My father is Jiajing

Chapter 157: The Emperor Jiajing's Cover
Gao Gong, who was so angry that he couldn't stop talking, went to Xiyuan to ask Emperor Jiajing for justice.

But how could he, a fifth-rank Hanlin Fei Zhao, be qualified to receive a private audience with the emperor?

So when he arrived at the gate of Xiyuan Palace, Gao Gong was naturally stopped by the palace guards.

However, unlike what happened in front of Prince Yu's mansion, Gao Gong did not lose his temper and shout loudly, but stood there obediently waiting for reports.

Emperor Jiajing was trying to calm down his excitement and anxiety. When he heard the eunuch report that Gao Gong wanted to see him, he opened his eyes calmly, frowned slightly, thought for a while, and said slowly: "Let him in."

In fact, Emperor Jiajing didn't want to see him at all, but Gao Gong had been going to Prince Yu's Mansion for the past few days and had arguments with the guards there. The spies from the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already reported these things to him.

Now that he heard Gao Gong had come to him for help again, Emperor Jiajing felt that it was time to meet him. Otherwise, if he continued to make a scene and insist on looking for Prince Yu in front of Prince Yu's mansion to ask questions, it would definitely have a bad impact.

Therefore, Emperor Jiajing could only sigh and personally clean up the mess for Zhu Zaigui.

After Gao Gong was summoned by Emperor Jiajing for a private meeting, he took a deep breath and, under the guidance of a young eunuch, went to a side hall in the Wanshou Palace to wait.

When Emperor Jiajing appeared, Gao Gong immediately knelt and bowed, saying, "I, Gao Gong, a scholar at the Hanlin Academy, pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Emperor Jiajing, dressed as a Taoist priest, looked at Gao Gong, walked to his seat and sat down, then said calmly: "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Gao Gong stood up in panic. This was the first time Gao Gong met Emperor Jiajing alone, so he couldn't help feeling nervous.

Emperor Jiajing said, "I heard you were shouting and yelling outside the Prince Yu's mansion. How can this be allowed?"

Emperor Jiajing first drew a circle for Gao Gong's behavior and set the tone.

Gao Gong replied in fear: "I am guilty."

Gao Gong then said, "I am the tutor appointed by your majesty. It is my duty to go in and out of the palace to teach the prince and answer his questions. But in the past few days, the palace has been closed and I am not allowed to enter the palace to answer his questions. I am extremely worried and afraid that I will delay his studies, so I am so rude. Please punish me, your majesty."

Anyway, it has come to this point. If you stick your head out, you will be hurt. If you hide your head, you will be hurt too. You might as well just say the problem out loud.

Listening to Gao Gong's stubborn reply, Emperor Jiajing couldn't help but chuckle in his heart. This Gao Gong is quite interesting. Why didn't he realize it before?
Emperor Jiajing said: "Prince Yu is not feeling well and should not meet with outsiders. That is why I have ordered the palace to temporarily close its doors to visitors. Prince Yu can only see you when he is better."

When Gao Gong heard that Emperor Jiajing also said that Prince Yu was unwell, he could no longer conceal the anxiety on his face.

Gao Gong knelt excitedly and said, "Your Majesty, please be merciful. Since the prince is unwell, it is my duty as the prince's tutor. Please allow me to come to the palace to take care of him."

When Emperor Jiajing heard the words "attending to the illness", his face immediately turned unhappy.

Emperor Jiajing just wanted to find a reason to send Gao Gong away, but what did the phrase "serving the sick" mean? Was he cursing his son to get sick?
Emperor Jiajing said with an unhappy look on his face: "Who told you that Prince Yu was ill? He just doesn't feel well and doesn't want to see anyone. Is the Hanlin Academy very idle? If it is, you should follow the Ministry of War to guard the city gate and share my worries."

Gao Gong was shocked by the Emperor Jiajing's reprimand. He immediately realized that he had made a mistake. Gao Gong bowed and said, "I know my crime."

Emperor Jiajing looked at the nervous Gao Gong and sighed again, his voice a little gentler, "I know you care about Prince Yu, and I also know that you are dedicated to Prince Yu's education. But there is a difference between the monarch and his subjects, are you clear about this? Prince Yu is unwell and should rest, how can you go to his house again and again and shout? Do you have to let everyone know and make everyone in the city pay attention to it in order to show your devotion to the Lord?"

After listening to what Emperor Jiajing said, Gao Gong buried his head even deeper. He was only worried about Zhu Zaigui's situation, but ignored the impact of his own behavior in front of Prince Yu's mansion.

At this moment, Gao Gong was not in a hurry to feel ashamed, as he thought he might have harmed Prince Yu.

"I deserve death."

Gao Gong bowed again.

Emperor Jiajing watched Gao Gong's action and listened to his apologetic and guilty reply. He couldn't help but nod in his heart for Gao Gong's performance.

Emperor Jiajing said, "You go down first. I will see you again in a few days when Prince Yu has recovered. You should behave yourself during this period. Either study hard or volunteer to guard the city gate. Let me see whether you, the upright officials who claim to be loyal to your emperor and father, really have the courage to die."

Gao Gong kowtowed heavily, "I will definitely live up to your majesty's expectations. Even if it means facing mountains of swords and seas of fire, as long as your majesty needs me, I will not frown. I will report to the Ministry of War and volunteer to defend the capital!"

Emperor Jiajing smiled and said, "If that's the case, then go ahead."

After Gao Gong left Emperor Jiajing, he really went straight to the location of the Ministry of War. On the way, Gao Gong also carefully recalled the conversation between him and Emperor Jiajing.

Gao Gong felt that something was not right. He thought that there must be another reason for Prince Yu's mansion to close its doors to visitors. But Gao Gong was still confused about what the reason was.

If Prince Yu really made a mistake, then His Majesty the Emperor would definitely not see him, and would not be so easy to talk to. He might even punish him as well.

But now, His Majesty the Emperor not only did not punish himself, but instead reprimanded himself for his inadvertent words "serving the sick".

This shows that Prince Yu is not ill at all, nor does he feel any discomfort. But why is he "unwell" and why can His Majesty the Emperor personally come out to smooth things over for him?

There must be some unspeakable secret!
Thinking of this, Gao Gong's eyes gleamed with a gleam of light. He no longer thought about what was going on with Prince Yu, but honestly controlled his thoughts, obediently went to the Ministry of War, and then requested the Ministry of War to assign him a task according to the order of Emperor Jiajing.

When Yang Shouqian, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, heard that a Hanlin scholar had taken the initiative to go to the Ministry of War and request to garrison in the city, he could not help but be surprised for a moment. This was really novel.

The Hanlin Academy is not the Ministry of War, and it has no responsibility to defend the territory. They only need to hide behind and hold the pen to criticize and point out the situation, criticize this and that, and show their integrity and morality.

But now he took the initiative to come to the Ministry of War and asked to go to the city to garrison. This is really strange.

Therefore, Yang Shouqian, the second-in-command of the Ministry of War, could not help but become interested and took the initiative to meet with Gao Gong, wanting to see what this noble Hanlin was up to.

(End of this chapter)