Empress Dowager Li knew everything clearly.
She knew what Zhu Changluo wanted to do as the emperor and what he would face in the future.
As for the final outcome, it was hard to say because Empress Dowager Li didn't know if she could live until then.
When she was alive, she could at least protect Zhu Changluo a little, but what about after she died?
Whether it was Zhu Yijun or Zhu Changluo, they would both become fish on the chopping board, waiting to be slaughtered.
But she had no choice. She was just a lonely old woman. What could she do?
"Grandmother …"
Zhu Changluo didn't know why Empress Dowager Li was crying, but he knew that he was very sad.
"Good grandson, from now on, you are the Daming Emperor. Remember, don't talk too much, don't do too much, just watch obediently and do whatever they tell you to do."
Empress Dowager Li turned to look at Shen Yicheng again, and Shen Yicheng quickly knelt down.
"If you feel unhappy or sad, come to me. With me around, you won't be afraid, right?"
Zhu Changluo didn't understand why his grandmother said this, but his docile nature made him nod reflexively.
Empress Dowager Li also nodded and wiped the tears off her face, then held Zhu Changluo's hand and stood up.
"The Eldest Prince is here, Minister Shen, let's begin!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Shen Yi clapped his hands, and immediately, a group of eunuchs dressed in new clothes walked in from outside the palace. They stood in two rows, holding trays in their hands. On one side, there was the formal attire for the crown prince, and on the other side, there was the formal attire for the emperor to ascend to the throne.
"Please understand, Empress Dowager. The situation is urgent, so everything should be simple. I only hope that the Eldest Prince can ascend the throne as soon as possible!"
That was Shen Yicheng's explanation.
Empress Dowager Li didn't say much and only nodded.
"Let's begin!"
Shen Yicheng clapped his hands again and a few servants immediately came forward to help Zhu Changluo change his clothes. Zhu Changluo's clothes were suddenly taken off and he was at a loss. Empress Dowager Li stroked his head and gave him a kind smile.
The young eunuch took some time to change Zhu Changluo's crown prince robe. After that, Shen Yicheng personally opened a scroll containing the edict he had drafted on behalf of Zhu Yijun.
Zhu Changluo was officially crowned the Crown Prince of the Daming Empire.
Then, a few young eunuchs stepped forward and removed the crown prince's robe from Zhu Changluo's body, replacing it with the emperor's ceremonial robe for the new emperor's coronation.
Shen Yi picked up another scroll of the imperial edict.
This was also the abdication edict he drafted for Zhu Yijun.
After the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, Zhu Changluo became the new emperor of the Daming Empire.
"Long live the Emperor!"
The officials knelt down and kowtowed from inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity to outside.
Empress Dowager Li held Zhu Changluo's hand and helped him onto the throne.
An hour ago, the previous emperor, Zhu Yijun, was still sitting on the throne.
But now, the person on the throne had changed.
Shen Yicheng displayed his swift and decisive actions and caused the Daming Empire to have a crown prince who had only been the crown prince for the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, and an emperor who had taken the shortest time to ascend the throne.
Shen Yicheng's actions were not limited to just this. As soon as Zhu Changluo ascended the throne, Shen Yicheng swiftly submitted several memorials.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to announce his coronation and the fact that Zhu Yijun had become the old emperor.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to announce that Empress Dowager Li was the new empress dowager.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to announce to the world that Xiao Ruxun was a traitor who conspired to usurp the throne and that his family should be executed.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to announce to the world that it was Shen Yicheng who had turned the tide and saved the Daming.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to allow the old Grand Secretary Zhao Zhigao to resign and promote Shen Yicheng to the position of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. He wanted Tsai Kuo-chen and Shi Xing to be promoted to the position of Grand Secretary and enter the Cabinet as assistants.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to promote Xiao Daheng to the position of Minister of War, Zhao Shiqing to the position of Minister of Personnel, Left Imperial Censor Wen Chun to the position of Minister of Works, and Right Imperial Censor Xu Zuo to the position of Minister of Justice.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to ban the creation of the Imperial Horse Supervisor, the Ceremonial Supervisor, and the East Faction Guards. He wanted the three departments to be abolished and all servants with relevant experience to be sent back to their original places.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to abolish the Four Soaring Dragon Guards and the Warrior Battalion and hand over the defense of the Imperial Army to the Twenty-first Guard. At the same time, Zhu Changluo was allowed to retain his jurisdiction over the Imperial Bodyguard.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to allow the Imperial Bodyguard to allocate two million taels of silver to reward the officials and the soldiers who had performed meritorious deeds.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to allow the local eunuchs to recall the mining tax eunuchs, abolish the mining tax, and abolish the commercial tax.
