Chapter One Hundred and Eighty Nine: Chaotang Rebellion
The messenger from Huangzhou Prefecture rushed the news three hundred miles to Wuchang that day. Since it was too far away from Yanzhou Prefecture, it would have been at least three days before Yanzhou Prefecture knew about it. When the courier was exhausted and delivered the news
It was sent to Wuchang. After hearing the news, Zuo Liangyu met the messenger in person.
After learning that Huangzhou Mansion had undergone such drastic changes, his eyes became intriguing. He just waved the messenger to send him to rest. He sat alone in the lobby with his eyes closed and meditated. No one knew what he was thinking.
I found out that he sat alone all night. He fell asleep on the chair the next day and was discovered by Zuo Mengeng.
"Father."
Seeing that his father did not go back to his room to rest last night, Zuo Menggeng thoughtfully asked someone to bring him a blanket to cover him, and then called softly: "Why didn't father go back to his room to rest? It hasn't been too hot these days, in case he gets sick
It’s windy and cold, isn’t it?”
Zuo Liangyu, who was awakened, did not answer directly, but took the blanket aside, stood up and stretched his muscles before saying: "Yesterday evening, I received an urgent report from Huangzhou Prefecture. After reading it, I
I stayed up all night, meditating on some things, and fell asleep before I knew it."
Holding the blanket in his hand and looking at his father, Zuo Mengeng asked: "What happened to Huangzhou Mansion? Can your father be so worried?"
Looking at the sky in the distance, Zuo Liangyu, who was quite melancholy, sighed: "Yesterday, Huangzhou Mansion was captured by Zhang Xianzhong's army. All the officials were killed and the defenders escaped. But the only thing that puzzles me is that this group of bandits did not occupy Huangzhou.
He hung the heads of the officials on the top of the city and wrote a sentence on a piece of silk - The Ming Dynasty is exhausted, why don't you surrender?"
Hearing this, some young and frivolous Zuo Mengeng immediately stepped forward and angrily shouted: "These thieves are so bold? How dare they treat my Ming officials like this? Such shame is simply humiliating us! Father, let's send troops! Destroy them, they
It’s too arrogant.”
Zuo Liangyu drank a cup of hot tea, warmed up his body, and sat back on the sandalwood chair. Zuo Liangyu didn't speak, and was surprisingly quiet.
Knowing that his father might have other thoughts, Zuo Mengeng had no choice but to endure the anger in his heart for the time being and stood aside waiting for his father to speak.
"Zhang Xianzhong is in Sichuan now. Where did the soldiers and horses come from to attack Huangzhou Prefecture? I heard that this bandit also has rockets and cannons. How can a mere bandit have cannons? Isn't this very confusing?" Zuo Liang
Yu leaned against the back of the chair, looking thoughtful. He always felt that something was wrong with this bandit. When he thought about it carefully, he found that there were too many problems.
Why did they choose Huangzhou Mansion? Why did they raise the banner? Why retreat in a hurry after capturing Huangzhou Mansion? What do they want? Or are they just a small bandit?
All kinds of questions made him think about it for a long time, but in the end he couldn't figure it out and had to give up.
"Father, do we want to report to His Majesty?" Zuo Mengeng suddenly asked from the side.
"Need not."
Zuo Liangyu directly rejected the proposal, his eyes suddenly filled with murderous intent, and he said decisively: "We should pretend that we don't know. If the messenger can keep it secret, we will give him some money and let him go elsewhere. If not, there is no need to keep him."
.”
"Yes, father."
"Also, mobilize the troops and horses and move to a few states and counties to the west to make the noise bigger. Not only must the bandits there know, but also His Majesty must know that I, Zuo Liangyu, am not a rebellious minister."
…
next day
In the main hall of the Old Palace of Nanjing, hundreds of officials stood solemnly, with the queen sitting on the right, but there was no one at the main seat. As everyone knows, the prince is seriously ill for some reason and is still lying on the bed. And your majesty has no control over the affairs of the Nanjing court. There has been no reply, just some routine inquiries. Recently, it seems that Wu Linzheng and others from the capital have disappeared, and now the person in charge of the court is actually a general soldier!
