In the understanding of many common people, the emperor's precious seal is the so-called imperial seal, which is a seal that is placed on the emperor's desk and can be used at any time.
But in fact, there are strict regulations on the preservation and use of the real imperial seal.
According to the official regulations of the imperial court, imperial seals are called imperial treasures, and there are seventeen of them, each of which is used in different situations.
Normally, there is a special female official in the palace who is responsible for the daily preservation of imperial treasures. However, the female official is only responsible for preservation and does not have the power to access it.
The one who really has the power of treasure is the Waishang Baosi. Unlike the Shang Baojian in the inner palace, the Waishang Baosi is a serious court yamen, and its officials are also court officials.
During the process of issuance of the imperial edict, if it is some daily routine government affairs, such as some imperial edict documents, such as official documents from the Ministry of Personnel and Beijing Inspectorate, the yellow book for military selection from the Ministry of War, and official accounting documents from the Ministry of Household Affairs, after receiving the emperor's approval , will return to each yamen.
After the various yamen were reorganized, they went to Shangbaosi to apply for the use of treasures with the memorials approved by Emperor Zhu.
After confirming the Zhu's approval, Shang Baosi wrote the unveiling notice and entered the palace to Shang Baojian. After receiving the unveiling notice, the eunuch Shang Bao went to the emperor to ask for the order. After receiving the order, he went to the Si Bao female official and took out the corresponding imperial treasure that should be used.
Later, eunuch Shang Bao took the imperial treasure to Fengtian Gate and handed it over to Shang Baoqing. Shang Baoqing used the treasure in the imperial edict that had been written. Every time he took it, Shang Bao had to compile it and divide it into two parts. A copy will be kept in Shangbao Department, and a copy will be kept by Shangbao Supervisor for inspection.
In a sense, what is really important is not the seal on paper, but the entire process of using the treasure, starting from the Emperor Zhu's approval, to the unveiling of the seal by the Shang Baosi, and the approval of the decree. , using treasures to analyze the traces of this series of treasures and the officials, female officials, and eunuchs who participated in them.
This is one of the reasons why the effectiveness of the emperor's imperial edict is greatly reduced. Under normal circumstances, the imperial edict is written by the emperor, and then directly orders Shangbao Supervisor to obtain the imperial treasure. In the whole process, Wai Shangbao Si is not involved. Naturally, there are no surviving inscriptions, inscriptions, inspections, etc.
Without these, it would be difficult to verify the authenticity of the imperial decree. After all, although it is difficult to forge a seal, it is not impossible if there are people who specialize in this way.
Therefore, usually, if the emperor issues an imperial edict, or it is an emergency and there is no time to go through such a process, then in order to prove the authenticity of the imperial edict, there will be other evidence, such as the king's order flag and the horse talisman. , deploying troops, reconnaissance and other things.
In addition, Imperial Treasure also has strict regulations on the details of use.
For example, to offer sacrifices to the heaven and earth, use the emperor's treasures to enshrine the heavens, summon the clan kings, deploy troops and generals, use the emperor's trust treasures to issue edicts to the clan, use the emperor's personal treasures to recruit foreign servants, recruit corvees, use the emperor's trust treasures, and edicts. The treasure of imperial edicts is used for writing, and the treasure of imperial edicts is used for edicts... All of these are all regulated.
Roughly speaking, imperial treasures can be divided into three types based on their names.
The first type starts with the emperor and is used for internal affairs with strong rituals. For example, the emperor's treasure to heaven is used to worship heaven and earth, the emperor's treasure to be used to instruct his relatives, and the emperor's treasure to coordinate the affairs. Send troops and generals, quell civil strife, etc.
The second type starts with the emperor and is used for foreign affairs related to the territory, such as the emperor's treasure, which is used to worship mountains and rivers, ghosts and gods, and pray for the stability of the border.
The last one is for those who have neither emperor nor emperor, and are generally used for more specialized government affairs, such as the imperial edict treasure used to make edicts, the edict treasure used for edicts, the Guangyun treasure used to reward ministers, All belong to this category.
Therefore, theoretically speaking, the imperial edict in front of Yang Jun was used to canonize foreign countries, and it should be used as treasure by the emperor. However, in fact, this imperial edict used the emperor's treasure that would only be used by the Amnesty World.
This is not right!
Yang Jun frowned, hesitated for a moment, and asked tentatively.
"This...could it be that the palace's female officer Bao, or Superintendent Shang Bao, made a mistake?"
When this question was asked, Yang Jun himself found it ridiculous. Whether it was Shang Baojian or Shang Baosi, what they usually did was use treasures.
