After discussing with Wang An how much money he had on hand, Zhu Youxiao was secretly calculating who had the richest families.
That night, a group of people gathered at Yang Lian's residence. They sat down as host and guest, but their eyes were all focused on the Minister of Rites, Sun Shenxing.
"Sir Sun, I wonder what you want to talk about when you call everyone here? Can you tell me now?" Liu Yirong said when he saw that everyone was present.
"Okay! Then let me tell you something. A few days ago, I submitted a memorial to the emperor, impeaching Wei Zhongxian, the governor of the East Factory. After the memorial was submitted, it should have reached Your Majesty, but for some reason there has been no news until now." Sun Shenxing stopped talking here because he believed that these people could understand what he said.
"I wonder what crime he is accused of?" someone asked impatiently.
"They are colluding with evil forces and harming the country and the people. They are blocking the channels of speech and obscuring the wisdom of the emperor." As soon as Sun Shenxing finished speaking, the hall suddenly became silent and you could hear a pin drop.
"I wonder what Lord Sun thinks about doing this? There are no outsiders here, so why not tell me?" Yang Lian gently put down the teacup in his hand and spoke slowly, his expression unchanged.
No one could tell what this adult was thinking.
"Everyone here has gathered together for the sake of our country and the world. How can we sit back and watch a rat like Wei Zhongxian stay in the inner court and allow him to deceive the emperor?" Sun Shenxing's words were concise and somewhat puzzling.
But everyone present understood. By this time, the Donglin Party had grown strong enough to remove Wei Zhongxian, the governor of the East Factory, and replace him with one of their own or someone who was inclined towards them, such as Wang An, a eunuch who enjoyed the emperor's deep trust.
"With treacherous officials in power, it is our duty to serve. I also submitted a memorial, but like Lord Sun's, there has been no response."
As the words fell, the room suddenly became lively. It seemed that Wei Zhongxian was the worst eunuch in the world, and that if he was not eliminated, the people's anger would not be appeased, and if he was not killed, the law of the country would not be upheld.
They didn't know that while they were discussing how to bring Wei Zhongxian down, Wei Zhongxian was already preparing to cause trouble.
That night, after a busy day in the carpenter's workshop, Zhu Youxiao returned to his bedroom and was drinking some tea made from some seventh-grade snail that Chen Hongxin had found, reading a book and soaking his feet. He felt so relaxed. But after a while, there was a knock on the door.
"Your Majesty, Wei Zhongxian requests an audience." As one of the emperor's most trusted eunuchs, Chen Hong naturally knew of his master's arrangements. Since Wei Zhongxian had arrived, it meant that things were starting to work out.
"Let him in." A gleam of light flashed in Zhu Youxiao's eyes. What is coming will come. Look, Wei Zhongxian should be ready to start biting people.
The palace maids of Qianqing Palace were very considerate. After packing up the foot bath tubs, they quickly retreated.
As soon as Wei Zhongxian entered the room, he bowed deeply with a thud. He then prostrated himself on the ground and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, long live the emperor! I have disturbed your majesty and deserve death."
"Get up!" Zhu Youxiao put the teacup on the table and looked at Wei Zhongxian quietly.
After being stunned for a moment, Wei Zhongxian felt a chill in his heart. The emperor's attitude made him not know what to say.
However, Wei Zhongxian reacted quickly, kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, Yao Zongwen has been secretly exchanging letters with Liaodong, and the amount involved is huge. I suspect..."
"Just say it directly." Zhu Youxiao waved his hand. This was within his expectations.
"Yao Zongwen, the head of the Ministry of War, participated in the impeachment of Xiong Tingbi for other reasons." Wei Zhongxian said loudly, sneering in his heart: I don't care if you, Yao Zongwen, impeach Xiong Tingbi, but if you impeach me and make all my hard work for so many years go to waste, then I will definitely kill you.
Zhu Youxiao looked at Wei Zhongxian with an increasingly strange expression: "Is there such a thing? It seems that even this seemingly public-spirited person may not be truly so. Let's investigate!"
"The factory officials are the emperor's servants. I will live up to the emperor's trust and get the job done!" Wei Zhongxian said firmly.
Although the task was somewhat difficult, this was what the East Factory was for. If this couldn't work, then what was the point of keeping the East Factory? Besides, as long as the Emperor ordered an investigation, it would definitely be found out. Wei Zhongxian was furious.
Straw Hat Alley in the capital is a place known to everyone. It is the residence of most officials in the capital. Although the houses are not very good, it is known as a noble place.
At this time, a group of Dongchang soldiers came to the intersection and stopped at the gate of a mansion in a menacing manner.
When passers-by saw the men from the Eastern Depot, they all tried to avoid them and watched the excitement from a distance.
A slightly plump leader walked out of the queue, went to the gate and gently knocked on the doorknob.
"The Yao Mansion... There aren't many officials with the surname Yao in the court!"
"The one in this Straw Hat Alley should be Mr. Yao Zongwen, the head of the Ministry of War!" In a restaurant not far away, some people who like to watch the fun were discussing.
The high-ranking officials in the capital were all well aware of the character of Yao Zongwen, the head of the Ministry of War. He was ambitious but incompetent, and was also greedy. He was once appointed governor of Liaodong because of the favor of Fang Congzhe, the chief minister of the cabinet. However, Yao Zongwen knew nothing about military affairs and was corrupt and extortionate.
Xiong Tingbi could not stand this and severely reported him, thus offending the petty-minded Lord Yao. As a result, he was impeached in turn and had to resign and return home.
"Today, these thugs from the East Factory came with great force and are not to be trifled with! I wonder who Lord Yao has offended again!" someone said in confusion.
The fat man waited for a long time before the gate of the Yao Mansion was finally opened a crack. An old housekeeper cautiously poked his head out and said flatteringly, "Excuse me for keeping you waiting, my lords. I wonder what you may be up to..."
Before the old butler finished speaking, the fat man waved his hand impatiently, and immediately several people pushed open the door regardless of the old butler's objection.
A group of people rushed in, causing chaos in the Yao Mansion.
The guards following Fatty Head would leave one person behind every five steps he took. Soon, the entire courtyard was lined up with a guard every five steps.
"Where is Yao Zongwen?" The fat man and others looked around but couldn't find Yao Zongwen. They grabbed the old housekeeper who was about to run away and asked loudly.
The old butler had already been frightened by them, but he was still unwilling to reveal the whereabouts of his master. He just bit his lips tremblingly.
Seeing that he couldn't find out Yao Zongwen's whereabouts, the fat man was so angry that he threw the old housekeeper to the ground in the front hall and shouted, "Tie him up."
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