Chapter 158 Zhu Houzhao deliberately harmed the Minister of Industry
Shuntianfu Cheng committed suicide by taking poison?
Moreover, he committed suicide on the spot. How powerful is the person behind this, he can actually make a capital official commit suicide!
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but look at the ministers and ministers present, thinking that maybe only senior officials at this level could have such energy.
Now, Zhu Houzhao only looked at Xu Guangzuo, the Duke of Ding who came with him: "Now, do you believe it? It was not these craftsmen who killed Xu Yanqing. Are you an old fool! How dare you really think that these craftsmen would kill Xu Yanqing?" Kill your son! What kind of hatred can they have against your son?"
"Your Majesty! Kechen's son can't just die so mysteriously!" Xu Guangzuo, Duke of Dingguo, replied.
"Kill to pay for life! I will naturally ask people to investigate, not to mention he is the eldest son of your prince! However, I want you to answer me first, why do you suspect these craftsmen, who bewitched you! Or who instigated it? You! You deliberately want to use this matter to interfere with the court’s new policy! Answer me!”
When Zhu Houzhao said this, although his tone was very calm, it was filled with murderous intent. It scared Dingguo Duke Xu Guangzuo to tremble and crouch on the ground: "Your Majesty, please listen to my explanation. I just listened to what the people in the mansion said." , these craftsmen were all lawless after being released. Because they were dissatisfied with the imperial court, they retaliated against the high officials and dignitaries of the imperial court. In a moment of anger, I lost my mind, so I blamed the craftsmen’s disciples!”
Zhu Houzhao snorted:
"Pass an edict to ban the Duke Xu Guangzuo for three months! Allow him to mourn his son in the palace! In addition, hand over those few people in your palace who make irresponsible remarks on state affairs to Dongchang! They must be handed over before midnight today. Come! Otherwise, I will ask people from Dongchang to come and get it directly!”
"Yes! Thank you for your grace!"
Xu Guangzuo, the Duke of Dingguo, replied that he didn't care whether he was banned or not. He was afraid that Zhu Houzhao would really punish him for conspiracy to interfere in politics in anger, so he breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time he began to think about it in his heart. , who in the end is willing to kill his son to sow discord between nobles like himself and the emperor?
Zhu Houzhao looked at the body of Haiwu, the prime minister of Shuntian Prefecture, lying on the ground. He didn't know what to say for a moment, so he just asked the cabinet: "You guys tell me, how should we deal with this matter now? The murder of the imperial official and the death of Duke Dingguo." How to track down the murderer behind the murder of our eldest son! ”
"Your Majesty! There is no doubt that the crux lies with Shuntian Mansion. It was Shuntian Mansion that misled the court by lying about the murderer's information. Unfortunately, now that the Prime Minister of Shuntian Mansion has committed suicide, the case has become a headless case!
From my perspective, the person behind this matter is definitely not simple. This person is not only bold but also careful, and he has accurately calculated what the court will do. If we continue to pursue the investigation, I am afraid that more people will die, and even more and more people will die. Important people! ”
Ma Wensheng replied.
"Your Majesty, what Shoukui said is absolutely true. He used to be an official of the imperial court, but now he is the eldest son of the Duke. There is no guarantee that he will not be an important minister in the imperial court, or even endanger the Holy One!" Xu Jin also agreed.
"It's impossible not to investigate this matter! We can't let the people behind the scenes continue to be so rampant! I really don't believe that he can really change the world, unless Dongchang, Xichang, even Jinyiwei, Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division, Shuntian Mansion All the people in the capital are doing good things! District, dare to commit murders one after another. Are they laughing at me and the court for their incompetence? Are they laughing at me and the Ming court for not being able to find out the person behind the scenes? If we people can't even ensure the stability of a capital, how can we govern the world! ”
"This case must continue to be investigated! And it must be investigated in the shortest possible time, otherwise, people will be replaced in the East and West Factory, and the censor will be replaced! All officials at all levels in Shuntian Prefecture will be dismissed!"
