Fang Muxian was naturally safe for the time being and was even treated politely.
Because Luo An knows the seriousness of this matter, this is the number one case under heaven-level alert, Operation Pomegranate Blossom.
Luo An didn't understand why it was called Pomegranate Blossom, but it was the name given by His Majesty anyway.
After Wang Zuo came back from Guangdong, arrangements for this operation began. When Wang Zuo went to the southeast, His Majesty specially named it, which shows how important it is in His Majesty's mind.
"This is the first thing the sinners say when they come out." Fang Muxian said obediently, "The sinners have been working in the Marquis' Mansion for so many years and are already deeply involved. Kangling Superintendent is the only one who told Shouning Marquis not to be greedy for ink.
In the case of Yinzi, this was the first time that the guilty people had been so down-to-earth in checking the accounts with the Ministry of Accounts and the Ministry of Industry on behalf of the Marquis Mansion. Fan Zhaomo went to the Hou Mansion and talked about this matter, and the guilty people knew that His Majesty should have ordered the command to investigate other matters.
So I came out, hoping to atone for my sins through my merits and leave my body intact."
Luo An looked at him with vigilance and admiration: In this case, why did he send people to wait outside the city gate and then notify Hou Ninghou to run away? Wouldn't it be more credit to cooperate and take him down?
But these are not what he cares about. He has to wait for the emperor's next decision.
When he left the imperial prison and prepared to report to the emperor, he saw Lu Song coming: "Your Majesty has decreed that he be brought to the palace. Your Majesty wants to see him."
"……I see."
Don’t I need to read the confession first?
Fang Muxian had just sat down on the floor in the cell when Luo An came back: "Search carefully, the shackles are ready, enter the palace."
So Fang Muxian stood up calmly: "Your Majesty wants to personally judge the guilty people?"
Luo An didn't answer.
By this time, it was already dark.
When Luo An and Lu Song took Fang Muxian, who was guarded by several guards, to Chengtian Gate, Fang Muxian said: "Did Commander Luo order someone to fetch the account books and letters that the criminals kept for themselves? Your Majesty saw it.
Then, the guilty people can report the crime truthfully."
Luo An still ignored him.
Fang Muxian didn't take it seriously, as long as the point was made.
He believed that the emperor would definitely investigate. As long as the factory guards entered the house and Shouning Hou ran away, such a big house and Jianchang Hou's house would eventually be in panic.
If the incident happened, would Queen Mother Zhang not seek to protect herself?
Queen Mother Zhang, even if the Zhang family would escape death because of their identity, the emperor would still have to deal with the Zhang family in order to establish his authority, right? Then the emperor who attacked the Zhang family just after he ascended the throne would eventually have stains on him.
So it's all the same.
He just walked into Chengtian Gate calmly, and then walked into Meridian Gate.
With the pride that "the plan has been accomplished" in his heart, he came to Qianqing Palace with a generous attitude, ready to burn out his last "power".
However, in the main hall of Qianqing Palace, he saw a screen, and behind the screen was a neatly dressed woman.
"...The criminal Fang Muxian comes to your Majesty, long live your Majesty! Long live! Long live your Majesty!"
Zhu Houcong, who was sitting on the throne, saw him kneeling down "obediently and anxiously", and his strange and disgusting feeling became even stronger.
"Luo An, Lu Song, and Huang Jin stay. Others, exit fifty steps outside the main hall."
After Zhu Houcong finished his instructions and Luo An handed the confession to Huang Jin, he and Lu Song stood in front of Fang Muxian and stared at him.
"You claim to be born in the fifth year of Chenghua, from Sishui County, Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province. You have been in the Shouning Marquis Mansion for twenty-four years. Although you are married, you say that you can't have any children. Your eight godsons are loyal, filial, polite, righteous, and honorable. It's very good.
"
Zhu Houcong's words made Fang Muxian, who was kneeling on the ground, slightly shrink his pupils: because he had not read the confession yet.
