Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 79: Armored Soldiers Suddenly Appear, Swords Surround Officials (Please Read)
As soon as Guo Xun said this.

Not only Lu Yong and the other three nobles who spoke first were surprised.

The civil servants were not calm either.

The expression of Zhao Jian, the Minister of Justice, suddenly changed.

The Left Censor-in-Chief Jin Xianmin was also greatly surprised.

But this time.

Zhang Wei, the Marquis of Hui'an, also stepped out and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I dare not discuss the rituals and politics, nor do I dare to be disloyal. I will only obey your Majesty's decision on the great rituals. If anyone resists your decision again, I will ask for your Majesty's order to execute him!"

At this time, Anbian Bo Xu Tai also said: "The same thing to me!"

"Your Majesty, I will kill anyone you ask me to lead. I dare not disobey Your Majesty!"

"you!"

Lu Yong couldn't help but turn around and yell angrily.

But then.

Lu Yong felt a sense of fear.

Because now, three nobles have suddenly stabbed them in the back, making the outcome unpredictable.

In addition, the balance of strength among the emperor's own royal guards is clearly beginning to tip in favor of Your Majesty.

Therefore, Lu Yong became afraid and looked at Guo Xun: "Marquis Wu Ding, we are all brothers, why are you doing this?"

"If you don't want to, just say so earlier!"

then.

Lu Yong gritted his teeth and said something again, then said:

"Didn't you promise me that before?"

"What did he promise you?"

Zhu Houcong asked about Lu Yonglai at this time.

Guo Xun took the initiative to reply: "Your Majesty! I promised him and Eunuch Qiu to support the civil officials who wanted to make Your Majesty an unfilial person, but I pretended to agree in order to cooperate with Eunuch Huang, because Eunuch Huang said that he was following the emperor's order."

Zhu Houcong nodded, then looked at Xu Tai and Zhang Wei: "What about you?"

Zhu Houcong clearly remembered that in the list of disloyal nobles given by Huang Jin, except Guo Xun, Xu Tai and Zhang Wei were also on the list.

But he didn't expect that these two people would stand on his side today.

This made all his preparations for Zhou Shangwen and his troops go in vain.

"Your Majesty, I have read the letter from Eunuch Wei, and he told me to obey Your Majesty in everything."

"But Eunuch Qiu asked me to listen to him and asked me to support Your Majesty in recognizing Emperor Xiaozong as the Emperor's father. He also said that this was also Your Majesty's intention, so I agreed."

"But I didn't expect that Eunuch Qiu had deceived me. Your Majesty didn't mean this."

Xu Tai started speaking here, and then bowed his head.

After hearing this, Zhu Houcong looked at Zhang Wei and asked, "Where is Earl Hui'an?"

"I just heard the Earl of Zhenping complain about your majesty's clearing of the farmland, but I didn't take it seriously and just advised the Earl of Zhenping."

"But I didn't expect that they would dare to do such disloyal and unjust things just for a little land."

"I am guilty of failing to report this matter in a timely manner."

Zhang Wei pleaded guilty.

Zhu Houcong now understood.

It turns out that among these nobles who supported Qiu Ju and the Protector of Rites faction, only Lu Yong, Ma Shan and Liu Zhao were truly supportive.

Xu Tai was deceived into supporting Hu Li or he was not determined, so after seeing Guo Xun and Zhang Wei expressed their support for him as the emperor, he also changed his mind.

But in any case, this forced Zhu Houcong to admit that he could kill fewer people and avoid greater bloody conflicts.

At this time, the Left Censor-in-Chief Jin Xianmin knelt down in front of Zhu Houcong decisively and said, "Your Majesty, I accuse the Earl of Zhenping, the Earl of Pingliang, and the Earl of Ningjin of recklessly discussing rites and laws, disrupting politics and deceiving the emperor. They should be stripped of their titles, their property confiscated, and sentenced to death!"

“Why didn’t you impeach me just now?”

Zhu Houcong asked unhappily.

Jin Xianmin said: "I was so frightened just now that I didn't react. Now that I have reacted, I feel extremely resentful. As the Chief Justice, I should impeach those who disobey me!"

then.

Jin Xianmin added: "Your Majesty summoned the nobles just to let them know what the ceremony is and how to respond."

