I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 165: The Very Anxious Gao Gong
On the morning of March 25th, the first year of Longqing.

Gao Mansion, Xinzheng, Henan.

After Gao Gong stood up, the servant brought a toothbrush, a jar of green salt, and a copper basin into the room and waited on him to wash his face and rinse his mouth.

Watching Gao Gong wipe the water stains off his face, the old servant asked, "Master, do you still want to wear plain clothes?"

Gao Gong was stunned for a moment, then he realized, "Has the 100-day national mourning period ended today?"

"Yes, a full hundred days. I have counted on my fingers and consulted the almanac with the accountant. I will never let you violate the rules."

Gao Gong was silent for a while, then waved his hand and said, "Continue to wear plain clothes, tie a white belt, and wrap your head with white cloth."

The old servant was stunned. "Master, are you still going to observe the national mourning? Will anyone gossip about it?"

"I have served the late emperor for decades. How can a hundred days of national mourning be enough to express my feelings? One year, three years, I am fine with that!"

The old servant heard the angry tone in Gao Gong's words, and immediately stopped talking. He helped Gao Gong put on a plain straight dress, tied a white silk belt, combed his hair into a bun, and wrapped it with white cloth.

After breakfast, Gao Gong felt depressed and went out for a walk.

Gao Gong was a famous scholar in the village and also a large local landlord. Along the way, villagers kept retreating to the side of the road and bowing to him in fear.

"Hail, Master Gao!"

Gao Gong forced a smile on his face and bowed: "How are you, old man?"

"Thanks to the master, everything is fine at home."

Gao Gong nodded, shook his sleeves and continued walking forward.

After walking aimlessly for half an hour, Gao Gong suddenly realized that he had come to the official road north of Gaojiazhuang. All the officials from Beijing would come through here.

Three months ago, I received the imperial edict here. I thought it was an imperial edict to recall me, but I didn't expect it was just an imperial edict issued by the emperor to posthumously honor the late emperor.

His temple name was "Shizong" and his posthumous title was "Qintian Lidao Yingyi Shengsheng Xuanwen Guangwu Hongren Shengxiaosu Emperor".

Holy!
Looking at the straight and empty official road, Gao Gong smiled sadly.

Gao Da Hu Zi, you are really crazy!

But then he thought, the 100-day national mourning period has passed, and the emperor should issue an edict to recall him. According to the court's practice, before the edict is issued, I am afraid that there will be a lot of discussion in the court and rumors will spread everywhere.

But why has it been so silent until today, as if all the civil and military officials in Beijing are wholeheartedly mourning for the late emperor?

What a joke. Gao Gong knew it. It was hard to say about the military officers and nobles, but the civil officials, including Lord Xu, probably breathed a sigh of relief and hid at home secretly rejoicing.

Could it be that some accident happened that I wasn't aware of?
The late emperor’s good grandson, and today’s Crown Prince?

Gao Gong also read the late emperor's last will.

".The Crown Prince Yijun is a man of great wisdom and intelligence, gifted by God with extraordinary talent. He has served me and has profound knowledge, known to the world. He can be made the Crown Prince, to respectfully protect the sacred artifacts, to assist my father, and to show the glory of the predecessors.

You are one ruler and one subject, father and son, and you have been diligent in carrying out the great cause. I have no regrets. I also rely on the loyal ministers at home and abroad, the civil and military officials, to work together and achieve eternal rule.

Especially the sentence "You are one as ruler and subject, and one as father and son. If you work hard to achieve great things, I will have no regrets." This is thought-provoking.

The late emperor had made a firm instruction in his will, asking the prince to assist his father and protect the sacred artifacts. He also left a special sentence: "You are the emperor and the minister, the father and the son, and you are of one mind. If you work hard to accomplish the great cause, I will have no regrets."

All the civil and military officials knew what it meant.

From now on, the Crown Prince will be watching you, so don’t even think about trying to coax the new emperor who has no ears!
But Gao Gong was confident that as long as he returned to the court, he would be able to convince the emperor to listen to his advice and reform the Ming Dynasty's long-standing malpractices and harsh policies.

But why hasn’t the emperor’s recall decree been issued yet?

Even Hai Rui, who cursed the late emperor and was sent back to Lingnan to study, was summoned back to the capital by imperial decree. Why was it not his turn yet?

Prince, Xu Jie!
Gao Gong shook his sleeves, looked at the empty official road with melancholy, and turned to leave. Before he returned to the mansion, a servant came to greet him.

"Master, there is a guest."

"Who?"

"Mr. Ge, the Minister of Rites of Nanjing."

Ge Shouli!
Gao Gong quickened his pace and soon saw a sedan chair parked in front of the mansion.

"Yokawa-kun!"

From a distance, Gao Gong bowed and greeted loudly.

