Ming Dynasty: Starting from Liaodong Jiangmen

Chapter 96 Li Ruzhen

The imperial edict prison was specially set up by the Fusi of Jinyiwei North Town. It was independent of the Sanfasi Prison and had a dedicated Qianhu manager. Except for the Fusi of Beizhen, no one else had the right to interfere. Generally, the prisoners were felons who had been ordered by the emperor.

The imperial prison of the Ming Dynasty was located to the west of Chengtian Gate, opposite to the Dongchang Prison.

Li Shunzu, Yu Kuan and others walked north after leaving Li's house. They walked a short distance to the prison gate. The Jinyi guard on duty in front of the gate might be a newcomer, but he didn't recognize the name of Nanzhen Fusi. Thousands of households.

"The prison is a very important place, no idlers are allowed to trespass!"

Although the captain saw Li Shunzu and others wearing armor from the Beijing camp, he was not afraid. He took a few steps forward to stop them, with a rather commanding tone.

"Bastard!"

Yu Kuan looked angry: "Didn't you see that this is Yulin Xiaowei, who is in charge of the imperial army, the governor of the capital, and the Qianhu in charge of Nanzhen Fusi, and is the current uncle Ning Yuan of the imperial court?"

After Li Shunzu heard what he said, he was a little surprised. When did he have so many names?

Most of these names are bluffing, but if one of the four or five bluffing names has real power, it would be enough to intimidate Xiao Xiao.

It just so happened that among Li Shunzu's names, there was a governor of Beijing Camp who was quite powerful.

After hearing this, several imperial guards in imperial robes in front of the prison gate exclaimed repeatedly, and one of them walked back quickly.

"It turns out that Uncle Ning Yuan has arrived. Please forgive me, Sir!"

"I wonder which family your lordship is here to investigate?"

Li Shunzu did not intend to embarrass these captains. He smiled and waved his hands and said: "I am the current head of the Li family in Liaodong. Now, naturally, I am here to visit my third uncle Li Ruzhen, the only elder in the eldest family of the Li family."

"I hope it will be convenient for the brothers!"

After hearing this, several captains had troubled expressions on their faces.

"Sir, it's not that I don't want to give you this face, it's because I really don't dare to bear the responsibility."

"Li Ruzhen is a felon ordered by Lord Chongzhen to be imprisoned in the imperial edict. Not to mention you, the lord, are here, even if the current Duke is here, you guys don't dare to let him go without any reason!"

"Your Majesty, please come back. I will get His Majesty's decree in the future. You guys will definitely let me go without saying a word!"

Li Shunzu narrowed his eyes slightly, but he did not expect that Uncle Ning Yuan, himself, had such little face.

When Yu Kuan and others saw this, they all held their hands on their sabers, and the situation became a bit delicate.

At this moment, rapid footsteps came from the prison.

"My lord!"

Following the voice came an unexpected acquaintance of Li Shunzu.

This person was none other than Han Liang, the North Town Fusi Qianhu who was responsible for inspecting the residence of Guangqumen Admiral Zhao Tai a few days ago.

"It's Brother Han. Why did you come to the imperial prison when you weren't sitting in Bei Si?"

Han Liang laughed loudly, motioned for all the guards to get out of the way, and walked out and said: "This is all thanks to the help of the Lord that day. After dealing with that group of prisoners, the superiors were very satisfied with me. It happened that the one before the imprisonment was because of some The matter was dismissed, so I was sent.”

Li Shunzu was slightly startled. It seemed that there had been a lot of overt and covert fighting in Beizhen Fusi during this period.

The former Qianhu who was in charge of the imperial edicts was in the same party as the current commander of Fusi in Beizhen. That guy was removed. Doesn't it also mean that someone in the court was dissatisfied with the current Qianhu of Fusi in Beizhen and planned to win over him? Nouveau riche.

But they didn't expect that Han Liang, the new senior member of Qianhu, had an old friend with them.

"If so, then congratulations!"

Li Shunzu cupped his hands and smiled and said: "When we said goodbye that day, you and I said we wanted to have a good drink, but I suddenly led the troops to go on an expedition, so I didn't catch up with this round of drinks. Now I can't shirk it!"

