Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 101 Zong Zheng
Zhu Lang took a sip of the teacup and waited for a moment before the King of Tang was brought into the room.
Zhu Lang looked at the middle-aged man standing in the hall with his head bowed, and sized up the Emperor Shaowu of his previous life.

The man in front of him was about forty years old, slightly fat, and his face was pale. It was obvious that the life in prison these days was not easy for him.

As soon as the Tang King entered the room, he bowed deeply to the young man behind the table.

"Your Highness, the Regent, is greeted by your Highness, the Prince of Tang, Zhu Youlang."

"King Tang, please get up!"

Zhu Lang looked at the Tang King who was paying homage below. His eyes turned and a smile flashed across his face, but it soon disappeared.
His Highness the Regent's face darkened, and before the King of Tang stood up, he spoke in a deep voice:
"King Tang, do you know about Ding Kuichu?"

Zhu Yulang looked at the serious face of His Royal Highness the Regent above, and a sense of panic suddenly rose in his heart. He quickly spoke

"Your Highness, please understand. I only arrived in Guangzhou on the 27th. I was adrift on the sea for more than ten days before that. How could I be connected with the traitor Ding Kuichu?"

"Besides, Your Highness is the legitimate heir of the Divine Emperor, and the legitimate heir of the country. All the people in the world look up to you. I am a vassal king of the country, and I am deeply blessed by the Emperor. How dare I have such delusions?"

The Tang King was terrified. Although he had thought about this when he learned that Emperor Longwu was in danger, he was just thinking about it.

After the news of Emperor Longwu's death in Tingzhou came, the whole city of Fuzhou was in a panic. The Qing army was approaching, and it seemed that Fujian Province was about to be lost. At that time, even if someone asked him to be the emperor, he would never do it.
It had only been two days since he escaped from Fuzhou and arrived in Guangdong Province. He had never even met Ding Kuichu before. How could he have colluded with him to usurp the throne? He was really wronged.
After Zhu Yulang finished speaking, he found that the prince above did not speak, but just looked at him quietly.
Seeing the expressionless young man above, Zhu Yulang became more and more frightened, but he did not dare to speak. He could only stand in the hall with his head down. His forehead was soon covered with a layer of fine cold sweat.
When the Tang King was about to fall, His Highness spoke in a cold voice.

"The Imperial Guards have already investigated this matter. The guards around the King of Tang are the secret agents of the traitor Ma Jixiang. The whereabouts of the King of Tang should have been leaked by them."

Zhu Yulang was relieved at first, but then he was shocked again. He looked incredulous and said:

"Your Highness, please understand that the guards following me this time are all old people in the palace."

"They have been serving me for seven or eight years. They have always been loyal to me even in times of crisis. They are all loyal and reliable. It is impossible for them to have any connection with the Jinyiwei. Your Highness..."

Zhu Yulang was only halfway through his words when the expression on the face of His Royal Highness the Regent above him suddenly changed. A cold voice suddenly came from above, interrupting Zhu Yulang's words.

"King Tang means that the guards in your palace are innocent."

"The traitor Ding Kuichu has known your whereabouts for a long time. There must be someone in the Tang Palace who is connected with Ding Kuichu and his gang. If it's not the palace guards, then it must be you, Tang..."

When the King of Tang heard the cold words of His Highness the Regent, his heart skipped a beat. Before His Highness could finish his words, he immediately shouted:

"No such thing, no such thing!"

"I was confused just now. Those guards in the mansion have been too flattering to me. I have been suspicious for a long time. I was confused for a moment, so I didn't realize their sinister intentions. I didn't expect that they were the hidden line of those rebels. I don't know how to judge people. Please punish me, Your Highness."

Tang Wang's back was covered with cold sweat, and he kept speaking

"If that's the case, then King Tang must be more careful in the future and not let anyone deceive him again."

Upon hearing this, His Royal Highness the Regent's expression relaxed slightly, and he looked meaningfully at the trembling King Tang below.

"Yes, I will be careful in what I say and do in the future, and will never let these evil people enter the mansion again."

When the King of Tang heard that His Highness had given in, he no longer cared about the guards and quickly responded respectfully.
Although the King of Tang agreed at this time, he knew in his heart that those guards must be innocent. When these guards entered the palace, Emperor Longwu had not yet ascended the throne.

The Tang Palace was just an ordinary royal family at that time. How could the Jinyiwei have planted people in their Tang Palace?

Two of those guards were even children of the family, who had grown up in the mansion since childhood. How could they betray him and collude with the Jinyiwei?
But he had no choice now. Ding Kuichu's conspiracy was too complicated. Even if he had only heard a little bit, he was already terrified.

