strictlysupreme Chapter 905: Absurd Emperor
Chapter 905: Absurd Emperor
Chapter 905: Absurd Emperor
The office of the Never-Sleeping City Management Committee is located at the entrance to the city.
Usually, it’s not that lively here. After all, compared with the most popular places, there’s really nothing fun here.
But today the lights are on, and the clothes of the Jinyiwei standing at the door are all bright.
In the lobby, Mei Chengtai and Xu Yande both knelt obediently. Mei Chengtai was fine, after all, his grandfather came. But no one from the Dingguo Mansion came.
Zhu Houzhao had heard that the current Duke Dingguo Xu Guangzuo was terminally ill and there was basically no hope for him.
In other words, the future of Duke Dingguo's family will depend on this incompetent Xu Yande.
No.
After the royal family system was reformed, the title of Duke Dingguo was considered a first-class duke that could be inherited from generation to generation.
Xu Guangzuo had only one son, but that didn’t mean the Xu family had no collateral descendants.
"Xu Yande."
The guy trembled with fear, "I am here."
"Who killed someone tonight?"
"To reply to your Majesty, it was too chaotic at the time and I didn't see it clearly."
"Oh, go back home."
"Ah?" Xu Yande thought there would be some kind of thunderous rage, but he didn't expect it to be so calm. "Your Majesty, are you ordering me to return home?"
Zhu Houzhao couldn't stand this fool anymore, so he waved his hand casually and said, "Let's go."
"Yes!" Xu Yande responded with a little joy. "I thank your majesty for not punishing me. This time I was wrong. I will reflect deeply after I go back and will not make the same mistake again."
"let's go."
The emperor's failure to pursue the matter was actually a sign of giving up on him.
Even an old fox like Mei Kejia can see this.
At the same time, Zhu Houzhao whispered to You Zhi: "Tomorrow you go to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion and visit him on my behalf to see how he is doing. If he really can't hold on, ask him to make plans early and choose someone else. I will be especially gracious and consider his suggestion."
For a seriously ill person, if he suddenly receives such an order, even if he does not die of illness, he will be angry to death. It is equivalent to the property of the eldest wife being divided up.
How could it be that the title of Duke Dingguo could not be passed on to his son?
But Zhu Houzhao wanted it this way. He did not destroy the meritorious titles that were passed down through bloodline, but he adhered to the original rules, which essentially made generations of dukes, marquises and earls become mere decorations.
Their low capabilities also dragged down the Ming Dynasty.
At least, Zhu Houzhao could ensure that Duke Dingguo's surname was Xu.
As for his nephew, Mei Chengtai, both he and his father were only sons in their generation, which was a problem.
But even so, he still said this to Mei Huaigu who came over,
"Huai Gu, why don't you have another child while you are still young?"
Mei Kejia and Mei Huaigu's faces changed drastically. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Chengtai has indeed made a big mistake this time. Please show mercy, Your Majesty, punish him this time and give him another chance."
Zhu Houzhao leaned against the desk in the lobby of the Never-Sleeping City, thinking and saying, "Originally, I shouldn't have argued with a child, but you look at him, it seems that the Never-Sleeping City that I spent so much effort to build was opened for him. You say give him a chance, well, as a father, tell me, what use can he have? There are so many errands, which one can he be useful for?"
Mei Chengtai clenched his little fists, feeling as aggrieved as a three-year-old child.
Mei Huaigu finally said, "The fool is useless, but at least he is filial. I will still count on him in the future."
Mei Kejia was also worried. "Your Majesty, although Chengtai made mistakes, it was mostly due to the impetuosity of a young man. From now on, I will definitely discipline him strictly and make him a talent. I ask the emperor to show some mercy and not to kill him with one blow."
Zhu Houzhao understood the blood ties between the two of them, but he did not hold out hope that Mei Chengtai could be of much use.
He turned around and walked behind the desk, "Alright, you can take him back and discipline him. You are all willing to give him our family property to squander, so how can I have any objection? But remember, don't do anything that is against the will of heaven and earth, this is my bottom line!"
Mei Kejia was overjoyed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
"Don't be in a hurry to thank me." Zhu Houzhao pointed at Mei Chengtai, "Come here."
"Why don't you go quickly?!" Mei Huaigu said anxiously.
Mei Chengtai was very afraid of his uncle, the emperor, and he didn't even dare to raise his head when he walked over. "Your Highness...Your Highness."
