Near noon, the gate of the Gongyuan finally opened, and the officials of the Ministry of Etiquette posted the list of winners of this township test. This year, there are a total of 503 people, which is five times more than in previous years.

As soon as the list was posted, there were happy and sad people around him, and he really looked through the various states of life. Wang Yuan, who was from Songjiang Mansion, also looked at the list nervously, he started to look at it from the back, and finally saw his name in the ninety-sixth.

Seeing that he won the championship and the ranking was not low, Wang Yuan was very excited. Wang Yu was happy that Shen He beside him was not good, he saw it before, and then saw it from the back, and saw it from the back, he looked at it three times in total, and he didn't see his name, it seems that he was defeated. In fact, it is normal to lose the election this time, in the past, only 100 people were selected in the Nanzhili Township Examination, but now although it has increased by five times, but the Xiucai from the surrounding provinces can also come to the examination, and the difficulty of this lifting has greatly increased.

Although everyone knows the truth, but if it's really your turn, you can't think about it. Shen He is thirty-five years old this year, and he is still a talent for more than ten years in the imperial examination, and this township examination is basically his last. Thinking of this, Shen He could no longer control his mood, and shouted loudly: "Fake, this is definitely fake!" I was the head of the hospital examination back then, why didn't I even get a ranking in the township examination? Ma Shiying must have leaked the exam questions, so that I and other students from Donglin could not be admitted! ”

Now there are more than 2,000 students standing at the gate of the Gongyuan, most of them are unsuccessful students, and they all nodded their heads when they heard Shen He say this, expressing their agreement with Shen He's statement.

Seeing that the people around him echoed him, Shen He's spirits were greatly lifted, and he continued to say loudly: "Everyone, since this township test is unfair, we have to appeal, who wants to go to the Ministry of Rites with me?" ”

People are animals that seek advantage and avoid harm, and it is no problem to let these creatures talk nonsense, but if they really make trouble, these people begin to be silent.

Shen He saw that this was not good, no one would make trouble with him if his emotions were not stirred, and he could only be unlucky in the end. Thinking of this, Shen He was in a hurry, and said loudly: "Ma Shiying hijacked the Son of Heaven and persecuted us and other scholars from Nanzhili, we are all young students, and we should share our worries for the Lord at this time!" ”

Shen He's words are right, Nanzhili is the nest of the Donglin Party, half of the students who came to the exam today are from Nanzhili, and in the open and secret battles with Ma Shiying and other eunuchs in the past few years, more or less relatives and friends have been implicated. Hearing Shen He say this now, many of the students of Nanzhili nodded one after another.

Shen He saw that someone echoed him, and his confidence in his heart increased greatly, and he continued: "Have you ever heard of the three evil methods of the officials and gentry paying grain in one piece, returning the fire to the public, and apportioning the land into the mu? ”

In addition to those from Nanzhili, half of the students present were from other provinces, and they had nothing to do with themselves just now, just watching the excitement from the sidelines. But now that Shen He said this, they all inquired about what these three evil methods were. People with good deeds on the side have explained the three new laws to those students from other provinces.

After hearing this, the students from other provinces stabbed the hornet's nest, and the return of the fire to the public had little to do with them, but the distribution of the land into the mu and the payment of grain to the officials and gentry did touch their fundamental interests.

In the Ming Dynasty, studying was a money-consuming job, and it took three laborers to support a scholar, so except for a small number of poor students, most of the scholars present were large landlords with property. Now let them pay taxes and serve as conscripts as ordinary people, so what is the use of studying and becoming officials?

Just now, only some people in Nanzhili echoed Shen He, and now most of the students are echoing Shen He.

Shen He saw that the opportunity had come, and said loudly: "Everyone, we are deeply favored by the Ming Emperor, and now Ma Shiying is holding the Son of Heaven hostage and wants to implement the evil law, can we tolerate it?" “

The students who were instigated shouted: "No, we must not allow such evil laws to be carried out!" ”

"Okay, since everyone agrees with my statement, then let's go to the Ministry of Rites, go to the cabinet to write a letter, let Ma Shiying resign, and return to the Lord, do you think it's okay?"

Under Shen He's instigation, the emotions of the more than 2,000 members of the Gongyuan were intensified, everyone was young, and they originally had a patriotic blood, and now they were wrapped in a coat by Shen He to protect their legitimate rights, so everyone was ready to go to the Ministry of Rites with Shen He with high morale.

Seeing the excitement of the crowd, Shen He was overjoyed, and took these people out of the tribute courtyard and went to the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites in the Thousand Steps Corridor.

Shen He's actions frightened Wang Yuan, he knew that this matter could no longer be regarded as a petition, and when Shen He shouted that sentence to return to the government, this action had already turned into a political * movement.

Although Wang Yuan and Shen He have different political ideas, the two are good friends after all, how can Wang Yuan watch his friends go further and further down the wrong path.

"Brother Yue Fang, what are you doing? Don't make any more noise! ”

Shen He saw Wang Yun say this, and sneered: "Wang Yuan, you naturally don't want to follow us if you are raised, but don't forget that you are also from Donglin!" Shen He turned around and left after speaking.

Wang Yuan watched a few of his friends go away, he sighed and stomped his feet, turned around to find the teacher Chen Zilong, and now only the teacher can save these people.

