"What is the Emperor waiting for?"
In the study of the Yan Mansion, amidst the autumn chill, it was late at night. The stove fire was blazing red. Yan Shifan rubbed his hands and said, "This weather is truly strange. It's barely this time yet, and it's already like winter."
In the room, several trusted confidants who planned major decisions were all present. Yan Song was, as usual, writing, as if the current major events had nothing to do with him.
Luo Longwen had returned from Jiangxi, and he was the main architect of the entire plan. By this morning, the matter had been half successful, but the other half was somewhat out of reach. He had been contemplating for a while and now tentatively said, "Young Grand Secretary, the Emperor has always been like this. He can hold his ground... It's not easy to make the Emperor anxious. Your subordinate thinks that relying solely on the Jiangxi case might not be enough!"
"The method is there, but have we reached that critical juncture? We don't deploy unless we see the target. If we act too early, we'll have no cards left..."
Yan Shifan had indeed considered having the Tatars attack the capital, but that was Yan Song's grand strategy. It couldn't be deployed until the crucial moment. However, saying this was actually probing Yan Song.
As expected, Yan Song put down his brush, closed his eyes for a moment, and said slowly, "We can move, but don't be hasty. Let's wait outside the pass first. However, regarding the Emperor's punishment of Prince Yu tomorrow, you should all discuss whether it should be carried out."
Should it be carried out?
The few people felt as if they had misheard.
If it were really carried out, those officials in the capital would be afraid. Who would dare to approach the Yuxi Palace next?
Yan Maoqing couldn't help but remind him, "Grand Secretary, when we went to speak beforehand, we said it would be fine. Now, if we really ignore it, then..."
Yan Shifan suddenly sneered and said, "Old Yan, you're confused too... Can these officials in the capital control themselves? I'm telling you, if they are punished, they will only follow us more closely! What can they do? They were humiliated by Prince Yu. Where can they find their dignity? To vent their anger, they can only grit their teeth and swallow their blood, and then follow us to demand an explanation from the Emperor! Otherwise, this humiliation will have been in vain!"
Mmm, Luo Longwen, Zhang Jing, Zhao Wenhua, and others nodded in agreement. Since these people had boarded the ship, they truly had no choice. Throughout history, minor officials had always met this fate.
The atmosphere became silent. The cold wind was blowing outside. The few people thought that things had reached a critical juncture, and how to proceed next was indeed a difficult problem. What Yan Shifan said was indeed very reasonable.
Firstly, everyone knew that the capital's garrisons and the imperial guards within the city were in charge. If there was an excessive disturbance, it would be impossible. Therefore, they could only use subtle means to kill; secondly, to force their way into the Yuxi Palace, the matter couldn't be small, and the momentum had to be great. In that case, they could only let the situation continue to ferment.
At this moment, Luo Longwen's eyes flashed, and he blurted out, "Young Grand Secretary, after you said that, your subordinate thought of something... If Prince Yu wants to punish them, let him punish them. If he punishes the officials severely, it will be more beneficial to us... Xu Jie has always stayed out of it, hasn't he? Tomorrow, we will make him unable to sit still!"
Oh?
As everyone was curious, Luo Longwen leaned into Yan Shifan's ear and whispered something. Yan Shifan laughed heartily and said, "Well done, Old Luo! You're truly something!"
The next day, before the hour of the Rooster, as expected, two to three thousand people had already flocked to the Jianji Hall.
Wang Tingxiu, leading five hundred imperial guards, brought out the eighteen officials arrested yesterday and made them kneel before the steps of the main hall. A row of guards holding long staffs was also on standby.
Before long, Prince Yu, escorted by two teams of imperial guards, slowly descended from the Jianji Hall. He stood on the steps in front of the hall, facing the surging crowd, without the slightest panic. Chen Yiqin had resigned yesterday, and Prince Yu had approved it. At this moment, two attendants were drafting and relaying the imperial edict.
Among the two to three thousand people, most were officials from the capital, with an additional thousand or so from the Imperial College, and some were scholars who had come to the capital.
At this moment, as the two sides confronted each other, the clamor gradually subsided.
Prince Yu intended to intimidate these people who were forcing their way into the palace. He suppressed his anger and said loudly, "I have stated before that the Great Ming Dynasty adheres to the ancestral laws. These people are disrespectful to their sovereign and father, howl within the forbidden city, speak treasonously, and rebel! If I do not punish them severely, it would be disloyal to the realm!"
