After Zhao Cheng was executed, Zhu Yuanzhang knew how many bad things his henchmen had done. The palace people reported and exposed Zhao Cheng's crimes, and the testimony presented listed several pieces of paper, especially one that made Zhu Yuanzhang angry, Zhao Cheng actually built a mansion outside the palace, and privately intercepted tribute. He immediately sent people to search Zhao Cheng's residence on the outskirts of Beijing.

This investigation is incredible, and it actually found about 200,000 taels of gold bricks, about 3.5 million taels of silver, 11 pearls the size of longan, eight large rubies, nearly 100 pieces of jade products such as jade ruyi and jade pendants, 600 pieces of precious porcelain, and some valuable tributes that cannot be estimated at all. In addition, Zhao Cheng also raised nearly 100 slaves, and learned from these slaves that he still had a few shops and thousands of acres of land.

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he fell back in anger, a small eunuch chief had embezzled so much money, Ling Chi Zhao Cheng had taken advantage of him, and he should have been stripped of his skin and cramped! He ordered all his family property to be confiscated, all slaves to be exiled, and those who had close contacts with Zhao Cheng should be strictly examined.

The ministers were immediately frightened, and when Zhao Cheng was Zhu Yuanzhang's confidant and supervisor, who did not curry favor with him? Those officials who had given gifts to Zhao Cheng were even more frightened, lest they would find out about themselves. Everyone knows that Zhu Yuanzhang's temper has become more and more irritable in recent years, and he will take people under the knife when it doesn't go his way, sometimes he doesn't ask the reason at all, and he doesn't care even if he kills the wrong person.

Some officials are so desperate that they have to leave their last words to their families, for fear that they will not be able to come back. More officials are trying to find ways and connections to plead around.

In the years that Hu Weiyong has been in charge of the government, almost all the officials have looked down on him, but they all know in their hearts that the most closely related to Zhao Cheng is estimated to be Hu Weiyong.

Li Shanchang has been much more low-key after being reactivated, and he deeply understands the taste of being a companion like a tiger, Zhu Yuanzhang was very kind to you one moment, and the next moment he may turn his face ruthlessly. How Zhu Yuanzhang respected Liu Ji and served as a gentleman back then, as a result, Liu Ji still died in vain.

The older people are, the more they are in awe of death, Li Shanchang used to be forced to give office, but now he really wants to retreat. He turned all the visitors away, unwilling to get involved.

But there is one person he can't refuse to visit, and that is his younger brother Li Cunyi.

Li Cunyi is here to be a lobbyist.

After Zhao Cheng's accident, the most feared person was not others, but Hu Weiyong. He heard that Zhu Yuanzhang had raided Zhao Cheng's residence, lest some of the letters exchanged between Zhao Cheng and him be found out, which involved some of the contents of dealing with Ma Xiuying and plotting to kill and suppress ministers, as well as his arbitrary power to let Zhao Cheng cover up and conceal in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Hu Weiyong, who has been alone for many years, is not willing to be caught, his desire has long swelled to an indescribable extreme, and he thought that instead of waiting for Zhu Yuanzhang to take him under the knife, it would be better for him to do it first. The emperor's throne was also dragged down by Zhu Yuanzhang to sit on others, so why couldn't he drag Zhu Yuanzhang down and sit on it himself?

He called Li Cunyi to his home, retreated from left and right, and said directly: "We have done a lot of things that go against the holy will, what will we do once the emperor finds out?"

Li Cunyi was so frightened that he almost fell to the ground, he didn't listen to Li Shanchang's advice at the beginning, but walked not close to Hu Weiyong.

Hu Weiyong controlled the major matters of life, death and abolition, and sometimes carried it out directly without reporting Zhu Yuanzhang. He took the concerts of various departments inside and outside the department first, and if he framed and reported himself, he would not be detained. People who are keen on fame in all walks of life, as well as martial artists who have lost their positions, compete to run to their doors, bribing gold silks, famous horses, and good things, which are incalculable. Li Cunyi was well aware of these circumstances, and even colluded with Hu Weiyong to conspire against political enemies. Now that he heard that Zhu Yuanzhang might know about the crimes they committed, he was suddenly frightened.

Hu Weiyong then told him what he thought.

Li Cunyi's soul was all gone, his teeth trembled, he was greedy and perverted the law, but he never thought of making Zhu Yuanzhang's rebellion, he subconsciously shook his head and refused.

Hu Weiyong threatened viciously: "Now that you stretch out your head and shrink your head is also a knife, you can't bear to watch your family die under his knife? Don't forget that your grandson has just been able to walk." ”

Li Cunyi naturally didn't want his family to be killed, and cried: "In-laws, you have to save them." ”

Hu Weiyong threatened to lure Gali, "If we give it a go, maybe not only can we not die, but we can also enjoy glory forever, and then you and I will rule the world together, and I will make you the king with a different surname." If you don't dare, then let's wait for death together. ”

Between life and death, people will choose the former, and Li Cunyi is no exception, he thought for a moment, stood up and said resolutely: "I'm out of the way, you can do whatever you say." ”

Hu Weiyong laughed with satisfaction, pulled him to sit down with his shoulders hooked, and plotted a rebellion. On his side, he was responsible for contacting some generals who were dissatisfied with Zhu Yuanzhang and ordering them to collect soldiers and horses outside. Li Cunyi went to win over Li Shanchang and organize a force among the civilian officials to support him. At that time, when the military generals broke through the palace, the civil officials immediately supported him as the emperor.

Li Cunyi was stunned by Hu Weiyong's stick and radish, and really came to find his brother Li Shanchang.

When Li Shanchang heard that Hu Weiyong had such evil intentions, he wanted to drag the Li family into the water, and he wanted to drive Li Cunyi out of the house without saying a word.

Li Cunyi hugged his thighs and cried: "Big brother, you save your brother, and your nephews and nieces, they all grew up under your watch, so you can't bear to let them die in Huangquan at a young age?"

Li Shanchang said angrily: "I have long warned you not to have too much contact with Hu Weiyong, not only did you not listen, but you also caused a catastrophe." Do you think the emperor is really as simple as you think, the previous Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng, which one is not more powerful than him, why is he the only one who is the emperor. Alas, you underestimate him too much. You go, I will never agree to this, and I hope you can wake up and not bring ruin to your people. ”

"Big brother, big brother!" Li Cunyi pleaded bitterly, lowered his voice and said: "The emperor was wise and martial back then, and we also respected and supported him very much, but in recent years, his personality has become more and more eccentric, and many courtiers have become dissatisfied with him. Just by looking at his unfair rewards and punishments for you, you can see that he is already old, and he is no longer the emperor we recognized at the beginning, even if we are good now, can you guarantee that he will not anger our Li clan......"

Li Shanchang was silent, in the future, if Zhu Yuanzhang only punished Li Cunyi's family, he would not care, but if Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even let go of the Li family, he would have to weigh it carefully. According to Zhu Yuanzhang's current tyranny, it's not impossible to do this.

Eventually, he sighed and said, "I won't be involved in your affairs, and I'll treat you as if you haven't come, so let's go." ”

Li Cunyi was secretly happy in his heart, Li Shanchang's noncommittal attitude was actually a kind of tacit approval.