Chapter 238

The Emperor needs people, but he cannot press-gang them. This is the current difficulty.

The Great Ming can press-gang, and it really can press-gang them out. Before, whenever the Great Ming encountered something, it would press-gang, but it won't work during the Wanli years. During the Wanli years, Zhang Juzheng repeatedly said that we must treat the small people generously and see the suffering of the people. Finally, it became a wind of public opinion, so we cannot press-gang.

But Zhu Yijun really needs people.

Xuanfu and Datong settled 190,000 displaced tenant farmers because Xuanfu and Datong have a large amount of wasteland. Hou Yuzhao was able to attract displaced tenant farmers to Liaodong because they really divide land there. But in Rehe, a completely undeveloped place, the land is far more barren than Zhangwu.

Rehe has nothing.

Kangxi built the Rehe Imperial Palace (Summer Resort) by press-ganging.

Going to Rehe to build a city not only requires building a city but also building roads. While building roads, one also needs to clear wild beasts in the mountains, etc. Therefore, a lot of people are needed. Such a project with huge expenditures but unknown benefits, which Zhu Yijun approved to start, immediately encountered practical problems.

And most importantly, public security is not good. Outside the passes, it is really dangerous. Besides wild beasts and terrible weather, there is also the fact that the Northern Hu can plunder at will. Who dares to go?

After more than half a month of discussion, the court finally changed Rehe City to Rehe Town.

This one-character difference represents a change in the nature of the city—a military fortress that relies entirely on inland supply, rather than a guard post that combines farming and fighting. Within three to five years, this situation will not change.

And the date for building the city was set for next spring to summer, and further decisions will be made based on the progress of the war.

Wang Xijue, the Chancellor of the Grand Secretariat and concurrently the Reader-in-Waiting, submitted a memorial. Zhu Yijun saw the content of this memorial and immediately summoned him to the Wenyuange for an audience.

"This magnificent article by Scholar Wang is truly incisive, fully displaying the style of a scholar," Zhu Yijun said with an unkind tone, holding the memorial in his hand and looking at Wang Xijue kneeling on the ground.

Wang Xijue knew clearly that the Emperor was angry.

As a Reader-in-Waiting, Wang Xijue could see the Emperor. The Emperor is really easy to understand; not letting the ministers stand up to report is a very angry expression.

"Your Majesty, your servant is ashamed. However, criticizing Chen Shan is your servant's loyalty. Your servant cannot but speak. I ask Your Majesty to calm your anger." Wang Xijue bowed and said very decisively. He didn't play tai chi with the Emperor but chose to face the fear directly and lay the matter out to speak.

In the memorial, Wang Xijue did not attack anyone, but told an old story that happened in the eighth year of Jingtai, or the first year of Tianshun.

The "Duo Men" (Seizing the Gate) Incident.

The "Duo Men" Incident, also called the Restoration of the Nangong—the "Fortress Emperor" Zhu Qizhen, who returned from studying abroad in the Oirat lands of the north, stayed in the Nangong for six years. After giving birth to a bunch of children, taking advantage of the Jingtai Emperor's serious illness, he launched a palace coup, seized back the throne in one fell swoop, and then immediately changed the reign title. Therefore, the eighth year of Jingtai and the first year of Tianshun are the same year.

With this, the "Fortress Emperor" Zhu Qizhen also became the only Great Ming Emperor to possess two reign titles, which are Zhengtong and Tianshun respectively.

The one who launched the palace coup was naturally the "Fortress Emperor" Zhu Qizhen, and Zhu Qizhen's supporters included: Capital Camp Regional Commander Shi Heng, Eunuch Cao Jixiang, Commander Zhang Rong, Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Yang Shan, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Xu Bin, and Vice Censor-in-Chief Xu Youzhen.

Among these, there were military generals, eunuchs, nobles, and three civil officials: Yang Shan, Xu Bin, and Xu Youzhen.

