Chapter 16: Separate Palace Stars and Frost, Soft Outside and Hard Inside

After the matter was explained, Zhu Yijun sat quietly for a while before setting off to pay respects to the two palaces.

These two days he had racked his brains, thinking without stopping for a moment; although his body could handle it, it was truly exhausting.

This was still without starting to handle state affairs, and even because of the mourning period, the afternoon riding and shooting were exempted.

But even so, it made him a bit tired.

It's no wonder there are many who don't want to hold court; wanting to be a good monarch is not much easier than 996.

Rarely having a moment of leisure, Zhu Yijun refused the sedan chair, only following a few palace maids and eunuchs behind him, walking towards Empress Chen's bedroom.

Empress Chen was the legitimate wife remarried by the late Emperor, and she had no children; she was driven to a separate palace by the late Emperor on the grounds of "no children and many illnesses," and the location was remote, almost like a cold palace, which made Zhu Yijun walk well.

But fortunately, he was finally not stopped outside the hall today.

"Your Highness, the Empress invites you in." The palace maid lowered her eyebrows and eyes, leading the way in front.

Zhu Yijun nodded and followed behind.

This Empress Chen was truly a pitiful person, born of a legitimate wife, but not favored.

The heir was about to ascend the throne, and he was not her own son.

Eunuchs and palace maids all went to Li Imperial Consort's place to flatter, and almost no one came to Empress Chen's place to burn cold stoves.

The predecessor didn't see this Empress Chen many times; in his impression, she was a cold-tempered person.

"Your Highness, please wait, this servant will go in and report." The palace maid stopped outside the door and said.

This place was a separate palace, there were not many halls, and there were almost no decorations in the hall.

Zhu Yijun looked around and responded casually.

After a while, the palace maid came out again and invited him in.

As soon as Zhu Yijun entered, he saw Empress Chen wearing the Empress's mourning robes, leaning against the desk by the window.

Empress Chen looked to be in her early thirties, her appearance was extremely beautiful, but her complexion was not very good; the white mourning clothes, the gray collar, and the skirt made her complexion look pale.

Before and after the mourning clothes, black and gold cloud dragon patterns were woven, showing a trace of noble coldness.

Empress Chen saw Zhu Yijun enter and looked over.

Zhu Yijun performed the ritual first: "This child, asks if the mother is well?"

Empress Chen's voice was like a clear spring, slowly saying: "With the late Emperor gone, I have truly become the 'mourning one' as said in the opera; no one has come to this palace for several days."

"Sleeping at the wrong time yesterday, I neglected my child."

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but feel compassion; he replied: "The mother's palace is cold, it is this child's fault; in the future, this child will come to pay respects to the mother every day."

Empress Chen smiled: "You have good filial piety; no wonder, only a good filial son would think of the late Emperor in his dreams."

"Early this morning, I heard that my sister was boasting everywhere to the noble ladies that you had changed your nature and became sensible overnight; now it seems that it is indeed decent, not bad."

Although she was not his biological mother, the patriarchal law was above, and the binding force was only greater, not smaller; Zhu Yijun dared not be vague.

After receiving the praise, he naturally had to be humble: "Mother's teaching is right; this child was indeed too slack in his proper business in the past; in the future, please give this child more training."

Speaking of this, he simply followed the snake up the stick: "Mother, recently the daily lecture is studying 'Shang Shu'; when this child was reviewing, he found some doubts; can he ask the mother to explain?"

Empress Chen was different from Li; she was from a scholarly family.

Her father was from a military family and failed the imperial examination many times. Her mother was the granddaughter of the Crown Prince's Junior Tutor and Minister of Rites, Zhang Wenzhi.

Empress Chen had been familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics since she was a child, and naturally had a deep understanding of classical learning.

Of course, for Zhu Yijun, what he asked was not important; what was important was the act of asking.

He helped people, they might not necessarily be grateful.

On the contrary, most of the people who helped him would have a good impression of him.

This was the golden rule he summarized in his previous life.

And the so-called asking for advice was even more effective, and he could always gain the favor of leaders—of course, the qualification to ask for advice was the most difficult to obtain.

Now Zhu Yijun followed suit and used it on Empress Chen, which was naturally very effective.

Only to see Empress Chen nod, and the whole person sat upright: "En, at your age, Shang Shu is indeed a bit obscure; you might as well say it and let me hear."

As she spoke, her eyebrows and eyes smiled, obviously very useful.

Zhu Yijun hurriedly called someone to take a book of Shang Shu.

While flipping through the pages, he showed a look of doubt and asked repeatedly.

Most people like to be teachers, and Empress Chen was no exception; not to mention that it was rare for someone to talk, so she naturally didn't stint on advice.

Empress Chen gave pointers, and Zhu Yijun immediately realized, and then drew inferences from one instance.

With Zhu Yijun's intentional support, every time he scratched Empress Chen's itchy spot, she unconsciously immersed herself in it.

Just like this for an hour.

After Zhu Yijun left, Empress Chen, whose mouth was dry, still had an aftertaste.

