Chapter 232
For Princess Changhua, the world of Dazhou is very important, and her mother and brother are also very important.
The most important thing is that the world of Dazhou and even the common people are just a vague concept, but Queen Xiaozhao and her brother are concrete people.
Thinking back to the beginning, she was not even willing to let Queen Mother Quan and Queen Xiaozhao be on par with each other. How could she now watch her mother's title being deposed and inflict such cruel treatment?
Princess Changhua was angry, but compared to anger, fear occupies a more prominent position - because she knew very clearly that according to the current situation, Zhou Ming was completely able to deal with these emotions. Things fall into place!
Just like when she was in power, she could forcibly suppress everyone's opposition and refuse to canonize Concubine Quan as the Queen Mother!
Yes, Concubine Quan...
In this flash of lightning, Princess Changhua finally realized the purpose of the young emperor.
The reason why he did what he did today was not because he hated Empress Xiaozhao, but because he hated her!
I hate her for bullying Queen Mother Quan after she came to power, I hate her for not giving Queen Mother Quan the honorary position of Queen Mother, and I hate her for suppressing Queen Mother Quan in the palace where she was a concubine...
So he retaliates with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. After taking power today, he will retaliate with more fierce and ruthless means - just as you bullied my mother back then, I will humiliate Empress Xiaozhao today. Not only that, but also both ways. Give it back twice as much!
Princess Changhua figured this out. She tightened her fingers, then loosened them, then loosened them and tightened them again. After clenching them into fists several times, she finally lowered her noble head and went to the Empress Dowager Quan to humble herself. , begged:
"In the past, I was young and inexperienced in the world, and I had a lot of disrespect towards the Queen Mother. You, my lord, had a lot, so please forgive me. As for my mother, what is her fault? Please also ask the Queen Mother Your Majesty, please hold your hand high and let the deceased go."
Not to mention others, even Li Yan, a person who cares about this matter that has nothing to do with him, wanted to raise his eyebrows when he heard this.
Princess, do you know what begging for mercy means?
If you don’t use the extra mouth, you can rent it out. You don’t have to use it to speak!
You are young and inexperienced in worldly affairs. What does it have to do with the Queen Mother, so people have to accept your idleness?
As for those excusing words that follow, such as "There are a lot of adults" and "To show your noble hand", they are definitely moral kidnappings. Who can feel happy after hearing this?
Even if you kneel down without saying a word and slap yourself twice in the mouth, it will be more effective than these words!
In fact, Queen Mother Quan did not give the reaction Princess Changhua wanted.
Who said that the person who was bullied has to forgive her if the other party apologizes?
Her son has already stood up to seek justice for herself, but she pretends to be a good person on the side, saying that everything is fine, how can she undermine her child like this?
So Queen Mother Quan just smiled faintly and signaled to Shuanghong: "Why don't you help the eldest princess up quickly? What does it look like to kneel here and there in front of all the courtiers in the palace?"
Then he comforted the eldest princess Changhua in a gentle voice: "This is a matter in the court. The official's words were out of public motives and not for personal gain. How can I speak? If this is really the case, isn't it because of mother and child? Is your Majesty coerced into disrupting the government for me because of your love? How can this happen!"
Empress Dowager Quan calmly kicked the ball in front of Princess Changhua, and then stood up with a tired look on her face: "As people get older, they always feel that their energy is low. Your Majesty would like to talk to all of you. After discussing some matters at home, I will go back to the palace."
Ying Zheng stood up to see him off, and the ministers naturally followed him. When Princess Changhua saw the solemn and gorgeous robe disappearing from sight, her heart dropped heavily.
The criticism from the officials over there became more and more urgent, and gradually others took advantage of the wind and changed the direction of the wind. Princess Changhua only felt a chill on her back, and her temples on both sides were throbbing in pain, and her thoughts seemed to Completely withdrawing from his mind, floating in mid-air, watching the farce happening in the court.
When she came back to her senses, she saw all the courtiers in the palace, led by Li Yan, kneeling on the ground, and the voice of the young emperor came from above without any emotion.
"...Who handled this case of embezzling disaster relief food and grass that day?"
"Why does the amount of loss along the way not match the distance traveled?"
"The civilian men recruited are not enough to transport this batch of grain and grass. Who will supervise this matter?"
"Whose Chunqiu Brushwork revised the relevant records of the disaster-stricken place?"
After four consecutive sentences of questioning, several people got up from the ground dripping with sweat, went to the front of the palace, and prostrated themselves again: "I have neglected my duty and am deeply ashamed. I beg your Majesty to forgive me!"
