Chapter 652: Tochen brings a message to His Majesty
When Emperor Jiajing was advancing on the road, he could not stop just to meet Yan Shifan. Yan Ge's son was not qualified to ask the emperor to stop on horseback.
Therefore, it was not until the large group of people stopped to rest midway that Yan Shifan, under the leadership of Yan Shifan, was able to go forward to see the emperor.
At this moment, Emperor Jiajing could not help but frown in disgust as Yan Shifan appeared in front of everyone in a miserable state.
The other ministers on the left and right were also speechless. How does Mr. Yange teach his son on weekdays? Such a low-end product is selling badly, and he still wants to use it here?
This is a temple and a court, not a countryside. But don’t you know that the emperor hates people who are disrespectful and unruly?
Yan Shifan threw himself in front of the emperor: "I know that I am disheveled and guilty of disrespect! But after receiving the imperial edict, I rushed to see the emperor immediately and had no time to tidy up."
Emperor Jiajing thought that this was Yan Song's son, so he asked: "How can he be in such a mess?"
Yan Shifan replied: "I am blind, physically disabled, and unable to move. I accidentally fell from my horse. I don't want this embarrassing image to stain His Majesty's eyes!"
Everyone on both sides was surprised that Yan Shifan did not take the opportunity to complain.
Qin Dewei and Yan Shifan were left together just now, and then Yan Shifan became like this. If you think about it, you can guess who did it, but Yan Shifan could hold back and didn't say anything.
Emperor Jiajing was originally nonchalant, but after hearing the answer, he looked at Yan Shifan meaningfully.
My favorability level increased a bit, and I felt that Mr. Yan Ge's son was quite sensible, he knew the general situation, and he did not make matters difficult for the emperor.
After taking a short rest, the emperor and his subjects continued to move towards Chunde Mountain.
Let's talk about Emperor Jiajing's southern tour of Chengtian Mansion. The main purpose was to conduct on-site inspections and finally determine how his parents would be buried.
The first option is for the father's emperor's mausoleum to be moved north to Dayu Mountain in the capital and buried together with the Empress Dowager Chiang;
The second option is that the tomb dedicated to the emperor by his father remains unchanged and expanded, and his mother, Empress Dowager Chiang, moves south from the palace and is buried with her father in the Xian Mausoleum of Chengtian Mansion.
The third option was the one most advocated by the ministers and the most trouble-free. No one on either side had to move. Emperor Xian continued to display the mausoleum in Chengtian Mansion, while Empress Dowager Chiang was buried on the spot in Dayu Mountain, and they were buried in each other's clothes.
Today, when Emperor Jiajing went to Chunde Mountain, he not only visited the Xian Mausoleum to pay homage to his father and offer sacrifices to the emperor, but it was also an important part of the on-the-spot investigation.
After the emperor and his ministers arrived at Chunde Mountain, they followed the Shinto to the Ming'en Hall where the emperor's mausoleum was dedicated, and then made three offerings.
Then Emperor Jiajing asked other ministers, eunuchs, military attachés, and Taoist priests to withdraw and stay alone in the Hall of En'en.
At this moment, Zhu Houcong was lonely. He was just a mortal who had left his hometown, his parents were dead, and his son wanted to support him, but his parents refused him.
When Empress Dowager Chiang passed away at the end of last year, Emperor Jiajing not only lost a close relative, but also lost the only person he could fully trust.
Looking at both inside and outside the palace, who can the Emperor Jiajing trust completely now?
The accompanying civil and military ministers stood outside the palace, waiting silently for the emperor to come out. They may know what the emperor needs, but they cannot give it and dare not give it.
After a while, Emperor Jiajing came out of the Ming'en Palace and walked out of the cemetery, followed by the other civil and military ministers.
Emperor Jiajing was strolling in the Chunde Mountain, then mounted his horse and circled around for a while. Suddenly he stopped and asked the ministers: "What do you think of the mountain scenery here?"
