Back home again, everything was as usual, feeling very warm.
I stayed home all day.
The next day, I went to the Grand Secretariat to see Xu Jie. After some pleasantries, Xu Jie took out a gazette and said worriedly, "Scholar Zhu, this matter in Jiangnan, I find it very strange. Would you care to take a look?"
Zhu Mo grunted and sat down to read it carefully.
The Grand Secretariat of the Great Ming was actually very small, located in a corner of the Forbidden City, about two hundred square meters. Usually, only a few auxiliary officials and their secretaries worked there, and people from the Six Ministries would only come if there was business. Xu Jie's seat was near the inner end, so it was also very quiet.
At this moment,
Gao Gong and Li Chunfang also walked over, slowly sipping their tea.
The gazette read:
"Urgent report from Wucheng County:
The Dong family gentry of Nanxun offered their property to Yang Mou, who was marrying his wife. The gentry's second son, Dong Hong, being drunk, forced himself upon the new bride. The bride died by drowning herself in a well the next day. Dong Hong confessed without denial, and six household servants, including Luo Mou, also signed. Several relatives and friends served as witnesses. County Magistrate Wang Chang concluded the trial, handed it over to Huzhou Prefecture to be reported to the Ministry of Justice. The accused, being ignorant due to drunkenness, was released on bail pending trial. Unexpectedly, a few days later, the offered property owner Yang Mou cried injustice in the street. Tenant Zhang Mou, contract slave Wang Mou, and others gathered ruffians and besieged the Dong residence. Dozens of Dong family servants confronted them for three days before they dispersed.
County Magistrate Wang Chang issued a public notice: The case has no injustice, await the approval of the Ministry of Justice, and do not riot. Wang Mou and others then incited several village servants, who agreed to go to their masters and tear up their deeds of sale. The number reached a thousand. The county government informed them it was not allowed, but Wang Mou and others all said: 'Why do slaves insult us? Now the reforms in the world, restoring the Great Ancestor's system, tenants and servants have no evidence, we will find our own way.' The matter became unmanageable and spread to as many as seven or eight counties. Wucheng County Magistrate Wang, Huzhou Prefect Wan."
Zhu Mo naturally found this matter not surprising.
One must know,
This was just the beginning. Decades later, the slave uprisings in Jiangnan would be much larger.
"Elder Xu, is there anything strange about this matter?"
Xu Jie stroked his beard and said, "There's nothing strange to speak of, but the momentum is very great... Scholar Zhu, to be honest, people in my hometown of Songjiang Prefecture are also causing trouble, and they've even found their way to me..."
Haha,
Gao Gong and Li Chunfang laughed.
Zhu Mo also laughed, "These things always erupt suddenly, and they are indeed troublesome... However, it hasn't reached the point of rebellion yet, has it?"
Gao Gong interjected, "Not yet... Grand Scholar Zhu, but who knows if it will reach that point? We are not present, who knows?"
"Then, what are the opinions of you few big shots?"
Xu Jie pondered for a moment and replied, "There are no outsiders here, so I'll be frank. I am worried that someone is making trouble... It's in the Jiangnan area, and several counties are connected..."
Zhu Mo thought for a moment and read it again carefully. The sensitive point mentioned was that the leader spoke of "restoring the Great Ancestor's system." This was actually very common.
Imagine,
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the Great Ancestor abolished the master-servant relationship. It was Emperor Yongle who relegated the families of rebels to ignoble status, which set a bad precedent. It was natural for the common people to miss the Great Ancestor. Then, speaking of reform, it might be influenced by the weaving industry, and they also wanted to get rich. What's wrong with that? Who doesn't want a good life?
If Yan Shifan were causing trouble, he certainly would. But now the overall situation had greatly improved. With a decisive victory in Xuan-Da, it was no longer the same. How much of a storm could it stir up?
He smiled and said, "Elder Xu reminds me, do you have any other instructions?"
Li Chunfang, being amiable, immediately pulled him to sit down and chatted about family matters.
...
At the same time,
Yuxi Palace.
Lu Fang finished reading the secret report from Wu Ming and Wu Liang, took off his reading glasses, and sighed deeply. This time, he had truly forgotten to conceal himself, and Jiajing naturally heard him.
