prosperous age

Chapter 614 Chapter 613 Long Qing
The capital of the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City, Sishi.

Officials usually start to enter the palace around five o'clock in the morning, but today is an exception. Officials above rank five in the whole capital have already gathered here and started to enter the palace.

Civil servants enter through the left Yemen, and military officers enter through the right Yemen. First, they are arranged in order according to their grades at the south of the Jinshui Bridge. After the whips are fired, they cross the bridge in turn until they reach Danchi outside the Huangji Hall.

The civil servants belong to the left class, and the military officials belong to the right class. They stand opposite each other in the imperial way. During this period, only the censor who is in charge of picketing walks around and supervises.

In the square below, because King Yu did not convene the officials of the fifth rank in the capital, the only people who witnessed the enthronement ceremony of King Yu today were more than [-] people from Jing Xungui and the important ministers in the court.

Although the scene was a little more deserted than the previous emperors, the grand court meeting will be held tomorrow, and the new emperor will hold the "Eternal Court Imperial Gate Ceremony" at Huangji Gate, which is the first time the emperor will meet with officials in Beijing.

Like the people around him, Wei Guangde wore brand-new court clothes and mixed in the crowd.

His official position is neither high nor low, neither in the front nor in the back.

At this time, the officials of Honglu Temple, who had been idle for many years, began to get busy. From the Zhongji Hall, all officials were exempted from congratulations, and the deacons sang thanksgiving.

At the beginning of noon, amidst the sound of ceremonies and music, the deacon invited the emperor to ascend to the palace. At this time, Zhu Zaiku, who had already changed into a crown uniform in the Zhongji Hall, walked out from the middle gate and took the throne of the Yuhuangji Hall.

This is the emperor's enthronement ceremony. From the moment King Yu sat on the throne, he became the No. 12 emperor of the Ming Empire.

"Papa. Papa."

Jin Yiwei sounded his whip, and amidst the officials of Honglu Temple singing praises, all officials bowed five times and kowtowed three times to the emperor on the throne.

During the whole process, except for the words of salute followed by the officials of Honglu Temple, everyone remained silent, showing a solemn and solemn atmosphere.

During the whole process, Wei Guangde stood outside the Huangji Hall, and could only see King Yu on the throne inside the hall.

He knew that from this moment on, the prince who chatted casually with him in Prince Yu's mansion would never go back.

Here the ceremony ended, the civil servants were led by Chief Assistant Xu Jie, while the nobles and military commanders were led by Cheng Guogong Zhu Xizhong, and went out to Chengtian Gate.

Here, King Yu won a small benefit for him, so he didn't have to continue to follow the officials to wait under Chengtian's gate.

As the Minister of Hou Honglu Temple entered the hall and asked the emperor to issue an edict, Wei Guangde, who was a bachelor of the Imperial Academy, was already standing in the Huangji Hall holding the edict from the side door.

This is the first time Wei Guangde has been here since he has been an official for so many years.

King Yu, it should be Emperor Zhu Zai of the Ming Dynasty who glanced at the people around him, and then at the officials waiting for him, and then said: "Issuing an imperial edict."

Wei Guangde walked out, handed the edict in his hand to Chen Yiqin, the Minister of Rites, and placed it in the cloud disk on the table in the middle of the hall.

After the officials of Honglu Temple, Chen Yiqin and Wei Guangde saluted the emperor on the throne again, Chen Yiqin held the edict and placed it in Yunyu, and greeted him all the way to the Chengtian Gate. Wei Guangde and others followed behind.

Wei Guangde was actually very familiar with the imperial edict in Chen Yiqin's hand, he had read it before, after all it was drafted by the Imperial Academy.

"Edict of Amnesty to the World".

The emperor has just ascended the throne, which means that a new era is coming. In order to announce this to the world, the new emperor will often amnesty the world, and at the same time, it is also to promote his benevolence to the people. This is also the so-called "new emperor ascends the throne, amnesty the world" origin.

According to historical records, before the Qin Dynasty, there was no event where the emperor pardoned the world.

