Jiang Ning followed Zhu Houzhao to the Hongzhi Dormitory.

By this time, the benevolent emperor had woken up.

It's just that his face is haggard and his appearance is withered, and his state is extremely bad at first glance.

"Weichen Jiang Ning, see Your Majesty. Ask Your Majesty St. Ann! ”

Hongzhi smiled, cheered up and said, "Holy bow, Jiang Qing has a heart."

He beckoned, asked Zhu Houzhao to help him up and sit up straight, looked Jiang Ning up and down a few times, and said with a smile:

"Yes, some generals look like they are, not as thin as they used to be."

"It's all Your Majesty's love, and the ministers are fortunate to be in the army, and they practice with the soldiers every day, and their bodies are stronger."

Jiang Ning replied.

In fact, this is just one reason, and another is to insist on drinking the decoction given by Zhou Song every day.

Conditioning the qi and blood from the inside, the body is naturally getting stronger and stronger.

It can be said that he has now gotten rid of the symptoms of qi deficiency and weakness.

"It seems that Jiang Qing has trained his troops well."

"I don't dare to deceive Your Majesty, and the ministers don't dare to slack off, but in the end, the time is still short, and there is nothing to be done."

Hongji waved his hand, his lips turned white and said, "Don't talk about this." You go and hand over the palace guard with Miao Kui, remember, don't be sloppy. ”

"Obey the order!"

Jiang Ning looked at Miao Kui, who was waiting on the side, and the two exited the palace and began to hand over.

On the way, Miao Kui instructed: "Lord Jiang, Your Majesty favors you, and you will be entrusted with such a heavy responsibility, and you must not relax for a moment." ”

"Rather save it."

Jiang Ning hurriedly replied.

"If there's anything you don't understand, just ask us."

"Thank you, father-in-law."

Jiang Ning knew that the person in front of him had been releasing the greatest kindness to him, and he would not refuse.

In the dormitory.

Zhu Houzhao helped Hongzhi and said suspiciously:

"Father, you have always told me that Jiang Shishu is a talented scholar and a pillar of the country, but how can you send him away so easily today?"

Hongji smiled, rubbed his head lightly, and said, "Jiang Ning was just promoted to a general in the army not long ago, and he has been opposed by many ministers.

If I don't have good words to encourage him, won't it help him to be sharp?

As a monarch, his subordinates need to be relaxed and moderate, and they should not be blindly favored. Emperor, do you understand? ”

Zhu Houzhao nodded.

Hongji smiled with satisfaction, and said:

"Moreover, Jiang Ning is your former minister of the East Palace, and he is naturally your heart.

Wouldn't it be better for you to reward him after you ascend the throne? ”

"Father?!"

Zhu Houzhao heard the meaning of his words and exclaimed.

"Emperor, step down, my father is tired, I want to rest."

Hongji didn't answer and kicked him out of the palace.

Lying on the couch, Hongji slowly closed his eyes, and his brows gradually relaxed.

After Jiang Ning and Miao Kui handed over the palace ban, they personally led people to patrol for several days, lest the discipline of his soldiers be not strict and cause any big trouble in the palace.

The eighteenth year of Hongzhi, May 9.

Jiang Ning took his own soldiers to inspect the passes as usual, and suddenly heard the sound of bells ringing in the palace.

The sound was so loud that it spread throughout the Forbidden City, and even outside the Imperial City.

"Your Majesty!"

For a while, the guards and soldiers in the palace, the eunuchs and palace maids knelt on the ground facing the Hongzhi dormitory, and screamed sadly.

Jiang Ning lamented in his heart.

He knew that a benevolent emperor had died.

Stopping his complicated thoughts, he also bowed deeply in the direction of the dormitory.

Afterwards, Jiang Ning hurriedly ran to the dormitory.

As soon as I arrived outside the palace, I saw that the eunuchs and maids had changed into plain clothes.

Seeing him coming, Gu Dayong caught him and said:

"Lord Jiang, hurry up and persuade His Highness, His Highness has been lying on the body of the first emperor and will not let anyone move."

Jiang Ning heard this, and hurriedly put on a mourning dress and went in.

I saw the queen and the two princesses weeping and crying on the side, and Zhu Houzhao lay on Hongzhi's body without saying a word.

And a few eunuchs who were ready to clean up Hongji's appearance stood in the corner at a loss.

Jiang Ning sighed secretly, walked to Zhu Houzhao's side, and knelt down towards Hongzhi's body.

The deceased is greater, and there must be a number of rites.

And Zhu Houzhao didn't seem to notice him coming, just stared at Hongji's pale face.

"Your Highness?"

Jiang Ning called softly.

