Mao Cheng and Shi Ban were almost driven out of the Wenhua Palace by Emperor Jiajing.
After the two came out, they looked confused, with many questions hanging in their heads, wondering what the little emperor was up to.
Shi Ban said: "Xianqing, did you understand what His Majesty meant? Why did Your Majesty only talk about some trivial things? Could it be that there was something else?"
Mao Cheng sighed: "Although there was confusion before, in the end His Majesty actually made it clear. He was trying to get the number of funerals for Empress Dowager Shouan, but he couldn't make it too obvious. Let me wait and guess... Actually, there is no need to guess.
, you should know what His Majesty means."
That's what he said, but Mao Cheng vaguely felt that things were not that simple.
If we were just fighting for the number of funerals for Empress Dowager Shao, or whether Empress Dowager Shao could be buried in Maoling, would it be a little easier?
The little emperor's mind was too complicated. With Mao Cheng and the little emperor having more than a year of experience in fighting over the issue of gifts, Zhu Si seemed to have gone too far in beating around the bush this time.
Cabinet value.
Yang Tinghe heard the news that Empress Dowager Shao was critically ill. With his shrewdness, he naturally expected that it might involve a dispute over the etiquette after Empress Dowager Shao's death.
The five members of the cabinet sat together and prepared to hold a small meeting to prepare for the upcoming funeral issues of Empress Dowager Shao.
Mao Jidao said: "Now that Maoling has already sealed the underground palace and sleeping hall, Your Majesty cannot be allowed to start construction here again. With Your Majesty's persistence in the posthumous title ceremony since he came to the throne, I am afraid that we will have to argue with Your Majesty again this time.
At this time, everyone here must be united in their opinions and not be confused."
These words were mostly addressed to Liu Chun and Fei Hong.
Only the two of them could go against the orthodox civil servants.
Liu Chun sighed: "Now that Queen Mother Shou'an is still alive, would it be... bad if I wait here to discuss this matter?"
Before the old man died, he began to discuss his posthumous affairs. Before the emperor convened the ministers for discussion, he obviously wanted to talk to each other first so that the ministers could unify their opinions and target the emperor unanimously.
To put it mildly, this is disrespectful to today's society.
To put it more seriously, you are blatantly forming a clique for personal gain and are clearly planning to rebel!
Yang Tinghe looked at Mao Jida and said, "Weizhi, since your Majesty has summoned people from the Ministry of Rites and Hanyuan to ask about etiquette issues, you can go and inquire in the afternoon to see what His Majesty said. First, understand His Majesty's intentions clearly.
Decision."
In fact, Yang Tinghe already had a headache over the issue of gifts.
Since he did not stop Empress Dowager Shao from being granted the title of Empress Dowager, now the emperor wants to bury his grandmother and grandfather together in Maoling. In fact, from a legal point of view, it is difficult to refuse.
Yang Tinghe asked Mao Ji to go, and it was what Mao Ji said that moved him.
If you really want to talk about etiquette, you can't talk about the emperor. The emperor's stubbornness in filial piety and etiquette is something that even nine oxen can't pull back. It is better to dissuade the emperor from burying Empress Dowager Shao elsewhere on the grounds that Maoling cannot be buried without permission.
It's still unclear what the little emperor meant, so Mao Ji was asked to ask.
Empress Dowager Shao died of illness at sunset that afternoon.
Zhu Si was very sad and went to keep the funeral in person. Although Zhu Si had never met this grandmother before he became emperor, he knew very well that this was the result of Emperor Hongzhi's obstruction. Logically speaking, if the emperor had mercy on a concubine who had a son,
, let him live in his son's feudal country to show his filial piety.
Although Empress Dowager Shao gave birth to three Dong sons for Xianzong, only the eldest son Zhu Youhang lived the longest and had children. The other two sons died one after another and the country was ruled without children.
Father and son Hongzhi and Zhengde never thought of reuniting Empress Dowager Shao with their son.
Zhu Si felt that he had not fulfilled his filial duty to his grandmother. That night, accompanied by all the eunuchs, he burst into tears. Even Empress Dowager Zhang who went to check on the situation felt that this step-son was really filial.
For a grandmother who doesn't have much emotional basis, he loves her purely and is filial, and he should treat her well in the future. This son seems to have made the right choice.
The funeral was held before nightfall that day.
Some basic etiquette has been settled first.
From now on, no bells or drums are allowed to be sounded for thirteen days. The emperor will not go to court on the coming days. Instead, the emperor's relatives and nobles in the capital will determine the sacrificial rituals and go to the Ancestral Temple to worship.
When the civil and military officials in Beijing heard about the mourning, they wore plain black gauze hats and black horns and stayed in their yamen for three days without drinking or eating meat.
He also ordered women who were above the third rank in Beijing to enter the palace from Donghua Gate and perform a day of mourning outside Qingning Palace, and ordered Guanglu Temple to purchase sacrificial supplies. Each temple and Taoist temple in the capital ordered bells to ring 30,000 times, and the capital banned it.
The slaughter lasts for seven days, and civil and military officials in Beijing and their wives must wear mourning clothes for twenty-seven days.
After this etiquette is published...it is actually quite reasonable.
It is equivalent to the rules for the queen's funeral.
But after all, the New Year is coming soon. Even if the restriction on not drinking and eating meat is only three days, the ban on private slaughter is seven days. Now is the critical time for people in the capital to buy new year goods. The sudden ban on killing animals has an extremely huge impact on ordinary people.
.
In addition, civil and military officials have to wear mourning clothes for twenty-seven days, which means it spans the entire New Year.
