Chapter 37: Strong Grass and Strong Wind, Steady and Improving

Qianqing Palace, side hall.

When Zhu Yijun brought Lu Diaoyang in, he saw several people in the hall.

In addition to Empress Dowager Li and Zhu Xizhong, there is also Empress Dowager Li’s biological father, Li Wei.

The latter, of course, was when Zhu Xizhong entered the palace and invited him to join him.

When they saw the emperor coming in, everyone except Empress Dowager Li stood up and saluted.

Even if he is the father-in-law of the emperor, he has to address him as His Majesty the Emperor.

Zhu Yijun slowed down his pace and waited for the people to finish their greetings before he strode forward and held the two men's arms.

He rebuked, "The father-in-law and the duke are both my benevolent elders. Why do you need to perform such a grand ceremony in private?"

Li Wei didn't dare to be helped, so he quickly dodged it and said some polite words again.

He was born in a humble family, had lived in Shanxi for half his life, and only came to Beijing when he was forty. He has a very heavy accent.

Zhu Yijun could barely understand what he was saying.

Just keep smiling and nodding.

Then he looked at Zhu Xizhong and asked curiously, "How come Duke Chengguo has time to come to the palace? Is he feeling better now?"

When Duke Chengguo was still in good health, he served as the ceremonial officer in the Wenhua Palace court meetings.

Later, he fell seriously ill and was unable to perform his duties, so he rarely went to the palace.

I was ordered by him to enter the palace today, so I have to ask him a question.

Zhu Xizhong was suffering from old age diseases and spoke very slowly: "I was originally a lady from the mansion who came to the palace to chat with the Queen Mother."

"But perhaps because of your Majesty's ascension to the throne and the Queen Mother's promotion to the throne, I have felt better in the past two days, so I will go to the palace to express my gratitude to your Majesty and the Queen Mother."

Zhu Yijun nodded repeatedly.

No wonder the late emperor said that Duke Chengguo was naturally clever.

There's nothing to say about the comfort that just talking makes.

When Empress Dowager Li saw her son coming with the Minister of Rites, she knew something was probably going on.

She sighed and said to Li Wei, "Father, please go back today and we'll talk about it when you have some free time in a couple of days."

Li Wei was about to bow and leave.

Zhu Yijun quickly interrupted and said, "Since I ascended the throne, I have never received instructions from my father-in-law. Today is a good opportunity for me to show my affection to him."

"You may as well go to the outer hall to taste the tribute tea first."

"I will talk to my mother for a few words, and then I will come to make tea for the father-in-law."

He asked Duke Chengguo to bring the person into the palace, so there must be something going on.

How can we let them go so easily?

Li Wei's heart moved, and he quickly looked at Empress Dowager Li.

The status of a person is determined by his position. Although he is a father, he has to obey his daughter because she is his daughter.

Seeing Empress Dowager Li nod in agreement, he hurriedly thanked her: "Your Majesty is benevolent, filial and fraternal. I will go to the outer hall and wait for you."

After saying this, he followed the eunuch respectfully to the front hall.

After Li Wei left, Zhu Yijun asked quietly without revealing his expression, "Mother, the father-in-law seems unhappy?"

Queen Mother Li said unhappily, "Every time you see me, you only ask for rewards, and I scold you."

Now that there were outsiders present, she couldn't say much and just stopped at the point.

After shaking his head helplessly, he looked at his son and the Lu Diaoyang he brought with him: "Why did the Emperor and Minister Lu stop discussing matters in the court and come to look for me together?"

It is still early now, and the court meeting should not have lasted long.

Zhu Yijun did not answer directly, but first signaled the eunuch to give Lu Diaoyang a seat.

Then he sighed and said, "Mother! It's a disaster!"

Lu Diaoyang had carefully observed the emperor's behavior along the way, and after hearing these words, he curled his lips in helplessness.

Empress Dowager Li didn't know. She looked slightly surprised and asked, "What happened?"

Zhu Yijun hurriedly asked, "Mother, do you know about the Zuo Shunmen case?"

"Today, he seems to be the second best among Zuo Shunmen."

"Just now in the court, dozens of censors impeached Feng Daban. I am worried about the turmoil in the country and I am extremely worried."

After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li naturally couldn't sit still.

Of course she had heard of the Zuo Shunmen case.

More than 200 court officials knelt down and cried at the gate. In order to suppress the protest, Emperor Sejong had to send out the Embroidered Uniform Guards, who killed more than ten of them with weapons.

