The Holy Emperor of Ming

Chapter 22: Brothers Indeed
Civil servants from the cabinet, six ministries, the Censorate, the Dali Temple and other departments all immediately requested to see the emperor.

Zhu Youtang obviously knew about this scene a long time ago, so he fell ill again and could not meet the officials.

Many civil servants were furious, but there was nothing they could do, so they all wrote memorials.

Regardless, the process must be followed.

They would first submit a memorial to the emperor. If the emperor did not listen or see them, then all the ministers would kneel outside the Meridian Gate.

If that doesn't work, then...

"Then I will die for my advice." The cabinet chief Xu Pu slammed the table and said firmly in a sonorous and powerful voice.

Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian all frowned.

"Dying to remonstrate! Prime Minister, is there anything wrong with dying to remonstrate? I am afraid it will completely infuriate Your Majesty." Xie Qian said in a deep voice.

"Then what should we do? Since His Majesty has done it, it is clear that he will not let it go easily.

Do you want warriors to rule the country in the future?" Xu Pu asked solemnly.

"It shouldn't be this bad when a prime minister or a military man is in power. The prince gets along well with Li Xunhuan and Wang Shouren.

Why don't we find them and ask them in detail first.

"It would be too damaging to the relationship between the emperor and his subjects to die for his advice," Li Dongyang said thoughtfully.

Xu Pu raised his brows slightly and looked at Liu Jian.

"Let's go find him and ask first." Liu Jian understood and said.

After two breaths of silence, Xu Pu nodded and said, "Then ask them first."

The three cabinet ministers all agreed that even if he was the prime minister, he had to give in.

Today, as soon as Wang Shouren and his companion left the Eastern Palace, they were called to the cabinet.

Without much politeness, Li Dongyang, who had already talked to the two several times, asked directly: "Xun Huan, Bo An, today many noble children entered the East Palace. What do you think?"

The two looked at each other, and Wang Shouren said, "My fellow ministers, many nobles are now corrupt, extravagant, and licentious, wantonly occupying the people's land and oppressing the common people.

It can be said that most of the nobles are rotten and are of no use at all.

With this in mind, Your Majesty selected young sons of nobles to accompany the Crown Prince in his studies, in the hope of cultivating a group of reliable and capable nobles.

The students thought this was a good thing.”

After hearing the previous words, several ministers nodded secretly.

But the following words made them frown.

"A group of noble children accompany the prince to study. In the future, the prince will definitely be friendly with the nobles.

In this way, if military men are in power, cholera will surely spread throughout the Ming Dynasty.

Do you also think this is a good thing?" Xu Pu spoke more directly, with a bit of sternness.

Liu Jian and Xie Qian, who were about to speak, became silent.

"The strength of the nobles is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.

As for the problem of military men ruling the country, the Prime Minister does not need to worry, because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a genius and loves the people like his own children.

I will never let any noble sons mess around." Wang Shouren said firmly.

"Hmph, it's indeed a shallow view." Xu Pu snorted coldly, closed his eyes slightly, and looked like he didn't want to say anything more.

In other words, as the Prime Minister, he was too disdainful to argue with Wang Shouren, a scholar.

This made Liu Jian and the other two unable to say anything for a while.

"Xunhuan, what do you think?" Li Dongyang looked at Li Xunhuan and asked.

“My dear ministers, I have been teaching His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for the past few months and I think His Royal Highness is extremely intelligent.

But he is still young and just wants to play.

But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is truly kind-hearted, loves his people like his own children, and treats everyone with sincerity.

With your martial arts talent and a group of capable and reliable nobles, it may not be a bad thing in the future," Li Xunhuan said solemnly.

Several ministers immediately understood the meaning of Li Xunhuan's words.

With His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's talent in martial arts, it is certain that war will break out in the future.

The existence of a group of good nobles is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.

They all frowned even more at this.

Because they instinctively reject the idea of ​​war.

but····
With many thoughts in their mind, they asked Wang Shouren and the other man to leave.

"Li Xunhuan and Wang Shouren are indeed inclined towards military pursuits. It is a waste of their family teachings. They have not done their best to guide the prince." Xu Pu said dissatisfiedly.

Liu Jian and the other two did not say much, and Xu Pu did not dwell on this issue, because these two men could not be replaced until replacements were found.

"This time we must get His Majesty's agreement to expel all the sons of nobles from the Eastern Palace." Xu Pu said firmly.

The other three people present nodded and agreed.

On October 2, the tenth year of the Hongzhi reign, memorials from civil officials flocked to the Qianqing Palace like flying clouds.

The force of this attack was even more ferocious than the previous two times.

He is determined to never give up.

Zhu Youtang claimed to be ill and ignored the request, so the Imperial Household Department naturally kept the documents and did not send them out.

October 5th.

More than a hundred officials knelt outside the Meridian Gate, asking to see the emperor.

As time goes by, the number of officials continues to increase.

Zhu Youtang had expected this, but he was still angry.

He said in a deep voice: "Is it really Xu Shoufu who is behind this conspiracy?"

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true.

Among all the officials, Prime Minister Xu has always been known for his care for talents. He has rescued countless officials who have made mistakes and has won the hearts of all officials.

Only he can connect all the officials. "Li Guang immediately affirmed.

"Humph, he is too presumptuous." Zhu Youtang said angrily.

On October 5, Zhu Youtang met with all the officials. After a quarrel, he left in anger.

