Chapter four hundred and seventy third: Kill without pardon
As soon as Zhou Juren said this, the atmosphere in the palace suddenly dropped to freezing point.
In fact, Zhou Juren did not know that these words could not be said.
Threaten the court?
How much do you weigh?
But for Zhou Juren, he was also desperate, because...he was going to die anyway, and it was better to fight hard than to die without a burial place.
But when he said this sentence, Zhou Juren actually knew that he had no way out.
Some of the gentry behind him were kneeling on their knees and trembling, as if they realized that these words were serious.
But at the same time, I couldn't help but feel a little hope in my heart.
They held their breath, waiting for His Majesty's reaction.
Zhu Di did not respond immediately.
He stood up, walked a few steps, and then said: "People's hearts are lost, and chaos is coming..."
He pondered and suddenly said: "Qiu Qing's family..."
Among the officials, someone walked out.
Today, Qiu Fu is already a bit old, but when he walked out of work, he was particularly energetic. Although he was not physically strong, he said plausibly: "I am here."
Zhu Di asked: "How many troops are there in the capital camp under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion?"
Qiu Fu said: "Your Majesty, the Governor's Mansion of the Fifth Army has five military camps with a total of 72 guards, totaling 350,000 soldiers. Three thousand camps have elite cavalry with a total of 14,000 soldiers. The central army of Shenji Camp, left and right
Tie, sentry posts on the left and right, etc., totaling thirty-nine thousand people."
Zhu Di nodded.
Then he asked Yi Shiha: "How many horses and horses are there in the guard?"
Yi Shiha hurriedly said: "The pro-army is under the jurisdiction of the pro-army guards, the twelve pro-army guards, totaling 130,000 people. There are also the four-guard army under the jurisdiction of the Yuma Prison, totaling 70,000."
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction, and then asked: "How many plans are there in the model camp?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, the model camp has the smallest number of people, only 18,000 people."
Zhu Di said: "Less is a little less."
While saying this, he slowly walked up to Zhou Juren and said calmly: "Do I have many soldiers and horses?"
Zhou Juren was unable to answer for a moment. He felt like the pressure was crushing him like a mountain, and he was dripping with cold sweat.
Zhu Di narrowed his eyes slightly, stared at Zhou Juren, and said: "I have been raising troops for a thousand days, and I have spent countless amounts of money on food, horse feed, ordnance, and gunpowder every day. Isn't this the moment I have been waiting for? If you want to rebel, then
It's better now. It's time for me to try out the sword. I've been killing people all my life, so I might as well add some more."
Speaking of this, Zhu Di's eyes flashed like a sharp blade ready to go. But his voice was strangely steady, and he said: "As for you, you deceive the emperor and ignore your superiors. You hoard goods in the year of great disaster. This is
A crime that will lead to death. Come on... take them all down, don't let anyone go. Tomorrow at noon, we will go to the outskirts of the city and execute them and behead them!"
There are as many as two to three thousand people here, both inside and outside.
Originally, Zhou Juren dared to say such stupid words, but he was actually relying on his own strength because of his large numbers. He thought that even if it was not good enough, the emperor should also pay attention to the impact.
But when he heard the word beheading, his whole body was shaken and he almost fainted.
Suddenly, my vision went dark.
After a moment, the guards rushed up and held them down unceremoniously.
This week, dozens of people were shocked, and each one shouted in horror: "Spare my life, spare my life!"
Unfortunately, no one paid attention to them, and these embarrassed people were soon escorted and dragged out by a group of tigers and wolves.
But at this moment, Zhu Di said calmly: "Wait a minute."
When Zhou Juren heard this, he raised it in one breath, and there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in his heart.
He thought to himself that maybe the emperor had just frightened him. At this time, the emperor had regained his senses and might be given a lighter sentence, so he cried loudly: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
Zhu Di frowned, but said slowly: "You have done evil and oppressed the people. I am afraid that your relatives will enjoy a lot of the profits you have made over the years. I will kill you tomorrow and the factory guards will go there naturally."
Take your children. But you'd better hope that your wives, children, and children can be killed at the neck. If you don't accept it and dare to rebel as you said, then I will be waiting for you to be cut into pieces with a thousand knives.
"
When Zhou Juren heard this, his heart was completely cold. Thinking that his life was gone, and now... that he had affected the entire family, he felt chills in his heart and felt indescribable sadness.
