Chapter 140 Marriage and Brotherhood
“It’s these monsters indeed!”
Emperor Jiajing looked at the letter and said, "I have sent people to Shanxi and other places to conduct a thorough investigation. You should go to the Tiger Guards and clean up the mess thoroughly."
"Yes." In fact, the cleanup of Huben Zuowei has already begun.
"Qingzhi." Emperor Jiajing spoke slowly, "You have not experienced the ups and downs of officialdom, and you don't know how treacherous people are. Remember, if you violate taboos, you must report it in advance. I know you are worried that the evil person will escape."
Emperor Jiajing's eyes were gentle. "I was as impulsive as you back then. I always felt my blood boiling and nothing could stop me. But human nature! It will always trip you up in places you can't imagine. I don't want to see you become obedient and submissive from now on. So..."
Emperor Jiajing suddenly smiled and said, "Do what you should do. I believe in your heart. But if you get beaten or suffer a loss, don't come to me for help."
Jiang Qingzhi scratched his head and said, "Your Majesty, in fact, at that time I only had one thought, to catch the person behind the scenes and find out who is causing trouble for the Ming Dynasty."
At that time, Jiang Qingzhi's mind was full of how much national fortune this matter could save, and he forgot to ask someone to report to Emperor Jiajing.
"Go!"
Emperor Jiajing laughed.
Watching Jiang Qingzhi leave the palace, Emperor Jiajing asked, "Huang Ban, what do you think of Qingzhi?"
Huang Jin said: "Some people say that Chang Wei Bo acts naturally, as if... he doesn't care about the majesty of the emperor. He regards it as nothing."
"I am his cousin. Qingzhi treats me with sincerity. Why should he be afraid of the majesty of the emperor? Those who are truly afraid of the majesty of the emperor are either obsessed with fame and fortune or have ulterior motives."
Dao Ye said calmly: "Do you have some thoughts too?"
Pfft!
Huang Jin knelt down and said in panic, "I dare not."
"I'm sorry you don't dare!"
Emperor Jiajing waved his hand, and Huang Jin left, sweating profusely.
Emperor Jiajing was the only one left in the hall. Amid the smoke, he looked calmly at the statue.
"I have been enemies with scholars and officials for more than 20 years, and my opponents are everywhere. Qingzhi stood beside me without fear, and it was the same. How could a minister with enemies all over the world rebel? Where did his ambition come from? They are a bunch of idiots, thinking that I don't know that they are instigating and misleading me."
Emperor Jiajing sneered and flicked his whisk, "If Qingzhi came to report to me first and waited for my decision, that would be selfish. If he didn't come, that would be wholeheartedly for me and for the Ming Dynasty!
What is the majesty of the imperial power? Those ministers prostrated themselves before me, seemingly in awe of my majesty, but their minds were filled with selfish thoughts and petty intrigues!"
"Your Majesty, Lu Bing requests to see you."
Lu Bing came in holding his lower abdomen. Jiang Qingzhi's punch hit his stomach. He had vomited once before in Xiyuan.
"Huh?" Seeing his miserable state, Emperor Jiajing could not help but be furious, "Who did it?"
Lu Bing knelt down.
"It's Long Wilbur!"
"Why do you do it?"
The emperor's majesty is overflowing.
"Several Jinyiwei under my command found the White Lotus Sect's trail and came quietly. Who knew that Changwei Bo had also found out about it? Both sides... I didn't discipline them strictly, and my subordinates refused to give in. Changwei Bo was furious and killed one of them. Later, I heard the news and rushed over, but he..."
These words are touching.
Emperor Jiajing came over and said, "Look up and let me see."
Lu Bing looked up.
"Look, it's quite swollen."
Emperor Jiajing said gently.
then.
Raise your hands.
Snapped!
……
Lu Bing walked in the palace with his head down.
"I've seen the commander."
The palace maids and eunuchs respectfully avoided him when they saw him.
In the past, Lu Bing would respond with a smile, which was very kind.
But today he lowered his head.
As if in deep thought.
Zhilu is in front.
