Chapter 749 The Great Emperor and the Little Emperor
It has been half a year since Shen Yi returned to Jiankang. Counting the Chinese New Year period, it has actually been half a year since he took over all government affairs.
In half a year, people's minds change.
Although Shen Yi was kind to Ling Su and Xue Wei, it was not surprising that they had their own thoughts over time.
But relatively speaking, Xue Wei is more innocent, and he is still Shen Yi's loyal little fan.
However, since there is no strict superior-subordinate relationship, how long can this kind of loyalty last...
Hard to say.
Of course, Shen Yi's hard-earned Dusi cannot be said to be let go. Under the emperor's sight, he let it go easily and simply, but in fact, the economic lifeline of Dusi Yamen is still in Shen Yi's hands.
This is a hidden thread, and it doesn’t matter whether the emperor discovered it or not. Even if he did, he wouldn’t say anything.
After all, Mr. Shen has worked hard for two and a half years and it is only human nature to leave a little foundation for himself.
The next day...is the day of the imperial meeting.
Originally, every court meeting was a test for Mr. Shen who didn't want to get up early. However, this time, Mr. Shen got up early and got up from bed before dawn.
This time, even Lu Ruoxi hasn't woken up yet.
After hearing the sound of her husband getting up, she got up from the bed and helped Shen Yi put on the somewhat cumbersome official uniform. While putting it on, she yawned and asked: "In the past, my husband didn't want to get up during the big court meetings. Why did he get up so early today?"
?”
Because he worked too hard last night, Mr. Shen also had two dark circles under his eyes. He yawned and said with a smile: "Today is different from before."
"There's something fun to watch today."
Today is the first imperial meeting since the Yushitai attended the meeting of Prime Minister Yang. If the development follows the previous trajectory, there will still be censors and even some senior officials at this imperial meeting, following the impeachment of the Yang family and his son.
This allowed Yang Jingzong to escape from the court.
However, after the emergency measures taken by the emperor and Shen Yi in the past few days, it has become a matter of suspense whether anyone will impeach Mr. Yang at today's court meeting.
Lu Ruoxi helped Shen Yi straighten his collar, and then asked: "What excitement can be seen at the great court meeting?"
"There's a lot of excitement to see today."
Mr. Shen smiled and said, "I heard that the envoys from Northern Qi also arrived two days ago, and they should also meet with His Majesty at this court meeting."
"The envoy of Northern Qi..."
After Lu Ruoxi arranged her clothes, she said softly: "Don't they come every spring?"
Seven years after Hongde, envoys from the Northern Qi Dynasty did come every spring.
Lu Ruoxi has lived in Jiankang for several years. As Mrs. Gaoming, when she has free time, she also has some interactions with some ladies from other houses, such as a few from the Zhao family.
Therefore, even she knew what happened to the Northern Qi envoys coming every year.
"This time, maybe something is different."
Mr. Shen yawned greatly and said, "Okay, I'm going to eat something first. Today's court meeting is very long, so I won't be unable to hold on for a while."
"Husband, wait."
Lu Ruoxi rummaged in the box for a while and found a box of ginseng slices. She took out three or four slices from it, put them in Shen Yi's hand, and said, "This is what Zhang's sister-in-law sent last time. She said it was for the meeting."
Carry it with you when you are tired, take one piece when you are tired, it can replenish your energy."
"good..."
Master Shen took the ginseng slices with him, went out to have breakfast, and then went to court in a carriage.
This time, when he arrived at the gate of Deqing Palace, the sky was still gray and not completely bright.
However, Master Shen arrived not too early. After a while, when the first ray of the sun shone on the sundial at the entrance of Deqing Palace, with the sound of a drum, the door of Deqing Palace slowly opened.
Shen Yi, who was chatting with Zhang Jian, quickly returned to the team of the Ministry of War and followed them towards Deqing Hall.