He wanted to say something more, but the guard holding him behind him covered his mouth and dragged him out again.
Outside the Meridian Gate.
Two to three thousand people were kneeling here, one by one, as if mourning their heirs, or wailing in mourning.
But at this moment, groups of men and horses suddenly rushed over. Some were factory guards Fanzi and Tiqi wearing fish suits, and some were guards under the Royal Horse Supervisor wearing armor. For a moment,
In the meantime, the gentry kneeling here saw this and felt something was not good, so they became confused.
At that moment, someone shouted: "Who are you? Do you know who we are?"
"Don't be presumptuous!"
"This is the gang member of Bandit Eunuch and Thief Zhang."
Some people even shouted: "I am a scholar, I have fame!"
Amidst the noise, many people's voices gathered together, making it increasingly chaotic.
The eunuchs and generals in charge of the arrangements here were sweating. They all felt that if these thousands of people really went crazy, they would make a big fuss. After all, this is the imperial city, and it would be difficult to account for one mistake.
But soon, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Because although there were constant curses here, once the wolf-like captain rushed in to take someone away, there was no resistance at all. However, even though they were held down, these people were still chattering, yelling, or uttering some words.
Anyway, I didn’t understand much, so I quickly captured them all without missing a single one.
There was no blood splatter.
Zhu Di returned to Wenlou.
Soon a eunuch came to report what happened at the Meridian Gate.
Zhu Di just nodded and said: "I know."
His Majesty's mood today can be described as both happy and angry. Yi Shiha is by his side, serving him carefully.
Fortunately, Zhang Anshi also came with him, which made Yishiha feel more relaxed.
Zhu Di pondered for a moment and said: "I have issued an order to the personnel in the four provinces to take precautions against emergencies. They must not be careless and respond to civil unrest at any time."
Zhang Anshi said calmly: "Your Majesty, I have already given your instructions."
Zhu Di nodded, but then remembered something, so he said: "Besides, when can this railway be built?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Now the roadbed has basically been formed. Now we only need to lay sleepers and rails. As long as there is enough money, major workshops will increase their horsepower and production, and time is not a problem."
To Zhang Anshi's surprise, Zhu Di actually said very grandly: "Then don't cherish money. Didn't I make a lot of money this time? I want to connect the railway into Guanzhong, the sooner the better."
Zhang Anshi felt happy and said hurriedly: "Yes, I obey your order."
Zhu Di's expression softened a lot, but his words were astonishing: "Zhang Qing is really a national scholar, hey... if you are my son, I will definitely teach you to succeed to the throne."
Zhang Anshi's heart skipped a beat, his face changed, and he hurriedly waved his hands: "I don't dare, I don't dare."
Zhu Di smiled and said: "When Cao Cao met Sun Quan, he sighed that his son would be like Sun Zhongmou. I was just extemporaneous."
Zhang Anshi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Hearing Zhu Di's words, he became more energetic: "Then Sun Zhong is a scheming man. No, Your Majesty, I shouldn't be discourteous in front of Your Majesty. I just feel that this Sun Quan can't be good at civil and military affairs."
, they are just the defending army, Cao Cao’s sons..."
However, Zhu Di waved his hand and interrupted him: "I am using allusions. You don't want to be like those academics who always argue."
Zhang Anshi opened his mouth, but he had no choice but to swallow back the words he had not yet spoken, and said obediently: "Yes."
Zhu Di pondered, thought for a while and said: "Henan and Guanzhong...now that they have reached such a point, it is time to implement the New Deal."
He said, bowed his head and started pacing.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to implement the New Deal is obviously the best result for Zhu Di.
But the problem lies in how to implement it, how to structure it, and who should be appointed to preside over it.
Zhang Anshi remained silent.
Such matters are very sensitive. For Zhang Anshi, he wanted to implement the New Deal all over the world immediately. He could not stand the Zhou Juren in these places.
But Zhang Anshi also understood that the biggest problem in the new policies of the provinces was who would preside over them and who would implement them.
The previous officials were obviously not suitable, so the only one with such prestige and experience is Zhang Anshi.
This undoubtedly greatly increased Zhang Anshi's authority.
But Zhang Anshi already controls Zhili. If he adds a few more provinces, it will be ugly. Even if His Majesty is willing, Zhang Anshi will be worried that someone will use this to criticize him.