Princess Changhua subconsciously went to see Bai Yanqing - these people were all his confidants.
The latter was also in disbelief, looking at them with shock as if seeing those people for the first time.
Ying Zheng continued in an orderly manner: "Who is responsible for thoroughly investigating the case of embezzlement of grain and grass?"
Then someone came out of the queue tremblingly and said: "Reporting to your Majesty, it is this minister..."
Ying Zheng said: "How can a person with a dead body and a plain diet have the dignity to live in this world? He will be executed on the same day, his property will be confiscated, and his family will be sent north to reclaim the wasteland!"
A courtier who was close to him came forward to intercede for him: "Your Majesty, Minister Li has always been loyal and prudent. This matter was probably a moment of confusion..."
Ying Zheng didn't blink an eyelid before he praised: "Very good. I admire you the most for such a righteous person. I will resign immediately and my whole family will go north to reclaim the wasteland with his family!"
The courtiers who had just come forward to plead for mercy instantly turned pale.
Ying Zheng looked around and said with a pleasant expression: "Who else wants to plead for mercy? Just stand up, am I that stupid king who doesn't know right from wrong?"
The whole morning was silent, no one said a word.
After a long silence, I finally heard the emperor's calm voice speak again: "Who is responsible for recruiting farmers to transport grain and grass?"
Then someone was sweating profusely and said, "Reporting to your Majesty, it is your minister."
Ying Zheng nodded, casually closed the memorial in his hand, and asked repeatedly: "How many civilians have you recruited? How many counties and counties did you recruit? Which places did you need to pass through? Which governors did you communicate with in advance? Liangcao? After it is delivered, where are the official letters with acknowledgments from all parties?”
He is too lazy to be right.
Ying Zheng sent him to heaven in an understatement, and the whole family packed up and sent him to the north to reclaim wasteland.
Then asked the third person: "Official offices with account books have always been tightly guarded. How could they get rid of the water and burn the relevant records at the right time?"
The man trembled and said: "Probably, probably it's just a coincidence..."
"Very good," Ying Zheng did not beat the person to death with a stick, but continued to ask: "When did the fire start? When did the people who put out the fire organize themselves? Afterwards, we checked Where did the fire start at the scene, and where did the suspicious characters appear near the official office? There are so many official documents stored in the official office. Is there no backup elsewhere, or are there remaining relevant official documents that can be used as evidence? "
The man was speechless: "This, this..."
Ying Zheng smiled contemptuously and said lightly: "Take him down and burn him too."
The man suddenly burst into tears, and then kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! I am guilty, please forgive me, I am——"
Ying Zheng didn't need to say anything, but a guard came forward to grab his arm and forcefully dragged him out.
In these short words, the young emperor not only dealt with several ministers who had committed crimes, but also intuitively demonstrated his character and skills to the rest of the people present.
I am not the eldest princess of Changhua, and I will not be fooled by you!
If anyone dares to rub sand into my eyes, I will tell him to go to the ground and rub it till he is done!
Do you think that I dare not kill anyone? !
The ministers were silent, as silent as a cicada.
However, at this moment, Ying Zheng picked up the memorial he had placed in his hand, tapped it with his fingers, and then said in a deep voice: "Just now when all the ministers came over, I looked through the late emperor's notes. After Daxing, all the memorials reviewed by the eldest princess during her time as adjutant were full of errors and omissions, and there were countless others who were just as careless and careless as this memorial - the eldest princess!"
He emphasized his tone and spoke sharply: "Humanity is not in its position and not in its affairs. Since you are sitting in the position of the auxiliary princess, why can't you fulfill your duties as the auxiliary princess? The state affairs have been messed up by you. Zhou Guoli is treated like nothing by you!"
"Before the late emperor's great success, he personally appointed me as his successor. In what capacity did you surpass me and become the auxiliary princess to monopolize power? And what qualifications do you have to occupy the palace where the emperor lives, behave in a disgraceful manner, and humiliate me? ancestor?!"
"The late emperor has done well, and Empress Xiaozhao - let's call her that at this time - is still dead, but you, their direct daughter, only hang out with Bai Yanqing in the inner palace every day. , have completely forgotten the etiquette and justice, and have no sense of shame. What qualifications does a dirty and dirty person like you have to live in this world?!"
"me……"
Has Princess Changhua ever been criticized and humiliated like this in public?
Her lips trembled a few times, trying to defend herself, but she couldn't. After all, what Zhou Ming said before was the truth.
During this short hesitation, Ying Zheng had already called out the names of several important officials with a cold face. When Princess Changhua heard this, her originally chaotic mind became clear.