Zhu Houzhao said this, and the pressure on Dongchang Admiral Ma Yongcheng became even greater. He gritted his teeth and said: "Your Majesty! The person who did this has been targeting the imperial court's ban on the craftsmanship system. Explain the interests of these people and this craftsman." The registration system has a lot to do with it. In this case, the minister requested that the officials from the Ministry of Industry and the Military War Bureau be arrested first! They will be found out after rigorous interrogation!"
"Your Majesty, you can't! There's no reason to seize people without proof," Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, hurriedly stopped him.
"Although there is no evidence, it is difficult for them to remove the suspicion of having nothing to do with this matter. They directly implicated the two murder cases with the craftsmanship system. This matter must be the work of officials from the Ministry of Industry and the Military War Bureau. Otherwise, who would dare to do something unrelated to this matter?" Move it!" Dongchang Admiral Ma Wensheng replied.
"I don't take people, but Dongchang does have the right to suspect others of suspected crimes. Therefore, I have made the decision. Now, we will first detain Ye Heng, the left minister of the Ministry of Industry, and Chi Zong, the young eunuch, into the Dongchang for interrogation, including other workers from the Ministry of Industry. Officer of the Hebingzhan Bureau Officer, if he is not guilty, he will be released, as long as no one is killed! The government can detain people without actual evidence of guilt and interrogate them first to determine their guilt or innocence, so can Dongchang! "
When Zhu Houzhao said this, Ma Wensheng had nothing to say.
At this time, Ma Yongcheng, the admiral of Dongchang, reminded again: "Your Majesty! Others are fine, but the Minister of Industry and Industry is sick. Does he need to be arrested?"
"Your Majesty! Since the minister of the Ministry of Industry claims to be ill, and he is an old minister, and he has never been involved in government affairs these days, he should treat it as having nothing to do with this matter. Can he not be detained? We will only ask him after he recovers?" Ma Wensheng couldn't help but plead for his old colleague Zeng Jian. Come.
"Okay!"
Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly, but only Ye Heng, the left minister of the Ministry of Industry, felt that he was wronged because he was not involved in this matter at all. He only cried: "Your Majesty! I am wronged! I really have nothing to do with this matter!"
Although Chi Zong, the young eunuch of the Military War Bureau, was a little frightened, he still cried out: "Your Majesty, spare my life! I am your slave, and I cannot do anything that goes against your will!"
Of course, no one is paying attention to them now, and Zhu Houzhao can't believe whether they are guilty or not.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao was still thinking about Xichang's recent report to Zeng Jian, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and wondered whether Zeng Jian was really not involved in this matter. On the surface, it seemed that in the system of the Ministry of Industry and the War Bureau, it was As an official, he could escape suspicion, but according to the news from the West Factory, Zeng Jian's behavior was very abnormal.
The more Zhu Houzhao thought about it, the more strange he felt. He believed that if he was the mastermind behind the scenes, he should have guessed that he, the emperor, would dare to directly infiltrate officials from the entire Ministry of Industry and the War Bureau into the East Factory Squadron, just like he had dared to directly Executing a large number of civil servants is the same as expelling a large number of gentry from their official titles in Jiangnan.
In that case, as the mastermind behind the scenes, he will definitely find a way to remove himself and become the person least likely to be involved in this matter. At this time, Zhu Houzhao suddenly remembered something and asked Liu Jin: "According to the scheduled arrangement, will I go to the Ordnance Bureau tomorrow, which is the original Ordnance Bureau, to check the inventory and the Ming Dynasty weapons manufacturing workshop?"
"Back to your lord, yes! The original plan was to ask the Minister of Industry to accompany you, but now officials from the Ministry of Industry and the War Bureau have been arrested in the East Factory, and Zeng Jian, the Minister of Industry, also claimed to be ill. It seems to take a while!”
Liu Jin replied.
