At night, the Qianqing Palace is brightly lit.
The burned-out remains of the Sun Jing Sect were still there, and the missing corner made the atmosphere in the Emperor's Palace particularly tense tonight.
None of the eunuchs who kept watch at night dared to ignore him anymore.
They are the people who are considered trustworthy by Zhang Zuo, Maifu and other officials after today's "big investigation" in the palace, but they are also the ones who feel the most sympathies with the "bloody storm" in the palace today.
Zhu Houcong knew how many people in the palace would experience a "tragic" day after he said one word.
But sitting in this position, these are inevitable.
That fire also chilled Zhu Houcong's heart.
Zhu Houcong, who had already made up his mind to listen to politics and listen to lectures and advice, was not in a hurry, so how could he abandon the royal way and use the trick of raising fire by himself to achieve his goal?
Now that the Sun Jing Sect is on fire, Zhu Houcong feels for the first time the dangers surrounding the throne.
For the sake of power and life, it is indeed a test of human nature for the emperor to restrain his suspicion. Zhu Houcong, who had a mature mind, realized that Zhang Yong was still able to direct him like an arm, so he was able to calm down first.
But Zhu Houcong couldn't care less about the fact that the fate of many eunuchs and maids would change after today.
"Your Majesty, forgive me." Late at night, Wei Bin and the others finally came back. "After interrogation, there were 237 eunuchs and maids who could work in the palace. Their origins were unknown, and 43 of them were related to someone. These foreign ministers are related. In addition, Yuan Jinsheng confessed a list. Under the orders of Renshou Palace, he has pre-selected 54 ladies in the two capitals and provinces to prepare for the selection of women to enter the palace next year..."
Zhu Houcong looked at the two lists.
Empress Dowager Zhang wanted to first control the list of ladies who would be selected into the palace and have the opportunity to become concubines or even queens through pre-selection. This was just a small matter for Zhu Houcong.
In addition, this list is even more critical.
Most of the list of two hundred and thirty-seven people are for further investigation, but for the forty-three people listed at the front, each of them has a record of their tortuous relationship with foreign ministers.
"Are they all confessions? Is there any evidence?"
Wei Bin knelt there: "No letters were found, but there are some artifacts to pay tribute to. The slaves are incompetent and can only obtain confessions for the time being."
Zhu Houcong nodded: "It's normal. How many of these people are likely to suffer injustice after being beaten?"
Zhang Yong lowered his head: "I can't guarantee that I will not be wronged, but I will never torture them to extract confessions. Your Majesty can send people to see the situation of these people."
In his opinion, is the emperor soft-hearted? Do you still care about that much at this moment?
This case cannot be cross-examined by both internal and external parties with great fanfare.
In the palace, being suspicious of one's identity or acting suspiciously is already a crime in itself.
Zhu Houcong was silent.
Now these two lists are waiting for him to dispose of.
Not only this, but also the Yangxin Hall, Sun Jingmen, Qingning Palace... Once these projects started, it was unknown how many people would die due to the preparation of the required materials and the fatigue of the craftsmen.
He is not soft-hearted, but understands what the throne means.
Every dispute and every decision surrounding the throne and because of the emperor is a mountain for a specific person.
It is inappropriate to build a palace right after he ascends the throne. There must be some wronged people in this investigation.
But one is related to Zhu Houcong's reform of the future top-level power structure and more money, and the other is related to his life safety.
The empire's storms have actually never stopped.
It's just that because of Zhu Houcong's original identity as the new king, the storm is more intense at the moment.
His expression became calmer and calmer, and Zhu Houcong calmly ordered: "These two hundred and thirty-seven people should be dealt with according to the palace rules. I only need to know the foreign ministers involved. Keep your mouths shut if you continue to explain." This matter is over for you."
"This slave takes the order."
Just let them stop here and investigate the foreign ministers. It can no longer be because of this matter, and they will not investigate.
"As for the people in Renshou Palace." Zhu Houcong smiled, "I was originally a filial piety person who won love and surrendered, and now I am still presiding over the funeral ceremony of the emperor's brother. Yuan Jinsheng and others in Renshou Palace actually started to pre-select ladies for me. The name disturbs the people and ruins my reputation. Zhang Zuo, after the banquet tomorrow, you go to the cabinet to talk about this matter, and give the list to the cabinet ministers so that they can check whether it is true."
