Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2412: The Duke is not an assistant, but a regent (Part )

The crown prince's ascension to the throne is a top priority, but before the crown prince ascends the throne, the emperor's edict needs to be issued first, otherwise all matters will be meaningless.

According to the discussion of the three ministers just now, the cabinet quickly drafted the edict and sent it to the prince first according to the convention - actually it was sent to the empress for review. However, the empress did not open the book after listening to it. She only asked the eunuch to take it back to the cabinet and said: "In accordance with the emperor's will, all matters are to be handled by the prime minister."

Gao Youshi and others respectfully accepted the imperial edict and asked the Imperial Household Department to use the imperial seal to issue the emperor's will:

I inherited the throne at a young age and have reigned for more than thirty years. When I first ascended the throne, I had great ambitions, and with the help of my ministers, the world has been peaceful, which makes me feel very happy.

I have been in the same class with Gao Youshi since childhood. We have a lifelong friendship that I will never forget. Gao Youshi is a man of both talent and virtue. He has been by my side, learning from me and honing my character. I have benefited a lot from him. When I ascended the throne, Gao Youshi devoted all his loyalty and wisdom to assist the court. He has made great achievements in military and political affairs, improved domestic affairs, managed the country, pacified the south and the north, conquered the west and the east, and consolidated my country for me. He has made unprecedented contributions. I have such a classmate and minister, what regrets do I have!

Since I returned from the north, I have been ill for a long time and have been quiet for a while. I have not attended the suburban temples or the morning lectures. I have been thinking day and night and have been filled with regrets. I was just planning to rise up and help the world reform, but I have fallen ill and am almost unable to get up. It is up to future generations to make amends for my mistakes.

The Crown Prince is still young, but he is intelligent, benevolent and filial. I think he will be able to succeed the throne and should be the heir to the throne. I recommend that he cultivate himself and work hard, be close to the wise and accept advice, and achieve great things. I have specially appointed Jingguo Gong Gao Youshi as an important minister to assist him, and the Crown Prince should treat him as his father. Before he comes of age, the Crown Prince cannot rule the country himself, and all state affairs are decided by Gao Youshi. Gao Youshi should assist the Crown Prince with all his heart and guide him to be a saint. When he is virtuous and upright in the future, he can rule the world and protect the foundation of our Ming Dynasty for eternity.

I shall follow the example of the last emperor and appoint a tutor to accompany the crown prince. Gao Luo is from a distinguished family and has a pure and good character, which I have known for a long time. It is appropriate to appoint him to be a tutor to the crown prince, so that he can emulate his father and work with the crown prince to become a great man, and continue the good story of the monarch and his subjects.

Queen Wang is gentle and virtuous, a model for the whole country. Since entering the palace, she has performed her duties conscientiously and made great contributions to the management of the harem. After I leave, I hope she will take good care of the prince and teach him well.

Imperial Concubine Zheng has always been favored by me, but she may have acted inappropriately recently, which has caused trouble. I remember that she has served me for many years and we have a deep friendship. I cannot bear to criticize her harshly, so I ordered her to rest in another palace and reflect on her mistakes behind closed doors, which has preserved my old friendship. Unexpectedly, the Imperial Concubine deeply regretted her mistakes and apologized to me. I am moved by her feelings and now pardon her from the blame. The ministers do not need to investigate further.

Prince Fu Changxun is kindhearted, but he is deeply implicated by the situation, so he should be sent to Luoyang as soon as possible. I have asked the Prime Minister to take good care of him, and Prince Fu should also abide by his duties and live up to my expectations.

Zheng Guotai, Li Wenjin and others harbored evil intentions, created trouble and disrupted the government. Although they have been brought to justice, their crimes must not be ignored. The Cabinet and the Ministry of Justice should thoroughly investigate the remaining members and deal with them according to the law to rectify the national law. Grand Secretary Shen Yikuan may be involved in this, and he should be dismissed from his post pending investigation. After the investigation, he will be dealt with according to the law to rectify the court.

I have thought that there have been many wars in recent years. Although we have expanded our territory, it is inevitable that people's livelihood has been harmed. Now I order that all corresponding taxes and new weaving and burning items be stopped, so that the people can have a rest. The judicial authorities should quickly investigate and try the prisoners in various places, and release those who should be released to show my leniency.

During the recent rebellion, the two armies guarding Jizhen were loyal and brave. I have already issued a reward, and now I will double the amount from the treasury as a reward. The merits of the fallen soldiers should not be forgotten. They should be quickly honored and their descendants should be given a blessing to comfort their loyal souls.