The next day, civil officials continued to submit memorials and forced Zhu Youtang to meet them.

Until October 10th.

Suddenly, Xu Pu was removed from his position as the chief minister of the cabinet and replaced by the second-in-command Liu Jian.

At the same time, a number of officials were quickly dismissed.

The momentum of the ministers to force the emperor to abdicate suddenly stagnated, and many officials had not yet reacted.

Immediately, the emperor reached an agreement with the cabinet.

Among the children of nobles, no more than three can accompany the prince to study, and the rest will be screened out.

After getting this result, the civil servants calmed down and accepted it.

On the surface, a disturbance that shocked the entire court was quickly settled.

After Xu Pu left Beijing and returned home, he remained silent after receiving the imperial edict of dismissal.

It was not until he left the capital and sat in the carriage that he suddenly smiled.

"Liu Xixian, Li Binzhi, Xie Yuqiao, good tactics, good tactics.

Only when I am gone will you have the chance to come to prominence. I have underestimated you.

However, you have opened another shackle for the prince, and you will regret it."

···
None of the turmoil in the court came to Zhu Houzhao's attention.

He didn't even know, and no one dared to say it in front of him.

Since the sons of noble families came, he has lived a happier life.

Every day I would fight with Lao Yan and the other three, and beat up a group of stupid kids from noble families.

Listen to Lao Wang and Lao Li tell stories.

Practice and become stronger day by day.

Anyway, I'm happy here and don't want to leave.

Among the more than one hundred young men who entered the Eastern Palace to study, not one was missing.

There are civil servants who want to support the Duke of Guo, and there are sufficient reasons for him to support the Duke of Guo.

When selecting three from more than a hundred sons of noble families to accompany the prince to study, we must be cautious and choose the ones who are the best overall.

So it takes time.

As if under the influence of an invisible force, although the matter was constantly reported by civil officials, it did not cause any major disturbance.

Time passed little by little.

The eleventh year of Hongzhi arrived.

January.

Zhu Houzhao was having fun in the Eastern Palace when he was suddenly called to the Qianqing Palace by his father.

Without thinking much, he ran like the wind to the outside of the Qianqing Palace, where he heard a scolding.

"Thirteenth brother, you are confused. Su Xin is engaged to a martial arts master of great reputation like Gu Santong.

As a member of the royal family, how can you marry her?

How can we put our royal family's face? And how will the martial arts world view our royal family?" Zhu Youtang scolded earnestly.

“Your Majesty, I am willing to give up everything just to marry Su Xin.

Please grant me your majesty's blessing." A steady voice sounded immediately afterwards, full of sincerity and pleading.

"How dare you! You're giving up everything for a woman who's already engaged!
I think you have lost your mind and been bewitched by this evil woman." Zhu Youtang said angrily.

"I know I am wrong, and I will accept your punishment.

But I only love Suxin, and I swear to marry her.

Your Majesty, I am willing to accept any punishment, and I only ask for Your Majesty's blessing." The calm voice said firmly.

"Asshole, you didn't get crowned a king, you didn't go to a fiefdom, and you even changed your name to Zhu Wusi, don't you know what that means?

I love you so much, yet you dare to be so disobedient for a witch and treat the royal family as nothing." Zhu Youtang became more and more angry and shouted loudly.

"I have failed your Majesty's kindness and I accept your punishment." He said in a calm and guilt-ridden voice.

Zhu Youtang paced back and forth angrily, with a rare coldness flashing in his eyes: "That witch must have bewitched you, must--"

"father!"

A voice full of curiosity interrupted him. Zhu Houzhao, who was listening happily outside, ran in. Looking at the figure kneeling in front of Zhu Youtang, his face was full of surprise and anticipation to watch the fun.

"Zhao'er, you go out first." Zhu Youtang coughed lightly, suppressed his anger, and spoke.

Zhu Houzhao seemed not to hear and asked curiously: "Dad, is this my uncle?"

"Yes, it's your thirteenth uncle." Zhu Youtang was helpless, but he was used to his son's disobedience, so he had to respond and said to the kneeling figure: "Get up first, this is Zhao'er."

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Zhu Wusi stood up and bowed to Zhu Houzhao.

I couldn't help but look at him secretly.

The prince, who is over six years old, has heard a lot of news in the past year, even though he has been in the martial arts world in recent years.

Especially after he mastered the Mingshen Martial Classic, he couldn't help but be shocked and curious.

Zhu Houzhao also looked at this uncle he had never seen before, and suddenly, as if it was just as he expected, he nodded and said, "Dad, you and Uncle Thirteen are indeed brothers. You are both obsessed with that kind of love, and you only love one woman."

"Cough cough." Zhu Youtang coughed continuously and was choked.

Zhu Wusi's eyes moved, he lowered his head and didn't look at Zhu Youtang's embarrassing situation at this moment, but a glimmer of hope rose in his heart which was almost in despair.

"Zhao'er, don't talk nonsense. You go back first." Zhu Youtang said sternly.

"I'm not talking nonsense, I heard everything just now." Zhu Houzhao didn't buy it at all, with a look of disdain on his face, and said proudly: "You are really terrible, how can a real man indulge in women? And you only love one.

I am different. When I grow up and become an emperor, I will not be obsessed with women and will not love just one.

I only marry the most outstanding women in the world as concubines.

Only someone who is worthy of me can be the queen."

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(End of this chapter)