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

“Mou Bin.”

Zhu You樘 called Mou Bin again for questioning.

Mou Bin immediately stepped forward and respectfully replied.

“Your subject is here.”

“How is the capital being controlled? Are there any changes?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Jinyi Wei has fully taken over the duties of the Five Cities Garrison Command. Currently, all security and defense in the capital are under the control of the Jinyi Wei.”

“So far, everything in the capital is as usual, and there are no abnormalities.”

Zhu You樘 nodded, and finally summoned Wang Zhi forward.

“Wang Zhi.”

“Your subject is here.”

Wang Zhi, who had been silently standing guard, stepped forward to Zhu You樘's side.

“How is the review of the capital's military officers progressing?”

“Are there any with rebellious intentions?”

“Still under investigation. Although there are none with rebellious intentions, there are many with impure thoughts.”

“Oh? Tell me more.”

“Marquis of Rui'an, Wang Yuan, Marquis of Chongshan, Wang Qing, and their younger brother Wang Jun are all serving in the Five Armies Commander-in-Chief Department.”

“The three are timid and greedy, holding high positions but with little power, unable to stir up any major trouble, but I fear they may cause minor problems in the future.”

“Especially these three, who are all younger brothers of Empress Dowager Wang.”

Zhu You樘 frowned slightly: “More relatives of the Empress?”

After thinking for a moment, Zhu You樘 responded calmly.

“Since they are still considered stable, leave them alone for now.”

The Empress's relatives in the Ming Dynasty had both advantages and disadvantages, depending entirely on whether the Emperor could control them.

When Emperor Taizong successfully launched the Jingnan campaign, the Wei State Duke lineage of Empress's relatives made great contributions.

The late Emperor also used Empress's relatives to control the Jinyi Wei and the Five Armies Commander-in-Chief Department.

However, in the later period of the Ming Dynasty, after the Emperor's power became smaller and smaller, Empress's relatives began to collude with the Grand Secretariat, and in turn, manipulate the Emperor.

Since this is the case, Zhu You樘 plans to uproot all the Empress's relatives in the Ming Dynasty in the future!

Not only that, but he also wants to directly abolish the entire system of granting titles to Empress's relatives in the Ming Dynasty!

But now, the court is turbulent, and the case of the late Emperor's poisoning has not yet concluded.

At this time, talking about abolishing the system of granting titles to Empress's relatives is a bit premature.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After Zhu You樘 gave the order, regardless of whether Wang Zhi understood or supported it, he would unhesitatingly accept the order and then resolutely carry it out.

While Zhu You樘 was speaking with the three chief officials of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the execution in front of the Meridian Gate Square had ended.

At this time, the Meridian Gate Square was a scene of crimson.

The ground was covered with the corpses of officials, and blood flowed everywhere.

In front of the palace walls on both sides of the Meridian Gate Square, the Ming Dynasty officials who were avoiding disaster were plastered.

When the soldiers of the陷阵营 (Xiàn Zhèn Yíng, meaning 'Camp that Breaks the Enemy Lines') were executing the sentences, they pressed their bodies tightly against the wall, trying to stay as far away as possible from the executioners.

After the execution was over, the Ming Dynasty officials who could still breathe were cowering at the base of the wall.

And in the middle of the square, lying were the guilty officials who could no longer breathe.

Covered in blood, the 陷阵营 soldiers with their soaring murderous aura, after executing the officials ordered to be executed by Zhu You樘.

They did not indiscriminately kill other innocent officials, but quickly lined up and came to the Meridian Gate.

Zou Yi took the lead in kneeling and reporting: “Reporting to Your Majesty, all guilty officials have been executed!”

“Please inspect, Your Majesty!”

The remaining soldiers of the 陷阵营 also knelt down and reported.

“Please inspect, Your Majesty!”

Being able to see Zhu You樘, Zou Yi's heart was very excited.

He knew that this was the key to whether he could be reused by His Majesty.

It should be known that the last time Xu Chang of the 陷阵营 sent military intelligence to His Majesty and met with His Majesty, he left His Majesty with a good impression.

Because of this, as a result, this time when he went to Hamiwei, His Majesty actually appointed Xu Chang as General of Martial Valor, appointed him as the Northwest Governor, controlled the Northwest army, and was fully in charge of this expedition!

Being able to be so reused by His Majesty, this simply made the other personal soldiers of the 陷阵营 envy to the point of madness.

Zou Yi also hoped that Zhu You樘 could reuse him.

Let him also be a hero general who expands the territory and seals the wolf to live in the Xuxu!

Zhu You樘 glanced around and, seeing that the execution was indeed completed, said faintly: “Not bad.”

“The 陷阵营 returns to the team and continues to guard the Forbidden City for Us.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

After Zou Yi respectfully saluted, he led the 陷阵营 behind him and exited Duan Gate.

At this time, Zhu You樘 also stood up and ordered the officials plastered on the palace wall.

