When the matter has reached this level, it seems that it can no longer be covered up.
Xu Qi, Marquis of Yongkang, is actually quite old. It has been twenty years since he ascended the throne in the 18th year of Chenghua. He himself has also passed the age of hearing. Although his body and bones are not bad, he is still at this age after all. When the news of his failure came, he was so frightened that he became paralyzed and fell to the ground.
Countless years flashed through his mind in an instant. In fact, his lineage only lasted for three generations. Xu Zhong during the Yongle period was his grandfather. After his death, Emperor Taizong posthumously named him Cai Guogong.
His father, Xu An, inherited the title of Marquis of Yongkang in the 16th year of Yongle's reign until the 17th year of Chenghua, and enjoyed the title for 64 years. It can be said that everything was safe and sound, and he even escaped the disaster of the Tumu Fort.
Why did he suddenly encounter a disaster when he came here?
As a result, I was completely at a loss for a while and was in panic all day long.
For Zhu Houzhao, what angered him the most was that someone was framing Gu Liqing.
As the Salt Lesson scandal gradually surfaced, the real problem was Zou Cheng, and the good minister Gu Zuo in his impression was still working hard for the court in prison.
Since this is the truth,
So what is the explanation for what happened in the palace that day?
You Zhi reported that Zheng Zhou, the eunuch in charge of the Shangshan Supervision, has been very calm and honest recently. He does not contact other people and does not care about other things. Even when he leaves the palace, he does what is required according to the regulations.
It's hard to find anything wrong.
Zhu Houzhao held the report he had just received. It said that the Marquis of Yongkang, Xu Qi, could no longer bear it and had left the house to ask for help.
This made him couldn't help but laugh angrily, "The splendor and wealth enjoyed by the honorable ministers in this life has become worse with each generation, but around me, there are really hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and no clues are revealed. But the ministers don't have to worry about so much, you can lead people now Go arrest him and interrogate him carefully! Even a steel tooth has to be pried open by me!"
The disadvantages of salt classes have always existed.
As an emperor, there is nothing to be angry about. He would know the disadvantages even if he didn't investigate.
The key is that this group of people has reached the level where they can collude with the internal ministers to convey wrong messages to the emperor. This kind of internal and external collusion is always a capital crime unless it is a fatuous master!
And what is the nature of conspiring to frame loyal ministers?
If I had been impulsive and chopped Gu Zuo with a sword, how could I have the dignity to demand myself as a holy king?
So Zhu Houzhao became angrier the more he thought about it.
He is someone who can be as cruel as possible without being cruel, so he stopped some of the terrible punishments in the Ming Dynasty, but sometimes those who touch the red line are really unforgivable.
You Zhi got the order, ordered the men and horses, and went straight to the Shangshan Supervisor.
In addition to the eunuch Zheng Zhou, there was also a palace maid Chun He whom he knew well.
The eunuch was more ruthless than ordinary people, and the emperor relaxed his stance. When You Zhi arrived at Shangshan Prison, he took whatever he asked for.
Zheng Zhou was really caught off guard. He thought he was being cautious and there should be no problem.
So when the Chief of Ceremonies came to arrest him and push him to the ground, he still raised his head and screamed that he was wronged.
You Zhi pinched his face and said roughly, "Are you still complaining? Your Majesty, you dare to lie to me, what else can you not do?"
Zheng Zhou was frightened in his heart, but his face remained normal.
"Eunuch You, I am just an unnoticed little boss in the Shangshan Supervisory Office. I have never even seen His Majesty. How can I lie to His Majesty? Besides, even if I have this opportunity, I don't have the guts!"
What he said was actually correct. The emperor did not take the initiative to show up that day.
In fact, it was just a private chat between Zheng Zhou and an acquaintance, and it was not meant to be reported to the emperor. How could it be related to deceiving the emperor?
But as Zhu Houzhao said before, there is not so much evidence to tell when dealing with ministers in the palace.
The other young eunuchs in Shangshan Prison also lowered their heads and did not dare to speak.
You Zhi not only ignored his sophistry, but also glanced at everyone and snorted angrily.
If anyone makes any small moves during this gap, the ending will be equally tragic.
Zheng Zhou was carried away like this. After arriving at the Bureau of Ceremonies, he found a room, tied him up and threw him inside. The door was stuck and closed. What happened next was more scary.
Zheng Zhou has been in the palace for decades and is extremely familiar with this routine. He is an official and has basically done similar things to other people, so he is very familiar with all of this.
Before Xing even started to move, that face had already started to cry.
"Eunuch You, please spare this slave. I really have never lied to Your Majesty... His Majesty has not said a word to this slave until now..."
"When our family first entered the palace, His Majesty warned us repeatedly that in this place like the Forbidden City, the most important thing is honesty." You Zhi patted his face lightly, "You are very dishonest. Basically It’s hard to live a life and enjoy a blessing!”
The words turned sinister by the end.
To deal with this kind of person, You Zhi didn't bother to talk nonsense, so he greeted him first.
I pulled a piece of rag and stuffed it in his mouth to prevent him from screaming, and then... they started.
…
…
Outside the palace.
Xu Qi, Marquis of Yongkang, made more and more mistakes in his increasingly panicky mood.
He couldn't hold himself back in the palace, and Zuo Siyou wanted someone to intercede to get the emperor to be more lenient with him.
In fact, such a person is not easy to find, because the emperor has been on the throne for a while, and many people have gradually mastered his temper. On weekdays, when nothing happens, the emperor will not be too strict, but when things happen, very few people can It makes sense.
