The heavy rain last night seemed to have alleviated the hot weather. The air in the morning was fresh and the temperature was quite cool and comfortable.
Heavy rain left traces on the ground, and uneven roads left many puddles, which could even reflect the shadows of trees and the sky.
In front of the Meridian Gate, three officials from the Ming Dynasty, dressed in crimson official robes and wearing black gauze seven-beam crowns, walked forward. The three officials looked solemn, held their heads high and held their chests high. As they walked around, ribbons on their seven-beam crowns were flying. The cranes on the embroidery of the official uniform seem to be about to spread their wings and fly.
In the Ming Dynasty, there were not many people who could wear the seven-beam crown and the official uniform of Xianhebuzi. The three cabinet ministers were among them. They were the leaders among the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty, and they were of the first rank. They were among all the civil servants in the world. The position they covet.
The three bachelors walked straight into the palace from the Meridian Gate, walked up to the Qianqing Palace with their heads held high, and stopped at the steps in front of the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.
In front of the Qianqing Palace, the person on duty today was the chamberlain Ma Yongcheng. Seeing this posture, Ma Yongcheng knew that something was going to happen. While he sent someone to report to Liu Jin, he quickly came down the steps with a smile on his face.
"Hey, aren't these three cabinet ministers? How come they are here together? What's the matter?"
Liu Jian didn't even look at Ma Yongcheng, and said solemnly: "I and the three of you want to see the emperor and have something important to report. Eunuch Ma, please go and report it."
Ma Yongcheng was stunned and then said with an apologetic smile: "Do the three bachelors want to see the emperor? That's not easy. We will report it right now. Please wait a moment, three bachelors."
Liu Jian snorted, put his hands behind his hands and stopped talking.
Ma Yongcheng smiled, turned around and walked quickly into the hall, heading towards the back hall. Under the corridor, he saw Liu Jin, Zhang Yong, Gu Dayong and others walking quickly.
"What are they here for?" Liu Jin asked.
"If you want to meet the Emperor, Eunuch Liu, things may not be simple. The three old men are wearing brand new official uniforms, official hats, and jade belts around their waists. They are dressed as if they are about to enter a coffin. I'm afraid there is something fishy." Ma Yongcheng whispered.
Liu Jin had a sneer on his fat face and said: "I'm afraid the old guys can't bear it anymore. They want to see the emperor? They have to pass our level. Let's go meet the three old guys."
Several people quickly came to the entrance of the palace. Liu Jin had a bright smile on his face. He quickly walked down the steps and saluted: "Good morning, you three great scholars. We are polite."
Liu Jian frowned and glanced at Liu Jin and said, "Can you please tell the emperor? Where is the emperor?"
Liu Jin chuckled and said: "I'm afraid the three adults have to wait, the emperor hasn't gotten up yet. The three adults came too early."
Liu Jian shouted coldly: "Morning? It's already past half-hour. If the late Emperor was diligent, the court meeting would have been held for an hour by now."
Liu Jin smiled and said: "Isn't this because I didn't go to court early?"
Liu Jian shouted: "Why don't you go to court early? It's not a new year, let alone a wedding or funeral ceremony. Why doesn't the emperor go to court?"
Liu Jin smacked his lips and said with a smile: "Master Chief Minister, you can't ask this of our family. We are not qualified to speak about the affairs of the imperial court. We are only responsible for serving the emperor, making sure that he eats well, sleeps well, and is clothed well." Warm and happy.”
Xie Qian, who was on the side, sneered: "Liu Jin, the emperor is lazy, indulges in playing, and neglects government affairs. It's all because of the encouragement and temptation of you guys. How dare you say that it has nothing to do with you."
Liu Jin screamed when he heard this and said: "Master Xie, you are such a mouthful. How can you blame us? Don't say that the emperor is not as wasteful and playful as you say. Even if he is, it belongs to you." Responsibility is the responsibility. You are the ministers of the Ming Dynasty. Isn't all this your responsibility? What you said is like being defeated in a war. You don't blame the generals and soldiers who led the army, but you blame the cooks. It’s really ridiculous.”
"That's right, Mr. Xie is really good at shirking responsibility. You can also say this and pour dirty water on us."
"No, it's embarrassing. A first-class official of the Ming Dynasty, a bachelor of the cabinet, actually bullies people like us."