Her son had just ascended the throne, was he going to have to face this?!

Zhu Yijun continued, "As for the various reasons of the censors, I am not very clear about them, so I simply invited the Minister of Rites to talk to my mother."

After saying that, he gestured to Lu Diaoyang.

Unlike Gao Gong's followers, Lu Diaoyang had a positive impression on Empress Dowager Li.

In addition, Feng Bao often spoke well of him in front of the mother and son, so in the heart of Empress Dowager Li, Lu Diaoyang was more or less a trustworthy person.

This is also the reason why he brought Lu Diaoyang here.

In front of Empress Dowager Li, Lu Diaoyang's words of advice were more effective than Gao Gong's hundred impeachments.

When Lu Diaoyang was called, he naturally expressed his opinion: "Your Majesty and the Queen Mother, if you have any questions, I will answer them all I know."

Empress Dowager Li looked towards Lu Diaoyang.

He asked anxiously, "Minister Lu, what happened?"

Zhu Yijun also echoed, "Mr. Lu, please talk to the Queen Mother."

He then asked Empress Dowager Li for instructions: "Mother, Lu Qing has already told me on the way that I will go to accompany the father-in-law first."

Empress Dowager Li nodded.

Zhu Yijun stood up and went to the front hall.

When passing by, he winked at Zhu Xizhong and asked him to assist.

After the emperor left, Lu Diaoyang sighed in his heart.

He bowed to Empress Dowager Li, then slowly spoke, in an impartial manner, explaining the events in the court and the reasons for the law.

……

Li Wei was waiting in the front hall in a somewhat anxious mood.

As I drank the tea sip by sip, even though it was tribute tea, it felt like a cow chewing a peony.

He only hoped to report to the emperor later and get definite news about his title.

His daughter is now in power and scolds him at every turn, making it difficult to communicate with her.

I guess this ten-year-old grandson would be easier to talk to.

Just as I was thinking about it, a voice came from far away.

"How can everyone be so ignorant of etiquette that no one pours tea for the father-in-law?"

Li Wei looked up and saw the little emperor walking in with an unhappy look on his face.

When I saw myself, my anger turned into joy.
Without saying a word, he picked up the tea set and offered to serve himself tea as a courtesy.

Li Wei felt relieved, but he still had to refuse. He reached out to take the tea set: "No, no! I can do it myself."

Zhu Yijun forced the cup to be handed over to him, filled it with another cup, and signaled his attendants to leave.

He picked up the teacup and handed it to Li Wei: "Father-in-law is used to doing everything by himself. Is he used to a hard life?"

"I wanted to ascend to the throne, but I almost forgot to repay my mother clan. It's really my fault."

The two of them politely pulled each other again.

Zhu Yijun asked with concern: "The father-in-law was asking me about my mother's title just now, right?"

Everyone in the Qianqing Palace is his now, so as long as they don't send their attendants away, nothing can be hidden from him.

Li Wei quickly lifted his butt from the seat: "Your Majesty, I am not asking for a title..."

Zhu Yijun reached out and pushed him back into his chair: "Father-in-law, you and I are blood relatives, there's no need to be so formal."

"Why do you have to ask for something so harsh? It is my duty to show favor to my mother's family when I ascend the throne."

With this attitude, Li Wei finally felt what it meant to be bathed in spring breeze.

He mustered up the courage to ask, "Then your majesty, what is the current situation?"

There is no escape from the title of nobility.

But the titles he was given were different, and the salaries and salaries he received were also different. He wanted to find out what Empress Dowager Li had to say about this matter.

Zhu Yijun poured himself a cup of tea and said leisurely: "Eight hundred yuan of food allowance..."

When Li Wei heard this number, disappointment immediately appeared on his face.

Eight hundred shi is too shabby. A normal father-in-law of the emperor should have at least one thousand shi.

Zhu Yijun continued, "…It was the Ministry of Rites that discussed it, but my mother rejected it, saying that it must be at least 1,000 dan!"

Only then did Li Wei's expression brighten up a little.

Emperor Sejong's father-in-law, Yutianbo, and even Depingbo who passed away a few days ago, both had a thousand koku.

But the emperor shook his head again: "I don't agree."

Li Wei was stunned.

Zhu Yijun continued, "How can a thousand stones show my friendship?"