So Zhang Anshi simply pretended to be deaf and dumb.
At this moment, a eunuch suddenly came quickly and said in a panic: "Your Majesty..."
Zhu Di looked up and saw that he was just a eunuch from the General Administration Department. He just said indifferently: "What's the matter?"
"Your Majesty, there is an urgent report in Henan and Guanzhong..." The eunuch said: "After the Minister of the Ministry of War received the report, he prayed for an audience and said... He said it was... Henan and Guanzhong... overnight, a large number of civil commotions occurred.
A large number of thugs appeared in all prefectures and counties, attacking the officers and soldiers...These thieves...suddenly gained momentum and became quite powerful, and the Ministry of War was suspicious...I'm afraid the scale is not a hundred thousand."
One hundred thousand is actually just a drop in the ocean for Guanzhong and Henan, which have huge populations.
But such a scale cannot be underestimated for the Yongle Dynasty.
Even at this scale, it is still the number that Zhang Anshi achieved after a large amount of relief work.
After hearing this, Zhu Di sneered and said: "I didn't expect it to come... The soldiers will block it, and the water will cover it up. I teach Jin Zhong, the Minister of the Ministry of War, not to come to see me. It's just a thief. I teach him to mobilize troops and horses with the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion to go to Henan."
, to put down the rebellion in Guanzhong, all rebels will be killed without mercy!"
Speaking of rebellion, no, speaking of Jingnan, Zhu Di is simply the ancestor of the rebels.
To put it bluntly, Zhu Di himself felt that these people were overestimating their own abilities.
After receiving the order, the eunuch hurried away again.
But who knew, after a while, the eunuch would leave and come back again.
The eunuch said: "Your Majesty, Jin Gong said...said...this matter must be reported to your majesty. Please don't forget, your majesty, the prince and his grandson, one is in Henan and the other is in Guanzhong..."
Zhu Di's expression changed slightly.
Zhang Anshi also immediately noticed the change in Zhu Di's expression and was about to say something.
But he saw Zhu Di sitting on the throne slowly, and said calmly: "Wouldn't it be great to have them here? The rebels are rampant, and the local soldiers and civilians must be in fear. The presence of my children and grandchildren is enough to reassure the soldiers and the people.
Go tell Jin Qing that he does not need to consider these matters. The duty of the Ministry of War is to mobilize people to participate in counterinsurgency matters."
The eunuch kowtowed and left again.
Yi Shiha stood aside, already worried, he hesitated and said: "Your Majesty...this...this..."
Zhu Di sat upright with his hands on his knees, but his arms were shaking slightly, but soon, he grabbed his knees with both hands and was still.
He said: "When I was more than ten years old, I followed the King of Zhongshan and stayed in Peiping, training soldiers, promoting farming, building city defenses, and consolidating border defenses. After a little longer, I would attack the desert. It's not a big deal."
After hearing Zhu Di's words, Yi Shiha knew in his heart that no one in the world cares more about the safety of the prince and the emperor's grandson than your majesty.
After all, this is the prince. If he were in the Hongwu Dynasty, this would be Zhu Biao, the prince of Emperor Hongwu.
What is at stake is the continuation of the Ming Dynasty.
Not to mention the love between father and son and grandfather and grandson.
But Zhu Di said this, but he could only laugh dryly and said calmly: "What your Majesty said is that the prince and the emperor's grandson are the sons and grandsons of the dragon, and they are of your majesty's bloodline, so they must be as bloody and brave as your majesty.
"
Zhang Anshi frowned for a long time and said hurriedly: "Your Majesty... minister... minister..."
Zhu Di sighed and said: "The emperor's grandson has grown up a lot in these years. In the past few years, I have relied on Zhang Qing to teach him through words and deeds. I hope he can make progress and not disgrace the reputation of Tianhuang Guiwei.
"
Zhang Anshi opened his mouth and finally nodded.
Zhu Di said: "Okay, please step back and go see your sister. If your sister hears about this, the woman... will inevitably panic."
Zhang Anshi could only say: "Yes, I...resign."
By the time Zhang Anshi resigned, it was already getting late.
Zhu Di reluctantly ate a few bites of the dinner in the palace. Late at night, despite Hua's urging, Zhu Di seemed very worried and refused to sleep.
Until Yi Shiha said again: "The Queen is in the palace, so she may not be able to sleep."
