Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 592
Just like Empress Dowager Chen, Empress Dowager Li was also terrified when she heard this, she got up and went out.

When I arrived at the gate of the hall, I saw the emperor kneeling in front of his head, the empress kneeling beside him a little behind, and the two daughters kneeling side by side in the back row.

Zhu Yijun didn't do much exercise at ordinary times, and the stone slabs outside the hall were hard. By kneeling now, his face was already pale, and his knees hurt so much that sweat dripped down his cheeks.

Not only were the faces of the two daughters pale, but they were also on the verge of falling down. The two little faces that were originally happy and angry were already covered with fine beads of sweat, and their lips were also a little dark.

The Queen's complexion was a little better, but after listening to what Queen Mother Chen had just told, Queen Mother Li was very concerned about her, and said, "Queen, get up first."

Queen Wang bowed her head and said: "Thank you mother for your kindness, but the emperor is still kneeling, how can the concubine get up? Please allow your daughter-in-law to be punished for the same crime as her husband."

Empress Dowager Li knew what she meant by the words "daughter-in-law" and "husband", and she was talking about Gangchang, so she could only sigh: "Since the queen said so, let's all get up."

"Thank you, Empress, for your grace." Now the four of them spoke in unison.

But Empress Dowager Li's face was still indifferent, she glanced at Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yao'e, and Zhu Yaoxi, and then turned her eyes to the queen, she softened a little, and said: "Xi'er, the Ai family knows what you mean, but this is not just a housework, you Don't ask too much, just go back to Kunning Palace... stay at ease."

Empress Wang was a little worried that once she left, whether the empress mother would continue to punish the emperor to kneel down and think about it, she was a little hesitant, but she didn't understand the deep meaning of Empress Dowager Li's words, and hesitated to speak again.

Empress Dowager Li stretched out her hand to stop her: "Xi'er, the Ai family doesn't want to say it again."

Queen Wang was extremely filial, and she didn't dare to say any more, so she took a deep look at the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, my concubine will retire."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "It's the beginning of autumn, it's cold at night, you should go back to the palace earlier to rest."

The queen turned her head and bowed to Empress Dowager Li again, saying: "My daughter-in-law will leave."

Empress Dowager Li's expression softened again, and she nodded: "You don't need to enter the palace, the Ai family from Empress Dowager Rensheng will convey it to you."

After the queen left, Empress Dowager Li's face turned serious again. She glanced at her son and daughter again, and said coldly: "For the sake of the queen, I will save you from kneeling."

The three brothers and sisters did not dare to contradict, but silently bowed their heads.

Empress Dowager Li glanced at Zhu Yijun again, and asked, "Do you know I'm wrong?"

In Zhu Yijun's heart, he felt that he was only doing it for his sister's benefit, and he didn't do anything bad, so what's wrong?Besides, this has been kneeling for more than half an hour, and the queen mother is still not relieved?
Dissatisfaction is definitely dissatisfaction, but he also knew in his heart that it would definitely not work to confront the empress face to face, so he had no choice but to say in a low voice, "I know I was wrong."

Empress Dowager Li knew that he was dissatisfied as soon as she heard it, but Zhu Yijun was her own son after all, his face was pale at the moment, and Empress Dowager Li couldn't bear to punish him anymore, but she was afraid that she would show her weak side and make her son lose his fear in the future. Lawless, I had no choice but to harden my heart: "Since you know your mistake, you come in and wait for me to discuss with your aunt and Mr. Guo how to punish, and then we will make a fuss."

Zhu Yijun still replied in a low voice: "I obey."

Empress Dowager Li didn't argue with him, and said to the two princesses Zhu Yao'e and Zhu Yaoyu: "I will argue with you about your affairs tomorrow, and let's go."

Enduring the pain in their knees and the numbness of their legs, the two princesses bowed to their mother, and both left.

Empress Dowager Li then turned back to the main hall, and Zhu Yijun followed in silently.

