Emperor Ming: Your Majesty, you have caused me so much suffering.

Chapter 104. Drag them all to the foot of Deshengmen Gate and behead them.

Kunning Palace.

Empress Dowager Wu returned with Zhu Qiyu.

She needs to find out the truth about today's events in order to prepare a response.

Wang Lingshu had naturally heard about the changes in the palace, but she would not interfere.

She believed that her husband must have his reasons for doing this, and that not causing trouble was the greatest support she could give Zhu Qiyu.

The first thing Zhu Qiyu did upon returning to Kunning Palace was to issue an edict ordering that Zhu Jianshen and Zhu Jianji be raised by Wang Lingshu and live in Kunning Palace thereafter.

In this way, even if the palace is not thoroughly cleaned, the safety of his own son Zhu Jianji is guaranteed. If someone tries to cause trouble, he must be prepared for the possibility of accidentally killing the crown prince Zhu Jianshen.

As long as Zhu Jianshen is in Kunning Palace, the palace will become harmonious.

With no hope of Zhu Qizhen's restoration at present, and even his return being extremely difficult, it is believed that the news of Renshou Palace being placed under house arrest will spread quickly.

Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen was the only hope for those loyal to the previous dynasty, which meant that Zhu Qiyu had a "holding the emperor hostage to command the princes" mentality.

The Crown Prince is in my hands, so don't make any rash moves!

If his son Zhu Jianji were to encounter problems, it would be perfectly reasonable for Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen, who lived and ate with Zhu Jianji, to have the same problems.

After everyone was seated, Zhu Qiyu slowly spoke: "Ling Shu, from today onwards, you must personally oversee all matters concerning the children in Kunning Palace. Treat Jian Shen and Jian Ji as your own children. Apart from the Empress Dowager, do not trust anyone else."

"I understand!" Wang Lingshu nodded solemnly.

Empress Dowager Wu's expression was grave, her eyes filled with worry. She asked, "Yu'er, such confinement in Renshou Palace may cause turmoil in the court!"

"It's alright. The timing is perfect now. If we miss this opportunity, we won't have another chance. The imperial family and nobles, as well as all the civil and military officials in the country, are not a monolithic group. The smoother the war goes, the fewer the dissenting voices will be. Assessing the situation is the way these officials survive. As for some corrupt scholars, they can be thrown into the imperial prison to reflect on their mistakes."

Ultimately, the imperial court is driven by self-interest; whoever has the strongest fist is right.

Seeing her husband's resolute demeanor, Wang Lingshu nodded repeatedly.

Empress Dowager Wu nodded slightly and asked, "Is Renshou Palace truly colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, attempting to coordinate an attack from within and without?"

Zhu Qiyu's attitude was intriguing. He said, "Perhaps not, perhaps, but that's no longer important! What's important is that Li Yongchang was the mastermind, thousands of soldiers died tragically, and the Emperor Emeritus participated in the battle, even knocking on the door. This is already conclusive evidence!"

Empress Dowager Wu understood Zhu Qiyu's unspoken meaning: perhaps Empress Dowager Sun was innocent, but at this time she could not be soft-hearted. If she did not act, she would not act at all, but once she did, she would make sure that the other party could not recover. Throughout history, there are countless people who have suffered backlash because of their kindness.

He couldn't help but remind them, "If the court officials demand a thorough investigation, there's a risk of unforeseen circumstances!"

"Mother, rest assured, these traitors will only have one more chance to see the sun rise tomorrow. The punishment of the inner court officials does not need to go through the imperial court." A ruthless glint flashed in Zhu Qiyu's eyes.

Back then, Wang Zhen's major case wasn't investigated thoroughly; it was concluded in a short time. Now, these eunuchs are in our hands. Eunuchs are the emperor's servants; if court officials still want to investigate, they're dreaming!

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Wu breathed a sigh of relief. Her son's decisive actions put her at ease. Empress Dowager Wu also knew Empress Dowager Sun very well.

"You have devoted yourself to the affairs of the outer court. Now that Renshou Palace is under house arrest, your daughter and I will take care of the inner palace for you!"

Zhu Qiyu was overjoyed. He was only worried that Empress Dowager Wu was not ruthless enough. Her words just now reminded him that his mother was not the kind of soft-hearted person. This made Zhu Qiyu feel less constrained.

