Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 606 Xu Miaojin's Response!

Xu Miaojin's eyebrows suddenly twitched, and her expression instantly became serious.

Zhao Rui was in charge of ensuring the security of Zhu Yunwen's northern tour.

But the girl was always cautious and would often ask questions, which had long become a habit of hers.

After all, the young girl had personally trained female guards and was always particularly sensitive to the arrangements of the guards.

As a Noble Consort, Zhao Rui would naturally not dare to neglect Xu Miaojin's inquiries and would report everything in detail.

Furthermore, matters concerning the protection of His Majesty are of paramount importance, relating to His Majesty's safety. They should be submitted to the emperor for a personal decision to ensure the utmost security.

Most of the time, however, the protective measures were so meticulous that submitting memorials was just a formality. Zhu Yunwen would often glance at them briefly, then toss them aside and ignore them.

Xu Miaojin knew Zhu Yunwen's careless nature and was afraid that his carelessness would cause trouble, so she repeatedly asked Zhao Rui to be careful in everything.

It was precisely because of this that Zhu Yunwen felt even more at ease entrusting her with the tedious matters, completely refusing to get involved himself.

Just then, Xu Miaojin heard a young eunuch rushing in, panting, to deliver an imperial decree, and her heart tightened instantly.

"What exactly happened? Isn't today a sacrificial ceremony? Why were the guards changed at the last minute?"

Seeing the Imperial Concubine's expression change suddenly, the little eunuch dared not hide anything and hurriedly told her the whole story.

"So it was just that His Majesty disliked Zhao Rui and Wang Shoulian's arrangements?" Xu Miaojin's brows relaxed slightly after hearing this, and she let out a long breath, but her tone still carried a hint of reproach. "Zhao Rui and Wang Shoulian are too reckless! How could they let Wu Ding from Shandong wear the uniform of the Tian Shu Division? Isn't this disrupting the established order?"

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes suddenly narrowed, and a chill ran through her heart.

"wrong!"

Xu Miaojin was born into a noble family and was well-versed in classical texts. She was very knowledgeable about palace coups, power struggles and intrigues throughout history.

At that moment, a thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately noticed the suspicious points.

“Zhao Rui was just a eunuch, not well-educated, and ignorant of etiquette and rules.”

"His agreement to lend out the Tian Shu Si's costumes in order to make the guards at the ceremony look imposing and orderly is somewhat plausible."

“But Wang Shoulian is different.”

“He is a proper scholar, a learned Confucian, how could he not understand the proper measure?”

"How could he have proposed such an absurd idea as to have local military officers wear the attire of the Tian Shu Si (Heavenly Pivot Bureau)?"

"This is like making ordinary people wear official robes and be put in court for trial—it's utterly absurd!"

“Wang Shoulian would never be unaware that this was impossible.”

"Unless, he has ulterior motives."

Could it be that Wang Shoulian is plotting a rebellion?
The thought flashed through Xu Miaojin's mind. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and then she shook her head violently.

impossible!
Wang Shoulian was merely a provincial inspector in Shandong. Although he held a high position, he was a scholar who had never held any military power.

What gave him the right to instigate a rebellion?
If he dares to start a rebellion, the court will be able to take his head tomorrow.

A high-ranking official in charge of a region would never dig his own grave, dragging down his entire family and even his nine generations of relatives to the afterlife.

Even if he had no military power and could only command a limited number of weak soldiers like Wu Ding, even if he were a general in command, given the current strength of the Ming Dynasty, any attempt to rebel would be suicidal.

But if it wasn't treason, what was Wang Shoulian's intention in changing his guards?
Xu Miaojin's mind was churning with thoughts, surging like a tidal wave.

One of the purposes of Zhu Yunwen's sacrificial ceremony to the sages today is to formally declare the new learning as the orthodox Confucianism before the people of the world!

And Wang Shoulian...

Although I have never had a deep discussion with him about his academic views, judging from his words and actions, he is clearly a rigid and conservative Confucian scholar who adheres to old rules.

Such people are most intolerant of new learning superseding ancient rituals.

"Could it be... a military coup?"

The thought suddenly flashed through Xu Miaojin's mind, and her eyes narrowed.

If we extrapolate from this, everything makes perfect sense.

He was not acting for his own benefit, but rather he believed he bore a great responsibility and was willing to die for his principles to safeguard the orthodoxy of Confucianism.

When a scholar has such thoughts, he has already disregarded life and death, and can even abandon his wife and children.

"Did Brother Tong already discover his plot, which is why he sent someone to deliver the imperial decree to me?"

The idea had barely formed when Xu Miaojin categorically rejected it.

If Zhu Yunwen truly saw through the mystery, he would have left immediately instead of simply sending someone to deliver the decree.

