In front of the Tenth Prince's Mansion, the sun is shining brightly.
Yu Qian was dressed in a crimson official robe and a large cloak. He was neatly dressed and had a calm face. He stood with his hands down. There was no sedan next to him, only an old servant following him. There was a little bit of mud on his robe. He was obviously coming on foot.
.
Time passed slowly, and the time of a stick of incense passed in the blink of an eye. The greeting card had already been handed in, but no one came out to reply.
Yu Qian was not in a hurry and just waited on the spot. As time went by, more and more people gathered around him. Although the officers and soldiers were guarding the gate of the mansion, they did not dare to approach and could only watch from a distance.
However, the turbulent discussions have not stopped. Many of the common people are Confucian scholars. After a little inquiry, you will know that the person standing outside the Tenth Prince's Palace now is the famous Yu Qian and Yu Shaobao.
Even some well-informed people knew that Yu Qian came here to apologize for his conflict with the feudal king.
As the discussion outside became louder and louder, the door of the Tenth Prince's Mansion suddenly opened a small crack. Then, a young man stepped out from inside, walked up to Yu Qian, bowed his hands and said.
"Yu Shaobao, several princes went out for an outing today, but they are not in the house. We have already sent people to invite them. Please wait for a moment, Yu Shaobao."
It's been so long, but he just said this, which is obviously perfunctory.
However, Yu Qian didn't have any dissatisfaction, he just nodded lightly and said.
"I know, I'll just wait!"
So, the boy bowed his hands again, turned around and returned to the mansion.
Afterwards, the door of the mansion was closed tightly again. In the cold winter weather, the snow on the road had not yet melted. Even though the sun was high in the sky, people could not feel the slightest temperature. On the contrary, in such weather, even if
The north wind that occasionally blows by blows on the face, which also makes people feel a bit of pain.
Another half an hour passed, and there was still no movement in the Tenth Prince's Mansion. However, Yu Qian's face was already looking a little pale. Seeing this, the old servant serving beside him wanted to go forward and knock on the door again, but was stopped by Yu Qian.
He waved his hand and dismissed it.
At the same time, behind the side door of the Tenth Prince's Mansion, King Ning, King Zheng, and King Qin all hurried over after getting the news. In addition to their three juniors, King Yin, who had a history with Yu Qian, also hurried over.
These people gathered together, each holding a hand stove, and observing the situation outside through the small opening of the side door.
Seeing Yu Qian's old servant outside moving forward and back, Prince Ning couldn't help but feel a little offended, and asked Prince Zheng next to him.
"You think it's really okay to just leave Yu Qian like this?"
"What if something happens?"
Hearing this, King Yin also frowned and said.
"I think it's possible. Maybe his idea is to come and wait first, and then pretend to be unable to hold on, so as to give us a bad name!"
"This...can't be right?"
King Zheng blinked, as if he had thought of something, and looked at King Yin with a strange look, but it only took a moment before he spoke.
"Yu Qian shouldn't use such despicable means!"
"Besides, we originally wanted to give him a slap in the face, so he fainted just in time. Anyway, we didn't force him to wait outside."
Seeing King Zheng's thoughtful gaze, King Yin also blushed and said.
"Otherwise, he is just building momentum. Look at the people outside. They are all talking about it now. Yu Qian is used to taking advantage of public opinion. He must want to pretend to be pitiful to these people, so
Gain sympathy."
Well……
Several vassal kings looked at each other, and then King Qin whispered.
"It's possible to win sympathy, but what's the use?"
Yeah, what's the use of that?
They are vassal kings, born with noble blood, and they are not court officials who can be appointed or dismissed at will. What is the use of the people being dissatisfied with them? There are many people dissatisfied with them in that fief, and they are not all unscathed.
Is it possible that there is something special about the people of this capital?
King Ning nodded when he saw this and said.
"Yes, look at those people, they are just watching the excitement. Besides, it would be better if everyone knows about this matter. Otherwise, those officials really think that the feudal king and I can bully them at will.
generation."
"But……"
King Yin looked at Yu Qian outside and always felt that something was wrong.
Seeing this situation, King Zheng said.
