Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

When Qin Ji saw that Zhu Youtang wanted to stop eating for a palace maid, he couldn't help but hurriedly dissuade him: "Your Majesty, lunch is more important now. Just leave such a small matter to the people below to give orders!"

"Tin Ji, are you teaching me how to do things?" Zhu Youtang couldn't help but yelled sharply when he saw that Tan Ji hadn't positioned himself properly yet.

When Qin Conggui saw that Zhu Youtang was angry, he couldn't help but look at his godfather worriedly.

Although I don’t know why His Majesty’s temperament has changed so drastically, His Majesty is their master, and both I and my godfather seem to have forgotten this relationship.

Tan Ji felt Zhu Youtang's sharp gaze, and finally realized that the gentle and merciful prince was no longer in front of him, but he shook his head in fright and said: "I don't dare!"

Zhu Youtang did not argue with Tan Ji and found that the atmosphere in the palace really needed to be rectified.

Although his instructions yesterday were not clear enough, judging from the current feedback on Niu Mengmeng's punishment, it was a naked provocation to his authority as emperor.

A dark cloud was blocked by the midday sun, and the entire splendid palace lost some of its color.

Shenxingsi, this is a yamen that specializes in punishing palace residents.

The most important thing in the palace is the rules. Even if a wild tiger comes here, the people here can train the wild tiger into a puppy.

It's just that the almost inhuman torture in the palace made many palace ladies unbearable and chose to commit suicide by throwing themselves into wells. As a result, the wells in the Forbidden City are now very narrow.

Among all kinds of punishments, physical torture is considered a trivial matter, but being locked in a small dark room is undoubtedly a serious torture to a person's spirit.

A chubby-faced palace maid was lying on the haystack in a small dark room. Her beautiful big eyes looked blurry, staring at the only bright spot on the roof, but the bright spot suddenly dimmed a lot.

I don’t know how much time has passed since I was beaten and thrown here yesterday evening?

She felt hungry and thirsty now, and couldn't help but think of that time when she was a child.

My family was very poor at that time, and I originally had an older sister, but she later died without food. I am a glutton, and I always miss my mother's words about how my father will bring back meat buns when he comes back from the battlefield, but he survives in a daze.

I don’t feel as hungry now as I did then!

Niu Mengmeng recalled the hungry days when he was a child, and couldn't help but make a simple comparison with now, but he quickly came to a conclusion.

But when she thought of her sister, she couldn't help but shed tears on her cheeks.

Her memory of her sister has gradually become blurred, but she always has this regret: if she had given her a little more porridge, her sister might have survived, and even been selected to be a palace maid here together.

Just as her eyes were flooded with tears, the door that had been closed tightly suddenly flashed with light, and the figure standing at the door looked a bit familiar.

Zhu Youtang looked at Niu Mengmeng lying on the haystack, and saw that Niu Mengmeng's eyes were full of tears at this moment, and he couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

This kind-hearted girl who suffered for others unexpectedly ended up in such a miserable situation. The king of his country clearly wanted to protect her, but in the end it was ineffective.

At this moment, he knew that the emperor was just a noble status given to him by God, but he had to fight for it himself if he wanted to become a conscientious emperor.

"Niu Mengmeng, are you still not polite when you see His Majesty?" Huang Pan immediately stood up and scolded Niu Mengmeng when he saw Niu Mengmeng still lying in the haystack.

Niu Mengmeng just woke up as if from a dream. When His Majesty arrived, he was ready to stand up and kneel down and said: "Your Majesty?"

"Excuse me, are you okay now?" Zhu Youtang noticed a lot of blood on the clothes on Niu Mengmeng's butt, so he stopped him and asked with concern.

Niu Mengmeng met Zhu Youtang's concerned eyes and protested very aggrievedly: "I'm... hungry, and they don't even give me food here!"

Whether it's making a board or shutting up a small dark room, she can actually accept it. It's just that the palace is obviously not short of food, but the people from the Shenxing Department don't bring her food, which is really unacceptable to her.

this……

A eunuch from the Shenxing Department who followed him couldn't help but look at this carefree palace maid, but she didn't know where she came from. She didn't even know that the Shenxing Department never cared about food?

"You come back to Qianqing Palace with me, and I will reward you with food!" Zhu Youtang promised helplessly when he saw that food was what this woman cared about most.

Yesterday, he actually wanted to directly exempt this lively palace maid from punishment. He just thought that it would be a good thing for Niu Mengmeng to receive a small punishment. However, he did not expect that he would suffer such a serious punishment, so he couldn't help but feel a little guilty in his heart. .

"Your Majesty, I don't have to be locked up for three days? Can I still get the royal gift now?" Niu Mengmeng's eyes lit up slightly, and he asked excitedly.

Liu Jin was obviously better at observing words and expressions than Huang Pan. He had already stepped forward to help Niu Mengmeng up, and at the same time spoke for Zhu Youtang: "How could your Majesty lie to you! Your Majesty was having lunch just now, and he learned that the dog slave here actually treated you After being punished severely, Your Majesty came here without even eating!"

When Niu Mengmeng learned that Zhu Youtang left his food and came here specially, he couldn't help but feel warm in his heart.

When Zhu Youtang heard what Liu Jin said, he remembered that he was here to settle accounts, so he angrily turned around and left the small black room, and went directly to the courtyard of the Shenxing Division.

The Shenxing Department is a peculiar institution. Although the highest-ranking person in charge here is a eunuch, it also has a staff of female officers. There are more than a dozen eunuchs and female officers kneeling here at this time.

Zhu Youtang's eyes fell on Zhang Zhong, the eunuch in charge of the Shenxing Department, and he immediately asked: "Did you turn a deaf ear to what I said when you brought me here?"

Zhang Zhong glanced at the older female officer next to him, and immediately explained: "Your Majesty, I don't dare! It's just that the crime Niu Mengmeng committed is too great, and the villain has already followed your instructions and given her a lenient sentence! "

Liu Jin saw Zhang Zhong kneeling on the ground making such quibbles. Thinking that he almost lost his honor, Liu Jin immediately stepped forward and kicked Zhang Zhong hard, and cursed angrily at Zhang Zhong: "Don't talk nonsense! I told you yesterday It must be clear and clear that Your Majesty wants the Division of Punishment to give Niu Mengmeng a lenient sentence. How dare you impose such a heavy punishment? You are clearly ignoring His Majesty."

oops……

Zhang Zhong, the eunuch in charge of the Shenxing Department, did not dare to resist, so he took the kick firmly, but he still defended himself: "Your Majesty is aware of it! I really did my job according to the regulations! Yesterday was the day of the enthronement ceremony, and Niu Mengmeng actually For such a big mistake, this slave has indeed been given a lighter sentence!"

Huh?

Although Zhu Youtang knew that the other party was actually trying to pass the buck, there was really no standard for this "lenient punishment", and Zhang Zhong was determined to take advantage of this loophole.

I have to admit that no one in this era has a much higher IQ than anyone else, and those who can climb to high positions in the palace are already very shrewd people.

"You still dare to make up nonsense in front of His Majesty! Five out of ten can't survive the fifty-year ban and the three-day hunger strike. You clearly want Niu Mengmeng's life in this kind of punishment. Where do you get a lighter sentence? "Liu Jin kicked Zhang Zhong again and pointed out the flaw viciously.

Zhu Youtang discovered that Liu Jin was really a capable person, and it was no wonder that he was reused by Zhengde.

Zhang Zhong did not expect that he would be fooled, and immediately kowtowed heavily to Zhu Youtang and said: "Your Majesty, I know that I was wrong. This is my negligence. Please spare me this time!"

"Aren't you going to tell me the whole truth?" Zhu Youtang initially thought it was because the eunuch ignored the emperor's authority, but now he has realized that there may be someone behind the scenes.

Zhang Zhong was slightly stunned at first, then gritted his teeth and continued to kowtow: "Your Majesty, this matter is caused by my servant's failure to understand the holy will. Please have mercy on me, Your Majesty!"

"Your disobedience to my will this time really has nothing to do with anyone else?" Zhu Youtang asked, giving the last chance.

Zhang Zhong hesitated for a moment, then nodded cruelly: "Yes!"

"In that case! Beat him with fifty sticks, go on a hunger strike for three days, and be sent to the Huanyi Bureau!" Zhu Youtang saw that Zhang Zhong was about to take the blame, and immediately punished him.

Although this matter may be his own overthinking, it really has nothing to do with anyone else, but is the result of Zhang Zhong's arrogance. It's just that what he wants now is prestige. No matter whether the other party takes the blame or deserves it, he has reasons to punish him.

When Zhang Zhong heard this severe punishment, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded. Is this still the merciful prince? Is he still the prince who likes to send good people to cards?

But now there is no room for maneuver. He will fall from the aloof eunuch in charge of the Shenxing Department to the Clothing Bureau, where he will become a eunuch who washes clothes every day.

It was a coincidence that when Zhu Youtang returned to Qianqing Palace after handling the matter, the sun hidden in the dark clouds reappeared, making the magnificent Qianqing Palace look dazzling.

Zhang Zhong, the eunuch in charge of the Shenxing Department, who was famous for his black-faced Yama, was dealt with by the new emperor. It was a sensational event for the entire inner court.

At this moment, people outside the palace may still ignore the Ming Emperor in the Qianqing Palace as always, but people in the palace realize that the courageous and skillful Ming Emperor lives in the Qianqing Palace.