Clearly, he had only sensed something was amiss, and thus ordered the replacement of the guards.

The decree even explicitly stated that if there were insufficient manpower, Wu Ding from Shandong could be transferred to wield a halberd, but he was not allowed to wear the armor of the Tian Shu Si (Heavenly Pivot Bureau).

Right.

That makes perfect sense.

Although Brother Tong was exceptionally intelligent, he probably couldn't have guessed that a mere Shandong provincial inspector would dare to take such a risk during the sacrificial ceremony.

Even the wisest person can make a mistake in one area.

However, if it is merely a matter of forcing him to remonstrate, then Brother Tong's safety should be temporarily assured.

Thinking of this, Xu Miaojin felt a slight relaxation, but then tensed up again instantly.

"Should we replace the guards in the Confucian Temple now?"

She quickly changed her mind, but immediately shook her head.

To replace someone discreetly, the other party's full cooperation is required.

But since the other party has ulterior motives, why would they obediently give in?

Once weapons are drawn, the sacrificial ceremony will be thrown into chaos in an instant, and Brother Tong may also be put in danger as a result.

Let the Confucian Temple become a battlefield; bullets don't discriminate. Don't let your attempt to save the emperor backfire and end up endangering his life.

However, it is absolutely unacceptable to let it go unchecked!

How could Brother Tong tolerate his subjects using military force to remonstrate?
That would greatly damage the majesty of the Ming emperor and have endless consequences.

Not to mention, Brother Tong has been planning the new school for a long time, and it is impossible for him to back down now and cause all his previous efforts to be in vain.

Even if we take a step back and assume he is willing to back down, the situation may not necessarily be stable.

Wang Shoulian may have been prepared to die, and after the mission was accomplished, he committed suicide to die for his country. But what about the other generals, officers, and soldiers?

They might not be willing to follow each other to their deaths; instead, they are more likely to have their own agendas and use the opportunity to plot rebellion.
Thinking of this, Xu Miaojin felt a tightness in her chest, her breathing became rapid, and her face almost lost all color.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

The kneeling eunuch, seeing her sudden change in expression, was filled with fear and whispered, "Should I go and give the order to replace the guards immediately?"

"No need!"

Xu Miaojin took a deep breath, trying her best to suppress the panic in her heart, and quickly regained her composure.

"You should retreat first."

The young eunuch was taken aback, not understanding why the Empress did not follow the imperial decree to issue the order. Although it was not the Emperor's official decree, it was still the Emperor's intention. What did the Imperial Concubine mean?

The young eunuch dared not ask any further questions and quickly kowtowed, saying, "This servant takes her leave!"

He has completed the imperial edict that was to be conveyed.

As for how to decide the next step, that is a matter for the Imperial Concubine and the court officials.

He was just a lowly eunuch; he absolutely could not interfere, much less speak out.

Serving the emperor in the palace, the first rule is to be observant and attentive, but never to harbor curiosity or presumptuously explore forbidden areas. That would be courting death.

The young eunuch quickly withdrew, not daring to linger for even a moment longer.

"Sister Xu, what's wrong?"

After the eunuch left, Gulizaba, who had already sensed something was amiss, hurriedly asked.

"It's nothing. My two younger sisters, please stay here and play in peace. I have some important matters to attend to." A faint smile appeared on Xu Miaojin's face, and in an instant, her previous tension and unease disappeared, replaced by calm and composure.

She vaguely exudes the air of a female general.

She was born into a military family. As Xu Da's daughter, she loved military attire and spear fighting since childhood. She had always longed for battlefield conquests and only regretted that she was a woman.

Now that a major change has suddenly occurred, after a brief period of tension, my emotions quickly stabilized.

She then went into another room and instructed her female guard to fetch her usual military uniform.

As she undid her palace attire with her slender hands, her expression turned even colder. She then sent someone to quickly summon the steward of the Tian Shu Division, who was still resting.

At the same time, as she put on her armor, she asked in a deep voice about the defense deployment outside.

“Hundreds of thousands of people were gathered outside. To maintain order, there were local yamen runners and constables from Qufu, as well as yamen soldiers transferred from various parts of Yanzhou Prefecture, and military officers directly under the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission.”

The guards reported the situation in detail.

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaojin's brows furrowed even deeper.

She quickly recalled the previous "Xi Yunlang case".

That case had far-reaching implications, and those who ultimately suffered the most were the officials of Yanzhou Prefecture and the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission.

It should be noted that both Shanxian and Qufu belong to Yanzhou Prefecture.

"I see." Xu Miaojin's mind raced, her thoughts connecting rapidly in her mind, gradually piecing together a complete picture.

Because of the "mutual protection among officials" in the bureaucracy, a small mistake that could have been easily corrected was compounded and a large number of officials were implicated.

