In the feudal era, the early dynasty was a place for the emperor and his ministers to discuss state affairs, and it was a very important meeting, but at the same time, it was also a very hard thing, especially in the Ming Dynasty, it was a drudgery to be a Beijing official who was qualified to participate in the early dynasty.

The ministers who participated in the early dynasty had to get up at midnight and travel halfway through the capital to the noon gate. At three o'clock in the morning, the minister will arrive outside the noon gate and wait for the door to open. At five o'clock in the morning, the palace gate opened, and the officials had to line up to enter the palace, and after crossing the Jinshui Bridge, they began to line up in the square like a schoolboy in later generations, and they were not allowed to cough, talk, or spit in the process of queuing.

In the main hall of the Taihe Palace, Zhu Youzhen sat on the dragon chair in the middle and watched the ministers rush in, his face was a little unhappy. As the monarch of a country, he naturally knew what happened in Daqianmen yesterday, and when Jinyiwei commanded Luo Yangxing to report the tragedy that happened in Daqianmen, Rao is Chongzhen has been on the throne for ten years, and he thinks that his ability to bear it is strong enough, but he is also dumbfounded. But after being stunned, Chongzhen was even more angry, there was such a large-scale battle at the feet of the Son of Heaven, and more than 100 people died, which can already be called the largest public security case in the capital since the middle of the Ming Dynasty and go down in history.

Looking at the ministers lined up below, Zhu Youzhen knew that there must be a lively scene in today's morning. Sure enough, when the ministers shouted long live, a eunuch with a loud voice shouted: "You Aiqing have a good morning and no book to retreat!" ”

As soon as the eunuch's words fell, someone immediately stood up, and the status of this person who stood up was not low, this person was Shang Zhou, who had just replaced Tang Shiji as the imperial history of the left capital.

This Shang Zhou fraud can serve as the imperial history of the left capital is not because of how upright he is, after all, the ministers who can be called upright during the Chongzhen period are basically extinct, in fact, the reason why Shang Zhou can be the imperial history of the left capital is because he has a good relationship with some people.

Shang Zhou was tall, lanky, with a goatee on his chin. The thin face sets off his eyes even more slender, and the whole person gives people a gloomy image.

I saw Shang Zhoujiao stand up and make a gesture to Zhu Youzhen, and then stood up straight, with an angry look on his face, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the ministers have heard that the Holy Son of Heaven rules the world with benevolence and filial piety, and wants to make the world know that the Son of Heaven is famous." But just yesterday, someone openly slaughtered more than 100 soldiers in the Beijing camp in the downtown area, this kind of evil behavior is really outrageous, but what surprised the ministers and others was that Shuntian Mansion Yin did nothing about this matter, and openly allowed the murderous thieves to go unpunished. The minister respectfully asked the emperor to order the capture of this thief and behead him to show the public the law of the country. ”

At this time, Zhu Youzhen was not the angry teenager when he first ascended the throne. The emperor for many years now let him have a considerable city government, looking at Shang Zhou's fraud with a sad and indignant look on his face, Zhu Youzhen asked quietly: "Shang Aiqing, who are the thieves you are talking about?" ”

"Your Majesty, this person is none other than Tang Hu, who is the self-proclaimed deputy director of Shanxi's financial department!" Shang Zhou's voice was full of grief when he replied, as if this man named Tang Hu had done something inferior to his family's female dependent.

Looking at the funeral-like Shang Zhou scam below, Zhu Youzhen was like looking at a clown who was performing hard, and the corners of his mouth showed a hint of sneer, and he continued to ask: "Has Shang Aiqing found out the cause of the incident?" ”

Shang Zhou's face was sad and indignant and replied: "Back to the emperor, the matter has been clarified. When Zhu Chunchen, the Duke of Chengguo, led the soldiers of the Beijing camp to pass by the front gate. Suddenly attacked by a group of gangsters led by Tang Hu, and this gangster actually used firearms, such a heartbreaking act in broad daylight is really rare in the Ming Dynasty for hundreds of years, and the minister thought that without further ado, please ask the emperor to quickly order the arrest of this fang! "Finished. Shang Zhouluo knelt on the ground and couldn't afford to kneel.

