Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 50 Let’s play music and dance!
The third place winner was completely panicked now. He shouted to Duke Cheng: "Duke, save me, save me!"

Duke Cheng would surely pretend not to see it, and save him? The one who wanted him to die the most was Duke Cheng, so as to avoid exposing the truth. Seeing that Duke Cheng ignored him, the third place winner made up his mind and continued to shout: "Duke Cheng, didn't you say that His Majesty would not kill me? I listened to you."

The ministers all heard this and looked at Duke Cheng. Duke Cheng looked terribly gloomy. He thought that the emperor would not kill anyone if he was confronted in such an occasion, but at least he would pretend to win over the scholars of the world.

That year, Yu Qian confronted Emperor Yongle after the palace examination, and his words were even more harsh. Although Emperor Yongle was angry, he did not kill Yu Qian in the end. Instead, he reused him.

But he didn't expect that the current emperor would actually chop off someone's head in such an occasion.

"Nonsense! I don't know you!" Duke Cheng shouted angrily.

"Duke Cheng, you controlled my wife and children. You told me how I cursed His Majesty after the palace examination and said I could be promoted." Tanhua Lang said bitterly, "You can't deny it now."

Cheng Guogong is numb.

All the officials kept their distance from him, leaving him out, not wanting to be implicated. Zhu Qizhen smiled, not expecting an unexpected gain.

Duke Cheng has always been behind the scenes, so why did he personally conspire with the third place scholar this time? Was he anxious because his plans had failed one after another?

"Take this drunkard out and behead him!" a cold voice came.

The Queen Mother strode in with a group of palace maids and eunuchs, with a powerful aura. When the ministers saw her, they bowed and said, "Welcome the Queen Mother!"

……

The empress dowager walked through the crowd of ministers and approached Zhu Qizhen. Her long palace dress outlined her perfect curves. She was well maintained, with fair and firm skin and a mature and cold face.

"Youth pays respects to the Queen Mother." Zhu Qizhen bowed.

"Your Majesty, why did you choose a drunkard as the third place winner?" the Queen Mother said coldly, "He even dared to frame the minister in court. He deserves to be killed!"

A smile flashed across Zhu Qizhen's lips.

Duke Chengguo was very important to the Queen Mother, because he held the Right Military Commandery. Currently, Yu Qian was in charge of the Ming Army, but the commanders of the Five Military Commandery were all the Queen Mother's men.

"Mother, this..." Zhu Qizhen looked embarrassed, "Today is a happy day. As the emperor, if I kill the new Taihua at this moment, I'm afraid it would be inappropriate, right?"

"He first defied Your Majesty, and now he is framing the ministers." The Queen Mother said coldly, "Shouldn't he be killed?"

Zhu Qizhen approached the Queen Mother and lowered his voice: "Mother, perhaps this is not a false accusation?"

The Queen Mother's beautiful eyes were unusually sharp. She looked directly at Zhu Qizhen and asked, "Your Majesty, are my words no longer effective now?"

Zhu Qizhen did not back down and smiled slightly: "Of course I will obey my mother, but I also need your approval for a small matter. The position of Minister of Revenue is still vacant, and I think Xu Youzhen is quite suitable."

The queen mother's eyes were filled with coldness. After thinking for a moment, she nodded: "Okay, I will do as your majesty wishes."

The coldness in her eyes disappeared, and she slowly turned to face the ministers and said in a cold voice: "Xu Youzhen has made great contributions in the granary case. From now on, he will be promoted to the Minister of Revenue."

Many ministers were stunned. What did these two just talk about in private? Why did they suddenly mention Xu Youzhen and directly promote him to the position of Minister of Revenue?

"I thank the Empress Dowager for her grace!" Xu Youzhen knelt down quickly to express his gratitude.

The empress dowager ignored him and glanced at Zhu Qizhen beside her with her beautiful eyes.

Zhu Qizhen bowed and turned around. His icy eyes swept over the ministers and finally fell on the Tanhua scholar who was lying on the ground. He shouted in a deep voice: "You knew you were going to see the emperor, but you were drunk and ignored the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects. You even contradicted me in person and then framed the ministers. No matter which charge you make, it is enough to chop off your head." "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." The Tanhua scholar kowtowed and wanted to speak.

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand to interrupt him and shouted angrily: "Come here, drag him out and behead him!"

Four Jinyiwei stepped forward and dragged him away forcibly, ignoring the shouts of the third scholar. Soon, the screams of the third scholar stopped abruptly, and a bloody smell filled the hall.

The entire hall suddenly fell into silence.

"Everyone, don't let your mood be ruined." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and smiled, "Keep playing the music, keep dancing!"

Half an hour later, the banquet ended and the ministers walked out of the hall.

"The dispute between the Queen Mother and Your Majesty is becoming increasingly clear. The days ahead will be difficult."

"Alas, how could this happen? This is definitely not a blessing for the Ming Dynasty."

Some ministers were whispering as they walked, discussing the current political situation, and they were inevitably worried.

The cabinet chief minister Wang Zhi and Huichang Marquis Sun Jizhong walked side by side. Sun Jizhong sighed softly, "This was supposed to be a happy event, but it turned out like this. Lord Wang, what about the Ministry of Revenue in the future..."

"Your Majesty's poem is really good. I still savor it now." Wang Zhi said with emotion, "The green mountains are still there, and the sunset is red. It is full of artistic conception. Your Majesty's poetry has improved a lot."

Huichang Hou cursed the old fox in his heart and deliberately changed the subject. Wang Zhi stopped asking questions and said goodbye with a fist. After Wang Zhi watched Huichang Hou go away, he stood on the imperial road and was stunned for a while.

"Queen Mother? Your Majesty?" he said to himself.

……

Cheng Guogongfu.

Jinyiwei Commander Sun Xianzhong rushed to the backyard and saw Cheng Guogong practicing with his sword. His anger surged with the sword. Sun Xianzhong smiled and said, "Duke, this matter is over. My eldest brother just told me that the Queen Mother wanted you to lead the army well and not interfere in government affairs."

Duke Cheng put away his sword and asked, "Is the granary case really over? Your Majesty has let it go?"

"Use you in exchange for a minister of finance." Sun Xianzhong said, "Your Majesty's goal has been achieved."

"Hmph, Xu Youzhen, the Minister of Revenue, can't hold his position firmly, right?" Duke Chengguo sneered.

"That's none of your business." Sun Xianzhong chuckled. "Your Majesty, do you think you've won the battle by getting a position as the Minister of Finance? How can the position of a Minister be so easy to hold? In less than two months, Xu Youzhen will have to get out of the capital, and his life may even be in danger."

Duke Cheng took the towel handed to him by the maid, wiped his sweat, and sat down in the pavilion. Sun Xianzhong sat down opposite him and said, "The rice business must be stopped! My eldest brother said not to leave any tails."

Duke Chengguo drank a sip of tea, nodded, and said indifferently: "Those who knew about it have been silenced, and the Jinyiwei can't find anything. The housekeeper who took the blame is dead, isn't he? What else do they want?"

Sun Xianzhong also drank a sip of tea slowly, frowned and was silent for a while, then said: "But I always feel uneasy in my heart."

"I think so too!" Duke Cheng threw the teacup away. "The current Majesty is no longer the same child as before. I feel he will not let us go easily."

Sun Xianzhong shook his head in confusion: "What else can Your Majesty do? Just break up with the Queen Mother?"

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(End of this chapter)