After Zhu Di heard this, he got up and returned to the palace.
The queen's harem was indeed brightly lit. Empress Xu did not go into the bedroom to rest, but only ordered people to light many lanterns in the courtyard.
The eunuchs and female officials stood beside each other, motionless.
But there was a childish voice, saying: "The bright moon of the Qin Dynasty and the pass of the Han Dynasty, the people of the long march of thousands of miles have not returned, but the flying generals of the Dragon City are..."
In the distance, the eunuch's voice came out: "I have met your Majesty."
Then this childish voice suddenly stopped.
Zhu Di walked over with his hands behind his back and a big belly.
Looking sideways, I saw that the child standing here reciting poems was none other than Zhang Changsheng.
When Zhang Changsheng saw Zhu Di, he was immediately frightened and dared not speak out.
Empress Xu stood up and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, look at you, you always look like you don't get close to strangers, you scare the children."
Zhu Di forced a smile and said: "He is a child of a bird. He is already eight or nine years old. This child is like his father, a rat. He is afraid of everything he sees."
Queen Xu only smiled.
The couple had a mutual understanding of each other, and Empress Xu was also well aware of the matter between the prince and the emperor's grandson. Although she was extremely worried, she never showed it in front of Zhu Di.
Zhu Di naturally knew what she was thinking, but he tacitly agreed not to mention it.
Only Zhang Changsheng, with his head drooped and eyes slightly lowered, remained silent.
Zhu Di was looking at Zhang Changsheng at this time, waving to him and saying: "Come, come to me."
Zhang Changsheng's legs seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and he took a long time to get in front of Zhu Di.
Zhu Di pinched his face, probably because it felt good, and his expression softened a lot, and then he smiled from the bottom of his heart.
Zhu Di said gently: "How many poems can you recite?"
Zhang Changsheng said politely: "I can carry it all."
Zhu Di said: "Is the progress so fast?"
Queen Xu smiled and said: "This is a smart child."
Zhang Changsheng's mother is the Xu family, and Queen Xu is the Xu family's aunt. In terms of blood relations, she is also a blood relative.
Zhu Di suddenly said: "I heard that you are very naughty outside the palace."
Zhang Changsheng actually said honestly: "Yes."
Zhu Di still put on an easy-going look and said, "Why do you become more studious after entering the palace?"
Zhang Changsheng said: "When I entered the palace, my father said that if I didn't obey, His Majesty would beat me to death. I was a little afraid of death..."
Zhu Di couldn't help but laugh, and couldn't help but said: "Zhang Qing is joking with you, I am your uncle, how can I kill you?"
Zhang Changsheng lowered his head and said nothing.
Zhu Di smiled, touched his head, and said, "What a well-behaved child. Why, he stopped talking again. Am I so scary?"
Zhang Changsheng raised his head slightly and glanced at Zhu Di before saying, "I dare not say."
Zhu Di said: "Say it, say it..."
Queen Xu looked at the timid look on Zhang Changsheng's face and said hurriedly: "Okay, Changsheng, go and have a rest."
Zhu Di suddenly felt something strange, but said: "I'm not busy, come and listen to what you say...I won't be surprised at all."
Zhang Changsheng hesitated for a moment, and finally said as if he had made a strong decision: "My father said that the most terrifying person in the world is the one who dares to eat feces. Uncle... Your Majesty, have you really eaten it?
Is it delicious?”
Zhu Di: "..."
Queen Xu grabbed Zhang Changsheng and winked at the eunuchs. Then one of the eunuchs hugged Zhang Changsheng and left.
Empress Xu stroked Zhu Di's back and said: "Your Majesty, children's words are unbridled, children don't understand anything, this silly child..."
Zhu Di had blue veins on his forehead exposed, he grinded his teeth, and it took him a long time to say: "Fuck you!"
Empress Xu laughed dryly: "Your Majesty, it's getting late, so you should go to bed early. Your Majesty is getting older and is not as young and strong as he used to be. You must pay attention to your dragon body."
Zhu Di said: "Let that boy Changsheng come to me later. I want to teach him by words and deeds. Don't always imitate some people and teach him some crooked ways."
Queen Xu said: "Yes, yes, that child really has too little knowledge, that's why he is so confused."
Zhu Di's face twitched and he opened his mouth slightly, wanting to say something more, but he didn't know where to start.