Seeing Shang Zhou kneeling, a group of officials standing next to him also knelt down and said in unison: "Please ask the emperor to quickly issue an order to arrest this fang!" ”

Seeing the ministers kneeling on the ground, Zhu Youzhen took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and said, "Since love is all the same." Then I ordered someone to bring the Tang Hu and Chengguo Gong to the palace, and I wanted to personally inquire about the matter. ”

As soon as Chongzhen's words came out, a fast-talking imperial historian immediately said: "Your Majesty...... Why should such a thief be interrogated? Wouldn't it be better to immediately arrest him and hand him over to the three divisions for interrogation, and then dispose of it? ”

As soon as the words of this imperial historian came out, Shang Zhou knew that the matter was smashed by this idiot, and the emperor wanted to interrogate Tang Hu, but you didn't let him, isn't it obvious that there are no three hundred taels of silver here?

The fast-talking Goshi also realized his stupidity, and felt the knife-like gaze around him, and he almost shoved his head into the crotch of his pants. Then, a cold voice sounded in the main hall: "I said, bring that Tang Hu and Chengguo Gong to the palace!" ”

"Obey the order!"

This time, no one dared to say more, and soon the samurai in front of the palace took the order. Emperor Lao Tzu wanted to see a person, and the efficiency was naturally very fast, and half an hour later, Tang Hu and Zhu Chunchen were brought to the main hall.

The two of them knelt down in front of the main hall: "Tang Hu, deputy director of the Shanxi Finance Department (Zhu Chunchen, Duke of Chengguo), knock to see my emperor, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" ”

Looking at the two people of different shapes in front of him, Chongzhen took a deep breath and asked, "Tang Hu!" I really heard that you led the crowd to slaughter hundreds of soldiers in the Beijing camp yesterday, is this true? ”

"Your Majesty, it's true!" Tang Hu admitted it very shamefully.

Chongzhen continued to ask, "Then why did you refuse to admit this matter when Shuntian Mansion Yin went to inquire yesterday?" ”

Tang Hu replied: "Because if the minister admits it, he will inevitably be taken away by the Shuntian Mansion, and the minister's life will not be guaranteed at that time!" ”

"Hey ......"

Including Chongzhen, the ministers in the main hall were all amused by Tang Hu's answer, this guy is too honest.

It's just that after being angry, a wave of anger surged up in Chongzhen's heart, and he sneered: "Then you told me the truth today because I didn't dare to kill you." ”

Tang Hu, who was kneeling on the ground, turned his head and glanced at Zhu Chunchen beside him, this guy was staring at Tang Hu at the moment, with hatred in his eyes, that is, this guy next to him almost beat himself to death on the street yesterday, if this hatred does not protect his face in the mansion, he will lose his face.

Feeling the resentment in Zhu Chunchen's eyes, Tang Hu didn't care, but said nonchalantly: "Wechen may die if he comes here today, but even if Wechen wants to die, he will complain to the emperor about this Chengguo Duke Zhu Chunchen Zhu." Weichen sells grain in the capital and sells it well. But this Chengguo Gong first sent people to forcibly buy the grain in the hands of Weichen at a low price, and after being rejected by the minister, on the opening day of the minister's rice shop, he actually instructed hundreds of Beijing camp soldiers to seize Weichen's rice shop, and after being beaten out by Weichen, Chengguo Gong was annoyed and ashamed and angry, and personally led more than 1,000 soldiers to seek revenge, and ordered a counterattack as a last resort to protect himself, killing and wounding hundreds of Beijing camp soldiers. ”

"Cheng Guogong, is this the case?" Zhu Youzhen's voice was as cold as his expressionless face.

"Your Majesty...... This...... This ......" The cold sweat on Zhu Chunchen's forehead fell, and he wanted to deny it. But he also knew that some things could be clarified by sending someone to inquire a little, and it was useless to deny it.

Chongzhen said expressionlessly: "What...... Don't you dare to admit it? ”

"Minister...... The sin deserves death! Zhu Chunchen could only say this now, but then he gritted his teeth and said: "Your Majesty, even if the minister is at fault, but this Tang Hu privately raised dead soldiers and openly killed the soldiers of the Beijing camp. ”

Although things have come to this point. But Zhu Chunchen is not too worried, he is a noble relative who lives with the country, and the emperor will not punish too much because of this, but this Tang Hu. He brazenly killed more than 100 soldiers of the Beijing camp, which must have been put to death, otherwise it was not enough to appease his anger.