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty!"

Outside the palace, it was also unusually lively; such a major event as the confinement of Renshou Palace could not be concealed at all.

In the eyes of the court officials, this was an act of filial impiety for Zhu Qiyu. The fact that Zhu Qiyu would risk such criticism to confine him to Renshou Palace meant that something extraordinary must have happened.

I heard that His Majesty is carrying the tablet of Emperor Xuanzong to Renshou Palace. Could it be that the Empress Dowager has done something outrageous that requires the tablet of Emperor Xuanzong to be brought to the palace?

Some officials initially intended to submit a memorial, but seeing that their superiors had not taken any action, they gradually sensed something was amiss. To this day, Sun Jizong and several censors are still in the imperial prison, forcing the officials to be much more cautious.

For a time, opinions were divided and rumors were rampant. Empress Dowager Sun's biological daughter, Princess Changde, and her husband Xue Huan were so anxious that they could only go to other horses to discuss the matter. They first went to find the Imperial Son-in-Law, Shi Jing. Shi Jing did not want to get involved in this mess, especially since he was Princess Shunde's husband.

Princess Shunde's mother was the deposed Empress Hu. Empress Hu's deposition was closely related to Empress Dowager Sun. Now that Empress Dowager Sun is imprisoned, Princess Shunde might already be laughing. Shi Jing is not stupid, so he naturally chooses to refuse. Would he participate in rescuing Empress Dowager Sun and make his beloved Princess Shunde sad?

Helpless, Xue Huan could only turn to other nobles in the capital. These nobles simply decided to sit back and watch the fight, especially Marquis Li Xian of Fengcheng, who simply hid in his old camp and refused to return to his residence.

Now that His Majesty intends to support Wu Xun, in two more months, the first year of the Jingtai era will arrive. Those titles that were pending due to the Battle of Tumu will soon be decided. To cause trouble for His Majesty at this critical juncture would only be to cause trouble for oneself and ruin one's own future.

In the eyes of these nobles in the capital, Zhu Qiyu was better off on the throne than Zhu Qizhen. If Zhu Qizhen were to be restored to the throne, the officials who died in battle might be made to take the blame for the Tumu Crisis, and the stripping of some military merits of their titles would be a foregone conclusion.

Helpless, Xue Huan eventually went to find Jiao Jing, who had been granted permission by Zhu Qiyu to return to the city.

Jiao Jing was as clear-headed as a mirror. With the change of imperial power, His Majesty's power was now firmly established, and following him would ensure a pretty good life.

Although His Majesty can be a bit harsh at times, he truly values ​​me. He even forced one of the twelve battalions into my hands, which Jiao Jing could see.

Zhu Qizhen made him endure the cangue punishment in broad daylight outside the Right Gate of Chang'an, showing him no respect whatsoever, and he had no expectation that Zhu Qizhen would be reinstated.

The key issue was the Zhangyi Gate incident, which was truly outrageous. Jiao Jing vaguely suspected it was related to the Renshou Palace, which caused Zhu Qiyu to be furious and even bring the Xuanzong Emperor's spirit tablet there.

Seeing that Jiao Jing also seemed inclined to evade the question, Xue Huan could only ask helplessly, "You hold real power; surely you know something about what happened?"

After pondering for a moment, Jiao Jing had no choice but to tell the whole story about Zhangyi Gate.

Xue Huan immediately retorted, "This was a blunder by people from the Imperial Horse Administration; what does it have to do with Renshou Palace?"

"Have you forgotten who was in charge of the Imperial Horse Administration before? It's said that His Majesty personally went to Renshou Palace to arrest Li Yongchang!" Jiao Jing paused. "If Li Yongchang is involved in this matter, think about whether Li Yongchang acted on his own initiative, or—"

Upon hearing this, Xue Huan's expression changed, his face filled with extreme shock. Only now did he understand why the nobles in the capital dared not show their faces; anyone who touched this matter would get into trouble.

Xue Huan still couldn't believe that Empress Dowager Sun would act this way, and argued, "But information cannot be transmitted between the city and the outside; perhaps this is a misunderstanding!"

It has to be said that Xue Huan guessed half of it correctly!

