Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 729 The faint king
Gao Yingxiang was ill when he was captured. In order to prevent him from dying prematurely, Sun Chuanting sent a doctor to treat him after he was captured. However, he was escorted all the way to the capital, which was difficult and rushed. Gao Yingxiang's already weak body became worse. After arriving in the capital, he was imprisoned and fell ill again.

Zhu Shenzhui asked Zhou Anmin to find a doctor to check Gao Yingxiang, and prescribed some medicine for him to take after a few days of treatment. Gao Yingxiang finally recovered. Although the conditions in prison were not very good, thanks to Zhou Anmin's arrangement, Gao Yingxiang lived in prison much more comfortably than before. In addition, he had already prepared for his fate, so Gao Yingxiang did not make any noise, and quietly welcomed his last days.

Early that morning, several people suddenly came to the prison, led by Zhou Anmin. Zhou Anmin came to the cell where Gao Yingxiang was imprisoned, took a look at Gao Yingxiang in prison, and then asked someone to open the cell door and take Gao Yingxiang out.

Gao Yingxiang originally thought that he was going to be interrogated, but who would have thought that the Jinyiwei changed Gao Yingxiang into clean clothes and took him out of the prison and put him in a carriage. Sitting in the carriage, Gao Yingxiang didn't know where these people were taking him, but he didn't panic at all, instead he closed his eyes and rested, with a calm attitude.

"This man... is indeed a character." Zhou Anmin was sitting opposite Gao Yingxiang. He saw all of Gao Yingxiang's behavior and demeanor, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

A bandit born in the grass, but now he is like this, Gao Yingxiang alone is not simple. However, despite his feelings, Zhou Anmin did not have much admiration for him, because in his opinion, although Gao Yingxiang had a great reputation, he was ultimately just a bandit, not even a real hero.

The carriage carrying Gao Yingxiang headed towards the palace and soon arrived at the palace gate.

At the palace gate, Zhou Anmin took out Zhu Shenzhui's warrant for Gao Yingxiang and his own badge for entry into the palace. After the guards had checked and searched and confirmed that everything was correct, they let the carriage in. When they entered the palace, Gao Yingxiang, who had been meditating with his eyes closed in the carriage, suddenly opened his eyes.

"Is this the palace?"

Zhou Anmin glanced at him and didn't answer his question, but he didn't object either.

Gao Yingxiang showed a thoughtful look, and suddenly laughed. It was unknown what his laughter meant. Was it a mockery of himself, a bandit, being able to enter the palace? Or was it pride? Or something else?
After entering the palace, the carriage traveled for a distance and soon arrived near the Qianqing Palace. After arriving at the Qianqing Palace, Zhou Anmin leaned his head out of the carriage and looked around, then got out of the carriage and asked someone to bring Gao Yingxiang down from the carriage.

Gao Yingxiang was wearing shackles and had difficulty in moving. In fact, it didn't matter whether he was wearing shackles or not in his current state, because he had his scapula pierced at the suggestion of Hong Chengchou after being captured, and his martial arts skills had long been ruined. Moreover, he had been ill for so long that even if a doctor was sent to treat him after he arrived in Beijing, he would only be half recovered in such a short time.

After getting off the carriage, Gao Yingxiang's first reaction was to look around. This was the center of the Ming Dynasty, the most important place in the world! When Gao Yingxiang was traveling around the world, he had thought many times that he might be able to lead his troops to attack the capital, occupy the palace, and eventually replace it.

But now, although he has come here and set foot on the land of the imperial palace, he is not here as the master, but as a prisoner. It is ironic.

The majestic palace was so close yet so far away. Gao Yingxiang looked at it with a complicated expression, and finally he could only sigh softly in a voice that only he could hear. Then Gao Yingxiang was led by two guards to the Qianqing Palace, accompanied by Zhou Anmin. As for the others, they all stayed outside the palace.

Today I met Gao Yingxiang not in the side hall, but in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

The Palace of Heavenly Purity is the residence of the emperor. It is also the place where the emperor summons the cabinet and ministers except for the court meetings. Today, Emperor Chongzhen rarely wears the leather cap that represents his status as an emperor, and wears the Yishan crown, sitting in the main seat. And below Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Shenzhui is wearing the same clothes as Chongzhen, except for the slight difference in clothing and the lack of a few beads on the Yishan crown, there is almost no difference.

"I, Zhou Anmin, the commander of the Jinyiwei, have been ordered to bring the criminal Gao Yingxiang into the palace. Long live your Majesty, and may the regent live a thousand years..."

When they arrived in front of the palace, Zhou Anmin stopped and called out the name outside the palace. As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Shenzhui's voice came from inside the palace: "Approved! Jinyiwei Commander Zhou Anmin brings the criminal Gao Yingxiang into the palace!"

Zhou Anmin responded and then stepped over the threshold. Behind him, Gao Yingxiang also walked into the hall with the support of two guards.

The light in the hall was a little dim. Gao Yingxiang couldn't see the layout of the hall clearly for a while when he came in from outside. It was not until a moment later that he gradually became familiar with the surrounding environment and saw the two people sitting in front of him.