Jiang Qingzhi stood in front of Zhilu, "Lu Bing!"
Hearing the voice, Lu Bing looked up subconsciously.
"Ah!" exclaimed a eunuch, "his face!"
When everyone looked, they saw that Lu Bing's cheeks were swollen.
"Who hit this?"
An idea arose in everyone's mind.
No way!
Your Majesty trusts this foster brother so much, how could you beat him?
Lu Bing stared at Jiang Qingzhi, oblivious to himself, "Chang Wei Bo, what's the matter?"
Jiang Qingzhi was waiting for Zhu Xizhong, and when he saw Lu Bing, he stopped him and wanted to mock him... Jiang always wanted to deal with someone from morning to night.
But when he saw Lu Bing's cheeks were swollen, Jiang Qingzhi was stunned.
What the hell!
Who did this?
Taoist priest!
Jiang Qingzhi’s first reaction was “Dao Ye”.
Yes, apart from Dao Ye, who in the palace would dare to give such a hard slap to Lu Bing, the notorious commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?
Lu Bing wanted to lower his head, but when he saw those astonished eyes, he realized it was too late.
"Very stylish." Jiang Qingzhi praised.
Lu Bing said calmly: "Yes!"
A calm Lu Bing made Jiang Qingzhi feel like he had met an opponent.
"Qingzhi!"
Zhu Xizhong came back. He was happy at first when he saw Jiang Qingzhi, but when he saw Lu Bing with a swollen face, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Lu Bing went in calmly.
Zhu Xizhong asked, "Who did it? Don't tell me it was you."
"This is me." Jiang Qingzhi pointed to his lower abdomen
"Are you crazy?" Zhu Xizhong whispered, "Lu Bing may seem easygoing, but he is a vindictive man. He was saved by kneeling down and begging Xia Yan. He should be grateful to Xia Yan, right? Tsk! From then on, he regarded Xia Yan as his mortal enemy and even colluded with Yan Song's party for this. Why do you humiliate such a person?"
"He put his face right in front of me. Do you think I should hit him or not?" Jiang Qingzhi talked about the arrest of the White Lotus Sect.
"Tsk! This is exactly what I'm looking for you for." Zhu Xizhong looked around, and his followers left.
"Qingzhi, the White Lotus Sect is a disaster. Just leave the matter to the Jinyiwei and Bingmasi. I advise you not to make enemies with them. They are a bunch of lunatics!"
Zhu Xizhong warned: "Once they target you, they will do anything."
"I know." Jiang Qingzhi certainly knew the madness of the White Lotus Sect. In history, this group of lunatics even dared to assassinate emperors.
"By the way, who slapped Lu Bing in the face?" Zhu Xizhong asked curiously.
"What do you say?"
"Could it be... Your Majesty?"
"I didn't say that."
Jiang Qingzhi mentioned the business, "Why did I hear someone outside say that someone in the Duke Cheng's mansion complained that I ruined your little Duke's great marriage?"
Zhu Xizhong cursed: "Who said that?"
"How should I know?" Jiang Qingzhi did not comment. "I just said this casually. If your son can't find his wife... is it urgent?"
"What's the hurry?" Zhu Xizhong said calmly, "Don't worry about it."
Jiang Qingzhi had no time to take care of it, so Zhu Xizhong later found an excuse to leave his post and went home.
at home.
Several women were drinking tea together.
The hall was open, and outside the yellow flowers were in full bloom, bringing bursts of fragrance with the wind.
Several concubines complimented Zhu Xizhong's wife. One of them suddenly covered half of her face with a round fan and said, "Madam, I heard that Chang Wei Bo had a conflict with Lu Bing. I am a little curious, where did Chang Wei Bo get such courage?"
Zhu Xizhong's wife said coldly, "Don't mention that person."
The concubine complimented: "Madam is very magnanimous."
Another concubine said, "Lu Bing originally wanted to marry his eldest daughter to our young duke, which is a good match. I heard that the palace declined the idea, but later I heard that His Majesty didn't think as highly of Lu Bing as before, so Concubine Lu Jing opposed it. Madam, has Lu Bing really fallen out of favor?"
