Chapter 140 At the critical moment of life and death, where is the humanity?
As soon as the morning court was over, Zhu Yuanzhang called the Zhu Gang brothers to Kunning Palace for questioning.

"Wang Guangyang has retired, and you two little bastards don't even bother to say hello to us?"

"And there's Li Jin, who is not even thirty years old yet has already been appointed as the Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat, and he is also our thorn in the side of the Secretariat."

"Aren't you afraid of causing trouble for Yang Xian?"

"As for this Five Military Commandery, I naturally understand the original intention of you two little bastards."

"This idea coincides with ours, which is to strengthen the imperial power and thus weaken external threats."

"But we didn't get any news beforehand. Isn't that a bit too much?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his two sons who didn't care at all and said unhappily.

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang was not angry, he was just a little unhappy.

After all, these two brats hardly ever discuss anything with him. No matter how big the event is, Zhu Yuanzhang only finds out about it afterwards.

Of course Mr. Zhu was not happy about that.

Moreover, Wang Guangyang was also one of the earliest counselors following Zhu Yuanzhang. Even if he was lazy and did nothing in his administration, he was still a talented person.

You just let people retire like this, isn't this a waste of talent?

That's why we have this drama of raising an army to hold someone accountable.

"Then why don't you return to the court to govern?"

Zhu Biao raised his head and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang.

On the one hand he wants to have a quiet life, and on the other hand he wants to interfere in government affairs, making the two brothers work in a thankless situation?

It would be better for you to come out and take charge of the situation yourself, and not let these two brothers cause trouble.

"Brother is right. I am about to get married and I haven't been back to Prince Jin's Mansion for many days."

"I don't care about the business outside now. I am only focused on managing the overall situation for you, old man."

"You, old man, called my brother and me over and scolded us. Who would be happy with that?"

Zhu Gang also looked at Zhu Yuanzhang unhappily.

"We're not scolding you, we just think you're being inconsiderate."

"Hu Weiyong is so smart. If we are not careful, this old fox will notice it."

"Especially Li Jin, who has been doing very well in the past few years and has even been promoted to the position of Minister of the Secretariat, a third-rank minister of the imperial court."

"Now he has become the Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat, and his power has reached the pinnacle."

"Look, don't forget that he is from the Jinyiwei after all. If he develops ambitions, there will be endless troubles, and the court will not be able to avoid it."

"After all, think about Yang Xian in the past. She stirred up trouble and played political games in the court."

"So you're not afraid that if you kill Hu Weiyong, another Hu Weiyong will appear?"

"There is also Wang Guangyang, an old fox, who also contributed a lot to our pacification of the world."

"We can understand why he did nothing in the Secretariat. It was simply because of the imbalance of power that made it impossible for him to do anything."

"What's more, once Wang Guangyang loses power, he will no longer be able to protect himself, and Hu Weiyong will definitely take action against him."

Zhu Yuanzhang freed his feet and kicked his two sons, still speaking in a bad mood.

Hu Weiyong is definitely a vindictive person, and Zhu Yuanzhang would not have misjudged him, not to mention that Wang Guangyang had offended Hu Weiyong today.

Given Hu Weiyong's temperament, if he doesn't kill Wang Guangyang, he doesn't deserve to be called Hu Weiyong.

"Old man, Wang Guangyang is afraid of death and submissive, but he is a great talent in the world. Of course I understand."

"But he is a dignified left prime minister, and his power is definitely not inferior to Hu Weiyong, so there is no trick in this?"

"Let alone a head-on confrontation, I have never even seen a single conspiracy or trick behind the scenes."

"Then even if you are soft-hearted and afraid of death, but someone has already shit on your kang, you are still indifferent?"

"This is enough to show that Wang Guangyang was not worthy of being used after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, or perhaps Hu Weiyong had something on him."

"So they didn't dare to confront Hu Weiyong head-on."

"As for why he was asked to retire, to put it bluntly, East Zhejiang is not a hard nut to crack. The promotion will definitely be completed by the beginning or middle of next year."

"Then we have to prepare for Hu Weiyong. We also have to prove some of the charges. Will Wang Guangyang be killed by Hu Weiyong?"

"Of course, the Imperial Guards will take action in secret to protect Wang Guangyang. This is also a secret."

Facing Zhu Yuanzhang's question, Zhu Gang naturally had a prepared response, so he raised his head and spoke.

"As for why Li Jin was allowed to take over as the Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat, it was because we hoped that this power turmoil would not cause any impact on the court."

"Then even if Hu Weiyong is moved and the Secretariat is abolished, the court can still operate in an orderly manner."

"After all, Li Jin is Hu Weiyong's man on the surface, but secretly he is our man."

