Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 462 The Nine Lotus Bodhisattva Appears
"Grand Master Xu." As soon as he saw Xu Guangqi, the new Minister of Rites Li Tengfang immediately stood up to greet him.

"No need to be so polite, Xiangzhou." Xu Guangqi bowed in return.

"Didn't the Grand Master see the Emperor?" Li Tengfang asked.

"How did Xiangzhou know?" Xu Guangqi asked back.

Li Tengfang smiled slightly. "It's clearly written on the Grand Master's face."

"Alas." Xu Guangqi sighed, letting out the anger he had been holding in the palace all the way to the Ministry of Rites. "You were right. I didn't see the emperor."

"Why?" Li Tengfang followed Xu Guangqi towards the main case.

"No. Eunuch Jingyun asked for an audience with the Emperor on my behalf, but all he got was a shake of the head. I don't know anything else." Xu Guangqi sat down, holding onto the armrest. "Ah. Let's not talk about this anymore. Have you found the memorandum that records the succession of the ancestors?"

"I found it," Li Tengfang nodded. "I copied it down and memorized it." A good memory is a basic skill for a Hanlin Lang.

"As expected of Mr. Xiangzhou," Xu Guangqi complimented him with a smile, then asked, "Have you thought about what to do next?"

"Honestly, no." Li Tengfang shook his head awkwardly. "To be honest, I've been in the officialdom for nearly thirty years, either as a poet or a teacher. I'm in my fifties, almost sixty, and this is my first time dealing with practical affairs. I beg the Grand Master for your guidance and support."

"The previous dynasty was in chaos due to factional strife, and upright people were eliminated. There is nothing to be ashamed of." Xu Guangqi waved his hand quickly to comfort him, "It's normal to have no idea, it will be fine in a few days. I was also confused in the first few days after I was promoted to the Ministry of Rites. Fortunately, Sun Yuyao did not limit himself to the dispute of opinions and was willing to give me advice. Otherwise, I, the Shangshu who holds the seal, would really become a laughing stock of the world." If they could put aside the views of Chinese and barbarians and the debate of good and evil, Xu Guangqi would still be willing to have a close relationship with Sun Ruyou.

"Let's start with what you are good at, writing." Xu Guangqi asked.

"Okay, what kind of article should I write?" Writing articles is also the basic skill of a Hanlin Lang.

"For a memorial, you should write a draft first," Xu Guangqi reminded.

"Okay." Li Tengfang pulled out a piece of white paper.

"I request that His Majesty personally conduct the Palace Examination. I also order that seventeen individuals, including Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, Minister of Revenue, Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace Fang Congzhe, Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, Minister of Personnel, Grand Secretary of Jianji Palace Ye Xianggao, Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of Dongke Shi Jixie, Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of Dongke Shen, Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of Dongke Liu Yirong, Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of Dongke Han Yu, Minister of Personnel Zhou Jiamo, Minister of Rites Xu Guangqi, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yuan Keli, and Vice Minister of Rites Li Tengfang, serve as examiners for the Palace Examination." The examiners for the Palace Examination performed similar duties to those of the co-examiners for the Imperial Examination: they both selected the best papers for ranking by the Chief Examiner. However, unlike the Imperial Examination, the examiners for the Palace Examination were all high-ranking cabinet officials, while the Chief Examiner was the supreme emperor himself.

"And your subordinate?" Li Tengfang couldn't help but stop writing when he heard the last name.

"It is customary for the Minister of Rites to participate in the reading of papers. Since he is here, he might as well be included." Xu Guangqi said with a smile.

"Hasn't he been appointed as the inspector?" Li Tengfang said.

"There is no contradiction. There has been overlap over the years."

"Okay then." Li Tengfang nodded and asked, "Anything else?"

"You write this memorial first. I will tell you about other things later as they become available." Xu Guangqi smiled kindly.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Grand Master." Li Tengfang was touched and agreed immediately.

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There were two official documents placed on Fang Congzhe's desk, one above and one below.

The upper one was a petition from the Ministry of Rites, and the lower one was a personal edict from the emperor.

Fang Congzhe stared at the emperor's handwritten edict for a long time, and finally decided to knock on the table and call on other cabinet ministers to "pool their wisdom and share the pressure" with him.

"Everyone!" Fang Congzhe said with a look of sorrow. "Bad news! The princess born to Concubine Shao An has passed away."

"When?" Ye Xianggao was slightly surprised.

"Probably last night." Fang Congzhe handed Ye Xianggao the emperor's handwritten edict. Ye Xianggao took it and saw the following: "My young daughter died before she was a month old. I am deeply saddened. I order the Ministry of Rites to arrange funeral rites according to the established rules and inform the clan members."

Ye Xianggao leaned forward and handed the imperial edict to Liu Yirong, who was sitting below him. "The princess born to Concubine An," Liu Yirong took the edict, scanned it, and then handed it to Han Yu. "She hasn't been named yet, has she?"

