Zhu Gaoxian stands under the Anding Gate, this gate is one of the nine gates of Beijing, the gate of the army to return to the army for the victory of the army, there are eight gates in the nine gates of Beijing to build the Guandi Temple in the urn city, only the Zhenwu Temple is built in the Anding Gate, which is unique among the gates.

He felt very strange, for some reason, he was triumphant today, and there was no group of ministers outside the city gate to greet him.

Although Zhu Gaoxian is not interested in these greetings, he can not be interested, but the ministers can't not be unwelcomed, and he has always been.

However, today, he felt that the city of Beijing was exceptionally cold, and it was clear that the heat of April was hot, but it was like a cold wind blowing in his face, which made people shudder.

Zhu Gaoxian beckoned, and Lu Chaoyang hurriedly walked over: "What does Your Highness have to order?" ”

"You go and ask Jinyiwei to inquire, what happened in the capital division in the past few days when we went to the southwest."

Zhu Gaoxian frowned and said, "I always feel that something is not right." ”

He thought to himself, could it be that the old man knew that he had bribed the guards of the Nine Gates and changed his guard without permission, and planned to settle with him?

Zhu Gaoxian felt like Liu Bang at the Hongmen banquet, and Zhu Di was Xiang Yu who was sitting in the hall with a golden knife in Malaysia.

……

The East Palace is still the same as always, when Zhu Gaoxian came back, the virtuous princess Zhang Yingzhen was very distressed, and for the husband who returned from the expedition, she had already boiled hot water to bathe him, and after sweeping away the appearance of the wind and dust, the family of four sat at the dining table and had a reunion dinner.

The girl of his family, Zhu Yingjing, the county lord of Jiayin, is still so stubborn, babbling and babbling, and looks energetic. As for the eldest son, the two countries, born intelligent, delicate, quite popular with the old man, like a delicate porcelain doll, after Zhu Gaoxian was crowned the crown prince, the status of the two countries rose sharply, I heard that the old man planned to add him as the imperial grandson when he was one year old.

After the reunion dinner, the crown princess coaxed the child to sleep, while Zhu Gaoxian went to the study instead, ready to deal with the music documents that he had not taken care of these days.

At this time, Lu Chaoyang, who had returned from the southwest together, came to see him non-stop, and said with a heavy face: "Your Highness, the minister asked in the yamen of Jinyiwei, you are like a god, Beijing City has indeed undergone great changes these days. ”

"What's going on?"

"Your Majesty has set up a new yamen, just north of Dong'anmen in the palace, called Dongjishi Factory, referred to as Dongchang, and the internal personnel are all eunuchs. Without the approval of the Criminal Department and Dali Temple, the people of Dongchang can supervise the arrest of their subjects at will. Dongchang has shifts in various yamen, monitoring all the officials in the DPRK and China, and even there are people from Dongchang in Jinyiwei. ”

Lu Chaoyang said solemnly, "In just a few days after the establishment of Dongchang, dozens of officials in Beijing have been arrested, and they have been convicted and sentenced. ”

Compared with Dongchang's taboo-free behavior, Jinyiwei is simply the same as Kaishantang. ”

Zhu Gaoxian was silent, he never expected that he would go out to fight for a few months, and the old man would give him such a "surprise".

In the notorious East Factory in later generations, it is simply not too familiar.

In the late Ming Dynasty, Jinyiwei and the east and west factories were juxtaposed, and the activities were strengthened, and they were often collectively called "factory guards". Dongchang's power was above Jinyiwei, and he was only responsible to the emperor, and without the approval of the judicial organs, he could supervise the arrest of his subjects at will, thus opening the end of the eunuch interference in the Ming Dynasty.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor became a mascot that was set aside, and in order to recover the imperial power, Zhu Youxiao of Ming Xizong moved out a famous eunuch such as Wei Zhongxian as the governor of Dongchang, pushing the eunuch dictatorship from ancient times to the point of reaching the peak.

Wei Zhongxian also dared to think and dare to do, and formed an army of eunuchs armed with 10,000 people as wings; The officials of the Luoqi, Chu and Zhejiang parties were accepted as righteous pawns, and they were called eunuchs. Among the civil officials, there are "five tigers" such as Cui Chengxiu, and military generals such as Tian Ergeng and other "five biao", as well as "ten children" and "forty grandchildren".

Criticize the red with his pen, master the government and politics, from the first assistant to the hundred bureaucrats, he was arbitrarily promoted and slashed; He held military power, and could appoint and dismiss governors and ministers at will; He also held the economic power, sending his cronies to the eunuch Governor Jingshi and Tongzhou Warehouse, the Governor Cao Canal Road, and the tax supervisor to search for people's wealth everywhere, and all the internal and external power was held by Wei Zhongxian.

