The maids and maids lowered their heads one after another, not daring to make a sound. Under the ocher yellow bed curtain, there lay a thin man, who was the current lord of the world, Emperor Zhengde.
After falling into the water and returning to the palace, his health has been poor. In the first month of the year, the emperor is supposed to host a grand ceremony in the southern suburbs. Due to the emperor's current health condition, ministers suggested canceling it, but he still managed to hold on. Wearing dozens of kilograms of dress Wearing it on the body, it was blown by the cold winter wind, so when making the first gift, the emperor bowed down to heaven and earth, suddenly vomited blood, and collapsed to the ground in full view of everyone. These three months were almost spent in the hospital bed.
The palm eunuch Zhang Yong personally took the bowl in and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, it's time to take medicine. Someone from Taiyuan Hospital will come to give you the trocar later."
Zhengde glanced at the bitter soup with boredom, pushed it away weakly, and then sat up with the help of the palace maid, silently looking at the horizon that had just lit up, "What time is it?"
Another eunuch next to him, Gu Dayong, said first: "Back to Your Majesty, it's just past midnight. You seem to be in good spirits today. I've cooked ginseng porridge in the kitchen. Can I have it served?"
"That's okay, you go and make arrangements." Zhengde waved his hand, and Gu Dayong immediately left in a hurry, feeling proud that although Long Live Grandpa has been favoring his godsons recently, he really wants to take care of him if there is anything he needs. If it weren't for eunuchs like them, he would definitely become the number one person around His Majesty when he recovers!
After he left, Zhengde forced himself to walk around the room a few times. He always liked movement but not silence. Now he was enjoying himself, but he was obviously more depressed.
The people around seemed to have expected something, with a look of fear on their faces.
The emperor took his last breath and ordered Zhang Yongdao: "Tell the empress dowager that all major affairs of the court will be handed over to the cabinet in the future. I am today all caused by myself and have nothing to do with others. Don't, don't pursue..." Before he finished speaking, He passed out and died.
Zhang Yong took a trembling breath and wailed: "Your Majesty, you are dead!"
"Bang-dang--" Gu Dayong, who was jubilant outside the house, froze on the spot. The tray in his hand fell and the hot ginseng porridge spilled all over the floor, which seemed to foreshadow the mess he would suffer in the rest of his life.
…
The death of the emperor is naturally a big deal, but right now there is something more terrible than that.
Liang Chu, the second assistant to the cabinet, stood in the hall, looking around constantly. Along with him were the chief assistants Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji. These four are now the four elders.
Liang Chu hesitated again and again, but walked to Yang Tinghe and whispered: "Jiefu, please tell me. Regarding the new king, has the Queen Mother discussed it with you in private?"
Yang Tinghe, nicknamed Jiefu, had been the teacher of Emperor Zhengde when he was young. Over the years, Zhu Houzhao had been messing around in the front, while Yang Tinghe had cleaned up his mess in the back. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he had power over the government and the public. At this time, he looked on indifferently He glanced at Liang Chu, and there was no sadness or joy on his face, "Uncle Hou said carefully, major affairs of the country are decided by the court, how can you discuss it arbitrarily?"
Liang Chu hit a snag and could only go back angrily. He cursed at Yang Tinghe in his heart. If he hadn't written a letter to let Yang Tinghe come back after removing his mourning clothes, and also gave up his position as chief assistant, how could it be this old man's turn to dominate? Fu, I don't remember that it was obviously because I couldn't control Zhengde, and I was so troubled that I had to ask Yang Tinghe to solve it.
After a long time, the consul eunuch shouted: "The Queen Mother is here", and a beautiful middle-aged woman sat behind the curtain and was served by others. This woman was the biological mother of Emperor Zhengde and the first wife of Hongzhi, the Queen Mother Zhang. The ministers present quickly saluted.
"Give me a seat." Empress Dowager Zhang said in a hoarse voice, sounding as if she had just cried. She and her husband have been together for the rest of their lives, and they only have this son. Now that the white-haired person is giving away the black-haired person, it is inevitable that she will be extremely sad.
"Dear elders, the emperor left in a hurry and has not left a word about the ancestral temple. In your opinion, how should we deal with it in the future?"
Everyone was shocked, knowing that the important point was coming, and they all expressed their suggestions one after another. To be honest, Zhengde did not have a son and a half at the age of thirty. When he was seriously ill, all the smart people considered it in their hearts.
But I didn't expect the emperor to leave in such a hurry, so I was a little panicked for a while.
Queen Mother Zhang was upset. Seeing Yang Tinghe standing there and not participating in the discussion, she asked, "What do you think, Master Yang?"
Yang Tinghe seemed to have been prepared for it, and he calmly took out a booklet from his body, with four big characters written on it - "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions".
This is a classic compiled under the leadership of Zhu Yuanzhang, the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, with the purpose of consolidating the imperial power of the Ming Dynasty and admonishing future generations.
"Queen Mother, although Your Majesty has passed away, according to the "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions", after the father dies, the son succeeds, and the elder brother succeeds the younger brother. Accordingly, the eldest son of Xiaozong's eldest brother, King Xingxian, should inherit the throne."
As soon as these words came out, all the ministers fell silent. After all, the "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions" was suppressing it. It would be disrespectful for outsiders like them to speak again. The Ming Dynasty had a complete eldest son inheritance system, which could not be compared to
Like the Western Han Dynasty, when the emperor dies, the ministers will randomly select a lucky person to succeed him.
