Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 120 The real truth behind the poisoning of the late emperor!

Beijing.

East Factory Yamen.

After Liu Jin returned to the East Factory, he immediately summoned the East Factory men and personally led a team to investigate the clues left by the harem in the poisoning case of the previous emperor.

Just as Liu Jin said, he was not afraid of anything when handling cases, even if it was the harem, he would dare to investigate if the emperor asked him to.

After Liu Jin became the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, he urgently needed some trustworthy and capable men to help him control the Eastern Depot.

So, Liu Jin thought of his companions, Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng, who entered the palace at about the same time as him.

So he immediately transferred Zhang Yong, who was guarding the Maoling Mausoleum for the previous emperor, and Ma Yongcheng, who was cleaning the palace in the Zhidianjian, to the East Factory.

He also directly appointed Zhang Yong as the head of the team and Ma Yong as the second in command.

With just one sentence, the two eunuchs who had been marginalized returned to the center of eunuch power and changed their destiny.

After Liu Jin tasted power for the first time, he became addicted to it and was unwilling to let go.

After Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng joined the East Factory, Liu Jin personally took the lead and, according to Zhu Youtang's order, thoroughly investigated all clues in the harem related to the poisoning of the previous emperor.

But the more he investigated, the more frightened Liu Jin became.

When all the clues pointed to the murderer in the end, Liu Jin, who was always vicious and cruel, couldn't help but feel a chill on his back.

If this matter cannot be handled properly, I am afraid that everyone who handles this case will lose their heads.

"Eunuch Liu, this... this... can you really tell His Majesty this?"

In the secret room of the East Factory Yamen, Ma Yongcheng was shaking like a sieve, his face was frighteningly pale, and cold sweat was pouring out of his whole body.

He was now extremely frightened, which was in stark contrast to the excitement and ecstasy he felt when he first entered the East Depot.

If Ma Yongcheng knew that once he entered the East Factory, he would encounter such a serious case that could cost him his life.

He would rather stay in the palace as the Supervisor and sweep the palace every day until he died than come to the East Factory and get covered in this foul smell.

I didn't even get to eat the meat, and instead got beaten.

Zhang Yong appeared to be calmer than Ma Yongcheng, but his expression was also filled with worry.

"Yes, Eunuch Liu, do we really have to report this matter to His Majesty truthfully?"

"If this gets reported, and His Majesty gets angry, we'll all lose our heads!"

At this moment, Liu Jin's expression was also gloomy.

At this time, Liu Jin finally understood why Huai En did not dare to thoroughly investigate the harem.

It’s not that Huai En is too timid, it’s just that this matter is too serious!

Even if it was Liu Jin, if he had a choice, he would not want to be involved in this matter.

But Liu Jin recalled what Zhu Youtang had said to him and thought of Huai En's current fate, he had to take revenge!
If he reports it, His Majesty might be furious and take his anger out on him.

But if he doesn't report it, all that awaits him is death.

Liu Jin gritted his teeth, his face livid: "Report! Must report!"

"I am where I am today because of your majesty's will, your majesty's trust in me, and your majesty's personal order for me to investigate this matter."

"If I conceal this, I will be unworthy of your majesty's trust in me, and I will die without a burial place!"

"I promoted you all, and you will die when the time comes!"

"So don't even think about hiding anything from His Majesty. No matter what happens, it must be left to His Majesty to decide. Do you understand?!"

Rather than being a warning to Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng, this sentence is more like a reminder to himself.

Liu Jin was also trying to convince himself and overcome the fear in his heart.

Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng were shocked when they heard this, and they immediately assured him in a serious tone: "Understood! We understand!"

"I...went to the palace to report to His Majesty."

Liu Jin put away the secret letter on the table and gave instructions to Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng as if he were giving instructions for his last affairs.

"If I can't come back, you'll have to fend for yourself."

"If it's convenient, please help me collect the body."

After saying this, Liu Jin walked from the East Factory Yamen to the Forbidden City with the determination to die.

Along the way, Liu Jin's footsteps seemed particularly heavy, and it took him longer than usual to reach the gate of Hongde Hall.

After taking a deep breath, Liu Jin walked into the Hongde Hall and knelt down before Zhu Youtang.

"Your servant Liu Jin pays respect to His Majesty."

Zhu Youtang put down the memorial in his hand and looked up at Liu Jin lying on the ground.

"Get up and talk. Have you found anything?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have indeed found out the real mastermind behind the poisoning of the late emperor."

Liu Jin did not stand up, but buried his head even lower.

"who is it?"

There was no emotion in Zhu Youtang's tone.

Liu Jin took out the secret letter from his arms and knelt down to present it to Zhu Youtang.

"I dare not say anything, please have your Majesty take a look personally."

Zhu Youtang frowned and looked quietly at the secret letter in Liu Jin's hand without reaching out.

Sweat began to appear on Liu Jin's forehead and his hands were shaking slightly.

Zhu Youtang stared at the secret letter in a trance, not knowing what he was thinking.

After a quarter of an hour, or perhaps even longer, Liu Jin could no longer remember.

Just when Liu Jin felt that his hands were too sore to lift the secret memorial, Zhu Youtang finally reached out and took the secret memorial.

Zhu Youtang opened the secret letter and read it with a gloomy face.

