Rule over Ming Dynasty

Chapter 14 Youdi Hongzhi, announced to the world

As the sun near noon shines on the earth, the palace complex looks even more dazzling.

After Zhu Youtang left Renshou Palace, he took the dragon chariot directly to Huagai Palace.This is a palace located in the middle of the three main halls, smaller in scale than Fengtian Hall, and above the main hall is a royal seat surrounded by a coiled dragon.

The court ritual music of the Jiaofang Division was played, and it was playing the repertoire of the enthronement ceremony.

Zhu Youtang sat down on the throne of Huagai Hall, but there were no officials in front of him.If it weren't for the rituals and music coming from outside, and the guards and eunuchs standing around, this place would undoubtedly look too deserted.

After Liang Fangzuo, the eunuch in charge of the imperial horse supervisor, invited Zhu Youtang, he shouted to the outside: "All officials are exempt from congratulations!"

The officials of Honghe Temple who were kneeling outside heard the decree, and passed it on word of mouth, and the officials of Honghe Temple in front of the sixth hall of Fengtian Hall passed on the decree: "All officials are exempt from congratulations!"

"Your Majesty is invited to be promoted to the palace, long live my emperor!" The civil and military officials headed by the chief minister of the cabinet, Wan An, knew this result, and immediately knelt down at the Fengtian Palace.

Fengtian Hall is the head of the three halls, so from Huagai Hall to Fengtian Hall is called: Shengdian.

Zhu Youtang didn't know why he wanted to play this game, but he still followed the etiquette and said: "All officials are invited!"

"Let's drive to Fengtian Palace!" Liang Fangdang sang immediately after Zhu Youtang got on the dragon chariot.

Today's guard of honor was extraordinarily grand, not only was there constant music in the palace next to it, but it was also playing and beating along the way.

Zhu Youtang turned his head to look at Liu Jin who had been accompanying him in silence. Liu Jin saw Zhu Youtang stretching out a hand towards him, and immediately gave Zhu Youtang the "Edict of Enthronement" that he had been holding in his arms.

Enthronement Edict, this is a document for the new emperor to declare to the world, and it can also be regarded as the governing program of each new emperor.

Zhu Youtang knew that in the original history, Emperor Hongzhi was bound by those civil servants, or that Emperor Hongzhi had indeed been assimilated by the civil official group.

History has always been surprisingly consistent, and an identical "Edict of Enthronement" was presented by the cabinet.

Zhu Youtang opened the "Edict of Enthronement" drafted by the cabinet, and saw the beginning: "Only my ancestors, inherited from the sages, were appointed by the heavens, and are the masters of Huayi. The speed is more and more ancient. And my emperor Kao Daxing the emperor's heir..."

Sitong, this is already an undisputed qualification for succession, and it can be regarded as the confidence of his ascension to the throne.

The enthronement edict of the Ming Dynasty has a fixed format, usually to declare the legitimacy of one's succession to the people all over the world, then announce amnesty to disturb the hearts of the people, and then some new policy clauses to benefit the people.

It is worth mentioning that the amnesty does not release all the criminals in custody, and the ten felonies are not included in the amnesty, so there is an idiom called "heinous".

The first two items of the "Edict of Enthronement" in Zhu Youtang's hand are the specific content of the amnesty.

23. Before Meishuang on the sixth day of September in the [-]rd year of Chenghua, officials, soldiers, civilians, etc. committed crimes, except for conspiracy and rebellion: children and grandchildren murdered grandparents, parents, wives and concubines killed husbands, slaves and maidservants killed their masters, murdered on purpose, poisoned ghosts, murdered and killed Robbers, except for the party's evil mistakes, the others have been discovered, have not been discovered, have been established, and have not been established. The crimes are not big or small, and they are forgiven.Those who dare to forgive the past and tell each other will be punished for their crimes.

[-]. Military officials, supervisors, Zhiyin, Chengcha, Banner Army, craftsmen, etc., who have done meritorious deeds, transported, transported ashes, transported charcoal, chased and punished horses, worked, nanometered, set up stations, fried salt All the items such as frying iron, sending whistle, sending out to serve as military companions, servants, etc., were all exempted.Civilian officials, supervisors, Zhiyin, and envoys who committed corruption and adultery were sent back to their original places of origin as civilians; those who committed military offenses, violated the law, and confiscated the army were still in the original guards, and they were not allowed to manage the military.

Zhu Youtang knew that the contents of these two amnesties were based on the previous dynasty, so it was not easy to modify them, and he did not intend to modify them.

It's just that when he saw the new policy of the third regulation, he couldn't help but wryly smiled on his face, and said with emotion in his heart: I really can't wait!

"Your Majesty, we're here!" Liang Fang reminded softly when she found that Zhu Youtang was holding the "Edict of Enthronement" engrossed in reading it.

