Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"Your Majesty, there is something important!"

An accompanying eunuch came running, holding a freshly published "Da Ming Monthly".

The content of the front page headline was extremely shocking, and Zhu Guoxiang was stunned for a long time after reading it.

Cai Wang Zhu Zhi colluded with officials, interfered with local affairs, engaged in illegal business, forced buying and selling, set up private casinos, occupied private property, and took human lives lightly... He was stripped of his state and title, demoted to a commoner, and exiled to Anxi Protectorate.

Cai Wang's wife Lu indulged her natal son to seduce her husband to break the law. The imperial edict was revoked and she was exiled to Anxi.

Cai Wang's concubines were ordered to remarry.

Cai Wang's children were young and were temporarily raised by the Zongzheng Temple. They were not allowed to inherit the title after they came of age.

His mother Zhe was not good at educating her children. After the incident, she protected them in every possible way. The title of concubine was revoked and she was demoted to a noble.

After the princes of the Ming Dynasty were crowned kings, they initially lived in the houses granted to them in Kaifeng and Luoyang. The mansions in these two cities were not enough, and then another prince was granted a house in Chang'an.

In recent years, he was granted a house in Daming Prefecture.

Cai Wang Zhu Zhi was granted a house in Daming Prefecture. Not only was he punished, but a bunch of officials in Daming Prefecture were also ruined!

The reason why Zhu Guoxiang was stunned for a long time was because he had a good impression of this grandson. He was a smart child, and he was also very well-behaved and filial. He knew some poetry, songs, astronomy and geography.

Why was he suddenly stripped of his title and exiled?

Zhu Guoxiang hurried to Hangzhou City and sent a telegram to his son to inquire.

After waiting for a long time, Zhu Ming finally responded.

"His crime is serious?"

"If it's not in Daming Mansion, which has caused public outrage, do you think the censor will risk exposing it?"

"Did anyone die?"

"Several people died. I originally wanted to execute him directly, but many people in the harem and the court dissuaded me. They thought that if a prince committed such a crime, he could be demoted and punished, and executing him would undermine the dignity of the royal family. Well, I am a little soft-hearted and can't bear to kill my son. But at least he has to be exiled!"

"He is a good child. He has only moved to Daming Mansion for two or three years. , how did it suddenly become like that?"

"He has a brother-in-law who went to live with him. This brother-in-law is good at having fun, and the various ways of playing among the people really opened your grandson's eyes. They spent a lot of money, and the titles and rewards were naturally not enough, so they started to bully the market and do business. The local corrupt officials and profiteers swarmed over like flies smelling a scent, making Daming Prefecture a mess!"

"Why didn't the officials of the palace report it in time?"

"Of course they were all corrupt. Let them Report? They even gave bad advice. Do you really think I only arrest corrupt officials and not the royal family! There was a lady in Daming Prefecture who was spotted by that bastard when she was offering incense, and he sent someone to propose marriage. The dignified chief of the palace actually took the palace guards to rob people! The fiancé came to ask for justice, but they broke his legs, just like the bullies in the drama! "

"What about those lives?"

"Collaborating with corrupt officials and profiteers to plot against other people's property, fabricating charges and putting people in jail He also lured other people's sons to gamble and owed huge debts. The old woman of that family couldn't figure it out and hanged herself. The two sons and three followers went to Beijing to beat the drum to report the incident. They were killed and sunk into the Yellow River on the way. "

"Did he instruct someone to do it?"

"If it was really that bastard who instructs, why would he be exiled? He was directly chopped off. Although it was not his order, he knew about it afterwards, and he also threatened the Hebei Provincial Surveillance Commissioner to help conceal it!"

Zhu Guoxiang did not ask any more questions and left the telegraph room with a sigh.

That's why he was only granted a house in Damingfu, because there is a waterway all the way, and it is not far from Luoyang. It has been so lawless for two or three years.

If he was granted a house to live in Jiangnan, the emperor is far away, and I don't know what he would do.

...

In Kaifeng City, several princes trembled, and they didn't dare to go out during this period.

Although there are many titles and rewards, how can they be enough for the princes to squander?

It's normal to do small things in private.

After holding it in for a few days, Cheng Wang Zhu Ji finally couldn't help but go visit his brother.