"But the result!"

"These three military leaders are deceiving the emperor and committing treason!"

"Although I agree with them, I also hate them deeply!"

"I dare not fail to do my job and impeach them!"

"If they are civil officials, they can still give some advice on the etiquette and policies that Your Majesty has already decided. Even if Your Majesty does not accept them, at most they will just resign and return home, which will cause limited harm to the country. However, if military officials do not follow the etiquette that Your Majesty has already decided, it is inevitable that there will be concerns about war."

Zhu Houcong smiled.

"You're right."

"As I just said, you, my lord, only need to listen to my decision on the ceremony I have decided, and you must not have any second thoughts about me."

Zhu Houcong said, "In that case, issue an imperial decree to have these three people imprisoned, their titles confiscated, their property confiscated, and their family members imprisoned. They will be tried and punished by the three judicial officials after a strict trial!"

Qin Wen bowed and said yes.

At this time.

Pingliang Bo Mashan kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, please be merciful. I now understand that this great ceremony should have been decided by Your Majesty, and once Your Majesty has decided, I should not have any objections. After all, I am a military hero. If it is a military matter, I may have the obligation to advise Your Majesty if I feel that your will is not appropriate, but this ceremony is indeed not something I can comment on!"

"His Majesty!"

"I was confused just now!"

Ningjinbo Liu Zhao also had to kowtow and speak, and with tears in his eyes he said: "Now I understand. As a military hero, I must obey your majesty's orders and cannot have any other thoughts! Now I only ask your majesty to give me another chance. I will never dare to speak nonsense again."

Zhenping Earl Lu Yong did not beg for mercy. He just sneered and said nothing, then glared at Guo Xun.

Not long after.

Jinyiwei Wang An and others walked in and pulled the three nobles up from the ground.

Liu Zhao and Ma Shan looked ashen and stopped begging.

Instead, Lu Yong suddenly shouted to the ministers, "Gentlemen, Guo Xun has ruined your plans! Are you going to tolerate him living?!"

None of the ministers of the cabinet spoke.

Lu Yong laughed out loud and looked at Guo Xun: "Mr. Guo, you despicable villain, I will wait for you in the underworld!" Guo Xun didn't say anything either.

Zhu Houcong looked down at the ministers and officials and asked: "What has Marquis Wuding done to you?"

"His Majesty!"

"Marquis Wu Ding has done nothing to harm us, and we have done nothing that can be harmed by him!"

The Minister of Justice Zhao Jian replied immediately.

"Guo Xun!"

Zhu Houcong called out at this time.

Guo Xun immediately responded: "I am here!"

"Tell me yourself, what does Lu Yong mean by this?"

Zhu Houcong asked.

Guo Xun replied: "Your Majesty, I was just about to report this."

"Minister of Justice Zhao Jian wants to kill Zhang Cong!"

When Guo Xun said this, everyone was shocked.

Guo Xun continued, "So he asked the Imperial Secretary Zhang Chong to contact me and let me be the host. He invited the Hanlin Zhang Bangyan and other loyal officials who discussed the ceremony to my residence. Together with the treacherous officials such as Zhang Chong, they would first discuss the ceremony in private. Then Zhang Chong and other civil officials would take the opportunity to kill Zhang Cong and others, and imitate the incident in the Zhengtong Dynasty when Ma Shun, a hall official of the Jinyiwei, was killed in front of the emperor."

"According to the Grand Secretary's opinion, at that time, we, the ministers, will lead the military nobles and the civil officials to petition Your Majesty to forgive the crime of killing the civil officials, just like the court officials jointly petitioned Emperor Jingtai to forgive the rude officials. At the same time, it will also force Your Majesty to recognize Emperor Xiaozong as the Emperor from now on."

"His Majesty!"

"This is completely false. Marquis Wu Ding is slandering us!"

"This is blatant slander!"

Zhao Jian answered loudly, his whole body trembling slightly.

Guo Xun said: "I am not slandering you. The meeting time was originally scheduled for this evening, and I have already sent out invitations.

After hearing this, Zhu Houcong said, "We will know if it is slander or not after we try it."

"Well, Guo Xun, you should go back and take charge of this matter. When they come to the palace for a meeting, don't tell them about this."

