Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 26: Empress Xia Praises Jiajing
Zhu Houcong did not even look at the girls for long. Instead, he went straight to Empress Dowager Zhang and Empress Xia, the wife of Zhengde, who were looking at him with a smile, and performed his greetings.

Empress Dowager Zhang could not help showing disappointment on her face. At the moment when Zhu Houcong saluted, she forced a smile and said after Zhu Houcong finished saluting:
"He is indeed a handsome young man."

When Empress Dowager Zhang said this, she couldn't help but recall the scene when Zhengde bowed to her when he was young, and she suddenly burst into tears again.

"Please accept my condolences, Your Majesty."

Zhu Houcong said something to comfort him.

He had some understanding of Empress Dowager Zhang, who was now his aunt in terms of relationship. He knew that she was a famous "brother-supporting demon" in the Ming Dynasty and did not control Zhengde very well. In addition, she was jealous during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong, which indirectly led to Emperor Xiaozong's lack of offspring.

Of course, jealousy is a common trait among women in the harem, and it only affects Emperor Xiaozong, not Zhu Houcong.

just now.

The only trouble that Empress Dowager Zhang might cause him was to make him indulge her two younger brothers.

Zhu Houcong already had a plan to deal with this.

Considering that Empress Dowager Zhang cooperated with him in the process of succession to the throne, Zhu Houcong would not be too cruel to her.

Moreover, in the eyes of many people of that era, Empress Dowager Zhang was the widow of Zhu Houcong's main clan who handed over her husband and son's "legacy" to him. She was a person who had done a great favor to Zhu Houcong. If Zhu Houcong was too unfeeling to her, people all over the world would think he was selfish and ungrateful.

In history, Jiajing was criticized by many people in the world because he was too cruel to Zhang.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong would try his best to respect Empress Dowager Zhang.

However, Zhu Houcong also knew that Empress Dowager Zhang's two younger brothers were indeed incompetent.

Her two younger brothers often did not blame the civil servants for impeaching them frequently. After all, they had done a lot of things, such as seizing people's property and taking human lives.

Although it was common for royal relatives to seize people's property and engage in large-scale annexation, it was not just Empress Dowager Zhang's two younger brothers who did so.

However, Empress Dowager Zhang's two younger brothers often used methods that were so brutal and ugly that many people of the same class could not stand it.

in history.

After Jiajing ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Zhang's two younger brothers still refused to restrain themselves. Relying on the fact that Jiajing owed their sister a favor, they became even more outrageous, ignoring national laws and defying imperial authority.

But in this life, Zhu Houcong had a way to prevent these two people from continuing to do evil, so as to force him to do cruel and mean things.

As Zhu Houcong expected, after asking about Zhu Houcong's mother and some personal health issues, Empress Dowager Zhang mentioned her two younger brothers and said:
"You know, I have two good-for-nothing brothers, so my dear children, for the sake of the late emperor and me, the old empress dowager, if they make mistakes in the future, please bear with them as long as they are not too extreme."

During the Ming Dynasty, the Empress Dowager often referred to herself as "I" instead of "Ai Jia".

Moreover, emperors and princes often behave like this.

So, Empress Dowager Zhang also addressed me directly here.

Zhu Houcong nodded and said after Empress Dowager Zhang said this:

"Don't worry, we are a family."

"What's more, the late emperor has always treated me better than his own brother. When he ordered me to manage government affairs as the heir of Xingguo, he gave me 3,000 dan of rice for support. According to the rules, the sons of princes who died but were not given titles were only given 200 dan of rice for support. This shows how kind the late emperor was to me!"

"Now, the late emperor has entrusted the country and the imperial aunt to me. I should fulfill my unfulfilled loyalty and complete my unfulfilled filial piety. The late emperor's uncle is also my uncle. I should treat him well and ensure his wealth and honor."

In the historical "Records of Emperor Wuzong of Ming Dynasty", there is a record mentioned by Zhu Houcong:
"In the year of Xinyou, before the death of the now posthumously honored Emperor Gongmuxian, the Emperor ordered the now posthumous Emperor to let his heir temporarily manage government affairs and to provide him with 3,000 dan of rice for support...According to the old rules, if the son of a prince who died but was not given a title was only given 200 dan of rice for support...This is all a special favor from the Emperor."

The Emperor Gongmuxian here is King Xingxian, the Empress Dowager Zhangsheng is Zhu Houcong's biological mother, Jiang, the emperor at that time was Zhengde, and the time was the beginning of the 16th year of Zhengde, before Zhu Houzhao's death.

visible.

This is also evidence that Emperor Zhengde was good to Jiajing in history.

In this life, Zhengde also promulgated this grace.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong brought it up at this time and used it as one of the reasons why he would treat Zhang's two younger brothers well.