The trend of amnesty started in the Han Dynasty, and it became even more serious in the Tang and Song dynasties. The frequency of amnesty was quite high. About one and a half years on average, the emperor would come to amnesty the world once.

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty's prison sentence stipulated that the maximum limit was only 3 years, which is also reasonable.

There is an amnesty every [-] months on average. It is actually meaningless to sentence criminals to three years in prison, so prisoners in Tang and Song Dynasties rarely served two years in prison.

This is reflected in the novel "Water Margin" with the historical background of the Song Dynasty.

At that time, Song Jiang angrily killed Yan Poxi and committed a murder case. As a result, his father Song Taigong said to him: "Son, go to Jiangzhou to serve as an army honestly, don't be a robber! Wait for a year and a half, and the emperor will give me amnesty." The world is another hero!"

Therefore, the Liangshan heroes at that time basically committed murders, and they would hide to avoid the limelight, and then wait for the amnesty to come.

Following Chen Yiqin to stand on the Chengtian Gate, looking at the court chiefs kneeling on the ground below, Wei Guangde still felt a little bit complacent at this moment.

He stood quietly beside Chen Yiqin, and saw him holding up the imperial edict, unfolding it, and reading it out.

"Only my ancestors, the sages and sages have passed down from one generation to the next, and the great achievements in governance have surpassed the ages. The emperor Kao Daxing used the virtues of scriptures, literature, martial arts to build security at home and fight against the outside world, and to honor the previous dynasty and protect the future generations. Only then can I be honored to be the guest of Lai Juer forever." , the special words are the most important of the gods, I feel guilty, I can't bear to hear it, but the civil and military ministers and the old soldiers and civilians combined words to persuade, as for repeatedly refusing to get it, I obeyed the edict, so I only told you on the 26th of the month Heaven and Earth Ancestral Temple Sheji, that is, the throne of the emperor.

Taking the next year as the first year of Longqing, we look forward to the final decree. From April 16th of Zhengde to December 45th of Jiajing, he made a proposal to offend the ministers, obeyed the edict, summoned the survivors, and recorded the deceased. Quick check"

King Yu ascended the throne and became Emperor Longqing. In fact, what he had to do had already been discussed with Gao Gong and others.

On the second day, Emperor Longqing successively decreed that Hai Rui, the head of the Shihu Department, ordered Qin Tianjian to create a Datong calendar for the first year of Longqing and pass it all over the world, and cast it as a record of the year of the Tongzheng Shi Longqing.

On the Zhengdan Festival next year, Jiang Rong, Bo of Yutian, Zhang Xiong, Bo of Pengcheng, Guo Yinggan, Bo of Cheng'an, and Wu Jiayan, Bo of Qingping, will be sent to offer sacrifices to Changling, Xianling, Jingling, Yuling, Maoling, Tailing, Kangling, Yongling, Jinyiwei Commander Tongzhi Wang Ji offered sacrifices to Emperor Jing's mausoleum, Jinyiwei commander Tongzhi Wen Chengwu offered sacrifices to Empress Xiaojie, Aichong, and Prince Zhuang Jing, Zhongguan offered sacrifices to Empress Gongrangzhang and the sons of the abolished Empress Wu and Concubine Rong Shukang Li Lantian king's cemetery.

Afterwards, Gao Yi, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, played the grand funeral of the emperor, and the costumes for the emperor's funeral were completed. However, the emperor read the importance of the ancestral temple and the country, and was less sad. He went out of the imperial Xuanzhi gate to listen to the government and reported it. to smell.

In the following time, the imperial court still focused on organizing the funeral of Emperor Jiajing and the things that needed to be done for the new emperor's ascension to the throne. The Ministry of Rituals advanced each item, but they were not worried about mistakes.

By this time, the previous grass-roots team in Yuwang Mansion was no longer effective.

In the past, Wei Guangde and others reminded Yu Wang what to do and what not to do, but now it has become the cabinet and the Ministry of Rites.

Wei Guangde's yamen is full of nobles, or idle errands, but he didn't really wait for an idle day.

