Jiao Fang twirled his beard and glanced at Yang Ling. Yang Ling crossed his arms and shook his head with a smile. He immediately stopped in his tracks. Following Liu Jin's hint, more and more officials gathered around Wang Hua and Yang Tinghe. All of them were agitated and insisted that Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua represent the court officials to admonish the Emperor and urge the Emperor to publicly apologize for today's treasonous behavior.
Yang Ling's return to the capital this time had already decided to launch an all-out attack on Liu Jin. He knew that if he allowed Liu Jin to continue his arrogance, then there would be more reasons for him to die and he would have more confidence in eradicating him. However, the trip to Bazhou had made him realize how corrupt the governance of some places had become. If there was still Liu Jin, this traitor, causing chaos in the court, many families would perish. Even though there was a certain risk in making a move now and he did not even have the confidence to win, he had decided to make a move now.
If he wanted to make a move, he had to find a high-sounding reason. No matter what the ultimate goal of a political struggle was, there must be a grand reason, a reason that could be seen publicly. Just like how these politicians, who wanted to gain a virtuous reputation, to vent their personal anger, and to take advantage of Liu Jin, all raised the banner of "filial piety" and "etiquette", he also needed a grand reason.
This reason was because of Zhengde's wrong words and because the scene of the officials taking advantage of the opportunity to make things difficult had been provided to him. Yang Ling, who was no longer a novice in the political arena, immediately seized this opportunity. Taking advantage of the situation, using four ounces to overcome a thousand catties. Who would be the final winner in this grand discussion with each with their own goals? Where would the torrent ultimately rush to, and who would it rush to?
Yang Ling was watching with interest when his heel was suddenly kicked by someone. He turned his head and saw a little girl pouting at him and then slowly walking away. The girl was dressed in a plain mourning dress and her lovely face was as pretty as a pear flower. Yang Ling was stunned for a moment before he remembered that it was the daughter of the King of Shu, Zhu Xiang 'er, who was now a princess.
Yang Ling was baffled, he looked around but did not move. Zhu Xiang 'er walked to the door at the corner of the side hall and turned her head to glare at him. She then turned her head towards the hall and walked in first. Puzzled, Yang Ling followed her. He stood at the door and peeked his head in, afraid that Zhu Xiang 'er would suddenly jump out from behind the door and hit her on the head. Fortunately, he saw her standing in the hall. Only then did Yang Ling feel at ease and followed her in.
Seeing that there were only Zhu Xiang 'er and the two little palace maids in the hall, Yang Ling stepped forward and greeted, "Yang Ling pays his respects to Your Highness."
Ever since Yang Ling exposed Zhu Rangjin's plot and protected the King of Shu's lineage, Zhu Xiang 'er no longer had any prejudice against him. However, Princess Yongchun's inappropriate words that day had planted an inner demon in her heart. Whenever she saw Yang Ling, this little girl would always feel a little uncomfortable. Especially today, when she wanted to urge Yang Ling to visit Yongfu earlier, Zhu Xiang' er felt even more uncomfortable.
She dryly replied, "Duke, you may dispense with the formalities. Hmm … Duke, you have returned to the capital and have not met His Majesty and Princess Yongfu yet?"
Yang Ling replied, "Yes, I returned to the capital yesterday afternoon and came early this morning to pay my respects to Empress Dowager. I have yet to meet His Majesty and Princess Yongfu alone."
Zhu Xiang 'er coughed and said in all seriousness, "Hmm, this … Princess Yongfu is very concerned about the progress of the construction of the Whiteclothes Nunnery and the preparation of the expenses. Hmm … Imperial Sister heard that you have returned to the capital and asked you to meet her at the Imperial Nunnery. She wants … to ask these things in person."
When Yang Ling heard this, he replied with some difficulty, "Now? Without His Majesty's decree, it is not very convenient. In that case, I will first meet His Majesty and ask for an imperial edict before leaving. "
When Zhu Xiang 'er heard this, she heaved a sigh of relief and revealed a slight smile on her face. She said, "There is no need. Last night, His Majesty had already given an oral order. This Princess will send someone to bring you there."
Zhu Xiang 'er summoned two palace maids and instructed them to lead Duke Wei to the Imperial Nunnery. Seeing that he could not refuse, Yang Ling could only follow the two palace maids. Walking out of the hall, he saw a crowd of officials raising their arms and cheering, some speaking passionately, some bristling with anger. Yang Ling could not help but frown in disgust.
He could understand Emperor Zhengde's feelings of helplessness and disdain. If he was the Emperor, he would probably also be seething with anger at these bastards. At the very least, he would drag half of his staff down to serve them. This was not a big deal. All of them were so enraged that it was as if the country was no longer a country. Those who had ulterior motives and wanted to take advantage of the situation were fine. But it had to be those rotten scholars who spoke so loudly that they could not help but hate them.
By now, the voices were getting louder and louder. Empress Dowager could no longer tolerate it and walked out of the hall together with the Empress with dark faces. The crowd of officials was discussing etiquette. How could they not know etiquette when they saw the Empress of two generations? They immediately stopped their discussion and knelt down. Then, they complained to Empress Dowager about the Emperor's immoral behavior.
Yang Ling stood in the corridor of the side hall. With a flick of his sleeve, he followed the two palace maids out. Seeing that he had left, Zhu Xiang 'er hurried back to Empress Dowager's side and secretly tugged on Princess Yongchun's sleeve. Princess Yongchun had been accompanying Empress Dowager and Empress and could not get away. At this time, the two empresses were comforting the crowd of officials and could not attend to her. She hurriedly and quietly retreated a few steps and then asked in a low voice, "Did he go?"
