Jingtai Fengyun: The First Absurd Emperor of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 525: The two ministers discuss etiquette, but the court provokes the emperor to argue tit-for-tat over filial piety
The three eunuchs of Shangshan Supervisor, Chen Xiang, the chief eunuch, Wang Qin, the admiral, and Jin Xing, the supervisor, received the order and began to arrange the wine and dishes.

Zhu Qizhen glanced at Chen Xiang and others coldly. His brother was so cautious that he even changed the supervisory position to three eunuchs to jointly take charge.If you want to poison again, the difficulty will increase exponentially.

Unexpectedly, something even more annoying happened right after: Lin Xiangyu took out two jade cups, two leather pouches, and two small oil paper bags from her pocket without any regard for royal dignity. No need to look, there must be something inside. The secret braised pork and refreshing side dishes.

Lin Xiangyu generously placed her own food on the royal table, which aroused dissatisfaction among many people.

In the past, the emperor's foundation was not stable, so everyone recognized him for being so cautious.Now that the entire inner court is under the control of the emperor, it is really too much to guard the emperor and the civil and military officials like thieves every day.

The dissatisfied ministers exchanged glances with each other, and then Li Shimian, who was offering wine at the Imperial Academy, stood up and prefaced the emperor by saying:
"Your Majesty, I think Princess Qi's behavior is inappropriate. This is a court banquet. There is no reason to prepare your own food and wine. Today, there are also envoys from foreign vassals present. If this spreads to foreign countries, what kind of decency will it be? Wouldn't it make the whole world laugh?

Moreover, Mencius said: If a king treats his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his heart and soul;
If a king treats his ministers like dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as a countryman;

If the king treats his ministers like grass and mustard, then the ministers will regard him as a bandit.

Now your Majesty treats me and others like enemies. I don’t know how your Majesty expects me to treat you. "

Zhu Qiyu frowned, but before he could reply, Liao Zhuang, the young minister of Dali Temple, also stood up and smoothed things over for Li Shimian:

"Your Majesty, I think Li Jijiu's words are wrong. Your Majesty does not regard me as a bandit, but Princess Qi has made her own decisions.

And on such an important occasion, it was inappropriate for the princess to sit at the same table as the emperor.I request your Majesty to punish Princess Qi for inappropriate behavior and expel her from the main table. "

"Hahaha, well said. As expected of a Jinshi from the Xuande Dynasty, he is mature and prudent after all. May I ask the young minister of Dali Temple, if there are any other principles to teach others?"

Liao Zhuang was also very courageous. When the emperor inquired about it, he told the emperor the unfavorable advice he had hidden in his heart for a long time:
"I don't dare to ask your Majesty for advice. When I was in court, I saw the emperor sending envoys to confer your majesty. Every time there was a festival, I would make all the ministers pay a visit to the east veranda. The courtesy was so gracious that all the ministers sighed, saying that the emperor was respectful. Such is the brotherly love.

Today, Your Majesty is entrusting the world to serve the Emperor respectfully. He is willing to visit Nangong from time to time, either to explain the family law, or to discuss the governance of the country. He can be seen by all the ministers during the annual festival to appease the Emperor's heart.Then the gods of the ancestors are at peace in heaven, and the hearts of heaven and earth are also at peace.

The prince is the foundation of the world.Respectfully let the son of the emperor, the still son of your majesty.It is advisable to ask the Confucian ministers to learn books and policies, so as to highlight the virtues of the prince, so that the people of the world will know that your majesty has the heart of serving the world. Isn't it beautiful?

Those who rule the world are Taizu and Taizong; those who succeed Renzong and Xuanzong are the world.

Respectfully let the emperor conquer the north, and it is also for this world.

Now that your Majesty has given it to you, you should remember the difficulties of our ancestors in starting a business, and think about the reason why it is connected with the hearts of the people in the world, that is, there is no better way to eliminate disasters and call for good fortune than this.

I speak from the bottom of my heart, and I hope your Majesty will accept your advice. "

Zhu Qiyu listened with a smile on his face and said to the officials: "What Liao Aiqing said is very good, and it is true and sincere advice for the country. Publish this in tomorrow's newspaper so that people all over the world can take a look.

Our Ministry of Rites happens to be short of a right minister, so Liao Aiqing should take over.I hope Aiqing can correct the etiquette and law for the court and stabilize the world. "

After saying that, Zhu Qiyu stood up with Lin Xiangyu, and continued to add: "But bringing your own drinks is my own insistence and has nothing to do with Princess Qi.

As for Princess Qi not being able to sit at the main table, Ai Qing's words are reasonable.Today is the Longevity Festival of my eldest brother, and I am only present as my younger brother, King Qi.

According to the principle Aiqing taught me, it is most appropriate for me to attend as King Tan.

However, the title of King Yin is really bad. It was the result of Sanyang's attempt to disrupt the government, bewitch the eldest brother, and drive a wedge between our brothers.

The title of King Xi is despised by few people, and we don’t want to use it as a traitor to damage the saintliness of my eldest brother, so the princess and I, as King Qi and Princess Qi, can sit quietly facing the east. "

After that, Zhu Qiyu turned around and signaled that Wang Cheng, Shu Liang, Chen Lin, Huang Qi and others personally came forward and moved the table to the west side of the lower head.

