The figures of Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong appeared outside the hall at the same time.
This time, the expressions of Gao Hongtu and other civil and military officials were even more exciting.
Not only is your Majesty okay, but the Crown Prince and Prince Ding also quietly came to Nanjing?
Lu Zhenfei reacted "just right" and knelt down on the ground first: "I bow to the Holy One."
At this moment, all the civil and military officials in the main hall also reacted, and immediately knelt down on the ground: "I will bow before the Holy One, may the Holy One be blessed with peace of mind!"
Gao Hongtu let out a long sigh and then fell to his knees.
It was also at this moment that Gao Hongtu finally realized that he had been fooled.
The "Luan Jia" parked at the Yangzhou Canal Wharf was just a cover deliberately released by the Holy One, and the two people Lu Zhenfei and Jin Xuan sent to Nanjing by the Holy One were just to create the illusion of a prison. Their real purpose was just
In order to induce them, the Donglin Party took the risk to kill the king.
All of this turned out to be designed by the Holy One.
Thinking of this, Gao Hongtu couldn't help but raise his head and take a deep look at Chongzhen.
But just in time, Chongzhen also looked at Gao Hongtu, with a mocking smile hidden in the corner of his mouth.
Gao Hongtu shook his head, then lowered his head again, saying to himself that His Majesty's thoughtfulness, deep thinking, and ruthless strategies were rare in ancient and modern times. However, his defeat to His Majesty this time was not unjust.
However, I, Gao Hongtu, will not give in easily.
Co-governance by scholars and officials is my lifelong philosophy, and I am willing to devote all my efforts to this end.
Long before Gao Hongtu, Donglin Party officials such as Jiang Yueguang, Lu Daqi, and Zhang Youyu had already knelt down.
If Chongzhen hadn't appeared, they would have dared to act like monsters, but once they were in front of Chongzhen, they were immediately so frightened that they didn't dare to let go of anything, and even knelt down faster and more decisively than the imperialists and princelings.
In the blink of an eye, there was only one person standing alone in the huge hall.
This person was none other than Yuan Pengnian, the man in charge of Li Ke who was holding a waist knife and wanted to kill someone.
Chongzhen glanced over, stared at Yuan Pengnian and asked, "Did you take the knife to kill the king during Yuan's incident?"
"No, I haven't." Yuan Pengnian let go of his hands, and the waist knife fell to the hall with a clang. Then he turned over and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, Yuan Pengnian, please kowtow to the Holy Spirit, Jin An."
When speaking, Yuan Pengnian's teeth were chattering.
However, Yuan Pengnian was not out of fear, but out of shock.
The Holy One is not dead yet? The entire ship was blown to pieces by underwater mines, but he is not dead yet?
Is it possible that after Meishan attained enlightenment, the Holy Spirit became a saint in body? Has he transcended the ordinary and become a saint?
Just when Yuan Pengnian was thinking wildly, Li Ruolian, commander of the Jin Yiwei, rushed in with a team of Jin Yiwei.
I saw Li Ruolian wave his hand, and the two royal guards rushed forward and dragged Yuan Pengnian away like a dead dog. At this time, Yuan Pengnian had already drooped his head, but he did not beg for mercy, and he was still tough.
Seeing this, Gao Hongtu bit the bullet and asked, "Your Majesty, what does Commander Li mean by this?"
"Old Gao Ge." Chongzhen knelt down in front of Gao Hongtu. He was wearing mountain armor, so it was a little difficult.
After squatting down, Chongzhen looked directly into Gao Hongtu's eyes at close range and asked quietly: "Why did Li Ruolian drag Yuan Pengnian away? Don't you know the reason?"
Gao Hongtu frowned and said, "I don't know what your Majesty means by this."
"Mr. Gao Ge, you really don't know? So I have wronged you." Chongzhen stood up and shouted loudly, "Yuan Pengnian participated in the regicide conspiracy and has been arrested and questioned by the Jin Yiwei."
"Does Jinyiwei have evidence?" Gao Hongtu could only be tough to the end.
"Yuan Pengnian is Chen's student, and I know very well what kind of character he has."
"With my understanding of him, I will definitely not commit such a heinous crime as regicide and rebellion, which is contrary to human ethics."
Speaking of this meal, he added: "So, please, Your Majesty, please make sure that the Jinyi Guards find out the truth. They must not unjustly accuse innocent people, let alone let the real culprit go."
"Don't worry about this."
"Since I dare to say that Yuan Pengnian participated in the regicide conspiracy, I naturally have enough evidence."
Speaking of this meal, Chongzhen looked around and said: "I also know that Yuan Fengnian is not the only one who participated in this regicide and rebellion. Yuan Fengnian is just a small seventh-grade man in the matter, and he is not that big."
Energy, there must be someone behind him, perhaps not just one, but a group, a large group!"
Chongzhen's words were not an implicit allusion, but almost an explicit reference.
The civil servants and generals in the main hall suddenly looked awe-inspiring, and it was only then that their thoughts finally turned from the dispute over the "Prince and Eternal King" back to the conspiracy.
