Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 302 Punishment! His Majesty has passed away!

Zhu Yunhuan stared at Old Zhu in a daze.

I have to say that Lao Zhu's method is really good.

If he was united against by the gentry, landlords and aristocratic families because he was against them, if those people got the "news", they would definitely bring out the old emperor.

Old Zhu, who was hiding in the deep palace, could just join forces with Zhu Yunhuan to deal with them.

On the other hand, this is also equivalent to providing a layer of insurance for the Ming Dynasty.

No matter how much of a sensation Zhu Yunhuan's reform measures caused, or how great a wave of opposition they aroused...if in the end it got out of control.

Old Zhu in the deep palace can also stand up to protect him and clean up his mess.

In that case, the worst result would be that the reforms could not be implemented, but the world would still be stable and the Zhu family would still be able to rule the country.

However, for Zhu Yuanzhang, he had to live in seclusion in the deep palace from then on, which was tantamount to being imprisoned.

"Grandpa Emperor!" Zhu Yunhuan burst into tears.

Instead of being a good emperor, he took the initiative to imprison himself in the deep palace. How many expectations and deep love for his children and grandchildren were contained in this?
Old Zhu said calmly: "I am old and can't walk anymore. What's the difference between staying in the palace and being outside?"

"You are better than me at governing the world, so I won't worry about it."

"Remember to leave a piece of land for me in the palace. When I have nothing to do, I can go there to grow vegetables and till the land."

"Okay, stop crying. We are just looking for a place to live out our retirement."

"Why are you crying!"

Boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom!
Outside, there was a violent knock on the door, accompanied by bursts of shouting.

"Open the door!"

"We want to see the Emperor!"

"Open the door quickly!"

……

It seems that Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao and others can no longer hold on.

"Go open the door and call a doctor in." Old Zhu said, lying back on the bed: "You should know what to do with the rest."

Zhu Yunhuan kowtowed three times beside the bed with tears in his eyes.

Then he stood up and opened the door.

The noisy noise came to an abrupt end.

Zhu Yunhuan's gaze met the gaze of the ministers outside.

All the ministers lowered their heads.

Those who were noisy just now were now afraid to breathe.

Arguing outside is one thing, but actually facing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is another.

Every time Zhu Yunhuan took a step forward, they took a step back.

Only after retreating seven or eight steps did a minister finally muster up the courage to bow and say, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"

All the ministers saluted together: "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Zhu Yunhuan's eyes slowly swept over the ministers and said coldly: "Grandpa Emperor is seriously ill. I am the crown prince, the heir to the throne. Grandpa Emperor has something to tell me. What are you guys arguing about outside?"

"Want to rebel?"

"Do you still have His Majesty the Emperor in your eyes? Do you still have me, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Do you still remember your duties as a subject?"

The sound was not loud, but it was as sharp as a knife.

All the officials lowered their heads in shame and said in unison: "We dare not!"

"Don't dare?" Zhu Yunhuan snorted coldly: "The Emperor has just fallen ill, and you dare to make a loud noise outside. What else are you afraid of?"

"Your Highness, they did not allow the imperial physician to come in to see His Majesty, so we..." a minister said bravely.

Zhu Yunhuan glared at him and said, "I am in there. If there is any problem, won't I call the imperial physician in?"

"Or do you think you can make the decision for me?"

"Or maybe you think I am going to harm His Majesty, and you want to rush in to protect Him?"

His voice became colder and colder.

"I dare not! I deserve to die!" The minister suddenly knelt down and kowtowed heavily.

The other ministers were immediately silent, and soon they all knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me!"

In fact, the ministers did have such thoughts in their minds.

His Majesty the Emperor is seriously ill. If anything unexpected happens, the person who will benefit the most will undoubtedly be the crown prince Zhu Yunhuan.

He could naturally ascend the throne and become emperor.

Since ancient times, the struggle for the throne has never taken human feelings into consideration.

However, facing Zhu Yunhuan at this moment, no one dared to say what they were thinking.

Zhu Yunhuan's eyes were as sharp as a knife. He slowly swept over the crowd and turned to look at the leader of the guards of the East Palace. He asked in a cold voice: "They are making a noise here. As the leader of the guards of the East Palace, why don't you come forward to stop them?"

"Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao, and Yang Rong all knew how to stop it. Don't you know that?"

The head of the guards knelt down with a plop and said, "Your Highness, I have failed in my duty. I deserve to die."

While begging for mercy, he inadvertently glanced at a eunuch next to him.

Zhu Yunhuan was looking at him and noticed it immediately.

He glanced at the eunuch, who was the one who stopped Yang Rong before. Zhu Yunhuan looked at the head of the guards and said in a deep voice, "Did someone instigate you? Tell me now. Even if you die, you can die happily."