Jiao Jing scoffed, saying, "Nearly twenty million troops are stationed outside the city. Can you guarantee that it's completely airtight, that there aren't any spies leaking information? It's normal for one or two soldiers to disappear from the camp. Can you guarantee that the defeated and captured soldiers won't defect? ​​The worst-case scenario is that the Emperor Emeritus appears in the Oirat camp, attacks Zhangyi Gate, with his dragon flag waving, and then the eunuchs happen to raid the camp, causing thousands of soldiers to be killed or wounded. You think all of this is a coincidence? That's too much of a coincidence!"

"If we hadn't repelled the Oirat army in Tucheng, we would probably both be kneeling under the Oirat bandits' swords right now, our lives hanging by a thread."

Jiao Jing felt utterly ashamed of such behavior and simply spoke frankly: even if he himself was afraid of death, he would not have gone so far as to knock on doors and gates.

Xue Huan left in a daze, knowing that Jiao Jing's guess was most likely true.

As long as the Oirats can enter and support Zhu Qizhen as emperor again, even if Zhu Qizhen becomes a puppet of the Oirats, he is still an emperor. Moreover, this puppet will not remain a puppet for long. This is Ming territory, and it will be difficult for the Oirats to rule for a long time. Zhu Qizhen will always have the possibility of turning the tables.

Xue Huan returned home and simply shut himself in, leaving some of the ministers who were preparing to go and offer their support bewilderment.

The most urgent task is for the princess and Ma to step forward. Now, one of them is ignoring his own mother, and the other is ignoring his mother-in-law.

The ministers were helpless and dared not submit a memorial rashly. They felt that they should wait until the court assembly and slowly test the waters to avoid causing an irreparable situation.

However, instead of the court assembly, the officials were met with Zhu Qiyu's butcher's knife.

That night, Zhu Qiyu summoned Xing'an and asked, "What are the reactions of the court officials, nobles, and relatives of the empress outside the palace?"

"Xue Ma has made many moves, but it seems that no one is supporting him. The court officials are also undecided. Many officials have gathered, but no relevant memorials have been submitted yet."

Zhu Qiyu nodded. This time, he had tested the attitudes of these people. It had to be said that his previous act of kindness had already begun to show results.

The instructor once said that politics is about getting as many people as possible to support us and as few people as possible to oppose us.

Zhu Qiyu will spend his entire life studying this saying repeatedly.

"Tomorrow's morning court session is cancelled. All officials must arrive at Desheng Gate before noon!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Zhu Qiyu was prepared to act decisively and swiftly, killing everyone involved. Whether they were right or wrong, he, Zhu Qiyu, would decide for himself.

The following day, when the officials heard that they were to go to Deshengmen, they were immediately filled with doubt and uncertainty. Only after inquiring did they learn that His Majesty intended to execute these eunuchs in front of the soldiers and civil and military officials at the foot of Deshengmen.

Upon hearing this news, all the civil and military officials took off running, afraid that if they were too slow, they would miss something.

At the Desheng Gate, some officials mustered their courage and pleaded, "Your Majesty, what wrong have these eunuchs done to deserve such execution?"

Zhu Qiyu sneered inwardly and said, "What? Are you trying to interfere in the affairs of the imperial family, or are you preparing to exonerate these eunuchs? Or perhaps you are also involved in this matter?"

The minister who had spoken immediately cowered, saying, "Your Majesty, I misspoke!"

Upon seeing this, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy suddenly jumped out and said, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Renshou Palace has been placed under house arrest. I do not know if this is true. Your Majesty, this is a great act of filial impiety and should not be done. It would likely invite criticism from the people and damage Your Majesty's wisdom!"

"I will reply to you all later on this matter. It is more important to deal with important matters first."

"Your Majesty, the matter of Renshou Palace is of utmost importance. Why are you neglecting it?" The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy said, then knelt down to remonstrate.

"Then kneel down!"

Upon hearing this, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy was taken aback, then instantly became angry, straightened his back, and refused to get up.

It was noon at 3:45.

