In the Prince's Mansion, the eunuchs hurriedly got up, lit lamps in the dark, prepared court clothes for the Prince, and prepared washing utensils, then lined up and walked quietly to the study. The eunuchs knew that last night,
The prince rested in the study.
Lei Ren, the eunuch in charge of the East Palace, gently pushed open the door of the study room and poked his head in, only to find that the prince was still sitting at the desk, staring at the candlestick that had been extinguished... just like the posture Eunuch Lei had left when he left last night.
That night, His Highness the Prince didn't sleep at all...
"Your Highness..."
Lei Ren couldn't help but call out softly, and Zhu Gaochi slowly turned his pupils and asked in a hissing voice: "What time is it? I seem to hear the crow of a cock."
"Yes." Lei Ren hurriedly stepped forward, opened the lantern cover, lit a new candle, and put the cover on. The light returned to the study. "It's the fourth watch, and His Highness must prepare to go to court."
"Really?" Zhu Gaochi was slightly surprised. He seemed to have never expected that he would sit there all night. He sighed deeply and said, "Let's change clothes."
The eunuch hurriedly brought the washstand over. Lei Ren soaked the facekerchief in warm water and handed it to the prince with both hands. Zhu Gaochi took the facekerchief and slowly applied it on his face. The heat penetrated his skin and ironed his tired spirit.
After applying it on his face for a long time, Zhu Gaochi washed and wiped his face carefully. Lei Ren and others dressed him in the prince's robes, combed his hair into a bun, put on the wingless black gauze, and brought a mirror to the prince.
Your Highness watches.
The prince did not look at himself in the mirror, and said sadly: "My father hates me and my heir abandons me, so what else can I say about him?"
"Why did your Highness say this?!" Lei Ren said with a look of horror.
"It's nothing, I just said it randomly." The prince said lightly and sighed: "But if you want to report it to the emperor, I won't blame you."
Lei Ren was sent by Zhu Di to the prince, and he had the intention of monitoring him. Naturally, he did not dare to answer the conversation. He pretended that he had not heard anything and helped the prince slowly walk out of the study. Outside the study, there was a carriage parked, and the prince sat on it.
, Lei Ren tied up the mink cloak for him, and put a piece of fur felt on the prince's knees. After confirming that the master would not be frozen, Lei Ren waved his hand and said softly: "Let's drive."
The four eunuchs carried His Royal Highness out of the courtyard and towards the gate of the East Palace. When they arrived at the gate, a group of guards led the way, followed by a group of eunuchs such as Lei Ren, and the group headed towards the Meridian Gate in a mighty manner.
At this time, the fifth watch drums were ringing all over the capital, and on the streets and alleys leading to the imperial city, various large and small official sedans, carriages and donkeys carried the officials of the Ming Dynasty to gather in the direction of the palace - this was the 16th year of Yongle.
The first great dynasty of the Ming Dynasty, all officials in Beijing of seventh rank or above were required to attend and pay homage to Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty!
The carriages, horses and sedans gathered in front of the Meridian Gate. Outside the majestic main entrance of the palace, there was an immediate bustle. There were shouts, shouts, and greetings and chants. In fact, in the past, during the regular imperial court,
It was far less noisy than that. Even if someone spoke a little louder, the censor would immediately shout down and stop. If anyone kept talking nonsense, there would be a bomb to wait for him.
But today, the censors were also talking loudly and excitedly, no longer caring about maintaining order! Everyone was gearing up and preparing to have a big fight at the court later!
Only when His Royal Highness the Grand Sun and His Highness the Crown Prince appeared one after another did the scene become slightly quieter...
When Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Gaochi arrived, it was already dawn. The most noble people always appear at the last moment. This is a common practice that everyone knows... But today, everyone's eyes were fixed on these two hats.
Promise!
At this moment, even the dullest officials already knew that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness the Grand Sun were going to have their own opinions and engage in a fierce confrontation in the court hall under the gaze of the Emperor!
People have not had time to think carefully about what great changes this will bring, but it does not prevent them from appreciating the moment when father and son meet...
"Your Highness," Chen Wu watched the prince's carriage approaching, and anxiously urged in a low voice: "Welcome to him!"
Zhu Zhanji did not move at all. After a moment, he slowly got up, got off the carriage, and walked towards the prince's carriage.
Zhu Gaochi looked at his son intently, got off the carriage and walked over slowly. He knew his son better than his father, and from Zhu Zhanji's actions, he had already realized his son's unwillingness... While he was feeling solemn, he was also stunned.
Thinking about it, no matter how much I concealed myself when facing my father, the resentment in my heart would not escape the old man's eyes, right?
Zhu Zhanji stopped in front of his father's carriage, bowed and reached out to help the prince, and said respectfully: "Father."
The prince was still distracted, and Zhu Zhanji called out again. He suddenly woke up, slowly stretched out his hand, and held his son's arm. Zhu Zhanji steadily helped his father down and lifted him up, and said softly:
"It seems that my father didn't sleep well."
"Isn't it the same for you?" The prince glanced at Zhu Zhanji and said calmly: "I didn't come home last night. I have to give my father an explanation."
"Haha, I'm busy with business." Zhu Zhanji smiled slightly and said softly: "Today is the first congratulations for the new year. I think I have to make Grandpa Huang happy no matter what."
