Night, Qianqing Palace.
Shu Liang half-bowed, stood in front of Zhu Qiyu, and told in detail everything that happened in Chengguo's mansion during the day.
"...Your Majesty, that's what happened. Although I didn't expect that the British Duke really planned to get married, fortunately, we both came to the same destination through different paths. In addition to these, the young master also has something to say, asking this slave to report on his behalf."
Zhu Qiyu's eyes flashed and he asked, "What are you talking about?"
Shu Liang said: "My young master said that the lintel of the Chengguo Palace is certainly important, but the history pen is like a knife. Right and wrong, merit and demerit depend on the people's hearts. To pretend to be wrong is just to deceive oneself and others."
"Your Majesty has taught me earnestly, and the young master always keeps it in mind. If you want to get back the title of Duke Chengguo, you must get it back with merit and merit."
Hearing this, Zhu Qiyu raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.
Zhu Yi's words clearly meant something.
In other words, he was implicitly explaining that he was not really bewitched by Zhang Shi and others.
This young man is quite smart.
Putting down the scroll in his hand, Zhu Qiyu said calmly: "I understand, and tell Zhu Yi that the marriage between the two houses will be concluded as it should be, without any worries."
Shu Liang nodded and said.
"According to the order, Your Majesty, there is one more thing. Commander Lu has received news from over there that things are going smoothly and he is on his way. If nothing else happens, he will be able to reach the capital within seven days."
Hearing this, a smile flashed across Zhu Qiyu's face, but under the light, it made people feel inexplicably chilly.
The next day, the early morning drums sounded loudly, the palace door was slowly pushed open, and the elders crossed the Jinshui Bridge on time and entered the Wenhua Palace for the morning court.
Zhu Qiyu sat on the throne and glanced around. Sure enough, Ren Li and Zhang Shi were not here. It was said that they had taken a leave of absence.
At the bottom is Wang Wei, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, reporting on the construction status of the Shawankou Canal in the recent period.
It has been nearly three months since Chen Xun personally took charge of repairing the river. It should be said that the progress is quite gratifying.
According to the current progress, this large canal can be built before autumn.
Then, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Household Affairs also reported a lot of government affairs, and the morning was calm in a mess.
Unknowingly, nearly half an hour had passed and the sun had risen.
Next is the Ministry of Rites, which has just finished handling the draft matters. Immediately afterwards, the officials of the Ministry of Rites began to prepare for next year's Spring Festival.
There are still many details that need to be finalized one by one. Today is only a rough discussion, but various opinions have already emerged.
Just as the elders were arguing with each other, a heavy sound of "dong dong dong" suddenly came from outside the hall.
Many ministers who were fishing and watching the excitement below suddenly woke up.
If they had heard this sound a few months ago, the bosses would have been confused and didn't know what was going on.
But after the Zhennan King case at the beginning of the year, some ministers reacted almost immediately.
"Dengwengu?"
Several ministry officials in the palace who were debating whether the imperial court should provide accommodation for the scholars rushing to the capital also invariably kept their mouths shut.
All the ministers turned their attention to the palace gate.
Sure enough, not long after, a young official in imperial uniform appeared outside the palace gate, entered the palace and prostrated himself in the tunnel.
"The imperial censor Yao Jun, who was on duty at the Dengwen Drum, paid homage to His Majesty and began to play the drum. The people who sounded the Dengwen Drum were the British Duke Zhang Mao and his uncle, and the commander of the Imperial Guard Envoy Division, Zhang Shi. The two claimed that they wanted to serve the envoy The deputy envoy of the regiment and the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Army Commander-in-Chief Mansion, Zhang Fu, complained of injustice."
"I impeach the Jin Yiwei for indiscriminately arresting loyal ministers and obstructing the mission from welcoming the Supreme Emperor. Here is the complaint. Please read it to Your Majesty."
As soon as the words fell, there was a burst of low discussion in the hall.
The case of the envoy's arrest has been fermenting in Beijing for many days. Many imperial officials came to impeach Jin Yiwei, but they were all blocked by the emperor.
The elders thought that this case would drag on for several months, but they never thought that such an incident would happen today.
But this was not over yet. He handed the complaint in his hand to the chamberlain who came down from the imperial steps.