...That's right, since he was trying to lure himself out by using the method of making up for the documents that Superintendent Kangling needed, he had naturally been targeted for a long time.
"The fifth and seventh sons went to Shouning Hou's Zhuangzi outside the city. The eldest and sixth sons went out of the city in disguise from the Silk Village. The second and fourth sons joined Shouning Hou and went to Tongzhou. The third and eighth sons were waiting in the southeast.
Send messages regularly." Zhu Houcong looked at him, and after saying this, he looked at his confession, and then asked doubtfully, "Empress Dowager Cishou and Marquis Shouning, Lord Jianchang, do you think of a way to burn me to death?"
The figure of Empress Dowager Zhang behind the screen trembled, but Fang Muxian's expression did not fluctuate much, and then said: "The guilty people have no other choice, and they are worried every day. I am going out today. I only hope that the whole body can be kept and the spirits of my parents in heaven can be seen.
Crying for mercy is the crime of unfilial piety."
Before Zhu Houcong could speak, a sharp and trembling voice sounded from behind the screen: "You wolf-hearted dog! Shouning Marquis treats you well, but you have calculated so hard that you dare to bite randomly now? Your Majesty, I have never experienced this before.
Read it!”
"Auntie, don't be anxious." Zhu Houcong smiled first, and then continued to ask Fang Muxian: "So, the contents of your first confession, the account books and some of the original letters are all there? How can you let you keep a letter with so many secrets?
Original?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, the criminals are doing things well, and the Marquis is becoming more and more trustworthy. Many letters are handwritten by the criminals, and many letters are submitted to the Marquis by the criminals. The criminals are frightened, and they are also good at writing personifications.
Therefore many of the letters submitted are transcripts."
Fang Muxian looked at the emperor who suddenly understood, and then looked behind the screen out of the corner of his eye.
Let me first point out some knowledge about him. The emperor's intention was indeed to beat the Queen Mother Zhang.
This is an opportunity that even the emperor cannot refuse, so things will only develop like this!
Since he is unwilling to inherit, the fundamental interests cannot be bridged.
After more than twenty years, Fang Muxian knows only too well what character and habits the Empress Dowager Zhang and the Zhang brothers have!
Zhu Houcong let out a long sigh: "Auntie, you also read it just now. Now that there is an internal archives department, an imperial study room, and a national policy meeting, and the new rules set yesterday, many official documents do require three more copies.
"I didn't expect that something like this would suddenly happen. I don't know what kind of illness this cheap servant had. Not only did he kneel down outside Chengtian Gate to sue, but he also intimidated Hou Ninghou from returning to the city."
Fang Muxian listened in astonishment to the emperor's aggrieved and respectful voice. The Queen Mother's secret anger towards the emperor that Mrs. Shouning Hou reported when she returned home was actually fake?
This young emperor who kept making new moves that made the ministers panic, and the emperor who asked Zhang Fujing to go south with the emperor's sword to kill after the defeat of Guangdong and Guangxi, did he actually have such a temper?
He carefully recalled Shouning Hou's personal account: There were only a few court meetings and two banquets from Qianqing Palace.
The first big court meeting was a disaster caused by the Rijing Sect. He insisted at first that it was a man-made disaster, and then gave him a banquet and bargained with the officials to train troops.
Nothing happened in the next few court meetings. The last time I gave a banquet and wanted to seize the property of the honorable relatives, the young man was very energetic and made cakes for the honorable relatives.
He also sneered at Shouning Hou and Jianchang Hou!
Now Fang Muxian listened to the emperor's tone and looked up, but all he saw was a helpless and embarrassed face.
...It’s not very reasonable. An emperor who can make so many mistakes in half a year, an emperor who promoted Guo Xun and then demoted him to serve in the camp, an emperor who supports important ministers but also protects criminal ministers like Wang Qiong, let’s let him Every national policy minister often frowns and becomes increasingly haggard after leaving the palace. Shouldn't the emperor be fearless, extremely powerful, and willful?