“We will leave the aftermath work at the Meridian Gate to you.”

“You will not be allowed to leave the palace until you have cleaned it up.”

“Withdraw the court.”

After Zhu You樘 finished speaking, accompanied by Wang Zhi, Huai En, and Mou Bin, he left the Meridian Gate Tower, boarded the dragon carriage, and returned to the harem.

After Zhu You樘 left, the eunuchs and guards who were attending on both sides also withdrew.

The entire Meridian Gate Square was left with the surviving court officials.

“It's like this again… It's like this again!”

The body of Minister of Works Jia Jun was still unable to stop trembling. He supported the wall, his face pale, his expression desperate.

The last time he watched the execution on the city wall, Zhu You樘 asked them to clean up the battlefield.

This time, after watching the execution in front of the Meridian Gate, Zhu You樘 also wants them to clean up the battlefield.

They are noble and powerful officials of the Ming Dynasty, why does Zhu You樘 humiliate them again and again?!

Xie Qian looked at the wreckage all over the ground, his expression dazed, faintly nauseous.

“Sinful, sinful!”

“Tyrant… This is a tyrant…”

Before Xie Qian could say two words, Li Dongyang immediately rushed up and tightly covered Xie Qian's mouth.

“Yu Qiao, don't talk nonsense!”

Only then did Xie Qian react, and when he thought of the word he had just said, he was immediately so frightened that his legs went weak and cold sweat broke out.

He cautiously looked around, and only after seeing that no one had noticed his words did he feel relieved.

“Thank you, Binzhi, for saving me.”

Even now, Xie Qian was still a little scared.

Li Dongyang patted Xie Qian on the shoulder: “Don't waste time, get to work.”

“Binzhi is right.”

On the other side, Wang Shu's body was swaying, as if he was about to fall at any time.

Liu Jian stepped forward in time and supported Wang Shu.

Wang Shu looked at Liu Jian, his face extremely bitter.

“Xi Xian, you have harmed this old man!”

Wang Shu had originally retired in Yingtian Prefecture, but Liu Jian recommended him to become the Minister of Personnel.

Returning to this dangerous capital again and placing himself in the vortex of power.

Wang Shu's heart was filled with regret.

Liu Jian's heart was also very uncomfortable: “Lord Zongguan, I didn't expect things to develop like this.”

“Alas.”

Wang Shu shook his head, pushed Liu Jian away, and went to clean the Meridian Gate Square alone.

Tu Yong, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, looked at the mess all over the ground, sweating non-stop, and felt very scared in his heart.

Around the time of the late Emperor's death, he was inspecting Liangguang and happened to be away from the capital.

Otherwise, there would have been one more person like himself lying on the ground.

Zhang Ying, Wang Ji, Tu Yong, the original chief officials of the Three Law Divisions, now only he is left.

The entire Three Law Divisions system is about to usher in a major reshuffle.

Liu Daxia and Peng Shao, the two newly appointed Ministers of the Six Ministries, also felt deeply uneasy.

The current Ming Dynasty court is no longer the peaceful, beautiful, friendly, and harmonious place it once was.

Under the surveillance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the court officials, no matter how unwilling, had to pick up cleaning tools and scrub the Meridian Gate Square.

At the same time, the Eastern Depot's agents began to act aggressively.

Some of the family members in the Imperial Ancestral Temple were dragged directly to the execution grounds and handed over to the Ministry of Justice's executioners.

Others were divided by gender, with the women being sent to the Bureau of Music.

The men were imprisoned in the Eastern Depot's prison, waiting to be gathered and then escorted to various border towns to serve in the military and defend the frontiers.

The Eastern Depot's actions of confiscating property and arresting people did not stop, as they constantly went in and out of the residences of officials in the capital.

Arresting people and confiscating property, they did both without delay.

The gold, silver, and property were sent to His Majesty's private treasury, while the prisoners were sent to the execution grounds.

Because the Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard had been frequently raiding officials' homes recently, the people of the capital had become accustomed to the scene of officials' homes being confiscated.

When the Eastern Depot arrested officials, many people stood happily on both sides of the road, clapping and cheering!

"Good job! These corrupt officials should have been arrested long ago!"

"With fewer corrupt officials, our lives will be better!"

"His Majesty is wise! His Majesty is wise!"

"..."

The people did not know why Zhu You樘 was arresting these officials, nor did they know which were corrupt officials and which were honest officials.

But they knew that the more officials arrested, the better their lives would be.

So everyone was smiling and clapping hard, as lively as if it were the New Year.

Of course, the liveliest place in the entire capital was still the execution grounds.

The execution grounds were packed with people, and the streets were empty.

Many people in the capital sharpened their heads and squeezed forward, just to witness the execution.

Officials from the Ministry of Justice had to send many clerks to maintain order at the execution grounds.

At this moment, the execution grounds were also overcrowded.

There were too many people to be executed, and there were not enough executioners.

Fei Ju, a vice minister of the Ministry of Justice, was in charge of the case at the execution grounds.

