After a while, he sighed and lowered his voice: "The reason why His Majesty died is strange..."
Yang Rong stared at Hu Guang and said, "Some words should be spoken with caution."
Hu Guangdao: "We are ministers after all, why should we be cautious at this time? Now there are internal and external troubles, the government and the public are in an uproar, and the country has reached this point, I..."
Hu Guang puffed up his cheeks and said: "This unprovoked death in Jiangxi was caused by water thieves. When will water thieves be able to break into Jiujiang City? This is too unclear. Does it make sense? Jiangxi
This is a place where literati gather, how could something like this happen?"
Yang Rongdao: "Since you said it was not done by water thieves, then tell me who did it?"
Hu Guangdao: "These days, I have also figured it out. Behind this... there must be someone instigating it. How dare someone instigate others to do such a thing and still make a profit... I think... is not an ordinary person."
"Stop playing riddles."
Hu Guangdao: "Mr. Yang can collude with the water thieves, and he can also make the Jiangxi chief envoy say that the water thieves did it, and... he may even instruct the garrison in Jiujiang Prefecture to open the door for the water thieves, and
How many people in the world are not worried about being held accountable after the incident?"
Yang Rongdao: "I don't know how many people there are, but I know that they must be from Jiangyou. Mr. Hu, this person can't be you, right?"
Hu Guang's eyes suddenly widened, he became anxious, and said angrily: "It's ridiculous, it's ridiculous, I, Hu Guang, have such a heart, how can I have such courage?"
Yang Rong said: "Okay, then tell me, who is this person?"
Hu Guang looked around, then lowered his voice and said: "Didn't you notice that Jin Gongcheng was negotiating with others these days? I heard that he was the first to learn about His Majesty's news, and he quickly took people to see His Majesty the Crown Prince.
"
Yang Rong glanced at Hu Guang lightly and said meaningfully: "Some things should not be said carelessly."
Hu Guangdao: "He usually hides his secret..."
Yang Rong smiled and said: "So, he looks like the person behind the scenes?"
"Look, I got the news so early, and I've been close to so many people. What's more,..."
Yang Rong looked at him with sharp eyes and said, "If you say so, Mr. Hu is actually very suspicious."
Hu Guang: "..."
Yang Rong continued: "You are so concerned about His Majesty's affairs, and you rashly accuse it of having something to do with Jin Gong. It shows that you have a guilty conscience and want to divert trouble to the east. Not only that, you usually look honest and courteous, saying
No, this is because you are so wise and foolish. You appear to be honest, but in fact you are unfathomable. You have already secretly planned it for today's overall situation."
Hu Guang suddenly glared angrily and cursed: "You..."
Yang Rong sighed and said: "The reason why I say this is to tell you that the matter is not finalized at the moment. At this time, it is best not to think wildly."
Hu Guang could only hang his head and said: "Okay, okay, you are eloquent."
Just as he was talking, someone outside suddenly coughed: "Mr. Yang..."
Hu Guang was startled when he heard this voice. It was Jin Youzi's voice.
Yang Rong said calmly: "Please come in."
Jin Youzi just walked in and said with a smile: "Unexpectedly, Mr. Hu is here too."
Hu Guang laughed dryly and said, "What's wrong with Mr. Jin? Then I...I happen to have some tickets left. Farewell, farewell."
He walked away in a hurry with a strange look on his face.
Jin Youzi clasped his hands behind his back and watched Hu Guang leave with deep eyes. Then he slowly sat down, looked at Yang Rong and said, "What did Mr. Hu say?"
Yang Rong shook his head calmly and said: "It's nothing, just some gossip."
"This gossip probably has something to do with Mr. Jin."
Yang Rong just smiled and said nothing.
Jin Youzi did not continue to delve deeper, but immediately said: "I discovered something today."
"Huh?" Yang Rong said: "Jin Gong, please speak."
"Jiang Chen, the left minister of the Ministry of War... seems to know something. He has been testing me."
Yang Rong raised his eyes slightly and said, "This person is from Ruizhou Prefecture, right?"
"Exactly." Jin Youzi said: "Eight years ago, he was recommended by Jie Jin and transferred from the prefect to the capital. Since then, his official career has been smooth."
