I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 314: People outside are unwilling to give in, and people inside are restless

A banquet was being held in a side hall of the Wanshou Palace in Xiyuan.

Huang Jin, Li Fang, Feng Bao, Wan Fu, Liu Yi, Yang Jinshui, Fang Liang, Chen Ju, Li Chun, Qi Yan and others were able to employ eunuchs, and all of them were present.

Zhu Yijun first took them to the Renshou Hall, which was previously the Renshou Palace, to pay homage to Emperor Jiajing who had ascended to become a sage.

After each person lit three incense sticks in front of the portrait and kowtowed, they moved to the Wanshou Palace.

Zhu Yijun glanced at everyone and said, "Feng Bao, read it."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Feng Bao picked up a scroll of imperial edict and read aloud: "The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, decrees that,"

Everyone fell to their knees, with Huang Jin and Li Fang kneeling at the front.

"Eunuch Huang Jin, the seal-bearing eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, and eunuch Li Fang, the pen-bearing eunuch, were diligent in their duties and loyal to the country. They were ordered to leave the palace for honor and retirement. Huang Jin was given the title of Loyalty Earl and the title of Special Advancement Ronglu Doctor; Li Fang was given the title of Guanglu Doctor. Each of them was given a house and 5,000 taels of silver as a reward for their honor and retirement.

But if there is a request, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Ceremonies shall not privately withhold or obstruct the emperor's order!"

Huang Jin and Li Fang kowtowed repeatedly with tears in their eyes.

"Thank you, God! Thank you, God!"

Everyone was filled with emotion.

The only eunuch who was granted a title was Cao Jixiang during the Tianshun Dynasty. He was awarded the title because of his meritorious service in the Battle of the Gate.

Now there is another Huang Jin, who relies on having followed and served the late Emperor Jiajing for his entire life.

Many people also understood the meaning of the last sentence in the edict, "But if there is a request, the Tongzhengshisi and Silijian shall not privately withhold or hinder it."

The prince was worried that Huang Jin and Li Fang would lose their power and be bullied after leaving the palace.

Huang Jin and Li Fang deserve such generous treatment!

"Feng Bao, Yang Jinshui, quickly help Mr. Huang up. Chen Ju, Qi Yan, help Mr. Li up." Zhu Yijun ordered.

He decided to reward Huang Jin generously, not only because he had served the emperor wholeheartedly throughout his life, but more importantly, in the 41st year of Jiajing, he entered the Western Garden as the prince of Yu.

He gradually stood on his side and used the Imperial Household Department and the Eastern Depot to secretly help him.

To overthrow Yan Shifan, protect Hu Zongxian, and suppress Xu Jie would not have been carried out so smoothly without Huang Jin's help.

When his father ascended the throne, Huang Jin secretly handed over the entire inner court to himself.

He is the ancestor of the inner court and has been in charge of the inner court for more than 40 years for the emperor. He has planted countless spies and manpower in the Forbidden City.

All these resources are transferred to myself.

Otherwise, how could he have taken over the Forbidden City so quickly?
How could I let my father live happily in the Forbidden City without any distractions?

These achievements are worthy of being conferred the title of Earl.

"Mr. Huang, please choose a nephew to adopt as your heir, and he will carry on your legacy in the future."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Huang Jin has nephews and nieces, and one of his nieces even married Lu Bing's son.

He also knew that his earldom was a reward, not earned through military merit, and that he could not enjoy the treatment of hereditary succession and being one with the country.

He wanted his earldom to be like the earldom of the Lu family. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, out of consideration for the late emperor, would decree that the title be passed on for another one or two generations.

After several hundred years, the new emperor will not remember the friendship and will naturally strip him of his title.

So His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did not say that he would inherit your title, he only said that he would inherit your bloodline.

"Mr. Li, you have been lonely since childhood, without any relatives or friends. It would be better for you to go to Yi Nian Tang, where there are many orphans. You can choose one you like and raise him as your son to carry on the family line."

"Thank you, Prince!"

After giving the instructions, Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "Everyone, sit down."

When everyone sat down around the round table, Zhu Yijun finally sat down at the head of the table and said to everyone, "Mr. Huang and Mr. Li are your godfathers, your predecessors, and your role models.

The banquet I'm hosting tonight is a family banquet. You must toast to the two of you a few glasses later."

"Yes!"

Everyone responded in unison.

Zhu Yijun turned to Huang Jin and Li Fang and said, "Mr. Huang, Mr. Li, my father is busy with something, so I'm asking you to drink a cup to preserve the relationship between master and servant."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty's grace is so great, and I am so grateful!"

Well, everyone knows that the emperor in the Forbidden City will not remember this. This is just a polite remark from the prince.

An hour later, Huang Jin and Li Fang tactfully said goodbye and left through Xiyuan's Xi'an Gate.

