Chapter 509 Gao Suqing, are you planning a rebellion?
The thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Because of the continuous heavy snow, the sky began to gradually darken in the afternoon.

original.

In weather like this, people basically stay at home with their wives and children.

But the streets surrounding the imperial city in Beijing are covered with ruts and footprints.

The men from the Wucheng Bingmasi and the officers from Shuntianfu and Daxing County formed a group and patrolled the streets, cursing at each other.

In theory, it was because of the heavy snow to prevent the collapse of houses in the city, so that the government could investigate and rescue the trapped people in time.

But what exactly it is for is a matter of opinion.

Rizhongfang and Faxiangfang near Deshengmen in the north city are located on high ground and have Jishuitan and Shichahai as upstream water sources, so most of the houses in the blocks are homes of nobles and relatives.

The Mansion of Duke Chengguo is also located here.

But at noon today, the doors of Duke Chengguo's mansion were suddenly closed.

Inside the mansion.

Duke Chengguo Zhu Xizhong had a solemn expression on his face as he looked at Duke Dingguo Xu Yande and Duke Yingguo Zhang Rong, who entered his house through the back door this afternoon.

"Zhenyuan Marquis Gu Huan has already gone to the cabinet. I don't think he will leave the city today."

Zhang Rong spoke cautiously.

Duke Dingguo Zhu Xizhong, however, frowned and said, "Your Majesty has always trusted Gu Huan. Now that the cabinet has summoned him to sit in Wenyuan Pavilion, it is only natural. As long as there is no problem with Gu Huan, there will be no major chaos in the Beijing camp, and the capital will be safe."

Duke Dingguo Xu Yande shook his head and said, "The capital is safe, but the local areas are likely to be in turmoil. In addition, there are countless meritorious officials and generals in the capital. You and I both know what these people have done over the years. This time the emperor has issued an order to clear the army. Won't they panic? Won't they be afraid?"

"Is fear a reason for them to oppose the emperor and the court?"

Zhu Xizhong frowned and snorted coldly.

Zhang Rong persuaded, "Now is not the time to discuss this. We should think about how these people have been in the local areas and border towns for so many years, making up military rosters and collecting empty salaries. Now that the emperor wants to clear the army, will they do something radical?"

"What? Do they dare to rebel?" Boss Zhu Xizhong was unhappy and his face was full of anger.

As the Duke of Chengguo, he was not unaware of the fact that nobles and military generals had been secretly fabricating military rosters and collecting empty salaries for many years.

But for various reasons in the past, he could only turn a blind eye.

After all, even if they didn't take empty salaries or withhold money from officers and soldiers, the Chengguo Mansion had received numerous generous rewards from successive emperors, and the family had countless fields. In addition, the Chengguo Mansion had many relatives and students over the years.

He could not completely control these people who were taking empty salaries and deducting soldiers' money and food. When he found out about it later, he could only help cover it up and take responsibility for it.

Duke Yingguo Zhang Rong looked at the furious Zhu Xizhong and said with a smile: "The emperor wants to clear the army and the court wants a new policy. This is something that cannot be changed. Our three families are involved in it, and our sons are now serving in the army as role models. Now, in my opinion, the emperor may want to see how we perform. As for the others below, I am afraid that the emperor has other plans in case of an emergency."

rebel?

If meritorious officials and military generals rebelled because the emperor issued an edict to clear the army, that would probably be what the emperor and the court most wanted to see.

In this way, we can take the opportunity to clean up the meritorious officials and generals and implement the Qing army's plan.

Xu Yande shook his head and said, "The trouble is that the emperor issues three orders a day, measuring the land and clearing the army, and also asking the royal family to register. Under such circumstances, it is inevitable that some people will secretly find the meritorious officials and generals in the court, and the two sides will work together. By then, even if we want to persuade and stop them, I'm afraid we won't be able to persuade or stop them. We can't just watch the capital flow like a river of blood and heads rolling, can we?"

The Duke Dingguo was indeed somewhat worried.

Even if the Xu family does not have any major problems, there is no doubt that their relatives and old friends in the army have committed illegal acts.

Zhu Xizhong snorted twice and looked at the two of them: "So what do you think we should do now?"

Duke Yingguo Zhang Rong turned his eyes and said slowly, "In my opinion, we should send people to contact each family and ask them not to act without authorization. It's a good thing that the emperor wants to clear the army. They have benefited a lot over the years, and they have become rich. Now that the court wants to clear the army, they should withdraw their hands as soon as possible. If there are any shortages, each family can discuss and contribute some money and food to make up for it. They are all meritorious officials who share the same fate with the country. They should correct their mistakes. In addition, this year, Xin Ai Huang Taiji of the Anda tribe led 100,000 troops to attack Xuanda and Da, and now they are stationed in Hetao. If the bandits don't retreat, there will definitely be a big war after the spring. The emperor will not treat them harshly after all."