"According to palace custom," Shen unexpectedly took over. "The emperor's children are given names on their hundredth day of life. Now that the child died in infancy, naturally he remains unnamed." With this, Shen also handed over the imperial edict he had read.

"How pitiful." Shi Jixie sighed and handed the imperial edict back to Fang Congzhe.

"What do you think we should do?" Fang Congzhe took the imperial edict and placed it under the petition from the Ministry of Rites.

"Follow the emperor's will and draft a ticket to send it to the Ministry of Rites, and let Xu Zixian handle it according to the rules." Shi Jikai looked at Fang Congzhe in confusion, not knowing why he asked this question.

"Of course we have to draft the document." Fang Congzhe tapped the Ministry of Rites' manuscript with his fingertips. "But everyone, don't forget one other thing."

Shen's eyes rolled, and he continued, "What could be more important than arranging funeral rites and comforting the Holy Spirit? Things have their priorities. Even if there are other things, they can be put aside for the time being."

"Does the Prime Minister want to talk about the palace examination?" asked the Second Prime Minister Ye Xianggao.

"Yes," Fang Congzhe nodded, looking up and holding up the petition from the Ministry of Rites. "This is the petition the Ministry just submitted, as usual, requesting the Emperor to personally conduct the palace examination and appoint examiners. I'm thinking, could this palace examination be postponed for a day or two?"

"Funeral rites and the palace examination aren't contradictory, are they?" Han Yu asked. For an unnamed princess like this, a simple funeral ceremony, with a memorial service to the clan members in Fengxian Hall, would suffice. Even the Huangji Hall and the Taimiao Temple wouldn't be used.

"The Emperor is deeply saddened by the death of his daughter. He needs time to heal his grief. How could he possibly be in the mood to preside over the palace examination?" Shen said loudly, "Lord Han, don't you understand the Emperor's grief at all?"

"I didn't say that! Don't make random inferences!" Han Yu was almost scared to death by Shen's hat.

"What on earth did Lord Han want to say?" Shen wanted to laugh, but he held it in. His face still wore that same look of sympathy.

"I'm just stating a fact. I don't want to say anything else." Han Yu shut up. If he said a few more words, Shen would probably accuse him of being a fatherless and unruly man.

Shen Bai glanced at Han Yu, then looked at Liu Yirong, who remained silent. Finally, he said to Congzhe, "Prime Minister, submit the memorial. The cabinet will surely unite and sign it to mourn the loss of our king and father."

"good."--------

Half an hour after the six cabinet members jointly submitted the report, the eunuch Wang An, the seal-holder of the Imperial Household Department, came to the cabinet.

Fang Congzhe knew Wang An's reason for coming was definitely about the memorial he had submitted earlier, not because of him. But the old man had been reprimanded by Wang An in the cabinet, and the shadow in his heart still made him feel nervous. "Master Wang, how is your Majesty?"

"Saint Ann." Wang An frowned and nodded, then coughed lightly twice.

Fang Congzhe understood that Wang An had something to say. He immediately put on a solemn expression of waiting.

"I have an oral instruction, gentlemen, come and listen." Wang An was very polite, and it was obviously a warm instruction.

Upon hearing this, the six cabinet members immediately walked to the open space in front of Wang An, lifted their robes and knelt down with Fang Congzhe.

"I have read your reports and see your sincere and devoted loyalty, which resonates deeply with me. I am deeply comforted. I am the Son of Heaven, the model for both the inner and outer realms. Although I am heartbroken over my daughter's death, I must prioritize state affairs. The imperial examinations need not be postponed. I order the Cabinet and the Imperial Household Department to inform all government offices, both internal and external, that everything proceed as usual. I will personally conduct the palace examinations to select the best for the country. I decree this!"

"Your Majesty is wise! The country is fortunate!" As soon as the words "I decree this" were spoken, Shen immediately kowtowed and cried out, his voice trembling with grief and emotion. When he raised his head, he was actually in tears.

The other ministers followed suit, praising the emperor one after another. However, compared to Shen's attitude, it was still a little worse.

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After the afternoon court session, Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen returned to the Duke Chengguo Mansion from the Left Army Commander-in-Chief's Office. As soon as he stepped out of his sedan chair, Zhu Jiaqi, his personal attendant at the mansion, came to greet him. "Duke," Zhu Jiaqi called out, waving away the other servants.

"What's wrong again?" Zhu Chunchen stretched and twisted his neck.

He really didn't want to go to the yamen these past few days. The atmosphere there was simply too depressing. Every time his distinguished colleagues opened their mouths, they'd talk about the Wuqing Marquis case and the Liaodong business. Even if Zhu Chunchen didn't want to talk to them, he couldn't shut his ears.

If one wanted to avoid these annoying noises, the best way was to not go to the yamen. But at this moment, he had to go because not going would be a handle on him, and it would also make him appear guilty, which would attract the investigation of the factory guards.

Zhu Jiaqi waited until most of the other servants had dispersed before whispering into Zhu Chunchen's ear, "The Emperor's young daughter has died."

