Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

The first month of the year has passed, and the capital city has ushered in the colorful February.

Early in the morning, a prison van slowly drove out from the Yamen of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, its wheels rolling over the green brick streets where the dew had not yet dried, and the mighty procession headed towards the West City.

"Baozi, delicious meat buns!"

“Noodles, freshly made noodles!”

"Wontons, wontons with thin skin and big fillings!"

…

People on West Chang'an Street have gotten up early and are busy. Since more and more people are working early in the morning, there are many steaming breakfast stalls on both sides of the street.

The prosperity of a city often only requires the rise of one industry, such as Dongguan, which will become famous in later generations.

An old man in a new cotton-padded coat quickly pulled out the noodles and hung them up. He chatted with the old customers who came every day: "This time there is a craftsman recruiting people to go to Luzon to work with them. The monthly salary is three cloth tickets. If it happens again." Ten years younger, I want to sign up and go!"

"Don't come here! Your stall is so popular right now. You make a lot of money in a month. How can you be willing to do business here!" The elderly diner who lives nearby said with a sour taste.

The old man put the noodles into the hot pot, showed his yellow teeth and said: "The situation in recent years is indeed good, but if it is really like before, if you give me three cloth coupons a month, I will definitely go to Luzon to work." A few years!”

"I've been talking about Luzon all day long. I really don't know what good things can be about Luzon. The youngest couple in our family clamored yesterday to set up a stall in Luzon to sell noodle soup!" An old woman came over and picked up the noodles she had just scooped up. He interjected with a look of displeasure on his face.

The old man added seasonings to the noodle soup and scolded his wife: "You are so kind to a woman. Luzon is a big gold mine. It can be mined for at least twenty years. My son will work there for a few years." He must earn much more than us!”

The reason why he just talked about going to Luzon was not because he really wanted to go to work as a worker, but because he wanted to send the noodle stall to Luzon.

It's just that he is getting older after all, and he still has his mother to take care of at home, so he gave up the idea, but he fully supports his younger son and his wife's trip.

"Today's detainee team is so big, who are they going to kill?" An old customer on the side was destined to see the detainee team passing by, so he asked curiously.

The old man seemed to know everything. He immediately picked up a bowl of noodles and smiled mysteriously: "Who else can it be? The one who doesn't take a penny, such a hypocrite should be killed!"

"He is obviously a corrupt official, but someone still tries to clean him up. It's really ridiculous!"

"He Qiaoxin received one hundred thousand taels of valuables. Do you really think that everyone in the world is stupid?"

"Fortunately, the current Emperor is Shengming, otherwise this kind of deceiver would have succeeded!"

…

Hearing that the condemned prisoner being pushed to the guillotine today was He Qiaoxin, the former Minister of Punishment, the diners here participated in the discussion one after another and pointed the finger at He Qiaoxin without exception.

At this moment, He Qiaoxin, who was wearing prison uniform, was trapped in the prison car. His hearing, which he had always been proud of, burdened him. He could clearly hear the comments of the people on both sides along the way.

The "don't take a penny" that was originally advertised to me is now full of irony when spoken from the mouths of the people here.

But he still doesn't understand how things turned out like this, how did he become a street rat?

"I have been proud of the gold medal for thirty years, and I am sleeping at home. I have been spreading my name all over the world, but who will believe that I will be infamous now?" He Qiaoxin knew that his image of an upright official was shattered, so he recited a poem in a pretentious manner.

His father was a high-ranking official minister, so he had no worries about food and clothing since he was born. Not only did he enjoy endless glory and wealth, but he also had an enviable talent for reading.

After successfully passing the exam, he became the new hope for the prosperity of their He family, and the protection umbrella of their He family for decades to come.

He also lived up to expectations, starting from the small head of the Ministry of Rites, and then step by step to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, in charge of the national judiciary and criminal prisons.

It's just that everything is like a dream.

Obviously he has become a core member of the civil service group and has spent decades successfully establishing a persona for himself, but now he seems to have become a street rat overnight.

Originally, he still didn't believe the news brought by his son in prison and was unwilling to bear his image in the hearts of the people, but now he has no choice but to believe it.

"Although this poem is mediocre and incomprehensible, it still has some flavor, but it's a pity that even until death I don't know where it was lost!" Wang Yue, wearing a first-grade official uniform, rode his horse to accompany him, but he couldn't help but stroke his beard and commented.

