Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

Yan Song followed all the important officials and knelt down to express gratitude, but his heart could not be calm for a long time.

He, Yan Song, was at best an insignificant overseas official, but the emperor actually summoned him in person. What kind of gift was this?

Coupled with the favor of being appointed to visit the flower, how could the emperor, who was so gracious and powerful, not allow him to die?

Yan Song saw other important ministers retreating one after another. He knelt on the ground and did not dare to move until he heard the footsteps on the attic: "Your Majesty Yan Song, please pay your respects!"

"Yan Song, do you know why I want to keep you here?" Zhu Youtang looked down at this famous corrupt official in history and deliberately asked with a straight face.

Although Yan Song's reputation in history was very poor, especially after he became a stepping stone for Xu Jie, another corrupt official, he was even made a classic villain in dramas by Xu Jie's students.

But looking at Yan Song's life, he felt deeply for Jiajing.

When Jiajing was devoted to cultivating Taoism, he heavily used Hu Zongxian to quell the southeastern Japanese pirates, and also adopted a tough foreign policy towards Mongolia. After Jiajing burned down the Longevity Palace because he was playing with a beauty, the plan he submitted was to hope that Jiajing would move the palace instead of spending huge sums of money to rebuild it.

Although Yan Song and his son did exploit the project for corruption, Yan Song was a proper emperor protector. He always had a sense of awe for the imperial power and obeyed the emperor's words.

Zhu Youtang naturally needs a team of honest officials, but he also needs a firm supporter of imperial power like Yan Song. Imperial power needs to be demonstrated by the emperor's defenders, and the emperor's protectors need to be in charge overseas.

When it comes to selecting overseas governors, it's not that he prefers eunuchs, it's just that Su Can's mistakes are right in front of him, so when choosing important officials, he naturally requires a stronger indicator of loyalty.

Liu Jin was waiting at the stairs, always serving as a cushion to prevent the emperor from accidentally falling. But after the emperor asked this question, he glanced at Yan Song curiously.

At the age of twenty, Yan Song was naturally not a fool, but had a very clear mind: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Majesty is a pragmatic emperor, and I am just a junior colleague of the American Governor's Mansion, but His Majesty just decided I will immigrate two million people to the Golden Basin. I boldly guess that your Majesty will personally evaluate Yu Chen to decide whether to let him serve in the newly established American Province!"

Unlike those officials who pretend to be confused, his loyalty is reflected in his sincerity. Combined with his current official position and the imperial court's decision to create the American Province, the answer to the emperor's decision to keep him is obvious.

"That's wrong!" Zhu Youtang walked down the stairs and shook his head gently.

Yan Song thought he had an accurate guess, so he raised his head in surprise and said blankly: "Is this wrong?"

Just the moment his eyes met the emperor, he suddenly felt the imperial power coming over him again, and at the same time he quickly lowered his head to show his awe for the emperor.

"I am not keeping you here to evaluate you, but I am directly using you to serve as the first governor-general of the Left in the Americas!" Zhu Youtang already knew Yan Song's talents, so he said with a slight smile.

If it were other officials, he might indeed have to conduct an assessment himself.

How can a person who can manage such a huge empire in an orderly manner as the chief minister be a idiot who can't even be a chief envoy?

What's more, Yan Song's four years in the Americas have proven his talents.

That's why, when he just decided to establish the American Province, he had already decided to entrust Yan Song to serve as the political envoy to the Americas.

When Yan Song learned what was going on, he burst into tears: "My father values ​​me so highly, and I am determined to die for your father in order to repay your kindness!"

He lost his father in his early years and was looked down upon by others because of his poor family background, so he focused on gaining fame and worked hard to finally obtain the title of Jinshi.

After receiving the title of "Third Flower", he naturally became the object of fawning over the people around him, but he always understood who gave it to him, a poor scholar.

Yan Song felt an unprecedented warmth in the emperor in front of him, and he had already decided that he would die for his father from the first glance.

Originally, he guessed that the best outcome would be that the emperor would test him, but he had far underestimated the emperor's trust and regard for him, and actually entrusted him with an important task. How could he not be moved?

