Chapter 833 922 A ten-year-old prince, how to rule the world
After Xu Jue left, Feng Bao sat alone behind the desk and thought hard, planning to write a memorial.
Of course, the eunuch's memorial does not need to go through the general affairs envoy. It only needs to be registered in the clerk's room and then it can be presented to the young emperor.
Arriving at the little emperor is equivalent to being in front of two nobles.
Zhang Juzheng is right. Although Empress Chen was upright and had ideas, she was soft-tempered. She was actually the same type of person as Emperor Longqing, but she was more stubborn and stubborn.
Although concubine Li was given the title of Queen Mother and an honorary title, it had an impact on Empress Chen, but the impact was limited. Her identity as the emperor's legitimate mother could not be changed by anyone.
And the most important thing is that Queen Chen dotes on Zhu Yijun even more than Concubine Li.
As a biological mother, Concubine Li sometimes had to teach the young emperor a lesson, but Empress Chen never did. She only cared about and took care of him.
But there is still a difference between a biological mother and a legitimate mother.
If Empress Chen objects to this memorial, it will definitely pierce a thorn in the heart of the little emperor. After all, she will not lose the big for the small.
Feng Bao polished the ink himself. After thinking for a long time, he picked up the pen and started writing the memorial.
He has no way out, so he can only take a gamble.
At this time, Concubine Li had two urgent matters that needed to be dealt with, which also made her quite troubled. One was to fight for her position as empress dowager, and the other was to keep her son Zhu Yijun's position as emperor.
These two points are actually complementary to each other.
The basis for fighting for the position of empress dowager is to keep Zhu Yijun's throne.
Zhu Yijun is the third son of Zhu Zaijing. The eldest son and second son before him both died young. Zhu Yijun should be appointed in order, and there is no problem with etiquette and law.
But after all, Zhu Yijun is only ten years old and is still a child. The so-called master of the country is suspicious. As long as there is a little negligence, the mother and son are likely to be ignored by the powerful ministers. The better outcome is to become puppets and have no choice. If you control the government, if you do anything bad, you may be deposed or even be killed.
So when she saw Gao Gong attacking Feng Bao, Concubine Li felt a hint of hidden malice.
Feng Bao left a good impression on her and took great care of Zhu Yijun, so when she learned from Empress Chen that Emperor Longqing asked Feng Bao to become the Minister of Guan Ming before his death, she didn't think much about it.
He understood Emperor Longqing’s painstaking efforts.
However, Emperor Longqing did not consider her position before his death, which made her somewhat resentful of the late emperor.
Based on these considerations, Concubine Li was also eager to find allies, political allies in the inner court and outer court.
She had a pretty good relationship with Feng Bao in the inner court. When Feng Bao saw her, he seemed very humble and respectful. She was an ideal target, and he was also a minister appointed by Emperor Longqing to take care of his destiny.
In the outer cabinet, Concubine Li did not have many choices to make.
Although Gao Gong showed his kindness to her, after judging the situation, she did not dare to accept the move.
After excluding Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi were left. Gao Yi was naturally excluded. Obviously, the old man already had a somewhat complicated relationship with Gao Gong.
The remaining ones are Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde who has not arrived in the capital.
Both people seem to be targets that can be won over.
Li Caifeng focused on three people without considering Empress Chen, who was appointed by Emperor Longqing to have the power of president.
This is also because Queen Chen is too upright, indifferent to fame and fortune, and has no desire for power.
She will not take the initiative to interfere in the affairs of the government. She will only abide by her duties. She will only come forward as president when the foreign government finds her with unresolved matters, and she will never rush to intervene.
But Concubine Li couldn't do it. She wanted to help her son firmly control the power and not let the power slip away.
Concubine Li Gui was really a decisive person. According to the historical trajectory, she drove away Gao Gong for her son Zhu Yijun, and later acquiesced to her son's confiscation of Zhang Juzheng's house. In fact, she just wanted her son to completely control the imperial power.
Retaining Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde in the cabinet was also a strategy to divide and rule the forces in the court in accordance with Emperor Longqing's thoughts before his death.
"My dear, Eunuch Feng would like to see you."
Just when Concubine Li was thinking about how to deal with Gao Gong, a palace maid came in to report.
“Let him in.”
Concubine Li replied casually.
Not long after, Feng Bao entered here with small steps, and first knelt down to salute Concubine Li.
After Concubine Li asked him to lie flat, Feng Bao stood up carefully and stood quietly.
"Feng Bao, what's the matter with you coming here at this time?"
Concubine Li asked.
"Your Majesty, I have written a petition, but I am worried that the wording is inappropriate, so I would like to ask your Majesty to take a look at it first. If there is anything inappropriate, I can correct it in time."
Feng Bao replied.
It has been a few days since Zhu Yijun ascended the throne, and the outer court has already begun to discuss the matter of taking the title, so Feng Bao does not have much time to delay and can only let Concubine Li know his thoughts as soon as possible
"Chen Qing, shouldn't that be dealt with by the cabinet, or handed over to Queen Chen?"
