Why did the emperor rebel?

Chapter 53 The Wind Will Rise

The carriage swayed forward all the way, and there were constant noises from the hawkers and the noise of the market outside.

Zhu Qiyu sat in the car steadily, and after asking this sentence, he looked at Cheng Jing calmly, with no expression on his face.

In his previous life, he trusted Cheng Jing very much, and he used him even more than Xing'an, and he employed a lot of eunuchs recommended by Cheng Jing.

But after going through the restoration of Nangong, there was always a hurdle in Zhu Qiyu's heart that could not be overcome.

That is Cao Jixiang, one of the masterminds of the change of the door, who was first recommended by Cheng Jing...

After reliving the first life, Zhu Qiyu also secretly investigated, but could not find any involvement between Cheng Jing and Cao Jixiang.

Cheng Jing thought for a while and replied, "When the minister was in the palace, he received the kindness of the late emperor, and he spent a period of time in the inner study with Wang Zhen and others, teaching the inner eunuch how to read and write. There are some people who know each other well. But since the emperor ascended the throne, Wang Zhen has been used heavily, so most of the people who are familiar with the officials among the officials have not been reused, and if they can be used, there are a few..."

The inner study was set up by the late emperor. During the time of Taizu, it was ordered that the eunuchs could not read and write, but when the first emperor promoted the Sili Jian to share the pressure of government affairs, it was natural that these ministers could not be illiterate, so the inner study was set up.

Cheng Jing was born as a jinshi, and was convicted and confiscated into the palace because of his crime. His knowledge is naturally top-notch, and he is naturally more than enough to be an instructor in the inner study.

In addition to Cheng Jing, Wang Zhen and Jin Ying also worked as instructors in the inner study. Needless to say, Jin Ying was also known as a scholar before he entered the palace. It was not surprising that the inner study was first established and he was sent to be an instructor.

Cheng Jing's words were actually quite clear.

Among the inner eunuchs, they also pay attention to factions. Every inner eunuch who enters the palace must worship a senior inner official as a "godfather", and rely on a big tree to stand firm.

After the establishment of the inner study, there is another layer of teacher-student relationship.

Since Wang Zhen is the instructor of the inner study, after he ascended the throne, he naturally used his own people. In contrast, Cheng Jing, who was sent out of the palace, was naturally hit to the edge.

You must know that the struggle between the inner eunuchs is not at all easier than the outer court, and it is even more cruel. Cheng Jing still has a few familiar people to gain a firm foothold in the palace, which is not bad...

Zhu Qiyu remained still, and continued to ask, "Who is there?"

Cheng Jing said: "The most important thing is Wang Cheng, the young supervisor of the internal official supervisor, and Zhang Yong, the supervisor of the straight hall, and the salary-cherishing supervisor, Si Zheng Shuliang..."

Zhu Qiyu nodded, it was indeed not an important position.

He was familiar with these names, all of whom were recommended to him by Chengjing in his previous life, and they were very loyal and easy to use.

After hesitating for a while, Zhu Qiyu asked, "Have you heard of Cao Jixiang?"

Cheng Jing was a little surprised and didn't know what Zhu Qiyu meant, but he still answered: "I know, this person is the eunuch of the Sishe Bureau and belongs to Wang Zhen's party, but the minister has no contact with him. Superintendent."

No relationship?

Then why did Cheng Jing try to protect him in the first place?
Zhu Qiyu frowned and didn't ask again.

Right now is not the time to investigate this, but what Cheng Jing said just now reminded him that although Cheng Jing recommended Cao Jixiang, there are many others besides Cao Jixiang.

After all, he was born in the palace and used to be an instructor in the inner study, so there are many people available.

Except for Cao Jixiang, most of the others recommended by Cheng Jing were loyal even though they made some mistakes.

In particular, Shu Liang, Wang Qin and others who were just mentioned were all internal officials he trusted very much, and they never betrayed him until their death.

There may be other hidden secrets about Cao Jixiang, but at least for now, Cheng Jing is still credible.

After thinking for a while, Zhu Qiyu said, "You just said that Shu Liang is now working in the Salary Care Division?"

Cheng Jing nodded.

There are 24 yamen in the palace, which are twelve prisons, four divisions, and eight bureaus.

Among them, the twelve supervisors basically manage various ceremonies in the palace, such as cleaning and other chores, the fourth division is responsible for the supply of daily necessities in the palace, and the eighth bureau is more responsible for the purchase of chores outside the palace. .

Among them, the most valuable are the twelve prisons, because they are responsible for the affairs of the palace, and they can often come into contact with the nobles in the palace, so they may have the opportunity to be reused.

As for the fourth division and the eighth bureau, the affairs of the division are different, and the status is also different.

The salary-cherishing division is in charge of the salary used in the palace. There is not much oil and water.

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Qiyu said a few words in Cheng Jing's ear. After Cheng Jing heard it, he cupped his hands and got off the carriage in front...

…………

Not long after, Zhu Qiyu arrived at the palace, changed his clothes under the service of the maids and servants, and called Mrs. Wang over.

When he was in Jingyang Palace, Qingzhu had deliberately mentioned that Wang Shi went to see Concubine Wu Xian in the early morning, and the people sent by Empress Dowager Sun arrived in the afternoon.

Before leaving the palace, Concubine Wu Xian frequently mentioned Wang Shi, and even said about beads, how could Zhu Qiyu not understand what she meant.

