When Zhu Youdong heard that this person was Xu Wenjue, he was immediately furious, and said to Peng Changbao: "Peng Changbao, drag Xu Wenjue outside the yamen and let him kneel on the street." Hang a sign for him, which clearly states that he is the king of Zhongshan in the Ming Dynasty, Xu Wenjue, the Duke of Wei. Let everyone outside see what this Zhongshan King is after that. ”

Peng Changbao couldn't get used to their bravado, and when he heard Zhu Youdong's words, he immediately stepped forward and grabbed Xu Wenjue. Then he dragged him out of the yamen.

Xu Wenjue didn't expect Zhu Youdong to come out like this, and immediately shouted: "Who are you, you dare to be so rude to me, I want His Highness to offend you and punish your nine clans." Peng Changbao ignored his shouts at all, and dragged him directly outside the yamen.

Seeing that Zhu Youdong didn't say anything, he directly dragged Xu Wenjue out for punishment. The people present immediately panicked, and the old man before hurriedly grabbed Zhu Youdong and said: "This lord, no matter how you say that Xu Wenjue is also the prince of the Ming Dynasty, is it too much for you to deal with it like this." ”

Others also immediately accused Zhu Youdong, and one said: "You don't know how to be respectful, we are all nobles of the Ming Dynasty, and you really treat us like this." If you let Your Highness know, there will be no good fruit for you to eat. There is also humanity: "Is there any royal law here, our noble ministers of the Ming Dynasty can also be insulted casually?" Is there still a decision in this Tianfu Yamen? When will it be the turn of a petty official like you, who will dare to come out and show off his might. ”

Someone else argued: "They have insulted us so much, we have to ask His Highness to give us an explanation, and let His Highness make the decision for us." Suddenly, everyone else was arguing to find Zhu Youdong's theory, and for a while, the crowd was excited.

Seeing this, Zhu Youdong yelled, and said, "Shut up for me." Hearing Zhu Youdong's roar, these people instantly fell silent. But then it was found that the person who yelled was Zhu Youdong, and everyone didn't pay attention to it anymore, just make a loud noise, and be sure to see Zhu Youdong.

Zhu Youdong became more and more angry when he saw this, but now he couldn't stop these people. In desperation, he said to Peng Changbao: "Go and call a hundred guards to come in and shut everyone here." Peng Changbao hurriedly said to one of the guards next to him: "Go quickly, let them come in fully armed." Zhu Youdong just watched these people keep making noise, and he didn't stop it.

After a while, a hundred guards ran into the mansion in full armor, and these people realized that the situation was wrong, and they all immediately quieted down. Or the old man from before said to Zhu Youdong: "My lord, what are you doing here?" Do you want to arrest us by mobilizing the guards without permission? ”

Zhu Youdong laughed angrily and said, "Are you noble?" Why can't you catch it? You are making a lot of noise in the yamen of Yingtianfu, which is first of all to disturb the government. Secondly, you say that you are the noble of the Ming Dynasty, which is just what you said. What can you prove now, and what have you done for your life? Now he is brazen and says that he is the noble of the Ming Dynasty, who gave you the title? ”

This old man saw that Zhu Youdong commanded Peng Changbao at will, and he could also mobilize Zhu Youdong's guards. Thinking about it, Zhu Youdong is not the chief official of Ying Tianfu, but also an important official around Zhu Youdong. Immediately said politely: "This lord, we don't want to disturb the government, we just want to go and see His Royal Highness the Prison State." ”

Zhu Youdong said: "Can you see each other?" In what capacity are you going? The hero of the Qing Dynasty or the hero of the Ming Dynasty? Do you still have a knighthood now? If you have a title, you surrender to the Manchus, and you are a traitor of the Ming Dynasty. If you don't have a title, you're a disturber. Anyway, you have no reason to meet. ”

Hearing Zhu Youdong directly buckle the two big hats, these people instantly became weak. These people didn't dare to quarrel anymore. Hurriedly following the old man's words just now, they all said in unison: "My lord, we don't want to disturb the government, we just want to go to see His Royal Highness the Prison State." ”

Peng Changbao said on the side: "Blind your dog's eyes, in front of you is His Royal Highness the Ming Dynasty." Hearing Peng Changbao say that the person standing in front of him was His Royal Highness Jianguo, these people were suddenly startled. No one believed that this was true, and no one would have thought that His Royal Highness would actually run out to see him, which was not harmonious.

The old man who spoke just now glanced at Zhu Youdong cautiously, and asked softly, "Are you really His Highness the Prison State?" Zhu Youdong said disapprerovingly: "Sort of, what is your identity?" Who's next? ”

Well, what is the answer. But considering that these people have a history of surrendering to the Qing Dynasty, they are now performing here. The old man also guessed that Zhu Youdong was uncomfortable, since Zhu Youdong said yes, it must be. After all, who dares to pretend to be His Royal Highness in the Restoration Army now.

I inquired before I came, and I heard that the current Restoration Army was formed by His Royal Highness Jianguo. The prestige of His Royal Highness Jianguo in the army is probably not as good as the prestige of Emperor Taizu in the army back then. Whoever dares to be disrespectful to His Royal Highness the Prison State, these soldiers can fight with you directly.

The old man had an answer in his heart, so he immediately knelt in front of Zhu Youdong, kowtowed in a proper manner, and said: "If you go back to Your Highness, the guilty minister is Tang Guozuo, the former Lingbi Marquis Tang Guozuo, after Dongou Wang. The old minister mistakenly believed the traitorous words of Zhao Zhilong and surrendered to the Manchu Qing Dynasty. In the past ten years, Lao Chen has been regretting it all the time, please Your Highness for the sake of the ancestors' loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, give back the title of the Tang family, and let the ancestors enjoy the incense. ”

Okay, as soon as he opened his mouth, he put all the blame on Xincheng Bo Zhao Zhilong. And how innocent he was, he misheard Zhao Zhilong's words. And I have been regretting it for more than ten years, and I am still loyal to Daming. Why didn't I see you before, and I had the slightest intention of rebelling against the Qing court?

