My father is Jiajing

The chill of the imperial prison penetrated into his bones, but Dong Fen straightened his back.

He raised his hand to tuck the messy hair behind his ear, and although his fingers were trembling slightly due to the long-term restraint of shackles, his movements were meticulous. The authority of the Left Vice-Chief Censor had long been engraved in his bones, and even in the imperial prison, he had to maintain the last bit of dignity.

"Your Highness, I, the Left Vice-Chief Censor Dong Fen, am here to see you, Your Highness."

Dong Fen still maintained his ridiculous persistence, without any awareness of being a prisoner. He bowed deeply to Zhu Zaizhen, as if this was the only way to reflect his uprightness and the unjust situation of being imprisoned.

Zhu Zaizhen sat behind the interrogation table, tapping his fingertips on the surface. The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his angular face, and his hawk-like eyes examined the once powerful official in front of him.

"Imperial Censor Dong, I haven't seen you for a long time. You are still as charming as ever."

Zhu Zaizhen's voice was neither fast nor slow, but it carried a sense of oppression that could not be ignored. "Do you like the food in the imperial prison?"

Dong Fen stood up, his face calm, "Your Highness, you are joking. I am innocent, but was wrongly imprisoned. I only hope that the court will give me justice soon."

"justice?"

Zhu Zaizhen suddenly smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes. "I admire the character of Censor Dong very much! You still want justice when you are about to die?"

Dong Fen said righteously: "Your Majesty, I was wronged. I have worked diligently for decades, and the Dong family has always been law-abiding and has never done anything to harm the people or to disobey the superiors. I hope Your Majesty will understand!"

Zhu Zaizhen laughed, "I was negligent. I only let you know the general idea and forgot to show you the materials that Xu Fan reported on the Dong family."

As he spoke, Zhu Zaizhen waved his hand, and Lu Yi, the Jinyiwei commander who accompanied him in interrogating Dong Fen, immediately handed over a copy of Xu Fan's report on the Dong family's smuggling and collaborating with the Japanese.

Lu Yi is the son of Lu Bing, the former commander of the Jinyiwei. He is still employed by the guard and is considered Zhu Zaizhen's assistant.

Zhu Zaizhen said: "Show it to Censor Dong and ask him to recall whether the Dong family has ever done these things."

Lu Yi said yes, and then handed the materials to Dong Fen.

Dong Fen suppressed his inner nervousness and took the materials handed over by Lu Yi with trembling hands.

Zhu Zaizhen watched Dong Fen take the materials handed over by Lu Yi, and said calmly: "Take a look at this first, then it won't be too late to talk about your 'fairness'."

Dong Fen's eyes fell on the document stamped with the words "Jinyiwei Top Secret" and a sense of uneasiness suddenly crossed his mind.

But the ups and downs of his career over the years have made him calm and composed enough to remain calm even when faced with a catastrophe.

Dong Fen suppressed his nervousness and slowly opened the document in his hand. He only took a glance and felt like he was struck by lightning.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

After Dong Fen saw a corner of the content, he screamed in horror, and the document fell to the ground with a crash. Dong Fen looked at Zhu Zaizhen in disbelief, and argued at the top of his voice, "Your Highness, this is absolutely impossible! How could the Dong family secretly collude with the Japanese pirates? This is slander!"

Dong Fen was so frightened that his soul trembled. You should know that last year, Yan Shifan was executed for the crime of collaborating with the Japanese pirates. Although the court did not pursue Yan Song's case and kept him in Qincheng Manor in Changping, everyone with a discerning eye knew that the Yan family was defeated and there was no possibility of recovery.

Now, the Xu family actually reported that the Dong family was colluding with the Japanese!
For Dong Fen, this was like a bolt from the blue!
Dong Fen argued excitedly, he was very afraid that these charges would be confirmed.

If it was just reporting the Dong family for annexing the common people's land, smuggling overseas goods, or the clan members bullying the market, Dong Fen would not be afraid. At most he would lose his job and go home. Anyway, he is not young anymore.

As long as he can hold on to this matter and survive to the end, who would not appreciate his family's kindness in the future?

But if it becomes a major case of collusion with the Japanese, the nature of the case will change. Who in the Dong family will dare to get involved in the future?

Let’s not talk about whether the Dong family can make a comeback in the future. It’s hard for the Dong family to survive now!

Zhu Zaizhen smiled as he looked at Dong Fen who was arguing vigorously, and then asked with a smile: "Is this evidence of Censor Dong related to the Dong family?"

Dong Fen said excitedly: "There is absolutely no connection! The Dong family abides by their duties, how dare they associate with the Japanese pirates? This is slander!"

Zhu Zaizhen sighed, "Now the capital has sent a letter to Nanjing, asking Zhang Juzheng to preside over the investigation of the Dong family case. Can you guess what happened to the Dong family at this critical juncture?"

Dong Fen had a bad feeling in his heart, and he asked cautiously, "What happened?"

Zhu Zaizhen said: "I can tell you, but you must promise not to get excited."

Dong Fen couldn't help but get excited when he heard this.