The cabinet should appoint capable and virtuous ministers as soon as possible; the ministers and high-ranking officials should also be appointed as soon as possible. The officials who have been selected twice and dismissed from the imperial court should be appointed immediately. The ministers who have been convicted and implicated for making suggestions can be appointed according to the circumstances, so as to recruit more talented people to assist the new monarch. The cabinet should select good places for King Rui, King Hui, and King Gui, and order them to be established as vassal states as soon as possible to protect the royal family.

The funeral ceremony follows the old system, with the day replacing the month, and mourning clothes being removed on the 27th. Folk music and marriage are not prohibited. The royal family and princes are given priority and are not allowed to leave their home countries without permission. The governors, garrisons, and officials of the three departments of each place are in charge of their local affairs and are not allowed to leave their posts without permission. On the day of the death, they can only mourn for three days in their place, and officials are sent to offer incense on their behalf. The guards, prefectures, counties, and civil and military officials are all exempted from offering incense.

Announce it to the whole world, and let everyone know. "

After the will was issued, Gao Youshi still had things to do. As the crown prince was still young, he first issued a crown prince decree on his behalf, the general content of which was as follows:

He ordered the First Battalion of the Imperial Guard to enter the city and strengthen the defenses of all gates and palaces inside and outside the imperial city; he ordered the Second Battalion of the Imperial Guard to guard the emperor's mausoleum at Tianshou Mountain.

He ordered Gao Youshi, the Grand Secretary of Zhongji Palace, to continue to preside over state affairs as before; he ordered Zhao Zhigao, the Grand Secretary of Jianji Palace, to go to Tianshou Mountain to survey the late emperor's mausoleum; and he ordered Zhou Yongquan, the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace, to assist in military affairs in the capital.

He ordered the Governor-General of Xuanda, the Governor-General of Jiliao and others to strictly guard the borders and that all troops were not allowed to leave their posts without permission; he ordered the General-in-Chief of Jizhen, the General-in-Chief of Datong, the General-in-Chief of Xuanfu and others to dispatch troops to strictly guard the border passes.

Order the Minister of Rites Yu Shenxing and others to make detailed arrangements for the funeral of the late emperor...

After this, Gao Youshi still had to work hard.

On that day, Grand Secretary Gao Youshi and others submitted a petition for the throne. Gao Youshi personally drafted the petition, which was sincere and detailed in detail the key significance of the crown prince's succession to the stability of the country and the continuation of the country. He praised the crown prince for his intelligence, benevolence and filial piety, and his qualifications to rule the world. He begged the crown prince to obey the will of heaven and ascend the throne as soon as possible. After the petition was drafted, it was stamped with the seal of the chief minister of the cabinet, and signed by Gao Youshi, Zhao Zhigao and Zhou Yong, two cabinet ministers, and nine ministers.

Soon, the palace replied that the Crown Prince was mourning in the Renzhi Hall and did not answer.

The next day, Grand Secretary Gao Youshi and other civil and military officials, led the army and civilians, and presented a petition to persuade the crown prince to ascend the throne. In this petition, Gao Youshi further emphasized the urgency of the current situation and the heavy responsibility the crown prince shoulders, and his words were more sincere, begging the crown prince to put the country first and not refuse.

"Now that the chaos has just settled, people are at peace. The Crown Prince is the legitimate heir of the previous emperor, and is destined by heaven. Your Highness is intelligent, benevolent, and filial, and everyone in the court has witnessed it. If Your Highness does not take over the throne, there may be changes that endanger the country. I hope Your Highness will consider the people of the world and not refuse again."

The palace sent a message back saying that the Crown Prince had issued a message in the Renzhi Hall saying, "Please read the letter you sent. You are deeply concerned about the country, but I am still in deep grief. How can you let me know about the succession so soon? Your request is not granted."

The next day, the Empress and the Crown Prince wore mourning clothes and went to the Wenhua Palace. Gao Youshi and others did not slack off and immediately submitted a third petition. This time, the petition was sincere and almost begged the Crown Prince to succeed the throne. It read: "Now the whole world is eagerly waiting, hoping that Your Highness will ascend the throne and comfort the people. The late emperor's will is still there. If Your Highness refuses again, it may violate the late emperor's wishes and chill the hearts of the people. We implore Your Highness to ascend the throne immediately to rectify the country's foundation and calm the people's hearts."

