Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 54: Taking advantage of the situation
One handwritten edict revealed three typical cases among the cabinet ministers and nine officials.

Do you have any doubts about the legitimacy of the prince's legitimacy?
If not, it would be helpful to state more clearly what you want to achieve.

"Shiyong, what are the Ministry of Rites' concerns about?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Jideng looked at Shen Yikuan and cursed in his heart.

"… Your Highness the Crown Prince, please allow me to report." He stood up and bowed. "First, the abdication ceremony. Your Majesty is ill, so you need to come in person. Second, the three halls and three gates have not been rebuilt yet, where will the ceremony be held? Third, the abdication edict. Why did Your Majesty abdicate the throne to Your Highness the Crown Prince? I dare not write the wording on my own. Fourth, since Your Majesty is the Supreme Emperor, what honorific title should be given to him? Fifth…"

Yu Jideng talked incessantly and mentioned fifteen "doubts" in a row.

Then he looked at Shen Yi Guan: "I wonder if Elder Shen has anything to add?"

"The Grand Master is mature and thoughtful. I have explained the difficulties to you. Your Highness will understand."

Shen Yikuan's praise and admiration for Yu Jiden were heard by everyone, and they all knew that this was the key point.

Did he want to bring Yu Jideng into the cabinet to fight against Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue?
Zhu Changluo looked at Xiao Daheng: Since all the difficulties have been explained, I am afraid Xiao Daheng does not need to speak any more.

But Zhu Changluo still asked: "The Grand Secretary of Justice is in charge of the Ministry of Justice. Do you have anything to add?"

"…I once served as the Minister of War, and I am not as familiar with the etiquette as the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan. Lord Shen is right, and I have nothing to add."

Tian Le had just taken office as the Minister of War and now found it very interesting.

The prince asked that, as if asking, "You are in charge of the Ministry of Justice, so why do you have doubts about the ceremony?"
Xiao Daheng replied that I was capable and had also been in charge of the affairs of the Ministry of War. I also had some knowledge of the etiquette system, but I was not as proficient as Yu Jideng.

He looked at the Crown Prince, wondering if he could hear what the three men were saying: Yu Jideng would enter the cabinet, and Xiao Daheng, who had served as Minister of Justice for six years, would be moved to the Ministry of Rites, which was higher up among the six ministries.

The Ministry of Rites will host the imperial examination next year.

In the previous case of the Zheng family colluding with insiders and outsiders to seize the throne, Xiao Daheng had already offended many people when he was trying many implicated officials in the three judicial courts.

I thought I could exclude some dissidents, but I didn't expect the decree from the palace was "amnesty" and "accumulation of virtue".

If he fails to occupy an important position this time, perhaps someone will find some loopholes in the criminal law he is in charge of and attack him later.

The Minister of Rites is also in charge of the country's culture and education. Which family doesn't have children who want to take exams and make progress?

Under the gaze of the crowd, Zhu Changluo nodded and said, "There are fifteen doubts in total... I wonder if Elder Shen, the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan, and the Grand Minister of Justice can submit a petition to list these doubts so that I can present the Holy Rule to my father in person?"

It sounded like a prince without any idea, which made Tian Le even happier.

Can these three people write the plain text question book?
Zhang Weixian didn't understand. He only saw Chen Ju take a step forward and bow to the prince, and said in a low and hoarse voice: "I have already made a note of it, but there is no need for the three ministers to submit a copy to ask for the emperor's decision. Otherwise, if you report it to the six departments, I am afraid that you will be criticized for being incompetent."

"…I was not thoughtful enough." Zhu Changluo sincerely "admitted his mistake" and then looked at Tian Yi, "Is there a problem in this regard?"

Tian Yi looked at Shen Yikuan and Yu Jideng with some teasing in his eyes, but his words were very clear: "The previous decree was clear, and the Ministry of Rites was ordered to follow it. It is natural for Lord Shen, the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan, and the Grand Minister of Justice to have doubts. But shouldn't they submit them to the palace first, and then ask for the emperor's judgment on whether they are appropriate? These fifteen doubts are all suggestions that the Ministry of Rites should take first. It shows the solemnity of the ceremony, and considering the health of Your Majesty, it is the ministers who should relieve the worries of the king and father. What titles to add, who to receive congratulations from, if you are afraid that everything is not right, do you want to let the Imperial Household Department do what the Ministry of Rites should do first?"

Zhang Weixian understood now: it turned out that the Ministry of Rites was unwilling to do the job, it was useless!

Yu Jideng was furious, but he said, "It's just that your Majesty has suddenly fallen ill, and there is a lot of discussion in the court and the public. There is no precedent for abdication, so I have to be cautious."