"Uncle Yin, don't worry. Uncle Zhou said that since Yu Qian agreed to come and apologize, he must be prepared to be intimidated by us. Just let him wait. Have you forgotten that when you entered
How long was your Majesty punished outside the palace when you were in Beijing?"
Mentioning this matter, King Yin was immediately filled with hatred and forgot all the inappropriate things.
As time passed, the sun slowly moved to the sky, and Yu Qian still stood like this. More than an hour had passed since he arrived at the Tenth Prince's Mansion.
The people below have changed one after another, but Yu Qian has always stood in the distance. He has not taken a sip of water for such a long time, and his hands exposed to the cold wind have faint bruises.
color.
Finally, the door of the Tenth Prince's Mansion reopened, and two men dressed as eunuchs came out, came to Yu Qian, and said.
"Yu Shaobao, with the news we just got, the princes are afraid that they won't be able to come back for a while. I'll tell you to come back tomorrow!"
After that, they took out a form of apology, which was exactly the apology form that Yu Qian handed in when he first arrived.
Return it as it is!
If the wait just now was just a show of force, then it is now clear that it is humiliating Yu Qian.
It was very troublesome for the vassal king to leave the city. How could there be no movement at all? These vassal kings were so perfunctory even in looking for excuses. They obviously wanted to continue to embarrass him.
These words were not lowered, so everyone present basically heard them.
Yu Qian's official reputation has always been very good. What's more, this is clearly bullying. Otherwise, why didn't he say it at the beginning? He had to wait until Yu Qian stood here for more than an hour before he came late. So, after the words fell,
The people watching immediately started a series of discussions.
However, as the protagonist, Yu Qian was very calm. He moved his fingers that were slightly stiff due to the cold. Yu Qian reached out to take the apology form and put it into his sleeve. Then he politely returned the favor and said.
"Thank you. In that case, I'll see you again tomorrow."
After that, Yu Qian turned around and left, still not riding in the sedan chair, but continued walking back on foot while the crowd was watching...
However, he did go back, but the shock caused by what happened in front of the Tenth Prince's Mansion had just begun.
Nangong.
"What?"
Zhu Qizhen was leaning on the couch with a relaxed expression at first, but after hearing what Zhu Yi said about what happened in the Tenth Prince's Mansion, he straightened up immediately.
"Yu Qian really went?"
"Back to Your Majesty, yes."
Zhu Yi was sitting at the bottom. Hearing this, he stood up again with a respectful expression and said.
"It caused quite a commotion. This matter has been circulating in Beijing for several days. Today, Yu Qian deliberately walked over again, so he saw a lot of people."
"Later, several princes deliberately left him hanging outside the Tenth Prince's Mansion for a full hour and a half. At that time, many people surrounded him."
"However, in the end, no one came out to see Yu Qian, so they just found a reason and sent him back. Moreover, at the end, he specifically asked Yu Qian to go back tomorrow."
"Going again tomorrow?"
Zhu Qizhen shook his head, with a strange look on his face, his eyes slightly closed, looking in the direction of the Tenth Prince's Palace outside the palace, and murmured softly.
"These clans are trying to trample Yu Qian's face completely under their feet!"
Zhu Yi stood at the bottom and said nothing.
But in his heart, he did think so.
Although Zhu Yi had already expected when he received the news that these feudal kings would not let Yu Qian pass easily, he felt at that time that leaving the person outside for more than an hour was enough to achieve the effect.
Who would have thought that a powerful show of force was not enough, and Yu Qian was asked to go again. Were they really not afraid that things would end badly in the end?
On one side, Zhu Yi was confused. On the other side, Zhu Qizhen also frowned. He pondered for a moment and then spoke again.
"It seems that uncles like King Zhou and Uncle Lu are really anxious this time. Otherwise, the other vassal kings alone would not dare to do this."
"However, my uncle King Zhou has always had a gentle personality, and my uncle King Lu has always kept aloof from the world. I'm afraid it's just the matter of the military camp that won't make them so aggressive."
After saying this, Zhu Qizhen looked at Zhu Yi and asked.
"Besides the affairs at the military camp, is there anything else happening in Beijing recently that alarmed the clan?"
"this……"
Zhu Yi pretended to frown and thought for a moment, then said with a hint of temptation in her tone.
