One wave has not subsided, and another wave has arisen.
After the thirty-eight civilian princes submitted their petitions, petitions were immediately followed by petitions from many dignitaries, princes, ministers, officials, and generals in the capital city. The status of these people was less than those above and more than below. The most important thing is that
, a large number. A total of three to four hundred documents were submitted to six departments, supporting Fang Yun's ennoblement, which once again caused shock in all parties.
Three to four hundred princes, ministers, and officials, big and small, almost all have children working under Fang Yun's name. These people all follow the Confucian system of three wives and four concubines, and have many children. But those who can be sent to the academy to study are undoubtedly
Exceptions are taken very seriously.
Fang Yun brought these students from the academy into his own name. It was like tying them to his chariot and stamping them with Fang Yun's brand. From now on, even if he falls, the brand on these people will be
That can't be washed off either.
Rather than being suppressed in the future, it is better to take a chance now. What's more, thirty-eight princes have written letters to build momentum, so they will feel much more at ease when doing so!
It is said that when one person attains enlightenment, chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. If the Fang family gains power, their children who follow Fang Yun in the war will definitely not be able to do so in time! What's more, the Fang family is far from falling.
Thirty-eight princes including Zhongxinhou submitted a letter, which further increased the Fang family's weight in their hearts. That's why the thirty-eight princes submitted letters first, and other princes and ministers later.
All of this was done under Fang Yun’s instruction!
In Pingdinghou Mansion.
"Squeak!"
The door opened and Zhang Ying stepped over the threshold and walked in. He bowed and said respectfully:
"Father, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is waiting outside the door and asks you to go out and see him!"
After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Ying continued: "Father..., His Royal Highness, seems to be very excited!"
On the desk, Zhongxin Hou, who was writing, stopped when he heard the words. He remained motionless for a long time, as if he was facing some kind of contradictory struggle. Until there was a "click" sound, a drop of ink seeped from the pen dust and fell onto the paper, rendering the
A black spot, and then he came back to his senses.
"Ying'er," Marquis Zhongxin shook his sleeves and stretched out his left hand. He pushed an unsealed letter that had been prepared on the desk and said, "Give this letter to the prince. Just say, hug me."
It is inconvenient to see him in his sick bed. Also, seeing a letter is like seeing a person!"
Marquis Zhongxin had obviously expected the arrival of Prince Liu Xiu. He even prepared letters.
"Yes, father!"
Zhang Ying nodded, picked up the letter on the table, turned around, and strode out.
Outside the Zhongxinhou Mansion, a row of ceremonial staff consisting of young palace maids, eunuchs and royal guards in brocade clothes stood outside the door. In the center of the ceremonial guard stood a bronze carriage pulled by eight dragon-like horses.
The emperor drives nine, and the prince drives eight.
In this bronze carriage pulled by eight dragon-like horses, Prince Liu Xiuzheng was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, his face gloomy. He had always respected and trusted Marquis Zhongxin. Unexpectedly, Marquis Zhongxin actually stood up to him this time.
He had such energy, but never showed it. It was not that he didn't know Fang Yun and his current position. But he actually helped Fang Yun like this. Prince Liu Xiu was very angry, not just because Marquis Zhongxin helped Fang Yun, but also because he helped Fang Yun.
More often than not, it is a kind of anger at being betrayed.
Prince Liu Xiu did not go out. He was waiting for Marquis Zhongxin to come out and give him an explanation. His face was slightly flushed, and he was obviously trying his best to suppress his anger.
"Your Highness," a sound of footsteps came from outside the carriage: "My father is feeling slightly unwell and is lying in bed. I'm afraid he won't be able to come out to greet you. This is a letter he sent to His Highness. He said that His Highness will understand after reading it."
Zhang Ying's voice sounded from outside the carriage curtain. He stood beside the carriage, his head lowered and behaved.
Liu Xiu suddenly opened his eyes, and there was a flash of anger in his eyes. When he arrived, Marquis Zhongxin actually made excuses to avoid seeing him. He was simply ignorant of current affairs. He came to see what excuse he had.
"Bring the letter!"
Liu Xiu stretched out a hand out of the window, and immediately a eunuch took the letter from Zhang Ying and handed it in.
"laugh!"
Liu Xiu immediately tore open the letter and took out the letter sheet. In his anger, he did not notice that the letter did not have a lead seal.
"The 'prisoner' minister Zhang Ren pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince..."
The first sentence of Marquis Zhongxin was not "criminal minister" or "weak minister", but "prisoner minister". After reading the first paragraph, Liu Xiu's heart suddenly faded a lot.
After reading the letter, Liu Xiu couldn't help but let out a long sigh. She felt infinite melancholy in her heart.
In his letter, Zhongxin Hou Zhangren did not have much explanation for his behavior. He also did not make any excuses. In summary, there was only one sentence: "I am in a cage, and I have no choice but to do so."
The civilian princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty were not necessarily doing it for themselves. Just like the noble princes, they did not want their descendants to herd cattle and sell horses to be equal to the common people. The civilian princes also did not want their descendants to be destined to cultivate the land and weave clothes.
Live the life of a peddler and a pawn.
The same words naturally have different effects when spoken by different people. The letter from Marquis Zhongxin was so sincere that it almost touched Liu Xiu's temperament. When the letter was written, Liu Xiu was also moved by it, and his heart was filled with emotion.
The anger has also disappeared a lot.
"That's all, that's all..."
Liu Xiu sighed, folded the letter, put it in his arms, and drove back to the East Palace.
…
The sensation caused by the thirty-eight princely titles, plus the documents of many officials, big and small, was enough to make officials at all levels in the six ministries re-examine Fang Yun's title of prince.
