Zhu Qizhen sighed heavily. This is the power of imperial power: whoever sits in the emperor's position can do whatever he wants. At least in the Ming Dynasty, if an adult and healthy emperor insisted on doing something, no one could stop him. For example, the former emperor was deposed, such as his own personal expedition to Wala.
The only two hopes for his restoration are that his brother's health will collapse rapidly, and that his brother will also suffer a serious fall at the level of a civil fortress.
There is not much hope for the latter at the moment, but there is more hope for the former.
Zhu Qizhen suppressed the depression in his heart and continued to ask: "What about the third thing?"
Chen Xiang replied: "The local officials in Yunnan reported secretly that in the past, Lan Yu, the Duke of Liang, had his entire family executed for treason. In order to protect Lan Yu's legacy, Muchun, the Marquis of Xiping, hid the pregnant Lan Yu concubine in the Mu Mansion. He is survived by his son Lan Changjian.
The emperor approved that the Lan Yu case was completely terminated and no one would be held accountable. Lan Changjian can return to his hometown, stay in Mu Mansion, or go to Shu Prince Mansion, it is up to him.
The Prince of Shu's Mansion can bury the blue jade remains, or continue to enshrine them, as he wishes. "
Zhu Qizhen was completely speechless after hearing this. His younger brother's focus was always on the dispute between his sons and his descendants.
The Lan Yu case back then involved the issue of Zhu Yunxi, the direct grandson, or Zhu Yunwen, the concubine's eldest grandson. For this reason, Taizu killed more than 15,000 people in one go, including Yi Gong, Twelve Marquises, and Second Uncle.
The destructive power is greater than the earthen fortress.
Taizu's vision in selecting successors was poor, and his strategy ultimately failed. Emperor Jianwen simply could not sit on the throne.
Thinking of this, Zhu Qizhen thought wrong again. His brother was trying to insinuate that Taizong's vision in choosing his successor was equally bad, and the late emperor's vision was even worse.
Zhu Qizhen asked feebly: "Is there anything else?"
Chen Xiang replied: "There is one last thing. The emperor's former ministers Yu Shan and Yu Gang wrote a letter requesting to serve."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Qizhen became more energetic: "How will the emperor approve this?"
"The emperor changed Yu Shan to the right minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing, and changed Yu Gang to the right minister of the Ministry of Industry in Nanjing."
Zhu Qizhen nodded, his brother finally did something normal. Sending these two people to Nanjing as ministers is neither mean nor selfish.
Neither of these two people are Jinshi, so being promoted to the rank of Minister is worthy of them.
As for promotion to minister, everyone in the government and the public understands. After an emperor ascends the throne, he is not allowed to promote old ministers of his vassal. This is quite normal.
Zhu Qizhen silently concluded in his mind that these things were indeed his brother's style of doing things. In other words, the younger brother can actually handle government affairs?
So Zhu Qizhen asked the three confidant eunuchs around him: "Can you all tell me, how is the emperor's condition?"
Xing'an was the first to reply: "Your Majesty, according to the reports from the servants in Dongchang and the Si Li Supervisor's informants, the officers responsible for delivering the memorial were traveling between the cabinet, the Si Li Supervisor and the Prince of Qi's Mansion. According to the information they learned , the emperor has indeed not come out to govern for many days.
All important memorials were delivered to the emperor's residence. Then the emperor attached a note under the memorial, writing down his comments, and sent it back to Feng Pavilion, where the people in Zhongshushe formally approved it, and finally sent it back to the cabinet.
This set of procedures is extremely cumbersome.
Moreover, it is said that the emperor's approval opinions in his residence were written by his favorite concubines. "
Zhu Qizhen nodded: "I heard that those beloved concubines are extremely smart. It's not surprising that they can imitate their younger brother's acting style."
Cao Jixiang quickly echoed: "Your Majesty, Shengming, you see, today's emperor's approval changes the posthumous title for Princess Qin, emphasizes the prohibition of sacrificial burial, and enhances the status of Prince Yiwen's daughter. It seems more like the emperor is giving the imperial concubine a posthumous title. My beloved concubines are arranging a retreat.
Think again about the incident of Lan Yu, Duke of Liang. Mu Mansion protected Lan Yu's posthumous son, and the emperor chose to forgive and not pursue any further charges.
Perhaps he wanted to set an example and let the subsequent kings let go of the children in the wombs of their beloved concubines. "
Zhu Qizhen looked happy. What he said made sense. It was really possible that his brother was dying of illness.
However, when Xing'an, Chen Xiang, and Cao Jixiang wanted to flatter him further, Zhu Qizhen's expression suddenly changed.
