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

Chapter 8 The Two Queen Mothers
"What? You said that Nizi actually arrested more than 30 royal relatives and nobles?"

In Kunning Palace, Chongzhen jumped up from the bed in shock, looking at Wang Chengen in disbelief.

"Yes, my lord, even...even the head of the country was arrested."

Wang Chengen bowed his waist and said carefully.

As for the fact that the head of the state was beaten with ten sticks, after thinking about it, he decided to hide it first, so as not to irritate the emperor even more.

"What? The head of the country was also arrested?"

This time it was Queen Zhou's turn to stand up in shock, her mouth opened, and the medicine bowl in her hand fell to the ground with a snap.

"This rebellious son, how is he regaining the hearts of the people? He is clearly trying to ruin my country!"

Chongzhen let out a mournful cry, and almost spat out another mouthful of old blood.

"Your Majesty, don't get angry, maybe there is some misunderstanding, this concubine should go and ask for clarification..."

Seeing this, Empress Zhou had no choice but to help him on the back and said.

"Go! Leave me alone..." Chongzhen urged urgently.

Xungui is no better than a civil servant, so he must not be arrested randomly, not to mention that under the current situation, more than 30 people have been arrested in one go. How can he not be in a hurry?
Empress Zhou didn't delay either, she was equally anxious.

As soon as he left the Kunning Palace, he bumped into a beautiful woman in palace attire who hurried over with a group of eunuchs and maids.

This beauty in palace attire was in her early thirties, almost the same as Empress Zhou, but her appearance and temperament were three points better. I am afraid that she can only be described as beautiful, beautiful, and beautiful.

Especially that plump and well-proportioned figure, compared with Queen Zhou's small and delicate figure, looks more graceful and luxurious.

Those who didn't know thought she was the queen of the world.

The person who came was indeed a queen, to be precise, she should be the same queen mother as Queen Zhou now.

"I have seen the emperor's wife."

"Sister, you don't have to be polite."

Empress Yi'an Zhang Yan hurried forward to help Empress Zhou who was saluting.

"Is the emperor's wife also heard about Xungui's arrest?"

The marriage between Queen Zhou and Chongzhen was arranged by Zhang Yan, so the relationship between the two is very close, and Queen Zhou respects Zhang Yan very much.

"Well, sister, why did His Majesty arrest so many nobles at once?" Zhang Yan's tone was also a little anxious.

Because Zhu Cihong not only arrested his mother's father, but also Zhang Yan's father and brothers.

"I don't know, I'm going to find His Majesty." Zhou Hou shook her head bitterly.

"Let's go together!"

Zhang Yan nodded, and as the two girls spoke, they hurried towards Qianqing Palace without taking a phoenix chariot.

.........

Inside Jianji Hall.

After Zhu Cilang rewarded the remaining 70 people, the tense atmosphere finally eased a little.

The banquet can also continue.

"You love me slowly, I'm sorry for a little excuse!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Seeing that Zhu Cihong was about to leave, everyone hurriedly stood up and saluted, all letting out a heavy breath.

Back at Qianqing Palace, Queen Zhou and Zhang Yan had been waiting for a long time, and they also heard about the beating of the father-in-law.

"Meet Your Majesty!"

As soon as Zhu Cihong entered the Nuan Pavilion, the two women saluted respectfully.

Zhu Cihong knew he was wrong, so he could only laugh along with him while helping the two girls to sit down.

"Queen mother, auntie, what are you doing? Isn't this a shame on the children? It should be the children who greet you. It's just that the state affairs are busy these days, so I didn't go!"

"Your Majesty is now in full swing, who dares to ask His Majesty to greet you?"

Zhou Hou looked positive.

She didn't care that her son didn't come to pay his respects, but this time she didn't care about her feelings at all, but it really hurt her heart.

"Queen, Auntie, this matter is indeed a bit hasty, and I didn't tell you in advance."

"Your Majesty, although the country's father-in-law is usually a little confused, he will definitely not be able to do things like colluding with the rebels."

The tone softened a bit after a week.

Zhang Yan never said a word, but her attitude was there.

He also didn't care that Zhu Cihong didn't come to pay her respects, what he cared about was that he arrested his father.

"Of course the kid knows."

"Then why arrest people?"

"Hey! I can't do anything, my son. If you want to defend the capital, you must have a lot of money and food. If you don't take these nobles, who will you take? As for the head of state and Tai Kangbo, they are also for the purpose of blocking people's mouths."

Zhu Cihong stood up and gave a long sigh, which was straightforward.

"You are the son of heaven now, even if you are short of money and food, you can't arrest people for no reason? Otherwise, how will the world think about it?" Queen Zhou was angry and anxious.

"Then what should we do? Waiting helplessly for the intruders to come? The city will be destroyed?"

Zhu Cihong said unhappily.

The two women were speechless for a while, and fell silent.

After a while, Empress Zhou sighed and asked, "Lang'er, how do you plan to deal with them?"

"Closed for now. After the army is defeated, the boy will give some land to the head of the country and Tai Kangbo, so that they can stay away from the capital and become ordinary rich people. They will not suffer during this period. Ma'am, don't worry."

"Never mind!"

"Everything that the two families have now was originally bestowed by the royal family. Now that the country is in crisis, it is understandable that Lang'er wants to take it back."

The two daughters are both famous empresses in history, seeing what Zhu Cihong said, they didn't say anything more.

Then Zhou Hou said a little angrily: "Lang'er, your grandfather is quite old, he is just being foolish and stingy, you just catch him, why do you still want to beat him?"

"Mother..."

Zhu Cihong didn't want to say it at first, but she also knew that she would know about it sooner or later, so she told about Zhou Kui's embezzlement of her jewelry.

Sure enough, after listening to Queen Zhou, she was angry and sad, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Father, how could he be like this..."

"Ugh!"

Zhang Yan thought that her father was good enough back then, who would have thought that Zhou Guozhang was worse than her father, so she could only sigh and comfort her.

"Lang'er, you have copied more than 30 nobles in one go this time. Although you can get money and food, you have also made yourself a target of public criticism. Other nobles will definitely lose their morals. You have to be careful in the future."

After Queen Zhou's mood stabilized, Zhang Yan thought about it, and then reminded with a solemn face.

Obviously Zhang Yan's political level is higher than that of Empress Zhou, and she has already thought of the serious consequences of this incident, that is, the remaining nobles will never let Zhu Cihong sit firmly on the throne.

Because this kind of thing can't start at all. Once it starts, if the court is short of money and food in the future, who knows if the emperor will copy Xungui's house again?
"Thank you, Auntie, for reminding me that my boy is already mentally prepared. If the real thing can't be done, the big deal is to let the father be restored again, and my boy will go to Shandong to become a fan king."

Zhu Cihong waved his hands at the end.

He had already thought of this.

In fact, he didn't want to take Xungui's knife now, but those civil servants couldn't copy much money.

Because the family properties of those civil servants are basically in their hometowns, and the embezzled money has already been transported back to their hometowns.

Therefore, the only way to raise a lot of money and food in a very short period of time is to start with Xungui.

His original plan was to encourage his father Chongzhen to sing bad faces and let him copy some honorable civil servants, causing public outrage. He stood up to contact other civil servants and honorable officials to force Chongzhen to abdicate.

In this way, with the money and food, he can also get the support of everyone, which can be described as the best of both worlds.

However, father Chongzhen wanted to save face, but he was not fooled, and every time he scolded him, he sprayed him on the head.

Seeing that Li Zicheng had already reached Ningwuguan, he had no choice but to force Chongzhen to abdicate and sing his own black face.

(End of this chapter)