"I ask you, did you see who killed someone tonight?"
Mei Kejia was expecting him to say a name, so that he could at least gain credit for solving the case.
But Mei Chengtai still shook his head, "At that time... at that time I was furious, I just wanted to push away the person who stopped me, wanted to... wanted to punch him, but I didn't actually hit him, but later I found that he fell down, and then there was blood..."
"Do you have a knife?"
"I touched it. But it didn't come out."
"You really didn't kill him?"
Mei Chengtai kowtowed, "Your Majesty, she is just an otaku. Although I like her, I would never kill an official for a prostitute. I am not bold enough to do that!"
"But you also said that you touched the knife."
These statements do not match up.
Mei Huaigu said immediately: "Your Majesty! Chengtai has never even practiced holding a knife. He is a weak man. His actions were a bit absurd, but he would never kill anyone! Your Majesty, please understand!"
"So, anyone who approached this Ministry of Revenue doctor at that time is a suspect."
Han Ziren clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, the people in Changletai have been arrested. I believe that as long as we interrogate them in detail, we will definitely gain something."
"Interrogate, slowly interrogate." Zhu Houzhao nodded in agreement, "I hereby declare to you that the stable, peaceful, and harmonious atmosphere and image of the City That Never Sleeps is the most important. Think about it, how can a prosperous place full of hostility, darkness, calculation, and filth represent the Ming Dynasty? Now that someone has died, the City That Never Sleeps that I have painstakingly built is a joke. This matter has crossed my red line, so I will definitely get to the bottom of it! If necessary, I will use blood to wash away the filth on it!"
"As for the white masters and black masters who are wandering around here, I don't care where they come from or who they are connected to. I will investigate them. There are no masters in the City That Never Sleeps. There are only ordinary, down-to-earth and hardworking businessmen! This is the fundamental purpose of handling this case!"
Zhang Yong had also arrived at this time. After hearing the emperor's words, he and Han Ziren also accepted the order.
Zhu Houzhao thought that the East Factory was involved in this matter, so he decided not to let the East Factory do it.
The Jinyiwei had been dealt with by him some time ago because of the Sichuan incident, and they were just waiting for them to make meritorious deeds to change their embarrassing situation, so he ordered, "Han Ziren, the Jinyiwei will take over this case. As for how to do it, you have just heard it clearly."
"I understand. Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
Zhu Houzhao hummed softly, then folded his hands over his chest and sighed, looking at Mei Chengtai and said: "You are the most suspicious, and you are a royal relative, so I can't protect you, otherwise how can I investigate this case? Pinghai Hou,
"The old minister is here."
"What do you think we should do?"
"I feel that since he is involved in a murder case, he must cooperate with the investigation."
"Okay, then I'll cooperate with the investigation." Zhu Houzhao didn't hesitate and made a quick decision.
A little time passed.
By this time, not only the factory guards, but also some officials in the court had come.
Such as Zhang Cong, Gu Renyi and so on.
Zhu Houzhao summoned them one by one. He was not ashamed to say that he had left the palace again. He was not Hongzhi, who would be afraid of these civil servants.
And he finally got interested, rubbing his hands and saying: "The world-famous Changle Terrace is, after all, a brothel. It would be indecent for me to go there with my status, so I never went. Now it's good, the place is empty, and you all are here. Come with me, let's go take a look together?"
The ministers all thought it was absurd, and Gu Renyi became anxious, "Your Majesty, since ancient times, has there ever been a monarch who took his subjects to such a place?"
"You are wearing a bright and beautiful official robe, but you allow such a dark thing to happen, but you dare not even look at it?!" Zhu Houzhao glanced at it angrily, "Let's not just whitewash the peace for future generations to see, but also take a look at these indecent places. Whether it is good or bad, it is all caused by us, the emperor and his ministers. Do you want to deny it?!"
Zhu Houzhao's action was truly unconventional, but he felt that this trip would serve as a wake-up call. If others did the same thing again, they would at least be more afraid.
This trip is also to restore the reputation of the City That Never Sleeps and tell people outside what the attitude of the court or the emperor is, and that these people will not be allowed to act arrogantly.
At the same time, this trip was also to tell them that he, as an emperor, was not someone who secretly went out to visit brothels and had never been there before.
As for the oiran and the like, his harem was filled with beautiful women.
(End of this chapter)