Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 15: The Four Factory Guards
In the Ming Dynasty, there were many such powerful people.

Zhu Yijun still remembers Meng Yanghao, a native of Xianning County, Huguang, in the 19th year of Wanli.

That night, he had no intention of going to Yiku Palace again. Instead, he angrily asked someone to find all the memorials that had made him very angry over the years.

Not only was there the Minister of Rites who was beaten with a stick in the court by him, but there were also censors such as Jiang Yinglin, Li Xianke, Meng Yanghao, and Wang Dewan.

What made Zhu Yijun most furious was Meng Yanghao's "Five Don'ts" memorial.

Now Zhu Yijun looked at the memorial that Li Xianke had submitted at that time requesting that the eldest prince be allowed to study first. On it, weren’t the words “Hongzhi” written as “Honghong”?
He could even write the emperor's reign title incorrectly, and he was a censor in the Ministry of Rites, so isn't that a big mistake?

"Tian Yi!" Zhu Yijun became angrier the more he thought about it. "Tell the Northern Pacification Office to interrogate him strictly! Wang Dewan has just been appointed and he is already making irresponsible remarks about the palace. There must be someone behind this!"

"…I accept your order."

Tian Yi left silently, despising Shen Yikuan in his heart.

He was hinted at that day, but he still avoided the main issue and failed to push forward anything major.

The ministers have only been restrained from waiting for a month. Could there be any progress in at least moving the eldest prince to Ciqing Palace?
Now, the constraints are ineffective and the backlash is even more severe.

A big case is about to happen again.

Zhu Yijun in the Qianqing Palace was looking at the memorials in front of him. At this moment, privately, there was a bit more panic and confusion in his eyes.

[Even if a minister is extremely rebellious, no one dares to insult the emperor.]

This is what Meng Yanghao said at the beginning, but how insulting was his subsequent words to Zhu Yijun?

【Tolerating Yuanzi's loss of education while ruining the clan society is unacceptable.】

[Delaying the teachings of the prefecture... hesitating about the enthronement, reopening the doubts of the world, two things that cannot be done.]

[The request for early education is beneficial to Yuan Ziming, but Your Majesty has punished it. This is not a way to show your kindness. There are three reasons why it is not acceptable.]

[Your Majesty is as great as heaven and earth, why do you get angry and destroy the great plan of the nation? How can the world and the world think of Your Majesty as a ruler? There are four reasons why you should not do this.]

【What Xian Ke and others said was not the private opinion of a few censors, but the public opinion of the people of the world. Now, if we accuse Xian Ke, we will only convict one person, but we will lose the hearts of the people of the world. There are five reasons that cannot be corrected.】

In their eyes, I feel that I am unfilial to my ancestors and unkind to my son.

Losing the hearts of the people...

Now, Wang Dewan said that he was not good to the queen.

"This is outrageous... This is outrageous..."

Zhu Yijun just muttered to himself timidly at this moment. He, the emperor, felt powerless again.

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Tian asked me to report that Wang Dewan has been arrested and imprisoned, and is being interrogated. In addition, I have been ordered by the emperor to order the East Factory to arrest the person who spread the rumor..."

Chen Ju's voice sounded outside the hall, but Zhu Yijun said nothing.

With some difficulty he looked back towards the north.

Naturally, the Kunning Palace cannot be seen because of the wall.

But at least during the period when the two palaces were rebuilt and the empress temporarily lived in Qixiang Palace, there were indeed very few people to serve her, far less than in Yikun Palace.

There aren't many now.

"Are there really not enough servants working in Kunning Palace? How do you do your work?"

Hearing the emperor's dissatisfaction and complaints, Chen Ju just lowered his head and said, "It's nothing. It's just rumors spread by outsiders who are taking advantage of the palace ban."

"That's good."

Zhu Yijun knew that no matter what, they would definitely remedy the situation first so that he would have something to say when he faced the important ministers later.

Zhu Yijun also knew that this was still for the sake of the country's foundation.

If the queen dies of illness, the next person to succeed her would naturally be the imperial concubine, and the third prince would then become the legitimate son.

Since there is a legitimate son, the illegitimate son cannot compete.

He gritted his teeth and said, "The eldest prince still goes to Kunning Palace every day to pay respects, but the Empress is not there?"

"Yes."

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but wonder if it might be related to Zhu Changluo.

He also knew that because the Imperial Noble Consort was favored beyond compare, the Empress also lived in seclusion. Unless there were special circumstances, she would at most go to the Cining Palace to pay her respects in the morning and evening.

Even the affairs of the harem were mostly entrusted to the Imperial Noble Consort to handle.

According to palace rules, other concubines should also pay their respects to the queen every day, or at least send someone to do so.

Most of the time, the empress would just accept the invitation, and the only one who had to meet was the imperial concubine in person.

Zhu Yijun also knew that when Zheng Mengjing went to pay his respects in person, the servants in Kunning Palace would make mistakes and be blamed from time to time.

In the past, he thought this was not a big deal. Many servants were indeed clumsy, and the queen also asked the imperial concubine to help manage the harem.

But now that the news has spread outside the palace, has it become like this?

"Did Jingyang Palace pass any news to the outside world? Tell the truth!"

Zhu Yijun's voice came muffled through the palace door after a while.