He wanted Zhu Changluo to declare Burma Town to be a rebellious town and order the Governor of Yunnan, Chen Yongbin, to mobilize the troops of Yunnan to launch an attack on Burma Town. Along the way, he wanted to recruit the Zhennan Army. If the Zhennan Army surrendered, he would only interrogate the family members of the traitor Xiao Ruxun. If the Zhennan Army refused to surrender, he would annihilate them as well!
Zhu Changluo did not know what to do with the series of memorials. He could only agree to all of them under his grandmother's guidance. The officials were very satisfied and praised the Daming for having a wise ruler.
Shen Yicheng could not help but feel gratified by his own choice.
It was great that the Daming had such an emperor.
All of them thought the same. From that moment on, they no longer had any doubts.
After making detailed arrangements for the affairs in the palace and entrusting them to Luo Sigong, Shen Yicheng called for a small meeting with his trusted aides.
"We haven't captured the traitor yet, but as long as the capital is sealed, he won't be able to escape. We can search for him with all our might. But right now, I'm most worried about those generals who fought alongside the traitor. Will they make a move?"
Shen Yicheng began to have doubts about those generals who were close to Xiao Ruxun, such as Chai Guozhu, Li Rusong, Dong Yiyuan, some generals in Ningxia Town, and Wu Weizhong who was far away in Japan.
These people were either the commander-in-chief of the nine borders, or they held military power in other places. Although the Ministry of War had control over the army's funds and rations, it did not mean that there were no hidden dangers.
For example, Chai Guozhu was stationed in Ji Town, which was very close to the capital.
Li Rusong was in Liaodong, and it would only take three to five days for the Liaodong cavalry to attack day and night.
Xiao Ruxun's reputation in the Great Ming Dynasty was too great. If it was just an imperial edict, the discussion among the people wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was how these people would respond.
Would they complain for Xiao Ruxun? Or would they behave as if nothing had happened? Or would they revolt?
Xiao Daheng directly rejected the possibility of these people revolting.
"Not to mention that their funds and weapons are controlled by the Ministry of War, these people and the traitor have only fought side by side, and they can't be considered to be desperate. They are all people with military merits and have been conferred titles. If we act rashly, I'm afraid that it will cause more generals to feel uneasy."
Yang Yikui also expressed his agreement.
"At present, the outcome has been determined. As long as we do our best to solve Burma Town and kill the traitor, everything will be over. At this moment, rashly acting against the military merits of the nine borders will undoubtedly cause other people to feel uneasy. When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves for the fox, and it is uncertain what will happen.
Grand Secretary, I suggest that we not only don't punish them or suspect them, but also reward them. Send someone with an imperial edict and condolence gifts to appease them. Let them believe that they have nothing to do with this matter. When this matter blows over, we will arrange a suitable time to transfer them out of these positions. "
Yang Yikui's suggestion was approved by most people. After careful consideration, Shen Yicheng did not object.
"Then it's settled! Chief Xiao, arrange the rewards and condolences for these border generals, calm them down, let them accept the reality, and then we will do our best to solve the problem of the traitor. "
"I understand."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
