Fu Shanhe

Chapter 523 Rumors Flying Everywhere

"The palace maid who serves His Majesty was dragged to the camp by the two good-for-nothing brothers, the Third and Seventh, last night. As a result, she could not bear the humiliation and committed suicide."

There were too few female relatives accompanying them, and they couldn't find a replacement for the time being.

so……"

After hearing Shi Jinglin's explanation, Shi Jingfeng immediately understood.

This isn't just about mistreating palace maids; it's about rubbing Emperor Yongning's face in the floor.

Since the Shi family was leading the way in doing this, the soldiers following Emperor Yongning naturally wouldn't take the emperor seriously either.

From birth until now, Emperor Yongning had never suffered such humiliation.

In a fit of anger, he launched a major attack.

Having learned the truth, Shi Jingfeng wished he could kill his two good-for-nothing cousins.

The death of Emperor Yongning cemented the Shi family's reputation as traitors, leaving them with no chance of escaping punishment.

When Dong Zhuo seized power and killed the young emperor, the Prince of Chenliu still served as a puppet.

This wave of the Shi family resulted in the deaths of two emperors in succession.

"Pass down the order: immediately seal off the entire army from this matter, and anyone who dares to discuss it will be executed!"

A notice was issued in the army stating that the person killed was His Majesty's double, and that everyone should not worry.

"Quickly find someone whose face resembles His Majesty and immediately train them in all the court etiquette."

Shi Jingfeng gritted his teeth and gave the order.

In any case, Emperor Yongning cannot die now.

The title of regicide is something Shi Jingfeng cannot bear, nor can the Shi family.

Emperor Yongning died tragically under the iron heel, almost the same as being murdered in the street.

The only course of action now is to quickly guide public opinion and cover up the truth.

Whether we can get away with it or not, doing something is definitely better than doing nothing.

Once the regicide is acknowledged, the soldiers of the Beijing garrison who were previously incorporated into the army will become the biggest hidden danger.

Officials who flock to them will also become disloyal.

Frankly speaking, if he could seize the world, Shi Jingfeng wouldn't care about fame.

Even if they become the second Sima family, they still have a hundred-year reign.

The problem is that the Shi family has not yet taken control of the country, and there are a large number of opposing forces in both the south and the north.

Once news of the regicide spreads, all factions will immediately pounce and wipe them out.

"Brother, don't worry!"

"This matter concerns the life and death of the Shi family, and I will do my utmost!"

Shi Jinglin immediately assured him.

The mess they made was so big that the entire Shi family was dragged into it.

If they cannot survive this calamity, the Shi clan will be utterly destroyed.

As a member of the Shi family, he had no choice but to go down this path to the bitter end.

……

While the Shi family was taking action, news of Emperor Yongning's death had already spread among the fleeing soldiers.

Blocking information may seem to slow down the spread of news, but in reality, it breeds more rumors and gossip.

By the time the news of the multiple changes of ownership reached Nanjing, the details had changed drastically.

"My lord, the Shi family dared to openly murder the emperor; such an act is an unforgivable crime."

The cabinet must respond and give the world an explanation!

An Jingzhi said indignantly.

For the Southern court, the specifics of the emperor's death were irrelevant. As long as the emperor was dead, they had to insist that the Shi family had murdered him.

Subsequently, the most damaging and widely accepted version of the rumors was chosen from among the gossip and rumors, which became the cause of Emperor Yongning's death.

As the cabinet minister in charge of the Ministry of Justice, when faced with such a rebellion against the Heavenly Stems, one must immediately step forward to define the nature of the incident.

"Ok!"

"The cabinet issued an official document exposing the Shi family's atrocities of murdering the emperor and calling on the people of the world to condemn them."

All those involved in the case must be executed without mercy!

The bandit leader, Shi Jingfeng, is guilty of heinous crimes and his entire clan should be exterminated!

Li Mu said menacingly.

Deep down, he couldn't help but curse.

