Author: Potato Sweet Potato Pie

Zhu Youtang was not an immediate emperor, he had never been on the battlefield, but it was not like he had never seen gunpowder explosions.

Of course, the gunpowder explosions he saw, or his understanding of gunpowder, basically came from the fireworks and firecrackers set off in the palace during major festivals every year.

But those things.

Thinking in his mind, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but look at Xie Cheng, the commander of the Dongcheng Army and Horse Division.

It's a very strange face, I've never seen it before, I don't recognize it.

However, he was very clear about the composition of various yamen in the imperial court. The people in the Wucheng Military and Horse Division were military attachés. Many of them had been on the battlefield and were very familiar with firearms and gunpowder.

So Emperor Hongzhi looked at Xie Cheng and asked: "This Qing family, I ask you, have you ever been on the battlefield? How much do you know about gunpowder firearms?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, in the early years of Hongzhi, I followed Zhenyuan Marquis to guard Huguang. Over the years, I have gone through dozens of large and small battles. I can't say that I know about gunpowder and firearms, but I know it fairly well."

"Then let me ask you again, how much gunpowder is needed to blow up a Jingzhong Temple?"

"I can't say for sure, but I think it will cost at least a hundred kilograms."

"."

Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly, but his brows furrowed a little deeper. It would take more than a hundred pounds to explode.

But in a firecracker of that size, only about ten kilograms of gunpowder could be put into a firecracker. How could it be so powerful that it could blow up a Jingzhong Temple?

In any case, the Jingzhong Temple was built under the order of the late Emperor Yingzong and was built by the palace craftsmen. The masonry and wood used were all of the highest quality, and even if it was not as strong as the palace halls, it was not far behind.

How could such a hall be destroyed by a big firecracker?

Could it be because of its age and disrepair?

Zhu Youtang also thought of the possibility that when Emperor Yingzong was around, he would send special personnel to the temple every year to take charge of maintenance and repair matters. He would even occasionally go to the Zhihua Temple in person to offer incense and worship the Buddha, and chat with Wang Zhen for a while.

talk.

But since the death of Yingzong, the imperial court has never taken care of that temple or the main hall of Jingzhong Temple, let alone repaired or maintained it.

The imperial court did not take care of it for thirty or forty years, and the monks in the temple also left it to fend for itself. It is understandable that it has become somewhat fragile due to disrepair.

Thinking silently in his heart, Zhu Youtang picked up the two memorials again and asked another question, "This memorial said that this matter was done by Jin Yiwei, and there was also the embroidered spring knife worn by those people as evidence. It's really

Ridiculous, why would the fine guards want to set off firecrackers in the temple?"

"By the way, where is Mou Bin? Since he is related to the Jin Yiwei, why didn't he, the commander of the Jin Yiwei, come to the palace to show off?"

"I think Commander Mou is not aware of this matter yet, or he doesn't know how to report it to the emperor, and is thinking about how to reply."

Xiao Jing took the opportunity to give his competitor eye drops.

Zhu Youtang showed surprise when he heard this, "Just report it truthfully, why do you need to think about it?"

"Your Majesty, if not, please go to Beizhen Fusi and inquire?"

"Go and call Mou Bin over."

"This slave obeys your order."

I bowed down to the flute and sang, and just as I was about to leave, a young eunuch came into the Nuan Pavilion and said, "Your Majesty, the commander of the Jinyi Guards has come to the palace to see you. He said that he has something to report."

"Where are they now?"

"Waiting just outside the palace gate."

"Announce him to come in."

"Here."

After about two sticks of incense, Mou Bin, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, entered the palace under the leadership of the internal officials. As soon as he entered the Nuan Pavilion, he knelt down and saluted with a loud voice like a bell: "I, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, Mou Bin, pays homage to Your Majesty.

Gong Jinan!"

"I beg you to be safe. I'll get back on my feet and get up to answer you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Mou Bin got up from the ground with a body like an iron tower, and was about to take out the memorial from his arms, when he heard Zhu Youtang ask: "The incident at Zhihua Temple is related to the Jinyi Guards, why don't you, the commander, come to the palace to report?

Is it too late?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, I learned that the incident at Zhihua Temple was suspected to be related to Jin Yiwei. I quickly investigated the matter and then hurriedly went to the palace to see him."

