Faced with this situation, Zhu Houcon also had a difficulty: if he was the only one to refute it, he would be stubborn, self-willed, and unpopular.
Although the emperor claims to be a loner, how can he really be a loner if he wants to extend his power? No one should listen to you and do things according to your wishes.
If you take the lead in everything, where is the majesty? Where is the sense of mystery?
Zhu Houcong had no other good ideas at this time, and it was impossible for Yuan Zonggao to defend these people.
This matter is not purely about reasoning, but a fight for the right to speak.
He knew that the situation had evolved to the point where these people had flexible bottom lines, so he would not let the matter fall into Yang Tinghe's rhythm, and said: "No need to ask like this. The current situation is like this: you and me. You
, is the Queen Mother, and all the civil and military officials, including my mother and concubine, and the officials of my palace; I am just me. Mr. Yang Ge, what you should ask is me, whether I am willing or not. There are only two outcomes now: I ascend the throne.
, Succession will not lead to heirs; I will not ascend the throne and go home."
Yang Tinghe suddenly froze there, his fingers trembling slightly.
He did not expect that this heir had such a tough attitude and could ignore the attitudes of hundreds of officials.
This is true disregard: I don't care if you disagree. If you let me take the throne, just listen to me.
How self-centered?
Unexpectedly, Zhu Houcong then said: "I will not change my mind just because there are more or less people opposing me at the moment. This is not only because I do not want to inherit, but also because I do not want support and opposition due to this issue after I ascend the throne.
The courtiers were divided into two groups."
Yang Tinghe said sadly and angrily: "Since Your Highness has such concerns, why do you insist on doing so even though you know that if you only inherit the throne without heirs, there will be a lot of discussion?"
"It's very simple. The ones who gave birth to me and raised me are my parents. Of course, this is a big matter. It is both a family matter and a state matter. I know there will be arguments. But this time is a special case. When arguing about this matter, everyone will have their own differences.
The truth. What benefit does the country benefit from endless disputes?"
"In this case, Your Highness should focus on the overall situation..." Yang Tinghe became excited as he spoke, with tears in his eyes as he explained how harmful it would be to inherit the throne without heirs.
Zhu Houcong frowned.
At first, I felt a little emotional about the strength of Yang Tinghe and others, but the words were so clear. Even though they clearly disagreed with their attitude, they were still able to use hard words to persuade them.
Zhu Houcong had a new understanding of the strictness of imperial authority that had been entrenched for so many dynasties.
"...Your Highness, those who sacrifice the near and seek the far will work in vain; those who sacrifice the far and seek the near will end up in vain. Even if the new king succeeds to the throne with a long-term heir, he still needs to grant amnesty to the world to win the hearts of the people, and to reward his merits to ensure peace.
Your Majesty, how much more should this be a special case? It is indeed the right way to inherit the throne through heirs. However, Your Highness interprets the imperial edict, sends a thank you note, and finds another way. In my opinion, it is to abandon the near and seek the long-term!"
After Yang Tinghe said this, he looked at him expectantly, but Zhu Houcong laughed. This was more or less an adult model that talked about pros and cons.
To put it bluntly, succession is the simplest and most effective way to eliminate hidden dangers, and it has an obvious effect on the stability of the country. As for the disadvantages, it is nothing more than Zhu Houcong alone: he only recognizes the great position and does not recognize the reputation of his biological parents.
Concerns bound the tone of conservatism, and the practice of acknowledging the more advanced strategies proposed by ministers in the cabinet...
He curiously said: "Okay, just think that I am deliberately misinterpreting the imperial edict! Just think that I created this problem! For the existing problem, the solution you come up with is to make me give in? Yes, for the country
, this is the easiest, it will end in peace, the problem will be solved. But, the problem really lies in my making trouble? The responsibility has been dumped on me? "
Yang Tinghe's expression changed.
Zhu Houcong continued without waiting for him to speak: "The emperor did not give me an heir before his death, and the emperor did not give me an heir before his death. I was the crown prince first, and then the prince. At all times, my identity was Xiaomiao.
Heir?"
"You didn't ask my opinion before electing me. You drafted a will for me to ascend the throne without any heir decision. The identity of my eldest son, King Xingxian, was clearly stated in the will! When I got here, I raised the question.
Well, you just want me to change my mind and pretend that all the above process and presentation problems don’t exist!”
"Yesterday, today, you said so much. Which one, which time, sincerely said that this matter was not done well or was done wrong?! You only focused on admonishing me, but one person lowered his head and admitted his mistake?" Zhu Houcong looked at it.