"Yes." Zhang Zuo took the list cautiously.
When it comes to Renshou Palace, this is to let the foreign ministers be the evildoers.
No matter what, Empress Dowager Zhang can no longer be surrounded by caring people like Yuan Jinsheng.
The emperor, who had just ascended the throne and was still in mourning period, began to think about drafting girls. How debauched and unethical is that?
How can the emperor's reputation be allowed to be ruined like this?
After the disposal was completed, Maifu and Huang Jin stayed in Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Qingping hesitated for a moment, and before Zhu Houcong was about to take a rest, he said: "Your Majesty, you will be the one to select the queen and concubines for next year's draft. Since Renshou Palace has done this, I am afraid that all the ladies pre-selected will be the best choice. , Only then can we be sure of the future. Empress Dowager Zhang has lost her claws, and the names of these fifty-four gentlemen have been linked to Your Majesty..."
Zhu Houcong turned to look at her.
Zhu Qingping knelt down and said, "Your majesty, please forgive me for telling lies."
"Get up." Zhu Houcong thought of the fire last night and sighed. "The Forbidden Palace is dangerous and not everyone is willing to come in. But I remember that even if she is not selected when she is sent to the palace, I will give gifts to Shu after she returns home. People are also sought after by everyone. Now these fifty-four families, two capitals and thirteen provinces are worried that they will have problems in the coming year and will not be sent to the palace. How can their names be cleared and accepted by me? "
Zhu Qingping thought about the wording for a while, and then said: "After all, it was pre-selected in advance, and it was done by the Queen Mother. If they want to find a husband, whether it is a scholar or a noble family, who will not consider your future? view?"
Zhu Houcong understood it after thinking about it for a while.
Women who were chosen by the Queen Mother to try to surround the new king, women who were feared by the Emperor and who had a secret "agreement" with the Queen Mother, women who would have been almost impossible to be possessed by ordinary people due to their beauty and conditions, and now scholars or dignitaries with great prospects. Will you still touch these women?
What kind of beautiful girl can't be found in such a family?
Zhu Qingping didn't know whether it was out of pity, or because she felt that Queen Mother Zhang could no longer do harm, or because she felt that after all, she was selected thousands of miles away, so it was not a bad thing for the emperor.
Zhu Houcong burst into laughter: "I am only fifteen years old. Qingping, did your mother arrange tasks for you and prepare many ways to make my heirs prosperous?"
Zhu Qingping suddenly blushed: "...No... I am talking too much. Your Majesty, you can judge this matter..."
Zhu Houcong looked at her embarrassed expression, because the gloom caused by being roasted by the fire last night had dissipated a lot.
It is said that whether the emperor or the concubine, there are people who carry out enlightenment education. Zhu Qingping may have been assigned such an "important task" by Jiang.
They just don't know it yet, but the emperor knows a lot.
In the distant future, every young person will have famous teachers all over the world, and all of them will specialize in this field with both virtue and skill.
Zhu Houcong was waiting to see the day when Zhu Qingping took out a small comic book and saw the secret treasure teaching this and that with a blushing face.
"Let the foreign ministers check these fifty-four houses to see if it is true. If there is no connection, there is no harm in still being elected to the palace. Anyway, it is my choice. There is no rush, no rush." Zhu Houxun remained. He lowered his back and walked into the room.
Queen Mother Zhang may have no brains at all, but Zhu Houcong had long ago decided to endure it at least until Zhu Houzhao's funeral was completely over and the twenty-seven months of mourning for Zhu Youqi were also completely over.
As for the fifty-four people who were selected by Empress Dowager Zhang and were sure that the emperor would definitely choose the queen and concubine, the palace was so big that they could accommodate them.
Zhu Houcong was now a little curious as to what kind of beauties Yuan Jinsheng and the others had chosen to test His Majesty the Emperor.
Here comes the problem: they are all raw melons that are around 28 years old and not ripe.
After covering himself with a thin quilt, Zhu Houcong felt that Zhu Qingping's sister was more charming.