"Wei Zhong, I know you are loyal to me! But since I came to the throne, rewards and punishments have been clear. The Golden Basin is related to the Ming Dynasty's hegemony in the Americas. In this matter, there will be rewards for merit and punishment for demerits. You must take this as a warning!" Zhu Youtang! When he came to Yan Song, he also expressed his position.

Yan Song felt the emperor's encouragement to him, so he solemnly expressed his position: "I hear thunder and rain and dew all the time, which are all your kindness, and I deeply believe it! Now that I regard you as my father, I naturally beg for rain and dew, praise, and seek great achievements. I will definitely not let you." Your Majesty is disappointed!”

"Very good!" Zhu Youtang felt Yan Song's enthusiasm, so he changed the topic: "According to what Zheng Yong said in the secret report, I heard that your fishing skills are amazing and you can catch three hundred kilograms a day, but is that so?"

Now it's April, the time when fish are fat, so he has recently started fishing on Taiye Pond.

Because he wants to focus on cultivating Yan Song in front of him, firstly, he wants to see with his own eyes whether Yan Song is really a fishing master, and secondly, it is a way for him to win over people's hearts.

"I heard that my father and I like fishing, and we cultivate our nature and enjoy the scenery, which has attracted people all over the world to follow suit. We created nylon to benefit the world, and caught a king carp in West Lake, setting a precedent for fishing big fish. I dare not be distracted in my preparation for the exam, and I have been practicing this skill in America, and finally achieved some success! I am not worthy of such praise from Governor Zheng. My fishing skills are only better than ordinary people. In front of Your Majesty, they are like fireflies and bright moons!" Yan Song explained the reason for his hard work in fishing skills, and he was very humble.

Although Zhu Youtang knew that Yan Song was a top Qingci master in history, he did not expect that he was also a fishing master, so he laughed loudly and said, "I am too modest! Come with me to the fishing pavilion to fish today. I also want to see if your fishing skills are as amazing as the rumors!"

"I obey your order!" Yan Song knew that this was an honor, and he immediately bowed with great joy.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is June.

In the morning glow of Beijing, the clouds on the horizon are stained with a light golden color.

The iron gate of the prison of the Ministry of Justice slowly opened, and the two prisoners were pushed out of the cell by the yamen runners. They are Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi, two direct descendants of the Kong family who were able to call the wind and rain in Qufu, Shandong, but now they have become prisoners.

Now the two people are wearing heavy shackles and staggering out of the prison, but their eyes are very distracted.

Their crimes are already obvious, so the witnesses and material evidence have been clearly investigated, and today will be the time for them to receive the final trial.

"Zhang Hu, take them both to the prison car, let's go!" Song Cheng, wearing a first-class official uniform, had a stern face, and his eyes revealed an unquestionable firmness.

Zhang Hu was an old man who followed Song Cheng from Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, and he immediately took Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi to the prison car that had been prepared long ago.

Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi were sentenced first, and today, the Minister of Justice will personally lead the team to escort the two prisoners to Chengxi City for beheading, eliminating the two scums in this world.

Because it was still early, the horse hooves stepped on the blue bricks and stones, and the sound of the wheels was also very clear.

"Look, those are the two scums of the saint's family."

"Today they are finally beheaded and displayed to the public, which is really gratifying!"

"Our court is really rare in a hundred years, and it can be so fair and just!"

...

The people on both sides of Chang'an Street had already heard the news and came here. From time to time, whispers came from the crowd, but they all gave thumbs up to the current court.

Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi have been imprisoned for two months. Now they are expressionless and their eyes are scattered, as if the surrounding noise has nothing to do with them.

But their hearts are naturally impossible to be so calm, but turbulent.

The former glory and wealth have now become nothing, and the family's reputation has been disgraced by their crimes. More importantly, the two of them are about to be executed.

"Go to hell!"

"Become an animal in your next life!"

"Evildoers will be punished, today is your death day!"

...

As the execution team marched, more and more people gathered, holding rotten eggs and rotten vegetable leaves, and angrily threw them at Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi.

Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi were escorted in the prison car, witnessing the angry expressions and things thrown at them by the people on both sides, with despair and regret written on their faces.

They used to be so glorious, but now they have ended up like this. This huge gap is unacceptable to them.