"So this person is the most suitable person to be used as a knife to pierce the Secretariat."

"And with Hu Weiyong's arrogance, even if he thought too much, he would still regard it as a coincidence."

"Because the court has entrusted him with important tasks, it is even more necessary to use it to check and balance the gentry and the powerful, so even if there will be some action, it will not be a big one."

Zhu Biao also took over the conversation and spoke.

All of this design has been prepared from the very beginning.

The orderly transfer of power and the dismissal and appointment of the Secretariat.

From now on, everything will depend on the hands of one person in the court. As for Hu Weiyong's spies in the court, the court will have to spend a lot of effort to conceal it.

Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang had planted so many obstacles in the Secretariat that even if someone was not Hu Weiyong's man, he could be arranged in an idle position, which would not attract attention.

At a glance, the situation in the court was still as peaceful as before.

When Hu Weiyong's trip to eastern Zhejiang came to an end, the massive net targeting the Secretariat would be instantly closed, making it impossible for him to ever turn things around.

"It's really seamless."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was shocked, and then he spoke slowly.

Such a meticulous layout would not harm the Ming Dynasty in the slightest even if it caused Hu Weiyong's dying counterattack.

Because the most critical people are in eastern Zhejiang.

Li Wenzhong.

The meaning was obvious. To implement the tax distribution based on land and the unified tax payment for officials and gentry, the two needed sincere cooperation in order to implement it faster.

But at the same time, Li Wenzhong would also keep a close eye on Hu Weiyong to prevent him from colluding with the gentry and powerful people in eastern Zhejiang.

If there was any sign of movement, Li Wenzhong would arrest Hu Weiyong and continue to implement the tax system of equalizing land tax with that of officials and gentry.

In this way, Hu Weiyong's followers and the gentry and powerful people in eastern Zhejiang can be caught in one fell swoop.

"It's perfect in the first place. Otherwise, what's the point of setting up so many traps?"

Zhu Gang said softly.

But there was a hint of sarcasm in his words.

Hu Weiyong was no match at all, and he didn't even realize that he was in a game within a game.

It seems that Zhu Yuanzhang's sense of oppression was too strong, so Hu Weiyong dared not have any other thoughts.

He just wanted to take a step further in power, but this very step was enough to cost Hu Weiyong his life.

Being a marquis or a duke was just a flashy dream, or a dream woven by someone else. With such an opponent, Zhu Gang could no longer think of gambling.

After all, if they followed the general trend, it would be enough to crush Hu Weiyong, so why would they be gambling?
"So what do you want to do with Wang Guangyang?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and asked again.

"Leave him in the capital first and let the imperial physician examine him. Then let him recover according to his wishes."

"After all, if he stays in the capital, Hu Weiyong will be able to take better actions, and the court will be able to grasp the overall situation."

"Moreover, Wang Guangyang was a Jinshi in the late Yuan Dynasty. Although he gave up his official position in the Yuan Dynasty, he also served as an official in the Yuan Dynasty."

"So we need to interrogate Wang Guangyang to see whether he was involved in the death of Xiao Ming Wang."

Zhu Gang turned his head again, looked at Zhu Biao beside him and smiled.

"I will go to offer condolences."

Of course Zhu Biao understood what Zhu Gang meant, so he chuckled.

"Have you asked Liu Bowen's son?"

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang also pondered.

"The court has been busy lately, so I haven't asked yet."

"However, Hu Weiyong is about to leave Beijing, so it is time to call Liu Lian in for questioning."

"Even if he refuses to tell the truth, it doesn't matter. I am the best at controlling people's hearts. If he shows even the slightest sign, I can crush him to death and make him confess."

Zhu Gang leaned lazily in the chair and said.

"The imperial court cannot remain unstable forever. Hu Weiyong must be moved, and the case of the young Ming prince must be investigated. No one can be let off."

"No matter who is involved in this case, as long as they want to step on me to get to the top, I will never forgive them."

"There are still signs of an empty seal case. Since you have already noticed it, investigate it from beginning to end. Don't let any official involved in the case go."

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes before he nodded.

"Ah."

Zhu Gang and Zhu Biao looked at each other, then stood up together, bowed and said, "As you wish."

As for Fengyang at this time, many people were braving the wind and snow, looking at the blood on the execution platform, their words filled with cheers and indignation.

This damn Liu Qi deserves to be cut into pieces, it is not an exaggeration.

And Liu Jizu, relying on the little favor he had with the royal family, did all kinds of evil.

But Zhu Yuanzhang demoted him because of his kindness, otherwise he would have died today.

"Fellow villagers, if you have any charges or grievances, you can beat the drum to appeal, and the court will certainly make a decision for you."