After entering the main hall, Guo Pu stood up again and met the queen mother and the emperor.

Although Zhu Yijun felt aggrieved, he still respected Guo Pu, but he was "wearing a crime" at the moment, so he couldn't say much, so he just nodded and said, "Yuanfu doesn't need to be too polite."

Empress Dowager Li said politely, "Yuanfu, please sit down."

Empress Dowager Li sat down by herself, but did not say to prepare a place for the emperor to sit, so Zhu Yijun had no choice but to stand in the middle of the hall obediently, treating children like ordinary people who were taught by their parents.

Empress Dowager Chen was a little embarrassed seeing the scene, and was about to speak first, using gentle words to set the tone for the rest of the conversation, but unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Li asked Guo Pu sadly: "Yuanfu, you are the Prime Minister of the Three Dynasties, and you are above national affairs. Your opinion is far better than that of our women and Taoists, tell me, is it suitable for the emperor to rule the world now that the emperor has lost his virtue?"

This is really shocking!

Not only Guo Pu was taken aback, Zhu Yijun and Queen Mother Chen were dumbfounded for a moment.

But Guo Pu reacted quickly at this time, but he didn't lose his composure, nor did he kowtow in fright. Instead, he stood up, took off his official hat respectfully, held it in both hands, and bowed: "This is what the Queen Mother said, Is it to blame the old ministers for their ineffectiveness in teaching and the incompetence of the prime minister? The old ministers should not be ashamed? The old ministers have owed the great trust of the late emperor, and they have no face to occupy the position. Please beg for the bones and return to your hometown."

Zhu Yijun also came to his senses at this time, and he was so shocked that he was so shocked that he knew that this was not the time to talk about face, so he knelt down on the ground with a "plop", kowtowed and said: "Mother, calm down, my son knows I was wrong, my son really Got it wrong!"

Turning to Empress Dowager Chen again, she kowtowed and said, "Empress Mother, save your children!"

Empress Dowager Chen thought about the emperor these years. Although he was young, he would come to Ciqing Palace to pay his respects every day no matter the wind or rain. The respect he treated himself was no worse than that of his own mother. , Comfortingly said: "Don't be afraid, Jun'er, you are still young, sometimes you will not be able to avoid thinking about it, and it is not a big deal if you make a mistake occasionally, just correct it in the future."

Empress Dowager Li ignored Zhu Yijun, and just comforted Guo Pu: "Yuanfu is serious, the Ai family is not blaming you, you should put on your hat first."

Who knows that Guo Pu is determined this time, and his tone is also sad, saying: "The Queen Mother has learned, the old minister thinks that although the emperor made a mistake this time, it is not a loss of morality. There is a saying in "The Doctrine of the Mean": The world has reached five ways, so do it. There are three of them. Said: Monarchs and ministers, father and son, husband and wife, brothers, and friends. Five, the world’s Dao is also. Wisdom, benevolence, and courage are the world’s great virtues, so those who practice them are one and also."

"The emperor knows that Gao is practical and has many friends, so he entrusts the selection of the son-in-law to him. This is wisdom; the emperor thinks about the relationship between brothers and sisters, and runs for the princess' lifelong happiness. This is benevolence; the emperor knows that this matter is against the ancestral system. , still doing this act of kindness, this is brave. With such three virtues, the old minister doesn't know why the queen mother said that the emperor has lost virtue? If this act loses virtue, it must be that the minister has no way to teach, and the only thing to do is to ask for a retreat. I hope the queen mother thinks twice .”

Zhu Yijun was so determined that he was overwhelmed with gratitude for Guo Pu's "speaking out of justice".

After hearing this, Queen Mother Chen also nodded secretly, thinking: This Mr. Guo is also a responsible person.

Only Empress Dowager Li sensitively found an important doubt, and frowned, "Yuan Fu said that he did this because of the brother-sister relationship, and was running for the princess's lifelong happiness. Where did he start and how did Yuan Fu know?"

