Bachelor

Chapter 378

While talking with the officials of the Ministry of Rites, Sun Dan observed carefully, and he could see the clues.

This time the Ministry of Rites came to greet the Queen Mother with a full guard of honor, such as gold melon guards, canopy instruments, and gold-covered sedan chairs.But if you look closely, the whole thing is the standard of a vassal king, but it is not the courtesy that the empress dowager deserves.

It seems that Mao Shangshu and Yang Shoufu in his vest never thought of rectifying the queen mother's name at all. It would be best if they could become a family member of a vassal king to pay homage to the emperor.

Sun Dan couldn't help shaking his head, amused in his heart: Actually, the emperor is also to blame for being poor. He finally ascended the throne, and he wants to give his parents a title, which is also human nature.However, the emperor's father should naturally be the emperor.But Mr. Zhu Houcong's father had never been an emperor for a day, but now he wants to be honored. This is a great event in a feudal society.But then again, the dead are the big ones, and the ministers are too stubborn, so why do you compete with the same person.Even if he wins the battle with the emperor, it's okay, and he can't get an extra penny in salary.

Because there were too many people, and they were carrying guards of honor, the team also walked slowly, stopping three times on the road. At noon, the team was still stationed in a small town on the road, and a full-scale alert came, only allowed to go out. In, just to have a lunch.After dinner, Mao Shangshu said that he was tired from the journey and wanted to rest.

After an hour's lunch break, the team started to set off again, at a slower speed.It was not until the evening glow dyed the sky red that I saw the city wall of Tongzhou.

Now Sun Dan completely understood that this Mao Shangshu was passively sabotaging his work.

He was already full of resentment for the emperor's sending him to Tongzhou, but he saw it in his eyes, but didn't say anything in his mouth, and just watched with cold eyes.

On the contrary, Mao Cheng lost his composure. When he saw the city wall of Tongzhou, he suddenly opened his mouth and said the first sentence of the day to Sun Dan: "Master Sun, it's getting dark today, Empress Dowager Xing is going to the capital today. gone."

When Mao Cheng said this, his expression was dull, imprinted with the sunset glow in the sky, as if he was wearing a copper mask.

Sun Dan smiled: "Lord Mao, if today is not enough, tomorrow will be better."

Mao Cheng took a deep look at Sun Dan, those old eyes were sharp and sharp, not at all the sleepy look before: "I heard people say that you are Yang Shen's good friend, and you are a good friend of Yang Ge. Lots of suggestions too."

Temptation, this is a temptation.Sun Dan's heart is like a mirror.This Mao Shangshu year old himself is very wary.

He cupped his hands: "Brother Sheng'an is a good teacher and helpful friend of the lower officials. He took good care of the lower officials when he was in Shandong. As for the reform of the government of officials proposed by Mr. Yang Ge, Sun Dan believes that our Ming Dynasty has accumulated evils for many years, and it is time to come." It’s not going to work without reform.”

Mao Cheng nodded: "A gentleman has friends, a villain has a party, close to Zhu Zhechi, this point is well said in Su Xun's article! By the way, His Majesty sent you and me as the chief and deputy envoys to welcome the Queen Mother to the palace for a pilgrimage. , in your opinion, what etiquette should be used?"

"Pilgrimage?" Sun Dan was startled when he heard this word. He still underestimated the determination of the officials.It seems that the ministers not only refused to recognize the identity of the queen mother, but even refused to let her live in the palace as a fait accompli.It's just that she came to the capital as an ordinary feudal dynasty.

They have gone too far in this matter!

Sun Dan was speechless for a moment.

"Why, Mr. Sun, do you think there is something wrong?" Mao Shangshu was obviously displeased, and his eyes were even sharper.

As expected of a top person who is experienced in the officialdom, Sun Dan feels a little uncomfortable when he pushes forward every step of the way.

He touched his chin with a wry smile, and said slowly: "Lord Mao, Your Majesty is a mother-child reunion this time, why did it become a pilgrimage?"

Mao Cheng's complexion was complete: "Father, father, son, monarch, minister, minister. The so-called heaven, earth, monarch, parent, teacher, this character is ranked before the word parent. Although Queen Mother Xing is His Majesty's biological mother, she is still His Majesty's subject in name. Naturally, it is a pilgrimage. Sun Dan, I heard people say that you are also a great talent, and you have read sage books for many years, it is impossible that you can't even understand such a truth?"

Sun Dan was a little overwhelmed, "But shouldn't His Majesty's mother be the Queen Mother?"

"This statement is wrong!" Mao Shangshu shook his head again and again: "Your Majesty's throne is passed down from Emperor Wuzong, and he is the brother and brother. If we talk about it, his mother should be Empress Hongzhi."

Sun Dan was annoyed by his theory, and was about to refute, but then he thought, I, Sun Dan, are arguing with you, a pedant.The great etiquette involves a lot, and it lasts for three or four years. It is not possible to win or lose in a few words.No matter what I, Sun Dan, will offend a large group of people, one side is the imperial power, the other side is the power of the prime minister, and if one is wrong, I will fill in myself instead.Well, I'm just a soy saucer.This time I come to Tongzhou, as long as I can bring the queen mother into the city, I will complete the task, and I don't care about other rights and wrongs.

Sun Dan could only smile lightly, but stopped talking.

