It is well known that Zhu Yuanzhang was a workaholic, and what is more well known is that Lao Zhu also required all his officials to be workaholics like him. After all, "I rise before all officials rise." He led by example and never felt anything was wrong.

The twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, New Year’s Eve.

Morning is still the same.

Except for Zhu Sheng, a scholar of the Hanlin Academy who was specially approved by Zhu Yuanzhang in November to be exempted from paying court visits because of his old age, hundreds of officials still gathered inside and outside the main hall of Prince Wu's Mansion today.

However, the atmosphere in this morning's morning session was strange.

Just overnight, word spread throughout Jinling City and beyond. Yesterday afternoon, Cui Ji, the head of the Household Department, and the following sixty-two officials, were suddenly arrested by troops sent by the Jinwu Guard and brought to the city.

On the surface, no one gave any reason.

However, everyone who was able to enter Prince Wu's Mansion to participate in the morning court today knew clearly that there was only one cause of death for Cui Ji and others. He went to Houhu in the name of tracing the hidden house of the deserter. His Highness, Prince Wu, had gone to Houhu a few days ago.

Houhu is where the 'outside world master' who has just been recruited lives.

Until now, even though Zhu Yuan has rarely appeared in public, his bold statement of "sending five hundred years to the country Zuo" is still a hot topic of conversation among the people in the Western Wu Dynasty. It has even spread to the people, and the more it spreads, the more bizarre and more bizarre it becomes.

Chuan Yue appears mysterious and unpredictable.

The unlucky Cui Ji and more than sixty people, for this reason, became the pawns who were pushed out to find out the inside story.

Unexpectedly, he lost his head.

This finally made the civil and military officials realize how much His Highness King Wu, who was about to ascend the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, cared about that 'outside world master', and he cared far more than they imagined.

In this case, who dares to touch this bad luck again today?

The morning court lasted for more than half an hour in a strange atmosphere. The ministers reported or discussed things step by step, and there was no lack of speculation about whether someone who usually showed strong strengths would jump out and let everyone know something.

However, when the morning came to an end, no one mentioned it.

This is not surprising.

With Zhu Yuanzhang's thunderbolt method yesterday, everyone present understood that if you did not have enough weight and rashly mentioned yesterday's incident at today's meeting, even if you did not lose your life on the spot, this official would not be able to do it.

But those who were important enough seemed to have no intention of speaking.

When the left prime minister Li Shanchang and Zhu Yuanzhang were discussing the appointment of officials to Shandong after the New Year, seeing the ceremony officer asking the ministers if they had anything to report, the censor Zhongcheng Liu Ji sighed softly in his heart, but finally stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

What happened yesterday has nothing to do with Liu Ji.

Liu Ji was even able to determine who was behind the scenes.

However, since he has been appointed to the post of Yushi Zhongcheng, and the left and right Yushi officials Tang He and Deng Yu have only fictitious titles, as the de facto leaders of the Yushitai, Liu Ji does not want to be blamed for the Yushitai today.

No one spoke up, making the officials laugh, and he was even penalized by the history secretary.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked over, as if he had a premonition of what he was going to say. He put away his expression and no longer called Liu Ji Biao affectionately, but said: "Liu Qing, what else do you want?"

Liu Jilang said: "Your Majesty, I heard that sixty-two people under Cui Ji, the head of the Household Department, were killed by Jinwu Guards yesterday. I dare to ask my superior, what crime did Cui Ji and others commit?"

When these words came out, not only the ministers in the palace, but also some low-ranking officials outside the palace who heard these words couldn't help but come in. Li Shanchang almost turned his head and looked over, but successfully held it back and quickly suppressed his surprise.

.

The hall was quiet for a while.

After a while, Zhu Yuanzhang, with a gloomy expression, finally gave out eight words: "Peeping into secrets and plotting evil intentions."

If Liu Ji was a smooth person, he should have walked down the steps at this time, but unfortunately he was not. He continued to bow and said: "Sir, I may not be able to convince everyone with this statement."

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped taking the topic and said instead: "I would also like to ask you, look at the weather outside. It has been cloudy and snowy for several days. Are there any signs of sunshine? You told me that day that it would be sunny on the fourth day of the first lunar month. If it comes It’s raining and snowing now, so what’s next?”

