On the tenth day of September, in the Cao family compound in the west of the capital, Emperor Zhu Youjian stood in front of Cao Bianjiao's bed and let out a long sigh.
Cao Bianjiao was lying on the bed, dying, and his face was as white as paper. I don't know how he survived the bumpy road and managed to reach the capital.
The last time Zhu Youjian saw Cao Bianjiao was at the end of the year before last. At that time, Cao Bianjiao had just defeated Li Zicheng and captured Shaanxi, and he was very high-spirited outside Xi'an. Zhu Youjian only remembered that Cao Bianjiao spoke like a bell at that time, and his gestures were full of heroism.
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However, nearly two years later, all the new soldiers in the Beijing camp that made Cao Bianjiao extremely proud were wiped out. Cao Bianjiao also fell ill and fell into this state.
It is said that a thousand armies are easy to get, but a general is hard to find. The destruction of the new army and Cao Bianjiao's illness meant that Zhu Youjian lost two pillars at once.
Cao Bianjiao fell drowsily on the bed and fell into a coma. Zhu Youjian couldn't bear to wake him up. Instead, someone brought a chair and sat beside the hospital bed to wait slowly.
However, Cao Bianjiao's son burst into tears when he saw his father standing in front of the hospital bed. The seven-year-old boy obviously understood that he was about to lose his father and lost control.
His son's cry woke up Cao Bianjiao. He opened his eyes and turned to look at the crowd beside the bed.
Dimly, he saw Zhu Youjian's face clearly, and his face was suddenly startled.
Struggling on the bed with all his strength, Cao Bianjiao seemed to want to get up and kowtow.
Zhu Youjian sighed, went up and grabbed Cao Bianjiao's shoulders tightly, and said: "Uncle Ding Xi, take care of yourself, no courtesy!"
Cao Bianjiao then stopped struggling and lay down on the bed.
Two clear tears flowed from his eyes.
"My incompetence led to the annihilation of the entire New Army. Originally... I had no shame in coming to see the Holy Emperor!"
Zhu Youjian looked at Cao Bianjiao, shook his head and said nothing.
Cao Bianjiao said again: "Your Majesty... I am struggling to return to the capital this time because I want to say one last thing to your Majesty."
Zhu Youjian nodded and said, "You can tell me what it is."
Cao Bianjiao said: "I...I fought with the Jiangbei Army in Yuezhou City. I finally...understood and understood the strength of the Jiangbei Army. The Jiangbei Army was defeated several times by the King of Tianjin, but it was still defeated and became stronger with each war.
This is because…"
Cao Bianjiao coughed violently and said, "Your Majesty, this is because the power of the gentry in the world is too strong."
"In our Ming Dynasty, there are two capitals and thirteen provinces. Except for the territory under the rule of the King of Tianjin, there is no place under the control of the gentry. Of the billions of wealth in our Ming Dynasty, how can the poor people have much savings? Ninety percent of it is in the hands of the gentry! Jiangbei Army
He can be defeated again and again, but as long as he is not completely annihilated, the gentry will deliver goods and help him up again."
Looking at Zhu Youjian's face, Cao Bianjiao said: "Your Majesty, the Jiangbei Army cannot be defeated by the new army. Your Majesty, before I died, I remonstrated with my life, hoping that Your Majesty would not fight to the death with the gentry anymore. So he stopped the reform.
Be a virtuous master who governs from the top down."
After holding his breath and saying this, Cao Bianjiao started coughing violently and couldn't stop for a long time.
When Zhu Youjian heard what Cao Bianjiao said, his brows tightened, and his originally gentle face was suddenly filled with dark clouds.
No longer talking to Cao Bianjiao, Zhu Youjian slowly stood up.
"Ding Xibo, take care of yourself."
Without saying a word, Zhu Youjian walked out with a livid face.
Cao Bianjiao felt that the emperor was dissatisfied with him. He opened his eyes wide and looked at the emperor's retreating figure, unable to say a word.
