The ruthless emperor in the late Ming Dynasty forced Chongzhen to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 43
Wu Sangui returned to the Manchu Qing, allowing the Eight Banners troops to enter the Yongping Mansion through Shanhaiguan continuously. Due to the tight blockade of the Tartars, after two full days, the capital did not receive any news.

At this time, in the capital, a storm was quietly brewing.

When thieves besiege the city, the enemy is at hand.

For the sake of their status, wealth and power, the nobles can put everything aside, work together with the emperor, defend the city desperately, and even endure being under the command of Zhou Yuji, a general officer.

No matter how dissatisfied and humiliated the civil servants are, they nest in the house like cats and dare not make the slightest movement.

Because everyone knows that at that time, the emperor would not have the slightest scruples in order to defend the city and retreat from the enemy, and he would do anything.

But after the intruder was defeated and the crisis was lifted, everyone's mentality changed immediately, including Zhu Cihong himself.

This may be, as the saying goes, we can share adversity, but we cannot share wealth!

That night.

In a luxurious mansion in the city, a group of people are gathering in the study, discussing something.

If people from the officialdom were here, they would be able to recognize at a glance that all of these people were high-ranking officials above the third rank.

Among them, there are even big figures such as the Minister of the Ministry of War, the first assistant and the second assistant.

"Brother Zhang, how did they reply?"

"That Ding Guogong was quite moved, but the British Duke was unmoved, revealing that he did not want to intervene in it."

Seeing that everyone was looking at him nervously, the Minister of the Ministry of War, it should be said that Zhang Jinyan, the former Minister of the Ministry of War, did not let it go, and said in a low voice.

"Today, I don't care about the emperor's face at all. If they don't join in, I'm afraid it will be difficult to get things done!" Chen Yan, the former chief assistant, sighed.

"Yuan Fu's words are wrong. Those nobles may not be unwilling to really intervene, but they have a lot of concerns. Once we do it first, even if they don't directly participate, they will definitely contribute to the flames."

The previous assistant Wei Zaode shook his head.

"That's right, otherwise, what's the point of wasting so much?"

After the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of War finished speaking, the others nodded as well.

At least let His Majesty reinstate them to their original posts first, otherwise, they will be unwilling to leave the capital and return to their hometown, and it will be embarrassing to stay in the capital, not to mention how uncomfortable it is.

"Okay! Then do this first!"

Chen Yan slapped the table and got up and said.

After discussing in detail, everyone hurriedly said goodbye and left.

……

Early the next morning, rumors began to appear in the city's marketplace.

Rumors said: In order to seize the throne, His Majesty directly killed the Supreme Emperor, and then forged the imperial edict, but kept the news tightly sealed.

As soon as this rumor came out, it seemed as if it had grown wings. In a short period of time, everyone in the capital knew about it, and everyone was in an uproar.

After all, such things as killing the king and killing the father and seizing the throne were too appalling in the Ming Dynasty.

Snapped!
Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Cihong overturned the dragon case.

Frightened, all the court ladies and eunuchs fell to the ground, trembling.

And the commander of Jin Yiwei who was kneeling in the hall made Li Ruolian even more sweaty. In fact, the anger in his heart was no less than that of Zhu Cihong.

Seeing that His Majesty finally finished venting, he dared to say: "Your Majesty, I have arrested thousands of rumor spreaders and are interrogating them. I believe that the mastermind behind the scenes will be found out soon..."

"It's useless to find out the mastermind behind the scenes now? Can you kill all the people in the city? In less than a month, the whole world will think that I am the emperor who killed the king and murdered my father!"

Zhu Cihong gritted his teeth and growled.

He didn't expect that they had just defeated Chuangjun, and those people couldn't wait for a day, so they started to make trouble, which was the most insidious and shameless method.

Once this kind of rumor spreads, it can't be stopped at all. Even if he tied his father Chongzhen to the carriage and went around to prove it, it can be said that it is false if people want to spread the rumor.

In the end, I am afraid that the truth or falsehood will be completely decided by the gentry and literati in the world.

And the only way for me to prove my innocence is to abdicate and restore my father Chongzhen to prove that he is still alive and that I have not committed any treasonous things.

It's really a good plan, and its heart can be punished!
As for who made the rumor, anyone can figure it out with their ass.

Either a civil servant or a noble.

Zhu Cihong didn't care about his reputation, but he didn't dare to recite the notoriety of killing the king and his father. After all, it was in ancient times and in the Ming Dynasty.

No need to think about it, once such rumors spread to the southern provinces, I am afraid that countless fan kings and careerists will be ready to move, and finally a new emperor may be established in Nanjing.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault. I'm incompetent. I didn't suppress the rumors immediately!"

Li Ruolian said with a guilty face.

"The other party has planned for a long time, it's none of your business!"

Zhu Cihong waved his hand.

He knew that such rumors could not be blocked by manpower.

But wanting to use this kind of public opinion to make him abdicate is simply wishful thinking.

After he has money, food and soldiers in his hands, he wants to see who in this world dares to talk nonsense, and who dares not to praise him as a benevolent monarch, Mingjun and filial son.

"Emperor...Emperor...something is wrong!"

At this time Liu Xi rushed in stumbling and shouted in a panic.

"Shut up, the sky won't fall, say, what's the matter."

He originally planned to let this guy be the admiral of the East Factory for a while, but how can this ghost look like a factory supervisor?

It was really disappointing for him.

"My lord, there are many scholars and common people outside Chengtian Gate, at least thousands of people, clamoring to see the lord, asking him to make decisions for them."

Liu Xi was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground and said.

"Show me, I'd like to see what tricks they can come up with."

Zhu Cihong sneered and stood up.

After coming to the tower of Chengtianmen, thousands of people gathered in the square below, including men, women and children.

Seeing that His Majesty really appeared, people in the square knelt down one after another, and then began to beg.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to be the master of this old man. My son was just eating in a restaurant without saying anything. He was taken away by Jin Yiwei for no reason. His life and death are still unknown..."

"Your Majesty, my husband was wronged. He just heard two beggars talking nonsense, went over to ask, and was arrested by Jin Yiwei."

After listening for a while, Zhu Cihong probably understood what was going on.

These people are the family members, relatives and friends of those who were captured by the Jin Yiwei, and they are probably instigated by organizations with intentions.

After everyone quieted down, Zhu Cihong said loudly:

"I already know about you. Gathering people like this has violated the law. You go back first. I will let Jin Yiwei handle it impartially. I will never wrong anyone. After inquiries are made, those who were caught by mistake will be arrested." People let go."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Seeing that the emperor had said so, everyone knelt down to thank the emperor and left without further entanglement.

Apparently these people still believed Zhu Cihong's words.

No matter how those scholars and literati slandered him, at least in the eyes of ordinary people in the capital, Zhu Cihong was a holy king.

The reason is that the more than [-] grain shops opened have brought immediate benefits to the people in the capital.

In less than a moment, thousands of people left and only a few hundred scholars remained.

After saying a few words to His Majesty, he sent those common people away. These scholars were not surprised or cared.

All they need is an excuse.

(End of this chapter)