Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 45: The Successor's Grace Spreads Across the Ming Dynasty
Once your mind opens up, everything becomes clear.

Many things can be handled flexibly according to this idea.

As for personnel matters, except for a few small and medium-sized officials with "conclusive evidence" who were quickly closed by the three judicial departments, the rest were exempted.

The emperor was paralyzed, but the efficiency of approving memorials actually increased. Can you believe it?
For those small and medium-sized officials who "escaped the disaster", these replies were like a blessing in disguise.

But God did not give him face. After the successor king fasted and offered sacrifices, he did not immediately pray for rain to relieve the drought.

Shen Yi was always very anxious.

Is this what you call “Your Majesty is furious, the Holy Mother Queen Mother is furious”?
Apart from the few people found out by Chen Ju, some other "involved" officials, Shen Yikuan and Xiao Daheng, were unable to proceed smoothly.

But this is not the point.

Now that Mr. Zhao has been allowed to retire, what do you mean by inviting Mr. Shen and Mr. Wang back?
Although Suzhou Prefecture is not in Zhejiang, it is very close.

The so-called Zhejiang Party was not limited to people from Zhejiang Province. What changes would the court have with the arrival of these two people?
No one else knows what Shen Yikuan is thinking.

However, under the pretext of the benevolent policies and decrees issued by the emperor who was still in power, the successor monarch's grace was like the wind and his blessings were like the rain, still blowing over the entire Ming Dynasty.

Wherever the decree to remove the mining supervisors and tax collectors reached, everyone was happy, and the officials, gentry and wealthy businessmen were obviously much happier than ordinary people.

I'm looking forward to the successor even more.

It was already August when the decree reached Suzhou Prefecture.

Shen Shixing now called himself Xiuxiu Jushi. His youngest son Shen Yongjia asked with great joy, "Father, are you going to Beijing with me?"

"Be calm! Your father has been back for nine years, teaching you with all his heart, and you barely passed the imperial examination after failing the two examinations!" Shen Shixing was already sixty-six years old, and at this moment he frowned, "Your second brother hasn't sent you a letter yet?"

"Although my second brother is a doctor in the Ministry of Justice, His Majesty wants to appoint my father. Even if my second brother knew, how could his letter be faster than the angel of prophecy?"

"… Things are different now. You grind the ink and present a letter of thanks on behalf of your father to decline the favor."

"Refuse?" Shen Yongjia was a little anxious, "Why refuse..."

"Be calm!" Shen Shixing glared at him again. "Let's not talk about the hidden reasons why Your Majesty suddenly fell ill and issued an edict to appoint the emperor as the emperor. Even if it is true that Your Majesty wants to use him as your father, can you summon him and dismiss him at will?"

He felt that his youngest son was hopeless; he was almost thirty years old and still so impetuous.

"If Wang Taicang goes back first, wouldn't he be seated above father? But you..."

"Oh!" Shen Shixing slapped the table, "Go! Write another policy paper on current affairs! I'll grind the ink myself!"

Two former prime ministers now live in Suzhou Prefecture, Shen Shixing in Changzhou County and Wang Xijue in Taicang Prefecture.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict first went to Suzhou City, then one went east and the other went south. How could the Shen family not know about it?

Now Shen Yongjia’s performance also represents the mood of everyone in the Shen family.

Of course, things will be different if the master enters the cabinet again.

Although the officials and gentry of Suzhou Prefecture respect the old prime minister today, it is naturally not as much as it was ten years ago.

Wang Xijue is even worse than him.

When Shen Shixing left office, both the government and the public knew that he was stabbed in the back by the State of Xu. It was actually a struggle for power and a struggle for the foundation of the country that were mixed together.

But Wang Xijue was different. He was tricked by Zhu Yijun.

Although there were two proposals for Zhu Yijun to choose from, "the eldest prince to be adopted as the empress" and "three princes to be conferred titles simultaneously", who could have thought that Zhu Yijun was so shameless that he chose the proposal of "three princes to be conferred titles simultaneously", which became known to everyone in the court and the country and ruined his reputation.

Now that the order had reached his home, Wang Xijue burst into tears.

After so many years of fuss, not only was the eldest son enthroned as emperor, but the throne was also passed to the emperor. What was the point of all the fuss back then?
No, I have to save my face!
Both of them submitted their resignation letters at the same time, with the same reason: I will be seventy years old in two years, why bother? There are many wise and virtuous people in the court.

Wang An and Zou Yi also used the second trick: the letter from the successor.

I know that the two old prime ministers had urged my father to enthrone me. I knew that it was impossible for me to leave the palace and go to school without your hard work. I also understood the difficulty of trying to reconcile with the overwhelming ministers and not interfere in state affairs.

Now, the emperor is seriously ill, I am late in entering school, and I have to succeed the throne immediately. I am not well versed in learning, I don't understand state affairs, and I don't understand civil and military officials. Can't you come and help me?
Besides, my father has now come to his senses and regrets his actions.

Just think that good things take time to come.

