Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 617 Using an opponent's strength against them, leveraging the overall momentum!
Yao Guangxiao's expression was solemn, and his voice was as loud as a bell as he slowly analyzed in the hall: "Your Majesty is trapped in the enemy's lair, and the situation within the Confucian Temple is constantly changing. Any pre-planned strategy is now nothing more than empty talk."

"Only by enabling those on the front lines to adapt to changing circumstances and make decisive decisions can we find a glimmer of hope."

He paused, his tone becoming even more somber: "But we are in Nanjing, thousands of miles away from Qufu. Even if we send and receive telegrams, the translation of the messages alone would take up more than half an hour."

"This half hour, which might be just a blink of an eye on any other day, is enough to decide the life and death of a monarch and overturn the safety of the nation today!"

"Any decision we make here may be like trying to find a sword by marking the boat, which will not only be useless, but will also delay the battle and even disrupt the overall situation."

“Now that things have come to this,” Yao Guangxiao’s gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Gu Panjun. “The only course of action now is to issue an imperial edict in the name of the Political Affairs Office and the Military Affairs Office, informing all government offices and garrisons in Shandong that all actions shall be under the command of Consort Xu.”

He emphasized his words, stating firmly, "Right now, only the Imperial Concubine is in Qufu, right here in the Confucius Mansion, separated from the Temple of Literature by only a wall. She has a clear understanding of the situation."

"Secondly, if it weren't for the Imperial Concubine's wisdom, courage, and decisiveness in seizing the telegraph room first, we would probably still be deaf and blind, and no one would be able to subdue the traitors."

"This shows that the Imperial Concubine is exceptionally intelligent and capable of taking on the important task of saving the Emperor."

"Therefore, I believe that temporarily entrusting the command of the front line to the Noble Consort is the best strategy at present."

"We can offer strategies in Jinling for Your Highness's advice, but we should not overstep our bounds and do things on your behalf, lest our good intentions backfire."

Gu Panjun listened quietly, a hint of approval flashing in her phoenix eyes, and nodded slightly, saying, "What Master Yao said is indeed a wise and mature view."

Her voice was clear and firm, and it was particularly distinct in the hall: "Consort Xu is brave and resourceful, and she made a decisive decision, which stabilized the situation outside the Confucian Temple and bought us precious time."

"However, although she can temporarily wield power as a Noble Consort, her interference in politics within the inner palace is ultimately illegitimate and unjustified."

"Without explicit authorization from the Political Affairs and Military Affairs Departments, it is inevitable that people will become restless when given orders."

“Moreover,” Gu Panjun’s gaze sharpened, “Wang Shoulian has been operating in Shandong for many years, and his cronies and old friends are deeply entrenched. If they are willing to help Wang Shoulian, they will outwardly comply with but inwardly defy the orders of the Imperial Concubine.”

"Based solely on Consort Xu's decree, these people will certainly find excuses to shirk responsibility, or even secretly obstruct us."

"Only official documents from the imperial court can legitimize her actions, ensure that orders are obeyed, and deter those with ulterior motives from making any further moves."

Gu Panjun surveyed his ministers and asked in a deep voice, "What do you all think?"

"I second that idea! This is the perfect solution!"

"I second the proposal!"

A chorus of agreement immediately arose in the hall, and all the ministers bowed, offering no further objections.

Among the crowd, only Wang Zuo had his brows furrowed and his lips moving, as if he were unwilling.

His gaze swept over the excited faces of his colleagues, but he ultimately swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Instead, he seconded the motion.

However, when everyone echoed his agreement, his voice was barely audible, and his bowed body appeared somewhat stiff.

Gu Panjun tapped her fingertips lightly on the armrest, the crisp sound silencing the hall.

Although the decision is made in name only through a meeting, the minority submits to the majority.

In reality, however, the resolutions of a meeting are never simply a matter of the minority obeying the majority.

The real key is how you ask questions.

And this power to ask questions is firmly in her hands at this moment.

Just moments before, in response to Wang Zuo's remarks of "kneeling down to make peace and abolishing the new learning," Gu Panjun had used this power to its fullest extent.

Instead of asking "Who objects?", she said, "Those who agree with Wang Zuo's suggestion, please raise your hands."

This is the authority of the host.

A seemingly fair question is actually an invisible barrier.

In this grand hall that represents the center of imperial power, who would dare to be the first to raise their hand and openly contradict her, the empress who carries the dragon's blood?

Even if she doesn't have the final voting right in name, she is only needed to cast the deciding vote when both sides are evenly matched.

However, no one is a fool.

The first person to stand up in opposition is the first person to become the queen's enemy.

Silence is the wisest way to protect yourself.

The hall fell into a deathly silence; no one raised their hand, and no one responded.

Wang Zuo's seemingly "justified" proposal was silently strangled in this suffocating silence.

As a veteran official who had been immersed in the bureaucracy for decades, Wang Zuo certainly understood the intricacies of the situation, but he was powerless to reverse the course of events.