The Ming Dynasty was extremely strict in the care and use of imperial treasures. Even if the female officer Si Bao took the wrong one, Superintendent Shang Bao would definitely check it again before taking it away.
Even if both of them were negligent and took the wrong imperial treasure, don't forget that Supervisor Shang Bao is only responsible for obtaining the treasure and has no right to use it.
Even if the edict is passed without going through Shang Baosi, then the one who actually uses the edict in the end should be the emperor himself.
It’s not like the emperor made a mistake, right?
Faced with Yang Jun's question, Yang Jie smiled and said.
"The treasures used by the imperial court have their own regulations. Such obvious mistakes can be recognized by ministers who have stayed in the court for a long time at a glance."
As he spoke, Yang Jie blinked and said.
"Let me ask my second brother a question. If it were you, and you received an imperial decree, which asked you to immediately mobilize troops to attack the palace city, but you neither mobilized troops to reconnoiter, nor did you have gold or silver medals, what would you do? "
Yang Jun spoke without thinking.
"Then naturally we will hold our ground and immediately send people to the Ministry of War and the palace to verify..."
So, Yang Jie asked again.
"Then what if this imperial edict does not have the signature of the cabinet or the counter-signature of the Sixth Section, but only one seal, and this seal is used incorrectly?"
Yang Jun was not stupid after all, his eyes immediately fell on the imperial edict in front of him.
If we really encountered the situation that Yang Jie mentioned, any general would probably have to capture the person who delivered the decree on the spot, let alone mobilize his troops, and punish him for falsely delivering the imperial edict.
so……
"Xiaojie, what do you mean, is this imperial edict deliberately made like this by His Majesty?"
Hearing this question, Yang Jie looked a little unnatural, but soon returned to normal, sneered and said.
"There is neither a signature from the cabinet nor a counter-signature from the six departments. Even the monk Baosi in the palace has no record of using the treasure. Even if this thing is brought to the capital, why should we say that it is an imperial edict?"
"What's more, when the Supreme Emperor was hunting in the north, he also forged an imperial edict in an attempt to knock down the pass. Now he dares to repeat the same trick. His Majesty does not punish him for the crime of disrespect. It is all mercy!"
This...can you still say that?
Yang Jun blinked and spent a long time before finally smoothing out the joints in the middle.
Of course, after he understood it, he thought of another question.
That is, even if the imperial edict is not signed by the cabinet and counter-signed by the Sixth Section, the imperial treasure has been touched after all. Even if Shangbaosi can be bypassed, the female official of Sibao and the Shangbao Supervisory Office will definitely leave a record.
But looking at Yang Jie, he was sure that there was no record in the palace. Could it be said that the emperor even deleted the record of using treasures?
No, there must be records for any use of royal treasures. This is a regulation. Even the emperor cannot violate the regulations and eliminate these records.
After all, if there are records, there will be people who record them. There are many people to go through when using the imperial treasure. Simply eliminating the records on paper is meaningless.
On the contrary, deliberately erasing records of using treasures will make people suspicious.
It’s impossible. The emperor would have killed all the female officials of Si Bao and eunuch Shang Bao who were involved in this matter...
Just when he was about to ask again, he then thought about it. Even if these records existed, since they were kept in the inner palace, it was actually the same as not having them.
After all, without the emperor's permission, it is impossible for anyone to read the records in the inner palace.
As for waiting for others to see through this imperial edict, he is not worried.
How to use the imperial treasure is not a secret in the Ming Dynasty, but it is not something everyone knows.
If you are not a minister who is very familiar with the code system or has been in court for many years, it will be difficult to see the problem at a glance.
Just like Yang Jun himself, he didn't notice anything wrong with this imperial decree at the beginning.
Of course, the main reason is that forging an imperial edict is a serious crime that can kill one's head.
Therefore, Yang Jun did not think in this direction at all.
They are waiting for others first. After all, they are a grassland tribe, so this imperial edict is enough to deceive them.
After understanding this, Yang Jun felt relieved and said.
"I see. Your Majesty has planned such a plan for your safety. It is truly a great favor from the Emperor!"
Hearing this, Yang Jie's expression became a little inexplicable. After a moment, he looked up in the direction of the capital and said.
"Yes, Your Majesty has been so kind and lenient to me that it's hard to repay God's kindness by shattering my body into pieces!"
The tone of these words was a bit complicated, but Yang Jun didn't hear it. After thinking about it, he asked.
"Then Xiaojie, what should we do next? Give this imperial edict to Bodu?"
Yang Jie came back to his senses, pondered for a moment, shook his head slightly and said.
