Zhu Youxiao's face showed no emotion. He pondered for a while before saying, "Since it is against the imperial rules, then I will approve it."
Amidst the ministers' somewhat surprised and astonished gazes, Zhu Youxiao turned around and instructed Wang Tigan, "Take your men and send Madam Fengsheng to a residence outside the palace for safekeeping."
Wang Tigan had been slapped in the face before, so he learned his lesson this time. He knelt down to accept the order, "I obey your order!" After saying that, he stood up and left the hall.
Are you stupid? I've been waiting for this opportunity to drive the old vegetable gang away and protect my future woman and children!
Zhu Youxiao glanced at the ministers, sensing their surprised expressions. He felt smug in his heart and said in a deep voice, "The two ministers are arguing, and it's hard to tell who is right or wrong. If the court can't reach a conclusion, I will send an official from the Ministry of War and a Censor-in-Chief to issue an order. Anyone who disobeys will be punished."
Ahem! Chief Minister Ye Xianggao coughed, then stepped out to make a report. "Your Majesty is wise. Yesterday, we received a report from Liaodong stating that the Eastern Tartars were pressing into Xiping and that war was imminent. Replacing the governors might destabilize the military. I suggest that Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen continue to hold concurrent posts, assessing their merits and demerits as one, to resolve the discord between the two ministers. We'll resume the discussion after the situation in Liaodong stabilizes."
Trying to smooth things over, without anyone retreating, and just conflating the merits and demerits, can the discord between Big Mouth Xiong and Doctor Wang be resolved?
Zhu Youxiao pursed his lips, glanced at the ministers, stood up and left. Behind him, he heard the eunuch's shrill cry of "dismiss the court".
……………..
Madam Fengsheng, Kebaba, and Keshi were sent out of the palace by Wang Tigan and a group of eunuchs without any preparation.
She was filled with emotions such as astonishment, confusion, and disbelief, but crying was of no use. She even asked to see Emperor Tianqi to say goodbye, but was told that the emperor was listening to Yuan Keli's lecture at the imperial lecture hall.
Although the house outside the palace is not as good as the imperial palace, it is not a question of where to live or the size of the house, but it is related to the emperor's favor and whether one can continue to influence the young emperor.
Ke Shi kowtowed in tears towards the Qianqing Palace and left the palace helplessly and sadly.
Of course, she still had some hope, thinking that the emperor was only making the decision under pressure from his ministers and would recall her soon.
The person who had almost the same emotion as Ke Shi was undoubtedly Uncle Wei.
Keshi's departure from the palace not only made him lose his powerful supporter, but also made him panic and fearful, wondering if he would soon be demoted and dismissed by the emperor.
The palace was filled with undercurrents and the struggle never ceased. Concubines competed for favor, eunuchs fought for power, and their methods were cold and cruel.
Uncle Wei could not forget that he had just killed his former benefactor, the eunuch Wang An; he also knew that many eunuchs, especially several senior eunuchs, were submissive on the surface but jealous and resentful in secret.
It's human nature to flatter the powerful and look down on the weak. After decades in the palace, how could Uncle Wei not see clearly?
Seeing his old lover leaving the palace in tears, Uncle Wei wanted to go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to show his courtesy and to find out what the emperor had to say. However, he was stopped by the eunuch Liu Ruoyu outside the palace, who conveyed the emperor's oral order and ordered him to return to rest.
Liu Ruoyu was under the command of Li Yongzhen, another eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department. Because he was good at calligraphy and was knowledgeable and talented, he was assigned to the Neizhifang to manage documents.
Li Yongzhen, on the other hand, attached himself to Wei Zhongxian and was promoted five times in just one month, from the Secretariat to the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department.
In other words, Liu Ruoyu was a subordinate of Master Wei. But now he dared to stop Master Wei. Although he was following the emperor's order, it made Master Wei realize that his future was bleak.