After entering the main hall, all civil and military officials stood according to their positions. As the eunuch Gao sang loudly, His Majesty the Emperor arrived, everyone knelt down and saluted, shouting "Long Live the Mountain".
The emperor sat on the throne, glanced at the ministers kneeling in front of him, and then waved his hands indifferently: "Everyone, please get down."
Everyone then stood up to thank him.
After everyone stood up, the emperor reached out and knocked on the chair as a habit, and looked at everyone: "Today's court, according to the usual practice, are there any important matters to be submitted to the yamen, or are there any matters that need to be discussed publicly?"
Deqing Hall was completely silent.
The emperor glanced at the five old men standing in the first row of civil servants and asked: "Five prime ministers, what do you have to say?"
In fact, the imperial meeting was not a place for discussion, but more for announcing the court's decisions.
Whatever happened to the five prime ministers on weekdays, after they discussed the results, they had actually sent them to the emperor long ago.
And today, when the emperor asked this question at the court meeting, he was actually asking them if they wanted to speak out for the old Prime Minister Yang Jingzong.
The five prime ministers remained silent.
The emperor looked at Prime Minister Cui Yu and asked with a smile: "Is Prime Minister Cui okay today?"
Cui Yulian stepped forward, bowed his head respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I am fine."
"Well."
The emperor looked at the remaining yamen and asked again: "Is there anything going on at the Yushitai, Liubu?"
Although he mentioned the Six Divisions in his words, his eyes were always on Yushitai Zuodu Yushi.
The censor of Zuodu stepped forward directly, cupped his hands and said: "Return to your majesty, the censor's desk..."
"nothing."
The censors at the Censorship Station are all of a very low grade, like those who patrol the local area, but are only in the seventh grade and are not qualified to participate in the imperial dynasty.
As for the senior officials of the Yushitai, they did not dare to speak after being told this by the Zuodu Yushi.
The emperor said "hmm" and asked again: "Is there anything going on in the six departments?"
After a period of silence, the Minister of Rites stepped forward, lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, the envoy from the Northern Qi Dynasty arrived in Jiankang the day before yesterday and has been waiting for calls at the guild hall of the Ministry of Rites. Today, the envoy from the Northern Qi Dynasty is already waiting outside."
Hearing the words "Northern Qi envoy", the emperor frowned subconsciously.
In the seventh year of Hongde, Chen Guo suffered some small losses on the battlefield. In the following year, the emperor married the princess of the Northern Kingdom. After the two sides stopped fighting and made peace, the Northern Qi Dynasty sent people here not almost, but literally every year.
The purpose of coming here is very simple.
He tried different ways to ask this "son-in-law" for money.
Although for Chen Guo, the money was not a lot, and the Ministry of Revenue could easily get it, but it was really a bit disgusting.
The Northern Qi Dynasty occupies half of the country, so there is no need to act like a beggar, asking for money every spring. It is obvious that these Qi people are here to disgust Chen Guo.
To be precise, I want to disgust this little emperor of the Southern Dynasty.
Force him to get angry, force him to use weapons.
Thinking of this, the emperor frowned even more tightly, and he said impatiently: "Can't the Ministry of Rites talk to them?"
The Minister of Rites bowed his head and said: "Back to Your Majesty, the Host and Guest Department of the Ministry of Rites has been talking to them, but they insist on seeing Your Majesty, saying that it is a gift from the two countries."
"That's all."
The emperor waved his hand and said: "Just let them in."
Soon, two Northern Qi envoys were brought into the Deqing Hall.
One of these two people was the chief envoy and the other was the deputy envoy. They were both officials of the Ministry of Rites of the Northern Dynasty.
After seeing the emperor, the two Qi people bowed to the emperor and said, "Foreign Minister Zhu Man, on behalf of His Majesty the Great Emperor of Qi, greets the Emperor of the Southern Dynasty."
He spoke Chinese with a clear accent.
The emperor's face suddenly darkened.
Not only did he not kneel down, he also called him such a scornful name!