On the surface, the emperor asked about the mountain scenery of Chunde Mountain, but he was definitely not just talking about the mountain scenery. He knew that the ministers knew very well that he must be talking about the burial of his parents through the mountain scenery.
But no one answered for a while, because answering this question was really thankless.
If you say that Dayu Mountain in the capital is better than Chunde Mountain here, you are advocating moving the Xianling Mausoleum to the north and building an additional imperial mausoleum in Dayu Mountain, which will be extremely laborious and waste money, especially since the current national treasury is already very tight.
Therefore, anyone who supports this suggestion is tantamount to the kind of treacherous official who supports "proclaiming one's clan and entering the temple", and will incur a lot of scolding.
But if you say that Chunde Mountain is good, it implies that the Xianling Tomb will stay in the local area, but Emperor Jiajing has made up his mind to move the Xianling Tomb to the north of the capital. This is a wrong bet, and he will offend the emperor and ask for trouble.
After all, given Emperor Jiajing's attitude towards his own father, who can guarantee that Emperor Jiajing will not want to carry out extensive construction work and build a more grand imperial mausoleum in the capital?
So no matter how you answer, it may be thankless. The key is that Emperor Jiajing's attitude is unclear, and some people don't dare to take risks.
Emperor Jiajing looked at the silent ministers and sighed: "If Qin Dewei were here, he would not have any words to contribute."
Everyone: "."
Your Majesty, have you forgotten that you personally excluded him?
Otherwise, Your Majesty, you will issue twelve gold medals and urgently summon Qin Dewei to come here to shoulder the thunder?
At this moment, a man named Shang Bao Sicheng, who was unable to get on the stage, suddenly stood out from the crowd and said:
"I look at Chunde Mountain. The high hills are hidden, and there are mountains and hills, like dragons swimming and phoenixes leaping, winding and embracing. The atmosphere is perfect. The whole mountain is lush, and the green pines and green buildings complement each other. It is indeed auspicious soil!"
The ministers were surprised and began to re-examine this humble second-generation official.
Unexpectedly, this person spoke extemporaneously, and his rhetoric was consistent, so he can be regarded as a talented person. Moreover, as a humble official, he dared to take the initiative to preface the speech, and his courage was extraordinary.
This eloquence and courage are a bit like a shrunken version of Bachelor Qin.
Yan Song also looked at his son in shock, knowing that his son was no better than his father, his son must have been on top just now.
He was sure that it was the emperor's words "Suppose Qin Dewei were here" that aroused his son! Recently, his son cannot listen to such words.
Of course, Yan Shifan was not a fool, and he also had his own little calculation. In any case, it would not be wrong to praise Chunde Mountain first. After all, the biological father of Emperor Jiajing was buried here.
Then according to the changes in the emperor's attitude, let's take it one step at a time.
As expected, Yan Shifan's rhetoric made Emperor Jiajing feel very comfortable, and he asked Tao Zhongwen, the accompanying Taoist priest: "Yan Shifan said that this place is auspicious soil. What does the old god think?"
Tao Zhongwen replied very flatteringly: "Thanks to the blessing of the emperor, your majesty has been honored with great treasures. How can Chunde Mountain not be a treasure land of auspicious soil?"
Emperor Jiajing sighed again, as if exhaling some depression, as if saying to himself: "There is a little bit of emptiness in Dayu Mountain."
Yan Shifan seemed to have seized the opportunity that had passed by, and quickly spoke again: "Chunde Mountain is embraced by the Han River and rises and falls like a flying dragon. It is actually a blessed place blessed by God. Dayu Mountain is actually a little inferior!"
As if a signal, the other ministers followed Yan Shifan and spoke one after another.
What everyone said was only one sentence: "Chunde Mountain is very good, don't touch Xianling Tomb." This is a very just advice and can save a lot of manpower, material and financial resources.
Yan Shifan, who had led the court discussion, was slightly proud and winked at his father.
