Ming Jiajing: Starting from Immortality

Chapter 190 Prince Yu is planning a rebellion, a foolproof plan!
The sound of three o'clock in the morning.

The Prince Yu’s Mansion was brightly lit.

The civil and military officials did not leave, but sat on both sides of the hall, making it look like a small court.

Prince Yu Zhu Zaihou sat high on the throne, and he naturally felt the taste of power.

The prince and the court officials agreed to go to Yuxi Palace the next morning to meet His Majesty.

Unlike the last power struggle in Yan Song's cabinet, this time there was no need to submit memorials to the emperor in order to catch him, who was in seclusion, off guard.

However, Lu Fang arrived with the imperial edict, catching these kings and ministers off guard.

Zhao Zhigao and other court officials then realized that the emperor was not in seclusion or meditating at all, but just didn't want to see them.

Some of the hot-tempered officials had red cheeks and were breathing heavily while listening to the imperial edict.

After the imperial edict was read, Lu Fang did not have any conversation with Prince Yu and turned back to the palace to report.

Prince Yu was stunned for a moment.

Eunuchs have never dared to offend the prince's mansion. Even if they disliked him, they would still respect the prince. After all, the prince was the emperor's son, and they were just a group of slaves.

Therefore, once a eunuch is treated abnormally, to some extent, it also reflects the attitude of the current emperor.

It's too late to avoid it!
"Your Highness, is there a secluded place?" Zhao Zhigao came closer and whispered.

The plan to go to the palace together to meet the emperor tomorrow has been disrupted by the emperor's will. Prince Yu must follow the emperor's will and go to greet the kings.

The attitude of the eunuch who holds the seal of Silijian also indirectly shows that the royal father and son are already at loggerheads.

Officials and gentry all paid taxes and served as officials together, and all industries were run by the two new policies. It was obvious that the conventional means of admonishing and submitting memorials could not shake the mind of the current emperor.

His Majesty has countless means at his disposal, and if he does not come to meet his ministers, the court officials can only take emergency measures.

Prince Yu nodded, turned and walked towards the bedroom. Zhao Zhigao called several vice ministers from the six ministries and followed him closely.

In the sleeping hall.

Concubine Li was coaxing the ten-month-old Crown Prince Zhu Yijun to sleep. In the past, the Crown Prince would fall asleep before midnight, but today, the Crown Prince was unwilling to sleep at all.

Hearing the crying sound, Prince Yu became even more annoyed and shouted to the inner palace: "Take the prince out and don't let anyone get close!"

Following the king's order, Concubine Li picked up the prince, wrapped him in clothes, and then carried him out. When she passed by Zhao Zhigao and others, her phoenix eyes were filled with sorrow.

Your Majesty, she is becoming less and less recognizable to him.

Zhao Zhigao hurriedly bowed to Concubine Li and the Crown Prince, and only stood up after the beautiful figure walked out of the bedroom.

"Your Highness, I have something to say. I wonder if Your Highness can forgive me?" There was a gleam of ambition in Zhao Zhigao's eyes.

"Say!"

"Your Highness, please forgive me for being frank. Your Majesty has neither the wisdom to judge people nor the ability to know himself." Zhao Zhigao said in a shocking manner.

Prince Yu's expression changed immediately, and the several assistant ministers from the six ministries who followed him also changed their expressions and looked at Zhao Zhigao reproachfully.

They indeed could not accept the new policies, but the education they received prevented them from insulting the emperor.

From the 16th year of Zhengde to the present, a full forty years have passed. Your Majesty has been the ruler and father of the people of the world for forty years. How can you speak so vulgarly to the ruler and father?

Zhao Zhigao continued, "Throughout history, there has never been an emperor who did not attend court for more than 20 years, did not interact with court officials, and devoted himself to seeking immortality. There are more than 100,000 officials in our Ming Dynasty, but the number of those who can enter the Yuxi Palace to meet the emperor is less than two hands.

