"Chief Assistant, how can my father step down if he is like this?"
Zhu Cihong then posed a problem to Wei Zaode, the first assistant. What should we do if Chongzhen fell into the water? The news has leaked... Considering Zhu Cixiang's current behavior of threatening the emperor and ordering all directions, everyone will probably think that he is going to regicide to seize the throne!
At that time, that old lunatic Zuo Liangyu may think that he has a chance to fight in the east! Although Zuo Liangyu will definitely not be able to defeat the New Army, this is a critical moment for reform and a stable external environment is needed.
Besides, there has to be a reasonable explanation for this, right? What can be said? That the emperor is pretending to be dead? He said that the emperor was bad at school and threatened the prince with suicide? This is not in line with the character of Emperor Chongzhen!
"The emperor must be allowed to go to the Xiaoling Mausoleum as usual," Wei Zaode said. "As long as everyone sees that the emperor is fine, the rumors will naturally dissipate."
"Is he willing to go to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to pay homage?" Zhu Cixiang frowned, "I'm afraid he did this because he lost half of his country and had no shame to worship his ancestors, right?"
Wei Zaode said: "This... I will go with Prince Fu to persuade the emperor."
"Can you and Prince Fu persuade him?" Zhu Cixiang was doubtful.
"Let's give it a try..." Wei Zaode smiled, "I already have an idea."
"Oh?" Prince Fu Zhu Yousong looked at Wei Zao, the First Assistant to the Number One Scholar, "First Assistant, how do you want to persuade him?"
Wei Zaode said: "It's not the official who persuades me, but the prince who persuades me?"
"Shall I go?" King Fu was stunned and thought to himself: Do you have such a great reputation?
...
After Zhu Cixiang, Wu Xiang, Wei Zaode, and Zhu Yousong left the palace of Emperor Chongzhen, other ministers and princes who came to "cry in mourning" also left with the excuse not to disturb the emperor's rest. Only Empress Zhou, Lu Jiude, Pang Tianshou, and a few eunuchs and maids were left in the palace.
Emperor Chongzhen stopped coughing and just stared at the beams. This time he poured a basin of dirty water on Prince Zhu... I wonder if Zhu Cixiang would respond like this? Will he become so angry that he really wants to kill his father? If he wants to kill his father, there is nothing Xipu can do to deal with it!
Thinking of this, Emperor Chongzhen was a little scared again!
At this moment, Wei Zaode and King Fu walked in.
"Your Majesty, Wei Zaode, respectfully wishes His Majesty's greetings."
"Your Majesty, Zhu Yousong, respectfully greets you."
"Ahem, cough, cough..." Chongzhen heard the two people's greetings and began to cough quickly - this was really a fake act of pretending to be sick! But there's nothing he can do about it. His health is better than ordinary people. He'll be thirty-four next year, but he's never been sick very often. How can you pretend to be good if you have no experience in this area?
King Fu Zhu Yousong was an alcoholic and was in poor health. Seeing Chongzhen pretending to be ill when he was not sick, he felt a little bit dumbfounded, so he said to Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, stop pretending. All the ministers know that your Majesty is pretending to be sick, and they also know your Majesty's intentions." Already..."
Got seen through? Chongzhen thought to himself: I was coughing so hard, how could I still be seen through?
"What are you talking about?" Zhou Hou's slightly reproachful voice sounded.
Of course she also knew that Chongzhen was pretending to be dead to deceive others, but she couldn't point this out. How long would it take for him to come to Taiwan?
"Your Majesty," Prince Fu said, "I have discussed this with several princes, ministers, and commander-in-chief, and we all feel that the emperor is putting great effort into pretending to be ill!"
Did you finally see it? Chongzhen said in his heart: You know I am enduring humiliation and burden for the sake of the Ming Dynasty!
Queen Zhou asked: "Do you know what your Majesty's painstaking efforts are?"
King Fu said: "Of course it is to pass the throne to the prince!"
nonsense! Emperor Chongzhen sat up suddenly, stopped coughing, and looked at Fat King Fu angrily. He looked much better than King Fu at this moment. He didn't look like he was seriously ill or about to die!
Prince Fu smiled and said, "The Emperor is in his prime and looks very good. What will happen even if he falls into the water? Besides, the pond in an ordinary mansion is not very deep. The Emperor is standing in it, and the water is not even up to his belt. How can he choke?"
What? Is the pond water not deep? Chongzhen was stunned, but the Taiye Pool was quite deep... By the way, that was the palace! Xipu is just a garden. How deep can a pond in a garden be?
Prince Fu said again: "With the emperor's dragon body, there is no problem in being emperor for another forty years. How long will the prince have to wait? Moreover, the prince is so wise and powerful, and he is the leader of the Ming Dynasty, how can he wait so long? So, the emperor I came up with this idea and abdicated on the pretext of falling into the water and getting cold... Your Majesty has really good intentions! I already know the imperial decree and will definitely get things done, please rest assured Your Majesty."
rest assured? How can this emperor be relieved?
Emperor Chongzhen stared, not knowing what to say for a moment. Queen Zhou on the side quickly asked: "Your Majesty, is that what you mean? Do you really want to pass the throne to Brother Chun?"
"I, when did I intend to pass on the throne?" Chongzhen roared.
"What?" Wei Zaode suddenly exclaimed, "What a disaster... all the kings and ministers are trying to persuade us to come in!"
Prince Fu also nodded and said: "Yes... everyone has misunderstood and thought that His Majesty is tired of being the emperor and doesn't want to do it anymore..."
Is there ever a time when the emperor gets tired of being a king?
Chongzhen was really speechless... Why were the ministers and princes of the Ming Dynasty so treacherous? Everything can be related to the issue of his abdication...
"I will not retreat!" Chongzhen said, "I am only 34 years old after the Chinese New Year. How can I abdicate?"
"You won't retreat?" King Fu's face wrinkled up, "Then why are you pretending to be sick? This matter is causing trouble... What should we do?"
Wei Zaode hurriedly said: "Send someone quickly to talk to the prince!"
"It's too late!" King Fu said, "How quickly the yellow robe is added to the body. How can it go to the extreme, and how can it go down? Your Majesty, how about making mistakes?"
Chongzhen was anxious: "Nonsense! How can such a thing be so wrong?"
"What should we do?" King Fu looked at a loss.
Wei Zaode frowned and said: "Your Majesty has to take the risk of leaving the palace! You have to let the people of Nanjing see the emperor in his prime... You have to be quick, otherwise the prince will be the emperor!"
Once you become the emperor, there is no way to retreat! If Chongzhen still refuses to give up his throne, it will be a life-and-death struggle!
Chongzhen didn't have time to think about it, gritted his teeth and said: "Lu Jiude, change my clothes for me, I, I want to climb the Sanshan Gate!"
Prince Fu immediately asked: "Are you still going to pay homage to the Xiaoling Mausoleum tomorrow? If your Majesty is in good health, you should go to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to pay homage to Emperor Taizu Gao..."
Chongzhen stamped his feet: "Tomorrow... I will go to Xiaoling to apologize to my ancestors. Remember, I am just asking for forgiveness and will not pass on the throne! After I have apologized, I will still be the emperor!"
Chongzhen was really easy to deceive. He was fooled by Wei Zaode and was fooled again. This number one scholar was able to deceive a chief minister of the cabinet from Chongzhen in just a few years. You can imagine his deception skills. The King Fu who works with him seems to have a talent for acting, and he seems to be able to continue to be the leader of the kings.
