Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"Your Majesty, please take back your order!"

At the great court meeting, all the officials fell to the ground and shouted.

Whether they were senior officials sitting in the front row or middle- and low-level officials standing in the back row, they all knelt down to admonish the emperor.

Some officials had already gotten the news, and now they were just going through the motions.

There were also many officials who looked confused. They were not that well-informed and their minds were buzzing with the shock of the emperor's abdication. When they saw other officials kneeling down to remonstrate, they quickly knelt down and shouted together.

This scene was grand enough that Ju Ming had to kneel down.

Zhu Guoxiang slapped the dragon chair angrily and scolded: "Have you forgotten the etiquette? You are not allowed to kneel down at will!"

Zhai Ruwen said: "The abdication of the Holy King is such a big event!"

Zhu Guoxiang pointed to his son: "Prince, stand up."

Ju Ming got up and stood up obediently.

Zhu Guoxiang pointed to the chair again: "Sit down and talk."

"According to the order!" Zhu Ming returned to his seat.

Zhu Guoxiang pointed to Zhai Ruwen again: "Prime Minister, stand up."

Zhai Ruwen did not dare to resist the order.

In this way, the cabinet stood up one by one and returned to their seats one after another.

Zhu Guoxiang glanced at the ministers again: "Do you also want me to roll your name?"

Then, the ministers also returned to their seats, and their subordinate officials quickly followed.

When the officials returned to their posts, Zhu Guoxiang said: "I am just a commoner. Even when I came to Beijing, I was kidnapped by the eunuchs sent by the Hunjun..."

As soon as these words came out, many ministers had strange expressions. They thought of Zhu Guoxiang's first appearance.

Is the current emperor really kind and easy to handle?

hehe.

The eunuchs in the former Song Dynasty were so arrogant that the powerful officials in the court did not dare to offend the eunuchs.

As a commoner, Zhu Guoxiang tied up the head eunuch and escorted him directly to Donghua Gate when he came to Beijing with the order.

Moreover, the other eunuchs, officials, soldiers, and many officials along the way all helped Zhu Guoxiang speak.

Such a method is definitely not a gentle person, it can even be described as bold.

There was also the "inspiration between heaven and man" a few years ago. In order to suppress public opinion in the cabinet, Zhu Guoxiang decisively changed the number of cabinet ministers from five to seven. Zhang Gen and Zhai Ruwen instantly lost their voice. All cabinet affairs became the emperor's final decision. Prime Minister Zhang Gen even looked for opportunities to resign and retire.

Being generous and kind is just the emperor's way of doing things. He also has a way to deal with troubles.

"I am not even interested in being an official, let alone an emperor," Zhu Guoxiang said. "It was only because of the chaos in the world and the displacement of the people that I was forced to raise troops to relieve the people. Now the situation is stable and the gold thieves have retreated. Living in a corner, the prince has his own way of governing the country, so you can't let me retire and enjoy my life? The prime minister can retire, and so can the emperor!"

The word "retirement" was invented by Han Yu.

I have only heard of officials requesting to retire, but I have never heard of emperors clamoring to retire.

At this moment, in the eyes of all the officials, the emperor became extraordinarily tall and majestic.

Holy King!

Zhu Guoxiang continued: "I and the prince, father and son, are of the same mind. But some people can't help but think too much, thinking that the prince holds military power and may one day be disadvantageous to me. I am eager to abdicate, so that all officials can feel at ease and not be worried all day long. afraid of what."

For the sake of the stability of the court, the emperor was willing to abdicate. This is so selfless and great.

The officials in the front row stood up one after another and led the officials in the back row to bow together: "Your Majesty is kind and virtuous, I am so embarrassed!"

Ju Ming rolled his eyes.

He is about to abdicate, and he is still embellishing his face.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "After the Ministry of Rites selects an auspicious day and gives three speeches, the abdication ceremony will be held together with the enthronement ceremony. Resign from the court!"

…

In the next two or three days, the emperor was clamoring to retire, and even the people in the suburbs knew about it.

At first glance, people have only two reactions:

First, this is a rumor.

Second, the prince forced the palace.

As more details come out, the emperor's image grows larger and larger.

Especially scholars, they almost praise Emperor Zhu to heaven.

Too learned.

Li Mengbo was praising the emperor: "Dear classmates, since the Qin and Han Dynasties, have there been any kings who have truly voluntarily abdicated? They are all sycophants who steal the country! To put it bluntly, if you and I became emperors, would we be willing to abdicate in the heyday of the Spring and Autumn Period? Today, His moral character is as good as that of the ancient sage king, the first person in thousands of years!"

Li Mengbo was the most beautiful woman in Shaoxing for five years. Because his father was demoted to Hainan Island by Qin Hui, he refused the official position granted by the court and was demoted along with his father as the most beautiful woman. As a result, he died of illness in Hainan at a young age.

"Why are you chasing after the Ancient Saint King?"

Another imperial student named Zheng Shao said: "The moral character of today's emperor is higher than that of the ancient sage kings. Yao and Shun abdicated because they were old. Your Majesty abdicated, but when you were healthy, you abdicated because the officials doubted the country. So. Isn't it true that selflessness surpasses Yao and Shun?"

His moral character surpassed that of Yao and Shun!

These words shocked everyone so much that they didn't even dare to think about it.

Wang Chongyang, who transferred to Taixue to study, originally came to watch the excitement, but at this moment he was shocked and speechless.

But if you think about it carefully, it actually makes some sense.

Zheng Shao said: "How can such a holy king abdicate so easily? We all living beings should go to the palace to petition and persuade the emperor to take back his life. Who is willing to go with me?"

"Go together, go together!"

A group of Tai students followed and shouted.