In this game, status determines who sets the rules.

Of course, Gu Panjun's clever use of this card was also key.

However, the situation is completely different when faced with Yao Guangxiao's proposal.

Gu Panjun no longer needs to use those clever suppression methods.

Yao Guangxiao's plan had already touched the hearts of the vast majority of people present.

Therefore, Gu Panjun changed to a more direct approach and asked loudly, "What do you all think of Yao Shi's strategy?"

This time, what she wanted was a clear, resounding, and overwhelming "I second that."

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, a wave of responses came, confirming her judgment.

After everyone had expressed their opinions, Yao Guangxiao said in a deep voice, "Authorizing the Imperial Concubine to act according to circumstances is the general principle."

"But being in the capital, we are not entirely without options. At the very least, we can offer Your Highness one or two good suggestions for your consideration."

He paused for a moment, as if an invisible map was unfolding in his mind, and said, "I have never been to the Confucian Temple in Qufu in person, but I was fortunate enough to see the engineering drawings of the temple when it was rebuilt by the court, and I still have some impression of its layout."

"The Confucian Temple is a place for worshipping the saints. Both sides of the main road are planted with vigorous pine and cypress trees to show solemnity."

"This pine and cypress forest can both isolate the noise from the outside world and block the view from inside."

Yao Guangxiao changed the subject and pointed out the key point: "But once you pass through the forest path, you will find the main hall where the grand ceremony will be held."

"In front of the hall is a very spacious terrace plaza, which is separated from the backyard of the Confucius Mansion by only one wall."

"If one can climb the wall of the Confucius Mansion, one can have a clear view of the commotion in the square in front of the hall."

Yao Guangxiao's gaze sharpened: "His Majesty is presiding over the ceremony today, and Wang Shoulian chose to launch his attack after His Majesty read the prayer for the Heaven-worshiping ceremony. His intentions are sinister; he wants to wipe out His Majesty and all the officials in one fell swoop."

"From this, we can infer that His Majesty must be inside the main hall at this moment, or trapped in the square in front of the hall!"

He continued his analysis: "Just now, the Imperial Concubine sent a message, and we know that His Majesty still has more than twenty Tian Shu Guards protecting him." "Although this force is not large, each of them is an elite."

"If a good opportunity arises, it is not entirely impossible to escort His Majesty out of the encirclement!"

Yao Guangxiao gestured to the eunuch to bring paper and pen, and casually sketched a simple location map on the white paper. The lines were precise and the layout was clear.

He pointed to a corner of the picture and said, "In the past, in order to ensure that the prayer for the sacrifice to Heaven could be proclaimed to the world as soon as possible, His Majesty issued an order to open an inconspicuous hidden door in a corner of the wall leading from the Temple of Literature Square to the Confucius Mansion, so that messengers could pass through."

"According to my calculations, the distance from the main hall to this gate is at most a hundred feet."

“However, the biggest problem is,” Yao Guangxiao lowered his voice, revealing a heavy tone, “that His Majesty is unaware of the situation outside!”

"Wang Shoulian's sudden attack must mean that the entire area surrounding the Qufu Confucian Temple has fallen in His Majesty's eyes."

"Being surrounded, the emperor would certainly have concerns and would not choose to break out rashly."

"But the truth is that the Imperial Concubine had already taken control of the entire external situation with her swift and decisive actions."

"Wang Shoulian may seem arrogant, but he's actually a sitting duck!"

“Therefore,” Yao Guangxiao said, a glint in his eyes, “our most urgent task right now is to deliver the message that ‘the outer perimeter is safe’ to His Majesty’s ears accurately and without error!”

"Once Your Majesty knows the true situation outside, with Your Majesty's wisdom, you will surely be able to immediately devise a plan to escape this predicament!"

Gu Panjun's phoenix eyes suddenly lit up.

Yao Guangxiao's words were like a lightning bolt piercing through the gloom in her heart.

Yes, the greatest fear of those trapped stems from the unknown situation in the outside world.

By passing the message in, Zhu Yunwen will be able to make the correct judgment.

Perhaps I can find a way to get out of this predicament.

Once this thought arises, it grows wildly like a vine.

That's really not difficult. All you have to do is send a trusted person to risk their life to shout loudly outside the wall!

A seemingly simple method may be the key to turning the tide!
However, as soon as she had this thought, Yao Guangxiao immediately added, "However, we still need to be extremely careful about how and when to deliver the message."

"We must not act rashly, lest the likes of Wang Shoulian become desperate and coerce Your Majesty, thus plunging Your Majesty into even greater danger."

He bowed slightly and said, "The specific timing and methods ultimately depend on the Imperial Concubine who is stationed there to assess the situation and make a decision accordingly."

“This is already a good strategy to break the deadlock.” Gu Panjun nodded and said, “Immediately send Consort Xu a full analysis of Master Yao’s analysis, word for word, so that she can make a decision based on the circumstances.”