Yang Rong pursed his lips and then said: "A mere left minister of the Ministry of War should not be able to make such a big noise."
"Nine times out of ten, this person is just an errand boy." Jin Youzi said: "He may know a lot of things, but he may not know a lot. I have talked with him. This person is frivolous. If I were the mastermind, I would definitely not
I will tell him too many things."
Yang Rong sighed: "In the beginning, I used the township party to enrich my own wings, and vigorously promoted all my fellow villagers. All these troubles began with Jiegong."
Jin Youzi was silent for a moment and said: "Besides, there are some people... who seem to be in a state of joy these past two days, and there are quite a few people involved..."
After he said that, he took out a roster from his sleeve and handed it to Yang Rong.
Yang Rong took it, looked at it carefully, and then raised his head: "I guess... if your Majesty dies, someone will definitely contact you. Although Mr. Hu is also a person from the right of Jiang, he has always been secretive. I'm afraid there is something wrong.
Few people put their hope in you."
Jin Youzi said: "Over the years, my relatives in Xingan have always been well cared for. There are also many children in the countryside who have been cared for. The Wu family in Fuzhou actually recruited a few of my incompetent people.
Nephew, accept him as your disciple. Have they, world-famous scholars, seen what my idle nephews really are for studying? I know very well, and they just want to use this opportunity.
, just climb up to me."
Yang Rong smiled and said: "No wonder your official reputation is so good. Everyone praises you, saying that you are a gentleman in Wenyuan Pavilion."
"Mr. Yang is going to make fun of you." Jin Youzi forced a smile and said, "These false names are really not worth mentioning."
Yang Rong sighed again and said quietly: "Now that your Majesty... something has happened, what are your plans?"
Jin Youzi said: "Youzi was just a scholar at the beginning. He was favored by the Holy One. He never forgot how the virtues of heaven and earth will be repaid. Now if your majesty is really in trouble, you should do everything you can to dig out these masterminds! So!
, only then can I live up to the divine grace and read those poems and books in vain.”
Yang Rong nodded: "You are from Jiangyou. Sooner or later, someone will contact you secretly. But... when the truth comes out, I am afraid that many of your fellow villagers will be affected. In the future, they will scold you for being ruthless."
Jin Youzi's face was calm, but he showed a look of disdain: "Although we are fellow countrymen, such behavior is disgusting. Not to mention, when I was still a white body, I didn't have any friendship, so I was introduced as a fellow countryman.
Today, I am so rich and noble because of your majesty’s love. Now everyone wants to marry me, and everyone calls me a fellow villager. It seems that this distant relative and fellow villager has become a big deal. This kind of friendship is really ridiculous.
.”
Yang Rong nodded and said: "Then continue to contact them, but you must also be careful."
Jin Youzi smiled and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Yang. Don't you know my temperament? I entered Wenyuan Pavilion. How many people in Wenyuan Pavilion can remember that there was Jin Youzi in Wenyuan Pavilion?"
Yang Rong laughed casually.
Although Jin Youzi was the most junior member of the Wenyuan Pavilion, he was basically a transparent person. He rarely made suggestions and rarely appeared in public. When various ministries had something to do, they would subconsciously turn to Yang Rong and Hu Guang.
His character of being taciturn and seeming to have disappeared while hiding in Wenyuan Pavilion is enough to show how deep his scheming is. For such a person, no matter what he does, he must be watertight.
While he was talking, suddenly, someone outside said in panic: "Holy Driver... Holy Driver..."
Yang Rong and Jin Youzi immediately stood up and looked at each other.
"The holy chariot is about to enter the palace. The holy chariot is about to enter the palace." But it was the voice of a scholar from Zhongshu, which broke the silence in Wenyuan Pavilion.
Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were shocked, but there was suspicion in their eyes.
Suddenly Yang Rong laughed loudly and said: "The Holy Emperor enters the palace? Yes, this is the temperament of the Holy One. The Holy One is unpredictable and never acts according to common sense. Your Majesty, Jin Gong, is still here!"
Jin Youzi immediately said: "Hurry up and greet him."
Everyone in the various departments was originally taciturn, but at this juncture, almost everyone was extremely cautious, for fear of doing something wrong or saying the wrong thing.
