Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 1579 The real culprit behind the scenes

   After listening to Xiao Jing, he knew that no amount of persuasion would help.

  Although His Majesty is the emperor, he is a person with deep affection, not to mention to others, let alone this is His Majesty's own son-in-law.

  Xiao Jing still had the look of worry about Emperor Hongzhi in his eyes, but he nodded and said: "Slave... let's go to Zhang Luo, I wonder if Your Majesty will keep it simple?"

  Emperor Hongzhi waved his hand: "Big fanfare, now is the most difficult time for the Fang family, and it is also the most difficult time for Xiurong. Orphans and widows are in charge of this big family business. It is not easy..."

  Thinking of Zhu Xiurong, Emperor Hongzhi felt a stabbing pain in his heart.

  He stood up and looked at the peaceful sky outside the glass window of the main hall.

Emperor Hongzhi stood with his hands behind his back and said: "I already understand what she means. She is a woman, but now she has to shoulder the responsibility of the head of the family. This is what she means. I feel distressed, but I can't stop you. Do you know why?"

  Xiao Jing bowed his body and kept silent. He knew very well that Emperor Hongzhi just needed an audience, someone who could listen to him tell his grief.

Emperor Hongzhi did not hide his emotions in front of Xiao Jing, he was already in tears at this moment, and continued: "Xiu Rong has been obedient since she came out of her mother's womb, always listening to what I and Empress Zhang say, and when she is in her boudoir, listen to it." As ordered by her parents, once she got married, she obeyed her husband's order. She had never suffered hardships in her life, but now, she suddenly wanted to support the Fang family's family business. According to her previous obedient and submissive temperament, she must have made up her mind That's how determined she is, I... can't persuade her. I'm her father, so I help out as much as I can. The Fang family can't collapse, and if the Fang family collapses, Xiurong will also collapse."

Emperor Hongzhi lowered his head, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and then there was a firm look in his eyes: "I want to come out from the Daming Gate on the day of April 7th. A trip to the Fang family will let the whole world know that not only Xiurong cannot collapse, but the Fang family cannot collapse, if Xiurong and the Fang family collapse, the society of Daming will also collapse."

   Immediately, he waved his sleeves: "Be prepared."

   "Slaves obey orders."

  …

   April 7 this day.

  Emperor Hongzhi left the palace from the Daming Gate, and all the officials knelt outside the Daming Gate early to greet him.

   After that, he led a mighty chariot to Xishan.

  Here in Xishan, it seems that everything has changed color all of a sudden, everyone is wearing plain onyx, and everyone is in the color of grief.

   I heard that the king of Xinjin County is still seriously ill, and he misses his son becoming ill, which has reached the point of blindness.

  So... It made the people up and down the West Mountain even more sad.

  Even if it is just a small farmer settled in Xishan, apart from grief, there is also fear of the future.

  The young master is gone, and if the master makes a mistake, the Fang family will really only have orphans and widows left.

Her Royal Highness is noble, but after all, she is only a girl. These days, she is running around, and it is said that although she is doing her best to turn the tide, there are many news that Xishan Bank has more and more bad debts. After getting up, they just kept it from falling, but because of saving the market, countless gold and silver were spent. Many people have already begun to persuade the big guys to find another way out early. Once the Xishan Bank collapses, the entire Xishan... It's all over.

only…

How could it be so easy to leave? I am used to being here, and they have been sheltered by Fang's family. They have long regarded this place as their own home. Although they are not the masters of this place, they regard themselves as members of Xishan. The master, the young master, the scholars in the academy, and the nearby merchants, all of them are familiar with each other, and even the soldiers of the Feiqiu Battalion in the back mountain, they also look kindly, this... is my home...

  Up and down the West Mountain, there are tens of thousands of households, all of whom were refugees at the beginning. They settled here. They came from all corners of the country and left their homes to come here. Now...they refuse to go anywhere.

   Here, almost every family wears filial piety clothes and hats.

  A man named Huzi had a conflict with a scholar a few days ago, beat him to the point of bleeding, and was caught on the spot.

A young man like Huzi was at his youngest and full of vigor, so he was 'invited' by Wucheng soldiers and horses, but it was Shen Ao from the Feiqiu battalion who personally sent him out of Wucheng soldiers and horses. The company fished it back.

   There are many such things.

Especially a group of young people, they have reached the point of insanity. Compared with their parents, they have a deeper sense of identity with Xishan. No matter where they go out, if they are asked, they can always proudly say I am from Xishan, and hinted to the other party that I always seem to have some indescribable relationship with Qi Guogong.

  The sad news of Duke Qi is unacceptable to the people of Xishan.

  Therefore, every household in this family is dressed in sackcloth and filial piety, and in front of every door, there is a consciously hanging a soul-calling pan.

  After Emperor Hongzhi arrived at Xishan, surrounded by hundreds of officials, he rushed to the mourning hall.

  He brought several important ministers in. Every time he stepped here, Emperor Hongzhi felt unbelievable.

