Chapter 009: Retribution

Ah

As recorded in historical texts and even in the present, she has never been able to fulfill her wish of becoming the empress

Cao Huachun can be said to be the most capable among the eunuchs under his command, therefore, he appointed Cao Huachun to replace Pang Bao and take on the position of the Director of the Imperial Horse Department.

I am the law, what do I care for the orders of the Ministry of War

Wei Zhongxian, feeling too lazy to elaborate, simply waved his hand and said: "Take him down"

He silently kowtowed nine times, then stood up and said with authority: "Issue an edict, tomorrow's morning court session will proceed as usual, and officials in the capital must not be absent without cause"

Immediately, the British public unexpectedly raised the imperial edict and led an army of 20,000 men to storm the imperial city, surrounding the palace

Zhang Weixian opened it and was immediately dumbfounded; Zheng Guifei had actually conspired with the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang factions to harm the Emperor

Consort Zheng was oblivious to her impending doom; she actually pointed at Wei Zhongxian's nose and angrily shouted: "Li Jinzong, do you want to rebel? Who allowed you to come in? You beast who sells your master for glory!"

He silently arrived outside Jingyang Palace, quietly listening to the mournful and piercing cries of Consort Zheng, feeling a surge of satisfaction within.

It turns out that it was the scheming of Consort Zheng

Indeed, it is so

No wonder the Emperor suddenly fell ill. It should be noted that when the Emperor was still the Crown Prince, he was in good health, without any ailments. Yet, less than a month after ascending the throne, he is gravely ill, which is indeed rather strange

The cycle of heavenly principles, retribution is inevitable, Zheng Guifei, today is your day too

He hurriedly rushed to the imperial study, and his eyes nearly fell to the ground

Soon, a group of eunuchs set up offerings of paper money, incense, and memorial tablets in front of the dog hole

Ah!

Of course, the palace guards in her hands are not without their own authority, as the capital's garrison is far more numerous than the palace guards, and the Duke of England, Zhang Weixian, is the commander of the garrison.

The Emperor is sitting there perfectly well, without a care in the world

Tai Chang slightly nodded, then said fiercely: "Go, throw Concubine Zheng into the Cold Palace, and in the inner palace's twenty-four guards, spare not a single one involved in this matter!"

He was stunned for a moment, and then with a serious expression said: "Your Majesty, what do you wish for me to do?"

After a cleansing, almost all the important offices of the Twenty-Four Supervisors in the Inner Palace were controlled by the eunuchs in charge of the original Ciqing Palace, and the entire imperial palace underwent a sudden change

Very well, then let them all hang!

It is not that he does not want to, but that he cannot, because he must bide his time and cultivate his strength. The reason why the British Duke lineage has been able to stand firm for over two hundred years is precisely because of this. Those who are arrogant and boastful, thinking that being a duke makes them remarkable, have seen the grass on their graves grow waist-high.

During the peak period of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor's personal troops consisted of as many as 150,000 soldiers across 26 guards, known as the "Twenty-Six Guards of the Upper Direct." These Twenty-Six Guards had clearly defined responsibilities; for instance, the Jinyiwei and Qishouwei were specifically tasked with protecting the emperor, while other units such as the Jinwuwei, Yulinwei, and Fujunwei were responsible for guarding the imperial palace and the imperial city.

Zhang Weixian immediately held the imperial edict with reverence and respectfully withdrew

Mother, your child has been unfilial, causing you endless suffering and a tragic death. Your child is unfilial! The culprit, the Zheng family, I will ensure she dies in agony. As for Prince Fu, I will not spare him either. Rest in peace!

The troops of the Wucheng Bingma Division unexpectedly surrounded the garrisons of the Left and Right Guards of Tengxiang, as well as the Left and Right Guards of Wuxiang, near the imperial city. Both sides were on high alert, and it seemed that a conflict could erupt at any moment.

Next, we will discuss Concubine Zheng

Wei Zhongxian received the emperor's decree, and he truly acted like a mad dog, biting anyone he caught. All the chief eunuchs of the twenty-four supervisory offices in the inner palace who opposed him, regardless of whether they were involved in the so-called "rebellion," were all captured by him and hanged to death.

