Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 28 Ascending the throne and proclaiming himself emperor
As for Shaozhi, needless to say, the cabinet naturally hoped that Zhu Houcong would continue Hongzhi's policies.

Jiajing, the quotations come from "Shangshu Wuyi": "I dare not neglect the peace, Jiajing prosperous state. As for the small and the big, there is no time to complain. The reign of Emperor Gaozong is fifty-nine years."

The cabinet hoped that Zhu Houcong would be able to reform and eliminate malpractices, sweep away the bad policies of the Zhengde era, and emulate Wu Ding, the Emperor Gaozong of Shang, and be as wise and long-lived as Wu Ding, who grew up among the people and succeeded to the throne.

Zhu Houcong naturally chose the Jiajing reign title.

He could abolish some of the policies of the Zhengde period that were burdening the people, but if he was asked to only focus on the policy of promoting governance, he would naturally be dissatisfied.

However, Zhu Houcong was determined to take into his own hands the right to interpret which political systems of the Zhengde period were harmful to the people.

Because both era names were proposed by the cabinet.

Therefore, when Zhu Houcong chose Jiajing, the chief minister of the cabinet, Yang Tinghe, did not say anything. He only presented the draft edict of enthronement to Zhu Houcong and asked him to review it.

Zhu Houcong took the edict of enthronement and read it carefully.

After reading it, Zhu Houcong looked at Yang Tinghe and other university scholars and said: "The draft edict is in line with the will of the people, but since it is an edict of enthronement, it is to show grace and favor, but this edict does not show enough grace!"

Zhu Houcong's words surprised the four grand secretaries Yang Tinghe, Liang Chu, Jiang Mian and Mao Ji.

They were afraid that the new emperor Zhu Houcong would not be generous enough to the people of the world.

After all, most kings are often very stingy when it comes to showing favor to the people.

result.

They didn't expect that the new emperor Zhu Houcong would be even more gracious than they had imagined.

Yang Tinghe could not help but be a little more respectful, and hurriedly held up the ivory tablet and bowed: "I respectfully ask the successor to make clear instructions."

"You should open the Enke."

"In my enthronement edict, add a clause to the list of candidates to be selected as a special examination in the first year of the Jiajing reign, to demonstrate my eagerness to seek talented people."

Zhu Houcong walked to the palace gate with his hands behind his back and said something with a smile.

Yang Tinghe's lips trembled slightly, and he bowed deeply: "Your Majesty loves talents and is kind to people. You can be a wise king for all ages!"

Liang Chu, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji also bowed and said, "We second this motion!"

Zhu Houcong smiled slightly.

His grace is indeed a great grace to the civil servants and scholars.

After all, allowing many scholars to take the imperial examination one more time in the last three years means a greater chance of becoming a superior person.

But there is suspicion that it will exacerbate the internal competition among civil servants.

However, Yang Tinghe and other cabinet ministers had to admit that Zhu Houcong's grace was a great favor to those who wanted to make progress in the world.

"Gentlemen, has the reign title been decided?"

When Yang Tinghe and other Grand Secretaries returned to the cabinet, the Minister of Rites Mao Cheng, who had come to present the enthronement ceremony, had been waiting in the cabinet for a long time. When he saw Yang Tinghe and others coming back, he hurriedly asked a question.

Yang Tinghe nodded: "It has been decided that Jiajing will be the reign title."

Mao Cheng sighed after hearing this: "That's it. It seems that the successor emperor really doesn't want to follow the rule of the filial emperor."

"It was instigated by the wicked."

"I believe that your successor will understand what is the correct etiquette in the world in the future."

"Besides, it is hard not to remind people of Jiayou, whether it is Jiajing or not. Perhaps the new dynasty of the successor emperor can directly reproduce the Jiayou policy of the Song Dynasty, and the emperor and his ministers can rule together!"

Yang Tinghe started laughing as he spoke.

Liang Chu smiled and said, "Yes, the successor has issued an oral order to include the content of opening a special imperial examination next year in the edict of enthronement."

Mao Cheng was nodding his head, but was shocked when he heard Liang Chu say:

"Your Majesty, are you so kind to all those who seek to learn from you?"

"It can be seen that although the successor is young and alert, his intelligence is naturally in the right direction and he knows that it is most important to win over the scholars of the world."

"But if the wicked are not removed and the old abuses are not eradicated, even if there is a good ruler who values ​​culture and benevolence, I am afraid it will still be difficult to make the people of the world feel at ease."

