At the Qianqing Palace, everyone was taken to the side hall.
The little yellow door in front of the emperor said: "Everyone, please sit down for a while, Your Majesty would like to invite the second assistant to come in and speak."
Even if the powers of the prime ministers of the Ming Dynasty were dispersed, and there was no longer the prestige of the prime ministers of the Tang and Song Dynasties, the emperor still needed to maintain basic etiquette for Tang Fan and the others. If ordinary officials came, let them stand outside and wait. Come, but there is a seat to sit and tea to eat.
But at the moment, everyone obviously can't care about these details, and their thoughts are turning around in their hearts. It's nothing more than what the emperor is going to say. If you ask about the prince, how should you deal with it.
It stands to reason that the cabinet is one, and there should not be such a situation of asking a cabinet minister to speak alone, but now, the emperor really did this, probably because he knew that everyone disagreed on a certain matter, so he planned to split it up. Well, break them one by one.
The dignified ninth-five honored, to use this method with his servants, makes people amused and angry.
But if it is really related to the prince and the emperor does this, it is understandable.
Looking at the peaceful appearance of Wan An and the others, Tang Fan felt a little uneasy.
After a stick of incense, Liu Ji came out.
His face was very strange and indescribable, but with Wan An and others present, Tang Fan and the others couldn't come forward and ask.
After Liu Ji sat down, he didn't look at anyone, just like the old monk in meditation, his eyebrows lowered slightly, and he didn't move.
After Liu Ji, Peng Hua and Yin Zhi entered in succession.
They didn't go in for a long time, at least not as long as Liu Ji, and came out in about a moment, although their faces were calm, there was a sense of self-satisfaction.
Xiao Huangmen stepped forward: "Your Majesty asks Liu Ge to talk."
Liu Jian got up and straightened his clothes, gave Tang Fan and the others a look, and followed Xiao Huangmen away.
At this time, Wan An said, "Runqing, I heard that you caught the remnant of the White Lotus Sect last night?"
Tang Fan said: "It's just suspicion. I have reported to Jin Yiwei that they know about it, and they have yet to verify the matter."
Yin Zhi laughed: "Tang Fan, as a patriarch, you have had a close relationship with the emperor like Jin Yiwei. Is it possible that you were ordered by someone, and you have no plans?"
Tang Fan's expression remained the same: "Brother Yin is serious, Jin Yiwei is in charge of investigating and arresting the imperial prisoners, not to mention me, brother Yin, who discovered the traces of the remnants of the White Lotus Sect, do you still want to hide it and not report it?"
Yin Zhi sneered: "I'm afraid someone is eager to avenge their personal revenge?"
Tang Fan: "I don't know where to start this personal feud, please brother Yin to clarify."
The two exchanged words for a round, and they saw Liu Jian came back with Xiaohuangmen.
If Liu Ji's expression was just weird when he came back, then Liu Jian's expression was ugly.
What did His Majesty tell him
Tang Fan and Xu Pu looked at each other, both a little strange.
But Liu Jian didn't make eye contact with them, he didn't even glance at the others, he just sat down, his chest heaving slightly, as if he had just experienced an exhausting quarrel.
Seeing this situation, Xu Pu became a little uneasy, but he could only go to see the emperor with the inner servant who came to spread the word.
At this time, Tang Fan calmed down instead, and he stopped trying to communicate with anyone in words or eyes, and began to close his eyes and rest.
Yin Zhi originally wanted to stab him, but he had to shut his mouth when he saw this.
Soon, Xu Pu also came back.
His face was even uglier than Liu Jian, his face was even slightly pale, and his steps were a little staggering.
Tang Fan opened his eyes and saw his unpleasant appearance, so he stepped forward and helped him.
Unexpectedly, Xu Pu grabbed his sleeve and burst into tears: "Runqing, you must persuade Your Majesty!"
Everyone was so startled by Xu Pu that they couldn't react, and even the chamberlain who wanted to invite Tang Fan to see the emperor was stunned.
