Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Chapter 132 Corpse Slaughter!

In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yi knelt tremblingly before Zhu Qiyu.

Zhu Qiyu slowly spoke: "Zhu Yi, are you aware of what your father did?"

Zhu Yi raised his head, his face covered in tears: "Your Majesty—I—I really didn't know!"

I have always been studying in the mansion and have never been involved in the affairs of the mansion.

Father—Father, he—”

Zhu Qiyu looked at him with a complicated expression.

Judging from Zhu Yi's reaction, he was indeed unaware of the situation.

That kind of fear can't be faked, and that kind of bewilderment can't be faked either.

Zhu Yong protected his son very well.

They were so good to him that he knew nothing about the shady things happening in the mansion.

Zhu Qiyu's voice softened slightly: "Get up."

Zhu Yi knelt upright, trembling, but still dared not raise her head.

Zhu Qiyu asked, "Did your father ever mention Wang Zhen to you before he died?"

Zhu Yi thought for a moment and said, "I've mentioned it a few times."

My father said Wang Zhen was a treacherous official and told me to stay away from him in the future.

I really don't understand how my father could send money to such a treacherous official—"

Zhu Qiyu sighed.

When Zhu Yong gave Wang Zhen money, it wasn't a bribe to demand benefits, but rather money to buy his life.

Wang Zhen used the silver to build Zhihua Temple, replenish the imperial treasury, and curry favor with Zhu Qizhen.

Zhu Yong went further and further down this path of no return, eventually becoming a traitor.

Who is the real culprit?

It's Wang Zhen!

It was Zhu Qizhen!

And that rotten system that drives people to the brink of despair!

Zhu Qiyu continued, "Your father is dead, and I cannot allow him to be brought back to life and put on trial."

But I will not let your cousins ​​Zhu Min and Zhu Zheng, nor the steward and accountant of the Duke of Cheng's mansion, escape.

Zhu Yi raised his head: "Your Majesty—I am willing to offer up all the property of the Duke of Cheng's mansion."

Your Majesty, I am willing to be your slave, I only beg for your life.

Zhu Qiyu shook his head: "Zhu Yi, I will not kill you. You truly knew nothing about it, so what use would killing you be to me?"

Zhu Yi was stunned.

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "But you have lost your title."

The title of Duke of Cheng was thus discontinued.

Zhu Yi prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed heavily: "Your subject—thanks to Your Majesty for sparing my life!"

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand: "Go ahead, once this matter is settled, your whole family can go to Gansu."

After Zhu Yi was taken away, Zhu Qiyu sat alone in the hall, lost in thought.

He had already read Zhu Zheng's statement.

Previously, Zhu Qiyu had always thought that Zhu Qizhen was merely accepting the "treasures" offered by Wang Zhen.

They were either unaware of Wang Zhen's bribery or aware of it but turned a blind eye.

He never expected that Zhu Qizhen, as the emperor of a country, would actually take the lead in soliciting bribes!

What an absurd thing it is for an emperor to accept money from his subjects.

Their crimes are too numerous to count!

"Xing'an".

Xing'an walked in from outside the door: "Your subject is here."

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and said, "Make a copy of Zhu Zheng's confession and send it to the Three Departments."

They were given three days to complete the trial of this case.

Three days later, I will announce this case in court.

Xing'an was startled: "Your Majesty, if this matter is made public, I'm afraid—"

Zhu Qiyu sneered: "What are you afraid of?"

Were they afraid that those noble civil officials would lose face?

Are you afraid that my royal family will lose face?

From the Tumu Crisis onwards, the Ming Dynasty had long lost face.

With hundreds of thousands of troops wiped out in one fell swoop, the emperor captured, and the capital nearly breached, what face did they have left?

I want those loyal ministers and generals to see this clearly.

What kind of emperor were they sworn to serve?!

Xing'an kowtowed: "Your subject obeys the decree."

Three days later, civil and military officials gathered outside the Meridian Gate early in the morning.

They whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing at the tightly closed palace gate.

Yesterday, news of the Embroidered Uniform Guard surrounding the Duke of Cheng's mansion and arresting Zhu Min and Zhu Zheng had already spread throughout the capital.

