Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 278: I really want to make progress! The Queen Mother issued an order!

Kunning Palace.

The two Empress Dowagers now often like to come here to see the princes and princesses.

So, when Zhu Houcong came to see them, he came directly here.

When Empress Dowager Jiang saw Zhu Houcong coming, she stood up from beside the prince and asked Zhu Houcong:

"Emperor, I heard from the people of Prince Huai that they submitted a petition to persuade you not to launch a large-scale prison and implicate the noble military officials?"

"That's true. These uncles fear the scholars and officials more than they fear me!"

"They are almost in the same boat with all the nobles in the world!"

"I don't know who is the ruler of the Ming Dynasty. Why are people from my Zhu family working for others?"

Zhu Houcong nodded and began to speak.

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "Although the harem cannot interfere in government affairs, the emperor still needs to be cautious. This situation did not happen overnight, and it cannot be changed overnight! Sometimes, it is better to forgive others when you can, and it is also for your own good!"

"Although what the Queen Mother said is absolutely right, I either don't investigate this case or not, but since I have already investigated it, I have to investigate it to the end! Even if there are inaccuracies in the investigation, there can be no inaccuracies!"

"Because I am the Son of Heaven, I cannot give in. If I give in, all the laws and moral principles of the country will be gone!"

"If it's a big deal, the country will be unstable, and if it's a small deal, the common people will lose their greatest protection!"

"Because no matter what, the one who has the greatest motivation to protect the common people is me, the emperor! I need the dynasty to be forever stable. Others are not afraid of the Ming Dynasty's demise, so naturally they are even less afraid of whether the people can survive!"

"Once the imperial power is not strong enough, not only the common people, but even the queen mothers and I myself will be in a state of constant anxiety."

"For example, I will not be able to protect the two uncles-in-law, and they have already offended the scholars and officials of the world, so I don't know what kind of danger will be waiting for them after I give in. Will they be killed or cut into pieces?"

"For example, if the princes jointly petition me to kill the Marquis of Shouning and the Marquis of Jianchang, what can I do?"

"Aunt Royal and Mother Queen, do you think I should also give in when the time comes?"

Zhu Houcong looked at Empress Dowager Jiang and Empress Dowager Zhang.

Empress Dowager Jiang was still frowning in deep thought when Empress Dowager Zhang spoke first:

"The emperor is absolutely right! An emperor should have the authority of an emperor. The two previous emperors were too lenient with them, which is why they ended up like that!"

For Empress Dowager Zhang, she had finally chosen an emperor who was willing to protect her Zhang family, and she didn't want a new emperor to appear.

After all, she couldn't guarantee whether the new emperor would still be willing to respect her two younger brothers.

In her opinion, it is very likely not, because there is no close relative of the royal family in the world who has no brothers like Jiajing.

Therefore, Empress Dowager Zhang chose to support Jiajing.

Zhu Houcong also knew that Empress Dowager Zhang's character was that she would disregard everything as long as it was for the sake of her two younger brothers, so he specifically mentioned Zhang Hejing and Zhang Yanling.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Jiang had no choice but to say, "Well, I am also worried that they will really rebel, but when I think about it, you are right."

talking.

Empress Dowager Jiang looked at the heir and said, "Child, grow up quickly so that you can help your father in the future!"

Empress Dowager Zhang smiled slightly when she saw this, and then continued to ask Zhu Houcong: "I heard from them that Xie Pi and his men are still outside the palace making trouble?"

"Yes!"

Zhu Houcong replied.

Empress Dowager Zhang couldn't help but frown after hearing this: "None of these people are good. When the late emperor was alive, they loved to make trouble, so Liu Wentai was spared! Fortunately, the emperor is wise this time and has found out the people of the Liu family. Have you thought about how to deal with them?"

"I was just about to ask the Imperial Aunt to issue an imperial decree to Xie Pi!"

Zhu Houcong said with a smile.

……

……

Xie Pizhen and a group of Hanlin officials knelt at Zuoshunmen.

Although his expression was resolute under the dark clouds, he also revealed a hint of uneasiness.

He was naturally aware of the consequences that would come to his Xie family if he and the tough Hanlin scholars who followed him and were not afraid of death in order to protect the dignity of the Qing Dynasty failed to kneel down and make a remonstrance.

What he relied on was not actually relying on his own people to kneel down and make remonstrations to dissuade the emperor.

His real reliance was the memorials from the princes that the emperor would receive.

He knew that Emperor Jiajing loved his people like his own children, and he also knew that Emperor Jiajing was steady and intelligent and would not be swayed by his emotions and do irrational things.

He brought some Hanlin scholars who had received his favors and cared very much about maintaining the status of the Qingliu to kneel and make a petition, just to make the emperor feel more clearly the pressure coming from the royal family and the Qingliu, and also to let the cabinet ministers and nine officials feel it.

Cabinet minister Wang Ao and nine ministers Xi Shu, Wu Yipeng, Zhao Huang and others did follow him to Zuo Shunmen.

They were indeed uneasy. They were afraid that the emperor would be enraged and issue an order to punish these Hanlin scholars harshly. They were also worried that the emperor would blame them for not disciplining these people.

"What are you doing? Is there anything you can't talk about? Why do you have to do this again?"

Wang Ao therefore asked a question first.

It is indeed like this again.

Because before this, some ministers had already bowed down in front of the Zuoshun Gate, but it failed because Yang Tinghe suddenly turned against them.

Xie Pi, who was trying to protect his family business and claiming to be a clean official, replied: "It is a matter of national integrity and morality, so I have no choice but to do so!"