Before getting on the sedan chair, Huang Jin and Li Fang knelt down and kowtowed three times to Xiyuan. When they raised their heads, their faces were already covered with tears.

Wanfu returned to the Forbidden City, while Liu Yi and Fang Liang also left due to personal matters.

Only Feng Bao, Chen Ju and Qi Yan were left by Zhu Yijun's side.

"Feng Bao."

"I'm here!" "The Imperial Household Department and the Inner Court will be in your hands from now on. Do your job with all your heart."

"I will do my best even if I die."

"Return to Qinzheng Hall."

"Your Highness, it's getting late." Feng Bao advised.

"Such a big thing happened in Liaodong. I can't sleep."

After returning to the Qinzheng Hall, Zhu Yijun stood in front of the map of the northeast and looked at it for half an hour.

Feng Bao, Chen Ju and Qi Yan looked at each other, wanting to persuade him but not knowing how.

"Qi Yan, is there any latest urgent report from the Supervisory Office?"

"To reply to Your Highness, there is no more for the time being."

"Tumen Khan suddenly got the idea! He knew how to attack from the west while making a pretext to attack from the east. This time he even put his life and property on the line."

Feng Bao, like Chen Ju and Qi Yan, had read the urgent report. He stepped forward and took the opportunity to persuade them, "Your Highness, why don't you issue an edict to the front?"

"Issue an edict at this time?" Zhu Yijun turned his head and looked at him.

"Now Tan Lun, Zhou Guotai and Wei Jianping are facing 90,000 Tartars. 60,000 Chahar cavalry and 30,000 Jurchens are all desperate men fighting a desperate battle.

Qi Jiguang and Li Chengliang were pinned down in the Liaohe River Basin by Heishitan's 20,000 to 30,000-strong detachment, and there was no way to rescue them.

At this time, what decree should I issue to the front? "

"Your Highness can issue an edict to encourage them."

"Encouragement? What they need now is not encouragement, but trust!" Zhu Yijun glanced at the map of Northeast China, turned around and sat down on the chair.

Chen Ju was also a little anxious.

If Liaodong suffers a major defeat, there will be a huge upheaval in the political situation, and the crown prince will be the first to bear the brunt.

"Your Highness, Liaodong cannot be defeated! Crown Prince, you are wise and brave, why don't you issue an order to them and show them a clear way forward."

Zhu Yijun looked up at Chen Ju and understood what he meant.

He simply issued a secret decree, stating the interests involved and asking Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang to fight to the utmost and not to fail.

"Do you think I'm a god? I know the enemy situation better than the commander on the front line? Without knowing the enemy situation, no matter how wise and brave I am, I can't come up with a good strategy to fight the enemy.

Don't let your imagination run wild. Now it all depends on Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang. I trust them."

A eunuch walked to the door and reported: "Report! The Supervisory Office sent the latest urgent news from the South China Sea."

"Bring it in!"

Qi Yan walked to the door, took it, turned around and walked quickly, holding it with both hands to Zhu Yijun.

Zhu Yijun took it, read ten lines at a glance, and finished it hurriedly, looking a little unhappy.

"The Spanish are really cunning!"

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

"Yu Dayou led the South China Sea Navy's Left Battalion to arrive at Malacca Longtou Port, and the patrol fleet of the South China Sea Navy's Middle Battalion learned of it, and the main force of the Spanish Navy rushed over.

It seems that they want to take advantage of Yu Dayou's lack of foothold in Malacca and catch him off guard."

Feng Bao, Chen Ju and Qi Yan looked at each other.

The dilemma in the north has not been resolved yet, and trouble has arisen again in the south.

If the Spaniards were to deal a heavy blow to Yu Dayou's troops, the war in the South China Sea would have gotten off to a bad start.

If Tan Lun in the north cannot be stopped, Tumen Khan will lead his troops into Liaodong.

The Northern Expedition and Southern Expedition strongly advocated by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince became the biggest joke of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Highness, how should I reply?" Chen Ju asked in a trembling voice.

"What's there to reply? The South China Sea is farther away than Liaodong. Yu Dayou has already decided the outcome of the battle with the Spaniards. Even if I give him ten tricks, it will be useless."

At this time, another eunuch came to report at the door of Qinzheng Hall.

"Report, an urgent report has arrived from the East Factory."

Feng Bao's eyes flashed, he lifted up his collar and walked out quickly.

After a few dozen breaths, he turned back, with a serious expression, and presented the report to Zhu Yijun.

After reading it, Zhu Yijun gently put it aside.

He stood up, walked to the window, put his hands in his sleeves, and looked at the night outside.

The sky and the earth were pitch black, as if it were a bloody mouth that covered the sky and touched the earth, and would swallow up the entire Xiyuan in the next second.

"Internal and external troubles! The people outside are unwilling to accept it, and the people inside are not at peace."

(End of this chapter)