It was already very hot in Beijing at the end of May, and the cicadas were hissing, adding a bit of irritability to the already restless people.
The Prince's East Palace, which has become the center of the capital, is as busy as ever. In addition to various ministers coming to deliver government affairs every day, Jian Yi, Yang Shiqi and others who stayed in the capital also visited the East Palace almost from morning to night.
This summer was very difficult for the prince. The two palace maids were fanning gently, but Zhu Gaochi was still sweating profusely. Apart from the hot weather, the unusual movements of King Han and Ji Gang were what really made him irritated.
In the twenty-odd days after the emperor left Beijing, everything went as usual for them, but more than ten days ago, the two of them couldn't hold back and started to get active. There was an endless stream of noble generals visiting the King of Han every day, and Ji Gang also began to arrest people on a large scale.
The spies arranged by Wang Xian in the capital were determined to re-run Jinling City into a monolithic state.
What makes the prince even more worried is that Zhu Gaoxu, on the basis of already having such a huge army as the three guards and the Tiance Guards, wants to expand the army. And he does it as he says, and actually creates some kind of Tiance Guards on the left and right.
Come! Moreover, before the establishment of Tiance Left Guard and Tiance Right Guard over there has been approved, recruitment has already begun. This kind of thing may be extremely difficult for others, but for those in the army, it is absolutely impossible.
For the authoritative King of Han, it was easy. He gave a greeting, and officers and soldiers from each guard retired one after another to join his army. In just a few days, his military camp in Shence Gate had been summoned.
There are three to five thousand people, and the number is still increasing rapidly.
Fang Bin, the Minister of War, could no longer bear the disturbance, so he had no choice but to come to the prince for help...
"Your Highness, the people of the King of Han are sitting at the Ministry of War every day, asking for the number of guards and horses." Fang Bin sat down with a sad face and complained to the prince, Jian Yi, Yang Shiqi and others: "I told them
, the Ministry of War has no decree and has no authority to give out a new establishment. But they said that the emperor has already said that the guard of the King of Han will be greatly strengthened. How to strengthen it? Of course, it is to increase the guard. And they ask me if I want to deceive the king? "
"Hey." Jian Yi sighed when he heard this: "Someone suddenly assassinated the King of Han. The emperor was heartbroken, so he allowed him to do whatever he wanted." Speaking of which, Jian Shangshu is also an old-time ****, but it was just about the welcoming incident last year.
After being sent to prison, he was soon released and restored to his post, but the trauma to his soul was difficult to heal. In addition, he was old and had no energy left. He could only sigh and sigh all day long.
"What Laobu Tang said is wrong. Your Majesty only said to strengthen the security for the King of Han, but did not explicitly say that he would increase the army." Yang Shiqi, who had also been in prison and was released, became more and more courageous, and he did not lose the posture of the King of Han at all.
He was frightened and said: "I think what the King of Han is doing is like using chicken feathers as an arrow. Fang Shangshu doesn't need to pay attention to it and let them make trouble. If the trouble becomes too big, they won't get any good results."
"Scholar Yang makes it easy," Fang Bin said with a sad face, "If you don't believe me, let's change positions and have a look. I'm sure you'll feel like you're sitting on the stove."
"Can they put a knife on your neck?" Yang Shiqi said lightly: "Fang Shangshu's trouble is just that he doesn't dare to offend the King of Han..."
"If I'm pressed, they might put a knife on my neck." Fang Bin said depressedly: "Xueshi Yang said that I was afraid of offending the King of Han, which is even more sad. Haven't I offended them enough now?"
"Okay." The prince wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and said: "Gu knows how difficult it is for Shangshu Fang. It's just the number of the two guards, and I can't make the decision. I will report it to my father and leave everything to the Holy See.
"
"Your Highness, we cannot report it to the Emperor!" Yang Shiqi said flatly: "If we report it to the Emperor, the Emperor might really approve it. Wouldn't we be shooting ourselves in the foot?"
"But Fang Shangshu can no longer resist it. If it's such a big matter, I can't hide it from my father, right?" The prince sighed.
"Although the emperor is in Beijing, he must have some insight into the affairs of the capital. Maybe he is waiting to see how your highness will deal with it!" Yang Shiqi is wise and resourceful, and is often by his side. He knows Zhu Di far better than Zhu Gaochi.
As a son. He said solemnly: "If this matter was not done by the King of Han, but by someone else, and His Highness did not report it, the Emperor would definitely be suspected of having ulterior motives. But if the King of Han did it, if His Highness reported it
, will definitely be regarded as a complaint by the emperor... The emperor will think, okay, the King of Han has been injured like that, but it is just a little extreme reaction, and the prince will accuse him of treason as if he has a big handle!"
"..." After listening to Yang Shiqi's words, the prince's newly wiped forehead was covered with sweat again, but this time he did not feel hot, but his whole body was cold. "Master Yang is right. In the eyes of the emperor, I am your elder brother."
Yes, you should let your brother go, not to mention that Gao Xu was just injured."
"So if the prince refuses to report it, the emperor will not think that you have any second thoughts. Instead, he will think that his highness can tolerate the King of Han, like an elder brother." Yang Shiqi said eloquently: "So this matter, I think.
The correct way to deal with it is to pretend to be deaf and dumb."
"That's connivance!" Jian Yi said in a dull voice.
"Has Laobu Tang forgotten Zheng Boduan's story?" Yang Shiqi's eyes flashed and he said calmly.
"Oh..." The other three people in the prince's study all gasped when they heard this, and they realized that Yang Shiqi was a truly ruthless character.