He could disregard the Shi family's suicidal intentions, but they shouldn't be so cruel to people!

The death of Emperor Yongning disrupted all of his previous plans.

Whether he likes it or not, he now has to fight the Shi family to the death.

As a loyal subject of the Great Yu Dynasty, how could I possibly withdraw my troops without executing Shi Jingfeng?

We must act swiftly and decisively now, and not give the Shi family the opportunity to defect to the Northern Barbarians, otherwise this great battle could drag on for who knows how long.

"My lord, a country cannot be without a ruler for even a day."

Now that His Majesty has passed away, a virtuous and capable successor should be chosen from among the imperial clan to stabilize the people's hearts.

Bai Jinwen stood up and said.

The Ministry of Rites was responsible for handling all the procedures related to the succession of imperial power, and he had to get up and work during these times.

According to custom, the new emperor should be enthroned by the Crown Prince through the Ministry of Rites in accordance with the patriarchal system.

Unfortunately, this time the situation was special. Not only did the court not have a crown prince, but Emperor Yongning, Emperor Tianyuan, and Emperor Fu'an also had no sons.

Three emperors in a row had no sons, and tracing back to the heirs to the throne, they were all from distant collateral branches.

No matter how you look at it, it has nothing to do with "legitimate son".

If the heir apparent cannot be chosen, then the only option is to choose the most virtuous.

There is no specific standard for "virtue"; the criteria used to determine the best people will vary.

Nominally, the cabinet discussed the matter, but in reality, it was Li Mu who had the power to decide who would inherit the throne.

When it comes to the succession of imperial power, choosing the wrong side can be fatal.

Without understanding Li Mu's thoughts, the prudent Bai Jinwen naturally wouldn't reveal his preferred candidate for the new emperor.

"You few can discuss the matter of establishing a new ruler."

Given my status, I need to avoid any appearance of impropriety on this matter.

Now that the Emperor is in distress, I, the Marquis, cannot eat or sleep in peace.

In order to quell the rebellion as soon as possible, the Japanese Marquis will set off for the front line tomorrow to personally command the battle to quell the rebellion.

The affairs of the court are now entrusted to you all.

Li Mu decisively kicked the ball back.

As a regional warlord who also controlled the main army in the court, his decision to establish a new ruler at this time would easily make him appear as a "Cao Cao".

The negative lesson from the Shi family is still fresh in his mind, and he has no intention of following in their footsteps.

Rather than getting caught up in the turmoil surrounding the new emperor, it's better to quickly leave the court.

Commanding a large army to quell the rebellion was undoubtedly the best reason.

Everyone was completely dumbfounded after hearing Li Mu's words.

They were so eager to be promoted that they simply handed over the favor, and for a moment they dared not accept it.

"My lord, the throne is a matter of great importance to the nation and its people; you cannot be absent from this matter!"

Wan Huaijin hurriedly offered his advice.

It is certainly admirable that the civil service group monopolized the credit for the enthronement, but the question is, without the military's backing, is the emperor still the emperor of the Great Yu?
If they elect an emperor, complete all the procedures to enthrone him, and then Li Mu suddenly changes his mind and refuses to acknowledge him, the political consequences could be severe.

"Lord Wan, it is not that I am trying to shirk my responsibility, but I am truly unfamiliar with the imperial clan."

I don't know a single member of the royal family or the princes, so how would I know who is virtuous and who is lazy!

To be responsible to the court and to the people, I will not interfere.

"Your Excellencies are all discerning individuals; I am confident you will be able to select a virtuous and capable ruler."

Li Mu waved his hand and declined.

Although he had never participated in the selection of an emperor, he could still learn a great deal from the experiences and lessons in history books.

After the Jingkang Incident, Emperors Huizong and Qinzong, along with all their sons, were captured. Only Zhao Gou, who was recruiting soldiers outside the capital, escaped the massacre.

