Before Yan Song entered his Zhilu, Xia Yan happened to be doing morning exercises in front of Wuyi Hall. Yan Song said to Xia Yan: "Qin Dewei is outside the Yinghe Gate asking to meet you."
Xia Shoufu frowned. The wolf that wanted to eat meat came again?
If an ordinary minister had nothing to do and ran outside the palace gate to see the emperor, he would most likely end up being scolded by the eunuch who delivered the message on the emperor's behalf, and then ridiculed by public opinion as a common man.
But Qin Dewei, who was unusual and confident, was called in. At this time, the emperor and his ministers were all in the front hall of Wuyi Hall.
Emperor Jiajing was still wearing a Taoist robe, sitting south on the high platform, looking down on all living beings like a statue in a temple.
Xia Yan and Yan Song, the two pavilion elders, are on the east side, and Cheng Guogong Zhu Xizhong and Wu Dinghou Guo Xun are on the west side.
Except for the third cabinet minister who has not completed the process of joining the cabinet, and the emperor's relative Jingshan Hou Cui Yuan who has taken leave to go home, the civil and military ministers who serve Emperor Jiajing on a daily basis are basically the same lineup.
After the uninvited guest Qin Dewei paid homage to the emperor, he automatically stood on the east side and his position was automatically behind Yan Song.
Emperor Jiajing said in a low mood: "In order to improve my livelihood, a distinguished scholar suggested that I live in seclusion and meditate, and have less contact with ordinary people.
I have thought about it over and over again, what if I practice in seclusion for one or two years and have the prince supervise the country during that period?"
Xia Yan, the first assistant, Yan Song, the great scholar, and Zhu Xizhong, the Duke: ""
Why is it said that serving Emperor Jiajing is an extremely difficult technical job? This is the reason.
Emperor Jiajing would often ask questions that were unbelievable, ambiguous, and impossible to answer, making it difficult for people to continue.
Only Guo Xun, who made a comeback by recommending "experts", and Qin Dewei, the "all-knowing", were not surprised. They looked at each other in a mood and snorted coldly.
In fact, Qin Dewei was quite speechless. He thought that after entering, the emperor and his ministers would immediately start discussing the border problems, but he did not expect that the emperor would start talking about seclusion to cultivate immortality.
Before moving to Xiyuan, Emperor Jiajing had many problems, but he was still a normal emperor. But after moving to Xiyuan, he began to act like a coward.
Qin Dewei secretly speculated that the emperor was now suffering from age anxiety.
Emperor Jiajing's grandfather, Emperor Xianzong, died at the age of forty-one, his uncle, Emperor Xiaozong, died at the age of thirty-six, his cousin, Emperor Wuzong, died at the age of thirty-one, and his biological father, Emperor Ruizongxian, died at the age of forty-four.
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The average age of the four close relatives is thirty-eight, and Emperor Jiajing himself is already thirty-four years old this year, and his body is not strong and he often gets seriously ill when the seasons change.
Not to mention the emperor's own anxiety, even though the ministers dare not say it, they are thinking in their hearts. From an optimistic estimate, the emperor can survive for about ten years at most.
Therefore, even if the emperor is a little superstitious, builds large-scale construction projects, recruits people, appoints treacherous ministers, and causes corruption in the government, he will just put things right when the time comes.
But none of the ministers in the original historical time and space expected that such a sick emperor would actually reach the age of sixty, and the traitor Yan Song would reach almost ninety.
There was silence in the palace for a moment, and the ministers were all pretending to be dumb, because the emperor's words just now were really difficult to catch.
If you agree that the emperor is in seclusion to cultivate immortality and ignore government affairs, and that the prince supervises the country and ministers assist in government, wouldn't it mean "Emperor, get out of here and leave the country to us"?
It’s not that everyone doesn’t know what kind of person Emperor Jiajing was and his attitude towards power.
And no one can say for sure whether the emperor really had the idea of retreating to immortality in order to seek immortality, or was he deliberately fishing?
But if you go the other way and say that you don't agree with the emperor's seclusion to cultivate immortality, everything will not be fine. Then you have to give a few more reasons why you don't agree with the emperor's seclusion to cultivate immortality.