This father-in-law of Wei went out to fight like an emperor, and everywhere he passed, the scholars and doctors knelt on the side of the road and shouted that Wei Zhongxian was nine thousand years old. The eunuchs and officials also competed to build a shrine for him in various places, a shrine cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, after the ancestral hall was completed, the local officials wanted to enjoy the spring and autumn sacrifices, and the officials and the people who did not worship the shrine were all condemned to death.

Zhu Gaoxian thought that after having himself, the old man should not engage in these tricks again, but he didn't think that he was only out for a few months, and the old man would clean up the East Factory.

Lu Chaoyang asked: "Your Highness, this Dongchang is arrogant, do you need the minister to let the Jinyi guard go and beat one or two?" ”

is also a spy leader, Lu Chaoyang feels that there should be no problem for him, a highly qualified spy leader, to suppress an East Factory.

He didn't know that His Majesty the Emperor trusted eunuchs more than ministers with foreign surnames.

In later generations, Dongchang was even more above Jinyiwei and became the largest spy group in the Ming Empire, and the commander of Jinyiwei was just the godson of Gonggong Wei.

"No need, you don't have to worry about the affairs of the East Factory."

Zhu Gaoxian rubbed his eyebrows, a little irritable, "The East Factory is newly set up for the old man, you are beating now, just don't give the old man face, he can make you better?" What's more, the old man also arranged for the East Factory to sit in the yamen of Jinyiwei, which is to tell you Lao Lu clearly and not let you point fingers in this matter. ”

Lu Chaoyang resolutely said: "Lao Lu's life, given by His Royal Highness, the minister can have today, thanks to His Royal Highness's trust and support, as long as Your Highness says a word, the minister is willing to sacrifice his life to die, and the minister will take all the blame on the minister alone, and it will never involve the East Palace!" ”

He wasn't bragging, he really dared to play with his life!

Zhu Gaoxian had no doubt, as long as he said, "Oh, this palace thinks that these rootless rats in Dongchang are a bit floating", Lu Chaoyang will go out with a knife on the spot, and kill Dongchang with Jinyi Wei to the point of blood!

Lu Chaoyang was neither loyal to the Ming Dynasty nor to the Zhu family, he was only loyal to Zhu Gaoxian.

This brother is not afraid at all, let alone a mere Dongchang, even if Zhu Gaoxian asks him to assassinate the emperor, Lu Chaoyang will not be afraid at all!

Zhu Gaoxian said helplessly: "You are the most effective cadre under me, I regard you as a brother and brother, this kind of thing will not be mentioned again in the future, as long as I am still here, no one can take your life." ”

An east factory, it's not worth letting Lu Chaoyang take the risk.

What's more, the East Factory, which has just started and has a weak power, is not as good as the deep-rooted Jinyiwei even if there are two more, and the Dongchang has the support of the emperor behind it, but the Jinyiwei also has the support of the East Palace.

As the saying goes, "county officials are not as good as the current ones", a newly established spy agency with the support of a semi-retired emperor is far inferior to the old spy agency supported by the crown prince who is in the ascendant of the day.

Zhu Gaoxian thought about it: "I'll go to the old man in person, I have to ask the matter clearly." ”

……

Tang Cheng respectfully presented a list to the emperor with both hands: "Your Majesty, Dongchang has just been seized, and the former official Zuo Shilang is suspected of colluding with a corruption case, and the property involved is equivalent to more than 600,000 taels, involving a total of 49 officials who are more than seven grades. ”

Zhu Di took the list and asked with some doubts: "Such a big case, you solved it in three or two days?" ”

Tang Chenghan said with a smile: "The East Factory is responsible for the investigation of the chief and the officer, the chief is also called the stall head, there are more than 100 people, there are 12 ugly elements, all wearing pointed hats, white leather boots, brown clothes, and small tapestry. The commander of each commander has several servants, and the servants are also called fans, all of whom are capable people carefully selected by slaves and maids. Dongchang is not only quite capable and reasonable in terms of staffing, but also extremely cautious in action, monitoring the officials of the various ministries of the DPRK and the central government to interrogate the prison and the Jinyi guards to torture criminals is called Dicta, and the people who visit the local government offices are called Zaji, and what measures a certain official takes, or a certain city gate catches a key criminal, and the officials record and report to Dongchang as a beating incident. ”

Therefore, the case handling of the East Factory is exceptionally smooth and logical, so the efficiency is also extremely high. ”

Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction: "Tang Cheng, you are still the most reassuring to me." ”

Tang Cheng said respectfully: "This is an errand given to the slave by His Majesty, and the slave and maid naturally have to put more effort into it, and it must be done properly." ”

Zhu Dilong's face stretched, and he couldn't help but be happy in his heart.

