Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 34 Time to go to court
Cui Chengxiu didn't expect this to happen at all. When Xu Yingyuan came to question him, he was still drinking with his concubine Xiao Lingxi in the mansion. When Xu Yingyuan told the details of the incident, he was so angry that he cursed directly, blaming Sun Zhixian for his lack of success and failure:
"I couldn't handle such a simple thing, and I got involved."

"Who is this!"

Normally, Cui Chengxiu would not care at all about things like the rural examination cheating case, and could easily suppress it with his own power. But now that the new emperor knows about this matter and has made it clear that he wants to pursue it, he must find a way to solve it and let himself pass this test.

"Cui Duo's article cannot withstand investigation at all. This matter can be said to be conclusive evidence."

"Fortunately, the results of the provincial examination have not been released, and Your Majesty does not want to cause too much trouble."

"I'll go and plead with the factory boss, maybe I can suppress it."

Cui Chengxiu knows his son's level well, and saying he is "illiterate" might be a bit too much, but if he is to say he is qualified, he probably doesn't think so himself. Otherwise, the examiner would not be arranged to preside over his son's provincial examination.

Now that the incident has occurred, Cui Duo has no chance to think about his reputation as a civil servant. Cui Chengxiu has to find a way to protect himself and prevent himself from being implicated.

Thinking of this, Cui Chengxiu sent a large number of gifts and asked Xu Yingyuan to help put in good words, and then hurriedly went to Wei Zhongxian to ask him to help calm the matter.

At this time, Wei Zhongxian was thinking about how to cover up the "please add Jiuxi" matter. When he heard Cui Chengxiu's request, he naturally agreed. But behind the scenes, he was making insinuations and asking Cui Chengxiu if he still remembered that incident.

After Cui Chengxiu heard this, he broke into a cold sweat. Wei Zhongxian hadn't mentioned it, and he still hadn't remembered that he had this fatal crime. After pretending to forget, Cui Chengxiu returned to his mansion and began to think about a way out——

The factory boss is now cleaning up the situation and has no intention of going against His Majesty.

In this case, others should think about their options.

Looking back on his own sins, the most terrible one, besides "please add nine tins", was that in the days after Emperor Tianqi died and the new emperor ascended the throne, Wei Zhongxian asked Liu Zhao and Xiao Weizhong, the younger brother of his favorite concubine Xiao Lingxi, to lead troops and directly attack the enemy. Near the capital.

When these two things are investigated, each one is a crime of treason. After Cui Chengxiu learned that Wei Zhongxian was cleaning up the situation, he immediately began to think of a way out.

However, there must be a way to retreat, and you cannot resign because of the rural examination fraud case.

Once he admits to this matter, it may become a trigger and be impeached for other crimes.

But he couldn't pass this test without giving the emperor an explanation.

Just like Huo Weihua, the Minister of the Ministry of War will quit his job and wait and see outside for a while.

Thinking about this matter in his mind, Cui Chengxiu quickly thought of resigning. After all, the provincial examination list has not been announced. This matter can be said to be big or small. As long as he resigns voluntarily, the emperor just wants to show his kindness to the minister, and it is not easy to continue to pursue him. At this point where he has just ascended to the throne, the emperor will not dwell on it.

Thinking about the changes happening outside the Great Wall and the emperor being concerned about side affairs, he, the Minister of War, who didn't understand military affairs, felt embarrassed and simply stepped down to make room for the emperor's favorite. Lest the emperor find it an eyesore and investigate the rural examination fraud case.

"I should have followed the rules after my mother passed away, and now I can use this reason to retreat." 』

"It's just that too much time has passed, and it was too abrupt for me to bring it up myself. I need to find a censor I'm close to to impeach me along with the others." 』

Thinking of this good way to resign, Cui Chengxiu thought about the officials who had stolen love from the court, and planned to find a public prosecutor to impeach these people with him.

The next day, when Zhu Youjian went to court, he received a memorial to impeach Cui Chengxiu, saying that Cui Chengxiu, the Minister of the Ministry of War, Li Yangde, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Chen Yin, the Shaoqing of Taipu Temple, and Zhu Tongmeng, the imperial censor of Yansui Youqiandu, had seized the love. It is against etiquette and law, and you should return to your hometown to abide by the rules.

This incident was beyond Zhu Youjian's expectation. After all, he really didn't expect that an attempted rural examination cheating case would involve so many ministers.

After looking at the positions of several people, Zhu Youjian found that Chen Yin, who had the title of Shaoqing of Jia Taipu Temple, and Li Yangde, who had the title of Minister of the Ministry of Processing. Fortunately, Cui Chengxiu, the Minister of the Ministry of War, and Zhu Tongmeng, the governor of Yansui, could all be called important ministers. They resigned at the same time, and Zhu Youjian had no one to take over.

But if he rejects it, Zhu Youjian is guarding the system for Emperor Tianqi at this time. In his current status, it is not suitable to reject it at all.

