Chapter 658: The sincere emperor and Jiang Qingzhi who has achieved great success in cultivation
There is no greater merit than to be a Savior.
Why do you say that? Is the country less important than the emperor?
The country and the people are naturally important, but how many people who saved the country have a good ending?
Yu Qian, also known as Yu Shaobao, can be regarded as the pillar of the Ming Dynasty. After the Battle of Tumu, Yesen's army surrounded the capital. If it were not for Yu Qian, the Ming Dynasty would have become history long ago.
But what was Yu Qian’s fate?
When the Liao army marched southward, Kou Zhun of the Former Song Dynasty made the emperor and his ministers panic and even wanted to flee south. Kou Zhun strongly advocated that the emperor lead the army in person, and ultimately succeeded in saving the Former Song Dynasty.
But what was Kou Zhun’s final outcome?
If the merits to the state are too great, it will shock the emperor. The emperor's dragon body will tremble, and then he will either die or be thrown into some remote place to raise turtles.
Therefore the Savior has the greatest merit.
The second is to follow the dragon.
Countless historical facts tell future generations that if you want to speculate, do it as early as possible.
Xu Jie arranged his disciples to live in Prince Yu's Mansion.
Later, Prince Yu ascended the throne, and Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng... these names shining in history books, from then on reached the peak of their lives.
"...At that time, Jiang Bin was the most powerful man in the world, but I have been by your Majesty's side for many years but have made no progress. I refuse to accept this!"
The night breeze blowing in from outside the hall actually brought with it a fresh scent.
The night wind blew Liao Chen's white hair. He said angrily, "I have been an official for many years and have performed my duties faithfully. Why can't I be promoted?"
Everyone was silent.
"One time Jiang Bin invited me to drink, and during the meal, he talked..." Liao Chen paused, with a glimmer in his eyes, "He said that the current emperor seemed to be fooling around, but in fact, the relationship between him and his subjects was a bit strained."
Jiang Qingzhi's eyebrows twitched slightly. This was something he didn't know.
"Your Majesty was ambitious at that time. I once heard Your Majesty discuss with the elders and plan to rebuild the fleet and follow the example of Emperor Chengzu to go to sea..."
Jiang Qingzhi sighed, "This is just asking for trouble."
"The ministers unanimously opposed it, saying that this move would be a waste of national strength. However, Your Majesty listed the profits from Emperor Chengzu's fleet sailing to the Western Ocean, saying that if there had not been a fleet sailing to the Western Ocean, where would Emperor Chengzu have gotten the money and food for his five northern expeditions? Moving the capital to Beijing was extremely expensive, so where would the money and food come from? Even if Xia Yuanji sold his underwear, he couldn't get that much money!"
Jiang Qingzhi thought of many comments about this matter, saying that Zheng He went to the West to find Emperor Jianwen. Now it seems ridiculous.
Emperor Chengzu was a man of great talent and strategy. With a powerful army under his command, he led five northern expeditions and inflicted heavy losses on the remnants of the Mongols.
Even if Emperor Jianwen reappeared, would Emperor Chengzu still be afraid?
Not to mention that based on a vague piece of news...Emperor Jianwen was overseas, building a huge fleet.
"This is not a search for Emperor Jianwen!"
Jiang Qingzhi shook his head.
"Then why did Emperor Chengzu order the fleet to go out to sea?" someone asked.
Jiang Qingzhi casually said, "It's because Emperor Chengzu saw the benefits of overseas."
He opened his eyes suddenly, "Your Majesty!"
Emperor Jiajing was standing outside the door, looking at Liao Chen with his hands behind his back.
"Your Majesty." Liao Chen looked at Emperor Jiajing and said in despair: "Your Majesty..."
"I don't have a subject like you." said Emperor Jiajing.
"Sinner..." Liao Chen sobbed.
"Tell me, what is Jiang Bin's plan!" said Emperor Jiajing.
