"Your Majesty, is the position of Hanlin Editor a little low? Don't you admire this person very much? Is there...is there anything about him that doesn't suit your liking?"
After the ceremony, Emperor Wanli and Concubine Zheng walked towards the palace. As they walked, Concubine Zheng asked.
Although Emperor Wanli was a little confused as to why Concubine Zheng, who had always cared little about political affairs, suddenly cared so much about the No. 1 Scholar, he still explained:
"It's not that he doesn't agree with me, but that since the Yingzong period, there has been an unwritten custom in the court. Non-Jinshi cannot enter the Hanlin, and non-Hanlin cannot enter the cabinet."
"I let him enter the Hanlin Academy because I want to reuse him. Otherwise, what a pity it would be to stop at six departments?"
Then he laughed again and said:
"Mengjing also saw this person's talent. You can't bear to miss this talent! Don't worry, I have a very poisonous vision!"
"Isn't it true that among these thousands of beauties, you are the only one who values me dearly?"
Concubine Zheng smiled and threw herself into the emperor's arms. The two of them laughed and made a fuss...
…
In the blink of an eye, the man who was chatting and laughing with the emperor was already lying on the bed, surrounded by many midwives.
"Harder, harder...Mother, try harder!"
"I see the end, my dear, continue!"
"The dragon species is coming out soon!"
Anxious shouts came from inside the house. In the outer room isolated by yellow silk satin, Emperor Wanli was waiting anxiously.
Although this was his third son, Wanli's mood at this time was like that of an ordinary husband who was about to become a father.
The eldest son Zhu Changluo was born to Concubine Gong, but he had no feelings at all. This son was like a passerby to him.
The second son, Zhu Changxu, was the son who made him feel like a father for the first time, because he was born to Concubine Zheng. Unfortunately, this child died only a few hours after he was born.
However, even for such a little life that returned to nature not long after birth, Wanli posthumously named him a king, which shows his deep feelings for Concubine Zheng and the two children.
At this time, Concubine Zheng was finally about to give birth to their second child. How could Wanli not be excited? He even left his busy affairs and came here specifically to wait for Concubine Zheng to give birth.
As a cry echoed through the palace, the emperor suddenly stood up from his position.
"Your Majesty, it's the prince!" came the eunuch's delighted voice, and the imperial doctors who had already been in place immediately swarmed over and learned the lesson from the last time. The emperor must not let the tragedy happen again.
One day later, the imperial doctor told Wanli that both mother and son were in good health.
He saw the emperor raising his head happily, his eyes filled with great joy.
"deliver an imperial order!"
"Enter the noble concubine Zheng, and become the imperial concubine!"
He almost blurted it out.
…
The news of the birth of the emperor's third son and the emperor's canonization of Zheng as the imperial concubine spread like a gust of wind to the homes of all the officials in the capital.
When Shen Shixing learned the news, he was talking to Yan Qihua, enjoying the rare tranquility.
After listening to the attendant's report, he couldn't help but frowned and said softly:
"It has been four years since the birth of the emperor's eldest son, but His Majesty has yet to establish a crown prince, and the biological mother of the emperor's eldest son is still just a royal concubine. However, the emperor's third son has just been born, and Concubine Zheng was canonized as the imperial concubine... …”
Yan Qihua interface:
"Your Majesty's intention has been made clear... He wants to make the third son the crown prince!"
Shen Shixing nodded, this was a situation he didn't want to see. He has always been committed to maintaining the stability of the court. However, once the emperor wants to have a child, the ministers will definitely rise up to criticize him, which will definitely cause turmoil in the court. This goes against his original intention.
He no longer wanted to play chess, threw away the black piece in his hand, and leaned back on the chair.
Yan Qihua went around to the back of Shen Shixing, massaged him gently, and said softly:
"With the power of the ministers, even the emperor may not be able to disobey... In my opinion, it is most likely that the eldest son of the emperor will take the throne."
"Back then, Taizong wanted to establish himself as King of Han, but wasn't it Renzong who finally ascended the throne?"
Shen Shixing sighed softly:
"It's not that simple. Your Majesty favors Zheng far more than other concubines, and what happened back then was because the King of Han was too arrogant. Otherwise, the outcome would still be unknown."
"Is it rare in the history of people to establish love but not to establish long-term relationships?"
"I'm afraid that the court will not be able to be peaceful from now on, and I, the first assistant, will bear the brunt of it!"
"Qihua...ask me what Mr. Chen Guogong means."
Although Yan Qihua is from the lineage of Yue Guogong, the two Dukes of Chen and Yue, although they are called two lineages, are actually one family. Since Shen Shixing entered the court, he has also been closely connected with the contemporary Chen Guogong, and they have advanced and retreated together. At this time, it was natural to ask Duke Chen Guogong for his opinion on this important matter.
Although for him, he was definitely more inclined to have his eldest son ascend the throne. After all, the eldest son cannot be abolished, but neither of them was a direct descendant, and the emperor obviously favored one... This was a certain possibility.
In history, many officials took a fancy to this and turned to Concubine Zheng.
For example, Liu Tingyuan, the censor of Shaanxi Province, and Hu Shixiang, the doctor in the Ministry of Punishment, who were in charge of the trial after the attack case, insisted that Zhang Chai was mentally ill and demanded immediate execution, making it clear where they stood. It can be seen that the third prince is actually not completely impossible.
Shen Shixing also saw this and did not intend to express his position clearly.
Yan Qihua responded softly.
On the other hand, unlike Shen Shixing's emotion, Wang Jiaping, then the second assistant, felt threatened and angry.
He was able to become the second minister of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet, so he naturally had political vision. From this behavior of Emperor Wanli, he also saw the young emperor's intentions.
After hearing about this incident, he immediately found his colleagues and said angrily:
"The emperor's eldest son was born, and his mother only named him a concubine. When the emperor's third son was born, the imperial concubine Zheng was appointed as the imperial concubine. Since the 12th year of Wanli, in just two years, he has been promoted to two levels in a row. The second son and the third son were born. The mother is favored far more than the eldest son, is this appropriate?"
"Four years after the birth of the emperor's eldest son, the crown prince's position is still unresolved. Concubine Zheng has just given birth, and she has received such favor... His Majesty's heart is known to everyone on the road!"
Colleagues also expressed strong dissatisfaction. Having grown up reading the Four Books and Five Classics, they are firm defenders of the Confucian ritual and music system. They are determined not to allow the emperor to act so randomly!
Wang Jiaping looked behind him. Many courtiers stared at him closely with their eyes shining.
He raised his arms and shouted:
"We will submit a letter together, please abolish Zheng's position as imperial concubine, change the title of Wang, the biological mother of the emperor's eldest son, as imperial concubine, and make the emperor's eldest son the prince, to quell His Majesty's wishes!"
The ministers agreed with a roar.
(End of chapter)