Zhu Xiang 'er wrinkled her nose and said proudly, "With this Princess making a move, won't it be a piece of cake?"
Yongchun saw that her mother and Empress were facing Imperial Messenger Zheng and the others, who looked aggrieved as if they had been greatly insulted and were crying with snot and tears streaming down their faces. Yongchun said, "Come, let's go and take a look."
Yongchun had a deep sisterly bond. She had impersonated her sister's intentions but the Empress Dowager had chosen the short-lived An Ye. Yongchun had always felt guilty and felt that she had harmed her sister.
Yongfu had publicly expressed her love for Yang Ling in front of the Empress Dowager, but she had no choice but to become a monk to avoid marriage. Yongchun had learned of her sister's intentions from Zheng De. Even though she did not approve of a princess marrying a man with a large number of wives and concubines, she still decided to fulfill her sister's wish and try her best to create opportunities for her.
※ ※ ※
Yang Ling sat in a simple and clean meditation room. A cup of clear tea curled up and there was a faint fragrance in the room. It was like musk but not musk, like chrysanthemum but not chrysanthemum. It was like gossamer floating in the air, faintly discernible. Yang Ling's heart skipped a beat. This, was like the fragrance of a woman. He could not help but think of Yongfu's elegant face. But thinking about how she had to become a nun and cultivate with her hair, her face seemed to have some worry. A pair of bright eyes looked faintly at him.
Just as he was thinking, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the door. When it reached the door, it suddenly slowed down. After a moment of silence, a woman appeared at the door. She was dressed in a moon-white robe and her beautiful hair was simply tied behind her head.
Yang Ling hurriedly stood up and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness Princess Royal."
There was a flash of joy in Yongfu's eyes. She then smiled and said softly, "Marquess, please take a seat. Although I have not become a nun, I can be considered to have cultivated with my hair. My title in the secular world is no longer honorable. Marquess, please call me Xiu Yuan."
Yang Ling mumbled a 'yes'. Yongfu walked slowly into the room and said softly, "Marquess, please take a seat. I am chanting for Empress Dowager in the Buddhist hall. I heard that Marquess has arrived … Marquess, have you just returned to the capital?"
Her robe was made of silk and was light and pure moon-white. The robe was very loose but it was very soft. When she walked, it swayed along with her body. Sometimes it was close to her body and sometimes it was separated. It was always a glimpse of her delicate and delicate figure. It was like a swaying lily, ethereal and graceful.
The meditation room was empty. There was only a small red sandalwood table in the middle. There were two or three soft cushions placed randomly. It looked like a futon in a monastery. However, the embroidery on the cushions was very fine and it was not a thing from the monastery.
Both of them sat on the soft cushions. There was a small table between them. Yang Ling frowned and said, "I returned to the capital yesterday afternoon. Because it was late, I only came to the palace today. The raid in Bazhou has been completed. After I came back, I went to see the Emperor's Nunnery. The overall planning has been completed. The main part is in the process of building the foundation. Now that the weather is getting warmer, the construction will be fast. I think the main nunnery will be finished by autumn … "
Yongfu listened with an indifferent expression. She picked up the teapot and poured tea for Yang Ling. She then took out a jade incense burner from the table and personally put in the spices. Her movements were neither fast nor slow. She was elegant and beautiful.
Yang Ling stole a glance at Yongfu. He saw that her eyebrows were lowered and her expression was as calm as water. There was not the slightest trace of sorrow on the tip of her eyebrows or the corner of her eyes. Her moon-white robe made her look like a fairy in the clouds. He could not help but feel curious.
Yongfu felt Yang Ling's gaze on her. She unconsciously lowered her head. A red cloud rose from the side of her cheeks and spread to the tip of her eyebrows and the corner of her eyes. In the end, even her jade-like neck turned pink. For a moment, she was extremely shy. Yang Ling could not help but be absent-minded.
A moment later, Yang Ling calmed himself down. He coughed and straightened his expression. He continued to report to Yongfu how much property had been confiscated, how much taels of silver they would get after selling them, the current situation of the White Clothes Nunnery and so on. The cough made Yongfu realize that she had lost her composure. She hurriedly listened with a straight face, but she was absent-minded for a moment. Yang Ling was sitting beside her, but his voice seemed to be very far away.
Yang Ling was talking endlessly. He could not help but stop when he noticed that Yongfu was absent-minded. For a moment, the room was so quiet that they could almost hear their heartbeats. This sudden silence made Yongfu raise her head suddenly. Her clear eyes looked at Yang Ling's face. Her heart was soft. The person she had been thinking about was right in front of her. They had not seen each other for several months. He did not look as haggard as she had imagined. Instead, he looked even more high-spirited. The worry, concern, and longing for the past few months were all concentrated in this deep gaze. It was as if she wanted to directly see into Yang Ling's heart.
Yang Ling saw the look in Yongfu's eyes. His heart unconsciously shivered. He softly called out: "Princess." Yongfu also realized that she had boldly stared at him for too long. She shyly moved her gaze away. She foolishly looked at the faint fragrant smoke curling up from the incense burner. She softly said: "In autumn … in autumn, the nunnery will be built …"
Yongfu seemed to have just jumped out of her thoughts. She softly said: "Duke has just returned to the capital. I am very happy that you can come to see me. As for the construction of the nunnery, I will just listen. You can make the decision. "Finishing, she very quickly glanced at Yang Ling.