"...I don't know what the purpose of this traitor is. He secretly deceived the master's family, intercepted letters, and created false account books privately! Your Majesty clearly knows that these villains are really making false accusations. That day, I was really I don’t know! My younger brother is also confused and must have been deceived by this traitor."
Zhu Houcong sighed: "Yes. The incident happened suddenly. Yang Ge knew that the matter should not be ignored, and he was afraid that the Marquis of Jianchang would also misunderstand something. However, I am afraid that it would not be useful if the Marquis of Jianchang sent his son to tell the Marquis of Shouning the truth. Now if Marquis Shouning does something counterintuitive under his suspicion, and I have no choice but to deal with him, then I will be fulfilling the purpose of this lowly servant."
Being treated like a humble servant, Fang Muxian's judgment was wavering and he was becoming more and more humiliated.
He is still kneeling after all!
"...Your Majesty, you are talented, merciful and virtuous. I suddenly knew this and had no idea..."
Fang Muxian heard it, and there was an obvious pleading in Queen Mother Zhang's tone.
"It's really difficult." Zhu Houcong acted in a dilemma and said to himself, "I'm afraid that no matter whose letter or token it is, Shouning Hou will only think it is a fraud, but in fact he wants to arrest him. This cheap servant has the best intentions. It’s really sinister!”
Fang Muxian looked at the emperor's cold gaze, but his mind became clearer.
It's still the same, Shouning Hou was scared away after all. Since Shouning Hou knew and approved the fire of the Sun Jing Sect, he was determined to run away this time. What the dog emperor said was right, even if he pretended that it was Fang Mu for the time being. Xian did it alone, and the rift between Empress Dowager Zhang and the emperor was irreparable!
This is indeed a conspiracy. So what if the emperor's character is beyond his expectation?
"Luo An, Lu Song, take him to the Rijing Gate and tie him up." Zhu Houcong said to Huang Jin, "Ask him as I taught you and don't let him sleep."
"This slave obeys your order."
The only "outsiders" left in the main hall also left. Zhu Houcong stood up from the throne, walked behind the screen and pulled over a stool to sit on.
Queen Mother Zhang turned sideways involuntarily, her eyes frightened.
"Why--"
Zhu Houcong let out a long sigh, and Empress Dowager Zhang's body trembled slightly again.
"My aunt also knew that day that it was not a natural disaster. I naturally asked someone to investigate." Zhu Houcong said as if talking about everyday things, "Those two chamberlains were both sent to the palace by Qian Ning Jiang Bin after being favored. Over the years, He was indeed law-abiding and loyal. I thought it was Qian Ning and Jiang Bin who were on trial at that time. These two chamberlains committed suicide in order to repay their kindness, so it makes sense that there was no warning that day."
He looked at Queen Mother Zhang, still looking helpless: "Who knew it was actually this cheap servant who did it."
Empress Dowager Zhang murmured: "It turns out that this lowly servant is someone planted by the two traitors Qian Ning and Jiang Bin! Your Majesty, this lowly servant has ulterior motives, and his words cannot be trusted!"
Zhu Houcong showed a wry smile: "It's just that this traitor knelt down outside Chengtian Gate and shouted loudly, and many people in the five houses and six departments saw it. I'm worried that this lowly servant has been plotting for a long time. If there are other comrades who follow suit, he will
If you do it again, it will be out of control."
Empress Dowager Zhang's eyes were filled with panic and confusion.
Zhu Houcong looked at her for a while and then said: "Auntie, there is always some rift between you and me because of the succession issue. After I entered the palace, I took care of myself in the morning and dusk. When the Sun Jingmen was in trouble, I also first thought about protecting my aunt. I really hope.
The whole family lives in harmony and hopes that the Ming Dynasty will get better and better, and that the Zhu family will get better and better."
