Huangming

Chapter 5 The Power of Dismounting: Suppressing Chaos and Ensuring Peace

Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe, dressed in a purple robe and gold belt, with a solemn expression, led cabinet ministers Liu Yizhu and Han Kuang, all in neat official attire and with steady steps. He was accompanied by Duke of Yingguo Zhang Weixian, whose python robe and jade belt exuded majesty. Minister of Rites Sun Ruyou also followed behind, his official demeanor dignified.

The group of six, along with officials from the Six Ministries, the Nine Ministers, and the Censors, all dressed in formal attire, approached the Emperor.

The ministers bowed and said, "Your Majesty has passed away. The country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. We humbly request that the Crown Prince ascend the throne immediately to put the minds of the people at ease."

His words were earnest and his voice resonated throughout the hall.

Liu Yiju and Han Kuang echoed in unison, saying, "The Grand Secretary is absolutely right. The Crown Prince should prioritize the nation and quickly assume the throne."

Duke Zhang Weixian of England said in a loud voice, "Your Highness, this is a time of great turmoil for the nation. I hope Your Highness will prioritize the overall situation and refrain from causing unrest in the court and among the people."

Minister of Rites Sun Ruyou also bowed and advised: "Your Highness, the enthronement ceremony is an act in accordance with the will of Heaven and to appease the people. I hope Your Highness will reconsider."

The officials of the Six Ministries, the Nine Ministers, and the Censors all responded in unison, their voices resounding throughout the palace, saying, "We request that the Crown Prince ascend the throne immediately!"

However, Zhu Youxiao, dressed in mourning clothes, with a sorrowful face and tearful eyes, shook his head and wept when he heard the ministers' request, saying, "My father just passed away, and my heart is breaking. How can I ascend the throne immediately? I hope you all can understand my grief."

After saying this, tears streamed down her face, and she looked heartbroken.

Upon seeing this, the ministers all looked troubled, but considering the importance of state affairs, they pleaded again, their words becoming increasingly earnest.

However, Zhu Youxiao was determined and refused to comply.

The ministers' urging for the emperor's ascension to the throne ceased.

Even though Zhu Youxiao was the successor in line to the throne, the three times he declined the throne was still a tradition and in accordance with the teachings of the sages.

Everyone knows this is a play, but we still have to keep acting.

After the performance of urging him to ascend the throne, Zhou Jiamo, the Minister of Personnel, immediately stepped forward with his official tablet in hand and said: "Your subject Jiamo respectfully requests that the palace be moved to ensure the stability of the state."

The late Emperor has passed away, and his eldest son has ascended the throne, a position the world looks up to. However, the Qianqing Palace is the main hall where the Emperor resides, not a place where empresses and concubines should reside for long. Now, Consort Li is neither the legal mother nor the biological mother, yet she occupies the main palace, which is improper according to etiquette and violates regulations.

Your Highness is in the prime of your life and should soon assume the throne to reassure the people. However, if Consort Li remains in the Qianqing Palace for too long, she may use the guise of nurturing to exercise absolute power, and the calamities of Empress Wu Zetian will soon be repeated. This is not an exaggeration; it concerns the very safety of the nation.

We, your humble servants, believe that Consort Li should be promptly removed from the Qianqing Palace and relocated to another palace to ensure her proper status and maintain order in the court. Your Highness should prioritize the well-being of the nation and not be swayed by personal feelings.

We, your humble servants, are willing to die for your sake, and humbly await Your Majesty's decision.

Upon hearing this, Imperial Censor Zuo Guangdou stepped forward and said, "Please make your judgment, Your Highness!"

Everyone unconsciously turned their gaze to the heir apparent, to see how he would handle the matter.

Whether it was the palace eunuchs or the cabinet ministers and officials, everyone was watching to see if the heir was as naive and innocent as rumored, or if he was a hidden dragon waiting to be subdued and move with the tide.

If it's the former, then that's naturally the best.

If it is the latter, then naturally a different approach is needed.

Zhou Jiamo and Zuo Guangdou did indeed cause Zhu Youxiao considerable trouble.

The Qianqing Palace was where the emperor ruled the heavens, so it was naturally not a place for Consort Li to reside. Moving the palace was definitely necessary.

But the emperor had not been dead for long, and in terms of status, Consort Li had raised him. Although she was not his biological mother, how could she be so heartless and lack filial piety?

Whether to move or not, both are problems, both are pitfalls.

