My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 90: The Drum of Appreciation (Available at 12:00 PM tomorrow)

"Run!"

Zhu Chonghua stuffed the official robe and the ten-thousand-word letter into his son Zhu Juntang's hands and immediately ordered him to escape.

Sure enough, several torches were erected behind him, indicating that the pursuers from the Dai Wang Mansion had arrived.

Zhu Juntang wanted to drag his father away with tears in his eyes, but Zhu Chonghua pushed him away with his last bit of strength. He was caught off guard and pushed far away.

Pushing his son away, Zhu Chonghua straightened the simple wooden crown on his head and took out the self-defense dagger from his arms.

"As a descendant of Taizu, I have lived a cowardly life. If I don't die of starvation on my sickbed, I can be considered worthy of my ancestors."

Zhu Chonghua used up all his remaining strength and rushed towards the pursuers behind him, buying time for his son to escape.

Zhu Juntang heard the sound of fighting behind him. He was about to turn back to save his father, but he accidentally tripped and rolled down the slope.

Zhu Juntang fainted while holding the things. When he woke up again, it was already dawn.

I am still alive?

Zhu Juntang grabbed again, and the official robe and the ten-thousand-word letter that his father had stuffed into his arms were both in his arms.

He struggled to his feet and climbed back to the mound where he had rested yesterday. There was no trace of him except blood among the rocks.

Why did he survive? Was it really the blessing of his ancestors?
Zhu Juntang knew that his father was in grave danger, so he made a cenotaph with the blood-stained stones with tears in his eyes. He kowtowed to the cenotaph several times and headed towards the capital with gritted teeth.

Zhu Juntang didn't know that after the pursuers killed Zhu Chonghua yesterday, they also sent people to chase Zhu Juntang.

As if by some strange coincidence, the group found the body of a refugee who had just starved to death behind the rocks.

The guards of the Dai Palace were very tired after chasing for a long time and wanted to return to Datong to report.

Seeing that the body was similar in shape to Zhu Juntang and that it was in this remote place, people thought it was Zhu Juntang.

As for the official robe and the ten thousand word letter, the guards just assumed that they were lost during the pursuit. Anyway, the people were dead, and the task assigned by the King was completed.

This place is not far from the capital, and the night is long and dreams are many, so these guards are too lazy to search in the dark.

They cut off the heads of Zhu Chonghua and "Zhu Juntang" and disposed of the remaining bodies. Then the guards excitedly returned to Datong to report and collect their rewards.
-
Capital, Censorate.

Luo Zun received the news and learned that Su Ze had written a letter requesting the abolition of Dai Fan.

After hearing the news, Luo Zun was not angry but happy. Su Ze must have been desperate and tried every possible means to cure his illness. He was really courting his own destruction!

"Is this Su Ze really a mad dog? Because of his memorial, the borders of Dai were in turmoil, and the King of Dai requested to move inland to avoid the disaster. He actually put the blame on the King of Dai for the border unrest!"

Luo Zun said to his colleagues in the Censorate:
"It is a disgrace that such a shameless villain serves in the same court as us!"

"To alienate the clan members and alienate the relatives, Su Ze is really out of his mind!"

Luo Zun saw that the atmosphere was almost heated up, so he said, "I will submit a petition to impeach Su Ze and support the King of Dai!"

After Luo Zun finished speaking, the imperial censors present echoed him: "Count me in!"

Luo Zun walked into the classroom and quickly wrote a memorial, which was signed by the censors present.

Shen Sixiao, who was watching the government from the side, was very excited, but it was a pity that he was only a Jinshi who was observing the government and was not qualified to sign the memorial.

Luo Zun also did not forget his younger brother who gave him advice. He gave Shen Sixiao a look, telling him that he would not forget his contribution.

"I will personally go to the Ministry of Public Security and ask them to report directly to His Majesty!"

In addition to impeaching ministers, the six departments and thirteen ministries also have the privilege of submitting memorials directly to the emperor without going through the cabinet.

Of course, this required the consent of the Tongzhengshi of the Tongzhengsi, who had to present it in person. But generally speaking, as long as the censors created enormous pressure from public opinion, the Tongzhengshi would definitely give in.

This group of censors, holding memorials, surrounded Luo Zun and headed towards the Ministry of Public Administration.
-
Department of General Affairs.

Tongzhengshi Li Yiyuan had a splitting headache.

He was just transferred from the Honglu Temple to the Tongzhengsi in February this year.

As both are offices of the Nine Ministers, the responsibilities of the Tongzhengsi are naturally more important than the ceremonial Honglu Temple, so Li Yiyuan can be considered a promotion.

But when he actually got the position of Tongzhengshi, Li Yiyuan realized how hot a chair it was.

Although the function of the Tongzhengsi was only to transmit memorials, as the core of the entire Ming Dynasty's official document transmission, the Tongzhengsi's functions were actually very important.

There are certain rules for how and when to submit a memorial, and whether to submit it early or late.

These days, Li Yiyuan was caught between the Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice, and was neither a popular figure nor a popular figure.

The Kedao always felt that his memorials were delivered slowly, and that the Tongzhengsi and the Cabinet were colluding to deliberately delay the memorials submitted by the censors to impeach the Cabinet.

The cabinet believed that the Ministry of Public Administration was too diligent in submitting memorials, and that it was helping the censors to put pressure on the emperor in an attempt to bring down the cabinet.

Looking at the mountain of memorials, Li Yiyuan knew that he would be reprimanded again if these were sent to the cabinet.

But if I don't send it, I will be added to the impeachment list of the censors tomorrow.

At this moment, the confidant outside the door suddenly rushed in and shouted to Li Yiyuan:
"Dayintai, those censors are here to kill us!"

Li Yiyuan had been traumatized by the censors. When he heard that the censors were coming to kill him, he instinctively trembled and said:
"Send these memorials to the cabinet immediately!"

The confidant quickly said:

"Those censors said they wanted to report directly to His Majesty. Please ask the Grand Silver Master to come to the palace and deliver it personally!"

When Li Yiyuan heard the word "directly play", his head hurt even more.

Going directly to the emperor by bypassing the cabinet was a great disrespect for the cabinet's authority, and doing so would definitely offend the cabinet.

But if he refused the censors' request, these censors might go directly to Zuoshunmen to "knock on the palace gate", and he would definitely be labeled as "holding a position for nothing and doing nothing".

"Dayintai, those imperial censors?"

Li Yiyuan gritted his teeth. The cabinet had been shaky recently, so he decided to stand on the side of the Censorate and said to his confidant:

"I will personally go to receive the memorial!"

The Tongzhengsi opened its door, and Luo Zun strode into the office with his head held high. Wearing a green official robe, he held his head high like a superior and handed the memorial to Li Yiyuan, who was wearing a vermilion official robe.

Then Luo Zun said to Li Yiyuan as if his superior was giving orders to a clerk:
"This is the public opinion of our Censorate. Please come to the palace immediately and present it to His Majesty!"

Li Yiyuan felt humiliated, but he couldn't show it at this moment.

Just as Li Yiyuan put away the memorial with a smile, the sound of drums suddenly rang out at the gate of the Ministry of Public Administration.

As the rhythm of the drums grew faster and faster, Li Yiyuan felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest with the beats.

The suppressed and low sound of drums rang out, and soon a minor official rushed into the Tongzhengsi.

This minor official ignored the presence of the imperial censors and knelt directly in front of Li Yiyuan and said:

"Grand Silver Platform! The drum for hearing the news has sounded!"

(End of this chapter)