Chapter 005: New Grudges and Old Hatreds

Alright, several important eunuchs from the Twenty-Four Supervisory Offices of the Inner Palace have arrived. Are you here to stage a demonstration? Do you think I am afraid of a few eunuchs?

The pain in his heart is profound

Tai Chang coldly said: "I am merely feeling a chill from the wind, yet Cui Wensheng has given me this harsh medicine, intending to harm me. Is it not you who instigated this?"

He had secretly vowed that once he had the opportunity to ascend the throne, he would surely take revenge on the malicious woman, Consort Zheng. Unfortunately, after ascending the throne, he remained as weak and incompetent as ever, at times concerned about the late emperor, at times mindful of seniority, and at times worried about his reputation, never daring to take action for revenge

Her mother lay beside the dog hole, pleading weakly in a voice filled with anguish: "Please, please, let me see Luo'er one last time"

Tai Chang said nothing, merely coldly staring at her back until she disappeared outside the hall, and then coldly said: "Take Cui Wensheng down and keep a close watch on him, summon Li Jinzong to come for an audience."

Unexpectedly, Zheng Guifei calmly replied: "Your Majesty, what do you mean by that? Is there anything wrong with me sending a few palace maids to serve you? Did I force you to consort with them? You couldn't help but consort with them, and now you've caught a cold, and you blame it on me? And what about me having Cui Wensheng drug you? Are you trying to wrong me?"

If one were to discuss who was the most ruthless in the late Ming court, it would undoubtedly be Wei Zhongxian, the Nine Thousand Years. This individual was so fierce that he could even cut off his own means of continuing his lineage.

Hearing this, Taichang was left speechless, his eyes wide with astonishment

He originally thought he could leave Consort Zheng speechless, and then take the opportunity to act, but unexpectedly, it was he himself who was left speechless

Unexpectedly, Zheng Guifei remained calm and said: "Da Huang is not a poison. When the Emperor was initially afflicted by wind and cold, what was wrong with using Da Huang to dispel dampness and heat? What intention is there to harm the Emperor? This is merely a fabricated charge against him, isn't it?"

It seems that we need to find someone tough to handle this

I shall not kill you, for it would be a disgrace to be a son!

Such actions are likely to stir up a tremendous uproar among both the ruling and opposition parties, and the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions are expected to seize this opportunity to tarnish his reputation beyond repair

In this day and age, loyalty, filial piety, and integrity are highly valued. Although Consort Zheng is not the Empress Dowager, she was the most favored consort of the late Emperor Wanli, which makes her akin to an elder. He has no reason and no evidence to have her killed; it would be strange if he were not condemned by the world.

She believed that Tai Chang would definitely not be able to argue against her, and that bringing Cui Wensheng back would surely be no problem.

After more than ten years of confinement and torment, his mother had become emaciated and was on the verge of death. Her clothes resembled those of a beggar, filthy and tattered. Even more horrifying was the fact that his mother had long since cried her eyes blind, unable to take care of herself. The small Jingyang Palace was in utter disarray, reeking of foul odors, worse than a dog kennel

The Director of the Imperial Kitchen, Wang Tiqian.

Yet the mother, touching his face, leaned close to his ear and wept softly, saying: "My son, my son, my precious darling, please be quiet, be quiet! Just being able to see you once before I die is enough for me. You need not say anything, need not do anything, be careful of the Zheng family's revenge!"

After he ascended the throne, he also took a few palace maids sent by Consort Zheng into his favor. Subsequently, he was afflicted with a cold and was given a purgative by Cui Wensheng, resulting in over twenty days of diarrhea, to the point where he could hardly move. How could he possibly indulge in debauchery?

Hmph, let us not speak of the matters concerning the palace maids; it is I who have fallen into your trap

Tai Chang slowly raised his head, casting a cold gaze towards the palace gate, as scenes from the past involuntarily surfaced in his mind

Tai Chang thought fiercely to himself: "Evil people need to be dealt with by evil people; I will unleash this mad dog Wei Zhongxian to bite you to death"

I shall not kill you, for that would be unworthy of a Son of Heaven

It seems that evil people need other evil people to contend with; you wait for me!

She glanced at Taichang, then at Cui Wensheng, and ultimately could only helplessly say: "Your Majesty, you are the ruler of a nation, I hope you will not act so recklessly in the future"

What does this mean again

How many people in the world can achieve this

This is awkward

He cried out and fell to the ground, holding his mother, roaring with rage like a beast: "Ah, ah, ah, mother, mother, who, who has harmed you like this, ah, ah, ah!"

Moreover, this individual is currently a close confidant of Xi Li, and in order to curry favor with Xi Li, he even changed his surname.

Tai Chang is not dead, who says someone is plotting against the Emperor

At that time, he was so helpless, so cowardly, so incompetent

Uh

Although Consort Zheng is flamboyant, she is not a shrew. She prefers to operate in the shadows and would never engage in the kind of behavior typical of a shrew, such as publicly cursing in the streets.

What should I do

He glanced at Consort Zheng, then looked at Cui Wensheng on the ground, and immediately said with resentment: "It is a fact that Cui Wensheng caused me to suffer from diarrhea for twenty days, so is it not acceptable for me to let him experience the taste of vomiting and diarrhea as well?"