Zhu Houzhao did not react.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning said to himself:

"Your Highness, Your Majesty is the purple microstar in the sky, who has descended to benefit the people and the people, and now he has returned to the sky, leaving a great river and mountain to deliver to you.

The minister believes that His Majesty must be watching you in the sky all the time, and expects you to become a generation of Ming monarchs and govern the country better, so that he will be relieved and at ease.

But the way you look now, with a little daughter's twisted posture, doesn't you live up to his deep expectations of you? ”

Zhu Houzhao heard this, and a glimmer of brilliance flashed in his gloomy eyes.

He clenched his fists tightly and said with a firm expression: "I, Zhu Houzhao, the prince of the country, will not fail to live up to my father's expectations!" ”

After that, Zhu Houzhao took a deep breath and said loudly: "Come on, clean up your appearance for the first emperor!" ”

The mourning vigil unfolded in an orderly manner.

According to the convention, the Qianqing Palace is the place of the emperor's mourning hall.

In the center of the main hall was a coffin, around which a group of important ministers wept.

And Jiang Ning had the task of guarding the palace ban, so he didn't have this opportunity.

Just when he was inspecting the Forbidden City, Zhu Houzhao, with the support of his ministers, read out the edict and ascended the throne in front of Hongzhiling.

"Your Majesty! Long live our emperor! ”

Liu Jian, the first assistant of the cabinet, took the ministers to shout long live, and then read out a series of wills.

or amnesty to the world, or the crowning of civil and military honors, and then there is the promotion of queens, princesses, etc.

Zhu Houzhao sat on the dragon chair and listened quietly, but found that there was no Jiang Ning's name inside.

"Master Liu, why don't you have the name of Jiang Shiyu?"

Liu Jian was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, Jiang Ning is now a general of the Zuoye Army, but he has no merit, so he can't be sealed. ”

Zhu Houzhao said unhappily: "Jiang Qing is forbidden to garrison the palace, he doesn't dare to slack off day and night, and he is an old minister of the East Palace, so he has the merit of supporting it, how can he not be rewarded?"

This will be redrafted, and he will be named the squire of the military department. ”

"Your Majesty, no."

Liu Jian was dumbfounded, and after coming back to his senses, he hurriedly said:

"Your Majesty, not to mention that the two servants of the Ministry of War are all here, there are no vacancies, and the qualifications and abilities of General Jiang alone cannot be granted such an important purpose.

Please also ask Your Majesty to take back your order! ”

"Your Majesty think twice!

That Jiang Ning is only the age of a weak crown, and he is already a powerful general, how can he move the military department to the right again! ”

Wang Wei, the right attendant of the ministry, also hurriedly spoke.

Seeing Jiang Ning defending Liu Jin the previous time, he was completely unimpressed.

And then, the ministers hulala knelt on the ground, and none of them supported Zhu Houzhao's decision.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao said unhappily: "Then I won't be an official, let's be knighted." Just give Wu Anbo! ”

"Your Majesty!"

Several important ministers raised their heads in unison, as if they had seen a ghost.

The titles of the Ming Dynasty are all customized, except for the emperor's relatives and relatives, non-military merits are not awarded, which can be sealed.

Zhu Hou took care of them and made more trouble, stood up and shouted:

"Are you waiting to see me ascend the throne on the first day, so I can't be bullied?"

"Don't dare!"

The ministers immediately knelt on the ground again.

If you are disobedient again, I am afraid that you will be detained as a forced palace.

At this time, Li Dongyang suddenly said:

"Your Majesty favors General Jiang, and if you want to reward you with the friendship of the East Palace in the past, it is indispensable.

However, General Jiang Shen really has no military merits, so he will be awarded an immortal martial arts Anbo, how about it? ”

It's a play on words.

Adding an immortal means that it is not hereditary, but it is just called to bluff people, except for more money, it is not very beneficial.

It's just that at this time, Zhu Houzhao saw that the ministers were pressing, and suddenly there was a voice of echo, where to take care of a lot, and immediately nodded:

"That's the best, go ahead and draw up the purpose."

Seeing this, the ministers no longer objected.

After all, this is barely acceptable.

It's just that there are still some stubborn old ministers who are indignant.

Zhang Sheng, Wang Wei and others are all in this list.

Outside a certain palace.

Jiang Ning was carefully inspecting with his own soldiers, and he didn't know that he had suddenly stepped into the ranks of nobles.

By this time, he had already walked most of the circle.

Because the Forbidden City was too big and very tired, he scattered his soldiers and prepared to find a place to rest.

Suddenly, he noticed a shadow on the ground out of thin air, and immediately looked back.

This glance almost scared him to death.