The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Yan Song only had one son, Yan Shifan, so Yan Shifan's choice was the choice of the entire Yan family.

As a result, the capital was in an uproar. The censors of the Censorate and the supervising secretaries of the Six Ministries, like hawks that had smelled blood, sent impeachment memorials to the cabinet office like snowflakes, piling up on the desks of the Wuyi Hall in an instant.

Each letter was more vehement than the last, filled with accusations of malicious intent. What was the purpose of this official's private dealings with the prince? Yan Shifan's heart was wicked, Yan Song had failed in his duty to raise his son, and the entire household was filled with treacherous officials!

A larger undercurrent was brewing within the prestigious Six Ministries and the Hanlin Academy, where privately coordinated joint memorials were being passed around, copied, and signed. The battles fought with words sometimes surpassed even those fought with swords.

Even more impetuous and outspoken individuals, led by Zhao Zhenji, Gao Gong, and others, surged directly to the gate of the Yan residence.

The vermilion gates were tightly shut, and the interior was deathly silent, but outside, the atmosphere was tumultuous. Cries for Yan Song to uphold justice by punishing his own family, binding his son to plead guilty, and even requesting to retire to atone for his sins were growing louder and louder.

The following day, before the light of dawn broke in the east, Lu Bing, the Right Vice-Commander of the Rear Army and Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, quietly entered the West Garden and knelt down to await the emperor's summons in the Great Xuandu Hall, where the emperor was in seclusion.

In the dimly lit hall stood a large, three-legged, covered bronze incense burner. The lid was intricately carved with Bagua (Eight Trigrams) patterns, from which faint wisps of smoke continuously emanated.

Above the bronze incense burner, on the center of the north wall, hangs a plain white scroll with several lines of large regular script characters: "I have three virtues: compassion, frugality, and not daring to be the first in the world."

At this moment, the main hall was empty and quiet, while in the side hall, the Three Pure Ones' tablets were enshrined on the altar on the main wall, and under the swirling clouds and mist was an octagonal table covered with a bright yellow futon cushion.

Emperor Jiajing sat cross-legged, with his left hand holding the four fingers of his right hand in the tiger's mouth, and his right hand holding the thumb of his left hand. Both palms faced inward, and his thumbs pinched the meridian lines, forming a Taiji diagram, which conforms to the principle of Yin and Yang in the Tao Te Ching.

Huang Jin waited quietly to the side. When the sunlight shone on the Emperor's face, he silently spread out a finely woven cotton handkerchief from Songjiang, immersed it in hot water of just the right temperature, took it out, wrung it dry, and then, with extremely steady gestures, used this warm mist to wrap around the Emperor's hands, which had become stiff from making hand seals for so long.

"Your Majesty," Huang Jin's voice was as soft as incense ash falling to the ground, "Yesterday, at the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), His Highness Prince Jing arrived outside the West Garden Gate, insisting on seeing me. I saw that he was carrying a letter given to him by Yan Shifan and a Xuande incense burner."

He paused briefly, waiting to see if the hands would offer any guidance in the steam. Seeing no response, he continued in a flat tone: "Your Highness said that he felt uneasy receiving such a generous gift from a foreign minister, and came to ask the Emperor for instructions. In his words, he mentioned that if he could not see the Emperor's face, he wished to take up his fiefdom as soon as possible."

Inside the study, only the soft crackling of incense could be heard. Huang Jin finished speaking, "Commander Lu is already waiting outside the hall."

If the emperor deems it important, he will speak; if he deems it unimportant, he will continue meditating and cultivating. These people simply do what they are supposed to do, following the established procedures.

Jiajing slowly opened his eyes: "Yan Shifan is indeed decisive."

This sentence, like an ice bead, fell into a silent, deep pool.

Huang Jin lowered his head even further. He knew that these words were by no means a compliment. Jiajing's fingers twitched slightly under the warm cotton handkerchief. Huang Jin understood and gently removed the handkerchief, using another dry, soft handkerchief to wipe the fingers, which had regained some softness, clean one by one.

"Describe in detail King Jing's actions and demeanor yesterday."

Huang Jin made no attempt to hide anything, but he restrained the urge to speak well of Prince Jing. He knew he couldn't hide it from His Majesty, or he would be harming him rather than helping him.