In everyone's impression, Xu Pu has always been an old and good person who is clumsy in words. He may be defending the prince, but he is not good at arguing with others, and he is easy to be soft-hearted. He has been doing things silently on weekdays. He has no sense of existence yet, which is why Wan Dang agreed to join him in the cabinet at the beginning - such a person would not pose any threat to them.
But no one thought that the good old man would also explode when he was cornered.
Facing Xu Pu's out of control emotions, Tang Fan didn't know what to say: "Mr. Qianzhai..."
Liu Jian helped Xu Pu and said to Tang Fan, "Runqing, you go, I'm here."
Tang Fan nodded at him, and hurriedly followed the inner servant who came to deliver the message.
The emperor seemed to have lost a little weight since the last time he saw him, which was a few days ago.
Although he has a regular court every day now, he has recently fallen ill, and citing his health as an excuse for not going to court would be a better excuse.
"I have seen Your Majesty, His Majesty's dragon body is holy." Tang Fan bowed and saluted.
Unless there is a big court meeting or a ceremony, usually this kind of summons, the cabinet ministers do not need to kneel.
"Tang Qing, please take a seat." The emperor said, his voice a little hoarse, accompanied by a cough or two.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Tang Fan said.
In fact, among the many cabinet ministers, the relationship between the emperor and Tang Fan is not particularly close, but Tang Fan entered the cabinet after being pushed by the court, that is, the six nine ministers voted, and the emperor did not block it. After entering the cabinet, Tang Fan can see alone There are not many opportunities to go to the emperor, and most of the time, he also has an audience with other cabinet members.
The emperor's impression of Tang Fan can't be said to be good or bad. He thinks that this person may be very capable, but he doesn't know how to be a courtier. If it wasn't for the need to talk to them one by one today, the emperor would not have thought of summoning him alone. Tang Fan.
It was rare that the emperor had a kind face, chatted with Tang Fan on irrelevant topics for a long time, and also cared about whether he was used to it after entering the cabinet. If he didn't know the inside story, he would probably be grateful for the emperor's thoughtfulness.
However, Tang Fan's expression was serious and his answers were quite satisfactory. He lacked the vigor of a young courtier at all, which made the emperor rather boring.
Such a boring conversation is torture for both the ruler and the minister.
"Today's anomalies are frequent, presumably Tang Qing also heard about it?"
So thank goodness, the emperor finally couldn't bear it any longer and got to the point.
coming!
Tang Fan couldn't help straightening his back.
"Yes, I have heard about it, and I have also read the manuscript that His Majesty ordered the cabinet to circulate."
The emperor's body leaned forward slightly, which was a sign of impatience: "Then what do you think?"
Tang Fan pursed his lips: "Excuse me for being stupid, I don't know what Your Majesty is referring to."
Emperor: "Jin Tianjian told me that these celestial phenomena should be in the East Palace."
Tang Fan: "What does your majesty mean, the East Palace...?"
The emperor was too lazy to go around in circles with him again: "God warns, there must be something clear, I want to commit a crime and re-establish the East Palace, what do you think?"
At this point, Tang Fan couldn't continue to pretend to be stupid. He squinted his face and stood up, and bowed his hands in awe: "Dare to ask Your Majesty, what's wrong with the prince?"
The emperor was a little impatient. Before Tang Fan, Liu Jian and Xu Pu had already raised this issue with the emperor. This kind of chatter-like dialogue annoyed the emperor, but he did not give up in order to win over the ministers. The matter of the prince was holding him back, and he could not impatiently try to persuade them one by one.
The ministers of this dynasty have far surpassed all previous dynasties in maintaining the orthodoxy of their direct descendants. You must know how powerful Zhu Di was back then, and in the end, he could not abolish the prince and change the king of Han he liked. period, but the emperor also did not have the strength of the emperor Yongle, and he even needed to consult the cabinet first.
"It has been more than ten years since the crown prince was established as the East Palace, and he has never made any achievements, and has never been known for his benevolence. Isn't this a violation of morality? If today's elephant is a warning, it is precisely the reason for me to correct it in time." the emperor said.
Tang Fan said: "Although the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince, he is still His Majesty's minister in the end. Since he is a minister, he should keep his footing, and must not overstep the distinction between monarch and ministers. Because of this, the Crown Prince has not made any achievements, and it is precisely the duty of the Crown Prince, why not His Majesty? happy?"