"Father-in-law, once the location of my father's mausoleum is determined, I will let you and Zhu Xixiao oversee the construction of Zhaoling Mausoleum. After completion, you will be given an additional salary of 200 dan!"

Li Wei's surprise immediately turned into joy, and he stood up and bowed down.

This time, Zhu Yijun did not stop him.

……

In the side hall, Lü Diaoyang was still explaining the doubts to Empress Dowager Li.

The origin of the laws established by our ancestors.

A story of hidden dangers and pros and cons.

The explanation and analysis are very profound, worthy of the position of Minister of Rites.

Empress Dowager Li also listened very carefully.

At first, he looked at Zhu Xizhong from time to time, probably considering imitating Sejong.

But the more I listened, the quieter it became.

He asked Zhu Xizhong from time to time, wanting to confirm, but the answers he got only made him frown even more.

Suddenly, Empress Dowager Li interrupted Lu Diaoyang and asked in confusion, "Minister Lu, isn't Duke Chengguo also one of the Three Dukes and the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"How does it conform to established practice?"

Lu Diaoyang wanted to explain, but because the matter involved nobles, he couldn't say it clearly.

Zhu Xizhong said frankly: "Empress Dowager, the three dukes and three orphans of our dynasty are only in name, not in reality."

"If you want to make it equal, it would probably be to let me lead the Jinyiwei and work in the cabinet."

Lu Diaoyang couldn't help but look at the Duke twice more.

This statement was extremely straightforward, and it made Empress Dowager Li understand the dangers involved. However... it was not in line with the way of being an official, and it was not quite like Zhu Xizhong's style.

After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li was silent for a long while, and then she said after a long while: "So, should I accept the request of the censors and remove Feng Daban's position as the governor of the East Factory?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Xizhong immediately responded: "I can also arrest and imprison all these dozens of censors for the Queen Mother!"

"Jinyiwei, obey the Queen Mother's orders at any time!"

Lu Diaoyang's heart skipped a beat!
What’s going on with Zhu Xizhong!

He quickly advised: "Absolutely not!"

Empress Dowager Li looked at Lu Diaoyang speechlessly. She didn't think she was that stupid.

She could still understand Zhu Xizhong's roundabout advice.

only……

Empress Dowager Li was still unconvinced and even felt uneasy.

The emperor had just ascended the throne, leaving only an orphan and a widowed mother. Not only did the court officials not want to assist him, they also banded together to impeach the eunuchs on whom she relied.

What should he think?

Not to mention, not only Gao Gong and his followers, but even Lu Diaoyang, whom Feng Bao praised every day, did not speak for him.

Even the nobles did not lend a hand.

This is the lonely minister!

If she were to remove Feng Bao from his position now, wouldn't that be cutting off one's own arm?
Seeing Lu Diaoyang's expression, she suddenly felt like testing him: "Absolutely not?"

"So Minister Lu thinks that I should dismiss Feng Bao from his position?"

"I wonder if Minister Lu has a suitable candidate to take over the East Factory?"

Lu Diaoyang felt upset, thinking that these words were probably out of suspicion.

I suffered too much loss this time.

He was about to answer.

Yu Guangzhong suddenly saw Zhu Xizhong slowly stand up and said, "Empress Dowager, I do have someone to recommend."

……

Outer hall.

Zhu Yijun was already chatting enthusiastically with Li Wei.

With a smile on his face, he listened quietly as Li Wei recounted the naughty things that Empress Dowager Li had done in the past.

Li Wei was quite excited: "In the 29th year of Jiajing, in order to avoid the Gengxu Incident, I brought the Empress Dowager to Beijing."

Zhu Yijun interrupted at the right time: "Then how did mother get into Prince Yu's Mansion?"

This is to bring up the topic.

Li Weida took a sip of tea, wiped his mouth and said, "Ha, I came to the capital to avoid disaster, of course I had a plan!"

"Your Majesty, you may not know that I chose to come to the capital because someone was looking after me."

"My nephew Li Jin was working in the palace at the time, as a eunuch in charge of the imperial stables."

"When the Queen Mother entered Prince Yu's Mansion, she followed his path."

The Imperial Stables was one of the twelve academies in the inner court. Although it was a long way from the Imperial Household Department, it was also in charge of the guard camp and had a corresponding status.

Prince Yu had aspirations to become emperor, so naturally not everyone could have done so.

As a eunuch in charge of the Imperial Stables, Li Jin just happened to have this weight.

