Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 288, Your Majesty, please rise.

Besides Qiu Ping, the former Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, there was another person, Yang Weiheng, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

Yang Weiheng was a member of the Yang clan of Huaizhou. The Yang clan had been almost wiped out before, and this was closely related to the Huaiyin Army. Therefore, there was an old grudge between the two sides.

Moreover, Yang Weiheng's position as the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate was originally a high-ranking and powerful position, with enormous power to supervise all officials.

Now, Fang Yong has divided much of this power among the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Shuntian Prefecture, which has led to a significant decline in the status of the Censorate, turning it into an empty shell, and the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate has become an official who can retire.

The Left Censor-in-Chief was content to retire, but Yang Weiheng was not. Under these circumstances, he unsurprisingly chose to rebel.

Apart from these two, everyone else secretly went to the palace the next day to kowtow to Fang Yong and admit their mistakes. Then, the group gathered together, staring at each other blankly.

Anyway, the fish was caught.

Although it's a little less, eliminating potential problems in advance is much better than letting them surface later.

In the days that followed, Meng Shen and his son Meng Liang, along with Qiu Ping and Yang Weiheng, actively prepared for their rebellion.

Meng Shen and Meng Liang continued to contact other officials to fish.

Several more were caught during this period, mostly officials whose interests had been harmed by Fang Yong. Since their official positions were not high, I will not go into details here.

Qiu Ping used his connections to bribe the city guards and devised a route to escape to Henan.

Yang Weiheng prepared two daggers for Meng Shen and Meng Liang that could cut through iron like mud. The daggers were coated with a deadly poison, and anyone who touched them would die instantly.

The others also pretended, with those who had money contributing money and those who had strength contributing strength.

time flies.

During this period, Song Yun, who had been recuperating from his injuries, recovered and, under Fang Yong's arrangement, entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation to serve.

Meng Shen and Meng Liang had also basically tested all the major officials.

We can get started now.

On this day, under Fang Yong's instruction, Meng Shen contacted Xiao Changzi and asked the Longqing Emperor for an imperial edict addressed to Tian Tianrui.

Meng Shen informed the Longqing Emperor of the plan through Xiao Changzi.
The father and son planned to assassinate the traitor Fang in the main hall. Qiu Ping, former Vice Minister of Works, and Yang Weiheng, Deputy Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, went to Henan with the new imperial edict.

If successful, then we will lead troops with Tian Tianrui, the governor of Henan, to the capital to protect His Majesty.

If defeated, then spread the word throughout the land and ask them to raise their own troops and march into the capital to punish the traitors!

The Longqing Emperor was deeply moved upon hearing this.

This plan sounds somewhat feasible.

Even Emperor Kangning, who was lying on the soft couch, was somewhat surprised that it had actually succeeded.
Emperor Longqing dared not delay. He quickly tore off a corner of his trouser leg, bit open Dai Quan's finger, squeezed out blood, and wrote an imperial edict ordering Tian Tianrui, the governor of Henan, to suppress the Fang traitor.

Since this time it was written directly with Dai Quan's blood, there was no pain. Emperor Longqing then wrote a long article of a thousand characters, displaying his talent and denouncing Fang the traitor!

"Heaven has no mercy! The millions of people of our Great Xi have been born into an inauspicious and treacherous kingdom, with the heart of an owl and the nature of a wolf. He is skilled in power struggles and relies on his authority. He has been plotting to usurp the throne and has long harbored treacherous schemes. He has harmed our country and dimmed the sun and moon. He constantly thinks of imprisoning us and harbors rebellious thoughts. Alas, how painful!"

……

He was favored by Heaven and secretly received an imperial edict. He endured countless hardships and near-death experiences, secretly praying to Heaven. He traveled far and wide, his sincerity shining like the sun. Wandering aimlessly in the world, he wept and pleaded his case. He could not match Zhang Jianzhi's unwavering loyalty, but could only emulate Shen Baoxu's mournful lament.

……

I am extremely anxious and eagerly awaiting your return!

May 29th, the nineteenth year of the Longqing reign.

As the long article was written, Dai Quan, who was standing next to him, turned pale.