The reason Wang Xijue told this story was to hope that Your Majesty could see the terror of civil officials, military generals, nobles, and eunuchs colluding together, a terror sufficient to threaten the throne.

"Your servant heard that Your Majesty wants to send the Prince of Lu to the Yicheng Bo's mansion in the Western Hills to study. Your servant begs Your Majesty to think twice before acting." Wang Xijue bowed again, his tone becoming intense and solemn.

The reason Wang Xijue submitted this memorial was that he heard the Prince of Lu was going to take Zhang Juzheng as his teacher, so he immediately submitted a memorial asking the Emperor to withdraw his order.

"The whole court is the Zhang Party. Your servant shouldn't speak, but your servant doesn't dare not to speak." Wang Xijue knelt on the ground, half-raised his head, looked around, and didn't see Zhang Juzheng, so he breathed a sigh of relief. If Zhang Juzheng were in the court, Zhang Juzheng could handle these words.

But now Zhang Juzheng is in the Western Hills, so right and wrong are not up to Zhang Juzheng.

Wang Xijue knelt on the ground and said loudly: "Your Majesty, at that time, people like Xu Youzhen and Yang Shan colluded with military generals. Shi Heng was crude, his temperament was violent and impulsive. The Jingtai Emperor rewarded Shi Heng constantly. If it weren't for the bewitchment of people like Xu Youzhen and Yang Shan, how could Shi Heng have had rebellious thoughts?"

"In the 14th year of Zhengtong, Shi Heng was the Regional Commander of Datong. Because of the defeat at Gao Yang He Gate, he was thrown into the prison. Xu Xing questioned him. At the beginning of the dynasty, those who were defeated were beheaded. Shi Heng's crime deserved death. After the Tumu disaster, Yu Qian pulled him out of the prison to make amends for his crimes. Afterward, Shi Heng led troops to intercept Yesen, ambushed him at Qingfengdian, causing Yesen to be defeated and flee in a sorry state, and he was granted the title of Marquis of Wuqing."

"In the first month of the eighth year of Jingtai, Shi Heng was still in charge of the palace guards, meaning the palace guards were under Shi Heng's overall command. Since ancient times, palace guards have always been held by the Emperor's trusted backbone."

"The Jingtai Emperor never treated Shi Heng poorly. Why did Shi Heng participate in the 'Duo Men' Incident? It must have been caused by someone who coveted the merit of heaven, wagged their tongues, and stirred up trouble."

On this long list of "merits" for the "Duo Men" Incident, only Shi Heng had no reason to rebel, because the Jingtai Emperor did not treat him poorly. Even on the day before the Jingtai Emperor lost his throne, he still handed over the palace guards and the defense work of the palace city to Shi Heng to handle.

The Jingtai Emperor handed his life to Shi Heng, but Shi Heng chose to take the Jingtai Emperor's life.

Shi Heng was a crude military man. Why did he rebel?

Even if the "Fortress Emperor" Zhu Qizhen really restored the throne, Shi Heng held 200,000 Capital Camp troops. No matter how Zhu Qizhen handled it, he would be afraid of the rat when throwing at the vase. Shi Heng was the one in the court who shouldn't have been panicked, but Shi Heng still participated in the "Duo Men" Incident, and his final end was to be liquidated and his clan executed by Zhu Qizhen.

And Wang Xijue believed that someone wagged their tongues and fooled Shi Heng.

Even in the Ming Dynasty, the evaluations of Shi Heng, Xu Youzhen, and others were all "rebellious ministers and thieves."

"Your Majesty, Zhang-Mr. has already reached the peak of his official career. Your servant asks Your Majesty to withdraw the order and keep the Prince of Lu in the palace." Seeing that the Emperor didn't respond, Wang Xijue chose to state his request directly, forcing the Emperor to make a statement!

You can trust Zhang Juzheng infinitely because Zhang Juzheng is the Emperor's teacher, but the ministers cannot trust Zhang Juzheng infinitely. Some things must be prevented from happening, rather than mending the fold after the sheep is lost.