The prince was carried back to Queen Zhou, while Zhu Qiyu and Lin Xiangyu sat on the west side of the lower head, facing the screen made by Yang Xun.

The situation was now awkward, and it was in response to what Li Shimian had just said: You don't regard me as your monarch, and I don't regard you as my ministers.

Liao Zhuang was originally determined to die and wanted to win back the emperor's victory in public opinion for Gong.

Unexpectedly, the emperor actually gave in and just like a loach, he slipped out of the trap set by Liao Zhuang.

Things went completely different from what was expected, and now Liao Zhuang had no good solution: the emperor recognized this small mistake of bringing his own food and wine, what else could he do? A minister could not be disobedient because of such a trivial matter. No mercy, must the emperor be killed?

Shouldn’t Princess Qi sit at the main table?Nothing wrong, the emperor, as the king of Qi, took the princess to sit down.Now everyone has nothing to say, right?As for asking the emperor to respect and respect the emperor and treat the prince kindly, the emperor also agreed.

After the emperor's operation, it made people have nowhere to say anything.

Liao Zhuang had no choice but to bow and salute, and then retreated.After returning to his seat, Liao Zhuang looked around and could feel that many civil and military officials were glaring at him.

Especially on the side of nobles and generals, if it weren't for An Guogong and Wu Dinghou who tried their best to suppress them, there would even be military generals who wanted to rush over and take action.

After dismissing Liao Zhuang, Zhu Qiyu looked at Li Shimian and said with a sneer: "Li Jijiu, a while ago, Liu Xueshi, the attendant of the Imperial Academy, presented the "Records of the Temple of Ren" and its annotations to the widow.

Everyone has read it, but I just don’t understand a few sentences. I wonder if Li Jijiu can give me some advice? "

Li Shimian replied: "I dare not, I must tell you everything I know."

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Okay, very good. The last volume of Renmiao's "Records" is written like this:

In Ji Mao, Li Shimian and Luo Rujing, who were both studying in the Hanlin Academy, spoke out and changed the position of the Imperial Procuratorate to supervise the censor.

At night, Venus commits evil spirits. There is a star as big as a chicken, red in color, and sees a cow.

Gengchen, Shangbuyu, summoned Shangshu Jianyi, great scholars Yang Shiqi, Huang Huai, and Yang Rong to Sishanmen, ordered Shi Qishu to dispatch Zhongguan Haishou to call the crown prince.

Xin Si, who was suffering from serious illness, left an edict to pass on the crown prince to the world.

I dare to ask Li Jijiu, what did you and Renmiao talk about?

There is no record of any illness in Renmiao. Why did Renmiao become so ill immediately after summoning you?
You old man is so powerful, I dare not not prepare my own food and wine. "

As soon as the emperor said this, the whole audience was in an uproar.Although the emperor has been cautious since the change of the civil castle, he always prepares his own food and wine on all occasions.

But this is definitely the first time to publicly accuse civil servants.

The last time the emperor publicly accused him, it was against military general Yang Hong.At that time, the emperor directly called Yang Hong the Jiedushi of Xuanfu and King Yang, which was short of directly saying that he had rebelled.

When Li Jijiu heard the emperor's accusations against him, he immediately knelt down on the ground and complained tearfully: "Your Majesty, why did you say that? The Renmiao was only summoned normally, and the minister and Luo Rujing were just playing against each other normally.

Why did Your Majesty say such heart-breaking words? "

Zhu Qiyu snorted coldly, stood up and raised his hands to Zhu Qizhen and asked: "Brother, I read the secret history of the inner court, which records:

When Renmiao was in great danger, he called Xia Yuanji and said, "I was humiliated by Shi Mian."

After saying this, Tian's face changed drastically, Renmiao became furious and wanted to punish him.

Xia Yuanji said to him: "How can the words of a humble minister harm the saintly virtue? I hope that your majesty will be less powerful than before, and it will not be too late to go to the judicial department to convict him."

Ren Temple followed, and on the evening, the emperor collapsed. '

Yudi didn't understand what could make Renmiao so angry.We two brothers, as the grandsons of Renmiao, occupy the throne of the emperor but do not investigate thoroughly, isn't it a great act of unfilial piety?

If I don't investigate thoroughly, I'm afraid that the people in the world will be uneasy and think that Ren Temple is harmed by treacherous ministers.Even if Renmiao is indeed suffering from a serious illness, it should be investigated thoroughly to clear up suspicions.

The eldest brother is the elder. Please tell me how to deal with things differently. "

Zhu Qiyu's words set Zhu Qizhen up.

If Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and let the matter go, then the label of being unfilial to Renmiao would be immediately slapped off.

And in Zhu Qiyu's words, he was still accusing Xuanmiao of being unfilial: Renmiao's death was so unclear, you didn't check it, you didn't ask, you just let it go?
Are you too stupid, or do you simply not care about the life and death of Ren Temple?Or even just be optimistic about Renmiao's death?
Faced with Zhu Qiyu's various damning accusations, Zhu Qizhen was forced to make the most prudent response in a short period of time: "Li Shimian is indeed suspected, and Jinyi Prison is investigating."

(End of this chapter)