Yang Ling was startled by the slap. He abruptly turned his head and saw Zhu Houzhao standing behind him in his white clothes and mourning hat. Yang Ling cried out and quickly put on his boots and jumped down. The Emperor of Zhengde, who had just reached his peak, pressed down on his shoulder and said, "Looking at your appearance, you must be quite tired. There's no need to kneel. I'm tired of people kneeling today, and my waist and back are sore from kneeling."
He stretched his waist, a distressed expression on his face. Yang Ling was used to being at the side of this amiable and approachable Crown Prince, who had no concept of hierarchy. But now, Zhu Houzhao was the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor but not bowing to him, he felt a bit uneasy. But Zhu Houzhao's hand was still on his shoulder, so he couldn't break free.
Yang Ling could only smile bitterly and say, "This subject has just returned from patrolling the various Daoist palaces. Your Majesty, now that you are the Emperor, it's time to change the way you address me."
Zhu Houzhao smiled bitterly and said, "I … I'm still not used to it. In any case, it's not in front of the officials. You and I can just act like we were in the Eastern Palace."
Yang Ling asked, "Your Majesty, weren't you at the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity keeping vigil for the Former Emperor? Why did you come here alone? "
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said, "I was annoyed to death by the noise of those people. It was as if they had all agreed to put on a show. Every once in a while, they would cry for a while, and they always had to make me suffer. I used the excuse of urinating to escape!"
He took a deep breath and looked longingly at the familiar furnishings in the Eastern Warm Pavilion. He lightly sighed and said, "I really miss Father Emperor. When I first stepped into this room, I felt as if Father Emperor was still inside, reading memorials to the throne. When he saw me come, he happily told the chamberlain to serve me candied fruits and dried fruits …"
As he said this, tears welled up in his eyes again. He said, "When I was very young, Father Emperor would hold me here and personally teach me how to write and draw. Sometimes when he was reading memorials to the throne, he would have me practice writing on the side.
I remember one time when he was out on his official duties, I took a brush and scribbled on the memorials. When Father Emperor came back, in order to explain to the officials, I had to deliberately spill the ink and dye the memorials black. Only then was I able to hide it from the officials. Even so, the six departments still submitted a dozen memorials reproaching Father Emperor. "
"That time," Zhu Houzhao said absentmindedly, "It was the first time that Fu Huang lost his temper with me. He punished me to copy the 'Three Character Classic' thirty times. I only copied it twice before I got impatient. Thereupon I pestered Liu Jin, Zhang Yong, and a few other literate eunuchs to help me. They braced themselves and helped me copy it. I knew that Fu Huang must have seen it, but he still pretended not to know and spared me. Now that I think about it, I feel very guilty. I really want Father Emperor Emperor to punish me again. I sat next to him and seriously copied the book for him to read. "
Zhu Houzhao said with tears in his eyes. Yang Ling was secretly moved. Since ancient times, there have been many cases of father and son fighting and scheming against each other in the palace. How many people have such deep father-son love? "
Zhu Houzhao said to this point, the corners of his mouth curled up and he said with a smile, "I knelt in the Great Hall and followed the chamberlain's instructions to light incense when it was time to light incense, kowtow when it was time to kowtow, and cry when it was time to cry. I didn't know if it was because I missed the Former Emperor or if it was for someone to see, but it made me dizzy. Some people pretended to cry more sadly than anyone else. I really couldn't stand watching anymore."
Yang Ling thought, "These ostentatious etiquettes are for other people to see. No wonder this Little Emperor, who despises etiquettes, doesn't like it." He suddenly had a bright idea and said, "Your Majesty, since you miss the Former Emperor, and you don't like those elaborate and overelaborate ceremonies, why don't you stay here tonight and copy the book? Copy the 'Three Character Classic' thirty times to comfort the spirit of the Former Emperor in Heaven. This kind of mourning is better than kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times in the Great Hall."
Hearing this, Zhu Houzhao's face lit up and he praised, "That's right. I will copy the book that Father Emperor Emperor punished me in the past. If Father Emperor's spirit in Heaven sees that I am sincerely repentant, he will be very happy."
Zhu Houzhao rubbed his palms together and sat behind the dragon writing table. Right now the dragon writing table was also covered with a layer of white silk. Yang Ling took out a roll of paper from a porcelain bottle next to the table and spread it on the table. He used a jadeite paperweight to press it down and gently ground the inkstone.
Zhu Houzhao picked up the brush and saw Yang Ling standing by the table. He said, "You should also move a chair and sit down. I know you must be a lot more tired than me from patrolling the palace."
