Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 81 This is a loyal minister

Although Ma Wensheng and others were advising him out of public interest, Zhu Houzhao was unwilling to compromise at this time.

It was not that Zhu Houzhao was really stubborn, but he knew that if he wanted to be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty who had the final say, he could not make any compromise with the civil service group, even if the compromise was beneficial to himself.

The emperor cannot give in to his subjects. Otherwise, if he does so for the first time, he will give in for the second time, and then the third time. If this continues, the imperial power will naturally be greatly affected.

"Ma Wensheng, are they still kneeling?"

As midnight was approaching, snow began to fall again. Even though Zhu Houzhao was sitting by the stove in the palace, he still felt the cold, so he couldn't help but ask Liu Jin a question.

"Your Majesty, they are still kneeling," Liu Jin replied with a smile, and couldn't help but persuade him, "Your Majesty, Ma Gefu and his men are different from other clean officials. Their hearts are still with Your Majesty. Besides, they are old and it's so cold outside. Why don't you let them in?"

Zhu Houzhao thought for a moment and said, "No need. Don't think that because I respect and favor them, they can use this to threaten me. If you want to kneel, kneel down. If you kneel to death, I will replace you."

Zhu Houzhao was about to go back to the warm room to sleep, and he told Liu Jin: "If there is any news from Gu Dayong, wake me up immediately!"

Liu Jin quickly said yes.

In the middle of the night, when the north wind was blowing harder and harder, Zhu Houzhao woke up again. He put on his cloak and went to the outer room to drain the water. Seeing Liu Jin still outside, he asked, "Are they still kneeling?"

"Your Majesty, they are still kneeling. They have turned into snowmen."

Liu Jin replied.

Zhu Houzhao smiled faintly, feeling somewhat disappointed: "They are going to continue to stalemate with me."

Then Zhu Houzhao ordered, "Let them in!" Then he ordered people to prepare three stoves and three layers of thick blankets.

At this time, Liu Jin also hurriedly sent the eunuch to help Ma Wensheng, Jiao Fang and Xu Jin, who were about to lose consciousness, into the Qianqing Palace.

Ma Wensheng, who was numb from the cold, couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, has Your Majesty changed your mind and decided to release the clean officials?"

Zhu Houzhao yawned, took a cup of ginger tea from the maid and drank it. He immediately felt the spicy taste, and the coldness in his body was completely driven away. He pointed at Ma Wensheng and ordered: "Give them three cups of ginger tea."

Ma Wensheng and others thanked him and drank a glass of wine.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao just smiled and said, "I didn't say I would let you go. I just asked you if you still want to kneel and force me to compromise?"

"Your Majesty, I am not willing to force you with this, but I am actually thinking about the stability of Ming Dynasty and the safety of Your Majesty!"

Ma Wensheng said.

Jiao Fang and Xu Jin also nodded.

"Then kneel down, kneel on this thick blanket, light a fire for the three of them, and kneel right here!"

Zhu Houzhao said this and went back to his room and continued to sleep.

Ma Wensheng and others looked at Zhu Houzhao and were speechless, but they didn't know what to do, so they could only continue kneeling.

I don’t know how much time passed.

The sky was finally bright, and Zhu Houzhao opened his sleepy eyes. After the palace maids helped him wash and change his clothes, Zhu Houzhao came to the front hall again, in front of Ma Wensheng and others. Seeing that they were still kneeling, he smiled and said, "You are in good spirits!" Then, Zhu Houzhao suddenly became serious:
"I can tell you now that I have never thought of compromising with you civil servants! Don't ask me for the reason that the stability of the country is the most important and the world should not be in chaos!

Although I grew up in the deep palace, I am not afraid of chaos in the world, nor am I afraid of life or death. If you still want to force me, I will withdraw you all or even kill you!
If you really want to save the country, stand up for me now, stand beside me, and fight with me against all those who dare to challenge my dignity! I only give you two choices, either be my enemy like the clean officials, or be my arm! "

Ma Wensheng remained motionless, but he felt mixed emotions. He did not expect that his Majesty was so stubborn.

