Chapter 003: The Madness Strikes
It is uncertain whether at this moment he is loyal to the late emperor or to me
At this moment, Taichang indeed feels much better; the cooling effect of the lotus seeds is gradually taking effect, and the internal heat within him is no longer as intense as it was earlier. The sugar he has consumed is slowly being converted into energy, and he is gradually regaining some strength
Such a fact is normal; even if the Emperor were to unjustly accuse him and dismiss him, he would have no place to seek redress.
He believed that the Emperor intended to dismiss him, as it is customary for a new Emperor to remove the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Secretariat and the Commander of the Jinyiwei after ascending the throne, replacing them with his trusted confidants
Cui Wensheng suddenly assumed a posture of howling at the sky
Luo Sigong replied without hesitation: "Of course, I listen to Your Majesty."
Moreover, at this moment, the Emperor is on the verge of death; what new tricks can possibly be devised?
Luo Sigong hurriedly expressed his loyalty, saying: "I, as a humble servant, will only heed the Emperor's orders; no one else shall dare to mobilize even a single soldier of the Jinyiwei."
Tai Chang could not help but pick up the prescription on the small table and angrily exclaimed: "I merely have a slight cold, yet you dare to prescribe such a fierce and harmful medicine as Da Huang for me. What is your intention?"
Within the palace, a sudden undercurrent surged; in the dim night, squads of the Jinyiwei continuously gathered towards the Qianqing Palace. In less than a quarter of an hour, the interior and exterior of the Qianqing Palace were filled with Jinyiwei, and the main hall became brightly lit.
Who can endure this
Cui Wensheng calmly argued: "Your Majesty, this is an injustice. Dahuang can clear dampness and heat, which is precisely suitable for Your Majesty's condition of wind-cold and deficiency-heat. Moreover, every time the medicine prepared for Your Majesty, I have personally tasted it, and there is nothing inappropriate about it"
However, he took a furtive glance and was completely baffled
Good!
You still dare to be stubborn, truly thinking that I have no way to deal with you, don't you
As one of the most prominent eunuchs in the imperial harem, Cui Wensheng was certainly aware of the unusual movements within the palace, as it seemed that the Emperor was mobilizing the Jinyiwei to guard the Qianqing Palace
He is clearly trying to win people over
Good!
He continued to argue, "Your Majesty, this is an injustice; I truly did not administer any poison!"
He could not help but snort coldly: "Cui Wensheng, you are quite bold to dare to drug me. Speak, who instructed you to do this!"
He pretended to be wronged and said: "Your Majesty, this is unjust. I, the servant, have not administered any poison."
Cui Wensheng was so frightened by these words that his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets
He naturally saw Cui Wensheng's panicked expression
It is impossible, right? If one truly wanted to drown him, it would suffice to tie a stone to him and throw him into the well. Why go through all this trouble?
Luo Sigong has no recorded misdeeds in history and should be considered trustworthy
Ah
Tai Chang, with a neurotic-like grin, said: "You refuse to confess, do you? Very well! You had better hold out and not confess. If I have endured a torrential downpour for twenty days, then I must ensure that you experience a similar outpouring for twenty days as well"
Tai Chang waved his hand without hesitation and said: "Pour again"
Luo Sigong, the commander of the Jinyiwei, hails from Ningyuan in Huguang and is a descendant of Luo An from the Xingxian Wangfu, coming from a renowned family of the Jinyiwei.
Upon hearing this, Cui Wensheng's heart involuntarily skipped a beat
Tai Chang leaned against the dragon throne, one hand propping up on the small tea table beside him, while the other held a spoon, taking small bites and savoring the rock sugar lotus seed soup slowly and leisurely. It was not until Luo Sigong entered with several captains of the Jinyiwei that he coldly said: "Summon Cui Wensheng"
Tai Chang received the imperial edict and personally handed it to Luo Sigong, then whispered softly in his ear: "You should prepare accordingly."
Tai Chang continued to stare at Luo Sigong, cautiously confirming: "Really?"
Proceed!
You only take a small sip each time, so nothing happens at all
What does this mean again
The Jinyiwei were originally the emperor's personal troops, and appointing a commanding officer was simply a matter of the emperor's decree. Soon, Wang An brought over the imperial edict drafted from the imperial study.
What the Jinyiwei brought in were just two buckets of water. What does the Emperor intend to do? Is he trying to drown him by pushing his head into the water?
He is indeed a model of loyalty to the monarch and love for the country
Ah!
Cui Wensheng was truly at a loss, while Taichang coldly stared at him and said: "Cui Wensheng, who exactly instructed you to administer the drug? Will you confess or not?"