It must have been Concubine Wu Xian who noticed Empress Dowager Sun's actions, so she explained the inconvenient words to Mrs. Wang in advance...

It didn't take long for Mr. Wang to walk in. As soon as he entered the door, Zhu Qiyu waved his hand and backed away the servant girl he was serving, leaving only Xing'an and Liuhuan beside him.

Hearing Zhu Qiyu's narration, Mrs Wang was suddenly startled, grabbed his sleeve, and asked nervously, "So...the concubine is under house arrest?"

Zhu Qiyu shook his head and said: "It's not going to be under house arrest, after all, nothing has happened yet. The Empress Dowager's teacher is unknown, and she will definitely be opposed by the foreign court, but surveillance and restrictions on movement are certain. Listen to Aunt Qingzhu's meaning, mother concubine is now You can only go to Cining Palace and Kunning Palace, other places, I’m afraid you won’t be able to go…”

"By the way, before you leave the palace, does the mother-in-law have anything to tell you?"

Wang Shi thought for a while, took out a delicate sachet from her sleeve, handed it to Zhu Qiyu, and said, "I didn't say anything, only said that the concubine must give this sachet to the prince."

Zhu Qiyu took the sachet and looked at it for a moment.

Before leaving the palace, Concubine Wu Xian also said about this, saying that she sewed a sachet and wanted to put a bead he wore when he was a child in it, so she asked Wang to bring it back to the palace, and specifically asked her to take it back.

At that time, Zhu Qiyu responded, but he understood at the time that it was Mrs. Wu who reminded him to come back and must come to see Mrs. Wang.

He did have a bead, which was given by the previous emperor, but because he was naughty when he was young, he didn't know where the bead went. At the beginning, the Wu family searched for it for a long time and couldn't find it.

Remembering the expression on Wu Shi's words at the time, Zhu Qiyu suddenly turned his head and said, "Xing'an, bring a pair of scissors."

Xing'an nodded, and after a while, he came back from the outside and handed over a small pair of scissors.

Zhu Qiyu picked up the scissors, opened the sachet along the stitches, and poured the incense powder into the bowl, but it was just ordinary incense powder.

Seeing his frown, Mrs Wang couldn't help but ask worriedly, "My lord, what's wrong?"

"Before the mother-in-law left the palace, she specially asked me to see you, and said that you would send the sachet back tomorrow. I thought there was some mystery in this, but..."

Looking at the fragrant powder in the bowl, Zhu Qiyu frowned. If there is nothing hidden in the sachet, then where is the mystery?

Hearing this, Mr. Wang stretched out his hand and scratched in the powder for a moment, then picked up the sachet and squeezed it again, with a look of surprise on his face, then picked up the scissors on the table and cut the top of the sachet open.

"My lord, there is a mezzanine..."

Wang handed the sachet over, Zhu Qiyu took a look, and sure enough, a layer of brocade was sewn between the outer silk and the inner lining of the sachet.

After completely removing the lining, he took out the brocade along the stitches and spread it on the table before Zhu Qiyu took a closer look.

Meng Ying, the commander, Chen Cheng, Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple, Liu Wen, the official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Li Kan in the service of the household department, Zhou Jian in the service of the etiquette, and Li Ying, the imperial censor of Shanxi Province...

"This is……"

Mrs. Wang leaned over and looked at the same thing, but she was not familiar with the government affairs, so she was naturally confused and could only understand roughly. This is a list of courtiers, there are about 30 to [-] people, judging from the official position , It seems that there are quite a few ministers who are not light.

Zhu Qiyu pondered for a moment and said, "If I guessed correctly, this should be the list of courtiers that the Empress Dowager can influence in the outer court."

The Empress Dowager Sun was influential in the court, and Zhu Qiyu knew this for a long time.

After all, she has been in charge of the Sixth Palace for many years and has been the queen mother for so many years. Even if she does not deliberately manage the power, there will be many officials of the foreign dynasty who want to be reused through her.

Over the years, this force should not be underestimated.

In the previous life, Zhu Qiyu was completely pushed to the throne by the civil servants, so this power was hidden before it could be used.

Until the subsequent change of winning the door, Zhu Qiyu was not able to fully understand how many people the Empress Dowager Sun had placed in the court.

Looking at this list now, Zhu Qiyu's heart is full of past life things, and it is a little more transparent.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager Sun did not prepare in advance after all. The emperor was her son. She promoted these courtiers just by hand, not deliberately, so the official rank was not high.

Among the more than 20 people, about half are relatives, and most of the civil servants are officials of science and Taoism. To Zhu Qiyu's surprise, there are even six ministers. Not among them.

Putting away the brocade, Zhu Qiyu closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then opened his eyes, and said, "Niang Yun, you will come to the palace tomorrow morning, when you..."

In the next few words, Zhu Qiyu lowered his voice and said it in Wang's ear.

After listening, Mrs Wang bit her lower lip and said, "My lord, but something big is going to happen?"

Zhu Qiyu didn't speak, and after a while, he replied: "Although it was an adventure, but the arrow is on the string, I have to send it. In the palace tomorrow, you will bring Xing'an and Chengjing there. If something happens, protect your mother and concubine well. , the rest don't have to worry..."

A gust of autumn wind blew past the window, and I don't know when, a small crescent moon had already hung in the air, and the moonlight was softly sprinkled on the ground.

Tonight, I don't know how many people can't sleep...

(End of this chapter)