When Shen Yikuan heard him say this, his heart sank: It's bad.

Sure enough, Zhu Changluo looked at Chen Ju and Cheng Jing with doubt: "Father has suddenly contracted a stroke. Is there any discussion in the court or the public?"

"I have not received any report." Chen Ju replied first, then looked at Yu Jideng, "Grand Master, be careful with your words! Since the edict was issued, the people have been sad about your majesty's illness, but also happy that the foundation of the country has been stabilized. I wonder what discussion the Grand Master has heard?"

"We are just discussing how the ceremony will be drafted. Abdication and ascension to the throne are the first since the founding of the country. The Ministry of Rites is under public expectation and is extremely cautious." Shen Yikuan hurriedly came to the rescue, "What Eunuch Tian said is very reasonable. Your Highness, we should overcome all difficulties and relieve the worries of the king and father. However, Lords Shen and Wang have not arrived in Beijing yet, and I and the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan are also afraid that the draft will be inappropriate. Lords Shen and Wang have assisted the country for many years, and I also want to wait for them to come and discuss it together, so as not to be criticized for arbitrary decision." "Arbitrary decision?" Zhu Changluo was "confused" again, "Isn't it the wise decision of my father?"

"Your Highness, I understand clearly that this is the wise decision of Your Majesty. However, Lord Zhao has retired and returned to his hometown, and I am the only one in the cabinet for now. If I were to express my own opinions on all matters, I would inevitably be criticized for my arbitrary judgment."

He explained that this arbitrariness was not the arbitrariness of decision-making power, but the arbitrariness of advisory power.

But when he said this, his intention was already quite clear: if he wanted to speed up the preparations for the ceremony, it would be best to add another person to the cabinet before Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue arrived in Beijing. In that way, Shen Yikuan would not be suspected of being arbitrary.

"I see."

Zhu Changluo suddenly realized something and looked worried. "What should we do? Elder Shen and Elder Wang are old and the journey is long. It may take until October for them to arrive in Beijing. Elder Shen, if it is just a suspicion of arbitrary behavior, since all the ministers are here today, why don't we discuss it together and jointly submit a petition? In this way, there will be no suspicion of arbitrary behavior, right?"

Shen Yikuan was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect him to propose this.

Let other people get involved in matters that the Ministry of Rites is solely responsible for?

"Your Highness, this is against the rules..." Shen Yi Guan said quickly.

"Really?" Zhu Changluo pretended not to understand, hesitated for a moment and looked at Tian Yi, "Grand Master said there is no precedent, and now my father and grandmother are looking forward to my ascending the throne as soon as possible, so that state affairs will not be delayed because of my father's illness, and my father can rest assured to recover. Otherwise, I will go to my father and grandmother to present it and see if they can make an exception, so that we can resolve all these doubts today?"

Tian Yi bowed with a stern face and said, "I will go right away."

It doesn’t take much time to go from Wenhua Hall to Cining Palace and back.

There was no silence in Wenhua Hall during this period.

The humble and studious Crown Prince took advantage of this time to ask them for advice on state affairs, looking like someone who was trying hard to take on the heavy responsibility but was not well prepared.

Shen Yikuan was absent-minded and just answered casually.

Your Highness, being an emperor doesn’t require you to know so much in detail, as you still have your ministers to look after.

But just now they said they "didn't want to take responsibility for the arrangements of the ceremony."

Besides, what’s wrong with the successor monarch understanding state affairs?
Shen Yi Guan looked at Zhu Changluo from time to time, wondering if he was pretending to be so silly.
After several rounds of responses, I'm afraid we really have to "obey the order" to discuss it directly on the spot.

At least he was not stupid. He immediately thought of a way to stop him from using the excuse of "being autocratic".

Sure enough, Tian Yi came back not long after.

"Your Majesty approves your request. The Holy Mother Queen Mother has issued an edict: Your Majesty is ill and unable to attend to state affairs, and needs to rest and recuperate. State affairs are complicated, so it is better to hold the ceremony as soon as possible. Since all the ministers are here, we should treat it as a court meeting and arrange everything as soon as possible!"

"…Your subjects shall obey your command."

Zhu Changluo was pleased that the situation had changed: "Let's get started."

At this time, Yu Jideng took out three manuscripts from the sleeves of his court robes with some embarrassment: "Although I have many doubts, I cannot stop doing my job because of hesitation. I have already drafted a draft of the ritual and imperial edict. Since you want to discuss it in court, why don't you use this as a basis and let everyone take a look at it to see if it is appropriate."

Zhu Changluo was delighted: "Very good!"

Chen Ju clearly showed an expression of dissatisfaction towards Yu Jideng.

Do you want to be shameless?

(End of this chapter)