Huangming

Chapter 124 The First Benefactor's Name is Smeared, and Public Opinion Falls into the Abyss

That night.

Qianqing Palace.

The sleeping quarters.

The emperor had already gone to sleep, but was unexpectedly awakened by the commotion outside.

Disturbed from his sleep, Zhu Youxiao left the palace with a displeased expression, only to see Wei Chao's anxious old face.

He first knelt on the ground and apologized, saying, "This servant has disturbed Your Majesty's rest. I deserve to die ten thousand times, but there is indeed a matter of utmost urgency."

Zhu Youxiao wasn't about to lose control of his emotions. He looked at the trembling Wei Chao and asked, "What happened that made you so panicked?"

Wei Chao swallowed hard and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, the students of the Imperial Academy and the candidates who have come to the capital for the imperial examinations have jointly submitted a petition requesting the abolition of the Huangming Daily!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao's pupils contracted slightly.

"Where are Wang Sheng, Wei Zhongxian, and Luo Sigong?"

Wei Chao immediately said, "They are all waiting outside the Qianqing Palace."

Zhu Youxiao nodded, tightened his shawl, and said, "Tell them to go to the East Warm Pavilion!"

Zhu Youxiao slowly walked towards the East Warm Pavilion, his expression unchanged, remaining calm and composed.

It was as if even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him, he could still stabilize the situation.

The emperor's composure quickly spread throughout the Wei Dynasty.

He also calmed down.

Your Majesty is confident and will surely find a solution!
Why is he panicking?
Wei Chao chuckled wryly, joking that it truly reflected the old saying: "The emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is."

Upon arriving at the East Warm Pavilion, Zhu Youxiao removed his shawl, and the emperor's brother-in-law Wang Sheng, the Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Luo Sigong immediately entered the pavilion to pay their respects.

"Your subject Wang Sheng (Luo Sigong) (and your servant Wei Zhongxian) respectfully wish Your Majesty good health!"

Zhu Youxiao immediately said, "Sit!"

Zhu Youxiao understood the principle of "capture the king first to catch the thief."

On the way from the sleeping quarters to the East Warm Pavilion, Zhu Youxiao had already thought through the matter very thoroughly.

The collective petition submitted by students of the Imperial Academy was undoubtedly instigated by those so-called upright officials.

If he were to target the students of the Imperial Academy, they would probably be overjoyed!
Their goal was to smear the Huangming Daily.

They wanted to cut off his hand as emperor and reach for the power of discourse.

On the surface, this was a case of a student challenging imperial power, but in reality, it was the civil service group making a move against the emperor!
Seeing that these people did not answer, Zhu Youxiao frowned slightly and directly called out, "Commander Luo, does the Embroidered Uniform Guard not have any informants in the Imperial Academy?"

Luo Sigong's face flushed red. He immediately stood up, knelt down, and said, "The incident occurred right under our noses. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has very few informants at the Imperial Academy."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was not as powerful as it was in the early Ming Dynasty. Even though Zhu Youxiao had increased the number of people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it was still stretched thin.

The newly added personnel were all placed around court officials by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, leaving the Imperial Academy with few informants.

Zhu Youxiao's face showed displeasure, and his tone became more severe.

"So, even now, we don't know who's behind this? We don't even know who's instigating it among the students?"

Perhaps

"Hehehe!"

Zhu Youxiao sneered and said, "Perhaps? What I need is solid evidence. If we wrong them, who will take responsibility? Are you asking me to frame loyal officials?"

Wei Zhongxian immediately knelt down and apologized, saying, "This servant dares not!"

Wei Zhongxian knew in his heart that this matter was definitely related to the Donglin Party.

But what the emperor wanted was solid evidence, which they didn't actually have.

Zhu Youxiao turned his gaze to the emperor's brother-in-law, Wang Sheng.

The latter's forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and before the emperor could speak, he began to say:

"Your Majesty, I have no idea who is behind this."

Zhu Youxiao had no hope for this brother-in-law of the emperor. He looked at Wei Zhongxian and Luo Sigong, who were kneeling on the ground, and asked:
"Aside from being students of the Imperial Academy, do these three people have anything else in common?"

Wei Zhongxian knew that if he couldn't say something now, he would incur the emperor's wrath.

His mind raced, processing the information his subordinates had just reported, and his eyes lit up.

"Your Majesty, these three students from the Imperial Academy are also students of the Shoushan Academy. The Shoushan Academy was established by Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao, so this matter must be inextricably linked to these two!"

Shoushan Academy?

