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

Chapter 268 Zhu Biao: Your Majesty, please advise your father.

Lu Mansion.

Lu Ben, who had been promoted to Minister of Civil Affairs, was drinking alone. He was secretly glad that he was not close to Hu Weiyong on weekdays, so he would not be implicated. During these days, as the Hu Weiyong case expanded, more and more people were involved and imprisoned. Lu Ben was also worried.

But just today, news came from the East Palace that the emperor had decreed that he should be the husband of the emperor's grandson Zhu Xiongying, and he was completely relieved. This shows that the emperor trusts him, and the Jin Yiwei will not come to investigate him, and those officials who were caught do not dare to bite him at will.

"Master, we have a visitor." The butler came to report in a hurry.

"No!" Lu Ben frowned and said, "During this period, I didn't see anyone.

"It's...it's the old Prime Minister." The housekeeper revealed in a low voice.

Lu Ben was shocked when he heard this, with an expression of disbelief on his face. After pondering for a moment, he ordered the housekeeper to bring the old Prime Minister Li Shanchang to the study, and strictly ordered no one to come near, and the matter must not be leaked.

He hurried to the study, and soon Li Shanchang, dressed in black robe, walked in slowly. Lu Ben immediately greeted him warmly and bowed deeply: "I'm going to pay my respects to the old prime minister."

"Master Lu is too polite." Li Shanchang smiled, "I hope I didn't disturb you."

……

"Master Lu, please go to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment to visit a person." Li Shanchang said in a low voice, "and give him a bottle of wine."

After hearing this, Lu Ben couldn't help but feel a chill running down his spine.

"Master Lu is so quick to talk, I'm amazed!" A sneer appeared at the corner of Hu Weiyong's lips. He raised his head and drank the wine in the glass. Then he looked directly into Lu Ben's eyes and asked: "But the old prime minister asked you to persuade me to go on the road. ?”

The next day, the Ministry of Punishment went to jail.

On the simple table in the cell, Lu Ben placed wine and food. He sat opposite Hu Weiyong. Under the dim light in the prison, Hu Weiyong's face looked even darker. Hu Weiyong picked up the wine glass in front of him and asked with a bit of self-mockery: "Master Lu, is this the wine to send me on my way?"

……

"Visiting who?" Lu Ben asked doubtfully.

"Exactly." Lu Ben nodded calmly, not hiding anything, "Mr. Han hopes that I advise you to stop here and not involve more people. He will help you handle your posthumous affairs properly."

Hu Weiyong sighed: "But I am a person with no future."

Wenhua Hall.

"Old Prime Minister, please speak." Lu Ben gestured with his hands.

Li Shan took a long sip of tea and spoke slowly: "Master Lu, I won't beat around the bush. I have something to ask you today."

"People have to make some plans for the future." Lu Ben said with deep feeling.

"Hu Weiyong!" A cold light flashed in Li Shanchang's eyes, "He has committed a serious crime and cannot escape the death penalty. However, he must arrange his own funeral arrangements."

Lu Ben smiled slightly and shook his head: "That's not the case. According to the rules of the court, when Prime Minister Hu really goes on the road, he will also have a drink."

Lu Ben shook his head, stared at Hu Weiyong and said, "Yes! Everything that happened during Mr. Hu's lifetime is over, but this person still needs to have a name after his death, right?"

"If so, Prime Minister, please take a seat." Lu Ben asked Li Shanchang to take a seat, and motioned to the butler to step aside, leaving only the two of them in the study.

Lu Ben, the Minister of Civil Affairs, entered the prison carrying a food box and a jug of wine. Holding the prince's token tightly in his hand, he passed through the iron gates unimpeded until he reached Hu Weiyong's cell.

Hu Weiyong was stunned, and his expression changed drastically. Lu Ben picked up the jug and poured a glass of wine for Hu Weiyong. Hu Weiyong picked up the wine glass and drank the wine slowly, with a complicated look in his eyes.

Hu Weiyong smiled softly, with a hint of helplessness: "Old Xiangguo really worked hard for his Huaixi brothers."

Zhu Biao entered in a hurry. The news that a large number of courtiers had been arrested recently made him feel deeply uneasy. He understood that Jinyiwei's arrests often relied on the arrested person's words rather than conclusive evidence. This approach made him feel inappropriate, but he was helpless because it was the emperor's clear will. He originally thought that the arrests would stop, but now it seems that not only has the situation not calmed down, but it has become more and more involved.

"Father!" He saluted Zhu Yuanzhang respectfully.

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the memorial on the table and said, "Prince, look at this."

Zhu Biao picked up the memorial in confusion, opened it, and was shocked. This was Hu Weiyong's confession. It listed in detail the princes and ministers who had colluded with him. The list was staggeringly long.

"This..." Zhu Biao looked gloomy, "This Hu Weiyong, he confessed to himself, but gave out this list. The implication is so wide, what... does he want to do?"

"Smart man!" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "He is so smart that we don't even want to kill him now."

"Father, how should we deal with it?" Zhu Biao asked tentatively.

"Catch those who deserve to be caught, and kill those who deserve to be killed!" A hint of murderous intent flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes. "But...but..." Zhu Biao hesitated, but didn't know how to speak.

"Prince, act immediately according to our will!" Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand decisively.

"My son, I obey the order." Zhu Biao nodded and accepted the order, turned and left.

Soon, a large number of Jin Yiwei were dispatched and walked through the bustling streets of the capital. The news that the Duke and the Marquis were arrested spread quickly, and a large number of ministers were arrested one after another. The atmosphere in the capital suddenly became extremely solemn.

