strictlysupreme Chapter 941 When will you return?
Chapter 941 When will you return?
Chapter 941 When will you return?
All preparations for the grand court meeting were carried out as scheduled, including the southwestern chieftains, and Zhu Houzhao also met with them according to the regulations.
The main topics were presented one by one.
Currency reform and military district restructuring were both initiated last year, so they are bound to be on the agenda.
On the one hand, the court needs to understand the implementation situation, and on the other hand, it needs to listen carefully to the opinions below to see if there are any problems in the implementation process.
The third confirmed topic is foreign affairs.
What happened later was more surprising.
First, Prime Minister Zhang Cong raised the issues of commercial taxation and industrial development.
The emperor had always mentioned the issue of industry, but he never expected it to be one of the topics. This has been raised to a very high level.
After this, the emperor adopted the suggestion of the Shaofu and proposed to use the newly made cement to repair the main official roads throughout the country.
Many officials were shocked after hearing this. How could this become one of the topics?
Because there are only two topics left. If repairing the official road takes up one of them, then there will be no hope for the rest, including the issue of establishing a crown prince.
In fact, in the eyes of traditional officials, the crown prince is the foundation of the country and should be the most important of these affairs, but since Emperor Zhengde ignored them, there was nothing they could do.
You don’t need to think too much about the last topic, it will never change.
It's the land, the farmers, or to use that new word: agriculture.
How to better solve the livelihood of farmers and always maintain a high-pressure situation to curb land annexation is the most important background of the Zhengde Dynasty.
Looking at it as a whole,
Of the seven major topics, one was military affairs, one was foreign affairs, and the remaining five were all civil affairs.
This is also in line with Zhu Houzhao's consistent philosophy, that is, a country like the Ming Dynasty cannot be conquered from the outside unless some Zenith Empire appears outside.
The Ming Dynasty’s real enemies are always within.
As for the scandal of the eldest prince Zaihe, all the civil and military officials in the court tacitly agreed not to mention it at all during the court meeting.
This also made Zhu Houzhao a little surprised. He didn't think that this group of people had such organization.
So he expressed his confusion during the casual conversation in the palace.
However, when You Zhi was making tea for him, he kept talking, "Your Highness has made a mistake this time, and it will involve Elder Zhang to some extent. There are countless people out there who have fabricated things against Elder Zhang. His deeds are no simpler than those of Your Highness, so naturally, Elder Zhang's people will not say much."
Zhu Houzhao asked, "Are you also pleading for the boss?"
"How could this old servant have such intention? Your Majesty always has his own ideas and will not tolerate me saying anything. This is what I am saying. It is not that I am saying anything bad about Lord Zhang. Lord Zhang is really in a difficult situation. As for Lords Gu and Wang, as well as the other upright officials in the outer court, they originally hoped that Your Majesty would release His Highness. Although they have not been granted permission, they will not bring it up on their own initiative."
There is some truth in this.
"You old fellow, you look harmless, but you are actually as cunning as a fox."
You Zhi chuckled, "Your Majesty, I am wronged. Your Majesty is extremely smart. Even though I am not as smart as you, I still have to be smarter. Otherwise, how can I serve Your Majesty if I only understand one sentence out of three?"
"Then use your bright brain to think about how I should treat Zhang Cong?"
This time, Zhang Cong took the lead in making commercial tax one of the topics.
This is what I told him, and Zhang Cong immediately understood it.
These were all very offensive things, but Zhang Cong did them without any hesitation.
Even if he did it to avoid being deposed, Zhu Houzhao would not be so demanding.
He has always been a result-oriented person. To put it bluntly, winning a beautiful woman's heart is not important to him, but he will get her body first.
Governing a country is not like falling in love, having results is enough.
If Zhang Cong really did so, he did succeed.
At a certain moment, Zhu Houzhao was even a little hesitant, but after thinking about it, he felt that the opportunity was not to be missed.
This time, it also involves Zai Yao and the subsequent establishment of a crown prince, so it should be said that it is a very good situation.
It’s probably a pity for Zhang Cong.
This was also the reason why he asked You Zhi this, in fact he was still a little reluctant.
You Zhi didn't say anything nonsense. For example, if the emperor wants his subjects to die, the subjects have to die. He can treat them however he wants. He still understands the emperor Zhang Cong's feelings. "Your Majesty, I have said too much."
"Speak, there is no one else here."
"I think we should let Mr. Zhang return home in glory."
Zhu Houzhao was slightly surprised, "Why? This is not in line with the conventions of this dynasty."
It was a strange practice during the Hongzhi period for the Prime Minister to resign but still hold the position, but it was done so many times during the Zhengde period that it has become a routine.
"Your Majesty," You Zhi's tone softened, "Lord Zhang is not like Liu and Yang. He has offended too many people, and who knows how many people hate him. If you just take away his position as prime minister, some people will think it is not enough to relieve their hatred. Without the protection of his high position, Lord Zhang will be difficult to avoid no matter where he lives. If he is not careful, he will be in a dead end. It is not convenient for Your Majesty to protect him, but if he has no power, it will be a different situation."
When Zhu Houzhao first heard You Zhi's opinion, he found it unbelievable, but after listening carefully, he felt that it was reasonable.
