Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 240
"A burglar negotiates a peace?"

In the deliberation hall of Xiangyang Mansion, on the gorgeous and spacious floor, Suzhou embroidery carpets are laid, with clear and beautiful patterns.

A semi-recumbent bench, facing south, with cotton cushions placed under it.

There are two columns, each with several seats, accompanied by tables, aligned on the left and right, facing each other.

King Yu was sitting on his bench, leaning on the pillow, the soft cotton cushion made people feel comfortable, holding tea, he was quite surprised.

On the side, Cheng Feng Si Yang Le was holding a teapot, pouring tea and water for His Highness and ministers, very diligently.

On the left, Zhao Shu is smiling, sitting upright, confident and upright.

Sitting opposite was Zhang Shenyan, the left chief official of Prince Yu's Mansion, with a dignified posture, proper actions, Shi Shiran, and his momentum was not inferior.

And Yan Chongxin and Feng Xianzong sat opposite each other, not looking sideways.

Accompanying him in the last seat was Sun Changzhou from the Search Division. He looked serious, watching His Royal Highness Prince Yu's expression seriously, and was always ready to stand up to answer.

Of course he understood that he was able to be among them because of his intelligence.

Zhao Shu, Zhang Shenyan, Yan Chongxin, and Feng Xianzong, these four were important ministers of the shogunate with heavy responsibilities and a clear division of responsibilities.

"The intruder secretly sent someone over, and the words were a truce and a peace negotiation."

Zhao Shu raised his head and said softly.

"A truce? A peace negotiation? Fun, fun!"

King Yu laughed.

Zhang Shenyan moved, cupped his hands and said:
"Your Highness, the imperial court is discussing the use of captives to suppress bandits. It is estimated that the trespassers were severely beaten by Jiannu. I am afraid that we will be attacked from both sides, so we prepare to negotiate a peace in advance and concentrate on dealing with Jianu."

"It's simply seeking skin from a tiger, it's beyond stupid."

Hearing this, Zhao Shu frowned and said, "This is exactly the same as the two Songs uniting the Jin to resist the Liao Dynasty and Mongolia to destroy the Jin."

Zhang Shenyan looked a little displeased. After all, the Nanjing court was his superior, so he was somewhat uncomfortable.

"The imperial court naturally has the imperial court's idea!"

King Yu didn't take it seriously, he waved his hands and said, "They do their thing, we do ours, and don't interfere with each other."

"However, it is possible to negotiate peace with the trespassers, but it must be done in secret, so as not to be noticed, so as not to cause trouble."

"Yes!" Zhao Shu nodded, the trouble is self-evident, it must be the Nanjing court.

"Your Highness, the thieves have a lot of gold and silver in their hands, and we have a lot of things they need, so we just cooperate with each other."

Yan Chongxin hurriedly cupped his hands and said with a smile.

"You mean mutual business?"

Zhu Yixi's eyes were fixed, and then he said: "That's all, as long as it's not important, trade with him!"

"Your servant will save it." Yan Chongxin hurriedly responded with joy.

"By the way, the previous pig iron smuggling case can now be closed."

King Yu cheered up, and said with a smile: "Many people should be arrested now!"

"Your Highness, more than twenty merchants, large and small, are all backed by local gentry, and their total assets exceed one million taels. It can be described as audacious."

Yan Chongxin said indignantly: "If you take these people into the net and search their homes, you can get a lot of money."

Zhu Yixi nodded: "I have been fishing for several months, and it's time to collect the net."

"By the way, what happened to the Nanjing court recently?"

These words were obviously addressed to Sun Changzhou, and everyone's eyes turned to him.

Sun Changzhou stood up in a hurry. His status was such that he couldn't sit and talk like these civil servants. Then he said unhurriedly:
"His Royal Highness, Nanjing has been very busy recently. First, a monk pretended to be a prince, and then a fake concubine went to prison. Now, a fake prince is being sent to the south. People in Nanjing are in a state of panic and there is no limit to speculation."

"Oh? Tell me in detail!"

As soon as the gossip came out, everyone came to their minds.

Seeing this, Sun Changzhou continued to speak.

First of all, it was the monk knocking on the palace, pretending to be the clan, trying to gain benefits, but was found out.

Then, a middle-aged woman claimed to be the concubine of Emperor Hongguang, and some said that she was hiding the prince among the people, which can be said to be detailed and appropriate.

He was directly imprisoned by Emperor Hongguang and starved to death.

In the end, it was a young man who pretended to be a prince and even admired lanterns in Hangzhou, causing a commotion throughout Jiangnan.

After the false prince was imprisoned, Donglin and the Fushe faction naturally refused to let it go.

So they fanned the flames everywhere, scolded Zhu Yousong for being incompetent and incompetent, and accused Ma Shiying of forming a party for selfishness and arbitrarily arbitrarily taking power, and complained for the prince from the north.

Even Huang Degong, one of the four towns in Jiangbei, also wrote a letter to distinguish the truth from the fake.

In the end, under the third trial, it was the scholar Wang Duoming who identified him as a fake prince and sent him to prison.

"Who is the fake prince?"

King Yu listened with great interest, of course he understood that these three cases were fabricated by the Donglin party members in order to shake Emperor Hongguang's orthodox position.

The clan, private morality, and the throne were successively suppressed and shaken step by step, and a public opinion offensive was launched, so as to support King Lu to ascend to the throne.

Especially the last false prince case, in history, has promoted Zuo Liangyu's military remonstrance to the "Qing emperor's side". Under internal and external troubles, the Hongguang court perished.

"He claims to be Wang Zhiming, the nephew of Prince Consort Wang Bing."

"After Xungui, it's no wonder he was able to explain clearly about the prince."

Zhu Yixi laughed, Ma Shiying's dictatorship has promoted the absurd actions of the Donglin Party.

Now, without Zuo Liangyu, who will the Donglin party members convince?
It must be one of the four towns in Jiangbei.

"Closely monitor Nanjing, and report every move every three days."

Zhu Yixi said in a deep voice.

"Obey!" Sun Changzhou responded.

"The country is not peaceful, and demons and ghosts appear in disorder."

King Yu shook his head and sighed, full of emotion.

Only he can say this, and others can only discuss it.

Unlike other people in the shogunate, Zhang Shenyan valued the imperial court more, he couldn't help saying:
"The imperial court is almost controlled by Ma and Ruan, and it is in chaos. Why don't your highness choose to support a faction in the imperial court, and then learn the news and influence the imperial court, and you can also have a helper."

For traditional scholar-officials, the status of righteousness can almost determine everything.

Therefore, Zhang Shenyan suggested to King Yu to support one faction as a mouthpiece to influence the court, and even control the court, so as to help Daming.

The civil servants of the shogunate had too little qualifications, so they were more inclined to be self-reliant. They had little interest in the Nanjing court, and even hated it.

"Aside from Ma and Ruan, isn't there only the Donglin Party?"

Zhao Shu said softly: "Most of the Donglin Party are hypocrites. The first emperor didn't like it, and they were relegated to Nanjing. He never thought that even Ma Shiying, who is now a handful of people, can't beat them."

This is a bit too broad.

"Apart from the Donglin Party, there is nothing else in the imperial court." Zhang Shenyan said helplessly, "There are some constraints in the cabinet, but it's better than nothing."

"Then support a little!"

Zhu Yixi was persuaded. No matter how bad the Nanjing court is, it will not prevent him from reaping benefits. After all, it is the court recognized by the southern provinces.

"Nominal support is fine, and the rest, such as military remonstrance, don't mention it."

King Yu said seriously: "The widow is still utterly loyal to the imperial court."

(End of this chapter)