Emperor Chongzhen looked at Wei Zhongxian, who looked respectful in front of him, and said angrily: "This world is still my world, where can I easily let these scholars make decisions for me, Wei Daban, you don't need to panic, and don't say anything about resignation, I am in charge of everything, and I am free to worry about the affairs of the factory guard." ”

"The emperor is sage, with the emperor taking care of him like this, the old slave is much more down-to-earth, since the emperor trusts the old slave so much, then the old slave will do his best for a few more years to do a good job for the emperor."

"Okay, Dayou, let's step back first."

"The old slave retired." After saying that, Wei Zhongxian knelt down and kowtowed again, and slowly withdrew from the imperial study.

In the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies.

Chongzhen was discussing things with his cheap father-in-law, Zhou Kui, the governor of the right army, and his two cheap brothers-in-law, Zhou Wenbing, deputy commanders of the Soldiers and Horses Division, and Zhou Wenyao, leaving Wang Chengen alone to wait.

"Guozhang, two uncles, you are the closest people to me now, do you think I can fully trust you?" Emperor Chongzhen said faintly. After speaking, he turned around and stood sideways, looking at a picture of a tiger in front of the hall with his hands behind his back, leaving only a back for the Zhou family's father and son.

The father and son of the Zhou family glanced at each other, and after being frightened, they all knelt on the ground, and said in unison: "Weichen is panicked. ”

For this Zhou Kui's temperament, Emperor Chongzhen has long been familiar with it, it can be said that it is really a wonderful flower at the end of the Ming Dynasty. But Zhou Kui as the abbot but extremely stingy, rat eyes, a dime, in another time and space, when the Dashun army came to the city, Emperor Chongzhen ordered all the ministers and officials in the court to donate silver to help the salary, Zhou Kui did not pay a penny, or the queen sold the jewelry to donate in the name of the abbot, and even more absolutely, he also deducted some before donating, until the fall of the Ming Dynasty, all the silver he had worked hard to accumulate was forcibly taken away by the Dashun regime. In the end, he died of anger and resentment. And the two brothers-in-law are not so familiar to him, but looking at the two of them facing fortitude and a righteous and awe-inspiring feeling, I think that I should not be affected by my father, and I feel a lot better.

"Guozhang, in fact, I know a little bit about your personality, including Dongchangli and Jinyiwei, who have already mastered a lot of evidence of your corruption and misdeeds, but do you know why you are not prosecuted?"

Zhou Kui knelt on the ground, cold sweat flowed, his body trembled involuntarily, and he was cowardly speechless. The atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to zero, so quiet that you could hear even a pin on the ground.

"It's all because you gave birth to a good daughter, otherwise, you would have been in prison a long time ago." Chongzhen said sharply.

Zhou Kui saw that the matter had come to this point, and it was useless to blindly resist death and refuse to admit it, so he resolutely softened and said: "Your Majesty, Weichen is guilty, I hope Your Majesty will be gracious." ”

The two sons also pleaded together, kneeling on the ground and begging for Chongzhen's forgiveness. "So far, I can only give you two ways, one I give you some wealth, tomorrow you write to resign from the post of the governor of the right army, and return to Suzhou to retire; The second is to give up your existing greedy and stingy heart, and serve me well, I will give you a splash of wealth, enough for your Zhou family to eat inexhaustibly. After Chongzhen finished speaking, he looked at Zhou Kui quietly, waiting for his choice.

Zhou Kui's blood was swelling at this time, and he saw that his face was red, his eyebrows were twisted into pimples, his lips trembled slightly, and even the green tendons on his arms could be seen clearly. The two sons of the Zhou family have begun to be overjoyed, and they are looking at their father with hope, this is an opportunity given by His Majesty; If it weren't for the scruples of losing his manners, both of them would have to choose directly for their father.

After a long time, Zhou Kui said slowly: "Your Majesty, the minister chooses the second one, and the whole family of Weichen is willing to go to the soup for Your Majesty." ”

It seems that he had expected Zhou Kui's choice for a long time, and Chongzhen said calmly: "Very good, Wang Daban, communicate with the national uncle and the two uncles about what you want to do!" ”

The words were divided into two ends, here Wei Zhongxian returned to the house, quickly found Ni Wenhuan, and said: "Today I asked Your Majesty to resign, Your Majesty directly did not allow it, and comforted me, but before I could ask Cui Chengxiu about the situation, Your Majesty let me retreat." ”

Ni Wenhuan touched the long beard under his chin and thought about it, and said thoughtfully: "Father-in-law, this matter has been delayed, and with His Majesty's wisdom, he will never dismiss the factory guards. ”

"That's very good."

Shanxi, Dai County.

In the school, a master in his thirties was teaching the children to read, and the children read along with the master:

"Qin Shi Mingyue Han Shi Guan,

The Long March has not yet been returned.

But to make the dragon city fly in,

Don't teach Humadu Yinshan".

After reading at this time, the master couldn't help but look out of the school, couldn't help but sigh, and said to the children: "Children, in the future, you must be a good man who is loyal to the country and do more good deeds for the people." Before the words fell, a servant-like person rushed into the school, and the master's face was pale: "What happened, what kind of system is it to panic like this." ”

The servant said happily: "Master, someone from the capital has sent a message, let you go as soon as possible." ”

The master followed the servant to the house, and saw a man sitting in front of the hall, in his early twenties, with sword eyebrows and starry eyes, a square face with a wide forehead, a high nose, wearing a brocade robe, and soap boots.

The master took a step forward and arched his hand: "In the lower grandson court, I don't know Your Excellency?" ”

I saw the man in front of the hall stand up and said, "Lord Sun, I am here by the emperor's order to announce His Majesty's command." ”

When Sun Chuanting and his servant heard this, they both knelt down and listened to the hadith.

"Your Majesty's dictation, Xuansun Chuanting will enter Beijing as soon as possible, and there must be no mistakes, please do this."

"The grass people obey." (At this time, Sun Chuanting abandoned his official position and returned to his hometown, so he called himself a grass citizen.) ）

At the same time, Sun Chengzong of Baoding and Yuan Chonghuan, who resigned and retired in Guangzhou, also received the holy decree, and several famous generals in the late Ming Dynasty began a new journey.

In the imperial study, Chongzhen is summoning the Jinyi Guard to command Tian Ergeng, and the Jinyi Guard 100 households Luo Yangxing (this word itself should be the one next to the vertical heart, and the back is replaced by Xing. and Luo Yangxing's father, the former commander of Jinyiwei, Luo Sigong.

Chongzhen asked directly: "Tian Ergeng, how do you think you are in charge of the Jinyi Guard than your predecessor, Lord Luo?" ”

"Lord Luo is a model for my generation, and he has achieved remarkable results during his time in charge of Jinyiwei, and he is not as good as him."

Tian Ergeng thought for a moment and said cautiously.

"That's not what I'm talking about, I'm trying to say that you're not capable enough or are you not loyal enough?"

After speaking, he waved his robe sleeves, his eyes were like electricity, and he stared straight at Tian Ergeng.