The head of the guards was shocked, and he looked up at Zhu Yunhuan, then at the eunuch next to him. He was still hesitating, but the eunuch couldn't stand it anymore, his body went limp, and he knelt on the ground, kowtowing like crazy:
"Your Highness, please spare my life. It was I who advised Guard Zhang not to act rashly... I felt that since His Majesty was critically ill, the debate among the ministers in the court concerned the country and the people. I, a lowly servant, should not get involved."

"As a guard, you should be more careful about your duties. Without the order from His Royal Highness, you should not stop the ministers in the court."

Zhu Yunxun said "Oh" lightly, and then said sternly: "You said that you are a eunuch, of low status, and should not participate in it, but you secretly advised the head of the guards of the East Palace on how to act. Does this mean you are not participating?"

The eunuch trembled and said, "Your servant... your servant... your servant..."

He was so frightened that he stammered and after talking for a long time, he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

Zhu Yunhuan waved his hand and said, "Come here, drag him down and beat him to death with sticks."

The eunuch was immediately terrified and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Your Highness, please spare my life! Your Highness, please spare my life!"

No matter how he shouted, it was in vain.

Soon, two guards came forward and pulled him away.

Zhu Yunhuan's gaze once again rested on the head of the guards and asked, "Do you have anything else to tell me?"

The eunuch instigated him and he deserved to die.

But as the leader of the Eastern Palace guards, he had no opinion of his own at the critical moment and was led by others, which was also a serious dereliction of duty.

"I have two young children at home, and I hope Your Highness the Crown Prince will beg for mercy." The chief guard kowtowed.

"Okay, after you die, I will take good care of your family." Zhu Yunhuan said, then waved his hand and said, "Take them away and behead them!"

"Wait!" Zhu Yunhuan was interrupted by a minister as soon as he finished speaking.

He got up from the ground, bowed again, and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince punished the guards of the Eastern Palace, and I should not have interfered."

"But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince killed them because they did not stop us. This is a bit unreasonable."

"We are all ministers of the court. The affairs of the court are not something that a small guard leader can interfere in."

"They are doing their job by not intervening."

"I beg Your Highness to take back your order. Don't let this chill the hearts of the guards and the officials of the court."

Zhu Yunhuan's pupils shrank slightly.

He even wanted to take care of the fact that he killed the guards of the Eastern Palace.

It seems that today's incident cannot be resolved peacefully.

These people are usually very respectful to me, but at critical moments, they show their true colors.

This is an attempt to win over the guards of the Eastern Palace.

"How dare you say anything when His Royal Highness the Crown Prince kills his own guards?" Chang Sheng was furious. He jumped out and pointed at the other party and cursed.

As Zhu Yunhuan's uncle, he had been standing on the side of Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao and others, helping to stop the ministers.

At this point, I couldn't hold back any longer.

"Your Highness, just give the order. My family soldiers are outside the East Palace. I want to see who dares not to obey."

Previously, because of concerns about the attack on the East Palace, troops from all directions came to protect it. At this moment, tens of thousands of troops were still gathered outside the East Palace.

Tatata!
at this time.

There was a burst of dense footsteps outside.

Ji Gang, with about two hundred elite soldiers from the Anti-Theft Bureau, walked in in an orderly formation.

It turned out that when Yao Guangxiao was stopping the officials, he had secretly sent someone outside to inform them of the news.

Ji Gang was leading his men back to the Ministry of Justice from the Daming Academy of Sciences. Upon hearing the news, he immediately led his men to the scene.

"I have been ordered to guard the Eastern Palace. Please give me your instructions, Your Highness the Crown Prince." Ji Gang knelt on one knee.

Zhu Yunhuan nodded slightly, pointed at the minister who had stepped out and said, "Drag him out and chop him off!"

"Yes!" Ji Gang accepted the order.

With a wave of his hand, two men from the Anti-Theft Office came forward, picked up the minister, and dragged him outside.

The minister shouted, "Your Highness, your perverse behavior will arouse public anger."

"Your Highness, Crown Prince, aren't you afraid of the world's gossip and the infamy that will be forever in the history books?"

……

Zhu Yunhuan had a stern face and turned a deaf ear.

He glanced at the leader of the East Palace guards who was still kneeling on the ground, then turned to look at the guards next to him.

"Didn't you hear my order?"

The guards were immediately shocked and broke out in cold sweats.

Because it involved their own leader, and because they saw some ministers "arguing with reason" with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, they hesitated to take action.

Seeing that even the minister had been killed by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, how could he dare to hesitate even a moment?

He immediately stepped forward and pulled down the leader of the guards who was kneeling on the ground.

After a while, two people came in, each holding a tray with a human head on it.

This scene immediately made many ministers present tremble with fear.

"From now on, the guards of the Eastern Palace will be led by Yang Rong."

After dealing with the leader of the guards, Zhu Yunhuan immediately made arrangements.

After experiencing this incident, he truly felt that the people he promoted himself were more reliable.

Especially when faced with major changes.

Even Ji Gang, even if Zhu Yunhuan didn't think he was really particularly loyal.

But at least now, he is deeply bound to his own interests and will definitely stand firmly on his side.