What he means is: the prince has nothing to do, that's right, otherwise if the prince is high-profile everywhere, people outside only know that there is a prince, not an emperor, are you happy
This sentence pointed directly at the emperor's heart mercilessly, and clearly stated his position: I am against the abolition of the prince.
The emperor was a little annoyed: "Tang Fan, since you know the character of duty, you should know that the monarch is the guide of the minister, and you speak for the prince everywhere. Is this the duty of being a minister!"
Tang Fan was not afraid at all, got up and bowed down and said, "Your Majesty forgives my sins, I have read books on sages and sages since I was a child, although I can't talk about going to school and being rich, but I still understand the truth of the masters and teachers of heaven and earth. The sage thinks that with the power of mortals, it is impossible to see the will of heaven, ghosts and spirits, so it is better not to say it directly. The frequent occurrence of celestial phenomena is certainly a warning, but can it be accurate only with the words of Qin Tianjian, I am afraid there are other reasons for it. Everyone knows that the Crown Prince is not at fault, I implore Your Majesty to think twice!"
The emperor closed his eyes.
Tang Fan's words were not the source of his hesitation before, but now that he has made up his mind, the other party's pleas can't shake him.
The nave was silent, and even Xiao Huangmen, who was next to him, tried his best to relax his breathing, wishing to hide his figure in the curtain behind him.
The emperor is not in good health now, so he needs someone to serve him all the time. Xiao Huangmen has been selected into the palace since he was a child, and his loyalty is unquestionable, but it does not mean that he is willing to hear these words. It is passed down from generation to generation in the palace. The more you get, the worse it will be.
Wasn't the previous father-in-law Wynn exiled to Nanjing by His Majesty because he was too involved in the affairs of the state
After a while, he heard the emperor say slowly: "I intend to establish another East Palace, would you be willing to draft the edict on my behalf?"
Xiao Huangmen's heart couldn't help but hang high.
He was thinking about how Tang Ge was going to answer.
He was thinking about how to answer if he was Tang Ge Lao.
If Tang Ge Lao's answer angered the emperor - even if this is an emperor with a better temper than the previous emperors, the result may not be too bad, but it is very likely that he will not be able to stay in the cabinet, and he will not be able to stay in the cabinet in the future. There will be no more chance to enter the cabinet.
Xiao Huangmen thought, if he was the elder of Tang Pavilion, he might choose to take the second place and not help His Majesty to draft the edict, but he would no longer oppose His Majesty's abolition of the Crown Prince, right
While thinking wildly, he heard Tang Fan say, "Your Majesty forgive me, please think again."
No, Your Majesty must be angry!
Xiao Huangmen is very nervous. He heard that Tang Ge has always been smooth and he is not as impatient as Liu Ge, so why did he choose the worst answer
A gentleman does not stand under a wall of danger, this is a good saying.
It is also true that a gentleman should seek good luck and avoid evil.
But he didn't understand that there were always some things in this world that he knew he couldn't do and had to do it.
The emperor was obviously provoked, and even his voice changed: "Tang Fan, don't think that you have a good relationship with Suizhou, and I will take care of his face and not let you down! Liu Jian is like this, so are you, even Xu Pu It's all like this! You are all vying to be loyal to the prince, are you looking forward to returning to the west as soon as possible, so that you can earn the power of the dragon!"
Tang Fan calmly said: "Your Majesty has wronged the minister, and the ministers have been waiting from beginning to end, and only His Majesty is loyal. It is for this reason that we must do our duty as a minister and persuade them in time to prevent His Majesty from doing things that His Majesty regrets. It was also chosen by His Majesty himself. The harem has few descendants. When His Majesty saw the appearance of the Crown Prince, he must have been very happy. Now that the Crown Prince’s biological mother has passed away prematurely, the Crown Prince can only rely on you. If even His Majesty gave up the Crown Prince. , how do you let the prince handle himself?"
Emperor: "You go down."
Tang Fan raised his voice: "Your Majesty!"
Emperor: "Retreat!"
