The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Yan Chengjin saw Jiao Fang standing in the personnel team behind Ma Wensheng, just like usual.

He disappeared for seven days, but he did not openly send anyone to investigate.

He planned to ask Wang Yue and Mou Bin after leaving the court.

In the hall, voices rose and fell, and the six ministries were reporting to Emperor Hongzhi one by one.

Only the Censorate was quiet. Wu Kuan was a little embarrassed and came over with his head down: "Chengjin, do you have anything to report?"

When Dai Shan was in charge of the Censorate, there were so many things to do, and there were impeachment orders every day.

Wu Kuan had been in the Censorate for more than three months, and Yan Chengjin had written a memorial to impeach Gong Zuo.

"I have been reviewing the Ming Dynasty Law recently and have no time to write an impeachment."

For the sake of prudence, Yan Chengjin did not intend to let Wu Kuan know about the investigation of Jiao Fang.

Before Wu Kuan came to the Censorate, he was the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Jiao Fang was the right assistant minister.

For the time being, let's put him in the enemy's camp.

The hall suddenly became quiet, and Emperor Hongzhi looked in the direction of the Censorate: "Does the Censorate have anything to report?"

"Your Majesty..." Wu Kuan wanted to say that he had nothing to report, but he had said it once last time. After thinking about it, he said: "Your Majesty, the borders of Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, and Jiangxi are in chaos. Please redeploy one Jiangxi Governor and Chief Censor to garrison Nanchang."

Nanchang Prefecture is the territory of Prince Ning and has always been supervised by the Nanjing Censorate.

Sending censors from Northern Zhili to the court can help the court better understand the situation at the border of Nanchang Prefecture.

"Approved!"

After the morning court, Emperor Hongzhi moved to the Huagai Hall and looked at Mou Bin on the side: "The Censorate has not written a memorial for a long time. What is Yan Chengjin doing?"

If Yan Chengjin did not write a memorial, it means that the Ming Dynasty under my rule is peaceful.

Although it seems to be a blame, when asking this question, Emperor Hongzhi's face is obviously a bit happy.

Mou Bin said, "Yan Chengjin seems to be investigating Jiao Fang."

Although Yan Chengjin did it secretly, the Jinyiwei monitored the Yan Mansion for a long time, and naturally found clues from Yan Chengjin.

This boy met Qiao Xinyuan secretly, not only that, but also looked through many family files about Jiao Fang.

"Investigate Jiao Fang?"

Emperor Hongzhi paused, turned around, and suddenly had a bad premonition: "What crime did Jiao Fang commit?"

"I don't know..."

Without the order of your majesty, the Jinyiwei could not investigate the court ministers privately.

Emperor Hongzhi didn't care and went back to the Huagai Palace to review the memorials.

More than ten days later,

Yan Chengjin was waiting for Zheng Qian to return to Beijing, but he didn't wait for Zheng Qian, but Wang Ji came back.

Wang Ji came back from Shu with a medicine box on his back. He didn't go directly to the palace, but came directly to Yan Mansion.

"Student diagnosed the illness of the prince of Shou, nothing else, just excessive indulgence."

When the prince arrived at the fiefdom, no one was in charge, he was free and unrestrained, and excessive indulgence was a basic operation.

Yan Chengjin looked at Wang Ji: "Is it cured?"

"When I returned to Beijing, the Princess of Shou was already pregnant." Wang Ji bowed slightly.

Yan Chengjin looked at him with a strange expression. With such a speed, could it be Wang Ji's child?

It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. The Ming Dynasty can't do paternity tests. It's fine as long as she's pregnant.

When she grows up, she can't inherit the throne, so it doesn't matter whose child it is.

As long as he goes to the palace to report to the Queen Mother, it will be a great achievement.

Wang Ji looked at Yan Chengjin, hesitated for a moment, and said: "I have something to report. The Prince of Shou was arrogant and uncontrollable in Baoning. He forcibly occupied the people's land and sublet it to the people. The land rent he set was several times higher than that of the gentry..."

When he arrived at Baoning Mansion, he also saw ordinary people in his spare time.

From the people, he heard many things about the Prince of Shou bullying the villagers.

"Lord Yan is the censor. If you write a memorial to ask the court to punish Prince Shou and order him to restrain himself, the people of Shu will be grateful for Lord Yan's merits."

A trace of caution flashed in Yan Chengjin's eyes.

The problem of vassal kings is a problem that is deeply rooted in the heart of the Ming Dynasty.

The more vassal kings there are, the more imperial farms they occupy. The rice from the prince's mansion can account for most of the taxes of the vassal state, and even needs subsidies from the court.

Prince Shou is the most loved by the Empress Dowager.

If he is impeached, it may cause the displeasure of the Empress Dowager. If you want to impeach Prince Shou, it may be even more difficult.