After the Empress and the Crown Prince finished reading the document, they summoned the Chief Minister Gao Guoshi to the palace to make a statement. Soon, the Crown Prince issued a decree: "You have made earnest comments for the sake of the royal family and the country, but after reading it, I feel even more grief-stricken. How can I bear to succeed to the throne so soon? Your request is not granted."

But this time, the civil and military officials did not leave, and all knelt inside and outside the Wenhua Hall to beg. Gao Youshi then went into the hall alone again to ask for an audience, and explained the intentions of all the officials: If the prince does not ascend the throne, then we, the ministers, will not rise.

Then the Empress read the sutra on behalf of the Crown Prince, and summoned the cabinet ministers, the seal-holders of the five ministries, the governor of the Beijing garrison, the six ministers, the Left Censor-in-Chief and other officials behind the curtain, and had them come into the palace to deliver their speeches.

After a long time, the emperor issued an order saying: "You have made your request together twice and three times, and you have been sincere and earnest. The throne is of great importance and it is difficult to be vacant for long. Moreover, the will is in my heart. I dare not decline and will comply with your request." He also ordered the Ministry of Rites to choose a day to report the request with the ceremony.

On the same day, fresh bamboo shoots (meaning: sir) were given to assistant ministers, lecturers, and officials of the third rank and above in various government offices. Then the Ministry of Rites submitted the notes on the enthronement ceremony.

After the news came out, the court was filled with joy, even diluting the sadness of the late emperor's death. Ministers followed the custom and presented congratulations to the prince, and began to prepare for the coronation ceremony.

In particular, the officials of the Ministry of Rites, such as Yu Shenxing, the Minister of Rites, were extremely busy. Yu Shenxing personally led the officials of the Ministry of Rites to carefully plan every detail of the enthronement ceremony, from the process of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, ancestral temples, and the land and grain, to the etiquette norms and personnel arrangements for the enthronement ceremony, which were repeatedly discussed and confirmed. Gao Yousi continued to coordinate the overall situation, not only to ensure the smooth progress of the enthronement ceremony, but also to handle various affairs in the court. He maintained close communication with military generals, strengthened the defense of the capital, and prevented any possible unexpected situations. At the same time, he also had to start to rectify the administration of officials, eliminate the remnants of Zheng Guotai and Li Wenjin, and stabilize the order of the court.

In the folk, when the people heard that the prince was about to ascend the throne, they also rushed to tell each other. Although most people have limited knowledge of court politics, they also know that the ascension of a new emperor often means a new beginning. Even if the late emperor has the great cause of reviving the Ming Dynasty, after all, the capital has recently encountered misfortunes, and people have to worry that as his achievements grow, the emperor will gradually become stupid - this is not a strange thing, after all, Sejong was also wise in his early years, but later...

In short, everyone was looking forward to a more stable life under the rule of the new emperor. The streets and alleys were full of discussions about the upcoming coronation ceremony, and the entire capital was immersed in a solemn and festive atmosphere, seemingly forgetting the late emperor who had brought the Ming Dynasty back to its former glory.

Perhaps, they would rather forget the bloody storm in the capital a few days ago - even if this incident was settled by the prime minister in a flash.

As the day of the coronation ceremony approached, the palace was decorated with lanterns and lanterns, giving it a brand new look. The craftsmen of the Production and Construction Corps carefully repaired the palace and arranged gorgeous decorations; the officials of the Ministry of Rites rehearsed the ceremony process day and night to ensure that everything went well; the eunuchs and palace maids also performed their duties and were busy preparing for the ceremony.

As for Gao Youshi and the other ministers, they dared not slack off in the slightest. This coronation ceremony was not only a major event for the crown prince, but also a key event related to the future direction of the entire Ming Dynasty, and it must be a complete success.

The next day, the Ministry of Rites selected three possible new reign titles for the emperor and sent them to the cabinet. Gao Fusi looked confused after reading them, and Yu Shenxing thought he was dissatisfied, so he asked what was wrong. Gao Fusi forced a smile and said, "Nothing was wrong, I was just confused for a moment."

Then he went to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to ask for an audience with Queen Wang. The Queen still said that she would never interfere in government affairs, and ordered the Imperial Household Department to write three pieces of paper and let the prince draw lots. The prince thought his mother was playing a game with him, so he smiled and chose one for her.

Queen Wang did not even look at it, but turned and handed it to Gao Fushi. Gao Fushi took the paper ball, unfolded it, and looked very strange.