If the Prince of Lu is sent to the Yicheng Bo's mansion, then Zhang Juzheng will control all the conditions for launching a palace coup.

The Prince of Lu, who is first in the line of succession, and this Prince of Lu now shows a mediocre character. Mediocrity represents being easy to control, representing that if Zhang Juzheng tells the Prince of Lu to go east, the Prince of Lu absolutely wouldn't dare to look west.

Controlling the 120,000-man Capital Camp Regional Commander, Marquis of Qian'an Qi Jiguang—the friendship between Qi Jiguang and Zhang Juzheng is absolutely not something that can be summarized by a waist tag of the Quan Chu Quanchu Quanchu Huiguan, nor can it be severed by a waist tag of the Quan Chu Quanchu Quanchu Huiguan, although Qi Jiguang repeatedly avoided suspicion, and even didn't go to the Quan Chu Quanchu Quanchu Huiguan to pay New Year's greetings during the New Year.

But at the critical moment, how would Qi Jiguang choose?

And Zhang Juzheng himself is a civil official, the leader of the Chu Party, with many followers. Even the various Provincial Governors and Administration Commissioners are people of the Zhang Party. Even without counting Yin Zhengmao, the Viceroy of Liangguang Ling Yunyi, the Governor of Jiangxi Pan Jixun, the Governor of Zhejiang Xie Pengju, the Governor of Songjiang Wang Daokun, the Governor of Nanya Song Yangshan, etc. As for the court, it is even more of a one-man show for the Zhang Party.

"Wang Xijue, stop spitting blood!" Feng Bao was furious, pointing at Wang Xijue, his hands shaking. On one hand, it was from anger; on the other hand, it was from fear.

Zhu Qizhen was able to restore the throne successfully because civil officials, military generals, nobles, and eunuchs colluded completely. Adding him, Feng Bao, as the last piece of the puzzle, Zhang Juzheng's usurpation of the throne looked more and more mature.

And now, the Emperor even sent the best card into Zhang Juzheng's hands: the Prince of Lu, Zhu Yiliu, a mediocre successor.

"Your servant once heard that Gao Qiyu of the Chu Party once presided over the provincial examination in Yingtian and set a question: 'Shun also used the mandate to Yu'! Your servant doesn't dare to speculate on Zhang-Mr.'s loyalty, but some things are not for Zhang-Mr. to decide himself. Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin—was the yellow robe his own doing, or was it draped on him by others?"

"I beg Your Majesty to see clearly." Wang Xijue ignored Feng Bao's cursing and went straight to Zhu Yijun, the person involved. Whether he argued with Feng Bao and won or lost, Wang Xijue lost.

The Emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Wang Xijue. This guy's words didn't say he was alienating the relationship between the Emperor and his teacher, but every word was alienating it.

Zhu Yijun felt some anger toward Gao Qiyu again. This guy went to the West to enjoy happiness, leaving behind a fact extremely unfavorable to Zhang Juzheng. This exam question was very glaring and could even become a thorn in the hearts of Zhu Yijun and Zhang Juzheng.

"Between monarch and minister, there should be no suspicion; suspicion leads to chaos. Therefore, if the monarch suspects the minister, he must execute him; if the minister suspects the monarch, he must rebel. If the minister suspects the monarch but doesn't rebel, he will be executed because of the monarch's suspicion; if the monarch suspects the minister but doesn't execute him, he will be rebelled against by the minister."

Between monarch and minister, there cannot be gaps and suspicions, otherwise, chaos will inevitably arise. Therefore, if the Emperor suspects the minister, he must execute him; if the minister suspects the Emperor, he must rebel, because if the minister suspects the Emperor but doesn't rebel, he will die because of the Emperor's suspicion; if the Emperor suspects the minister but doesn't execute him, he will inevitably be rebelled against by the minister.

These are all old plays that have been performed for thousands of years.

