What? Are there more such deceptive thinking conferences?
Qian Qianyi and Hou Xun, the two Donglin bosses, glanced at each other, and their moods suddenly became even worse.
What kind of thinking is this? It’s just a tax work meeting!
How many meetings will be held a year, and how many exorbitant taxes will be collected? What can we do... How will the southeastern gentry live their lives in the future?
Zhu Cixiang's expression suddenly became very serious, and he looked at Emperor Chongzhen seriously: "Father, through this thinking session, we father and son finally know why the Ming Dynasty has fallen to this day. Then, it's time to apologize to our ancestors!"
Please excuse me? Chongzhen said in his heart: You just said that our ancestors' maritime ban, tribute and the country without conquest were not bad governance! Are you going to ask for forgiveness, or are you going to ask for forgiveness?
Zhu Cixiang smiled and said: "Father, it's getting late now. It's not the time to pay tribute to the emperor's mausoleum. Why don't we rest in Siguo Palace tonight, take a bath and change clothes tomorrow morning, and go to apologize to our ancestors together?"
"Apologise?" Emperor Chongzhen said quietly, "What? Do you also need to apologize?"
"My son is indeed not guilty of anything," Zhu Cixi said with a smile, "but my father has too many sins. I'm afraid I won't be able to invite you alone. When the time comes, my son will help you to invite me."
"You..." Chongzhen didn't know how to train his son, so he had to look for help at the princes, nobles and ministers in the hall. And then... there was no more. No one paid attention to him, and several princes whose families had been ruined were still nodding their heads! It seems that all the deaths in their family were caused by Chongzhen!
You princes are really heartless! Chongzhen said in his heart: If I had known that you were such a person, I should have made a lot of accusations, just like the traitor did to the Southeast nobles, and had your palace confiscated! None of your families has a fortune worth several million, but they have all been confiscated, including more than 100 million! Li Zicheng and Donglu were all wiped out by him! I am just too soft-hearted!
Zhu Cixiang just smiled and looked at the gloomy Emperor Chongzhen - this emperor never had many "people of his own", let alone anyone to save him now! It is better to obediently go to the grave of our ancestors with this prince to talk about when to give up the throne...
...
On the second day of the first lunar month in the 18th year of Chongzhen's reign in the Ming Dynasty, the weather was sunny and sunny at Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing. It was a good day to apologize to the ancestors.
Emperor Chongzhen, Prince Zhu Cixiang, and a group of princes and ministers who followed them got up early this morning. They did not eat breakfast. They just took a hot bath, washed themselves and put on their sacrificial robes. This is called fasting, bathing and changing clothes. Then, led by Emperor Chongzhen, Prince Cihong, and Prince Fu Wang Zhu Yousong of the Zongrenfu, they walked into the Golden Gate and walked towards the Xiangdian Hall of Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Behind them were the new army and the pure army, carrying the sacrifices on shoulder poles. In addition to the standard "Tailao" consisting of cows, sheep, and hogs, there are also nearly 3,000 dried human heads!
They are all spoils of war at the Battle of Dagukou - these dead heads are about to become a "high-quality asset" in the hands of Zhu Cixiang. They have been used several times and are now being sacrificed to Zhu Yuanzhang... But then again , if Zhu Yuanzhang really has a spirit in heaven, he will definitely be very satisfied when he sees these dead heads.
These heads are equivalent to the "dividends" given to Zhu Yuanzhang by the Ming Dynasty run by Zhu Cihong! There will definitely be more to come!
"Tailao" and more than 2,000 to less than 3,000 dead heads were placed in the square between Xiangdian and Fangcheng. The heads were piled up into a rather terrifying Beijing view.
The person who presided over the sacrifice was Qian Qianyi, the Minister of Rites. Of course, he was opposed to sending a bunch of heads to Zhu Yuanzhang - it wouldn't scare the ancestors, but it was always a twist! Moreover, the ferocious-looking heads will cause nausea and nightmares to anyone who sees them. Qian Shangshu didn't eat anything in the morning, so he wouldn't vomit, but he probably won't sleep well tonight. It seems Liu Rushi will have to suffer a little bit...