Now the Dong family has been accused of collaborating with the Japanese. Could anything be more exciting than this?
Dong Fen suppressed his excitement and said, "Please let your Highness know clearly."

Zhu Zaizhen looked at Dong Fen and shook his head pitifully.

Finally, he said in a heavy tone: "This prince received an urgent report that a few days ago, a fire broke out in the old house of the Dong family. The head of the Dong family, his eldest son, and some of the family members and children of the first and last branches of the Dong family were all burned to death. No one survived!"

After hearing this, Dong Fen was stunned for a moment. He looked at Zhu Zaizhen in disbelief, as if with pitiful hope that Zhu Zaizhen was lying to him.

But then Dong Fen saw Lu Yi standing beside him handing him an urgent official document with the seal of the Ministry of Justice. At this moment, Dong Fen's hands finally began to tremble uncontrollably.

He didn't dare to take the document, but he couldn't help but want to take a look at the contents inside so that he could give up!

So he took the official document from the Ministry of Justice handed to him by Lu Yi with trembling hands, and opened the outer cover of the document with trembling hands, and read the contents inside.

After seeing the tragic situation of the Dong family written in it, Dong Fen's body began to shake uncontrollably. If Lu Yi had not been staring at him the whole time and quickly pulled him, he might have blacked out and fallen to the ground.

Zhu Zaizhen watched coldly as Dong Fen trembled and collapsed.

The old man who had been maintaining the airs of a scholar just now, was now trembling and confused. His eyes were bloodshot and veins bulged on his forehead, like a wounded trapped beast.

Zhu Zaizhen continued, "An urgent report from Nanjing said that a fire broke out in the Dong family. The fire was extremely fierce and engulfed the front and back yards in an instant. The flames shot up into the sky and you could see the sky was red even ten miles away. Old Master Dong, Young Master Dong, and a dozen core members of the Dong family, as well as a dozen women and children of the Dong family, were all buried in the sea of ​​fire. The screams tore through the sky, and those who heard them trembled and those who saw them were horrified!"

After listening to Zhu Zaizhen's words, Dong Fen began to mentally collapse again.

Dong Fen was so excited that he knelt on the ground, "No! This is not true!"

Zhu Zaizhen looked at Dong Fen like this and sighed again, "My condolences, Censor Dong. This is an official document urgently delivered by the Nanjing Ministry of Justice, and the Jinyiwei has also confirmed it. If not, how could I have the leisure to come to see you before Zhang Juzheng thoroughly investigated the Dong family case? Do you think I have a lot of free time?"

Dong Fen's tears flowed uncontrollably from his eyes and he sobbed, looking as pitiful as a child in his sixties.

Zhu Zaizhen did not stop her. He just sat aside and waited until Dong Fen had cried enough and her voice became hoarse before he started asking questions again.

Zhu Zaizhen asked, "Does Censor Dong think the fire at the Dong family was an accident?" Dong Fen raised his head abruptly and looked at Zhu Zaizhen excitedly, "This is murder! It was Xu——!!!"

Dong Fen suddenly stopped talking, his teeth chattering.

"Xu what!"

Zhu Zaizhen leaned forward, his eyes sharp, "Why didn't Censor Dong say anything?"

Dong Fen's knees suddenly lost strength and he collapsed to the ground.

He rested his hands on the cold floor tiles, his forehead against the back of his hands, his shoulders heaving violently. The news of his family's demise was like a blunt knife, tearing open the dignity he had worked so hard to maintain.

Zhu Zaizhen signaled the guards on both sides to withdraw, leaving only the two of them in the cell. He stood up and walked in front of Dong Fen, looking down at this once arrogant representative of the Jiangnan noble family.

"You still think Lord Xu will save you?"

Zhu Zaizhen's voice suddenly softened, but became sharper, "You are just the pawn he sacrificed to save his king. Otherwise, why would he let his own son Xu Fan go to the Censorate in person to report the Dong family's crimes?"

Dong Fen raised his head suddenly, his eyes bloodshot: "What does the prince want to know?"

Zhu Zaizhen snorted and laughed, "It seems that Censor Dong still hasn't thought clearly about what he wants to say? What I want to know is whether the Dong family is suspected of land annexation, whether they are suspected of smuggling overseas, and whether they are suspected of colluding with the Japanese and selling out their country."

"Now the Dong family has been burned to the ground, with only a few small fish left. If Censor Dong still doesn't have mercy on this bloodline and wants to resist everything, then I can turn around and leave now, and wait for Zhang Juzheng and his men to investigate everything in Jiangnan, and then hand you over to the Three Judicial Departments for punishment."

Dong Fen looked up at Zhu Zaizhen again. At this moment, he was extremely conflicted and his heart was filled with hatred.

"I said!"

Dong Fen finally couldn't hold on any longer and he finally let go.

Zhu Zaizhen also smiled at this moment, "That's right. Although I am a prince of the Ming Dynasty who cannot be promoted any higher, some merit is better than nothing. Since Censor Dong is willing to cooperate, I will reluctantly listen to what you have to say that will make me feel fresh."

Dong Fen's breathing gradually became steady and the madness in his eyes faded away, replaced by a chilling calmness.