Seeing Yang Ling shook his head in refusal, Zhu Houzhao said, "Sit down, there is no need to adhere to the official etiquette. Now that Father Emperor has passed away, the only person Zhen can confide in is you. Ever since the first time I saw you, I felt that you are different from other people. When you look at me, there is no fear in your eyes, there is also no fawning look in other people's eyes. I like this kind of ordinary person feeling. You should also sit down. While grinding the inkstone, you can accompany me to talk."
Hearing him say so, Yang Ling looked around and saw that there was no one else in the hall before he agreed. He moved a chair and sat next to Zhengde. Zhengde earnestly wrote down the hundred family surnames from memory. Yang Ling stood to the side grinding the inkstone. He carefully looked at Zhengde's handwriting.
Zhu Houzhao wrote four characters at a time. When he reached 'Fu Bao Shi Tang', he suddenly stopped. He looked at the Tang character for half a day and suddenly remembered something. He raised his head and said to Yang Ling, "That's right, I just remembered, is Miss Tang doing well in your residence?"
When Yang Ling saw him staring at the Tang character in a daze, he already had a bad feeling. Now that he heard him ask, his heart could not help but skip a beat. These past few days, Zhengde had not had the time to ask him. Now it seemed that he could no longer hide it. Yang Ling had no choice but to brace himself and tell Zhengde about Deputy General Bao's murder and Tang Yixian's uncertain life and death.
After listening, Zhengde looked at the Tang character in a daze for a long time without saying anything. His eyes were hazy and he looked as if he had lost something. Yang Ling remembered the day when he led his troops to search the cliff and saw the blood-stained sword hilt. He also remembered the sweet smiling girl he first met at the Shihua House. For a moment, he also felt sorry for her. He was so sad that he could not say anything. The two of them just sat there in a daze, listening to the crackling of the lanterns.
Zhu Houzhao was only a fifteen-year-old youth. When he first met Tang Yixian, he had a hazy good impression of her and feelings for her, but it had not reached the level where he could not bear to part with her. But after all, she was the first girl he had fallen in love with. Today, with the death of the Hongzhi Emperor, his mood was already extremely sad. Hearing this news, his heart was even more disappointed.
He did not vent his anger on Yang Ling. After thinking in a daze for a long time, a cold murderous aura suddenly appeared on Zhu Houzhao's face. With a cold smile, he said, "Miss Tang was seriously injured and fell off the cliff! Bao Jinchen … Liu Shiyong … Bao, Jin, Zhong, Good, Very Good, I will remember … "
Zhu Houzhao's hand holding the brush tightened and he used all his strength to pull it down. The mahogany brush specially provided by the Hengshui Marquis Inn broke into two halves. At this moment, there was a crash of the door and a group of people rushed in. Immediately an old and hoarse voice shouted, "Your Majesty … you … you dare!"
Yang Ling was startled. Who had the courage to rebuke the Emperor? He jumped up and looked outside. He saw eight or nine ministers in mourning clothes standing in front of him. Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang, the three Grand Scholars whom he knew, were also among them. The old official who had rebuked first had white hair and a white beard. He looked old and clumsy. His face was red and he was glaring at him.
Yang Ling suddenly understood. Just now, when he and Zhengde sat side by side, Zhu Houzhao, who did not care about seniority, did not care. But what would these officials think when they saw it? Zhengde raised his head and saw Wang Qiong's expression. He said carelessly, "Official Wang, why are you so angry? It was me … it was Zhen who wanted him to sit and reply. The Former Emperor respected all the old officials. When he was in his private garden, he would always be served tea. Can't Zhen sympathize with the officials?"
The ministers of the six ministries and nine ministers saw that Yang Ling was so out of etiquette and actually sat side by side with the Emperor. Everyone was shocked and angry. Although Zhu Houzhao's words used the name of the Former Emperor to shut their mouths, how could Yang Ling compare seniority with Hongzhi's courteous old officials? Moreover, even though those old officials were bestowed a seat, no one dared to sit side by side with Hongzhi.
In his life, Wang Qiong valued etiquette the most. He still angrily said, "Your Majesty bestowed a seat. That is Your Majesty's kindness. But as an official, to sit side by side with Your Majesty, I really have no father and no monarch. I am going against the moral code. I am a beast!"
How did I become a beast in less than two sentences? Hearing this, Yang Ling was baffled. He was also somewhat angry. But seeing that this old official was white-haired and old, old enough to be his grandfather, he could only suppress his anger and endure it.
Emperor Zhengde impatiently said, "Official Wang, what matter do you have to see Zhen for?"
