Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 2 Wei Zhongxian

Since the death of the Tianqi Emperor.

Wei Zhongxian never had a peaceful meal or a good night's sleep again.

Yes.

While the Tianqi Emperor was alive, he did indeed become somewhat arrogant.

Later on, he even genuinely considered himself to be some kind of high-ranking official.

But as soon as the emperor died, he instantly realized that he was nothing more than a dog dependent on imperial power.

The newly enthroned seventeen-year-old emperor could reclaim all his power with just a single word.

They casually ordered his execution, sending him to continue serving the late emperor.

Wei Zhongxian could clearly sense that his previously respectful adopted sons had begun to disobey him.

It's only been a few days?!

Is he about to go from a powerful and influential official to a despised stray dog?!

Not to mention that he had already received word that the Donglin Party members in the court wanted him dead!
What kind of people were the Donglin Party?
He was just about to leave the Forbidden City to check the tax revenue in Jiangnan on the emperor's orders when the emperor, who was in the prime of his life, suddenly fell into the water.
Later, he even died from a cold he was treated for.
Not only that.

I spent a lot of effort a few years ago to kill a few Donglin Party officials.

As a result of their propaganda, it seemed that they could kill court officials with just a word or a glance.

Naturally.

With such immense power, Wei Zhongxian could be blamed for all the problems in the Ming Dynasty.

Wei Zhongxian himself was unaware that he possessed such great abilities.

Donglin Party, I curse your mother!

Wei Zhongxian deeply regretted that he had underestimated the despicable nature and methods of these people.

But now there is more fear than anything else.

He feared that the newly enthroned young emperor would be misled by those hypocritical fellows and have him executed.

Although he admitted that his own conduct was not entirely clean, he never entertained any thoughts of disloyalty to the imperial authority.

But Your Majesty.
How could a seventeen-year-old boy see through the deception of those seasoned veterans who had been in officialdom for decades?
Therefore, Wei Zhongxian has been desperately trying to prove his loyalty to the new emperor.

However, he only received a new emperor who was so grief-stricken that he had been mourning for ten days beside the late emperor's body in the Qianqing Palace.

Apart from his personal eunuch Wang Chengen, no one else responded.

He was not familiar with Wang Chengen.

However, he had a gambling-related relationship with Xu Yingyuan, another close eunuch from the new Prince Xin's residence.

So he gave Xu Yingyuan a full 100,000 taels of silver.

He wanted to use him to deliver a message to Wang Chengen, hoping to get himself an audience with His Majesty.

"That's right."

After listening to Wang Chengen's report, Zhu Youjian opened his mouth and uttered two words.

He thought of Wei Zhongxian.

This person can not only help me check and balance the civil service group, but he also has another role that is irreplaceable for the time being—confiscating property.

The kind that can actually be found in silver.

Politics has no good or bad, only stances.

Those who are useful to him, Zhu Youjian will naturally try to win them over.

Making as many friends as possible and physically minimizing enemies is one of his guiding principles.

"besides."

Zhu Youjian glanced at the respectful Wang Chengen and said, "Chengen, you are my close friend who has raised me since I was a child. In the future, you can speak your mind directly. There is no need to be so reserved."

Zhu Youjian has now fully accepted his new identity.

Therefore, his various behaviors gradually began to be Sinicized.

Moreover, for him now...

Even the people you trust most have to think things through for a long time before reporting something.

Then what's the point of talking about the Ming Dynasty becoming great again?
"This servant is terrified!" Hearing the emperor call out his name directly, Wang Chengen felt a warmth in his heart and quickly knelt down to kowtow and express his gratitude.

Zhu Youjian waved his hand, signaling Wang Chengen to bring Wei Zhongxian over to see him.

After leaving the main hall.

Wang Chengen let out a long sigh of relief. He had indeed struggled with his own thoughts before saying those words.

On the one hand, he couldn't keep quiet about Wei Zhongxian handing him money; otherwise, he would be disloyal.

On the other hand, he was genuinely worried that the emperor would blame him for this.

While at Prince Shin's residence.

His Majesty has never shown any good opinion of Wei Zhongxian.

At the same time, His Majesty's personality, to put it bluntly, is somewhat suspicious, harsh, and ungrateful.

However, after ten days of contemplation, His Majesty's temperament seemed to have undergone a significant change.

Just like that heartwarming remark, he would never have heard it before.

Honestly.

Wang Chengen was genuinely afraid that His Majesty might kill Wei Zhongxian in a fit of anger.

Admittedly, he didn't have a good impression of Wei Zhongxian either.

Wei Zhongxian was already infamous for wreaking havoc on the court.

Not only that, the two were also eunuchs and had a fierce rivalry.

But this was internal competition among the eunuchs.

If His Majesty truly heeds the advice of the Donglin Party and executes Wei Zhongxian, then he will inevitably feel a sense of shared sorrow.

the most important point is.

If Wei Zhongxian dies, who will His Majesty rely on to check and balance the civil officials in the court?
Therefore, Wei Zhongxian should not be killed lightly!

But he absolutely could not explain these things directly to His Majesty.

Your Majesty is now Your Majesty.

What he needs are servants who can get things done, not teachers who dare to lecture him.

Less than half an hour later.

Wang Chengen led Wei Zhongxian outside the main hall.

Wei Zhongxian's face showed fear and trepidation, while Wang Chengen's lips subtly curled into a barely perceptible smile.

The reason was that when they first met, Wei Zhongxian secretly slipped him a valuable jade pendant in order to inquire about the Emperor's feelings when he was summoned.

At first, Wang Chengen was so moved by the Emperor's heartwarming words that he completely overlooked this detail.

Upon hearing Wei Zhongxian's question, Wang Chengen was taken aback.

He found that he could not detect any emotion of joy or anger in His Majesty's expression.

Your Majesty wasn't like this before.

Is this what the book means by the unpredictability of Heaven's might?

Your Majesty is truly becoming more and more like an emperor.

God bless my Great Ming Dynasty!
One family is happy and the other is sad.

While Wang Chengen was quietly rejoicing, Wei Zhongxian was on tenterhooks.

along the way.

He kept trying to figure out what Eunuch Wang really meant when he said he didn't know how His Majesty was feeling.

Why don't you know? Is it because you don't want to say, or do you really not know?
If he doesn't want to talk about it, does that mean His Majesty already harbors resentment and suspicion towards him?

If he doesn't know, does that mean His Majesty is deliberately hiding his emotions, just waiting to be punished?
now.

Looking at the grand hall so close at hand, Wei Zhongxian felt as if a giant, man-eating dragon was waiting for him inside.

He swallowed hard. "Your Majesty, you must give this servant a chance to explain!"
After Wang Chengen entered the palace to report.

Wei Zhongxian was taken to a side room in the main hall.

The guards and palace maids on the left and right had been dismissed from the hall, so only Zhu Youjian, Wang Chengen, and Wei Zhongxian remained in the side room.

Wei Zhongxian mustered his courage and secretly peeked at the emperor's face.

The young emperor was seen sitting at his desk, reading by candlelight, with a book in his hand.

On the desk next to him lay a precious sword!
Wei Zhongxian broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.

"This servant, Wei Zhongxian, kowtows to Your Majesty, wishing you peace and prosperity! Long live the Emperor!"

(End of this chapter)