"Second brother will know tomorrow."
"Okay, then I'll have the people down there on standby..."
Although Yang Jun still had doubts, he didn't ask any more questions and just nodded lightly.
…………
The next day.
Under Yang Jie's instructions, Yang Jun and his men packed their bags early and kept guard around the camp.
In order to guard Yang Jie, this camp was chosen on a hillside. Looking down from the top, it is an endless grassland.
It is conceivable that if they want to escape secretly, without any cover, even if they leave the camp, they will not be able to go far at all, and they will be discovered.
However, the good thing is that if someone comes over, it can be clearly understood.
When the sun was high in the sky, Yang Jun was checking the next details with Yang Jie in the tent, and someone came to report outside the tent.
"Major General, Fourth Young Master, someone is coming!"
After hearing this, the two looked at each other, stood up at the same time, and walked towards the outside of the camp.
In the distance, a large group of cavalry came galloping towards them. Yang Jun took a rough look at them, then frowned and whispered.
"Xiaojie, look at the team. There are about four to five hundred people. Something doesn't look right. Be careful!"
However, facing this situation, Yang Jie was not in a hurry and said.
"Second brother, don't worry, I'm measured!"
As the team in the distance got closer and closer, they finally stopped outside the camp gate. Not long after, Bodu, dressed in the attire of a Mongolian noble, walked in with a few followers.
"Fourth Young Master, Second General Yang, are you resting well?"
Bodu was as enthusiastic as ever, but looking at his smile, Yang Jun couldn't help but secretly increase his vigilance.
Yang Jie, on the other hand, also smiled and returned the greeting, saying.
"Thanks to your Excellency, my brothers are able to meet each other. Naturally, I am very happy."
As he spoke, Yang Jie stretched out his hand to make an invitation.
"Since your Excellency is here, why don't you come in and have a chat?"
However, this time, Bodu did not move, he just stood there and said with a smile.
"There's no need to go in. Since the Fourth Young Master has already met General Yang Er, I wonder when the Fourth Young Master can give me the thing he promised?"
Although he said this with a smile, his tone was obviously much tougher.
Yang Jun's face turned stern, his eyes secretly fell on the hundreds of cavalry outside the camp, and he breathed out softly.
Sure enough, he guessed right, the person coming to Bedu was really evil!
Seeing this situation, Yang Jie also suppressed his smile and said.
"Your Excellency, you are too anxious. Last night, didn't you just search everyone who brought the second brother?"
"If there really was something you wanted, wouldn't you have gotten it long ago?"
After hearing this, the smile on Bodu's face did not change and he continued.
"It's okay that the Fourth Young Master has nothing on hand. I came here this time to bring people. There are five hundred cavalry outside, who can escort the Fourth Young Master's people to get what they need."
"Where is the general yesterday? I have fulfilled his request and allowed him to see the Fourth Young Master. Now, it is time for him to fulfill his promise."
Everyone present was wearing armor, even the Ora soldiers were wrapped tightly.
Yang Jie was the only one, wearing a Confucian scholar's long-sleeved scarf, a thick cloak, and a fur cloak. The biting north wind blew by, fluttering his clothes, but making his quiet voice sound inexplicably a little bit different. Cold.
"Then, what if I don't want to surrender?"
Bodu's face suddenly darkened and he said.
"Fourth Young Master, don't forget, this is Wala, not Ming Dynasty!"
The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became tense. Yang Jun and all the generals all pressed their hands on the handle of the long sword.
However, Yang Jie remained calm. He looked up at Bodu with a trace of amusement on his face and said.
"Your Excellency is right, this is Wala, not Ming Dynasty, but so what?"
"If I remember correctly, it seems that you are not the one who calls the shots in Wala, right?"
"In other words, if I really don't want to surrender, what are you going to do? Are you going to rely on the few people around you to rob me, or are you going to break into the camp with your five hundred people?"
"Yang Jie!"
After these few words, Bodu's face turned livid to the naked eye and he said angrily.
"What exactly do you want to do?"
With this look, Yang Jun looked confused.
He found that his brain was a little insufficient. Yesterday, when Bodu came over, he was falsely enthusiastic towards them, but he could clearly feel that Bodu's attitude towards Yang Jie was different.
However, this might involve some secrets, and time was tight, so Yang Jun didn't ask in detail last night.
Why did the two of them suddenly fall out now?
Also, isn't this the territory of Wala? What did Yang Jie mean by what he just said?
Robbery? Break into camp?
As a Bodu, is it necessary to do this?
The current scene really makes Yang Jun a little confused...
(End of chapter)