"What happened again?"
Lu Fang said softly:
"I didn't dare to disturb His Majesty's immortal cultivation, but this matter is indeed a bit strange... Your Majesty, the servants and tenants in Jiangnan are causing trouble again. But the strangeness is not here. What is strange is that they came out under the banner of the Great Ancestor, saying that the Great Ancestor had abolished master and servant back then, so why are they now slaves themselves? They are not convinced and are surrounding several county yamen and making trouble..."
Jiajing seemed to have no interest in this. After pondering for a moment, he smiled instead:
"Zhu Mo should be back, right?"
Lu Fang also smiled, "Seventh Brother Zhu said he arrived yesterday afternoon. As soon as he arrived, he went to ask Seventh Brother Zhu about an old maidservant from Yan Shifan's household, saying that she was related to the Prince of Datong's consort..."
"What's strange about that? Isn't that how Yan Shifan wins people over?"
Jiajing, at some point, had already stood up and paced, continuing,
"Have the people in Xuan-Da all been replaced?"
"Those who could be replaced have been replaced... Yang Xuan and a few others have been dismissed from office, the governor of Xuanfu has been replaced, and some generals have also been replaced. They are all people selected by Prince Yu according to His Majesty's wishes, with the help of Xu Jie and others. This servant has also seen them, and they have no relation to Yan Song and others."
Jiajing sighed leisurely and said, "Nothing more can go wrong in Xuan-Da. Li Wenjin and Ma Fang are still reliable... Others will not be moved for the time being. Tell them to keep a close eye on Jiangnan. If anything major happens, let Tan Lun and Hu Zongxian handle it."
"This servant understands."
"Has the title of that Prince of Datong's consort been abolished?"
"Xu Jie submitted it, and it has been abolished. Also, Your Majesty, that Prince of Raoyang?"
Upon mentioning the imperial clan, Jiajing's expression became greatly displeased, saying:
"When he reaches the high walls of Fengyang, have Wu Feng personally go and interrogate him. No one is allowed to say a word... I want to see what these people are up to! Also, Zhu Qi said that that jade buckle or something, is it from Prince Jing's mansion? Have them go to Anlu Prefecture to see. Prince Jing has been crazy for several years, why are so many things happening?"
Lu Fang felt that Jiajing's anger was rising and quickly said, "This servant will have Wu Feng go and see, and then go to Fengyang...?"
Jiajing was truly very angry about this matter.
Because before Prince Jing went mad, he had considered usurping the throne and had built a team. Fortunately, it was exposed early, otherwise Prince Yu would have been harmed long ago. Now, remembering that Prince Jing's belongings appeared on people related to the Yan family, and also involving Anda, the White Lotus Society, and so on, he became greatly enraged.
"Lu Fang, have them investigate more. These princes are all enfeoffed as kings but do not do any proper business. Investigate them all clearly, and I should properly discipline them!"
"Yes. This servant understands."
And at this moment,
Lu Fang glimpsed Wu Feng suddenly appearing outside the hall, peeking in. He was immediately furious, walked over in three steps, and reprimanded, "You don't know the rules!"
Wu Feng, however, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice, "Eunuch Lu, the Prince of Raoyang, the Prince of Raoyang died of poisoning on the road..."
Ah?
With a clatter.
The reading glasses in Lu Fang's hand fell, and he blurted out, "Where?"
"Thirty miles outside Xuzhou City, at a post station."
"How did he die?"
"Poisoned wine."
Wu Feng knelt in the hall, motionless.
Lu Fang kept scolding the brat for being ignorant and unreliable, while Jiajing, still with his eyes closed, was clear-headed—
A very important clue was broken like this. It would not be so easy to catch the Yan family's fatal handle again. Moreover, with several princes entangled in this, it would probably be difficult to clarify in the future.
After a long time,
He finally opened his eyes and said slowly:
"Wu Feng, you go to Anlu Prefecture now and see if Prince Jing is truly mad or pretending to be mad... Or perhaps he is already dead..."
After Wu Feng left,
Jiajing again gazed absently at the hall outside in the afternoon, and said softly, "Lu Fang, let's go and see Zhu Mo..."