Zhu Youdong didn't bother to expose Tang Guozuo's lies, but said casually: "You are Tang He's descendant?" That's really the loyal queen of the Ming Dynasty. Although Zhu Youdong said that he was loyal and good, he didn't help Tang Guozuo up, and still let them kneel on the ground.

When the others saw that Tang Guozuo had already knelt down, they immediately knelt down one after another, and said, "Please give your Highness the title of your ancestors, so that our ancestors and ancestors can enjoy the incense." Zhu Youdong didn't answer them directly, but asked, "What?" In the Great Qing Dynasty, they didn't let your ancestors enjoy the incense? ”

Tang Guozuo cried: "Your Highness, the old minister is wrong, we shouldn't have surrendered to the Manchus in the first place. This is all what Zhao Zhilong's thief meant, they hold the army of Nanjing City. We don't dare not listen to his words. ”

As if in order to prove his innocence, Tang Guozuo glanced at Zhu Youdong, and then said: "And we had no choice at that time, most of the other armies were lost by Shi Kefa in Yangzhou." Huang Degong in Jiangbei was also defeated, and Zuo Mengeng also surrendered to the Manchus with his army. At that time, we had no soldiers and no money and food, we just wanted to fight to the death with the Manchus, and we didn't have the capital. ”

Xu Wenjue, who was pulled aside, also believed that Zhu Youdong was His Royal Highness the Prison State at this time. Hearing Tang Guozuo's crying, he immediately crawled over and cried: "Yes, Your Highness, it's not that we don't resist the Qing Dynasty, we don't have this strength." Your Highness, you want to give me an army now, and I will definitely fight the Qing army to the death. ”

At this time, another person also said: "Wei Guogong is right, as long as His Royal Highness gives us an army, we will never disgrace our ancestors." We are all nobles of the Ming Dynasty, enjoying the grace of the Ming Dynasty for three hundred years, how can we be so ignorant of conscience. ”

Zhu Youdong looked at this human: "Whose descendant are you, hey." It's really hard for me to talk about you like this, or you should report your family background first. When you don't speak, tell me what kind of title you have first? ”

The man who spoke just now hurriedly said: "Back to Your Highness, the minister is Zhu Hui, the prince of the country, after Zhu Guobi." After speaking, Zhu Guobi didn't dare to say more, but just knelt on the ground respectfully.

Zhu Youdong didn't say anything when he heard it, just smiled. "I believe what you say, and I am willing to restore your title." But you have also seen that there are now a large number of generals in the Restoration Army who have relied on military exploits. None of them have any titles now, and the reason why they can still contribute so loyally to the Ming Dynasty is because I have clear rewards and punishments for the Ming Army. ”

As he spoke, Zhu Youdong only cared about walking back and forth, but did not call everyone up. Then he said, "If I suddenly restore your titles, won't these generals feel uncomfortable?" That kind of recovery of my Ming Dynasty is harmless and not beneficial. Therefore, regarding the matter of your title, I think you will be wronged first, and I can't restore it to you for the time being. ”

When everyone heard that Zhu Youdong did not plan to restore their titles now, they were immediately depressed. The purpose of their coming is not just the title, they want the benefits behind the title. With these titles, you can regain your previous business in the open.

Then they can still enjoy a steady stream of wealth and continue to live their rich and prosperous life. Now that there is no title, who still looks at them in their eyes, where can they find their glory and wealth?

Zhu Youdong saw everyone's disappointed expressions, and said: "But if you want to restore the title, it's not impossible." When everyone heard this, their eyes lit up. Xu Wenjue hurriedly said: "Your Highness, how can we restore the title for us?" What conditions are needed, His Highness said that as long as we can do it, we will definitely do it for His Highness. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "You have such a heart, which means that you are still loyal to the Ming Dynasty." Your ancestors have all made great achievements for the Ming Dynasty, so they have the title of heirloom generation. ”

Xu Wenjue heard Zhu Youdong and kept saying good things about them, and immediately nodded and said: "Your Highness is right, the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty, in order to commend the merits of our ancestors, brought us a hereditary title, which is the grace of the Ming Dynasty, and we always remember the gifts of the previous emperors." ”

Zhu Youdong nodded and said, "Yes, but the most important thing is that your ancestors' titles are all obtained from their military exploits." If you want to talk about more than 200 years of hereditary inheritance, your current title is a bit unworthy of the name. At the beginning, Emperor Taizu awarded the title not only to commend the merits of your ancestors. It is also to let future generations of nobles jointly protect the Ming Dynasty, but you have not done it. ”

The princes and princes who were kneeling on the ground suddenly had a bad premonition. How can you listen to Zhu Youdong's words, it seems that they want to be held responsible? Tang Guozuo hurriedly said: "Your Highness is right, but we were a national favor at that time. But we were also forced to do so, we had no soldiers at all, and we didn't have the money or food to recruit troops. ”

Zhu Youdong said: "This can be regarded as a reason, but you are always the ones who have surrendered to the Qing court." If your title is restored for no reason, what do you make the generals in the army think? Therefore, for the great cause of the restoration of the Ming Dynasty, you have to pay some for the Ming Dynasty and suffer some grievances temporarily. You can't restore your title now, if you want to restore your title as soon as possible, then go straight to the battlefield and earn it. ”