Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 59: Sandalwood Punishment
Outside the Meridian Gate, at this time, the newly appointed Jinyiwei commander-in-chief Guo Rong had led all the Jinyiwei of the Northern Pacification Division here.

The former Jinyiwei commander-in-chief Mou Bin was also kneeling here at this time.

Like the other civil servants, Mou Bin thought he had made the right bet after hearing that a large number of soldiers and officers were rushing towards the Forbidden City. He thought that the 15-year-old young emperor was no match for the old foxes in the cabinet and the Imperial Household Department. At the same time, he was secretly glad that he had released Zhang Zhao first, so that he would have made a contribution in the end.

Mou Bin, who was always friendly with civil officials, was different from the previous Jinyiwei commander-in-chief. In order to avoid being accused by civil officials of meddling in other people's affairs, he did not care about the intelligence investigation function of Jinyiwei. Every day he acted like a literati who only drank wine to show off his elegance. However, although he was the head of Jinyiwei, he did not know that Zhu Houzhao had secretly gone to the regiment to distribute rice a few days ago.

However, Mou Bin was the person in charge of the Northern Pacification Division of the Jinyiwei. Although the information was delayed, he knew it no later than others. When a large number of officers and soldiers entered the palace last night and he thought that Zhu Houzhao was bound to lose, he suddenly learned from a subordinate that the emperor had recently visited Tuanying. Mou Bin was smart enough to guess that something must have happened without asking any more questions, so he immediately took people to capture Lu Qi, who had been living in a private residence outside the palace.

It’s a pity that Lu Qi knew it earlier than him and hanged himself.

Mou Bin only got Lu Qi's head.

Mou Bin originally wanted to bring Lu Qi to the palace to apologize to Zhu Houzhao at the morning court the next day, but he did not expect that the officers and soldiers surrounded his private residence that night, so Mou Bin had to escape from his private residence and come to the outside of the Meridian Gate with Lu Qi's head to apologize.

Mou Bin knew that this was the only way he could do. He could guess that the capital was under martial law and he could not escape. Of course, he had no intention of escaping. He also hoped that Zhu Houzhao would spare his life. After all, no matter what, he only released Zhang Zhao because he believed in a false order. At most, he was just stupid. What's more, he was still the emperor's retainer.

Zhu Houzhao also appeared outside the Meridian Gate at this time, and couldn't help asking Gu Dayong beside him: "Do you know anything about Mou Bin?"

Gu Dayong's previous mission was to inquire about the private lives of civil and military officials, so he answered truthfully: "Your Majesty, Mou Bin is always cautious, but as far as I know, he prefers to enter from behind when playing with women. It was all said by his servants. I don't think it's anything worth paying attention to. He is just a playboy, just like the literati and poets."

Zhu Houzhao just smiled and ordered: "Since he likes it from behind, go to the inner storehouse and find a sandalwood peg that can be inserted into his back! It's best to use a mace, but if you don't have one, just find a random stick!"

After hearing this, Gu Dayong couldn't help but shrink back, then he came to his senses and quickly agreed.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao came to Mou Bin and asked bluntly:
"Mou Bin, right? Let me ask you, since Zhang Zhao was thrown into the Imperial Prison yesterday morning, why did he appear in the regiment camp last night and even break into the palace, intending to kill the emperor and usurp the throne? You are doing a good job as the commander of the Jinyiwei. This is the first time in my Ming Dynasty that someone has escaped from the Imperial Prison!"

"Your Majesty! Mou Bin is innocent!
Mou Bin had originally obeyed the Emperor's order and put the traitor Zhang Zhao into prison, but Lu Qi, the godson of Eunuch Lu, the governor of the East Factory, said that it was your Majesty's oral order to release Zhang Zhao. However, Mou Bin never thought that Lu Qi had falsely conveyed the oral order. Mou Bin later learned that Zhang Zhao actually intended to rebel!

Mou Bin was ready to take Lu Qi to the palace to protect the emperor, but he didn't expect that Lu Qi had already committed suicide, so he had to cut off his head. At that time, he knew that the emperor had quelled the chaos. Mou Bin knew that he was guilty and almost put the emperor in danger, so he pleaded guilty outside the Meridian Gate! "

Mou Bin started crying as he spoke.