Wang Chengen was stunned for a moment, then trotted after him.
After leaving the Cao family compound, Zhu Youjian walked towards the imperial city without taking a car.
Wang Chengen stood aside and looked at Zhu Youjian's face, and said: "Your Majesty, the Jiangbei Army may have reached the north of Huguang now, and may really want to attack the capital!"
Zhu Youjian had no expression on his face and walked forward without saying a word.
Wang Chengen hesitated for a while and then said: "Your Majesty, not only the Jiangbei army has rebelled, but some local soldiers and horses in Shanxi and Beizhili have also rebelled. The soldiers and horses in Shanxi have already come out to attack the officials who organized the reform. The soldiers in Beizhili have also rebelled.
The guardsmen also arrested two judges who were presiding over the reform and put them in private cells at the guardhouse!"
With a face as anxious as if he was about to cry, Wang Chengen said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid as long as Jiangbei's army enters Shaanxi, Shanxi and Beizhili, the local armies from all over the country will surrender. When hundreds of thousands of troops surround the capital, what will happen?
good?"
"Your Majesty, they are not one person, they represent the gentry in the world. We only have 20,000 new troops, how can we fight against the gentry in the world?"
Wang Chengen became more and more anxious as he spoke, and finally said: "Your Majesty, although Dingxibo was defeated in Yuezhou, he was also a veteran general in the southern and northern wars. It is said that he is about to die, and his words are good. Even Dingxibo is afraid of the gentry.
I would like to persuade the Holy One not to fight to the death with the gentry anymore, so the Holy One should take a step back and stop the reform!"
Zhu Youjian frowned, ignored Wang Chengen, and walked quickly forward.
Wang Chengen seemed to think that this was the last chance to reverse the emperor's decision, and suddenly walked quickly to Zhu Youjian and knelt on the ground with a plop.
Prone on the ground, Wang Chengen said loudly: "Your Majesty! Just take the advice of Ding Xibo and stop the reform! If you don't stop the new law, the whole world will rebel. If the 20,000 new troops in the capital cannot hold it, they will kill the Holy Majesty."
of!"
Zhu Youjian was blocked by Wang Chengen and frowned.
"Wang Chengen, do you know what kind of life I lived in the past few years because I was hampered by the Donglin Party in every aspect?"
"Wang Chengen, do you know that these gentry prey on the common people, forcing the common people to rebel everywhere, and forcing out big thieves like Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng? If the Tianjin County Prince hadn't turned the tide, no one would have been able to stop these big thieves!"
"If the law is not changed and the gentry is allowed to corrupt our Ming Dynasty, how will I be able to meet my ancestors in a hundred years?"
Wang Chengen didn't even raise his head, and just said loudly: "I know this, but what can I do at this moment? Your Majesty can't reverse the corruption in this world! Even if he is controlled by the civil servants and becomes a false king, it will be better.
You have lost your position, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Youjian was stunned when he heard Wang Chengen shouting "Your Majesty" twice.
Wang Chengen had always called himself "Emperor", but the sudden call of "Your Majesty" made Zhu Youjian feel extremely unfamiliar. Obviously, Wang Chengen had tried his best to stop himself from going his own way, so he had to use the most formal honorific to call himself.
Obviously, the situation has reached its most dangerous moment.
Zhu Youjian closed his eyes and sighed helplessly.
"That's all, let Li Zhi become the prince of the opposite sex in the Ming Dynasty?"
Wang Chengen was stunned for a moment, then looked up at the emperor, wondering what the emperor meant.
Zhu Youjian waved his sleeves and said to Wang Chengen: "Wang Chengen, soldiers and horses from all over the country are now in chaos. Please pass on my decree and quickly transfer the Tianjin County Prince to Zhili King Qin. Let the Huben Army in Tianjin repel the Jiangbei Army and the local troops.