He knew that he had absolutely no connection with Ding Kuichu, so the so-called rebellion of Ding Kuichu seemed extremely terrifying.
Regardless of whether this incident was secretly promoted by a minister in the court in an attempt to seize the position of Prime Minister, or whether it was simply planned by His Royal Highness Gui, the Regent, in order to seize power, it was not something that he, a vassal king who had fled here, could interfere with.
Now that His Highness has given in, if he doesn't give up those guards as His Highness wishes, he will be the one to die.
The matter involved treason, so what did it matter if one or two princes were killed?

Zhu Yulang just breathed a sigh of relief, but the regent spoke again.

"I invited the King of Tang to come here this time, not only to inform him that the case of treason has been investigated, but also to discuss another matter with him."

"Your Highness, please tell me. As long as I can do it, I will do it."

Although His Royal Highness the Regent spoke politely, the King of Tang did not dare to be careless and replied respectfully:
"The country is in turmoil, and the royal family is scattered. The King of Tang brought so many royal family members across the sea this time. Seeing the clan reunited, I am very happy."

"I want to make the King of Tang the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan and help manage the Imperial Clan. What do you think?"

When the King of Tang heard the words of His Royal Highness the Regent, he was stunned for a long while. Then he reacted and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He quickly spoke

"Your Highness is kind and filial to his relatives and friends, and is extremely benevolent and virtuous. It is a blessing that we, the royal family, can receive Your Highness's grace. I have cultivated it for several lifetimes. I thank Your Highness for his great grace."

The King of Tang looked at His Highness who was smiling above him, his face was full of gratitude, his eyes were slightly red, and he bowed his head to salute.
But the moment I lowered my head, my heart suddenly became

One moment he was a criminal involved in a treason case, and was about to be killed, and the next moment he became the Grand Master. How weird it is!
But at this time, the power of life and death lies in the hands of His Royal Highness the Regent. How can he refuse His Royal Highness's order?
"The royal family came here by sea and suddenly lost their fiefdom. The court should also provide for them and maintain the dignity of the royal family."

"It's just that the country is in turmoil right now, and the court is also stretched to the limit, so there is something I want to discuss with the Zongzheng." "I want to revise the salary of the royal family. The monthly salary of the prince is 300 taels, and the monthly salary of the county prince is 200 taels. In the future, the royal family will be reduced accordingly according to their ranks. My family has been blessed by the emperor for generations. The country is in trouble now, and I believe that the royal family will also understand the difficulties of the court. What do you think, Grand Zongzheng?"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the Tang King's expression changed, and he looked embarrassed. He did not speak for a long time.

But the Regent above seemed unaware and just stared at the King of Tang below.

Zhu Yulang felt the gaze of His Royal Highness the Regent and suddenly panicked. A drop of cold sweat suddenly slid down his cheek.

He couldn't help but curse in his heart, this regent is really thick-skinned and black-hearted. He is a prince of the country, but he only gives him 300 taels a month.
Although he didn't bring much money with him this time, he brought a lot of people with him. Three or four princesses also fled with him, and there were so many princes and princesses. How could this little money be enough for so many people?
But at this time, His Royal Highness the Regent looked unhappy, so he had no choice but to answer.

"I am a landless person. I am lucky to be supported by the country at this time. Your Highness is kind to the royal family. I thank Your Highness for your kindness."

Zhu Lang listened to the King of Tang's promise, and a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. He seemed not to notice the hesitant expression on the King's face.

How could he not know that the Tang King must be dissatisfied with the salary? But if they think it is too little, Zhu Lang thinks it is too much.
Three hundred taels a month, three thousand six hundred taels a year
Just these twenty or so royal family members would probably cost the court more than 10,000 taels of silver a year.

Ten thousand taels of silver is enough for him to do many things. If he uses it to support the army, he can at least support a thousand more people!
What use is there in giving it to these princes, other than letting them live a life of luxury and marry a few concubines?
Zhu Lang thought of this, and a hint of evil flashed in his eyes. If he summoned one or two hundred swordsmen at this time, wouldn't the ten thousand taels be saved if he gave an order?

The Tang King looked at His Highness, whose face suddenly became fierce, and his heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, after a while, His Highness calmed down and said:

"Well, in that case, the Zongzheng should submit a petition to the court when he returns. After the court has agreed on it, the salaries can be distributed to the clan members as soon as possible," His Highness the Regent said softly.

"Ah, do I need to submit a petition for this?"

The expression on the Tang King's face changed, but just as he was about to refuse, he saw the Regent's face above him darken and speak in a cold voice.

"You are the chief of the clan. If you don't write a petition, who will? Do I have to do it myself? If so, what use do I have for you as the chief of the clan?"

"Yes, yes, I will submit a petition as soon as I return and will not delay Your Highness's important affairs."

Zhu Yulang looked at His Highness with a cold expression, and was immediately startled. He quickly responded.