When Li Shanchang, the old prime minister, heard the news of the Jin Yiwei's mass arrests in his mansion, he jumped up from his chair in shock and his face changed drastically: "How is this possible? How could this happen? I have obviously asked Lu Ben to go..."

A cold light flashed in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth and said, "This old man Lu Ben, what on earth did he say to Hu Weiyong?"

……

The next day, morning.

Since Hu Weiyong was imprisoned, the position of prime minister has been vacant, and the emperor seems to have no intention of re-establishing him. Above the court, all the officials were uneasy and the atmosphere was extremely solemn. Zhu Yuanzhang looked around and said deeply:
"The case of Hu Weiyong has made me think deeply. Today, I have decided to completely abolish the Zhongshu Province and abolish the prime minister system. In the Ming Dynasty, only the emperor can govern the country, and the treacherous prime minister will never be allowed to disrupt the court again. From this moment on, the governors of all ministries, academies, and the five armies will The prefecture and the provinces in the north and south are all directly governed by the emperor. This regulation will be recorded in the "Huang Ming Ancestors" and will be followed by future kings. "

"I obey the decree!" All the officials knelt down in unison, and the sound resounded throughout the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and said in a firm and deep voice: "I have made up my mind on this matter and there is no need to say more. Please do not ask for reconsideration!"

As soon as this statement came out, the officials in the court had different thoughts. Some people secretly rejoiced, thinking that the abolition of Zhongshu Province would enhance the authority of the six ministries and enable them to advise the emperor more directly. However, some ministers are deeply worried and foresee that this may cause a series of problems.

Lv Chang, the Minister of Household Affairs, was one of them. He kept shaking his head and murmuring: "No, I must report it. The system of prime minister cannot be abolished."

"Mr. Lu, aren't you looking for death? Your Majesty said you are not allowed to play again!" a colleague admonished beside him.

"Then why don't you die to remonstrate?" Lu Chang said resolutely and strode towards the Wenhua Hall.

He came to the Wenhua Palace and knelt down, wanting to remonstrate with the emperor that the prime minister system could not be abolished. Wang Jinghong, the chief eunuch, persuaded him to go back, saying that at this moment, the emperor would be angry and be careful that his head would be lost. But old man Lu must remonstrate with the emperor.

……

Not long after, Zhu Yuanzhang came to Lu Chang angrily and yelled: "Lv Chang, are you here to die?"

"Your Majesty, I don't want to die, but if you have made a mistake, I have to remonstrate with you. This is your duty as an minister." Lu Chang bowed.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the stubborn old man in front of him, and the anger in his heart could not be calmed: "I abolished the prime minister system just to prevent treacherous prime ministers from disrupting the government in the future. Why should you oppose it?"

Lu Chang eagerly stated to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Hu Weiyong is guilty, but this does not mean that there is a problem with the prime minister system itself. Your Majesty, since the Spring and Autumn Period, in all dynasties, the emperor has sat in court and listened to government affairs, and the prime minister is responsible for handling government affairs. Under such a system, We have witnessed the birth of many prosperous times, and the wise monarchs of the past generations have been assisted by the prime minister. This shows that the prime minister system is in line with our national conditions and can ensure the stability of the country and the peace of the country. "

Zhu Yuanzhang became even more angry after hearing this: "Peace? The traitor Hu Weiyong formed a party for personal gain and even attempted a mutiny. Is this what you call peace?"

Lu Chang still insisted on his point of view: "Your Majesty, although there are treacherous prime ministers, there are also many virtuous prime ministers..."

"Shut up!" Zhu Yuanzhang roared angrily, "This matter has been decided. If you say more, I will really kill you!"

Lu Chang replied without fear: "If the emperor wants to kill me, then I will die as a remonstrance!"

……

The mountain behind the academy.

Fourth Master Zhu is drinking tea leisurely in the corridor. Suddenly, the urgent voice of Prince Zhu Biao came, and he was seen running all the way from the foot of the mountain, panting: "Grandpa, you have to go to the palace to persuade your father. He is going on a killing spree, and everyone in the government and the public is going on a killing spree." People are already panicking.”

Fourth Master Zhu smiled and pointed to the seat opposite, gesturing for Zhu Biao to sit down: "I see you are sweating profusely from running. Let's have a cup of tea first."

Zhu Biao picked up the tea cup and drank it all, and then eagerly pulled up Fourth Master Zhu: "Grandpa, come with me quickly. My father listens to you the most. Go and persuade him."

But Fourth Master Zhu waved his hand calmly: "Don't be anxious, sit down first."

Zhu Biao had no choice but to sit down again. Sweat was still dripping from his forehead, his brows were furrowed, and he said worriedly: "With this endless killing, who will dare to be an official in the future? The court should have laws to follow, how can it rely on Jin Yiwei's methods?" What about handling the case?"

Fourth Master Zhu smiled softly and asked, "Do you think your father doesn't understand these principles?"

Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Of course my father understands, but if that's the case, why would he do this?"

Fourth Master Zhu took another sip of tea before speaking slowly: "If you could figure this out, you wouldn't want to persuade him anymore. Your father has been playing this game for several years."

Zhu Biao frowned and pondered upon hearing this, with a cold light flashing in his eyes, but he still shook his head: "Even if my father's purpose is to abolish the prime minister and strengthen the imperial power, but... we can't kill indiscriminately like this."

(End of this chapter)