Uncle Wei returned to his residence in a daze. He didn't even eat and sat in a chair, lost in thought. He didn't even let the eunuch light the lamp until it got dark.
Just when Uncle Wei was feeling uneasy and the future seemed increasingly uncertain, a sharp and familiar voice came from outside the house.
Uncle Wei quickly stood up, pushed the door open, and bowed to Wang Tigan, saying, "Zhongxian greets Eunuch Wang."
Wang Tigan, the eunuch holding the seal of the Imperial Household Department, was ranked above Wei Zhongxian's writing eunuch. However, because Keshi was favored, Wang Tigan, in order to avoid Wei Zhongxian, never dared to take a position above him, but instead tried to curry favor with him.
Seeing the eunuch Wei, whom he had once fawned over, paying him such a grand tribute, Wang Tigan felt a flicker of satisfaction in his heart, but a smile spread across his face. He stepped forward to support him and said, "Eunuch Wei, such a grand tribute, wouldn't it be enough to make me feel overwhelmed?"
Uncle Wei's future was uncertain, so he was being unusually respectful, which was also a test.
After all, Wang Tigan was still close to the emperor, and he sent Ke Shi out of the palace, which seemed to indicate that he still had the emperor's favor.
Although Wang Tigan spoke politely, he knew from his expression that his guess was correct, and he became more and more frightened.
"I'm carrying out the emperor's orders." Wang Tigan bowed respectfully towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity and said, "Eunuch Wei, let's talk inside!"
"Yes, yes." Uncle Wei hurriedly bowed, lowering his posture to the lowest level. "Eunuch Wang, please."
After entering the house, Wang Tigan ordered his eunuchs to wait outside and had the door closed. Then, he looked at Master Wei, who was standing respectfully with a smile.
The house was quiet, yet somewhat eerie, which made Uncle Wei feel cold, not physically, but in his heart.
Wang Tigan admired it for a while, then said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please tell me how Eunuch Wang An died."
In the first year of the Tianqi reign, Emperor Tianqi appointed Wang An to be in charge of the Imperial Household Department. Wang An declined based on past practice. Keshi took the opportunity to persuade the emperor to agree to Wang An's request, and then conspired with Wei Zhongxian to kill him.
At first, Wei Zhongxian hesitated and couldn't bear to do it, but after being persuaded by Keshi, he made up his mind. He demoted Wang An to the position of Nanhaizi Jingjun, and then secretly ordered Nanhaizi Admiral Liu Chao to kill Wang An.
After Liu Chao took office, he stopped Wang An from sending him food. Wang An had to eat radishes from under the fence. Three days later, seeing that Wang An had not yet starved to death, Liu Chao killed him.
An old eunuch who has fallen out of favor will die and no one will care.
But Wang Tigan's sudden question was like a bolt from the blue, hitting Uncle Wei's heart hard.
The reason is very simple. This is the emperor's question. Why did you kill Wang An? He was once your benefactor, promoted you, and valued you, but you turned your kindness into hatred.
Seeing that Mr. Wei was stunned and speechless, Wang Tigan smiled coldly and continued, "The Jinyiwei have been ordered to arrest the Nanhaizi Admiral Liu Chao. Does Eunuch Wei want to confront him?"
thump!
Master Wei's knees softened, and he fell to the ground, kowtowed repeatedly, and cried out in pain: "I am guilty, I deserve death, please have mercy on me, Your Majesty..."
Wang Tigan pursed his lips and felt more relieved when he saw Uncle Wei's miserable state, but also felt a little regretful.
According to the emperor's instructions, if Uncle Wei denied the crime, he would turn around and leave without saying a word, and Uncle Wei would be beheaded.
"Eunuch Wei—" Wang Tigan raised his voice, interrupting Uncle Wei's cries. "The Emperor asked me to ask you, how can we still employ someone like you who is so ungrateful and repays kindness with enmity?"
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