Zhu Xizhong's wife could no longer bear it and sneered, "What do you mean by falling out of favor? Lu Bing saved your majesty. Given your majesty's temperament, even if you ignore him, it will only be temporary."
She paused for a moment, sipped her teacup, and said angrily, "It seems that the Duke is favored by His Majesty, but he is still a level below him. Lu Bing is His Majesty's brother, and they are connected even if the bones are broken. If this marriage is successful, the Duke will be more trusted by His Majesty."
"So that's it!" The concubine suddenly realized, "Marriage alliances are for this purpose."
"The Duke is back."
A maid called out from outside the door.
Without waiting for everyone to stand up, Zhu Xizhong strode in and waved his hand, "Except my wife, everyone go back!"
"Yes."
When only his wife was left in the room, Zhu Xizhong asked, "Who spread those rumors?"
"Whose gossip?"
"About Qingzhi."
"You still call him Qingzhi..."
"Shut up!" Zhu Xizhong stopped his wife, walked around her a few times, and said, "Do you think it's a pity that the eldest brother didn't become Lu Bing's son-in-law?"
"Don't I feel sorry for the Duke?"
"Do you think I need to become a relative of Lu Bing in order to become His Majesty's confidant?"
"Is not it?"
"Woman! Stupid!"
Zhu Xizhong pointed at his wife and said, "You think I don't know what Lu Bing is thinking? He tried to test me several times, but I just played dumb."
"Ah! What the Duke means is..."
"If it were in the past, I could have gone with the flow and formed a marriage alliance with Lu Bing, but now there is no need for that."
"Why? Duke, this is a great opportunity. They said that His Majesty has people opposing this marriage, and it was Jiang Qingzhi who was interfering."
Zhu Xizhong suddenly sneered, "Two days before Lu Bing's wife entered the palace, I asked to see Your Majesty and told him that Lu Bing wanted to marry me."
"what are you!"
"I told your majesty that I only wanted to be a loyal minister."
Zhu Xizhong's wife shook her body a few times, "Duke, what's wrong with you... Who gave you this idea?"
"No one gave me advice, I just learned from others."
"Who?"
"Qingzhi!"
Zhu Xizhong's wife covered her forehead, "What? Yes, Jiang Qingzhi is a loyal minister, and he never pretends to be nice to Yan Song and others. But...but he is capable!
If the Duke has the ability to make Jiang Qingzhi treat you like a brother, then what is Lu Bing? After all, Jiang Qingzhi is a legitimate royal relative, and Lu Bing is just relying on the fact that Your Majesty has eaten his mother's milk. Besides, Lu Bing may be able to defeat the generals under Altan?"
"If you want to say that I am not as capable as Qingzhi, just say it, I admit it." Zhu Xizhong said lightly.
Zhu Xizhong's wife sighed, "You may seem to be in high spirits, but you lack real power and even fewer allies. Lu Bing holds power, and if we could be tied together through marriage... it would be a pity."
"You just mentioned brother?"
"The Duke's brother...who?"
"You stay in the backyard all day, never leaving the front door or the back door. I forgot to tell you." Zhu Xizhong's eyebrows were filled with pride, "Qingzhi and I are brothers who kowtow to each other."
"what?"
Zhu Xizhong's wife was dumbfounded.
"I don't need to teach you the rest, right?" Zhu Xizhong shook his head and turned to walk out.
"Women! Long hair, short knowledge."
Zhu Xizhong's wife stamped her feet and said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
At this time, the maid beside her came in and said, "Madam, here is the list of gifts for the Lu family. Would you like to take a look?"
"What gift?" Zhu Xizhong's wife frowned.
"Yesterday you said you wanted to give gifts to the Lu family to ease the situation regarding the marriage?"
"When did I say that?" Zhu Xizhong's wife turned around with her hands behind her back, "Choose a gift carefully and have someone send it to the Duke of Changwei's mansion. Oh, and tell them what I said. Since we are brothers, why doesn't Qingzhi come to the Duke's mansion? Do you look down on me, your sister-in-law?"
(End of this chapter)