When Prince Gong Zhu Chang met him, he asked, "Why did you come to my house?"

"Probably they won't come to check us again," Zhu Ji said, "We just collect some small money and do some small business. Even if they find out, they will just scold us."

Zhu Chang was shocked and said, "What do you think Prince Cai was thinking? He actually did such a big thing in Daming Prefecture! That's several lives. Since he didn't instigate it, he should have surrendered earlier and received a light punishment. He even threatened the Hebei Provincial Surveillance Commissioner and forced the Surveillance Commissioner to suppress the murder case."

Zhu Ji said, "Maybe Daming Prefecture is farther away, and he felt that his father couldn't control it, and the officials didn't dare to control it. By the way, did anyone from the Zongzheng Temple come to your house?"

Zhu Chang said, "They came, gave a warning and left, and replaced all the officials in my palace. They said that the past things would be forgiven, and the next offense would be severely punished."

"It was the same in my place. I was so scared that my legs went weak at the time." Zhu Ji said with lingering fear.

Although the two were not brothers, one was born to Zhao Fujin and the other was born to Zhao Fujin, so they had a deep friendship since childhood.

Zhu Ji's hobbies are calligraphy and painting, and opera, and his calligraphy and painting skills are average. He has created several opera scripts, which are quite popular among Kaifeng celebrities, but no one watches them when he performs them in Wazi. They are too elegant and not down-to-earth.

Zhu Chang has no hobbies, or rather, his hobbies are broad. He knows a little about everything, but is not proficient in anything. He does everything on a whim, but soon finds it boring after he has figured out some tricks.

Sitting on a rocking chair, Zhu Chang sighed, "This life is so boring. I don't know what to do. I have nothing to do every day when I open my eyes."

"Let's form an opera troupe together." Zhu Ji suggested.

Zhu Chang shook his head, "It's boring."

"Then what do you want to do?" Zhu Ji asked.

Zhu Chang still shook his head: "I don't know."

Zhu Ji said angrily: "You don't know anything, so you might as well resign as king and take the Jinshi exam, or follow Zhu Kang's example and become a feudal lord abroad."

Zhu Chang still shook his head: "How much weight do I have? Don't I know it myself? Don't ask me to take the imperial examination, even if I can't pass the imperial examination. It is even more impossible to establish an overseas country. Zhu Kang's territory in Southern Yu is He led his troops to defeat it. Although I have learned some tactics, I can only lead a hundred soldiers at most."

Zhu Ji laughed when he heard this: "You find it boring to eat, drink and have fun, and you have no ability to do serious things. Just lie at home every day and wait to die of old age."

"So, how should we spend our days? I'm so busy!" Zhu Chang was also speechless.

Zhu Chang is actually very smart and can learn everything at once. But he has no perseverance and perseverance. He will give up halfway after achieving a small amount of success and pursue other new things.

Even for fun, he has tried various ways of playing, but none of his hobbies last long.

Suddenly, Zhu Chang sat upright from the rocking chair: "There are many anecdotes in "Arabian Nights". If you go to sea, there will be something new every day. The last time Wang Chongdu came to Beijing, I talked to him when he passed by Kaifeng..."

"Do you want to go to sea?" Zhu Ji asked.

Zhu Chang sat back and continued shaking: "But he said that sailing is actually boring and dangerous. I don't know whether I should go to sea."

This guy also has a shortcoming, that is, he is hesitant to look forward and backward.

Zhu Ji sat there for a while, then said goodbye and invited his friends to go to Goulan to listen to music.

Zhu Chang was still lying on the rocking chair in the yard, looking at the branches and leaves that occasionally had sunlight filtering through.

His attitude towards his wife was the same. He met her several times before the engagement and felt that everything was fine at the time. After getting married, the wife's various shortcomings were exposed, and the relationship between the couple became weaker and weaker.

Life is quite boring.

After lying on the chair and rocking until it was time to eat, Zhu Chang finally stood up. But instead of going to eat, he went back to the study to write a letter. He wanted to apply for a trip to the sea.

It is not an adventure, but a visit to overseas countries and writing down what I have seen along the way.

After writing the memorial, Zhu Chang took out the globe.

He wanted to go to Japan first, and then go to South Yu Country to play with Zhu Kang. Then go to various countries in Southeast Asia, and then go to various countries in India...

