The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Early in the morning,

Yan Chengjin came to the Meridian Gate and saw the eunuchs of Fengtian Hall waiting here to inform the officials who entered the palace.

The eunuch smiled and said, "Master Yan, His Majesty issued an order this morning to summon all officials to Fengci Hall."

Yan Chengjin had heard of Fengci Hall.

The Ming Dynasty adopted the system of one emperor and one empress. The successor of Emperor Chenghua was still alive, although her tomb was empty.

But the biological mother of Emperor Hongzhi, Ji, was not an empress and could not be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Emperor Hongzhi imitated the system of the Song Dynasty and built Fengci Hall in the imperial palace to enshrine Ji's imperial seal and clothes.

From the name of the hall, we can know that he is a very filial person.

When he arrived at Fengci Hall, all the officials stood on both sides with smiles on their faces.

Zhu Houzhao was also there. Thanks to Empress Zhang, he was released from the East Palace and stood respectfully in the hall.

When the time came, Emperor Hongzhi, under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites, walked to the incense table and burned incense to worship.

"I hope that my mother will bless me and give me a princess."

The ministers were shocked. Your Majesty, what we want is a prince!

Although he cannot inherit the throne, if the prince has brothers, they can protect the four directions for him and stabilize the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty... want a prince?!" Ma Wensheng of the Ministry of Personnel urged.

Yan Chengjin stood still and looked at Li Dongyang and others. The three did not speak.

Your Majesty has lived in a dark and dangerous environment since he was a child. Concubine Wan and Concubine Chen both wanted to take away his position as the prince and make Xingxian Wang Zhu Youlang the prince.

No one knows better than him how the court struggle caused by the dispute between the prince and the prince will lead to the decline of the court.

What Emperor Hongzhi wanted was just a peaceful and prosperous era.

Zhu Houzhao was unhappy: "Father, I also want a prince."

Emperor Hongzhi's face darkened, but the officials showed a look of relief. The prince is wise!

Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and the other two bowed, apparently agreeing with what the prince said.

Emperor Hongzhi rebuked in a low voice: "You are not allowed to talk nonsense in front of Empress Dowager Xiaomu!"

It was Zhu Houzhao's turn to burn incense. He was seen kneeling on the futon, muttering, "Little prince, little prince, little prince..."

Emperor Hongzhi heard it, and his face became darker, but it was not appropriate to do it in front of his biological mother.

He turned around and looked at Zhang Sheng of the Ministry of Rites: "The queen is pregnant, and we should comfort heaven and earth. Let me convey my order to order the son-in-law, Duwei Cai Zhen, to offer sacrifices to Xiaoling, Changling, Jingling and Xianling separately. The Ministry of Rites and Guanglu Temple will assist in the arrangement."

Zhang Sheng bowed slightly: "I obey your order!"

"Your Majesty, does the imperial mausoleum in Fengyang need to be worshipped?" asked Jiao Fang, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Emperor Hongzhi shook his head, and after he and Empress Zhang returned to the palace, all the officials got up and came out of Fengci Hall.

Zhu Houzhao secretly asked: "Old Gao, does Wang Ji have a way to let my mother give birth to a prince?"

The ministers around him looked at him and obviously heard it.

There is no way in the future. Wang Ji is a miracle doctor, but a miracle doctor is also a human being.

Yan Chengjin felt a little uncomfortable. These ministers were staring at him and obviously wanted a prescription for giving birth to a boy.

"Wang Ji has a way, but your majesty, please pray for the princess, and your highness should not disobey the will of the emperor."

Wang Ji's research is very expensive, so it is just right for these ministers to pay for the research.

Emperor Hongzhi and Empress Zhang returned to the bedroom and sat on the brocade stool. The eunuch changed a pot of warm hot water.

Empress Zhang seemed to be worried: "Your Majesty, I am afraid that you will cause dissatisfaction among the court officials today."

"I am afraid that there will be a memorial of persuasion today. I will take it. The queen should rest at ease." Emperor Hongzhi said.

