Half a day later, Luo Yangxing brought the results of Jinyiwei's search, the palace was empty, and Emperor Chongzhen, Empress Zhou, and Princess Kunxing really all went to Coal Mountain.

Luo Yangxing nodded and patted his ass, "The regent is really like a god, His Majesty really went to Coal Mountain, accompanied by the celebrant and eunuch Fang Zhenghua, twenty or thirty little eunuchs." ”

With Chongzhen's temperament, maybe he would really commit suicide in the coal mountain, Fang Yuan also had great scruples, and hurriedly asked, "Jinyiwei didn't invite His Majesty down the mountain?!" ”

Luo Yang was embarrassed and said, "Regent, Your Majesty has an order, as long as Jinyiwei and any sergeant dare to step on the coal mountain, he will kill himself immediately." ”

Lent Luo Yangxing a guts, he didn't dare to forcibly arrest Emperor Chongzhen down the mountain, if Chongzhen was forced to death, the crime of killing the monarch would fall on his head. He has no backstage, and he is a new person, so he is probably a ready-made substitute ghost.

It's not a way for Emperor Chongzhen to stay on the mountain like this, not to mention that the princess is still with Chongzhen and Empress Zhou, whether she was held hostage or willingly going, Fang Yuan couldn't see it clearly for a while, and fell into a dilemma.

Luo Yangxing said in a low voice, "Regent, at the foot of Coal Mountain, there is also an old man of the Prince Regent who asked the Prince Regent to meet him in person, and he only saw the Prince Regent alone. ”

Fang Yuan was stunned and asked, "What old man?!" ”

Luo Yangxing said, "Cao Huachun, Cao Gonggong!" ”

Fang Yuan was silent when he heard this, Cao Huachun left the capital a few years ago, lived in seclusion in Tianjin, and no longer cared about the affairs of the capital. At this time, he suddenly appeared under the coal mountain, thinking that he was also here for the matter of Fang Yuan and Chongzhen.

Cao Huachun's original acquaintance with the other party is also the relationship between the righteous father and the righteous son, his face, Fang Yuan has to give it no matter what, so he called Jing Jie and said, "The third child, I want to go to the coal mountain once, and you and Luo Yangxing will take over the palace." ”

Jing Jie hurriedly said, "Boss, it is difficult to predict how many soldiers and horses there are on the coal mountain, you go to the coal mountain to beware of fraud, be careful!" ”

Fang Yuan nodded and said, "Old Ma, you go with me with two hundred brocade guards." ”

Fang Yuan, Ma Yishan and his entourage came to the coal mountain east of the palace, and in front of the mountain gate, they saw an old eunuch in palace clothes sitting on the steps, obviously waiting for Fang Yuan's arrival, it was Fang Yuan's true father-in-law, Cao Huachun.

The two have not seen each other for at least seven or eight years since they parted from Tianjin, so they met, but seeing that Cao Huachun's complexion was very good, Fang Yuan was very happy, and he stepped forward and dismounted in front of Cao Huachun.

For Cao Huachun, Fang Yuan was still grateful and saluted him according to the number of courtesies. Respectfully bowed and said, "Ah Weng, we meet again!" Are you okay with tuberculosis?! ”

Cao Huachun has not seen him for several years, and now he is the most powerful person in the world, and he still remembers the friendship between the two back then, 'Ah Weng', 'Ah Weng' shouted very affectionately. Over the years, I have never forgotten to send drugs and physiotherapy instruments for tuberculosis, batteries, and I also smiled with relief, "With the care of the Regent Lao, my tuberculosis has also healed. ”

Fang Yuan said repeatedly, "No, in front of Ah Weng, I am not the regent, but Fang Yuan. Without Aweng's support and care, I wouldn't be where I am today! ”

"Fang Yuan, I have something to say to you alone."

Cao Huachun was about to step forward and take Fang Yuan's hand, but was forcibly stopped in the middle by Ma Yishan, who was guarding, and shouted in a deep voice, "Stop!" ”

"Old Ma, Ah Weng and I are like father and son, don't be rude, immediately make amends to Ah Weng!"