After listening, Jiajing looked somewhat puzzled: "Does he really want to go and take up his fiefdom?"

Huang Jin did not respond. He walked to the altar, gently removed the nearly burnt-out incense and candles, replaced them with a new pair, and lit them by the flame of the eternal lamp. A wisp of fresher smoke rose and merged back into the stagnant fragrance that filled the hall.

Then he brought out the small Xuande incense burner and showed it to the emperor.

"How are Prince Yu and his mother? Has Prince Jing summoned Zhao Jingxian?"

Huang Jin knelt back down and reported: "Prince Yu has been getting close to the officials of the Hanlin Academy lately. Consort Kang is trying to win over Consort Shen and deliberately cutting back on Consort Wang's expenses. Consort Jing stays by Consort Wang's side every day and supplements her expenses with her own money."

After Huang Jin finished speaking, he took a breath and said, "Lady Zhao has tried to pay her respects to His Highness Prince Jing several times, but His Highness has refused to see her."

"Let Lu Bing in."

Huang Jin immediately stepped out, and soon a figure parted the brocade curtains hanging to the ground at the entrance of the study and the incense smoke filling the outer hall, and stepped steadily in.

The newcomer was extremely tall, with broad shoulders and back, which stretched his bright python robe into a jagged mess. His face was a weathered ochre, and his eyes were calm, yet occasionally a sharp glint would flash across them like lightning.

His movements were steady and deliberate, displaying a composure and alertness akin to a crane wading through shallow water.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live ten thousand years." His voice was not loud, but it was as deep and resonant as a bell, echoing loudly in the silent palace.

"No need for formalities," Jiajing said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Please take a seat."

The so-called seat was nothing more than a slightly thicker, bright yellow cushion placed to the lower right of the throne.

However, in this forbidden area where the emperor cultivated immortality, being able to obtain a place to sit was already an unparalleled honor. Jiajing treated him differently from other ministers. The bond of growing up together since childhood was etched into his very bones.

Lu Bing bowed again to express his gratitude, then straightened his robe and sat upright, his back as straight as a pine tree.

"How is Lu Jing doing lately?" Jiajing asked, referring to Lu Bing's eldest son, who had been frail since childhood and had been seriously ill since last year.

It was already common knowledge in the court and among the people that this was a matter of great concern for Commander Lu, and countless wealthy merchants and gentry had sought medical treatment and sent medicines to the capital.

Lu Bing's ruddy face remained calm, but a faint, almost imperceptible sorrow flickered deep in the depths of his eyes.

"Your Majesty inquired, and I learned that my son is doing well and is still being cared for."

"It's alright, but it's not good either." Jiajing sighed almost inaudibly. He had personally experienced the pain of losing a child several times, and the feeling of being ground down by a dull knife was something that others could hardly understand.

Moreover, Lu Bing's offspring were few; one of his three sons died young, leaving two, and now it seems another one is about to pass away.

After a moment of silence amidst the incense smoke, just as Lu Binggang was about to speak to report, Jiajing spoke again, his tone returning to its usual indifferent and aloof manner, as if he were stating a trivial matter that had already been decided.

"In a few days, I will have Master Tao choose an auspicious day to promote Lu Jing to the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence. Huang Jin's lowered eyelids flashed with shock. His Majesty was truly speechless when it came to Lu Bing.

The position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is a crucial one with immense power, yet now it is to be bestowed upon a bedridden young man whose fate is uncertain. Perhaps it is merely for the sake of bringing good luck?

Even though it's just a nominal title now, this favor is already an astonishing level of imperial favor.

After all, if Lu Jing really recovers, the emperor's word is law, and he cannot rescind the investiture. The Lu family father and son may be able to control the Embroidered Uniform Guard for two whole generations.

Lu Bing's seated body tensed almost imperceptibly for a moment, then he slowly rose from his seat and knelt on the ground again. His forehead touched the cool gold brick, and his voice was deeper than before, carrying a suppressed and complex tremor.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty's grace is boundless; your subjects... your father and I, even if we were to be shattered to pieces, could never repay even a fraction of it!"

.........