Liao Chen burst into tears. "At that time, Prince Ning's rebellion was defeated by Wang Shouren, but the capital was in a bit of chaos. Jiang Bin said that all we need to do is kill His Majesty... No, the late emperor. As long as we kill the late emperor, the army under his control can attack the capital directly and capture all the officials..."
"There is one more thing. Who does he plan to make emperor?" asked Emperor Jiajing.
The previous emperor had no son, so once he passed away, who would succeed him became a big problem.
"Jiang Bin said that according to the rule of succession from brother to brother, what he is looking for is..."
Liao Chen looked at Emperor Jiajing.
Could it be that Jiang Bin also has his eyes on the Taoist priest... Jiang Qingzhi suddenly wanted to laugh.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Liao Chen said.
"I guess Jiang Bin has other means, right? Using the emperor to control the princes, is that right?" asked Emperor Jiajing.
"Your Majesty is wiser than me." Liao Chen looked at Emperor Jiajing with admiration. "Jiang Bin said that the man from Prince Xing's Mansion has been weak since childhood and is said to like practicing Taoism. People who practice Taoism do not fight with the world, so he is just right to be controlled."
The Taoist priest is so easy to control... Jiang Qingzhi felt like he had heard the funniest joke, but then he couldn't laugh anymore.
"I am easy to control?" Emperor Jiajing did not laugh, but said quietly: "Yang Tinghe and Zhang thought the same way at the beginning!"
Yes!
When the previous emperor passed away, Empress Dowager Zhang and Yang Tinghe discussed who would take over this vast empire, and they chose Emperor Jiajing.
What's the matter with the succession from elder brother to younger brother? In the eyes of Empress Dowager Zhang and Yang Tinghe, the reason for choosing Emperor Jiajing was not the succession from elder brother to younger brother, but the fact that the young Prince Xing, who had just inherited the title, was weak in health and liked to practice Taoism.
In a word: that guy is easy to control!
So King Xiaoxing was hit by a pie in the sky.
But what was unexpected was that this new monarch who loved practicing Taoism actually inherited the bloodline of the Ming emperors in his bones: he would rather break than bend!
Emperor Taizu Gao, Emperor Chengzu... and even Emperor Wanli, who later fell out with his ministers and would rather stay in the palace for decades than compromise...
There is also the emperor who likes carpentry, who is described as not doing his job properly. But if he can control the government and make his subjects bow their heads, how can he have time to do carpentry?
The dispute between the emperor and his subjects began with Emperor Taizu Gao and lasted throughout the entire history of the Ming Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao, there was Hu Weiyong, and during the reign of Emperor Chengzu, important officials were thrown into prison at will. After these two emperors, no emperor in the Ming Dynasty could suppress his officials. From the initial stalemate between the emperor and his officials to the overwhelming advantage of the officials later, there was only one incident in between.
"The Battle of Tumu!" Jiang Qingzhi murmured, "That battle killed the most elite soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, and the most experienced military officers of the Ming Dynasty... From then on, the emperor no longer had the ability to suppress the civil officials. From then on, the literati became the masters of this huge empire."
Jiang Qingzhi suddenly shuddered.
The world is darkest in the early morning. The remaining stars in the sky are twinkling and seem a little desolate, and even the wind becomes particularly lonely.
"I have always wondered why there were so many doubts about the Tumu Incident." Emperor Jiajing walked slowly outside the palace with his hands behind his back.
Jiang Qingzhi felt a little cold, and Yan San was still interrogating Liao Chen in the hall.
"... Jiang Bin controls a large number of troops and is in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. He is extremely powerful. The late emperor... was a little confused." Emperor Jiajing commented on the late emperor.
Jiang Qingzhi said: "Your Majesty, the late emperor was not confused."
"what is that?"
"Straightforward."
The smiling emperor always thinks the best of everything. Even if he is blocked by his ministers and cannot realize his ambitions, he will not get angry. He will entertain himself and give himself an official title, such as vanguard general or general commander...