"... Your Majesty... you have indeed always done this." Empress Dowager Zhang was filled with uneasiness and powerlessness. Why could no one find fault with him?
"Before, there were people in the southeast who killed officials and rebelled. Mr. Yang Ge and others have long been petitioning to clean up the imperial palaces. For the sake of peace in the world, I have to obey their request. Although many of them are imperial palaces in Renshou Palace, but before I
When he ascended the throne, he was rewarded with the land from my imperial village. This time, he originally planned to use the Marquis of Shouning and the Marquis of Jianchang for their merits in building Kangling, but they were all compensated with my imperial village. Who would have thought... ugh...
…”
Empress Dowager Zhang burst into tears: "...Your Majesty, he must have been deceived by this cheap servant!"
"I think so too."
Zhu Houcong nodded to these words, and Empress Dowager Zhang hurriedly agreed, as if breathing a sigh of relief.
"Right now, I'm afraid that Shouning Hou will do something out of suspicion." Zhu Houcong said, "I'm afraid only my aunt will go there and persuade him to come back. Over the years, many courtiers have impeached Shouning Hou, Jianchang
"Now, this time, I will pick three or five of them, fine them some money, and then tell the ministers that this is what happened to the humble servant. My aunt went to persuade her. Marquis Shouning must believe it, right?"
"Your Majesty...are you really going to deal with it like this?"
Zhu Houcong said solemnly: "I can swear in the name of my ancestors and clans that as long as Shouning Hou returns as soon as possible and does not cause any surprise in the court, I will definitely deal with it like this! My ancestors and clans are above me. If I am suspicious of my aunt because of this, wouldn't I be a relative?"
Are you quick to hate someone? The whole world will talk about my cruelty and unfilial piety!"
Queen Mother Zhang nodded repeatedly: "Okay! Okay! Then I'll go right away!"
"It's not a hurry." Zhu Houcong looked very concerned, "As an aunt, even if it is just a trip to Tongzhou, we need to be fully prepared. Tomorrow morning, the personal guards who are not on duty in the palace will escort my aunt there. Tonight
Well, my aunt should write a letter first, bring a token, and let Shouning Hou's son rush over first. Otherwise, when Shouning Hou sees the huge bodyguards tomorrow, he will suspect that they are going to arrest him and hide again.
Oh no."
"Your Majesty has thought everything through, that's it!"
When a major incident occurred, Empress Dowager Zhang felt that the emperor was really considerate and did not want to ruin the friendship between the family.
She even reflected a little guiltily: Was the fake smile during this period unnecessary?
But she wrote her autograph letter here, took off her jade pendant, and waited until the son of Marquis Shouning entered the palace to hand it over to him. When she walked out of Qianqing Palace, the night wind blew, and Empress Dowager Zhang remembered the meaning of the emperor's words many times before.
Are those all just guesses?
No...he is not a simple and honest emperor...
Looking back at the bright lights beside the Sun Jing Gate, Queen Mother Zhang felt cold in her heart: That boy Heling was too scared to return to the city. Could it be that he really did this?
That bitch also said that he was also one of the chief envoys... The emperor asked his personal guards to escort him to Tongzhou. Was he really there to pick up someone?
The world will also talk about his violence and unfilial piety... Considering this aspect, what the emperor said should be right.
He won't really kill himself and his two younger brothers now.
But what should I do if I intend to assassinate him?
Empress Dowager Zhang had no choice.
…
At the Rijing Gate, the interrogation that Fang Muxian thought was very different from what he imagined.
Si Bingbi, the clerk in the ceremonial prison, sat behind a desk, flipping his pen over and over and asking him some questions over and over again.
These are all experiences before entering Shouninghou Mansion.
Where are you from? How many people were in your family when you were young? Who are the people in Lijiazhong? Where did you learn...
Over and over again, just ask these questions.
Luo An looked at Huang Jin a little strangely: Is this your Majesty's instruction? What's the use?
Zhu Houcong was not a professional. With his only common sense, he only knew that this would help make Fang Muxian mentally exhausted and tortured.