Empress Dowager Zhang was very happy after hearing this. After all, she cared about her two younger brothers the most, even more than her husband and son.

Historically, she knelt down and begged for mercy to Emperor Jiajing despite her status as the Empress Dowager because her two younger brothers had committed crimes.

Zhu Houcong knew that what he said to Empress Dowager Zhang today would sooner or later be spread out and known to the world. After all, he had just entered the Forbidden City, and the Forbidden City was probably not airtight.

What Zhu Houcong wanted was for everyone in the world to know.

Because what he said was not only to Zhang, but also to the people of the world. What he wanted was to reassure both Zhang and the people of the world, especially the royal relatives, not just the Zhang family, but also the Xia family, the maternal family of Empress Zhengde, and other families.

Everyone's mouth speaks louder than gold.

Zhu Houcong did not want his reputation to be damaged in the future because of such an incident. He just wanted to use these things to further enhance his own reputation.

Because in this era where morality is very important, if you want to accomplish something, the most important thing is to have a good reputation.

If Wang Anshi wanted to reform, he had to wait and see for twenty years first.

Sima Guang wanted to abolish the new law, and Yesen had been waiting for a long time.

Now, if he wants to suppress Yang Tinghe, who has become famous for cutting down redundant troops and officials and eliminating treacherous officials, he has to build up his reputation and accumulate momentum.

Let the people of the world truly regard him as a sage king, so that any reforms he makes in the future will be implemented with less resistance.

At least because of his good image, or credibility, people will not think that every decision he makes is disadvantageous to themselves. Even if they don’t understand it temporarily, they will only think that they are not aware enough.

Empress Dowager Zhang was also pleased with Zhu Houcong's words, so she continued:

"The ministers of the outer court were right about one thing: you are indeed a wise and kind ruler!"

"No wonder the last words the late emperor said to me before his death were to be the Prince of Shunxing and let me do what you want. Now that I think about it, he knew all along that you would be a benevolent and good emperor!"

When Empress Dowager Zhang said this, she began to wipe away her tears again.

Zhu Houcong was stunned for a moment because of Empress Dowager Zhang's words.

He didn't expect that he would be able to successfully defeat Yang Tinghe in the first round and enter the palace with the ceremony of an emperor. It turned out that he had the help of Emperor Zhengde.

"Perhaps, the fact that Jiajing in history was able to obtain the support of Empress Dowager Zhang very smoothly in the early stage and Yang Tinghe was required by the imperial edict to let Jiajing ascend the throne as soon as possible was probably related to the fact that Zhengde had put obstacles in Yang Tinghe's way in advance."

"And Zhengde probably expected that the new emperor would be like him and not really agree with Yang Tinghe's ideas, so he first laid the groundwork for himself as the new emperor. Once the new emperor or the people around him want to fight against Yang Tinghe, they will use his help."

Zhu Houcong secretly complained.

After thinking this way, he admired Zhengde even more in his heart, and felt that this royal brother was indeed not as simple as recorded in history.

After wiping her tears, Zhang laughed again: "Look at me, I'm getting sad again while talking. It's really a downer!"

talking.

Zhang said to Zhu Houcong, "Go and see your grandmother. She must be anxious to see you. Let's talk before it's too late. There's no point in staying here and seeing me sad."

"In that case, I will come to greet you again later."

Zhu Houcong also said goodbye to Zhang.

Zhang nodded, stood up and personally escorted Zhu Houcong out of Renshou Palace, saying, "Your grandmother has not been in good health in recent years and can no longer see. As you know, it is difficult to treat illnesses in the palace, which is why her illness has never been cured and she is now in this state."

Zhu Houcong nodded and said, "Thank you for taking care of me over the years, Auntie."

"We are a family, what are you talking about?"

Zhang said this, and only after Zhu Houcong left did she stop smiling and said to Queen Xia beside her:

"He didn't even glance at the stunning maid your uncle sent to him, which made me dare not even say that I wanted to send someone to his palace!"

"This shows that this successor is really as the rumors say, frugal and kind, upright and generous, and will really be a good emperor."

Empress Xia replied with a look of loss, and said to Zhang: "Such an emperor will naturally keep his promises and will not go back on his words. If he says he will treat the two uncles as his own uncles, then he will treat them as his own uncles. Mother can rest assured."

"But a good emperor will truly love his people like his own children, and will not blindly favor his relatives."

Zhang's expression became serious after she said this: "No, I have to persuade your two uncles to restrain themselves. Don't really think that the heir regards them as his own uncles and then go even further. After all, there is a layer of separation. In addition, if he goes too far in the future, the civil officials outside will force him to punish your two uncles and ask him to make decisions for the people. I'm afraid he will have to punish your two uncles!"

(End of this chapter)