I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 186 The clothes are not as good as new, and the people are not as good as before

Zhu Yijun looked at Wu Chang who was kneeling on the ground to show his loyalty, and nodded with his fingers, his tone revealing intimacy.

"Vulgar! Wu Chang, you are a second-class Jinshi at least, you shouldn't be so vulgar!" After saying that, he changed the subject, "But I know your loyalty."

Wu Chang was overjoyed.

Your Highness finally understands my loyalty, so my performance was not in vain.

"Stand up and speak. I have an important task for you."

it is good!
The heavier the task, the better. Your Highness, please treat me as the weightlifting champion of Chengdu Censorate and the weightlifting champion of Ming Dynasty!

Wu Chang stood up, sat one-third of his buttocks on the chair, bent over, and listened attentively.

"Did you know that Zhang Siwei, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, submitted a complete memorial to the Eastern Palace at the last morning court session?"

"Your Highness, I know. I was the one who led the people to check the discipline at the morning court that day. I heard what Master Zhang said."

"Tell me, what does he mean by this?"

Wu Chang rolled his eyes and said with a sincere look, "Your Highness, I think Zhang Siwei wants to use the position of lecturer in the Eastern Palace to tie your hands and feet so that they can do whatever they want.

Your Highness, could it be that Zhang Siwei's actions were prompted by Gao Gong? He hid behind the scenes and let Zhang Siwei carry out this trick, so that he could take advantage of your power after tying your hands and feet."

Zhu Yijun asked with a smile: "Why was Gao Gong instigating Zhang Siwei's move, and why not Xu Jie? I heard that among the six lecturers selected by Zhang Siwei, four were from the southeast."

Wu Chang's eyes rolled. Could it be that Zhang Siwei saw that Gao Gong's situation was not good and turned to become Xu Jie's disciple?

However, Xu Jie was old and cunning. Since the new emperor ascended the throne, he had kept a low profile and only wanted to wait until the time came for him to retire. Besides, he had many talented people under his tutelage, and his favorite student Zhang Juzheng was the crown prince's confidant, so he was very stable.

Zhang Siwei, you throw it over here, but you can’t even reach the hot ones. What’s the point?

Or maybe it was just that Zhang Siwei, Gao Gong and his gang had reached a temporary understanding with Xu Jie's faction in Jiangsu and Zhejiang?
Wu Chang thought about it for a while, and then deliberately said, "Your Highness, I am stupid and can't guess the mystery. But although I am stupid, I have a burning heart. As long as the prince points out, I will go forward!"

"Okay. Feng Bao."

"The servant is here."

Feng Bao came out from the side.

"Wu Chang is a loyal man who is capable and good at getting things done. You should cooperate with him and get the job done."

"Yes!" Feng Bao responded, then he bowed to Wu Chang and said, "Master Censor Wu, please give me more guidance in the future."

Wu Chang was so happy that his heart was bubbling with joy.

Feng Bao is the first eunuch beside the prince and the chief eunuch in charge of the Eastern Depot. Now that His Highness asks him to work with him, it means that he has entered the core circle.

"I dare not, I dare not. Eunuch Feng, you have been with His Highness for a long time. If there is anything that Wu has done inconsiderately, please correct me, Eunuch Feng."

In the Forbidden City.

Emperor Longqing looked at the empty Yuqiong Pavilion and felt empty in his heart as well.

"How come it suddenly disappeared?" he asked stupidly.

Wanfu bowed her head and answered softly, "Your Majesty, Concubine Jiang suddenly fell ill. The Imperial Hospital examined her and found that medicine was useless. She died that night. I dared not disturb Your Majesty, so I reported it to the Queen. According to the palace rules, Concubine Jiang was sent out of the palace and buried at night."

Teng Xiang and Meng Chong stood aside, with their heads down and their eyes rolling around.

Emperor Longqing was extremely sad. "How can a good person be gone just like that? This Forbidden City is high up in the sky. In the eyes of the common people, it is like a fairy palace in heaven, but people still die just like that!"

Wanfu didn't say anything, but glanced at Teng Xiang and Meng Chong intentionally or unintentionally.

Emperor Longqing sighed a few times, lifted his clothes and walked into Yuqiong Pavilion. Wanfu followed him in. As soon as he reached the door, he turned around and said to his confidant behind him: "Stop the door and don't disturb the emperor."

"Yes!"

The confidant, along with several eunuchs and guards, guarded the gate with stern faces and refused to let anyone in.

Teng Xiang and Meng Chong looked at each other and had to wait outside.

Entering the backyard, Emperor Longqing looked up blankly at the house that left him with so many happy memories, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Wanfu knelt down beside him.

"His Majesty."

"Hmm," Emperor Longqing replied absentmindedly.

"Your Majesty, Lady Jiang did not die of illness."

Emperor Longqing turned his head suddenly and stared at Wanfu, "Tell me, how did Concubine Jiang die?"

"To answer your Majesty, it was the Queen who bestowed the white silk."

