Chapter 402: Heaven's punishment descends, the earth shakes

Chapter 402: Heaven's punishment descends, the earth shakes

Chapter 402: Heaven's punishment descends, the earth shakes

Miao Hong died, killed by thunder sent down from heaven.

The news spread throughout the city of Kunming in less than an hour.

Whether it is someone you cooperate with or someone you are against.

When they heard the news, their faces changed drastically.

Also spread along with it were Xiong Chengyu’s tearful words before his death!

"If you do something rebellious, God will punish you!"

Although there were rumors circulating in the past, today is different. God has really opened his eyes.

At the same time, the evil deeds done by Miao Hong also spread rapidly along with the thunder from the sky.

Less than half an hour after the heavenly punishment spread, all those who had suffered from Miao Hong's harm in the past stood up one after another.

Some are in the city, some are at home, some are in the temple,
Loudly telling about the evil things Miao Hong had done!
It was not until this time that the people of Kunming City were surprised to find that

Miao Hong is truly an unforgivable person!
Xiong Chengyu, who died with him, also became widely known as the ranch hands muttered about him.

The family is rich, but suffers misfortune, the family is broken up, and the family lives in shame.
Everything that happened to him deeply stung the hearts of the people of Kunming, making them sympathize with him from the bottom of their hearts.

Shortly after Miao Hong and the others died, the rainstorm stopped and the weather became clear again.

Many people looked up at the sky with deep eyes and expressions of awe.

Are there really immortal gods sitting high in the clouds above the heavens?
Many people all thought of the government office and what the storyteller said.

The emperor is the Son of Heaven, the heir to God!
Now Emperor Hongwu was just a commoner, but he ascended to the throne. Perhaps it was really coveted by God.

The divine punishment not only caused an uproar in the market.

It also makes officials of all ranks in Kunming city shudder at the mention of it!

They are educated people who understand the world and human desires, and they have always believed that man can conquer nature.

Now, they are somewhat shaken.

In public, there were soldiers, yamen runners and many civilians present, at least several hundred people.

But it happened to kill Xiong Chengyu who was seeking death, and Miao Hong who was in the car.

They couldn't explain such things no matter how hard they tried.

At this time, countless officials hurried into the Yunnan Commandery.

The Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Criminal Investigation Commissioner, and the many generals of the garrisons outside the city were ordered to
In the past, they rarely went out, but now many high-ranking officials have come, making the guards on duty at the door dazzled.

The great events of the country are in the army and in the sacrifice.

Before the war in Yunnan broke out, whether it was the Yingtian Imperial City or the Kunming City.

A grand sacrificial ceremony was held in order to seek the favor of heaven and bless the war to go smoothly. The Imperial Observatory in Beijing even sent officials to preside over the event.

Now that the war is won, punishment from heaven has come.

There is no doubt that this matter will be reported to Yingtian and the Ming Dynasty court at the fastest speed.
By that time, the entire Yunnan officialdom was in devastation.

I don’t know how many high-ranking and powerful people will fall in this storm.

Any official who has any business dealings with Miao Hong will not be able to escape!
The Xiping Marquis' Mansion and the Sansi Yamen will all be punished by the court.

The emperor and the crown prince in the capital had to apologize to God to show their repentance.

This sudden storm caught everyone off guard.

At this moment, there was a dead silence and heaviness in the Dusi.

All the adults gathered in the courtyard in front of the main hall of the Dusi, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Many of the adults who used to be so imposing now looked uneasy, as if they had something on their mind.

They were squatting outside the main hall, looking up at the closed door in front of them with some cryptic expressions.

Among the huge group of officials, there were a few with gloomy faces, flashes of complexity, despair, and deep regret.

Most of them are officials who have vested interests in Qingyuan Pavilion.

Especially after hearing the roar inside, some people felt even more disheartened.

“Heavenly punishment!! This is heavenly punishment!
The war had just ended, the court had won a great victory, the army was in good spirits, and the people were at peace.
Now that something like this has happened, how can I explain this to the court?"

