Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 7 Burning the Resignation Letter

As soon as he returned to the Leopard Room, Zhu Houzhao's expression turned cold: "Liu Jin, Gu Dayong, we will go to Ma Wensheng's house in plain clothes tonight. You go and make arrangements now, and don't let anyone find out!"

Zhu Houzhao could guess that Ma Wensheng would definitely submit a letter of resignation tomorrow. Although he could not openly express his intention to retain Ma Wensheng, it did not mean that he could not do so secretly. He decided to meet Ma Wensheng in person, as he believed that Ma Wensheng would not really be willing to leave the court like this.

Soon, at the beginning of the hour of Hai, Liu Jin and Gu Dayong arrived at Zhu Houzhao's place.

"Your Majesty, everything has been arranged. There is no one outside the Ma Mansion now, and we have bribed the vendors who deliver vegetables to the Ma Mansion," said Gu Dayong.

"In addition, we told the public that Your Majesty would be going to Mingyue Tower today, and we have already asked someone to prepare the carriage," Liu Jin said.

Zhu Houzhao nodded and couldn't help asking, "What is Mingyue Tower?"

"Brothel," Liu Jin replied.

Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but smile: "Let's go."

So, Zhu Houzhao changed into casual clothes and went to Mingyue Tower first, accompanied by Liu Jin and Gu Dayong, and then quietly came to Ma Wensheng's mansion and entered the Ma mansion through the internal supporter of Ma's mansion.

But when Zhu Houzhao and others entered the inner courtyard of Ma's mansion, the housekeeper of Ma's mansion still found Zhu Houzhao, Liu Jin and others and asked: "Who are you?"

Zhu Houzhao asked Liu Jin to show his palace card: "We are from the palace, take me to see your master!"

When Zhu Houzhao arrived at Ma Wensheng's study, he happened to hear Ma Wensheng sighing, "Emperor, I am so sorry for you!"

"You have already let down the late emperor, do you still want to let down me?"

Zhu Houzhao pushed the door open suddenly, strode in, stood in front of Ma Wensheng majestically and asked a question.

Ma Wensheng opened his mouth in surprise, not knowing what to say for a moment. He never thought that His Majesty would appear in his house: "Your Majesty, why are you here?"

Zhu Houzhao happened to see the resignation letter on Ma Wensheng's desk, so he picked it up and lit it on the candlestick. Looking at the flame, he said, "If I don't come, you, the veteran of four dynasties, will resign tomorrow."

Ma Wensheng was quite shocked. At this moment, Zhu Houzhao's expression made him feel as if he was a different person.

"I cannot stay here for long. I have only one thing to say. Don't be in a hurry to resign. I still need you, the Ming Dynasty still needs you, and the people of the world still need you. The me you saw before is not the real me. The late emperor once said that you have the ambition to reform and eliminate corruption. After a period of time, I will make you the Prime Minister! Start a new policy for the Zhengde Dynasty!"

After saying that, Zhu Houzhao left Ma Wensheng's study room and said, "Liu Jin, go to Mingyue Tower!"

Ma Wensheng stood at the threshold for a long time before he bowed deeply to Zhu Houzhao's departing back.

At that time, Ma Wensheng's housekeeper came to Ma Wensheng and said, "Master, everything is ready for our return home!"

"No need to prepare, unload everything and go call Censor Lin from the Censorate," Ma Wensheng said, then turned around and went back to his study, without any sign of tiredness. The new emperor personally promised that he would make him the prime minister in the future, so how could he be willing to leave just like that.

It was common for a Shangshu-level official like Ma Wensheng to be impeached by the censor, but basically the censor's impeachment was useless. According to convention, he would not be dismissed unless he resigned himself. So if Ma Wensheng did not decide to resign, it meant that he could still keep his position as the Shangshu of the Ministry of Personnel, and Liu Jian's cabinet minister would still have to see his ugly face in the court every day.