Emperor Longqing's face first turned blue, then pale, with a flash of panic in his eyes, "Why did the Queen give the white silk to Concubine Jiang?" "Your Majesty, Concubine Jiang is practicing the art of aversion!"

Emperor Longqing was shocked.

The art of exorcism is an extremely taboo thing in the imperial palace. Throughout the dynasties, including this one, countless people have been killed for being involved in this matter.

"How does Lady Jiang perform the art of annihilation?"

"Your Majesty, the Queen received a secret report from the palace maids, and she took me, Lu Yong, and suddenly checked the Yuqiong Pavilion, where they found three paper talismans. Lady Jiang said that they were talismans for praying for a child from outside the palace, but there was no official seal of a Taoist temple on them. I wonder which shrine or wild temple they were from."

Emperor Longqing frowned.

It is not impossible to ask for a talisman in the palace, but you have to go to an officially certified Taoist temple to ask for it. If you ask for it from an unofficial, unknown Taoist temple, who knows whether it is a talisman for praying for children or a curse?

In this matter, Emperor Longqing knew that he was in a difficult position to defend Concubine Jiang.

If this incident sets a precedent, the Forbidden City will be in chaos. It concerns his life and property and that of the royal family. How can he take it lightly!

"Your Majesty, Lady Jiang not only practices the art of witchcraft, but also hides banned drugs." Wanfu continued.

"Banned drugs, what banned drugs?"

"Your Majesty, a medicine that helps with sexual intercourse." Wanfu replied softly.

Emperor Longqing was stunned, and walked around in the open space in the backyard with his hands behind his back. "No wonder I feel so happy every time I come to Yuqiong Pavilion. Did Jiang put such medicine in the tea she gave me?"

"Your Majesty is wise! Although this kind of medicine can help with sexual pleasure, it is a poison that can kill tigers and wolves. Moreover, Lady Jiang secretly gave Your Majesty the medicine, which is a capital crime!"

Emperor Longqing knew what Wanfu meant.

Today, Miss Jiang gave me an aphrodisiac. What if one day she is unhappy and gives me poison? Wouldn’t I die immediately?
Emperor Longqing's back was covered in cold sweat.

There are so many beauties, filling the entire Forbidden City, but you only have one life.

"Where are the Jiang family members?"

"Your Majesty, after the Imperial Household Department received the Queen's secret order, they immediately reported it to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. His Royal Highness immediately ordered the Eastern Depot to arrest Jiang's father and brother. Only then did they find out that Jiang's origin was unknown and that she had been abducted and sold to a salt merchant's house in Yangzhou when she was young.

Later, Yang Kai was ordered to go south to select beauties. The salt merchant bribed Yang Kai to include Jiang in the list. Jiang's father and brother were both slaves of the salt merchant, and they pretended to be their father and brother and went north with him.

Emperor Longqing's round face turned red with anger, and then turned purple.

"A bunch of bastards, they only know how to join hands to deceive me! That Yang Kai, hand him over to the Imperial Household Department for investigation!"

"According to the order!"

Emperor Longqing's temper came and went quickly, and he soon returned to normal. As he walked out, he spoke to Wanfu.

"Wanfu, the old people in our Prince Yu's Mansion are really kind and have endured through thick and thin together. Princess, Jun'er, Lipin, the third brother, and you, we have endured so much hardship to get to this day.

"The lonely white rabbit looks around as it wanders eastwards; clothes are never as good as new, and people are never as good as old ones."

"Your Majesty!"

"Well, let's go see Concubine Xian. I haven't seen her and the Third Brother for a long time."

Emperor Longqing got on his sedan chair and soon arrived at the Yonghe Palace.

Concubine Li was overjoyed and hurriedly took the third prince Zhu Yihao out of the palace to welcome the emperor.

Zhu Yihao was already five years old in age, and had a chubby build. When Emperor Longqing saw him, he immediately felt fatherly love in his heart and reached out to hold him in his arms.

"Oh, it's so heavy, even heavier than the boss's. It seems that you may not be as tall as the boss, but you are stronger."

Li's beautiful eyes flickered, her mouth couldn't hide the smile, and her eyes couldn't hide her little thoughts.

The move from Prince Yu's Mansion to the Forbidden City suddenly interrupted Li's ambitions.

The Forbidden City was too big, hiding too many beauties, and there were too many rules to tie her up tightly. After a month, she couldn't even see the emperor's back.

Men always get tired of the old and love the new. Those newly selected beauties came from all over the country, and there were many who were prettier than Li.

Today, good news came from heaven, and the emperor suddenly came to Yonghe Palace.

Li welcomed Emperor Longqing to the main hall of the palace and asked him to sit down. Fruits, vegetables and tea were served to him in a stream.

After talking about family matters for a while, Li saw that Emperor Longqing was in a good mood and took the opportunity to speak.

"Your Majesty, according to our ancestral family rules, Hao'er should also be rewarded."

Emperor Longqing immediately fell silent.

(End of this chapter)