There are three princes in the Fang family, and the voices of opposition are not small. But the voices of support are also not small. The letter of support signed by thirty-eight princes is extremely important. No one can underestimate it.
Some keen people directly feel that the simple matter of Fang Yun becoming a marquis has become extremely complicated because the Fang family already has two princes. It is not only mixed with the conflict of "the way of king and minister", but also mixed with the great Zhou Dynasty.
The game and confrontation between the two major forces among the princes is already very difficult to decide.
At night, the yamen of the Ministry of War is brightly lit. Outside the yamen is heavily guarded.
At this time, the lobby of the Ministry of War was tightly closed, with dozens of candles illuminating the hall. Officials from all levels of the Ministry of War gathered here. In addition to the chief officials of the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel, all the officials were present.
Gather here.
Among the six ministries, the Ministry of War is the most special. In addition to the fact that the Ministry of War is an accommodation agency between Confucianism and military strategists, the real person in charge behind the Ministry of War is Taibao, one of the three princes. Therefore, after Fang Yun's problem persisted for a long time, the ministers of the six ministries chose
We discussed it with the Ministry of War.
Large long sandalwood tables, decorated with cloud patterns, were placed in the inner office of the Ministry of War. Dozens of officials, big and small, sat facing each other, whispering and communicating with each other.
"Master Li, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. I wonder if your Ministry of Punishment has any conclusion on Fang Yun's appointment as a marquis?"
Zhang Wen, Minister of War, suddenly said.
Li Juzheng, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, shook his head: "Fang Yun is in the Ministry of Punishment and there is no case file. Everyone knows his family background. If he is innocent in life, there is absolutely no problem with him. But we all know that what we are discussing now is not this...
"
Li Ju was on point. He was one of the chief judges when the three courts held a joint trial to impeach Yang Hong. His overall impression of Fang Yun was good.
"Everyone must have received the impeachment files of Confucian scholars from all over the country. But now, the generals from all over the imperial court have also received documents," said Zhao Ke, the Minister of Civil Affairs, who had already taken out a dozen thick files.
Everyone felt sad when they saw a dozen thick documents in Zhao Keyi's hands. During this period, they had collected a lot of various documents and memorials. The various government offices almost couldn't let them go.
The Six Ministries have always been independent in discussing the matter of enfeoffment. They are rarely influenced by others. But this matter is no longer something that the Six Ministries can review independently. Many of their teachers even got involved.
"The second son of the Fang family was granted the title of Marquis. The implication is too great!..."
Zhang Gongqi, the Minister of Rites, sighed. Rites are the foundation of the country. It is said that if Rites collapse and music is destroyed, the country will not survive. Among the six departments, the Rites Department is the most rigid. Basically, they are all old Confucians.
The rule followed by the Ministry of Rites has always been to act in accordance with the rules. According to the rules, there is no problem with Fang Yun becoming a marquis. There is no problem whether it is military merit or character. But what was revealed behind this matter is not related to the "way of a monarch and his ministers"
Conflicts, and even the intermixed feuds between princes, made a group of senior scholars in the Ministry of Rites feel conflicted and struggling.
Among the various departments, the psychological impact on the Rites Department was actually the greatest.
"Yeah yeah!……"
The words of Zhang Gongqi, the Minister of Rites, immediately aroused the sentiments of everyone in the hall, and they seemed to feel the same. Even the veteran minister of the Ministry of Rites, who has always been upright, indifferent, and rigid, expressed this kind of human touch. The person behind Fang Yun's title of Marquis
The complex background is evident.
"In any case, this matter cannot be delayed for too long. Even if it cannot be ended quickly, at least there must be a countermeasure. What should I do if I know this?"
Yuan Jiandao, Minister of the Ministry of War.
There was silence in the lobby, and everyone looked thoughtful.
"There is no other way. We can only ask the Three Lords for a resolution on this matter again!"
Li Juzheng, the Minister of Punishment, had this experience. After being silent for a while, he immediately suggested.
There was silence in the lobby. No one said a word. It is not a glorious thing to ask the Three Dukes for their decision. As an official of the six ministries, the first step in appointing a prince is up to them. This is the rule. If you can't make a decision, ask everywhere.
Asking Sangong will only show that the six departments are incompetent and have failed the emperor's favor!
So I knew that if I asked San Gong, I would definitely get a reply. But no one immediately suggested this.
"There is no other way, this is the only way!"
Zhao Ke, the Minister of Civil Affairs, glanced at the mountain of documents on the table and said helplessly.
"That's all we have to do."
After a long silence, people finally echoed one after another. The reason why the Six Ministry ruling is so difficult is not just because of the impeachment documents or memorials from the outside world. It is because these Six Ministry officials themselves have agreed to Fang Yun’s appointment as a marquis. Because of their own
Undecided doubts make it difficult to decide, so when external incentives arise, it becomes even more difficult to decide.
Soon, a six-part petition was imprisoned in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the three princes were.
However, it was different from everyone’s expectations. In the past, Sangong’s reply was quickly approved, but this time his reply was actually three days late. It was not until the morning of the fourth day that Sangong’s reply was sent to the Ministry of War.
"...Summon Fang Yun and return to Beijing to resume his duties!"
After the ruling of the Three Dukes, the six departments were shocked. This shock was not the decision of the Three Dukes against Fang Yun. It was the information revealed behind this decision.
Combined with the fact that Sangong has not been able to give an answer, one thing suddenly became obvious - even Sangong has not reached a conclusion on the matter of "Fang Yun becoming a Marquis".
In other words, Lian Sangong himself also had disagreements on whether Fang Yun should be granted a title of marquis! This is what shocked the officials in various ministries!