Guo Pu said calmly: "Gao Wushi is a disciple of the veteran. The veteran knows that he has been looking for good-looking young students in Daxing County for the past six months. Later, it is said that he selected a person, seventeen years old, named Hou Gongchen. These days, He often brings this person by his side, explaining his studies and teaching him etiquette. After today's accident, the old minister guessed that he must have been ordered by the emperor to choose a son-in-law for the princess."

As he said, he turned his head to Zhu Yijun and asked, "Excuse me, Your Majesty, is that so?"

Zhu Yijun knew that Guo Pu was helping him, so he nodded quickly: "Yuanfu sees things right, that's it."

Empress Dowager Li frowned, thought for a while, and then asked, "When did Yao'e and Yao's wife meet that Hou Gongchen?"

Zhu Yijun hurriedly said: "It was arranged for my ministers and Gao Wushi to meet at Nansha River Huangzhuang after they returned from visiting the mountain mausoleum." He paused for a while, and added: "It's just that Yao'e met Hou Gongchen. , Hou Gongchen did not see Yao'e."

Empress Dowager Li calmed down a bit, but found something was wrong, and asked, "Then what happened to Yao?"

Zhu Yijun groaned in his heart, and said to himself: I don't know what happened to Yao Yao either!
He didn't dare to lie any more at this time, so he had to tell the truth, saying that Yao Yao knew that Hou Gongchen was the son-in-law chosen for his sister Yao'e, and he didn't know why she secretly wrote love poems.

Empress Dowager Li recalled the state of her two daughters recently, her expression changed, and she suddenly said decisively: "Yuanfu, I'm afraid I will wrong you for something."

Guo Pu was stunned, completely confused, and could only follow the conventional way of responding: "The Queen Mother speaks seriously. The old minister is nearly seventy years old, and he doesn't care about any grievances. If there is something wrong with the Queen Mother, please speak up."

Empress Dowager Li nodded, but first said to Zhu Yijun: "Emperor, since Yuanfu said that you are not immoral, I don't care about the previous incident, but you violated the ancestral system to leave the palace, can you admit your fault? "

Zhu Yijun didn't dare to argue any further, he could only say: "I know I was wrong."

Empress Dowager Li said again: "Well, tomorrow you will issue an imperial edict to punish yourself, stating that you have left the palace without authorization, which violates the ancestral system, and you will sin against yourself, but don't mention Yao'e and Yao. At the same time, although Gao Yushi had no Official position, but he was born with you as a student, and he understands the rules, but he knows that you have violated the ancestral system without persuading you. Before the two younger sisters get married, they are not allowed to return to Beijing to work."

At first, Zhu Yijun was very unhappy when he heard that he was going to issue an imperial edict against himself. He was even more displeased when he heard that Gao Yushi would be demoted to three ranks and transferred out of the capital. , but this matter has nothing to do with Gao Yushi, he just obeyed the order of his son..."

"Don't the Ai family know about it!" Queen Mother Li was furious, and reprimanded: "Or do you want him to stay in the capital to be your brother-in-law!"

Zhu Yijun was stunned for a moment, and after a while he suddenly said in horror: "What? Yao's poem was written about pragmatism?!"

Empress Dowager Li snorted coldly, and said extremely dissatisfied: "Now you know what a good thing you have done?"

Zhu Yijun was speechless, and muttered: "How could this be..."

Empress Dowager Chen sighed in her heart, and thought to herself: Gao Yushi was delayed by this, and I don't know if it will have any impact on the future?
She thought for a while, and said to Guo Pu: "Yuanfu, this matter may indeed be unfair to you, a disciple, but this is the best way to deal with it... You can arrange it carefully, even if you demote him to three levels, don't want to It's too bad, the emperor will definitely use him in the future."

Guo Pu didn't know what to say, so he could only smile wryly: "I understand, thank you Queen Mother for your kindness."

(End of this chapter)