When Liu Ji saw Lao Zhu changing the subject, he also lost his temper: "If it is not sunny on the fourth day of the first lunar month, I will leave it to the superior to deal with it. Now I would like to ask the superior to give an explanation for the death of Cui Ji and others. The merits of the superior are obtained through hundreds of battles, and I can count them at this moment." One hundred thousand soldiers were bloody in all directions, but the superiors did not care to be cautious, but favored a small child because of his bold words, and did not hesitate to kill indiscriminately. Wouldn't it chill the hearts of the people in the world?"

After Liu Ji finished speaking, the officials around him were shocked.

Is it so heartbreaking?!

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened rapidly, and he stared fiercely at Yushi Zhongcheng who was not far away. He felt his heart beating wildly, his chest felt a little uncomfortable, and the buzzing sound of a dustpan sifting could be heard in his ears.

Zhu Yuanzhang always boasted that he could listen to what others said.

If Liu Ji had just been more tactful, he might have explained to some extent why he valued that little scholar today.

But, at this time...

Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang looked away from Liu Ji mechanically. He still glanced at everyone inside and outside the palace, and said in a deep voice: "In that case, I will tell you clearly that if anyone peeks into Houhu without authorization, I will kill them." If you and these monkeys see this chicken, please be careful!"

After saying these harsh words, Zhu Yuanzhang stood up suddenly and walked away with a flick of his sleeves.

The ceremony officer seemed not to have heard Lao Zhu's harsh words. He waited for the Lord to leave and dutifully sang the end of the morning court.

The ministers dispersed one after another.

Liu Ji stood there for a while, then finally walked out of the main hall of the palace and came to the square in front of the courtyard. He looked up at the still gloomy sky, feeling a little dazed.

A sighing voice came from my ear: "Bowen, why do you bother?"

Liu Ji came back to his senses and turned around to see Song Lian, who was also looking at the gloomy sky. His lips moved and finally said softly: "I just want to be clear in my heart."

Liu Ji had just had a confrontation with Zhu Yuanzhang, and everyone knew a certain result.

If it hadn't cleared up on the fourth day of the first lunar month when Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, Liu Ji, who was responsible for choosing the date of his enthronement, would probably have been dismissed from office at the very least. After all, there was a lesson learned from when Chen Youliang ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor in a storm and was eventually defeated and died. Zhu Yuanzhang would never want to think about himself. On the day of the wedding, something happened again.

Song Lian retracted his gaze to the sky and happened to notice Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong and others not far away looking over here. He sighed softly again, said nothing more, held his hands slightly toward Liu Ji, and left first.

The incident spread quickly on New Year's Eve morning.

Of course, no one said much about the fact that the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty became monkeys. After all, no one wanted to be a monkey. However, the saying that an army of hundreds of thousands was not as good as a child was spread quietly, and the result was that the people living on Houhu Island were A certain 'outside world expert' becomes more famous, and the rumors that spread out become more and more bizarre.

Zhu Yuan got the news that day.

It was not related to the early morning meeting, but the murder of Cui Ji and others.

Because on New Year's Eve, there was an additional officer and soldier with a small flag on the lake, from Jinwu Guard.

The leading flag officer took the initiative to come over to pay his respects, but he didn't even dare to enter. He just told Zuo Qi who was receiving him outside the door that they would be responsible for daily inspections around Houhu from now on, and would also build an entrance to the island in the middle of the lake.

A sentry post that can be dispatched at any time if anything happens here.

Immediately afterwards, the released islanders in the middle of the lake recommended the father and son of the Lin family, who were punting the boat here, to come to express their gratitude, and praised Zhu Yuan as the Qingtian Master who punished rape and eliminated evil and saved the people from misery in the play.

A few baskets of fresh fish and lotus seeds were also included.

Then, Zhu Yuan knew the cause and effect. The price for becoming the 'Master Qingtian' was sixty-two heads.

Zhu Yuan was silent for a long time.

The result of thinking is that he must be more low-key, even more low-key.

In the next three years, let alone the front door of the mansion, there is no need to go out of the west courtyard garden. Anyway, with his current weak physical condition, he can't go out of such a big garden without sweating and catching a cold.

Moreover, after Lao Zhu came here, probably no one would dare to challenge him again.

Both sides stopped.

However, the trees want to be quiet, but the wind does not stop.

Because Zhu Yuan forgot for a moment that Lao Zhu himself was the biggest variable.


Chapter completed!