Chapter 118: The Grassroots Meet His Majesty the Emperor of Ming Dynasty
The emperor didn't know why Liu Zhuguo suddenly mentioned the prince.
The selection of officials through the imperial examination is obviously a national policy that is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty. Who proposed it and what difference does it make?
"When Your Majesty was studying under the old minister, the old minister once asked your Majesty a question: if you can become an emperor, how can you become a good emperor?"
"His Majesty's answer to the old minister was to follow the good deeds."
"His Majesty the Emperor, let's take a look today. All the officials in the court, civil servants and generals, and even the old and immortal like us are kneeling here. Please take away the idea of taking the imperial examination."
"Has your Majesty really followed the good deeds?" Before the emperor could speak, Du Shangshu stood up slowly and looked at the emperor with a disappointed face.
The emperor opened his mouth. He wanted to tell Du Shangshu, his husband, what he was thinking now.
But the emperor knew in his heart that no matter what he said today, they were here to stop him and prevent him from taking the imperial examination.
No matter how extravagant his words are as an emperor, they are of no use at all.
"Your Majesty, I, the emperor's uncle, should not have come here in the first place, but taking an official position through the imperial examination completely violates the laws of our ancestors. The emperor's uncle has no choice but to watch you go astray, your majesty."
"Don't mention the appointment of officials through the imperial examination anymore. The relevant personnel who proposed the appointment by the imperial examination should also be dealt with together. The redundant officials and generals will be abolished. Uncle Emperor, I also support your majesty." The old King of Shu spoke again and asked.
The emperor couldn't find a chance to speak.
The King of Shu was even more ruthless, and directly asked the emperor to deal with the people who had taken the imperial examination.
"Your Majesty, taking official positions through the imperial examination is the root of the ruin of our Ming Dynasty. I hope your Majesty will think twice."
"If Your Majesty does not agree to cancel the imperial examination and obtain official positions, we will kneel down and die here."
"Your Majesty, please cancel the imperial examination and obtain official positions."
"Cancel the imperial examination and obtain official positions."
After the three leaders finished speaking, a group of officials kneeling behind them immediately echoed.
Many people knocked their heads to the ground and even threatened the emperor to kneel to death.
When the emperor heard this, he felt his head was dizzy and he shook involuntarily.
Liu Xi, who was behind him, quickly supported the emperor, his face full of worry.
Liu Xi knew that in this situation, the emperor was completely cornered.
Either break up with all the officials in front of you, or agree to them and cancel the imperial examination to get an official position.
But he fell out with more than 80% of the officials, including his emperor's elders, veterans who had made great achievements in the Ming Empire.
How did the emperor do it?
Even if he really fell out, how would the people of the world view the emperor?
The second prince and the third prince breathed a long sigh of relief.
Things had reached this point, and the emperor had no other choice but to cancel the imperial examination and obtain official positions.
This is also the best result they want.
As long as there is no imperial examination, future court officials will still be under their control.
Now, they just need to wait for the emperor to bow his head and accept his fate.
"Your Majesty, how about..." Liu Xi saw that the emperor's complexion was green and black, and he was worried that the emperor would be angry and cause problems, so he wanted to persuade the emperor to forget it.
The emperor waved his hand and glanced at the two hundred or so people in front of him.
Everyone here is fighting for their own interests.
No one is for the Ming Dynasty.
The emperor felt extremely disappointed.
That’s it, that’s it!
The emperor let out a long sigh in his heart and was about to promise to cancel the imperial examination when he saw a large group of people suddenly walking on the street in front of him.
Looking around, the twenty-meter-wide street was packed with people walking by.
And at a glance, you can't see where the end extends.
Walking at the front were dozens of old people who were already staggering and had to be helped across.
Each of them holds a dove stick in his hand.
Dove sticks, according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, all elderly people over eighty years old will be given dove sticks.
With the help of the dove stick, the old man can enter and leave the government office, walk on the streets, and go to the market to buy and sell tax-free.
Anyone who beats and insults an old man holding a dove stick is considered guilty of treason.
If you beat the old man holding the staff, you will be sentenced to be beheaded and abandoned.
In the entire capital city of the Ming Dynasty, there were hundreds of thousands of people, but only a few dozen old people were given dove sticks by the emperor.
But it seems they are all here now.
The old man at the front was well known to the emperor. He was the oldest man in the Ming Empire. He was one hundred and thirteen years old this year.
From a distance, the emperor saw Chen Changfeng walking towards this old man, supporting the old man.
Behind the old people are the people of the Ming Dynasty capital wearing clothes of different colors and styles.
There are women carrying vegetable baskets, porters carrying poles, private school teachers carrying books, and shopkeepers carrying abacus.
But they had only one purpose at the moment, to walk in front of the emperor.
"Come here, stop them quickly!" the third prince shouted, with a cold expression on his face.
"Stop!" the emperor shouted.
The third prince's heart sank.
He knew that Chen Changfeng asked Fengxue Bookstore to distribute free pamphlets with news about the imperial examinations, just to let the common people know about it.
But neither the second prince nor the third prince expected that so many common people would appear here.
The emperor scolded, and all the imperial guards stopped and stared blankly at the vast crowd approaching in front of them.
The emperor looked forward, and his tightly clenched fists suddenly relaxed.
"My son, I pay my respects to my father."
"The common people pay homage to His Majesty the Ming Emperor."
Chen Changfeng bowed to the emperor, and the vast crowd knelt on the ground and shouted towards the emperor.
The emperor saw many familiar faces in front of the crowd.
Yao Xiaoren, Yao Xiaoren’s daughter Yao Tangtang.
Crown Princess Tang Xueer.
Liu Miaomiao, daughter of Liu Shuwen's family.
And Tang Mingren.
The emperor thought that today's events would eventually end with hundreds of officials successfully forcing the palace, because he never saw Chen Changfeng.
But at this moment, seeing the vast number of people in the capital in front of him, the emperor felt a little warm in his heart.
Chen Changfeng did not allow his father to be persecuted by everyone.
The little bastard has been supporting him from behind.
"Get up, get up!" The emperor took two steps at a time, stepped over the officials kneeling in front of him, and came to the front of a group of old people.
The emperor glanced at Chen Changfeng and showed admiration.
"Your Majesty, I can't get up now. Please allow me to finish my words." The oldest man waved his hand.
"Come here, give me a seat." The emperor shouted again from behind.
Dozens of stools were moved over.
The emperor stood in front of the old man, waiting for him to speak.
"Your Majesty, the common people heard the day before yesterday that our Ming Empire is planning to implement the imperial examination to obtain official positions. Is this relevant?" the old man said, his voice a little hoarse.
"Yes, the prince and the minister of civil affairs believed that our Ming Dynasty official selection system could not adapt to the current situation, so they proposed the imperial examination to me." The emperor nodded.
"Then I would like to ask Your Majesty if the content of the booklet distributed for free by Fengxue Bookstore is the same." The old man asked again.
"Same." The emperor nodded. He had also seen the free booklet at Fengxue Bookstore, which was exactly the same as the one in his hand.
"Your Highness, please help me, this old man, to go to the opposite side of them." The old man turned back and looked at Chen Changfeng.
The emperor was stunned, his eyes fell on Chen Changfeng, wondering what they were planning to do.
"Okay." Chen Changfeng nodded and helped the old man to the front. Someone followed him with a stool.