Ye Xianggao returned to the back hall angrily. He had only one idea now. He was lacking in wisdom and strategy, and his good people were fighting among themselves. It seemed that if he wanted to achieve big things, these people were unreliable.
"Master, there is no need to be angry. What do those people know? They are just short-sighted and unambitious bookworms!"
Someone who has been a housekeeper to the Prime Minister of the Cabinet for more than ten years naturally has good eyesight and can judge people fairly accurately.
"Don't gloat and joke around here. After all, you and I are just grasshoppers on the same rope!"
The butler said with a smile:
"What I'm trying to teach you is that for some reason I can't shut up my mouth these past two days!"
"How are you doing what I told you to do?"
"Don't worry, sir, I have people watching every corner of the courtyard!"
As people age, they become more mature, not to mention that Ye Xianggao was once a dignified civil servant, so he still has basic precautions.
"Well, then let's prepare the food and drinks until Brother Youyuan and the others arrive!"
Ye Xianggao has made an appointment with Miao Changqi. He will bring the key members of Donglin from the DPRK to visit tonight, mainly to discuss how to "admonish" His Majesty.
…
"Your Majesty, according to last night's secret report, Ye Xianggao has already settled in the capital. Yesterday afternoon, the students and scholars even went to visit him, but they left after a short stay!"
"This report is the content of the conversation between Miao Changqi and Ye Xianggao. They agreed to meet again tonight, as well as those Donglin Party members in the DPRK!"
After reading this, Zhu Youxiao sneered. These people are still the same as before. They really haven't made any progress. They always think that more people are more powerful. It seems that the kindness of the Wanli years has spoiled them. They haven't woken up yet. It's a pity that I'm not the one.
Emperor Shenzong, this trick doesn't work.
Anyway, I have plenty of time, so I will have some fun with you. It is best to make the battle bigger.
"Everything they said tonight must be recorded verbatim. People must also keep an eye on them. Who they meet and what they do every day must be carefully recorded!"
Wei Zhongxian bowed and said:
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, all the slaves and maids have been arranged, and none of these people can be missed!"
"Well, you have to be careful and don't alert the snake. I want to catch all these fish!"
"How did the interrogation by Liu Yishui and Yuan Yingtai go?"
Wei Zhongxian bowed and said:
"Then Liu Yishen is still the same as before. He won't let go no matter what, and threatens to deceive the emperor's heart by claiming that he is a slave and other servants, plotting against loyal ministers. He only asks the emperor to grant him a quick death!"
Zhu Youxiao did not expect that Liu Yishen would impress him. He was so upright. Sure enough, these high-ranking scholar-bureaucrats cherished their wings very much. In their hearts, fame was their life.
"What about Yuan Yingtai?"
Wei Zhongxian said again:
"Your Majesty, Yuan Yingtai is self-aware. As soon as he entered the prison, he told everything before the slaves were tortured!"
"According to his explanation, he did not interfere with the affairs of the capital. He only cooperated with Zhang Heming and others once to drive Xiong Tingbi out of Liaodong. And judging from the past criminal evidence of the Donglin Party members, what Yuan Yingtai said seems to be true.
It’s the truth!”
Based on Zhu Youxiao's understanding of civil servants in this era, he would never believe such nonsense. How could Yuan Yingtai be so noble?
If he is so noble, why doesn't he mention Liaodong? No one in this era knows the tricks of Liaodong better than Zhu Youxiao, although there are no local emperors like Wu Sanguizu Dashou.
But ever since Li Chengliang raised his troops, the Liaodong warlords have never been able to lose their power. Which of those generals with some strength in their families wouldn't want to become the second Li Chengliang?
The water in Liaodong was very deep. If it weren't for the capable minister Xiong Tingbi who was suppressing it, Zhu Youxiao would have doubted whether his imperial edict would be useful after it was released.
Zhu Youxiao said in a deep voice:
"Now go back and immediately interrogate you. Yuan Yingtai coaxed you around just by teasing a three-year-old child. I found you quite smart before. How come you have taken away your brain now that you have become the admiral of Dongchang?"
When Wei Zhongxian heard this, he knelt on the ground with a thud and said in panic:
"Your Majesty, please calm down and ask your Majesty to give me another chance. I will definitely live up to my sacred mandate!"
"If you can't do this well, then I'll replace you with someone else. Don't occupy the latrine and don't shit, just step back!"
Wei Zhongxian kowtowed excitedly:
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
Then he knelt all the way and walked backwards. Wang Chaofu, who was standing aside, looked very comfortable. You, you piece of shit, are also here today.
Zhu Youxiao must have known about the overt and covert struggle between Wang Chaofu and Wei Zhongxian, but he did not intend to care about it and just let nature take its course. In his opinion, it would be better to have a competitor.
After Zhu Youxiao finished handling the political affairs, he went to the outer hall to study the sand table. After so many days of careful production by Ahailai and Zhang Yu, the general situation of the terrain outside the pass, tribal locations, dangerous places, etc. had all been marked.
Zhu Youxiao would come here every day to study how to successfully fight this battle, and he would also try to avoid unnecessary losses.
After Wei Zhongxian exited, his face showed a stern expression. As soon as he stepped onto the steps of Qianqing Palace, he immediately rushed to the imperial prison.
Yuan Yingtai, if we don't peel off your skin this time, we will take your surname, and that old man Liu, don't you want to keep a good reputation? We want everyone in the world to see how ugly you are.
As soon as Wei Zhongxian entered the prison gate, he shouted angrily:
"Drag that bitch Yuan Yingtai out of our house."
Yuan Yingtai in prison was closing his eyes and recuperating when suddenly the door opened and two gangsters came in without saying a word, grabbing his legs and dragging him out.
Yuan Yingtai saw Wei Zhongxian staring at him really hard, and asked without knowing why:
"What else does Eunuch Wei have to do? Haven't I already told you everything?"
When Wei Zhongxian saw him, he became furious. He didn't bother to talk nonsense to him, so he had him hanged up, stripped off all his clothes, and whipped him hard with a whip dipped in pepper water.
Yuan Yingtai, who had always been pampered and pampered, had never experienced this scene before. He screamed repeatedly after being whipped, and he yelled with all his strength:
"Eunuch Wei, why is this? How did I offend Eunuch Wei!"
Wei Zhongxian ignored him at all and just watched calmly from the side. Now he wished he could just insult Yuan Yingtai.
After being whipped for more than ten times, Yuan Yingtai finally couldn't bear it anymore and fainted on the spot. Wei Zhongxian ordered people to splash water on him to wake him up. He repeated this three times. After Yuan Yingtai was about to die, Wei Zhongxian felt a little better.
"Keep an eye on him. Don't let him die. Our family will still interrogate him!"
Wei Zhongxian didn't have time to interrogate him now. The big thing right now was to keep a close eye on Ye Xianggao and the others. He could still prioritize. As for the interrogation, he could do it at any time. If he felt uncomfortable, he could whip him.