Zhu Youtang handed the "Enthronement Edict" in his hand to Liu Jin, who was only in his early 20s. Liu Jin is not a well-known power supervisor in later generations, but a little eunuch who poured the toilet for himself. .

Knowing that she was hugging the thickest thigh, Liu Jin took back the "Edict of Enthronement" respectfully, guarding the "Edict of Enthronement" as if protecting her own life.

Zhu Youtang came to Fengtian Hall, sat down on the golden lacquered throne carved with dragons, and looked down at the dark crowd of civil and military officials under the steps.

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
Jin Yiwei waved a big long whip in front of the gate of Fengtian Temple. The sound of the big long whip made the scalp tingle, and it was warning all civil and military officials below.

"The ministers kowtow to His Majesty, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" All the civil and military officials present saluted one after another, prostrating five prostrations and three prostrations like a tsunami.

Zhu Youtang looked down at the more than [-] civil and military officials kneeling in front of him from a high position. At this moment, he really felt that his status was different, and he was already the legitimate lord of the world.

It's just that he knows very well what kind of virtue these civil servants are.If I am a virtuous king, these civil servants will be as loyal as they want, but if I want to completely control the world, especially if I do something that violates their interests, these people must want to go to hell, or even go to hell. Secretly committing regicide.

At this moment, the Secretary of Jiaofang played the court music again.

"Your Majesty, please issue the "Enthronement Edict"!" Honglu Temple officials came out and asked Zhu Youtang who was sitting on the throne.

In a sense, the current Zhu Youtang is the rightful emperor.

When Zhu Youtang saw the eunuch Li Rong, who was holding the imperial seal in his hand, Zhu Youtang nodded lightly and said, "Use the seal!"

Liu Jin has been holding the "Edict of Enthronement" tightly all the time, and when it is time to use the seal, he hands over the "Edict of Enthronement" to Li Rong, who will stamp it.

With the fall of the jade seal, the enthronement edict of Emperor Hongzhi was freshly released.

Xu Pu, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, was the edict officer, and received the "Edict of Enthronement" from Li Rong, the eunuch who was in charge of ceremonies, but Li Rong looked at him with complicated eyes for some reason.

The bell of the Meridian Gate Tower rang, which was a signal for the officials to leave.

Civil and military officials resigned, but they wanted to go to Chengtianmen to obey the imperial edict.

Under the supervision of Zhu Ji, commander of Jinyiwei, Xu Pu left Fengtian Hall holding the "Edict of Enthronement" which was as heavy as Mount Tai in both hands, and walked steadily towards the Meridian Gate.

When you leave, you are particular, but you have to go the wrong way.

Xu Pu, the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Officials, who is also a scholar of the Imperial Academy, walked down the stairs, but he was afraid that the "Edict of Enthronement" in his hand would fall and affect his official career, so he walked extra cautiously.

When I arrived at the Meridian Gate, there was Jin Yiwei waiting for the edict here, so I put the "Edict of Enthronement" in Yunyu for transportation, and then went all the way to Fengtianmen.

Zhou Hongmo, the Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites who was in charge of reading the edict, was already waiting here. After receiving the enthronement edict, he immediately said to all the civil and military officials, "There is a system!"

"My ministers and others are enjoined, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" Cabinet Chief Assistant Wan An and other officials faced the enthronement edict, immediately knelt down and greeted him.

Xu Pu naturally wanted to enter the ranks of civil and military officials to kneel down, but seeing Zhou Hongmo about to read out the "Edict of Enthronement", the corners of his mouth could not help but rise slightly.

The two old guys in the cabinet were quite sensible this time, but they let him participate in the drafting of the "Edict of Enthronement", and even the entire "Edict of Enthronement" was written by themselves.

As long as this "Enthronement Edict" is announced to the world, let alone whether a "Hongzhi Zhongxing" can be created according to the new policy, I will definitely become a hero in the eyes of the civil official group in one fell swoop.

Among the 44 new regulations, many of his own private goods were included.This "Ascension Edict" not only restricted the imperial power through regulations, but also directly cut off the power of the eunuchs, and even restricted the relatives of the emperor.

According to this ruling idea, the new dynasty will definitely belong to the world of civil servants. As for the invitation of the great salt merchant Zhang Yi brought by his favorite student, it is also a trivial matter.

Zhou Hongmo didn't know that Xu Pu, who was kneeling in front of him, had so many thoughts. After reading the previous two decrees of amnesty, he immediately continued to read: "Third, salt and grain are used by the state. In recent years, there have been many awards, and Being challenged by influential people inside and outside, buying stock reserves and cutting off the remaining private shares, getting involved in sales, entraining smugglers, and thus harming the national class and robbing the people's interests..."

(End of this chapter)