In the Golden Palace of Taihe Palace, all the officials entered slowly in sequence as usual.
On the dragon chair deep in the court hall, Ming Chengzu was already sitting high up.
Today, he got up earlier than any other official. It can almost be said that he didn't sleep all night, just waiting for today's morning court. Because today, the prince will return from Baoding Mansion and see him in this court hall.
, met hundreds of officials.
From the Golden Palace to the gate of the palace, all the imperial guards received the same order today: "No one is allowed to block the Crown Prince's team returning to Beijing and enter the Golden Palace directly."
"Long live my emperor, long live my emperor!" All the officials knelt down and shouted respectfully to the superior Ming Chengzu.
At the end of the hundred officials stood Zhao Wang Zhu Gaosui. Just like before going to Huailai Guard, he only had the right to observe and not speak in the court.
When all the officials knelt down to worship, Zhu Gaosui hurriedly followed the officials and knelt down together.
It stands to reason that during this kind of morning court, the prince does not need to kneel to the emperor, but only needs to bow. The purpose is to highlight the difference between the prince and the officials.
Zhu Gaosui was behind the officials, but was not noticed by them. Ming Chengzu, who was sitting on the dragon throne, frowned slightly when he saw this situation.
The royal family has its own royal dignity. Although kneeling down like this shows respect for itself. But as a prince, how can he mess up the etiquette and grovel?
Ming Chengzu felt a little unhappy in his heart. However, when he thought of seeing the prince who had been in trouble for nearly ten days, he didn't bother to argue too much with Zhu Gaosui.
"Your Majesty, please be at peace." Ming Chengzu waved his right hand gently, with a hint of gentleness on his face.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The officials shouted again and slowly stood up.
An official took a step across, clasped his hands and was about to speak.
Ming Chengzu raised his right hand and made a silence gesture: "This morning, we will not discuss state affairs!"
The official was startled and slowly retreated into the queue.
All the officials also looked puzzled and felt a little at a loss for a while.
Throughout the ages, the morning court has been a time when ministers of the court and central government report to the emperor the progress of affairs in various departments. Today's emperor, Ming Chengzu, is even more diligent in government affairs. As long as he is in the capital, he will never miss the morning court every day.
It seems that if you can't hear the official reports on state affairs, you feel uneasy.
What's going on today? The emperor actually said that we won't discuss state affairs today. Since we won't discuss state affairs, why are everyone gathering in this court?
"Today, I am here in this court, just waiting for someone to return. I hope that all my dear friends will work with me to put aside the matters at hand and welcome this person back together." Looking at the officials,
Ming Chengzu said slowly.
After hearing this, Baiguan suddenly realized in his heart.
The prince was kidnapped, and not only the capital, but also the entire government and the public were in a state of tension, paying attention to everything that might be related to the prince's whereabouts.
A few days ago, I heard that the prince had been found by Dongchang in Baoding Mansion. The emperor said that he was waiting for someone to return. Besides the prince, who else could this person be?
When I heard the news, the person who was most excited was none other than Li An, the Minister of Punishment.
A few days ago, he had received news that Xiao Chen had found the prince in Baoding Mansion. Thinking that he was finally truly free, Li An covered his face with his hands in his mansion and couldn't help crying.
And today, when I heard from the emperor that the prince would be returning to Beijing today, I felt as excited as a child would during the Chinese New Year.
First, when the prince returns, his crimes can be forgiven openly by the emperor.
Second, facing the accusations from some people with ulterior motives in the court, he finally waited for Xiao Chen's return.
As long as Xiao Chen helps, even if everyone is targeting him, Li An will not panic and can fight with them with ease.
In Li An's mind, Xiao Chen is his spiritual support and the supreme possessor of force that he admires.
The second excited person was Wang Changlian, the Minister of Rites.
During the days of hunting in Huailaiwei, Wang Changlian could see the emperor every day, but he never saw Xiao Chen, who was nominally responsible for the emperor's safety.
This incident has always been an unexplainable shadow in Wang Changlian's heart.
Especially after the prince was kidnapped, Xiao Chen and Li An, the Minister of Punishment, were both imprisoned and put on file for investigation by the Inspectorate. Wang Changlian was even more worried.
Although he tried hard to persuade Zhao Wang Zhu Gaosui and tried his best to excuse Dongchang and Xiao Chen, Wang Changlian had no choice in the face of the emperor's decision.