"It is said that the Ministry of Rites is planning to change the clan regulations these days."
"Although it hasn't been submitted yet, Uncle Zong and Shen Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue have met several times in the past few days. It will be time to go to court for discussion after the Chinese New Year at the latest."
"Is it because of this?"
"Change the clan regulations?"
Zhu Qizhen pondered, thought for a moment, and asked.
"Do you know what specific aspects are involved?"
After hearing this, Zhu Yi looked a little embarrassed and said.
"Your Majesty clearly knows that although the Ministry of Rites is in charge of this matter, you should also have some understanding of Uncle Zong's character."
"The public is public and the private is private. Although he is the father-in-law of the minister, he has never told the minister about the official affairs of the court, especially..."
At this point, Zhu Yi paused, quietly looked at the Emperor's expression, and then continued.
"...Especially after the spring hunting, the number of visits to his wife in the residence of the great ministers has been much less."
"So, the information I got is all from the news circulating in the capital. The details are unknown. I only know that it involves title succession, marriage canonization, salary regulations, and other information. I am still inquiring about it."
Seeing Zhu Yi's expression, Zhu Qizhen was slightly startled, but soon he showed a look of understanding, waved his hand and said.
"Don't worry, I have no other intentions. Hu Zhen knows that since you are close to me now, it is normal for him to keep a distance from you."
So Zhu Yi bowed his hands and bowed.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration."
"but……"
After a few words of comfort, Zhu Qizhen did not take this matter to heart, but focused his energy on the present again.
"Inheritance of titles, marriage canonization, salary regulations..."
"These are indeed sensitive matters. No wonder these feudal kings reacted so violently."
"However, I'm afraid they underestimate Yu Qian too much!"
Hearing this, Zhu Yi couldn't help but be a little stunned. After hesitating for a moment, he asked.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"
Zhu Qizhen smiled slightly and said.
"Yu Qian didn't leave early or late, but he only went here just a few days before New Year's Eve. To put it bluntly, he wanted to use the period of time when the imperial seal was sealed to allow public opinion to ferment, so that the subsequent vassal reform could be carried out.
It will be smoother, can’t you see the thought behind it?”
Zhu Yi thought for a moment and nodded slightly, but then he became confused again.
"I understand this. After all, Yu Shaobao's trip to the capital this time is to implement the great government. He was forced by the kings to come to the door to apologize in person. There are bound to be many ministers who are dissatisfied. Although most of the ministers in the court are
People who protect themselves wisely, but after all, there are still people who are not afraid of difficulties."
"What's more, after all, Yu Shaobao is the emperor's favorite general. This time he was forced to do this, and the emperor must be unhappy. Even if it is to please the emperor, there will be people who will 'dare to speak out'!"
"In this way, when the Ministry of Rites proposes the reform of the clan, there will be much less resistance. However, what I am a little confused about is that the vassal kings must be able to understand such a simple truth. If this is the case, why do they still do it?
?”
"Because there is no choice..."
Zhu Qizhen sighed, as if he thought of something, his tone suddenly became a little melancholy, and said.
"Zhu Yi, you said, if these vassal kings just stay well and do nothing, the court, no, the emperor will not make up his mind about the vassalage?"
"This... I'm afraid not!"
Zhu Yi thought for a moment, then finally shook her head and said.
"Based on my understanding of the eldest uncle, he has always been cautious. Even if he wanted to rectify the clan, he would not be so grand without the emperor's permission. Therefore, there must be the emperor's will behind this matter."
So, Zhu Qizhen smiled, finally adjusted his mood, and said.
"So, the emperor has actually been eyeing the sects and vassals since the beginning of the rectification of the army. No, it should be said earlier. Perhaps he already had this plan when he summoned the kings to the capital to congratulate him."
"It is against the law for the vassals and vassals to enter the court together. When I first heard that the emperor did this, I just thought that he wanted to take this opportunity to see the attitude of the vassal kings towards him as the new emperor, but I never thought about it.
From the beginning, he did not regard these feudal kings as a threat."
"So bold, I am not as good as him."
Zhu Yi was a little surprised when he said these words.
The sun is really shining in the west.
When will this great emperor admit that he is inferior to the emperor?
