As a chess player who controls the overall situation, the focus should be on strategic and tactical thinking and planning.
So after issuing two edicts, Zhu Qiyu fell into silence.
Before lunch the decree reached the cabinet.
Although it is said to be a central decree, the content is extremely serious. It can be seen from the tone that the emperor's will does not allow any refutation.
For Wang Wen and others, the good thing is that this edict is so tough, which is obviously the emperor's style. It seems that the emperor still has the energy to deal with government affairs.
The bad side is that the emperor issued the imperial edict without consulting anyone about such a big matter as canceling the privileges of the feudal king.
At any rate, we should convene a Umrah meeting and let's talk about it together.
Will everyone accept such an unexpected decree or not?
To Wang Wen's surprise, the cabinet ministers did not discuss much and immediately began to take sides.
Wei Ji, Zhou Chen, Luo Tong, and Shen Yi acted fastest and supported the emperor's decision very firmly. The four of them have long had enough of those vassal kings who prey on the common people and do evil things.
He Wenyuan and Jiang Yuan chose to support the emperor, but they were relatively calm.
Chen Xun, Yu Shiyue, and Shi Pu stood aside in silence.
As the Minister of Punishment and the Censor of Zuodu, Wang Wen would certainly not dare to object to this edict. As long as Wang Wen dared to say even half a word "no", he would be scolded by civil and military officials that day until he could no longer take care of himself.
Among the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty, from the capital to the localities, from ministers to county magistrates, no one really liked to see the vassal king possessing the privileges of the judicial department.
It's okay for these vassal kings to rob civilian girls! It's okay to take advantage of others by taking advantage of them!
Annexing farmland is okay! It’s okay to disregard human life!
Anyway, as long as we can't afford to rebel, it doesn't matter what we do.
Your local officials wrote a letter to impeach the vassal king. Sorry, punish him!
The emperors of the Ming Dynasty were very smart. If they couldn't solve the problem, then they would solve the minister who raised the problem.
All civil and military officials, especially civil servants, dreamed of limiting the lord's privileges. But starting from Taizu, no emperor was not partial to the vassal king.
Over time, everyone recognized it.
However, today, the absurd Emperor Jingtai began to challenge the understanding of civil and military officials again.
Unexpectedly, there would be such a deviant and absurd emperor in the Ming Dynasty.
Seeing that no one jumped out to object, Wang Wen asked Wei Ji: "Mr. Wei, then we will draw up a formal imperial edict?"
Wei Ji smiled and said: "This is a great thing that will benefit the country and the people. You are the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment and the Censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. It is appropriate for you to draft it."
So a few people got together, carefully considered every word and sentence, and polished the original text of the imperial edict a little, with Wang Wen writing the imperial edict.
By the afternoon, it caused an uproar among the government and the public.
This is an extremely clear signal: the vassal reform is about to begin.
Chen Xiang, who was on duty at the Bureau of Ceremonies, returned to Nangong ahead of schedule.
Chen Xiang made a very bold move: he returned to Nangong with a large stack of imperial edicts and memorials, and handed them to Emperor Gongrang to read in person, including the two edicts issued by the emperor today.
This was Chen Xiang's show of loyalty to Emperor Gong Rang, and it was also a test for both the government and the public.
Zhu Qizhen was very surprised by Chen Xiang's behavior: "You just carried the memorial back to Nangong? No one cared about it?"
Chen Xiang smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. Nowadays, all the ceremonial supervisors are scrambling to please Nangong.
The emperor's four confidant eunuchs have all gone to Beijing on business. Look at the remaining eunuchs: Ruan An, Ruan Lang, Ruan Rang, Wang Jin, Xing'an, Chen Mian, Ruan Xi, Cao Jixiang, plus the slaves. .
Either they are the emperor's confidants, or they are neutrals who protect themselves wisely.
It's not just that the slaves are just telling the truth, now the emperor's words are more effective than the emperor in the ceremonial office. "
Zhu Qizhen shook his head: "If this situation occurs, it can only mean that my brother has completely ignored the Secretary of Ceremony. Apart from approving the red seal, the Secretary of Ceremony has no practical effect now.
Even I can see this kind of thing. Today's courtiers are governed by three groups of civil servants, forming a tripartite situation.
The six ministries held some key powers, and the cabinet held some key powers. Then Fengge Luantai, invented by the younger brother, formed a veritable Zhongshu Province. The civil servants in it were responsible for helping the younger brother make plans and regulate political affairs, and they had great power.
In other words, Si Lijian, Dongchang, and Jinyiwei were all kicked out.
So don't look at the civil servants who are making a lot of noise, they are just making noise.
If you really want to propose replacing your brother and restoring me, they will immediately be unhappy.
On the contrary, a considerable number of the generals are oriented toward me. "
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you are far-sighted. This servant is too short-sighted and gets carried away."
Chen Xiang quickly flattered him.
Wear it a thousand times, but flattery never wears it.
Zhu Qizhen remained calm on his face, took the top edict and started reading it.
