It should be said that Queen Mother Sun's intention has been very obvious.
The purpose of establishing a prince at this time is to ensure the inheritance of the throne.
In other words, once something happens to the emperor, the one who ascends the throne must be the emperor's son, the little baby who will be established as the prince!
Although she lives in a deep palace, she is not a fool.
Even after entering the palace, no one dared to mention it, or even show the slightest hint of it.
But there is still a problem that everyone has to face.
That is, what should the emperor do if he cannot come back?
This is not unfounded worry, but a real threat.
No matter what is said to the outside world, it doesn’t matter whether it fell into the hands of the bandits or went hunting in the north.
Everyone present knew it.
The fact is that the emperor was captured.
Be more clear.
A small life is held in someone else's hands.
Of course, as long as you have a little bit of brains, you won't dare to attack the emperor.
But what if?
The emperor was alone in the enemy camp, in case something unexpected happened.
Or, how about first holding the emperor hostage and imprisoning him for several years or even ten years?
Let’s take a step back.
What if he wants to sell at a higher price and puts forward some conditions that are simply impossible to accept?
For example, claiming vassal status and paying tribute, giving up the capital, etc.
what to do?
These are the worst-case scenarios, but no one dares to speak out at this time.
After all, something happened to the emperor just now, and the detailed military report has not yet been sent. If these words are openly announced to the mouth, wouldn't it be a curse on the emperor?
But just because you don’t say it doesn’t mean you won’t think about it.
As the group of people closest to the center of power in the Ming Dynasty, all the ministers present knew it well.
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Then, another key issue is involved.
Once their worries come true, what will happen next in the succession to the throne?
Logically speaking, the emperor has a son, even though it is only a two-year-old baby, but the so-called inheritance is orderly and the etiquette and law are upright, so there should be no hesitation.
However, etiquette, law, and righteousness must ultimately be emphasized on the premise of preserving the country.
If the country is in decline and the country is no longer there, what rules will be left?
Under the current circumstances, the country needs a leader who can shoulder important responsibilities and be trusted by the courtiers and the people, not a little baby who has not yet been weaned.
In the past ten years or so, the imperial court's armaments have been depleted and many ills have arisen. The biggest reason is that the emperor is young and weak, and the country has no long-term king.
Even though San Yang and other ministers struggled to maintain it.
However, it can only barely survive.
If the successor is still a two or three-year-old child, the future of Ming Dynasty will be worrying.
But these words must never be spoken.
Whether it is from the perspective of etiquette or from the perspective of reason, it cannot be said.
From the former point of view, whether it is the establishment of a prince or the inheritance of the throne, it is reasonable and cannot be confused.
As for the latter, it is the Queen Mother who now holds the power of guarding the capital.
If he made such heart-breaking remarks, he would probably be kidnapped and thrown into jail immediately.
National justice, personal honor and disgrace were all placed before everyone at once, leaving no room for them to think carefully.
In the end, it was Yu Qian who spoke first: "I think it's inappropriate!"
Yu Shilang always speaks straight to the point. After making a decision in his heart, he kowtows without hesitation.
"By the grace of the Holy Mother, the country is now in a state of flux. At this time of turmoil, if our entire court cannot unite as one and issue orders, the artifact will fall apart in front of our eyes."
"The Holy Mother wants to establish a prince, which is based on etiquette, law and great principles. However, the prince in the palace is young and weak. Such a situation will make it difficult for all the people in the world to hope."
"If you appoint a prince at this moment, it is inevitable that people will be confused and speculate. I will risk my life to remonstrate with the Holy Mother. Please order King Xi to regent the government and guard the capital. When the situation is calm and the emperor returns to the capital, he can carry out the appointment again, so that he can live up to his ministers and the people.
heart of."
Although Yu Qian's words were a bit euphemistic at the end, the meaning was still clear.
Queen Mother Sun's face suddenly darkened, a dangerous light flashed in her eyes, and she said coldly.
"Does Yu Shilang mean that the Ai family wields power arbitrarily and ignores their ancestors?"
"I dare not..."
Yu Qian lowered his head and said.
"What else do you dare not do?"
No one expected that Queen Mother Sun suddenly slammed the table and shouted sharply.
"Since you entered the palace, you have always accused the Ai family of interfering in government affairs, and you have spoken out every word about the justice of the country."
"What is justice?"
"You are all familiar with the scriptures of the sages. At this time of great calamity, you do not want to repay your country and be loyal to the emperor and rescue the emperor. First, you argue endlessly about the move to the south, and then you want to obstruct the crown prince's appointment."
"Is this the righteousness you talk about?"
Empress Dowager Sun suddenly got angry, and all the ministers had to kneel down to apologize.
Prince Consort Jiao Jing said: "The Holy Mother must not be angry. I believe that this moment is the time to bring peace to the world. Only by appointing a prince can we calm the hearts of all the people in the world."
Chen Xun, a Hanlin scholar, also said: "I also believe that the crown prince is the most important thing for the country and the country, and should be established early. The Holy Mother has said that the emperor has long wanted to establish a crown prince. As ministers, we should be considerate and canonize the crown prince according to the decree.
.”
The words of these two people made Empress Dowager Sun look a little better.
Needless to say, Jiao Jing's relatives and the royal family have always been of the same blood, and he will definitely stand by the Empress Dowager Sun.