This was Zhu Houzhao's intention. He just wanted to tell the officials that there were some things that could be done and some things that must not be done. It's better to put this kind of thing on the surface than to have a moody personality, right?
So Yongkang Hou really thought about it for a long time, and finally thought of someone.
This person's identity is a bit strange, but he really can't think of a serious way to do it.
This person is the Prince Consort Cui Yuan. This person married Princess Yongkang, and Princess Yongkang was the second daughter of Emperor Xianzong. In other words, she was Zhu Houzhao's aunt.
Zhu Houzhao's uncle was quite famous, and he was "beautiful, well-read, and good at poetry. All his distinguished ministers and relatives thought they were beyond his reach, and he had friends with him from generation to generation."
In fact, Zhu Houzhao had more than one uncle. Princess Renhe and Princess Deqing were also alive at this time. But none of their consorts are as popular as Cui Yuan.
Historically, after the death of Emperor Zhengde, Cui Yuanlai, the Prince Consort, took advantage of the opportunity to go to Anlu, Hubei to pick up Zhu Houcong. This credit is not easy to come by. Later, Cui Yuan was reused by Emperor Jiajing for this reason, and he himself did work conscientiously all his life.
It shows that Cui Yuan's "virtuous name" actually makes everyone have a good impression of him. Of course, that includes the emperor.
Whenever there is something happening in the royal family, or when there are some sacrificial activities, Princess Yongkang and Prince Consort Cui Yuan will always appear. Some time ago, Princess Yongkang was also named the eldest princess of Yongkang.
Zhu Houzhao had no brothers or sisters, so he could only honor Emperor Hongzhi's sister to embody the royal family's "way of intimacy".
However, Cui Yuan and his wife did not dare to use the method of kissing when Yongkang Hou thought of it. When he came to the door, Cui Yuan jumped up in fear.
"The morning before yesterday, His Majesty just warned the ministers about this! Mr. Xu Hou, how can you be so ignorant at this time?!"
"This... I didn't want to be like this, but I don't know why things suddenly became so difficult. I can't help it..."
Cui Yuan is a person who is good at reading, knows a lot of principles, and has a sharp mind.
At this juncture, Jin Yiwei must be investigating. Marquis Yongkang suddenly came to his house. Wouldn't this cause trouble?
Thinking about this makes me feel a little angry,
"Mr. Xu, I advise you to confess to His Majesty earlier. If you never reveal His Majesty's temper but finally find out, then you will be helpless!"
But Emperor Zhengde already gave people a harsh impression.
How dare Marquis Yongkang dare to confess directly?
"Your Majesty may be furious now. If I tell the truth, my entire Xu family will be ruined!" Marquis Yongkang started crying as he spoke. "As of now, I don't expect Your Majesty to forgive you." It’s just that I have really realized my mistake. If I give all the money I have earned over the years to the court, will it make His Majesty calm down and leave the title of Marquis of Yongkang in the Xu family? Consort Cui, Your Majesty loves the eldest princess Yongkang. Now, Now only you and your wife can save me."
Cui Yuanxin said, "We and I don't participate much in government affairs, so why are we the only ones who can save you?" It’s not like the emperor is more serious about these things, then no one in the court can really speak!
To him, this was baffling.
But he couldn't bear that an old man like Yongkang Hou looked miserable in his place.
Marquis Yongkang came here because he knew Cui Yuan's "good old man" temperament. When he saw the unbearable expression on his face, hope arose in his heart, and he added fire to his actions.
"I also know that this matter is difficult. If it doesn't work...I, I will kneel down and beg you."
After speaking, he really wanted to kneel down.
Cui Yuan was less than thirty. He had studied since he was a child and could be said to be educated and polite. How could he let an old man kneel down in front of him? So he hurriedly supported him and said, "Master Xu, you must not do this. You are not Do you want to shorten my life?"
"Then Prince Consort Cui agreed?"
Cui Yuan frowned, "If we go to intercede with His Majesty, we must explain it clearly. Therefore, what we have done must be explained clearly to Your Majesty. By that time, Mr. Xu, this But we were the ones who 'reported' you! Rather than being reported by others, Mr. Xu might as well say it himself, so that your majesty might remember the past friendship and get a lighter punishment."
"Consort Cui, I just don't dare, so I came to beg you!"
Cui Yuan also found it particularly difficult to handle, and he was unwilling to get involved in such a troublesome lawsuit.
However, Yongkang Hou's actions made him have to make a choice. Because he already knows it now, even Jin Yiwei will know that he knows it,
But knowing but not reporting it is called knowing but not reporting. If you really want to talk about it, it is also a crime of covering up.
But when Marquis Yongkang stepped forward, he entered the palace on the back, which actually gave people the impression of a villain.
That’s not right either…
If you walk and sit upright, as long as you are innocent, there is no need to worry too much. When the time comes, it will get deeper and deeper, which will not be beautiful.
"Mr. Xu, you really don't have to ask me. Neither the eldest princess nor I can say this. Your Majesty treats us as family members, how can we bear to embarrass His Majesty? If we don't do it well, it will add fuel to the fire. "
Although Cui Yuan couldn't bear it, the matter was serious and not a matter of his personal feelings.
Marquis Yongkang was disappointed and felt a little unsure of what to do next.
After all, he is an elder. He kneels down just to talk. He has been pampered all his life. How could he have such a thick skin?
However, when he did this, his actions were ugly and full of flaws, which made it even more difficult to stop this outbreak.
