Chapter 8, Filial Piety and Maternal Kindness

No matter how much they have greedily taken, in the end, it will all be reclaimed by the Emperor, for their power derives from him

The great ritual controversy saw Jiajing regain power, and later he appointed Yan Song. The reason for appointing Yan Song was not merely that he was obedient; it was also due to his greed. For the emperor, greed has never been a significant issue, as exemplified by He Shen.

Moreover, the royal family governs the world with filial piety, and as a son, I should set an example for the world. If I cannot bestow a title of honor upon Mother Empress, how can I serve as a model for the world?" After saying this, he leaned against Lady Li's embrace and, in a somewhat spoiled manner, said: "Mother Empress, don't you think so?

Jiajing would naturally not allow such a situation to occur, as the emperor needs to take the initiative. He must bring the battlefield into his own affairs, which is also a common tactic employed by emperors. Bestowing a posthumous title upon his father is certainly a clever strategy.

Yang Tinghe and others supported their own grandfather as emperor, holding significant power. During the Zhengde period, he served as the Chief Minister of the Cabinet for sixteen years, which can be said to be a considerable amount of power. As the emperor, Jiajing's edicts were not necessarily more effective than the decrees issued by the Cabinet.

"Mother, please rest assured. I, your son, will certainly not let you down. With my intelligence, even if I take the imperial examination, I can surely return with the title of the top scholar," Zhu Yijun said with a proud expression, holding his head high.

"His Majesty has arrived!" Wu Qingbo Li Weidun immediately smiled and quickly stood up. Now, the more he looked at his grandson, the more pleasing he found him; after all, he was the grandson emperor!

San Dezi was taken aback, but soon a look of wild joy appeared on his face, and he quickly nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yijun did not say anything harsh, knowing it would be futile. As long as ordinary people were kept out, that was sufficient. As for his mother, she could not stop them, and even Feng Bao could not hold them back. However, it was pointless for them to come in, as they fundamentally could not understand what he was doing.

Throughout the journey, Zhu Yijun was in a good mood. He turned to San Dezi and instructed, "San Dezi, find twenty young eunuchs, preferably those who are clever and can read. You will be in charge of these individuals for the time being."

As the emperor, I must bestow a title of honor upon my mother. For so many years, she has nurtured her son, and this is what she rightfully deserves

He reached out and tapped Zhu Yijun's head, smiling as he said, "Alright, let's not talk about these matters anymore. Have you been studying well these past two days? I have already informed Grand Tutor Zhang that I will enter the palace tomorrow to teach you your studies."

Your Majesty, you are now the Emperor and must not speak carelessly!" Li said, glancing at her son, "Everything has its rules; how can we disregard them?

Father, can we not discuss this matter any further? Li looked at her father with a helpless expression. Although this was indeed the situation, it was not something that could be stated outright! In Li's heart, she certainly wished to become the Empress Dowager.

According to royal customs, Chen is the Empress of Emperor Longqing, and the Empress Dowager should also be her.

It is a woman's nature to speak insincerely, and Zhu Yijun would not believe his mother's words

The daughter has become the Empress Dowager, and with such a young grandson, the status of the family is certainly different

Although Lady Li is Wanli's mother, it is not in accordance with the rules for her to become Empress Dowager. However, Li Wei does not care about this; he is very eager for his daughter to become Empress Dowager. How can his daughter not be Empress Dowager when his grandson is the Emperor

Humans die for wealth, and birds die for food. Some things, once they come into existence, cannot be eradicated.

My own daughter became a noble consort, gave birth to the crown prince, and now the crown prince is the emperor, as if in a dream

My grandfather, who was Emperor Jiajing, although the dispute over the grand ceremonies was about bestowing a title upon my great-grandfather, was actually seeking to reclaim his own power.

Children who do not love studying are disliked by their parents and may even face punishment. How could Zhu Yijun possibly make such a mistake? He innocently said, "I have been reading by myself recently, and there are many places I do not understand. It would be wonderful if Master Zhang could come."