You won’t know if you don’t see it, but you will be scared if you look at it.
Zhu Qizhen was stunned for a long time, and then asked: "What's wrong with my brother? Doesn't he know that all his beloved concubines are pregnant?
Assuming that half of his beloved concubines gave birth to sons and half gave birth to daughters, this first group alone would have five or six princes.
These princes will be princes from now on, and they will go to various places to establish vassal states.
Did his younger brother's vassal reform also improve his own family?
When the time comes, his son kills a person and robs a civilian girl in the vassal country. Will he be punished according to law? "
Chen Xiang replied: "It seems that today's people want to be the eternal saints. Besides, among the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty, there are also many virtuous kings. It's not like illegal and criminal activities are prohibited."
When Zhu Qizhen heard this, he frowned tightly. Zhu Qizhen was quite dissatisfied with Chen Xiang's "revelation of true feelings" and asked coldly:
"Chen Xiang, I heard that you are Wang Jin's godson. And my younger brother was raised in Wang Jin's family when he was born.
Could it be that Wang Jin, you, and Ruan Xi all want to build the plank road openly and secretly visit Chencang? "
Although Zhu Qizhen reprimanded Xing'an yesterday when Xing'an expressed his suspicion about Chen Xiang, he still became more suspicious of Chen Xiang.
This is the difficulty of being the king. His subordinates are providing all kinds of information in an attempt to influence the emperor. But who to listen to and who to believe will test the master's ability to discern.
Moreover, the emperor is not a god. From the perspective of hindsight, the emperor is often stupid.
For example, Zhu Qizhen blindly believed in Wang Zhen and was tricked to death. For example, Jingtai in history actually believed in Zhu Qizhen's confidant Xing'an, which was simply unbelievable. In the end, Jingtai was deceived by Xing'an and was ruined.
Chen Xiang didn't say much, he just knelt on the ground and kowtowed as if pounding garlic.
"Okay, stop knocking. Just kneel down for now. I'll deal with you after I finish reading the memorial."
After stopping Chen Xiang, Zhu Qizhen took the second edict and opened it to read.
Seeing this imperial edict, Zhu Qizhen's brows furrowed more and more tightly.
After a long while, Zhu Qizhen smiled at Chen Xiang and said, "Get up, I blamed you wrongly."
Chen Xiang looked confused: "Your Majesty, didn't you just say that you wanted to teach this slave a lesson?"
Zhu Qizhen smiled and said: "There is nothing to teach you, I believe you. Look at this decree, my brother is going to demolish all the Buddhist temples in Xishan, and then drive away all the monks."
As far as I know, everyone in the palace, from the queen mother and empress to the maids and eunuchs, all believe in Buddhism.
Wang Jinzhen knew that he was an extremely devout believer.
Looking at my younger brother, he doesn’t believe in Buddhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
Two people with violently conflicting ideas cannot become partners. It would be good if my younger brother and Wang Jin didn't turn against each other.
What do you think, Chen Xiang? "
Chen Xiang quickly replied: "What the emperor said is that I am also a devout believer. I have been saving money for a long time, thinking about donating a temple in Xishan when I get old, so that after I die, I will have a place to rest and be buried." .”
Thinking of his childlessness and the loneliness and desolation behind him, Chen Xiang knelt on the ground and couldn't help but shed tears.
When Zhu Qizhen saw a few words from him, Chen Xiang burst into tears and felt guilty in his heart. He quickly comforted:
"That's all, that's all, I shouldn't doubt you. I'll give you three days off. Go back and relax.
And that Gao Ping, you take this opportunity to contact him and try to win him over to my side as soon as possible. "
Chen Xiang kowtowed, stood up and walked out.
"Wait a minute."
Zhu Qizhen suddenly stopped Chen Xiang again.
Chen Xiang was confused, but he still turned around and stood back, waiting for orders.
I just heard Zhu Qizhen laugh and say: "Go and prepare, I want to turn over the sign."
"ah?"
Chen Xiang was a little confused. The last time he flipped the sign, it caused such a big fuss. Why would he flip it again this time?
Zhu Qizhen explained: "Aren't my remaining fourteen concubines going to be demoted to ordinary palace ladies? Before they are officially demoted, I will summon them again."
Chen Xiang was in a dilemma when he heard this. But after thinking for a moment, Chen Xiang figured out that this was the emperor forcing him to accept the certificate.
The Queen Mother and the Queen had come to Nangong and reprimanded her before, and her words were still ringing in her ears. Now that she dared to stand up to the wind, she would have completely offended the Queen Mother and the Queen to death.
Zhu Qizhen is not stupid either. If I can go to someone else's palace to poach someone, then others can naturally come to my palace and give me the same treatment as others.
Therefore, Chen Xiang had to offend the Queen Mother and the Empress before he dared to continue using him.
With no choice, Chen Xiang had no choice but to bite the bullet and hurriedly arranged for two concubines to sleep with his prince.
After working for more than half an hour, Chen Xiang just left the Chonghua Hall and prepared to go back to his outer house.
(End of chapter)