"Tell me! How do you want to explain?"

The roar was in everyone's ears.
Yang Jingxian, the deputy censor who was standing almost at the front of the team, was shaking slightly.

His old figure looked frail and he no longer had the vigor and vitality he once had.

Previously, he was a deputy censor of the fourth rank.
Assist the provincial inspector in handling judicial and prison affairs, supervision and impeachment, and the management of the post and communication system in a province.

Usually, they would conduct inspections separately with the assistant officials, and were responsible for military preparations, education, coastal inspections, the cleaning of the army, and the post stations. They were a small group of people with the most power in the entire Yunnan province.

But he will soon lose this power.

There are already rumors in the city that he is standing behind Qingyuan Pavilion and providing protection.

But he couldn't defend himself, or even calm down, so he could only endure it in silence.

The divine punishment was so horrific that the entire Ming Dynasty had only been established for twenty years.

There were only a few times that could be called divine punishment, and both occurred at the founding of the country.

From February 23rd to the 50 days of the first year of Hongwu,
There was a severe drought in the eighteen counties south of the Yangtze River, and the people suffered and could not survive.

In April, severe frost fell from the sky before the frost season, and a solemn and depressing atmosphere appeared between heaven and earth.

It is said among the people that God is not willing to support the Ming Dynasty and that the Ming Dynasty was a time of disaster.

For this reason, the imperial court held a grand sacrifice for fifteen days to appease the wrath of heaven.

On the first day of the fifth month of the second year of Hongwu, the sun was eclipsed by a celestial dog.

In the same year, the Yellow River suddenly changed its course, flooding countless houses and fields.

The court also held grand sacrifices for it.

On the Gengchen day of July in the third year of Hongwu, a comet appeared in the northwest.

The light illuminated the earth, and the people were terrified, thinking that it was the wrath of God and that a disaster was about to happen!
In the same year, a huge yellow dragon appeared on Taihu Lake in the south of the Yangtze River.

The lake was covered with rolling waves and filled with white mist, and a huge shadow was vaguely emerging on the water.

After the fog cleared, a yellow dragon several meters long was seen swimming in the water.

The imperial court also held grand sacrifices for it.

After this, the Ming Dynasty enjoyed good weather and good harvests.

Now, in April of the twenty-second year of Hongwu, God has sent murderous intent to punish the treacherous and corrupt, which is even more horrifying.

Judging from previous experiences, when a natural disaster occurs, a greater disaster will follow.
I just don’t know what disaster will happen this year?
In the main hall of the Dusi, the atmosphere was extremely solemn.

There are not many people in the room, and they are all pillars of the country.

Marquis of Xiping Mu Ying, Duke of Cao Li Jinglong, Duke of Shen Deng Zhen, Assistant Director of the Five Military Governor's Office Feng Cheng, Assistant Director Xu Sima, Assistant Director Mu Chun, Commander-in-Chief Ning Zheng, Left Governor Zhang Xun, Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Liao Chengxuan, Han Yike, and Assistant Director of the Military Commission Chen Shuhan, who is in charge of the city defense and is present today.

Except for Chen Shuhan, the other ten people stamped their feet.

Yunnan is about to shake off the powerful people in high positions.

At this moment, Chen Shuhan hid in the corner at the bottom, with his head lowered.

Looking at the luxurious carpet on the ground,

He had never realized before that an ordinary carpet could be so beautiful!

Xiping Hou Mu Ying was cursing in a rage.

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his face gloomy and his voice stern:

"Heavenly punishment! Heavenly punishment! What kind of rumors are spreading among the people of Kunming City now?"

"The war has just ended, and it is clear that we have won a great victory, but the people are all saying that the killing was too much and it is against the harmony of nature!"

"Where can the imperial court put its face? Where can you and I put our faces?"

At this point, Mu Ying laughed angrily:
"I have led troops in battle for nearly thirty years, but I have never seen a scene where morale collapses after winning a battle. Now, I have learned something new."