But now, this news is like a big stone, falling directly into the ancient well that was originally waveless, and a storm suddenly rolled up.
Outside Daming Gate, ministers arrived in twos and threes.
The ministers were either sad or happy, but even though they were sad and angry in their hearts, they still had a forced smile on their faces.
But Zhu Di seemed to be deliberately dragging his feet, and the carriage was not moving very fast.
Therefore, hundreds of officials gathered outside the Ming Dynasty Gate.
After a while, Zhu Gaochi was seen rushing over.
He learned the news in the palace. When Queen Xu heard the bad news, she fainted immediately. He did not dare to neglect her. She was waiting by her side and did not dare to leave.
But now... after receiving the news, Zhu Gaochi rushed there. When he was panting, the Holy Driver finally arrived.
Prince Zhu Gaochi led hundreds of officials to bow down and greet the Holy Master.
Zhu Di rode on horseback and came to the presence of Prince Zhu Gaochi in a leisurely manner.
He turned over and dismounted, and looked down at Zhu Gaochi, who was panting and his face was red with anxiety.
At this time, the most embarrassing person is probably the prince.
When bad news comes that the old emperor may have passed away, some people will inevitably suspect that the prince is secretly rejoicing.
But on the other hand, the prince should be grieving after his father died.
"Father." Zhu Gaochi bowed and said.
Zhu Di smiled, glanced at him with complicated eyes, but said calmly and meaningfully: "I heard that many people are looking forward to my death. The prince and your Majesty, etc... seem to be ready.
It’s the grand ceremony for the new king’s accession to the throne, isn’t it?”
At this moment, the prince and officials all changed their expressions.
Zhu Di paced back and forth, looking at the crowd of people kneeling on the ground.
He narrowed his eyes and said with a half-smile, "Is it... Yang Qing's family?"
This is a question for Yang Rong.
Yang Rong said calmly and calmly: "Rumors spread from Jiangyou, and the court was really panicked for a while. When they heard that His Majesty had changed, everyone in the court was sad, especially His Royal Highness."
He answered very firmly.
Zhu Di stared at him: "Really?"
Zhu Di walked up to another person and said, "Hu Qing's family also sees it this way?"
Hu Guangdao: "Everything Yang Gong said is true."
Zhu Di then came to Jin Youzi again and asked, "Does Jin Qing think so too?"
Jin Youzi was silent.
After a moment, he said with a calm face: "I am dealing with the ticket, and I don't dare to spy on His Highness, so... I don't know."
Zhu Di laughed, but did not comment.
Almost everyone, in theory, gave the correct answer.
Of course, any answer may not be correct.
Because...it depends on how Your Majesty understands it.
Your Majesty is the one who knows the most powerful things. In other words, this emperor, who was born in Jingnan, is the best person in the world who is good at playing tricks with applause.
After all, he has experienced too much and seen too much. Therefore, his understanding of things must be unique.
Zhu Di suddenly came to Jin Zhong: "Jin Qing also wants to talk about it."
At this time, Jin Zhong looked at Zhu Di angrily and said: "Your Majesty has returned to the palace safely now. It is a great blessing for the world. Why did you return to the palace and not ask whether the country is stable and whether the people live and work in peace and contentment, but only ask about your own son?"
He will continue to talk.
Zhu Di waved his hand: "Okay, okay, stop talking, stop talking."
Zhu Di walked a few more steps and suddenly stopped in front of a person. He looked at the person deeply and said, "Is this Jiang Chen, the left minister of the Ministry of War?"
The man kowtowed and said, "Jiang Chen, the left minister of the Ministry of War, has met your Majesty."
Zhu Di smiled and said: "You have always known soldiers, do you think so too?"
Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment.
He said: "I am just a minister, and I dare not discuss the affairs of the palace arbitrarily. I have no way of knowing the prince's sorrows and joys."
Zhu Di said, "What if it's your guess?"
"I dare not make any assumptions," Jiang Chen said.
Zhu Di nodded, but suddenly said slowly: "But...since you have no way of knowing the prince's joys and sorrows, but as far as I know, in the past few days, you not only met the prince, but also met the prince twice."
As soon as these words came out, Jiang Chen's expression suddenly changed.
He hurriedly said: "This... this is the first time..."
