Chapter 002: The Newcomers of the Old Palace Change Their Master
Zhu Yijun had just entered the room when two beautiful palace maids brought a basin of water for him to wash his face. The basin was suddenly changed from pure silver to pure gold, and the towel was also shimmering with golden threads, embroidered with a golden dragon
The child is teachable! This is truly my own son
At this moment, Zhu Yijun was still worried about making a fool of himself, so he turned his head to glance at Feng Bao
Fortunately, his first two sons with another woman had already passed away, so the third prince Zhu Yijun was established as the crown prince. It was only a few days ago, after the emperor's passing, that Zhu Yijun ascended to the throne.
If Zhu Yijun were to learn of these thoughts, he would surely rush over to embrace her and exclaim, "Oh my dear mother, you truly care for your son."
Feng Baorong allowed Zhu Yijun to sit in the central chair
This little ancestor truly has a way! Feng Bao secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Consort Li pulled her son to his feet and said, "The Grand Tutor has arrived, quickly invite him in!"
He smiled this time, a different kind of exuberance from the one that had burst forth in the Qianqing Palace; now, he felt a warmth of happiness rising within him.
Consort Li smiled as she held her son's hand, playfully scratching his nose. "How could you be embarrassed? Jun'er has grown up; he is now the master of this palace and this world!"
The door opened, and Imperial Concubine Li entered gracefully, her steps measured, a solemn smile gracing her face
Zhang Juzheng approached the young master and immediately knelt down, saying: "Uncle Da pays his respects to the master"
Zhu Yijun's expression suddenly became serious; this was his teacher, the renowned statesman Zhang Juzheng.
Zhu Yijun suddenly asked himself a question: Is the emperor I am to become famous because of Zhang Juzheng, or is Zhang Juzheng famous because of me, the emperor?
The son is still a bit too young! At only 18 years old, if he were a little older, there wouldn't be any inappropriate thoughts about the illustrations in the book!
The Grand Chancellor and regent minister Gao Gong, who just spoke in the court, although his voice was pleasant, his gaze and movements always seemed to be ahead of what you perceive as the front, creating an invisible sense of pressure
If this were recorded by the historian, what he would note would not merely be a rhetorical question without an answer
He neither addressed him as "Your Majesty" nor as "Young Master," nor did he refer to Concubine Li as "Empress Dowager" or "Noble Lady"; he simply called out "Master," thereby encompassing both Zhu Yijun and Concubine Li
The mention of "that old man Gao Gong" by Consort Li, half in scolding and half in anger, is sufficient to prove that Gao Gong is indeed not well-liked, far inferior to the affable Zhang Juzheng!
He suddenly understood that this was meant to make him kneel
She gave birth to this dragon seed at the age of eighteen, at that time she was merely a maid in the royal residence, and her husband was just a prince—Prince Yu. At seventeen, she was in the prime of her youth; the first time he saw her, he knocked her to the ground and took action.
Master! Zhang Juzheng was the first to speak: "Just now, Gao Gong took the initiative to seek a discussion with me. He has already consulted with fellow regent and Minister of Rites Gao Yi, as well as other important officials, and proposed that the date for the Emperor's ascension be set for June 10, one month from now. After the ascension, in accordance with our previous agreement, the era name will be 'Wanli' and will be implemented starting from January of next year"
Zhang Juzheng quickly expressed his views at this moment: "Regarding the appointments, we can delay them to slow down his aggressive momentum. Currently, I am also serving as the Minister of Personnel, and even if he is the Prime Minister, he must discuss matters with me. We can use the excuse of the recent passing of the former emperor to postpone the appointments, rendering him ineffective. Then, we can assign other matters to the library, allowing him to take the lead in handling them. For now, we only need to focus on Concubine Zhang and Zhu Cunxiao, as they have recently been forming alliances not only among the concubines but also colluding with court officials, particularly maintaining close ties with the Ministry of War."
Zhu Yijun felt somewhat embarrassed and said, "As long as I haven't brought shame to my mother, that's all that matters"
It is currently a sensitive period before the ascension to the throne. Just now, when Feng Bao was speaking with Zhu Yijun on the road, he alternately referred to him as "Your Majesty" and "Young Master." This indicates that Feng Bao himself is uncertain. However, Zhang Juzheng surprisingly managed to skillfully navigate through all of this.
He was momentarily stunned, unsure of where he had gone wrong. It is well known that the Empress Dowager is consistently strict and has high demands regarding etiquette, which made him quite nervous. However, at that moment, he had no choice but to act freely. Thus, he knelt and took two steps forward, suddenly embracing the knees of Consort Li.
The attentive Consort Li quickly noticed this action, but she pretended not to see it, gently nodding her head with an even brighter smile, helping her son to sit in the central position: "Your Majesty, you displayed great composure in the court today, already exhibiting the demeanor of a sovereign. My son has truly grown up!"
Today, my son performed quite admirably in class. Not only was he not intimidated by the foul and hard stone, but he also demonstrated the principle of "three concessions in position." He maintained his composure amidst sorrow, upheld etiquette, and exhibited a grand demeanor. It seems my efforts in teaching you were not in vain
These details alone can indirectly reflect a person's character
A government official, with a long beard, calm demeanor, and approximately forty-seven or forty-eight years of age, entered in response.
He knew this must be Feng Bao's idea, staring blankly at the towel, having forgotten to wash his face, when he heard the voice of Li Guifei
"Oh, Jun'er, what is the matter today?" Consort Li smiled as she helped him up with both hands, "In the past, you would only kneel on one knee; why are you performing such a grand gesture today? Were you frightened by that old man Gao Gong in the court just now?"