That gentle glance, all the things a woman could not say, could not say, and wanted to say, were faintly passed into Yang Ling's eyes. Yang Ling was startled. He faintly felt that something was wrong, but he could not think of what it was. He awkwardly stood up and said: "I have just entered the palace today and have not seen His Majesty. If … if there is nothing else, I will take my leave first."
Yongfu was somewhat disappointed. But she could not think of an excuse to keep him. She pursed her lips. She sadly lowered her head and said: "Then … I will see Duke off."
Yang Ling hurriedly said: "I don't dare, I don't dare. Princess, please stop. Er … Lay Scholar Xiuyuan, please stay. I … I …" Yang Ling cupped his hands. Suddenly he touched something under his sleeve. His voice involuntarily paused. He hurriedly took out the bracelet from his sleeve and said: "Ah, when I was in Bazhou, I found this red jade bracelet very cute. I specially brought it to the capital to present to Your Highness."
An incredulous surprise flashed across Yongfu's eyes. She stared at the red beads. She seemed to want to reach out to take it, but then stopped. She embarrassedly said: "I … I am a cultivator now. What do I need this thing for?"
Yang Ling hurriedly said: "This … this is a bracelet of prayer beads. Yang Ling accidentally found it. I feel that it is most compatible with Your Highness. So I took the liberty to present it to you. I hope Your Highness does not mind."
Yongfu heard this and hesitated for a moment. Then she took it in her hand and said softly: "Thank you, Duke."
Yang Ling hurriedly bowed and said: "I don't dare, I don't dare. Your Highness, please stay. I will take my leave."
Watching Yang Ling leave in a hurry, Princess Yongfu faintly sighed. Only then did she lower her head to examine the so-called prayer beads. This was a prayer bead? It was clearly a bracelet. She lifted her sleeve and put the bracelet on. Her delicate white wrist was slightly exposed from under her clothes. It was like a tube of polished and translucent jade. When the bright red beads were put on her wrist, the white and red were all pink and moist. It was indescribably bright.
Caressing the smooth and warm beads on her wrist, Princess Yongfu was lost in thought: Autumn. In autumn, I will be moving to Yang Ling's residence. Alas, I used to worry that the difference between us was like heaven and earth. I would never have a chance. But now it seems that there is a chance. But he doesn't know my feelings, so how would he dare to take even half a step further? Just now, I only looked at him a few more times and he was already scared away. What a battle-hardened general. That little bit of cowardice is really unmanly. I am so angry.
But if I say that he doesn't understand my heart, then he just had to give me this bracelet. How can I get close to him? Yang Ling, oh, Yang Ling. I, Zhu Xiuning, have even resorted to the means of becoming a monk for you. Do you still need me to point this out? Could it be … could it be that I, a little nun, have to lower my status to seduce you?
"Pfft, pfft, pfft." Thinking of this, Yongfu's face and ears turned red. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to find a place to hide.
"What is Sister doing? Did you drink the tea stalks? " Yongchun and Zhu Xiang 'er barged in carelessly and bumped into Princess Yongfu. She was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she was embarrassed and embarrassed.
Seeing that her sister had arrived, Princess Yongfu became even more embarrassed. She hurriedly said, "No … no …"
"Nothing? How dare the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Haven't you learned your lesson? Do you really think that my sister has become a monk? What kind of lousy tea is this? How can there be tea stalks? "
Princess Yongchun was quite angry. Just now, she was hiding outside with Zhu Xiang 'er and eavesdropping. Her sister was like gentle water. She was obviously in love with him, but she did not dare to say a word. This made her extremely anxious. In the end, Yang Ling actually gave her sister the Buddhist beads. How infuriating. Did he actually want her sister to become a monk?
The little girl was furious about this. When she barged in, she thought that the Ministry of Internal Affairs was serving her sister with inferior tea. Princess Yongchun was pouting angrily. Suddenly, she saw a flash of red light on her sister's wrist. She stared at it and could not help but exclaim, "Sister, I thought you didn't want any jewelry anymore. When did you get a bead bracelet …"
Zhu Xiang 'er grabbed Yongfu's hand and carefully examined the red jade bracelet. She clicked her tongue and praised, "Wow, it's crystal clear and crimson like blood. This is the best agate bracelet. It's so beautiful. It's rare that each bead is full and round and the same size."
Yongfu hurriedly took off her sleeves and said embarrassedly, "No … this is not a bracelet. This is … This is a string of prayer beads that Mr. Yang gave me."
Yongchun asked blankly, "Prayer beads? Is this how you wear prayer beads? "
Princess Yongfu's face also turned red. Her neck also became thick. Like a prawn that had jumped into a frying pan, she angrily argued, "If I say it's a prayer bead, then it's a prayer bead. Otherwise, what do you think it is?"
When Yongchun saw that her sister was about to go crazy, she quickly nodded and said, "Prayer beads, prayer beads, this is a prayer bead!"
Zhu Xiang 'er also said like a chick pecking rice, "Yes, yes, yes, it's obviously a prayer bead. Uh … the prayer beads that Mr. Yang gave …"
Princess Yongfu's heart skipped a beat. "Prayer beads, Zhu Xiang 'er, Mr. Yang said Zhu Xiang' er … Is this what he meant?" He was an Elementary Scholar, so he definitely knew how to make use of things to express his feelings and how to beat around the bush.
Princess Yongfu's heart beat wildly again. If not, why did he say it was a bracelet? Could it be … Could it be that he was hinting something to me but I didn't understand?
Yang Ling's words rang in her ears again, "This is a string of prayer beads. Yang Ling found it by accident and felt that it was the most compatible with Your Highness. Therefore, I took the liberty to offer it to you. I hope Your Highness doesn't mind."