Zhu Houzhao smiled faintly. He had actually guessed something. He thought that Mou Bin did not choose to do this just because he believed Lu Qi's instructions. He was obviously trying to speculate and was even more inclined to Wang Yueying. If it was an official from other systems, he could spare his life, but the Jinyiwei was the emperor's personal army and their absolute loyalty must be guaranteed. There must not be anyone who wanted to play double-dealing!
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao had already made up his mind to kill Mou Bin in order to deter other Jinyiwei. As soon as Mou Bin finished speaking, he pointed at Mou Bin and scolded him:

"Yesterday morning, I did not order the East Factory to arrest Zhang Zhao, but instead ordered the Imperial Guard to put Zhang Zhao directly into the Imperial Prison. You should have guessed that I did not trust Lu He, the then East Factory Supervisor. If that was the case, why would I send his godson to deliver my order?
It's obvious that you are lying! You want to be a fence-sitter, you want to be a double-dealer, you want to speculate, but unfortunately you didn't expect to move the stone to shoot yourself in the foot, right? As Jinyiwei, you are my personal army. Since you are the emperor's personal army, you should be absolutely loyal! Speculators like you are not allowed!"

Zhu Houzhao turned and walked into the Meridian Gate. Mou Bin did not expect that his thoughts would be discovered by his own emperor so quickly. He was so scared that he continued to cry and beg for mercy: "Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty, please spare me!"

Zhu Houzhao was too lazy to care and just stood at the Meridian Gate waiting for Gu Dayong to come back. After a while, Gu Dayong ran back with a golden stick in his hand: "Your Majesty, there really is such a thing in the inner treasury. This is a sandalwood mace, covered with gold, and the thorns inlaid are made of agate."

"It's just right to give him a luxurious version of the sandalwood punishment!"

Zhu Houzhao explained to Gu Dayong what the sandalwood punishment was, and then ordered: "Go and ask a few Jinyiwei to hold him down, and then find a few Jinyiwei to stab me. I want these Jinyiwei to see the consequences of being disloyal to me!"

"I understand, Eunuch!"

Gu Dayong walked out of the Meridian Gate and ordered the Jinyiwei to pin Mou Bin to the ground, and also instructed: "Hold him tight for us!"

When Mou Bin saw Gu Dayong coming with a rather ornate stick, he thought he would only be beaten with the stick but not killed, and he was happy for a moment: "Your Majesty, are you going to spare my life and only beat me with the stick?"

"That's a nice thought! Listen up, brothers of the Imperial Guards. Mou Bin betrayed the Emperor, played double-dealing, and was disloyal to the Emperor. Now, according to the Emperor's decree, he will be punished with the Wolf Tooth and Sandalwood Punishment. You will know what the Wolf Tooth and Sandalwood Punishment is later. The Emperor said that he hopes you will remember this in the future. This is the fate of being disloyal to the Emperor!"

As Gu Dayong said this, he ordered someone to take off Mou Bin's pants.

In fact, Mou Bin didn't know what the wolf-tooth and sandalwood punishment was, and neither did the other Jinyiwei.

Gu Dayong only asked: "Who of you is the strongest?"

At this time, Liang Ze stood up: "Eunuch, I used to be an archer and can pull a strong bow!"

"Okay, it's your turn," Gu Dayong told Liang Ze what to do.

So, Liang Ze followed Gu Dayong's instructions and thrust a golden wolf-tooth sandalwood into Mou Bin's back.

Ah!
Mou Bin screamed and fainted on the ground!
The Jinyiwei present shrank back when they saw this, and were shocked. They felt a chill on their backs, thinking that this was the fate of being unfaithful to the emperor! This was even worse than being skinned alive!

Ah!
At this time, Liang Ze continued to poke according to Gu Dayong's instructions.

Mou Bin woke up again, screaming.

The Jinyiwei present were all frightened and turned pale, and from then on they dared not disobey the emperor's orders again.

Book friends who don’t know what the Sandalwood Punishment is can go to Baidu to search. I won’t write about the details here. A true master has written about the details in his famous works, which are worth reading.

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(End of this chapter)