Han Liang nodded, turned around and said sternly to the captain next to him: "This is the current Uncle Ning Yuan, and he is my friend. When he comes to the prison in the future, he can visit him at will without reporting it. Do you hear me clearly?"

Han Liang dared to say this, so he was naturally confident.

Taking charge of the imperial edict is a very important job within the Jinyiwei system, and the people in the imperial edict are now all his confidants.

The captains also apologized quickly and did not dare to neglect.

The two walked into the imperial prison. Han Liang sighed when he heard that Li Shunzu wanted to see Li Ruzhen:
  "Li Junmen is a talented general. He was unjustly imprisoned. The brothers are filled with righteous indignation. The reason why they can save their lives today is thanks to the great victories that the Lord has won outside the city!"

"Oh?"

Li Shunzu walked into the imperial prison and followed Han Liang. He was a little surprised when he heard this:

"How do you start talking about this?"

Han Liang was a little surprised and said: "Your Majesty, don't you know about this? Since the Year of Tianqi, the imperial court has been criticizing Li Junmen, saying that Li Junmen's mercenaries failed to save him, which led to the fall of the important town of Tieling. Now the situation in Liaodong is full of chaos. Li’s doing.”

"In the new Chongzhen Dynasty, His Majesty's role in protecting the military gate is also deeply criticized. If the Duke had not led troops outside the city to repel the Dongnu, Li Junmen would have been handed over to the Ministry of Punishment in the coming year, and he would have been imprisoned."

Li Shunzu also nodded silently when he heard this. Historically, Li Ruzhen was indeed imprisoned and sentenced to death in the fourth year of Chongzhen.

From this point of view, the fact that some felons were imprisoned in Jinyiwei Prison was one of the emperor's methods to protect them.

Once Li Ruzhen was transferred to the Ministry of Punishment Prison, he would indeed have a narrow escape from death.

"It's a pity that my military exploits are not enough to restore the third uncle to his post."

Han Liang nodded slightly, took Li Shunzu to the outside of the one-size-fits-all cell in the imperial prison, looked inside and said: "I sent it here. Sir, you can reminisce about the past at will, without taking into account the time. Now in this imperial prison, I can still say That’s the final word.”

"Thank you, I owe Brother Han a favor." Li Shunzu turned around and clasped his fists heavily.

Han Liang waved his hand and said openly: "This is just a small effort. Sir, please don't think that I am a selfless person. This can be regarded as a bet. If I ask for anything in the future, Sir, you are not allowed to refuse."

Regarding these words, Li Shunzu actually took advantage of it and said directly: "That Brother Han is a big gamble!"

Han Liang laughed a few times and led the Jin Yiwei men out of the cell.

Yu Kuan and several Liaodong soldiers looked at the disheveled and shapeless Li Ruzhen in the prison with complicated expressions. They looked at each other and then retreated.

When he was the only one left in the cell, Li Shunzu took a closer look. Li Ruzhen, who was known as a great general along with Li Rusong in later generations, stepped forward and half-knelt on the ground and said, "Third uncle, I'm here."

"I am your nephew!"

Li Ruzhen opened his eyes slightly, then suddenly stared wide open and asked in a trembling voice:
  "Is he, the eldest brother's son?!"

"Shunzu."

"I am ashamed to see my son of the Li clan again."

Li Ruzhen was imprisoned in imperial prison for nearly ten years. Among the nine sons of Liang and the nine tiger generals of Li family, he was the only one who was still alive.

Li Ruzhen can be regarded as the only remaining witness from the Li Chengliang era to this day.

Not to mention him, Li Shunzu actually had no feelings for his father Li Rusong, whom he had never met before. When he came to the prison this time, he mainly wanted to ask him what happened when he supported the troops but did not save Tieling.

Also, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty said that the Li family in Liaodong respected themselves by raising bandits. What was the real situation?

Finally, we also need to ask what Li Ruzhen learned about the situation in Liaodong at that time, who can still be used by Li's old troops, who is secretly an enemy of Li, and how to summon his old troops back to Liaodong.

Li Shunzu felt that sooner or later he would follow the old path of his ancestor and be sent to Liaodong to fight the fire by the court, so it was necessary to make some preparations in advance.

(End of this chapter)