Ming Dynasty: The ghost betrays the Confucian sage, my son Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 297 Zhu Yuanzhang killed the consort, and the officials were numb

Song Guogong Mansion.

Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen, Heshou Marquis Zhang Yi, Shunshou Marquis Zhu Shou, Dingyuan Marquis Wang Bi and Dong Guanbo He Rong and other marquises gathered together for the emperor's banquet in Wuying Hall tonight, and everyone's face was filled with sadness. Concealed excitement.

"Look, I have long said that your Majesty will never touch us." Zhu Shouhao, the Marquis of Shunshao, said angrily, "Now the Ming Dynasty is booming. The Ming Dynasty is building military bases in Nanyang, the Western Regions and even the Americas. It is exactly what generals like us are needed. when."

Zhang Yi, the Marquis of Heshou, nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty's purpose of hosting this banquet is undoubtedly to stabilize our hearts. Maybe our brothers will be able to lead the army again soon."

Jingchuan Hou Cao Zhen's eyes lit up when he heard this: "It would be great to lead the army again! I really look forward to going overseas to explore. I heard that the life in the guard there is so comfortable. The sea and sky are vast, let me gallop."

However, Wang Bi, the Marquis of Dingyuan, looked worried: "Your Majesty, this banquet will be a Hongmen Banquet, right?"

Dongguan Bo He Rong immediately shook his head in denial: "Absolutely impossible. It's not just us who are invited tonight, there are also many meritorious generals and important officials of the court. How can your Majesty hold a Hongmen Banquet for everyone?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Feng Sheng, who had been silent. He took a leisurely sip of tea, and then said with a smile: "We have performed our duties faithfully for His Majesty, so His Majesty will naturally reward us with a banquet and appoint a new appointment at the same time."

Everyone was relieved after hearing this and nodded in agreement. After the short gathering, the marquises went back to their respective homes, looking forward to the palace feast in the evening.

Dusk, Wuying Palace.

"The Emperor has arrived!" came the voice of Wang Jinghong, the chief eunuch.

……

Feng Sheng's heart skipped a beat. The emperor actually brought Li Shanchang here. Something must have happened. Worry flashed in his eyes, but the other nobles were completely unaware of it and approached Li Shanchang to greet him warmly. They all regard Li Shanchang as their big brother.

Huaixi nobles and a group of courtiers all came to the banquet. Everyone gathered in Wuying Hall, which was very lively. When the old prime minister Li Shanchang walked into the hall, everyone was shocked.

The generals also laughed in agreement, and Dingyuan Marquis Wang Bi said: "Your Majesty, I often think of the time when we were fighting in the past. Your Majesty, you led us to attack the city and conquer the stronghold, and we enjoyed the food and drink."

Everyone chatted for a long time, and some people realized something was wrong. The emperor held a banquet, but there was only tea on the table, and no food or wine was served. What are we talking about?
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice: "There is still one person who has not arrived. When he comes, the banquet can begin. Come, bring the person up."

"I can also open up new territories for Your Majesty." Wang Bi bowed.

"Get up, everyone." Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and raised his hand, "Oh, we haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you. I'll treat you all to tea tonight, hahaha."

After they left, Feng Sheng's eyes were cold. He felt that the banquet must be bad, so he made a discount early in the morning.

"Okay, hahaha." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, "Everyone does it, so we won't have to do those false etiquette tonight."

"Your Majesty sent a carriage and specially invited me here." A cold light flashed in Li Shanchang's eyes, "I have been here for two days, and one of them stayed in the house."

Everyone fell silent, thinking who it was that the emperor needed to invite alone. Then, they heard the sound of shackles, and saw Ouyang Lun, the consort, walking up with shackles on his feet and wearing prison uniform.

Everyone suddenly became numb, and now they all realized that tonight's banquet would definitely not be a good one. Many of them were either involved in the smuggling of the consort, or facilitated the consort. Otherwise, how could Zhou Bao, the consort's slave, form such a huge caravan? Can you freely enter and exit the thirteen provinces of Ming Dynasty?
"The guilty minister Ouyang Lun, please see your Majesty." Ouyang Lun knelt down and worshiped Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand and said in a soft voice:

……

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang came in with Prince Zhu Biao, and everyone knelt down and bowed to them: "I am waiting to see you, Your Majesty!"

Li Shanchang walked over with a smile, came to his seat, sat down, closed his eyes and took a nap. The noble generals sighed softly, saying that the old prime minister was really old. Li Shanchang didn't really take a nap, he did it on purpose because he didn't want to talk to them more. He was sure that tonight's banquet would not be a good one.

"Old Prime Minister, why are you here? Didn't you go back to Fengyang?" Feng Sheng was surprised.

"We always think of it, Wang Bi, can you still dance with your double swords?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a smile.

A few years ago, Ouyang Lun passed the imperial examination in high school and was very high-spirited. Zhu Yuanzhang took a fancy to him and recruited him as his consort. But now Ouyang Lun was dressed in prison uniform and looked slumped.

"Ouyang, get up. Didn't you plead guilty? Why did you sin? Recently, these uncles have been pleading for you."

"We know that you feel aggrieved and your subordinates committed crimes. Why did we arrest you, the consort? Why did we arrest only you, the consort?"

All the ministers were beating drums in their hearts as they listened. What does Your Majesty mean by this?

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at everyone, reached out and patted Ouyang Lun and said: "Ouyang, these uncles have helped you a lot as you have grown up. Go and pour them tea."