I saw Ma Shiying standing at the front of the hundred officials as a commander-in-chief, regardless of the opinions of the officials behind him, holding his head high and chest out, quite like a powerful official. Liu Liangzuo was also high-spirited, standing at the front of the queue of officials on the other side. I'm afraid no one could Unexpectedly, two mere generals would dare to be at the top of a hundred officials!
After the empress with a sad face told her attendants to start, Ma Shiying stepped forward and took the fake imperial edict she had drafted yesterday, strode up to the top, then turned around and faced the ministers.
At a quick glance, except for Liu Liangzuo and Ruan Dacheng, who looked excited, the other ministers looked at a loss, and some even looked directly at Ma Shiying. However, there were some ministers who were on their side and were also looking forward to his hands. of the imperial edict.
After clearing his throat, Ma Shiying began to read: "The emperor is entrusted with the destiny, and the edict says: Since the spring of this year, wars have continued, and all the land has been lost. Our Ming Dynasty has a faint sign of ruin, but our subjects are still working bravely for the country. We will drive out the bandits at all costs. Although we have been defeated by the bandits one after another, we still have hope for the revival of the Ming Dynasty. Now that I am the first in the world, I will set an example for the world and personally lead the army in the Northern Expedition."
After Fang finished reading this paragraph, several green-robed officials below already looked angry, and they all stared at Ma Shiying angrily. But Ma Shiying only snorted coldly in his heart and continued to read:
"However, the throne cannot be left unoccupied, so I have appointed Crown Prince Zhu Cixi as our emperor. I will retire as the Supreme Emperor and concentrate on the Northern Expedition! You should protect my new emperor with all your strength and bless our Ming Dynasty! And Fengyang Commander-in-Chief Ma Shiying will be granted the title of Bachelor and Official of the Cabinet. Ruan Dacheng is the Minister of the Ministry of War, and Liu Liangzuo is the Governor of Nanzhili. I appreciate this!"
After Ma Shiying finished reciting, Liu Liangzuo and Ruan Dacheng were overjoyed. As long as they recited the imperial edict and passed the day, the prosperity of the three of them would have been determined! But they also knew that it would be difficult to get through today. Some people were going to rebel. Therefore, they were not overly happy, but were already preparing for some people to explode.
Sure enough, as soon as Ma Shiying finished speaking, several people jumped out without caring about their manners, pointed at Ma Shiying and cursed: "Rebellious ministers and traitors! Forging imperial edicts! Desperate to seize power. Now that the Ming Dynasty has been shattered, there are still people who want to overthrow the imperial court! Xiao People, I’m afraid you are just wishful thinking!”
Some people even directly made obscene remarks: "A deceitful villain will not die a good death! They should all go to hell! Your descendants will definitely have no descendants!"
Facing the sudden curses of these people, Liu Liangzuo's mouth was ferocious. He had already prepared for this, and immediately drew his sword and shouted. In an instant, many sword-wielding swordsmen rushed out from both sides of the hall and outside. First, the green-robed soldiers were The official pressed his body down with his backhand, and the others immediately showed their swords and surrounded the officials.
"Listen!"
Liu Liangzuo stood in the center and said sternly with a murderous look on his face: "Your Majesty said that among the officials in Nanjing, there are treacherous officials who are causing trouble! Order us to arrest the rebellious officials and kill them, so as to eradicate rebellion for our Ming Dynasty! These people are your Majesty Those who rebel against me will be killed according to the will!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't care that he was still in the main hall, and immediately ordered the soldiers to kill several people. The soldiers did not hesitate, and instantly raised their swords and dropped them, and the heads of the officials in green robes who had just been scolded fell to the ground in an instant.
, blood spread freely all around. The surrounding officials tried to avoid the blood.
Seeing that no one in the main hall dared to oppose them, Ma Shiying finally felt relieved. As long as His Majesty is not allowed to evacuate from Shandong, half of the Ming Dynasty will belong to them!
"You will follow me tomorrow and we will establish a new master together!"