Xiao Huangmen had to step forward and whispered, "Elder Tang Ge, please!"
Tang Fan raised his head and glanced at the emperor.
The latter looked tired, with deep lines at the corners of his eyes. He didn't look like a pampered middle-aged forty-year-old at all, but more like he was the same age as Concubine Wan.
The rapidly aging emperor makes one's heart faintly disturbed.
Tang Fan didn't hold back, he retracted his gaze, got up and saluted, and then left behind the servant.
Liu Jian, Xu Pu and others were waiting anxiously in the side hall, and when they saw Tang Fan's figure, they couldn't help but stand up and cast their eyes with eager anticipation.
Don't need to talk, Tang Fan also knows what they are going to ask.
He shook his head slightly.
Liu Xu and the two suddenly looked disappointed.
On the way back, everyone had different thoughts and expressed different emotions. Wan An, Peng Hua and others naturally walked lightly and talked and laughed freely, while Liu Jian, Xu Pu and others had heavy and depressed faces like dead parents. Although Fan didn't cry like Xu Pu just now, his mood wasn't much better either.
Because he knew very well that the situation was over, and the emperor's determination to abolish the prince was unshakable.
In the cabinet, only Liu Jian, Xu Pu and Tang Fan were three who were firmly opposed to the abolition of the prince.
But they have the least seniority in the cabinet. Once Liu Ji, the second assistant, agrees to abolish the prince, there will be a one-sided situation.
Judging from today's performance, Liu Ji probably did not expressly agree, but he did not express any objection. Based on his personality, it is estimated that he would say to the emperor just like Li Ji's answer to Tang Gaozong's abolition of Wang Liwu, "This is your Majesty's family business. Why even ask outsiders."
Therefore, Tang Fan and the others alone cannot control the overall situation.
If nothing else, the prince was abolished.
Unexpectedly, what even Emperor Yong Le could not accomplish would be accomplished in the hands of today's son, Tang Fan sighed, not knowing whether to cry or laugh.
Others don't have the feeling of having fun in the midst of hardship like him. Liu Jian and Xu Pu have been stuck with each other all day. As soon as the afternoon break time came, they took Tang Fan and hurried away, and Wan An didn't keep them either. Anyway, the abolition of the crown prince has become the overall situation, and it will be in vain to let Liu Jian and the others struggle.
Moreover, Wan Dang is not without power among the speech officials. If there are people who oppose it at that time, Wan An can also mobilize speech officials to support it.
"Is there really no room for recovery from this matter?" Xu Pu sighed.
"I'm going to see the prince now!" Liu Jian paused and turned to leave.
Tang Fan and Xu Pu hurriedly grabbed him: "What can you do when you go? Do you want the prince to intercede with His Majesty himself? This will only make people feel that the prince's personal ministers have bad intentions!"
Liu Jian said angrily: "What do you think, only the people of Wandang can confuse black and white like this!"
Xu Pu said: "Then you can't go!"
Tang Fan also said: "Mr. Qianzhai is right, we have done our best."
"Could it be that the word "do your best" is enough to cover up everything!" Liu Jian's voice was both angry and sad, but he was not targeting Tang Fan or Xu Pu.
Xu Pu and Tang Fan sighed, speechless.
Now that the court is up and down, although most people have a hunch about the emperor's intentions, they still don't know that the emperor has made up his mind, and it may take tomorrow for the emperor to summon the cabinet alone.
At this time, the importance of the cabinet Saisuke was revealed, because they were in the center of imperial power, and no one could get the news and grasp the news faster than them, but Tang Fan didn't feel the slightest joy.
He didn't even eat dinner, so he hid in the study, and was stunned by the book case alone.
until there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
It was Sui Zhou who pushed open the door, with noodle soup in his hand, and Wang Zhi standing behind him.
Wang Zhi couldn't wait to speak: "What the hell is going on? This morning, Your Majesty..."
Suizhou interrupted him, obviously displeased: "What did you promise me when you came here?"
Wang Zhi reluctantly closed his mouth.
After that, he put the noodle soup in front of Tang Fan: "Eat it first, then talk about it."
