Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 10: The Zhengying Supervisor
Chen Ju was indeed very busy and stood respectfully aside.

It is a rare sight to see Zhu Yijun writing the imperial edict in his own handwriting.

After he finished writing, he said calmly: "Use the seal, don't rush to send it to the cabinet, let me rest for a few days, there will always be another memorial to urge me."

"I accept your order..."

Zhu Yijun added: "Food, wages, major construction, and ceremonies all cost money. The Ministry of Revenue will certainly cry poor again, and let the local mine supervisors and tax collectors do their job well."

"I will report this to Eunuch Tian and ask him to give proper instructions."

"Since the Queen Mother has spoken for the two of you, you should still be recovering from your injuries today. I am asking you to come and do the work to put your mind at ease."

"Your Majesty, I understand your grace."

Seeing the emperor leave again, Chen Ju sighed silently in his heart.

He was previously fined 100 taels of silver, which was not heavy, but not light either.

A fine of one hundred taels of silver was not a small amount. After all, when Wanli was in a good mood, he would reward his cabinet ministers with about this amount, and sometimes it was only a few dozen taels.

I have always been a stickler for rules, but I didn't confiscate any silver, and the emperor should be well aware of this.

Now that he has admitted his mistake and paid a fine, and yesterday he even grabbed the wounded emperor and took away his weapon, the Empress Dowager also said a few words of comfort, so he should be fine.

Chen Ju sighed now because of what the emperor had instructed him to do.

I remember that eleven years ago, Grand Secretary Wang Xijue wrote a memorial.

What I meant was that I know Your Majesty is ill and should pay attention to your health.

But there are twelve hours in a day. Even if you sleep for six hours, play for three hours, spend one hour with the empress dowager in the morning and evening, or leave two hours to review memorials and do the work that an emperor should do, okay?
If Zhu Changluo knew this memorial now, he would probably say: "In that case, the officials of the world will know that the emperor is just trying to maintain his health, not being tired of work and wanting to be a lazy dog. He is just trying to nourish his dragon body, not having a healthy kidney and enjoying himself leisurely."

"There is no clear direction in the memorials left. We, the cabinet ministers, have been driven crazy for months and months by the government departments below. But what can we do if the emperor doesn't give any orders? If you do this, how can we stand above the other ministers?"

Wang Xijue also mentioned: I know that you want to follow the example of your grandfather Shi Miao. He also lived in the West Palace, but why don’t you try to read the Treasure Instructions Records?
Although the Emperor did not attend the court, he wrote down and spoke several times about the border warnings, the promotion and removal of senior officials, the historical research, and the prayers for good harvests and droughts. Although he did not summon the ministers immediately, he was still diligent.

Chen Ju remembered that the emperor's reply to Wang Xijue's heartfelt words could be summarized as: I know, but I am not in good health now, so I need to rest first.

At that time, the emperor's symptoms of inaction were not too serious.

After all, the emperor had attended court in February. It was just that they hadn't seen each other for two months, so Wang Xijue and the others were a little panicked.

Now eleven years have passed and Wang Xijue has retired.

Shen Yikuan had only met the emperor when he entered the cabinet, and was not allowed to see him again thereafter.

Going to court? No chance. I am not feeling well. Forget it.

Sacrifice? Let Duke Dingguo do it. I feel dizzy and I may lose my manners. What should I do?
Even the memorials were reviewed and issued... Now he had clearly written the imperial edict himself, but he had to wait for the cabinet to submit another memorial before issuing it.

Chen Ju could not go to the cabinet to convey the decree that had already been decided, and instead went to do other things.

The mining supervisor and the tax collector… There is already military unrest in the southwest, and I am afraid that soon there will be more impeachment reports pouring into the capital.

Thinking of what Wang An said before, he wanted to come and see him when he was injured, Chen Ju looked to the northeast and said, "Can't you just take a break?"

It's just a flesh wound, not a big deal.

He did not quite approve of the eldest prince's current impatient behavior, but, His Royal Highness, the eldest prince was indeed very different.

Being able to hold such a high position in the palace, Chen Ju understood the purpose of Jingyang Palace.

Nowadays, the only ones who have smooth access to information inside and outside the palace are probably the Zheng brothers and sisters, who are the most favored in the harem.

In this dispute over the foundation of the country, if the civil officials on the side of the eldest prince are always at a disadvantage in terms of information, the situation will probably be delayed.

But after Feng Bao, how dare the internal and external officials collude again?
Wasn’t it because of his inner suspicion that the emperor was so angry before?
Chen Ju muttered to himself, then took the imperial edict back and arranged to have it sealed and kept.

The main action in the palace is still "weeding".

Although the emperor spared Wang An's life due to the intervention of the empress dowager, the authority he wanted to declare still had to be implemented.

Time passed day by day, and in the blink of an eye it was the fifth day of April.

As expected, Zhao Zhigao and Shen Yikuan presented the memorial to the palace again. Several eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, who had just been busy with the rectification work in the palace for several days, looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Your Majesty has already issued a clear order, an imperial edict, so should Eunuch Tian go in person?" Chen Ju spoke.

Everyone knew that Chen Ju had just been punished, and his hand was still freshly wounded and it would not be good to let outsiders see it.

Tian Yi just looked at him and nodded slightly: "Then let's go there in person."

The current Silijian seal holder rose to prominence in the early years of the Wanli reign. An old official in the Qiandi Palace, he was promoted to the Silijian secretariat in the second year of the Wanli reign, and has worked diligently ever since.

After Zhang Juzheng passed away, he went to Nanjing first and served as the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, taking charge of the seal of the Nanjing Internal Affairs Office. Three years later, he was transferred to be the eunuch of the Nanjing garrison and concurrently took charge of the seal of the Nanjing Imperial Household Department, thus firmly grasping the military and political power of Nanjing.