However, as the biological mother of Emperor Daxing, Empress Dowager Zhang obviously had certain decision-making power. When she heard what Yang Tinghe said, she hesitated and said: "Prince Xing? I remember that child. The court gave him a reward for his meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion a while ago. However,
His biological mother, Princess Jiang, is still alive, and he is the only one in Prince Xing’s branch. If he comes to inherit the heir, wouldn’t it be..."
In fact, Empress Dowager Zhang prefers another biological mother who died early, so that she can still have the West Palace to herself.
"Queen Mother, it is precisely because King Xing has no brothers that he is more suitable to inherit the throne." Yang Tinghe said solemnly: "Let's not talk about the ethical order of King Xing. If we really find a man with many brothers, then the brothers of the emperor should be
How to deal with it, how to deal with the emperor's biological father. The example of Prince Ning's rebellion is before us, and our Ming Dynasty cannot continue to be in chaos!"
Although Empress Dowager Zhang had served two emperors, she was not interested in politics at all. All she cared about was the glory of the Zhang family. Now that Yang Tinghe was suppressing the country and the country, she did not dare to say anything more. After holding it in for a long time, she just
Can Neng ask: "King Xing's name is Houcong, right? What is the child's character like?"
Hearing this, Yang Tinghe breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the matter was most likely to be successful, so he quickly said: "King Xing is only fourteen this year. He is a good scholar, virtuous, benevolent and filial. He once scolded King Ning for his ambition when he raised his army, but he still keeps his filial piety.
During the period, and I didn’t get married yet.”
"That's it..." After hearing this, Queen Mother Zhang nodded thoughtfully. The other party was born in Anlu. She had never even left home and was young. After she first came to Dabao, she had to rely on herself for everything. So,
, the selection of the queen can actually be put into practice in the future.
Empress Dowager Zhang, who already thought this person was a good one, asked her final question, "So, who does Yang Taifu think should go to greet him?"
Everyone's hearts suddenly rose to their throats. Anyone with a brain knows that catering to the emperor is a good thing that only happens once in eight lifetimes. Now that you have made your name in front of the new emperor, will any good things you do in the future have to be done first?
Considering you, even if you don't go up, if you make a mistake and are caught, the emperor will take into account the circumstances and deal with it as appropriate.
Yang Tinghe's eyes swept around, and wherever he went, there were pleading and expectant eyes. He smiled sarcastically in his heart, turned around and continued to say seriously: "Queen Mother, welcoming the emperor is a major event, and it stands to reason that civil servants, military commanders, clans, relatives, and cabinet ministers should all
Send one person."
"As for the clan officials, I feel that Shouning Hou is a smart man, and it is perfect for Eunuch Gu to serve the late emperor for a long time."
Shouning Marquis Zhang Heling is the younger brother of Empress Dowager Zhang. He usually bullies men and dominates women and does all kinds of bad things. He has relied on Empress Dowager Zhang to protect him for so many years. Empress Dowager Zhang felt relieved after hearing this. As for Gu Dayong, he was even more delighted.
Crazy, you must know that after Zhengde died, the people who were most afraid of being liquidated were the sycophant eunuchs. He had been worried since he was just now. Fortunately, Yang Tinghe has not forgotten him!
The military commander named Xu Guangzuo, Duke of Ding, and Mao Cheng, the Minister of Etiquette from the civil servants. Both were old men in the court and were responsible for teaching Zhu Houcong etiquette. Finally, it was the cabinet's turn. Yang Tinghe initially used the excuse that Liang Chu was old and the court could not do without him.
Let the younger Jiang Mian go.
However, Liang Chu jumped out at once, his movements were too nimble to look like a man in his sixties, and he said loudly: "Taifu Yang's words are wrong. Is there anything more important in the court than the new king now?"
For the sake of the country, I should go there myself!"
"This..." Yang Tinghe seemed to have no choice but to nod in agreement. However, Liang Chu also offended Jiang Mian.
So after the dust settled, when Yang Tinghe proposed to deal with Jiang Bin, Jiang Mian, who knew that Jiang Bin had a good relationship with Liang Chu, immediately raised his hands in agreement.
As mentioned before, Jiang Bin, as the most favored godson of Emperor Zhengde, was not only granted a title and a mansion, but also put him in charge of the "Mighty Regiment Training Camp" that was not long established. These were all carefully selected by Zhengde from among the personal guards.
Although there are only 10,000 to 20,000 people selected, they are all elites. Jiang Bin has a large number of troops. If he has any rebellion, he can surround the imperial city in minutes.
Yang Tinghe will never let such a traitor stay!
Although Liang Chugu Dayong wanted to deal with it, he had just won Yang Tinghe's favor and was inconvenient to talk. He couldn't even inform him secretly. After all, there were only a few of them present, so in the end he had to leave everything to the other party's decision.
When we came out of the Forbidden City, it was already bright. Yang Tinghe was walking on the white jade floor tiles with a calm expression. When people around him saw him, they lowered their heads and took a detour, not knowing whether it was fear or something else, but he didn't seem to care.
Zhengde died, and the emperor whom he had watched since childhood actually walked ahead of him in the end.
The more than twenty years he spent with him seemed to be vivid in his mind, and Yang Tinghe didn't know whether he felt more sad or regretful. Vaguely, deep in his heart, he seemed to have some relief.
No matter what, what happened today went according to my plan.
He looked back at this majestic palace. His back was as straight as a pine and cypress. The court has been in chaos for too long. It is time to correct everything!