"Let's rush to tomorrow. If something big happens in our country, there will be earthquakes, floods and droughts. Shouldn't we be blamed?"
"I'm just afraid that in the future, if a girl fails to give birth to a baby, the blame will be placed on us poor people. That's really ridiculous."
Gu Dayong, Zhang Yong and others all agreed. These guys have no other skills. They are more sarcastic and articulate than the others, and they talk endlessly.
"Eunuch Liu, don't make any noise, it's more serious to report to the emperor. Can you bear the responsibility for delaying important court affairs?" Li Dongyang said solemnly.
Liu Jin sneered: "Your Majesty slept late last night. The wind and rain made him sleepless, so he went to bed early in the morning. Your Majesty has ordered that big things have to wait until he wakes up. Anyone who disturbs him will lose his head."
.I don’t want to lose my head. You three adults, please go back and come back in the afternoon. Maybe the emperor will wake up."
Liu Jian shouted sternly: "Liu Jin, do you dare to stop the cabinet ministers from seeing you?"
Liu Jin sneered and said: "Master Chief Assistant, I am not stopping you. Our family is also fulfilling our responsibilities. We must abide by the emperor's orders. Please go back."
Liu Jian snorted coldly and said: "You don't need to tell me, I'll just go in and wake up the emperor. Dongyang, Lao Xie, let's go."
As he spoke, Liu Jian walked up the steps. Li Dongyang and Xie Qian also followed suit.
Liu Jin shouted loudly from the side: "You three adults, this is the emperor's palace. Are you trying to force your way into the palace?"
Xie Qian scolded: "You bitch, so what if you force your way in? How are you going to treat me?"
Liu Jin shouted loudly: "Come here, block the palace door. Someone wants to force his way into the Qianqing Palace with the intention of doing harm to the emperor. You still don't protect him."
More than a dozen guards from the Qianqing Palace rushed out of the palace and lined up on the steps at the entrance of the palace. They held their hands on the handles of their swords at their waists and looked solemn. They were all Han generals in Jinyiwei under Wu Qian. The guards in the Qianqing Palace had already
They are all Han generals adapted from the former East Palace Guards, and are naturally at the disposal of Liu Jin and others.
Liu Jian kept walking and yelled with an angry look: "Who dares to stop me?"
Canglang, a Han general from the Jinyi Guards, pulled out half of his sword and said in a deep voice: "Stop, if you don't stop, don't blame me for being rude. It's your duty, don't blame me for offending you."
The waist knife faced the sun's rays and was dazzling. Li Dongyang grabbed Liu Jian and whispered: "Master Liu, don't force yourself."
Liu Jian gritted his teeth and stopped. He understood that if he really had to force his way in, anything could happen. These palace guards didn't care about anything else. If they really used the knife, they would be the ones to suffer. Not to mention that these people were obviously listening.
Liu Jin gave the order, and it was hard to predict what would happen.
Liu Jian stepped back a few steps and came to the foot of the steps. He slowly knelt down and shouted loudly to the gate of Qianqing Palace: "Your Majesty! The chief minister of the Ming Dynasty Cabinet, the bachelor of Huagaidian, the prince and grand master, ordered Gu
I ordered Minister Liu Jian to request an audience with the Emperor."
Although Liu Jian was over seventy years old and his beard and hair were all white, his voice was loud and deafening, and it echoed in the palace for a long time.
"Your Excellency! The Assistant Minister of the Ming Dynasty Cabinet, the Bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, Jia Zuozhuguo, the Guanglu Doctor, ordered Li Dongyang, the Gu Ming Minister, to request an audience with the Emperor."
"Your Excellency! The Assistant Minister of the Ming Dynasty, the Bachelor of Dongge University, and the Crown Prince Shaobao, from the Youzhu Kingdom, order Xie Qian, the Minister of Gu Ming, to request an audience with the Emperor."
Li Dongyang and Xie Qian also knelt down beside Liu Jianjian and shouted loudly towards the Qianqing Palace.
When everyone around them heard them report their positions, identities and titles, their hearts were trembling. Only then did they truly realize the status of the three people in front of them, and what kind of high-ranking and powerful people they were facing. Perhaps they had regarded them as three people who could be manipulated before, but at this moment, they suddenly realized how respected the status of these three people in front of them. Perhaps, in the emperor's mind, they were also people who could not be easily offended.
