A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 590 Where is the face of the royal family?

Such a scene can be seen everywhere in the capital. Compared with the ordinary people who are still watching the excitement, the officials and cabinet ministers are all terrified. They never expected that Wang Dou's reaction would be so intense, so fast, and so decisive!

And there are so many people who support him, almost all the generals in the border town support Wang Dou, it's creepy to think about it.

While Si Zhi was startled, they also felt in a dilemma. If they didn't obey Wang Dou's will, would they really want to tear each other naked?Not to mention Wang Dou's threat in the future, but in front of him, if the tens of thousands of frontier troops are uncontrollable, the consequences will be unimaginable. No one can afford this responsibility.

But if they are threatened by Wang Dou and others, what will be the prestige of the court, and what will be the face of the emperor and ministers?
The faces of the ministers of the cabinet and the six ministries were hot, and at the same time they complained and attacked each other, they had to think hard, hoping to choose a method that got the best of both worlds.

First of all, the discussion of rewards in various towns, especially Wang Dou, Yang Guozhu and others' discussion of the title of Marquis continues, and it must be accelerated, hoping to reduce the anger of Wang Dou and others.

If there were no rumors, although the princes resisted the proposal of the generals to be named princes and uncles, it was still within the controllable range, and at most it was a dispute between the cabinet and the emperor.

Moreover, this knighthood is justified. What a glorious victory in the Battle of Jinzhou?Beheading [-] levels, even beheading the false crown prince Badger, under unprecedented victory, rewards are everything that one should expect, hateful rumors.

The commander of Jinyiwei, Luo Yangxing, was ordered to thoroughly investigate the cause of the rumors, and the joint investigation of the three divisions was launched with great momentum.

At this time, the troops of the border towns were stationed near Zhangjiawan, and the cabinet quickly ordered the local government of Tongzhou to provide food and supplies, and also search for pigs and sheep to reward the three armies, trying to satisfy the soldiers of the towns.

The courtiers found out that although the frontier army was stationed not far from the capital, they had strict military discipline and did not plunder or disturb the people. To suppress all possible military discipline relaxation, everyone's hearts are relaxed, and thinking is even more chilling.

The ministers implemented some divisional strategies, and entrusted someone to quietly shout to Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Fu Yingchong and others to tell the truth. It was only because of rumors that the discussion of Zhongyong Bo was suspended. It doesn't stop, it doesn't mean to make things difficult.

It's just that Yang Guozhu and others were unmoved, and stood firmly on Wang Dou's side, so they had no choice but to give up.

In the next few days, the ministers of the cabinet and the officials of the six ministries launched a massive persuasion wave, intending to understand Wang Dou and others with reason, to move them with affection, and to dispel their rebellious and immoral actions.

Chen Xinjia, a member of the cabinet and Minister of the Ministry of War, because of his friendship with Wang Dou, was obliged to be pushed to the front line, the first wave.

He came to Wang Dou's camp helplessly and startled. The handsome tent, the imaginary sword and neck, and the scene of the axe and axe did not happen. Wang Dou received him warmly and offered him tea, snacks, and a warm fire plate, etc. Even personally put on the warm Donglu cloak for him.

Seeing Wang Dou, Chen Xinjia looked embarrassed. He walked into the handsome tent in the cold wind, his beard was fluttered by the wind and snow, which somewhat covered his elegant and haggard face.

Chen Xinjia still blamed himself a little. He formed a party with Wang Dou, and he should have stood up to support Wang Dou when he was in trouble, but he backed down when faced with the turbulent speech officials and the faint alliance of ministers.

Alas, the past is over, and it cannot be pursued. Perhaps, a deep gully has formed between him and Wang Dou.

Similar to the principle that a broken mirror cannot be repaired, it is not an easy task to mend this gully.

In fact, after the meeting, Chen Xinjia also found that he had nothing to say. He also understood Wang Dou's character, and he was not someone who would give up easily.

As he expected, the talks between the two sides were flat and polite. Chen Xinjia dryly conveyed the concern of the court, and Wang Dou also reiterated his position. Before finishing a cup of hot tea, Chen Xinjia left and staggered away in the cold wind .

Next, in the cold wind, Fu Shuxun, the Minister of Rites, came to visit. The old man was very old, in his seventies and almost eighty, with a light car, an old horse and an old servant, driving a broken car.

Fu Shuxun is a person who abides by the integrity of the name. He is clean and honest in government, takes care of the poor and relieves the hunger. He is very old.

Wang Dou respected the old man very much, he went out to meet Fu Shuxun in person, helped Fu Shuxun into the warm tent, ordered tea to be served to the left and right, and politely talked with him, but he was full of bitterness. Political experience for decades.

Fu Shuxun nagged on and on for a long time, knowing that Wang Dou would not move, and left with a sigh. An old horse and an old servant went away in the wind and snow.

