In the Wenhua Palace, the ministers are having lunch, which is a banquet given by the court. It was a supreme honor to receive the emperor's banquet, but the faces of the ministers present were not good-looking, because of the second assistant Mao Ji Zhishi, and the emperor's reopening of the Great Rites Discussion, as well as the Xi Shu's appointment as the secretary of the Ministry of Rites... All kinds of things made the ministers feel that the sky was about to fall.

When the ministers were discussing, there was movement outside, but it was Dai Yi who came out of Renshou Palace and came to ask to see Shoufu Jiang Mian.

Jiang Mian was called outside the Wenhua Hall alone, and Dai Yi was extremely respectful to Jiang Mian.

"Our family just met the Queen Mother, and we got some instructions from the Queen Mother, so I came to tell Jiang Ge Lao." Dai Yi said with a smile.

Jiang Mian said, "The Queen Mother wants to interfere in the affairs of the outer court?" Dai Yi smiled bitterly: "It's not a matter of the outer court, but an internal affair of the palace, the Queen Mother made it clear that she will no longer interfere with His Majesty's pursuit of the Emperor Xingxian and the affairs of the posterior, and also ask Jiang Ge to be accommodating, this is the Empress Dowager's will."

There was no basis for his words, Dai Yi naturally wanted to come up with some evidence, and he handed over the edict signed by Empress Dowager Zhang to Jiang Mian to see.

Jiang Mian didn't even need to look at it to know what kind of exchange of interests should be involved.

Jiang Mian said: "Father-in-law Dai, you are also an old minister of several dynasties, you should know about the Ming Dynasty, Your Majesty's throne is derived from the inheritance of filial piety, but now Your Majesty wants to chase the Xingdi, which is a betrayal of the orthodox inheritance of the Ming Dynasty. What makes sense of that?"

When the mother took the initiative to allow her son to return to his hometown, if this is a folk, it is nothing.

But the problem is that now Empress Dowager Zhang is the only remaining "talker" in the orthodox inheritance of the royal family, and if Zhu Si is dead now, Empress Dowager Zhang is also the only person who has the power to decide who will inherit the throne.

But what would happen if Zhu Si "recognized his ancestors and returned to his ancestors"?

At that time, Empress Dowager Chiang was qualified to decide who would succeed his son to the throne.

This difference may not be a big deal for ordinary ministers, but Jiang Mian, as a resolute supporter of the Ming legal system and the inheritor of Yang Tinghe, believes that he has the obligation to maintain the existence of this legal system.

Dai Yi sighed, "Why is Elder Jiang so insistent? Now that even the Queen Mother has been accommodating, shouldn't a courtier give priority to maintaining the stability of the court?

"There is a rift between the monarch and the minister, it is an opportunity with the rebellious ministers and thieves, and it gives the foreigners a chance to take advantage of it. It is said that in the past two years, our family has lived in Beijing, and I have heard a lot of discussions outside, and I respect His Majesty's filial piety. Why bother to make people's hearts uneasy for the sake of consolidating the imperial rule?"

Dai Yi acted as a good man and persuaded Jiang Mian to turn back.

But his words were unconvincing, and Jiang Mian shook his head helplessly: "The law cannot be violated."

Dai Yi said: "Our family will bring the meaning of the Queen Mother, and what the rest of Jiang Ge Lao will do depends on you."

After Dai Yi saw Jiang Mian, he went back to find Zhu Si to restore his life.

Zhu Si was in the Qianqing Palace at this time, and there were two of his "ministers of the humerus" next to him, one was Xi Shu, and the other was Zhang Zhang, and Huang Zhan, who was supposed to be a scholar of Hanlin, was not in the middle at this time.

It is also considering that Huang Zan is now being recommended as a cabinet scholar, if Huang Zan has to be on the emperor's side at this time, it will be a certain obstacle for Huang Zan to enter the cabinet.

「…… The surname Jiang really doesn't know what to do, I am giving him a chance, even the Queen Mother agrees to it, and I still want to continue to fight against me when I go to him?"

In front of Xi Shu and Zhang Xuan, Zhu Si's tone was quite tough, and he regarded Jiang Mian as an enemy.

Zhang Xuan didn't think so, with his psychology of being a baht, he probably felt that it was strange that the emperor didn't hate Jiang Mian.

And Xi Shu was a little frightened, the emperor was so disdainful of his first assistant? Is there still a Chinese courtier in the emperor's eyes? Is it right or wrong to support such an emperor? Also, is the purpose of the Emperor's Great Rites Discussion really to maintain filial piety? Wouldn't it be a means to suppress dissent?

Dai Yi said: "The old slave has told Jiang Ge the truth about his words, and the old slave has retired."

"Wait!" Zhu Si didn't let Dai Yi go.

Dai Yi stood there respectfully, and continued to wait for the emperor to give him instructions. "Some people are obsessed, and I can't sit idly by, go and say hello to the people in Dongchang, and stare at the Hanlin Academy,

If there is a Hanlin coming in the direction of the palace gate, you must block the people as soon as possible. "Zhu Si gave the order.

"Yes." Dai Yi received the order.

Xi Shu asked puzzledly, "Your Majesty, what is this?" Zhu Si didn't explain.

Zhang Xuan on the side said: "Xi Shangshu may not know something, there is a group of self-proclaimed clean guys in the Hanlin Courtyard, every time they encounter something that they think is unfair, they will instigate their colleagues to start a confrontation, Your Majesty is to prevent them from making radical moves and maintain the order of the Ming Dynasty."

