Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 49 Leading Troops into the Palace
At this time, Zhang Zhao, who had just been released from the imperial prison, took the horse from Lu Qi and said, "Go back and tell our ancestors! My son will definitely be able to bring the imperial guards into the palace! Although Zhu Houzhao has dismissed my family, no one knows about the imperial guards yet. When we bring them into the palace, they will be convicted of treason and will have no choice but to follow us! What's more, we will promise them benefits!"

As Zhang Zhao spoke, he rode his horse towards the main camp of the imperial guards.

Some officers and soldiers among the imperial guards only saw that some soldiers rushed out from the Meridian Gate to assassinate the Ming Emperor Zhu Houzhao, but they were not aware of the specific details. Now they all returned to the camp to rest. Therefore, this gave Zhang Zhao an opportunity to take advantage of.

Zhang Zhao was quick. He arrived at the Imperial Guards before Liu Jin and Minister of War Xu Jin arrived. He also summoned the governors and commanders-in-chief of the Four Guards Camp and the Warrior Camp of the Imperial Guards, as well as the eunuchs in charge of the camps, and ordered them to gather all the troops immediately and assemble outside the Daming Gate.

The officers and soldiers at all levels of the imperial guards did not know that Zhang Zhao had been dismissed, and they all obeyed the order and began to assemble.

Zhang Zhao didn't waste any words. He rode his horse back and forth between the Four Guards Camp and the Warrior Camp, shouting:

"Comrades, I am Zhang Zhao, the eunuch who holds the seal of the Imperial Horse Administration. Many of you have met me before, so I won't be polite. I know that your rice allowances have not been paid for several months, and some of you have even been unable to make ends meet for years. I will tell you now why your rice allowances have not been paid!

Because your rice rations have been embezzled by the eunuchs Liu Jin and others around the emperor! Now they are even more likely to rebel! Now, I am following the emperor's oral order. Follow me into the palace and kill the eunuchs Liu Jin and others. After the task is completed, the emperor promised to give you rice rations! Follow me into the palace!"

Zhang Zhao shouted loudly and was about to ride his horse and lead the imperial guards to rush into the Daming Gate, but he found that the imperial guards did not respond, even the military officer who was close to him did not respond.

Zhang Zhao realized something was wrong, but he still tried to remain calm and turned around to ask, "What's going on?"

At this time, a commander of the Xianzi Camp came up to Zhang Zhao and said:

"Eunuch, you just came back, and I haven't had time to tell you that His Majesty has already given us rice stipends a few days ago, and he has made up for three months and even one more month! It's all real money! So what you said just now is very confusing to us! What do you mean by not giving us rice stipends? But, what do you mean by someone is planning a rebellion? Now, this new emperor seems to be pretty good, and he made up for our rice stipends soon after he ascended the throne. How can someone rebel against such a good emperor?"

"That's right! What the gentleman said is right. Our emperor is so kind, who would rebel against him? If anyone is going to rebel, it's this eunuch Zhang in front of you! To be precise, he should not be called Eunuch Zhang now, but the criminal Zhang Zhao!"

At this time, Liu Jin also came with the eunuchs from the Imperial Stables with a smile on his face.

At this time, Liu Jin had changed into a three-peaked hat and the official uniform of a senior eunuch, holding Zhu Houzhao's secret decree. At the same time, the eunuchs from the Imperial Stables on both sides also held seals and flags.

Therefore, when the officers and soldiers of the imperial guards camps saw this scene, they knew that Liu Jin was the one who had truly come with the emperor's order.

Zhang Zhao was stunned at first. He didn't expect that Zhu Houzhao would give him the rice salary in advance. During that time, he had been supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum. After all, he was the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Stables, in charge of all internal affairs. He could also take this opportunity to make some money. After all, repairing the imperial mausoleum has always been a lucrative job.

Therefore, Zhang Zhao instinctively wanted to directly scold the military officer for not sending someone to tell him earlier, but at the same time he was also surprised when Zhu Houzhao had the silver to pay out the rice salary, and to pay an additional three months plus one month, which cost three hundred thousand taels of silver!

