Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

After the three received their orders, they didn't leave immediately.

Wang Zhi deliberated for a moment and then asked in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, what should be done with the families of those one hundred and seventy-six officials?"

Hearing Wang Zhi's words, Huai En and Mou Bin both pricked up their ears, waiting for Zhu You樘's command.

After all, besides the families of the one hundred and seventy-six officials imprisoned in the West Depot.

The East Depot's prison also held the families of Liu Xu and Liu Ji.

Zhu You樘 picked up his pen, writing a secret letter while impatiently issuing orders.

"Except for the relatives of Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue, the male family members of the others will be sent to the frontiers as soldiers, and the females will be sent to the Jiaofang Division."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wang Zhi nodded, accepting the order, his expression unchanged.

No matter what order Zhu You樘 issued, he would not question it, only carry it out firmly.

Even if Zhu You樘 really wanted these family members to be buried with them, Wang Zhi would only nod expressionlessly and then do it without fail.

Huai En also nodded, knowing what he should do.

Mou Bin secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, feeling much lighter.

Zhu You樘's momentary thought had at least saved the lives of thousands of people.

His Majesty is so magnanimous, truly the most benevolent ruler of the Great Ming.

At this moment, a young eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial entered the Qianqing Palace and whispered a reminder.

"Your Majesty, it's time for the morning court."

"Yes, let's go."

Zhu You樘 stood up and handed the completed secret letter to Wang Zhi: "Send this letter to Changtong."

"Yes."

Zhu You樘 took the lead, walked out of the Qianqing Palace, boarded the dragon辇, and headed towards Fengtian Gate.

Huai En and Mou Bin accompanied him on either side.

Wang Zhi summoned a member of the West Depot, instructed him to deliver the letter to Changtong, and then followed beside Zhu You樘's dragon辇.

When Zhu You樘's dragon辇 crossed Fengtian Gate, the young eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial quickly announced.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long live!"

Zhu You樘 stepped down from the dragon辇, sat on the dragon throne, and slowly scanned the officials kneeling below the steps.

Zhu You樘 did not speak, and the officials did not dare to rise, just kneeling on the hard floor tiles.

Everyone was secretly muttering, wondering what Zhu You樘 meant.

After a moment of silence, Zhu You樘 finally spoke: "Rise."

The civil and military officials breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.

But as soon as they stood up, they saw the three ominous figures standing below Zhu You樘.

Wang Zhi, Huai En, and Mou Bin, three devils with gloomy faces, stared coldly at the civil and military officials, like three wolves staring at a flock of sheep.

All the ministers felt a chill in their hearts and quickly lowered their heads, not daring to face their seemingly man-eating gazes.

The officials in the capital were extremely afraid of these three, especially Wang Zhi, the Director of the West Depot.

This person had stirred up the biggest storm in the capital, confiscating the homes of one hundred and seventy-six officials as soon as he said so, without leaving any room for negotiation.

The scale of the operation was so vast that it completely overshadowed the old-timers in the East Depot.

Compared to the West Depot, everyone felt that the East Depot had become much more pleasing to the eye.

What the officials didn't know was that the East Depot was already brewing a major case that would affect tens of thousands of people in the capital!

Zhu You樘 looked at the officials and said lightly: "Do any of you have important matters to report?"

The officials looked at each other, but no one dared to step forward and report.

Zhu You樘 waited for a while, and when he saw that no one stepped forward, he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

"Oh? It seems that my empire is very peaceful, and there is not even one matter that needs my attention."

Liu Jian, the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary, had to bite the bullet and step out of the ranks.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Speak."

"The preliminary selection of the imperial harem has ended. According to the data reported by the Ministry of Rites, a total of 5,236 young women have been selected for this selection."

"After three rounds of screening, there are still 368 young women who meet the standards and are returning to the capital from the two capitals and thirteen provinces."

The selection of young women in the Ming Dynasty was very strict. First, in the localities, there would be multiple rounds of screening.

For each young woman, it was necessary to first observe her behavior, appreciate her appearance, listen to her voice, and then explore her breasts, smell her armpits, and feel her skin.

Only after everything was qualified could she be sent to the harem, where the female officials of the Chu Xiu Palace would train her for another month before conducting the next round of screening.

Generally, only about three hundred people could be sent to the Chu Xiu Palace.

The selection was originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, and Liu Jian's report on this matter was in accordance with the regulations.

Zhu You樘 nodded: "I know, is there anything else?"

"No… nothing else."

Liu Jian lowered his head and quickly returned to the ranks.

"Does anyone else have anything to report?"

Zhu You樘 looked at the other officials below the steps again.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Granted."

Next, some more officials reported, all about trivial matters.

The officials seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and no one mentioned the one hundred and seventy-six retired officials whose homes had been confiscated.

Zhu You樘 was unwilling to continue circling around with these old foxes and directly cut to today's topic.

"Gentlemen, are you not at all curious about the one hundred and seventy-odd retired officials whose homes I have confiscated these days?"

The civil and military officials were as silent as cicadas in winter, no one dared to answer, and no one dared to plead for them.

The lesson of the person who pleaded for the Zhou family last time was still vivid in their minds.

No one was willing to risk their own lives for no reason.

"Since you are not asking, then I will talk about it myself."

Zhu You樘 stood up and walked to the steps.

"Bring them all up here!"

Zhu You樘 suddenly shouted, startling everyone.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

As Zhu You樘's order spread out of Fengtian Hall Square, teams of West Depot agents, East Depot agents, and Jinyiwei officers escorted the arrested officials to Fengtian Hall Square.

These officials were all wearing prison uniforms, shackled and chained, with disheveled hair, looking extremely miserable.

Some of them still had undried bloodstains on their bodies, and there were obvious signs of torture.

Seeing this scene, the hearts of the officials in Fengtian Hall Square all contracted sharply!

Not again?

They were all familiar with these people. Five days ago, they were still colleagues in the court, and five days later, one side was already a prisoner.

The leading figures were known to all the officials in the court.

Former Grand Secretary Wan An, former Grand Secretaries Liu Xu and Liu Ji, former Minister of Revenue Ye Qi, former Minister of War Ma Wensheng…

All four of them had bloodstains on their bodies, and Ma Wensheng looked the most miserable.

His legs were covered in blood, and his flesh was blurred. He was completely unable to walk independently.

He could only move with the support of the two West Depot agents behind him.

There was only one person that the officials were not familiar with. He looked young and was arrested by the Jinyiwei, following closely behind Ma Wensheng.

He looked as miserable as Ma Wensheng, both of his legs were crippled, and his movements depended entirely on the two Jinyiwei behind him.

A total of one hundred and eighty-one officials were brought to the court, not one less.

Many wives and children were also escorted up together.

The six people at the front were the three former Grand Secretaries Wan An, Liu Xu, and Liu Ji, and the two former Ministers Ye Qi and Ma Wensheng.

The last one was that young man.

After Ma Wensheng was escorted to the hall, he immediately shouted injustice after seeing Zhu You樘.

"Your Majesty! I am wronged!!!"

"I have wholeheartedly guarded the borders for the Great Ming and have absolutely no disloyal intentions!"

"Although there were some irregular matters, they were necessary expedients in a critical situation!"

"Your Majesty, my crime does not deserve this! Your Majesty!!!"

"Now that the Tartars have retreated, I have worked hard even if I have not made any contributions, Your Majesty!"

"I beg Your Majesty to investigate! ! !"

"I am wronged, Your Majesty! ! !"