On October 14, the 18th year of Hongji, it began to rain again in Jingshi Castle, which had been sunny for two days, and the cold winter rain seemed to be mixed with ice crystals hitting people's faces, which made people's cheeks hurt.

According to the etiquette of the Ministry of Etiquette, from this day onwards, hundreds of officials will kneel outside the Sishan Gate and cry.

Zhu Houzhao didn't have to kneel as a king, but at this time, he got a note from Wang Yue, the master of ceremonies: "Your Majesty, because the weather is cold and the ground is slippery, the three elders of the pavilion are afraid of being cold because of old diseases, and they are afraid of being cold, so they ask for exemption from kneeling and crying." ”

Zhu Houzhao thought to himself that these three pavilion elders didn't even want to kneel, but he also guessed that these pavilion elders might be testing whether he, the emperor, could give face to a few of their old ministers.

Therefore, on the surface, Zhu Houzhao still nodded: "Since this is the case, let them stand and cry!" ”

On the evening of October 15, the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, the hundred officials have been crying outside the Sishan Gate for nearly two days, according to the ceremony, tomorrow is the official opening of the Ming Dynasty filial piety Emperor Zigong Palace.

Therefore, at this time, Wang Yue, the eunuch of the master of ceremonies, found Zhu Houzhao again: "Your Majesty, tomorrow is the official departure day of Emperor Xiaozong's Zi Palace. ”

Zhu Houzhao smiled secretly in his heart, thinking that it seemed that he was regarded by them as a good king, these pavilion elders began to kick their noses and faces, Sishan didn't want to kneel and cry outside the door, and now he didn't want to go to the imperial tomb.

However, Zhu Houzhao still pretended to be naïve on the surface and asked: "Can they not go!" However, what I want to ask is, Wang Daban, why do they want to ride in a car, but I can only ride a horse? ”

"Your Majesty is young and strong, and the elders are all old, please be considerate of the old ministers," Wang Yue replied with a smile.

Zhu Houzhao thought to himself that it seemed that this Wang Yue had completely become the dog leg of the old three pavilions, so he sighed helplessly: "Then let them take the car." ”

Early the next morning, it is the official opening day of Emperor Xiaozong's Zigong, from the Forbidden City to the outer city, has already set up a roadside spirit flag on the side of the central road, stretching for several miles are plain white cloth soldiers, paper money is sprinkled everywhere like snowflakes, in a mourning and crying, countless monks and Taoists led Emperor Xiaozong Zigong to the outside of the city.

Zhu Houzhao rode a horse as a filial son and walked slowly in front, at that time, Liu Jian, the first assistant of the cabinet, Li Dongyang, the second assistant of the cabinet, and the third assistant of the cabinet also stepped on the back of the sergeant and got into the plain carriage.

Most of the imperial historians were protégés of the old Sange, and they did not express their dissatisfaction.

But there are also officials who are very resentful because of this, but they are also helpless.

Xu Jin, the secretary of the Ministry of War, almost wanted to crush his copper teeth, and said in his heart: "These powerful ministers ignore the dignity of the emperor!" I didn't kneel down and cry two days ago, but now I am taking a car to send the spirit, do you really think that the new emperor is ignorant and can be bullied? ”

Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the ministry, was supported by several young civil officials, coughing and pointing to the front: "How can this be reasonable!" Outrageous! It just doesn't make sense! ”

Everyone knew why Ma Wensheng was angry, but they didn't dare to speak.

For a while, the snowflakes fell like grains of rice, and the white Zigong and the long white funeral procession were shrouded in haze, as if isolated from the people outside the curtain, and as if the people outside the curtain could only see the last vague figure left by Emperor Xiaozong in the yang world, and could not see his regret after being the emperor for 18 years.

Some people suppressed their cries, and some people roared wantonly, a generation of Zhongxing emperors will finally say goodbye to this world, and what people don't know is whether the young man on the white horse can support the Ming Empire, which hides countless traps under this haze.

Zhu Houzhao, a young man riding on a white horse, had solemn eyebrows like a hanging heavy sword, and his lips were pursed as if he wanted to say ten thousand words from his mouth, but everything only turned into the sound of horses' hooves and fell silent.

On October 19, the 18th year of Hongzhi, Emperor Xiaozong Jing of the Ming Dynasty was officially buried in Anling, Zhu Houzhao offered the last handful of soil for Emperor Xiaozong, and lifted the last order, and when he came to visit the Queen Mother according to the ritual, the Queen Mother Zhang had cried like a tearful person.

