I studied in modern times

Chapter 874 No One Wants the Empress Dowager to Come Back
Empress Dowager Xiang took the verdict written by Zhao Xu in her hand and read it carefully. Her face gradually became rosy as she read.

After reading the files, Empress Dowager Xiang could no longer contain her joy. She gently hugged Zhao Xu's shoulders and praised him softly, "Sixth brother will definitely be a king like Yao and Shun in our Zhao family!"

The child's intelligence once again surprised her!

Facing Empress Dowager Xiang's gaze, Zhao Xu chuckled and replied, "This is all due to the teaching and nurturing of my mother!"

Empress Dowager Xiang was overjoyed when she heard this, and she immediately ordered her attendants, "Send the official verdict to the capital, and let all the ministers take a look!"

After finishing this, she took Zhao Xu's hand and said expectantly, "Sixth brother, please finish reviewing the other files as well!"

Empress Dowager Xiang knew that Sixth Brother had single-handedly completed the judgment of these cases in front of her today, under the watchful eyes of everyone in Baoci Palace.

And the verdict can maintain half the level of the previous one!
Then, Prince Yang will no longer have the chance to threaten the status of mother and son!
Because, in the Song Dynasty, an emperor who could independently judge a case meant that he had become completely mature politically.

This is equivalent to a crowning ceremony.

……

Dutang, it's a rare occasion that Lu Gongzhu is here on duty today.

In a sense, he came to the capital to take a break.

There was no other way. The pawnbroker business he was in charge of was too tiring!
This kind of tiredness comes not only from the body, but also from the mind.

Even on holidays, he couldn't escape from those who came to his door to plead for mercy and use their connections.

Even though he hung a "No Visitors" sign outside his house and kept the door closed all day, he still couldn't avoid those people who were good at studying.

In-laws, students, old friends...

Relatives, nobles, royal family...

There is always someone who can find a way to find a way that others cannot.

Only when he came to this capital hall could he take a break and relax his body and mind.

Because in the capital, no one would dare to go before him in front of other ministers to refute what he said.

Lu Gongzhu slowly scooped himself a bowl of brewed tea, then added icing sugar and the milk granted by the palace (sterilized at high temperature) in turn. After taking a sip of the tea carefully, he squinted his eyes.

"Comfortable!" Lu Gongzhu let out a sigh and leaned back in the chair.

"Mr. Benevolence..." Wang Di appeared at the door of his study.

"Chou Yi, what's the matter?"

"In reply to Prime Minister En, the Empress Dowager Cixi of Baoci Palace has just ordered someone to deliver the imperial criticism..."

"Imperial criticism?" Lu Gongzhu was in a daze for a moment, then he came to his senses in an instant: "Send it in quickly!"

During the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizong and Emperor Zhenmiao both personally governed Kaifeng Prefecture.

Therefore, officials of all dynasties would participate in and preside over the trials and judgments of the Dali Temple, and even personally make judgments on some cases.

This is called 'inheriting the aspirations of our ancestors'!
It can even be said that the Zhao emperors did not understand military affairs or economics; they could be slapped by the empress in the palace (Renzong), and they could not dare to take concubines because they were henpecked (Yingzong).

But he must absolutely not be ignorant of how to try and judge cases.

Since the Zhen Temple, every generation of Emperor Zhao would personally preside over and participate in the trial of several cases, and write down the verdict to announce to the world - I have inherited the aspirations of the saints and glorified the virtues of my ancestors!

Now, the current emperor has also begun to get involved in the trial of the case.

Even wrote a verdict?!
This made Lu Gongzhu start to look forward to it.

Because, if when he was the left prime minister, the emperor completed the judicial trial alone and wrote a verdict that was enough to shock the court and the public.

Then his historical status will be increased by one level.

From a meritorious official who supported the young master, he became a minister who assisted the young master and completed the crucial transition from learning how to govern the country to ruling the country himself!
This is the template of Zhou Gong!
And among the literati, who doesn’t want to be the next Duke of Zhou?
So, when Wang Di handed the files sent from the palace to Lu Gongzhu, he immediately opened them and read them carefully.

When he saw the places circled in red ink on the file, a knowing smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Let’s look at the words written by the emperor.

It was no longer possible for Lu Gongzhu to restrain himself.

He immediately said to Wang Di: "Cui Yi, take my seal and call the ministers of the two governments to discuss the matter!"

The emperor's imperial criticism was a big event in the Song Dynasty. According to convention, all the officials in the capital had to gather together to discuss and praise it, and then everyone would write a note of praise to extol the emperor's virtues and praise his policies.

