Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 53 Take that! Elder!
"Supervisor, this..."

"It's you who came."

Xing Jie recognized Luo Sigong. During previous battles, he and Li Rusong had heard Luo Sigong secretly report the enemy's situation.

He pointed at the coffin and said, "I have detained all the merchants who resisted taxes and killed people. Eunuch Gao has suffered a lot, but I have suppressed him and sealed the garrison."

He sighed, "I was careless for a moment and caused a mutiny among the people in Shanhaiguan City right under my nose. I cannot escape this crime. Since you have come with the imperial decree, please handle the case on behalf of His Majesty. I cannot shirk my responsibility, so I will submit my resignation."

No matter how bad Gao Huai was, he was still an "imperial envoy" sent by the emperor.

In broad daylight, there was a popular uprising and the imperial envoy was killed. How could Xing Jie stay out of it?
Luo Sigong looked at Xing Jie, clasped his fists and said, "I have only been ordered to bring Eunuch Gao back to the capital. I have no right to interfere with how this case is handled. Since Eunuch Gao has suffered this disaster, I will check the garrison and escort the tax silver and Gao Huai's evil servant back to the capital. The commander-in-chief shoulders the heavy responsibility of Liaodong. How can he resign because of this evil servant who aroused public anger?"

"Escort? Evil servant?" Xing Jie narrowed his eyes slightly.

There was no need to show Xing Jie the imperial edict that Luo Sigong brought, but Xing Jie heard something different.

"Yes, that's what the decree I received said. I would also like to ask the Governor, are all Gao Huai's minions inside the city?"

Xing Jie looked at him meaningfully, then sighed: "Captain Luo will have to wait for some time..."

……

Zhu Changluo rested for a day and set out from Ciqiong Palace to Wenhua Hall early in the morning of September 1st.

After discussing with Empress Dowager Li, he still "issued an edict" and represented the emperor to discuss the matter with all the ministers.

At the gate of Ciqing Palace, Tian Yi, Chen Ju, Cheng Jing and others were there.

These are the three giants of the Imperial Household Department after the "purge", one holding the seal and two holding the pens.

It goes without saying that Tian Yi was trusted by Empress Dowager Li and Zhu Changluo. Chen Ju was the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, and Cheng Jing was in charge of the Imperial Stables and was in contact with the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The other writing positions were vacated first, to be used by the successor monarch after he ascended the throne.

Wang An and Zou Yi had not returned to Beijing yet, and Zhu Changluo was accompanied by Liu Shimin and another young eunuch transferred from the secretariat.

"Your Highness, how should we respond?"

Seeing Tian Yi's expression, Chen Ju felt that he was too nervous, and said slowly: "The successor is in front of you, the king is noble and the minister is humble, why worry."

Zhu Changluo smiled upon hearing this: "Wanhua is absolutely right."

He knew that Chen Ju, who always attached great importance to rules and laws, was angry at the secret coercion of his ministers.

Liu Shimin looked at Chen Ju and felt that he had a unique temperament.

After he entered the palace this year, since he had studied a long time ago, had good calligraphy and was quite knowledgeable, he went directly to the secretariat and was taken care of by Chen Ju.

Zhu Changluo had said that a few good talents were needed, so after Wang An and Zou Yi went to invite Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue to return to Beijing, Liu Shimin was transferred to Ciqing Palace to serve.

Although he didn't understand anything now, when he saw the prince being followed by three eunuchs to Wenhua Palace, he felt that something big was going to happen today.

Outside the Meridian Gate, two groups of important officials.

Today is the first day of the ninth lunar month, which should be the day for the court meeting. The standard is slightly lower than the grand court meeting, but higher than the ordinary court meeting. If it is held, this place will be full of people.

However, the court meeting has not been held for many years, and those who are qualified to attend today are only the important ministers who were entrusted with the care of the emperor on the night he suffered a stroke.

This does not include Zhao Zhigao, who has already retired and left Beijing.

The team of civil officials was long, with Shen Yikuan in the lead and Yu Jideng following behind, a total of ten people.

In the ranks of military officials, Xu Wenbi missed the days of sacrifice more and more. Duke Chengguo Zhu Dingchen, who was in his prime but weak, kept coughing. Duke Yingguo Zhang Weixian, who was in his early twenties, looked towards the Meridian Gate with simplicity and excitement.

The drum sounded three times, and they entered from the two doorways at the side.

Inside the Zuoye Gate, Yu Jideng, who was separated from Shen Yiguan by Li Dai from the Ministry of Personnel and Chen Qi from the Ministry of Revenue, coughed lightly, "Lord..."

"Shiyong, relax." Shen Yikuan looked straight ahead and walked steadily.

Except for Xiao Daheng and Li Dai and Chen Qi from the Ministry of Revenue who were unable to look back, the Minister of War Tian Le, the Minister of Works Yang Yikui, and the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Wen Chun all looked at the two of them at the same time with uncertain expressions.

Later, the Minister of Public Administration Fan Lun and the Minister of the Supreme Court Zheng Jizhi were only third-rank officials, and they were relatively marginal among the Nine Ministers.

Hearing the sound in front of them, they just walked on with their heads down.

Inside the Youye Gate, Zhu Dingchen stopped coughing: "Master Xu, what should we do?"

