The fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month in the twenty-fifth year of Chongzhen.

As the New Year draws closer, the festive atmosphere in Nanjing becomes stronger and stronger.

Walking on the streets of Nanjing, you can see vendors setting up stalls everywhere.

There were people selling rice, noodles, oil, couplets, and firecrackers.

Amid the shouting, all kinds of gossip were spreading quickly.

"Have you heard?"

"What did you hear?"

"It had been five months since His Majesty had attended court, but he fainted in the court that very day."

"What happened to your majesty?"

"What else can I do? Of course I'm angry! He's in the capital, but things keep happening in Jiangnan. First, it was reported that the nobles privately minted Ming Yuanbao, then it was reported that Zheng Zhilong smuggled and colluded with the enemy, and now... it's reported that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince smuggled and colluded with the enemy."

"This is impossible, right? How could His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

"Whether it's true or not, His Majesty is very upset."

"What's the meaning?"

"If it is true, it means that the prince is colluding with the enemy. His Majesty will be sad and angry if he finds out. If it is false, it means that someone is targeting the prince. His Majesty will be worried and angry."

"I see!"

As the news spread, Qian Qianyi, the leader of the Donglin faction, brought Ma Shiying to a teahouse.

In order not to attract attention, they did not take the sedan chair but walked.

"Is this it?" Ma Shiying asked.

Qian Qianyi replied: "That's it."

The two stopped and walked into the teahouse.

In a hidden room, they met Liu Kongzhao and Zhu Guobi who had been waiting for a long time.

After some pleasantries, the four of them sat down.

They didn't get into the topic right away, but instead sipped tea and chatted.

After drinking half a pot of tea, Qian Qianyi smiled at Zhu Guobi and said, "It is widely rumored that Lord Zhu privately minted Ming Yuanbao. Instead of hiding at home, you invited me out for tea. I really admire you."

"Those are just rumors. Mr. Qian doesn't need to take them to heart."

"Isn't it too early to deny it now? We won't know whether it is a rumor until the court has finished investigating it."

"Ahem," Zhu Guobi coughed lightly, "I, Zhu, have a clear conscience. I am not afraid of investigation and can withstand it."

"That's good, that's good!" Qian Qianyi took a sip of tea and then asked, "What does Lord Zhu want to see me for?"

Zhu Guobi was afraid of saying something wrong, so he immediately put the teacup to his mouth and pretended to drink water.

Liu Kongzhao immediately took over the conversation and whispered, "I'm looking for Mr. Qian!"

Qian Qianyi smiled and continued to ask, "What does Lord Liu want to do with me?"

"I want to ask Mr. Qian a question."

"Except for national policy, you can ask about everything else," Qian Qianyi said very skillfully.

Now the Ming Dynasty has only one national policy: to forcibly promote the Ming Yuanbao.

Zhu Guobi and Liu Kongzhao were caught up in rumors of privately minting Ming Yuanbao coins.

Asking him out for tea at this time obviously means that he has something to ask of him.

Qian Qianyi would rather these nobles die immediately, so why would he save them?

Liu Kongzhao was well prepared. He said in the same experienced way: "Don't worry, Mr. Qian. The questions asked have nothing to do with national policy."

"That's good," Qian Qianyi put down the teacup in his hand and stared into Liu Kongzhao's eyes: "Master Liu, please ask me. I will tell you everything I know."

Liu Kongzhao paused and asked in a low voice: "Excuse me, Mr. Qian, Liaodong has been pacified, why doesn't Your Majesty allow the prince to enter the capital?"

Without waiting for Qian Qianyi's answer, Liu Kongzhao added: "Recently, there have been many rumors that your majesty is ill. According to common sense, your majesty should have recalled the prince to the capital to prevent any accidents. But your majesty not only did not do so, but also said in the court that anyone who dared to ask the prince to come to the capital would be severely punished."

"Excuse me, Mr. Qian...what is the purpose of your majesty's action?"

Qian Qianyi blinked and picked up the teacup he had just put down.

This question is too difficult and he doesn't know the answer.

Not only did he not know, but all the officials in Nanjing, big and small, did not know the answer.

Everyone was wondering why Chongzhen didn't allow the prince to return to Beijing.

Although he didn't know the answer, Qian Qianyi didn't say it clearly.

Instead, he looked mysterious and let Liu Kongzhao guess for himself.

Liu Kongzhao had long guessed Qian Qianyi's thoughts.

In order to save Qian Qianyi's face, Liu Kongzhao lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Qian has already seen through it, but he doesn't want to tell me, right?"

"Haha." Qian Qianyi smiled faintly and continued to pretend to be deep.

Liu Kongzhao followed suit and laughed, "I also have an idea, I wonder if it coincides with Mr. Qian's idea?"

Qian Qianyi put down his teacup and said, "You can talk about it. There are no outsiders here anyway."

Liu Kongzhao deliberately looked left and right.

There were only four of them in the room, of course no outsiders.

Under Qian Qianyi's expectant gaze, Liu Kongzhao lowered his voice and slowed down his speech: "I think your majesty intends to depose the crown prince."

Qian Qianyi snorted in his heart and put on a look of disagreement.

He had had similar thoughts before, but soon felt that the idea was unreliable.

The rules of the Ming Dynasty were to establish the heir apparent if there was a legitimate heir, and to establish the eldest son as the heir apparent if there was no legitimate heir.

Zhu Cilang was not only the legitimate son, but also the eldest son and the crown prince.

Let me put it this way.

As long as he doesn't rebel, the throne will fall on his head sooner or later.

Liu Kongzhao frowned and asked, "Mr. Qian doesn't believe it?"

Qian Qianyi shook his head: "It's not that I don't believe it, it's the rules. The rule set by Emperor Taizu Gao is that if there is a legitimate heir, the legitimate heir will be appointed, and if there is no legitimate heir, the eldest son will be appointed... Your Highness the Crown Prince has all of them. Even if Your Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince, the civil and military officials in the court and the people of the world will not agree."

Liu Kongzhao smiled mysteriously, "What if Your Majesty uses another method to depose the crown prince?"

"Another way?" Qian Qianyi was a little confused: "What way?"

Liu Kongzhao answered straightforwardly: "Don't let the prince enter the capital!"

"No..." Qian Qianyi was even more confused, "Your words don't make sense? Not allowing the prince to enter the capital means deposing him?"

Out of caution, Liu Kongzhao stood up, walked to Qian Qianyi and said, "Let me give you an example."

Qian Qianyi nodded: "Okay, the more outrageous the better."

Liu Kongzhao swallowed his saliva and began to speak: "Once upon a time there was a country called Song. The king of Song had two princes. The eldest prince was the crown prince and was governing the country in Jiangnan, while the second prince served in the northern army."

"The King of Song wanted to depose the Crown Prince, but the ministers in the court refused to allow it, citing ancestral rules."

"For this reason, he decided to keep the prince away from the capital and wait for the right opportunity."

"One day he suddenly became seriously ill, and before his death he left a will saying that the crown prince's position as heir apparent should be abolished, and the throne should be passed to the second prince."

"If you were a minister in the court, what would you do next? Would you go to Jiangnan to welcome the eldest prince to the throne, or would you go to the northern army to welcome the second prince who has military power to inherit the throne?"