Chapter 5, Inverted Pendulum Motion

Due to his status as a born of a concubine and his mother's identity, Li Chen was destined not to become the emperor. Although he was later granted the title of Prince Guang, he grew up in a lonely corner, unnoticed by anyone

As a result, the nephew Emperor Li Yan died, and the eunuchs seized power. They felt the need for an easily controllable emperor and chose Xuanzong to ascend the throne

The unfortunate Xuanzong was captured and taken into the Eternal Alley, akin to a prison cell for inmates, certainly devoid of any freedom, and he was also a designated key suspect

Although the Ming Dynasty did not establish the position of Prime Minister, the Chief Minister of the Cabinet still held the powers of a Prime Minister. Especially in the present context, it can be said that while there is no title of Prime Minister, the functions of one are already in place. Furthermore, since Gao Gong was a regent minister, his authority was naturally even greater

Only after Zhang Juzheng's death, when I take on the reins of power myself, will it be the time for me to fully showcase my abilities

Listening to Gao Yi's words, Gao Gong slowly nodded and said with a smile: "This is even better. Only by expelling Feng Bao can we fully showcase what we have learned. Let us not forget why we serve as officials, and let us not forget the late emperor's instructions!"

Gao Yi felt a sudden jolt in her heart, and her complexion changed slightly. Is she really unable to wait any longer

Zhu Yijun looked at Feng Bao and said, Are you crying tears of joy? You must have lost your father!

Gao Yi quickly understood the ins and outs of the situation and contemplated what to do. However, Gao Yi also realized that it would not be so easy to bring down Feng Bao

Feng Bao was made a perennial second by Gao Gong, unable to rise to the first position. The villain's future is akin to that of a murderer of one's parents. How could Feng Bao not resent Gao Gong?

Li was very pleased and said with a smile, "Da Ban, get up quickly. The emperor is still young, and in the future, it will be you elders who must assist him wholeheartedly."

The Crown Prince is understanding and ambitious, I, the old servant, congratulate the late Emperor, congratulate the Empress, and congratulate His Highness the Crown Prince!" Feng Bao said while crying on the ground, expressing both sorrow and joy.

At this point, Gao Gong naturally thought of getting Feng Bao removed; otherwise, Gao Gong would face significant trouble.

Gao Yi sighed, understanding in his heart that he could no longer stop it, and thus spoke: "Since the Prime Minister has said so, then let us act according to the Prime Minister's instructions"

As night began to fall, the residence of the Grand Secretary Gao Gong was illuminated. Gao Gong sat in the main seat, holding a cup of tea in his hand, taking a gentle sip. At this moment, his face was flushed, and his expression was serious. He glanced at another regent, Gao Yi, sitting beside him, and said with a smile: "I have called you here today to discuss a few matters."

Chen Hongmeng, Chong Tengxiang, and their ilk are essentially sycophants of Gao Gong. Upon reflecting on this, Gao Yi broke into a sweat.

Who is Feng Bao? He is the chief eunuch of the Imperial Sacrificial Office, the commander of the Eastern Depot. If you want to kill him, it is not an easy task

Gao Yi glanced at Gao Gong and saw him smiling, completely unconcerned, exuding an air of confidence. Gao Yi was taken aback; could it be that Gao Gong's intention was precisely this? Feng Bao had been a long-time confidant of Emperor Longqing, and if Feng Bao were to be removed, there would truly be no one in the inner court whose prestige could match Gao Gong's.

"Your Highness, rest assured, this old servant will certainly give his all." Feng Bao cried while cursing and swearing.

He has been melancholic, dull, and taciturn since childhood, often spending entire days in silence among other princes. Most people in the palace mock Li Chen for his foolishness, and when his nephew ascends to the throne, they plan to eliminate this uncle.