At this time, people emphasized that there are three forms of unfilial behavior, with having no descendants being the most significant. Eunuchs have always been regarded as unfilial individuals. Furthermore, since one's body and hair are received from one's parents, they should not be easily harmed. The situation of eunuchs is no longer a simple matter of harm.

Let's go and take a look at the imperial consort!" Zhu Yijun said with a smile as he walked forward

The queen is not qualified, but the empress dowager certainly is qualified; a mother of humble means can have a son of great status, for she is the woman who gave birth to the emperor

Eunuchs are not ordinary individuals; ordinary people have attachments such as familial love and romantic love, which eunuchs do not possess

Without parents, without children, there is no kinship; without humanity, what is there to discuss about love? With the absence of kinship and love, coupled with a sense of inferiority, the desire of a eunuch for power and wealth has become the only thing left

Glancing at the outside, Zhu Yijun commanded, "Find someone to watch the door; do not let anyone in, understood?"

When Zhu Yijun arrived at his mother's palace, he discovered that his maternal grandfather, Li Wei, the Marquis of Wuqing, was also present, and a smile immediately appeared on his face

Zhu Yijun's small mouth naturally looked as if it had been smeared with honey, and with a serious expression on his small face, he spoke in a manner that seemed very reasonable

Prince Taifu, this is one of the many official titles held by Zhang Juzheng. However, what Zhu Yijun is concerned about is not these titles, but rather that Zhang Juzheng is going to the palace to give lessons. Thinking of the Four Books and Five Classics, and those Confucian classics, Zhu Yijun feels increasingly overwhelmed.

Zhu Yijun revealed a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth; ambition is something that needs to be cultivated. The eunuchs in the palace have a much stronger desire for power and wealth compared to ordinary people. In the face of power and money, many things are as fragile as paper.

The days have become unbearable

His greedy grandfather, at this moment, entering the palace is quite normal; it would be strange if he did not. As he walked further in, Zhu Yijun heard his grandfather persuading his mother, and the content was quite simple: it was to support the empress.

After regaining his senses, Zhu Yijun's attention shifted back to Zhang Taifu, as he realized that the person his mother referred to was indeed Zhang Juzheng

Zhu Yijun revealed a smile at the corner of his mouth, stepped inside, and said with a smile: "What my grandfather said is very reasonable!" After saying this, Zhu Yijun also bowed and said: "Son pays his respects to the Empress."

Having completed the formula, Zhu Yijun tucked it into his bosom. After looking around, he stood up and walked outside. With a smile on his face, Zhu Yijun pushed open the door to the room

"Do well and come back as a top scholar!" Li gently stroked Zhu Yijun's head and said with a smile

Zhu Yijun stood up and ran to his mother, smiling as he said: "Mother, this rule is established. You see, back then, Grandfather Emperor changed the rules to grant a title to Great Grandfather Emperor. Moreover, what about granting a title to Mother?"

Although he no longer spoke of bestowing a title upon himself, Li's gaze softened considerably, clearly indicating his satisfaction with his son's filial piety.

Looking at her son's appearance, Li was indeed very pleased and said with a smile, "Then study well with Grand Tutor Zhang."

At this moment, it is essential to express surprise, to demonstrate a great love for reading, and to show diligence.

Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will take care of it!" Upon seeing Zhu Yijun come out, San Dezi immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded in response.

As for love, a man who is not truly a man is too fake; what do they know about love

Although he had known for a long time that this day would come, when it actually arrived, Zhu Yijun still found it somewhat difficult to accept

Zhu Yijun showed little expression on his face, yet internally he was lamenting that even children could be deceived, much like the classic saying, "The New Year's money is kept safe by mother." Zhu Yijun was well aware that there were no rules that could not be changed

However, he would not resist his mother; there was absolutely no room for negotiation on this matter. The more intense the resistance, the more severe the suppression would be. Zhu Yijun smiled and said happily, "Is that so? That's wonderful!"

If Zhu Yijun were to learn of Li Wei's thoughts, he would surely exclaim, "Fate is truly remarkable!"