Zhu Xiang, compatible, I hope I don't mind. Aiya, are his words related? If that's the case, and I don't say anything, he must be disappointed. I … I'm so stupid!
Zhu Xiang 'er's unintentional words caused Princess Yongfu's imagination to wander. Her heart was worried about the gains and losses, and she became annoyed again.
* * *
Yang Ling arrived in front of Yongfu. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty about her situation, he was awkward and slow, and could not speak. Once he left the nunnery, his mind became lively again. Yang Ling did not know the current situation of Changshou Palace. He hurried to take a look. Due to the discussion just now, the worship activities were completely ruined and the officials were all gone. Yang Ling heard from the little eunuch that Zhengde was in the West Warm Pavilion and hurried there.
Zhengde was so angry at the unreasonable behavior of the officials that he was still listless when he saw Yang Ling. Yang Ling comforted him with kind words and briefly introduced the situation of Bazhou. He then requested to take a few days off and organize the details of Bazhou into a book before submitting the imperial edict. Yang Ling even spent the New Year outside. Every time Emperor Zhengde had something important to attend to, he would often ask Yang Ling to run around outside. He felt bad and naturally did not agree.
Yang Ling came out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity and went around to the front hall. He intentionally looked towards Martial Heroic Hall. As expected, Cabinet Elder Jiao was swaying at the entrance of the hall. When he saw Yang Ling had arrived, he turned and walked into the hall. Yang Ling didn't say anything. He turned around and followed them.
Once he entered Martial Heroic Hall, Cabinet Elder Jiao impatiently sent the little eunuch out. He then asked anxiously, "Duke, the situation today is not right. At first, it was just a few officials fishing for fame being reprimanded by His Majesty. They were just a little embarrassed and angry. But later on, the court was full of civil and military officials. They obviously have other intentions. I saw many of Liu Jin's people surrounding Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua, asking them to take the lead and remonstrate with His Majesty. They are up to no good. "
Every time Yang Ling came, Jiao Fang would personally pour tea for him. This time, he was really anxious and worried. He did not care about these etiquettes. Yang Ling saw how anxious he was and couldn't help but laugh. "Hehe, of course I know. You don't need to use your brain to think about this. Liu Jin is willing to encourage and support them. How could it be a good thing?"
Jiao Fang asked curiously, "Duke saw through it? Then … why didn't you stop them? With your prestige and status, if you came out to appease them, and with Grand Scholar Yang and Official Wang's high esteem for you, they would definitely agree. How could Liu Jin's evil plan succeed? Now, those people are bringing out high-sounding principles. Official Yang and Official Wang are in their positions and have no choice. Even if they know they are driving sheep for a tiger, and even if they are trapped, they have no choice but to agree.
Alas! In the opinion of the disciples, Liu Jin must be coveting the position of Minister of the Ministry of Rites. What should we do? The Emperor is furious. Grand Secretary Li has not returned yet. The Duke cannot interfere in politics, and the disciples are alone. Maybe Liu Jin can kill two birds with one stone and pull Grand Scholar Yang down as well. If the Qing Faction is completely defeated, it will be even more difficult for the Duke's plan to be realized in the future. "
Yang Ling smiled calmly and said, "Minister, please sit. What is there to worry about?"
He flipped over the teacup and leisurely poured a cup of tea for Minister Jiao. As he pushed the tea over, he said, "There is no need for the future. I am ready to make my move! "
Minister Jiao was startled and involuntarily said, "Now? Grand Secretary Li has not returned yet. We are one less helper. Besides, we need a breakthrough. This opportunity … "
His eyes flashed and he suddenly said, "Is Duke also using the discussion of the officials to force the Emperor to issue an edict?"
Yang Ling calmly smiled and said, "Exactly!"
Minister Jiao said doubtfully, "Although the Emperor has good intentions today, his words and actions go against the way of filial piety and etiquette. The officials are using this as a basis to pressure the Emperor. They all have different goals, but the reason is the same. With reason in hand, everything is successful.
However, the current Emperor hates it the most when people use force to control him. The more he is pressured, the more he resists. Liu Jin has seen this and wants to use the supreme power of the Emperor to suppress the etiquette of the officials and take advantage of the opportunity to defeat the Qing Faction.
The weapons in the Duke's hands, one is etiquette, the other is power. What is Duke's purpose in interfering? How do you control Liu Jin? The disciples … really can't figure it out. What can we do to direct the fire to Liu Jin? "
Yang Ling laughed and said, "Minister, I know you will have questions. I am afraid that you can't calm down, so I come to inform you. In the current Imperial Court, everyone has their own goals in this discussion. The wind is blowing from all sides of the officials, and the fire is burning the Emperor's nameless fire. This fire is directed at the officials, but it doesn't seem to be directed at Liu Jin … "
Yang Ling stood up and said, "Minister, you may watch indifferently these days. Don't instigate, don't stop, don't participate. Let the wind blow a little more and let the fire burn a little more. When I go to the court to reverse the edict …"
The smile on his face gradually became cold, and his eyes slowly became fierce. He said word by word, "At that time, Liu Jin and I will have the final battle in the Forbidden City."
* * *
The duty of the Emperor is nothing greater than etiquette, nothing greater than filial piety, and nothing greater than sacrifice.
Emperor Zhengde, on the other hand, was disdainful of this point. He violated the purpose that the officials and scholars had always pursued, and violated the bottom line of morality in their hearts. The hundreds of officials seized on the weighty reason that the Son of Heaven was unfilial and had lost the way of a ruler, and began to make things difficult for the emperor.
