Chapter 948: Lu Song's End
The New Year's Day court meeting in the 31st year of the Jiajing reign ended in an unexpected way.
Yan Song and his son were surrounded. Yan Song pointed at Yan Shifan with a cold face, indicating that he had something to ask my son. He returned to the Zhilu duty room. There were still many things to do later, so he took this opportunity to ask someone to make porridge.
"Dad, is His Majesty crazy?"
After drinking half of the porridge and eating a few pickles, Yan Shifan came back.
"Shut up!" Yan Song drank a mouthful of porridge and said slowly, "Are you surprised?"
"It's not just an accident, it's also..." Yan Shifan turned around and saw that no one was following him, so he lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty made a decision today... This has never happened in the past ten years."
"I know." Yan Song drank the porridge by swishing along the edge of the bowl. This way of drinking was not an invention nor a habit. It was just because the porridge was too hot, so he drank it by swishing along the edge of the bowl, which saved his mouth from suffering. Children drink this way out of instinct, but adults forget this instinct.
"This is a tacit understanding between the monarch and his subjects for many years. Those people thought that he would abide by this tacit understanding..."
"So they must win today."
"But His Majesty overturned the table."
Yan Song put down the bowl of porridge and picked up a few pickles. "It tastes good. Have a drink."
Yan Shifan shook his head, and Yan Song sighed, "Remember, be calm when facing important events, as calmness can bring wisdom."
There was a small bowl of porridge on the table, as well as a set of bowls and chopsticks. Yan Shifan barely filled half a bowl of porridge and took a sip. His brows furrowed, "Dad, you left early before, so I didn't see the faces of those people. They looked as if their parents had died."
"Your Majesty, if you turn the table over, they will have no choice but to bow their heads unless they are plotting a rebellion... This is what an emperor is like, do you understand?" Yan Song said, "The emperor's trump card is his absolute power, and he will not use it unless he has no other choice."
Yan Shifan drank a few mouthfuls of porridge, and calmed down, and his IQ also returned. "Jiang Qingzhi also caught those people off guard today. But no one expected that he would go after Lu Song."
"Lü Song is a Confucian general with outstanding abilities. Jiang Qingzhi has been plotting against him for a long time. I just didn't expect that he would dare to take risks at such an important moment."
"Dad, what Lu Song said today has offended those people. The scholars in the capital will definitely stir up trouble. Those people will attack him crazily and discredit him..."
"It's just a matter of seeking kindness and receiving kindness."
"What you seek? I think he and Jiang Qingzhi are of the same mind."
"Isn't this what your majesty and Jiang Qingzhi want to see? Disintegration." Yan Song watched from the sidelines today and gained a lot. "Jiang Qingzhi rushed to the front and was a great general. When he made the ministers anxious, your majesty took action and made the final decision. Donglou, there will probably be many such scenes in the future."
Yan Shifan felt that the pickles were tasteless. He sneered and said, "It's not a bad thing that they are charging in the front. For example, today, Your Majesty made a dictatorial decision and caught those people off guard. If such a major event is not agreed by everyone, what will be waiting for Your Majesty and Jiang Qingzhi in the South?"
"resist!"
"Let's just watch the show."
"Drink porridge."
"Dad, drink more."
"I love to change clothes when I'm drunk. I have a lot to do today, so I don't have time."
"People say that if you eat more salty food, you will look at things less seriously, so eat more pickles..."
……
Jiang Qingzhi was left behind.
Emperor Jiajing and he walked slowly in the palace. On the first day of the new year, there was a bit more joy in the palace. Big red lanterns were hung high, most of which were decorated with auspicious patterns.
The weather was still cold, but Jiang Qingzhi felt the vitality.
"Don't be too anxious about Lu Song's side."
"I know."
"Today, you and I, the king and my subjects, have teamed up to give those people a slap in the face. Looking back, there will be some trouble in the south. I cannot split myself, are you prepared?"
"All those people can do is resist or even destroy." Jiang Qingzhi saw the plum tree and patted the trunk. Suddenly, drops of water dripped down from it.
The Taoist stopped, reached out to touch the water stains on his head, turned around and saw Jiang Qingzhi's stunned expression.
This idiot!
"Xu Jie's behavior today has exceeded my expectations. I thought he would take those people to take action, but unexpectedly he chose to forbear." Emperor Jiajing brushed his head a few times and wiped the water stains on his hands on the side of his clothes.
"Your Majesty, the dignitaries did not move today." Jiang Qingzhi analyzed: "This is like a decisive battle. The main forces are all out there, but here we only have you and your ministers. The dignitaries are our reserve troops. But they have no more means...Xu Jie is experienced and sees that this situation is not right, so he chooses to wait and see."
"Reserve." Emperor Jiajing sighed with his hands behind his back, "Those people! If they had some thoughts about their country and the world, I would not treat them as parasites or monkeys."
It is strange that the founding emperor never showed mercy when killing his meritorious officials, but his successors were completely different.
For example, when Emperor Taizu Gao killed many meritorious officials, countless major cases swept the country and the army. But when it came to Emperor Chengzu, the relationship between the emperor and the meritorious officials was quite close.
Jiang Qingzhi felt that all this was caused by power.
The founding heroes have high prestige and considerable influence in the military and among officials. Most importantly, these people stick together.
