Qianqing Palace
Zhu Youxiao was still hugging Concubine Chunqing tenderly on the bed. He had too many things to worry about. He had to prepare the army for the expedition, and he had to fight openly and secretly with the Donglin Party members. He also had to worry about giving birth to a baby. This emperor was really not like that. Good job.
It's also strange. I have been doting on Concubine Chun for more than a month. Why is there no movement at all?
I have to work hard as long as I have time, so I shouldn't.
"Qin'er, why hasn't your stomach responded yet?"
Concubine Chun's heart tightened when she heard this. She hugged Zhu Youxiao's waist tighter and said hesitantly:
"I...I, my concubine...don't...don't know!"
Zhu Youxiao gently stroked his hair with his hand and said gently:
"You don't have to be too nervous. I'm just asking casually. I only have you as my concubine, so why are you afraid that you won't be able to conceive my prince?"
Doesn't this make Concubine Chun nervous? If she can't conceive a prince, although she has nothing to do now, when His Majesty chooses concubines in the future and there are more people, she will probably fall out of favor. If she can have a prince, at least she will have a guarantee.
"Your Majesty, please favor Qin'er again!"
After saying that, before Zhu Youxiao could react, she took the initiative to ride up.
It seemed that Zhu Youxiao's casual question completely confused Concubine Chun. She had never been so proactive before, let alone in broad daylight.
There was no way, Zhu Youxiao could only accept it painfully. Who knew that he was contributing to the Ming Dynasty?
Outside the palace, Wei Zhongxian was walking quickly towards Qianqing Palace. He made a major discovery last night, so he entered the palace early this morning.
But he saw that there were many more guards in the palace, and they were all unfamiliar faces that he had never seen before, so he asked the little eunuch beside him:
"Who are these people?"
The little eunuch replied:
"Please forgive me, Mr. Factory. If I tell you this, I'm afraid I'll be dead soon!"
Wei Zhongxian didn't make things difficult for him. He couldn't figure out the emperor's thoughts. After the emperor cleaned up the inner palace twice, he re-established the rules. Anyone who dared to say one more word would be executed immediately. He could only serve the emperor honestly. Just do things.
When he arrived at Qianqing Gate, Wei Zhongxian was stopped by two guards and was not allowed to enter.
"Blinding your dog eyes, our family is the eunuch Bingbi, the Supervisor of Ceremonies. We have something important to report to Your Majesty. No one in the palace has stopped us. If we are delayed, how many heads do you have enough to chop off?"
The guards of the Yulin Army didn't care whether he was Wei Zhongxian or not. The military order given to them by Ma Xianglin did not authorize anyone to enter.
"No matter what kind of eunuch you are, you have to wait here now. Everything has to wait for His Majesty's order and for us to report to the general!"
After the guard finished speaking, he walked quickly inside. Wei Zhongxian was also puzzled. He hadn't entered the palace for a few days. Why were there more and more rules in the palace?
Ma Xianglin knew Wei Zhongxian, and he had no good impressions of eunuchs, but he did not dare to neglect public affairs for private purposes, so he quickly let him in.
As soon as Wei Zhongxian entered, he saw hundreds of fully armed sergeants lining up on both sides of the main entrance to the palace. He couldn't help but become nervous, what kind of formation was this.
When Wei Zhongxian reached the steps, he was stopped by Wang Chaofu, who asked condescendingly:
"Eunuch Wei, do you have anything to report?"
"There is something urgent in our family and we need to report it to the Emperor. Please let the prince know!"
Wei Zhongxian didn't dare to be too presumptuous, so he had to keep it in mind and take a breath for the time being.
"The emperor and the empress are still sleeping peacefully. It is not appropriate to go in now. You can give me the memorial and I will help you present it to the emperor later!"
How could Wei Zhongxian not know about Wang Chaofu's little thoughts? Originally developed according to the "hidden rules", the errand of the Governor of the East Factory should have been his, but unfortunately our old Wei was too capable, so he held a grudge.
Although Wang Chaofu is now the emperor's personal eunuch, he is still just a junior eunuch of Si Li. With the eunuchs Dongchang and Bingbi gone, Wang Chaofu has set his sights on the position of the palm eunuch.
This is the minister's heavenly official, and Wang Chaofu is determined to win. For him, Wei Zhongxian is a very threatening competitor, and he does not want to end up empty-handed.
"No need, our family has nothing to do today. We came to the palace early today just to pay homage to the Emperor. We will just wait outside."
Then they went straight up the steps, and the two of them stood left and right outside the Qianqing Palace in this delicate atmosphere.
…
A large number of gentry members and gentry gathered in Ye Xianggao's house. There were more than fifty people who were temporarily elected to participate in this meeting. One can imagine the huge influence the Donglin Party has among the people and scholar-bureaucrats.
"Mr. Taishan has come out. Everyone, be quiet. Please ask Mr. Taishan to speak!"
Ye Xianggao slowly came out of the inner hall, stood in the center of the lobby and said with cupped hands:
"You don't have to be restrained, please take a seat!"
Ye Xianggao sat down, took a sip of tea, moistened his throat and said:
"I have only been away from Beijing for five years. I didn't expect that the country has changed so much. Things are really unpredictable. Now that I, Donglin, am in danger, I have to leave the mountain again!"
"Yesterday, I discussed with Brother Youyuan for half a night and made an in-depth analysis of our current situation. Everyone must know that the factory guards are ruthless, so I feel that we and other Qing scholars must not confront them head-on, otherwise we will just have to confront them. You will lose your life in vain!”
A scholar came out and said:
"Mr. Taishan, what good advice do you have? The students are all ears!"
Ye Xianggao said slowly:
"I don't know how the world's people are, but what the factory guards have done during this period has already deeply poisoned the scholars in the capital. We need their support!"
"Whether you are from Donglin or not, as long as you are a righteous person, you can participate in our great cause of eradicating adultery!"
A gentleman came out and said:
"Mr. Ye doesn't know. We have tried this method before, and we also specially requested a blood letter from Nanjing to present to His Majesty. Your Majesty didn't take it seriously at all. On the grounds of the charges grasped by the factory guards, Zhang Gong and dozens of other ministers They were all cut in half, and hundreds of scholars had their homes confiscated and their families exterminated!"
Another person also came out and echoed:
"And now there is a so-called newspaper in the capital. Every time we are punished, we and the Qing Dynasty will publicize it. We also invite special storytellers to lobby everywhere. I'm afraid not many people will support us."
"What are you so afraid of? Do you have to wait until those idiots put their butcher's knives on your necks before you regret it?"
"What do you mean by this? If we were afraid of death, why would we be gathered here today?"
"You said you weren't afraid. When the factory guard went to pick up someone next door to your house last time, how did you flatter the gelded dog? Do you think everyone doesn't know?"
The man was caught by seven inches, and instantly lost his temper, and said with a red face:
"Boy, do you dare to frame me?"
The man said with a half-smile:
"You know it yourself!"
This group of people continued to argue and talk like they were haggling in the market. Ye Xianggao was very disgusted. After two hours, Ye Xianggao finally sent them away.