Jiao Fang was hesitating. He looked at Xu Jin and also at Ma Wensheng. He knew that this was the ultimatum given by His Majesty to the three of them. Following His Majesty would naturally mean making enemies with the entire civil service group, and continuing to kneel and force His Majesty would be equivalent to making enemies with His Majesty.

Xu Jin clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and suddenly stood up: "Since Your Majesty wants to go all out, I will follow Your Majesty in going all out. Justice is in the hearts of the people!"

As soon as Xu Jin stood up, Jiao Fang also stood up: "Since your majesty has made such a decision, as a subject, I can only obey it!"

Zhu Houzhao heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that his support for them in killing several civil servants yesterday had worked. At least Xu Jin and Jiao Fang were still willing to follow him.

However, Zhu Houzhao still looked at Ma Wensheng, whose prestige among the court officials was comparable to that of Li Dongyang, Wang Shu and others.

If Ma Wensheng also compromised with him, Zhu Houzhao would naturally have more confidence to change the situation.

Jiao Fang and Xu Jin also looked at Ma Wensheng. They naturally hoped that an old minister would stand on their side and on the side of His Majesty.

Even Liu Jin looked at Ma Wensheng with burning eyes.

Ma Wensheng knelt on the ground for a long time and sighed: "The late emperor!" Then, Ma Wensheng bowed to Zhu Houzhao and said: "I beg Your Majesty to give me a set of four treasures of the study!"

"allow!"

Zhu Houzhao didn't know why Ma Wensheng suddenly asked for the four treasures of the study, and without hesitation, he quickly gave Liu Jin a look.

Liu Jin personally brought the four treasures of the study and placed them in front of Ma Wensheng, and personally ground ink for Ma Wensheng: "Please, Minister!"

Ma Wensheng did not respond, but continued to kneel on the ground, spread out the paper, picked up the brush and dipped it in ink.

Zhu Houzhao didn't know what Ma Wensheng was going to do.

But then, Zhu Houzhao saw Ma Wensheng write on the paper "Please punish the rebels", and then he began to write "I have heard that the world... Therefore, I ask Your Majesty to punish Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and other rebels. I, Ma Wensheng, respectfully submit this. I hope Your Majesty will accept it. If you do not punish the rebels, it will be a misfortune for the country. If you punish the rebels, it will be a great blessing for the country."

After Ma Wensheng finished writing, he stamped it with his own seal and tremblingly handed it to Zhu Houzhao: "Since Your Majesty is determined to do what he wants, then I, this old minister, will bear the blame for the whole world!"

Frankly speaking, Zhu Houzhao was very moved. He did not expect that Ma Wensheng's final decision was not only to obey his wishes, but also to make it appear that he had instigated him to do so, thereby taking the blame for offending all the civil servants in the world.

If Chongzhen had such a good minister, why would he have been hanged on Coal Hill!

Zhu Houzhao personally helped Ma Wensheng up and said, "You are a loyal minister! Pass the decree to promote Ma Wensheng to the title of Grand Tutor and transfer 300 Jinyiwei to guard Ma's mansion!"

After saying that, Gao Feng ran in and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened. Many ministers are kneeling outside the palace. From officials from various ministries to governors in Beijing, they all ask Your Majesty not to disrupt the law and order, and not to start a large-scale prison!"

Zhu Houzhao hurried to the palace gate, only to see a large group of civil servants kneeling outside. The scale was much larger than yesterday, and it was almost endless. He couldn't help but laugh: "Very good, very good!"

At this time, Ma Yongcheng and Wang Yangming suddenly appeared outside the palace on horseback, and shouted, "Your Majesty, we have been ordered to escort Zhang Yu and other important criminals to the capital and temporarily detain them in the imperial prison! We are here to report this to Your Majesty!"

(End of this chapter)