As for Chen Xun, he is a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy is regarded as an attendant. Once the crown prince is appointed, the officials of the East Palace will be selected by the Hanlin Academy, and he naturally agrees.
However, Empress Dowager Sun also knew that the opinions of just the two of them were far from enough weight.
Together, they can barely match the influence of Yu Qian.
The person in this palace whose speech is really useful has never spoken.
"Old Minister Hu, you are an important minister entrusted to the late emperor, and you are also the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. The inheritance of etiquette and law is the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites. Do you think Ai Jia is right?"
Queen Mother Sun turned her head and asked the gray-haired Hu Hui.
To put it bluntly, among the large group of ministers present, there were only two or three who were really useful in speaking.
Although Yu Qian seems to be provocative, he is just a minister of the Ministry of War, and he can take charge of matters involving the Ministry of War.
But for a truly major event like establishing a crown prince, it still depends on the attitude of a big boss like Qiqing.
To put it bluntly, the people in this palace are Wang Zhi, the Minister of Official Affairs, Hu Hui, the Minister of Rites, and Chen Yi, the censor of Zuodu.
Their attitude is crucial!
Although Empress Dowager Sun has lived in the palace for a long time, she still has some understanding of people at the level of six ministers and seven ministers.
Wang Zhi, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was known as Otsuka Zai in other dynasties and was at the head of the hundred officials.
But he is already seventy years old, has long wanted to retire, and has always been prudent in protecting himself.
Chen Yi, the imperial censor of Zuodu, was the leader of Feng Xian Ke Dao, and was called Zong Xian in the outer dynasties.
He has solid political achievements and has been promoted step by step from the local level. The direction of the government is unknown, but he and Yu Qian have a close personal relationship.
Hu Xi, the Minister of Rites, was older in seniority, three years older than Wang Zhi, and was easily silent.
But as a lonely and important minister entrusted by the late emperor, his words carry great weight.
Among the three, Queen Mother Sun had the greatest confidence in Hu Hui.
Although the establishment of the crown prince was hasty, there was nothing wrong with the etiquette and law.
As the Minister of Rites, Hu Hui had no reason to object.
Moreover, he grew up watching Jin Shang, and his relationship with the palace is relatively good.
After assisting the government for many years, there is always a sense of camaraderie.
Therefore, Empress Dowager Sun still has great expectations for Hu Hui's attitude.
In her opinion, if Hu Hui agreed and Chen Yi objected, then Wang Zhi would most likely remain neutral.
By then, even if she becomes more arrogant and issues an edict forcefully, she is very sure that she will succeed.
What made her a little disappointed was that Hu Hui seemed to be a little undecided.
Instead, it was Chen Yi who spoke first.
"I believe that what the Holy Mother said is correct. The crown prince is the foundation of the country. It is in line with etiquette and justice to appoint the crown prince. In this precarious situation, it is even more important to restore the crown prince to his throne as soon as possible."
strictly speaking.
Chen Yi should not speak at this time.
The prelude to the palace is right, even if it is not in front of the king, it has its own customization.
Queen Mother Sun asked about Hu Bi.
Then only when Hu Hui finishes speaking can others speak.
So as soon as Chen Yi spoke, Empress Dowager Sun became wary and almost scolded him for his lack of etiquette in front of the palace.
However, after listening to what he said, Queen Mother Sun swallowed back the words as soon as they came to her lips.
Could it be that she wrongly blamed Chen Yi?
But then, I heard Chen Yi continue to say.
"However, Our Lady must not ignore the fact that inside and outside the capital, we must work together to defend the capital."
"Nowadays, the capital is weak and it is difficult to take on big responsibilities. If the general affairs of the capital are used in the name of assisting the government, it may be difficult for them to be effective."
"I therefore ask the Queen Mother to issue an edict to first appoint King Tan to supervise the country as regent and prime minister of general affairs, and then establish a crown prince to calm the world."
That was originally the idea.
Empress Dowager Sun twisted her eyebrows and wanted to retort, but before she could speak, she heard Hu Hui speak.
"Our Lady, the appointment of a crown prince is a major event. The Ministry of Rites needs to choose an auspicious day to perform the ceremony. It will take at least several days to prepare. And our army will arrive in Beijing within a day or two. Therefore, I think that we should first order Mr. King Tan to
After taking charge of the great government, we will proceed with the registration of the East Palace."
After Hu Xi finished speaking, he glanced in Wang Zhi's direction.
So Mr. Wang also took a step forward and said calmly.
"What Hu Shangshu said is in line with etiquette and law, and takes into account the public sentiment and the court's situation. I also think it is right and ask the Holy Mother to consider it."
In just a short moment, the three big bosses who had been silent all expressed their attitudes, which was not at all the same as they had just said.
Queen Mother Sun glanced around and sighed helplessly.
Now that things have come to this, she also knows that this is the best outcome.
So he said: "In that case, let's do what you want! The Ministry of Rites will first draft a memorial to set the date for the establishment of the throne. All the common affairs of the court will be left to the Prime Minister for the time being. The Ai family is exhausted, so let's stop here today.
"
After saying this, Empress Dowager Sun stood up and, with the support of her chamberlain, returned to Cining Palace.
The other elders also stood up one after another, but their faces were still sad.
The Queen Mother retired after her success and returned to the harem to rest.
But what they have to face has just begun...
Thinking about the turbulent public opinion and discussions in the government and the public after the military report spread, the elders all felt a headache and walked out of the hall sighing.
This chapter has been completed!