The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 96 Killing Zhang Siwei

The remnants of the Maitreya Sect want to seek revenge on Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei.

This is normal.

Because during the Jiajing period, Maitreya Buddhism was still rampant in Shanxi and even in Xuanda.

At that time, the leader Li Fuda had power and authority and had soldiers. It is easy to imagine how comfortable their lives were by doing business with Altan Khan.

After the rise of the three major families in Puzhou, they not only robbed their businesses, but also wanted to kill them all. Who could tolerate this?
Both sides are traitors to the enemy. There is no question of who is right or wrong. It would be better if they all died.

It is a good thing for Wanli that the remnants of the Maitreya Sect want to seek revenge.

The question is, how can the Maitreya Sect succeed in taking revenge with the little strength left?
Historically, they seem to have succeeded.

At least it's half successful.

Zhang Siwei's death was a bit strange. Wang Chonggu was almost eighty years old and still alive, but Zhang Siwei died when he was less than sixty.

It seems like they can really kill Zhang Siwei.

If Zhang Siwei was killed at this time, the three major families in Puzhou would basically be finished.

Because Yang Bo is dead and Wang Chonggu has retired, the three major families in Puzhou are supported by Zhang Siwei.

As for the sons of Yang Bo and Wang Chonggu, only one, Yang Junmin, was the second-rank Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and Governor of Shandong, and the others were not qualified.

Their grandson, Yang Yuanxiang, had just passed the imperial examination and was still a long way from taking power.

In history, Emperor Wanli had no idea how evil the three powerful families of Puzhou were, that they could actually sell the entire Ming Dynasty to the Later Jin Dynasty, so he had no idea of ​​dealing with the three powerful families of Puzhou at all.

At this moment, he was very clear that the so-called eight imperial merchants were definitely relatives trained by the three major families of Puzhou to do business with the Northern Tartars.

Can he let this group of traitors train the eight imperial merchants?

That certainly can't be the case.

He had long wanted to deal with the three major powerful families in Puzhou.

With the death of Zhang Siwei, the three major families in Puzhou lost their backbone and even more hope of regaining control of the court.

It would be much easier for him to deal with the three major families in Puzhou.

Therefore, it was a great thing for him that the remnants of the Maitreya Sect wanted to seek revenge on Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu.

He didn't know exactly when Zhang Siwei died in history. He only knew that Zhang Siwei died during the three-year mourning period and did not return to the court to regain power.

In other words, there is a high probability that Maitreya Sect can kill Zhang Siwei.

Wanli thought about it carefully, then asked solemnly: "Do you think they have a chance of success?"

Luo Sigong nodded slowly and said, "I think they are very likely to succeed because they have prepared many despicable means."

Despicable means?

Wanli couldn't help but ask curiously, "What do you mean by despicable means?"

This, you don’t know?
Luo Sigong explained in detail: "They prepared a lot of lime powder, chili powder, pepper, poison sand, poison arrows, etc. If these things are used unexpectedly, no matter how skilled you are, it will be useless."

Upon hearing this, Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan nodded with lingering fear, saying, "Yes, the people in the martial arts world who use these things are so terrifying. At first, I thought you asked my uncle to get these things to deal with me. I was really scared."

It seems that chili peppers were just introduced to the Ming Dynasty through the Silk Road not long ago. It seems that they are not used as a side dish, but as medicine. If that thing gets into your eyes, no matter how skilled you are, you won't be able to withstand it.

Upon hearing this, Wanli nodded slowly and said, "How are their preparations going? Is there anything missing?"

Luo Sigong said carefully: "They should have almost prepared the things, but they are a little short of people.

There are only a few dozen of them right now, which is not enough. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come to discuss this with us."

If it's just a lack of people, then it's easy.

Wanli continued to ask: "How many people are they short of?"

Luo Sigong said without hesitation: "They said that they need to find at least forty or fifty people, preferably those who have been trained."

Isn’t this number of people a small matter?

The secret guards have all been trained.

Wanli thought carefully, then said solemnly, "Send them fifty or so experts, preferably skilled in archery. Tell them that if they die in battle, I will give their families a pension of one thousand taels, and their descendants will be promoted to full-fledged Jinyiwei, with positions of at least small flags granted based on their abilities. The same applies to those who are captured, you understand."

This means not to reveal the identity of the secret guard.

The three major wealthy families in Puzhou have secret communications with the Northern Tartars. If they knew that the current emperor sent secret guards to assassinate Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu, they would definitely let the Northern Tartars enter the pass at all costs to kill the current emperor.