Tai Chang coldly said: "Pour it for me."
A sudden tightness gripped his heart, and a trace of panic could not help but show on his face
Tai Chang slightly nodded and then waved his hand to signal Wang An to draft the edict
Ah!
Does this mean there is still a chance
Moreover, how has Your Majesty managed to sit up!
He feigned calmness and followed behind the eunuch delivering the imperial edict, arriving in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace
Finally, a spasm occurred in his abdomen, and his entire head felt as if it had exploded like a flower; with a "puff," his mouth, nose, and even the funnel burst open
Cui Wensheng feels extremely uncomfortable; he feels as if his stomach is about to burst
Is the Emperor perhaps mad
How did Luo Sigong stand here with several captains of the Jinyiwei?
Tai Chang solemnly asked Luo Si Gong: "Are you listening to Concubine Zheng or to me"
Gulu, gulu, gulu
This situation seems a bit off
Upon seeing this, Taichang slightly raised his hand to signal the water-dousing Imperial Guard to stop, and with a hint of satisfaction, asked: "Will you confess or not?"
It is impossible
He hurriedly prostrated himself and repeatedly bowed, saying: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace, thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Your Majesty, please forgive me; I do not even know how to speak. In any case, as long as Your Majesty gives the order, I would willingly face fire and water, and would not hesitate to die a thousand deaths."
Is it still unjustified?
A frenzied outburst lasting twenty days
Gulu, gulu, gulu
He still hasn't understood what is happening, when the last Jinyiwei pulled out a huge funnel from the water and shoved it into his mouth, then directly picked up a ladle and began to pour it in.
However, this fellow seems to be rather fearless
Upon hearing this, Luo Sigong could not help but feel a sudden shock in his heart
It is impossible to recruit!
This is also normal, as the methods employed by Cui Wensheng and his group are too covert, and they do not even use poison, making it nearly impossible for the average person to detect.
Tai Chang nodded slightly and then decisively stated: "It is proposed to appoint Luo Yangxing as the Deputy Commander of the Jinyiwei, in charge of the Northern Pacification Office"
Cui Wensheng also did not know how much water had been poured into him
Tai Chang said without hesitation: "Come here, bring the weapon."
Are you being stubborn?
It has indeed been exposed
Woe
Certainly, this is not the main point
Has the matter been exposed
As soon as he finished speaking, four Imperial Guards entered carrying two large wooden barrels.
At this moment, the Emperor summoned him to the Qianqing Palace for an audience, and he felt a slight sense of panic within.
He hurriedly lowered his head and bowed, concealing his panic, and then prostrated himself on the ground respectfully, saying: "This servant pays homage to Your Majesty"
Upon hearing this, Luo Sigong could not help but tremble with excitement. This truly brought glory to the ancestors, as the Luo family had produced three commanders of the Jinyiwei. This was an event that had never occurred in the over two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty's history
Tai Chang has come to understand that this fellow was well-prepared, and confronting him would be a sheer waste of breath
He could only honestly reply: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I am unaware."
This means that Luo Yangxing, the son of Luo Sigong, is designated as the next commander of the Jinyiwei, as this is the customary practice of the Jinyiwei. The Northern Town Pacification Office is generally overseen by the commander of the Jinyiwei. If the emperor promotes a deputy commander to take charge of the Northern Town Pacification Office, then this person must be the successor to the commander of the Jinyiwei
Cui Wensheng coughed and gasped, saying: "Cough, cough, cough, Your Majesty, I am wronged!"
Tai Chang looked at Luo Si Gong, who was prostrated before the dragon bed, and after a long contemplation, he said softly: "Luo Aiqing, I have been plotted against, my life hangs by a thread, do you not know this?"
Two Jinyiwei immediately stepped forward upon hearing this, firmly grabbing Cui Wensheng's arm and pinning him down. Another Jinyiwei then approached, yanked off Cui Wensheng's hat, and forcefully pulled back his hair.
However, he is not very afraid, because the person behind him is the Emperor, whom no one dares to provoke
Very well, I shall take a gamble and trust you this once
In his early years, he led the Jinyiwei secret agents to venture far into the vassal state of Korea to gather intelligence, facing life and death, shedding blood on the battlefield, and making significant contributions to repelling the invasion of the Japanese pirates. After assuming the position of commander of the Jinyiwei, he worked diligently and strived to stabilize the Ming court for the capricious Wanli Emperor.
However, he did not panic. Since he dared to administer the drug, he had naturally already considered how to respond to others' inquiries.
Still not going to speak, are you
Cui Wensheng was taken aback upon hearing this, as he thought the Emperor was going to punish him.