March of the second year of Chongzhen. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

A team of chariots and horses rumbled along the gallop road towards Tongcheng along the Yangtze River.

In the middle of the carriage, a handsome man in his early thirties, dressed in a gray green shirt, with fair skin, and recently had two faint mustaches, although there was a slight smile on the corner of his mouth, but there was a deliberately hidden heroic spirit between his eyebrows. Although dressed plainly, there is an innate nobility.

On either side of him sat two women, one was thin, about thirty years old, with a fair melon seed face, pale red lips, and a wildness between the eyebrows, although not beautiful, but delicate and lovely. The other was much plumper, about thirty-three or four-year-old, not coquettish, but his eyebrows were full of gentleness and weakness.

The man in the center smiled slightly, and said to the two women on both sides: "Madam, Qingqing, after traveling for so many days, you finally see Tongcheng, you can also have a good rest." ”

Ruan Shi smiled slightly: "Yes, I haven't returned to Ning for more than two years, this time I come back, first, I can worship Zuoge Lao with my husband and sister, and second, I can also visit my father." ”

Qingqing sighed slightly and said: "The emperor's edict of rehabilitation has finally come down, and my father can finally look at it." ”

Wang Zhizheng saw Zuo Yunqing's heavy look, nodded and said, "Yes, although this day has been too hard and the price is too high, it has always come." ”

Wang Zhizheng stared at the green piles of smoke and weeping willows on both sides of the gallop, and couldn't help but take a deep breath of fresh air, only feeling some temporary pleasure in his body and mind.

During this time, Wang Zhizheng's heart was heavy.

Since the death of Wei Zhongxian in the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Wang Zhizheng resolutely resigned and went into hiding, spending his days at home.

In March of the second year of Chongzhen, Emperor Chongzhen, who completely controlled the dynasty, finally issued an edict to condemn the reverse case, demolished all the ancestral halls of Wei Zhongxian in the country, arrested more than 200 officials involved in the eunuch case, and carried out a major purge of the government and the opposition.

Seeing that Emperor Chongzhen had made such a big effort to purge the eunuchs, Wang Zhizheng was also a little unexpected in his heart.

Finally, Yang Huan, Li Yongzhen, Wang Tiqian, Mao Yilu, Huang Liji, and Shen Shaoxian, who had already made great contributions to Wang Zhizheng and Emperor Chongzhen, and had already turned against Wei Zhongxian, were also inevitable.

At the beginning of March, Emperor Chongzhen appointed Li Shunguo of the Donglin Party, Zhou Yanru and other big bureaucrats, and set Yang Huan as the minions of the eunuch party, sentenced to beheading, and set Li Yongzhen as the chief conspirator of the eunuch party, sentenced to beheading, Wang Tiqian because of his kindness to the Donglin Party Zuo Guangdou, sentenced to raid the house, demoted out of the court, Mao Yilu because of the "Suzhou people's mutiny" was finally liquidated, was demoted out of the capital, to the small county in the south of the Yangtze River Taixing Renzhi County, Huang Liji has already returned to his hometown, still arrested and liquidated, because of the special protection of Emperor Chongzhen, raided the family, his son Huang Hengruo was also deposed, Shen Shaoxian was qualified, deposed Tongcheng Renzhi County.

Wang Zhizheng, who had long since retired, suddenly faced the embarrassing situation of treachery. He once promised that Yang Huan and Li Yongzhen could save their lives, Wang Tiqian could keep their wealth and nobility, Mao Yilu could "make great achievements in the new dynasty", Huang Liji could "become rich and noble in later generations", and Shen Shaoxian could rise step by step, and his future was limitless.

Unexpectedly, the Donglin Party would be in the dominant position so quickly, and carry out such a large-scale purge of the court situation in the name of "edicting the Wei clan against the party", Wang Zhizheng faintly felt that Emperor Chongzhen was no longer able to control the Donglin Party.

