Zhu Houzhao's plan was partially completed after he confiscated Zhu Bujue's alchemy book, iron coupons, and imperial sword, killed Shi Wang, and dismissed a few fence-sitters and Zhu Bujue's people.
Logically speaking, Zhu Houzhao should step forward at this time to stabilize the current situation. However, what shocked everyone was that Zhu Houzhao actually closed the palace gates and did not attend the morning court assembly for a month.
Even the Empress Dowager had come forward, but Zhu Houzhao had persuaded her mother to go back with just one sentence!
"Mother, my son is doing this for the stability of the country. He is doing this for God to be like an emperor and not a servant of a minister. Mother, please believe in my son."
What else could the empress dowager say? If he didn't believe his own son, who else could he believe? Besides, the empress dowager only had one son. There was nothing she could do if she didn't believe it.
Therefore, the officials who yearned to die in the court were helpless. The Imperial Censors who had long prepared their drafts and were eager to give it a try, ready to spew blood at the Emperor at the court meeting, were even more anxious.
What they didn't know was that Zhu Houzhao had been preparing for the reform for the past month. In addition, he also redrafted the laws of the Ming Dynasty.
However, he also knew that it was very difficult to reform in history. Even Wang Mang, who was suspected to be a transmigrator, failed.
Therefore, he didn't take such big steps. Moreover, he decided to purge the court and the squires first.
Until…
"This servant Liu Jin greets the emperor!"
"No need to be polite!"
"Thank you, Emperor!"
Liu Jin had returned from Nanjing!
"Liu Jin, how is the matter I asked you to do? The Nanjing Cabinet and the six departments, who was there?”Zhu Houzhao asked.
"Replying to the emperor, when the Nanjing cabinet and the six ministries heard that they could go to Beijing, they couldn't contain their joy. Apart from the Prime Minister, the Second Prime Minister, and the Minister of Revenue, everyone was here!”Liu Jin said.
Although Liu Jin said it nicely, Zhu Houzhao knew that there would definitely be a bloody storm in Nanjing. Although Liu Jin was loyal to the Emperor, his style of doing things was very ruthless. It was not entirely slander to say that he was the leader of the eight tigers of the Zhengde Dynasty.
However, Zhu Houzhao didn't care about that. He only cared about the results.
"Very good. Liu Jin, you did well. From today onwards, you are the supervisor of Shangbao!”Zhu Houzhao said indifferently.
The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were divided into twelve prisons, four divisions, and eight departments, making a total of twenty-four yamen. Among them, the Minister of Rites was the most powerful, but he did not have the name of prime minister, but he exercised the power of prime minister. [1. Replying to memorials and announcing decrees.] 2. In charge of all eunuch affairs. 3. Take care of other important duties.
Next was the Imperial Steed Superintendent, who was in charge of managing the Imperial Commander's Seal!
The third was Shang Baojian, who was in charge of the seal, the general's seal, and the imperial talisman.
Among them, Cao Zhengchun was the Seal Eunuch. That was why he had so much power and could arm-wrestle Zhu Bujue.
However, eunuchs were different from ministers. Eunuchs were the emperor's internal ministers. No matter how powerful he was, the emperor only needed to say a word to make him lose everything.
Therefore, every time a powerful eunuch appeared, it was because the civil officials were so powerful that the emperor deliberately indulged them in order to check and balance the civil officials.
For example, Liu Jin, Feng Bao, Wei Zhongxian, and the other eunuchs in history. Moreover, if the Emperor really wanted to dismiss them, he could do so with a single word.
"Many thanks, Your Majesty!" Liu Jin was overjoyed.
From an unknown eunuch to a second-rank chief eunuch in front of the palace, it could be considered a meteoric rise.
But this wasn't the end. Not long after Liu Jin left, Eunuch Sun returned!
"Old Servant Sun Tao (Eunuch Sun's name wasn't on the television, so the author randomly named him.），Greetings to the Emperor!" Eunuch Sun was a first-grade Imperial Eunuch and also the Imperial Steed Superintendent. He had returned from the outside, travel-worn.
"How did it go?" Zhu Houzhao asked expressionlessly.
"Replying to the emperor, it's done. Moreover, if he didn't investigate, he wouldn't know that Wang Ao's crimes were even more serious than the Emperor's. Emperor, this is the secret letter and evidence!" Eunuch Sun said as he took out a document from his pocket.
Zhu Houzhao took it and looked at it. He was so angry that his lungs exploded. Wang Ao's performance was upright and unyielding. However, in his house, it would be an understatement to say that he was domineering.
Not only did he invade the land, but he also treated human lives with contempt. Moreover, his father and brothers relied on his power to buy and sell official titles. How audacious!
"Hmph, this is my loyal minister, my honest official!”Zhu Houzhao gritted his teeth, wishing he could tear Wang Ao apart right now.
However, he couldn't kill Wang Ao yet because he still had to use him as bait.
"Sun Tao, how are the elites from all walks of life that I asked you to gather?”Zhu Houzhao asked coldly.
"Replying to the emperor, a total of 780 elites from all walks of life have been gathered. Moreover, according to the emperor's requirements, they are all literate.”
"Are the candidates starting to enter the capital now?”
"Replying to the emperor, they have already entered the capital one after another.”
"Alright, announce the decree! Tomorrow!"
Zhu Houzhao laughed loudly and was very happy. Tomorrow, he wanted to dye the court with blood and make the officials speechless.
"Eunuch Sun, you have to go through the trouble of carrying Zhen's secret edict. Half of the troops were transferred from the nine sides. The three battalions, the twelve guards, the east and west depots, and the four guards of the Imperial Horse Bureau could take action. I think Cao Zhengchun is feeling very happy!”Zhu Houzhao said coldly.
This was because Cao Zhengchun was not only the Seal Eunuch of the Rites Supervisor, but also the supervisor of the East Chamber. Therefore, Zhu Houzhao's summoning of the East and West Depots could not be hidden from Cao Zhengchun.
However, Zhu Houzhao did not intend to hide it from Cao Zhengchun. He wanted Cao Zhengchun to know that he was going to attack the civil servant. That way, he would work even harder!
"This old servant will obey!"
Eunuch Sun once again set off with Zhu Houzhao's secret edict. When the officials heard that Zhu Houzhao had finally gone to court, they began to draft memorials overnight. The monster trainers rubbed their fists and were ready to spit on Zhu Houzhao. There were even some who were prepared to 'remonstrate with death.'
"Old Master, many officials have come to visit Old Master. They hope that you can take charge of the overall situation and 'petition for the people' to rectify the name of 'Qingliu.'”In the residence of Liu Jian, the Chief Minister of the Cabinet, the butler was reporting to Liu Jian.
"I won't see any of them!" Liu Jian said straightforwardly.
Others might not understand the Emperor's thoughts, but how could he not?
"Recently, the civil officials have been causing too much trouble and have too much power. He even deceived the late emperor into signing the " Regulations on Interrogation and Punishment ". This was something the new emperor could not tolerate.”Liu Jian sighed.
He knew all too well that the officials had already crossed the Emperor's bottom line. This time, the new Emperor was going to kill one as an example to the others and wash the court with blood.
That was why he did not cause a ruckus with the officials. He did not participate in the last petition at the palace gate.
In history, the reason why Zhu Houzhao traveled everywhere and liked to lead troops to fight was because he was a soldier. In fact, it was also a kind of helplessness and resistance against the civil officials.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。