Emperor Longqing summoned Wei Guangde alone, and all the eunuchs in the palace were kicked out, leaving him alone.

This meeting also allowed Wei Guangde to truly understand the current situation in the court, and also confirmed his main work in the early days of Longqing.

In the last two days, that is, after Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, Wei Guangde has not been called into the palace, so he was asked about his situation at the beginning after the ceremony.

But soon, Emperor Longqing talked about the conflict that broke out between the chief assistant Xu Jie and Gao Gong in front of him in the palace yesterday.

"Yesterday, Mr. Xu, the chief assistant, proposed that Zhang Juzheng, a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, should be promoted to the right servant of the Ministry of Rites because he participated in the drafting of the father's imperial edict. Master Gao retorted in person, saying that the edict was originally participated by cabinet ministers like them. Elder Xu Ge broke the rules by doing this."

Long Qing spoke from the throne, in the past in King Yu's Mansion, he heard that officials bickered in the court, it was to fight for the right to speak, and thought it was interesting at the time, but now Xu Jie and Gao Gong staged such a scene in front of him, which made him very happy. It is embarrassing.

"Master Gao had already expressed his dissatisfaction with this matter when he returned to the palace that day, and it is understandable that Mr. Xu Ge is very concerned about things."

Wei Guangde had no choice but to say it below, but what he thought in his heart at this moment was that Zhang Juzheng was about to become the right servant of the Ministry of Rites, and he would really enter the court as an official.

"Then what happened in the end, is there any result?"

Wei Guangde continued.

"At that time, neither Li Ge nor Guo Ge was involved, so there was no result in the debate."

Emperor Longqing said lightly, and then he said suspiciously: "This happened just now. I still remember what happened when I was in the palace. Do you think Elder Xu Ge didn't know? Why is he so eager to help Zhang Juzheng into the Ministry of Rites? ?”

That's right, it's not that Xu Jie didn't know the consequences of his drafting the will without authorization, even to the point where Li Chunfang didn't speak for him, but he still did it, the purpose of course was to completely break Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong.

And why is he in such a hurry to be promoted to Zhang Juzheng's official position?
Do you think that Zhang Juzheng stayed in Prince Yu's Mansion for a few years and had some affection with the emperor, so the emperor would give him a promotion on the Internet?

Wei Guangde quickly calculated in his mind, at first he was at a loss, but soon thought of time.

It is still the Jiajing year now, and in December of the 45th year of Jiajing, the Zhengdan Festival will soon be followed by the New Dynasty. At this time in previous years, all the ministers and officials will present their petitions and summarize their work gains and losses for a year.

Under the current circumstances, does Xu Jie still dare to give Li Chunfang, Guo Pu and other cabinet ministers a low-level evaluation and kick them out of the cabinet?

Zhang Juzheng, according to what Yin Shizhen said in private, he will join the cabinet soon.

Participating in the late emperor's edict means that he is trusted by the royal family, and drafting the edict means that he has met the criteria for joining the cabinet and can enter the cabinet to do business.

Xu Jie's current situation in the cabinet, he is eager to pull Zhang Juzheng into the cabinet as a helping hand, otherwise his power in the cabinet will be gradually taken by Gao Gong.

"Of course Mr. Xu Ge knows that the other cabinet ministers are dissatisfied with him. I think he has no choice. Mr. Gao Ge is now more aggressive in his words and actions. I am afraid that he has already fought with Mr. Xu Ge in the cabinet.

Elder Xu Ge wanted to get Uncle into the Ministry of Rites, probably because he wanted to get him into the cabinet as soon as possible so that he could be recruited as an Olympic aid. "

"Join the cabinet? There are already four cabinet ministers in the cabinet"

Emperor Longqing paused when he said this, a little surprised why he thought so.

Yes, when did the Ming Dynasty stipulate the number of cabinet ministers?

Perhaps, it was just because during the Jiajing Dynasty, the cabinet ministers were controlled to around three people for a long time, so it gave Emperor Longqing and everyone an illusion that there should be so many cabinet ministers.