If Zhu Youxiao had rushed to the Wenhua Hall, he would naturally have been manipulated by these people. Even with quick wit, he would likely have been unable to save face.

but.
He came from Cining Palace.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at Sun Ruyou, and the old man's withered body straightened up. His face, gnarled and twisted like an old tree bark, revealed exceptionally bright eyes. The rising aura reminded Zhu Youxiao of a saying Ip Man had once uttered:

I want to hit ten!
Minister of Rites Sun Ruyou stepped forward and said, “The proposal to move the palace is indeed reasonable, but the late emperor’s coffin has not yet been laid to rest, so it is not appropriate to proceed hastily. Moreover, how can this matter be decided by the successor, thus violating the principle of filial piety? As ministers, do you wish to place the crown prince in a position of unfilial conduct?”

Nothing is as simple as labeling someone. Although Zhou Jiamo and Zuo Guangdou were unwilling, they dared not accept this label.

They could only retreat in resentment.

Before the new emperor has even ascended the throne, you, Sun Ruyou, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, are already trying to curry favor with him?

Where is the integrity of a scholar?

Before, when I saw him being two-faced, I thought he had some kind of trouble. But now that I see him, this old dog is simply a sycophant, no different from a castrated dog.

Censor Zuo Guangdou spat fiercely. Meanwhile, inside the Wenhua Hall, some people were also harboring their own thoughts.

For these upright individuals, being a favored courtier was beneath them.

But countless people aspire to be like Yan Song and Yan Shifan.

With a new emperor newly enthroned, this is indeed a golden opportunity for Xing Jin!
Many people are already interested.

Seeing that the successor's abilities had not yet been tested, the Donglin Party's control over the situation was becoming increasingly precarious.

Yang Lian saw this and was anxious.

He glanced at Liu Yijun, preparing to give the heir a hard time.

But he found that the latter had actually closed his eyes and fallen asleep, so he had no choice but to turn to Han Kuang, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion.

Each of the three of them had a memorial in their hands, with Liu Yiju's being the most challenging to test their abilities.

This was a memorial submitted by Yang Sichang, accusing the government treasury of being empty and the people of turning to thievery.

This is a difficult problem in governing a country, and it best reveals a person's competence.

The one Yang Lian had was the simplest.

This is a memorial to the throne from Yuan Yingtai, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief who is appointed as the Vice Minister of War to oversee Liaodong, replacing Xiong Tingbi.

But now it seems that the successor is not stupid and will probably not easily agree to this memorial; it would be pointless to say anything.

He intended to use the memorial in Liu Yizhu's hand to give the heir apparent a hard time, but found that the fellow was actually pretending to be asleep.

Left with no other choice, Yang Lian could only look at Han Kuang with pleading eyes.

Han Kuang glanced at the censor Wang Anshun, who stepped forward, bowed to Zhu Youxiao, and said, "Your subject respectfully reports on the matter of the red pill."

Zhu Youxiao was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Alright."

Are these people in such a hurry to engage in factional strife?

As Zhu Youxiao had predicted, Wang Anshun immediately became impassioned, his tone almost accusing:

"I have heard that Li Kezhuo presented a red pill, which led to the sudden death of the late Emperor. This matter concerns the safety of the nation and must be investigated."

I have also heard that Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe has fabricated a will, praising Li Kezhuo's achievements in the tone of Your Majesty, and bestowing silver coins upon him. This act is truly intended to confuse the court and obscure the truth.

Li Kezhuo was a quack doctor; how could he possibly possess the skill to bring the dead back to life? His offering of the red pill was a treacherous act, an attempt to gain favor and reward.

Fang Congzhe, as the Grand Secretary, did not think of sharing the emperor's burdens, but instead aided and abetted the tyrant, which is truly an unforgivable crime.

Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Highness the Crown Prince uphold justice, pursue the true culprits in this case, and bring Li Kezhuo, Fang Congzhe, and other criminals to justice, so as to comfort the spirit of the late Emperor and bring peace to the hearts of the people.

"I urge Your Highness to investigate thoroughly and not allow treacherous officials to succeed, lest the nation suffer."

After Wang Anshun finished speaking, nearly half of the officials in the Wenhua Hall responded loudly in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe felt his mouth go dry and his lips and teeth turn white.

However, he was unwilling to bear such a crime, so he stepped forward and said, "All the cabinet ministers participated in drafting the edict. If I am guilty, then the cabinet ministers and ministers of the ministries are also guilty! Please, Your Highness, see the truth."

The officials of the Zhejiang Party and those who had been suppressed by the Donglin Party all rose up to support Fang Congzhe.

They accuse you of making baseless accusations, launch counterattacks, and launch personal attacks relentlessly.

Suddenly, the Wenhua Hall, where the Crown Prince was conferred titles and studied, became even noisier than a vegetable market.

Zhu Youxiao, in his position of authority, merely sneered at the sight.

When these scholars argue, although they don't use a single vulgar word, it's ten times more offensive than profanity.

On his first day of attending court, Zhu Youxiao experienced firsthand the intensity of factional strife at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

How can we govern the Ming Dynasty well while we're with these scoundrels?
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(End of this chapter)