The Counselor Shu Fen was furious at the Emperor's unrepentant words and actions today. When he returned to his mansion, he wrote a long article "Long Sheng's Filial Piety to Answer People's Will" and publicly criticized the Emperor. He argued with the Emperor about filial piety, natural justice, and human desire.
Speaking of Shu Fen, few people knew him. But when it came to a poem he wrote later, "Carrying a letter from a thousand miles is only for the wall. What's the harm of giving him three feet? The Great Wall is still there today, but I don't see Qin Shi Huang. "It was familiar.
Not only was this brother brimming with talent, he was also filial. Later when his loving mother passed away, he fell ill from grief and passed away. In his heart, filial piety was greater than the heavens. How could he tolerate the Emperor looking down on filial piety?
Shu Fen was the editor and counselor of Hanlin Academy. In reality, many officials of the Inspectorate and Hanlin Academy worked side by side with each other. Shu Fen contacted his colleagues, Cui Tong and six others to jointly submit this memorial. So not only did the people outside of the Palace know about it, it was also widely circulated among the people. The gentry and scholars fought to read it and applauded it.
Emperor Zhengde did not want to play this kind of pointless argument with him. The beautiful article that Shu Fen spent the whole night quoting classics to write was thrown into the corner by Zhengde in the blink of an eye.
Shu Fen had the temperament of a stubborn scholar. The more frustrated he was, the braver he became. He continued to write and his words became more and more intense. It gave Emperor Zhengde a headache. As soon as he saw the three words "Minister Shu Fen" on the cover of the memorial, he would immediately close the memorial and disdainfully throw it into the corner.
Even the Emperor could not be so disrespectful to the memorials of the officials. Otherwise, a mark on the daily records would be a stain that could not be erased for thousands of years. So the eunuchs also trained their skills. Once one side threw it, the other side would immediately be like a dog picking up a bone. With a whoosh, they would rush over and quickly pick it up.
Shu Fen's direct defiance of the Emperor immediately gained supreme glory among the scholars. All the Hanlin and imperial messengers followed suit and strongly requested the Emperor to repent and reflect on his mistakes. At the same time, a large number of officials continuously exerted moral pressure on Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua, asking the two to take the lead in writing to remonstrate with the Emperor.
At this time, Emperor Zhengde caught a cold, and it was quite serious. It turned out that when the officials went to Changshou Palace to pay their respects, Zhengde hurried over from the warm West Warm Pavilion. He was wearing thin clothes and a thin layer of sweat on his forehead was blown by the wind and he caught a cold. Then he was choked with anger by those officials who did not know what was good for them. Not long after he returned, he was called back by the Empress Dowager to tactfully reprimand him. Even holding his anger and anger, he became dizzy and could not get up.
The Emperor's limbs were sore and weak and he could not get up. The Imperial Censors and Hanlin did not know if the Emperor was really sick or not. Even if he was really sick, could a cold cover up something that went against filial piety? The duty of the Emperor was not greater than etiquette.
The memorials continued without end. Emperor Zhengde ordered the Department of Rites to keep all these memorials. When Liu Jin heard the order, he dragged out the two big boxes and happily collected the waste paper. But this time, he did not use any means to punish the Imperial Censors and Hanlin because he needed these bookworms to create momentum. If the momentum grew, Yang Tinghe, who was the leader of the clear stream, and Wang Hua, who was in charge of the Ministry of Rites, would have no choice but to come out and instigate this battle of etiquette.
The Imperial Censors and Hanlin were always writing. You stay, I write. It was just practice. There were more and more memorials, and the tone became more and more intense. The officials who wanted to fish in troubled waters and had ulterior motives stirred up trouble inside and made connections everywhere. They coaxed the bookworms to willingly take the lead.
It was not that Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua were unaware of the danger hidden within, but this was a reason they could not say. The emotions of the officials became more and more intense. The emotions that had been suppressed by Liu Jin for a long time finally exploded in the Emperor's face with the advantage of reason. They were elated and high-spirited. They finally found the sense of responsibility that they had lost for a long time and realized how important they were to the court and to the country. In order to fight for the right to kneel, in order to fight for the opportunity to be a loyal and filial son, they fought with everything they had.
Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua could not withstand the great pressure from the officials who came to them day and night, crying and begging. The moral trend was not something that they could control with their power and personal prestige. After a discussion, the two of them had no choice but to write a moderately worded memorial and jointly submit it to the Emperor.
Emperor Zhengde was extremely depressed. He could not refute those high-sounding reasons, but he just could not figure it out. He just saw the officials kneeling in the cold wetland, and he kindly asked them to bow instead of kneeling. Did they have to make it sound so serious just for such a trivial matter? It was as if the sky was about to collapse.
It was as if the sky was about to 'collapse'. The Grand Scholar and the Minister of the Ministry of Rites remonstrated, representing the Imperial Cabinet and the Yamen in charge of Rites, and they also agreed with the opinions of the officials. The first round had achieved a stage victory, and the wind vane was completely clear. The officials of the Qing Dynasty had revealed their true intentions. They began to denounce the Emperor for violating the etiquette of human relations and disobeying the filial duty, and began to ask the Emperor to issue an edict of self-reproach, reflect on himself, and correct his mistakes.
When Emperor Zhengde had just recovered from his illness, he still went to the court. Now that his health was getting better, he refused to go to the court, and began to revert to the frivolous attitude he had when he first ascended the throne. Zhengde's attitude aroused the anger of his ministers, and gave them more reasons to attack.
