Ming Jiajing: Starting from Immortality

Chapter 31 Xu Jie gets married, Ju Zheng becomes prime minister!
In February, it is already dark at the beginning of the You period.

Yan Song's sedan chair stopped in front of the stone steps of the main hall. Lu Fang immediately stepped down and supported him as usual: "Lord, why do you look so listless?"

"I'm old! I'll just serve the emperor day by day."

Yan Song raised his head and looked at the plaque "Yuxi Palace", and then looked at the small words "Written by your servant Yan Song respectfully" at the lower left side. He could still make out the palace name clearly, but the signature was not, and he sighed.

Lu Fang said nothing more, and helped him slowly walk up the stairs and into the temple.

Xu Jie and Yan Shifan also arrived. They chatted familiarly. Occasionally, one could hear the words "Zhejiang", "buy land", and "plant mulberry trees", but it was unclear what military or national affairs they were talking about.

In short, Yan Shifan seemed very enthusiastic, while Xu Jie seemed very cautious, and the two of them walked up the stairs together.

Almost at the same time, Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng arrived at Yuxi Palace. They looked at each other in silence, walked up the stairs with heavy steps, and entered the temple.

At this time, Yan Song had already performed the ceremony with difficulty and sat down on an embroidered cushion beside him.

For twenty years, he was the only outsider allowed to enter the emperor's chamber. Today, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Yan Shifan, and Zhang Juzheng were all able to come in. Moreover, dozens of baskets of impeachments from tens of thousands of officials in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty were all here. Old Yan Song certainly understood that the cabinet struggle must have a result.

However, the veil is so heavy that although the spring breeze is like a pair of scissors, it is somewhat powerless and cannot open the veil. One cannot see the emperor’s face or guess his sacred heart which is as deep as the ocean.

Having been in charge of the cabinet for decades, Yan Song's heart was steady and his face was even calmer, as peaceful as water.

The huge residence was filled with baskets of memorials. Xu Jie and Yan Shifan were stunned when they came in.

During the delay, Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, who had just arrived, were also stunned where they were.

When Lu Fang saw that everyone was present, he signaled the four ministers to proceed as per the emperor's previous instructions.

Although Xu, Gao, Yan and Zhang were here for the first time, they did not feel unfamiliar at all. When the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department asked them to read the memorials, they just picked them up and read them.

The emperor seemed to be still in meditation, Lu Fang stood solemnly, Yan Song said nothing, and the four people who were reading the impeachment memorials were even more silent. The atmosphere was depressing to the point of being terrifying.

The more I read the memorial, the more shocked I became, but there was something different in my shock.

Xu Jie was a shrewd man. Even when he saw the impeachment letter against him, a flash of surprise appeared in his eyes before he returned to normal.

Yan Shifan was reading the memorial impeaching Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng. His face looked stern, but he could not suppress his excitement in his eyes.

Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng admired the poems of Yan Song and Xu Jie respectively. The former was filled with anger, while the latter was filled with sorrow.

"Beast!" Yan Shifan cursed suddenly.

With so many officials impeaching and so many memorials being submitted to the emperor, if Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng had any sense of shame, they would have known that they should resign to the emperor. However, the two of them acted as if nothing had happened, stirring up trouble in the cabinet, in the capital, and in the Ming Dynasty. They even mocked the prince, his father, and Xu Jie as traitors in front of him.

Despite hearing the insults, Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng continued to read Qingci word by word and did not respond to him.

I've heard a lot of insults these days, and I've heard a lot of things that are even more unpleasant. My ears can filter out things of this level directly.

"Brother Donglou, we are in the presence of the emperor, please be polite and respectful." Xu Jie reminded.

The closeness of their relationship led to a change in the way they addressed him. They no longer called him "Little Cabinet Minister" but called him by his courtesy name.

Yan Shifan pointed his finger at someone else and said angrily, "Things have become so messed up. It's obvious that some people don't want to be decent. What's the point of us talking about decency?"

"Shut up!" Yan Song shouted at him.

In the emperor's place of retreat, he should just read the memorials, why so much nonsense.

Being scolded by his white-haired father again, Yan Shifan was almost mad with hatred, and gritted his teeth to put out the desire to provoke war in front of the emperor. The hall suddenly fell into a deathly silence, and time seemed to have stopped at this moment.

A gentle breeze blew, blowing the heavy gauze curtains like waves, and the gauze curtains were bound up by themselves without anyone letting them go.

Yan Shifan, who was always paying attention to the emperor's position, was confused, Gao Gong was confused, and Zhang Juzheng also stood there in a daze.

Xu Jie was also confused. He stared at the emperor in a daze, and then slowly turned his gaze to Yan Song.

At some point, Yan Song closed his eyes, probably because he didn't see this scene.

Zhu Houcong got down from the futon, walked to the nearest basket, and kicked it over. "It's all yours!"

The emperor was furious.

Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Yan Shifan and Zhang Juzheng hurried to the middle of the hall and knelt down.

"I am really surprised!"

Zhu Houcong looked at the cabinet elders and said in a solemn voice, "I am a little scared.

Up to now, Yuxi Palace has received sixty baskets of memorials, totaling 15,333.

What is even more terrifying is that there is an endless stream of reports coming in, and what is even worse is that some people feel that just submitting memorials is not enough and they want to break into the palace to present memorials directly to me.

At this moment, who doesn’t speak out behind others’ backs, and who doesn’t have anyone to speak out against them?
I am afraid that I am the only one in the whole court who has no one to participate. I really want to thank all the officials! You still give me face.

According to the memorials submitted, my cabinet is full of parasites, my court is full of treacherous ministers, and it is time for my Ming Dynasty to change dynasties!
At this time, I remembered a saying of Emperor Taizu Gao: What is the most unreliable thing in the world?
Memorial!

What a wise saying! "

"I am guilty!"

Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Yan Shifan and Zhang Juzheng showed expressions of horror and kowtowed.

"Since you all plead guilty, Lu Fang, announce the decree." Zhu Houcong sneered.

After confessing the crime, there actually was an imperial decree. Not only Gao Gong, Yan Shifan and Zhang Juzheng, but even Xu Jie were surprised.

If the ministers are guilty, then the emperor will not attend court. If there are constant court meetings, both large and small, the civil and military officials can say it every day, and the emperor can listen to it every day. This is just a lie. Why is the emperor really taking it seriously today?

They were already kneeling, and even skipped the courtesy of kneeling when reading the imperial edict. Lu Fang took out the imperial edict from his sleeve and slowly read out: "The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims: "The Cabinet is in charge of the core of the state, accepts my will, leads all officials, manages the destiny of the nine provinces, and controls the people's livelihood. It is their responsibility to be as cautious as possible and live up to the trust of the country!
However, cabinet members Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Yan Shifan were often impetuous in discussing politics and handling affairs, and they also attacked each other and delayed state affairs..."

After reading this, Xu Jie, Gao Gong and Yan Shifan suddenly felt a chill in their hearts.

Yan Song opened his eyes and looked at Lu Fang. Lu Fang was unmoved and continued to read: "... I have listened to the advice of all officials and dismissed Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Yan Shifan from their positions as cabinet members."

Xu Jie, Yan Shifan and Gao Gong all raised their heads in disbelief and looked at Zhang Juzheng at the same time.

Four people knelt down to receive the order, so why were only three of them kicked out of the marriage?

What about Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Taiyue and Zhang Shentong?
“The three returned to their respective headquarters and continued to hold their original positions.

Yan Song will continue to be in charge of the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng will be in charge of practical matters, and Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin will be transferred to the cabinet to fill in as cabinet members. This is my decree! "

(End of this chapter)