The old eunuch continued, "From your majesty's perspective, the two ministers Liu and Yang had great prestige in the court. Although your majesty removed them from their positions as ministers, he still appointed them as frontier officials, which allowed more people to truly appreciate your majesty's benevolence. However, Minister Zhang is completely different. If your majesty still entrusts him with important tasks, I am afraid that people will not accept it."
Zhu Houzhao's heart moved slightly. The old man finished speaking and poured the tea.
"But how can he return home in glory if he is notorious and dressed in white, and even then there are still people chasing him? Or what if he has some free time and is filled with resentment? Not everyone lives just to survive."
"If Lord Zhang has this intention, Your Majesty will send him to Southeast Asia. In name, he will be exiled thousands of miles away, but in reality, he can continue to be loyal to Your Majesty and the court. However..."
He smiled at this.
"what happened?"
"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know if it's right. I've always heard people say that desire is insatiable, but in fact it may not be true. For example, if Elder Zhang knew what Your Majesty was thinking and how much thought you put into him, he would have no regrets in his death."
This sentence eased the bitterness in Zhu Houzhao's heart a little.
Only this old killer can speak.
"You can treat him to a meal on my behalf."
"Old slave obeys the order."
Things in this world are helpless. It is already good enough to get 21% of the original amount. Why should we demand more?
Zhu Houzhao knew that after the grand court meeting, as the Zai'e case continued to ferment, many people would begin to submit memorials, and their memorials would not be just about such a small matter.
The eldest prince made such a mistake in the currency reform, so was Zhang Cong less guilty?
So there is actually not much time left, and it is just the right time to let You Zhi go now.
After so many years, Zhu Houzhao was very familiar with these routines, and he only needed to cooperate in acting.
Some people in his later generations have always said that Kangxi was lazy in his later years.
At first he only understood it literally, but now he has a deeper understanding of it.
The Forbidden City is mysterious, but it all boils down to these same routines.
Even if a new event is presented, nothing has changed in essence.
Take the commercial tax issue for example. When it was first mentioned, there must have been some people who opposed it, saying that it was competing with the people for profits and hindering industrial development. Then, the emperor held great power, and if warnings failed, he would arrest one or two officials whose families had businesses, thus silencing everyone.
The power of business groups has grown rapidly in the Ming Dynasty over the past decade or so. Compared with the resistance posed by landlords when the land was surveyed, the difference is simply worlds apart.
So despite some twists and turns, if you use the common routines, it will eventually become a reality.
Zhu Houzhao had performed this scene too many times.
perhaps,
This is the reason for the inaction.
When March 3rd arrived, the situation was just as he had expected. He emphasized to the generals on the frontier what the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties was, what the military might of a great country was, and to the local officials what the people hoped for and the government aimed at, what it meant to serve as an official and benefit the people, and to the people of other ethnic groups what the orthodoxy of the Han people was, what it meant to comfort the people and punish the criminals...
in the palace,
People came and went, and they said much of the same things.
What is really different is how each individual feels during the process and how they make Zhu Houzhao feel.
There has never been an official like Zhang Cong before, and there will never be one again in the future.
At the beginning of the grand court meeting, Zhu Houzhao watched him being the center of attention in front of the important figures in the country. Less than two days after the grand court meeting ended, he watched him being criticized and condemned in a large number of memorials.
The difference between the before and after was so great that even the emperor, who was used to political dramas and had seen people leave and forget about him, couldn't help but sigh.
And in the midst of this sigh, he also personally pushed this drama to its deserved ending.
Again,
Life is like a play, everyone has his or her own role, and everyone needs to play his or her role well.
We admire people who mess things up because we can't do it.
Even if Zhu Houzhao was the emperor, he couldn't do it.
No matter what, he can't be kept here any longer.
But in fact, You Zhi, the old eunuch who usually doesn't talk, was right. Zhang Cong understood all this very well and didn't even need that pot of wine.
The sun sets and rises, and one morning the Zhang Mansion, which had hardly changed in the past ten years, begins to make different movements.
The people outside the mansion who used to deliver food on time disappeared, and the people inside the mansion began to pack their bags. People seemed busy and confused, while in the courtyard, there were many more weeds and fallen leaves after only two days of not being swept.
Everything happened just as planned, flowing smoothly and quietly.
Until something unexpected happened, someone suddenly started to rush in, "Master, the distinguished guest is here!"
Zhang Cong was sorting out his old books and was a little surprised to hear this. He had ended up like this, so who would come again?
Until a man in a green robe lifted his hat at the door, he was immediately shocked, "Your Majesty!"
"Shh." Zhu Houzhao made such a gesture and said, "I came here secretly, no one can know, please keep your voice down."
Zhang Cong no longer cared about these things. He tried to comfort himself for a long time and finally calmed down. But as soon as the emperor's face appeared, all the peace was gone.
Even someone as hard-hearted as him felt a little choked up in an instant, and tears almost burst out.
"emperor……"
Zhu Houzhao turned around and closed the door. He asked, "When will you be back this time?"
Zhang Cong was already kneeling. He shook his head and said, "Your Majesty asked when I will return, but I really don't know."
"Yeah, how would I know? But I hope you remember to come back to Beijing as much as possible in the future."
(End of this chapter)