Suddenly, a eunuch outside announced loudly, "I report to the Crown Prince and Concubine Li! The esteemed Grand Minister and Tutor to the Crown Prince, Lord Zhang Juzheng, has arrived!"
This renowned statesman of the ages walks at a measured pace. As he enters through the door, there is a subtle detail that is quite commendable: his face and body are slightly inclined backward, giving the impression that he is humble and very dependable.
According to etiquette, the Crown Prince only performs a full kneeling bow to the Emperor and the Empress, while he offers a half-kneeling bow to others, including his biological mother. However, today he has received the imperial edict and will soon become the ruler of the nation, while she is about to become the Empress Dowager. Therefore, the son performs a full kneeling bow and approaches her while still kneeling to embrace her knees, which is a demonstration of respect and intimacy
Fortunately, Empress Chen, who had no offspring since childhood, treated Jun'er exceptionally well, as if they were biological mother and child. With the Empress's support, their strength increased significantly
At that moment, Feng Bao gently moved the screen behind Zhu Yijun, and to his surprise, a wall on the left slowly opened, revealing a hidden chamber inside
Consort Li raised her hand and smiled gently: "No need! Your Majesty, are you there? Steward Feng, may I ask if it is convenient for me to enter?"
He hurriedly glanced at Feng Bao and responded from outside, "Mother, Your Majesty, please come in at your convenience."
A few people quickly entered the secret room, which was small, containing only a table and four or five chairs
Since ancient times, China has placed great emphasis on etiquette, and even the slightest mistake is unacceptable
Zhu Yijun then realized that Feng Bao had kicked his own heel just now because the etiquette was too formal and related to the books. It was sufficient to kneel on one knee. Although he had been appointed today, the grand coronation ceremony had not yet taken place, so he should still perform the rites in accordance with the manner of a crown prince
Even Consort Li did not dare to call him by name directly, referring to him as "the Grand Tutor" with every utterance, and his words conveyed a particular respect, clearly indicating his status
In that moment, he hesitated for a moment, wondering if having taken his position today meant he was already considered the Emperor. Was it not different from the Crown Prince when the Emperor paid respects to the Empress Dowager
However, judging from the expression of Consort Li, she is currently feeling very pleased
Seated on the right, Consort Li spoke: "There is nothing particularly wrong with what Gao Gong has said. His appointment as the chief minister for the imperial edict by His Majesty means we should heed his advice. Although he acts in a high-profile manner and is quite aggressive, for now, he is in the same boat as us, able to shield us from most of the criticism and blame."
At this moment, he realized that the seemingly honest Zhang Juzheng was, in fact, even more astute than the shrewd Feng Bao, whose cleverness was evident even in his eyebrows
However, Feng Bao, who was sitting next to him, spoke up. This Director of the Eastern Depot and Grand Minister of the Interior was indeed a genuine power broker. "My informants in the Eastern Depot have learned that Gao Gong has independently drafted a set of five national policies and a list of officials for appointment, intending to announce them to the world after the young sovereign ascends the throne, in order to demonstrate his authority as the Prime Minister and to firmly establish the foundation for his sole control of power"
Uncle Da is the courtesy name of Zhang Juzheng, which is a humble expression. Zhu Yijun habitually reached out to assist, and beside him, Consort Li quickly interjected: "Grand Tutor! We are all on the same side, please rise quickly!"
At this moment, Feng Bao kicked him lightly on the heel from behind and kept making gestures with his lips.
Those who wish for their husbands to indulge in pleasures and become infatuated with concubines like Lady Zhang will soon find themselves bedridden, and will begin to establish a new ruler with books.
This is precisely the time when various factions are vying most fiercely for power, from the Xia and Shang dynasties to the Tang and Yuan dynasties. Each transition of rulers marks a tumultuous autumn. Especially those lurking in the shadows, the cunning vixens and malevolent spirits, are constantly hoping for a chance to turn the tables and stir up trouble
Feng Bao initially felt that the young master’s actions were inappropriate, but later observed him taking a few steps forward, embracing his mother's knees to pay his respects, which is the greatest show of respect for one's parents
In the second year, she gave birth to a son, Zhu Yijun. Later, her husband became emperor, and with her son’s status, she was quickly honored as a noble consort.
Zhu Yijun was about to praise the Empress Mother for her grace when Feng Bao suddenly tugged at the corner of his robe.
The mother of the world! Although not yet forty years old, this demeanor of calm authority and composure is something that even those much older cannot feign
Indeed exceptionally intelligent, it is fortunate that they are a friend; if they were an enemy, it would be a very frightening matter
She walked at a leisurely pace, yet her mind was as intricate as fine threads
He secretly resolved in his heart that he must secure his position and ensure that the emperor surpasses Zhang Juzheng, becoming a great ruler for all time
In the blink of an eye, they had arrived at the Eastern Palace, where the guards, eunuchs, and palace maids all respectfully greeted Concubine Li.
This high-arched fruit is indeed not well-intentioned
Zhang Juzheng entered the room. Although he had a long beard and appeared imposing, he emanated an aura that was both approachable and trustworthy.
Wanli, the Wanli calendar! This era name is indeed remarkable
Zhu Yijun discovered that whenever Zhang Juzheng spoke, Consort Li and Feng Bao would listen attentively
However, there is no time for him to think further; he can only imitate Gao Gong's earlier posture, dropping to his knees, placing both hands and knees on the ground, and bowing his forehead to the floor: "Your humble son pays his respects to the Empress Mother!"