Kong Hongchu was even more heartbroken. He obviously had a good background. He was not only well-fed and well-clothed since birth, but also the respected Yansheng Duke. Even Emperor Jingtai was kind to him.

He thought that he was the only one favored by heaven. He not only did not regard the living beings in the world as life, but also did not take the law into consideration, and only pursued his own happiness.

But now, he finally woke up from his dream.

Even though he had the blood of a saint in his body, even though he was born as the respected Duke of Yansheng, even though he was loved by Emperor Jingtai, he was just an ordinary person.

Although retribution came late, he would eventually be responsible for the lives that he had killed.

The two prison cars moved forward slowly, and the people in front of the street continued to throw rotten eggs and rotten vegetable leaves at the prison cars. These filthy things were all over their clothes and hair, but they were powerless to resist and could only bear it all silently.

Song Cheng had been responsible for countless executions, but looking at the dark crowd now, he couldn't help but sigh.

Sheng Yan Gong may have a great weight among the scholars and be protected by the Qingliu, but he has long lost his status in the hearts of the general public.

The two prison cars finally arrived under the Four West Archway, where the execution platform had been set up.

"I'm here. I came to take a seat at four o'clock in the morning!"

"I want to see what this evil man looks like!"

"The prison carts are all buried with rotten eggs. This Kong is really hated!"

...

There are already a large number of people gathered here. They look at the two prison carts and talk about them. They are curious about the appearance of the two people and look forward to the upcoming beheading.

Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi were escorted off the prison carts, but they exuded a foul smell. As a result, a yamen runner brought a bucket of water and poured it on them, and the smell faded a little.

The onlookers saw Kong Hongchu's appearance clearly, but they couldn't help shaking their heads in disappointment. Except for being a little white, he looked very ordinary.

Kong Hongchu and Hong Wenshi were taken to the execution platform. Their hands and feet were tied tightly with ropes and they couldn't move.

The process is the same as before, and the numerous crimes of Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi are read out again here.

Kong Wenshi is actually better, mainly committing adultery and patricide, but Kong Hongchu is indeed a scum.

He killed so many lives back then, but fortunately his father-in-law and a group of clean officials protected him, so he was able to keep his life. I thought he would correct his mistakes, but the reality is that he is still doing his own thing for so many years.

"... Kong Hongchu's crimes have been verified, and he will be executed according to the law. This is the imperial decree!"

Although justice is late, it will never be absent, and now Kong Hongchu has finally received a just verdict.

"Behead!"

Song Cheng, standing above, took out the order from the bamboo tube and threw it heavily at the execution platform.

As the order fell to the ground, the executioner raised the big knife in his hand high, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes.

"I was wrong! I was really wrong, please forgive me!"

Kong Hongchu felt death approaching, burst into tears, and begged for mercy.

If everything could be done again, he would definitely be a law-abiding Yansheng Duke, and would never commit crimes or do anything that hurts the world.

Poof!

The executioner did not stop his movements, and the sharp sword fell fiercely, and Kong Hongchu's head rolled to the ground in an instant, but his eyes were always open.

"No, no, please give me a chance to reform!" Kong Wenshi saw the sword that killed Kong Hongchu, and his heart was filled with fear and despair.

At this moment, all his regrets and unwillingness turned into tears, sliding down from the corners of his eyes.

Poof!

There was another simple and clear sound of beheading, and Kong Wenshi's head also rolled to the ground.

The onlookers watched this scene and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although there are thousands of evil people in this world, at least these two scums have been eliminated.

With the beheading of Kong Hongchu and Kong Wenshi, their crimes were also announced to the world, and the decision to remove the title of the Shandong Kong family was also made public.

Although this decision will inevitably cause dissatisfaction among some pedantic scholars, the current Ming Dynasty is the world of the general public and ordinary scholars, and public opinion has long been not dominated by the scholar-official class, so it did not cause negative public opinion.

On the contrary, the Ming Dynasty's removal of titles has won the praise of the general public, but they are increasingly convinced that the current court loves the people like their own children and truly treats them as citizens.

Especially the people who have lived for most of their lives, they can't help but sigh from time to time: "Such a court, such a wise monarch, how can there be anyone in this world who can be an enemy of Ming?" (End of this chapter)