After saying this, Zhang Rong looked at Duke Dingguo Xu Yande.

Xu Yande thought about it and nodded, "I think this method is okay. We should stop now while we are ahead. After all, we still have some mercy. If there are too many missing, we can make up for them. The court will not pursue it too much. If there are really those who are still stubborn and unyielding, they will be punished and beheaded, and they can't blame others."

Subsequently.

They both looked at Chengguogong Zhu Xizhong at the same time.

In the capital, these three families are now the top meritorious officials.

The decision made by the three of them basically represents the attitude of the meritorious officials in the capital.

Zhu Xizhong looked at the two people who were looking at him, his face changed for a while, and finally he could only nod and sigh: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has treated us well after all. The new policy of the court is to carry on the past and forge ahead into the future, and the Qing army should also do the same. Rest and die with the country... Rest and die with the country, if the country is gone, how can we rest and die together?"

The elderly Duke finally stood up slowly.

He walked to the door and looked at the snow falling outside.

"Let's do it this way. Let's go and notify each family now."

Zhang Rong and Xu Yande also walked behind this old brother.

Duke Dingguo Xu Yande whispered, "What if they don't want to let go?"

Zhu Xizhong's brows tightened, and a murderous look flashed in his eyes.

"Then it's their fault that they died!"

……

"Having come to this point, can we still turn back from this dead end?"

"Looking back is death, not looking back is also death."

"Can you still blame me for waiting?"

At the same time, it was also in the capital.

The room was packed with dozens of people crowded together.

Among them were generals wearing military robes, as well as gentry and merchants dressed in silk and satin.

The person who spoke was a nobleman.

His skin was delicate and his face was gentle, but he lacked the bravery of a warrior. It was obvious that he was the descendant of a noble family.

"The crime does not deserve death. The crime does not deserve death."

A merchant said with a smile: "In this world, the brothers in the guards in various places have a hard life. They usually take care of our business. We are willing to pay some hard work and help carry some goods. It's just normal for everyone to be kind to each other. Even if it's on the other side of the border, we can't let the brothers guard the border in this season in thin clothes, right?"

As soon as this person finished speaking.

Immediately, another gentleman spoke up, "That's right! The quota from the court is limited. If we don't do some business in private and earn some extra money, who will guard this border? Now that you generals have worked hard, the border is still safe. If you really don't give us even half a way out, let alone the generals, even we won't want to run business at the border anymore."

All the nobles and generals remained silent.

However, the gentry and merchants present were talking non-stop.

“We all earned our money through hard work.”

"Every time you go there, you're exchanging your life for money."

"The profit from the trip is not as much as the loss. The imperial court also banned salt and iron, so most of the profits went to others."

"That's right, how much can we earn?"

"But now we want to clear the army. We won't be able to survive!"

at last.

A group of gentry and merchants turned their attention to the nobles and generals present.

"The Emperor's will, the imperial court's order, what do you think we should do?" "Are you asking us to rebel?"

All the gentry and merchants immediately shook their heads.

One of them was probably the leader. He smiled and said, "The law is clear. How can we do such a thing as treason and beheading? We... just thought that there was a rumor in the uterus a few days ago that the emperor was ill? Now the emperor has returned to the Qianqing Palace from the Western Garden. Is there..."

"Is there something to hide?"

"That's right!" The leader of the gentry and merchants clapped his hands and said, "We are guessing that if the emperor is really seriously ill, there may be traitors in the palace and the court who have isolated the inside and outside, and are faking..."

"Falsely convey the will!"

A young earl whose family had been passed down for several generations, his eyes lit up, and he followed the words of the gentry and merchants and said the four words "falsely convey the imperial order".

Everyone was silent for a while, but their eyes were constantly communicating.

Obviously, there is no need to delve into whether the so-called traitors in the palace and the court who are isolating the inside and the outside are true or false.

They just need a reason.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

It's just a legitimate reason to express dissatisfaction.

By the time the three old dukes, Xu Yande, Zhang Rong and Zhu Xizhong, had finally made a plan, they began to send people to contact and pass messages everywhere.

There were already dozens of nobles and military generals in Beijing, dressed in court robes, entering from the Daming Gate, passing through the Chengtian Gate and the Duanmen Gate, all the way to the Wumen Gate, where they stopped.

Afterwards, these people began to shout publicly, saying that there were treacherous villains in the palace who took advantage of the emperor's serious illness to isolate the inside and outside world with the intention of rebelling.

As for the purpose.

Very simple.

They want to see the emperor.

at this time.

It was Gao Gong who personally sat in the cabinet the day before.

After hearing the report from Su Yu, the secretary of the Imperial Decree Office, Gao Gong was once again almost fainted from anger.

Gu Huan, Marquis of Zhenyuan, who had been summoned to Wenyuan Pavilion not long ago, was also shocked.