His question reminded Wang Qiong. Official Wang glared fiercely at Yang Ling. Turning to Zhengde, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this old official asks Your Majesty to move to the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity to keep vigil for His Majesty."
Hearing this, Zhengde frowned and said, "The main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity is crowded and noisy. Zhen is really very impatient. In the past, the Former Emperor had personally taught Zhen how to read and write here. Tonight, Zhen wants to silently write an essay here to mourn the Former Emperor."
Hearing this, Wang Qiong's expression changed. He anxiously said, "Your Majesty, a son should be filial. Regardless of whether it is the Son of Heaven or the common people, they should all do their best to be respectful. The Former Emperor has passed away. Your Majesty should lead the civil and military officials to keep vigil for the Former Emperor. This is the legacy of the saints, the ancestral family law. How can it be abolished? Your Majesty mourns the Former Emperor. Although it is with good intentions, it is not in accordance with etiquette. This official asks Your Majesty to immediately go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to keep vigil. The Empress Dowager and the dukes and marquises are all waiting for Your Majesty. "
Zhengde suppressed his anger and said, "Zhen mourns the Former Emperor. Zhen naturally has his own ideas. You and the others can withdraw first."
Wang Qiong angrily rose to his feet. In an old and clumsy manner, he took two steps forward and cupped his hands in salute. He said, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Your every word and action is an example to the people of the world. How can you arbitrarily change the etiquette?"
With one glance, he saw the words written by Zhengde. Although he was looking at them with his back facing them, he could still recognize that it was the 'Hundred Family Names'. He became even angrier. Pointing to the ink-stained paper, he said, "What does this writing have to do with mourning the Former Emperor?"
Once the etiquette of the saints was involved, Wang Qiong was not willing to compromise with Zhengde. His tone of voice immediately became aggressive. He was the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, the official in charge of Hongzhi's funeral. On these matters, even Liu Jian and the other two Grand Scholars had to listen to him. Therefore, although the six ministries and nine ministers standing by his side did not say anything, it was clear from their expressions that they shared the same hatred for the enemy.
Yang Ling saw that this old official was being aggressive, making Zhengde very embarrassed. Seeing that he was about to act childishly again, he wanted to speak on their behalf. He busily said, "Lord Wang, His Majesty misses the Former Emperor very much, that's why he came to the warm room where the Former Emperor lived. Seeing things and remembering people is not necessarily the son's filial piety. Daren, why don't you return to the Great Hall first? When His Majesty finishes writing this article, you can go to the Hall to keep vigil. "
Listening to this treacherous and heresy, disobeying the Former Emperor's slanderous words, Wang Qiong could not restrain his anger. He suddenly grabbed the inkstone on the table and threw it toward Yang Ling. With his mouth he shouted angrily, "You, a crafty official, first you sat side by side with the Emperor, you have no respect for the ruler. Now as an official, you are not doing your best to dissuade His Majesty, you still want to slander him. Since when did it become your turn to point fingers here?"
With this grab from Official Wang, the piece of paper also flew up and scraped Zhengde's face. The ink that had not yet dried immediately left two black marks on Zhengde's face. Yang Ling dodged to the side, the inkstone hit the pillar of the Hall and broke into several pieces, the ink splattered everywhere and fell to the ground.
Emperor Zhengde saw that Wang Qiong kept talking about ruler and minister, father and son, but in front of him, the Emperor, he was acting so arrogant, using the so-called etiquette of ruler and minister to act so domineering and insufferably arrogant; he could not help but trembling with anger.
Hongzhi treated his officials very generously and indulgently. Ever since he was young, he was lonely and his conduct was also somewhat weak. As he had been in power for a long time, these old officials were also used to it. As long as they stood on the side of reason, they would speak vehemently in front of him. They had always been straightforward and offended their superiors, much less now that they were facing a young Emperor like Zhengde.
Xie Qian saw that Emperor Zhengde's face was ashen, as if he was about to fly into a rage. Hastily he kneeled down and said, "Your Majesty, please abide by the etiquette and immediately depart to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
As soon as he knelt down, the other officials also knelt down and said in unison, "Your Majesty, please depart immediately!"
Six ministries and nine ministers knelt down to urge the Emperor to depart, for a moment even Zhengde was suppressed. Suppressing his anger with great difficulty, he had no choice but to say, "Gentlemen, please rise, zhen … zhen will depart."
Liu Jian saw him admit defeat, he secretly let out a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, Zhengde immediately pointed to Wang Qiong and asked, "Official Wang, you keep talking about ruler and minister, father and son, but now you are acting so arrogant and despotic in front of zhen, is this considered disrespectful?"
