After two major constructions of the Yongle Dynasty and the Orthodox Dynasty, the capital today has a total of nine gates: Desheng and Anding of the north city wall; The west straight and Fucheng of the west city wall, the east straight and Chaoyang of the east city wall, and the Chongwen, Xuanwu and Zhengyang of the south city wall.

But at this time, the number of ordinary people living in the gates outside the nine gates has actually exceeded that in the city.

There is the Temple of Heaven and Earth, the Altar of Mountains and Rivers outside the Zhengyang Gate, and the escort army surrounded by Zhu Houxi set off from Liangxiang before dawn, and finally arrived outside the Xuanwu Gate at more than nine o'clock in the morning after more than two hours.

Here, the palace temporarily built by the internal officials and the Ministry of Works sits in the north and faces south, and the superintendent has already arranged the throne here, and the tent is hung in the palace.

The guards lined up from the Noon Gate, Daming Gate, and Xuanwu Gate all the way to the temporary parking hall, and the highest standard honor guard when the emperor traveled had just moved here.

The "emperor's special means of transportation" surrounded by horses include horses, chariots, big cool chariots, large chariots, small pony chariots, jade chariots, large chariots, and even a small palace-like palace with a walking palace.

In front and behind, there are various utensils held by several honor guards, gorgeous and grand. Not only that, but there are also civil and military officials and retinues dressed in red, blue, and green official uniforms.

The size of the entire team is nearly two thousand people.

Look at the lively people in the capital, they are far away.

It is even less likely that they would know how heated the controversy would erupt in the hall.

Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian and Mao Ji had already led hundreds of civil and military officials to the outside of the palace, and when they saw Gu Dayong standing at the entrance of the hall, Yang Tinghe sighed silently.

After all, it fell short.

After knowing the changes on the side of Liangxiang, he knew that this succession dispute was not a problem that could be solved in a day or two. I wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of the remaining traitors among the eunuchs, but I didn't expect that another letter of thanks came before they could be discussed.

Since the heir has arrived here, he has obviously seen that it is impossible for the ministers to prevent him from ascending the throne.

If you don't want to be a power traitor, do loyal ministers deserve to be manipulated like this?

Yang Tinghe felt more and more that these were all calculated, so his heart became even sadder.

Why don't you follow the right path? Why don't you trust the ministers of the DPRK and China?

Who is the person around him who is giving advice now? Did Liang Chu participate?

"Your Highness will take a short rest, and then meet the ministers after you sit down." Huang Jin walked over and saluted Yang Tinghe and the others, "Three pavilion elders, Your Highness asked the ministers to ask, do the pavilion elders come to see each other first, or do they meet together after they are promoted to sit down?" ”

Yang Tinghe glanced at Jiang Mian and Mao Ji and replied in a deep voice: "In this case, let's meet Your Highness first." ”

"Elder Pavilion, please."

Huang Jin led the way in front, and Yang Ting and the three of them walked towards the hall first.

In the palace, Prince Liang and Mao Cheng were there, Xu Guangzuo, Zhang Heling, and Cui Yuan were on one side, and on the other side were the officials of the palace.

At this time, Zhu Houxi had not yet appeared here, and everyone in the hall greeted Yang Ting and the three of them.

Knowing that Zhu Houxi was changing clothes inside, Yang Tinghe didn't want to do too much, so he walked to Liang Chu's side first and asked, "Uncle Hou, do you know that His Royal Highness sent a thank you note into the palace last night?" ”

"What?" Liang Chu asked unexpectedly, "What did you say?" ”

Yang Tinghe took a deep look at him, and then relayed the remarks in Xie Jianzhong, and Liang Chu changed color again and again when he heard it.

"I really don't know. After setting off from Liangxiang this morning, Xianqing and I persuaded all the way. After looking at the screen of the hall with complicated eyes, "Your Highness is like this...... Refuse? ”

"His Highness is rash in judging everything like this!" Mao Cheng was even more indignant.

In his opinion, the issues discussed in Xie Jianzhong are really sensitive.

Emperor Zhengde has died, and it is a very important follow-up work to conclude and agree on the name of his coffin.

And how many sensitive issues did Xie Jian talk about?

Evaluation of his predecessor: After Emperor Taizong, he had the broadest vision and the highest ambition.

Evaluation of the current national situation: the time has changed, external troubles are endless, and internal worries are rising again. He seems to be old, and his old age is beginning to appear.

