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Chapter 86: Bribing the Eunuch’s Heart

The spring of the second year of Jingyang passed in such a chaotic manner. Of course, no matter how chaotic the court was, it would not affect the lives of the common people in a short time.When the solar terms are right, it’s as if nothing has happened.

Spring is supposed to be a season of vitality, but the official room of the Supervisor of Ceremonies is filled with a strong smell of medicine and a lifeless solemnity.Tian Yi, the chief minister of etiquette in the Ming Dynasty, was seriously ill and was diagnosed by the imperial doctor as having run out of oil and drying up the lamp, and there was no cure.

"Weichuan, you have served emperors of three dynasties and have a lot of experience. I have only been on the throne for a short period of time, so I still need your help!"

After hearing the news, Hong Tao personally went to the official room to visit the dying old eunuch.Holding his thin and cold hand and chatting gently, it was like an old friend coming to say goodbye.

"Hulu... Hulu... slave, slave, I can't serve you any longer..." The old eunuch didn't struggle to get up, either because he didn't want to or because he really couldn't get up.I heard from the imperial doctor that he was hanging completely on his breath at this time, and he might close his eyes forever in the next minute.

"Don't worry, I will never go back on what I promised. You will continue to be with me after your death, and you will not become a ghost. However, I have no say in this matter, and you still have to be willing to do it yourself."

Hong Tao didn't know why the old eunuch refused to close his eyes, but the only comfort he could give him was the promise he made before: after his death, he would be buried next to the emperor's mausoleum and be worshiped by future generations.

"... I want to have a word with Lord Long Live..." After hearing this promise, Tian Yi's hand suddenly gained some strength, and he raised it and pointed at Chen Ju and Wang An in the room.

"You guys go out and wait, don't let anyone get close to you!" This expression represented four words in Hong Tao's eyes, and he reflected on it.As for what the old eunuch wants to say, don't worry about him, just listen to it, there is a saying that even when a person is about to die, his words are good.

"This slave entered the palace at the age of 9. She was taken care of by her master Huang Jin and appreciated by Emperor Zhuang. She was given the post of head of the Six Corridors. She served Emperor Zhuang, Emperor Xian and Long Live Lord, and was deeply favored by the emperor. Now that we are running out of time, there is something I want to talk to Long Live Lord...Hulu...Hulu..."

It was possible that Tian Yi had really come back to his senses. At this time, Tian Yi still couldn't get out of bed, but his breathing was no longer difficult, and he spoke dozens of words in one breath before stopping.

"Say it, I'm listening!" Hong Tao leaned forward and leaned in front of Tian Yi's face.

"Long live the Lord, beware of those foreign ministers. Emperor Zhuang and Emperor Xian were both killed by them...cough cough cough...cough cough cough..." Maybe he used too much force, but Tian Yigang stopped after half a sentence. started to cough.

"How do you say this?" Hong Tao didn't expect the old eunuch to say such a thing to him. He was not very surprised, but more curious.

The dirty things that happened in the ancient palace can be traced from the history books without having to be told by the old eunuch.Many emperors died in mysterious circumstances, especially in the Ming Dynasty, where the causes of death were fabricated to the point of insulting their intelligence.It seems that the rumor is not groundless. This dying old eunuch may be an insider.

"I heard from Master Huang Jin that Emperor Zhuang was a generous man and appointed wise ministers. In order to control the power, Li Chunfang, Gao Gong, Xu Jie, and Zhang Juzheng in the cabinet colluded with internal officials to find excuses to select young women into the palace many times. Emperor Zhuang was young and vigorous, how could he After being able to withstand such temptation, he gradually abandoned the government and gave up the power. When Emperor Xian came to the throne, fortunately the Queen Mother was in charge of the harem, so he did not follow the same footsteps, but the slaves saw and heard with their own eyes how those foreign ministers forced the late emperor. Long Live Lord is only in his early twenties now, so he must be on guard... snore, snore..."

After adjusting his breath for a while, Tian Yi said a lot more, and the content was really scary.That is to say, a person like him who is carefree and on the verge of death dares to say that if it had been anyone else, he would have taken them all to the grave.I am not afraid of death, and I cannot involve the safety of my family.

"Don't worry, I have been thinking about my future path in the cold palace since I was sensible. These little tricks are useless." Hong Tao didn't feel too shocked, nor did he think those officials did something wrong.Temptation exists at any time and anywhere. If you are tempted, you cannot blame others, you can only blame yourself for your lack of firmness of mind.

"It's not peaceful in the palace either...Long Live Lord's "Tweening Order" has touched too many people's interests. It's just that it's easy to handle in the palace, but I'm afraid that the distinguished nobles will interfere, so I have to be on guard!" Seeing the emperor is not the emperor's. Xin Tianyi became a little anxious, speaking faster and faster, and his voice became louder and louder.

"Oh... I would like to hear more about this. Come on, drink some water before we talk. Don't be in a hurry. Let's talk slowly!" Hong Tao felt that he had already considered all the tricks the officials would use to deal with him. As long as he didn't If they push too hard, they can still coexist peacefully.

But the methods of the harem and the nobles are a bit unfamiliar. There are very few history books about that stuff. I have lived in the palace for 20 years, but most of the time I have been in the cold palace, with high walls blocking everything. Can't see, can't hear anything, can't touch anything, far less understanding than the old eunuch.

In the spring of the second year of Jingyang, Tian Yi, who had served three generations of emperors and was the chief minister of etiquette at the time, passed away in his official palace at the age of 72.It is said that he left peacefully and did not suffer much. In the afternoon before leaving, he was personally visited by the emperor. This kind of treatment cannot be said to be unprecedented, but it is also very special.

What's even more special is that the emperor ordered Tian Yi's coffin to be parked in a village near the imperial mausoleum in Beishan, instead of being buried in the temple he donated money to build during his lifetime as usual.

According to the well-known eunuchs in the palace, this choice has only one purpose. After the site selection for the mausoleum of the current emperor is completed, a separate open space will be opened in front of the mausoleum to bury the eunuchs who served him. There will be a life and death dependence between the monarch and his ministers!
Officials would definitely not have a good impression of this kind of gift. They all have families, businesses and ancestral graves. Being an official is just to find a job. Why should I have to guard the tombs of your old Zhu family when I die?

But when it comes to the eunuchs, the treatment is extremely generous.To a certain extent, they are all lonely. Even if there are people in the family, they will not recognize each other, and they are not allowed to enter the ancestral graves.

Now not only does it have a destination, it is also a geomantic treasure place that is inferior to one person and superior to ten thousand people.There is definitely no hope in this life, but there must be hope for a good pregnancy in the next life, so as not to suffer like this again.

Some people are happy and some people are unhappy. This is a universal truth.The eunuchs had hope, but the harem, royal nobles and some officials were not satisfied with the emperor's new measures.

In their eyes, the eunuchs were half humans and half animals. How could they be buried together with the royal mausoleum? It would affect the luck of the royal family too much.In addition, doing this is not in line with the etiquette and ancestral system, and it is simply a joke if word spreads.

If you have to reward a certain eunuch, you can just find a separate place to build a temple, and the regulations are high. There is no need to destroy the feng shui of the imperial mausoleum and attract so much criticism.

(End of this chapter)