The matter that Gao Qiyu caused back then is a very big breakthrough.

Just like Zhao Kuangyin's yellow robe back then—whether he put it on himself or others helped him put it on, there is no significance in discussing it at all. The Chen Qiao Mutiny was Zhao Kuangyin wearing the yellow robe; as long as this fact is established, it is enough.

Whether Gao Qiyu received instructions from Zhang Juzheng is also not important. As long as this matter happened, it is a thorn.

Zhu Yijun was stunned by Wang Xijue's combination of punches. To tell the truth, he couldn't refute it, nor did he intend to refute it.

People like Zhuge Liang are a lone example in the long river of history.

Zhu Yijun is a very strong monarch, and Zhang Juzheng is also a very strong Grand Secretary. "One mountain cannot hold two tigers"—this is an eternal truth. Moreover, Zhu Yijun and Zhang Juzheng have already had differences of opinion on certain decrees. Although they are only differences, as the Emperor grows up, it is obvious that some greater differences will appear.

The development of things is a qualitative change caused by quantitative changes.

All of Wang Xijue's arguments were centered on one thing: consolidating imperial power. This is also a specialty of the Restorationists, and today's dialogue with Wang Xijue truly let Zhu Yijun see the strength of the Restorationists.

Seamless arguments.

"What Scholar Wang said, saying Xu Youzhen wagged his tongue—then aren't these words of Scholar Wang also wagging his tongue? Using things that haven't happened to frame someone for no reason?" Zhu Yijun chose to be unreasonable and directly put a hat of "framing" on him.

Wang Xijue bowed again and said loudly: "Your Majesty, your servant is also unwilling to see things that haven't happened occur. When the world is overturned, Zhang-Mr.'s lifelong reputation for loyalty and the judgment of the Spring and Autumn Annals will definitely consider Zhang-Mr. a powerful minister. Your servant begs Your Majesty to withdraw the order and keep the Prince of Lu in the palace."

Zhu Yijun said with great emotion: "You say, why does the teacher go to such trouble to toss about these New Policies? He could just be like Yan Song, Xu Jie, Li Chunfang, and Gao Gong. Why toss about New Policies? It's exhausting and thankless."

"Fine, you said to keep the Prince of Lu in the palace. I grant it."

Wang Xijue's expression was ecstatic. He bowed five times and kowtowed three times and said loudly: "Your Majesty is wise."

Zhu Yijun leaned forward, smiled, and said: "Exactly, after the teacher leaves the court, these two hours of lectures are empty. Since I'm idle anyway, I'll educate the Prince of Lu myself. As the eldest brother, I act as a father. Although I'm very busy, I still have time to teach the Prince of Lu."

"Pick up all the previous procedures of reading and lecturing. Every day, summon the Prince of Lu to the Wenhua Palace to study after the court discussion."

"That's settled. Feng, pass the decree to the Ministry of Rites to know."

Feng Bao laughed directly. He hurriedly bowed his head and said: "Your servant obeys the decree."

"Ah?" Wang Xijue finally reacted. The Emperor wants to teach the Prince of Lu to read himself, and it's according to the lecture process. This is completely different from Wang Xijue's goal. Wang Xijue still hoped to cultivate a traditional Confucian sage monarch. If the Emperor teaches him, can the Prince of Lu still like Confucianism? I'm afraid it won't take many days before he's calling them "cheap Confucians" every other word.

"This is probably not in accordance with etiquette." Wang Xijue was full of sweat. Things shouldn't be like this!

Zhu Yijun spread his hands and asked: "Don't I go to the Yilun Hall every month to lecture on mathematics? Does Scholar Wang think my mathematics is taught poorly? Or does Scholar Wang think my Four Books and Five Classics, classics and historical records, are learned poorly?"

"Scholar Wang is a Reader-in-Waiting. On the 29th of every month, you have to examine my homework. Scholar Wang previously said that I was wise and talented, and said I learned well? Could it be that Scholar Wang was lying to me before?"