The guards of the Eastern Palace are royal guards. Even if Zhu Yunhuan falls, as long as they are not involved in the big incident, they will just be transferred to another place to work.

But Ji Gang, as a person selected by Zhu Yunhuan, was completely different.

If Zhu Yunhuan falls, he will definitely be finished.

Therefore, at this time, Ji Gang was more trustworthy than the guards of the Eastern Palace.

The same goes for Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao and others.

They have been branded by Zhu Yunhuan. No matter what thoughts or ideas they have in their hearts, at this moment, they must stand with Zhu Yunhuan.

This is why Lao Zhu talked so much with Yang Rong in the carriage.

But it was different for other officials in the court.

Their ties to Zhu Yunhuan were not that deep.

Even if Zhu Yunhuan fell, their interests would not necessarily be harmed.

Therefore, at this moment, they either play it safe, or sit back and watch what happens, or have some hidden agenda...

Everyone has their own ideas, and they are all different.

Perhaps there were many who were loyal to him, Zhu Yunhun, but at this time Zhu Yunhun had no time to distinguish them.

Although Lao Zhu is the backing, this card of Lao Zhu is not meant to be played at this time.

Yang Rong bowed and said, "I obey your orders!"

Zhu Yunhuan added: "Grandpa Emperor is seriously ill and needs to rest well. Anyone who dares to make a noise outside and intends to force his way in and disturb Grandpa Emperor's rest will be killed immediately, no matter who it is."

"Yes!" Yang Rong, Ji Gang and others responded in unison.

Zhu Yunhuan waved his hand again, motioning Yao Guangxiao to come forward, and then whispered in his ear: "Send someone to pass on my order to transfer three brigades of new troops into the city and station them according to the previous plan."

Yao Guangxiao's face changed slightly, and he looked at Zhu Yunhuan deeply before saying, "As you command!"

He paused, and then said, "But for the mobilization of troops, we still need the order from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Yunhuan nodded slightly and said, "Send someone to inform the new army to get ready first, and the order will arrive soon."

After giving the order, he turned his gaze to the imperial physician beside him and said, "You guys, come in with me."

After saying that, he turned around.

Upon hearing the order, the four imperial doctors hurriedly bent over and followed.

When I entered the bedroom, I saw Lao Zhu lying quietly on the bed.

An imperial physician stepped forward, felt the patient's pulse, and carefully examined his expression before leaving.

Then came the second imperial physician, the third imperial physician...

Everyone took the pulse in turn.

This is what it’s like to treat the emperor.

A single imperial physician cannot make a diagnosis at will.

This is also for safety reasons.

After they were all gone, Zhu Yunhuan asked, "How is Grandpa Huang's condition?"

An imperial physician said first: "Your Majesty's pulse is stable, and he doesn't seem to be ill. Perhaps he just fainted due to anger. You just need to rest and recuperate."

The other three also echoed the words.

The imperial physicians of the Ming Dynasty adopted a system of hereditary inheritance.

Later on, it gradually became corrupt and the medical skills became worse and worse.

But this was still the early days of the Ming Dynasty, and the imperial physicians summoned were all old genius doctors with superb folk medical skills.

As soon as they felt his pulse, they knew everything clearly.

The reason why His Majesty fainted is only because of the current situation.

Judging from the pulse, Your Majesty should not be in a coma.

However, there are countless difficult and complicated diseases in the world, and even a miracle doctor cannot say that he has seen all the diseases in the world.

Your Majesty's pulse is stable, so it is possible that he has not woken up for a while.

Zhu Yunhuan stepped forward and put his hand on Old Zhu's pulse. His face suddenly changed. He sniffed his breath again and said sternly, "That's nonsense. Grandpa Huang... Grandpa Huang... He is clearly dead."

Several imperial doctors were horrified and wanted to come forward to diagnose the patient, but were stopped by Zhu Yunhuan: "Didn't you hear what I said?"

"Grandpa Emperor, he has passed away!"

thump!
thump!
thump!
The imperial doctors knelt down in panic, trembling and shouting, "Your Highness!"

Zhu Yunhuan said calmly with a straight face: "For the sake of your family, go outside and announce that His Majesty has passed away."

Several imperial doctors suddenly felt a chill all over their bodies.

Does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince want to kill the king and ascend the throne early?
If I get involved in this kind of thing and don't do what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince says, I'm afraid my entire family and even all nine clans will be in danger.

But if I really do as His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said, can I really save my life afterwards?
Would His Royal Highness allow someone to leak secrets?

"How to choose? You know it yourself!" Zhu Yunhuan said again.

Several imperial doctors looked at each other.

Everyone knows that they have no way out.

According to what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said, I might also lose my life.

But if you don’t do as he says, you might lose the lives of your entire family, or even nine generations of your clan!
Several people trembled and climbed up from the ground, walked outside, and cried out in great sorrow: "Your Majesty...died!"

……

(End of this chapter)