Wang Qiong was startled. Seeing the ink stain on Zhengde's face, he also felt that he was too impetuous just now and had already lost the etiquette of a subject. He kneeled down and said, "This subject is willing to die ten thousand deaths, in a moment of anger, I have lost the etiquette of a subject in front of Your Majesty. Your Majesty, please punish me."
Zhengde sneered and said, "Not only have you lost your etiquette, this ink stain has even landed on zhen's face, isn't this a crime of great disrespect?"
Wang Qiong straightened his neck and kowtowed. Boldly and boldly he said, "This subject is guilty, I am willing to accept Your Majesty's punishment. As long as Your Majesty departs to the Palace of Heavenly Purity immediately, this subject will die ten thousand deaths without hesitation!"
Emperor Zhengde loudly said, "Good, straightforward! It's good that you admit your guilt. Yang Ling, immediately arrest Wang Qiong and throw him into the Heavenly Prison! "
Hearing this, all the ministers knelt down one after another and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Official Wang is loyal and devoted, I spoke rudely, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Yang Ling also tried to persuade, "On the day of Your Majesty's ascension to the throne, how can you imprison a court minister? Your Majesty, please pardon Lord Wang. "
Wang Qiong sneered when he heard this. "You crafty official, shut up. This old subject was disrespectful to His Majesty, so naturally I should be punished by His Majesty. You are arrogant because you are favored, disobeying the etiquette of a subject, and tempting the Emperor. Sooner or later, you will be punished severely!"
Hearing this, Zhengde flew into a rage out of humiliation. His face turned red as he pointed at Yang Ling and angrily said, "You are also not obeying zhen's decree?"
Seeing that he was extremely angry, Yang Ling didn't dare to continue persuading him. He could only summon the imperial guards and have Wang Qiong be taken away. Only then did Zhengde give a cold snort. Ignoring the ministers, he flicked his sleeves and stepped out of the room.
One by one, the ministers stood up. The way they looked at Yang Ling was full of contempt and anger.
Li Dongyang looked at Yang Ling; he thought to himself, "When this man was just a little study attendant, he dared to plot to expose the illegal activities of the foreign ministers to the Former Emperor; he should be an upright and loyal official. How could the Son of Heaven be so impetuous and incompetent? As His Majesty's most trusted minister, he did not say anything to dissuade him, but instead connived at him? If we say that he covets power to curry favor with His Majesty, then based on the fact that he was willing to risk the crime of beheading for his wife to resist the imperial edict, it doesn't seem like it. What is this man thinking? "
He deliberately stood up slowly and stayed at the back. After all the ministers had left, he turned to Yang Ling and said meaningfully, "As an official, you should be careful and cultivate virtue, diligent in governing and loving the people, and always reflect on your own mistakes. You have received the Emperor's kindness, you should be loyal to the monarch and serve the country. Don't be arrogant and willful, and ruin your own future."
Yang Ling helplessly said, "Li Daren, this lowly official dares to charm the monarch and confuse the Emperor? Ay! Right now His Majesty is angry. When I have the opportunity later, this lowly official will definitely speak up for Lord Wang. Daren need not worry. Could it be that Daren has forgotten the matter of the Grand Scholar chasing Marquis Of Shouning with a hammer in the Golden Hall? With this precedent in the past, Official Wang snatching the inkstone and throwing it at General Yang in the Golden Hall, what crime is that? "
When Official Wang mentioned the matter of him and Marquis Of Shouning causing a ruckus in the Golden Hall, Li Dongyang couldn't help but smile slightly. He stared at him deeply and said, "That's for the best. You are young and successful, so you should be more cautious and humble, and be loyal to the monarch and serve the country. Mr. Yang, please don't put yourself in the same category as Marquis Of Shouning."
When Li Dongyang finished speaking, he turned around and left. Yang Ling looked at his back and thought of the resentful expressions of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers. He couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "Today Hongzhi Emperor has passed away, which is an unlucky year for me. First, I offended my relatives, and now I offended the Cabinet. Except for His Majesty Zhengde, I'm afraid I have made enemies everywhere and am in danger!"
As Yang Ling was thinking, a figure flashed by the door and flashed in. As soon as he entered the door, he smiled at him and said, "Mr. Yang, you are very capable. Wang Qiong, that old man, took advantage of his seniority and went around telling people what to do. When I was serving in the Eastern Palace, he submitted memorials to the Emperor more than once, saying that we lured the Crown Prince to have fun, causing me, Zhang Yong, Dayong, and the others to be repeatedly reprimanded by the Former Emperor. Now that he is in prison, this is really satisfying!"
Yang Ling fixed his eyes on the person standing in front of him with a beaming face. It was Liu Jin.
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