He stood up slowly and brushed off the non-existent dust on his prison uniform. "I have an account book of the Xu family's smuggling with the Japanese pirates, as well as a list of all the corrupt officials in Jiangnan involved! But I can't just give these things out. I want the prince to give me a guarantee!"

Zhu Zaizhen narrowed his eyes and said, "Are you negotiating terms with me? What qualifications do you have to negotiate terms with me?"

Zhu Zaizhen mocked Dong Fen mercilessly. If Zhu Zaizhen had not needed some evidence to rectify the court and the officialdom in the south of the Yangtze River, for an official like Dong Fen who had almost been confirmed to be corrupt, Zhu Zaizhen would have tortured him countless times with the jailers in the Jinyiwei prison.

Dong Fen took a deep breath. He really had no right to negotiate terms with King Jing.

Dong Fen knelt on the ground again and kowtowed heavily to Zhu Zaizhen. His scalp was broken and bright red blood oozed from his forehead.

"I know my crime, but I have only one condition. I want the Xu family to pay their blood debt with blood! I want to put Xu Fan to death with my own hands!"

Dong Fen's voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, but it sent a chill down Zhu Zaizhen's back. It was obvious that Dong Fen had fallen into a crazy mentality of seeking revenge at all costs.

Kill Xu Fan personally?

Zhu Zaizhen quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Although Xu Fan was not currently holding an official position in the court, he had previously served as the Minister of Works with the help of his father, and was considered a legitimate high-ranking official in the court. If Dong Fen was allowed to execute a court official in private, it seemed that there was no precedent, right?
But at this moment, Zhu Zaizhen’s biggest task was to make Dong Fen hand over the so-called account books, lists and other evidence.

So Zhu Zaizhen also said: "Hand over the account books and rosters first. As for Xu Fan, it depends on what father and brother think."

Dong Fen suddenly smiled, and his smile reminded Zhu Zaizhen of a poisonous snake spitting out its venom, making him feel a chill.

Dong Fen laughed and said, "Your Highness, do you think that the Xu family, or rather, Lord Xu, will just sit there and wait for death? They dared to wipe out the entire Dong family, so they dare not attack Your Majesty, Your Highness?"

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Zaizhen shouted sternly.

Dong Fen's behavior was simply outrageous! This made Zhu Zaizhen furious. He finally understood why his third brother treated this group of seemingly harmless but scheming gentry officials so carefully.

It turns out that these people have been so bold that they dare to plot against the emperor and the prince.

Dong Fen laughed indifferently and said, "In the 34th year of Jiajing, the Japanese pirates raided Hangzhou. Why were the defenders completely unprepared? And in the 37th year of Jiajing, the grain fleet was attacked. Why was it the one that was carrying disaster relief? Could it be because Yan Song and his son Yan Shifan, who were in charge of the national government at the time, were incompetent?"

Speaking of this, Dong Fen also became crazy.

Dong Fen said excitedly, "Yes, they are incompetent! They are incompetent because everything they want to do will be hindered by us, openly or secretly. No matter whether these things are beneficial to the country or the society, we will stop them. Your Majesty, do you know why? And Your Majesty wants to know who this 'we' are, and who will be the core leader of 'us'?"

Dong Fen pressed forward step by step, and Zhu Zaizhen's pupils shrank slightly.

These old cases dug up by Dong Fen were truly beyond Zhu Zaizhen's understanding.

But before Zhu Zaizhen could digest it, Dong Fen continued, "In the 18th year of Jiajing, there was the fire in Weihui Palace, and in the 28th year of Jiajing, there was the sudden death of Crown Prince Zhuangjing, and in the 45th year of Jiajing, there was the fire in Anlu Palace. Your Highness, guess whether these were all accidents?"

After listening to these words, Zhu Zaizhen suddenly felt that his brain was almost not enough. He looked at Dong Fen in disbelief. How could a person be so cruel and cruel?

Zhu Zaizhen couldn't imagine how serious the consequences would be if all these things were related to Xu Jie!
"Somebody come!"

Zhu Zaizhen suddenly shouted.

Lu Yi came in and waited with his fists clasped.

"Take Censor Dong to the secret room and prepare paper and ink. No! Lock him up alone. Anyone who dares to get close to him or hears a word he says will be killed without mercy, and you are no exception!"

After giving the order, Zhu Zaizhen looked at Dong Fen with trembling heart. He never expected that such a shocking case would be uncovered during the trial!
Lu Yi's eyes flashed with shock, but he quickly reacted and bowed to Zhu Zaizhen: "I obey your command."

Dong Fen was taken away by Lu Yi. Before he was taken away, he looked back at Zhu Zaizhen, his eyes mixed with hatred and a strange sense of relief: "Your Highness, you will know that cooperating with me is the wisest choice."

Zhu Zaizhen did not respond. He stood alone in the empty cell, looking extremely unhappy. Now he had to go to Zhu Zaigui to report the sudden interrogation, and then discuss with Zhu Zaigui whether they should go to the emperor together to report again. . .

------

Ask for monthly ticket~~~(End of this chapter)