Gu Dayong, Ma Yongcheng, Wei Bin, Gao Feng and other eunuchs were all frightened. For the first time, they truly realized the serious danger. They were facing someone they had no way to fight against.
Liu Jin was naturally timid, but he was calmer than others because he understood a truth better than them. No matter who he was, no matter how noble his status was, as long as the emperor didn't nod, they couldn't do anything to him. Moreover, he didn't have anything to do with him. The way to retreat. To retreat is to lose his head. He has already lost the lower head and never wants to lose the upper head.
"Scream, scream. If your throat is broken, the Emperor will not see you." Liu Jin gritted his teeth and sneered.
Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and the others shouted loudly. The three of them shouted until their mouths were dry, but there was no response. Liu Jian coughed loudly and gasped, but refused to give up shouting.
At this moment, a group of people came quickly from the east side of the square in front of the Qianqing Palace. When Liu Jin saw clearly who the visitor was, his face suddenly changed color.
The ones who came were Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, Bingbi Xu Zhi, the eunuch, Fan Heng, the admiral of the East Factory, the eunuch of the ceremony, Mou Bin, the commander of the Jin Yiwei personal army, and dozens of Jin Yiwei personal guards.
"What happened? Why did the three adults kneel down and shout?" Wang Yue walked quickly and asked loudly.
Xie Qian said loudly: "My lord, you came just in time. We were going to see the emperor, but Liu Jin and others blocked us and threatened us. In desperation, we had no choice but to kneel down and shout."
Wang Yue turned to look at Liu Jin and others, and said in a deep voice: "Liu Jin, you are so brave. You dare to stop three cabinet ministers from meeting the emperor. Who gave you the courage?"
Liu Jin frowned and cupped his hands and said: "My lord, the emperor is resting and has ordered no one to disturb him. I asked the three adults to come back in the afternoon, but they refused, so they started to make a fuss. It's our duty as well."
Wang Yue said in a deep voice: "Eunuch Liu is so majestic. Mr. Liu, Mr. Li, Mr. Xie, get up quickly. Our family will take you to see the emperor. Why don't you help the three elders?"
Several accompanying eunuchs stepped forward to help Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian up, and Wang Yue led them to the steps to play.
Liu Jin shouted: "My lord, the emperor has an order, please don't disturb me."
Wang Yue turned to glare at Liu Jin and said coldly: "Eunuch Liu, do you make the decision in the inner court or our family? Are you the chief ceremonial official, or are we the chief ceremonial official? Liu Jin, don't forget your identity. You Although you are serving the emperor, you are just the eunuch who is the leader of the Bell and Drum Division of my inner court. Could it be that you want to rebel? Then don’t blame our family for being rude to you."
Liu Jin frowned and said nothing. In any case, Wang Yue was the head of the inner court. He was a eunuch, and every eunuch was under Wang Yue's jurisdiction. If he exceeded the rules, Wang Yue would immediately punish him on this ground. So he could not refute.
Wang Yue raised his head and looked at Gu Da Yong, Ma Yongcheng, Zhang Yong and others standing on the steps, and shouted in a deep voice: "And you, our family has no time to take care of you. You really think you are a nobody. I will deal with you later. Don’t get out of here.”
Gu Dayong, Zhang Yong and others did not dare to refute and lowered their heads to avoid it.
The dozen or so guards of Qianqing Palace above didn't know what to do and looked towards Liu Jin. But they heard Mou Bin shout: "You guys, why don't you get out of the way? I, Mou Bin, as the commander of the Jinyi Guards, order you to get out of the way." This is a military order. If you dare to disobey, you will be dealt with according to military law."
The Jinyiwei Dahan General's Camp is just a troop under the Jinyiwei Yamen, and Mou Bin is their superior officer. Moubin's orders are military orders. If they don't follow them, they are disobeying military orders. This is clear and obvious. What's more, following Mou Bin The dozens of imperial guards who came were watching with eager eyes and would take action at any time. The dozen or so Han generals on the steps did not dare to disobey, so they had to get out of the way.
Liu Jin knew in his heart that the arrival of Wang Yue, Mou Bin and others was no coincidence, but was arranged. But at this moment, he could only grit his teeth and watch them escort Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and others into the Qianqing Palace.