Seeing that Gu Xi was coming, and it was time to talk about the crown prince in five years, Zhu Houzhao knew that it was time for him to abdicate.

Although the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty did not know that their Ming Emperor was about to abdicate, Zhu Houzhao was indeed unwilling to pay the last Shaoguang in his later years in this case.

Moreover, now he really does not have the ambition of his youth.

The Ming Empire and China are no longer the social forms of the agricultural civilization period, the industrial civilization has allowed the empire to enter the steam age, and the territory has extended to all parts of the world, and it is already an empire on which the sun never sets.

Zhu Houzhao has a feeling that his mission has been accomplished.

He did feel that he was a little tired, and he wanted to rest and rest, and wanted to see this splendid river and mountain.

Moreover, Zhu Houzhao does not think that he can handle the other problems brought by the empire in the era of globalization next.

After all, the reason why he led the Ming Empire from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization was because he knew the history of later generations.

And now, the historical trajectory of the Ming Dynasty has changed a lot, and how the Ming Empire of industrial civilization goes is not something he can control.

Zhu Houzhao is now only doing something he thinks is right based on the influence of the education and knowledge he received in later generations.

Therefore, he still insisted on suppressing the merchant class, allowing the imperial court to control the vast majority of the empire's wealth, so as to ensure that the people at the bottom would not be squeezed too badly.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao chose to help Xia Yan execute Xu Jin, and still let officials who were not of the merchant class take power.

Not only that, Zhu Houzhao still did not follow the global peaceful trade required by the merchant class, but adopted a tough policy of force, not only imposing the punishment of killing one Ming or beheading ten Western colonists who brutalized the people of the empire, but also implementing a confiscation policy for these Ming trading firms that betrayed the interests of the empire in order to protect their own trade interests.

"Brother Emperor, Xiang'er is old", Empress Xia touched the silver hair in front of the mirror and couldn't help but say, and Zhu Houzhao was also pulled back to reality because of this sentence, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but smile and said: "I am also old, it's time to give way to the country to my children and grandchildren, when the time comes, I will take you to see the world." ”

Empress Xia couldn't help but be stunned, the golden hairpin was half-inserted, and she couldn't help but stop her hand and looked at Zhu Houzhao: "Brother Emperor, what did you say?" ”

"Abdicate, I'm going to abdicate! I don't want to hand over the rest of my years to this empire! ”

Zhu Houzhao walked out of the Zhu Gate as he spoke, and instructed Gao Zhong, the celebrant of the celebrant and eunuch: "Convene the ministers of the council, and say that I have important things to order." ”

After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, he turned around and saw Queen Xia's face full of surprise, and couldn't help but put his hand on her face engraved with traces of time, and gently stroked it: "I will spend more time with you in the future." ”

Queen Xia also reached out and grabbed Zhu Houzhao's face, smiled with a smile, revealing a thin mouth that had lost few teeth: "But you are not the only one with me, how to accompany me, otherwise, you should accompany this country and mountains for a lifetime, it will be better." ”

"I have already decided", Zhu Houzhao said, and did not say anything more, just looked at the begonia flowers that opened and bloomed outside the court.

"Good! So where do we go first? Queen Xia stood up neatly, but because she was in too much of a hurry, she almost didn't stand firm and fell, but fortunately, the palace maid behind her hurriedly supported her, Zhu Houzhao breathed a sigh of relief and withdrew her hand: "I haven't thought about it yet, let's take a look first." ”

Not for a while.

Xia Yan and Zhang Rong came to Zhu Houzhao, Xu Jin was executed for committing a crime, and Jiang Dong was at home on leave because of illness.

Therefore, now the Minister of Parliament can still participate in politics with Xia Yan and Zhang Rong.

After Xia Yan and Zhang Rong saluted Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Houzhao said: "I said before that the prince will be agreed in five years, and now that the time has come, I have decided to announce the edict of the crown prince at the court meeting three days later, and after the prince was announced, I decided to abdicate after the Wanshou Festival!" By the crown prince that is the emperor! ”

After Zhu Houzhao spoke, he looked at Xia Yan, the first assistant of the cabinet, and the British public Zhang Rong.

Zhu Houzhao's words could not be described as a bolt from the blue, and for a while, Xia Yan and Zhang Rong were so shocked that they looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

The emperor wants to announce the edict of the crown prince?!

Not only that, but the emperor wants to abdicate?!

"What, are you all dumb, didn't you all say in private that I am old, and I should think about the establishment of the prince, and I should think about the things behind me? Now that I have given you an answer, why don't you speak", Zhu Houzhao couldn't help asking, I don't know why, seeing Xia Yan and Zhang Rong's lost souls, he was a little happy in his heart.