Fang Muxian has to go through this tonight. Although it is in the open air, the conditions are not bad. There is a big fire next to it, which is very warm.
Zhu Houcong walked slowly down Danbi, Luo An, and Lu Song all greeted him.
After nodding, Zhu Houcong came to Fang Muxian.
Before continuing the torture, he felt that some of his words should be lethal to Mu Xian.
So you might as well say a few words before going to bed.
"I want to thank you."
Fang Muxian was in good spirits at this time and was very focused: "...The guilty people know that they should not help the tyrants to commit crimes. I did not come out today to seek credit. The guilty people deserve to die..."
Zhu Houcong smiled "sincerely": "I want to be a good emperor, but I am still too young. Although the courtiers also knew that there were problems everywhere in the Ming Dynasty, they all wanted to be on the safe side and smeared it everywhere. They, always I am worried that I am young and energetic, so ambitious and eager to make state affairs get out of hand."
Fang Muxian looked at him, not knowing what to say after this sentence so that he could continue to be consistent with what he said before.
Zhu Houcong continued to smile: "You have burned the fire well. It is related to my position. No courtier dares to touch this Ni Lin. In the past six months or so, I have really used the influence of this Sun Jingmen from time to time. The courtiers had to give in on some things. After repeated exchanges, the courtiers all knew my temper. They no longer regarded me as a child, and thought that I might really become a good emperor and lead them to leave a name in history. ."
"They know it, and they can listen to me and advise me on many things. But they don't know that the place has reached that point. No matter what three-legged cat jumps out and lights a fire, half of the country seems to be about to explode. So I
I have to thank you. Because you spread the news in Jiangnan that the ten tribes of Fang Xiaoru were suppressed, and because you deliberately killed several officials, they were all corrupt officials. In the future, they will not be able to refute me on many things."
Fang Muxian's heart sank, why did he check so quickly?
He immediately "cryed": "Your Majesty, the guilty people don't know what is going on in Jiangnan, the guilty people..."
"Don't you think it's embarrassing for Fang Xiaoru?" Zhu Houcong interrupted him, "Although the positions are different, your ancestors were respectable people anyway. What kind of ugly behavior are you in now? You hate the Zhu family to the core but you are groveling?"
Fang Muxian suddenly became speechless, his eyes showing uncontrollable hatred.
Zhu Houcong sighed: "It's really... crazy, isn't it? How stupid is Shouning Hou? I don't know how stupid you are? You want to cause chaos. How could you only burn down the Rijing Gate in your original idea? It's not good to burn down the main hall.
Is it? If it happens, the world will be in chaos immediately, and if it doesn’t happen, I will be even more likely to be furious. You can’t mobilize the people in the palace yourself. If you can coax Shouning Hou by retreating and asking for help, you can be considered powerful with your words."
He shook his head: "It's ridiculous to think about it. You don't understand me and the current situation in the court, and I and the court officials overestimate you. You secretly secretly lost all the money that was lost in the Shouning Hou Mansion's many businesses.
After swallowing it, you still dare to set fires everywhere in the Ming Dynasty. You are just relying on your external foundation. So you have helped me one more thing. According to the ancestral teachings, Japan is a country that cannot be conquered, and I will be famous in the future.
"
Fang Muxian couldn't help but his pupils contracted.
This is completely uncontrollable, after all...why?
He didn't understand because he didn't know about the Donglin Party many years later, nor where the source was.
He even didn't understand why the dog emperor could tell from him that nothing in Shouning Hou Mansion in Japan had anything to do with Japanese pirates!
"Haha." Zhu Houcong deceived a little more, so he laughed: "No matter which daimyo it is hidden in, it's still the same."
After saying that, he turned around and ordered: "Luo An and Lu Song, we will make an exception tonight and stay in Qianqing Palace. The three of you, take turns asking questions. If you don't understand, ask Huang Jin quietly."