It happened that Lu Wan, the Inspector-General of Xuanfu, arrived in the capital city. His territory was close to the capital city, so he was one of the first batch of inspector-generals to return to the capital city to report on their work. These high-ranking officials of the provinces and territories had never encountered such an absurd thing, so they disapproved of Liu Jin's order.
However, the Inspector-General of Yan Sui ignored Liu Jin's order. Liu Jin sent the Imperial Bodyguard to put him in prison. Lu Wan was scared out of his wits when he heard the news. He rode his horse all the way to the capital city, but he was still late. Lu Wan had no choice but to prepare one more gift in addition to the heavy gift. He went to the door and kowtowed to Liu Jin. Liu Jin accepted the gift and scolded him. Then he showed mercy and asked him to stay in his post on probation, which was called the 'acting official'.
This older brother had finished delivering the gift, finished his private business, and had not finished his official business. Now that he had entered the capital, he had to see the Emperor. However, the Emperor refused to see anyone, so he could only spend his days in the court room. Over time, he became familiar with the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.
Lu Wan did not know the inside story, but he saw that the situation in the capital was so tense. The Six Ministries and Nine Ministers were eager to follow Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua in submitting a memorial in order to gain a good reputation. He spoke up to persuade them, "Dear Daren, the Emperor is young and full of vigor. He is amenable to coaxing but not coercion. The officials have submitted a memorial. The Emperor is ill. If this stalemate continues, it will be disadvantageous to the court. Dear Daren, aren't you adding oil to the fire by submitting a memorial now?"
The Six Ministries and Nine Ministers thought about it and indeed, they could not force the Emperor too hard. Although Liu Yu and Zhang Cai had become Liu Jin's best friends, their plan was to let others take the lead. If the other officials did not take the lead, they would also stop.
Liu Jin was furious when she heard the news. She found an excuse to summon the Inspector-General who had spoiled her plans and gave him another round of scolding. The pitiful Lu Daren did not know the reason and thought that it was because the gift was too little for Eunuch Liu. However, he had used up all the money he had brought with him and could only borrow money from the East and the West. He smiled apologetically and sent it to Liu Jin.
Liu Jin accepted the gift and knew that he had done it unintentionally. He had originally planned to let him go, but he did not expect that this probationary inspector would not be at ease. He thought that Duke Wei was from the Xuan Manor and was a native of his hometown, so he could not be taken care of. Therefore, he paid a visit and asked for help from Yang Ling. If the Emperor wanted to demote him, he could ask Yang Ling to speak on his behalf.
Liu Jin was afraid that Yang Ling would ruin his plans and had long sent people to keep an eye on him. Hearing that Lu Wan had gone to use Yang Ling's connections, Old Liu was furious again. Could it be that I, the dignified Prime Minister of the internal court, Eunuch Liu, who had power over all levels of society, could not compare to him, a mere Duke Wei?
Lu Wan was once again summoned by Liu Jin and was scolded endlessly. After these three scoldings, Lu Wan was naughty and was about to be squeezed dry. How could he, Old Liu, live? In any case, I have entered the capital and the crime of being late has been pardoned. What else can you do to me? If you can't beat me to demote me, my father won't do it!
Lu Wan had been an official for so many years. His scholarly spirit and hot-bloodedness had long been worn away. Today, he had been tormented by Liu Jin again and again. Old Lu did not kneel and pretend to be a grandson. He suddenly stood up, stiffened his neck, and turned to leave. Liu Jin had never seen someone beg like this and was stunned by him.
Lu Wan went back to pack his bags and prepared to leave. Unexpectedly, after waiting for two days, because Liu Jin couldn't figure out why his attitude had suddenly changed so much after seeing Yang Ling, he didn't dare to touch him. Now that he was going to deal with Wang Hua, he didn't want to cause trouble and ruin his plan, so he didn't dare touch him.
The dignified Inspector-General of Xuan Fu had left behind so many important matters and could not leave. If he stayed, he did not know if he could still be an official. With nothing to do, he could only wander around the capital all day.
The higher-ups were like this, but they could still maintain their calm on the surface. However, the lower-ranking officials did not have any misgivings. They were not like the high-ranking officials who had been in officialdom for a long time and were experienced and prudent. They had been in politics for a long time and could distinguish between what was important and what was less important. They knew how to use roundabout and tactful methods of struggle. These scholars, who had held the books of sages and had been instilled with 'propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame' since they could read, were far from reaching the level of 'entering society'.
The truth was in their hands, so what was there to be afraid of? The Emperor did not know propriety and did not observe propriety. As an official, if they did not act the way of an official and show their loyalty, then when would they stand up? A loyal official did not fear death. Those who were afraid of death were not loyal. If the high-ranking officials were full of misgivings and could not make excuses, then we will do it ourselves.
In the 18th year of Hongzhi, Huang Gong, who was the head of the Ministry of Punishments, asked to read the draft of the zhuangyuan Shu Fen. He felt that it was not enough and was afraid that the Emperor Zhengde was not aware of it. Thus, he wrote a solo memorial to give Emperor Zhengde a blow on his head. He pointed the spear at Zhengde's favorite official, Liu Jin, and began to expand the target. His memorial became the fuse of the court's struggle. From then on, the discussion of propriety became a discussion of politics. "Right now, the world only knows that there are sycophantic and powerful officials, but not His Majesty. They would rather disobey His Majesty than resist sycophantic officials. Disaster has already arisen, but His Majesty does not know about it. When the disaster is about to happen, I'm afraid it will be too late for His Majesty to know! For His Majesty's sake, please uphold righteousness, open up the path of speech, correct the name and discipline, and eliminate sycophantic and lowly people … Otherwise, I'm afraid the country's crisis is imminent! I know that these words will not be tolerated by the sycophantic officials. They will accuse me of slandering the court, but I would rather die than be misled by the sycophantic officials. "
Huang Gong was indeed loyal. He knew that if he presented this memorial, he would be attacked by Liu Jin. It would not be strange for him to lose his life. But he was still valiant and high-spirited as he presented the memorial. The Minister Counsellor Lu Zhen, who was driving the carriage, saw that the content of the memorial was righteous and had a higher level of education than himself. He tore up his own draft and wrote his name at the back. The other officials, seeing this, all signed their names and jointly submitted the memorial.