That's the Duke of Cheng's mansion!

The Duke's Mansion, a hereditary successor to Zhu Neng, a meritorious official in the Jingnan Campaign!

From the Yongle reign to the Zhengtong reign, through four emperors, the Duke of Cheng's mansion remained standing.

In the ninth year of the Zhengtong reign, Zhu Yong was further granted the title of Grand Protector.

What an honor this is!

But overnight, the mansion was raided.

The nobles gathered together, their faces grim.

Zhang stood silently in the crowd.

He recalled that last September, he had led a group of noble sons to submit a memorial to the emperor.

He requested Zhu Qiyu to allow Zhu Yi to inherit the title of Duke of Cheng.

Zhu Qiyu refused, citing the widespread discussion about it in the court.

At that time, he still thought His Majesty was just being cautious.

Unexpectedly, in less than a year, the Duke of Cheng's mansion will cease to exist.

Marquis Chen Hao of Taining leaned closer and lowered his voice, asking, "Governor Zhang, what's your opinion on this matter concerning the Duke of Cheng's mansion?"

Zhang Zhe glanced at him: "What do you think? Just wait and see."

Chen Hao said anxiously, "Wait and see? What if we're next?"

Zhang Zhe sneered, "Our turn? What wrong have you done?"

Chen Hao opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

On the other side, the civil officials were also discussing it animatedly.

Someone asked in a low voice, "I heard that Wang Zhen's tomb is also going to be dug up?"

The other person nodded: "I heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard has already gone to Tumu Fortress."

"The mutilation of corpses—a rare event since the founding of the dynasty."

"That bastard Wang Zhen deserves to die ten thousand times over!"

"The Duke of Kecheng—alas, he is, after all, a descendant of the Prince of Dongping."

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), bells and drums sounded in unison.

The Meridian Gate slowly opened, and officials filed in.

After the officials finished paying their respects, Zhu Qiyu did not ask, as usual, "Do you have something to report?"

Instead, he spoke directly: "Today's court meeting will only discuss one matter: the case of the Duke of Cheng's mansion's treason and collusion with the enemy."

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Zhu Qiyu looked at Xing'an: "Summon them."

Xing'an stepped forward, unfurled a long imperial edict, and loudly proclaimed: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

The late eunuch Wang Zhen of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs controlled the government, was insatiably greedy, extorted bribes and forced good people into evil deeds.

Although Wang Zhen is dead, his crimes are inescapable. Therefore, his grave is dug up, his corpse is mutilated, and his head is displayed to the public as an example for others!

Duke Zhu Yong of Cheng had died in service to the king. Considering his original intentions and the fact that he had fought for the country, his body was spared from being mutilated.

However, his crime of colluding with the enemy was true, so all his official titles and ranks were stripped, and his family property was confiscated to replenish the national treasury.

His brothers, Zhu Min and Zhu Zheng, were involved in smuggling and could not escape their crimes; they were sentenced to immediate execution.

His steward Zhou Kui, accountant Liu Wen, guard leader Zhao Hu, and other accomplices were sentenced to immediate execution.

The remaining servants and attendants involved in the case were exiled three thousand miles away.

The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.

So be it.

After the imperial edict was read, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

Corpse slaughter!

This was the most severe punishment for the deceased, and it was rarely used in the Ming Dynasty since the founding of the dynasty by Emperor Taizu.

The last time a corpse was mutilated was during the Jianwen era.

However, no one present felt that Wang Zhen was inappropriate.

They even felt that the punishment came too late.

Yu Qian stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

With Yu Qian leading the way, the assembled officials echoed, "Your Majesty is wise!"

After the court session ended, the capital was in an uproar.

The Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were mobilized in full force, arresting people and confiscating property.

Wang Zhen's "tomb" at Tumu Fort was also dug up by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

It was just a random mound of earth, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard didn't care about such things.

After dragging the body out, they cut off its head and hung it on a tall pole in the western part of the city.

Wang Zhen's head swayed in the wind, becoming the most eye-catching "sight" in the capital.