"The late emperor was so wise back then, but he was still bewitched by a bunch of villains, wasn't he?"

Yang Tinghe's face turned serious, and at this time he stressed the importance of eradicating evil.

Everyone nodded after hearing this.

Then, Mao Cheng showed the accession ceremony to the ministers.

Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian and Mao Ji had always regarded Mao Cheng as a fellow gentleman, so naturally they would not find any fault with his accession ceremony.

Liang Chu didn't have any either. After all, he was a good guy and wouldn't offend people easily.

……

Soon after, Zhu Houcong received the accession ceremony from the Minister of Rites Mao Chengjin, and he approved it and decided to ascend the throne in the Fengtian Hall. He also ordered Guo Xun, Marquis of Dingwu Ding, to inform heaven and earth on his behalf after he ascended the throne, and Zhang Yanling, Marquis of Jianchang, to inform heaven and earth on his behalf after he ascended the throne.

Zhu Houcong naturally had his own deep considerations when choosing Guo Xun and Zhang Yanling.

The reason is that Guo Xun is now in charge of 3,000 battalions in the Beijing Camp. He is a powerful nobleman with military experience in Guangdong and Guangxi during the Zhengde Dynasty. Naturally, he deserves the attention of the emperor and he should be given a chance to work for him.

Zhang Yanling was a representative of the maternal relatives. The key point was that he was the uncle of the late Emperor Zhengde and the younger brother of Empress Dowager Zhang. He succeeded to the throne from an alien clan, so naturally he had to show his kindness to the late emperor's clan.

anyway.

The enthronement is basically confirmed.

Wait until the next day.

April 22, the 16th year of Zhengde.

When the east is already bright.

When the Imperial Observatory struck the drum, it began to boom, echoing throughout the city.

This means the coronation ceremony has officially begun!
As a result, people moved around inside and outside the palace.

The court officials and military and civilian representatives of the capital also got up early and came to Chengtian Gate. Under the arrangement of the ceremonial officials, they all knelt in front of Chengtian Gate.

at the same time.

Zhu Houcong, served by Wang Chunjing, put on mourning clothes, and then, accompanied by Huang Jin and others, went to the banquet for the late emperor. At this time, the Sishejian had already set up wine and fruit in front of the banquet for the late emperor, waiting for Zhu Houcong to pay homage to the late emperor.

"My brother, the late Emperor, and my cousin Zhu Houcong, entrusted by his will, and with the repeated and earnest persuasion of the civil and military officials and the military and civilian elders, I reluctantly agree to his request, and today I obey your order and ascend the throne!"

After Zhu Houcong had complied with the etiquette, he bowed five times and kowtowed three times. Then he went to a side hall, where Wang Chunjing and his men dressed him in robes and prepared him to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.

After putting on the imperial robes and crown, Zhu Houcong suddenly became much more majestic.

A young man's face, as gentle as jade, is faintly visible behind the twelve-tasseled crown, looking both solemn and calm.

The clothes were woven with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons and Chinese insects, and the skirts were embroidered with Zong Yi, algae, fire, powder rice, fu and fu. In addition, there were six colorful large and small ribbons in yellow, white, red, black, blue and green, as well as jade hooks and jade pendants, which made him look radiant and extremely gorgeous.

Wang Chunjing couldn't help but be stunned after changing for him. Thinking that the young man who had been with him since childhood had finally become the master of the world, his eyes couldn't help but become sore.

Zhu Houcong's eyes were sharp and he did not dare to look anywhere else. Accompanied by Huang Jin and others, he came to the Fengtian Hall to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.

At this time, the Sishejian had already set up wine and fruit in front of the Fengtian Hall.

"In the sixteenth year of the Zhengde reign, the year of Xinsi... I hereby inform Heaven and Earth that today I, Zhu Houcong, shall ascend the throne of the Emperor!"

After Zhu Houcong performed the ceremony according to the regulations set by the ritual officials yesterday, he went to the Fengtian Hall and paid homage to the former emperors of the Ming Dynasty. He then went to the Fengci Hall to pay homage to the Empress Dowager Xiaosu and the Empress Dowager Xiaomu.

then.

Zhu Houcong came to the late emperor's table again and told him that he had reported to heaven and earth and ascended the throne.

Subsequently.

Zhu Houcong then came to where Empress Dowager Zhang, who was already wearing formal attire, and Empress Xia, who was waiting for him.