Zhu Yijun was surprised: "Mother never told me about this benefactor, and she never even promoted someone named Li Jin."

He asked knowingly.

Li Wei said helplessly: "Your Majesty had not yet ascended the throne, and the Queen Mother was also afraid of twists and turns."

"How can you promote a relative's reputation casually? The censors love to impeach him the most."

"If we offend the late emperor, the loss will outweigh the gain."

Although Empress Dowager Li was the mother of the harem before, she actually did not dare to overstep her authority.

The family of Empress Dowager Chen was conferred titles in the first year of the Longqing reign, and as the emperor's father-in-law, he could only watch helplessly.

This is the long-term strategy of seeking stability, just waiting for the new emperor to ascend the throne.

Of course, now that the time is finally ripe, he dares to run into the palace to ask Empress Dowager Li for the title.

Zhu Yijun was displeased: "This is also the fault of the father-in-law, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Is this cousin still in the Imperial Stables?"

Although Li Wei was blamed, he felt as comfortable as if he had taken an elixir of immortality - this made him seem close.

He even answered every question: "Yes, I am still writing in the Imperial Stables."

The same goes for the Imperial Stables, with the seal-holder at the top and several scribes as deputies, whose status is not low.

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "How can I be ungrateful? Taking advantage of this favor, I will also reward this uncle!"

Li Wei was beaming with joy. Even his cousin treated him so well, which only showed the emperor's close friendship to him.

As the father-in-law of the emperor, good days are yet to come for him.

Li Wei asked casually, "Your Majesty, are you going to appoint that fellow as the seal holder of the Imperial Horse Administration?"

After all, he is a eunuch and cannot be granted a title.

The Imperial Stables were second only to the Seal Keeper in terms of their responsibilities.

If the emperor wanted to promote Li Jin, he could only promote him from a pen holder to a seal holder.

But... isn't Feng Bao the one who holds the seal now?

Zhu Yijun was stunned: "The seal of the Imperial Stables?"

"Commander-in-Chief of the East Factory!"

……

"You mean, let Li Jin be in charge of the East Factory?" Empress Dowager Li looked at Zhu Xizhong in surprise.

Zhu Xizhong nodded.

Empress Dowager Li tasted it carefully and also tasted its flavor. She couldn't help but look at Zhu Xizhong twice more.

That’s why they say that nobles are always loyal dogs.

The outer court disregarded his face and impeached the eunuch who preceded her. If she gave in like this, she would lose both her dignity and face - the emperor was still young, and it was not appropriate to talk to him about this.

Now Zhu Xizhong's proposal has perfectly solved this problem.

Even if you give in a little, you won't lose anything at all!

The East Factory passed from the hands of trusted relatives to the hands of clan members. Isn't that just transferring money from one hand to the right hand?
Thinking of this, the rejection in my heart dissipated.

She nodded slowly, but suddenly stopped and looked at Lu Diaoyang: "Minister Lu, does this conform to the ancestral rules?"

Lu Diaoyang was stunned for a moment, and began to think about what he said.

In fact, it would be best if the East Factory was not in the hands of foreign relatives.

But the relationship was not close, and after all, he was not a court official. Chen Hong, as a household slave of Empress Dowager Chen, had also served as the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department.

If he used this as an excuse, and the Queen Mother asked him why Chen Hong was allowed but Li Jin was not, he would be in an even more difficult situation.

Thinking of this, Lu Diaoyang could only affirm: "It is not against the rules."

Only then did Empress Dowager Li nod in satisfaction.

……

Empress Dowager Li left with Li Wei.

Before leaving, both of them seemed to be in a better mood, as if they had solved a big problem.

Li Wei, in particular, only regretted not entering the palace earlier.

The emperor not only promised him a salary of 1,200 dan, but also promised him wealth and prosperity in the future. He hinted that he would send people to the southeast to investigate, so that they could set up a chamber of commerce and participate in maritime transportation next year.

What a good grandson.

Zhu Yijun personally escorted Lü Diaoyang out of the palace, grabbed his hand, and said enthusiastically: "The Prime Minister's matter is even more difficult for Mr. Lu."

Lu Diaoyang left as if he was escaping.

Zhu Yijun looked at his back and chuckled.

Then he turned around and looked at Zhu Xizhong, saying sincerely: "The Duke is indeed a loyal minister to the country."

(End of this chapter)