……

Three cabinet ministers, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, as well as Minister of War Liu Daxia and other officials arrived at the Shili Changting early in the morning to see Ma Wensheng off.

"Do you think Ma Wensheng will resign?" Liu Jian couldn't help but ask. "Don't worry, Prime Minister. I had someone find out yesterday. The servants in Ma Wensheng's house are already loading the car to go back to the house. His wife even left the capital in advance yesterday!" said Liu Daxia, the Minister of War.

"The Prime Minister does not have to worry. Ma Wensheng is old and frail, so it will naturally take some time for him to set off," Li Dongyang said with a smile.

Xie Qian couldn't help but fan himself: "It's just that it's so hot this summer. Although it's morning, the sun is already very scorching. I haven't been standing for long and my back is all sweaty. If Ma Wensheng doesn't come, I'm going to get a heat stroke!"

Liu Jian and other civil servants waited outside the Ten-Li Pavilion for a long time.

At noon, Liu Jian couldn't stand the heat anymore and said with rapid breathing, "Could this old man want to go out of town and not eat in the afternoon? In such a hot day, he wants to get himself sunburned to death?"

"It seems that Ma Wensheng may have left the city through another route and doesn't want to see us. Prime Minister, let's go back!" Li Dongyang suggested.

Li Dongyang's words were equivalent to finding a way out for Liu Jian and others, so Liu Jian immediately agreed to Li Dongyang's proposal and returned home.

When Liu Jian just entered the Daming Gate, he happened to see the ceremonial procession of the Minister of Personnel. He was greatly surprised for a moment: "Could it be that this old man has not resigned from his post?"

for a while.

Liu Jian hurriedly ordered people to follow the sedan chair of the Minister of Personnel Ma Wensheng to the Ministry of Personnel, and Li Dongyang and others also followed.

"Master Ma, what are you doing at the Ministry of Personnel?"

As soon as he saw Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian, asked a question.

"Prime Minister, are you really too old and confused? I am now the Minister of Personnel. If I don't work in the Ministry of Personnel, do I have to go to your Wenyuan Pavilion?" Ma Wensheng narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"Regarding yesterday's impeachment by the censor, don't you want to express your opinion?" Liu Jian felt like he had eaten a fly.

"I have served four emperors and have been impeached by censors at least fifty times, if not a hundred times. I am used to it. How can I resign and return home every time? If I do that, I will not be able to handle the affairs of the court. Wouldn't that be a betrayal of the emperor's grace? Can I resign even if the Prime Minister is impeached?"

Ma Wensheng said with a smile, as if to say, I will not resign from my post, let's see what you can do to me, and see what you can't do to me, are you very angry?
Liu Jian and others had nothing to say and had to return to Wenyuan Pavilion in shame.

As soon as he arrived at Wenyuan Pavilion, Liu Jian received a memorial from Lin Yi, the censor of the Metropolitan Censorate, impeaching him for abusing power and deceiving the emperor. He could not help but get furious: "Ma Wensheng, you are so good! I was wrong about you!"

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were also very unhappy. They didn't expect to be tricked by Ma Wensheng.

When Liu Daxia returned to the Ministry of War, he realized that his chance to be promoted to Minister of Personnel was gone, and he angrily cursed, "How can this old man be so shameless!"

……

Wang Yue, the eunuch holding the seal of the Imperial Household Department, also learned from Lu He, the eunuch holding the pen, that the cabinet chief Liu Jian was furious because the Minister of Personnel Ma Wensheng refused to resign. He was silent for a while and asked, "Where did your majesty go last night?"

"My dear ancestor, His Majesty went to Mingyue Tower last night!" Lu He replied.

"Keep a close eye on it and don't let our emperor get into any trouble. Don't worry about the affairs of the outer court. Let them fight as they please. Just make sure our inner court doesn't get in chaos!"

Wang Yue said.

(End of this chapter)