"What's the reign title?" The Queen didn't know what Gao Youshi meant by this expression, so she just asked out of curiosity. It seemed that although she had repeatedly stated that she would not interfere in state affairs, she was still concerned about what reign title her son had found.

When asked by the Queen, Gao Youshi finally calmed down and said with a laugh, "Taichang."

The Queen said happily: "These are two good words, but I don't know where they came from and what they mean."

"It is taken from the Book of Changes, which means harmony between all things and prosperity." Gao Youshi explained with a smile, "It means that your majesty has just ascended the throne, and you should usher in a prosperous era and start a prosperous fortune. Your Majesty, this name is in line with the will of heaven."

The Queen was even more delighted and thanked him, "Thank you for your explanation, sir. I am really happy for him to have such a great talent as you to assist my son. I am also happy for the Emperor... for the late Emperor."

When Zhu Yijun was mentioned, the Queen's joy disappeared instantly, sadness surged on her face again, her eyes turned red and she was about to cry.

Gao Youshi immediately lowered his eyes and changed the subject, saying, "Your Majesty, please accept my condolences. I have something else to report."

The queen tried hard to control her emotions, took a deep breath, and calmed down before saying, "If it's government affairs, you don't need to ask me, just make your own decision. This is... the will of the late emperor."

Gao Youshi couldn't help but feel a little emotional. If she really thought about her deep affection for the emperor, it was not just Concubine Zheng. Could it be that the Empress had sent her? Apart from other things, just in terms of following the Emperor's will, no Empress in history could do better than her - the late Emperor said that I have the final say in government affairs, and she, the soon-to-be-appointed Empress Dowager, really didn't even ask.

"Your Majesty, this matter is not only a political affair, but also a major event of the royal family. I still have to explain it to you." Gao Youshi said solemnly, but he still couldn't raise his head.

When the queen heard this, she asked, "Oh, what is it?"

Gao Guoshi said: "The Ministry of Rites has issued a ceremonial document... It's time to give the Empress Dowager and you two concubines the title of Emperor. I wonder what you have to say?"

"I don't have much to say. The Queen Mother just happened to talk to me about it yesterday. She said that things have been bothering her lately and she doesn't want to ask about it." After a pause, the Queen continued, "It's just that the Queen Mother said that she... lost her son in her old age, and my younger brother got involved in such a bad thing. She feels very uncomfortable and wants me to ask the Prime Minister something."

Gao Youshi suddenly became alert subconsciously, raised his head and asked, "What does the Queen Mother want to ask?"

The Queen smiled bitterly and said, "The Queen Mother wants to ask you, sir, can she leave the palace and live in seclusion in a temple, so that she can always be with the green lamp and the ancient Buddha and mourn for the late emperor? Alas, she has always worshipped Buddha, but now she is so old and has encountered such an accident. She is inevitably depressed. These two days, she has been saying that the reason why the late emperor died in his prime is that he committed too many sins in expanding the territory over the years. It is useless for me to persuade her again and again..."

Gao Youshi breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself that I had thought too much. However, if it comes to murder, the emperor was only indirectly responsible, and I was the executioner... How many murders have I committed in my life?

He hesitated for a moment and replied, "I think this is feasible, but the Empress Dowager... well, the Empress Dowager left the palace and lived in seclusion in a temple. After all, this is a precedent in our dynasty, so we must take some measures.

For example, we need to select a clean and tidy nunnery for the Grand Empress Dowager, and select some nuns who are well versed in Buddhism and young and strong to take care of the Empress Dowager's daily life. In short, it will take some time. I hope your Majesty and the Empress Dowager can explain all these things. "

The Queen sighed and nodded, saying, "I understand this matter, but... Alas, I have been ordered by the late Emperor to take care of the prince's growth, so from now on it will be inconvenient for me to pay my respects to you and see your mother every day."

Gao Fusi muttered to himself: Only you care so much about etiquette. If it were me, I would wish to see her less often.

Although Gao Youshi was complaining in his heart, it did not hinder his performance. He said with a sad face: "Your Majesty is right. I think so too."

The Queen probably felt that she shouldn't meet with a foreign minister for too long, so she tactfully ordered him to leave: "When you leave later, could you please let Yongning know on my behalf and ask her to bring Gao Luo to live in the palace tomorrow so that he can get to know the prince sooner?"

Gao Youshi was very smart and immediately replied, "I will obey your order. If your Majesty has no other instructions, I will take my leave."

"Then I'll trouble you sir. Take care, sir."

Gao Youshi bowed and left the Qianqing Palace.
-

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