He suddenly changed the subject and said sternly:

"There are even rumors that the imperial court is suppressing the rebellion in Yunnan and killing the rebels, which is against the principles of heaven and humanity!!"

"What are you trying to do? Rebellion?"

"A businessman who does low-class things has done so many evil things. Is there still law in this Ming Dynasty?!"

Mu Ying stared at Liao Chengxuan, the provincial governor, with sharp eyes, and walked over quickly.

Standing right in front of him, full of oppression.

"Liao Chengxuan, tell me, is this how the Censorate usually does things?

Turn a blind eye to such dirty and filthy things?
Or are you colluding with both insiders and outsiders to plunder the people's wealth!"

Liao Chengxuan held his breath suddenly, his face looked extremely ugly, there was a trace of panic in his eyes, and cold sweat flowed down his forehead.
"Lord Xiping, there is something fishy about this matter."

"Tell me, what's so strange?
In public, is the punishment from heaven fake?

Or is what Qingyuan Pavilion did fake? Could it be that Miao Hong is a good person? "

The series of questions made Liao Chengxuan break out in cold sweat. He kept wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, and his breathing became a little rapid.

As the chief officer in charge of prison supervision, he is known for his steadiness.
But today I feel uneasy and not calm at all.

Seeing him like this, Mu Ying sneered:
"Look, this is our Ming Dynasty's Censor!

You are so busy on weekdays, but you turn a blind eye to what is happening right under your nose. How ridiculous! ! "

Mu Ying's voice rose in pitch.

He stopped, pointed at Liao Chengxuan with his finger, and spoke quickly:
"Who is Yang Jingxian, the man who protected Qingyuan Pavilion?
Is a brothel worth his personal protection?"

Liao Chengxuan stood up in fear and trepidation, and began to speak hesitantly:
"Please forgive me, Lord Xiping. I have never heard of the incident at Qingyuan Pavilion.

If I had known about this earlier, no matter who was behind it, I would have punished him and restored order.”

"What were you doing earlier? There's no point in saying this now!"

Mu Ying asked impatiently:
"Tell me the result."

Liao Chengxuan sighed helplessly, and silently said in his heart:
"Master Yang, I'm sorry."

After taking a deep breath, Liao Chengxuan spoke in a deep voice:
"Reporting to Lord Xiping, Deputy Censor Yang Jingxian abused his power for personal gain, bent the law for personal gain, and disregarded the law!

Can I leave the government office temporarily from now on and stay at home to wait for the court's decision?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone present suddenly became serious.
Although it was expected, it was still hard to believe that such a powerful person would fall so quickly.

A gloomy look flashed across the eyes of the governor Zhang Xun, and he looked thoughtful, but he didn't say anything in the end.

Even if Marquis Xiping was taking the opportunity to cause trouble and eliminate dissidents.

When the divine punishment comes, everyone will be in danger, and the higher the official position, the more dangerous it will be.

After a pause, Xiping Hou Mu Ying shouted loudly without covering his voice:

"Hurry up and investigate this Yang Jingxian thoroughly.

Look at how much money he has embezzled over the years and how many people he has harmed!"

Outside the house, Yang Jingxian, who was standing nervously, seemed to have his spine pulled out, his body softened, and he collapsed to the ground.
The many adults around couldn't help but take a step back and stay away from him, their faces full of fear.

Inside the house, Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Liao Chengxuan also talked about the treatment of some people involved in the shelter. In order to show his loyalty,
He also specifically named some of the people behind the scenes of other brothels.

Among them was Liu Qianshi, the Censor who protected Hongcaofang.

After he finished speaking, Mu Ying looked at Zhang Xun, who was already over sixty years old.

"Master Zhang, it's your turn now. How do you punish the officials in the Provincial Administration Office?"

Zhang Xun had a white beard and a wrinkled face. He was wearing a red robe, which made him look very official.

After Yunnan was pacified, Zhang Gong established the Yunnan Provincial Government and served as the Left Councillor.