Chen Ju was helpless: "I have already sent people. There are rumors outside the palace, or people are making groundless guesses, or there are servants who are gossiping when they are out. I am investigating them." "The other day, the Imperial Concubine reported to me that a servant in Jingyang Palace left the palace without permission and did not return home at night. We should replace her with someone who knows the rules." Zhu Yijun's voice was meaningful, "Those servants must be strictly interrogated!"

Chen Ju had a headache: "I obey your order."

"We must thoroughly investigate the traitors who spread rumors and the masterminds who made irresponsible remarks about the palace!"

"This slave takes the order."

"Let's go to Jingyang Palace again and tell the eldest prince not to cause trouble. I will make the final decision on moving the palace and appointing a crown prince!" Thinking back to the past, Zhu Yijun had somehow anticipated that the boy would not be content.

Chen Ju received the imperial edict and left, but Zhu Yijun was still very angry.

In front of an angry emperor, the more nervous the eunuchs and palace maids were, the more likely they were to make mistakes.

Naturally, someone was punished again that night.

In Jingyang Palace, Chen Ju tactfully but seriously pointed out the background of someone's unwarranted discussion of the palace's taboos, and reminded Zhu Changluo not to do anything weird so as not to disrupt the progress of the sacred decision on the country's major affairs.

Of course, Zhu Changluo could only thank "his father for his great grace."

"Your Highness should just concentrate on your studies. It is better not to worry about state affairs now." Chen Ju said bluntly.

Zhu Changluo was a little helpless, so he asked, "How is Eunuch Chen's injury? He was so angry that day that it made Eunuch Chen embarrassed."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. It's just a flesh wound, no broken bones." Chen Ju bowed, "I have finished delivering the imperial edict, and I will take my leave."

"Please report to my father, my son knows the seriousness of the matter and will not cause any more worries."

Chen Ju looked at him deeply, then took his leave.

We'll be busy tonight.

Those who falsely criticize the emperor for mistreating the Empress and even hope that she will soon die of a serious illness are traitors and traitors. They should be arrested!

Inside the palace walls, Zhu Changluo was feeling depressed.

This reminder proved that the emperor's prejudice against him was even deeper.

It makes it seem like he was the one who leaked the “rumor”. Does Jingyang Palace have this connection?
Zhu Changluo suddenly remembered something: "Did Li Jinzhong come here to work because Zhao Jinjiao secretly left the palace to gamble?"

"Your Highness, that's right." Wang An was nervous and worried. "His Majesty asked Eunuch Chen to admonish Your Highness. Could it be that he suspects Your Highness..."

"Ha." Zhu Changluo sneered, "This Li Jinzhong... the rumors you heard are the same, right?"

"Yes... I asked around and found out that the guy is really a gambler and he actually likes to go..." Wang An's face was full of worry.

"Whoring? I know. He's not on duty tonight. Is he asleep or out?"

The eldest prince's vulgarity also made Wang An feel very different from usual. He found it difficult to speak such words!

"Go out... Your Highness, those new servants are trouble. If they commit serious offenses in the future, it will be because of your failure to discipline them!" Wang An was very worried, "Your Highness told the Imperial Concubine that day..."

"Just deal with my moves." Zhu Changluo's eyes were cold, "Just remember one thing, unless I have committed a serious fault, no one can touch me, not even my father!"

"Be careful with your words, be careful with your words..." Wang An turned his head carefully. There were still many spies in Jingyang Palace.

Zhu Changluo calmed down and smiled at him.

What he said was the truth.

Do you really want to push the issue to the point of "abolishing the eldest and enthroning the youngest" with a small mistake? If Zheng Mengjing thinks so, then he is too naive.

But Zhu Changluo was also fed up with the current situation: the state was clearly on the verge of collapse, but he could only fight with the imperial concubine in the palace. Did he have to let a biased father make the decision?

Late at night, Li Jinzhong was actually in a brothel in an alley, engaging in prostitution and gambling.

Although he is an incomplete man, he is still a man.

He was not shy about his words, boasting: "When I get a good job there, I will have a rich and prosperous future. You pay me today, and I will let you eat and drink delicious food later."

"Brother Li, are you so sure?"

Li Jinzhong chuckled and said, "Of course. Otherwise, why did you choose me to serve him?"

"I heard some gossip today, saying..."

Before he finished speaking, the door was kicked open and several Dongchang guards rushed in. After taking a look at the men, they said, "Catch them!"

"Gentlemen, is there any misunderstanding? We are all family..."

"The factory supervisor has ordered that anyone who leaves the palace without permission will be arrested! You will be the ones to be arrested!"

In Chen Ju's eyes, when rumors about the palace spread outside, the first people who should be investigated are of course the eunuchs who have access to the palace.

No matter what, we should first catch the group of slaves who ran away without reporting.

The Eastern Depot's thugs were arresting people everywhere, and Li Jinzhong was kidnapped and brought back to the palace for no apparent reason.

On this night, the imperial guards were out in all directions. It was the Jinyiwei's job to interrogate Wang Dewan and arrest his accomplices, and Chen Ju would not interfere.

When Chen Ju saw Li Jinzhong being arrested, his heart sank.

Of course he knew what kind of people Concubine Zheng had newly arranged to move to Jingyang Palace, but would the emperor think so?

(End of this chapter)