His official uniform was covered in blood, and his face was panicked.

He had just been cleaning the Meridian Gate Square.

Now, because the execution grounds lacked an official in charge, the Eastern Depot's agents brought him from the Meridian Gate Square to the execution grounds.

Fei Ju had just experienced an execution, and he had even been deeply involved in the execution scene, and had been frightened out of his wits.

Now he was asked to be in charge of the execution grounds and execute other prisoners.

In a trance, Fei Ju seemed to have experienced the grand occasion of the Hongwu era, when Emperor Taizu Gao was in power.

Officials had just sentenced others in the court, and the next moment they were kneeling in the court, waiting for other officials to sentence them.

"Sir, it's almost time for the execution," the Ministry of Justice clerk beside Fei Ju said, seeing Fei Ju's absent-minded expression.

"Oh, yes, it's time for the execution."

Fei Ju reacted, picked up the bamboo stick on the table, and threw it to the ground.

"Behead them all, execute them immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

The executioners carried out the order, and for a time, the execution grounds were filled with screams, shouts, cheers, and applause.

Fei Ju was at a loss, and when he turned his head, he saw the Eastern Depot's agents escorting a new batch of prisoners to the execution grounds...

Fei Ju shuddered violently.

After this case, the long-silent Eastern Depot became famous in one fell swoop!

People all over the world no longer dared to underestimate the old-fashioned secret service agency, the Eastern Depot.

The Eastern Depot, if it doesn't act, it's fine, but when it does, it's a major case involving tens of thousands of people!

...

Forbidden City.

Hongde Hall.

Zhu You樘 sat on the dragon chair and waved his hand: "You may all leave, I am tired."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Huai En and Mou Bin respectfully saluted and then withdrew from Hongde Hall.

Only Wang Zhi remained standing in place, without moving.

Wang Zhi cupped his hands and requested: "Your Majesty, I have a matter to ask."

"Speak."

Wang Zhi glanced sideways and saw that Huai En and Mou Bin had already left Hongde Hall, then took a step forward and knelt before Zhu You樘.

"I beg Your Majesty to allow this humble servant to investigate this case!"

Zhu You樘's expression was as usual, as if he had expected it.

"Isn't the Eastern Depot investigating? Why does the Western Depot need to interfere?"

Wang Zhi bit his lip and risked his life to remonstrate.

"I believe that the Eastern Depot is not doing its job well!"

"The Eastern Depot's investigation only scratches the surface and does not touch the root!"

"Oh?"

Zhu You樘 nodded lightly: "What makes you say that?"

Wang Zhi told the truth about his thoughts.

"I believe that the late Emperor's murder could not have been accomplished by external court officials alone!"

"The late Emperor lived in the palace for a long time, and the people he had the most contact with were all people in the palace."

"The late Emperor's murder, the rebellious officials outside the palace are secondary, the most important thing is that there was a problem with the people in the palace!"

Zhu You樘 nodded: "Indeed, I have also thought of this."

"However, I have already purged a group of palace maids and eunuchs in the palace before."

"Your Majesty, I am afraid... the problem is not below, but above..."

Zhu You樘 narrowed his eyes, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

After pondering for two seconds, Zhu You樘 spoke.

"Since that's the case, then you should investigate carefully."

"Find out everything for me!"

"Also, the late Emperor's death was a conspiracy between the harem and the cabinet."

"You know this, I know this, I don't believe Huai En doesn't know."

Wang Zhi suddenly raised his head, met Zhu You樘's deep and sharp eyes, and a trace of fear flashed across his usually expressionless face.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand!"

"It's good that you understand. If this case is handled well, I will reward you handsomely."

"Go down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, this humble servant takes his leave!"

After Wang Zhi withdrew from Hongde Hall, Zhu You樘 leaned back on the dragon chair, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

His right hand kept tapping lightly on the dragon table, and his eyes slowly fell on the secret letter presented by Huai En.

"Humph!"

Zhu You樘 snorted coldly and slapped the secret letter!

...

It was not until midnight that the Meridian Gate Square was restored to its original state.

Severed limbs, remains, and blood were all gone.

Only the air still had a lingering smell of blood.

At this time, the Eastern Depot's agents opened the Duan Gate and allowed the civil and military officials to leave the palace.

After the civil and military officials left the palace in teams, Xu Pu stopped the three grand secretaries, Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang, and also called on the two ministers, Wang Shu and Liu Daxia.

"Gentlemen, you have been hungry all day, please come to my humble home for something to eat."

The grand secretaries and ministers exchanged glances, knowing that Xu Pu had something to say, and agreed.

"Then we will bother you."

"Thank you for your trouble, Chief Secretary Xu."

"Since that's the case, then I won't refuse."

Xu Pu squeezed out a smile: "This is not the place to talk, please follow me."

"Chief Secretary Xu, please."

"Gentlemen, please."

Chapter 6 is on the shelves!