"No need to delay! Weapons manufacturing is a major matter for the court, and it is also an important matter related to the recovery of the Loop. Since Zeng Jian, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, is the only one left in the Ministry of Industry, I have sent an order to Zeng Jian to accompany me to the Ordnance Bureau tomorrow!" Zhu Houzhao said.
"But Your Majesty, Zeng Jian is afraid that he is currently at home because he is ill," Ma Wensheng said.
"After so many days, it's time to get better. Besides, I also need the guidance of an old minister like him who has been in charge of the Ministry of Industry for a long time. Otherwise, I won't be able to see anything. Let the people from Jinyiwei go and invite them. If He was still sick, so I carried him to follow me. For the sake of him being an old minister, I allowed him to ride in the jade chariot like me! "
Zhu Houzhao said.
……
This time.
Zeng Jian, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, also learned about the situation outside from his confidants. After hearing that officials from the Ministry of Industry and the War Bureau were arrested and taken to the East Factory, he clenched his fists: "This Zhu Houzhao is really Dare to do it! It can be seen that the incompetence of civil servants such as Ma Wensheng is really embarrassing to us civil servants, and they cannot control the emperor!"
"They were all bribed by Your Majesty with money, and they were also praised by His Majesty's people as selfless and virtuous ministers. Naturally, they are just trying to flatter Your Majesty!" the confidant replied.
"Ignore them, since Zhu Houzhao still insists on pursuing the investigation, in order to prevent Chi Zong and others from betraying us under the severe torture in Dongchang, we have to commit regicide. Even at the risk of being executed by the Ten Clan, But I believe that most civil servants in the world are willing to see this. As long as we do everything perfectly, we are not afraid of anything happening. Is there any news from the palace? Will Zhu Houguang go to the Ordnance Bureau tomorrow? "
Zeng Jian, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, asked.
"I will go! Although we can't get any specific information, Luan Yisi has already started preparing for tomorrow's honor guard! The Jinyi soldiers below have also been notified of the news," the confidant replied.
"Are our gunpowder and igniters ready?"
Zeng Jian asked.
"Ready, we have let our dead soldiers sneak into Guangjiku. As long as Zhu Houzhao comes to the Ordnance Bureau, it will be enough to blow him up! Even if Liu Jin and other eunuchs and Ma Wensheng and other treacherous ministers go together, they will be blown up together. Die! You can just get rid of the traitor once and for all!”
The confidant replied.
"When the time comes, there will be no king in the court, and we will just choose an obedient vassal king to come to the capital!" Zeng Jian said with a smile.
At this time, there were rapid footsteps outside, and it was the voice of the Zeng family's butler: "Master, there are many royal guards outside, saying they are here to read out the decree!"
Zeng Jian heard the noise and hurriedly walked out of the secret room. Although he was a little confused, he still asked calmly on the surface: "Jin Yiwei? What are the Jin Yiwei doing here?"
"I don't know, we're almost coming in!" the housekeeper replied.
Zeng Jian nodded and screamed.
At this time, Guo Rong from Jin Yiwei came over: "I have a decree! Zeng Jian, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, will accompany me to inspect the Ordnance Bureau tomorrow!"
"What!"
Zeng Jian screamed instinctively, and his heart sank, thinking that there would be a big explosion at the Ordnance Bureau tomorrow, and if he followed it, he would be blown to pieces, so he hurriedly pretended to be in pain and said:
"Ouch! Ouch! Governor Guo, you see that I haven't recovered from my illness yet. Could you please allow me to continue to rest at home?"
"No! Your Majesty said, if your illness is not cured yet! I will carry you there! I will give you a jade chariot! We have to guard you here tonight, and we will carry you to see your Majesty tomorrow morning. Da Sikong, please rest well! Come and check Da Sikong’s pulse!”
Guo Rong said.
Immediately, the imperial doctor came over, and Zeng Jian, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, could only continue to scream in pain when he saw this. At the same time, he felt a little panicked in his heart, thinking about what to do. He just wanted to blow up the emperor, but there was no way. I want to blow myself up too! I still want to live a few more years and join the cabinet!
(End of chapter)