"Your servant wouldn't dare." Wang Xijue wiped the sweat from his forehead. In the end, he didn't dare to say the Emperor learned poorly, let alone say he was lying to the Emperor before.

"Then this matter is settled." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said: "Scholar Wang, return."

"Your servant takes his leave." When Wang Xijue walked out of the Wenhua Palace, he almost stumbled and fell down the stairs from the three-story platform. He held onto the railing to steady himself.

"This shouldn't be." Wang Xijue was still savoring this dialogue.

He used all his strength and a perfect logic to remonstrate with the Emperor, but the development of things was completely not what he thought. His goal was the Prince of Lu, or rather, the educational power of the Crown Prince. He did manage to remonstrate, but the goal wasn't achieved.

So, was this remonstrance successful or a failure?

Wang Xijue left the Wenhua Palace in a state of unease, while Zhu Yijun narrowed his eyes and looked at Wang Xijue's back.

"Your Majesty is still the one with a way. He almost succeeded." Feng Bao flattered him without a trace. As a close attendant by the Emperor's side, flattery requires facts to be solid and sufficient. So what if you cheap Confucians won the argument? Your goal still couldn't be achieved; the Emperor still had a way.

Zhu Yijun handed a memorial to Feng Bao and shook his head: "Actually, the teacher submitted a memorial yesterday, refusing to take the Prince of Lu as a disciple. The reason is exactly the same as what Wang Xijue said—also talking about the 'Duo Men' Incident, also talking about the Prince of Lu, also talking about preventing trouble before it happens."

As the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Feng Bao did indeed have memorials he didn't know about. The memorials of the military nobles can now bypass the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial and be submitted directly to the Emperor. Now Zhang Juzheng is the Earl of Yicheng and is a military noble.

Zhang Juzheng learned that the Great Ming Emperor wanted to send the Prince of Lu to the Western Hills, so he directly submitted a memorial to refuse, and his attitude was very clear. The logic and the reasons stated in Wang Xijue's memorial were exactly the same.

"This, this, this..." Feng Bao finished reading the memorial and was speechless for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching. How could there be such a memorial? The "rebel" himself submitted a memorial saying he couldn't increase the rebel's cards. Then is this "rebel" really a rebel?

Zhu Yijun exhaled a breath of turbid air and said: "These cheap Confucians will not understand why the teacher wants to promote the New Policies. These cheap Confucians will even less believe what the teacher is doing all this for."

"Yes, what for? The teacher only needs to follow the steps of the previous Grand Secretary and follow the rules. As long as he can safely transition until I grow up, the teacher can get a very high evaluation in history. What is he doing this for?"

"For the Great Ming, for the country, for the people of the world, he exhausted all his strength to make this dirty and muddy world a little clearer, and to let the people catch their breath."

"Wang Chonggu taught his son: 'This Great Ming country is supported by these backbones, not by villains like them.'"

Feng Bao was stunned and asked suspiciously: "How does Your Majesty know what Grand Secretary Wang taught his son?"

"Wang Qian submitted it himself," Zhu Yijun said as a matter of course.

"Ah, this... Censor Wang is indeed a filial son." Feng Bao had nothing to say and could only say Wang Qian was filial. A "great filial son" of the hall—these words were obviously spoken by Wang Chonggu in a very private setting. Even these words could be reported to the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun took back Zhang Juzheng's memorial and began to approve: "What the teacher said, I already know. Just follow what the teacher said."

This sentence, Zhu Yijun hadn't written less since he became Emperor these few years.

"Your Majesty, today's 'People's Gazette' and 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' have been delivered." Feng Bao and Zhang Hong, the two great eunuchs, each presented a miscellaneous gazette. In the capital of the Great Ming, besides the miscellaneous gazettes of various parties, the 'People's Gazette' and the 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' sold the best.

