Chen Zhan recovered quickly from his "illness" and went to the palace for an audience the next day.
Sheng Hong glanced at the red-faced Chen Zhan and joked: "I heard that Chen Shangshu was cruel and ruthless. He personally beat you with a stick for thirty times, beating you until your skin was bruised and your buttocks were almost split. It seems that the rumors cannot be believed!"
Chen Zhan grinned: "Those rumors about good things are too exaggerated. It's only three sticks. That's my biological father, how can he be willing to give me thirty sticks! I am the eldest son of Chen, and the glory of the Chen family will depend on it in the future.
On me."
Then, Su Rong said seriously: "I am already the emperor's servant. From now on, please give the emperor more support and help me, so that I can live up to my ministers' affection for the emperor."
Lu Chi and Zhao Qi repeatedly rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.
Sheng Hong responded sternly: "I am a member of Mingxi when I am born, and I am Mingxi's ghost when I die. No matter who admires me, I will not be tempted. You should die as soon as possible."
Chen Zhan: "..."
Lu Chi Zhao Qi: "..."
More shameless than shameless, Chen Zhan was defeated once again.
Lu Chi and Zhao Qi were so numb that they almost vomited out, each of them had a look of pain and endurance on their faces.
Sheng Hong was complacent and smiled happily.
As the emperor, you must sit upright, calm and restrained every day. What you show in front of others is always a majestic face that does not distinguish between joy and anger.
It's going to be like this for one or two years, three to five years, or the next few years. It's a despairing thing to think about.
Fortunately, there are still a few close friends. In front of them, Sheng Hong can shed the majesty of the emperor and laugh freely for a while.
After joking for a while, Sheng Hong and the three of them got down to business.
"The memorial at the court meeting that day has already achieved results." Sheng Hong's eyes flashed and he said in a deep voice: "In the past few days, officials have presented memorials one after another, asking for the reduction of vassal status."
There was never a shortage of people in the court who were willing to take advantage of the situation and cater to the flatterers. The emperor was determined to cut down the feudal vassals, and among the officials who had a clue, some soon figured out the holy intention and submitted memorials.
It is conceivable that more and more ministers will express their stance.
Anyway, this Daqi belongs to the emperor. The emperor is not afraid of civil strife. As ministers, they cannot stop it and can only follow the emperor.
Lu Chi whispered: "My grandfather has also been shaken. In a few days, he will think clearly."
As the chief minister, Mr. Lu Ge is the head of civil servants. Once Mr. Lu Ge fully expresses his position, it will completely affect the trend of the court.
Sheng Hong glanced at Lu Chi approvingly: "Thank you for your hard work."
Lu Chi smiled: "I did this for the Lu family. Grandpa will always be able to appreciate my good intentions in the future."
"My father has gradually changed his mind." Zhao Qi laughed softly: "I have persuaded him twice in the past few days. He should listen to what I say."
Sheng Hong cast an admiring look at Zhao Qi: "Hard work."
Chen Zhan coughed in embarrassment: "My father is quite stubborn and has been angry these past few days. I didn't dare to say anything. However, after some time, the wind in the court has completely changed, and he will be able to change his attitude.
"
Sheng Hong did not poke his heart, but said with a smile: "Don't worry, we will figure this out slowly."
…
At noon that day, the emperor left Lu and Chi to have lunch in Yiqing Hall.
This kind of honor and grace is unmatched by anyone in the court.
Even the old ministers of the pavilion were rarely given meals.
Lu Chi, Zhao Qi, Chen Zhan were often called into the palace to accompany them. None of the three had high official positions, but they were close ministers of the emperor. They often accompanied the emperor to discuss political affairs. The words "Jian in the emperor's heart" are simply for them.
Custom made.
The changes in the dynamics of the court are also very obvious.
More and more officials submitted memorials, and within a few days, there was a high pile of memorials asking for the reduction of vassal status.
Xie Jun, the Minister of Rites, also submitted a memorial. Immediately afterwards, Xiao Shangshu also submitted a memorial. However, several cabinet elders remained "calm and prudent" and have not expressed their stance for the time being.
However, all the officials knew that the trend of reducing the vassal status was unstoppable.
More than a dozen vassal kings in Da Qi also received the news in these days. Each of them was angry, sad, panicked, or desperate.
The vassal princes often kept in touch with each other privately. After receiving news of the movements in the court, they immediately contacted their respective vassal princes with whom they were friends to discuss countermeasures.
However, most of the vassal territories are in remote places, and it is not convenient to communicate with each other to deliver messages. It is impossible to contact them all in a short period of time, let alone discuss countermeasures.
In the court, some officials had already issued specific regulations for reducing the vassal state. The elders did not agree or object, and allowed these memorials to be presented to the Holy Father.
After reading these memorials, Sheng Hong did not approve them, but sent them to the cabinet together. He asked several cabinet elders to read the memorials together before discussing matters.
The five pavilion elders spent half a day looking over the memorials one by one. No one spoke for a while.
After a long time, Mr. Yan Ge coughed and whispered: "Later, the emperor will summon us to move to the Qing Palace to discuss matters. If you ask about the reduction of vassalage, how should we respond?"
It has been more than half a month since the emperor revealed his intention to cut down the feudal vassal.
For more than half a month, the emperor's methods have been coming one after another, and he has been pressing harder and harder. Each of them, the elders, have been shaken in their minds, and it is only a matter of time before they bow their heads and give in.
Mr. Fang Ge hesitated and said in a low voice: "The trend of the times is, I think, just follow the Sacred Heart."
As soon as Mr. Fang Ge said this, Mr. Zhao Ge took the lead in letting out a sigh of relief and whispered: "I also have the same intention."
Next, only Mr. Li Ge and Mr. Lu were left.
Li Ge is getting old, his hair is gradually thinning, and even the beard on his chin is also sparse, with only a few strands left. Li Ge cherishes these few goat beards very much, stroking them carefully every day, lest they not be enough.
One was broken.
Everyone was looking at Mr. Li Ge, even Mr. Li Ge was slowly stroking and stroking...
He didn't say anything for a long while.
Mr. Fang Ge and others secretly rolled their eyes and looked at Mr. Lu.
Mr. Lu Ge pondered for a long time before he opened his mouth and said: "We are all ministers, and as ministers, we should obey the holy will."
Mr. Fang Ge and others secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Mr. Li Ge again.
Li Ge Lao stroked his goat's beard for a while and nodded.
…
Half an hour later, the elders of the cabinet moved to the Qing Hall to discuss matters.
It took two full hours for this important meeting involving the country and the country of Qi to come to an end.
The emperor, who was young and full of energy, was still in good shape. However, several veterans showed signs of fatigue. When the emperor stayed for dinner, they did not say anything to refuse.
The next day was another court meeting.
This time, many young officials jointly submitted a memorial, requesting the reduction of the vassal state. The officials who seconded the proposal accounted for half of the people in the court. Even the elders who had remained silent also spoke up to support the proposal.
The emperor issued an imperial edict in court.
More than ten imperial edicts will be brought to the vassal territory by the envoys in the shortest possible time. All the vassal kings in Daqi are ordered to lead their families and go to Beijing to meet the emperor within two months after receiving the imperial edict.