He asked, "Tang Cheng, what do you think of the East Factory set up by me compared to the prince's ghost ideas?" ”

Tang Cheng was embarrassed on the spot.

How did he feel that His Majesty the Emperor was complacent, and there was a feeling that a child was holding a clay figure he pinched to show off to adults?

Delusion, it must be an illusion!

Tang Cheng groaned: "The prince can be good at civil and martial arts, not only has the strategy of governing the country and the country, but also has the courage to expand the territory, he can be described as a hero among the people, a once-in-a-lifetime master, but ......"

He changed his words and said, "Although the son is like the father, after all, the father is better, and although the prince is wise, he is still slightly inferior to His Majesty." ”

Zhu Di laughed: "Tang Cheng, Tang Cheng, your mouth is really like smeared with honey, and every sentence pierces my heart." ”

Tang Cheng smiled and said, "The minister is just telling the truth." ”

His Majesty the Emperor smiled happily, and the guard general Fan Zhong came over to report: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asks to see you." ”

"Well, he's here at the right time, let him in."

"No."

Fan Zhong walked out of the main hall and bowed to Zhu Gaoxian outside the hall and said, "Your Highness, Your Majesty will let you in." ”

The crown prince walked straight into the main hall and saw the emperor beckoning to him: "Boy, come here." ”

Zhu Gaoxian, who originally had something to say, held back the words in his heart again, and honestly stepped forward and saluted: "Your Majesty, Holy Bow Jin'an." ”

Zhu Di smiled: "You did a good errand in the southwest, I have already heard about it, you say, what do you want me to reward you?" ”

Zhu Gaoxian immediately regained his hippie smiling face, and said: "Isn't it natural for my son to do things for his father, I have nothing else to ask for." ”

"Don't come to this set, what kind of urine do you little bandit have, don't I know?"

The emperor smiled and said, "If you have any demands, just tell me directly, I can tell you in advance, there is no such shop in this village, and if I mention it later, I will not admit it." ”

Zhu Gaoxian squeezed his eyebrows: "Since Your Majesty said so, then I won't ask for anything from my son, it's like not giving your father face." ”

"Come less, and I know you won't let go of this opportunity to gather wool."

Zhu Gaoxian laughed dryly twice and asked, "Dad, I heard that you have set up a new yamen north of Dong'anmen, what is it called...... East Editing Factory? ”

"Your ears are really smart, it's only been a while, and you'll find out."

Zhu Di brushed his beard and said, "Yes, I set up the East Factory to be another eyes and ears, to help me listen to the remarks of the government and the opposition, so as not to be blinded by some rebellious ministers and thieves." In addition, the East Factory also has the role of inspection. By the way, speaking of which, one day you will have the time to go to the East Factory for me, check for me, and see if there is any mistake in this yamen. ”

Donghua Gate is not a few steps from Qianqing Palace, if Zhu Di really wants to see Dongchang Yamen, he will go by himself. The reason why he said this was actually that he was proudly showing Zhu Gaoxian his fruitful results.

Zhu Gaoxian didn't answer, and asked instead: "Dad, don't we already have Jinyiwei, and set up another East Factory, doesn't it seem a little bloated?" ”

Zhu Di said without thinking: "It's different, the brocade clothes are located outside the palace, and the east factory is located in the palace, so it is more convenient to use the east factory." What's more, as long as the functions of Jinyiwei are still abroad, and the East Factory is in charge of China, the two do not clash with each other, but complement each other. ”

He paused and frowned slightly, "What, do you think it's inappropriate?" ”

"Erchen thinks it's ......"

Zhu Gaoxian didn't continue, but glanced at Tang Cheng beside Zhu Di.

What he is going to say next may not be very friendly to people without roots, and it would be fine if he said it in front of other eunuchs, but Tang Gong couldn't.

The old man understood and waved his hand to Tang Cheng: "Tang Cheng, you go down, we have something to talk about." ”

"The slave understands."

After Tang Cheng retired, Zhu Di said with a little doubt: "Okay, now there are just the two of us in the hall, you have something to say, what do you have to hide?" ”

Zhu Gaoxian said solemnly: "Dad, let me tell you the truth, I think the establishment of the East Factory is really unnecessary. ”

Zhu Di was silent for a while, but asked calmly, "What's wrong?" ”

In the face of doubt, he was not angry, because he knew that the other party was not the kind of person who had no purpose.

Zhu Gaoxian didn't come to dismantle the old man's platform on purpose, and said calmly: "Dad, what do you think, my son understands, but my son still has something to say." ”

Eunuchs, can be used, but not reused. ”

Dongchang is not Jinyiwei, if Jinyiwei is well trained, it is also a sharp blade, but no matter how Dongchang is trained, it will eventually cause a disaster and become a tumor that poisons the Ming Dynasty. ”

(End of chapter)