Li Rixuan, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, is in the third wave of persuasion crowds. Li Rixuan is known for being strict and clear. He has worked as a censor. .

He exchanged polite greetings with Wang Dou and got straight to the point. He looked at Wang Dou and frowned: "I know that Uncle Zhong Yong has wronged him, but he is only in the court, and he does not tell his father and takes advantage of his advantage. Isn't it a trap for the king?" My father was not long ago, how can it be done by a minister? Is there no shame in being loyal and brave?"

He provoked each other with righteousness, and there was a sense of blame in his words.

Wang Dou said indifferently: "Benbo has a clear conscience!"

He said: "The bloody battle of the soldiers in the front, and the raging rumors in the rear, don't make people feel chilling. How can they convince the soldiers if they don't seek justice?"

Li Rixuan looked at Wang Dou for a while, stroked his beard and said: "Well, Uncle Zhongyong's words are not unreasonable. After the old man returns to the court, he will definitely investigate in detail."

He pondered and said: "The insider reported that all kinds of dangerous rumors against Uncle Zhongyong were the result of someone colluding with the treacherous people in the court. It's just that the rumors are so chaotic, and it will be easy to find out in a short while."

Wang Dou's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, and he stabbed straight at Li Rixuan's face. He said bluntly, "Who is spreading the rumors and who is in charge? I think Mr. Li knows it well, right?"

Li Rixuan's face turned livid in an instant, then turned red, then turned pale, and finally returned to normal, he said righteously: "Uncle Zhongyong is serious, if I know who did it, I will definitely not let this generation of treacherous people go! "

He left without taking a sip of tea, his waist still straight in the gusts of snow.

The persuading people came one after another, and they all came back. They felt that when facing Wang Dou, they either felt like a dog biting a hedgehog and had nowhere to bite, or they felt that Wang Dou was like a stone in a latrine, smelly and hard, soft and hard It is really difficult not to eat.

In the end, Zhou Yanru, the chief assistant of the cabinet, came out in person. He likes to be influential, even as an envoy, he is very powerful. The feeling of turning from severe winter to warm spring.

He expressed his appreciation and condolences to Wang Dou, and sympathized with his experience. He said that he also had the same misfortune. It was the warm and benevolent traitor who brought him deep pain, so he understood Uncle Zhongyong's pain very much.

Deep down, he sighed.

Zhou Yanru listened carefully to Wang Dou's words and his request, nodding his head from time to time, occasionally agreeing to a few words, giving people the feeling of spring breeze, like a kind elder.

The two sides chatted for five cups of hot tea, Zhou Yanru sighed: "Indeed, Uncle Zhongyong is right."

His palm was pushed forward slowly, firmly and forcefully, and his expression was equally serious: "If you believe in the court, it will definitely give you justice!"

When he was leaving, Zhou Yanru was a little restless. I don't know if it was because he was still unable to persuade Wang Dou, but he didn't pay attention, staggered, and almost fell to the ground. The attendants beside him hurriedly supported Zhou Shoufu...

The elders of the pavilion, the ministers and officials visited Wang Dou wave after wave, and they all returned safe and sound. Everyone in the capital was relieved, and those who felt worthy of the journey came one after another. If you put your heart and effort into it, if you can persuade Uncle Zhongyong, it will be an inexhaustible achievement.

Some officials, who had never seen Wang Dou before, saw that he was not the domineering and vicious man in the legend, and that the military camps were well organized, with strict military discipline, and they all sighed.

Uncle Li Guozhen of Xiangcheng also organized the noble uncle of the capital to visit Fu Yingchong, and he also expressed his support for Wang Dou in a very cryptic manner.

The cabinet members Wei Zaode and Chen Yan also came over to persuade them politely, but Wang Dou could see that they were purely perfunctory.

Hundreds of officials returned one after another, and the atmosphere in the capital became more and more serious day by day. Emperor Chongzhen and the officials had nothing to do. They thought of Wang Chengen, the supervising army who had fought side by side with Wang Dou, and the angel Wang Dehua. up.

Seeing Wang Dou's face, Wang Cheng'en was fine and planned to persuade him earnestly, but Wang Dehua burst into tears with a "wow", which shocked Wang Dou greatly.

He sobbed and said: "Uncle Zhongyong, for the sake of fighting side by side, save my brother, so that he can go back to work."

Wang Dehuagui was the eunuch in charge of the ceremonial supervisor, and he was much older than Wang Dou, but he claimed to be his younger brother.

Wang Dou was horrified when he heard that, but he also shook his head speechlessly: "Why do you bother, Prince?"

He thought for a while, then took out a list and handed it to Wang Dehua: "Here is a list of some rumor makers and leaders. What should be done depends on what the emperor wants."

……

On the second day of November in the 14th year of Chongzhen.

