I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 360 Who did it?
Hai Rui said through the curtain in the carriage with a smile: "You are a dog, you are slandering me again. You mean that I am honest because I failed the imperial examination and I feel guilty and dare not be greedy, right?"

Shu Youliang complained outside: "Master, what you said is really official, let you say it."

Hai Rui was silent for a while in the carriage. "Youliang, thank you. I don't feel so depressed anymore."

Shu Youliang wiped his tears and said, "In this damn world, good people don't live long. Chen San is such a good person!"

The carriage soon arrived at the West Garden. After checking the license plate, Hai Rui was brought by Qi Yan to the Qinzheng Hall of Ziguang Pavilion.

"Lord Gangfeng, I'm sorry to frighten you." Zhu Yijun helped Hai Rui, who was kneeling and bowing, to his feet.

"Your Highness, I am used to it. Over the years, I have encountered such dangers countless times. When I was the magistrate of Chun'an, I went on a private visit in disguise to fight for the people and was almost beaten to death by the evil slaves of the rich and powerful. When I went up to investigate Huai salt in accordance with the imperial edict, I was attacked and killed by pirates.

I am a strong man and can handle it."

Zhu Yijun helped Hai Rui sit down on the chair: "Mr. Hai must be strong, strong enough to bear this iron will and the expectations of the people of the Ming Dynasty."

"Qi Yan, go make some tea. The best tribute tea. It's rare for Lord Hai to come to the West Garden and have some tea."

"Yes."

Hai Rui held the teacup, smelled the fragrant aroma, took two careful sips, closed his eyes, and slowly sipped the sweetness.

"It's really good tea. I have enjoyed it again today." Hai Rui put the teacup on the table and his expression gradually became serious.

"Your Highness, I was ordered to investigate the King of Liao's violation of the law. I unexpectedly discovered that the royal family of the vassal state is a cancer in the Ming Dynasty. These royal family members do not work, do not think about serving the country, and do evil all day long, causing harm to the local area.

As for the imperial court, it has to spend a huge amount of money every year to support these harmful elements.

I have already written a memorial to impeach Taizu for violating the imperial edict and will submit it soon."

Zhu Yijun nodded and continued listening.

"I can see that Your Highness intends to make a big change in the illegality of the various vassal clans and the burden they have brought to the court and the country. The crimes of the various vassal clans are obvious and will be revealed once investigated.

In addition, this time Zhou or Xiang vassal states are able to mobilize the vassal guards and hire assassins to kill officials. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will surely be furious, cleanse the Milky Way, and clarify the vassal politics.

But before that, I have something to advise Your Highness from the bottom of my heart."

"Please speak frankly, Mr. Hai."

"Your Highness may deal with the affairs of the various vassal clans, but you must not kill them."

Zhu Yijun did not expect that Hai Rui was advising him that it was okay to severely crack down on the various vassal states and royal families, but not to kill them all.

He asked solemnly, "Mr. Hai, what does this mean?"

Hai Rui replied solemnly, "Most of the vassal states of the Ming Dynasty were established by Emperor Taizu. It was he who conquered the Ming Dynasty. The late emperor, the current emperor, and the Crown Prince will inherit the foundation left by Emperor Taizu. The imperial edicts and ancestral system are one and the same as the foundation of the country."

Zhu Yijun understood.

Emperor Taizu was the greatest source of legitimacy for his imperial power.

Completely denying the imperial edicts and ancestral system of Emperor Taizu was equivalent to denying the legitimacy of his own imperial power. In this era of emphasizing the Three Constant Virtues and Five Principles, it was undoubtedly digging at one's own foundation.

The feudal system of various vassal states is one of the most important imperial edicts and ancestral systems left by Emperor Taizu. Completely abolishing the feudal system of various vassal states can easily become a complete denial of Emperor Taizu's imperial edicts and ancestral systems, and a denial of the legitimacy of the imperial power he left to himself.

Don't think it's impossible!
As the imperial power was weakened, the power of civil officials would naturally be strengthened.

Will Gao Gong, Gao Yi and others in the court take the initiative to participate and stir up trouble?
Although Zhang Juzheng, Zhao Zhenji and others are his confidants, would they be happy to see this happen and add fuel to the fire?

With so many ministers with ulterior motives watching covetously, it would be easy for him to get out of control if he abolished the feudal system, and it would turn into a farce in which he himself reduced his power.

Zhu Yijun sighed, "Only Gangfeng Guild would give me such advice."

Hai Rui smiled, "I have also hesitated for a long time, from Kaifeng to Baoding, and finally to Xiongxian Anbaoli Post Station. Chen San's sudden death made me understand. Rather than having the power of the world divided among them, it is better to concentrate it in your Highness' place.

A big ship only needs one helmsman. If there are too many people giving orders, it will easily capsize."