The two old prime ministers were so moved that they burst into tears.

And then quit.

This time, Wang An and Zou Yi used a third trick: the oral instruction of the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.

Three generations of grandparents and grandchildren are begging together, isn’t this enough face?

And I have resigned many times.

Only when they were in a dilemma and reluctantly did they suddenly realize something.

This is wrong!

If you refuse several times, at least you should let others know.

The letter of thanks arrived in Beijing and he was ordered to come again. He declined again and was summoned again.

But you two just blocked the way at home, neither handing in the thank-you and resignation letters nor taking the time to delay.

It’s only a few days in total. If others knew about this, they would just laugh at us for being so impatient!
Wang An and Zou Yi didn't care, as long as the method His Highness suggested was effective.

They each bowed in front of one person and said, "Please leave as soon as possible, old scholar. Although you may not be able to make it to the enthronement ceremony, you must be present at the coronation ceremony. Your Highness is looking forward to it!"

……

"Why don't you learn from your mistakes?"

In Xinjian, Jiangxi, Liu Jing was "waiting for punishment" at home.

After hearing the tragic news in Bozhou, he was quickly relieved of his post as general and isolated from his subordinates. Then, he was "escorted" to his hometown in Xinjian at the beginning of the month. Liu Jing had been nagging at his wife for more than ten days.

There was no way, his wife was the daughter of Zhang Ao, the former Minister of War.

Now Liu Jing was practicing his sword skills angrily, and Zhang was standing at the door of the backyard, fuming.

"You only know how to practice martial arts, but you don't know anything about the ways of the world!" Zhang was also angry. "When you tried to bribe Song Xingzu but failed, you were reported. The Sichuan general who you looked down upon became the deputy general. You didn't ask me in advance about that matter, and you won't ask me this time!"

"…I'm on the march, fighting a war, and I can't take you with me!"

Liu Jing was angry with himself and Li Hualong.

His wife's words made him lose his temper. When he returned from the court for the first time, he did this once during the inspection and commendation of merits. He wanted to seek a higher position than the Sichuan General Army and be promoted by exception. As a result, he was reported by Song Xingzu and should be dismissed according to the law. However, he made many contributions in Joseon, and in the end he was only appointed as the Deputy General Army of Sichuan.

This time he felt that his starting point was different! He was not seeking an official position, because the thieves had not been pacified yet!
As a result, he was reported by Li Hualong and Cui Jingrong.

"Practice, practice, practice! You'll become a blockhead!" Zhang was furious when she heard this and closed the door so that she wouldn't be bothered.

Adopted son Liu Zhaosun and son Liu Jun stood by and didn't dare to make a sound.

I don't know if the military performance of the leader among the generals this time can offset his merits and demerits.

Then the prefect of Nanchang and the magistrate of Xinjian came over.

"How is life going after General Liu returned home?"

"Alas, I am very busy with my duties at the palace, so I only have time to visit you today."

"Today, we must toast to General Liu and listen to the might and bravery of the government troops!"

Liu Jing and his family: ???

Faced with the sudden enthusiasm, they later learned that there was a plan in the capital.

Pingbo was successful because the emperor employed the right people. Now that the emperor is seriously ill, how can he punish the meritorious officials?
"General Liu, don't be in a hurry. The prisoner presentation ceremony will be held after the coronation ceremony. General Liu has some free time, so he must stay in his hometown for a while."

They have friends in Beijing, and their friends in Beijing also have friends in high positions of power.

Who doesn't know that it is the heir to the throne and Queen Mother Li who are making the decisions now?

Li Hualong and Cui Jingrong impeached Liu Jing together, but Liu Jing was saved.

This shows that Jane has unlimited potential in the Emperor's heart.

On August 16, the eve of the Longevity Festival, almost a month later, it finally rained in the north.

This is all due to the successor’s sincere merit of fasting and praying for rain!
Zhu Changluo was in the Cining Palace.

"Today, the rain has fallen everywhere. The people are grateful and are praying for the health of the emperor." Zhu Changluo said filially, "Matteo Ricci did not understand Chinese customs. One of the gifts he presented for the birthday is a bicycle clock. This item is not supposed to be a gift, so I did not bring it. I brought the other few items for your father to take a look at to cheer him up."

Of course it’s not a good idea to give him a clock as a gift, so I don’t show it to him.

Tomorrow is the birthday of the emperor, and today Zhu Changluo is performing.

He took the trouble to read to him the congratulatory messages from various officials and introduced to him the gifts presented by various people and places, and even showed him some of the gifts that were brought by convenient means.

How filial?

Zhu Yijun's eyes were empty.

I have been lying in bed for almost two months, but there is still no improvement.

Now, is this rebellious son here to destroy my heart?

Knowing that there was a clock in the gift, why didn't the man punish him? He accepted it but just didn't bring it with him?

At this time last year, he was certainly still happy about the various congratulatory messages and gifts.

Because they are all his.

Now, I don’t even want to watch it. If I do, I can only watch it, which makes me sad and upset.

(End of this chapter)