Zhu Youxiao's eyes lit up, and he said, "Send men to find Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao, and have them explain the situation to the students of the Imperial Academy with reason and emotion." Let's see.
Was it Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao who instigated this behind the scenes?

Let heroes fight heroes, let good men fight good men.

"My slave takes orders."

Just as Wei Zhongxian was about to take his leave, the emperor stopped him.

"You must find out who's behind this as quickly as possible!"

Wei Zhongxian and Luo Sigong immediately accepted the order.

"This old servant obeys!"

After saying this, Zhu Youxiao added, "Furthermore, if Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao fail to persuade them to leave, all the so-called great Confucian scholars who have connections with Shanxi merchants and the Beijing garrison should be arrested!"

We must take strong measures, and all those so-called upright scholars who have not yet been arrested should be handcuffed and imprisoned for rigorous interrogation.

Find the mastermind behind this!

"Regarding the Huangming Daily, you, Imperial Uncle, must follow up on it and act swiftly."

Wang Sheng nodded immediately, understanding the importance of the matter.

Under the imperial decree, everyone acted swiftly. Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao, two veteran officials who had just been reinstated, were quickly "invited" from their homes by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the outside of the Office of Transmission.

On the way, the Imperial Guards briefly explained the situation to them.

"Gentlemen, this is the situation. His Majesty has ordered you to persuade these students who submitted petitions to return home. If you fail, you will be held responsible for this matter!"

The two men had grim faces and trembling arms, already aware of the seriousness of the matter.

Outside the Office of Transmission, Feng Congwu and Zou Yuanbiao saw so many people kneeling in remonstrance, especially since many of them were from the Shoushan Academy. The two of them felt dizzy and almost fainted.

The two of them had just been appointed by the emperor and were looking forward to making achievements in politics, but they never expected to encounter such a thing.

Bitter!

"Lord Feng, Lord Zou!"

Kneeling at the very front, Chen Ziyu immediately recognized his two superiors, and hope ignited in his eyes. He shouted, "Gentlemen, you have come at the perfect time! Please join us in admonishing the emperor, punishing the treacherous eunuchs, and purging the court of corrupt officials!"

Feng Congwu took a deep breath, his fingers trembling slightly beneath his robe sleeves.

He stepped forward, his voice hoarse but trying his best to remain calm: "Ziyu, Mingyuan, you are both promising scholars, how could you do such a rebellious thing? Gathering a crowd to kneel and remonstrate, coercing the emperor, this is not the way of a subject!"

"Ziyu!"

Zou Yuanbiao staggered forward, his withered hand grabbing Chen Ziyu's shoulder.

"Do you know who is manipulating you behind the scenes? Those who instigated you to submit a memorial to the emperor are the truly depraved ones."

"Master Zou, there's no need to say anything more!" Zhao Mingyuan interrupted sharply, turning around and shouting at the crowd.

"The two gentlemen have been bought off by the eunuch faction! The more afraid they are, the more right we are. They dare not do anything to us!"

Hundreds of people immediately roared like a tsunami, the sound so loud that the copper bells on the eaves of the Tongzhengshi Office gate jingled.

Feng Congwu staggered back half a step, tears streaming down his face.

Looking into the pairs of young eyes, burned red with fervor, he suddenly realized that these students were no longer scholars who could be persuaded by reason, but a group of thugs driven by anger and ambition.

"Let's go."

He tugged at Zou Yuanbiao's sleeve, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

As the two turned around, Chen Ziyu's final, desperate cry came from behind: "If you still care about the common people, you should stand on our side! Otherwise, in the annals of history, you two will inevitably 'lose your reputation in your later years'!"

Zou Yuanbiao's back stiffened for a moment, but he ultimately did not turn around.

A cold voice rang out from the shadows from Xu Xianchun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard: "Gentlemen, it's time to go to the imperial prison to report back."

The night wind was bitterly cold, piercing to the bone like a knife.

These students were taken advantage of and even felt smug, unaware that disaster was imminent.

Feng Congwu looked up at the dark sky and cried out, "Shoushan Academy, how could it have produced such a fool? I must have been blind!"

His eyes were bloodshot, his anger was soaring, and he looked like he wanted to devour people.

Who is it?

He harmed the students of the Imperial Academy, the students of the Shoushan Academy, and ruined my official career.
Zou Yuanbiao almost cried.

If he knew who was instigating this, he would eat their flesh, drink their blood, smash their bones, suck their marrow, sleep on their skin, and pluck their hair!

Damn it, I, Zou Yuanbiao, am not finished with you!

(End of this chapter)