In his sight, after hearing the news, Prime Minister Gao Gong's face darkened at a speed visible to the naked eye, then his eyeballs rolled violently several times, and the veins on his neck were clearly visible.

Fortunately.

Prime Minister Gao has experienced too much recently, and his experience has become richer. After all, he was not as angry as he was when he first heard the officials kneeling to remonstrate at Xi'an Gate. He fainted from anger and vomited a mouthful of blood when he woke up.

But now, nobles and generals have come to the Meridian Gate.

Gao Gong was also so angry that his heart was beating fast.

He glanced at Gu Huan.

Gu Huan immediately spoke in a deep voice: "The condition of your Majesty's body is unclear now. If the Prime Minister has any instructions, just give them to me. I and the soldiers of the Beijing Camp will definitely protect the imperial palace in the capital!"

kill!

The word "kill" almost jumped out of Gao Gong's mouth.

He really wanted to let Gu Huan lead the troops of the Beijing Camp to directly chop down those noble generals who had run to the Meridian Gate to cause trouble.

But when Gao Gong and Gu Huan arrived outside the Meridian Gate and saw the scene, they were shocked.

At this time, the number of nobles and generals gathered in front of the Meridian Gate increased a lot.

Among them were nobles who inherited titles, nobles who were favored by the emperor, and generals who inherited the throne in the Jinyiwei without any titles.

And the leader.

Gao Gong saw it clearly, there were also Fang Chengyu, Earl of Anping, and Jiang Rong, Earl of Yutian.

These two are not ordinary people.

The first Earl of Yutian was Jiang Lun, the uncle of the current emperor and the cousin of Empress Cixiaoxian. Jiang Lun was conferred the title of Earl in May of the first year of Jiajing. He died in the fifth year of Jiajing, and his son Jiang Rong inherited the title.

As for the Anping Earl's family, they were the family of Empress Xiaolie.

Speaking of Empress Xiaolie, who died in the 26th year of Jiajing, we have to mention that in October of the 21st year of Jiajing, palace maid Yang Jinying and others conspired to rebel and assassinate the emperor.

At that time, Concubine Cao was very beautiful and the old Taoist priest loved her very much. She was promoted to Concubine Duan. Yang Jinying and other palace maids took advantage of this opportunity and prepared to strangle the emperor with a rope. However, as luck would have it, the rope was tied into a knot, so the assassination attempt failed.

The maid Zhang Jinlian, who had conspired with Yang Jinying to rebel, was frightened and secretly ran to Queen Fang's bedroom to plead guilty. Queen Fang was shocked and rushed to the Qianqing Palace with people, only then did she untie the rope and rescue the emperor.

Afterwards, Empress Fang remained calm and ordered eunuch Zhang Zuo to arrest the palace maids who were plotting rebellion. Of course, Empress Fang also took the opportunity to execute Concubine Cao Duan, Concubine Wang Ning, and Yang Jinying, a group of palace maids.

Afterwards, also to express gratitude, the emperor conferred the title of Marquis of Anping on Fang Rui, the father of Empress Xiaolie Fang.

After Fang Rui died, his son Fang Chengyu inherited the title, which was demoted to the Earl of Anping.

One is the relative of the emperor's uncle, and the other is the relative of the emperor's deceased queen.

These two are the most respectable and respectable relatives of the emperor's wife.

Gao Gong felt a throbbing in the back of his head when he saw the two old nobles who still came to the Meridian Gate.

However, Anping Earl Fang Chengyu and Yutian Earl Jiang Rong didn't care what was wrong with the Prime Minister's brain.

Fang Chengyu spoke first: "Gao Gong, the emperor is now seriously ill and has moved back to the Qianqing Palace. As noble relatives, we want to see the emperor!"

"Meet the Emperor!"

"Meet the Emperor!"

"We want to see the Emperor!"

In front of the Meridian Gate, as Anping Earl Fang Chengyu raised his hand, everyone started cheering.

Gao Gong was overwhelmed for a moment, and his voice became stern: "Marquis Anping! This is a forbidden area of ​​the palace. You are all nobles and relatives. How can you gather here to cause trouble?"

He looked at the crowd in front of him.

Most of them are nobles and relatives who have nothing to do in Beijing.

And these people perfectly fit the intentions of both Dutian and the Qing army.

Even if I use my toenails to think, I can guess that these people are scared.

But he had just finished speaking.

Yutian Earl Jiang Rong snorted coldly and waved his finger at Gao Gong.

"Gao Suqing! We are all noble relatives, and we are one with the emperor!"

"Now that the emperor is seriously ill, you, as the chief minister, have colluded with the inner court and separated the inside and the outside."

"We are anxious for the emperor's health and well-being, and we want to see him in person, but you keep stopping us."

"What do you want to do?"

"Gao Suqing, are you planning a rebellion?!"

…………

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