Xia Yan got up first and saluted Zhu Houzhao: "Your Majesty, forgive the ministers for taking the liberty of being presumptuous, the ministers really didn't expect you to have the intention of abdicating!" But although the Ming Dynasty is already prosperous, the people of the world have long been accustomed to your protection, and now you are suddenly about to abdicate, which is how to deal with the people of the world! On behalf of the people of the world, the ministers beg His Majesty to continue to be in charge of the government, and do not abdicate lightly! ”

"Your Majesty, the minister also thinks so, the world can't do without you! Although the Buddha Lang machine has been removed, there are still disobedient states around it, and the Ming Dynasty still needs to be governed by the Holy Monarch", Zhang Rong also hurriedly said.

Zhu Houzhao knew that Xia Yan and Zhang Rong must have thought that they were just testing them, so he smiled and said:

"I know that you think I am deliberately trying you with this, I will say again, I really decided to abdicate, and I have no intention of discussing with you, I just inform you of your intentions, and in three days, the two of you will lead the civil and military officials to the Fengtian Temple! I announced the edict of the crown prince and the resolution of the edict of abdication! ”

After Zhu Houzhao spoke, he got up and left Xia Yan and Zhang Rong.

And Xia Yan and Zhang Rong didn't come back to their senses for a long time, and it wasn't until Zhu Houzhao walked a few steps that they came to their senses: "Congratulations to Your Majesty!" ”

Xia Yan and Zhang Rong were speechless all the way from Hanbitang to the gate of the Royal West Garden, and the two of them were even more stunned than Zhu Houzhao, after all, they were used to the Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty who ruled the Ming Dynasty for fifty-six years, and now they rashly learned that Zhu Houzhao was going to abdicate, and for a while they had a feeling of wanting to witness the times, and they were at a loss for a while.

The master of ceremonies, Meng Jin, the eunuch of Bingbi and the governor of Xichang, Gao Zhong, is also in a long period of distraction, and the emperor is going to abdicate, for them like the inner court, it undoubtedly means that they are likely to face a new emperor, and in the face of the new emperor, it undoubtedly means that they may find a change in their power position.

"What, Your Majesty is actually going to abdicate?!"

Yan Song also learned the news from Xia Yan at this time, and he was stunned for half an hour in horror for a while, and hurriedly said to Xia Yan: "Yuanfu, this prince can be decided, but Your Majesty can't abdicate!" Once Your Majesty abdicates, this, no one in this Ming Dynasty knows how to govern it! Propaganda, industry, money law, medical insurance, and price control, except for Your Majesty, no one knows what to do when you encounter problems again, and there are many community organizations that have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, if they develop into the same as the Zhongjun Society in the future, how to deal with it, except for Your Majesty, we don't know what to do! ”

"The old man also persuaded him, but His Majesty has already made up his mind! There is no room for us to continue to admonish. ”

Xia Yan sighed.

"This, this", Yan Song sighed as he spoke, not knowing what to say.

Xia Yan only pinched his eyebrow bones, and couldn't help but pull out a pinch of white eyebrows, he didn't know how to deal with His Majesty's sudden decision, but he knew that he could only remain silent now.

The news of Zhu Houzhao's decision to abdicate soon spread throughout the capital.

The next day, all the civil and military officials learned that the emperor was going to make a crown prince and abdicate.

Zhu Houzhao also instructed the "Huangming Daily" to announce the news that he was going to establish a crown prince and abdicate, and soon spread all over the streets and alleys of the capital the next day, but it also began to spread to the entire Ming Empire.

Although abdication does not mean that they will really give up all their ruling rights, for the people of the Ming Dynasty who are accustomed to the ruling life of Emperor Zhengde, the news that Zhu Houzhao is going to abdicate still makes them feel uncomfortable.

Some officials and people actually cried because of this, and ran to the noon gate to cry and beg Emperor Zhu Houzhao to return this decision.

Some officials and citizens began to become so confused that they lost interest in anything.

Some officials and citizens began to speculate about who would become the next emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and even opened gambling for this purpose to bet.

The eldest son of the emperor, Zhu Zailei, and the second son of the emperor, Zhu Zaiyan, who have passed the age of knowing the destiny of heaven, have various moods at this time, but they are more looking forward to the position of the crown prince.

On this day, Xia Yan set off for the Forbidden City early, but as soon as he went out, he saw a large number of scholars surrounding his mansion.

Xia Yan couldn't help asking, "What is the matter with you?" ”

"We take the liberty to stop Yuan Fu to drive, it is really a last resort, I especially ask Yuan Fu to present the wishes of our people to Your Majesty, please Your Majesty do not abdicate, we don't know if Your Majesty retreats, then the world can still have such a prosperous era!"

At this time, an elder knelt down first, and then the others also knelt down.

There is also an old man who also said: "The old man is a native of Ruyang, Henan, since Zhengde, there has never been a day of food and clothing, and after Zhengde, he can also eat minced meat and feel tired, and he has the opportunity to read and write to become a petty official in this market, the old man is afraid that the emperor and his old man will abdicate, and I am finally full of half my life and have to starve!" ”

"The old man is also poor since he was a child, and his father and brother live in the thin fields, but the land in his hometown is barren, and there are constant droughts and floods, and the government continues to expropriate, so he has to become a homeless person, and is killed by thieves from time to time.