This minor official's criticism was fierce. It was no less than the famous Hai Rui's memorial to Emperor Jiajing. Zhengde had a bellyful of anger that he had nowhere to vent. When this memorial was published, it immediately gave Zhengde something to use against him. "Zhen was disrespectful and disobedient? Forget it, who told me to say the wrong thing and do the wrong thing? I reap what I sow. If I had known earlier, I would have knelt to death, you bunch of grandsons! But aren't you going too far? I just didn't ask you to kneel. How is it so serious that the country is no longer a country? Treacherous official? Who is a treacherous official? "
Emperor Zhengde approved Liu Jin's punishment. When Liu Jin saw this, he flew into a rage. He issued an order to the Ministry of Punishments to take Huang Gong, Lu Zhen and the others into prison to force them to confess. Huang Gong sighed and said, "From an official to a minister, most people only live for thirty or forty years. Only those who have established their moral standing are immortal for a thousand years. The people of this world are willing to exchange them for this! "
Lu Zhen and the other three agreed. Liu Jin was furious. The main culprits, Huang Gong and Lu Zhen, were dragged to be flogged a hundred times and punished to kneel for five days. The carriage driver, Lu Zhen, had a weak body. After the flogging, he died not long after being dragged back to prison. Huang Gong actually clenched his teeth and endured it. After kneeling for five days, he packed his luggage and was dismissed from his official post.
The five heroes' righteous deeds swept the entire city. The scholars' respect and reverence made even more low-ranking officials' blood boil. There were all kinds of proposals. There was even someone who seriously mentioned that the Emperor did not have an heir. They talked about how the Emperor had been married for two years and had one empress and two concubines, but still did not have a child. If something happened to the Emperor, it would be a disaster. They worriedly advised the Emperor to choose an heir. They even hinted that the Emperor should invite an imperial physician to take a look at the Emperor to prevent the important matter from being delayed. This was simply suspecting that the Emperor was sick. They said that he could not do it. Any man would not be able to take it, not to mention Emperor Zhengde's donkey temperament. Emperor Zhengde could not bear it any longer. The memorial was left unpublished. The official who was concerned about the Emperor's little brother was sent to prison to be flogged.
He was given a meal of 'stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat' and had his buttocks split open. The Zhuangyuan Shu Fen was high-spirited and vigorous. He was now an influential figure among the younger generation. He wrote a long essay on this matter. After a careful and careful analysis, he came to a conclusion: If the current Emperor did not listen to the opinions of the officials and immediately reflected on his actions, he would end up like the rulers of the Five Dynasties Period or the Jianwen Emperor.
When the memorial was submitted, Shu daren was sure that he would be caned to death. He wrote his will, bought his clothes, ordered a coffin, and prepared his own funeral. Unexpectedly, Emperor Zhengde was so enraged by their wild and unconstrained ideas that he could not help laughing in spite of his anger. He thought that this bookworm was a little crazy, that his brain was not normal, and unexpectedly let him go.
However, the civil and military officials who were watching did not know what the Emperor was thinking. When they saw that the Emperor had beaten two groups of people and Shu Fen's even more outrageous memorial was submitted, they thought that the Emperor was beginning to give in and immediately became more courageous.
Within two days, the six ministries, the Hanlin Academy, the Dali Monastery, the Messenger Division, the Six Departments, the Thirteen Paths, and the Imperial Censorate, a total of more than a hundred middle and low-ranking officials submitted memorial to the Emperor in protest and advice. Their tone was the same. Basically, they all said that Ming Destiny's country was about to fall. If the Emperor did not repent, he might not even have a place to bury his body when he died. For a moment, the hearts of the people in the capital were wavering. The officials were not in the mood for politics. They all joined in this inexplicable battle to discuss the ceremony, politics, and then the succession.
Emperor Zhengde's anger finally exploded. Zhengde, who had not been in court for many days, held a court meeting. He roared in court, his roar like thunder. The veins on his forehead popped out. He pointed at the officials and scolded, "I am not well and have not recovered yet. You all do not understand and are noisy all day. A group of small officials exaggerate and slander me. You all talk to me about the etiquette of a ruler all day long. Is this the etiquette of an official? A group of bastards, don't you want to kneel? Then I will make you kneel to your heart's content! "
The more than a hundred officials who submitted the memorial were all punished to kneel at the Meridian Gate by imperial edict. These low-ranking officials were originally not qualified to attend court, but now they had the honor of going to the palace every morning like the civil and military officials who attended court. Early in the morning, the head officials of the yamen led them and lined up neatly to the Meridian Gate. After the Imperial Bodyguard called the roll, they began to kneel. There was no lunch, but family members were allowed to bring food. They knelt until the evening when the roll was called. The head officials of the yamen led them back and dismissed them.
The cabinet, the six ministries, and the nine ministers could no longer remain silent. One by one, they submitted petitions to the Emperor for pardon. Emperor Zhengde remained silent. Soon after, several more officials continued to submit petitions, including Wang Yan and the other old officials. Zhengde replied, "Let's go to the Meridian Gate and kneel together!"