Tai Xuezheng, who was watching the excitement, quickly came over to dissuade him: "You are all students. You must not interfere with the affairs of the court, let alone obstruct the emperor!"

A student named Pang Yunzhong immediately retorted: "In the former Song Dynasty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked Shu to get rid of the six thieves, and the two current imperial censors knocked to rescue the prince. The two imperial censors were also imperial students at the time, and they asked for orders for the people. , why can't we? For the sake of all the people in the world, we should stand up!"

"Pray for life for the common people!"

"Go together, go together!"

The school leaders couldn't stop them at all, and a group of Tai students rushed towards the imperial city.

Wang Chongyang was also excited and followed him in a daze.

"Dong-dong-dong-dong!"

The Dengwen drum was soon beaten, and the officials from the nearby government offices put down their work one after another and went out to check the situation out of curiosity.

The official on duty came to inquire. After careful questioning, he found it difficult to persuade the students to leave and did not dare to support them. He could only report to his superiors quickly.

Just as the reports were being reported, many people came over after hearing the news.

They did not mind the excitement and felt that Zhu Guoxiang was really a good emperor, so they also joined the petition team.

When Zhu Guoxiang received the news, he immediately couldn't laugh or cry.

He took a royal chariot to Xuandemen, climbed onto the tower and tried to persuade him to leave.

"The emperor ascends the stairs!"

The guards and eunuchs shouted twice, and the students on the imperial street looked up.

"The Holy Emperor is here!"

"You can't abdicate as an official."

"Your Majesty, please take back your order."

"If the officials don't become emperors, how can we live? Wuwuwu~~~"

"..."

Some people actually started to cry, and more and more people started to cry, as if the sky above their heads was about to collapse.

The atmosphere and mood were very strange.

A few years after the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, the people of Tokyo still remember the days they lived before.

Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty carried out major construction projects every now and then, and from time to time he demolished private houses to build mansions for his favorites. Not to mention the outer cities of Tokyo, even the inner cities are often demolished, leaving ordinary people homeless if they don't pay attention.

In addition, prices in the capital are rising every year, and it is common to suffer from hunger.

In the past few years since Zhu Guoxiang ascended the throne, the lives of people in Tokyo have improved day by day. But they only talked about the emperor's good fortune, and even ridiculed the emperor for liking married women. They also gave Zhu Guoxiang the nicknames "Emperor Digging the Earth" and "Emperor Growing Vegetables."

He didn't seem to take Emperor Zhu seriously, but he felt that the prince was invincible and particularly awesome.

But today, when they heard that the emperor was about to abdicate, the people became panicked, and some even cried loudly.

What if the good life is gone after the official retires?

Zhu Guoxiang looked at the people crying and howling in the city and subconsciously scratched his forehead.

I didn’t do anything, so how could I be supported by all the people?

Besides, it's just retirement, not death, so there's no need for you to mourn in advance.

"Tell them to stop crying, I have something to say." Zhu Guoxiang said.

"The soldiers and the people should be silent and listen to the officials' instructions!"

"The soldiers and the people should be silent and listen to the officials' instructions!

"..."

One voice after another came out.

The officers who arrived at Yu Street to maintain law and order ran back and forth among the crowd and shouted. After a long time, the scene was finally quieted down.

Hundreds of officials also came after hearing the news and stood everywhere to listen to the emperor's speech.

Zhu Guoxiang said loudly: "I am very happy that you have persuaded me to stay. I can win the support of the people. I have not served as emperor in vain in the past few years. If you are old, you must also look forward to enjoying happiness. If you don't do anything, you can play with your grandchildren. The emperor is also a human being. , I also want to retire, hold my grandchildren and work on the land, how happy that life will be."

When everyone heard this, they all looked up at the emperor blankly.

Zhu Guoxiang continued: "In order to be a good emperor, I don't dare to relax for a moment. I have to deal with government affairs for several hours every day. Being an emperor is too tiring. For the sake of me being a good emperor, you will give up. I will retire early and enjoy my happiness. After the prince succeeds to the throne, the state affairs will not change drastically, and your life will get better and better!"

Yes, to prevent the emperor from abdicating the throne is to prevent the emperor from enjoying happiness.

It seems like this shouldn't be done.

The students thought more, and they respected Emperor Zhu more and more.

Look, what a good emperor he is. He works hard and sleeps day and night for the sake of the people. He is so tired that he no longer wants to be the emperor. As an emperor, he could just like the fatuous emperors of the previous dynasty, leave all state affairs to a group of favored ministers while he hid in the palace and indulged in extravagance.

But Emperor Zhu was unwilling to do this. He would rather work himself out and govern the country and the people. In fact, when I was physically and mentally exhausted, I never wanted to be a weak king, but chose to abdicate in favor of someone more worthy.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Lord, please accept the worship of the students!"

Li Mengbo took the lead in bowing to the emperor, and the imperial students around him followed suit.

Zhu Guoxiang waved his hand and said, "Go back. If you stop me from abdicating my throne, I will become a foolish king."

The emperor turned around and left, and the soldiers and people also dispersed one after another.

The Seljuk envoys who came after hearing the news and carefully asked about the situation all stood there looking at each other.

Abu even had tears in his eyes: "What a great monarch this is! I want to spread the reputation of Ming Dynasty Peach Blossom Stone Khan throughout the East and West. He deserves to be praised with the most beautiful poems."

The great Emperor Zhu is returning to the harem at this moment.

He jumped out of the royal chariot and walked briskly, eager to play mahjong with the concubines.

Although he has not abdicated yet, his office hours have been halved. It is also called euphemistically, to make the prince familiar with government affairs so that the government can be handed over smoothly.

The hard-working Crown Prince is now carefully reviewing official documents.