Wei Zhongxian raised his right hand again and carefully cut in, saying: "Your Majesty, your meaning, others..."

Tai Chang coldly said: "Zheng intends to usurp the throne, is it excessive for me to send him to the cold palace?"

He was taken aback for a moment, and then cautiously said: "It should only last for three or four days."

Immediately after, Tai Chang淡淡 asked: "Wei Aiqing, how many days can a person live without eating or drinking?"

The walls of the imperial city and the palace are lined with the capital garrison and the imperial guards, facing each other in formation, and the atmosphere has reached a peak of tension, as if a great battle is about to erupt

Concubine Zheng exclaimed in shock and anger: "What treachery against the Emperor, what usurpation of the throne! He is merely seeking to take revenge under the guise of this, showing utter disrespect for his superiors and committing the gravest of offenses!"

Tai Chang slowly knelt down, personally lit three incense sticks, and then burned a handful of joss paper, subsequently bowing his noble head heavily to the ground.

Concubine Zheng had her eyes gouged out and was cast into the cold palace, marking the end of the purging within the imperial palace

Tai Chang decisively stated: "In extraordinary times, you should not concern yourself with so much; quickly take the imperial edict and gather the troops."

Let none escape

You are a respected elder of nonsense

What does this statement about Wei Zhongxian mean, it is quite perplexing

It seems that the Emperor has developed a deep-seated hatred for Concubine Zheng, to which Wei Zhongxian quickly agreed, saying: "Indeed, the actions of the Concubine were excessively outrageous at that time"

On this night, the palace was equally in an uproar

Tai Chang suddenly said with a face full of sorrow: "How pitiful it is that Mother Empress cried her eyes blind back then, locked away in Jingyang Palace, with no one to care for her. How tragic that was!"

During this period, Lord Zhang Weixian of the United Kingdom has been troubled

Wei Zhongxian is indeed ruthless, but with this guy's current strength, he is still not capable of dealing with Consort Zheng, as the palace guards are still under Consort Zheng's control

Every cause has its effect, and your retribution is me, Lady Zheng. Since you have caused the death of my mother and wish to bring about my demise, do not blame me for being ruthless.

Upon hearing this, Taichang said without hesitation: "Immediately mobilize 40,000 troops to surround the left and right guards of Tengxiang, as well as the left and right guards of Wuxiang. At the same time, you personally lead 20,000 troops into the imperial city and encircle the entire palace for me."

Tai Chang glanced at Wei Zhongxian, who appeared to be respectful, and then called out to the doorway: "Summon the Duke of England, Zhang Weixian"

Is the Emperor not capable anymore

Concubine Zheng screamed in anger: "What do you dogs and slaves want to do?"

Soon, the entire capital was in an uproar

Tai Chang did not engage in any lengthy discussions with him, but directly ordered Wang An to hand over Cui Wensheng's confession and Xi Li's "last letter" to him.

Subsequently, Emperor Jiajing simply incorporated all remaining imperial troops into the Tengxiang Left Guard, Tengxiang Right Guard, Wuxiang Left Guard, and Wuxiang Right Guard, which were commanded by the chief eunuch of the Imperial Horse Monitoring Office, specifically responsible for the defense of the palace and the imperial city. As for the other twenty-six guards, except for the Jinyiwei which retained its original structure, all others were merged into the capital garrison, managed by the Military Governor's Office and commanded by the Ministry of War

Hmph, what are you doing

The candle has been lit, the memorial tablet, incense, burner, and joss paper have been arranged; it is time to pay tribute to my poor mother

Hmph, sharp-tongued and clever, is it useful

The so-called palace guards refer to the guards of the imperial palace and the imperial city, both of which are surrounded by walls. Moreover, these walls are not of ordinary length; for instance, the wall of the imperial palace extends over 6 li, which is longer than the walls of an average county town. The wall of the imperial city is even longer, reaching up to 18 li, surpassing the walls of a typical prefectural city.