"Hmm!" Emperor Jiajing nodded. "You are quite perceptive."
It’s not that Jiang Qingzhi is perceptive, but that he has read a lot of records about Zhu Houzhao in later generations and has a deep impression of this emperor.
Liao Chen's voice came from the hall, "I was not with Your Majesty at that time, but later on the way back to the capital with Your Majesty, I heard Your Majesty say that after falling into the water, he felt something pulling his ankle and dragging him down. He thought it was... a ghost."
Jiang Qingzhi's body went numb for a moment, "It's a water ghost!"
Jiang Bin, who learned the news in advance, ordered his confidant who was good at swimming to wait in the water. Just when the emperor fell into the water, he grabbed his legs and pulled him into the deeper water.
Drown him!
Jiang Qingzhi seemed to see a hideous face.
"I don't know how long the late emperor struggled, but fortunately he was strong enough to break free." Liao Chen's voice was filled with a tone that was not sure whether it was despair or self-mockery. "At that time, I was terrified and felt that the emperor would be blessed by God... After returning to the capital, I fell ill."
The human heart is the root of all diseases!
Jiang Qingzhi thought of this sentence: Disease comes from emotions, from the seven emotions and six desires, from greed, anger, and ignorance...
Some people say that diseases come from germs. Those beggars hang out in the dirtiest places all day long. Those ascetic monks in India deliberately touch dirty things, and even... After drinking a glass of that water, I have more energy to climb the stairs and everything I eat tastes better.
Beggars are free from disease and disaster, ascetics live long lives, and believers who drink river water have nothing to worry about.
Why?
Jiang Qingzhi felt that it was because they firmly believed that all of this was good, kind, and harmless to them.
Whatever you believe in, it will come to you.
"Why did the late emperor fall ill?" Yan San asked.
Liao Chen's voice sounded like a ghost crying, "The sinner doesn't know! Ah!"
Amid the screams, Emperor Jiajing said, "After the late emperor fell ill, some people said that they could not summon the imperial physician. Such words... are either stupid or evil."
Jiang Qingzhi had also seen such analysis in later generations, saying that after Emperor Zhengde fell ill, the people around him couldn't even call the imperial physician.
At first he felt horrified, wondering how could those civil servants be so arrogant?
But then he burst into laughter.
The Empress Dowager Zhang, the mother of Emperor Zhengde, was still in the palace. When her son fell ill, was this Empress Dowager blind, not only unable to see, but also unable to hear? Or even watched her son die?
Isn’t this a fucking joke?
Once conspiracy theories take hold, people will dare to describe any speculation as official history.
"Don't know? Bring me a needle." Yan San's voice was sharp, reminding Jiang Qingzhi of a certain religious leader.
"what!"
The screams continued. Emperor Jiajing listened for a while and shook his head, "Go back!"
The two of them walked slowly in the palace, one in front and one behind.
"Celebrate it."
"exist."
“Why do people live?”
"Your Majesty, this is a very big topic."
"Ok?"
"Then I will try to explain it. The Buddha once said that all phenomena are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, like dew and lightning, and they are all passing clouds. Think about the fight with Yang Tinghe and others back then. Did you feel the same way?"
"Ok!"
"The past glory has become a scar deep in my memory in a blink of an eye. I don't want to mention it. I think that life is just living. If you want a meaning..."
Jiang Qingzhi stopped and looked at the morning light rising in the east. "That must be an experience."
"Experience?" Emperor Jiajing was also looking at Chenxi.
The cousins stood side by side, basking in the morning light.
"Yes. Life is all about experience. If you have some understanding, and can understand the origin of life, where you come from and where you are going... then that is success."
"But what I saw was a vicious fight, with countless people fighting for food and power, at all costs..."
"That's why you need to practice, Your Majesty!"
"So, how far have you come in your cultivation, Mr. Jiang?"
"Uh! I have now cultivated to the point where... I am more and more fond of the seven emotions and six desires."
(End of this chapter)