"Zhang Juzheng enters the cabinet"

Emperor Longqing subconsciously repeated this sentence, because what he thought of was the note left by Emperor Jiajing, which also recognized Zhang Juzheng's ability.

"His Majesty."

Seeing Long Qing in a daze, Wei Guangde called out softly.

"Has Master Gao changed?"

Emperor Longqing on the throne suddenly asked for no reason.

Wei Guangde often talked about this matter with Yin Shizhen, Li Fang, and even Zhang Juzheng, but he never mentioned it in front of King Yu.

But thinking about it, because of his different position now, he thinks differently.

Wei Guangde was still hesitating, but Emperor Longqing on the throne had already said, "I know."

Emperor Longqing was not an idiot, in fact, his years in the palace had taught him to read his words and his manners, and Wei Guangde's hesitation had actually given him the answer.

"During this time, I have been discussing with the cabinet the posthumous titles of the late emperor and several empresses, as well as the relocation of the mausoleum, and Gao Yi has already prepared for the enshrinement of the empress and prince.

When these matters are settled, I will reward you hidden ministers. "

Speaking of this, Emperor Longqing looked at Wei Guangde and asked, "Do you want to go to the Ministry of Rites or the Ministry of Officials?"

"I don't dare to take credit for it. It's my blessing to go to the palace to do errands. I dare not ask His Majesty to reward me."

Although he was very unwilling, but Emperor Longqing wanted to reward him, Wei Guangde couldn't care less about it at this time, so he could only kneel down and say it.

Sometimes the system of the Ming Dynasty is really interesting. After meeting Emperor Longqing for so long, it was the first time that Wei Guangde bowed to him in private.

In Wei Guangde's view, such places as enthronement ceremonies and court meetings are exceptions, where one must kneel down, and even when playing at court meetings, one must kneel to play, but there are not so many rules in private occasions.

"Pingshen, here is the same as in the palace, there is no need to kneel back and forth."

Emperor Longqing said.

Wei Guangde bowed again, and then got up.

But at the moment when he got up, Wei Guangde suddenly understood Xu Jie's plan.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Xu Ge may have figured out that this is the case, so he wants to be the first to let the uncle be transferred to the right servant of the Ministry of Rites."

After Wei Guangde stood up, he immediately spoke.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Emperor Longqing asked in confusion.

"If the decree is to promote Zhang Juzheng alone, it will not be counted as your majesty's reward for the potential minister."

Wei Guangde replied.

"You mean, the Ministry of Rituals is a reward for Zhang Juzheng's participation in the drafting of the will, and I will give him another reward afterward?"

Emperor Longqing frowned and asked.

"Mr. Xu Ge should have calculated like this."

Wei Guangde replied.

Wei Guangde really didn't care whether he would offend Xu Jie or not, there was Gao Gong standing in front of him.

What happened in the cabinet a few days ago is still vivid in my mind. Xu Jie and Gao Gong are already at the same level in the cabinet. Even if he offends Xu Jie, he dare not turn against him immediately, because it will make Gao Gong and Chen Yiqin Waiting for people to unite against him.

"In addition, if Mr. Xu Ge really wants Zhang Juzheng to join the cabinet as his servant, His Majesty might as well arrange for Yifu to also join the cabinet."

At this time, Wei Guangde didn't think about letting himself into the cabinet, but thought about messing up the cabinet first.

If Zhang Juzheng entered the cabinet as a servant because of his meritorious service in drafting the edict, then Chen Yiqin was the left servant of the Ministry of Rites and an old man, so he was even more eligible to enter the cabinet.

"But old Guo Ge."

Hearing Emperor Longqing talk about Guo Pu, Wei Guangde shook his head, "They will only agree on major issues. From yesterday's dispute in front of the imperial court, Guo Ge remained silent, it can be seen that he does not want to get involved in these matters."

"Go to the Ministry of Officials, help me to think about these two days, what positions should Wang Ning, Yin Leshun and others take?"

(End of this chapter)