"Rebellion?" The corners of Chongzhen's mouth showed a faint sneer: "Zhu Chunchen, you said that Tang Hu killed the soldiers of the Beijing camp and conspired to rebel." But you privately led the soldiers of the Beijing camp out of the barracks, do you have my holy decree or the official document of the military department? Do you know the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, but anyone who mobilizes more than 50 soldiers in the Beijing camp must have a holy decree or an order from the military department. Otherwise, it is also a conspiracy. ”

"This ......" Zhu Chunchen was dumb all of a sudden, Daming has this ancestral system, but this is all about the Year of the Monkey and the month of the horse, who still remembers it, scratching his ears and thinking for a while before he stammered and said: "Your Majesty...... Minister...... The minister admitted that he was impulsive, but the minister just wanted to reason with Tang Go, and he didn't think about killing people. But this Tang Hu brazenly used firearms to kill more than 100 soldiers in the Beijing camp, shouldn't he be punished? ”

When Tang Hu on the side heard this, he was almost angry, and sneered angrily: "Chengguo Gong is really amazing, it is an impulse to join the ancestral system to you, and when I get to me, I deserve to die, is it possible that the law of the Ming Dynasty is opened for your family?" ”

Seeing the two people arguing with each other in the main hall, most of the officials led by Yang Sichang did not make a sound, but looked at their toes, as if a flower suddenly grew under their feet. Only more than a dozen speech officials and imperial historians led by Shang Zhou Fraud were still speaking for Zhu Chunchen.

"Your Majesty, Chengguo Gong is an unintentional mistake, but that Tang Hu is openly killing people in public, and the two are not the same."

"Your Majesty...... Tang Hu's crime is extremely evil, and he should be executed according to the crime, at least he must be beheaded! ”

Seeing a group of people firing at Tang Hu with a strong attitude, Chongzhen asked Tang Hu who was kneeling on the ground, "Tang Hu, what else do you have to say?" ”

"The minister has nothing to say, the minister just sighed that it is also a heinous crime, and it will become so different in the mouth of these imperial historians who have read the sage book, one is an unintentional mistake and the other is a crime that should be Ling Chi, which reminds the minister of a sentence that he once heard when he was in Shanxi, and the minister did not think so, until today the minister was amazed at how incisive the words of the marquis of Yue were."

"Oh...... What words? "Now not only Chongzhen, but even the ministers in the palace are a little curious, they all want to hear what this world-famous loyal and brave marquis has to say.

Tang Hu's eyes looked around at the surrounding ministers and Chongzhen and said, "Your Majesty...... Can Rong Chen stand up and reply? ”

Chongzhen nodded: "Yes...... Get up and talk back! ”

Tang Hu stood up happily, patted the dust on his body, and re-turned his gaze to the imperial historians on the side, showing a trace of disdain on his face, and then said: "Your Majesty, Marquis Yue once said. Everyone in the world thinks that bitches are the most shameless, but they don't know that there is another kind of people who are dirtier than bitches, those people are sanctimonious on the surface, and they are all day long, but in fact, they are male thieves and prostitutes, they openly steal above the court, accusing this and insulting that all day long. But if you cut open their stomachs, you will find that their hearts are actually black, and this kind of person is the dirtiest person in the world. After all, the is just covered in dust, but this kind of person is dripping blood and filth from the inside out. ”

As soon as Tang Hu said this, the whole hall was silent, and the faces of all the officials were not good, and Tang Hu's words were equivalent to scolding everyone present.

Shang Zhouluo jumped up first, stretched out his fingers and scolded almost frantically: "Tang Hu...... You are so bold, now that all the princes of the Manchu Dynasty are here, you dare to ...... How dare you slander our civil and military officials? ”

Tang Hu gently brushed Shang Zhou's fingers away. sneered: "This lord, please be cautious, how could the lower official say that this is about the princes of the Manchu Dynasty, why are you so eager to jump out, are you that kind of person?" ”

"You...... You ......"

Shang Zhou's hand trembled uncontrollably, his face suddenly turned purple, and he had the posture of falling to the ground immediately when he couldn't catch his breath, and the two imperial historians on the side hurriedly stepped forward to support him when they saw this. And the faces of the Manchu officials were not very good-looking, and Tang Hu's words were too poisonous. Are you trying to fire a map cannon to isolate yourself from the people?