By then, there will be devastating losses and chaos in the world.

Upon hearing this, Luo Sigong bowed and said, "I understand."

Wanli thought about it carefully again, and then reminded: "Also, remember, have the people you send tell the remnants of the Maitreya Sect to kill Zhang Siwei first, and then kill Wang Chonggu."

Luo Sigong nodded without hesitation and said, "I will remember this."

Wanli nodded slightly, then waved his hand, signaling him to do it quickly.

The Imperial Concubine looked at Luo Sigong's back and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Your Majesty, Zhang Siwei seems to be the former Prime Minister, and Wang Chonggu seems to be the Minister of War with outstanding achievements. Why did you send people to help the remnants of the Maitreya Cult to assassinate them?"

These guys are promoting themselves as the wise and capable people of the time.

Wanli patiently explained: "This is just a superficial effort. They deliberately sent people to publicize their so-called achievements. In fact, they are traitors who collaborate with the enemy and sell out their country.

The three powerful families in Puzhou secretly colluded with the Northern Tartars, controlled the border towns, and made a fortune. They would do anything to make money.

The rumors you heard were all spread by their people. They also boasted that there had been no war in the northern border for more than ten years since the Longqing Conference. In fact, the northern barbarians still invaded every year. They even deliberately allowed the northern barbarians to invade the border towns that refused to submit to their rule.

You know about Liaodong Town. Just because the generals of Liaodong Town impeached them for using black cotton to make winter clothes that were not warm at all, they colluded with Wang Gao of Jianzhou Youwei and Tumen Khan of Tatar and took turns to invade Liaodong.

In just over a decade from the 36th year of Jiajing to the 5th year of Longqing, three generals and several deputy generals and commanders-in-chief died in battle in Liaodong Town.

They also withheld food and wages from border troops, falsely claimed their military merits, suppressed meritorious generals, and so on. The bad things they did are truly too numerous to list.

If I don't kill them all, there will be no peace in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty, and the border troops may be forced to rebel."

Upon hearing this, Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan couldn't help but say in shock, "How could there be such a bad person in this world?"

Wanli nodded slowly and said, "Yes, black-hearted businessmen put profit first in everything. They will do anything to make money.

Because they think money is omnipotent, and as long as they have enough money, they can control everything. The court, the emperor, and the Ming Dynasty are nothing in their eyes."

Upon hearing this, Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan couldn't help but ask with concern, "Do you mean they still want to usurp the throne?"

Wanli shook his head slightly and said, “Businessmen generally don’t do this.

Do you think being an emperor is a good job?

Actually not.

If you want to be a good emperor, you have to make sure that hundreds of millions of people live a good life, you have to support enough troops to guard the borders, and you have to spend a lot of money to pay salaries to officials.

The purpose of businessmen is to make money, not to give money. They will never give a penny to the people. They only want to make money from the people. They are even less likely to pay money to support the army and pay salaries to officials.
They usually try to control the rulers or make them listen to them so that they can make money.

In this way, all the money is taken away by them, while the rulers are heavily in debt. They can always enjoy the most luxurious life, but the rulers may perish because of helping them make money.

They only care about their own interests and not the country. They continue to make money even when dynasties change. Even when ordinary people are starving, they can still enjoy the most luxurious life.

These black-hearted businessmen are so bad!

Upon hearing this, Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, how about I help assassinate them?"

You are no longer a heroine!

Wanli quickly embraced him in his arms and said lovingly, "Xiaolan, you are my imperial concubine now. How can I let you do such a dangerous thing?"

Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan was a little worried and said, "The problem is, those so-called masters you accepted are not very skilled.

The three great families of Puzhou are all as wealthy as a nation, so they must have hired many experts to protect them. If you let them go, they will be in great danger of death."

There's nothing we can do about it.

Wanli sighed and said, "Everyone in this world has different responsibilities. I am the Son of Heaven and have to manage the entire Ming Dynasty. I cannot go. You are the Imperial Noble Consort, so you cannot go either.

There must always be people who sacrifice and protect the Ming Dynasty. This is their duty. I can only give them the best compensation, so that they feel that giving their lives for the Ming Dynasty is worth it. "

Not long after, secret reports came from Puzhou that Zhang Siwei had been assassinated!

Wang Chonggu guessed that he would be the next target, so he set up an ambush. The remnants of the Maitreya Sect who went to seek revenge and the secret guards who went to help were all caught in one fell swoop!
(End of this chapter)