As he said that, he looked at the Crown Princess beside him, or more precisely, at the Crown Princess's belly.

He could not help but become suspicious. Houzhao and the Crown Princess had been married for more than a year, but there was no movement.

He shook his head and didn't say it out loud. It would be better if the Queen asked about this matter.

Queen Zhang looked at Emperor Hongzhi and said quietly: "I am in the deep palace. Although I have no worries about food and clothing, I often have no one to talk to.

I want Qing'e to come to the palace to accompany me. This girl is of humble origin, but she is very considerate."

Emperor Hongzhi looked thoughtful. Li Qing'e was Li Dongyang's beloved daughter. He had to ask Master Li about this matter.

...

These days, Yan Chengjin was reading Min Gui's family files.

Before that, when he was the Chief Censor of the Censorate, he had offended many officials in the court.

The Hanyuan Three Remonstrances impeached him, but unfortunately Emperor Hongzhi did not punish him.

Yan Chengjin pointed at the family files he had read and said to Zheng Qian: "Collect these files and put them on your desk."

Zheng Qian said bitterly: "Sir, why are we secretly reading Lord Min's family files?"

"To know more about Lord Min, we can get along with him in the future." Yan Chengjin didn't care.

After three days of searching, he couldn't find any evidence against Min Gui.

This pile of family files is naturally useless.

Min Gui came over, with his hands behind his back, and said coldly: "Do you want to impeach me?"

Zheng Qian's Adam's apple rolled, and he lowered his head and looked at Yan Chengjin, the censor in the duty room.

When this guy reads other people's family files, he is going to impeach them.

It is an unwritten rule of the Censorate that no one can be impeached without impeaching their own Censor.

That is the boss, the one who writes the impeachment letter with a brilliant pen.

The censor on the side was both in awe and a little expectant. Since Yan Chengjin came to the Censorate, the impeachment letter has not been rejected.

Min Gui stood beside the desk with an angry face. He was an honest official. Impeachment was a false accusation. How could he not be angry?

Yan Chengjin did not expect that this old man would come quietly. According to Wang Shouren, he seemed to know some kung fu.

"That's right, but I have been looking for three days and have not found any evidence. Your Excellency is really honest."

He flattered the emperor without leaving any trace.

Min Gui narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing a gleam of light, and smiled unconsciously: "It's good that you know."

...

Fengtian Hall, noon court.

Emperor Hongzhi sat on the throne, staring at the person below with his eyes.

Li Dongyang and Liu Jian stood aside to make room for the person in the middle.

Yan Chengjin's heart moved slightly, Liu Hong came back.

"I am here on the order of your majesty to inspect Yunnan, and today I am back to the palace to submit the order!" said the person in the middle of the hall.

Emperor Hongzhi thought of Min Gui's impeachment memorial the day before, but did not mention it: "Did Liu Qingjia visit Yunnan? Do you have anything to report?"

Liu Hong said: "In Kunming, Yunnan Prefecture, the two chieftains led their people to fight each other, and blood flowed for ten miles, but the state officials did nothing.

Officers and civilians gathered in the city and dared not leave the city. The fields outside the city were barren and no one was farming.

Yunnan Supervisory Censor Fan Li neither sent troops nor reported to the court. He is really the worst!"

Min Gui staggered and almost fell down.

Yan Chengjin extended a friendly hand and helped him up, "This humble official said that you should not impeach me first."

Min Gui's head buzzed. He had just become the Chief Censor, but he wrote a wrong impeachment memorial.

Emperor Hongzhi said solemnly: "Min Aiqing of the Censorate impeached you for accepting bribes. Tell me about it."

Liu Hong bowed his head heavily: "I accepted it, but I gave it to the local people.

Many places in Yunnan are not cultivated, and the people are hungry. I can't bear it..."

At this time, Yan Chengjin's voice sounded: "May I ask, Lord Liu, has corn been introduced to Yunnan?"

"No." Liu Hong turned his head and looked at the official who was speaking. This boy was handsome and a little unfamiliar.