Zhu Yijun nodded, "Lord Gangfeng, I have a clear idea now. The feudal system of the various vassal states can be greatly changed, but it cannot be completely abolished. My previous plan must be abandoned and drawn up from scratch."

Hai Rui said, "Your Highness knows what's going on, and I am relieved. But the princes and royal families have been behaving badly in recent years, and they really need to be disciplined." "Please rest assured, Lord Gangfeng, I will make it clear to the princes and royal families that the legacy of Emperor Taizu is not so easy to take. Their salaries are the blood and sweat of the people, and they are not so easy to take!"

Hai Rui smiled, stroked his beard and nodded, his face full of relief and kindness.

The Zhou prince's palace in Kaifeng City.

The Zhou Palace was originally built during the Hongwu reign on the site of the former Song Dynasty Palace. It was magnificent and luxurious, and was the best of all the princely palaces. However, at that time, the city of Kaifeng was below the level of the Yellow River. Once a flood occurred, Kaifeng City became a swamp.

The Zhou Palace had been flooded by the Yellow River several times and had been rebuilt several times. However, the government's finances were getting worse year by year. There was no money, so the construction of the Zhou Palace was worse and smaller each time.

In the Xiuxin Hall, Prince of Zhou Zhu Zaiting sat at the top, looking at the royal family members crowded below.

The forty-eight princes took up a large area of ​​the small Xiuxin Hall, and behind them stood a large number of generals who guarded the country and assisted the country. Many generals who served the country could not squeeze into the hall.

"Who assassinated Hai Rui?" Zhu Zaiting asked sternly.

His Highness was silent.

Zhu Zaiting's eyes swept over these uncles, brothers, cousins, and nephews, and became increasingly gloomy.

"If you tell me now, I will do my best to protect his family. If the court finds out, not only will the whole family be punished, but everyone in Zhou Fan will also be implicated."

Zhu Zaiting's words did not attract anyone's attention at all.

A prince of the uncle generation spoke up, "Why must it be our Zhou clan who did it? Can the Xiang clan, Tang clan, and Chu clan escape responsibility?"

Someone immediately agreed: "It could also be the Liao Clan. Hai Heizi went to investigate their king, and the people below couldn't hold back and retaliated wantonly. It's also possible."

"Yep!"

A group of people inside and outside the hall echoed this.

Zhu Zaiting asked with a dark face, "You don't know how powerful Xiyuan is, do you? When the late emperor passed away, he caught the princes and clansmen being unfilial and promiscuous during the national mourning period, and hanged two princes, five generals guarding the country, seven generals assisting the country, and several other clansmen.

In the past, when the emperors caught the royal family members committing crimes, they usually sent them to Fengyang for imprisonment. But in this person's hands, he even skipped the trip to Fengyang and sent them directly to see Emperor Taizu.

Everyone, this is not a joke, please take it seriously."

Another prince said disdainfully: "They dared to mess around during the national mourning period. They are courting death and cannot blame anyone else. Now we are behaving ourselves, how dare Xiyuan make up a pretext to frame us?
We are all descendants of Emperor Taizu, how dare he do such a thing?"

Another prince said in dissatisfaction: "Your Highness, assassinating Hai Rui is not a good thing. Others are too busy pushing the blame away, why is Your Highness putting it on our Zhou clan?"

Zhu Zaiting said angrily: "Hai Rui left Huguang from Xiangyang and originally went to Hebei via Nanyang and Luoyang. But he did not go to Nanyang, but took a detour to Kaifeng, because an old friend of his from the same school who he had not seen for many years was an official in Kaifeng.

The two of them talked all night long, discussing their indignation at the various illegalities of the various vassal states and royal families. This old friend from the same school was also a good friend of an official in the palace. Not long after Hai Rui left, the old friend told the official about this matter and asked him to give some advice.

The officials are teachers to many people in the palace, and they must have told you to be more restrained.

I know some of you are arrogant and self-important. When you heard Hai Rui's words, you were so angry that you couldn't hold back and wanted to kill people!"

Zhu Zaiting became more and more angry as he spoke: "But don't you think about it? This time it's Hai Rui. Do you dare to move? You really haven't suffered the hardship of Xiyuan."

"Report!"

Before Zhu Zai could finish his words, a chief eunuch came running in, tumbling and crawling.

"what's up?"

"The palace, our palace has been surrounded by the guards. The chief secretary went to negotiate and was told that according to the order of the Western Garden, no one is allowed to enter or leave."

Xiyuan!

Zhu Zaiting's eyes went dark and his head felt dizzy.

The people in the hall were silent for more than ten breaths, and suddenly someone shouted, "Oh my God!"

Everyone was immediately shocked and scattered in panic, some even rolled and crawled, not caring about anything. When Zhu Zaiting came to his senses, the Xiuxin Hall was empty, with only shoes and hats scattered on the ground.

(End of this chapter)