Out of instinct, Wang Zhizheng entered the palace to find Emperor Chongzhen and advised him bitterly, he must not deal with Li Yongzhen, Wang Tiqian and other five people, which is not only tantamount to treachery to the five people, but also increases the arrogance of the Donglin Party, but Emperor Chongzhen not only did not accept it, but also taught Wang Zhizheng a cold lesson: "Brother Wang, as for whether these people belong to the remnants of the eunuch party, I know in my heart, I am no longer a child." ”

Hearing Emperor Chongzhen's unceremonious lesson, Wang Zhizheng had no choice but to retreat.

Wang Zhizheng knew in his heart that Emperor Chongzhen was coerced by the Donglin Party on the one hand, and on the other hand, he also meant to face himself. Let Wang Zhizheng lose his prestige in the original "Xinwang Party", and it will be difficult to pose a threat to him.

A few days later, Yang Huan hanged himself in prison, Li Yongzhen was beheaded, Wang Tiqian was sent to his hometown by raiding his home, and died of illness on the way back to his hometown, Huang Liji, Huang Hengruo's father and son were moved back to their hometown, Mao Yilu has been demoted to Taixing County, and Shen Shaoxian has also taken office in Tongcheng County.

Wang Zhizheng was depressed and bored, and it happened that his concubine Zuo Yunqing and his wife Ruan wanted to go back to Tongcheng Province to worship their ancestors, Wang Zhizheng just took this opportunity to visit Tongcheng, and went down the river to Suzhou to participate in Zhang Pu's first meeting of the Restoration Society.

Ten years later, the carriage arrived on the outskirts of Tongcheng. In the early spring of the south, the grass is green, the eyes are full of smoke, two bends of water flow surround the ancient city wall of Tongcheng, the mandarin ducks are playing on the water, he only feels beautiful, over the years, the mood has never been so fresh.

Wang Zhizheng opened the sedan curtain and looked at it, and suddenly saw a team of people standing at the gate of the city to greet him.

He turned to look at Ruan Shi and asked, "Didn't we come to Tongcheng without prior notice, how can there be a person to greet us?"

Ruan Shi shook his head and said, "The concubine body did not communicate with the old father and uncle, and the concubine body did not know. ”

Zuo Yunqing suddenly pointed and said, "Master, isn't this Lord Shen Shaoxian?"

Wang Zhizheng was stunned for a moment, squinted his eyes and took a closer look, it was Shen Shaoxian, dressed in civilian clothes and with more than a dozen followers, waiting for Wang Zhizheng with his hands behind his back.

Wang Zhizheng shouted to Zhou Cheng, who was driving the car: "Zhou Cheng, stop the car!"

Zhou Cheng stopped the car, Wang Zhizheng opened the car curtain and jumped out of the car, only to see Shen Shao striding towards him.

Wang Zhizheng felt very guilty in his heart, but if he came, he would be safe, Shen Shao came first, and he couldn't hide from it.

Shen Shaoxian just walked to Wang Zhizheng's side, and Wang Zhizheng slammed to the ground: "Lord Shen, brother can't stand you!"

Shen Shaoxian hurriedly supported Wang Zhizheng with both hands: "My lord, please get up quickly! How can Shaoxian afford such a big gift!"

Wang Zhizheng raised his head to look at Shen Shaoxian, he hadn't seen him for more than a year, and he saw that Shen Shaoxian had a lot of vicissitudes.

Wang Zhizheng sighed and said: "I originally gave you a guarantee and promised you a bright future, but I demoted out of the capital and became a small magistrate." ”

Shen Shaoxian waved his hand in a dashing manner and said: "Master Hou, you don't have to be self-conscious, you were originally convicted by the Donglin Party, and such an encounter was within Shen's expectations, if it weren't for your promotion as an adult, Shen would have continued to follow Wei Gelding as a disaster, and now I am afraid that you have already been separated! You have a life-saving grace for Zaixia." Today, you come to Tongcheng, and you want to treat Hou Ye well. ”

Wang Zhizheng smiled slightly: "Shaoxian, your idea can make me feel a little relieved." ”

Shen Shaoxian waved his hand and ordered someone to go over to lead the horse, Wang Zhizheng nodded, rode on the horse and chatted with Shen Shaoxian while walking, and entered the city together.