Before he finished speaking, Zhu Di interrupted: "You don't have to explain the first time. The first time was when you met Zhou Yan, the commander of the Jin Yiwei. As for Zhou Yan... he has been sent to prison. Don't worry.
, he will definitely be worse than dead inside. Now, come and talk to me for the second time."
Jiang Chen lay prone on the ground, his body began to tremble slightly, and then he said in a hoarse voice: "The second time, after hearing the bad news, I and Mr. Jin... went to the East Palace to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I hope
At this time, His Highness can take charge of the overall situation."
Zhu Di nodded. There was no hint of happiness or anger in his expression. He just said: "It seems that your ears and eyes are quite good."
The general tried his best to keep his voice steady and said: "Your Majesty... I also heard about it from others."
"Who did you listen to?"
"Word of the mouth."
Zhu Di smiled and said, "After that, you went to see Jin Youzi three times, Jin Zhong once, and Xia Yuanji twice, right?"
Jiang Chen hurriedly said: "This is just my courtesy."
Zhu Di said: "You are quite polite."
Jiang Chen was trembling with fear. He was a little panicked.
At this time, everyone's eyes fell on him, but he became more and more cautious and answered: "I... I am... I am a minister... In times of emergency..."
Zhu Di said: "In this way, I have thanked you for your hard work. You have been running back and forth these days. Are you trying to help the building that is about to collapse, or to relieve the country's worries?"
"It's to share the country's worries," Jiang Chen said.
Zhu Di nodded, turned around suddenly, and looked back at the minister who was still kneeling on the ground.
Turning around, he looked deeply at Prince Zhu Gaochi.
Zhu Gaochi's whole body was tense and he didn't dare to express his anger. To be honest, whoever has such a father has no temper.
Zhu Di seemed to have taken two steps.
Seeing Zhu Di's legs slowly leaving him, Jiang Chen paused and breathed a sigh of relief.
But at this moment, Zhu Di suddenly raised the riding crop in his hand and gave it a sharp blow. The riding whip quickly flew out in the air and hit Jiang Chen directly.
This whip was like a snake. With one snap, it tore Jiang Chen's official clothes to pieces, and even the skin and flesh inside were suddenly torn apart.
Jiang Chen was caught off guard and let out a wailing cry.
But before he could continue howling louder, another whip came down quickly.
This whip was even harder, falling directly on his black gauze hat.
The black gauze hat was smashed in an instant, and Jiang Chendun felt that his head was no longer his. He held his head in both hands in pain, wrinkled his face, and rolled up on the ground.
Zhu Di's boots quickly stepped on his sleeves, making it impossible for him to break free.
Zhu Di rolled up the whip, and then the wooden handle of the whip turned into a dagger and stabbed him hard in the throat.
The whip handle was rhombus-shaped and made of hardwood. It was struck hard. Although the whip handle was not sharp, under Zhu Di's extremely strong force, it suddenly pierced Jiang Chen's throat.
Jiang Chen's body twitched and he held his throat. He felt that the cartilage of his Adam's apple was broken.
Immediately, he spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground. His eyes suddenly opened, his pupils shrank, as if he had seen a ghost, and he looked at Zhu Di in fear and pain.
He squirmed and used all his strength to say: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... don't kill me... I... I say..."
Zhu Di just smiled and raised his foot, and then the boot stepped hard on his face. This hard kick caused his head to move in a strange posture, as if it was separated from his neck.
It was directly twisted into a weird shape.
Jiang Chen was bleeding from all his orifices and was no longer breathing.
The air suddenly became eerily quiet, and everyone looked at this scene in fear.
Zhu Di stepped on Jiang Chen's body with his boots.
Seeing this, a eunuch hurriedly came forward, bowed down, and carefully wiped the blood on Zhu Di's boots with silk.
Zhu Di didn't even bother to look at the person at his feet, and said calmly: "Isn't it too late to say now? Some of your comrades want to say that you are not the only one left."
Zhu Di said, his eyes moving like a shuttle towards a person's face.
It's just... At this time, everyone was crouching down and burying their heads as much as possible, and no one dared to look into Zhu Di's eyes.
Only Zhang Anshi was bleeding from the side, complaining silently, "It's better now, your majesty, you are just pretending, pity my clue, another one is broken."