"I, your nephew Zhu Houcong, have now informed Heaven and Earth, our ancestors, and the late Emperor that I will take the throne."

Zhu Houcong reported this to Zhang.

When Empress Dowager Cishou Zhang saw Zhu Houcong wearing a twelve-tassel crown and walking towards him, she seemed to see the scene when she first became the empress dowager and Zhengde walked towards her. Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and her brows were filled with a few more loving smiles. After Zhu Houcong bowed five times and kowtowed three times, she helped him up and said with a smile:
"The emperor should make it known to his subjects."

Bells rang and drums sounded, and Zhu Houcong rode in a carriage, escorted by a general of the Jinyiwei who was wearing a flying fish costume, to the Fengtian Palace.

After Zhu Houcong left, Zhang couldn't help but ask Xia: "Will your uncle be a good emperor that everyone can rest assured about?"

"Mother, please rest assured."

"I think this uncle, although he is as young as the late emperor when he ascended the throne, is very gentle, respectful and solemn, with a clear vision. He should be able to judge the right and wrong of the world and become a holy ruler of the world."

Xia smiled and answered his own opinion.

Zhang nodded: "Maybe. At the moment, he does look pretty good. He is even more stable than Zhao'er was back then."

Let’s talk.

When Zhu Houcong came to Fengtian Palace, all the officials had already entered the Danchi at Chengtian Gate and were waiting for him.

"No need to congratulate!"

When Zhu Houcong was about to enter the Fengtian Hall, the steward of the Honglu Temple ordered all officials to skip congratulations and only perform the ceremony of five bows and three kowtows.

The message has been sent.

The deacon and the ceremonial officer then requested Zhu Houcong to ascend the throne.

Zhu Houcong then got off the carriage, went out through the middle gate, and ascended the throne.

Snapped!
Snapped!
Then, the Jinyiwei whipped their whips.

After the Honglu Temple gave its praise, all officials began to perform the ceremony of five bows and three kowtows.

During the coronation ceremony, many ministers came to the Fengtian Hall, and almost all court officials came to the Fengtian Hall to kneel and congratulate.

Therefore, after Zhu Houcong ascended the throne, he saw a large crowd of people kneeling inside and outside the hall.

As a result, Zhu Houcong suddenly developed a feeling of holding all the power in the world and looking down on the world.

It seemed as if all the subjects in the nine provinces were truly submitting to him.

But then, when he thought that in the future his words could bring blessings to the people or disaster to the world, he became afraid and confused again.

Can I make everyone in this world better off because of my rule?

Is this country and this nation really becoming stronger and stronger on its own?

Even though Zhu Houcong has always been a confident man, at this moment, he had to ask himself this question in his heart.

But he had seen a lot of wind and rain, so he was not really stage-frightened. He said with full energy: "Stand up!"

"Be flat!"

When the Han generals reported Zhu Houcong's voice, all the officials stood up and looked up at their new emperor, who was sitting on the throne, overlooking their new emperor.

Divine majesty!

Many people have been moved to their hearts, with tears in their eyes, and they instinctively hope that this is the beginning of a truly prosperous era.

among them.

Yuan Zonggao burst into tears when he saw the young boy who had been following him to study and learn reason since he was a baby, now in front of him, wearing the emperor's clothes and looking down on all the ministers.

Afterwards, all the officials went out of Chengtian Gate and knelt again outside Chengtian Gate with the elders, military and civilian representatives.

after this.

The Honglu Temple then requested Zhu Houcong to issue an edict of enthronement.

After Zhu Houcong approved it, he asked the officials of the Hanlin Academy to present the imperial edict to the officials of the Ministry of Rites.

Then, the official from the Ministry of Rites came out from the left gate of the Fengtian Hall holding the edict. The Jinyiwei waited in front of the Wumen Gate for the official to arrive with the edict. Then they took the edict and placed it in the cloud carriage, and led the way to the Chengtian Gate to be read.

"Imperial decree!"

"I have received the favor of Heaven, the blessings of the saints, the edict of Empress Dowager Cishou, and the will of my elder brother, the late Emperor. I am enthroned according to the order of kinship and will serve the ancestral family... On April 22, I will respectfully announce to Heaven and Earth, the ancestral temple, and the community, that I will ascend the throne!"

"Next year will be the first year of Jiajing, and a special examination will be held..."

(End of this chapter)