For example, when Emperor Ren Miao personally tried the case, he wrote the verdict: Human life is of paramount importance and must be treated with caution.

At that time, there was an immediate wave of praise both inside and outside the government.

Later on, all ministers who were qualified to submit memorials submitted congratulations.

Because people soon discovered that it seemed that most people had submitted letters of congratulations.

How conspicuous would it be if I wasn't among them?

I'm afraid it will be easy to be suspected by the palace - So, do you have any opinions about me? If you have any opinions, just say it directly! There's no need to be shy and hide it. I'm not a king like Jie or Zhou, I won't ignore your advice!
Today, the current government personally participates in judging cases and writes such warm and compassionate verdicts.

Naturally, it is worthy of discussion by all the officials in the capital.

Then he mobilized all the ministers to submit a memorial to express congratulations together!
Not to mention, Lu Gongzhu had his own selfish motives.

"Kuncheng Festival is not far away..."

Lu Gongzhu watched Wang Di disappear from his sight and said, "According to tradition, every holy day, he must go to the main hall to receive the congratulations of the ministers."

"If so, the Qingshou Palace can take advantage of the situation and resume its hearing..."

The impact of the Zhang Dunli case has gradually faded.

The Empress Dowager of Qingshou Palace successfully eliminated the fear in the hearts of the scholars and officials by hiding for two months.

Many people even think that Qingshou Palace is truly a virtuous queen!

In order to avoid suspicion, he simply did not go to the main hall!
But how would these people know that it was the Qingshou Palace that didn’t want to occupy the main hall?
wrong!
It was the ministers who, after the initial three requests for the Empress Dowager to have the throne in the main hall, simply gave up on requesting again for the throne in the main hall of Qingshou Palace.

The reasons for this are complicated.

But in the final analysis, the prime ministers today are all aware of one problem - the emperor is getting older, has begun to take power, and has even established his own team.

Under such circumstances, the two-palace curtain system established in the eighth year of Yuanfeng began to appear annoying, even offensive.

The eyesore and disgust here have nothing to do with the palace.

But it was the thoughts of the ministers in the court.

Many, many people, from the New Party to the Old Party, from military officials to nobles.

They are increasingly finding the current system of two houses ruling the country annoying and even disgusting.

They all wanted to let the emperor take power immediately!

The composition of these people is very complex.

There are those who simply hate a female ruler, those who think that the two palaces are incapable of governing the country, and those who call themselves the emperor's party.

Of course, the majority are speculators.

Moreover, as time goes by, the number of speculators is growing.

Speculators may not be good at other things, but when it comes to fanning the flames, stirring up public opinion, and standing on the moral high ground to point fingers at others and make indirect accusations, they are definitely the best in the world!

To be honest, these people just have a loud voice and a high tone, but their actual influence on politics is almost zero.

This is because the current emperor has never expressed or hinted in public or private that he wants to take power early.

Therefore, the voices of these people, without any supporting force, can only be regarded as noise.

But the thing is…these sounds actually exist in reality.

Yes, now the emperor has not expressed any dissatisfaction with the two palaces, and has not even hinted at the intention of taking power personally.

However, history has repeatedly told people that people will change.

Especially a creature like the emperor.

Teenagers, young adults, middle-aged people, and elderly people all have different mentalities and completely different ideas.

When Ren Miao was young, wasn't he unfilial to Zhangxian Mingsu?

But what happened after he took power?

The Liu family was almost wiped out!
Lu Gongzhu's father, Lu Yijian, was an eyewitness to that period of history.

Therefore, Lu Gongzhu knew very well that once the future emperor took power.

That, no matter what his attitude towards the two palaces is.

He would inevitably initiate a political purge of the Yuanyou curtain period.

In this way, he could completely grasp power and also show the world that there is only one sun in the Song Dynasty, and that is the emperor!
All the subjects in the world can only be loyal to one person - that is me!
Therefore, those voices became voices that the ministers could not ignore.

It is a political factor that must be taken seriously!

Otherwise, when the emperor takes power in the future, if someone seizes on the attitudes of these ministers today to criticize them, the only ones who will be in trouble will be their descendants.

However, the ministers were not in a position to express their views on this issue.

After all, in the final analysis, this is the Zhao family's own family affair.

If outsiders get involved, no matter how careful they are, it is easy to offend both sides.

The ministers were also desperate.

Coincidentally, at this time, the case of Zhang Dunli's treason broke out.

As soon as the Qingshou Palace announced "avoid the main hall", everyone celebrated!