One of them sat slightly higher, in the main seat. This person must be Emperor Chongzhen, right? Emperor Chongzhen was not very old, only about 30 years old. Although he looked very majestic, his face did not have the "appearance of an emperor". His square face looked slightly thin, with thin eyebrows and long eyes. He had a short beard on his upper lip and a small mustache on his chin. His lips were very thin, and he looked mean. Moreover, his complexion was not as ruddy and healthy as that of a normal person. His overly white skin had a hint of blue. When he saw Gao Yingxiang, Emperor Chongzhen stared at him carefully, and seemed a little excited. If one guessed correctly, the person sitting at the bottom was the Regent Zhu Shenzui. Gao Yingxiang was much more interested in Zhu Shenzui than in Emperor Chongzhen, because this man was born into a royal family, but suddenly rose up at the most appropriate time in the Ming Dynasty, under the banner of clearing the court and pacifying the national crisis. In just one month, he went straight from Shanxi to the capital, not only defeated the Ming army in Baoding in one fell swoop, but also wiped out the main force of the entire Beijing camp, surrounded the capital, defeated the Ming army that came to defend the king, and finally broke into the capital and entered the palace, controlled the emperor and all the civil and military officials in the court, and finally ascended to the position of Regent.

It can be said that what Zhu Shenzhu did was what Gao Yingxiang had always wanted to do but had not been able to do. Gao Yingxiang could not understand why he had not been able to do the last step, even though he had started his army earlier and had more than 100,000 soldiers at the peak of his power, sweeping across the eight provinces of the Ming Dynasty and causing chaos. Moreover, Zhu Shenzhu had become the ruler of the Ming Dynasty, while he had become a prisoner. The status of the two men was completely different.

Gao Yingxiang looked towards Zhu Shenzhui, wanting to take a closer look at him. At this moment, Zhu Shenzhui seemed to have noticed Gao Yingxiang's move, and he smiled and said, "Zhou Anmin!"

"Chen is here!"

"Take Gao Yingxiang ten steps forward and bring a chair for him to sit on."

Zhou Anmin was stunned. Logically speaking, they were standing at a normal distance. If they took ten more steps forward, they would be in front of the throne, only four or five meters away from where Emperor Chongzhen was, and even closer to Zhu Shenzhui who was sitting below.

But Zhou Anmin didn't think much about it. Since Zhu Shenzhu had said so, he just followed the arrangement. Not to mention that Gao Yingxiang was wearing shackles and torture instruments and had no power to resist. Even if he didn't have these things, Gao Yingxiang might not be a match for Zhu Shenzhu's ability. Besides himself, there were several guards in the palace. If Gao Yingxiang dared to do anything against his superiors, they would not be vegetarians.

Zhou Anmin immediately brought a stool and placed it about five meters away from Zhu Shenzhui, then took Gao Yingxiang forward and asked him to sit down.

Gao Yingxiang was not afraid at all. He sat down on the stool with confidence. After sitting down, he looked carefully at Zhu Shenzhui who was not far away.

"How is it?" Seeing Gao Yingxiang staring at him intently, Zhu Shenzhui couldn't help but ask with a smile.

"The Regent has more of the bearing of a monarch." Gao Yingxiang said lightly.

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhu Shencui burst into laughter, and Emperor Chongzhen, who was sitting at the top, instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. This damn traitor actually said that Zhu Shencui had more of the bearing of a monarch. Wasn't this a satire on himself for not having the bearing of a monarch?

"Your Majesty, this man is indeed not a simple person." After laughing a few times, Zhu Shenzhui said to Emperor Chongzhen, "There is clearly a deep meaning in Gao Yingxiang's words. Even now, he still does not forget to instigate Your Majesty and me."

"Humph! How could I not know this? Do I need you to tell me? Am I such a fool?" Emperor Chongzhen snorted coldly, and immediately turned his face stern, shouting at Gao Yingxiang: "Gao Yingxiang! You traitor! It would be fine if you didn't bow to me when you entered the palace, but you actually dared to speak so shamelessly. Aren't you afraid of my means?"

"Methods? Haha, hahaha!" Gao Yingxiang laughed. "I, Gao Yingxiang, started my army as a commoner and have never been afraid of anyone. Besides, now that I have fallen to this point, do I still have to be afraid of what Your Majesty will do to me? Or if I say a few soft words today and kowtow to you, the emperor, and beg for mercy, will you let me go?"

Without waiting for Emperor Chongzhen to answer, Gao Yingxiang shouted, "What does victory or defeat matter to a real man? Why should he fear life or death? It's just bad luck. On the contrary, you, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, are not as knowledgeable as a commoner like me. No wonder the Ming Dynasty is in chaos under the rule of you and other tyrants. How dare you scold me now?"

"You...you...you traitor! Arrogant! Damn it! Someone, come! Drag Gao Yingxiang out and beat him to death with sticks!" Emperor Chongzhen was so furious at Gao Yingxiang's words. He never expected that Gao Yingxiang, a prisoner, could be so arrogant. In just a few words, he made him worthless and mocked him to the extreme. Emperor Chongzhen raised his hand and slapped it heavily on the armrest. The veins on his neck bulged and he was extremely angry.

But who would have thought that when Emperor Chongzhen shouted at everyone to beat the traitor to death, everyone in the hall seemed to have not heard his words at all. Several guards, including Zhou Anmin, still stood there, unmoved.

"Haha! Hahaha! Hahaha!" Gao Yingxiang laughed even louder upon seeing this. His laughter echoed in the hall. Emperor Chongzhen's face turned from black to white, then from white to blue, and then flushed again.

(End of this chapter)