The officials who had been arrested earlier also joined the kneeling team with shackles. These officials knelt there during the day and chatted with each other. At night, they went home and continued to write memorials. Not a single one of them submitted.
Zhengde was so angry that his head hurt. Liu Jin observed the Emperor's expression and carefully said, "Your Majesty, you punished these officials to kneel. They have already reflected on their actions, but they do not repent at all. They hide thick blankets under their knees and kneel there to chat and joke with each other. They even have tea and snacks by their side. They have become a big joke. In the opinion of the Old Slave, why don't we use court punishment on these officials? After they suffer physical pain, they won't dare to be so arrogant again. "
"Court punishment? More than a hundred people will be flogged at the same time … "Zhengde hesitated for a moment before nodding his head," Alright, we will teach these ignorant things a good lesson. They even have tea and snacks as punishment. This group of tired fellows, it's good to let them suffer some physical pain! "
Liu Jin was secretly delighted and repeatedly agreed. A trace of a sinister smile suddenly flashed across the corner of his mouth. Yang Tinghe was cunning enough, but Wang Hua, who pursued the doctrine of the mean, was even more cunning. This pair of old sly fellows never stood out, causing Liu Jin to be unable to launch a long-planned counterattack against them. He could take the opportunity to seize the Ministry of Rites and even coax Yang Tinghe out of the cabinet to install his own trusted aides.
None of the people kneeling at the Meridian Gate were his own people. They were all the backbone and future hope of the Qing Sect. If dozens of them were flogged to death, even if they knew that there was a fire pit ahead, Yang Tinghe and Wang Hua would still have to bite the bullet and jump in. Everything would be set in stone.
Liu Jin swiftly went to pass on the imperial edict. Imperial Bodyguards, Great Han Generals, Dongchang foreigners … A large group of people suddenly appeared outside the Meridian Gate. In front of them was a row of burly men carrying court punishments. The officials who were kneeling there drinking tea and eating snacks suddenly became quiet. In a moment, they could see that the Emperor was going to flog them.
The eyes of these low-ranking officials suddenly lit up: flogging! How glorious! It represented noble loyalty. If they were beaten to death, they, as unknown people, would forever be recorded in the annals of history. If they did not die, they would travel all over the world and receive the respect of the court. Flogging was the same as the posthumous title of "Minister of Civil Affairs" and the official position of Prime Minister of the Cabinet. It was the treatment that every official dreamed of.
The execution team was busy preparing. The "masochists" had eaten and drunk to their heart's content. Those who needed to go to the toilet had also packed up, waiting for their butts to be flogged. The Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, the Six Ministries and the Nine Ministers all went to the Emperor to plead for leniency. Before that, two fast horses galloped out of the capital, heading straight for the western suburbs.
Yang Ling had been paying attention to every move in the court. He was well aware of the fact that Zhengde was badly battered by the accusations of the officials. A few rash officials had angered the Heavenly Countenance and lost their lives. He was well aware of this. He was also anxious, but the timing was not right. If he launched this attack, it would be useless. If he did not drag himself into it and make himself the enemy of all the officials, he would lose this rare opportunity because of it, and Liu Jin would easily neutralize the attack.
Like a fox hunter, he had to wait patiently for the best opportunity. He had to wait until the Emperor and the civil and military officials felt that it was difficult to get off the tiger, that it was difficult to resolve the conflict, that it was difficult for the other party to yield, and that it was impossible for them to withdraw. Only then would he be able to easily overcome the situation with little effort.
When the news arrived, Yang Ling was standing on the turret of the church with his son in his arms, looking at the scenery. Hearing the news, Yang Ling was overjoyed. The opportunity had finally come!
Emperor Zhengde's action indicated that he would never yield. This matter, which was more important than the sky in the eyes of some officials, was not worth mentioning in the eyes of Zhengde, who did not abide by the rules. Though the common people thought that Zhengde was absurd, Zhengde would never do what he thought was absurd. Because issuing an edict to exempt the officials from kneeling down was a ridiculous thing in Zhengde's eyes.
However, now that things had come to this, the leaders of the factions, who had been in a position where they could attack or retreat as they pleased, and who had allowed the low-level officials to fight in the frontlines, and who had decided their actions based on the situation, must have had thoughts of retreating. If this flogging continued, the officials would be completely pushed into opposing positions with the Emperor. As leaders, they had no choice but to go into battle with their bare arms and brace themselves to seek justice for their subordinates. In the end, both sides would lose and be injured.
When both sides gave their all and hoped for a chance to separate themselves from the opponent, it would be time for him, Duke Wei, to shine and turn the situation around.
With his son in his arms, Yang Ling strode back to the residence. When he arrived at the rear garden, he called out Big Cui Chui and Yun'er who were holding hands and whispering to each other behind the rockery. He handed his son to Yun'er and shouted to Big Cui Chui, "Cui Chui, go and bring my horse here. We will enter the city immediately!"
Yutang Chun heard him and hurriedly walked out from the reception pavilion. She stroked Yun'er's hair and said, "Master, you want to enter the palace?"
With an awe-inspiring presence, Yang Ling was like a great general who was about to go to war. He replied in high spirits, "That's right. Quickly bring me my memorial. I want to enter the palace immediately and report to the Emperor!"
Yutang Chun hastily returned to the inner study room and took out a booklet that she helped him organize and handed it to Yang Ling. Yang Ling took it and patted it lightly. He thought to himself, From today onwards, the first poster to be posted in the capital. I wonder who will be the unlucky one!
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