These are her core strength and her confidants!
Is Zhou Ming going to deal with them? !
Princess Changhua immediately stepped forward and said in a trembling voice: "My inability to govern is my fault, but it has nothing to do with them. Many of these people are veterans who have served the late emperor. They have no merit and no credit." There are those who work hard..."
Ying Zheng smiled, his expression sarcastic and cold: "Eldest Princess, why are you so confused until now?"
He lifted off the mask of tenderness and revealed the interest relationship nakedly in front of her: "You and I have never been enemies. On the contrary, you are an extension of my power and the embodiment of the emperor's will!"
"You carry out the emperor's orders as the eldest princess. From the very beginning, your foothold has been on me, the emperor, and you and I truly share weal and woe. It's ridiculous that you don't understand this truth until now! "
"And these veterans from the late emperor's time, are they surrendered to your personality charm, so they are willing to be loyal to you? What a mistake! What they are really loyal to is the imperial power behind the auxiliary princess, not you. A stupid master as stupid as a pig!"
"Do you think that your previous misbehavior only damaged your own reputation? The royal family is one, you are letting me, the ancestors, and you, a fool, be embarrassed together. It's hard for you to grow old but not to have a brain. , and still don’t realize anything!”
The color on Princess Changhua's face was gone.
Her psychological quality, which had been sparsely tempered, appeared so weak and pitiful under Ying Zheng's attack that even turning her head to observe the faces of the courtiers was so slow and weak.
None of those people looked at her, they just lowered their eyes slightly and stood in the hall with an expression of absolute submission to the emperor.
Princess Changhua's heart seemed to be covered with ice.
Ying Zhengze said calmly: "I asked you to come out not because I want to liquidate you afterwards. On the contrary, I want to reuse you."
"At that time, the late Emperor was in great power and Empress Xiaozhao was in control of the power. You worked around the situation and did your best. How can you not be called loyal ministers of the country? Now that I am in charge, all the gentlemen will follow the example of the past and serve the late Emperor and be loyal to me. Bar!"
Those people all bowed and thanked: "Your Majesty, how dare I disobey you?"
Chapter 233
Princess Changhua stood frozen on the spot, her body shaking uncontrollably.
Although the courtiers in the palace all stood respectfully with their hands hanging down, and no one was very obviously focusing on her, she still had the feeling that her chest and skull were opened in public, and the contents inside were revealed. The stored thoughts and ideas are nakedly exposed to the sun, and they feel invaded by anyone who can check them at will.
What's even more chilling is that now she can clearly realize how ridiculous her old thoughts and concepts were...
Pinch the ear of a stupid person with a strong self-esteem, and tell her exactly what you did wrong and how stupid you are, but the people around you are actually watching your jokes all the time and treating you like a fool. Treat it as fun - this is nothing more than a whirlwind.
This is how Princess Changhua feels now.
Her fingers curled up uncontrollably, and the expression on her face couldn't help but reveal a bit of cowardice. She just wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl in, or disappear from this situation immediately!
However, at this moment, Ying Zheng turned his attention to another person.
The tightly restrained, youngest prime minister in the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Bai Yanqing.
Looking condescendingly at the young prime minister with good looks, Li Yuanda couldn't help but feel troubled: "What's going on with this guy? Let's act as prime minister. It doesn't seem to have any results. Chang Hua is acting recklessly, and he doesn’t seem to think there’s anything wrong with it?”
Li Shimin continued: "When the prime minister recommends court officials, it seems that no useful person has been recommended. Several of his confidants are all parallel imports. It doesn't matter if just one person can't do it. They all can't do it. Little brother, you are like this It’s hard for me to speak for you.”
Zhu Yuanzhang tried to find a reason for Bai Yanqing: "Do you think there is a possibility? I mean it is possible. As for Bai Yanqing, he actually knows that those few people are not good people, but in view of the fact that... They are all talented people who can get things done, so they turn a blind eye and rely on them?"
Liu Che took a look and was shocked after learning the true nature of his confidants. Bai Yanqing, who still hadn't come out of the haze, laughed out loud: "Don't wash the floor for him! He is just a simple dish. It’s just a sheer lack of understanding of people. If the First Emperor hadn’t come, there would probably have been a sadomasochism later…”
He smacked his lips and gave the script in a smooth flow: "The eldest princess has become the regent. The eldest princess has worked hard for the country. The eldest princess was accused by the courtiers of being a traitor and turned against the prime minister. Finally, One day, the eldest princess overturned her car and died. Hey, guess what? She lived again!"