Seeing this, even Chongzhen, who was the emperor, had to admire Tang Hu's courage. This guy's courage didn't change at that time, if you say this, you are not afraid that the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty will tear it and eat you raw, even Chongzhen does not dare to abuse the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty so blatantly. You can't let Tang Hu scold like this anymore, otherwise the dignified court meeting will become a vegetable market where shrews scold the street.

"Enough!" Chongzhen interrupted this senseless insult with his words, and he stared at Tang Hu and said in a deep voice: "Tang Hu, although I also think that what you said does have some truth. But that's not a reason for you to kill innocents, so I have to deal with you! Speaking of this, Chongzhen stared at Tang Hu's face. I hope you can see the panic on his face.

Tang Hu still said with an unchanged face: "The minister has been prepared for a long time, and the minister expected it before entering the palace." ”

Chongzhen asked curiously, "Oh...... Aren't you afraid of death? You must know that openly killing people in the capital is a capital crime. ”

"The minister will not die!" There was a hint of affirmation in Tang Go's words.

"Are you saying I won't dare to kill you?" At this time, Chongzhen's face began to turn cold, although he had already made a decision in his heart, this Tang Hu had to be killed, after all, the public killing of officers and soldiers on the street had too bad an impact, but hearing Tang Hu actually say that he would not die, this also made Chongzhen's heart surge. It is not an exaggeration to say that Chongzhen is not a good temper, and it is never an exaggeration to describe him as impatient and impatient, and any emperor who hears a courtier openly say in front of him that he does not dare to kill him, I am afraid that he will also be killed.

Looking at the killing intent in Chongzhen's eyes, Tang Hu just said lightly: "Before Weichen came, Marquis Yue had instructed Weichen, if someone in the capital dared to openly harm Weichen, then Marquis Yue would order to stop paying taxes to the imperial court, and a grain of silver and rice would not flow into the capital!" ”

Quiescence...... There was a deathly silence in the hall......

Chongzhen's face turned pale, and the hands on the armrests began to tremble slightly, this sentence was too insulting for him, a courtier actually openly threatened the emperor in front of the Manchu Dynasty's civil and military forces, what is the nature of this, I am afraid that it is extremely rare in all dynasties, right?

"Traitor...... How dare you...... Dare to openly threaten the emperor, what a crime! A voice suddenly rang out.

Tang Hu turned his head to see that it was Yang Sichang who spoke. I saw that the head of the court was also so angry that his hair was open, and he glared at him angrily, looking like he was going to eat people.

"Elder Yang Ge, it turned out to be you." Tang Hu sneered: "Yang Ge Lao was a lobbyist a few days ago, do you want to accuse the lower officials today?" ”

"You...... No matter how you say that you are also a courtier of the Ming Dynasty, and you eat the emperor's money, how can you say such a rebellious thing, you ...... Aren't you afraid of being punished by the Nine Clans? "Yang Sichang is really angry, he dares to threaten the emperor in the court, this courage is really too big to change.

"Old Yang Ge, you are mistaken." Tang Hu said very sincerely: "The title of Xiaguan, the deputy director of the Shanxi Finance Department, was not given by the imperial court, and the imperial court did not have this official position, and the Xiaguan's Yulu was also issued by the Marquis of Yue, but now the emperor is going to take off the head of the lower official for the sake of a thief, do you say that the lower official should not say a few words?" ”

As soon as Tang Hu's words came out, everyone was dumbfounded. Only then did they remember that this Tang Hu really didn't seem to have an official position in the imperial court, and now all the officials in Shanxi were paid out of Yueyang's own pocket, strictly speaking, the imperial court no longer had any binding force on them except for their superficial reputation.

Looking at the silent crowd, Tang Hu said seriously: "What the official said is true, if the court beheads the official today, then from today on, Shanxi will not pay any taxes to the court, and Marquis Yue will avenge the official afterwards, this is what Marquis Yue said." ”

Tang Hu's words are already naked coercion, and there is another meaning in his words, whoever dares to move me will have to bear Yueyang's revenge, now do you dare to touch me? (To be continued......)