  It is always difficult for him to accept this cruel reality, but this well-arranged mourning hall reminds him all the time that at this time, he has encountered a tragedy in his life, and white-haired people give black-haired people.

   Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Zaimo came early.

  Zhu Zaimo was wearing filial piety clothes, and stood in mourning hall with Ouyang Zhi and Tang Yin.

  Fang Tianci was still young and was being held by someone, crying blindly.

  Zhu Xiurong's complexion was extremely haggard under this spiritual seat.

  Emperor Hongzhi deliberately didn't let Xiao Jing declare, because he didn't want to break the atmosphere in the mourning hall, and he didn't want these haggard and grief-stricken children to welcome him.

  Emperor Hongzhi came in and met Zhu Xiurong's eyes.

Emperor Hongzhi's heart was twisted like a knife, he quickly looked away, he didn't want to see his daughter's despairing eyes, he didn't say anything, as a father, he didn't need to salute, all he needed to do was pinch a few sticks of incense It is enough to express the memory of the deceased.

  Fang Tianci was crying at first, and no one paid attention to him. Seeing his maternal father at this time, he seemed to have a sudden support, so he said in a childish voice, "Grandfather...Grandfather..."

  Emperor Hongzhi lowered his head, hearing this cry, his heart was about to break.

  The child still doesn't know that he has lost his father. When he realizes it in the future, he will have already forgotten this scene today.

"Jifan, Jifan..." Emperor Hongzhi murmured: "I... come to see you again, I am the son of heaven, why is the whole world the king's land, and the shore of the land is the king's minister, this... Now that I think about it... really It's a joke, the ups and downs of the world, even the Son of Heaven, has to taste it all, it's painful, it's a pity, why there are always difficult things in this world, now I finally understand the former emperor, when the former emperor was here, every time Day by day, he indulges in seeking immortals and asking questions, tirelessly, and wants to come... this is because he also knows that there are always many helpless things in the world."

  Emperor Hongzhi finished speaking, looked at the mourning hall, and remained silent for a long time.

  …

  Emperor Hongzhi's voice can be heard outside the mourning hall.

  Many people lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.

  Hundreds of officials are standing here, among the crowd, the face of Liu Huiwen, Imperial Supervisor, is very calm.

  This Guozijian is not only the highest institution of learning in Ming Dynasty, but also the institution responsible for the management of education in the world, so it is extremely noble.

   And the post of sacrificial wine is not for those who are not highly respected.

  Liu Huiwen's status as a sacrificial wine for the Imperial College is naturally aloof.

only…

   Now, the Guozijian Jijiu, which was once full of peaches and plums, has become idle. In the past, there were supervisors who entered the Guozijian to study, but stereotyped writing was abolished, and the Guozijian suddenly became deserted, and no longer studied stereotyped writing. All the officials in the Guozijian are almost blinded, and they don't even know what their responsibilities should be.

  Liu Huiwen, the great master of supervising students in the world, is also in charge of managing the grand sacrificial wine for the students in the world, but now...he seems to be alone.

  But... he was very calm, with a look of indifference, and he went on duty every day as usual.

  Recently, he caught wind and cold, and today he came with a sick body, still coughing constantly.

  Behind him, an official from the Ministry of Rituals stepped forward, looked at him with concern and said, "Master, your health has never been good, you might as well go to the side and rest."

  The doctor of the Ministry of Rites is obviously Liu Huiwen's disciple. He deliberately raised his voice to attract others' attention.

   Sure enough, Xie Qian, a cabinet scholar not far away, listened, looked sideways, and then gave Liu Huiwen a worried look.

Liu Jijiu accompanied him with a sickness, and he was old. It was worrying to see him, but he was negligent and forgot that he was still sick, so Xie Qian said: "If you feel unwell, please take it aside. Take a break."

   This disciple of Liu Huiwen seemed to be waiting for Xie Gong's order, and quickly helped Liu Huiwen, who was trembling slightly, to a corner.

  Looking at the countless crowd, Liu Huiwen sighed, but his eyes were cloudy, which made people look down on his thoughts.

   "Teacher..." the disciple said, "Your Majesty's partiality to Qi Guogong is really enviable."

Liu Huiwen smiled, and he took a meaningful look at his favorite student: "The emperor's preference for his subjects cannot last long. Now that the Duke of Qi has passed away, no matter how partial the emperor is, he still needs to put his mind on the country. It's April 7, and in a few days, it will be Qiqi, but what if it's a year and a half later?"

This disciple took a deep look at his mentor. In fact, these days, he has been in anxiety. Many changes have taken place in Beijing, which he did not expect. He even faintly felt that he had done something wrong. What, but my mentor, still looks calm and calm, but it seems to give him some confidence.

only…

  The disciple glanced in the direction of the mourning hall, and then said sadly: "But... Teacher, stereotyped writing has been abolished."

  Liu Huiwen said calmly: "This is just a moment...cough cough cough..."

  The two are in the corner, no one is around, so they can talk freely.

  (end of this chapter)