When they enthroned him, he was the only living member of the imperial family from Emperor Taizong's lineage.

There was no legal dispute, which reduced many internal conflicts.

Only after the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty were southern officials able to quickly align themselves with Zhao Gou and establish the Southern Song Dynasty.

The same issue of choosing an emperor also occurred at the end of the Ming Dynasty, but the outcome was quite different. All of Chongzhen's sons had fallen to the north, leaving a lack of a successor. Civil and military officials fought tooth and nail over who had contributed to his ascension to the throne.

None of the emperors of the Southern Ming Dynasty were able to gain the collective support of officials and gentry.

As a result, after they came to power, they were unable to integrate the power of the southern provinces in a short period of time.

The situation of the Dayu Dynasty seemed to have improved a lot, but in reality, it was the same as that of the Southern Ming Dynasty.

Without a successor in line, choosing an emperor from the imperial clan would not gain the approval of everyone, regardless of who was chosen.

In times of peace, disputes can be gradually quelled, but this is not possible in times of chaos.

While Li Mu could certainly suppress dissenting voices and forcibly install a new emperor, this would plunge him into a political storm.

Such a hot potato of support is better left undone.

Given his status and position, no matter how great his achievements, the emperor would at most promote him by one rank.

For him, the titles of duke and marquis were merely empty honors, making no real difference whatsoever.

He would refuse any additional titles offered by the emperor.

The more you take from the imperial court, the harder it will be to relinquish your position in the future.

The death of Emperor Yongning caused him trouble in the short term, but in the long run it was a good thing.

No matter what, Emperor Yongning was his feudal lord, and politically, they could not be separated.

Now that Emperor Yongning is dead, he has sent troops to avenge his former master, thus fulfilling his duty as a subject to his ruler.

When a member of the collateral branch of the imperial family rises to power, the relationship becomes countless layers removed.

He only needs to deliberately distance himself from the court so that if anything happens to the court in the future, he will have nothing to do with it.

Having made up his mind, Li Mu was naturally free to let the civil officials do whatever they wanted.

According to the ideal emperor template in these people's minds, they simply couldn't survive in a chaotic world.

Let alone cleaning up the mess in the north, I reckon they'll even cause problems for this peaceful place in the south.

After saying this, Li Mu took his leave, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.

"King Xiang is exceptionally talented; it would be better to make him emperor!"

After a long pause, Bai Jinwen broke the silence in the room.

Not long after he passed the imperial examination, he was sent by the court to serve as the chief secretary of the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion for a term, and he had a good relationship with the previous Prince of Xiangyang.

The Prince of Xiangyang was still a child at that time, and he was the one who taught him his first lessons.

Even a mentor is still a teacher, and this kind of teacher-student relationship was the most reliable political alliance in the Great Yu Dynasty.

For him personally, supporting the Prince of Xiangyang as emperor would undoubtedly maximize his own interests.

"inappropriate!"

"The lineage of Prince Xiang originated from the third son of Emperor Renzong. It has been passed down for more than two hundred years, and the bloodline is five degrees of kinship with the late emperor."

If he were to be enthroned as emperor, the people of the world would certainly not be convinced.

In my opinion, it would be better to establish the King of Huainan as emperor.

The Prince of Huainan was the second son of Emperor Shenzong and one of the imperial clan members whose bloodline was closest to that of the late emperor.

......"

Shi Qingchen immediately offered his own candidate.

Frankly speaking, he and the King of Huainan were complete strangers.

He chose to recommend the Prince of Huainan, who was the daughter of his paternal uncle and had married him.

The two families also have a lot of business dealings in private, and their relationship is considered close.

Since the goal is to seize credit for the enthronement, it's natural to choose those with close ties.

"inappropriate!"

"Although the bloodline of the King of Huainan is close, the mother of the first King of Huainan came from a humble background and was only granted the title of Prince."

It is truly hard to believe that a mere prince would be enthroned.