However, since the Incident at Tumu Fortress, the 26 guards of the Upper Direct have been thrown into chaos. This is because the Ming Emperor Yingzong personally led an expedition, and over 100,000 of his elite troops were almost entirely annihilated. Only the Southern and Northern Pacification Offices of the Jinyiwei and fourteen Qianhu offices retained their original structure, while the other guards were essentially nominally existent.

Wei Zhongxian coldly said: "Your Highness, Cui Wensheng and Li Xuan are both confessing. You intend to harm the Emperor, to usurp the throne. I, as a servant, am following the Emperor's decree to invite you to Jingyang Palace for reflection"

Well, as long as there is a royal decree

Wei Zhongxian could not help but show a hint of bewilderment, and he instinctively nodded and said: "Yes, Your Majesty"

Oh!

Tai Chang did not answer but instead asked, "How many usable troops are there in the Jingying now?"

Wei Zhongxian, however, acted as if nothing had happened. He waved his hand and led the crowd to drag Zheng Guifei towards Jingyang Palace.

The noble Consort Zheng suddenly lost her sight and let out a piercing wail of despair

It has been a long time since you all turned the world upside down

Taichang said coldly, "Do you really have to be tortured to death one by one? I don't want the scene to be too bloody."

Fu Yingxing immediately rushed up with several trusted followers and pressed Zheng Guifei's hands to the ground in a reverse scissor hold.

So that's what it means.

Luo Yangxing and Cao Huachun have long been prepared. As soon as the emperor gave the order, they immediately bowed and said, "As commanded." Then they respectfully withdrew.

Alas, if the emperor were to pass away, the situation is unpredictable and may descend into chaos.

At this time, Wei Zhongxian led hundreds of Dongchang guards and rushed into the Cining Palace where Zheng Guifei resided.

Do I still need to teach you this?

Wei Zhongxian quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Not just excessive

Perhaps, this is retribution.

Uh, this means you have to blind your eyes!

He stood there quietly listening for a while, understanding the resentment in his heart, and then walked to the dog hole nearby, waving his hand with a face full of sorrow

At this moment, Taichang slowly made his way towards the inner palace, accompanied by a group of trusted eunuchs.

With just a glance from Wei Zhongxian, Fu Yingxing immediately extended two fingers fiercely...

He was sighing deeply when a eunuch from the palace suddenly rushed over, hurriedly telling him that the Emperor had summoned him to the palace for an audience

At this moment, the Imperial Study was calm and undisturbed, until the news of the palace being besieged arrived. Only then did Taichang wave his hand and say lightly: "Luo Yangxing, take your men to guard the Imperial Horse Monitoring Office and proclaim the edict."

Jingyang Palace !

Zhang Weixian thought for a moment and then said cautiously, "There are approximately sixty thousand usable troops in the Beijing Garrison."

On these city walls, there are guards stationed, and the ones responsible for guarding the imperial palace and the imperial city are the emperor's personal army.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang An handed the already prepared imperial edict to Zhang Weixian.

In other words, at this moment, the eunuch Pang Bao, who holds the seal of the Imperial Horse Monitoring Office, commands a total of four guards and over 20,000 troops, while Wei Zhongxian's Eastern Depot subordinates number less than 2,000, with just over 1,000 against more than 20,000, which certainly cannot prevail.

Taichang continued to ask: "Is Jingyang Palace still empty?"

Zhang Weixian expressed some concerns, saying: "Your Majesty, according to the law, the mobilization of more than one thousand troops requires an order from the Ministry of War!"

Taichang looked at Xili's "will", feeling a thousand emotions in his heart. This woman is truly formidable. In order to vie for favor, she has almost killed every palace maid, talented woman, and virtuous concubine who gave birth to a prince. Not a single one could live to become a concubine.

This is the reason why Zheng Guifei dares to be arrogant. Originally, the palace guards and the Eastern Factory were under her control. Even if the combined forces of the Jin Yiwei, the Nanzheng Fusi, and the fourteen thousand households were added together, they still couldn't defeat her. She's not afraid at all!

The emperor is about to pass away, but the crown prince is still under the control of the Xili faction. The harem is still dominated by Empress Zheng. The Qi-Chu-Zhe faction and the Donglin faction in the court are about to start fighting again. The Ming Dynasty is in turmoil, but he can't do anything!