Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 45: Officials Want to Get Rid of Liu Jin
Zhu Houzhao returned to the Cining Palace where Empress Dowager Zhang lived.

Empress Dowager Zhang obviously noticed the difference in Zhu Houzhao, but she didn't say much. She just advised Zhu Houzhao during the meal: "My son, I also noticed today that you seem to be going to do something big today, but I still want to say, remember not to rush into anything! You must be cautious. I already lost your father, and I can't live without you again!"

Empress Dowager Zhang wiped away her tears as she spoke.

"Don't worry, mother. Nothing will happen. I know what to do. Mother, you have worked so hard for so long. You must be tired. You should rest early."

As Zhu Houzhao said this, he ordered people to help Empress Dowager Zhang go down to rest, while he himself returned to the West Warm Pavilion where he was temporarily staying on the pretext of handling government affairs.

At this time, Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, had also delivered the imperial edict prepared by the Imperial Household Department, which was to dismiss Zhang Zhao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Horse Department, from his post as the commander of the regiments and the imperial guards, and to appoint Liu Jin as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Horse Department and the commander of the imperial guards, and to appoint Zhang Yong as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department to be the commander of the twelve regiments.

Liu Jin and Zhang Yong received the imperial edict one after another.

Even if Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, was reluctant, he did not dare to go against Zhu Houzhao's will at this time.

After Zhu Houzhao asked Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, to step down, he asked Liu Jin and Zhang Yong to go to the Imperial Stables immediately to retrieve the seals of the imperial guards and the regiment camp.

Zhu Houzhao called Guo Rong over and said, "Stand outside and wait. Remember, from now on, anyone who dares to trespass without my permission will be killed, no matter who it is! If anyone asks, just say I am tired and taking a rest! Do not disturb me!"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Guo Rong nodded solemnly. He was very excited at the moment, but also a little nervous. He knew that he could not let His Majesty down, so he stood outside the hall very seriously like a sculpture, holding the hilt of the sword tightly in his hand.

Zhu Houzhao in the room was not asleep. In fact, he was very nervous inside. He had never played such a game before. He didn't know whether he would be able to regain the imperial power like the original Emperor Zhengde in history after traveling through time and space and becoming Zhu Houzhao. He was trying his best to think about how Wang Yue from the Imperial Household Department would respond and how the cabinet would respond after knowing it.

At the same time, Zhu Houzhao also held a dagger tightly in his hand and looked at the secret door hidden behind the curtain. Although he found a warrior named Guo Rong to stand guard for him to prevent Wang Yue from the Imperial Household Department from making desperate moves, he was also a little afraid that Guo Rong might be a chess piece planted by Wang Yue. Otherwise, how could he be the only one among thousands of soldiers who acted decisively? Therefore, he was still aware of guarding against Guo Rong.

Zhu Houzhao knew that the only person he could trust at any time was himself.

……

At this time, civil servants including the chief minister Liu Jian, the second minister Li Dongyang, and the third minister Xie Qian did not go home to rest, but gathered together to discuss how to prevent Zhu Houzhao from leaving the palace again.

The first to speak was Sanfu Xie Qian: "Everyone, now that His Majesty has returned to the palace, there is no guarantee that he will sneak out of the palace and return to the Leopard Room when we are not paying attention. Once His Majesty returns to the Leopard Room, it will be difficult for us to persuade His Majesty to return to the palace. In my opinion, we might as well strike while the iron is hot. We will go to the palace today to persuade His Majesty to move back to the Qianqing Palace!"

"Yu Qiao (Xie Qian's pen name) is right. The Ministry of Works has reported that the Qianqing Palace has been repaired and the floor heating ice cellar has been restored to its original state. Your Majesty can't find a reason to move out of the palace. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty's long-term future, we have a reason to go to the palace immediately to persuade Your Majesty to move back to the Qianqing Palace!"

The second assistant Li Dongyang also agreed.

The chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian, also nodded quickly, and other officials who were in the same party as the three cabinet elders also responded.

Then, a group of civil servants, led by the three elders of the cabinet, came to the palace.

Unlike the cabinet of the Qing Dynasty, the cabinet of the Ming Dynasty should still be called Wenyuan Pavilion, located in the Wenhua Hall in the palace. Therefore, the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian, easily broke into the palace with a group of officials.