Mao Shangshu thought he had defeated Sun Dan, and was very satisfied.He thought to himself, after all, this Sun Dan has read the books of sages and sages, and he also knows some etiquette, righteousness and shame in his heart. He must also understand this truth.It's just that he is the emperor's confidant, so he has to come here to make a mess.However, this person knows shame and is finally a person who can be saved.

Mao Shangshu: "Then, Master Sun thinks what should we do tomorrow?"

Sun Dan was angry and said helplessly: "Lord Mao is the envoy, so naturally you will arrange it. As long as you can persuade the Queen Mother, Sun Dan will naturally have nothing to say. Anyway, the imperial decree obtained by the official is to take His Majesty's mother into the palace." , as long as His Majesty can reunite mother and child, I don't care about anything else."

Seeing that Sun Dan was not first involved in the matter of etiquette and imperial examinations, Mao Cheng thought that he had been ashamed by others, and then repented, feeling even more proud.

He touched his beard in relief, and put on an affectionate title: "Jingyuan, speaking of it, we are not outsiders. You are Xiao Yang's friend and Zhao Shangshu's student. As an elder, I think my generation of scholars do things To be a human being, as long as you uphold your original heart and have a new understanding of the principles of heaven, you will naturally not hesitate, and the aura of awe-inspiring will be born on its own."

As the deputy envoy, Sun Dan was silent, and Mao Cheng was the one who had the final say on welcoming the Queen Mother Xing to Beijing this time.

Hmph, I don't know which treacherous villain came up with the idea of ​​taking the Queen Mother to Beijing, but it's not so easy to come here.

Mao Cheng thought so in his heart, and Sun Dan was also very pleasing to the eye. He just felt that this young man really deserved to be a gentleman, really worthy of being the peerless national scholar that Yang Ge valued, and he could stand firm on such big issues of right and wrong.

Sun Dan sneered in his heart: Lord Mao, your righteousness is naturally very useful to scholars.But when I see the queen mother, I will let you know how powerful it is.Even if I, Sun Dan, are not arguing with you about the etiquette system that the Queen Mother should follow when she enters Beijing, someone will naturally argue with you.Anyway, I'll be alone here to watch the excitement, and when the problem is solved, I can also go to Jiajing for business.I, Sun Dan, have nothing to worry about.

Sure enough, as recorded in history, Jiajing's mother was indeed a difficult person to deal with, which made Mao Cheng extremely embarrassed.

Tongzhou is the southern gate of Beijing and the end point of the Northern Expansion of the Grand Canal. It is the most prosperous and most important place in the capital.

Not to mention the many yamen in this place, there is also the emperor's palace.

The place where Emperor Jiajing's birth mother stayed is located in the east of Tongzhou City, covering an extremely wide area of ​​over a thousand acres.Since the construction of this palace in the year of Hongzhi, Emperor Zhengde lived in it only once when he went to the south of the Yangtze River. It is usually empty and looks very new.The house is majestic and majestic, with a royal atmosphere.

Although the civil servants did not recognize the identity of the queen mother, the military officers did not think so. Now, it can be said that the garrison in the entire Tongzhou area has been transferred here to guard the queen mother, and there are mighty warriors everywhere.

The appearance of the Ministry of Rites caused a commotion in the palace, and soon Mao Shangshu and Sun Dan were led by several eunuchs to the main hall to meet the Queen Mother.

According to the rules, if Jiajing's birth mother really had the title of empress dowager, as foreign ministers, Mao Shangshu and Sun Dan would naturally pay three respects and nine buckles.

But Shangshu Mao didn't say anything, so he walked into the hall so proudly, and said loudly: "There is an imperial decree, and the Empress Dowager Xing will enter the palace to pay homage to the emperor, hereby." After speaking, he handed over a copy of the imperial decree.

Sun Dan didn't want to kneel down at all, seeing Mao Shangshu being so aggressive, he was naturally happy to see the success, so he stood behind Mao Cheng and acted as a spectator.

Before coming here, he thought that Jiajing's mother should be a little old lady, but now he was a little dazed when he saw it—it was too young.

In front of him was a young woman in her early thirties, already a little fat.But she has good facial features, and her pretty face looks even fairer against the silk all over her body.What a beautiful young woman.

It's a pity that her big and bright red phoenix eyes flashed with anger from time to time, she looked very rebellious, not at all dignified and calm like a royal family.

Mao Shangshu was so arrogant, the eunuchs and maids around the queen mother all looked pale.

The queen mother was so angry that her eyebrows were erected, she suddenly slapped the armrest of the chair: "Mao Cheng, what did you call me just now?"

Mao Shangshu was not afraid either: "Queen Xing, please respect yourself, you are not the queen mother now, the country has its own system, and there is no chaos." He stood upright there, showing a majestic majesty.

Sun Dan couldn't help but nodded. Although this Mao Shangshu's way of thinking cannot be understood by a modern person like me, in terms of integrity, he is admirable and a real gentleman.

The empress dowager was so angry that her body trembled slightly: "I am the mother of today's son, and the mother is more expensive than the son, so she is naturally the empress dowager today. You are a minister of the Ministry of Rites, but you are just a foreign minister. In terms of status, I am the emperor, and you are the empress dowager." It's a minister. Looking at you now, do you still look like a courtier? Kneel down!"

This turn of events caused everyone in the hall to kneel down in fright.Only Sun Dan and Mao Shangshu were still standing there straight.

Mao Cheng suddenly laughed loudly: "You are wrong, Queen Mother Xing."

(End of this chapter)