On October 20, Zhu Houzhao began to serve the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Then, from October 20th to 24th, Zhu Houzhao honored the emperor for the Ming Dynasty's filial piety until Jiuyu.

On October 25, the 18th year of Hongzhi, the officials and the people began to stop crying and worshipping the emperor of filial piety, and Zhu Houzhao resigned on this day, and ordered the officials to sacrifice him with cattle in the evening.

Zhu Houzhao and the prince both participated in decaying clothes, and invited the Ming Dynasty filial piety to respect the emperor and the gods to enjoy the temple.

On October 26, Zhu Houzhao completed the ceremony of inviting the gods to enjoy the temple, and will take off his filial piety clothes and return to the palace the next day, October 27.

At dusk that day, Zhu Houzhao finally unloaded his tiredness and completed all the etiquette required by the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty, without a trace of water, but Zhu Houzhao felt more tired than he had experienced a military training back then.

Seeing this, Liu Jin couldn't help but propose: "Emperor, do you need to let the palace maids beat your shoulders, the emperor has been eating and sleeping outside for the past few days, but it is also hard, and it is time to relax and relax, the slaves and maids have the courage to let them carry a simple wooden bed, if the emperor is willing, he can also do the fun of being a man." ”

Zhu Houzhao glared at Liu Jin: "Emperor Xiaozong has just finished his burial, you dog slave dare to instigate me to do that, since I am now the son of the Ming Emperor and the first emperor, I should be courteous, don't mention these things before the wedding, the palace ladies let them go back to the palace, and now we don't need to show them!" ”

When Liu Jin saw Zhu Houzhao say this, he had no choice but to say yes.

"Accompany me out for a walk", Zhu Houzhao said and took Liu Jin outside, and saw that in the depths of the curved fence opposite, there were three old men walking inside in civilian clothes.

Zhu Hou took a look at Liu Jin and followed, but when he hid outside the curved fence, he saw that it was Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, who were hiding in a water pavilion.

Zhu Houzhao walked over lightly, and when he saw a guard there, Zhu Houzhao walked over with a wall, picked up a potted plant and smashed it on the guard's head, knocking the guard to the ground on the spot.

Zhu Houzhao continued to walk lightly to the outside of the water pavilion, only to hear the voice of a woman inside: "Master, you are still thinking about stealing at this time, and you are not afraid of the uneasiness of the god." ”

"The son is silent, the old man doesn't believe that, dirty and stinky people, aren't all those who control the world like this."

Zhu Houzhao only heard some filthy words in his ears, and he couldn't help but blush, and his heart was even more angry, thinking that he only now knew what a sanctimonious hypocrite was.

"Everything is ready", Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but ask Liu Jin again.

"Your Majesty, rest assured! There will never be mistakes, Gu Da is cautious with this person, and the slave and maid have been practicing, and they will definitely be able to execute the plan when the time comes", Liu Jin replied.

……

At that time, Zhang Zhao, the eunuch of the imperial horse supervisor's palm seal, was holding the hand of the eunuch Wang Yue, the eunuch of the master of ceremonies, and walked to Zhu Houzhao's side, Wang Yue couldn't help but ask Zhang Zhao: "You will return to the palace as soon as possible tonight, the regimental camp and the forbidden soldiers' Lu Mi has not been released, and the cabinet intends to reorganize the military department to Xu Jin, but you can't give birth to a big mess, you have to take care of them and can't make a mess." ”

"Ancestor, don't worry, but the slave found that although the emperor was cynical, he was silent for a few days, which is very different from before, I always feel that something is going to happen."

Zhang Zhao, the eunuch of the palm seal of the imperial horse supervisor, said.

The eunuch Wang Yue, the eunuch of the celebrant of the seal, sighed: "It seems that the emperor seems to be dissatisfied with his inability to control the power of the court, but it doesn't matter, what kind of temperament does our emperor have, we naturally know best, although he is stubborn, but he is also as kind as the first emperor, and when the time comes, as long as you hold the power of the forbidden army well, there will be no chaos, and the emperor will not make any trouble." ”

"What the ancestor said is that our fifteen-year-old emperor can't make much of a storm, and those cabinet elders in the foreign court are easy to deal with? It's a big deal to let the matter of the first emperor repeat it again", after Zhang Zhao finished speaking, Wang Yue glared at him: "The matter of the first emperor is only for Zhang Yu and the cabinet, we don't know anything about it, understand, don't mention it indiscriminately!" ”

"That's what the old ancestor said!" Zhang Zhao hurriedly replied.