The 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' was recently serializing "The Infinite Principles of All Things in the World," which analyzes various common problems in life. To translate it, it is the Great Ming version of "One Hundred Thousand Whys."

This issue of the 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' in mid-June of the fifth year of Wanli explained in detail the formation of rain, and even drew a simple schematic diagram, explaining water evaporation, condensation when meeting cold, turning into water, falling into the mountains and forests, flowing into rivers, and being evaporated again to form the water cycle.

"My Imperial Uncle runs this 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' with great success. I am delighted to see it. Reward him with 200 taels of silver, a bolt of fine worsted wool, and five bottles of national cellar liquor to show the friendship of relatives. By the way, Korea recently paid tribute to a batch of Korean beauties. Select the beautiful ones and send them to my Imperial Uncle." Zhu Yijun finished reading the 'Gazette of Physical Sciences' and liked it very much, rewarding him directly.

Besides Zhang Juzheng, the person the Emperor rewarded the most was Zhu Zaiyu.

Who dares to say the Emperor is harsh to the imperial clan and has no friendship of relatives? Imperial Uncle Zhu Zaiyu would be the first to disagree!

Korean beauties, Hailar, Western beauties, pearl divers—these miscellaneous beauties were all sent to Zhu Zaiyu.

Zhu Yijun picked up the 'People's Gazette'. After reading it, his expression was solemn. The 'People's Gazette' was founded by Geng Dingxiang, the teacher of Jiao Hong, and would not easily involve any court politics or state affairs. But this time, the 'People's Gazette' reported a matter that made Zhu Yijun feel like a fishbone in his throat.

A miscarriage of justice that was clear at a glance. Geng Dingxiang personally wrote it, describing the matter in great detail.

The case was not complicated, but this case would inevitably become a miscarriage of justice. This was Geng Dingxiang's final judgment at the end of the article because it involved the face of the imperial court.

"Add Grand Secretary Wang and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Lu Guangzu, and I will go see it myself." Zhu Yijun changed into casual clothes, intending to go to the Shuntian Dai Fuya to watch the case, and also called Wang Chonggu, who was in charge of criminal law, and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Lu Guangzu.

When Zhu Yijun arrived, because of the widespread influence of the 'People's Gazette', the Shuntian Dai Fuya was already surrounded, crowded with people, and the writers of major miscellaneous gazettes were all waiting for the result.

As the Emperor, Zhu Yijun didn't let the Embroidered Uniform Guards clear the street, but chose to enter the Yamen from the back door, sat down in the back hall of the government office, and waited for the Shuntian Prefecture Assistant Wang Yie and the Shuntian Governor Chen Daoji to hold court to try the case.

The case sounded complicated, but actually, it wasn't complicated at all.

The honest farmer Wang Xiasheng had fifty mu of land at home. Wang Xiasheng and his father Wang Yin were honest, hardworking, and diligent, so they saved some silver. Wang Xiasheng's father, Wang Yin, found a matchmaker to propose marriage. The matchmaker naturally said whatever was good, but when it came to the real gold and silver betrothal gifts, a dispute arose.

The main focus of the dispute was on the land deed of the grass market outside Chaoyang Gate. Originally, in order to marry a wife and have children for his dull son, Wang Yin had exhausted his savings to buy a few fen of land, preparing to save more money to build a home for his son.

The woman's side, the Xi family, wanted the father Wang Yin to give the land deed to the son Wang Xiasheng, but Wang Yin was afraid that his dull son would be swindled, so he refused to transfer the land deed to his son.

With the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers, the father Wang Yin refused, so the marriage was basically yellowed. And the matchmaker also began to talk about other girls. Just when it was about to be discussed, something happened.

The son Wang Xiasheng did a foolish thing: he "handled" the previous girl, cooked the raw rice into cooked rice, and she even got a big belly. The woman's side, the Xi family, began to be relentless. This time, they became even worse. The betrothal gift not only required the father Wang Yin to give up the land deed but also to divide half of the fifty mu of land to the woman's side, the Xi family, and the other half to the son Wang Xiasheng, and then get married; otherwise, they would sue the official.