Shen He led the team to leave the Gongyuan and go to Dongcheng, more and more people gathered along the way, and many people who did not know the truth also followed to watch the excitement, and walked to the Hongwu Gate in front of the Thousand Steps Corridor, the crowd had more than doubled, and more than 5,000 people followed.

The Jinyi Wei Baihu on duty in Hongwumen was taken aback, why are so many people coming to Hongwumen for what? He didn't dare to delay, so he hurriedly reported the news to the Jinyi guard on duty.

Because of his meritorious service in the coup, Ding Wei was directly promoted from a thousand households to a servant afterwards, which can be regarded as a three-level promotion, and at the same time he was responsible for the collection and guarding of Hongwu Gate.

Ding Wei did not dare to delay after receiving the news, and at the same time as sending someone to deliver a letter to Ma Shiying, he rushed to Hongwumen with the five hundred palace guards to prevent the situation from further expanding.

When Ding Wei came to Hongwumen with people, the troublemakers had already clashed with the Jinyi guards guarding the door. The students were all full of blood and blood, and they felt that they were asking for their lives for the country, and when they saw that these brocade guards were actually blocked and not allowed to enter, they didn't say a word, and the two sides began to act.

Hongwumen's Jinyiwei did not bring firearms, and at the same time, the number of people was far from being the opponent of the living, and everyone knew that these scholars could not afford to offend, so although they started to do it, Jinyiwei's subordinates were all measured.

Jinyiwei's subordinates are merciful, but these students do not appreciate it, Jinyiwei's reputation is not good, more than 20 years ago in Suzhou, there was a citizen who killed Jinyi Weitiqi, and now I see Hongwumen here Jinyiwei retreating, these students still think that Jinyiwei is afraid of themselves, one by one, their courage has increased greatly, and many people have rushed into Hongwumen.

Hongwumen is the first barrier between the inner court and the outside world

Card, inside is the central organ of the state, the six departments of the Shangshu are all working here, and at the same time, the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, the Jinyi Wei Zhenfu Division, and the Nanjing Terracotta Division are all working here, if these scholars rush in, Ding Wei, who is responsible for the guard work, is a dead end.

Ding Wei saw that the situation was out of control, and said to his subordinates: "Line up, shoot!" ”

One of Ding Wei's thousands of households heard that Lord Shi was about to shoot, and stopped him in fright: "Lord Ding, don't do it!" These are all students who participated in the township test, and a few dead and injured are a catastrophe! ”

Ding Wei also knew that he would not be able to confess to the murder, but what could he do? Let these students break into Hongwumen? In that case, Ding Wei is also a dead end, it is better to shoot now, at least there is an explanation.

"No, we can't stop so many people, if we rush into Hongwu Gate, or hurt Lord Shoufu, you and I will be even more dead!"

Ding Wei is right, if these guys are allowed to rush in, they don't have to kill Ma Shiying, even if they hurt Ma Shiying, it will be enough for them to bear it, anyway, they are not people inside and out, it is better to fight, maybe Ma Shiying and Ma Cheng can spare themselves for the sake of their loyalty to the Lord.

The thousand households looked at the thousands of people at the door, and at the same time, the people outside the door were still pouring inside, so he had no choice but to sigh and say, "The last general will obey the orders of the adults!" "This Qianhu is also a chicken thief, and now he is saying that he is abiding by Ding Wei's general order, and his sin will be less responsible in the future.

The five hundred brocade guards brought by Ding Wei are all Ma Cheng's new army, and they have always been experts in how to kill people, and after listening to Ding Wei's order, he immediately lined up three columns in Hongwu Gate, and pointed his muskets at the students who rushed in.

The students in the first row saw the muzzle of the black hole pointed at them, and instinctively wanted to stop, but there was a large influx of people behind them, and they couldn't stop at all in front. Listening to the order of the Jinyi guard officer on the opposite side, the flint fired the musket, and a platoon of young students was knocked to the ground.

The sound of muskets was deafening, and the students behind them didn't expect these brocade guards to dare to shoot, and they were stunned for a while. However, the second and third rows of muskets were fired one after another, and a large number of people were hit by the muskets and fell in pools of blood.

At this time, the students behind reacted, shouted, and fled from Hongwu Gate, Ding Wei took advantage of this opportunity to quickly reoccupy Hongwu Gate and close the city gate, and then cleaned up the dead and injured students on the ground, and Ding Wei himself went to the cabinet, like Ma Shiying to ask for guilt.

Hongwumen is in a mess here, but Ma Cheng continues to live his ** life at home, and he doesn't know the news before. At this time, a family member came in outside the door to report that Mr. Chen and Chen Zilong were here!

Chen Zilong was Ma Cheng's confidant, he quickly got up and sent away the woman around him, so that the family invited Chen Zilong in.

There was also a young man who came with Chen Zilong, who was Chen Zilong's protégé Wang Yuan. Wang Yun walked in and looked at Ma Cheng and was stunned, wasn't this the person who competed with Shen He for the Oiran that day?

Ma Cheng saw Chen Zilong coming in, and hurriedly got up to greet him: "Why is Mr. Chen free today?" ”

Chen Zilong didn't care about being polite, took Ma Cheng's hand and ran out, saying as he ran: "Ming Gong, something is wrong!" I just received the news that those young students made trouble and went to Hongwumen to petition, I heard that the palace guards had shot and killed many people, so Ming Gong should go and have a look! ”