Zhang Weixian asked doubtfully: "What should we do?"

"Did you forget to enter the palace that night?" Zhu Dingchen turned around and reminded him patiently.

They were all dukes, so they could chat in the doorway more freely than at the Zuoye Gate. Zhang Weixian recalled the depression he felt that night, but that night he felt that way because he thought the emperor was going to die. Today...

"If we want to discuss the coronation ceremony, we will come too. Isn't it just about deciding who will perform the sacrifice where and who will hold the ceremony?"

Zhang Weixian thinks it’s just a division of labor.

The old man in the front, Xu Wenbi, sighed softly, "Shut up. When they are in front of His Highness, they just keep silent while they discuss things."

The three generations of dukes, old, middle-aged and young, walked out of the doorway and saw the civil officials waiting for them at the Zuoye Gate.

Wenhua Hall is closer to Zuoye Gate, and it is obvious who the protagonists today are.

"The Crown Prince has ascended the throne, and all the ministers come in to pay their respects!"

Zhu Changluo had arrived here in advance and was familiar with Wenhua Hall.

The previous lecture was held here, and the enthronement ceremony the day before yesterday was also held here.

Now, as on that night, the two sides are still separated.

After they exchanged greetings, Zhu Changluo spoke: "You are all important ministers of the state and my teachers. Today, I am here on behalf of the emperor to listen to the discussion of the ceremony and the imperial edict. In compliance with the emperor's order, all the ministers are invited to sit down and discuss the matter."

"We thank your majesty for his grace. Long live your majesty! Long live your majesty! Long, long live your majesty!"

After Xukong thanked Zhu Yijun for his grace, they sat down.

Tian Yi and the others stood on the side of the three dukes again. Liu Shimin stood behind the throne and looked at the important officials curiously.

"Your Highness!" Shen Yi Guan stood up again after sitting down. "I have been discussing with the Ministry of Rites for more than a month about the three matters of internal abdication and the enthronement ceremony, as well as the abdication edict and the enthronement edict. We feel that there is no precedent and we dare not draft them rashly. Now Your Highness is listening to the discussion on behalf of Your Majesty. I wonder if Your Majesty has any intention to let us draft them as soon as possible without any doubts?"

Xu Wenbi's heart tightened: I have no doubts, no!

However, matters such as drafting ritual notes and imperial edicts have nothing to do with meritorious officials, so just sit still.

Then Zhu Changluo nodded, stood up, bowed to the north, and turned around: "Father's handwritten message: What doubts do you have?"

The sound echoed, and as a result, the civil officials and the military officials Xu Wenbi and Zhu Dingchen all quickly got up from their seats and knelt down.

Xu Wenbi and Zhu Dingchen said, "I have no doubts."

Li Dai, Chen Qi, Tian Le, Yang Yikui, Wen Chun, Fan Lun, and Zheng Jizhi: "This matter should be drafted by the Ministry of Rites according to the imperial order. I have not seen the original, so I dare not speak rashly."

Zhang Weixian: ???

Aren't you going to keep silent?
At this moment, he was a little slow to remember that it was an imperial decree and he had to kneel down to listen to the answer: "...I have no doubts!"

Shen Yikuan, Yu Jideng and Xiao Daheng were kneeling on the ground without saying a word.

Looking at the floor tiles of Wenhua Hall, Shen Yikuan knew that the prince was still standing not far in front of him, while he was kneeling on the ground with his head lowered.

He is not the emperor yet, but he will be the emperor, and at this moment he represents the emperor as the crown prince.

"I read the imperial edict myself!"

Shen Yikuan raised his head and looked at the piece of paper that Tian Yi held in front of them.

There were indeed the words "What doubts do you have?" on it, just like what I saw that night, they were not written with a red pen, but with a finger.

It was not as sloppy as that day, but the writing style was the same as the emperor's previous imperial edicts and red-ink comments.

Zhu Changluo turned around and saluted to the north, then sat down with a warm smile: "Sit down and talk, everyone sit down. I must know where the doubts of the ministers are, so that the emperor can make a wise decision."

Shen Yikuan stood up silently, sat down slowly, and watched Tian Yi's back as he walked away.

He has already been told this, but the prince is asking questions even though he already knows the answer, which means he does not agree with what he said.

The question facing Shen Yikuan is: Is it just the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince who disagree with his statement, or does the Emperor really disagree with his statement?

The true secret between the three generations of the family was revealed during that day and night in the palace. Since they had chosen to go with the flow that night, were they now going to disregard the face of the heir, defy the prince's order to listen to the discussion, and insist on discussing it face to face in front of the emperor?

Now of course we can state where our doubts lie, but how do we know that there is no second written order?
"Lord Shen? Grand Master of the Imperial Clan? Grand Minister of Justice?" Zhu Changluo asked modestly, "Do you three have any concerns? I am listening on behalf of the Emperor."

Tian Yi tightened his lips, Chen Ju looked as if it was a matter of course, and Cheng Jing's eyes were full of amusement.

So this is how His Royal Highness the Crown Prince prepared it.

When Xu Wenbi heard the prince single out the three of them, he secretly glanced at Zhu Changluo, and then secretly looked at Shen Yikuan's expression.

interesting……

(End of this chapter)