People who wear mourning clothes at home during major holidays naturally cannot go out to pay New Year greetings to others, and the impact on officials is also very severe.
one way or another.
This is how a unique funeral ceremony began.
Since there is no rush for the funeral, the issue of where to bury him has not been discussed yet.
But just the funeral process of the queen made Yang Tinghe feel the "murderous intent" in the little emperor. It seemed that in order to win the big gift, the emperor would do anything to get the gift.
Coming day.
Everyone in the Hanlin Academy changed into plain clothes, and everyone had a straight face. You can't cry, and the key is not to laugh, so it's best to have an expressionless face.
Fortunately, except for Shi Ban, there are no officials above the third rank in the Hanlin Academy, so there is no need to worry about the mother-in-law going to the palace to mourn.
At five o'clock, Zhu Hao had just sat down at his desk in the editing room when Yang Shen came in with Sun Yuan, the editor of the Hanlin Academy, who was Zhu Hao's brother-in-law.
"Jingdao, the Hanlin Academy has a eulogy to be written, please come and review it."
Yang Shen called Zhu Hao to his desk.
Yang Shen directly took out something he had written long ago and unfolded it in front of Zhu Hao and Sun Yuan. It was not a eulogy, but a list of recommendations regarding the number of funerals for Empress Dowager Shao. He requested the emperor to organize the funeral in the form of a joint signature of all the Hanlin Academy members.
Keep everything simple, and specifically mention that Maoling cannot be touched casually.
Zhu Hao asked curiously: "Did His Majesty say that they will be buried together?"
Sun Yuan usually didn't have much contact with Zhu Hao on official business. Hearing this, he looked at Zhu Hao in surprise. Apparently, he couldn't adapt to Zhu Hao's straightforward way of speaking.
Yang Shen said: "Nip problems in the bud."
As soon as he said this, Sun Yuan looked at Yang Shen again with the eyes of sizing up monsters.
After all, Sun Yuan had been an official for many years and had seen many bizarre things in the officialdom, but he had never seen the way Zhu Hao and Yang Shen spoke and acted.
One has prepared a memorial to silence the emperor in advance, while the other is directly talking about the funeral... What is this weird thing? The point is, why are you looking for me?
Does what you are talking about have anything to do with me having a penny?
Yang Shen sighed: "I know Jingdao that you always pay attention to things that are prudent, but this matter is very important, comparable to the previous dispute with His Majesty over the gift... We can't make preparations when the event comes, and put everything in place first.
We are well prepared and ready to respond at any time.”
Zhu Hao nodded, seeming to agree with Yang Shen's statement.
Zhu Hao then looked at Sun Yuan aside and asked, "Then you should call editor Sun over and ask him to sign a joint name?"
"Um."
Yang Shen didn't hide it either.
Sun Yuan is Sun Jiao's son, and now Yang Shen seems to be trying to pull Sun Yuan to his side and make him agree with Yang Tinghe on the issue of Empress Dowager Shao.
Sun Yuan looked embarrassed after hearing this.
I entered the Hanlin Academy only because the emperor took care of my father and asked me to come to the capital to be a dutiful son.
I served my father, but now the factional dispute in the court actually involves me. Isn't this obviously taking advantage of me?
"I think it's inappropriate for Editor Sun to be involved in this matter."
Zhu Hao said something direct again.
Yang Shen smiled and said: "I know Jingdao's concerns, and I'm not forcing things on others. It just depends on what choice you make, Jingzong."
Sun Yuandao said: "We must ask my father for instructions on these matters."
When Yang Shen heard this, his expression immediately changed.
Ask Sun Jiao, a stubborn old man, how can you be dragged into the trap? You are more scheming than Zhu Hao, and you can give such a perfect answer?
"Students should come forward in such matters. Why should we ask for your Majesty's advice?"
Yang Shen asked with a dark face.
Yang Shen is quite good at bluffing people, but his method is fine against others, but has no effect against Sun Yuan, because Sun Yuan knows very well that he is not qualified to be promoted to a high position. He is just dawdling in the Imperial Academy, and he will wait for the gilding to be transferred outside.
This place will not be controlled by you Yang Shen in the Hanlin Academy for a long time in the future, so naturally there is no need to worry about your threats.
Sun Yuandao said: "My father has taught me a lot about etiquette. I have just entered the officialdom and I don't understand many things. Please... Yang Hanlin waits until I ask my father's thoughts before making a decision."
Yang Shen frowned when he heard this.
The reason why he is actively doing things now is because his father promised that he would be promoted to minister as soon as possible. If this matter goes according to the original plan, it will be completed years ago, and it will happen in the next few days.
But now that Empress Dowager Shao is dead, some matters in the court may have to be postponed. His appointment as minister may not be finalized until next year.
Although he is not a minister now, he has to work closer to this aspect and perform well to reflect his influence on everyone in the Hanlin Academy. He not only wants to make some achievements to show his father, but also wants to achieve it.
Personal ambition.
But now that he came up, Sun Yuan poured cold water on him.
"Brother Yongxiu, I don't think you need to embarrass Editor Sun... I am familiar with Mr. Sun, and he does care about this kind of thing. If Editor Sun acts rashly without asking for advice, he may not be able to explain it to him when he returns. Besides... the joint signature
"What does it matter if there are more than one person? Why don't you come to me?" Zhu Hao said with a smile.
Sun Yuan glanced at Zhu Hao with grateful eyes.
He was thinking about it too.
Don't you, Zhu Hao, know that doing this will offend the emperor?
How will this help your career? My father asked me to learn from you, so that I can imitate your spirit of sharpening your head and drilling forward, never looking back until you hit a wall?