Last night, a major regicide and rebellion occurred in the Ming Dynasty!
If this case is found out, the entire officialdom of the Ming Dynasty will be turned upside down!
Chongzhen added: "If there is anyone among you who is really involved in regicide and rebellion, I advise you to stand up on your own and plead guilty honestly. As long as you are willing to plead guilty, I can guarantee that the crime will not be as bad as that of your family."
The entire hall was silent, but no one was willing to stand up and confess.
Gao Hongtu opened his mouth, but in the end he said nothing.
However, Chongzhen's sharp eyes actually saw it and immediately asked: "What does Mr. Gaoge say?"
Gao Hongtu sighed and said: "Your Majesty, I am an old minister. I have recently felt that my energy is low and I feel embarrassed about the important task of Prime Minister and Assistant Minister. Therefore, I want to resign from the important post of Prime Minister and Assistant Prime Minister and return to my hometown to take care of myself."
Hearing this, all the civil servants and generals in the hall felt inexplicably ridiculous.
Low on energy? A moment ago, you, Gaoge Lao, were full of energy and could kill someone with your own knife.
As a result, as soon as the Holy Emperor appeared, Gaoge Laoyou immediately lost energy and wanted to beg for his body and return home. Are you afraid? Are you afraid that your body will be destroyed if the incident comes to light?
But can this kind of thing be avoided?
"Is Mr. Gao Ge begging for bones?" Chongzhen asked with a smile.
Gao Hongtu took off the black gauze and placed it in front of him, then he knelt on the ground and begged: "Please, for the sake of the veteran's decades of dedicated service to the Ming Dynasty, please allow the remains of the veteran to be buried in his hometown."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "I would have been negligent if I didn't tell you, Mr. Gao Ge." Chongzhen said with a solemn expression, "If I remember correctly, Mr. Gao Ge, you should have been in the tenth year of Wanli
A Jinshi among them, right? After the completion of the Liubu Guanzheng, he became the censor."
"In this case, Mr. Gao Ge has indeed dedicated thirty and five years to the Ming Dynasty."
"Thirty-five years, how many thirty-five years can there be in life? Mr. Gao Ge, you have devoted the best youth in your life to the Ming Dynasty. Based on this alone, you are enough to be ranked among the three princes. After death,
It’s more than enough to give it to Shangzhu Kingdom as a posthumous gift!”
During his lifetime, he was one of the three great lords, and after his death, he was awarded to Shangzhu Kingdom. In the Ming Dynasty, only Zhang Juzheng had this honor.
"I'm scared," Gao Hongtu said, lying on the ground. "I'm stupid, how dare I stand side by side with Duke Zhang Wenzhong."
"Gao Hongtu, it turns out that you also know that you are not worthy to be compared with Zhang Juzheng?" Chongzhen finally turned his back completely and said with a dark face, "I thought you wanted to be Zhang Juzheng's second!"
After saying this, he added in a more serious tone: "No, I thought you wanted to be Han Kanwei's second, Shi Miyuan's second, and Jia Sidao's second!"
"Gao Hongtu, if you fight me to the end, I will still look down upon you."
"But I didn't expect that when things came to pass, Gao Hongtu, you would back down. By doing so, are you worthy of your subordinates who fought for you? Are you worthy of the seniors of the Donglin Party?"
At this point, Gao Hongtu knew that there was no point in arguing anymore.
However, Gao Hongtu also knew very well that as long as he refused to admit his defeat, Chongzhen would have nothing to do with him.
Because Gao Hongtu firmly believed that the three disciples involved in the matter would be able to keep secret, as long as Yuan Pengnian, Liu Zhengzong and Li Jinglian refused to admit it until death, it would be impossible for Jinyiwei to collect evidence.
The identification of Du Hongyu or Liu Kongzhao alone is not enough.
Of course, Chongzhen could also directly order the murder without evidence.
But if Chongzhen really wants to do this, then his Gao Hongtu will win.
Just as a slap in the face of a royal cane can make a censor famous, the heads of Gao Hongtu and his disciples can also make the reputation of the Donglin Party a higher level, making the people of Jiangnan more confident in the reputation of the Donglin Party.
In the final analysis, Jiangnan intellectuals and public opinion are in the hands of the Donglin Party.
At that moment, Gao Hongtu stood up slowly and said sternly: "Your Majesty, I am worthy of looking up to heaven and humble to the earth, and I am not ashamed to look down on the Ming Dynasty. Even if I give up the crown prince, appoint the king, and support Yong Wang as the new king, it is also out of a public heart.
, Regardless of whether the Holy One believes it or not, the old minister is doing it for the permanent establishment of the Ming Dynasty. It is also for the plans of the Han family and the ancestral temple. I am determined to do this, and the sun will show it. I have said this, and I hope that the Holy One will understand clearly.
"
After saying that, Gao Hongtu walked out of the palace.