Considering the dangers of officialdom, and in order not to be attacked by Ke Dao officials, he had not written poetry for a long time. It’s just that my love for poetry has penetrated deep into my bones, so I couldn’t help but comment on it.

He Qiaoxin turned to look at Wang Yue, who was in the limelight in front of him. He never thought that his situation was very different from that of a lonely minister: "Where did he lose? Maybe we all underestimated him!"

This was true to their hearts. After they saw that Emperor Chenghua could not control it, they put a lot of energy into the prince, and tried their best to instill the idea of ​​​​benevolent monarch in Zhu Youtang, who was still the prince at the time.

Not only did they work hard on education, but they also instigated public opinion that their civil servant group would fight to the death to maintain Zhu Youtang's position as crown prince, and even arranged for Zhang Yujiao, who was closely related to Xu Pu, to become the queen.

Ordinarily, after Zhu Youtang ascended the throne, he would deal with Wan An, Liu Ji, Yin Zhi and other courtiers, but who knew that the knife would fall on them.

Now that the tyrant has become fully fledged, even though he is already known to the world as "not taking a penny", the result is that the tyrant is still pushed to the guillotine this time.

"This is just one of them, the most important thing is there!" Wang Yue nodded gently, then pointed to a bookstore in front of him.

Although it's still early, the bookstore is already open.

Since Hongzhi ascended the throne, the number of imperial examinations has been greatly increased, and after the Imperial College received financial allocation from the imperial court, many practical subjects were added.

Because of this, the literary style in the capital is now becoming more and more prosperous, and the business of various bookstores has also become prosperous.

At the door of the bookstore, there is a promotional poster posted. The most prominent position is: The first issue of the "Ming" magazine in the first year of Hongzhi is grandly launched today. Welcome to order.

"Scholar Xie said it right! If you don't take a penny, you will gain a thousand taels!"

"I used to say that the person who didn't take a penny was wronged, but how can such a person be considered wronged?"

"I heard that He Qiaoxin paid for the invitation, otherwise how could there be so many indiscriminate people?"

…

At this time, several scholars stood at the door of the bookstore and looked around. They saw the prisoner escort team passing by and pointed at He Qiaoxin in the prison car.

He Qiaoxin looked at the scholars who were pointing fingers at him and said very angrily: "It's just that those ignorant people have been deceived, why are these scholars already indistinguishable from the young to the red? The world is really in decline!"

"It's not that the world is declining, it's that you guys can't get away with that thing anymore! I used to just write a poem, but because I didn't get along with you, I was wrongly accused of writing poetry!" Wang Yue looked at the propaganda poster, It seems that he has seen through everything.

Public opinion has always been in the hands of scholar-bureaucrats, so they can often characterize people and events, even the emperor.

This time He Qiaoxin clearly accepted a hundred thousand taels of valuables, but under the instigation of this group of literati, He Qiaoxin turned out to be an innocent person.

It’s just that no one realizes that some things are quietly changing, and the power of public opinion is no longer exclusive to the civil servant group, and the emergence of "Ming" has become the biggest weapon of public opinion.

He Qiaoxin frowned slightly, but he retained his old concept and said, "Why can't I understand what you want to express?"

"The "Ming" magazine published your story in it. After it was published a few days ago, no one in the capital dared to cry out for you anymore. Instead, everyone shouted at you!" Wang Yue was really confused when he saw He Qiaoxin. He told me the reason directly.

Just when He Qiaoxin was happy that he had successfully regained momentum, he did not know that the power of public opinion was no longer completely controlled by the civil servant group, and "Ming" had already become the best-selling publication and the empire's largest propaganda weapon.

In the latest issue of "Ming" magazine, Xie Qian, a Hanlin scholar, personally wrote the article.

Different from the kind of dissemination that literati prefer, Xie Qian chose to list a large number of amounts and evidence to reveal He Qiaoxin's crime to the world, and even used the two ginseng roots that He Qiaoxin recently gave to Fei Hong as evidence. .

There are no such confusing sounds, and there is not so much nonsense, so that the truth of the matter can be presented to everyone as it is.

Not to mention that the people's eyes are sharp, now "Ming" magazine has become the most widely read, so that everyone can see a hypocrite He Qiaoxin through "Ming".

Of course, the most important thing is that the emperor has successfully created the most powerful public opinion weapon of the Ming Dynasty by running the "Ming" magazine. Now public opinion is no longer controlled by the civil servant group.

After hearing the answer, He Qiaoxin said in disbelief: "Is Ming magazine so influential?"

"You are standing too high, and you cannot see that today's scholars are also changing. Now the empire is no longer what you people say!" Wang Yue raised his head and looked at the sky that was slowly becoming brighter. , shook his head gently and said.

He Qiaoxin saw the scholars around him pointing fingers at him, and no one was defending him anymore. He knew that he had been completely defeated this time.

The prison car was getting closer and closer to the West Market, and everyone could already see the execution platform in the distance.

He Qiaoxin knew that he was doomed. He looked at Wang Yue and couldn't help but sigh: "I don't know where you got your shitty luck. Now you are even wearing a first-class official uniform! It's just that everything you do to the Procuratorate offends people." Even if the emperor gives you the false title of Crown Prince and Taibao, it will not guarantee your good death!"

"Are you deliberately trying to sow discord between me and His Majesty?" Wang Yue was so smart that he immediately saw through He Qiaoxin's little trick.

He Qiaoxin was asked directly what was in his heart, but he still said sternly: "With your merits, you could have been made an earl, but now you still have to be someone else's sword. Are you really willing to do this?"

"With a title, you can't join the Nine Ministers, let alone the cabinet. Why should I be obsessed with a little earl?" Although Wang Yue knew that this was a provocation, he still expressed his attitude.

Although the hereditary title of the Ming Dynasty is very attractive, it is the pursuit of a small fortune.

If the offspring were not outstanding individuals, they would often only be able to get a little Lumi every year to live on, but it would be difficult to make a difference in the court, and they would not be able to get the position of Jiuqing.

Then again, if the offspring's individual abilities are outstanding, especially if his grandson Wang Yu is getting better and better now, accepting the little earl will limit his growth.

That's why, in his heart, he didn't care about the count at all. Unfortunately, He Qiaoxin in front of him thought he could make himself unhappy through this matter.

Seeing that it was impossible to arouse Wang Yue's dissatisfaction, He Qiaoxin suddenly chose to sarcastically say: "You are not a Hanlin official but you still want to join the cabinet. You are really talking nonsense and ridiculous! For you, the best result is to ask for a count!"

"Don't you know that I was promoted to bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion?" Wang Yue saw that He Qiaoxin was talking more and more like that, and he immediately decided to tell the other party unhappily.

He Qiaoxin's eyes suddenly widened and he said incredulously: "This...how is it possible? How can you join the cabinet and worship the prime minister if you are not an imperial official? This is ridiculous!"

"The late emperor appointed ministers, and your majesty had more reform drive than the late emperor. He praised it since he ascended the throne - empty talk will harm the country, and hard work will prosper the country. Now you can't see clearly, and you think that your majesty talks to you in a clear way but achieves nothing. !" Wang Yue saw He Qiaoxin's reaction in his eyes, but gently shook his head.

He always had a strange feeling that these important ministers were obviously old foxes fighting in the court, but He Qiaoxin still couldn't see clearly the current emperor.

Although he was shocked to join the cabinet and worship the prime minister, he also realized that the current emperor's servants no longer had a superstitious belief in rhetorical ministers, but favored capable ministers who could do things.

When He Qiaoxin heard these words, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

The reason why he was not afraid of death earlier was largely because he had been comforting himself, thinking that he would be rehabilitated like Yu Qian after his death. But now public opinion has fallen into the hands of the emperor, and even the cabinet will no longer be controlled by Qingliu. What chance does he have to make a comeback?

That's why, once he dies this time, he is likely to be nailed to the pillar of shame forever.

The prison car had arrived in front of the execution platform, and He Qiaoxin was escorted onto the execution platform by Hu Jun himself.

"cut!"

After hearing the time official announcing the time, Wang Yue also threw a red lottery ticket.

He did not sympathize with He Qiaoxin. Although corruption was generally believed to involve taking money, and the "Da Ming Code" also criminalized crimes based on the amount of silver, He Qiaoxin was just a corrupt official who took advantage of a loophole.

Now the emperor not only ordered He Qiaoxin to be killed, but also used He Qiaoxin as a negative example to include valuable ambergris, century-old ginseng, and thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum in the upcoming "Regulations on Punishment."

"Master, please get on your way!"

The muscular executioner raised his sword high, and then slashed hard at He Qiaoxin's neck.

puff!

As the sword fell, a line of blood splashed high, and He Qiaoxin's head rolled to the ground.