Ouyang Lun's hands were trembling a little. He didn't know what the emperor wanted to do, so he had to pick up the teapot and pour tea for the ministers. He came to Li Shanchang first, and Li Shanchang stood up quickly: "How dare you trouble the prince-in-law? I will do it myself."

"Shan Chang, let him come and you sit down." Zhu Yuanzhang's cold voice came.

Li Shanchang had no choice but to sit down and watch the consort pouring tea for him. Ouyang Lun poured tea one by one, and the ministers all fell silent. The entire Wuying Hall was eerily silent, and the only sound was the sound of breathing. Zhu Yuanzhang slowly took a sip of tea, glanced at everyone coldly, and said calmly:

"Today's moonlight banquet, there is no meat or wine, we only prepared tea. Why? Because wine is easy to intoxicate, and tea is easy to sober up."

"This tea, called Kuding Tea, was given to us by Liu Bowen. We don't want to have it all to ourselves, so we'll drink it with you today."

Everyone listened honestly and knew that the emperor was about to start punishing people. They felt uneasy, especially those involved in the smuggling of consorts.

"Why don't you drink it? Do you think our tea is bitter?" Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was as cold as a knife.

His imperial power was like a prison, and he instantly enveloped the entire audience. Everyone was frightened and quickly picked up their teacups and started drinking, oh! It’s so bitter. It’s so bitter. Is this called tea? Liu Bowen's stinky scholar is a deceitful person.

……

Zhu Yuanzhang sipped the tea in silence without saying a word. However, his silence put heavy pressure on the honorable guests present, as if they were being pressed tightly by an invisible mountain. Zhu Yuanzhang spoke slowly, with deep bitterness in his voice: "Is it bitter? But I want to tell you, our heart is as bitter as this cup of tea."

He paused and continued: "How did the Qianyuan Dynasty perish? It was extremely corrupt, the laws were abolished, and morals were corrupted. The whole court only cared about enjoying themselves and making money, which made the world angry and resentful, and the people were in dire straits, which ultimately led to continuous wars."

"The primary fault for the demise of the Yuan Dynasty lies with the emperor, who was ignorant and incompetent. The second reason is the ministers, who were corrupt and perverted the law. I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will never become such a foolish emperor. Are you willing to be such a minister?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes swept across the crowd coldly, exuding an invisible pressure from his body. The ministers remained silent under this pressure and did not dare to speak out.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the table angrily, pointed at the shivering Ouyang Lun and roared:

"The consort Ouyang Lun, even after I issued the ban, still committed crimes against the odds. His huge caravan spread across the thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. But you people, not only did not stop him, but you provided convenience for him and shared the spoils with him."

"You are all brothers who have conquered the world together with us. Some of you are my adopted sons and nephews, and some are the founding heroes of the country. After much thought, I can only treat you to this cup of tea."

"Since ancient times, those who use soldiers and horses to conquer the world have all been implicated by arrogant soldiers and brave generals, and the Ming Dynasty was not immune. We have advised and said it countless times until our tongues are rotten. Now, I won't say more. "

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and glanced coldly at everyone present. The nobles present are all sweating profusely.

"Drink tea!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly shouted.

The nobles were so frightened that some of them almost fell from their chairs. Ouyang Lun, who was pouring tea, could not bear the huge pressure and knelt down directly: "Your Majesty, the guilty minister has failed the Emperor's kindness. Please forgive me."

boom!
Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the table, and the tea on the table instantly spilled to the floor.

Ouyang Lun's face was as pale as snow, and he kept kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, have mercy on me, Your Majesty, have mercy on me! I know I was wrong. Please forgive me for the sake of the princess and her unborn child."

Zhu Yuanzhang hated cowardly people the most, and Ouyang Lun's reaction angered him. He roared: "Stand up! As a majestic Prince Consort, how can you not even have any royal integrity?"

Facing the emperor's anger, Ouyang Lun was almost scared to death. He kept kowtowing and praying for his life.

"We don't have to kill you." Zhu Yuanzhang said suddenly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty." Ouyang Lun kowtowed repeatedly in surprise.

Swish!
Zhu Yuanzhang pulled out his long sword and threw it in front of Ouyang Lun, and said with a cold expression: "You can commit suicide and go to your ancestors to apologize."

The nobles sitting below were all shocked. Is the emperor going to force his son-in-law to commit suicide? Ouyang Lun's face was ashen, and he seemed to have lost his soul. Two Jinyi guards came over, picked him up and took him into the ancestral hall at the back.

Not long after, a scream came from inside. Then the Jin Yiwei came out with the bloody sword and bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Your Majesty, the consort has committed suicide."

The nobles felt chills running down their spines.

The pain in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed and he said coldly: "I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will kill my family first. You'd better take care of yourself!"

After saying that, he rolled up his sleeves and left.

Everyone's face turned pale, and they all knew that the emperor was about to go on a killing spree.

……

The next day.

Zhu Bai, the king of Xiang, led the Jin Yiwei to arrest Cao Zhen, the Marquis of Jingchuan, Zhang Yi, the Marquis of Heshou, Zhu Shou, the Marquis of Shushang, Wang Bi, the Marquis of Dingyuan, and He Rong, the governor of the East.

But this was just the beginning. Jin Yiwei continued to be dispatched, and more and more people were arrested and sent to prison, including Li Shanchang's younger brother Li Cunyi.

(End of this chapter)