The father Wang Yin absolutely disagreed with giving up the land deed and directly drove Wang Xiasheng out of the house.

Afterward, the woman's side, the Xi family, really sued the official. The charge of rape, according to the Great Ming Law, was to be beheaded.

Wang Yin didn't have only this one son, Wang Xiasheng, and Wang Xiasheng himself was not promising. This case just went from the Miyun County Hall to the Shuntian Prefecture Hall.

The reason this case was so eye-catching was entirely because there were not a few such cases during the Wanli years, all because of betrothal gifts.

For a fen of land, brothers fighting until their heads were broken and blood flowed was not rare; for the expenses of parents' funerals, arguing endlessly, not seeing each other until death, were everywhere. This was fifty mu of land plus a land deed, enough to fight for one's life.

"I pay respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty." Shuntian Prefecture Assistant Wang Yie and Shuntian Governor Chen Daoji arrived at the back hall and knelt down to perform the grand ceremony as soon as they entered the door.

Between the Shuntian Governor and the Shuntian Prefecture Assistant, there was a Shuntian Prefecture Mayor. The Shuntian Prefecture Mayor of the two capitals was a second-rank official of the Six Ministries, and this year it happened to be Wang Chonggu's turn.

"Exempt from etiquette. How do you plan to judge this case?" Zhu Yijun asked bluntly.

Wang Yie and Chen Daoji looked at each other, full of embarrassment. The majesty of heaven is hard to fathom; they didn't know how to answer at all.

Wang Chonggu didn't make it difficult for them and said: "Your Majesty, there are roughly two ways to judge this case. The first is that the father Wang Yin is afraid his son will die, so he agrees to the conditions of the woman's side, the Xi family, and then they have a happy marriage. The second is that the father Wang Yin refuses to admit defeat and refuses to agree, and Wang Xiasheng is beheaded."

Zhu Yijun exhaled a breath of turbid air and said: "The case has reached this point. Wang Yin probably won't agree; otherwise, he wouldn't have argued from the Miyun County Hall to the Shuntian Prefecture Hall. So, what the Grand Secretary said about two ways to judge is actually only one way."

"Your Majesty is wise." Wang Chonggu also said bluntly. The girl had a pregnancy, and suing with a big belly was a natural advantage.

"Does this father just watch his son die?" Zhu Yijun asked strangely. The father Wang Yin's reaction was somewhat cold and ruthless.

"This Wang Yin has two other sons, the eldest named Wang Chunsheng and the third named Wang Qiusheng. If Wang Yin agreed, the eldest's wife would have turned the sky upside down. The third one would also make a fuss, after all, the third one is also at the age of talking about marriage," Wang Chonggu answered the Emperor's question.

Wang Yin was cold-blooded and ruthless, not because he just watched his son die, but because there were the eldest and the third at home. He could only do this.

Zhu Yijun understood the ins and outs of the case and nodded: "Then judge it as rape and behead him. Send him on his way, and find a good executioner."

"Your Majesty, if it is really judged this way, our Great Ming will be afraid of marriage in the future," Wang Chonggu said tentatively from the position of a Grand Secretary. If people are afraid of marriage, the Great Ming will have no people, which is not conducive to the country. The first productive force is people. Without people, everything is over.

Because the Emperor is short of people to build the Rehe city outside the passes, he can only settle for the next best thing and build military fortress-style military towns. If there is a shortage of people, nothing in the Great Ming can be handled well.

"Then what to do? I can't press Wang Yin's head and make Wang Yin hand over the family property," Zhu Yijun asked for Wang Chonggu's opinion, looking at Wang Chonggu. Zhu Yijun spread his hands and said: "The character 'traitor' (jian) has a mouth. With one mouth, crying like rain is ironclad evidence."

Ask for monthly tickets, Aowu!!!!

(End of chapter)