…

Luoyang, Imperial Palace.

Zhe Yanxiu has been crying these days. Not only will her son be exiled to the Anxi Protectorate, but she herself will be demoted from a concubine to a concubine.

This woman who liked to dance with knives and guns when she was young really dotes on her son. She was only strict when her son was learning martial arts, and she followed his wishes in other matters.

Hearing the footsteps outside the house, Zhe Yanxiu quickly wiped away her tears, determined not to let others see her vulnerability.

The palace maid brought Zhong Miaoyun in, made a cup of tea and bowed to leave.

Zhong Miaoyun said: "It has been in the newspapers, there is no room for recovery."

"I know, thank you sister for your help." Zhe Yanxiu sighed.

Zhong Miaoyun said: "Although it is irreversible, after my persuasion, the officials agreed to give some money. No one else is allowed to give it. You are only allowed to pay for your son yourself, and you can only give a hundred guan at most."

Zhe Yanxiu said worriedly: "He and his wife are exiled in the Western Regions. How can one hundred guans be enough?"

Zhong Miaoyun came up with an idea and said: "The Zhe family and the Zhong family still have some old ties in the military, and they may have known each other and served in the penal colony. You can write a letter and trust them to take care of them, and ask your mother-in-law's family to secretly send some money."

Zhe Yanxiu said: "This is the only way."

After saying that, she complained about her daughter-in-law: "It's all that bitch's fault. I have a good son, but only two or three years after I moved to Daming Mansion, I was seduced by my brother-in-law and caused such trouble!"

Then he added: "When Zongzheng Temple selected officials for the royal palace, they did not know how to arrange for upright people. They chose some greedy villains. Not only could they not correct and restrain the prince, but they also led him to worse things!"

Zhong Miaoyun said nothing and listened silently.

After a long time, Zhong Miaoyun said: "Tiger poison cannot eat its seeds, and the officials are also very sad this time."

The colorful embroidery is silent.

A few days later.

The team escorting King Cai and his wife slowly came out of Zongzheng Temple.

From Zongzheng Temple to the pier, more and more people gathered to watch.

Throughout the dynasties, some royal families and clans were also exiled, but most of them were related to political struggles.

It seems that this is the first time that a prince has been exiled because he bullies men and women, and places them in a place where they can only be treated as slaves.

People gathered together and followed the escort.

There were actually many people in Luoyang who felt that King Cai had been wronged. No matter how big a mistake he made, he would not be exiled to the Anxi Protectorate.

As common people, they actually sympathized with the criminal prince.

Just because King Cai broke the law in Daming Mansion, there was no harm to Luoyang. The people of Luoyang supported the Zhu Ming royal family and even sympathized with King Cai.

Very nonsense.

The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and the people of both capitals felt that the punishment of King Cai was too severe.

Until it was published in the newspaper, everyone thought the sentence could still be lenient.

This issue of "Da Ming Yue Bao" was released and sold out in Luoyang on the same day. Even the peddlers and lackeys chased after the literate man holding the newspaper, clamoring to be read over and over again.

Both officials and citizens felt a huge shock.

It has the impact of subverting three concepts!

After all, King Zhu Zhi of Cai was a prince, so he did not have to wear shackles to go to the Western Regions, and there were even boats and chariots along the way.

At this moment, Zhu Zhi was being carried on the boat from left to right, and his whole soul was out of body, as if he was a walking corpse. He still can't believe that his father really reduced his rank and exiled him.

Princess Lu's eyes were red and swollen, and she cried countless times. She regretted letting her brother enter the palace, otherwise she would not have ended up like this.

The Lu family was also ruined. Her father, uncle, and uncle were all under investigation by the three judicial departments.

Her uncle was not an official, but was doing business in his hometown, and he was also investigated for taxes again and again.

A group of students stood by the river, watching the boat escorting King Cai away. One student sighed: "The prince broke the law and was guilty of the same crime as the common people. Today I know that it is not a lie. The officials are so selfless and love the people. How can we scholars not devote ourselves to the country?"

"Long live His Majesty!" A student raised his arms and shouted.

"Long live His Majesty!"

"Long live the Ming Dynasty!"

Shouts came from the river one after another, and more and more people shouted, gradually becoming one.