"What state system? You, Minister Xie, are afraid that your smuggling business will be discovered, so you are making such a bold move to speak up for the Li family. You even want to implicate a group of Hanlin scholars to do the same with you!"

The Minister of Revenue Xi Shu reprimanded him at this time.

Xie Pi blushed and said, "My Xie family has been a scholarly family for generations, with two generations of top scholars. How can we allow a villain like you to slander us!" Xi Shu laughed.

At this time.

Fei Hong and Wang Qiong walked out from Zuoshun Gate.

Wang Ao came over and asked, "What does your majesty say?"

"Yes, is there any imperial decree?"

Zhao Huang also hurried over and asked a question.

"Your Majesty has ordered that one of us take charge of the Ministry of Personnel and the other of us take charge of the Ministry of War!"

Fei Hong said at this time.

Zhao Huang was stunned.

But then he immediately said: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Although he still didn't know why the emperor let Fei Hong take charge of the Ministry of Personnel and Wang Qiong take charge of the Ministry of War, in his opinion, it was always right to say that the emperor was wise.

Wang Ao was slightly startled and looked at Xie Pi and the others: "What about these people?"

"Your Majesty will handle it yourself!"

Fei Hong glanced at Xie Pi and others indifferently, then turned his sleeves and went to the cabinet.

At this time, Wang Qiong had already arrived at the cabinet.

Wang Ao also followed Fei Hong.

Wu Yipeng and the other nine ministers looked at the three people with some envy.

They all wanted to join the cabinet, and because of this thought, they did not choose to follow Fu Que, but just stood aside and stared at Xie Pi and the others.

Wang Ao was also looking at Fei Hong and Wang Qiong with some envy.

Fei Hong and Wang Qiong were in charge of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War respectively, which made him realize that something big must have happened that caused the emperor to delegate so much power.

He had to admit that although the current emperor was ruthless in killing people, he was also very decisive in employing people.

Although he relied on his fellow villagers to raise two million silver dollars to enter the cabinet, he had to admit that spending two million silver dollars was not enough. He also had to enter the imperial study so that he could get more accurate information first and gain more power first.

But he knew that knowing the news before others could sometimes lead to a completely different fate!
However, Wang Ao didn’t know whether his fellow villagers were willing to spend another two million silver dollars to help him enter the Imperial Study.

When Wang Ao was daydreaming about this, the eunuch Zhang Jin from the palace came out and came in front of Xie Pi and others.

Wang Ao was curious when he saw this, so he walked back, only to see that Zhang Jin was reading out the imperial decree of Empress Dowager Zhang.

"The Empress Dowager sent a decree to the Imperial Academy Lecturer Xie Pi: You are leading the Imperial Academy to speak for the rebels here. Do you, the Xie family, want to join those princes who are trying to disrupt the government and disrupt the country passed down by the previous emperors?!"

Zhang Jin began to read.

During this era, many upright scholars and officials in the world were very concerned about the difference between major and minor clans, and especially emphasized respecting the main clan and humiliating the minor clans.

By extension, in the eyes of many upright scholars and officials in the world, Empress Dowager Zhang is the only representative of the main clan of the current Tian family. Therefore, Empress Dowager Zhang's questioning of Xie Pi was tantamount to openly denying Xie Pi and saying that he was disloyal and treacherous!
Xie Pi was stunned after hearing this, but then he bowed his head and replied:

"How dare your subjects disrupt the late emperor's rule? We will leave now to prove his true intentions!"

Xie Pi stood up as he spoke.

Among the other Hanlin scholars, someone couldn't help but ask, "Why are you leaving?"

"If I don't leave, do I have to wait for the Tian Family's main sect to order me to die?"

Xie Pi replied helplessly.

Of course, his Xie family dared to secretly instigate the princes to cause trouble, but on the surface, they still did not dare to admit that they were traitors.

Now that Empress Dowager Zhang, the widow of Emperor Xiaozong, has begun to issue an imperial decree to question him, if he continues to insist, he will be regarded as a traitor by her.

Xie Pi chose to leave.

The other Hanlin scholars had no choice but to leave.

As he left, Xie Pi couldn't help but shake his head, looked up at the sky and sighed, "Our Empress Dowager Zhang!"

"Why did they choose her when selecting a concubine?"

Fei Hong found Jia Yong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and gave him a list of names, saying, "The governors of Jiangxi, Huguang, Shandong, and Shanxi must be replaced immediately with these people!"

Jia Yong was quite surprised: "Why do you want to change it suddenly?"

Fei Hong took out the imperial edict and said, "The emperor has asked me to take charge of the Ministry of Personnel. You should do as you are told."

Jia Yong had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Wang Qiong also came to the Ministry of War and found Liu Zhang, a doctor in the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War. He handed him a list and said, "Your Majesty has issued a new decree, asking me to take charge of the Ministry of War. Immediately, replace the generals and commanders-in-chief of Jiangxi, Huguang, Shandong, and Shanxi with these people!"

Liu Zhang was also surprised and said yes, but did not ask any more questions and just took the list.

at the same time.

Many of the Li family’s books and writings were also confiscated and taken to the Censorate.

After finding some evidence, Jinyiwei Shi Bao did not dare to neglect it. He hurriedly handed in a sign and entered the palace to tell Zhu Houcong directly:

"Your Majesty! The Royal Guards have found a large amount of evidence from the account books of the Li family's mansion regarding the smuggling of military weapons, silk, cotton cloth, etc. between the Yuyao Xie family and the Li family!"

Zhu Houcong smiled coldly after hearing this, and thought to himself: "Sure enough, the Xie family is involved!"

(End of this chapter)