Ge Shouli is 61 years old, and looks more energetic than Gao Gong. He is wearing a plain straight-collared suit and a gray Pingding square scarf on his head, and he looks dusty. "Mr. Xinzheng, I am sorry to bother you."

"I'm so sorry. I was bored staying at home, so I went out for a walk and neglected Mr. Yuchuan."

"Why be polite?"

"Come in, Lao Quan, go get some warm water and give Mr. Chuan a bath."

After washing up, Gao Gong invited Ge Shouli to sit down in the study and have some tea.

"Lord Yuchuan, you are visiting my residence this time, are you ordered to go north?"

"Yes, I am here to go to the capital. Lord Xu wants me to take charge of the Ministry of Works."

"Ministry of Industry? Where is Minister Lei?"

"Minister Lei has spent half his life building palaces for the late emperor, and he has long wanted to return home to retire."

"I see."

Gao Gong stroked his beard, feeling a little melancholy.

"Lord Xinzheng, please be patient!" Ge Shouli advised.

Gao Gong's heart moved, "Have you heard anything from Lord Chuan?"

Ge Shouli smiled slightly, "This time I took a detour to Henan and specially visited your mansion. In fact, I was entrusted by Lord Shaohu."

Gao Gong narrowed his eyes slightly, "Lord Xu asked Lord Yuchuan to come here. What does he have to teach him?"

"Haha, you tall bearded guy, you must be holding your breath, right?"

Gao Gong remained silent, just stroking his beard, his expression making it clear.

"Mr. Xinzheng, the last time you left the capital was because of a major case in Shanxi, and you were banished home by the late emperor. If you are to be summoned back to the capital, you must wait until the late emperor enters the mausoleum and the national mourning period is over. Otherwise, some imperial censors who are eager to sell their reputations will target you, Gao Xinzheng."

Gao Gong took a deep breath and said, "I know, but the capital has been so quiet these days, which makes people a little confused."

Ge Shouli used his right thumb, index finger and middle finger to pick up his beard and said softly, "On the surface, things in the capital are calm. The new emperor sent an envoy to inform the heaven and earth, the ancestral temple and the country, and ascended the throne in Fengxian Hall. He accepted the congratulations of the civil and military officials in Huagai Hall, and then issued an edict to establish the crown prince.

A few days later, after reporting to heaven and earth, the ancestral temple, and the state, the prince accepted congratulations from civil and military officials in the Wenhua Hall.

The emperor moved into the Forbidden City, and the prince moved into the Western Garden. "

"What!" Gao Gong's hand, which was stroking his beard, trembled, and a few whiskers were caught between his fingers.

"Also, the Silijian is still located in the West Garden. The eunuch holding the seal is still Huang Jin, and the eunuch holding the pen has been added to Wanfu in addition to Feng Bao, Liu Yi, Teng Xiang, and Chen Hong. The eunuch accompanying the hall has been added to Lu Yong in addition to Fang Liang, Chen Ju, and Li Chun."

Gao Gong's face was gloomy. The Imperial Household Department was actually still in the West Garden. How could this be possible!

The Imperial Household Department represented the imperial power and should follow the emperor. If the emperor returned to the Forbidden City, then the Imperial Household Department should return to the Forbidden City. In this way, the power of the court was secretly controlled by a child.

Damn!

Why do you avoid talking about these things in your letters to your good friends in Beijing?

No, I must return to the capital as soon as possible, return power to the emperor, and rectify the government! Today I will write a letter and submit it to the emperor, no longer worrying about my face.

The Ming Dynasty can no longer be in chaos. We must seize the time and put things right!

Seeing Gao Gong's expression, Ge Shouli guessed what he was thinking and said, "Shaohu Gong told me in a letter that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince suggested summoning Xinzheng Gong back to the court to join the cabinet and ask Shaohu Gong's opinion.

Lord Shaohu naturally welcomed it with both hands, but he also made it clear that the matter would have to wait until the national mourning period was over before submitting a petition to the emperor. Lord Shaohu was worried that Lord Xinzheng would be anxious and have wild thoughts, so he asked me to take advantage of the trip north to pass through Xinzheng to explain the doubts to the Lord and comfort his heart. "

What are the prince and Xu Jie up to?

He sat tall and upright in a chair with a solemn expression.

"Mr. Yuchuan, I have been reading books of sages since I was young, and I have taken the world as my responsibility. At this time when the country is in trouble, I should work hard to plan for the long-term benefit of the country. Your Majesty remembers me, and I will do my best to repay your grace!

Mr. Yuchuan, are you willing to help me shoulder the heavy responsibility of the world and be brave enough to act for the world? "

Ge Shouli laughed loudly, "Lord Xinzheng, I am willing to come here today, why do I need to say it clearly!"

Within two days, an imperial edict left the capital and headed straight to Xinzheng, Henan.

At the same time, an urgent report came rushing from Liaodong and went straight to the capital.

(End of this chapter)