The censor on duty who climbed the Wengu continued.
"Your Majesty, in addition to the main complainant, the British Duke Zhang Mao and his uncle Zhang Shi, who are playing drums together, there are also six marquises including Ningyuan Marquis Renli, Taining Marquis Chen Huan, Ningyang Bo Chen Mao and nine other marquises. The Earl, a total of seventeen distinguished ministers, are outside the palace at the moment, requesting your Majesty to summon you."
Zhu Qiyu turned over the complaint in his hand and looked at the joint signature, feeling frightened in his heart.
Although he had already learned this news from Zhu Yi yesterday, he really waited until the complaint was delivered to him.
Only then could he feel even more how strong the appeal of the two ducal mansions was among the nobles.
You must know that the Ming Dynasty now has no more than fifty mansions with titles. If we exclude the honorable ministers who are guarding in various places and leading troops outside, the number of honorable ministers actually in the capital is about forty.
But this time, in order to save Zhang Fu, the British government mobilized seventeen families at once, nearly half of the noble families in the capital.
Although part of this was for the sake of the Chengguo Palace, Zhu Yi also said yesterday that time was too tight and it was impossible to influence too many families.
So in fact, there were only two marquises and one earl on the Chengguo Duke's side this time, and most of them were instigated by the British Duke.
The British government has controlled the Governor's Mansion of the Fifth Army for many years, and has assisted in the placement of many noble disciples. Now that it has put all its efforts into it, its strength cannot be underestimated.
The emperor hadn't spoken yet, but the ministers below suddenly exploded.
Chen Yi, the censor of Zuodu, took the lead and said.
"Your Majesty, the case of the diplomatic mission is still under trial and has not been finalized. The British princes gathered outside the palace, beat drums to complain, and made noises to cause trouble. They are actually contemptuous of the court. The princes, just like him, are demonstrating outside the palace. They should also be guilty."
"Don't say that the case is under trial. Even if the case has been decided, the memorial should be submitted. If no results are obtained, the drum will be beaten again. What's more, even if it is to complain about injustice, just one person can come and entangle seventeen honorable ministers. The intention is not Are you forcing the imperial court? Such wanton behavior must not be condoned."
"I request your majesty to follow the system of leapfrogging appeals and first give the main complainant a fifty-fifty imperial cane, and the accompanying person a thirty-percent cane before discussing anything else."
Immediately afterwards, Jin Lian, the Minister of Punishment, also said.
"Your Majesty, what Mr. General Xian said makes sense. The imperial court has its own procedures for handling criminal cases. If everyone makes noises and stirs up public opinion when the case is pending, then the prison officials will be trembling and unable to resolve the case. , so I think this wind will not last long."
There are some things that you can catch off guard once, but you won't be so lucky the second time.
After experiencing the last Zhennan King case, the elders had already become more vigilant about the Dengwengu incident.
In addition, this time a large group of relatives gathered outside the palace to cause trouble without closing the case.
The bosses would be sorry for themselves if they don't take the opportunity to impeach.
Therefore, these ministers did not even bother to impeach Jin Yiwei. They jumped out one by one, echoed Chen Yi and Jin Lian, and demanded that the nobles who beat the drum should be given a killing blow first.
This situation is probably something that Zhang Min and others did not expect.
Fortunately, although Zhang Xian and others were beating drums outside the palace, there were still his people in the palace.
Seeing that the situation in the palace was not right, Zhu Qian, the governor's colleague who had already received the order, immediately came out.
"Your Majesty, I think that when the British ministers gathered outside the palace, they must have grievances to report. What's more, hearing the sound of drums in public in public will inevitably attract the attention of the government and the public. The longer the delay, the more people will talk about it. I think it is better first. It will not be too late to announce the British Duke and others into the palace before making further plans."
After the words fell, many officials from the Fifth Army Commander's Office also stood up to express their support.
The two sides were arguing, and the emperor finally spoke.
"The princes, princes, and uncles are all distinguished ministers of the country. They will not gather for no reason. Although their behavior is reckless, it is excusable. According to Zhu Qian's words, everyone will be called into the palace first. After the situation is stated, we can discuss it later. It is a crime for people to gather together by beating drums without permission.”
