Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 277 The imperial power must be demonstrated; it is the foundation of the country!
After Zhu Houcong said this, cabinet ministers Fei Hong and Wang Qiong both frowned.

It was unusual for the princes to suddenly interfere in government affairs, but it also made them realize that this was something that should not be underestimated.

Historically, during the Jiajing period, there were memorials from vassal kings to the emperor.

It was in the twenty-seventh year of the Jiajing reign.

Zhu Houwan, the Prince of Zheng at that time, petitioned the Emperor Jiajing to cultivate virtue and teach, and presented the four precepts of being respectful, exploring the truth, restraining oneself, and being sincere, as well as ten linked poems, with the principles of simplifying rituals, neglecting government affairs, and flattering the gods and earth.

This was obviously teaching Jiajing how to be an emperor and how to do things.

Therefore, Jiajing later found other reasons to exile Zheng Wang Zhu Houwan to a high prison for his crimes such as arrogance, debauchery, disloyalty and lack of relatives, and also exposed his crimes to the various princes' palaces.

It was just that in this life, due to Zhu Houcong's reforms, the incident of the princes admonishing the emperor occurred ahead of time.

But no matter what, this cannot but make people feel alert.

So, after thinking about it, Wang Qiong spoke first:
"Your Majesty, the princes are suddenly involved in this matter. It can only mean that the gentry are forcing them to do this. From my guess, it is very likely that it was done by the elder Xie Qian!"

Zhu Houcong and Fei Hong both looked at him.

Wang Qiong continued to reply:
"I have three reasons for my speculation!"

"First, whether the princes can receive their rice and tenants' salaries depends on whether the local officials and gentry are willing to cooperate. After all, the rice and tenants' salaries are always distributed by local officials from the treasury, and the capture of tenants who escape is also the responsibility of the local government. "

"Secondly, the power of local supervision and inspection lies in the hands of civil officials, and the princes have always been guilty of many illegal acts, such as bullying men and women, and robbing people by trickery. So if they don't listen to the civil officials, the civil officials will not cover up for them;"

"Third, if the princes are also involved in smuggling, they will naturally need to cooperate with the gentry. The officials in their palaces such as Ji Shan are also local gentry, so it is inevitable that they will become grasshoppers on the same rope with the gentry who are also involved in smuggling, and they will naturally be controlled by the gentry in this regard."

"The reason why I guessed it was Xie Qian."

"First, the Prime Minister has already reported to Your Majesty that he has learned from Jin Chengxun that the Xie family is involved."

"Secondly, Xie Qian's second son Xie Pi was too aggressive about Li Wenda's family being raided, which made people feel that Jin Chengxun was right."

"Third, the Xie family has long been suspected of smuggling. In addition, Xie Qian is a very prestigious civil official and is relied upon by the gentry. Only someone like him, who has students and former officials all over the world, can force the princes to obey his orders. It is not even ruled out that many of the princes' chief secretaries and clerks are his people."

"Of course, this is just speculation, without any real evidence, so please be cautious, Your Majesty, and do not hastily order the arrest of senior ministers because of my advice, lest I become a treacherous minister who is corrupt and causes unrest in the world!"

After Wang Qiong said this, Zhu Houcong nodded slightly.

But he didn't say anything.

Because as Wang Qiong said, this is speculation. A minister who served two dynasties cannot be arrested based on speculation alone.

After all, the emperor cannot trample on the rules he has set, allowing ministers who have the opportunity to act as agents of the emperor in the future due to the emperor's young age to do the same, punish political enemies on false charges, and thus undermine the foundation of the country.

Zhu Houcong only looked at Fei Hong next: "Prime Minister, do you think what Wang Ge Lao said makes sense?"

"Your Majesty, what Lord Wang said is the words of a loyal minister!"

Fei Hong didn't want the emperor to think that he had anything to do with Xie Qian, so even though he didn't like Wang Qiong in his heart, he still said this.

"Record-keeper, write down this sentence, and add my words: the words of the Prime Minister are also the words of a loyal minister!"

At this time, Zhu Houcong turned around and gave Fang Xianfu an instruction.

Fang Xianfu bowed and agreed.

Fei Hong pursed his lips slightly.

Wang Qiong glanced at Fei Hong and smiled secretly.

"So what do you think should be done with this memorial?"

Zhu Houcong asked.

Fei Hong replied, "Your Majesty, I dare not sow discord among the royal family!"

Fei Hong's words were originally from the Ming Dynasty:

In the ninth year of the Hongwu reign, Ye Bogu, the instructor of Pingyao County, wrote a letter to the emperor, saying that there were three problems that could cause trouble in the world: excessive feudal fiefdoms, too many punishments, and too much haste in seeking governance.

Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and accused him of alienating his family members, so he was imprisoned by the Ministry of Justice and starved to death.

Therefore, what Fei Hong meant by this is that as an outsider, it is not in his position to interfere in your Majesty's family affairs, and naturally he will not interfere with or stop any of your decisions. He will only act according to your instructions. In short, I respectfully ask for Your Majesty's judgment, and I will not stick to your rules!
However, when Fei Hong saw Zhu Houcong frowning, he quickly added:

"But as the chief minister of the cabinet, I should remind Your Majesty that the princes are interfering in government affairs. As Lord Wang said, there is a strong possibility that the royal family and the literati will unite to oppose the punishment of the upright and the military heroes. This means that they may unite to do something illegal, so please be cautious, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"

"It is better to say that Prince Ning rebelled than to say that he rebelled because of some disloyal scholars and officials, such as Li Shishi, the Chief Censor, who had long been advising him."