Xi Shu said, "But Your Majesty, the matter of the ceremony, the minister has just taken over, or ...... It will take time."

At this time, Xi Shu was also a little flustered. Look who this is.

Although there is a selfish element in it, he still wants to discuss this matter as an orthodox Confucian scholar and make excuses for the emperor from a legal point of view.

But the emperor's current actions are clearly denying justice, which makes Xi Shu feel like he is on a thief ship.

Zhu Si smiled and said, "I didn't say that there must be a result today, but since the court discussion has been delayed until the afternoon, why not go further? Next, please stand firm on your own side, and the rest ...... Leave it to me!"

Xi Shu was puzzled, he glanced at Zhang Xuan first, wanting to detect some clues from Zhang Zhang's demeanor, because he didn't understand the emperor's words at all.

But Zhang Xuan appeared very cautious in front of the emperor.

To talk about speculation...... Zhang Xuan is much more determined than Xi Shu, how can you say that Xi Shu is also from the governor of Huguang, and his original status is there, and I, Zhang, was originally just a new science and technology scholar, so old, if I want to be in a high position in the future, I can only "take risks", I don't care what the righteous etiquette law is, as long as I can get the emperor's appreciation, I will not hesitate to go against the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty.

Xi Shu and Zhang Xuan returned from the Qianqing Palace to the Wenhua Hall where the ministers gathered.

Obviously, they also knew that they would not get any good faces when they returned to the Wenhua Palace, so they planned to wait on the road and return to the Fengtian Hall with the minister.

"Bingyong, Your Majesty said earlier that you would leave the matter to him to deal with, but I don't know what to say...... What do you mean?"

Although Xi Shu belonged to the Yili faction, after all, he was not in the capital before, and he still didn't know the dire situation in the capital about the Yili faction.

Zhang Xuan said: "Your Majesty has issued edicts directly on the matter of etiquette without consulting the minister many times before, I think this should be the meaning."

"That...... Then why do you want me to be the secretary of the Ministry of Rites?" Xi Shu originally felt that he was very important, and he was going to do a big job after going to the capital, but judging from the meaning revealed in Zhang Zhang's words, it seemed that there was no difference whether the emperor had the help of him or not.

Zhang Xuan asked rhetorically, "Could it be that the position of the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, standing on the opposite side of the ceremony, can make it easier to pass the proposal of the ceremony?"

Xi Shu was stunned.

He seems to understand, the feeling that I am not the existence of the person who helps the emperor discuss the rites, but because the emperor feels that the previous few Ministry of Rites are too disgusting, even if this position is vacant and no one is looking for someone to do it, it is okay, anyway, my opinion is not important, as long as I do not oppose the Great Rites Discussion in the position of the Ministry of Rites, then it will be okay, right?

"That ......"

Xi Shu originally wanted to discuss it with Zhang Xuan. But as he spoke, it suddenly occurred to him that something was wrong. Why do you, Zhang Xuan, talk to me like this? Speak as if you are my boss, and as if you have more power and status than me, but are you...... Don't even understand the most basic etiquette?

Is it because of rumors outside that you want to succeed Huang Gongxian as a bachelor?

Don't say that you are not a Hanlin bachelor now, even if you are, you can only stand back, isn't the Ministry of Rites Shangshu more respected than you as a Hanlin scholar?

In the palace, the topic of the Great Rites continued.

On the side of the theater, Zhu Hao and Su Xigui were still waiting for news, and at the same time, a guest came, Tang Yin, who was temporarily invited to the theater to watch the play.

"I've seen Tang Hanlin."

When Su Xigui saw Tang Yin, he quickly got up and saluted him.

Tang Yin smiled and nodded, although now he Tang Yin and Su Xigui have no interests

Ge, but no matter what, when he was in trouble, Su Xigui gave him a helping hand, and this kindness must be accepted.

The three of them were seated.

"Mr. Tang, at this time, the palace is going on a game, you should be clear, right?" Zhu Hao asked with a smile.

Tang Yin said, "Naturally, I know. But what does that have to do with me?" Zhu Hao smiled and said, "If Master Huang enters the cabinet, who do you think should be left to the position of Master of Hanlin?"

Tang Yin's tone was indifferent: "You won't say it's me, right?" "Either it's Zhang Bingyong, you choose." Zhu Hao said.

Tang Yin said, "Even if it's Zhang Bingyong, it's nothing, in short, I won't go to the troubled waters."

Su Xigui, who was on the side, heard this, and the whole person was not good. Is this a wet market?

The position of Hanlin Bachelor can be bargained for like this? There's a "Qinggao" guy here, and he doesn't want to be a Hanlin bachelor?

Zhu Hao asked with a smile: "If you become a Hanlin Bachelor, sir, you are still the same as today, you don't have to appear in the Hanlin Academy every day, you can still be at ease and do whatever you want, isn't it?"

"Impossible."

Tang Yin naturally felt that Zhu Hao was lying to him.

Zhu Hao said: "If you say, by that time, sir, you are a bachelor of Hanlin and become a model of Wenchen, you don't have to worry about going to Hanlin Academy every day, there will be many people visiting your family, and the attitude of others towards you will ...... It will no longer be like an old minister of Xingwangfu, but more like a great Confucian in the world...... Sir, you think that the situation at that time, you can really go out casually, and you can shine on the lintel!"

Tang Yin frowned when he heard this.

Imagine the scene described by Zhu Hao a little. As a bachelor of Hanlin, when relatives and friends see him in the future, they will not simply admire, but even stammer, what kind of glory is that?