But this can easily be understood as accusing the emperor of being superstitious and practicing Taoism. Emperor Jiajing was sensitive and suspicious by nature, could he listen to such words?
Originally, in history, there were ministers who strongly advised Emperor Jiajing not to go into seclusion, but then he was hit with a stick three times in a row, sentenced to prison, and dismissed from office.
So others stopped trying to persuade him, and in the end Emperor Jiajing did not retreat. No one knew what Emperor Jiajing was thinking at that time.
At this time, Qin Dewei very, very, very much hoped in his heart that Emperor Jiajing would really go into seclusion to cultivate immortality and never come out again. Maybe this would be better for the Ming Dynasty!
But even if Qin Dewei was killed, he would not dare to say so clearly. Everyone present could agree with the emperor's seclusion, but he could not.
Because he, Qin Dewei, was a trinity of Qingliu, and he was also the second-in-command of the Eastern Palace, Shao Zhanshi, and a bachelor of Zuo Chunfang.
If the emperor cannot come out of seclusion and the five-year-old prince supervises the country, it is equivalent to the East Palace ascending to heaven, and he will be so high that he cannot take care of himself.
Maybe Emperor Jiajing had thought of this as well, or maybe Qin Dewei was in trouble today when he came to court.
So Emperor Jiajing waited for a while and saw that no one answered, so he directly designated Qin Dewei and said: "What do you think?"
I don’t know what other people think, but the elders are quite happy about the misfortune.
You, Qin Dewei, think that being in front of the emperor must be a good thing? Then you have only seen thieves eating meat, but never seen thieves being beaten!
Qin Dewei looked at Guo Xun again and then said to Emperor Jiajing: "Dare you dare to ask Your Majesty, who suggested it to Your Majesty to live in seclusion and meditate?"
Emperor Jiajing said: "Gao Shi Duan Chaoyong."
Qin Dewei asked again: "I have never heard of this person before, and I dare to ask Your Majesty again who recommended Duan Immortal to Your Majesty?"
Emperor Jiajing said impatiently: "It's Guo Xun!"
Who is asking whom? If Qin Dewei dares to ask questions again, he will definitely push it out and beat the imperial staff, and he will do it!
But Qin Dewei really did not continue to ask, and said sternly: "I just thought that officials were awarded through bribery, which corrupted border affairs and left a legacy to this day. Zhang Zan, the former Minister of War, was also recommended by Guo Xun!
So I think that Guo Xun either has poor vision or bad intentions! If your Majesty asks, I can only tell you that I will never believe Guo Xun!"
The gloating elders: ""
How could this man on horseback be so unreasonable and allow Qin Dewei to dodge successfully again! Where is the law of heaven?
Even the sensitive and suspicious Emperor Jiajing could not find "fault" in this passage.
However, Qin Dewei's deliberate words of "corrupting side affairs" finally reminded Emperor Jiajing of today's "business", and he immediately became irritable.
Immediately he said angrily: "Since I started practicing Zuo, I have been dedicated to governing and living up to my ancestors. Why do I encounter something like this that has not happened in a hundred years!"
Since the Tumubao Incident ninety years ago, there have been no incidents of northern barbarians going deep into the hinterland to plunder.
Although there are bad wars with the Northern Barbarians every year, basically the war can be maintained along the border wall, and the mainland will not be harassed by the Northern Barbarians.
Emperor Jiajing also believed that he was not an emperor who neglected government affairs like his cousin Wu Zong. While fighting wits and courage with ministers for the gift of recognizing his father, he also worked hard to rule for more than ten years.
But why did the embarrassing incident of being slapped in the face when the Northerners invaded hundreds of miles away happened when he was the emperor?
Feeling aggrieved, angry, confused, unable to reason, and having the urge to give up.
Qin Dewei just wanted to roll his eyes, but he couldn't say many words.
Zhu Houcong, if you continue like this, this year is just the beginning, and there will be many things that will make you more aggrieved, angry, and confused in the future!
Are you tired of being an emperor like this? I, Qin Dewei, am even more tired!