In the long process of founding a country, there are crises everywhere, even dangerous signs. External enemies, internal disputes, people who fight alone die the fastest. Therefore, every minister will actively or passively become a member of a small group... Otherwise, you will have no place in the big group.
It was no problem for everyone to stick together during the pioneering period, but after the founding of the country, this kind of sticking together made the emperor quite wary.
Or they could learn to be smarter and disband on their own initiative. For example, the prime minister in black beside Emperor Chengzu was a smart man who did not form a clique and was impartial despite his heavy power. In the end, he had a good ending. "The powerful and wealthy are getting worse and worse, and they are of no benefit to the country. When I first ascended the throne, I wanted to start with them. Who would have thought that before I even took action, I would have a dispute with Yang Ting and them."
Emperor Jiajing lowered his head slightly and said in a low voice, "There is a lot of waste every year. Why do I keep such a group of people? Just to stand up and shout a few times when something happens? I might as well keep a group of dogs."
Being mean is the nature of the Taoist priest... Jiang Qingzhi laughed, "Your Majesty, even if you drive this group of people away, there will soon be new nobles to replace them and become the new parasites."
"It's just like reincarnation." Emperor Jiajing was filled with emotion. "Just like this country, reincarnation every few hundred years, no one can escape it. Today, Lu Song also said that if the Ming Dynasty does not change, it will surely die. So, how long do you think it can last?"
"Your Majesty, are you worried about the south?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
"The south is an important place for Ming Dynasty's money and grain, where the literary style flourishes and Confucianism is deeply rooted. When the news of the grand court meeting spreads, those people will know that there is no turning back on the matter of clearing the land. Do you know what they will do?"
"I'll go crazy."
"There will be resistance to lifting the ban on sea trade, there is no doubt about that. What I am most worried about is the clearing of farmland. Qingzhi..."
Emperor Jiajing turned around and looked at his cousin with a sharp gaze. "The guards of Beijing must be on guard at all times. You should personally supervise the changing of uniforms and the training. This concerns the safety of the country. If anyone interferes... you can do as you see fit."
Jiang Qingzhi felt pleased to see the great changes that had taken place in Dao Ye.
The first step was to shift the focus from the ministers to the army.
——Authority comes from the barrel of a gun!
If the Beijing Guards had not gained great fame in the Northern Expedition, the Taoist's arbitrary decisions today would certainly have been attacked by his ministers.
"Yes."
"Why was Emperor Taizu able to suppress his ministers? In my opinion, it was because of his prestige in the army. Coupled with his decisiveness in killing, he was always successful. I..."
There was a sharp gleam in Emperor Jiajing's eyes, but it quickly faded away.
After all, he could not be as cruel as Emperor Taizu Gao.
He treated his subjects as pigs and dogs, and would never dismember them even if he was told to skin them.
The ministers were so frightened that they had to say goodbye to their families before leaving home in the morning, for fear that they would never come back.
Emperor Jiajing watched Jiang Qingzhi leave and asked, "Is there any news about Lu Song?"
Huang Jin sent someone to look for Rui Jingxian, but before the Taoist priests arrived at Yongshou Palace, Rui Jingxian arrived.
The guy trotted forward and saluted.
"Your Majesty, Rui Jingxian is surrounded."
"It's as expected." There was a strange smile in the eyes of Emperor Jiajing. "That idiot is just waiting for those people to take action. The tighter the pressure, the better. In the 31st year of Jiajing, I am looking forward to what will happen!"
……
Lu Song was surrounded by people at this moment. His face was livid and his eyes turned around, looking at the familiar faces. The familiar or unfamiliar faces no longer had the usual respectfulness and kindness, and anger was burning.
"Don't you know what lifting the maritime ban will bring? Everyone is waiting for you to take the lead in opposing it, but you are taking the lead in helping Jiang Qingzhi. Where do you put us?"
"If you hadn't suddenly turned against us today, how could we... be such a bastard!"
"Lü Song, do you want to cut yourself off from us?"
"You are Jiang Qingzhi's running dog!"
"After today, you will be ruined!"
Lu Song looked at these people with sadness in his eyes. "You are so angry, but you want to lift the maritime ban? You want to use sniping to lift the maritime ban in exchange for His Majesty's continued tax-free privileges. This is your purpose."
These people became more and more angry, and someone cursed: "Lü Song, what benefit did Jiang Qingzhi give you that makes you defend him like this?"
"He did give me a lot of benefits."
Everyone was surprised that he would admit it.
Jiang Qingzhi came, not far away. Lu Song looked at him and nodded slightly: "It was he who let me know that there is a big problem with Confucianism. If nothing changes... sooner or later, Confucianism will be ruined, and the world will be ruined.
I want to change all this, but I have tried again and again, but to no avail. What is blocking my way? It is profit! It is greed and shamelessness! "
Lu Song looked at these people and shook his head. "I am tired. Today I wanted to give you a wake-up call, but I still can't wake you up."
"Old thief!"
Someone in the crowd threw a hidden weapon, and with a bang, it hit Lu Song's forehead.
Lu Song covered his forehead and shook his body a few times.
Bah!
The thirty-first year of Jiajing.
New Year's Day.
The ministers besieged the Minister of Revenue, Lu Song.
(End of this chapter)