The key is to bring down Feng Bao; Gao Gong would undoubtedly hold immense power in the court. As the Grand Secretary of the Outer Court, having eliminated Feng Bao from the Inner Court, who else would dare to oppose Gao Gong? At that time, Gao Gong would undoubtedly be the foremost figure in the Ming Dynasty

If the inner court were to be abolished, it would be equivalent to severing the emperor's hands and feet. Would the emperor be able to accept this

Upon hearing the title from Gao Yi, Gao Gong burst into laughter, and this address of "Sir" greatly lifted his spirits. He set down his teacup and said with a smile: "I believe we should expel Feng Bao; throughout history, eunuchs have brought calamity to the nation. In my observation, Feng Bao is a person of dubious intentions!"

Zhu Yijun believed that he should take this Tang Xuanzong as a model. This fellow pretended to be foolish for decades, remaining indifferent to various mockeries and ridicule from others. He had plenty of time to secretly develop everything he wanted to pursue, after all, he was still the emperor

After the death of Emperor Longqing, a will was issued appointing Feng Bao as the head eunuch of the Imperial Secretariat and also to oversee the Eastern Depot, placing him among the regents. Gao Gong had always suspected that Feng Bao had altered the will. However, there was no evidence, and the matter was left unresolved for the time being

There is already a consensus in the court that for the foreseeable future, Gao Gong will undoubtedly have the final say in the court.

Gao Gong, as the teacher of Emperor Longqing, was also the most trusted individual by the emperor, holding greater authority than other cabinet ministers.

However, Gao Yi was also aware that the rift between Gao Gong and Feng Bao had existed for a long time. After the ascension of Emperor Longqing, when it came to merit and reward, the eunuchs were particularly prominent. Originally, Feng Bao was qualified to take over as the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, but Gao Gong did not agree.

Zhu Yijun remained silent, aware that he had only a few days left before ascending the throne. In the days leading up to his coronation, he refrained from speaking or acting as much as possible. There was an emperor in the Tang Dynasty named Li Chen, who was the son of Emperor Xianzong and born to a humble palace maid, Zheng.

"Your Excellency, the Crown Prince has not yet ascended the throne. Is it not somewhat inappropriate to act in this manner at this time?" Gao Yi said, wiping the sweat from his forehead, with a hint of hesitation in his voice

In the past, many examples have proven that the emperor would certainly protect the eunuchs of the inner court, even if they were guilty of heinous crimes. They must be preserved. Even if they are ultimately executed, that would be the emperor's will, rather than being coerced by the outer court; otherwise, the dignity of the inner court would be utterly lost.

As the most trusted individual of Emperor Longqing, Gao Gong's words were, one could say, heeded without question by Emperor Longqing

From this point on, the Tang Dynasty began to enter a new era of prosperity, known in history as the "Great Governance of the Middle Period," and Emperor Xuan of Tang was also referred to as the Little Taizong

For Gao Gong, consolidating his power and establishing his authority is undoubtedly the top priority. The best way to achieve this, as has been the case since ancient times, is to kill the chicken to scare the monkey. However, the chicken that Gao Gong has chosen is rather large!

Not wanting Li Chen to take the stage, he immediately took decisive action, not only stripping the then highly influential Chancellor Li Deyu of his powers but also exiling his followers from the court. He also took corresponding measures against the eunuchs. From that moment on, everyone understood that this person was indeed a master of concealment and subtlety, but it was too late. When they saw the emperor again, they were all extremely respectful.

Upon hearing Gao Gong's words, Gao Yi quickly said: "I wonder what instructions the Prime Minister has?"

A few days later, he was thrown into the toilet again. At that time, there was a eunuch named Qiu Gongwu beside Emperor Li Yan, who looked at Xuanzong with pity. He feigned the intention to kill Xuanzong but secretly helped him escape. From then on, the foolish king disappeared, temporarily distancing himself from the turmoil of the palace intrigues.

Emperor Longqing dismissed Gao Gong and appointed Chen Hong, whom Gao Gong recommended, as the Chief Eunuch of the Grand Council. When Chen Hong was removed by Feng Bao, Gao Gong recommended Meng Chong as the Chief Eunuch of the Grand Council, and Feng Bao was once again suppressed.

In urgent matters, one must act according to the situation; once the Emperor ascends the throne, Feng Bao will become too powerful to be ignored. How can we afford to delay this?