Chapter 5 Ascending the throne and proclaiming himself emperor
The mourning period for Emperor Daxing lasted twenty-seven days.
Therefore, civil and military officials and officials still have to enter the palace to worship as usual.
Naturally, Liu Jian, the chief assistant of the cabinet, Li Dongyang, the second assistant of the cabinet, and Xie Qian, the third assistant of the cabinet, also changed into mourning clothes and went to Daxing Emperor Zi Palace early the next morning.
At this time, the young eunuch who was doing his morning sweeps immediately said Qianer when Liu Jian and others passed by: "I have seen a few ministers and ministers."
Liu Jian threw a piece of silver and asked: "What did your Majesty do last night?"
"Replying to your lord, Liu Jin found ten beauties to accompany the prince on the grounds that the prince, no, he was too sad and needed to relieve his boredom. The Xinan Pavilion where the prince slept was brightly lit last night. It stayed on all night and dances were performed. One night," the eunuch replied.
After hearing this, Xie Qian, the third assistant, couldn't help but smile scornfully: "This new majesty is quite clever. He can cry in front of others, and he still can't control himself. With some eunuchs tempting him from the side, he will undoubtedly be a coward in the future!"
"If there is no foolish emperor, how can there be virtuous ministers! If everyone is like the Daxing Emperor, and finally proposes to collect some business taxes and wants to replace us, wouldn't we have to do the thing of changing dynasties again?"
Li Dongyang said with a smile at this time.
"Hmph! How can a young man govern the world after he ascends the throne? Fortunately, the ceremonial director is now led by the mature and prudent Wang Yue. With us in the cabinet, he will never be able to stir up trouble. The eunuchs around him can play with him, but they have to Tell Wang Yue not to let these people take away his position in the inner court."
Liu Jian said and added: "After the new emperor ascends the throne, he must choose a queen. Since Your Majesty likes beauties, it will be beneficial to the emperor to choose some stunning ones for him when the time comes."
"What Shoukui said is absolutely true. His Majesty is not worthy of our worries. He is just enjoying his time. As long as the Chief of Ceremonies and the Cabinet are in our hands, there is nothing he can do. But the key now is Ma Wensheng and his party. , is really too foolish and loyal, especially Ma Wensheng, who insists on investigating the cause of Emperor Daxing’s death. Isn’t this deliberately trying to find fault for us?”
Li Dongyang said.
"This old man! He is determined to join the cabinet! If he is not an official, he will not join the cabinet. What qualifications does a vulgar person have!"
Liu Jian couldn't help but get angry when he thought that Ma Wensheng had stolen his limelight yesterday and ruined his good deeds.
Xie Qian also said from the side: "Let me tell you, this pure and turbid person cannot be listed in the court. He has reached a certain age. As an emperor and a minister, it is time for him to become an official."
At this time, Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, followed: "Don't worry, elders, I have already contacted the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. After the emperor ascends the throne, he will take part in his book on the grounds that he is old but still clings to power." , Ma Wensheng has always cherished his reputation, and he will definitely retire when the time comes.”
"So good!"
Liu Jian said with a smile and went up the jade steps first.
……
When Zhu Houzhao saw this scene, he couldn't help but smile lightly, hurriedly lowered the curtains, and asked someone to change him into mourning clothes. Then he came to the main hall of Emperor Daxing's Zi Palace and knelt down. He also held a nine-link ring in his hand and fiddled with it. After all, there was only one Only in this way can he appear to be a playful young emperor.
Liu Jian and others burst into tears again after they came in. Zhu Houzhao didn't know if they had put chili pepper on their faces, so they burst into tears without any preparation.
When Ma Wensheng and others came in, they just knelt aside in acquiescence. When they saw Zhu Houzhao again, they became a little sad and depressed: "Although His Majesty said he was benevolent and filial, he was indeed too much of a plaything. Late Emperor, you shouldn't have left so early!"
Every day that followed, Zhu Houzhao mourned Emperor Hongzhi according to the arrangements of the Ministry of Rites. Liu Jian and others would come regularly to cry bitterly and then return to Wenyuan Pavilion to do business. Ma Wensheng and others would be disappointed when they saw that Zhu Houzhao showed no understanding of the emperor. Ichiban.
Zhu Houzhao also took advantage of these days to record down all the modern knowledge he could remember. Naturally, he had to rely on these to make money, otherwise he would not be able to get money even if he was the crown prince. To control the power of the court, he must have money and Having military power and money are the prerequisites for having military power. Making money can be said to be the most important thing for him now.