Zhu Youtang heard the word "suspect" keenly, "What are the results of Qing's investigation?"

"Your Majesty, this matter was not done by Jin Yiwei."

"But according to the report I saw, those who set off firecrackers to blow up the Jingzhong Temple were all wearing embroidered spring knives. This is what the abbot of the temple said personally."

"Your Majesty, those who wear Xiuchun Dao are not necessarily Jin Yiwei."

"Oh?" Zhu Youtang seemed a little surprised, and then stared at this strong man, "This is strange. As far as I know, this embroidered spring knife is the same as the Feiyu suit, and it is specially given to the Jin Yiwei.

, in the entire Ming Dynasty, besides the Jin Yiwei, who else would wear the Xiuchun Dao?"

"."

However, Mou Bin fell silent after hearing this.

After waiting patiently for a moment, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but ask: "Why don't you speak? But you can't think of anything?"

Mou Bin was silent for a few more seconds, and then he slowly said: "Your Majesty, among the forty-eight guardhouses in the capital, there are a total of 236 people in brocade uniforms wearing embroidered spring knives.

I called more than 200 people to Fusi, Beizhen, and then took these royal guards to Zhihua Temple and asked the bald monks in the temple to identify if there was anyone setting off firecrackers here.

After being identified by those monks, there is no one."

As he said this, he handed over the memorial in his hand, "Your Majesty, this is my memorial. It also contains a testimony written by the abbot and abbot of the temple."

Xiao Jing went down and took the memorial, and then presented it to the emperor. Zhu Youtang reached for it and opened the memorial. However, he did not rush to read the content. Instead, he took out the testimony contained in it and unfolded it.

Then he frowned, "Is this written by the abbot of Zhihua Temple?"

"I dare not deceive Your Majesty. It was indeed written by the abbot himself." After a pause, Mou Bin explained: "The abbot's right arm was injured by a brick and he wrote it with his left hand, so the handwriting may not be very accurate.

Beautiful.”

Zhu Youtang was suddenly enlightened and asked why this word was not as good as the one written by my emperor. It turned out to be the reason.

After reading this testimony carefully, it seems that it was indeed not the work of the Jin Yiwei in the guardhouse.

But as an emperor, suspicion is an instinct, and Zhu Youtang is no exception. He has doubts about the authenticity of this testimony.

What's more, even if this testimony is true, and it was really written by the abbot of the temple, there is no guarantee that Qi Mubin will hide the guards who set off the firecrackers, and only take irrelevant people there, or directly beat them into submission.

It's no wonder that Zhu Youtang suspected that the above possibility was not impossible, especially the trick of subduing and beating, which was the traditional skill of Jin Yiwei.

Emperor Hongzhi put the memorial and the testimony on the table calmly and looked up at Mou Bin.

He had a pretty good impression of the commander of the Jinyiwei, and he could be considered trustworthy, but he was naturally resistant to the factory guards, so that when facing factory guards, he would always become several times more suspicious than usual.

After a while, Zhu Youtang spoke again, but instead of asking about the testimony, he picked up the previous topic,

"You haven't answered my question yet. Apart from Jin Yiwei, who else in this world would wear a Xiuchun Dao?"

"."

After hearing this, Mou Bin fell silent again.

This time Zhu Youtang couldn't help but frown, and there was a hint of anger in his heart. He resisted and did not show up. Instead, he turned to look at Xiao Jing, "Xiao Banban, tell me, except for

Jinyiwei, who else would wear a Xiuchundao?"

"This." Xiao Jing's old face twitched. Unlike the emperor, he already knew what Mou Bin wanted to say, and also knew why the latter kept silent.

Just now he was watching the excitement, with a gloating attitude, but now the problem was brought to him, and Xiao Banban suddenly found himself in trouble.

The last walnut incident was still fresh in his mind, and he didn't dare not answer. After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Jing had no choice but to say: "Your Majesty, as far as I know, the Imperial Guards in the palace will also be equipped with Xiuchun Dao."

, and everyone has a hand.”

"."

This time it was Emperor Hongzhi's turn to be silent. Just hearing the words "Jiang Guards" made his heart skip a beat, and he even had a very inexplicable feeling that the case might have been solved.

After a moment of silence, he asked: "What is the prince doing? Has he left the palace today?"
Chapter completed!