Chapter 347: Cherish the situation
The content of Zhu Zaijing and Lu Bingshangshu’s Xiyuan water leakage investigation report is also very simple, and the central idea can be summarized in one sentence: "This is an accidental fire!"
Of course, it doesn’t really matter whether it was an accident or not, but when it is going to be announced to the public, it must be an accident.
After all, that was the palace where the Ming Emperor lived. No matter what scandal occurred, unless it was something that could not be covered up, it would be classified as an accident.
Otherwise, once people think that setting the emperor on fire is an easy thing to achieve, God knows what kind of impact it will have later.
Therefore, no matter what Lu Bing's investigation did not reveal, as long as the investigation report he brought was the result of an accidental investigation, Zhu Zaijing would sign it without hesitation.
But if Lu Bingduo had the cleverness to insist on adding a conspiracy theory tone to Emperor Jiajing's plain memorial, Zhu Zaijing would not sign it even if he was beaten to death.
Because once a conspiracy theory is involved, it is not something that can be ended easily. Many people may die. The first to die are all the eunuchs and eunuchs who serve daily inside and outside the Wanshou Palace in Xiyuan. Palace maid servant.
The total number of these people is at least three to four hundred. Although they are guards and slaves, their life and death cannot be easily determined with just one sentence.
After all, reality is not like in TV dramas and novels, where emperors and superiors can kill people at every turn to demonstrate their power and status.
You must know that people in reality are complex thinking animals, and they will bite when pressed.
If an emperor has no moral intentions and indiscriminately massacres and punishes those around him, then the next Renyin Palace Incident may be just around the corner.
So, as an emperor, especially an emperor who needs majesty and protection and awe from those around him.
Even if they want to kill people around them, they still have to find a reason that can convince everyone, and when they kill, they also have to kill the chickens to scare the monkeys.
Otherwise, any emperor with a right mind would not indiscriminately kill all those who serve him.
Unless he is sure that everyone around him is a bad person.
But if the people around him are bad people and are arranged by others, then this emperor is most likely a puppet and cannot control anyone at all.
So, from ancient times to the present, killing has been a technical job, and it cannot be like in the novel: a gloomy-minded superior can just open his mouth as much as he wants to do the dirty work for himself. , or kill the slaves serving him.
You must know that since those people can do dirty work for him, it is actually a gesture of loyalty. If the safety of the loyalists cannot be guaranteed, who would dare to continue to work for him?
Will today’s butcher’s knife become tomorrow’s fish?
Therefore, even if there was a secret behind the leak of Wanshou Palace, Emperor Jiajing would not investigate it with great fanfare, let alone Lu Bing so directly submit a suspicious investigation report and drag Zhu Zaijing along with him. Present it.
Instead, they will covertly use other means and trustworthy people to investigate in secret. Once any clues are found, they will not deal with them by any fair and aboveboard means, but will use a more... Do it for shady or more fucked up reasons.
In this way, the impact of this matter can be minimized, and at the same time, the emperor's supreme and inviolable image can be maintained.
Otherwise, everyone in the world knows that someone can jump out and jump in the emperor's face, so how can the emperor's authority be maintained in the future?
So no matter what, Emperor Jiajing had to deal with this matter in a low-key manner, whether he wanted it or not, and admitted that the breach of the Wanshou Palace was an accident.
Emperor Jiajing returned to Xiyuan with a dark face. His heart was bleeding as he looked at the Wanshou Palace that had been burned to a white ground.
This palace was sited and designed by himself. It was several grades higher than his cousin's leopard room next to it, but now it was reduced to nothing because of a fire. How could this not make Emperor Jiajing feel uncomfortable and depressed?
Yan Song, Xu Jie and others, who had also been waiting in Xiyuan early, were all standing behind Emperor Jiajing in awe at this moment, waiting for Emperor Jiajing's holy instructions.
After looking at it for a long time, Emperor Jiajing didn't know what he was thinking. After a while, he sighed, "Did people burn to death?"
Lu Bing, who was standing on the side, bowed in a low voice: "Your Majesty, burn to death the seven young eunuchs and guards who put out the fire."
Emperor Jiajing sighed again, "Let's give them a good burial."
< br>Lu Binggao claimed it was.
Then Emperor Jiajing finally turned around and looked at Yan Song, Xu Jie and others standing behind him.
Emperor Jiajing said: "I am not very virtuous, which is why I suffered the disaster of Zhurong. Now that the Wanshou Palace has been burned, this is also a warning from God to cultivate my virtue."
When Emperor Jiajing said this, Yan Song and others panicked.
It is definitely not a good thing for an emperor to take the initiative to say that he has been immoral, and as a minister, it is not just a matter of following him.
So, Yan Song and others hurriedly worshiped: "Your Majesty, the water in the palace garden is due to dry weather and has nothing to do with your Majesty's holiness. Please don't blame yourself so much. It's true if you really want to blame it. It is the failure of the ministers to cultivate their virtues that has caused this disaster to happen to the emperor and his father.”
The dull look on Emperor Jiajing’s face faded slightly as he listened to the words of Yan Song and others.
Emperor Jiajing said: "You don't need to blame yourself, accidents are always inevitable. It's just a pity for my palace."
At this time, Yan Shifan, who had been standing aside for a long time, finally got the chance to speak.
Yan Shifan said: "Your Majesty, it is the fault of the ministers that the flood in the palace has made the king and father worried. As the minister of the Ministry of Industry, I also have an unshirkable responsibility. I also ask your majesty to make amends for the faults. Your Majesty will rebuild this palace."
Emperor Jiajing couldn't help but feel a little amused when he looked at Yan Shifan who now had only one eye.
Emperor Jiajing said: "Since you have this intention, then I will leave this matter to you."
When Yan Shifan heard this, he immediately said excitedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Then Emperor Jiajing sighed again, "The Wanshou Palace is gone, where should I live?"
As soon as Emperor Jiajing said this, whether it was Yan Song, Xu Jie and others, their minds went crazy. It started working.
You must know that Emperor Jiajing is not an ordinary emperor. Like his predecessor Emperor Wuzong, he does not like living in the Forbidden City.
So, this question must be answered carefully.
Otherwise, once you say the wrong thing, the consequences will be disastrous.
Yan Song, who had been standing there for a long time, found that no one took the initiative to speak at this time, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. These people are all too smart.
Therefore, as the chief assistant, Yan Song had to take the initiative to stand up and answer Emperor Jiajing's questions.
(End of this chapter)