No sooner had the decree been issued than Yang Shiqi stepped forward and said loudly, “Your Majesty, I have another suggestion. Since His Majesty’s prayer for the emperor has been circulated throughout the land and the troops in Shandong are now under the command of the Imperial Concubine, there is no longer any possibility of concealing the matter of the Qufu remonstrance.”

"The decision on how to proceed in the court has already been made. With us ministers of state affairs and ministers of military affairs working together, the court is stable, and there is no need to hide anything anymore."

His eyes shone brightly, revealing a keen insight unique to politicians: "Rather than letting rumors spread and shake people's hearts, it would be better for the court to take the initiative to announce this matter to the world and make it completely public!"

"There are two major advantages to this."

Yang Shiqi stretched out his fingers and analyzed the situation in detail, saying, "First, expose the treasonous crimes of Wang Shoulian and others to the public, nail them to the pillar of shame where they are cursed by all, and make them public enemies!"

“Secondly, and most importantly,” his voice suddenly rose, “we can take this opportunity to completely bind ‘traditional learning’ with ‘rebellion’!”

"Let the world see clearly that Wang Shoulian's actions are the dying struggle of the remnants of traditional learning!"

"From now on, anyone who dares to claim to uphold traditional learning is a traitor with ill intentions, intending to emulate Wang Shoulian and commit heinous crimes!"

"In this way, all the obstacles to promoting the new learning can be swept away with this thunderous force!"

"Wang Shoulian's self-righteous military remonstrance has ironically become the best sacrifice to clear obstacles for the new school of thought. It is truly a clear sign of Heaven's will that he brought about his own destruction!"

Gu Panjun's phoenix eyes sharpened, and she immediately made a decision: "What Lord Yang said is very true, let's do it this way!"

"Absolutely not!" Before she could finish speaking, Wang Zuo's face turned deathly pale. He rushed forward, his voice trembling, "Your subject opposes this to the death!"

He bowed deeply to Gu Panjun and said with great sorrow, "Your Majesty! The old learning is the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism, which has been the foundation of Confucianism for hundreds of years. Even if it has flaws, it is still the inheritance of the sage's teachings!"

"While new learning has made pioneering contributions, it also needs the guidance and rectification of old learning to ensure that scholars understand morality, know reverence, and prevent the moral decay of the people!"

“Traditional learning is knowledge, and traitors are traitors. How can we conflate the two and condemn them outright?”

"No!" Yang Shiqi shook his head resolutely, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he stared at Wang Zuo: "Lord Wang, you are mistaken! If the old learning could truly 'return to its roots,' then why would Wang Shoulian, who has painstakingly studied the old learning for decades, commit such a heinous and beastly act?"

"His actions today prove that he is a hypocrite who spouts sagehoods but has a heart of snakes and scorpions!"

"The old learning not only fails to lead people to goodness, but also teaches them how to be eloquent and flattering, and how to build a virtuous facade for themselves so that they can commit despicable acts of theft and prostitution behind the scenes!"

"Today is the perfect opportunity to completely abolish it and establish the true orthodox Confucianism of the new learning approved by His Majesty!"

Yang Shiqi pressed on relentlessly, his voice sharp and stern: "Moreover, the name 'New Confucianism' was personally proclaimed to the world by His Majesty in his sacrificial prayer!"

"Lord Wang, why are you so vehemently opposing this? Do you also intend to question His Majesty's will and collude with the traitor Wang Shoulian to commit treasonous acts?"

This hat, once placed on my head, is as heavy as Mount Tai!

"You...you dare to make false accusations!" Wang Zuo trembled with rage, pointing at Yang Shiqi, his hair and beard bristling, having lost the composure of a high-ranking official.

Yang Shiqi merely sneered and retorted, "Have I wronged you?"

"If you do not have this intention, why do you obstruct the court in every way, preventing it from exposing Wang Shoulian's ugly face of plotting rebellion under the banner of 'traditional learning'?"

Yang Shiqi stopped looking at him, turned around abruptly, and bowed deeply to Gu Panjun on the throne: "How should this matter be handled? I beseech Your Majesty the Empress to make the wise decision!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's attention turned to Gu Panjun.

Gu Panjun sat motionless, his cold gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of every minister in the hall, finally settling on Wang Zuo's pale face before quickly withdrawing.

Her voice was calm yet authoritative: "Then, as Your Majesty commands, let the officials vote collectively."

She leaned slightly forward, her words falling like ice beads: "His Majesty's grand ambitions, the future of the new school, and the fate of the Ming Dynasty all rest on the shoulders of you gentlemen."

"The extent of your loyalty to His Majesty and to the Ming Dynasty is now clearly demonstrated!"

These words were no longer a question, but a warning.

The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly, and all the officials felt a chill run down their spines.

Yao Guangxiao broke the silence first, bowing and saying, "Your subject agrees with Yang Shiqi's request!"

……

(End of this chapter)