"And at present, many members of the royal family and military officers have already been controlled by the literati, so they may be forced to rebel!"

"Although I am also a civil official, I ask Your Majesty to be cautious for His Majesty's sake! Be careful of war. After all, Your Majesty is a minor clan inheriting the throne. There may be some vassal kings who do not obey Your Majesty, and some even have the ambition to take over the throne without Your Majesty. We cannot rule out the possibility of such people."

Wang Qiong followed up.

Zhu Houcong's face darkened: "But if we forgive them, what will happen to the national law? If there is no national law, what will happen to the imperial constitution?"

"Your Majesty is saying that if the nobles kill the imperial physician and do not punish them, it means that the imperial power is not strong!" "But if they are punished and made public, it means that the royal family and scholars will collude to challenge the imperial power. Of course, it is only possible, not certain."

"But no one dares to gamble with the stability of the people and the country. After all, if something like this really happened, for the court, it might just be a rebellion of the clan, but for an ordinary citizen who participated in it, it would be a disaster of family destruction!"

Fei Hong said at this time.

He knows this very well.

Because of Prince Ning's rebellion, one of his family members fell into the hands of Prince Ning's people. Since he did not support Prince Ning's rebellion, he was dismembered by the rebels, and even his ancestral tomb was dug up.

Therefore, Fei Hong could understand that a rebellion in a local area would cause great damage to an individual, even to a nobleman.

Fei Hong couldn't help but burst into tears after saying this.

Zhu Houcong knew that he was thinking about the past, so he handed him a handkerchief.

Fei Hong expressed his gratitude for this.

Wang Qiong continued, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is not wrong. They are watching whether Your Majesty dares to gamble with the lives of the people and the national treasury!"

Zhu Houcong thought about it seriously, and then said: "I still say the same thing, I can give up the benefits, but I can't give up the power!"

"This is the foundation of national stability, and it is also the foundation that truly concerns the safety of the people of the world!"

"If I do not punish the Qingliu family for killing the imperial physician and even killing people in the inner city, I will be the emperor in name only. How can I protect the people?"

"I have made up my mind!"

"If they want to rebel, then rebel. I am not afraid of them. Even if the civil and military officials do not support me, I will still maintain the order of the court. At worst, I can go back to Fengyang and start a rebellion again!"

Zhu Houcong said.

After hearing this, Fei Hong and Wang Qiong looked at each other in surprise, and then kowtowed together.

"Your Majesty, how dare we be disloyal!"

The two of them replied in unison.

Wang Qiong then said, "In this case, I suggest that we do not approve the memorials submitted by the princes for the time being. Instead, we should send troops to the princes' locations first, and then approve the memorials!"

"By then, whether Your Majesty reprimands them or imprisons them, they will be trapped in a jar, and there will be no need to force them to take action prematurely and implicate the people by submitting memorials too early, unless they start a rebellion in advance! But this possibility is very small. After all, since the Jingnan Campaign, no vassal king has succeeded in a rebellion!"

"This is because our ancestors had prepared for this. In addition, not all the scholars and officials in the world are greedy and evil. Therefore, even if Prince Ning was able to protect the three guards, he still failed to capture Anqing!"

Fei Hong also started talking, saying, "Just to prevent the local governor and the commander-in-chief from being disloyal, they should be replaced in advance!"

Zhu Houcong nodded after hearing this: "Most of the Ministry of War have been arrested, and the Ministry of Personnel has not yet decided on a minister! The Minister of War, Wang Xian, is old."

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

"Well, I hereby order you, the Yuanfu, to concurrently manage the Ministry of Personnel. I order the Minister of War, Wang Xian, to retire due to old age. You, Wang Qing, will be in charge of the Ministry of War first! Let's secretly change the personnel and dispatch the troops first!"

Zhu Houcong was the first to set a precedent for cabinet ministers to take charge of ministry affairs.

As he himself said, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

Therefore, neither of them said much, but just bowed their hands in agreement.

"Hurry up and do it!"

After Zhu Houcong said this, the two men retreated.

At this time, Qin Wen said to Zhu Houcong: "Your Majesty, Marquis Jingshan has something else to report."

Zhu Houcong was stunned after hearing this, and then said: "Let him come to see me!"

Soon.

Cui Yuan, Marquis of Jingshan, came before the emperor.

Zhu Houcong asked: "What's the matter?"

"Your Majesty, after these princes came to the clan house, they also sent servants through the clan house to the palace to present the two queen dowagers with earthenware! I guess they want to let the two queen dowagers know about their advice!"

Cui Yuan was in charge of the Ministry of Clan Affairs, and all memorials submitted by the princes would go through the Ministry of Clan Affairs and then be sent to the Ministry of Rites.

Cui Yuan was a meritorious official who was granted the title of marquis by Zhu Houcong as an exception. Naturally, he was very loyal to Zhu Houcong and took the initiative to tell Zhu Houcong in advance about other things he knew.

Zhu Houcong could not help but stand up and put his hands on his hips after hearing this: "These princes are really dishonest, and they want to use the two palaces to pressure me!"

"Your Majesty! The two Empress Dowagers sent their female historians to invite you!"

At this time, eunuch Mai Fu came over and said something.

"Tell the queens that I'm coming right now!"

(End of this chapter)