"I'm not hungry." Tang Fan grimaced, and it was rare for him to say this.
"I feed you?" Suizhou didn't seem to hear him.
"... I can do it myself." Tang Fan had to take the chopsticks.
From the aroma of the noodle soup, the chef's intention can be judged, and Tang Fan couldn't bear to go against his intention.
Suizhou never said superfluous nonsense, because he often put it into action directly.
Wang Zhi patiently watched Tang Fan eat the noodles. He finally waited until most of the bowl of noodles was gone. He couldn't help it: "I heard that this morning, His Majesty summoned the ministers alone to speak?"
With Wang Zhi's character, being able to endure until now to speak is already invaluable.
"Not bad." Tang Fan said.
"Related to the prince?" Wang Zhi went straight to the point. "How is the result?"
"You already know the answer, why ask me?" Tang Fan shook his head and put down the bowl.
"Why don't you stop it!" Wang Zhixing asked the sinner.
Tang Fan's face was calm: "I tried my best, and Liu Jian and Xu Pu also tried their best. Maybe Wanan agreed to Liu Ji's conditions, so that Liu Ji did not object to this matter, since both the first assistant and the second assistant have reached an agreement. , what is the use of the opposition of the three of us?"
Wang Zhi got up and walked back and forth, unable to hide his anxiety: "Then what should I do now!"
Tang Fan looked at him, wondering if the other party regretted listening to his advice and fell to the prince's side.
He sighed, "I persuaded you to draw a clear line with Wandang that day, but I didn't expect it to hurt you..."
Wang Zhi waved his hand roughly and interrupted him: "I don't need to say these words, I want to know your way!"
Tang Fan said slowly, "It's up to people to make things happen, and it's up to heaven to make things happen."
All his anxiety and heaviness seemed to disappear with the bowl of noodle soup, Tang Fan took the veil handed over by Suizhou, wiped his mouth, and said, "I have already discussed with Duke Qianzhai and the others, if your majesty will go his own way , we will resign."
Wang Zhi was stunned for a moment: "What's the use of that, after you've gone, isn't the cabinet even more the hallmark of Wan'an?"
Tang Fan sighed: "This is the limit of what we can do, otherwise do you have a better way?"
Wang Zhi originally came to Tang Fan with a glimmer of hope.
In his opinion, Tang Fan will always have endless ways. In fact, he is always unexpected and surprising, but there are exceptions to everything.
After all, Tang Fan was a human, not a god, and there were times when he was powerless.
Wang Zhi was completely disappointed.
There are fewer and fewer people around the prince.
Wynn is no longer in the capital. If Liu Jian, Tang Fan and others are also forced to leave the cabinet, the rest will not be enough to pose a threat.
As for Wang Zhi himself, he can help the prince run secretly, but he will never oppose Wan Dang in the open like Tang Fan and others did.
Suizhou's status also restricted him from being loyal to the emperor. Although the prince was the prince, he was not the emperor after all.
Is there no one who can stop the prince's fate from being deposed
Wang Zhi finally left the Tang family in frustration.
After sending him away, Tang Fan mocked himself to Sui Zhou next to him: "If I hadn't encouraged him to get close to the prince, I think he is very proud now, and he doesn't need to worry so much!"
Suizhou stretched out his hand and brushed behind his ears the hair that had been blown on his forehead by the wind, and said a meaningful sentence: "You said it just now, the success is in the sky, the power of the sky is unpredictable, how can it be one or two mortals Can it be misinterpreted at will?"
In the second half of the night after this conversation, while Tang Fan was still immersed in sleep, he was shaken by Sui Zhou and learned a piece of news.
Shandong earthquake.
And it happened in Mount Tai.
The author has something to say:
small theater:
What do you think of Master Tang? Please describe it in one sentence.
Chenghua Emperor: Very good at handling cases, a little useful, but not good at being a man, like a waste prince, but also contradicting me, bad review!
Suizhou: The marriage is a husband and wife, and there is no doubt about love.
Wang Zhi: Second, melon, sometimes it bothers him a lot, and sometimes he feels alright. Overall, it's alright, but it's still a bit worse than me.