Zhu Youxiao, who was far away in the capital, did not know what was happening in the south.
Right now he is making a very crucial move.
Ten days later, Zhu Youxiao, who pretended to be "dead" in the Qianqing Palace, once again summoned the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs.
But this time, more than just the bachelors from the cabinet and the chief officers of the six ministries came.
All officials of the fifth rank and above in the imperial court, whether civil servants or military generals, were ordered to enter the palace.
There is quite a sense in it that I am about to drive westward.
The officials who had been waiting for so many days were also extremely nervous at this time.
They all had a vague feeling that the Ming Dynasty might be about to change its dynasty again.
Some of them secretly rejoiced and were quite excited, such as Zhang Ruitu, the Minister of Rites, Wang Zhong, the mastermind behind the scenes, and Zhang Jin and other officials.
But some people are uneasy and look sad, such as Xu Guangqi, the second assistant in the cabinet, and Wang Zaijin, the assistant minister.
"Brother, could it be that you really don't have enough energy to save yourself?"
Wuding Marquis Guo Yingqi was also extremely conflicted at this time.
Once the emperor reused him, he promoted this idle nobleman to the core of power in the Ming Dynasty, and managed the police department alone.
But secondly, he did not have a deep relationship with the emperor. Even two months ago, he only glanced at the emperor from a distance with his peripheral vision in the Huangji Palace.
And this was exactly where he was conflicted. Although the emperor trusted and reused him, he put great pressure on him.
An app that has been running stably for many years, it is comparable to the old book-chasing tool, and is a source-changing app used by old bookworms.】
Since taking office as the so-called Minister of Police, he has not had a good night's sleep.
He is afraid that if something is not done well, or if a subordinate makes a mistake or makes a mistake, he will be blamed.
He had seen with his own eyes how the houses of dozens of nobles, including Duke Cheng Guo and Duke Ding, had their homes confiscated and how they died tragically.
As one of the few remaining nobles in the capital, he did not want to follow in their footsteps.
If the emperor died, he wouldn't have to worry so much day and night and could sleep peacefully.
But he was also worried that if the emperor really disappeared, would the political situation and current situation of the Ming Dynasty still maintain the status quo?
However, Zhang Weixian, the most powerful and trusted British duke in the dynasty, did not have such troubles and worries.
"Wu Dinghou, you have to remember one thing. At any time, try not to talk too much when you shouldn't ask."
"Your Majesty is a wise and wise king with great strategies. He has everything under control. We just have to act according to your orders."
Hearing this answer, Guo Yingqi couldn't help but glance at Zhang Weixian.
These words are meant to be a reminder. Although they are quite obscure, how could Guo Yingqi not understand the meaning?
Is it possible that His Majesty's health is not seriously injured? Or is the current situation caused by His Majesty's deliberate intention?
After thinking for a while and getting no answer, Guo Yingqi also threw it away.
Since Zhang Weixian was willing to remind him in a subtle way, he certainly had his reasons.
After all, they are all nobles of the imperial dynasty, and now His Majesty also makes great use of these nobles.
Sometimes, it is natural to twist into a rope and advance and retreat together, otherwise there will be no bones left in the chaotic fight.
British Duke Zhang Weixian already knew everything, so he did not appear to worry about gains and losses like Guo Yingqi did.
Many of the other ministers present had the same or similar concerns as Guo Yingqi.
This was especially true for Xu Guangqi and Wang Zaijin. They were both promoted by the emperor under unusual circumstances. Although they were in high and powerful positions, they also had many officials and ministers attached to them.
But in terms of foundation and influence, it is still far behind the traditional Jiangnan gentry group and the Donglin Party.
They also knew very well that once the emperor died, their ending would not be good and they would be liquidated.
Xu Guangqi had a deep understanding of it. When the Ming army suffered a disastrous defeat in the battle of Saarhu, Emperor Shenzong sent him to Tongzhou to recruit many Westerners to train the new army.
I thought that after practicing for a few years and putting them to great use, I would send my troops out to wipe out the Jiannu and avenge their previous humiliation.
But following the funeral of Emperor Shenzong, Xu Guangqi suffered countless impeachments in just two months, and was ostracized and suppressed everywhere.
If the current emperor had not been so discerning and organized tens of thousands of new troops in Tongzhou into the Yulin Army, all his hard work over the past few years would have been in vain.
But until now, he had no choice.
Birth, old age, illness and death are the laws of heaven, how can human beings stop them?
He only hoped that His Majesty could choose a successor before his death, and he did his best to support him.
"Chief Assistant, are everyone here?"
Today's big drama can be said to be the most critical part of Zhu Youxiao's plan.
Whether the harvest can meet expectations depends on how well the scene is performed, so Wei Zhongxian was directly asked to show up to mislead them as much as possible.
"I have personally checked and found that the officials of the fifth rank and above are all here. I wonder when I can see His Majesty?"
Although Wang Xiangqian was also promoted by Zhu Youxiao as the chief assistant, he did not have the same ideas as Zhu Youxiao like Xu Guangqi and Wang Zaijin.
Moreover, he had been an official in the court during the Longqing period. He came from the border area. He had military exploits and unparalleled qualifications.
What's more, he had already served as a second-rank high-ranking official in the middle of Wanli. Although he had not joined the cabinet, his status was already not low, so he did not rely on the kindness of knowing him.
When Wei Zhongxian heard Wang Xiangqian's rather unkind answer, he also looked at him with a ruthless look and said:
"Wait."
Wang Xiangqian was the chief minister and disliked Wei Zhongxian to begin with, but now a eunuch dared to use such a tone to confront him.
In addition, the emperor's life and death are unknown, and Wei Zhongxian is very likely to cause trouble. How can it be tolerated?
Just when he was about to scold him, he heard Wang Chaofu's sharp voice.
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived, and hundreds of officials are paying their respects."
The officials who had been waiting for a long time also hurriedly checked their appearance, and then knelt down and bowed in a tacit understanding and shouted:
"I respectfully wish His Majesty the Emperor to pay his respects."
As for the protagonist Zhu Youxiao, his appearance is naturally carefully planned.
He was lying on the dragon bed, his face was pale, his lips and the corners of his eyes were black, and he looked extremely ill. He was carried out by more than 20 guards. You can generally refer to the paragraph about the last emperor Cixi establishing Puyi.
Then he said in a weak and hoarse voice:
"Get flat."
Hearing the emperor's voice, the officials and ministers present had different thoughts.
Some officials secretly thought: It seems that the rumors outside are not true. The emperor is still alive, and they still need to hide and lurk, so as not to cause trouble at this critical moment.
When Xu Guangqi, Wang Zaijin and other royalists heard this hoarse voice, like rain after a long drought, a glimmer of hope ignited in their hearts.
When Zhang Ruitu heard this voice, a trace of evil flashed in his eyes, and he roared in his heart: Why is he not dead yet?
However, after they stood up, the emperor's words made him feel as excited as if he had passed the imperial examination.
But for Wang Zaijin and others, it was like a bolt from the blue.