Zhu Qizhen's thoughts returned to the original question: "Lanyu committed the crime of rebellion, and his concubine and posthumous child were saved, and they lived safely for so many years without anyone noticing.
This time, the Duke of Guizhou, Mu Bin, died suddenly of illness, and his son Mu Cong was only one year old. As a result, the Mu family's control over Yunnan was reduced, and the matter was leaked.
What about yourself? What if I was really born from a palace maid?
Lan Yu was guilty of treason and could give birth to a posthumous child without anyone noticing. If his biological mother was a palace maid, and the royal grandmother, mother, and father worked together, they would naturally be able to do it even more unnoticed, keeping themselves completely in the dark for more than 20 years.
The more Zhu Qizhen thought about it, the colder his back felt.
After a long while, Zhu Qizhen asked: "When my mother was still a noble concubine, who was serving her? Don't answer Jin Ying.
I am asking the palace servants who were relied upon as confidants by my mother's side, but were suddenly transferred away from my mother's side shortly after I was born. "
In fact, Xing'an, Chen Xiang, and Cao Jixiang have all heard of the rumors that are spreading rapidly in Nangong recently.
Chen Xiang reacted the fastest and immediately knelt on the ground to admonish: "Your Majesty, the rumors in the Nangong Palace are all caused by people who deliberately drive a wedge between you and the Queen Mother.
Only after you and the Queen Mother have any rift can we break it down individually. His intentions are vicious and the emperor must be on guard against it. "
Xing'an and Cao Jixiang also hurriedly knelt down.
Zhu Qizhen nodded secretly in his heart. There is no doubt that the rumors in Nangong were deliberately spread by people with intentions.
Ordinary young eunuchs do not have such ability, so Zhu Qizhen first suspected Chen Xiang, Cao Jixiang, and Xing'an in order.
After his own testing just now, it seems that Chen Xiang should be fine.
Xing'an is his great companion, and his loyalty should undoubtedly be the highest.
The biggest possibility is Cao Jixiang.
Now that the queen and concubines all live in Nangong, they also have the ability to control things from behind.
The focus recently has become to catch the traitor.
Zhu Qizhen was completely speechless. After all the civil and military officials had put up such a big fight, my brother's backyard was not on fire, but my own harem was in chaos first. What the hell is this?
So Zhu Qizhen sternly ordered: "The three of you go separately to investigate. From the time when the mother was pregnant to the time she gave birth to the child, the situation of all the palace people around her must be thoroughly investigated for me. Within three days, I want to see result."
Xing'an, Chen Xiang, and Cao Jixiang had no choice but to grimace, carefully receive the order, and immediately go separately to investigate.
But at this time, Zhu Qiyu was leisurely leaning on the soft couch, hugging him from left to right, smiling and listening to the concubines reading memorials and secret reports to him.
When you are an emperor, you cannot just read the memorials of the ministers. You should refer to the civil fort of the Ming God of War.
Therefore, Zhu Qiyu also has multiple sources of intelligence.
Only when information from all parties corroborate each other can we accurately grasp the situation.
Lin Xiangyu asked curiously from the side: "Husband, we have approved so many memorials at once, do you think Emperor Gongrang had any doubts about his life experience?"
Zhu Qiyu shook his head: "There is some doubt, but it will not have a major impact so quickly. We have to be subtle and moisturize things silently. Over time, the emperor will naturally fall into the ditch.
Besides, we may not be lying to him, and I'm not sure whether he is Sun's biological child. After all, there were indeed many strange things about the series of things that happened in the two years before and after she gave birth.
Maybe I guessed it right. "
Ningxiang, who has never cared about outside affairs, also asked curiously: "Husband, the Nu family really wants to know who spread the rumors about Nangong?
Didn't you say that you did not place any trusted eunuchs in Nangong?
The few concubines and eunuchs I installed earlier probably don't have the ability to control this kind of thing, right? "
Zhu Qiyu smiled and said: "Silly girl, my husband has taught you that in the struggle for imperial power, one must make the best of the situation and maneuver according to the wind."
Ningxiang is also very smart, and she immediately extracted the key information from this sentence: "Husband, you are saying that you did not send people to spread the rumor?"
Zhu Qiyu spread his hands with an innocent face: "I never said I did it myself. I am a good person, how could I do such a thing."
"Who did that?"
The four beloved concubines were all interested, leaning on Zhu Qiyu's body, waiting to hear the suspenseful story.
Zhu Qiyu smiled and said: "Queen Zhou did not do this. You can guess one among Queen Qian, Concubine Wan Chen, Xing'an, Chen Xiang, Cao Jixiang and Ruan Lang.
As is the old rule, whoever guesses correctly can make a request to me. "
(End of chapter)