Feng Bao's visit this time was weird, so Concubine Li did not agree, but asked instead .
Even if she wants to win over Feng Bao, there is still Empress Chen who is more stable in the palace, so she must be careful in everything she does.
"If this petition reaches the cabinet now, I am afraid it will be rejected by Chief Minister Gao. After all, Mr. Wei Ge and Mr. Zhang Ge are not in the court now, and the old slave can't speak outside the court."< br>
Feng Bao slightly hesitated and said with an aggrieved look.
"Oh? Then I want to see the Ai family."
Feng Bao's words aroused Concubine Li's interest.
When Feng Bao handed the newly polished memorial to Concubine Li, she couldn't wait to open it and read it.
Feng Bao's memorial was written to make her feel itchy.
In his memorial, Feng Bao not only suggested that Empress Chen should be given the title of Queen Mother, but also that he should be given the title of Queen Mother.
She was happy in her heart, but Li Caifeng did not show it, but hesitated and said: "This seems to be against the rules.
The emperor's biological mother is usually given the title of Queen Mother in the absence of the legitimate mother. The country must not be without the Queen Mother, and the biological mother is Only then can she have the title of Queen Mother
But now that Queen Chen is still here, the Ai family is just..."< br>
"The empress is the biological mother of the emperor, so she can naturally have a title. As for the fact that she has not appeared before, it is just a rarity here.
In the eyes of the old slave, the emperor's aunt and uncle are It is appropriate for all biological mothers to have the title of Queen Mother. As for the etiquette and laws, it is not prohibited, but it is only between the two.
How the old slave treats the emperor and the empress has been seen by the empress for so many years.
The old slave only hopes to see the emperor grow up safely and be in charge, and the mother and son can be in harmony with each other. This is the old slave's biggest wish.
The key to this matter actually lies with the cabinet. As long as the cabinet does not object, this memorial should be passed.
It's just that Gao Gong, the first assistant, is too pedantic and stubborn. He is a stubborn old man, just like Yang Tinghe at the beginning. The empress does not need to pay attention to it.
As long as Mr. Wei Ge and Mr. Zhang Ge return to the court, the old slave will immediately hand over this memorial.
With their character and wisdom, they will definitely approve this memorial. "
Feng Bao's words have actually released a lot of content. He hopes that the little emperor and Concubine Li will be well. He and Gao Gong have a rift, and he is sure to persuade Wei Guangde and Zhang Juzheng to support his suggestion.
Moreover, he said that Wei Guangde and Zhang Juzheng would approve this memorial, rather than support it, which actually revealed his intention to expel Gao Gong
"This is a serious matter. , let Aijia think again. ”
Although she wanted to agree immediately, Concubine Li did not agree immediately, but declined first.
This can either be done or not, and she doesn’t want to make a fool of herself.
"Old slave, I have one more thing to ask your Majesty."
At this time, Feng Bao suddenly knelt down and begged.
"What's going on? Get up."
Seeing Feng Bao suddenly kneel down again, Concubine Li immediately said in surprise.
"Empress, please save me."
Feng Bao did not get up, but fell to the ground and said.
"What mistake did you make?"
When Li Guifei heard what Feng Bao said, she stopped letting him get up and asked directly.
"The old slave has been entrusted by the late emperor, and he has always been cautious in doing things, for fear of making mistakes. However, some people don't like us slaves in the palace, and now they have gathered a group of gang members to attack the old slave.
That day the late emperor passed away. At that time, Chen The queen and several ministers of the cabinet were present, but the foreign court impeached the old slave, saying that the minister deceived the late emperor and made cunning edicts, and also said that the minister was the culprit who killed the late emperor. The old slave was unjust."
Feng Baoyue said that he felt more and more aggrieved. , couldn't help but fell to the ground and cried bitterly.
You said he did those things and it was easier to be criticized, but he didn’t do them at all.
Those things were all done by Teng Xiang, Meng Chong, and Chen Hongcai. Now that they are all thrown at his head, can he not feel aggrieved?
"Okay, okay, the Ai family knows that those memorials to the outer dynasty are all slander. The Ai family and the queen will not believe it.
You have devoted yourself to serving the emperor these years. You have made a contribution. I can't believe it. Don't be influenced by those lies."
Concubine Li understood that Feng Bao came to her to seek asylum, and she only asked her to help him at the critical moment.
"Empress, that lofty ambition was just to instigate the party members to criticize the old slave. Today's memorial is to punish the old slave. It is a capital crime."
Political struggle is a life-and-death struggle. The previous The memorial was quite mild. It only accused Feng Bao of his fault and asked for punishment. Now he wanted to accuse Feng Bao of killing the late emperor. This meant killing someone.
"And moreover"
At this time, Feng Bao hesitated, as if he wanted to say but didn't dare.