So after thinking about it, Zhu Youjian decided to let the cabinet and the Supervisor of Ceremonies handle it according to the process, and he would continue to see what changes would happen. Because of the governor of Yansui, Zhu Youjian thought about the petition he had made to officials from Shaanxi and officials who had served in Shaanxi during the Tianqi period. He once again asked them to write the memorial and hand it in. He wanted to see the actual situation in Shaanxi.

After dealing with other memorials in this way, when Zhu Youjian was about to retire, because he would go to court as long as etiquette allowed after he ascended the throne, this made some elderly ministers unbearable and asked Zhu Youjian to go to court. There is no need to go to court every day to determine the date.

Zhu Youjian himself didn't want to go to court every day, but he didn't want to be accused of neglecting government just after he ascended the throne. Now that a court official took the initiative, he felt relieved.

After asking about the old rules, I learned that Emperor Wanli set a rule of 369 days to visit the court, and Emperor Tianqi did the same. As for the actual time of going to court, that's not certain.

After learning this, Zhu Youjian immediately said:

"Then outside the Shuowang Dynasty, look at the court on the 369th."

"Everyone can discuss the time and place of the court meeting, as well as the officials attending the meeting."

Zhu Youjian had long been dissatisfied with the court meeting that had been reduced to a ceremonial nature, and Zhu Youjian immediately proposed and wanted to change it.

The ministers did not want to go to court before dawn, so the Minister of Rites came to Zongdao and said:

"The Emperor Taizu Gao rose up from the rooster's crow, went to court with a sense of joy, and came to see all the officials before sunrise."

"During the Jiajing period, the great scholar Yang Yiqing and others said: When a person looks at the dynasty, he should have a regular schedule and ancient rituals. The dynasty distinguishes its color before entering, and the king looks at it when the sun rises."

"I believe that we should imitate the ancient etiquette and use the sunrise as the time to do the holy bow so as not to overwork."

He told the emperor not to be too tired, but in fact he felt that he was too tired. The elderly ministers all agreed with this. They were really tired after going to court for these days. Zhu Youjian did not have to follow the example of the great ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang who went to court before dawn. He should follow the ancient etiquette and go to court at sunrise.

Zhu Youjian also felt that it was too tiring to go to court before dawn. Now that the minister proposed it, he would naturally follow suit. But he was still a little dissatisfied with the sunrise and said:
"The time of sunrise is uncertain, and the time of going to court must be fixed."

"I heard from the ancients that 'a day's plan begins in the morning.' If the sun has risen at Chen time, no matter in winter or summer, it is scheduled to go to the court at Chen time to discuss national affairs."

According to the twenty-four-hour clock, it is seven or eight o'clock. This is Zhu Youjian's ideal time to go to court. If there are still people who feel unwilling, then it’s all settled in Meishuang. Anyway, my harem is close to Huangji Palace, so I don’t have to walk for long.

After the ministers heard this, some people felt that Chenshi was too late and that they should go to court at sunrise. More people think it is suitable. After all, if they don't agree with this, the emperor will have to go to court before dawn, and he will be the one who suffers.

After the final debate, it was decided that Tatsuki would start going to court. But whether it was Chen Chu or Chen Zheng, the two groups began to argue again.

Zhu Youjian had a headache after hearing this. Thinking of summer time and winter time in later generations, he decided to separate the time of going to court and said to the ministers:
"Based on the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox, go to court at seven o'clock on the lunar day after the spring equinox, and go to court at eight o'clock on the lunar day after the autumnal equinox."

Now all the ministers were satisfied and finally stopped arguing and decided that Chenchu ​​would go to court after the spring equinox and Chenzheng would go to court after the autumnal equinox.

Today is September 3rd, and it has passed the autumnal equinox. In the next half year, it will be eight o'clock in the morning to go to court.

　"History of the Ming Dynasty": "The Emperor Gao rises when the rooster crows, and goes to the court with a sense of joy. Before the sun rises, he comes to see all the officials."

　　(Wen Zhen, Meng Shangshu, Emperor Tianqi) Your Majesty comes to court with an ignorant attitude. The cold and summer weather have stopped, and you are not diligent in your political affairs.

　　"Manuscript of the History of the Qing Dynasty": (September of the 21st year of Kangxi) Jiazi, the emperor was ordered to listen to the government every day, with Chen Chu in spring and summer, and Chen Zheng in autumn and winter.

　　First, the spring and summer are marked by Maozheng, and the autumn and winter are marked by Chenchu. In the 21st year of Kangxi's reign, he was ordered to display the royal gate dial, changing the spring and summer to the early morning, and the autumn and winter to the right.

　　In the ninth year of Guangxu's reign, the imperial system was changed... At the following times, Chenzheng is used in spring and winter, Maozheng is used in summer and autumn, and it is exempted from rain, snow and national taboos.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)