In my opinion, it would be better to enthrone the King of Shu.

The King of Shu was known for his intelligence and virtue, and was a famous talent in the world.

......"

An Jingzhi's proposal brought the debate to a climax.

In the blink of an eye, the six cabinet ministers put forward six heirs to the throne.

Everyone had their own reasons for supporting their position, and for a time no one could convince anyone else.

"Colleagues, the matter of establishing a new emperor is of great importance and cannot be decided in a single word."

It's getting late, so why don't you all go back and rest? We can discuss this again at the next morning court session.

Seeing that the situation had reached a stalemate, Vice Minister Wan Huaijin spoke up to call a halt.

At that moment, he suddenly understood why Li Mu had left.

The cabinet alone has produced six heirs to the throne; if the matter were discussed in court, who knows how many more candidates would emerge.

In this context, no matter who is chosen, it will be impossible to convince all parties.

Choosing to suspend the discussion at this point is essentially giving everyone time to coordinate and make transactions.

If an agreement can be reached privately, that would be ideal.

If no result can be reached through negotiations, then the only option left is to take it to the imperial court for a heated debate.

Even if there were to be a fight, it would be impossible for all six candidates to participate at the same time; several would have to be eliminated in the early stages.

Only two or three people should be allowed to participate in the duel in the imperial court at most; any more than that and trouble is likely to arise.

To get their nominee into the final race, they need to secure the support of at least one more cabinet minister.

When interests are involved, it's not something they can decide with just a few words.

The nominated princes were also to participate.

If someone does not wish to be emperor, they cannot force them to participate in the struggle for the throne.

After all, the struggle for the throne has always been a high-risk endeavor.

Success would be great, but failure to seize power would mean a life of hardship for the rest of one's days.

If you encounter a petty emperor, you might not even survive the rest of your life.

……

As the official document was issued, Nanjing became increasingly bustling.

Although most people have a bad impression of Emperor Yongning, an emperor is still an emperor, and no matter how incompetent he is, he cannot commit regicide.

After the Northern Expedition failed, the officials joined forces to force the emperor to abdicate, but they only managed to bring Emperor Yongning into the inner palace.

Compared to the tyranny of the Shi family's regicide, these are completely different concepts.

As the commander of the loyalist army, Li Mu's temporary residence suddenly became lively.

A large group of noble sons gathered around, waiting for their leader to make a statement.

"I know why you've come."

The military order has been issued; tomorrow the army will set off north to suppress the rebels.

As for the matter of establishing a new ruler, I will not get involved.

If you have any thoughts, you can speak with the Duke of Chu.

He's a local expert, more familiar with the situation here, and should be able to make a wise judgment.

Without wasting any time, Li Mu directly answered the question that everyone was most concerned about.

The reason they were pushed to the Duke of Chu was mainly because the nobles were tied to the court and needed someone to speak up for them.

The older generation is stranded in the capital, their fate unknown, while the younger generation wants to get involved in politics but is too inexperienced in political maneuvering.

Rushing in recklessly could lead to being tricked and killed without even knowing who did it.

There are a few nobles on the south side who are the backbone of everyone.

Li Mu was going to lead troops into battle, so naturally, he had to leave the affairs of the court to others.

"My lord, you mustn't!"
"If you leave like this, I won't be able to control those civil officials."

Faced with the gazes of the crowd, the Duke of Chu hurriedly refused.

Both are nobles, but the nobles who inherit titles are completely different from those who earn them through their own efforts.

Li Mu's status and position were earned through battle; whatever he proposed in court, everyone would consider it carefully.

Even civil officials who disliked him would only nitpick in other ways, and would never question his abilities and achievements.

If it were the Duke of Chu, it wouldn't work. Without sufficiently outstanding achievements, his glory would only be superficial.

What he says is hard to believe.

Even if the strength of the aristocratic faction remains unchanged, its influence will decrease simply because the person speaking has changed.

(End of this chapter)