Chapter 695
: The rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty has nothing to do with whether the Jin Temple is
At the critical moment when Zhu Gang and Zhu Yuanzhang were about to fall into a stalemate, the suffocating atmosphere seemed like an indestructible barrier, tightly wrapping the two of them.
Although Zhu Gang lowered his head, he could still feel Zhu Yuanzhang's cold gaze that was like a thorn in his back.
He really couldn't let go of his obsession with Gongshu Qi and didn't know what to do.
Just at this moment, the voice of Crown Prince Zhu Biao came clearly from outside the imperial study door, like a ray of dawn breaking through the haze of the night sky.
"Father, I beg to see you."
The voice was neither humble nor arrogant, and carried just the right amount of urgency in its calmness, as if he had sensed the tense atmosphere in the house from outside the door.
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly when he heard the voice.
The originally cold gaze softened slightly, but still held a hint of solemnity.
He said in a deep voice, "Come in."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Gang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense body relaxed a little, as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw.
Zhu Biao walked into the imperial study quickly with steady and vigorous steps.
He was dressed in a plain dragon robe and a purple gold crown on his head, and his expression was solemn yet dignified.
After entering the study, Zhu Biao first bowed respectfully to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Then he glanced at Zhu Gang, and seeing his nervous expression, he immediately understood what he meant.
Zhu Biao knew very well that there might be a dispute between his father and Zhu Gang over something, and the dispute might be quite tricky.
He paused slightly, trying to break the tense deadlock with his arrival and ease the tense atmosphere.
"Father, I believe that the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty has nothing to do with whether the Jin Temple is intact!"
Faced with Zhu Gang's shocking words, Zhu Yuanzhang's face, which had been suppressing his anger, instantly turned red.
It was like dry wood being lit, and the anger rushed straight to my head.
His eyes were wide open and his gaze was as sharp as torches, staring at Zhu Gang.
Those eyes seemed to be able to penetrate people, and the anger burning in them was like a volcano about to erupt.
Immediately afterwards, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the imperial desk suddenly. With a loud "bang", the pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the desk jumped.
This sudden movement made the air in the entire imperial study tremble.
"Old Third, you are so brave!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was furious, his voice resounded like a bell throughout the imperial study, carrying endless majesty and anger.
"How dare you say such outrageous words!"
He was so angry that his chest heaved violently and his breathing became rapid.
The veins on his forehead bulged out like twisted earthworms.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, Zhu Gang's words were a blatant provocation to the royal authority.
Zhu Yuanzhang could never have imagined that his third son would say such shocking words in the imperial study. How could he not be furious?
Zhu Gang was also frightened by Zhu Yuanzhang's sudden anger, his face turned pale and his body trembled uncontrollably.
The words that I had prepared were now completely forgotten, leaving only fear and regret in my heart.
The entire imperial study was now filled with a chilling atmosphere of anger.
It was as if a storm was about to sweep in and destroy everything.
Seeing this, Zhu Biao quickly spoke up and said, "Dad, my third brother did not intend to disobey your will, it is just that Gongshu Qi's life and death is too important.
After all, both the overall design of the steam engine and the research and development of new firearms have entered a critical stage. If Gong Shuqi, who is responsible for the main work, is detained by Jinyiwei at this time, it will inevitably affect the normal operation of the Firearms Supervision Department and other departments, and will also seriously undermine the enthusiasm of the craftsmen.
Therefore, I suggest that the emperor should consider the overall situation and carefully consider the punishment measures for Gongshuqi. "
Zhu Yuanzhang was really surprised to see Zhu Biao, who was always steady and sensible, standing up to plead for Gongshu Qi.
The expression on his face, which was originally full of anger, gradually changed.
Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly moved his gaze away from Zhu Biao, and looked towards a corner in the imperial study.
His eyes were deep and complex, and he couldn't help but reveal a thoughtful expression.
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts were surging in his mind like a rushing river.
Zhu Biao's move was by no means impulsive, but must have been well considered.
What kind of unknown importance does Gongshu Qi have that could make the crown prince, who always considers the overall situation, come forward to plead for him?
Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well that Zhu Biao had received orthodox royal education since childhood, and his every word and action were always based on the country and the people.
This time, the convention was broken for the Gongshu Qi. Perhaps there are some key clues or special reasons hidden behind this artifact.
Could it be that there is a closer and more secret connection between Gongshu Qi and the strange events in Jin Temple?
Or maybe Zhu Biao knew some hidden secrets that he had not yet noticed?
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly.
His fingers tapped unconsciously on the imperial desk, again and again, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.
Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking in his heart: If I follow Zhu Biao's request and show leniency to Gongshu Qi, will it have an impact on the subsequent investigation and response to the Jin Temple incident?
Will it trigger other unexpected chain reactions?
However, if Zhu Biao's request was rejected, it would not only dampen the prince's enthusiasm, but also might miss out on key information behind Gongshu Qi.
For a moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was caught in a dilemma, and his inner thoughts were tangled like a tangled mess.
At this time, Zhu Gang suddenly suggested: "Father, I think we can adopt a new way of serving the sentence for Gongshu Qi's case.
For example, although he was sentenced to death, the execution would not be carried out until two years later.
If Gong Shuqi does not commit any intentional illegal or criminal acts during this period, his sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment at the discretion of the court.
If there is significant meritorious service, the sentence will be reduced to 25 years in prison after the two-year term expires.
Of course, in order to ensure fairness and justice, the actual sentence of a criminal sentenced to death with a reprieve must not be less than 15 years after his sentence is commuted. "
Zhu Biao nodded and said, "This way we can not only achieve the best of both worlds, but also avoid giving people a chance to criticize us.
It is only for those prisoners who have participated in intentional homicide, rape, robbery, kidnapping, arson, the release of dangerous substances and organized violent crimes that we must strictly prevent them from using the opportunity of suspended death sentences to escape punishment.
Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was very shrewd. His eyes moved back and forth between Zhu Gang and Zhu Biao.
Seeing the two of them singing the same tune, Zhu Yuanzhang's mind suddenly became clear.
Zhu Gang's face was filled with anxiety and his words were earnest, as if he would not give up until he achieved his goal.
Although Zhu Biao looked calm, every word he said made sense, and every reason he gave for his plea was just right.
The two of them worked together so well, it was as if they had rehearsed it in advance.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself: Although my two sons are busy with their own affairs on weekdays, they may have already discussed their excuses in private regarding the Gongshu Qi incident today.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a complicated emotion in his heart.
He felt a little unhappy about his sons' private alliance, but also felt helpless about their thoughts.
(End of this chapter)