Hoo!
Boom!
The crowd immediately erupted, and many shouted, "The Son of Heaven and the scholars govern the world together!"
"The Crown Prince is executed without proper teaching!"
"What crime have they committed?"
"Where is Chen Yiqin? Make him come out and speak!"
"Restore the Grand Secretariat!"
"We are not convinced!"
Prince Yu was truly furious. The thought of being tricked by Yan Shifan gnawed at him like a poisonous insect. Seeing the officials pressing forward, a sinister smile appeared on his lips, and he shouted loudly, "Strike!"
Hoo!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Ahhh!
The imperial guards rushed forward. Two men held down one person, while the guards with the ceremonial staffs struck down. After only three or four blows, eighteen people had blood seeping through their pants.
Crash!
Crash!
The crowd surged forward, while the imperial guards formed a human wall, holding their spears horizontally, blocking the entrance to the steps. The two sides advanced and retreated, retreated and advanced, engaging in a close fight.
But at this very moment, the fifty ceremonial strokes were quickly completed. The imperial guards dragged the eighteen people and threw them onto the steps. Amidst screams, eighteen half-dead bodies rolled down. The officials, feeling the same fate, rushed forward to help them up. Many, seeing the solemnity of the royal family and the ruthlessness of the guards, began to weep profusely.
For a moment, there was a scene of sorrowful crying beneath the Jianji Hall.
Prince Yu snorted and said loudly, "Are you not going to retreat?"
At this moment, the officials were truly frightened. Amidst weeping and wailing, they helped the eighteen people and slowly moved towards the palace gate.
Everyone had thought that this tragedy would not reach such a point before it happened. But now, it had unfolded vividly before their eyes, and everyone was severely frightened. At this moment, their emotions were at their lowest ebb. Many began to curse and weep—"The Crown Prince is a tyrant!"
"The Great Ming is finished!"
"Wang Tingxiu deserves to be executed by slow slicing for beating the officials!"
"Chen Yiqin is a scoundrel!"
Amidst the shouts and curses, there were also a few isolated words blaming Yan Shifan—"The Young Grand Secretary said there would be no problem."
"They've all been beaten like this, Yan Maoqing must also give an explanation!"
"Censor Ge, you are the leader, what do you say we should do? We cannot tolerate this!"
"Go find the Young Grand Secretary!"
At this moment, a voice suddenly said, "Why are there no people from Xu Jie among those beaten today?"
Right!
There were no people from Xu Jie!
Only now did the officials realize—when they had discussed it earlier, Xu Jie had been hesitant and resistant, and in the end, he had indeed stayed out of it! Although the Young Grand Secretary said he wouldn't interfere, weren't seven or eight of his people also beaten? This showed that the most disloyal person was that old fox Xu Jie!
"No! Xu Jie is a slippery old fox!"
"Damn Xu Jie! Hiding again!"
"Let's find him!"
"..."
Amidst the clamor and curses, the same voice suddenly shouted, "In the major case of rebellion in Jiangxi, Xu Jie sent troops under Tan Lun! Tan Lun was the governor, why didn't he intervene, leading to over a thousand deaths! Why didn't he intervene?"
Hoo!
Boom!
"Correct!"
"Xu Jie is also involved!"
"Why didn't Tan Lun intervene?"
"Xu Jie and his group are also rebels!"
"It is heard that some defendants have been harbored by Zhao Zhenji!"
"Xu Jie will not escape!"
"Find Xu Jie!"
Crash!
The officials, who were in extremely low spirits, now had a scapegoat for their venting. They immediately became incensed. Several impatient individuals took large strides out of the palace gate, shouting that they were going to Xu Jie's mansion. The officials followed behind, shouting and cursing, proceeding grandly along the streets. The common people, already timid due to the curfew, were startled by so many officials making a ruckus and hid on both sides, staring with wide eyes.
Ge Shouli and the person who had incited them earlier fell behind. Seeing this, they both chuckled sinisterly. That person was Bai Qichang, also a censor. He had mixed in with the crowd earlier and shouted incitements loudly without being discovered.
Ge Shouli smiled and said, "Luo Longwen is still the most formidable. This fire has immediately burned to Xu Jie's house."
Bai Qichang nodded and said, "Next, we should force Xu Jie onto the stage." Hahaha, they looked at each other and laughed, then strode forward towards Xu Jie's mansion.