At this point, he finally understood why His Highness was so kind and let him be the chief minister.
It is clear that His Majesty the Regent neither wants to pay money nor bear the stigma of being harsh on the royal family, so he appointed himself as the head of the royal family and pushed himself up.
He could already imagine what kind of situation he would face once he submitted this petition requesting the royal family's salary.
Once this memorial is approved, the expenses of all clan members will be greatly reduced. I am afraid that I will become a clan thief that everyone in the clan will hate.
But at this time, I still have the handle in the hands of His Highness the Regent, and His Highness's words just now have already revealed the sharp edge of the knife.

If he didn't agree, he might not even be able to leave the door, so he would have no choice.

He is a thief so be it, at least he saved his life and got the position of Grand Master of the Clan.
Those members of the royal family may not have an easy life, but it may not be easy for him, Zhu Youlang's eyes flashed with light when he thought of this.

"Well, in that case, Zong Zheng should go down and rest first."

Seeing that the King of Tang had agreed to this matter, Zhu Lang waved his hand and ordered him to leave.

Seeing that His Royal Highness the Regent was finally willing to let him go, Zhu Yulang felt relieved. He bowed to the sky and left the room.
Zhu Lang watched the figure of the Tang King disappear at the door, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.
As he establishes himself in Guangdong Province, more and more clan members will surely come to him in the future. The Zhu family has been thriving for more than 200 years, and the number of clan members is probably enough to form an army.

Now that the imperial court only has a few provinces left, these royal families can no longer enjoy the same treatment as before.

Previously, the princes of the Zhu family could be granted tens of thousands of acres of royal land at will. That was because after the Yongle Rebellion, in order to complete the reduction of the feudal lords, a large amount of royal land was used as compensation to take back the military power from the princes.
Yongle had just taken power, and the people were still undecided, so the treatment of the royal family could not be changed.

But after Yongle, these royal family treatments became the old system of the imperial dynasty, and since it was passed down from generation to generation, no one could change it.

If any emperor wanted to change it, he would be immediately attacked by a group of royal family members, and even accused of violating the ancestral system.
The treatment of the Zhu family princes was originally a special case in a special period, but as it was passed down from generation to generation, it became an unchangeable precedent.
As the Zhu family's clan continued to grow, a situation emerged in which the tail became too big to be removed.

Now Zhu Lang had to rely on confiscating property to raise money to support his army. How could he have any extra money to squander on these members of the royal family?
In the future, the treatment of the Zhu family princes will definitely be greatly changed, but this is easy to do but not pleasant to hear. How could His Majesty Gui, the filial and friendly Regent, treat the royal family harshly?
He put the King of Tang in the position of Zongzheng to let him do these things.
In the future, whenever there is a reform involving the royal family, let the King of Tang submit it first, and he will quickly pass it. This way, he won't have to bear the blame, at least he won't have to bear the blame alone.
There are treacherous ministers in the royal family. No, there are loyal ministers.
He just followed the advice and approved the memorial of the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan. Everything was proposed by the Master of the Imperial Clan. What does it have to do with His Royal Highness the Kind and Friendly Gui?
As for whether the King of Tang would not cooperate with the operation, that was not up to the King of Tang to decide.

Why did he put the Prince of Tang in the position of Zongzheng? Wasn't it because he had something on Zhu Lang? Zhu Lang really thought that he was the brother of Emperor Longwu and had a high status, so he made him the Grand Zongzheng?

If this is the reason, then the King of Tang can no longer be considered as the Grand Chancellor, and it is doubtful whether he can even keep his life.

The two guards of the Tang Palace are still detained in the Jinyi Palace. As long as he wants, the Tang Prince can turn into a traitor again at any time.

Once it is determined that he is plotting treason, it will not be enough to just kill the Tang prince. The entire Tang palace will probably be wiped out.

On one hand, he could reduce the treatment of the royal family members who had nothing to do with him, and he could also gain a reputation as a wise king in the court. On the other hand, the lives of his entire family were at stake. Any normal person would know which choice to make.

After the contact just now, Zhu Lang also vaguely understood the character of the Tang King. He did not believe that the Tang King was really a selfless saint.

Zhu Lang was relieved when he thought of this. He picked up the report on the escort of King Tang handed over by Deng Mingwu on the table and checked it. Only then did he find the name of Lin Cha, the garrison commander of Fuzhou City, at the end.
Zhu Lang's eyes flashed with a trace of thought. Since Fuzhou has fallen, Zheng Zhilong must have surrendered to the Qing Dynasty.
The intelligence from Fujian Province is unclear now. Lin Cha is the garrison commander of Fuzhou. It is a good opportunity to ask about the current situation in Fujian Province.
Although Zheng Zhilong had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, it would still take some time for the Qing army to pacify Fujian Province. He needed to find out the situation in Fujian Province as soon as possible so that he could make preparations.

Zhu Lang thought of this and no longer hesitated. He gave an order to the door and asked someone to bring Lin Cha.
(End of this chapter)