The fact that the ministers of the capital had not even taken the symbolic step of submitting a petition to "invite the Grand Empress Dowager to the main hall" in the past two months was clear proof!
People's hearts have completely leaned towards those who call on the emperor to take power as soon as possible.

Moreover, the deflection began to become irreversible.

By now, even Lu Gongzhu felt that it would be better for the Empress Dowager of Qingshou Palace not to come out to attend government affairs anymore.

To avoid embarrassment for her, the court officials, and the emperor.

But, I don’t know how to start this sentence!
Should we go and tell the Qingshou Palace directly - Your Majesty, you are old and the emperor is getting older, so you might as well spend your remaining years in the palace and don't get involved in the affairs of the outer court anymore?

However, as the Kuncheng Festival approaches, it seems inevitable that the Qingshou Palace will resume its role in government.

This really made Lu Gongzhu worried and he had a lot more white hair.

Fortunately, the palace solved this problem itself.

Lu Gong held the document with the emperor's imperial approval in his hand, his eyes shining with brilliance.

"After discussing with the other officials in the capital, I will submit a joint petition with you to congratulate the two palaces and the emperor!"

"We should mobilize the elder ministers, royal family relatives, noble military officials... to submit a collective petition to express congratulations!"

"The country is fortunate, and the world is blessed!"

"We should report this to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and present it before the spirits of our ancestors!"

"We should also send envoys in the name of the court to the Yongyu Mausoleum and Yonghou Mausoleum to offer sacrifices to the late emperor and the Ying Temple!"

In this case, can Qingshou Palace still be the main hall as expected?

No more!
Even if she had the audacity to come out, the court officials would follow Han Qi's good example and force her back.

From then on, the two palaces would rule the country from behind the curtain, with the empress dowager handling minor affairs and the emperor making arbitrary decisions on military and national affairs.

The year after next, the emperor will be fourteen years old.

The curtains will also be removed at Baoci Palace!
This completely ended the Yuanyou system of ruling from behind the scenes and returned all power to the emperor!
……

The major events of the Song Dynasty generally could not be kept secret.

Even within the Forbidden City, this is what happened.

Not to mention what happens inside the capital.

Therefore, when Lu Gong sent Wang Di with his seal, he summoned the ministers of the two governments to the capital hall for a meeting.

The ministers who were resting at home or working in other government offices rushed to the capital hall.

The relevant matters have already been spread to those powerful families.

Some people even got transcribed copies of the files from the Tongjian Division.

Wen Yanbo was undoubtedly the most well-informed among them.

Almost shortly after Lu Gongzhu ordered Wang Di to summon the ministers of the two governments, he got the copy.

This is because the place where he lives is very close to the imperial city.

This was also because his son Wen Yiqing worked in the Tongjiansi.

Although, he is just an idle person who does not hold any specific duties and only drinks tea.

But he can still access many things that outsiders cannot access.

What's more, Empress Dowager Xiang had no intention of hiding anything from anyone!

The Tongjiansi even provided convenience for the children of powerful and wealthy who were drinking tea in the government office to go home and inform the government - Guo Zhongxiao not only opened the Donghua Gate, but also asked people to help feed the horses of these people and repair their horses' hooves.

They just had to take the copied documents, walk to Donghua Gate, ride their horses and return home quickly.

So, Wen Yiqing rushed home in just a quarter of an hour and handed the copied document, the ink of which was not even dry yet, to Wen Yanbo.

After receiving the file, Wen Yanbo just glanced at it. His originally sleepy eyes immediately lit up and he sat up straight.

He suddenly transformed from an old man lying on an armchair, basking in the sun, looking so old that he even had difficulty walking, into a politician full of energy and fighting spirit!

After Wen Yanbo finished reading the files, Wen Yiqing was surprised to find that his old father's spirit and energy had been completely renewed.

At this moment, the old father even has some of the flavor of the early years of Xining when he was in the court.

"quick!"

"Prepare pen, ink and paper for me!"

"I would like to go up to the table to congratulate you!"

He is the Grand Tutor, and is in charge of important military and national affairs!

He can't be absent for such things!

Not only can he not be absent, he also has to express his position and ideas as quickly as possible.

It would be best if you could send your congratulatory message to the palace before everyone else, even before the ministers of the two governments!

Wen Yanbo knew that as long as he could do this, he would definitely be able to give Shisan Niang extra points!

Whether in front of Empress Dowager Xiang or in the emperor's heart, Shisan Niang will be more recognized.

This is the way for the foreign relatives of the Song Dynasty to survive.

(End of this chapter)