He looked at Mao Cheng, looked at Liang Chu, and even looked at Yang Tinghe, "My Ming Dynasty has so many difficulties and so many hidden dangers, and your heart is always worried! But the courtiers have always tried to force themselves out in the most worry-free and risk-free way.
If you smear it and pretend as if nothing happened, will the world be at peace?"
As soon as these words came out of his mouth, Yang Tinghe's expression suddenly changed.
Cui Yuan has been watching silently.
At the level of Xu Guangzuo and Zhang Heling, perhaps they could only try their best to follow and think about the meaning expressed by Sijun and Yang Tinghe's words.
But Cui Yuan knew very well that this first meeting between the two would determine the tone of the next few years and even the new king's reign.
Yang Tinghe's sincere words and the fact that the heir has arrived outside the city gate all prove one thing: the heir cannot be deposed and his ascension to the throne is inevitable.
Because he is the king, Yang Tinghe can only persuade.
Yang Tinghe wanted to use the attitude of the officials to persuade him, but Sijun didn't accept the suggestion at all: This matter has to be done even if you don't support it.
He wants the right to speak.
Bowing your head is true surrender.
If you admit your mistake, how can you still be qualified to speak?
Even if it is true that succession is a safer way for the country, the poster's accusation is too heartbreaking.
The murderous intention behind these words is simply terrifying.
Cui Yuan felt that he didn't say everything clearly, and it would be terrible if he said it thoroughly.
In this matter, what is the source of the problem? Is it really Sijun’s interpretation?
No, it is the lack of the succession process, the expression of the edict, from the welcome to the formulation of the palace entrance etiquette.
When Xiaomiao died, the heir was not yet born; when Emperor Zhengde died, the heir was still a prince registered in the clan; when the edict came, he was the prince who had inherited the title of Xingxian; when he arrived in Liangxiang, he saw
Before entering the palace, he was the heir.
But suddenly he had the identity of a crown prince, and he had not gone through the procedures of succession and was not canonized!
Why didn’t many people think it was wrong before?
The only people who knew the news were the cabinet ministers and the people in the Feng Ying Tuan; in order to ensure a safe transition, there was only one posthumous edict issued to the world.
How do officials and people know whether the heir has completed the procedures at the Ministry of Rites and the Zongren Mansion? How do they know whether he is the crown prince?
At this moment, isn't this important debate always being controlled and known only to a few people?
So here comes the question, and now Sijun is asking: Why do you turn a blind eye when there are so many problems? Why does no one admit their mistakes? Why can you only come up with solutions that make Sijun submit?
Let’s be honest: Was this just a mistake made by the cabinet suddenly and unintentionally due to the incident, or was it deliberate from the beginning to the end?
Even if the edict was drafted in a hurry and without thorough thought, during the more than 30 days that the fengying group went to Anlu and returned to the capital, no one thought that there was anything wrong with the process?
To be more pointed: at this moment, when faced with the questioning of the heir, the consequences of the cabinet not admitting its mistakes are too serious. At a shallow level, it is incompetence and dereliction of duty, and mistakes are added to the mistakes, which solidifies the reputation of the paper poster; at a deeper level, it is deliberate and evil intentions.
.
By the way, Yang Tinghe's rhetoric is useless.
The king is a king, and the ministers are ministers. If the king is worried and the ministers cannot resolve it, what is the use of the ministers?
Because the harm and hidden dangers that may arise from succession without heirs are what the cabinet should make up for after making so many mistakes. How can the responsibility be passed on to the heir?
Just when Cui Yuan was thinking about this, Yang Tinghe took the lead and knelt down again, and said with a trembling voice: "I am old and foolish, and I am unworthy of the great trust that Emperor Daxing has entrusted me with. Although I did not ask for the imperial edict first, I first stayed in the palace when I entered the palace."
The Wenhua Palace is precisely to complete the ceremony of succession..."
Zhu Houcong interrupted him: "It's too late. Now that I'm here, I should enter the palace and ascend the throne as the heir. Yang Ge asked everyone who is in favor, but I don't have to ask who is against. I only ask: Emperor
Brother, the Queen Mother and the cabinet ministers are here to review important matters. Now that the cabinet ministers are all here, I will come to the capital as the eldest son of King Xingxian to succeed to the throne. Do you still recognize the testament you have drafted?"
The four cabinet ministers all knelt on the ground. Yang Tinghe raised his head with tears in his eyes: "Your Highness, if you succeed without heirs, there will be endless troubles! Why does Your Highness insist on going your own way? Even if the ministers have made mistakes, Your Highness can punish them how they want, but how can the people deserve it?
Does Your Highness really want to watch the Ming Dynasty bring disaster to Xiao Qiang, destroy the country's power and destroy all living beings, and ignore the Ming Dynasty?"