"I will let Zhou Shangwen lead his troops to your residence to lurk there. I will let him assist you and obey your orders."

"remember!"

"The ministers who discuss rituals must be protected, and no one must be killed. Those who really want to commit treasonous acts must also be kept alive so that they can be dealt with according to the law in the future!"

Zhu Houcong ordered.

Guo Xun bowed and said yes.

then.

Zhu Houcong looked at the ministers and officials and asked, "Did you also receive the invitation?"

"Back to Your Majesty, yes!"

"But I don't know the conspiracy that Marquis Wu Ding is talking about. I just thought that we should discuss it privately first so that we can reach a consensus as soon as possible during the court discussion and not cause trouble to Your Majesty."

Liang Chu replied at this time.

Except for Zhao Jian, Jiang Mian, Mao Ji and others all said, "We think so too."

Zhao Jian's hands were already trembling slightly.

"Then let's all go. If anyone alerts the enemy, they will know the consequences."

Zhu Houcong waved his hand and gave an order.

Everyone bowed and agreed.

……

Wait until dusk falls.

The Wuding Marquis Mansion was brightly lit and filled with shadows of people.

Guo Xun smiled and greeted the court officials in the hall as if nothing had happened, and even said to Zhang Cong deliberately:

"I have read the article written by the second place scholar, but as a mere military man, I still do not quite understand it. I also know that many military officials do not understand it either. And Your Majesty wants all civil and military officials to discuss this matter this time, so you invited the second place scholar to come and discuss it with everyone. This way, we can save ourselves the trouble of talking during future court discussions."

Zhang Cong smiled and said, "I am grateful to Marquis Wuding for organizing everyone to discuss etiquette. I am not afraid to argue with them again."

"That is that is!"

Marquis Wu Ding smiled and said a few words.

Liang Chu and other cabinet ministers on the side said nothing, but they all felt mixed emotions.

Not long after.

Almost all the court officials who could come were present.

When the opportunity arose, Zhang Chong immediately walked up to Wang Zhengyuan, the editor, Xu Bin, the deputy director of the Ministry of Revenue, and others and said, "Go! Do as planned. I will kill the traitor Zhang Cong!"

After Zhang Chong said this, he took out the short knife he had hidden in his sleeve and rushed towards Zhang Cong first.

Xu Bin rushed towards Gui E with a knife.

for a while.

The court officials who were unaware of the situation were all shocked and pale.

Jiang Rubi grabbed Zhang Cong and ran away. He did not expect that the ritual protection faction would argue for ritual in this way.

dong dong!

But at this time, a large group of heavily armored soldiers holding shields and guns came out from the small doors on both sides and blocked Zhang Chong and others in front of them.

boom!
Zhang Chong was knocked to the ground on the spot.

Several officials from the Rites faction who rushed in from behind, as well as other civil servants present, were also surrounded by people in armor and holding knives who rushed out from both sides behind.

Volume 4 of the Ming Tongjian records: In the beginning of September in the third year of Jiajing, Cong and E arrived in the capital, and they went to court a few days later. After leaving the court, they heard that there were court officials who were plotting against them, so they went out of the Donghua Gate and went to Xun's house. Xun was happy and asked to be his wife's helper. Then he said, "The ancestral teachings are like this, the ancient rituals are like this, and what Cong and others said is right. The book says: 'Ministers should serve the monarch and follow his will'", and the decision was made.

It is also recorded that after the decision was made, Xu Wenhua, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, and the Assistant Ministers Wang Wei and Zheng Yue still struggled to gain control of the family of Guo Xun, Marquis of Wuding.

In other words, the Jiajing Grand Debate in history ultimately determined that Zhu Houcong did not recognize Emperor Xiaozong as his father, and Guo Xun made great efforts to do so.

Guo Xun first protected Zhang Cong and others, and then finally made the civil servants accept this gift in his own home.

It’s just that the historians paid attention to brevity and did not elaborate on how Guo Xun, a military official, convinced the civil officials who protected rituals. He was even more capable than Zhang Cong, an expert in rituals, and quickly convinced the officials. It is not known whether he used a knife, after all, Guo Xun was the commander-in-chief of the Beijing camp at that time.

It was appropriately edited in the novel.

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(End of this chapter)