seven orifices, with a sad look. He forced the corners of his mouth and smiled bitterly:
"Okay."

"In the next life."

(End of this chapter)