Chapter 1149: The Curve to Save the Nation and Rehabilitate
Anger loomed in Zhu Gaochi's eyes, but he could not get angry at Xue Lu. Xue Lu was not only a great contributor to the Jingnan War, but also took great care of his father and son during the Yongle period. His eldest son was still in Jiulongkou and died for his country in order to protect Zhu Zhanji!
What's more, Xue Lu still occupies a great gift of ethics. Confucius once said: "If you don't change your father's ways for three years, you can be called filial!" Ah!
Both emotionally and rationally, Zhu Gaochi could not help but maintain a pleasant look on Xue Lu's face. He let out a long breath and the emperor said patiently: "Old Marquis, the late emperor did not have any will. He said that university sergeants are only of the fifth rank and cannot be promoted."
"The late emperor never said that, but it has been done like this for twenty years!"
Zhu Gaochi said: "Your Majesty, according to the ancestral precepts of Emperor Taizu, whoever dares to re-establish the prime minister in future generations will be killed! No! Pardon!"
The last three words, Xue Lu almost spit out! Fortunately, the emperor was far away, so the spittle didn't splash on his face...
But Zhu Gaochi's face had turned livid.
Xue Lu looked at the emperor nonchalantly, as if he was convinced that there was nothing he could do to him.
"What the Marquis said makes sense, Your Majesty, please think again!" Duke Dingguo also echoed: "There are other ways to reward bachelors. The system established by Taizu Taizong cannot be changed!"
"That's right! Your Majesty, please think twice!" Seeing the Duke and the Marquis standing up, all the nobles and nobles could not be polite and came out one after another to express their support.
As for the civil servants, Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi and others naturally could not speak for themselves. Jian Yi and other senior officials also remained strangely silent. Even if the civil servants below spoke, they had no power to compete with the nobles. For a while, the court was full of emotions.
Fiercely, all voices spoke against the emperor.
Zhu Gaochi, who was sitting high on the dragon chair, felt so lonely and powerless at this moment. He suppressed the anger in his chest and slowly waved his hands and said: "I will think about it again..."
"Your Majesty!" Marquis Yangwu immediately shut up and retreated.
"Your Majesty!" Duke Dingguo also retreated. Naturally, the nobles all shut up and returned to their respective positions, but there was a clear look of pride on their faces... Look, even the emperor did not dare to offend the public! Especially
It’s the public anger of us nobles!
"It's so outrageous!" After retiring from the court, Zhu Gaochi slammed the table and said angrily: "I knew they would use their ancestors to suppress me! I didn't expect them to be so impatient!"
"They can't hold it back for a long time." Yang Pu sighed and said: "The emperor stopped purchasing, weaving, paying tribute, shipbuilding, imperial estates, and sailing to the West. This has cut off the wealth of those nobles. They can't directly refute the emperor.
, just use this method to resolve it.”
"My father and I respect them because they are heroes! But now, each of them has become a fat man who only knows how to suck the fat of the people!" Zhu Gaochi said with gritted teeth: "In my opinion, they are now a group of pests!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. The military power of the Ming Dynasty is in the hands of the nobles. Don't provoke them too much!" Yang Rong quickly advised. He had experienced the Rebellion of King Zhao and knew the importance of military power.
"But we can't let them succeed so easily!" Zhu Gaochi slammed a pile of imperial edicts on the table. It was intended to be read out at the court meeting today, but the first edict was refuted. If he continued to announce it, it would only be
It was a disgrace to himself! So Zhu Gaochi could only suppress these wishes, and one can imagine the frustration in his heart.
"Actually, if you deal with those warriors and use your brain more, you can always find a way." Yang Shiqi chuckled and said slowly: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, it seems that this matter can be changed and the same purpose can be achieved.
"
"Oh, how to work around it?" Zhu Gaochi knew that Yang Shiqi was resourceful and immediately cast his expectant gaze.
"We can not change the bachelor's degree set by the late emperor, but we can use part-time jobs to achieve the same purpose." Yang Shiqi said softly: "This is something they can't object to, because they are princes and hold military positions at the same time.
It’s a part-time job.”
"What a great idea!" Everyone's eyes lit up and they all praised.
"Not bad!" Zhu Gaochi also became energetic and geared up and said: "If this road is blocked, we will take a detour. I will let you serve as ministry officials and bachelors at the same time. This will not only improve your official status, but also keep you in the cabinet.
!" He said in a loud voice: "In this way, Emperor H's system is not violated, let's see what else they say!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" The hearts of all the academicians fell to the ground.
"In addition," Zhu Gaochi pondered for a moment and asked slowly: "Do Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng have any descendants?"
"This..." The emperor's jump was so big that all the calm academics were shocked. Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng were Emperor Jianwen's confidants, the promoters and main executors of the reduction of the vassal, and even the leaders of Jingnan.
They were the makers of the uprising. Emperor Yongle succeeded in usurping the throne and captured these two men. They were all cut to death, implicating the nine clans.
Now the emperor mentioned these two people, which made the academicians tense up. Jin Youzi said softly: "Qitai had a son who was only six years old at the time, so he escaped death. Now he is serving as a soldier in the border town, so he should still be alive." Dun Yi
He then added: "As for Huang Zicheng, his whole family should have been killed."