"Ha, did the regicide also come from a public heart?" Chongzhen laughed angrily.
"Your Majesty, I really did not know about the regicide." Gao Hongtu turned around and categorically denied, "I have read the books of sages since I was a child and was deeply influenced by Confucian etiquette. How could I commit such a heinous act?
Something that goes against human ethics.”
"Whether you are involved in regicide and rebellion, Gao Hongtu, you have said it yourself." Chongzhen said coldly, "You can only count after the Jin Yiwei has verified it. At least you, Gao Hongtu, are suspected at this moment, because Yuan Pengnian is your disciple of Gao Hongtu."
.”
"Your Majesty, just ask the Jinyi Guards to investigate thoroughly." After Gao Hongtu said this, he went out to the main hall, "During this period, the veteran will not be in a hurry to return home, but will be waiting at Zhutanfang."
"Then just wait at home." Chongzhen said with a cold snort.
Before entering the city, Chongzhen had already predicted that Gao Hongtu would never give in easily.
But Chongzhen still didn't expect that Gao Hongtu would be so difficult to deal with. This move of retreating into advancement was really watertight.
Didn’t you say that I, Gao Hongtu, participated in the conspiracy? Then I will resign now and stay at home, waiting for you to investigate and see if you can find any conclusive evidence?
If you can't find out, then you have to restore my reputation.
It is unreasonable to ask me to return to the cabinet to take charge of matters.
Thinking of this, Chongzhen's face became unsightly.
Fortunately, he had already thought up the overall plan before entering the city, otherwise there would really be nothing he could do against this old man.
At that moment, Chongzhen turned his attention to Jiang Yueguang, Lu Daqi, Zhang Youyu and other officials from the Donglin Party: "And you, whether you have participated in the regicide conspiracy or not, there is one thing you cannot deny, and that is you
They are all members of the Donglin Party, so go home and wait until the Jin Yiwei has found out before going to court!"
"I'll take my leave." Jiang Yueguang and other officials performed the first salute, then got up and left in despair.
Gao Hongtu was determined and tenacious, but Jiang Yueguang and others were far behind in comparison. These people had been completely stunned by Chongzhen's series of combination punches, and they even forgot to say a few words in the scene.
As soon as Chongzhen returned to the court, he drove more than a hundred Donglin Party officials home.
Now it is no longer the same situation as when I first returned to Nanjing last year.
At that time, there were only nine civil servants left around Chongzhen. If he fell out with the Donglin Party, the court would immediately be shut down, and the southern half of the Yangtze River would immediately fall into chaos.
But now you no longer have to worry about this.
The first is that neutral officials will no longer follow the Donglin Party.
The second is that the number of officials in the imperial party has also greatly increased.
The third is that Prince Qin has also grown up and is ready to be used.
At that moment, Chongzhen turned his attention to the Cao Jiang soldiers on both sides of the hall and said, "Have you seen them all? They dare to do it but don't dare to admit it. This is what you call a moral gentleman and a model civil servant, ha."
Officials such as Xie Xuelong, Meng Zhaoxiang and Fan Zhongjie looked at Cao Jiangbing in astonishment.
Then in front of more than a hundred civil servants and generals who stayed behind, the Cao Jiang soldiers on both sides of the hall pulled off their visors one after another, revealing their true colors. It was Xia Yunyi, Chen Zilong, Fang Yizhi, Huang Zongxi and others who were with Dong Lin.
The party members are inextricably linked to the Qinwang scholar, or simply the Xiao Donglin party.
The so-called Xiao Donglin Party refers to Fushe.
The expressions on the faces of Xia Yunyi and other scholars were extremely complicated.
Although their rationality tells them that the regicide conspiracy in Yangzhou was carried out by the Donglin Party, emotionally they do not want to admit it, or dare not admit it, because admitting it would mean the collapse of their faith.
You know, they have regarded the Donglin Party members as their role models since childhood.
But now, these role models have actually committed the grave crime of regicide and rebellion.
This conflicted fiercely with the Confucianism they had accepted since childhood.
Chongzhen's eyes swept across the faces of the scholars, and his eyes slowly softened: "I know you are sad at this time, but no matter how sad you are, you must accept the reality."
"Growing up is never easy."
"With growth comes more pain."
"In addition to pain, there is also loss. In the process of growing up, you always have to lose something, especially some things that have been regarded as the norm since childhood."
"But what I want to tell you is that you should not always focus on the land in front of you, and don't always think about fighting with your own party. It is really boring to fight."
"You should look outward. The world is big and the world outside is even more exciting!"
Speaking of this meal, Chongzhen said: "In short, the Ming Dynasty is worthy of your enthusiasm and lifelong struggle. This is the last lesson I want to teach you. From now on, you will officially graduate. Congratulations
you."
Chongzhen never forgot his original intention, which was to teach scholars.
The original intention of the director of this regicide drama was to educate this group of scholars.
Attacking the Donglin Party is only incidental.
Look at Chongzhen and Ming Dynasty: Remember the domain name from Meishan:
