Chapter 222: Jiang Qingzhi, who takes pleasure in revenge, and the Taoist who shows his edge again
"Your Majesty, outside the Imperial City, Tan Xiao's family members are crying, saying that this was instigated by Lord Changwei. In addition, more than a hundred scholars have gathered and are preparing to attack Lord Changwei."
Emperor Jiajing, who had not yet returned to his place of meditation, was stunned, with all kinds of thoughts flashing through his mind.
In the eyes of Emperor Jiajing, this was not Zuo Shunmen. The Zuo Shunmen incident was about officials causing trouble, while this time it was scholars.
If officials caused trouble, Emperor Jiajing could punish them with the caning in the court.
But the scholars' disturbances were different. In the early Ming Dynasty, most of the places in the imperial examinations were taken by southern scholars, so northern scholars made trouble. In order to win the hearts of scholars all over the world, Emperor Taizu not only killed the examiners, but also created a north-south list.
The beating of officials in the court was an internal affair, but the beating of scholars was a matter of public concern.
"This was a deliberate attack!"
How smart the Emperor Jiajing was, "Tell Ling Qingzhi to come back immediately, go quickly!"
Huang Jin ran away.
Emperor Jiajing stood with his hands behind his back, watching him go away with a gloomy look in his eyes.
"I ordered the rectification of the capital guards. Those fools smelled unrest. This is a test."
……
There were more than a hundred scholars on the opposite side, while Jiang Qingzhi had only nine guards, so it should have been a one-sided battle.
"Break his legs!" someone shouted ecstatically.
Diagonally opposite, Yan Shifan and Lu Bing stood together.
"Whose idea was this?" Lu Bing asked.
"No one." Yan Shifan rubbed the corner of his one-eyed man's eye, "You Jinyiwei don't know about this?"
Lu Bing shook his head. "Then this is spontaneous. No, I was wondering why those people were so quiet, allowing Jiang Qingzhi to run rampant in the capital. It turns out this is paralysis. They were waiting for this moment."
"They beat up Jiang Qingzhi and ruined his reputation." Yan Shifan shook his head, "Those idiots who did it..."
"What do they want?" someone asked.
"name!"
"name!"
Yan Shifan and Lu Bing looked at each other.
"How many people were caned during the Zuo Shunmen Incident? But those people were proud of it. They became role models of scholars. Why do people study? To seek fame and fortune. Everyone in the world loves fame!"
Yan Shifan sneered, "They all want to leave their names in history, but they can't avoid being beaten first."
As soon as the two sides came into contact, screams of agony were heard.
Then one by one, the scholars fell to the ground, rolling on the ground and screaming.
Rushing in the front were Mo Zhan and Sun Chonglou.
Mo Zhan held the scabbard, while Sun Chonglou relied on his fists and feet. The two of them formed an arrowhead, which frightened away anyone who was in their way.
"Fuck!"
An official was stunned. "This... actually took action?"
"One against ten!"
"That crotch kick is so fierce!"
Zhu Xizhong came and said, "Qingzhi, it's almost done, it's almost done."
"What do you mean?" Jiang Qingzhi glanced at him.
"These scholars are connected to the literati of the world. It would be great to take action today, but the consequences... are unimaginable!"
"The governor is allowed to set fires, but the people are not allowed to light lamps?" Jiang Qingzhi said, "I never tolerate such bad habits."
"But they are so powerful that even I dare not offend them!" Zhu Xizhong exposed his weakness. "Although I am a duke, if I anger these people, I will be unable to defend myself from their attacks. The worst thing is that public opinion is controlled by them. In a hundred years, I will become a traitor."
"Uncle, you can't do that!" Xiao Zhuo came and advised anxiously.
Dou Jialan turned around and looked at Jiang Qingzhi.
"Uncle!"
She also felt that this was not a good way to go.
Jiang Qingzhi said coldly: "I said, if no one offends me, I will not offend anyone. If someone offends me, I will definitely offend him. Beat him!"
This order allowed the guards to completely let go, and only a moment later, the first escaping scholar appeared.
"Help!"
Sun Chonglou chased after him and kicked the man down, stomping on him while cursing, "How dare you beat up my young master? Today I'll show you how powerful Grandpa Sun is!"
He stepped between the scholar's legs, and the onlookers all clamped their legs together.
Mo Zhan was the calmest and most efficient. When the knife was slashed, someone would fall down.
"Long Wilbur."
Huang Jin ran out panting, "Stop, stop!"
The last scholar was kicked down by Sun Bu Tong.
The guards turned around.
The scholars on the ground were howling in pain.
Huang Jin murmured, "Something big has happened, something big has happened!"
……
"Jiang Qingzhi took action?"
Qiu Luan was at the training ground of the front guard of the government army. Upon hearing the news, he said to Qin Yuan: "Scholars like to make trouble in groups. How dare ordinary people offend them? Jiang Qingzhi's move is certainly satisfying, but it also stirs up a hornet's nest."
Qin Yuan's eyes flashed with joy, "Then..."
"Take advantage of his illness to kill him!"
……
"Why do you do it?"
Emperor Jiajing paced back and forth outside the palace, and his pace became more and more urgent. "I don't believe those scholars can catch up with you, a fool!"
Jiang Qingzhi said innocently: "Your Majesty, they have painstakingly blocked me outside the imperial city. If I retreat without a fight, they will create public opinion and say that I am afraid... What are you afraid of if you don't do anything wrong? In this way, the name of treachery can be pinned on me."
The Jiajing Emperor certainly knew this truth. "Retreating without fighting, do you think this is a battle on the battlefield?"
"Your Majesty, I think this is more dangerous than fighting on the battlefield."
Emperor Jiajing was silent for a long time. "Those people are the craziest and are everywhere. Aren't you afraid?"
"I am even more afraid that this Ming Dynasty will become history!"
"Bold!" Emperor Jiajing's face darkened.
Jiang Qingzhi continued, "This is just a purge of the Beijing Guards, and it has caused such a backlash. Your Majesty, if you want to rectify the Ming Dynasty, what will happen?"
It will trigger opposition from scholars and officials all over the world.
"During the Early Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi retired because of this. The Early Song Dynasty then fell into the abyss. Your Majesty just wanted to rectify the world, and this group of people came here to smell the scent. What do they want to do?"
Jiang Qingzhi said with a sharp gaze: "They know that the crisis of the Ming Dynasty is most likely related to them. If we want to change all this, we must affect their interests."
"To touch their interests is to cut their flesh. The backlash caused... I get a headache just thinking about it. You..."
After Emperor Jiajing ascended the throne, he was ambitious to revive the Ming Dynasty and implemented various reform measures.
The subsequent debate on the Great Ceremony alienated the emperor and his ministers. Without the cooperation of the ministers, any reform would be nonsense. So the Jiajing New Deal came to nothing.
Jiang Qingzhi's body suddenly shook.
He raised his eyes and looked at Emperor Jiajing.
Dao Ye said calmly: "Have you thought of it?"
"Those people!" Jiang Qingzhi said in disbelief, "They are using the Grand Ceremony to disrupt your Majesty's new policy!"
Emperor Jiajing looked at the foggy sky with his hands behind his back. "They are worried that I will restart the New Deal, so they want to suppress me by using the Grand Ceremony Controversy as an excuse."
Jiang Qingzhi thought of Song Shenzong.
The reform measures taken by Emperor Jiajing at the beginning of his reign were all drastic.
"Many things are not what the outside world thinks." Emperor Jiajing said: "I feel a huge force surging under this Ming Dynasty. I know that if it continues like this, not only will I be in danger, but the Ming Dynasty will also be overthrown."
"When their own interests are affected, they will not hesitate to destroy the Ming Dynasty," said Jiang Qingzhi.
"You could have avoided the spotlight today," said Emperor Jiajing.
"Since we are destined to be opponents, it is not a bad idea to take action early." Jiang Qingzhi said.
"Why?"
"Take action early to inform them. If you dare to come after me, you must be prepared to be beaten to a pulp."
Behind Jiang Qingzhi was the abyss prepared by Master Ding - if he dared to lie down, Master Ding would definitely make him disappear.
So even if the people ahead were scholars and officials who would make even the emperor retreat in fear, Jiang Qingzhi still had no choice but to move forward.
Emperor Jiajing was moved, "Qingzhi, you..."
"For the Ming Dynasty!" Jiang Qingzhi said, "I am fearless!"
In my mind, the mottled copper rust is glowing...
……
Emperor Jiajing remained motionless for a long time as he watched Jiang Qingzhi go away.
"Your Majesty, it's cold, please go into the palace!" Huang Jin advised.
"Some people say that Qingzhi is ambitious. Will an ambitious person make countless enemies for himself?"
"Some people say that Qingzhi did everything only for fame and fortune. But he was willing to offend the scholars and officials of the world, just for the Ming Dynasty and... me!"
"He is fearless for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, so I..."
"Your Majesty." Lu Bing came.
"Many scholars have come from outside the imperial city, all clamoring to capture Chang Wei Bo." Lu Bing lowered his head.
How to deal with it?
Lu Bing thought of what Yan Shifan had said before.
—— Jiang Qingzhi's move was puzzling. He could have avoided the limelight temporarily, but he did the opposite and started a fight. It seemed that he was deliberately trying to anger the scholars.
Emperor Jiajing was so smart that he would definitely think of this.
So, how will he deal with Jiang Qingzhi, who has brought him great trouble?
The Taoist priest looked into the distance with his hands behind his back. "To the north there is Altan Khan, and to the south there are Japanese pirates. The number of deserters from the garrisons in the country is increasing day by day, and there are more and more refugees. There are many internal conflicts... Where should the Ming Dynasty go?"
Lu Bing glanced at Huang Jin, who lowered his eyes without even giving him a hint.
If Jiang Qingzhi had not interfered, Lu Bing would have been Zhu Shitai's future father-in-law.
Thinking of this, Lu Bing couldn't help but feel angry.
"That idiot is ambitious and resolute, which makes me, the emperor, a little timid. Lu Bing, am I timid?"
Emperor Jiajing looked at Lu Bing, his eyes flashing with sharpness, which reminded Lu Bing of Emperor Jiajing when he first ascended the throne.
He bowed his head, "Your Majesty has never been afraid."
"No, I'm afraid!"
Emperor Jiajing said coldly: "Back then, the ministers and scholars of the world were alienated from me. Many people were looking forward to my death. My decrees were difficult to be issued outside the capital, and the officials below pretended to obey but secretly disobeyed...
If I had not handed over the government to Xia Yan and Yan Song, this world would have experienced unspeakable things in an instant!"
Lu Bing was shocked, "Your Majesty!"
"I handed over power to the prime minister and retired to the Western Garden to practice Taoism, seemingly not worrying about anything. Do you think I am so foolish?" Emperor Jiajing said sarcastically.
Lu Bing looked up, tears streaming down his face, "Your Majesty!"
"This is the second time I've seen you, Lu Bing, cry. I remember the first time was in Anlu. I suddenly fell ill and you were serving me." Emperor Jiajing said dimly, "It's been so many years. Many people have forgotten that I once punished officials with a cane."
"Lu Bing!"
"Chen is here!"
"Tell those people that if they don't retreat in half an hour," Emperor Jiajing's eyes flashed with sternness. "Remove their honors and exile them a thousand miles away!"
"Leader!"
……
Asking for votes.
(End of this chapter)