Of course, Zhang Zhao didn't have time to think about how Zhu Houzhao did it. He only knew that his plan to mobilize troops into the palace had failed. The morale of the Ming Dynasty's imperial guards had become very calm because of the reissue of their rice salaries, and no one was willing to follow him into the palace to take the risk.

Zhang Zhao had anticipated that he would fail, and he instinctively wanted to find an excuse to escape, but before he could find a reason, he saw Liu Jin coming. What he didn't expect was that Liu Jin was holding the imperial guards' seal kept by the Imperial Stables.

"In compliance with the Emperor's secret order! All the imperial guardsmen must immediately obey the orders of Liu Jin, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Horse Administration, and enter the palace to protect the Emperor. Follow my orders! If anyone disobeys, Liu Jin can execute them first and report to me later!"

After Liu Jin finished speaking, he looked at the officers and soldiers of the Imperial Guards. The officers and soldiers of the Imperial Guards knelt down under the leadership of the chief officer: "As ordered!"

Liu Jin was relieved when he saw this, and immediately glared at Zhang Zhao coldly: "Capture Zhang Zhao! Take him to the palace! If he disobeys, execute him on the spot!"

Zhang Zhao knew he could not escape, and he panicked and fell off his horse. Before he could come to his senses, he was lifted onto the horse by two guards from the Imperial Stables.

Liu Jin naturally didn't want to kill Zhang Zhao at this time, he wanted to torture Zhang Zhao to death!

And this time.

At this time, Minister of War Xu Jin, Duke of Yingguo Zhang Mao, Marquis of Taiping Zhang Jie and others also received orders from Zhang Yong and immediately summoned the chief officers of the twelve regiments to assemble.

Minister of War Xu Jin, Duke of England Zhang Mao and others all knew who Zhang Yong was, so they naturally believed what Zhang Yong said.

Logically, the Twelve Regiments were the capital's most heavily armed forces, and they had always been elite, so the transfer orders had to be issued by the Ministry of War before the commanders of each battalion could mobilize the troops.

Zhu Houzhao had already replaced the Minister of War with Xu Jin, which made it possible for him to mobilize the regiments smoothly.

That night, Minister of War Xu Jin decisively issued an order to mobilize troops, stamped it with the seal of the Ministry of War, and personally assembled the twelve regiments with Zhang Yong, Duke of England Zhang Mao and others.

The Minister of War Xu Jin had led troops before, and Duke of England Zhang Mao and others had also led troops before. They were very efficient and soon they were heading towards the palace.

At once, both the Imperial Guards and the Twelve Regiments came towards the palace.

The three cabinet elders also heard the footsteps of the army. Among them, the cabinet chief Liu Jian just laughed and said, "It seems that Zhang Zhao has really started to act. I hope he and Wang Yue will not let us down. Two cabinet elders, do you want to hear the news of His Majesty's sudden death or the news of Liu Jin's execution?"

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian both laughed triumphantly. Li Dongyang looked at his favorite student Yang Tinghe and said, "Yang Tinghe has been in the Eastern Palace for a long time. He is still the Grand Secretary of Zuo Chunfang and can be regarded as your Majesty's real teacher. I believe he hopes that Liu Jin will be executed!"

Yang Tinghe smiled slightly and said nothing.

Xie Qian also said with a smile: "Listen to the footsteps, they are getting more and more frequent. It can be seen that there must be unrest in the palace today. Tomorrow is the morning court to hold the consolation ceremony. I hope you don't have to change into mourning clothes just after putting on the auspicious clothes."

At this time, in the palace, Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, also received the news from Lu He.

"Ancestor, a large number of soldiers and officers have entered the imperial city," said Lu He.

Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, had just washed his hands and was wiping them with a handkerchief when he threw them into the basin: "Go meet Zhu Houzhao. You should call him Your Majesty. At least you still are!"

(End of this chapter)