Evaluation of the current courtiers' auxiliary political tendencies: blindly stick to the old ways.

The policy and strategy for his possible succession to the throne: I didn't say it clearly, but he praised Emperor Zhengde.

Be mentally prepared to say these things to yourself: lead the neck to be killed.

He is the heir named in the edict, and he is only one enthronement ceremony away from the real Son of Heaven.

At such a time, how dare you accuse the courtiers of the achievements of the past auxiliary government at once?

Compared with the issue of succession, it is more important for how the government will go in the future, and it is even more important for the courtiers to not back down!

Seeing that Liang Chu and Mao Cheng's shock didn't look like a fake, Yang Tinghe thought about it again.

At this time, Zhu Houxi finally walked out of it.

He and his first set of important ministers after ascending the throne finally came face to face.

Yang Tinghe raised his eyes and looked at it, only to feel that this young heir's eyes were clear and refreshed.

Needless to say, Liang Chu and Mao Cheng praised a lot of calmness and composure when they sent them back to Beijing along the way.

Zhu Houxi was also looking at the three of them, and came over to say hello and say yes first, with an easy-going and cordial attitude.

Yang Tinghe's impression of Zhu Houxi became more three-dimensional, thinking of yesterday's events and Xie Jian's words, he only felt that this heir was scheming.

After Zhu Houxi sat down, he also looked at the old minister with bloodshot eyes and a tired expression.

Looks like I didn't sleep well last night.

"The elders have worked hard." Zhu Houxi opened his mouth, "I thought that today would be a scene of persuasion from hundreds of officials, but since the pavilion elders arrived alone first, everyone here knows the situation." The decision of the Queen Mother and the cabinet elders is to say it directly, and it is not good to let the ministers wait outside all the time. ”

Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji initially understood his speaking style, and in addition to Jiang Mian, the other two couldn't help frowning.

Yang Tinghe concentrated his attention, stepped forward and saluted and said: "Your Highness, the ceremony presented by the Ministry of Rites yesterday is in accordance with the etiquette system, and the minister implores His Highness to enter the palace according to the etiquette, and then be persuaded by the hundred officials." ”

Zhu Houxi was silent.

The hall is so small that it can't stand so many people. When I will officially meet with the hundred officials, there are not many who are qualified to come in.

Therefore, the number of people in front of us now seems to be the most common scenario in the future: many major events are actually just discussed with a few important ministers.

Zhu Yuanzhang's system of the Great Dynasty Meeting, the Shuowang Dynasty Meeting, and the Daily Dynasty has actually been abandoned by now: except for Zhu Yuanzhang himself, the later emperors have not been able to withstand this high-intensity and inefficient form.

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't bear it himself, and after abolishing the prime minister, he set up a bachelor from Hanlin as a "secretary team", and then evolved into today's cabinet step by step.

By the time of Emperor Xuanzong, an inner study hall was opened to teach eunuchs to read, and the celebrant slowly rose, and now the center of the empire has become such a structure.

Yingzong was only nine years old when he succeeded to the throne, and his grandmother, Empress Dowager Zhang, did not listen to the government, where could she decide some things during the court meeting? There was also a problem of worrying about the growth and development of the emperor, so the cabinet decided to limit the performance of eight things during the court meeting every day, and these eight things were written by the cabinet ministers in advance to deal with the emperor, so that the young emperor could "make decisions like a stream" when the court meeting was played.

The voting system was thus formed, and the cabinet gradually eroded the functions and powers of the six ministries.

At present, although the Cabinet still does not have the power to dictate the six ministries in legal theory, it is already a superior because it has the "right to make suggestions" on the handling of various matters in the six ministries.

It's just a matter of further direct command of what to do with the six divisions.

Zhu Houxi was lamenting these things in his mind, but there was silence in the hall, so he slowly suppressed it.

After coming back to his senses, Zhu Houxi shook his head: "Is this the final decision?" I still said yesterday: Let me enter the palace and ascend the throne with the etiquette of the crown prince, I don't want to. ”

Yang Tinghe's expression was not shocked, after all, he had already expected this, and he said again: "Your Highness, the old minister has the courage to ask, His Highness wants to only succeed the unification and not the heir, at this moment, what do the people in the palace agree?" ”

Zhu Houxi's eyes narrowed slightly.

Is this the power of his cabinet chief? Directly want to let people stand in line?

There is no doubt that the one who stands up in favor at this moment is the villain who welcomes the king's will, and then he will definitely face a storm of refutation, and many hats can be worn.