After helping the emperor to transition to the "post-Zhang Juzheng era", Tian Yi returned to Beijing and was given the seal of the Imperial Household Department four years ago, becoming the top official in the inner court. "The emperor granted him the right to ride on a python and ride a horse in the forbidden area", "the emperor granted him the right to ride on an orange stool", and he was ordered to "review the troops" and "record prisoners in the judicial department". These were all special favors given to him by the emperor.

Now, Tian Yi personally held the imperial edict and went straight to the cabinet.

In the cabinet, Shen Yikuan was still the only one sitting there.

In the last few days of March, all memorials were not reported.

In the first few days of April, the emperor seemed to be a little more diligent and handled some things.

On the first day of the first lunar month, he was appointed as the Right Councillor of Shaanxi and was in charge of Guannan Road. On the second day of the first lunar month, he was appointed as the Right Councillor of Henan.

On the third day of the first lunar month, he approved the memorial submitted by the Yunnan provincial governor and suddenly awarded some silver fans and hinged fans to the cabinet ministers and the emperor's eldest son.

Yesterday was even more unusual. The candidates for the Right Councillor of Shandong, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Zhejiang, and the Deputy Envoy of Hangzhou-Yanzhou Circuit were all selected. He also expressed his regards to the retired Minister of War of Nanjing and approved the memorial submitted by the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Shandong.

Seeing that the emperor seemed to be more diligent day by day and had expressed some views on matters related to the eldest son, the cabinet quickly submitted a memorial.

The situation was under control very well during this period. The outer court was still unaware of the emperor's oral order and had not requested to quickly perform the three ceremonies.

Shen Yiguan's anxious wait did not last long.

"Your Majesty's Imperial Edict!"

Tian Yi's words made Shen Yikuan's heart skip a beat again.

Is it just an imperial edict? Not a decree or an imperial edict with the emperor's seal?
"…I read it respectfully."

After all, it was a rare handwriting from the emperor. Shen Yikuan bowed, took the imperial edict respectfully and spread it out.

【The ancestral system and national ceremonies are carried out by me according to the time and etiquette. Yesterday, the Ciqing Palace was completely renovated, and the ceremony of enthroning the eldest son of the emperor and the other princes, as well as the ceremony of marriage and enthronement, has been ordered to be held in sequence. Occasionally, there is a pet Xie Tingzan who takes the opportunity to gain a position and make achievements. Because I hate his arrogance, I will give him a short wait, so that the subjects of the world can clearly understand that it is my decision, and will not be confused by the wicked and petty nonsense. 】

【Now I have read your memorials, which show your loyalty and prudence. You can pass them on to the various departments, and wait for the relocation to be completed before issuing an imperial decree. Do not act on your own accord and make further accusations. I hereby inform you of this.】

When Shen Yikuan saw it, his heart sank.

He looked at Tian Yi, who only asked, "Do you understand, Lord?"

Shen Yi Guan certainly understood, and he replied solemnly: "...I have received your order, and I will pass it on to all the departments, so that the treacherous people will not offend the emperor again."

How similar is this situation to that in the 18th year of Wanli?
At the end of October of that year, the emperor also issued a clear decree: If no one complained in the next year, then the emperor would issue an order to enthrone the emperor at the end of the year. If someone complained, then the emperor would wait until the eldest son was fifteen years old.

During the following half of the 19th year of the Wanli reign, Prime Minister Shen Shixing was very earnest in his advice.

No matter how much they tried to persuade him, he managed to hold on for more than half a year.

However, the imperial edict clearly stated that "each party will be responsible for the preparation of finances and grain next year, and the enthronement will be held in the spring of the year after." On August 20, Zhang Youde, the head of the Ministry of Works, submitted a memorial titled "As the ceremonial materials for the grand ceremony are not yet ready, I pray that you will make an announcement to show the emperor's sincerity." Zhang Youde asked the emperor to arrange the schedule of ceremonial matters so that preparations could be made. However, the emperor thought that he was continuing to make noise and was extremely angry.

As a result, not only did Shen Shixing and Xu Guo retire within a month, but the issue of enthroning the crown prince has been delayed until now.

Now the imperial edict clearly pointed out that the reason why this case had been delayed from the beginning of the year to now was because of the "beast" Xie Tingzan, the head of the Ministry of Justice, and a new rule was set: move to Ciqing Palace first, and no one was allowed to make noise before the move.

At that moment, at this moment.

Tian Yi bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, the Queen Mother, Your Majesty, and Your Highness are all waiting for everything to go smoothly."

Shen Yi Guan's heart was shocked and he looked at Tian Yi in disbelief.

He only saw Tian Yi's calm eyes when he looked up, and Tian Yi turned and left as if he had completed his task.

The imperial seal in his hand seemed a little hot. Shen Yiguan's heart beat faster and his blood became slightly hot.

What do you mean?
The chief eunuch in the palace walked steadily and calmly away from Wenyuan Pavilion.

He hoped that Shen Yikuan would be tougher this time.

Chen Ju Chen Ju, as his name suggests, is a man who follows the rules.

The disturbance caused by the eldest prince in the palace led to Chen Ju being punished, which was a small matter.

However, given his consistent adherence to the principle of "laws of ancestors and teachings of sages", it was difficult for him to agree with the eldest prince's actions from the bottom of his heart.

But Tian Yi doesn't think so.

He actually had more admiration for the current eldest prince.

How could he, the holder of the Imperial Household Department, not know about all the affairs in the palace?

Chen Ju doesn't want to do things that are difficult to do, so he does it!

Thanks to nnnn for the 1000-point reward, lingyunjidian for the 500-point reward, and lonelywalker for the 100-point reward.

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(End of this chapter)