In addition, Zhu Houzhao felt that he could not live in the Qianqing Palace for the time being. He did not know how many eunuchs in the Qianqing Palace were the spies of the cabinet civil servants. Staying here was equivalent to staying under their noses, and he could not stay in the palace. Can't make money.
Therefore, he felt that he had to find an opportunity to escape from the Forbidden City. Only by escaping from the Forbidden City could he become a free emperor instead of a puppet emperor being watched.
Anyway, now Zhu Houzhao's character is that of a playful and ignorant young emperor. He is even afraid that he will be regarded as a coward. It is not surprising that he would move to a villa outside the palace.
The mourning period for Emperor Daxing on the 27th came to an end soon. Immediately afterwards, the civil and military officials and the common people waited to invite Zhu Houzhao to ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor.
These are all established examples.
One please.
Zhu Houzhao refused.
Two please.
Zhu Houzhao refused again.
After three requests, Zhu Houzhao ordered the Ministry of Rites to choose an auspicious day to ascend the throne, and then prepared to announce to the world that he would change the Yuan Dynasty to Zhengde next year.
During this period, at the strong request of a group of officials such as the Minister of Civil Affairs, Ma Wensheng, the Chief of Ceremonies Bingbi Zhang Yu, Zhang Taiyuan Shi Youtongzheng Shi Qin, the court judge Liu Wentai, and the imperial physician Gao Tinghe were still involved. After the death of Emperor Hongzhi, he was sent to Jinyi Guard Prison.
But soon after Zhu Houzhao ascended the throne, he declared that when he ascended the throne, he declared that there was a grace for the world to amnesty. Therefore, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and others strongly requested to pardon the death penalty of these people on this grounds, and changed the It became a border guard.
Zhu Houzhao had been watching with cold eyes the struggle between Liu Jian's party and Ma Wensheng's party over the death of Emperor Hongzhi. He listened to both Ma Wensheng's and Liu Jian's, which made many internal and external ministers think that Zhu Houzhao was indeed a young emperor without his own opinion.
Officials became more fearless, and corruption naturally began to become serious.
Of course, many civil servants will blame Zhu Houzhao for this phenomenon, saying that Zhu Houzhao's neglect of government affairs led to this phenomenon.
But in fact, Zhu Houzhao has been honestly playing the role of a "puppet emperor" in accordance with the arrangements of the civil servants.
As for the actions of the Eight Tigers, they did not attract many people's attention. Zhu Houzhao was not worried that their actions would fail. He believed that since these eight people could be on the stage of history in later generations and defeat the civil servant group, it was impossible for them to be unable to complete these tasks.
"Your Majesty, the Leopard House is almost built. You can see when it will be moved there." One day, Luo Xiang found Zhu Houzhao and said.
"We will move tomorrow. I will go and tell my mother today that you should announce to the public now that the emperor feels tired of living in the palace and wants to stay in the Leopard Room for a while to see the tigers and lions! Then all the beauties in the palace will be Find it!”
Zhu Houzhao said as he picked up a box of drawings and handed it to Luo Xiang.
Early the next morning, Zhu Houzhao took his mother, Zhang, and moved to the Leopard Room on the grounds of avoiding the summer heat.
……
Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, was furious when he heard that he even called out Zhu Houzhao's name: "What on earth is Zhu Houzhao going to do? He leaves the palace as soon as he wants to. Does he still think that he is the former crown prince!"
"Shou Kui, please calm down. Our new emperor has fun when he is the prince. This is understandable. But it is true that we have no control over him when he leaves the palace. We must let him return to the palace no matter what! We should write a memorial to the official immediately. Advice.”
Li Dongyang calmed Liu Jian's mood and said: "Now things have to be done one by one. The day after tomorrow will be the great dynasty. Liu Daxia has already found the censor. By then, Ma Wensheng will be impeached in front of all the ministers. As long as he Ma Wensheng was forced to return to his hometown. We don’t have the final say in this court, and it is only a piece of cake for the emperor to return to the palace.”
"What Ci Fu said is true. Doesn't he, Ma Wensheng, claim to be loyal to Emperor Daxing? Then let him see the virtue of the current emperor. When the time comes, he, Ma Wensheng, will be disappointed. I don't believe that he is still in the mood to stay in court. "In the hall," Xie Qian said with a smile.
Liu Jian and Li Dongyang both laughed after hearing this, and Liu Jian even suggested: "We will all give this veteran of the Four Dynasties a gift then. After all, we have worked together for so long."
Li Dongyang and Xie Qian both agreed with it, with proud smiles on their faces.
(End of chapter)