"Hey..." Seeing that Zhu Zhanji couldn't hold back his anger and couldn't wait to talk to him, Zhu Gaochi sighed: "You are my great grandson Huang Taisun of the Ming Dynasty. You cannot imitate the behavior of a sycophant."
Zhu Zhanji's face suddenly became uneasy, but as he spoke, he had already arrived in front of the ministers. He could only endure his anger and whispered: "This is what father taught you." The prince's expression softened slightly, but he listened to Zhu Zhanji's words.
Turning around, he whispered: "I will treat my father the same way you treat your father..."
Zhu Gaochi was aroused by the rudeness in his words, and his expression changed. But at this time, the princes and ministers also came to pay tribute to the prince and grandson, so the father and son naturally stopped talking and no longer hid their secrets.
The father and son were chatting with the ministers, and the melodious and majestic bells and drums rang from the Five Phoenix Tower. The two extremely thick palace doors with red lacquer and gold nails were slowly pushed open by the eunuch Si Yan. The prince and grandson were busy with the princes and officials.
They lined up in groups, and under the leadership of officials from Honglu Temple, entered the Meridian Gate and lined up in front of Fengtian Hall.
In front of the Fengtian Palace, the guard of honor had already been arranged, and all the officials had lined up, but the eunuch was still not seen cracking his whip. After waiting for a stick of incense, everyone could not help but be secretly surprised, knowing that something would happen today!
Sure enough, after waiting for a while, the eunuch Li Yan hurriedly came out of the Golden Palace and loudly announced to everyone: "The emperor has a decree!"
"I respectfully listen to the holy edict!" Baiguanshan roared with a tsunami, and they all fell down in obeisance.
"I am slightly ill, so I am not going to court today. I appreciate this."
"I accept the order! I wish my Emperor Dragon Body a good morning," all the ministers responded reflexively, but in private they looked at each other. They could all guess that the emperor didn't want to see the chaos that followed, so he simply didn't want to.
Give them a chance to shoot!
After receiving the decree, the ministers were about to stand up when they heard Li Yan say again: "Don't be anxious, everyone, the emperor has another decree."
"I will accept the order!" All the officials had no choice but to prostrate themselves again.
"I have made up my mind..." Li Yan took out a piece of yellow paper from his sleeve, cleared his throat and started reading.
Hearing these four words, the majority of those who opposed the relocation of the capital were about to faint. Fortunately, it was not what they imagined. They only heard Li Yan continue: "In seven days, the northern inspection tour will be carried out. The grandson will accompany him, and the prince will supervise the country."
, admire this.”
"I obey the order!" The officials breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thinking that although they would be patrolling the north in seven days and the time was very tight, as long as the capital was not moved...
"Your Highnesses, please come back, sir." After Li Yan announced the order, he turned and left.
Next to Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Neng and Dingguo Duke Xu Jingchang hurriedly helped the Crown Prince to his feet, and other ministers also stood up. However, His Royal Highness the Grand Sun knelt there blankly, stunned for a moment...
Zhu Gaochi glanced at his son and sighed: "Get up and go home."
Zhu Zhanji seemed not to have heard anything and was still kneeling there blankly. It wasn't until Wang Xian pulled him up that he suddenly woke up, put away the disappointment on his face, and followed his father out of the palace.
Before the officials left the palace, they couldn't help but started talking. Could it be that such a huge dispute between king and ministers could be settled like this?
"We have won, right?" Those young officials who had been so excited in the past two days and wanted to remonstrate with the king could not believe that victory had come so easily.
"Of course... that's it." The more prudent officials couldn't think of anything wrong.
"Could it be that the Emperor is frightened by us?" Someone couldn't help but muttered in a low voice.
"Don't talk nonsense!" This treasonous remark naturally attracted a burst of scolding from all the colleagues, but there was clearly a look of pride on everyone's faces. The young officials met to have a drink to celebrate, although the older officials would not be like this.
Ridiculous, but he also yawned, indicating that he wanted to go back and have a good sleep...
A festive atmosphere of victory filled the air inside and outside the Meridian Gate uncontrollably. Even those "Taishun Party members" who had taken refuge in Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but secretly rejoice that they no longer had to be criticized... They just thought they were calm.
When I expressed my intention to celebrate together, my colleagues without exception received a blank stare...
Outside the Meridian Gate, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince got on his carriage and left. All the princes and officials also got on their sedan chairs and mounted their horses. After a period of commotion, the main entrance of the palace returned to silence, as if nothing had happened...
However, can we really pretend that nothing happened? Wang Xian, who stayed there, looked at the horse dung and footprints on the ground, and his heart was filled with a heavy haze.
"Sir," Erhei came over and asked softly, "Should we stay in Beijing or follow the Northern Patrol?"
"Stay in Beijing." Wang Xian replied softly.
"That's a good relationship," Erhei said with a grin, "I can have a happy life in a few days."
"Ansheng's birthday?" Wang Xian looked straight into the distance, the two leaders parted ways, shook his head sadly and said: "I'm afraid there will be no more..."
"Hey..." Erhei followed Wang Xian's gaze and looked at the two bastards, and said depressedly: "The meat always gets rotten in the pot. What do you two have to fight about?"
"Outsiders won't understand the feeling." Wang Xian sighed, took the reins from Zhou Yong, got on the horse and said, "Let's not worry about it."
After saying that, Wang Xian galloped away on horseback, and Erhei and others quickly followed.