In the 20th year of Hongwu, he went to Beijing to meet the emperor, who praised him as "the best in governance in the world"!
The imperial seal was bestowed on him, saying: "In the past, when we pacified the southwest, we ordered officials to pacify and guard it. You were the first to go there, and it has been five years now.

All the barbarians obeyed, were honest and trustworthy, and performed their duties with respect and courtesy.

Without waiting for examination, I know that his achievements are better than those of the twelve governors in the world.

Therefore, I commend your achievements and order you to continue to govern southern Yunnan. Go ahead, I will respect you. "

From then on, Zhang Gong became the Left Governor of Yunnan Province!

He has been in Yunnan for nearly ten years and has never encountered such a difficult situation as today.
He sighed softly and spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Mu, some officials in the Provincial Administration Office have been thoroughly investigated and dealt with.

The Provincial Administration and I will certainly give an explanation to the people of Yunnan."

Mu Ying stopped getting angry and nodded slightly.

The officials involved in the Provincial Administration Office are all small and insignificant officials.
Even if they provided shelter, they were only in some small brothels.

If it weren't for the matter of heavenly punishment, no one would be willing to spend the effort to investigate them.

At this time, Han Yi, who had been sitting quietly, sighed and spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Mu, the war has just ended and it is a very busy time.

Isn't it a bit hasty to make such a big fuss?

Perhaps we should report this matter to the court first, and let the court, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Censorate come up with a set of rules."

Han Yi may appear here, representing the Inspector-General!

The imperial inspectors were fearless when they visited the four directions, fearing that the matter was not big enough.

But what happened today was too big. If he was not careful, it would shake the foundation of the country, which made him extremely fearful.

Sitting quietly on the side, Ning Zheng, who was wearing armor, slapped the table heavily:

"Han Yike, stop talking nonsense! How can we wait for the court to deal with this matter?
At least, we should punish some of them and show the court an attitude.

If officials protect each other, Your Majesty and the court will certainly be furious.

By that time, people from all government offices will come, and the situation will be beyond our control."

"Master Ning is right."

The Left Governor Zhang Xun nodded solemnly:
“In the face of such a serious matter as heaven’s punishment, there is nothing that cannot be given up.

Don't forget that we in Yunnan are facing more than just the Heavenly Punishment as a problem right now."

As he spoke, Zhang Xun cast his gaze upwards to where Li Jinglong, Duke of Cao, was, with a helpless look on his face:

"The assassination has not yet come to a conclusion, and now this major incident has occurred.
If we handle it improperly, it will be earth-shattering, and we will not have the final say on who will die and who will not. "

The atmosphere suddenly became strange, and all the adults looked at Li Jinglong with tired faces.
"It's a troubled time, a troubled time."

Feng Cheng shook his head and looked at Zhang Xun and Liao Chengxuan with some gloating.

They had just won a victory, so even if His Majesty was furious, the punishment he gave to these people would not be severe.

However, for the provincial administration and the provincial judicial commissioner's office, which had always been a constraint on the dusi, this was a serious blow.

Feng Cheng was happy to see this situation.

At this time, the Central Army Commander Xu Sima, who had been silent all this time, spoke in a deep voice:
“My Lords, it has happened.

The most important thing now is to find out the behind-the-scenes activities and people behind Qingyuan Pavilion.
This is to inform the people of the world of the court's attitude.

In addition, the murderer who assassinated Duke Cao must be found as soon as possible, so that I can report to His Majesty when I return to the capital."

"When will Commander Xu leave?" Zhang Gong looked at Sima Xu.

Sima Xu's face was gloomy: "The letter of return will be delivered tomorrow, and we will leave tomorrow!"

"So fast?"

Zhang Xun's face changed. Now that the court knew about it one day later, they had one more day.
"It's getting late. The war is over. If the army stays here, it will only wear down morale. It's better to leave early."

Sima Xu's words were so decisive that everyone present changed color.

Duke Deng Zhen of Shen lowered his head, his expression gloomy.
(End of this chapter)