“And what?”
Concubine Li asked with a frown.
“The old slave heard from the chamberlain on the cabinet errands that Gao Gong actually publicly said in the cabinet room how the ten-year-old prince should rule the world, and both Zhang Ge Lao and Gao Ge Lao who were present at the time Dare not speak.
This is no longer due to Gao Gong's nature. He dares to speak so openly. This is because he does not take the emperor seriously at all and has evil intentions.
Now he is eager to punish the old slave. This is completely out of ulterior motives. ”
Strictly speaking, the reasons for impeachment of Feng Bao by the foreign court are actually half true and half false.
Feng Bao would naturally not fail to cater to Emperor Longqing’s preferences in the palace, and he was just a recommendation Alchemists have never done these things, but they still offer treasures to Emperor Longqing.
But with the actions of people like Teng Xiang, Meng Chong and Chen Hong, what Feng Bao did is really impressive. Ignore it.
There is no harm without comparison. It is precisely because of the comparison that in the minds of Empress Chen and Concubine Li, those things have nothing to do with Feng Bao. If they want to be punished, Chen Hong and Meng Chong should be punished.
This makes the foreign court's impeachment of Feng Bao very ridiculous, and it is completely disruptive. Combined with Feng Bao's slightly embarrassing status as a minister who cares about life, it really makes sense that Gao Gong has evil intentions.
However, Concubine Li was not thinking about Feng Bao's affairs at the moment. All she could hear in her ears was the words "How does a ten-year-old prince rule the world?" This was a naked contempt for her son. .
After the death of Emperor Longqing, the successor was the prince who was only ten years old. The arrogant Gao Gong looked down on the young emperor and said such a sentence without any hesitation. Under normal circumstances, this is understandable Yes, I won’t tell the truth and I won’t pursue it.
But now that the words have reached Concubine Li’s ears, the situation is different.
This was a fatal blow to the current orphan and widowed mentality of the Queen, Concubine Li, and the young emperor, and aroused great anger among them.
Under normal circumstances, they need to react more violently and severely punish Gao Gong to avoid future troubles.
“Are you serious?”
At this time, anger appeared on Concubine Li’s face, and her pretty face was covered with frost.
If she just couldn't stand Gao Gong before and was worried that Gao Gong's existence would threaten her son's inheritance rights, now she's done it.
Gao Gong does have a disobedient heart and evil intentions.
"Old slave tells the truth and never dares to tell any lies. The empress can ask Zhang Juzheng and Gao Yi about this matter."
Feng Bao also answered decisively. .
“Get up, wipe away your tears, and go to Ciqing Palace with the Ai family.”
Li Caifeng knew that she couldn’t do this well, otherwise Gao Gong wouldn’t know how to bully their orphans after he succeeded. Widowed mother.
Soon, Concubine Li took Feng Bao to Ciqing Palace and saw Queen Chen who was resting.
Suppressing the anger in her heart, Concubine Li handed the memorial given to her by Feng Bao to Empress Chen first.
In the past two days, she wanted to discuss the title with Queen Chen several times, but she was not allowed to say anything.
When she was here again today, she simply risked her life and took a gamble on Empress Chen's will.
At first, Empress Chen thought it was Feng Bao who was flattering Concubine Li, so she proposed the memorial of dual titles. Then she smiled and said to Concubine Li: "Sister, don't worry about this.
Now that you and I are the only ones close to each other in the palace, it’s okay to let Jun’er call my sister the Queen Mother. As for the title”
Empress Chen paused for a moment when she said this. She knew that the difference was not small.
According to regulations, Concubine Li can be honored as the Queen Mother, but she cannot be given the honorific title to show the difference from her direct mother, the Empress Dowager.
Li Caifeng was born as a palace maid, and was later named an imperial concubine, but her status was low no matter what.
Although Queen Chen's family was also a commoner before, she was chosen as a concubine to enter the palace, and Li Caifeng was a concubine. The situation of the imperial concubine is completely different. She was drafted into the palace according to the standards of the princess.
However, after only a slight hesitation, Empress Chen said: "Let's talk about it like this. When the time comes, go to your Majesty's Ai family and give your sister a royal title."
Empress Chen knew about the relationship between Zhu Yijun and her mother. , she didn’t want to get in the way and embarrass the little emperor.
Being so generous is due to Queen Chen’s character.
In fact, Empress Chen has been mentally prepared for this for a long time. After all, she has no sons, and Emperor Longqing’s two sons were both born to Concubine Li Guifei, so she has to do something about this matter no matter what. Out of choice.
From now on, we will have to live with the two of them in the palace, so there is really no need to create a barrier over this matter.
Concubine Li did not expect that Empress Chen would be so open-minded and agree immediately. However, she also understood that it was not the time for her to be overjoyed because there were more important things to discuss with her today, so in addition to looking gratefully at Empress Chen , and looked at Feng Bao again.
(End of this chapter)