"The culprit, Li Yongchang, secretly instigated a treacherous eunuch to collude with the enemy and betray the country, intending to coordinate with the Oirat army from within and without to welcome the enemy into the capital. This led to the defeat at Zhangyi Gate, resulting in the deaths of thousands of soldiers. Fortunately, thanks to the unity of the army and the people, this calamity was averted. Such traitors must be killed to quell public anger. Those who collude with the enemy and betray the country must be executed without mercy! Execute them!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The scene erupted in chaos, with shouts of killing rising suddenly.

Hao Yi personally escorted the half-dead Li Yongchang, while other officials from the Imperial Horse Administration brought over a hundred palace officials who were covered in wounds. They were killed under the Desheng Gate before they were given a chance to speak, and heads rolled everywhere!

Most of these eunuchs were "wrongfully accused" and were only following orders to fight, but they caused the defeat. Therefore, there was no question of them being wrongly accused; the evil must be eradicated completely.

When the soldiers of each battalion heard about the perilous situation at Zhangyi Gate, they were furious to learn that it wasn't a problem with the Ming army's defenses but rather the work of an internal traitor. Some even went up and stabbed the corpse several times.

If the Oirat army at Zhangyi Gate had not been repelled, Esen would have led the remaining Oirat troops to attack the West Gate or the South Gate directly. Both gates would have already been breached, and all the soldiers' efforts over the past few days would have been in vain. They were in danger of being killed at any moment, so how could they not be angry?

The ministers' faces were extremely solemn as they watched the scene unfold before them, their hearts filled with shock.

So that's the truth!

Hu Dan wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, feeling extremely fearful. If he had forced His Majesty to say these things yesterday, everything would have been over.

As Empress Dowager Sun's confidant, how could she not know about these matters? The court officials immediately concluded that it was Empress Dowager Sun who had instigated it. They only killed Li Yongchang to save face for the imperial family. If they were to investigate further, it would drive Empress Dowager Sun to her doom.

Zhu Qizhen's persistent efforts to gain access to the capital led the court officials to almost universally believe that Empress Dowager Sun was acting in concert with them. This was understandable, as many officials viewed Zhu Qizhen with virtually no moral standing, given his numerous past transgressions.

"You still want to know about Renshou Palace? Should I lead all the ministers into the palace to consult the Empress Dowager, and then I will issue a decree to the world?" Zhu Qiyu looked at the Imperial Academy Chancellor who was still kneeling on the ground, and he was certain that these people did not dare to investigate further.

The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy was already in a panic. Li Yongchang had already been beheaded. If Empress Dowager Sun was forced to commit suicide again, or if His Majesty issued a decree to the world, then everything would be irreversible. At present, it can be said that the treacherous officials were acting behind Empress Dowager Sun's back. Wasn't that how Wang Zhen took all the blame during the Tumu Crisis?

"Your Majesty, I misspoke in a moment of carelessness!"

Zhu Qiyu said, "I don't want to hear any criticism. If rumors reach the palace and cause the Empress Dowager's health to suffer, I will hold you accountable!"

The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy looked ashen-faced. Could it be that Empress Dowager Sun's subsequent illnesses were all related to him?

Zhu Qiyu glanced at the assembled officials and asked, "Gentlemen, do you still have any questions or memorials to submit? Please address them all at once!"

The ministers fell silent, some even lowering their heads, figuring that as long as they didn't make eye contact with His Majesty, he wouldn't see them.

"Those who collude with the enemy and betray their country will be treated like traitors and will be met with zero tolerance!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Subsequently, Zhu Qiyu ordered Xing'an to announce that Wu Xing had been posthumously granted the title of Earl of Zhongyi, and this news quickly spread throughout the various camps.

The Ming Dynasty's noble titles were hard to come by, and this move undoubtedly greatly stimulated the Ming soldiers' determination to fight to the death. Some people were truly willing to risk their lives for the glory and wealth of their descendants, not to mention that Wuxing also had the honor of being buried in the imperial mausoleum.

The soldiers were eager for battle. If Zhu Qizhen still dared to come at this time, these soldiers would dare to take action directly. Wu Xing, who bombed the retired emperor, had already achieved fame and success.

To Zhu Qiyu and his men's surprise, Esen, who had been launching a frenzied attack, suddenly stopped and ceased his assault.

At this moment, Zhu Qiyu felt that Esen had become a scumbag. He was afraid that Esen would not come, and he was also afraid that Esen would do something reckless!

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