Emperor Zhu Yunwen was furious. He not only dismissed and imprisoned the officials involved, but also ordered a thorough investigation.

We are determined to thoroughly investigate and expose all officials who are incompetent and disregard the lives of ordinary people.

Based on Xu Miaojin's understanding of officialdom, those officials in Yanzhou who have not yet been punished, as well as those in the Provincial Surveillance Commission, are not necessarily all innocent.

With the imperial edict issued, they were all in a state of panic, like frightened birds, fearing that they would be next.

In this situation, if Wang Shoulian were to use his power as an imperial inspector to coerce and entice officials and Wu Ding's generals, who were already feeling guilty, they would easily submit and obey his commands.

Everything makes sense now!

However... based on Xu Miaomian's understanding of civil officials, they like to form cliques and factions, and they will inevitably form alliances and rely on each other before taking action.

Wang Shoulian dared to take such a risky move, so there must be someone in a higher position backing him up.

This person's status and position are very likely far above Wang Shoulian's.

Who could it be?
In Xu Miaojin's mind, one image after another flashed by.

However, the various factions within the imperial court are intricately intertwined, and how could she possibly unravel them in an instant?
Not to mention, she was completely unfamiliar with the factions of the various high-ranking officials in the court, and who had recommended them.

Xu Miaojin quickly suppressed her inner turmoil and stopped daydreaming, instead asking in a low voice, "Is the telegraph machine still working? Who is guarding the machine room?"

The guard replied, "The telegraph room was personally supervised by Eunuch Zhao. It has five telegraph machines and five lines. All of them are guarded by the Tian Shu Division. The technicians who operate them were all transferred from Jinling. It should be foolproof."

"Alright!" Xu Miaojin's eyes sharpened, and she immediately ordered, "Come with me to the telegraph room!"

She was still young and naturally full of enthusiasm for new things.

Since the invention of the telegraph machine, she has personally tested it more than once and knows its performance and function by heart.

Faced with this crisis, I thought this item might play a crucial role.

As she spoke, she had already changed into her military uniform, looking heroic and spirited.

Just then, Gulizaba and Dina Ruoran walked in.

Both of them changed into military attire, though it was merely the style of nomadic people from the grasslands, completely different from Xu Miaojin's outfit.

After changing their clothes, the two women looked even more beautiful and charming.

That's what beautiful women are like.

Ordinary people who are dressed in rags will have their appearance obscured.

Even if she originally had some good looks, they couldn't show it off.

As the saying goes, "Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse; looks are 30% natural and 70% about how you dress."

But if someone truly possesses beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, and the moon hide its face and flowers blush with shame, then it's a different story.

The tattered clothes, on the contrary, create a striking contrast with her stunning beauty, giving a greater visual impact and making her appear even more breathtakingly beautiful.

Just as a crane standing among chickens, or a swan among ducks, makes them even more beautiful.

Gulizaba and Dina Ruoran are examples of this.

The simple and plain Hu military attire further accentuated the two women's stunning beauty.

Normally, Xu Miaojin would definitely make a joke, but she had no such mindset at this moment.

Just as he was about to tell the two women to step back, Gulizaba spoke first: "Sister Xu, since we are already His Majesty's women, we should serve His Majesty."

"To be honest, when we were girls at home, we were also wild and unrestrained. We often rode horses across the grasslands, and we were just as good as any man."

"If Sister Xu has any instructions, please feel free to let the two of us do them."

"The two of us can be of some help."

Dina Ruoya chimed in, "Yes, Sister Xu, although I don't know what happened, something big must have occurred. Please don't refuse anymore, let the two of us serve His Majesty as well."

She added, "At least, we are loyal to His Majesty and would never frame him or our own man."

Xu Miaojin was moved upon hearing this.

This is true.

Gulizaba and Dinaruoya have just been presented to Zhu Yuntong, and their future fates are closely tied to Zhu Yuntong's.

If anything were to happen to Zhu Yunwen, their fate would surely be extremely tragic.

Based on this alone, their loyalty is beyond doubt.

For their own sake, they will definitely do everything in their power to protect Zhu Yunwen.

At this moment, the most difficult thing to determine is exactly how many people have been bribed and involved in this matter.

The other party must have bribed many people beforehand to dare to launch an attack.

Perhaps even some of the guards of the Tian Shu Division have already been "bribed".

At this critical juncture, having more reliable people is of paramount importance.

Thinking of this, Xu Miaojin stopped refusing and nodded, saying, "Okay, then let's work together to get through this together."

After saying that, he strode out.

A group of guards were already waiting outside, fully equipped and ready to go.

Xu Miaojin's gaze was cold and sharp. Without saying much, she simply raised her hand and took the lead, heading straight for the telegraph room.

……

(End of this chapter)