Looking at the officials behind him, the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian, just laughed: "Zhu Houzhao can't leave the palace this time. The day when Liu Jin and other thieves will be executed is not far away!"

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian just smiled after hearing this. But at this moment, an eunuch also ran over from the opposite side.

Xie Qian knew the eunuch and knew that he was Lu Qi, the adopted son of Lu He, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department and the commander of the Eastern Depot, so he asked, "Lu Qi, why are you running away in such a hurry?"

Lu Qi hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings to the ministers and the lords. I am here to see you. This is the order of our ancestor. The ministers must not know that our emperor has already let Liu Jin take charge of the Imperial Horse Administration and command the imperial guards, and Zhang Yong command the regiment camp. Eunuch Zhang has been thrown into the imperial prison!"

After hearing this, the three cabinet elders were shocked as if struck by lightning. They were stunned for a long time. But soon they realized the seriousness of the problem and asked Lu Qi to explain the whole thing in detail.

After listening to Lu Qi's narration, the Cabinet Chief Liu Jian immediately said: "It seems that Liu Jin can no longer hold back and is the first to attack!"

"Prime Minister, given Liu Jin's personality, I'm afraid he is not capable of performing such a drama. Have you ever thought about whether it might be His Majesty?" Li Dongyang reminded.

"Even His Majesty cannot be called His Majesty. His Majesty has just ascended the throne and obeyed the will of heaven. The people's hearts are still there. It would be counterproductive to point fingers at His Majesty rashly. To claim the righteousness, we can only say that Liu Jin and other eunuchs are traitors. As long as Liu Jin and others are killed, His Majesty will be helpless. No matter what His Majesty does, he can't escape our control!"

Xie Qian said solemnly.

"Since this is the case, why not make a bigger fuss? Otherwise, it won't be enough to force Your Majesty to kill Liu Jin and other thieves. Didn't the Minister of War Xu Jin urge the officers and soldiers to pay rice the other day? Now that it hasn't been paid, the officers and soldiers must be very resentful.

We might as well find a way to let the officers and soldiers know that the reason why the rice was not distributed was because it was coveted by traitors like Liu Jin. The officers and soldiers below do not know what is going on in the palace, so naturally they will not follow our words. "

The Cabinet's Deputy Prime Minister Li Dongyang also laughed and said.

After hearing this, the cabinet chief Liu Jian nodded in agreement: "Mr. Li is indeed a good planner!"

As he spoke, the Cabinet Chief Liu Jian turned to look at Lu Qi, not caring whether it was a false imperial decree or not, and said directly:

"Go to the prison immediately and tell them that His Majesty has given us the order to release Zhang Zhao. Lord Mou of the Imperial Guard has always been friendly with us, and from what I know about him, he will not refuse to release him. Then order Zhang Zhao to go to the Imperial Guards camp and order him to lead troops into the palace to kill Liu Jin and other traitors. Tell the officers and soldiers that they will be given rice as salary after killing Liu Jin and other eunuchs!"

After the chief minister of the cabinet Liu Jian finished speaking, Lu Qi received the order and left.

And at this time.

Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, turned around and shouted to the officials behind him: "Everyone! I just received news that Liu Jin and other eunuchs have instigated Your Majesty to put the eunuch Zhang Zhao in the Jinyiwei prison, and they also want to clean up the inner court and kill the loyal officials in the outer court. Now the survival of the Ming Dynasty depends on this move;
Therefore, I have changed my mind. I will not only persuade Your Majesty to move to the Qianqing Palace, but also persuade Your Majesty to kill Liu Jin and other eunuchs. Are you willing to follow me to the Cining Palace to ask Your Majesty to move to the Qianqing Palace and kill the eunuchs Liu Jin and others? "

"Since you have been summoned by the Prime Minister, and for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, Xie Qian is willing to die with the Prime Minister and make remonstrances before the Emperor!"

Xie Qian was the first to respond.

Immediately afterwards, Li Dongyang and other civil servants followed suit.

"Your Majesty, please move to the Qianqing Palace and execute the eunuch Liu Jin and others!"

At once, all these civil servants started shouting and rushed towards the Cining Palace aggressively.

(End of this chapter)