Qian Qianyi read the memorial inscription, and then led Chongzhen, Prince Zhu, and all the civil and military officials to perform a grand ceremony, and then carried the soil to benefit the mausoleum, that is, adding a handful of soil to Zhu Yuanzhang's tomb, just for a moment.
The person responsible for carrying the soil is, of course, Zhu Cihong himself - didn't he talk nonsense in his previous life about building Zhu Yuanzhang's ancestral tomb? Now that the repairs were completed, I carried a small half basket of soil on my back, and together with Emperor Chongzhen, we walked step by step towards the tall and towering Sifang City of Xiaoling under the gaze of everyone.
Sifang City is a square tower with the crown of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang behind it.
"Father, be careful," Zhu Cixiang said to Chongzhen before he entered, "it's very dark inside and the steps are a bit steep, so don't fall."
Chongzhen was stunned: "How do you know? Can you pass by?"
"Isn't that right? I've walked by it many times!" Zhu Cixiang replied smoothly - he had indeed walked by it many times. Every time he came back to Nanjing to do business, he had to stop by and take a look! After seeing the ancestors, I will go to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum next door. There are fast food available there... But I won’t go to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum today because the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum has not been completed yet.
"You, why have you ever been to Nanjing?" Emperor Chongzhen glared at his son, "Don't talk nonsense in front of the ancestors' graves!"
"Why are you talking nonsense? I've really been here..." Zhu Cixiang frowned and didn't say anything further.
The two of them had already entered the Sifang City Gate. It was indeed dark inside, and the steps were steep and a bit slippery.
After passing the steps within Sifang City and coming out of the back door of Sifang City, you will see a stone wall in front of you. There was no inscription on the stone wall at this time. The seven words "The Tomb of Taizu Ming Dynasty on this mountain" were inscribed during the Republic of China.
Zhu Cihong dropped the basket on the ground, and then stood in front of the stone wall in a daze. Emperor Chongzhen looked at his son in a daze, and was a little surprised - what happened to this rebellious son? You're acting weird today!
Zhu Cixiang looked at the stone wall and was naturally filled with emotion. He clearly had a lot to say but didn't know how to express it.
After a while, he suddenly breathed out and murmured: "I can't go back... I won't go back either. I'm fine now!"
What's the meaning? Chongzhen looked at this strange and frightened son, and said in his heart: You... where are you going back? Don't you want to go back to the big grave in front of you? It seems like ancestors are buried here! Are you really the reincarnation of your ancestors?
"Father!" Zhu Cixiang's voice suddenly sounded, interrupting Emperor Chongzhen's thoughts, "When will the throne be given up?"
What? Is that what you can ask? Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cixiang and had the urge to go up and beat him up, but he didn't dare to do it.
Mainly because the current atmosphere is so scary!
"The world is like this, why do you want to be the emperor? Leave it to me! This is what our ancestors meant..." Zhu Cixiang glanced at Chongzhen, "Father, I will clean up the Ming Dynasty's mess, you Just enjoy it! Is this okay?"
"You, you, you..." Chongzhen gritted his teeth, "I just won't let you!"
"Hey, why are you bothering?" Zhu Cixiang shook his head repeatedly, "Zuo Liangyu is old and sick, and will die soon. When he dies, the throne will still be given up."
The one who supports the throne of Chongzhen now is Zuo Liangyu, who is not sure whether he is crazy or not. But Zuo Liangyu's death was not far away, so Zhu Cixiang gave him some face and just waited a few more months. At that time, Chongzhen still has to give way!
Chongzhen snorted and still refused to let go.
"Then how many more months should we wait?" Zhu Cihong said, "Let's wait until Zuo Liangyu dies before practicing meditation...Father, your sons and ministers are filial. I guarantee that you will be happier as the Supreme Emperor than as the Emperor."
Chongzhen still didn't speak.
Zhu Cixiang shook his head, "My son has returned first, please apologize to your ancestors!"
After saying that, he did not add any soil to Zhu Yuanzhang's grave, turned around, entered the back door of Sifang City, and walked down the steps.
Emperor Chongzhen knelt down in front of the stone wall of Baoding and cried bitterly: "This son of Cixi is disobedient, unfilial, treacherous and cruel. It's like Cao Cao was reincarnated. Sima was resurrected and made him the emperor. He is a traitor and a traitor in the world." The Tatars, traitors, and unruly people will definitely miss me!"