I, Yan Shifan, just lacked opportunities in the past. If I could be a minister, how could I make Qin Dewei stand out from the crowd?
Look at today’s discussion on the mausoleum and look at others following suit. This is the best example!
If the emperor finally makes up his mind not to move the Xianling Mausoleum, and others will start talking about it in the future, this achievement must be his, Yan Shifan's!
However, Emperor Jiajing didn't know why, but he still looked at the Han River in the distance, still hesitant and unable to make a final decision.
There were not many accompanying ministers, just a few. Only Zhang Chao, the Minister of Rites, did not express his opinion, which was very conspicuous.
Emperor Jiajing looked at Zhang Chao suspiciously. On this important matter of etiquette, the fact that the Minister of Rites did not say anything was the most suspicious thing.
After others calmed down, Zhang Chao then went forward and said: "Qin Dewei is holding the horse and whip today, not to cause trouble, but because he has something to say, so he went out of his way to appear in front of the emperor."
Any one of the courtiers would have guessed that Emperor Jiajing would be on a field trip to Chunde Mountain today and would definitely discuss the matter of his parents' tombs, so it was not surprising that he would be in front.
Emperor Jiajing asked curiously: "What else does Qin Dewei want to say?"
Zhang Chao continued: "Qin Dewei can't come, so I asked you to give your majesty a message. It can be roughly divided into two sentences. The first one is that the spirit of Chunde Mountain must not be let out!"
Upon hearing this, the very superstitious Emperor Jiajing was inexplicably frightened.
If the Xianling Tomb is moved to the north, the underground palace of the Xianling Tomb will have to be excavated in order to move the Emperor's Palace. Will this cause the fortune to be scattered?
Zhang Chao continued: "Secondly, when Emperor Taizu Gao established his capital in Yingtian Mansion, the imperial mausoleum was not moved to Yingtian Mansion; later when the capital moved north, Xiaoling Mausoleum was not moved to the capital either."
The implication is that the two most important ancestors, Taizu and Chengzu, did not move their father's tomb.
Therefore, not moving the tomb of your biological father to the capital is not a big deal, nor is it unfilial. There are two ancestral precedents, why do you insist on this, Your Majesty?
The two words from Qin Xueshi's "beating the cow across the mountain" were like enlightenment and cutting through the knot with a sharp knife, which completely freed Emperor Jiajing from months of hesitation.
Immediately, Emperor Jiajing said to the ministers with a relaxed expression: "It will be more than 20 years since the emperor's mausoleum was buried. Once it is exposed to the dust again, I will be uneasy. The emperor's mausoleum will not be at peace. Therefore, I have decided that my father's mausoleum will not be preserved."
We will move, only renovate and expand the camp in Chunde Mountain!"
Everyone: "."
So a group of them talked for a long time, but in the end they were still not as good as the two sentences Qin Dewei asked the tool man to pass on?
Yan Shifan only felt incomprehensible sadness. He had paved the way so much and should have taken the lead. Why was it Qin Dewei who made the final decision?
Since there was no reason to make sense, Yan Shifan could only lower his head and silently retreat to the back, where Shang Bao Sicheng should have stood.
Then I heard someone whispering next to me: "The court's decisions and decisions still depend on Academician Qin."
Emperor Jiajing said to the ministers again: "I want to transport the Holy Mother's Palace to the south and bury it with Huang Kao. What do you think?"
Xia Yan, the first assistant, thought for a while and said: "It's just that the roads along the way need to be renovated."
If Empress Dowager Chiang's Zi Palace goes south, it will definitely be treated with the highest courtesy. The prefectures and counties along the way will have to build new roads. And to protect the Zi Palace, thousands of people may be used to escort it, which will be a great burden on the states and counties along the way.
This year, the emperor's southern tour has already been full of troubles, and Empress Dowager Chiang's Zi Palace is going south to make more troubles. The prefectures and counties along the way to North Zhili, Henan, and Huguang are afraid that they will not be able to hold on.
