Chapter 52 Yang Xian fell!
Chapter 52 Yang Xian fell!
Imperial City.

Court meeting.

There was a strange atmosphere in today's court meeting. Some well-informed ministers kept their heads down and said nothing.

Only some relatively low-ranking officials were still reporting official business as usual.

However, some sensitive officials sensed something from this strange atmosphere, and the official business that should have been reported was delayed.

When an official reported a trivial matter, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up from the dragon table.

"My dear ministers, have you noticed anything different about today's court meeting?"

All the officials looked at each other in bewilderment, only some senior officials shuddered and lowered their heads even lower.

Seeing that no one spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, glanced at some officials who had a good relationship with Yang Xian in the past, and sneered: "Yang Xian, the left prime minister of the Secretariat, deceived the emperor and disregarded the law. He has been arrested by the Jinyiwei!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole government was shocked.

The civil and military officials in the court suddenly became uncontrollable and a slight commotion broke out.

Especially those who were close to Yang Xian, or had formed an alliance of interests with Yang Xian, suddenly began to tremble like sieves.

Everyone in the civil and military officials knew that Zhu Yuanzhang loved to use collective punishment.

It can be said that if one person is executed, the entire family will be implicated, and even those who have a good relationship with him will also be investigated.

At this time, many people have begun to wonder whether they have been secretly investigated by the Jinyiwei!
But there are some exceptions. Instead of being afraid at all, they are very happy.

Li Shanchang was one of them, but as the left and right prime ministers of the Secretariat, Li Shanchang still needed to do some superficial work.

Otherwise, it would be easy for people to criticize and even suspect that Li Shanchang was behind it.

So, when all the officials remained silent, Li Shanchang stood up instead.

"The Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat is the head of all officials. If there is no strong evidence of guilt, I think he should not be arrested so hastily."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Li Shanchang with some surprise, but then he understood Li Shanchang's intention.

Playful: "I didn't expect that Li Aiqing would cherish the friendship of his comrades!"

After making a joke, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at all the officials and said angrily, "I think you all want to know what heinous crime the Left Prime Minister of the Secretariat has committed, right?"

"Okay, summon Jinyiwei Commander Mao Xiang to see you!"

The next second, Jinyiwei commander Mao Xiang strode into the hall.

When the officials saw this, they immediately understood.

It seems that Zhu Yuanzhang was well prepared and used Mao Xiang to shut up all the officials.

Sure enough, without Zhu Yuanzhang having to explain anything, Mao Xiang took out a list of charges and began reading them out.

The charges included not only Yang Xian's fraud and deceiving the emperor in Yangzhou, but also many other charges including favoritism, bending the law for personal gain, accepting bribes, and even winning over cronies.

When all the officials heard this, they secretly exclaimed in their hearts. They didn't expect that Yang Xian could be so brave.

If it was any other crime, perhaps Zhu Yuanzhang would have turned a blind eye to it because of Yang Xian's ability, but what Zhu Yuanzhang could not tolerate the most was deception.

Of course, this is also a common characteristic of all kings.

Yang Xian's downfall was a foregone conclusion, but what frightened all officials the most was the last charge against him: winning over cliques.

This crime has a wide range of implications. If it is pursued further, half of the people in this hall today will probably have to go to the Jinyiwei prison for tea.

However, it was not long after the empty seal was pressed that the bloodstains at Caishikou had not yet dried.

Zhu Yuanzhang had no intention of killing people, and did not even get to the bottom of this issue. Instead, he directly announced Yang Xian's fate. "Yang Xian deceived the emperor and disregarded the law, and his crimes are extremely serious. He deserves death! The Ministry of Personnel will supervise the execution of the entire family, and Ye Xuan, a hundred households of the Jinyiwei, will be ordered to search his house and arrest him!"

"My Holy Emperor!"

All the officials immediately knelt down and praised him, except Mao Xiang who was a little dazed.

Logically speaking, it was Mao Xiang who handled the case of Yang Xian, and he was also the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It should be up to him as the commander to do such things as confiscating the property of the prime minister.

but……

The emperor actually specifically asked Ye Xuan to do this task during the court meeting.

Does it mean that the emperor no longer trusts me?

At this moment, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who always made others sweat, began to sweat coldly.

After the court was adjourned, all the officials did not begin to sigh and discuss in low voices until they walked out of the Meridian Gate.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, I never thought that even the Left Prime Minister Yang Xian was ordered to be executed by His Majesty without hesitation!"

"Yes, that's unimaginable."

"After all, he is a minister of the highest rank in the imperial court! Your Majesty... just kill him if you want to!"

Not far from this official, another group of officials had no feelings about Yang Xian's death, but were more concerned about another thing.

"Yousama, who is this Ye Xuan? How could His Majesty name him in the Golden Palace?"

"Yes, it would be reasonable to let Mao Xiang raid Yang Xian's house, but who is this Ye Xuan? He is just a small sixth-rank centurion!"

At this time, a sixty-year-old official suddenly said mysteriously: "I do know a few friends in the palace. It is said that Ye Xuan was summoned by the emperor several times before."

Li Shanchang, who was surrounded by the crowd, said "Oh" softly, and couldn't help but be curious and asked: "I wonder why the emperor summoned Ye Xuan?"

The sixty-year-old official suddenly said awkwardly: "That's unknown, but..."

As if he saw the disappointment on Li Shanchang's face, he hurriedly added: "Although I don't know, it is said that every time Ye Xuan enters the palace, it is Eunuch Yunqi who personally welcomes him!"

"This is happening!"

This time, not only Li Shanchang, but also the other three or four officials were shocked.

There is no other person, who is Yunqi?
Although Zhu Yuanzhang didn't like eunuchs, he still needed a eunuch to serve him, right?

And Yunqi is the most trusted eunuch in front of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, no doubt about it!

The fact that Yun Qi came to greet him personally shows how much importance Ye Xuan holds in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes!
When did such a figure appear in the Ming Dynasty?

For a moment, several people saw inquiring looks on each other's faces.

But no one can answer this question.

After a long silence, Li Shanchang slowly said, "Find a few people and find a way to find out the details of Ye Xuan."

…………

"Master Mao, are you telling the truth?"

Jinyiwei, Zhenfusi Yamen.

Ye Xuan looked at Mao Xiang excitedly, with an eager face!

Mao Xiang looked at Ye Xuan in a strange way, thinking to himself: Why is this kid so excited when he heard about the house confiscation? Is he trying to embezzle money?
(End of this chapter)