"Really?!" A fleeting look of joy immediately appeared on Zhu Chunchen's face.

"It's absolutely true," Zhu Jiaqi lowered his voice even further. "We are in..."

"Stop!" Zhu Chunchen raised his hand to stop Zhu Jiaqi and turned to walk towards the study. "This is not the place to talk. Let's talk in the study."

Zhu Jiaqi immediately stopped talking and asked, "Do you want to ask grandpa to come over?" Zhu Jiazhen was old and had been exempted by Zhu Chunchen, so he didn't have to kneel at the door to greet him on weekdays.

"Go ahead." Zhu Chunchen nodded. "And ask someone to bring me some food."

"Yes." Zhu Jiaqi turned around and ran towards Zhu Jiazhen's accounting office.

Shortly after Zhu Chunchen sat down, Zhu Jiaqi brought the old housekeeper Zhu Jiazhen and two maids carrying tea and snacks to the study that belonged to Duke Chengguo.

Zhu Jiazhen looked at Zhu Chunchen, and after he nodded, she silently walked to her usual seat, took the armrest, and slowly sat down. Meanwhile, two maids placed tea and snacks in front of Zhu Chunchen.

"Close the door." Zhu Jiaqi said casually when the maid was about to leave.

"Yes." The maid answered and turned to close the door.

After the maid's footsteps had completely faded away, Zhu Jiazhen asked anxiously, "Duke, has something happened again?"

"Yes, something happened," Zhu Chunchen said with a smile on his face. "It's just that something happened to the royal family."

"What could happen to the royal family?" Zhu Jiazhen was stunned.

Zhu Chunchen was a little hungry. He picked up the pastry from the plate and put it in his mouth, then gave Zhu Jiaqi a look.

Zhu Jiaqi understood and explained, "Last month, my grandson learned that Concubine An Shao had given birth to a baby girl. The baby girl's condition was very poor and she could die at any time. This afternoon, my grandson received confirmation that the baby girl had died."

"The princess died young, so what? Should we ask someone to write a memorial to comfort the emperor?" Zhu Jiazhen was puzzled.

Zhu Chunchen swallowed the cake with his tea and said slowly, "This is what I was talking about before, the wind we need to wait for. More precisely, the opportunity for the wind to blow."

"I don't understand. What does the death of the princess have to do with the wind?" Zhu Jiazhen still didn't understand.

"Yesterday, Li Mingcheng's eldest son, Li Guochen—if I remember correctly, that should be the 'chen' as in 'chenzi'—was arrested by palace guards and sent to the Ministry of Justice for trial. And today, the Emperor's young daughter died." Zhu Chunchen picked up another piece of cake and tossed it into his mouth, chewing as he spoke, "It happened only a day apart. Isn't this the manifestation of the Nine Lotus Bodhisattva?"

"Which deity is Jiulian Bodhisattva?" Zhu Jiazhen does not believe in Buddhism, but he knows that there is no such person among the Bodhisattvas.

"It's not a god, but the old Queen Mother Li." Zhu Chunchen chuckled.

"Old Empress Dowager Li?" Zhu Jiazhen asked, "What does this have to do with Old Empress Dowager Li?"

Zhu Chunchen explained, "Empress Dowager Li was a devout Buddhist. Her portraits in the palace all depict her seated on a Nine Lotus Throne. Therefore, she was given the title 'Nine Lotus Bodhisattva' in the palace."

"What does the Duke mean?" Zhu Jiazhen said, realizing the meaning. "To link these two events and publicize them together? The legend goes that because the Li family suffered, Empress Dowager Li appeared and cursed the Emperor's young daughter to death?"

"That's right!" Zhu Chunchen nodded. "We need to spread this message. Furthermore, we must make the Emperor realize that the death of his youngest daughter is only the beginning. If he continues to mistreat the Li family and his relatives, he will face even greater punishment." Zhu Chunchen looked at Zhu Jiaqi and said slowly, "'The Emperor treats his relatives poorly, and the Nine Lotus Bodhisattva will appear. If he does not show mercy, all his sons will die.' Find a way to spread this prophecy."

"Yes."

"My Lord!" Zhu Jiazhen's forehead was covered in cold sweat. "This kind of prophecy will inevitably incur the wrath of the Emperor. If caught, it will be a grave offense, with all property confiscated and the entire family exterminated!"

"Even if they were to confiscate our property and exterminate our entire family, they wouldn't have come to us." Zhu Chunchen twirled his thumb and index finger, flicking off the pastry crumbs. "Previously, the Li family was the primary culprit in all three cases. Now, the eldest son of the Li family has been arrested and brought to the Ministry of Justice for trial. Later, rumors will circulate about the Li family and Empress Dowager Li. Not to mention the sheer coincidence, I wonder if the Emperor might harbor suspicions. Even if he does, he'll definitely suspect the Li family first, not my Zhu family!"

(End of this chapter)