Zhu Yuanzhang is a very diligent emperor, and he has to go to the court every day, so every morning before the stars and the moon disperse, the officials rushed to the imperial city, walked in from the east and west Chang'an gates, and waited outside the palace for the summons.

The guards in charge of guarding the palace found that although it was not a grand court meeting today, there seemed to be more officials in the upper court than usual, and the atmosphere was not as relaxed as usual, all of them looked solemn and thoughtful. Some of the officials who were good friends got together and whispered, especially the Korean prince Li Shanchang and the imperial historian Zhongcheng and Taishi Ling Liu Ji were surrounded by the most people, some talked with a cautious face, and some shook their heads inscrutablely. Although what happened in the palace last night was kept secret, everyone knew it in their hearts, and they were all nervously speculating whether Zhu Yuanzhang would mention it today and whether he would spread the killing from the harem to the outside of the palace.

"The emperor is coming to the court!

As the chief celebrant sang loudly, the hundred officials sorted out their court clothes, held the wat board, and entered in accordance with the order of Wenjin left door and Wujin right door. After entering the hall, stand on both sides of the steps in order of rank on both sides of the royal road. Meritorious heroes, princes, generals, and military histories are displayed in the west and stand in the east, while civil officials and prime ministers are displayed in the east and stand in the west.

The hall was silent, and when Zhu Yuanzhang's footsteps sounded, all the ministers knelt and kowtowed: "Long live my emperor! Long live!

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon chair and accepted the worship of hundreds of officials with an expressionless face.

"Get up!" The imperial attendant watched his words and looks, knowing that Zhu Yuanzhang was in a bad mood, and immediately shouted: "If there is something to play, there is nothing to retreat." ”

On weekdays, as soon as the words of the imperial eunuch fell, someone would come out to play, but today the hundred officials are like a collective dumb medicine, you look at me, I look at you, but no one stepped forward first, and the hall was silent.

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned on the dragon chair quietly, no abnormalities could be seen on his calm face, and his eyes were slightly closed, as if he was asleep.

"If there is something to play, there is nothing to retreat. In the middle of winter, sweat was faintly oozing from the forehead of the imperial attendant, and after waiting for a while, he sang loudly again.

This time, someone finally spoke up, and Liu Ji knelt down and handed over the fold, "The altar in the southern suburbs was completed yesterday, please send someone to accept it." ”

The imperial attendant breathed a sigh of relief, and took the fold and presented it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Someone started, naturally some people followed suit, and the hundred officials regained their usual composure, and successively played the court.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked questions or replied one by one.

Seeing that the time for the next dynasty was approaching, Hu Weiyong looked up at the back of Li Shanchang who was standing in the first row, and then looked at Qin He and Zhao Zhenfeng, the imperial history of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and others.

These people were originally a little anxious, but after receiving Hu Weiyong's hints, the expressions on their faces gradually calmed down, revealing a desperate determination. After the previous official finished playing the court, Qin He stood up and knelt down and said, "Please ask the emperor to give the prince who died young." The minister also wants to impeach the queen for being incompetent and immoral!"

As soon as these words came out, the hall was suddenly silent. Some officials who did not know the truth were dumbfounded, some officials who knew the inside story frowned slightly, and some officials blushed and looked nervous and excited.

The heart of the imperial eunuch who had just relaxed suddenly rose to his throat, and he didn't know whether to pick up Qin He's recital in the hall. was coughed by Qin He, and then he panicked like holding a hot potato and put the music fold in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

The heavenly family has no selfish affairs, and the death of the emperor's heir will be recorded by the living note officials and given a nickname. However, Concubine Sun's child has not yet been born, and strictly speaking, he is not a prince, so Zhu Yuanzhang did not mention this matter in the court. However, if Qin He and the others wanted to make trouble for Ma Xiuying, they had to put this matter on the table, so they deliberately found such a lame excuse.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't look at the twists and turns, and was silent for a full quarter of an hour before he slowly opened his eyes and asked coldly: "Why is the queen incompetent and unvirtuous?"

As soon as those tiger eyes opened, it suddenly made people feel that when the awe-inspiring momentum came to the air, Qin He's heart tightened, and he said stubbornly: "The queen takes care of the harem, but lets the prince die young, she is incompetent." The queen is autocratic and authoritarian, and it is even more immoral to suppress the concubines. The ominous signs in the harem are all due to the queen's indulgence. ”

Zhao Zhenfeng followed and admonished: "The minister also wants to impeach the queen, the queen is arrogant and domineering, and there are often acts of the chicken Sichen, and women are not allowed to interfere in politics in all dynasties, and the queen's move may be suspected of disorderly government." ”

Other imperial histories with intentions also stubbornly grasped that the untimely death of the prince before the emperor ascended the throne was an ominous omen to criticize Ma Xiuying, and some people even proposed that Ma Xiuying artificially created a conspiracy theory of the prince's untimely death in order to exclude dissidents, and asked the emperor to choose another virtuous queen with death.

"Your Majesty, Qin He, Zhao Zhenfeng and others bewitched the public and slandered the queen, and they should be executed!" Xu Da, Yuan Xing and other military generals who were good friends with Ma Xiuying immediately did not agree, Ma Xiuying used to help Zhu Yuanzhang with advice, and even participated in military operations, that was because Zhu Yuanzhang had just established a political power at that time, and human and financial resources were very tight, and Ma Xiuying was not at fault for helping Zhu Yuanzhang with his own wisdom. Later, Zhu Yuanzhang became the king of Wu and even the emperor, and Ma Xiuying gradually focused on the inner house and no longer interfered with Zhu Yuanzhang's decision. At this time, Zhao Zhenfeng's accusation of Ma Xiuying interfering in politics was really out of nowhere.

Song Lian and other civil officials, who respected Ma Xiuying very much, also stood up to condemn Qin He, Zhao Zhenfeng and other imperial historians for impeaching the empress The content does not conform to the facts, the prince's untimely death was an accident, and the queen had both ability and political integrity, and there was no fault.

Is it because of the high status of the queen, even if she is at fault, the ministers cannot admonish her? Could it be that Lord Song defends the queen so much, is it because the queen has the grace to support you Jiangnan scholars?" Zhao Zhenfeng simply pulled Song Lian into troubled waters.

Zhang Yi retorted: "You are the same party and the same as the other, and the friend is the traitor." ”

Zhao Zhenfeng confidently arched his hand upwards and said: "The minister bears the emperor's favor and performs the duties of supervision and picketing, how can the party say the same?"

Ye Chen asked: "First attacked the queen, and then slandered Jiangnan officials, what kind of heart do you have?"

Zhao Zhenfeng was ashamed, "The minister has no heart, only one loyalty!"

The court became a pot of porridge, defending Ma Xiuying's vigorous maintenance, smearing Ma Xiuying's desperate smear, and the war gradually spread from Ma Xiuying to Huaixi officials and Jiangnan officials.

Neither Li Shanchang, the leader of the Huaixi clique, nor Liu Ji, the representative of the Jiangnan scribe clique, were involved in the dispute.

Li Shanchang's eyes were blazing, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and he held a wat board folded on his chest, and the old god was watching coldly on the ground.

Liu Ji's face was calm, as usual humble and peaceful, his wise eyes blinked, he glanced up at Zhu Yuanzhang, and then lowered his head and didn't know what he was thinking.