The so-called Duan of Zheng Burke can be regarded as the most important event in the first year of "Spring and Autumn". Zheng Bo is Zheng Zhuanggong, and Duan is his younger brother Gongshu Duan. When Zheng Zhuanggong was in power, his queen mother Jiang especially doted on Gongshu Duan.
After trying hard to get his uncle Duan to ascend the throne, he went even harder and asked Duke Zheng Zhuang to give him a fiefdom that far exceeded the regulations. The ministers persuaded Duke Zheng Zhuang not to agree, but Duke Zhuang met the requirements of his mother and younger brother. Later, Gongshu Duan annexed two places in succession.
The country was almost divided into two parts. The ministers urged Duke Zhuang to deal with him, but Duke Zhuang still refused.
Seeing that his brother was so cowardly, Gongshu Duan's ambitions grew. He prepared soldiers, armor, food and fodder, and prepared to launch a rebellion. The Jiang family also prepared to open the city gate for Gongshu Duan as an internal response. Unexpectedly, Gongshu Duan had secretly made preparations before he launched the rebellion.
The sun sent troops to put down the rebellion. Because Uncle Duan had gone too far and had lost all people's hearts, he was easily defeated by Duke Zhuang and put down the rebellion...
Everyone here is well-read in poetry, so naturally they are familiar with this story, and they can all understand the deep thoughts of Zheng Zhuanggong... As a monarch, he naturally regards his uncle Duan who threatens him as a great enemy, but Gongshu Duan
It was his biological brother, his mother's beloved youngest son, and if he rashly attacked him, he would definitely be criticized for being unfilial and unjust, cast aside by the people, and even endanger his rule. Zheng Zhuanggong adopted a conniving approach, making his uncle Duan even more unscrupulous.
The evil deeds made the people hate him. He deliberately showed weakness and made him want to be rebellious. When he and his mother were about to take action, he suddenly took action and captured him. In this way, the people would think that Zhuang Gong's actions were justified and should not be ignored.
They would say he is unkind and unfilial.
But in fact, all of this was a trap by Duke Zheng Zhuang. Although Duke Duan was to blame for his own demise, it was also inseparable from his connivance and guidance... Even after two thousand years, this insidious hypocrisy still deeply shocked people's hearts.
.
After a long time, everyone in the prince's study room came out of silence...
"Shi Qi Duan is a clever trick." Jian Yi twisted his beard and said thoughtfully: "But as the saying goes, it is better to have no books than to believe in books. Uncle Zheng can use this method to defeat Duan, but the prince cannot use this method to defeat Han."
"Yes." Fang Bin also agreed: "Zheng Zhuanggong is the monarch of the Zheng Kingdom. He holds military and political power, and his ministers are loyal to him. Only then can he have the confidence to indulge Duke Duan. But His Highness is only the prince, with military and political power and the loyalty of his ministers."
, all belong to the emperor. The result of indulging the King of Han is to play with fire and burn yourself."
Although the prince did not speak, he nodded slightly, obviously having the same concerns. He turned his head to Yang Shiqi, wanting to hear what the wisest head in the Ming Dynasty had to say.
"You two are right, we want to imitate the ancient times but not stick to the ancient methods." Yang Shiqi, with a thin face and his eyes shining with wisdom, smiled and said, "Then we just need to prevent them from jumping over the wall."
"How to prevent it?"
"The matter with the White Lotus Sect in Shanxi has been successfully resolved. The Ministry of War can issue a letter ordering the advance guard of the government army to go south quickly to accept reorganization." Yang Shiqi said confidently: "At that time, I will ask the grandson to write to the emperor on the grounds that the capital is uneasy and he is worried about his father's safety, asking to stay.
In the capital, Taisun's words are much more effective than His Highness's. In this way, he can severely accuse the King of Han, and the Emperor will not suspect His Highness."
"And with the 30,000 soldiers and horses in the vanguard of the government army, the dilemma of having no trustworthy soldiers in His Highness's hands is gone forever." Fang Bin also cheered up and said: "Although 30,000 soldiers and horses are not many, they are enough.
Let the King of Han not dare to act rashly!"
"As time goes by, even with Ji Gang as a cover, King Han's illegal behavior will naturally reach the ears of the emperor." Jian Yi finally smiled and said: "When the time comes, no matter how much the emperor loves the King of Han, he will not be able to tolerate him continuing to misbehave in the capital."
The prince nodded frequently after hearing this, and most of the annoyance in his heart disappeared, and then asked: "Then what should we do about the chaos in the capital now? If I just ignore it, how can I be worthy of the people of the capital? If I mess up a good capital, I will not be sorry to my father.
of trust.”
"Haha, your highness, why should you worry? The person who will relieve your worries should be back soon, right?" Yang Shiqi said with a faint smile.
"Uh..." Zhu Gaochi's eyes lit up and he smiled for the first time and said: "I received news the day before yesterday that Zhongde has passed through Henan and should return to Beijing soon."
"Then what else does your Highness have to worry about?" Yang Shiqi said with a smile: "As soon as Wang Xian arrives, someone will fight with them. I believe he will handle everything well."
"Hey, I blame him for all the difficulties," Zhu Gaochi sighed, "I really feel sorry for myself."
"A capable person should work harder." Yang Shiqi said with a smile: "His Highness treats him well. It's time for him to repay His Majesty's service."
"That's all we can do." The prince nodded and said seriously: "You must protect him, and you must not let him suffer in the temple."