New grievances and old grudges surged to the forefront of Tai Chang's mind, and his eyes were almost spitting fire

The mother and son embraced and wept like this until his mother breathed her last, and only then did Consort Zheng allow him to find someone to clean and prepare the body

This means to leave Cui Wensheng here, allowing Tai Chang to vent his frustrations

Little did he know that Consort Zheng had already devised a plan. As soon as he ascended the throne, Consort Zheng began to scheme against him. First, she selected several exceptionally beautiful palace maids to serve him at night, subtly causing him to catch a cold. Then, she had Cui Wensheng administer poison to him, leading to a relentless bout of diarrhea that lasted a full twenty days. Finally, she presented him with two red pills, sending him to his demise, leaving him with no opportunity for revenge

Unexpectedly, Consort Zheng remained calm and said: "Your Majesty, it is not that I am criticizing you, but do you not see that there is nothing at all? What intention to harm the Emperor? Are you not fabricating charges? The late Emperor's remains are not yet cold, and you are causing such a ruckus here. Do you wish to make a fool of yourself in front of the entire court?"

Can such a person be utilized

To speak frankly, the people in the palace are not that formidable; it is those outside the palace who are truly powerful. The Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions, as well as the Donglin faction, are not to be underestimated. It is unlikely that a few honest individuals can manage to deal with them.

Zheng Guifei, the mastermind behind the scenes is indeed you

She originally intended to leverage her seniority, relying on the fact that she was the most favored consort of the late emperor and the matriarch of the harem, to argue with Taichang and retrieve Cui Wensheng.

He would never forget the moment he saw his mother after entering; at that time, he truly could not believe his eyes

These individuals are indeed loyal, yet their courage is insufficient; they fear even a small Western plum. How can one expect them to deal with the other powerful eunuchs in the palace or even with Consort Zheng?

This fellow is like a mad dog; once he gains power, he bites anyone he can catch. Anyone who does not heed his words, whether they are court officials, concubines from the harem, or even royal relatives, is eliminated without exception. In the end, even the favored Tianqi met an unclear demise.

This woman is exceedingly malicious; not only did she have someone drug him, but she has also devised a plan to tarnish his reputation.

This is truly an extraordinary injustice throughout the ages

Upon seeing the expressions of Wang An, Luo Sigong, and others, Tai Chang couldn't help but furrow his brows slightly

You venomous woman

I have only favored a few palace maids, yet I have been labeled as debauched and lecherous

Do you think that I, the Emperor, am a fake? In the face of imperial power, you are nothing!

Having spoken, she turned around and left

This

Tai Chang could not help but coldly snort: "It would be one thing if it were just one or two days, but I have been suffering from diarrhea for more than ten or even twenty days. You keep administering Da Huang, and I am on the verge of death from it. Yet you continue to give me Da Huang. Is this not an intention to harm me?"

No wonder Consort Zheng is so fearless; he is still alive, so how could there be any plot to harm him

The Grand Secretariat is presided over by the Chief Secretary, while the Imperial Horse Supervisory Office is managed by the Chief Officer, Pang Bao

Unexpectedly, Taichang is fixated on the issue of diarrhea, determined to take revenge on Cui Wensheng

Just now, it was said that Cui Wensheng should be made to vomit and have diarrhea, and now he is actually being taken away, call Li Jinzong over!

Tai Chang coldly stared at Consort Zheng and said: "Zheng, your schemes are quite deep. After I ascended the throne, you first sent several beautiful palace maids. Then, while I was asleep, you lifted my blanket, causing me to catch a cold. After that, you had Cui Wensheng drug me, leaving me half dead. Finally, you colluded with Fang Congzhe to present me with two immortal pills, sending me to the afterlife!"

Imperial Concubine Zheng strode in, flanked by several high-ranking eunuchs, and reproached, as if a senior admonishing a junior: "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this? Why are you punishing Cui Wensheng without reason? He has served the late Emperor for decades; even if he has no merits, he has certainly endured hardships. The late Emperor's remains are not yet cold, and you treat him this way. Is this not a bit excessive?"

When he arrived at Jingyang Palace, the door was already rusted and could not be opened at all. The eunuchs from the inner palace searched for a long time before they finally found the key, but it was of no use. In the end, he had no choice but to break the door open

Regardless of the consequences, will they capture Consort Zheng and others in one fell swoop and then resort to severe torture to extract confessions

He speaks so bluntly, without any concealment at all; this is the rhythm of tearing off the mask and preparing to take action

Ah

Upon hearing these words, everyone in the hall was filled with confusion, unable to comprehend yet feeling a sense of awe

This was not the end of the matter; later on, in order to establish his favored concubine, Consort Zheng's son, Zhu Changxun, as the crown prince, Wanli even went so far as to sever ties with his ministers, igniting a struggle over the foundation of the state that lasted for more than a decade

What should I do

Does this mean that I am indulgent and lecherous

He became the crown prince due to the support of the empress dowager and the ministers at that time, while his mother, Consort Wang, was imprisoned in Jingyang Palace, living a life devoid of light, with daily meager rations of water and food being delivered through a dog hole

Tai Chang suddenly recalled the rumors about him in historical texts, which suggested that he had indulged in debauchery and ultimately brought about his own demise

Hmph, it's still the same old routine

One day, his mother was in dire straits, pleading pitifully at the dog hole, wishing to see her son for the last time. A kind-hearted old eunuch, unable to bear her suffering, reported this to Wanli, after which he was finally able to see his mother for the last time

Zhi Dian Jian Zhang Yin Liu Cheng

The Director of the Ceremonial Office, Lu Shou, presided over the Eastern Depot.

He is the descendant of Emperor Ming Shenzong, who inadvertently had a child with a palace maid. Wanli had no feelings for his mother at all and was even more indifferent towards him, as if he did not have this son.

At that moment of hesitation, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the palace: "The Empress Dowager has arrived"