Liu Jin was shaking like a sieve, and he kept stealing glances at Zhu Youtang's face. After reading the secret letter, Zhu Youtang's face was so gloomy that it seemed like water could drip out of it.

Even though he had already prepared himself, when he finally identified the murderer behind the scenes, he was still filled with great rage.

But deeper than this anger is the sadness in my heart and a chilling fear.

The person who ordered the poisoning of the late emperor was none other than his biological mother, Zhou!
The one who colluded with him to poison the late emperor was none other than his empress, Wang.

In fact, Zhu Youtang had already guessed the answer when Huai En refused to investigate the harem even at the cost of his own life.

Otherwise, he would not have asked Wang Zhi to stop investigating the poisoning case of the previous emperor.

But after truly confirming it at this moment, Zhu Youtang did not have the energy to be angry, but felt more sad.

This is a royal tragedy.

For the sake of power, they can even target their closest relatives.

If you are not in it, you cannot understand the cruelty and coldness.

Everyone laughed at the Li Tang Dynasty for implementing the Xuanwu Gate Succession Law.

But who knows the sadness in the hearts of the royal relatives of the Li Tang Dynasty when they saw brothers killing each other and fathers and sons fighting each other?

The saddest thing is that fathers and sons are jealous of each other, brothers are at odds with each other, and the closest relatives are holding the knife that will stab themselves.

"How many people know about this?"

Zhu Youtang put down the secret letter and asked coldly.

This kind of palace scandal must not be spread out!

The best way to block the news is to make everyone who knows about it keep their mouths shut forever.

This is also the reason why Huai En would rather die than investigate the harem, and why Liu Jin, Zhang Yong, and Ma Yongcheng were so frightened just now.

The more you know about what is happening in the palace, the faster you will die.

Liu Jin sensed the murderous intent in Zhu Youtang's tone. His body trembled even more violently and his speech became intermittent.

"Your Majesty, I personally led people to handle this case."

"Not many people know about this. Only the servants... and the chief and second chief of the East Factory, and... and ten other people from the East Factory know... know."

The men in the Eastern Depot are all 100% loyal to Zhu Youtang, so he is not worried about them.

"Who are the top and second-in-command of the East Factory?"

"It's... it's Zhang Yong, and... and Ma Yongcheng."

Zhu Youtang had some impression of the name Zhang Yong.

After the late emperor was buried in Maoling Mausoleum, the Imperial Household Department provided a list of eunuchs who were to guard the mausoleum.

Zhu Youtang remembered that Zhang Yong's name was on the list.

But no one expected that this Zhang Yong was the Zhang Yong who later became one of the Eight Tigers.

As for Ma Yongcheng, Zhu Youtang only knew that he was one of the Eight Tigers, but he had no impression of him before.

Zhu Youtang put down the secret memorial, his eyes cold, "Let's keep this to ourselves."

"If any word leaks out, I will skin you alive."

"Yes! Yes! Your Majesty!"

Liu Jin felt as if he had been pardoned. He felt relieved and knew that he had made the right bet. He felt lucky to have saved his life.

Liu Jin kept kowtowing on the ground and swore on his life.

"If there are any rumors out there, I am willing to be tortured to death and die as a token of my apology!"

"Humph, you and Huai En both like the punishment of slow slicing."

Zhu Youtang snorted coldly: "You did a smart job on this matter, please leave."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."

Liu Jin kowtowed again and then quickly left the Hongde Hall.

It was only after he smelled the cold air outside Hongde Hall that Liu Jin suddenly realized that his clothes were soaked.

After seeing Liu Jin leave, Zhu Youtang picked up the secret memorial again and started reading it.

Through the contents of the secret memorial and the secret that Huai'en had told him before, Zhu Youtang had a general understanding of the whole incident.

All of this started with the emperor's change of crown prince in the 21st year of Chenghua.

In the 21st year of Chenghua, Emperor Xianzong Zhu Jianshen wanted to depose the crown prince Zhu Youtang, whom he had appointed for ten years.

In the end, the plan was abandoned due to seven consecutive earthquakes on Mount Tai.

In the first month of the 23rd year of Chenghua, according to tradition, Zhu Jianshen went to the southern suburbs to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth and left the palace for a day.

On this day, Concubine Wan, who had been the most favored concubine in the harem for twenty-two years, suddenly died of unknown cause!

According to historical records, she died of phlegm after beating a palace maid in anger.

It was so confusing that I don’t know how the historians had the nerve to write this reason in the history books.

When Zhu Jianshen returned to the palace the next day, he wept bitterly and muttered to himself: "Now that Minister Wan has passed away, I will also pass away."

Zhu Youtang originally thought that it was because Zhu Jianshen was deeply in love with Concubine Wan that he had such a sigh.

But now thinking about it, maybe Zhu Jianshen had already begun to realize something at that time.

Seven months after Concubine Wan's sudden death, in August of the 23rd year of Chenghua, Zhu Jianshen drank the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital and died suddenly!
The one who instructed Liu Wentai to prescribe the medicine was the Empress Dowager Zhou at that time.

This bowl of medicine was brought into the Qianqing Palace personally by the then Queen Wang.

After Wang came out of the Qianqing Palace, she was promoted from queen to empress dowager.

And Empress Dowager Zhou even became the Grand Empress Dowager.

From that moment on, the cabinet and the harem once again took control of the government!
(End of this chapter)