Yan Chengjin brought Wang Ji into the palace. Wang Ji had a handwritten order from Emperor Hongzhi in his hand, which allowed him to enter and exit the Meridian Gate at will.

"Which palace is your majesty in?"

The little eunuch smiled and said, "Reporting to Lord Yan, he went to Renshou Palace. The Queen Mother drank an extra bowl of porridge today and had a very good appetite. Your Majesty was happy, so he went to take a look."

He took out two taels of silver and said, "Inform your majesty that Wang Ji is back."

Ministers in the court are not allowed to be summoned, and they cannot enter the harem privately.

After a while, the little eunuch came back to report: "Your Majesty asked you two to go to Renshou Palace."

Yan Chengjin gave Wang Ji some instructions on the way. Wang Ji liked to speak his mind. Your Majesty did not have much affection for the Prince of Shou, but it would offend the Queen Mother.

There is not enough evidence at the moment, only the oral statement brought back by Wang Ji.

Even if the Queen Mother knew it was true, she would be biased.

If the matter of the Prince of Shou was not revealed, the people of Shu would suffer again.

"When you meet the Queen Mother and His Majesty, first report the matter of the Shou Wang, then report the good news of the Shou Wang Consort."

Wang Ji looked pale, and looked at Yan Chengjin: "I want to report the good news first. The Queen Mother and His Majesty are in high spirits, maybe... they won't be angry with me."

"Just listen to me. If the Queen Mother wants to punish you and exile you, I will ask for you to be exiled to a rich place." Yan Chengjin said.

"…………"Wang Ji.

At this time, in Renshou Palace,

Just now, the eunuch came to report that Wang Ji and Yan Chengjin were here.

The Queen Mother had a happy face and looked expectant: "Doctor Wang has profound medical skills, and he must have brought good news to me."

Emperor Hongzhi looked normal. He and Prince Shou were much older than each other, and they were not childhood playmates, so they did not have much affection for each other.

If Wang Ji could make Princess Shou pregnant, his medical skills would be amazing.

Yan Chengjin and Wang Ji walked into the bedroom together. After paying their respects, Wang Ji said to Emperor Hongzhi, "Your Majesty, I have something to report.

Prince Shou was extravagant and licentious in his fiefdom, and he seized the people's land and rented it to the people.

Thousands of people gathered outside Baoning City to resist the palace and ask Prince Shou to return the land."

Empress Dowager Zhou and Emperor Hongzhi looked stunned. They had waited for a long time and had already made preparations in their hearts.

Wang Ji came to report that there were only two results: Princess Shou was pregnant or she was not pregnant.

But Wang Ji was not here to announce the good news.

Emperor Hongzhi sighed: "Yan Chengjin, what are you doing?"

"These are what Wang Ji saw and heard in Shu. The reason why Prince Shou has not had an heir for a long time is that he indulges in sex."

Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly and looked at Empress Dowager Zhou.

What is rare is that Empress Dowager Zhou is still calm as if she didn't hear anything, as if nothing happened.

But through the subtle expression, one can guess that her heart is turbulent.

Emperor Hongzhi doesn't tolerate any sand in his eyes. This is the killing of descendants.

"Prince Shou is unrepentant. Why didn't the Censorate report it? When I asked you about the Censorate, you always said that the world is balanced. Yan Chengjin, you tell me." Emperor Hongzhi said.

It has nothing to do with me. It was Wu Kuan who said it. Yan Chengjin absolutely didn't dare to contradict him: "Reporting to Your Majesty and the Queen Mother, the good news is that Princess Shou is pregnant."

Wang Ji gave him a wake-up call, and he took the opportunity to give her a candy. This was a plan that had been agreed upon long ago.

He noticed that Empress Dowager Zhou's face was obviously dazed.

The Princess of Shou was pregnant, and the vassal state had someone to inherit. Empress Dowager Zhou was disappointed: "I know. I'm sorry for this trip, Doctor Wang. Your Majesty, please deal with the matter of the Prince of Shou. I'm tired, so let's all leave."

What surprised Yan Chengjin was that Empress Dowager Zhou neither blamed Wang Ji nor pleaded for the Prince of Shou.

She is indeed a woman who has experienced storms.

The fact that Emperor Chenghua liked Concubine Wan, who was 18 years older than him, had a lot to do with Empress Dowager Zhou.

When Emperor Yingzong was captured and taken to Wala, Emperor Chenghua was only two years old. In order to fight with Zhu Qiyu, Empress Dowager Zhou left Emperor Chenghua in the palace and never saw him for a whole year.

As a result, Emperor Chenghua was extremely lacking in maternal love, so he looked for Concubine Wan.

"Grandmother is wise, and I will think of the brotherhood." Emperor Hongzhi stood up and looked at Yan Chengjin: "Follow me to the Huagai Palace."