"It is said that Huang Zicheng had a son who changed his surname and escaped, but is now missing."
"Bring Qitai's son back," Zhu Gaochi said with a heavy expression: "Check the whereabouts of Huang Zicheng's son again, and if he is still alive, pardon him."
"Your Majesty..." Even though they were determined to fool around with the Emperor, several bachelors were still pale with shock, trembling and speechless.
Zhu Gaochi didn't seem to notice the strangeness of the bachelor. He closed his eyes slightly, pondered for a long time, and said slowly: "Where is Fang Xiaoru, do you have any descendants?"
"Your Majesty, are you talking about Fang Xiaoru, whose ten clans were wiped out?" Huang Huai asked in a trembling voice.
"Is there any other Fang Xiaoru?" Zhu Gaochi opened his eyes, looked at his bachelor with a calm gaze, and said slowly: "I can't comment on the right or wrong of the late Emperor Jingnan. But Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, Fang Xiaoru, etc.
People like Tie Xuan were all loyal ministers who were loyal to the imperial court at that time. Historically, after dynasties changed, they would set up memorials for the loyal ministers of the previous dynasty, not to mention that we have not changed dynasties." Zhu Gaochi said in a more serious tone: "To put things right now, I think we can start from here.
start!"
"Your Majesty! Please think twice!" The academicians felt as if the pores in their bodies were exploding, and they urged in trembling voices: "They are the traitors appointed by the late emperor. If we rehabilitate them, who are the Dukes in the court today?"
What, the late emperor’s holy name will also be damaged!”
"But if this matter is not corrected, it will be difficult to win the hearts of the people in the world," Zhu Gaochi said slowly: "If people are not united, nothing can be done." After a pause, he whispered again: "Not to mention what the late emperor did,
It will inevitably chill the hearts of loyal ministers all over the world. If one day comes, who will be loyal to his descendants?"
"Your Majesty..." How could the few academicians not understand the implication of Zhu Gaochi's words - as long as Fang Xiaoru and others are successfully overturned, even if they just pardon their descendants, it will seriously shake the prestige of the late emperor and make those nobles never see it again.
There is nothing to rely on! Only in this way can the reform be carried out!
The bachelors secretly looked at the compassionate emperor, and realized that this was also the master hiding a needle in his hair! Aren't you nobles relying on the late emperor to fight against me? Then I will overthrow the late emperor and see what else you can rely on!
"Your Majesty, this matter is not a trivial matter and needs long-term consideration..." Yang Rong advised softly.
"So I didn't overturn their verdict immediately, but just pardoned their descendants..." Zhu Gaochi said, with a trace of sadness in his eyes: "If they still have descendants."
"Your Majesty is merciful..." the academicians whispered.
"In addition, I am going to transfer the positions of the nobles." Zhu Gaochi said in a deep voice: "It is not a good thing to stay in one place for a long time.".
In the house of Marquis Yangwu, Duke Chengguo, Duke Dingguo, and the other princes and uncles were all there. I don't know who told a joke, which made the whole hall burst into laughter.
It can be seen that pushing the emperor back in the court today brings great satisfaction to the nobles.
"Well, I read it right. The emperor has such a temperament. If you are tough, he will be soft. Don't think that he is the emperor and just listen to him in everything!" Xue Lu sat there with a sword and a golden horse, proudly
road.
"Old Xue," Wang Tong looked at Xue Lu with a smile: "I didn't expect that you were the first to stand up. I thought you had a good relationship with the emperor, so you wouldn't pick this fight."
"That's right..." An unnatural look flashed across Xue Lu's face. The next moment, he laughed and said: "So what, we can't watch the emperor forcing everyone to a dead end, right?"
"The old Marquis is indeed benevolent and righteous!" Everyone praised one after another.
"Of course..." Xue Lu held his beard and nodded proudly. But there was a trace of regret in his heart. He knew that after today's incident, the emperor might hate him. But he did not regret doing this, because he
I felt very aggrieved - Xue Lu was the number one person who contributed to the Jingnan War who was still alive, but for the past twenty years, his title had been reserved as Marquis. Xue Lu knew that Zhu Di looked down on him, so he had pinned his hopes on the prince and grandson early on.
.
For this reason, when all the nobles were alienated from the crown prince and grandson, Xue Lu resolutely sent his two sons to the vanguard of the imperial army. The eldest son died for his grandson in Jiulongkou, and the second son also saved the crown prince and grandson many times.
In the crisis, his body was bruised and his temperament changed drastically. Xue Lu felt that his family's sacrifices and contributions could not be overstated by a duke. However, after Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, he only made Wang Xian a duke and did not reward himself at all.
the meaning of!
This made the old marquis filled with anger, and he finally couldn't help but fire at the emperor. In the Yongle Dynasty, it was unimaginable for nobles to interfere in politics. These nobles obviously did not regard the new emperor as the same master as the previous emperor...
…
The nobles were feeling proud and thinking about how to keep up their efforts and establish rules for the emperor. Suddenly, Wang Tong's son came in from outside and shouted with sweat profusely: "The emperor has issued a decree, and he was promoted to cabinet bachelor."