As a minister of the Ministry of Rites, I cannot interfere in such prison matters in any way, let alone make suggestions to the emperor in this regard.
Now that the prince has returned, Wang Changlian is happy for Dongchang and the Ministry of Punishment.
What Wang Changlian wanted to see even more was Xiao Chen, who was investigating the case.
The emperor took off his purple clothes. He didn't know whether he held a grudge, but he still spared no effort to find the whereabouts of the prince. Finally, he overcame all difficulties and found the prince in Baoding Mansion. This was a blessing to Dongchang and himself.
Even if he no longer wears purple clothes, who among the officials in the court would dare to say that he is not a purple-clad captain?
However, according to Xiao Chen's temper, Wang Changlian was most worried about whether he would continue to stay in Dongchang and continue to serve the court and the emperor after returning the crown jewel to Zhao.
The emperor is a wise king, and Xiao Chen is an invincible sword.
If he cannot control this sword firmly in his hands, the emperor may very well destroy this peerless sword in his rage.
Nothing can happen to Xiao Chen, absolutely nothing can happen.
In terms of personal feelings, Wang Changlian hopes that Xiao Chen is safe. The most important thing is that Xiao Yu at home has asked himself more than once when his eldest brother will come back.
Wang Changlian thought in his mind that after the morning meeting, he must have a heart-to-heart talk with Xiao Chen.
Among the crowd to the right of the officials, Jiang Qianxiao, the censor of the left capital of the Inspectorate, nodded gently to the censor of the right capital of the Inspectorate next to him with a smile, feeling happy in his heart.
When the emperor gave him the order to investigate Xiao Chen and Li An, Jiang Qianxiao also hesitated for a long time.
The prince was kidnapped. If Xiao Chen is captured, who will continue to investigate the prince's whereabouts?
This is not to say that there is no better case-handling expert than Xiao Chen in the entire Dongchang, nor is it to say that there is no one in Jinyiwei or other departments in the court who is more capable than Xiao Chen.
The most important thing is that Xiao Chen has always been responsible for the safety of the prince. He had the cooperation of the Jin Yiwei and set up layers of defense outside the Dongchang Prison to fight with the hidden and powerful secret forces.
Although the prince decided not to kidnap him in the end, when it came to understanding the secret forces, no one in the entire Ming Dynasty could compare with Xiao Chen.
If Xiao Chen's freedom is really completely restricted, it will be equivalent to completely giving up on the prince, and indirectly aiding the secretly rebellious forces.
But the Inspectorate has always been famous for its loyalty and discipline. Because of this, the emperor would entrust such important cases to himself.
Now, Xiao Chen has found the whereabouts of the prince and is about to return. He has lived up to his original intention to communicate with Jin Yiwei and imprison Xiao Chen and others in the Jin Yiwei prison, which aroused Lin Shangli's suspicion and made a desperate effort to exchange Xiao Chen with him.
freedom of.
"At the beginning, you were still vigorously opposing my decision. If I had softened my ears a little and listened to your suggestions, I might not be able to see the emperor's smile in the court today, right?" He turned to the inspector beside him.
The imperial censor of the right capital of the courtyard is Wanqing.
"In all the important departments of the imperial court, the chief officers are divided into left and right. Although there is only one word difference, it also distinguishes the priority of the department. Your Excellency, you are the absolute chief officer of our Inspectorate. With your sharp eyesight, how can I
How can they be compared?!" Wanqing, the censor of the right capital of the Inspectorate, chuckled and said in a low voice.
At the beginning, he prevented Jiang Qianxiao from causing trouble, hoping that he would strictly investigate Xiao Chen and Li An, the Minister of Punishment, in accordance with the court's laws. After all, if something happened to the prince, no one could be held responsible.
If you act in accordance with the court's decrees, even if the prince is not found in the end, it will not implicate the Inspectorate.
After all, the main responsible persons are Dongchang and the Ministry of Justice, and the Inspectorate is only following the emperor's wishes and holding them accountable.
If someone points out in the future that the Inspectorate restricted the freedom of the purple-clad captain to handle cases and delayed the opportunity to find the prince, then this responsibility can only be placed on the emperor.
The Inspectorate only acts in accordance with laws and orders.
"If I didn't want Captain Ziyi to be wronged, I wouldn't bother to use my brain to arrange these disputes in the court."