His Majesty's understanding of state affairs and court officials is limited to the Cabinet and the Imperial Guard.

In the past twenty years, the emperor has appointed Yan Song as the chief minister of the cabinet. In the next twenty years, the emperor wants to appoint Zhang Juzheng as the chief minister of the cabinet.

But who is Yan Song? He can be called the most powerful traitor in the past 200 years of the Ming Dynasty.

Who was Zhang Juzheng? Yan Song was his teacher in the Imperial Academy, and Xu Jie and Xu Bancheng were his formal mentors.

Zhang Juzheng served Yan Song and Xu Jie for more than ten years, and was more or less influenced by their ambitions for power.

The cabinets of Yan and Zhang have deceived the emperor and blocked the channels of communication. Your Highness is the heir to the emperor, but you have rarely seen him in person for months, years, or even decades, cutting off the royal family ties and committing a grave sin.

In recent months, Your Majesty's killing has become increasingly severe, causing unrest in the court and the people's livelihood is miserable. In my opinion, this is all because of Zhang Juzheng and Lu Bing.

May I ask, Your Highness, when was the last time you saw the Emperor?"

"Longevity Day."

"Father and son have not seen each other for two months. As far as I know, when King Jing left the country, the emperor had not yet shown up. Please forgive me for daring to ask Your Highness, do you know whether your father is alive or dead?" Zhao Zhigao lowered his voice, but his sonorous tone and excited expression shook the hearts of everyone in the bedroom.

Yes.

Your Majesty is fifty-four years old this year and has ruled the Ming Dynasty for forty years.

This can be considered longevity among emperors of all dynasties.

If it were any other emperor, the court officials would have been in chaos if he hadn't shown up for several months.

However, the princes and courtiers of the Jiajing Dynasty, who were accustomed to the emperor's seclusion and meditation, could not think of this. When Zhao Zhigao mentioned it, they suddenly felt a chill.

Prince Yu knew Zhang Juzheng quite well. He was a man who had an unparalleled pursuit of power. Although Zhang Juzheng had good character and morals, what if?
What if the emperor has passed away, and the cabinet, together with the Imperial Household Department and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, staged a drama and deceived the world just to usurp the imperial power?

Prince Yu's heart was pounding, and his face was slightly red. If his father was dead...

Zhao Zhigao saw this and struck while the iron was hot, saying, "Your Majesty's life or death is unknown, and there are corrupt officials in the court. If Your Highness does not take any action, once the princes enter the capital, the corrupt officials will come up with evil plans, and the Ming Dynasty may be destroyed overnight.

Your Highness, the emperor is also a descendant of the royal family!"

In one sentence, he succeeded to the throne.

Prince Yu's eyes suddenly showed a fierce light. His father had no descendants, and Prince Jing had been exiled. If he, the prince, also died, which clan would hold the throne of the Ming Dynasty? It would all depend on the ideas of Zhang Juzheng, Lu Bing and others.

It is not difficult to establish a puppet emperor and then usurp the throne a few years later.

In Prince Yu's mind, Zhang Juzheng's image gradually became closer to Sima Yi's.

"Your Highness, if Zhang Juzheng and Lu Bing really have ulterior motives, then after the kings enter the capital, Your Highness will also be present at the banquet granted by the emperor. That will be the last chance for Zhang, Lu and other traitors to coerce the royal family. To prevent any accidents, I ask Your Highness to make full preparations for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and the country of our ancestors." Zhao Zhigao said.

Prince Yu widened his eyes, looked at Zhao Zhigao, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Your Highness, I have a close relationship with Tang Kekuan, the commander of the Shenshu Camp, one of the three major camps in the capital. I can persuade him to submit to Your Highness. During the banquet, I will bring the soldiers of the Shenshu Camp to protect Your Highness!" Zhao Zhigao's true intentions were revealed.

In the capital, we have court officials like them, and outside the capital, we have the Shenshu Camp. With the combined efforts of the two, great things can be accomplished!

(End of this chapter)