The Longqing Emperor was looking at the article with satisfaction and was about to hand it over when suddenly a voice came from outside: "The Prince of Wu has arrived!"

Emperor Longqing's face instantly turned pale with panic.

He was extremely flustered and at a loss.

"How to do how to do!"

Dai Quan quickly said, "Quickly, hide the imperial edict!"

Emperor Longqing then realized what was happening and hurriedly hid the edict in his robes. Dai Quan glanced at the teacup beside him; it still contained a small amount of blood—blood he had squeezed out by cutting his finger for Emperor Longqing to use for writing.

There was no time to deal with it, so Dai Quan quickly poured some tea into the container and drank it all in one gulp.

In this way, the evidence can barely be considered destroyed!

Before Dai Quan could calm down, the door was pushed open.

Fang Yong, dressed in a brocade robe and with a sword at his waist, entered, followed by dozens of fully armed soldiers.

Upon witnessing this scene, the Longqing Emperor was so frightened that he took several steps back.

Fang Yong's face was cold and stern as he looked at Emperor Longqing with disdain.

The fully armed soldiers behind him exuded a murderous aura.

Never before had the Longqing Emperor felt death so close. Could it be that his secret had been exposed?

Unable to withstand the pressure, he asked tremblingly, "King of Wu, may I ask what brings you here?"

Fang Yong snorted coldly, looked the Longqing Emperor up and down, and said:

"I went north to defend Your Majesty and rescued you from danger. My merit is no less than that of the Duke of Zhou! I drove out the Tartars and helped Your Majesty regain the throne. How am I any different from Yi Yin? Yet Your Majesty turns kindness into enmity and merit into fault, and even ordered two or three treacherous ministers to plot against me. Why is this?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Longqing realized that his scheme had been exposed and was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground.

"I don't know, I don't know!"

Fang Yong waved his hand and said, "Bring him up!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several Huaiyin soldiers dragged in two bloodied and mangled people!
These two people are Qiu Ping and Yang Weiheng.

After testing the main officials, Fang Yong had no intention of continuing the act. He directly ordered his men to raid the homes of the two men and subject them to severe torture, forcing them to write confessions!
Now, there isn't a single good spot on either of their bodies.

After careful examination, the Longqing Emperor was able to barely recognize the two men by their appearances.

Yang Weiheng's eyes were cut open, Qiu Ping's nose was cut off, his body was covered with whip marks and bits of flesh, and he was covered with burns and scalds. Two fingers were missing from his feet, his fingernails were gone, his collarbone was pierced through his body, and his kneecaps showed white bone fragments. One of them had his flesh turned out like a demon, and the other was covered in blood like a demon.

The Longqing Emperor was terrified, his face turned pale, and he retreated repeatedly.

Fang Yong pressed closer, pulled out a secret edict, and threw it on the ground. "Who did this?!"

When the Longqing Emperor saw it, he realized that it was the secret edict he had written earlier!

Emperor Longqing was immediately thrown into turmoil and hurriedly said, "No, no, no, this was written under duress. I had no such intention whatsoever!"

Fang Yonghan said in a cold voice: "What is the punishment for falsely accusing a prince of treason!"

The Longqing Emperor was so frightened that he kowtowed on the ground and said:
"I am guilty, I am guilty! I beg the King of Wu for forgiveness!"

Fang Yong smiled and said, "How can a ruler kneel before his subject? Your Majesty, please rise!"

The Longqing Emperor was pulled up.

Fang Yong looked at Qiu Ping and Yang Weiheng and gave the order:

"Cut him in half at the waist in the East Market, and exterminate his entire family!"

The men immediately took the two away. Qiu Ping cursed incoherently because his tongue had been cut off, so he couldn't speak clearly.

In contrast, Yang Weiheng had a complete tongue, and he cursed loudly, "Traitor, old dog, may you die a horrible death!"

Then he was brought down.

Fang Yong was left behind, along with a panicked Emperor Longqing.

Fang Yong glanced at the people present.

Xiao Changzi glanced at the Longqing Emperor's bosom and Dai Quan's hands.

Fang Yong understood.

(End of this chapter)