If civil unrest breaks out in these hinterlands of the Central Plains, wouldn't that be a sign of the Jiajing Emperor's efforts to govern?
Emperor Jiajing asked Yan Song again: "What do you think?"
Yan Song replied very respectfully: "I just listen to His Majesty's decree and I will try my best to do it."
Yan Shifan thought about it in his mind and felt that his opportunity had come again. He once again stood out from the crowd and said to Emperor Jiajing: "I have thought about this and gained something."
Emperor Jiajing, however, looked forward to it and asked Zhang Chao, the Minister of Rites, "What do you mean?"
Zhang Chao replied: "If we travel by land, Our Lady's Palace will be shaken by the road, and there will be many transport links. There is always the risk of overturning, which will hurt Your Majesty's filial piety.
If Your Majesty is not in a hurry, Our Lady's Palace can go south by water, along the canal to the river, then up the river to Hankou, and then turn into the Han River."
Although it takes a long time, there is no need to build roads, and there is no need to harass the states and counties along the land route again.
There is also the advantage of putting the Zi Palace on the boat. It does not need to be moved around, and it is more dignified. Moreover, if you take the waterway, the safety factor along the way is higher and you don't need so many guards, which saves the burden along the way.
The ministers thought about it in their minds. If Zi Gong had to go south, it would be slightly better to go by water than by land. As the saying goes, choose the lesser of two evils.
After Emperor Jiajing thought about it for a moment, he decided: "If that's the case, let's take the water route."
Only Yan Shifan's eyes widened, and this was what he wanted to say! But His Majesty asked Zhang Chao first, and Zhang Chao said it first! Why didn't His Majesty ask himself first?
At this time, Emperor Jiajing asked Yan Shifan: "What do you want to say?"
Yan Shifan was also a little impatient: "I would like to ask for permission to go ahead and survey the waterway, and on the way, supervise the preparations of the prefectures and counties along the way!"
Starting from Zhongxiang, you can go south along the Han River, then enter the river, and then turn north through the canal to return to the capital. .;
Zhang Chao Zhang Shangshu hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Qin Dewei knew that he could not come, so he asked his ministers to bring a message to His Majesty, and also asked for a tassel to survey the waterway."
Yan Shifan: "."
Emperor Jiajing showed no surprise at all, "Qin Dewei originally thought of the water route?"
Zhang Chao answered truthfully: "Qin Dewei originally wanted to present all the ideas he had worked so hard on to His Majesty, but unfortunately he was unable to come, so he had to ask his ministers to deliver a message to Your Majesty."
Let me paralyze you! Yan Shifan was still impatient and could not bear to slander, saying: "Your Majesty is aware that Qin Dewei just wants to take the opportunity to return to Nanjing and regard this errand as a vacation!"
When Emperor Jiajing heard this, he said to Xia Yan: "In this case, let Qin Dewei accept the mission and allow him to return to Nanjing."
Yan Shifan almost vomited blood on the spot. What he said was obviously slander. Couldn't the emperor hear the flattery? What kind of hell would it be to experience such slander that he felt like vomiting blood?
He also wanted to say a few words: "Your Majesty, this."
Yan Song immediately scolded Yan Shifan softly: "Step back! There is no place for Shang Bao Sicheng like you to speak!"
Emperor Jiajing thought of Yan Song's benefits and casually showed his kindness: "Yan Shifan can go to work in the Ministry of Industry and stay here to rebuild the Xianling Mausoleum."
The pending matters that had been hesitating for several months were finalized, and the difficult problems were solved. Emperor Jiajing's depressed mood was not said to be completely resolved, but he felt a little relieved.
In the spring sunshine, look at the mountain scenery of Chundeok Mountain, and then look at the color of the Han River. This scene needs a little literature to embellish it.
It's really annoying that Qin Dewei's poetry output is too high, but suddenly it's gone, and it feels like something is missing.
The other ministers sighed together, what were they doing today?