Ma Yishan respectfully apologized to Cao Huachun, Fang Yuan ordered him to retreat first, and then held Cao Huachun's hand, and said with a pleasant face, "Ah Weng has something to say, don't say a word, it's ten sentences and a hundred sentences, and I should listen to it." ”

Cao Huachun said slowly, "Fang Yuan, since you are still willing to call me Ah Weng, I will rely on the old man to sell the old once, and I want to ask you a word." ”

Fang Yuan still said respectfully, "Ah Weng asked, I will tell the truth." ”

Cao Huachun stared straight into his eyes and asked word by word, "Fang Yuan, the world is already in your pocket, and when the time comes for the regime to change, Your Majesty is on the coal mountain, will you usurp the throne and kill the king?!" ”

Cao Huachun asked this, which was also expected by Fang Yuan, he personally guarded the mountain gate, and also to prevent Fang Yuan from killing the king.

Fang Yuan said solemnly, "Ah Weng, I am the regent of the Ming Dynasty, and I am supporting the Jiangshan Sheji of the Ming Dynasty, and I will never usurp the throne; Your Majesty has the grace of knowing me, and I am Lord Taishan, and I will not kill the king! Please go up the mountain to show your Majesty my heart, and I will welcome Your Majesty down the mountain and go to the palace together. I will worship Your Majesty and the Queen Mother as the gift of the Emperor and the Empress. ”

Cao Huachun saw that his sincerity was not false, not to mention that he had already controlled the overall situation, if he really wanted to kill Chongzhen, he would send a team of soldiers up the mountain, so why should he repeatedly pretend to ask Chongzhen to go down the mountain and kill again? killed Chongzhen on the mountain, and it can be inferred that he was killed by the rebels. Respectfully ask Chongzhen to go down the mountain and kill again, that is a veritable murder of the king. Fang Yuan is not a fool, he should weigh the pros and cons.

Cao Huachun said with relief, "Fang Yuan! It's really rare for you to have this loyalty and filial piety! ”

He changed his words and said in embarrassment, "However, Your Majesty is indeed stubborn, and he has already made it clear that as long as you go up the mountain alone to meet each other, one more soldier and one more soldier, he will kill himself immediately!" ”

Fang Yuan frowned slightly when he heard this, Chongzhen's request was quite excessive. According to the information provided by Luo Yangxing, there were at least twenty or thirty eunuchs following Chongzhen on the coal mountain. Even if these eunuchs no longer have combat effectiveness, they are not something that Fang Yuan can deal with alone. If Fang Yuan went up the mountain alone, it was not impossible for Chongzhen to take a risk and detain him or kill him.

With Fang Yuan already in control of the overall situation, it was really difficult for a strong man to take this risk.

Ma Yishan, who served as a guard, was also surprised, if Fang Yuan had three long and two short, it would be his dereliction of duty. After the liquidation of responsibility, he still escaped accountability?

Ma Yishan hurriedly said, "Regent, the body of ten thousand gold, you must not go up the mountain to adventure!" I immediately went up the mountain and brought Emperor Chongzhen down to meet him. ”

Jin Yiwei rushed up the mountain like this, the consequences are unpredictable, not to mention that the princess is still on the mountain, if there are three long and two short, then it will be fine?

Fang Yuan hurriedly stopped him and asked Cao Huachun, "Ah Weng, is the princess also being taken hostage on the mountain?!" ”

Whether Chongzhen took the princess as a hostage or not was the most taboo thing for Fang Yuan. If Chongzhen even detains his daughter and wants to blackmail Fang Yuan, the two sides will have family affection at all, and there is no room for negotiation, Fang Yuan can only consider storming the coal mountain.

Cao Huachun sighed and said, "Fang Yuan, the old man vouched for his life, the princess was not taken hostage, she voluntarily went up the mountain with His Majesty. The princess also wants to see if you really don't have the intention of usurping the throne and killing the king. ”

Fang Yuan was silent when she heard this, this dead girl was clearly worried that Fang Yuan would kill the monarch and her father, and she was using herself as a bargaining chip to ask Fang Yuan to treat her father and mother well.

Cao Huachun persuaded again, "Fang Yuan, Your Majesty also grew up under my watch, he has a strong sense of self-esteem and competitiveness. The Ming Dynasty was completely dead in his hands, and he felt that he had no face to see the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty again. He is not willing to bow to your son-in-law, and he is not willing to live on the mercy of others. ”

"Fang Yuan, if you want to prove that you are a loyal minister, not a chaotic minister and a thief, you should go with me to face the saint. To go or not to go, the choice is yours! ”

Ma Yishan knelt in front of Fang Yuan, pulled the corner of his clothes and said, "Regent, you can't go alone!" ”

Fang Yuan hesitated for a moment, but nodded heavily, "Okay, I'll go and meet Your Majesty alone!" Lao Ma, you go back and give an order to the third child, if I don't come back, immediately support the cube and inherit the throne of regent! ”