"From the kings and nobles to the gentry and powerful, anyone who breaks the law will be severely punished by the court and will not be tolerated."

"There are many more compensations. Your Majesty has issued an order that any family that has a sudden death should be investigated for the cause, and the family should be compensated with 50,000 strings of precious coins."

"Furthermore, if the eldest son committed a sin, the second son would have to observe mourning for his deceased son for three years, eating only vegetarian food all day and not eating any meat, in order to atone for his sin."

After Jinyiwei Commander Lu Feng finished reading the first imperial edict, he turned to look at the pale-faced Liu Jizu and his many family members, and continued to open the imperial edict and said, "Your Majesty has ordered that Yihuibo Liu Jizu accept the order."

"The minister is here."

Liu Jizu and his many family members all bowed their heads and listened to the emperor's grace.

"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims: Liu Jizu, Marquis of Yihui, has disregarded the great grace of Heaven and has no intention of serving the country with loyalty. However, in consideration of his kindness to the country, he is demoted to Earl of Yihui, with an annual salary of 200 dan."

"Everyone in Yihuibo's mansion must atone for his sins. For those who died, Yihuibo's eldest son Liu Ying was ordered to wear mourning clothes and mourn for them. For one person who died, the period is three years."

"Also, we need to retrieve his certificate of hereditary succession. The relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Liu family started with him and ended with him."

"Appreciate this."

When Lu Feng's voice fell, Liu Jizu almost fainted and suddenly felt dizzy.

The annual salary of 200 dan started with him and ended with him, thus regaining the proof of hereditary succession.

And then there is the compensation that would bankrupt the entire family. Zhu Yuanzhang was going to wipe out the Liu family's livelihood.

Even Liu Ying, who was standing behind Liu Jizu, had a look of panic on his face.

Even if there were not more than twenty villagers who died because of Liu Qi's involvement, there must be more than a dozen of them.

If a person observes mourning for three years, that means he would observe mourning for more than forty years. After all, this was Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial decree, which stipulated that only Liu Ying, the eldest son of the emperor, would observe mourning after his death.

Therefore, even if they wanted to find someone to replace him, it would be impossible to do so. Moreover, Liu Ying could not inherit the title of Earl Yihui. The sky fell on his face.

This damn Liu Qi.

At this moment, no one from the Liu family present was heartbroken. Instead, they looked at Liu Qi who was being cut into pieces with resentment.

So we can see how despicable human nature is and how terrifying it is.

As for all the people present, joy appeared in their eyes, and some even looked towards the direction of Yingtian Prefecture, kowtowed, and expressed their immense gratitude for Zhu Yuanzhang's merits.

This is the first powerful official to suffer such severe punishment since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, he is a benefactor who has done favors for the country.

If Zhu Yuanzhang could be so decisive, how could the future of the Ming Dynasty not be prosperous?
With an emperor who loves the people so much, the people's lives will definitely get better. So who would not be grateful to Zhu Yuanzhang?

"Yihuibo, why don't you accept my order and thank me?"

"Could it be that you don't even want the title of Yihuibo anymore?"

Lu Feng looked at the people who shouted "Long live the Ming Dynasty", a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, and then he looked coldly at Liu Jizu.

"I bow to thank God."

Liu Jizu's face turned pale again. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a sweetness in his throat. Before he could finish his words, he fell to the ground and died.

"father!"

Liu Ying was shocked and held Liu Jizu's body and shook it wildly. All the Liu family members present also felt their hearts drop to the bottom in an instant.

If anything happens to Liu Jizu today, under the strict investigation of the imperial court, no one in the Liu family will be able to escape. After all, without the protection of the earl, the Liu family will be completely ruined.

"Master Liu, please accept my condolences. Earl Yihui has passed away."

Lu Feng stepped forward and sniffed Liu Jizu's breath, but shook his head.

"what"

As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Ying and even the entire Liu family burst into tears. It was unclear whether they were crying for Liu Jizu or for their own future.

But it was only a moment's work before the Liu family looked up at Liu Qi and began to curse him viciously.

Even Liu Ying looked at the unconscious Liu Qi with resentment, wishing he could eat his flesh and skin.

"I bow to thank you on behalf of my father."

Afterwards, Liu Ying knelt three times and kowtowed nine times before accepting the imperial edict. He then looked at Lu Feng and kowtowed again, saying, "Master Lu, please show mercy and allow me to go up and cut the wound twice."

There was unspeakable hatred in his words.

At this time, brothers killing each other became less taboo.

"Go."

Lu Feng waved his hand gently, giving Liu Ying this grace.

(End of this chapter)