It has been three days since the frontier army complained about their dissatisfaction. Seeing the large army gathered in the key areas of the capital, Emperor Chongzhen was worried. He never expected that the army would come back victorious.

The court meeting has been held again and again, but the investigation of the rumors is progressing slowly. It seems that there is a huge network of forces covering them.Wang Dou, on the other hand, doesn't take hard and soft, and has a tough attitude. With the development of the situation, one mistake will be a situation of eternal doom.

Emperor Chongzhen frowned tightly after he came down to court, and things cannot be delayed any longer, not to mention the crisis of the border army out of control, the confrontation between Wang Dou and so on, even if the situation is protracted for a long time, it will become a joke in the history books. Unbearable!
Everything starts with the officials, so let's take those crows who are still stubborn. In this way, we can also give an explanation to the army of each town and Wang Dou.

However, the country will not be convicted for its words, and how will the government and the public treat it, how will the gentry and the common people treat it, and how will the history books of Qingdan be written in the future?
Emperor Chongzhen felt distraught and had a splitting headache.

Thinking of Wang Dou, he felt angry again.

In his heart, Wang Dou has always been loyal and unparalleled, and he fought wherever the court ordered. In the battle of Liaodong, his Jingbian army suffered heavy casualties.Yes, the court was unfair to Wang Dou this time, but was his reaction too much?Has he considered my feelings and the court's face?
Thinking about the tens of thousands of frontier troops in each town headed by Wang Dou, he couldn't help but shuddered and was upset. He came to Kunning Palace. Empress Zhou has always been virtuous. calm down a little.

Seeing the emperor's arrival, Empress Zhou was really happy. She adhered to the precept of not being involved in politics in the harem, and did not discuss political affairs with Emperor Chongzhen, but only talked about trivial family matters, such as whether the two children, the crown prince and King Ding, were ever well-behaved, whether they read books, etc. wait.

Emperor Chongzhen showed a smile on his face, staying away from complicated political topics really made him feel much better.

But women are long stories, and before they knew it, Zhou Hou talked about her daughter Aimee Zhu, and she sighed: "This child, Aimee, came to see me again this afternoon, crying and crying, just defending that Wang Dou, alas, girl Extroverted, why is she so interested in that Wang Dou?"

Speaking of this matter, Emperor Chongzhen was equally irritable: "What's the matter with this girl? She is a royal woman and she is going to marry someone. How can she mention all the men from other families? How is that proper?"

Empress Zhou frowned and said: "Then Zhou Shixian will never mention it again, it's so dirty... My family is a princess, pure and pure, how can she be worthy of such an inferior person?"

The rumors in Beijing also spread to the palace, because it involved Zhou Shixian, the prospective son-in-law. Empress Zhou also asked people to find some albums about Zhou Shixian. , Recruit this generation as a son-in-law.

She frowned and sighed, "Fool..."

How could she not know what her daughter was thinking?After thinking about it, her eyes lit up, and she said to Emperor Chongzhen: "Isn't the emperor worried about Wang Dou? Right now, Wang Dou is a marquis, and he holds a heavy army, and he is victorious in every battle. If it weren't for this, he would be loyal to the court, not as good as the emperor." Aimee betrothed him, and Aimee got what she wanted, and the emperor will also get a strong support."

Emperor Chongzhen was stunned, and then reprimanded: "Women's opinion, then Wang Dou has a wife and a concubine, how can he be a concubine? What is my face? What is the royal face?"

He said: "Besides, the ancestral son-in-law is not allowed to command the army, so why is Wang Dou willing to give up the military power and return the capital to hermitage?"

Empress Zhou said in a low voice: "We are in a hurry to follow the authority, so Wang Dou was asked to continue to lead the army, and the concubines also investigated. Wang Dou only has one wife, Ji Junjiao, and he can have a second wife."

Regarding Wang Dou's matter, because of her daughter Zhu Yu, Empress Zhou had also carefully studied it. She also met Wang Dou a few years ago.

Emperor Chongzhen scolded loudly: "Nonsense, what kind of flat wife is purely a trick played by foolish men and women, merchants, can the law of the Ming Dynasty have this method? Can the law of ancestral etiquette have this system, you are the queen, and the mother's rites What kind of dignity is it that the world speaks nonsense like a foolish woman in the country?"

He seldom said such harsh words to Empress Zhou, and his words brought tears to her eyes. Emperor Chongzhen continued: "That Ji Shiwei was so shameless to let his daughter be a concubine, I am not as shameless as him... Oh, Wang Douji With a cheap father-in-law, can I let me be the second one? Hmph!"

He flicked his sleeves and rushed out angrily.

Empress Zhou shouted several times: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

She wept silently behind her back: "Your majesty, you are just too stubborn. For the sake of the country, what's the point of losing face?"

(End of this chapter)