At this time, another old man also began to cry.

For a while, these old and young people who were blocked in front of Xia Yan all cried, crying one by one about the various good things in Emperor Zhengde's reign, and they also expressed their worries about Zhu Houzhao after his abdication.

Xia Yan sighed for a while after hearing this, he himself was also soulless because the emperor was suddenly going to abdicate, and now seeing that these people were also depressed, he could also empathize, and couldn't help choking: "Fellow villagers, rest assured, the old man will definitely ask the people to ask our emperor to withdraw his intention to abdicate!" ”

Not only Xia Yan, but other officials in Beijing have encountered this scene.

Because of this, the officials in the entire capital were in a heavy mood.

No one thought that when Emperor Zhu Houzhao decided to abdicate, so many people would feel confused and panicked, so that even those of them who were officials and rulers felt confused and panicked.

……

Zhu Houzhao didn't know at this time that his decision to abdicate had caused such a big effect in just three days.

At this time, Zhu Houzhao had a sense of relief that he was about to unload the burden of a thousand catties, so that his mood was much better now, and his sleep quality was much better.

Looking at the familiar and unfamiliar Qianqing Palace, he seemed to feel that the Ming Dynasty where he was at the moment was still familiar and unfamiliar, and he seemed to have just come to this world, he couldn't help but pat Queen Xia's hand, and got on the chariot and went to Fengtian Hall under the escort of the celebrant eunuch.

At this time, the inside and outside of the Fengtian Hall were already full of civil and military officials, except for a few princes who looked at the majestic Fengtian Hall with great mood, these civil and military officials only lowered their heads, even if the emperor was still in the future, no one looked left and right, let alone looked at the gloomy sky on his head, and he was afraid that his mood would become heavier because of this.

A large number of Qingliu civil officials fell with the court push fraud case, coupled with Xu Jin's execution, and Wen Yuan's examination method made the Ming Dynasty Hall served by Zhongjun Society realize the real Zhongzheng Ying Dynasty.

Therefore, at this moment, no official wants to see their leader, the great emperor in their minds, announce his abdication at this time when the empire seems to have entered a great era and has begun great things.

Zhu Houzhao sat on a high place in the center of the Fengtian Temple, and with a wave of his long sleeves, the purple brocade robe covered the ground like a cloud, and the sound of a loud long live sounded.

Zhu Houzhao just smiled slightly, and after saying goodbye, he looked at these courtiers happily, thinking that he would not be able to enjoy such a scene of kingship in the world, but he had enjoyed it for more than 50 years, and it was really enough.

Not long after, Zhu Houzhao asked Xia Yan, the first assistant of the cabinet, and Zhang Rong, the British minister, to come and take the key from Meng Jin, the master of ceremonies, to open the edict box, and the other took out the edict, and the eunuch Gao Zhong read out the candidate for the crown prince.

The content of the edict is naturally to crown the emperor's eldest son Zhu Zailei as the crown prince, and tell the world that the emperor Zhu Houzhao is about to officially abdicate after the Wanshou Festival.

For a while, all the ministers were speechless, not happy because the emperor finally made the emperor's eldest son the crown prince, but looked panicked, and even the poor officials who had been born poor and could be among the court thanks to the reform of the Zhengde Dynasty whimpered and cried.

For some officials who have personally experienced the transition from being seen as a mustard to being a commoner with equal rights, it is undoubtedly as if the sky is about to fall when His Majesty the Emperor is about to abdicate.

What's more, the ideological baptism of the Zhongjun Society and the reform achievements over the years have made the ministers and the people outside the palace unable to accept this reality for a while.

Xia Yan held the edict, walked step by step in front of the emperor's eldest son Zhu Zailei, handed the edict to the emperor's eldest son Zhu Zailei and saluted Zhu Zailei, and suddenly turned around and knelt down:

"Chen Xia Yan, risk death to ask Your Majesty to withdraw the abdication!"

"Minister Zhang Rong, risking death to ask His Majesty to withdraw the abdication!" Zhang Rong, who was following behind Xia Yan, also immediately knelt down.

"Minister Yan Song, risk death to ask Your Majesty to withdraw the abdication!"

Yan Song and other courtiers also knelt down one after another, and for a while the sound was like a bell, and even mixed with the sound of crying, and after a while, Yang Jisheng in the Wenxuan Shilang even crawled forward directly, and the tears flowed sideways:

"Your Majesty, don't abdicate! I hope that Your Majesty will be considerate of the thoughts of your subjects and continue to protect my Ming Dynasty! ”

The same is true for other officials.

The prestige that Zhu Houzhao has formed over the past 50 years of reform in power can be seen.