While she was drinking tea to moisten her throat, the Chief Eunuch walked in with small steps: "Empress, the Crown Prince has gone to Li Imperial Consort's side."

Empress Chen then came back to her senses and nodded.

She looked at the empty hall again, her face a bit sad, and opened her mouth: "Chen Suan, you say, why don't I have a son?"

Eunuch Chen comforted: "Empress, the Crown Prince is your son."

Empress Chen laughed at herself: "That's right, he is a good son, so good that I don't know how my 'good' sister gave birth to him."

After saying this, she looked up again, looking out the window.

It seemed like a murmur: "Let Chen Hong restrain himself; he helped Zhang Siwei privately pass memorials behind my back, and only knew to beg me after being blocked by Feng Bao? Meng Chong died just yesterday, I can't bear to see you old people leave one by one earlier than me."

These two eunuchs surnamed Chen were originally Chen family slaves, who followed her into the Prince Yu's Mansion, and their names were given by her mother.

Chen Suan buried his head very low: "This servant will go tell him."

Empress Chen nodded, looking at the daylight outside the window, and said no more.

……

When Zhu Yijun arrived outside Li Imperial Consort's bedroom, he happened to see Feng Bao coming out from inside from afar.

As soon as he entered the bedroom, he saw Li Imperial Consort's face was livid.

He was puzzled in his heart, but still did the rituals: "Ask if the mother is well."

After performing the ritual, he didn't hear Li Imperial Consort reply, so he leaned to Li's side and accompanied her carefully: "Who made my mother angry? Mother tell me, I will go find him trouble right now."

Li Imperial Consort threw out a memorial in a hurry and threw it on the table: "You take a look!"

Zhu Yijun was puzzled in his heart, but expressionless.

He gently picked up the memorial and flipped through it.

It was actually an impeachment memorial by Gao Gong against Feng Bao, listing Feng Bao's crimes of using public office for private gain, corruption and lawlessness, harming colleagues, isolating the inside from the outside, etc., with solid words.

Feng Bao was so honest, and it was presented to Li Imperial Consort like this? So she was angry at Feng Bao? Shouldn't be, right?

Zhu Yijun tested: "Mother, a small matter, not worth mother's anger."

Li Imperial Consort was suddenly out of control: "Small matter!? Then what is a big matter!"

"What exactly does this Gao Gong want to do!"

"You still think he only has the mind of a civil official, so he is always at odds with Chief Eunuch Feng?"

"Do you know what he said!?"

Li Imperial Consort squeezed a few words from her teeth, her tone cold: "He said, a ten-year-old Emperor, how can he rule the world!"

Zhu Yijun looked at the out-of-control Li Imperial Consort and closed the memorial silently.

This was Feng Bao's insidious move.

The sentence "how to rule the world" and "how to rule the world" have completely different meanings.

It changed directly from how a ten-year-old governs the country to how a ten-year-old becomes an Emperor.

This had already touched Li's reverse scale; once these words came out, any words of Gao Gong in Li Imperial Consort's place became fart words.

People who are hated will not be viewed objectively.

And Feng Bao, as Li Imperial Consort's own person, Gao Gong's impeachment memorial immediately became a provocation to the inner court and to Li.

The means were simple, but they were always effective.

Zhu Yijun had no way to deal with it; after all, Gao Gong had really said similar things.

He took a deep breath, his face showing a look of shared hatred: "How dare he bully my orphan mother and son like this!?"

"Mother, wait until I ascend the throne in a few days, and I will drive him out of the court!"

Li Imperial Consort's expression finally eased, but she still felt it was not enough, and tore Gao Gong's memorial to pieces: "Such rebellion, Chief Eunuch Feng also said that this word alone cannot cure his crime! How unreasonable!"

This was leaving it in the palace without sending it out—physically.

Zhu Yijun was very sensible, calling the palace people to burn the broken paper to ashes.

He didn't just watch, but hurriedly stepped forward to pat Li Imperial Consort's back, comforting: "Mother, don't be angry with such an old man, otherwise it will fulfill him."

"Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty was evaluated by Prime Minister Chancellor Zhang Dun as 'Prince Duan is light and frivolous, and cannot rule the world' before he ascended the throne, which is exactly the same as Gao Gong's rebellion."

"But after that, Emperor Huizong did all kinds of evil, the capital was broken by the Jin people, he was captured to the Jin country, and died in the hands of others, becoming a laughingstock for the world, which just fulfilled Chancellor Zhang Dun's words."

"Today's Gao Gong is probably taking Chancellor Zhang Dun as his own, proud and complacent."

"Mother should not only not fulfill his scheming and reputation, but should let Gao Gong see well how mother's son is, and how he rules the world."

"At that time, this child will bring up the old matter again and let him apologize to mother well."

Zhu Yijun's explanation finally made Li Imperial Consort's face better.

She said angrily: "You haven't read many books, but you quote classics and tell stories of previous dynasties one after another."

Zhu Yijun hurriedly held Li Imperial Consort's arm: "It is mother's good discipline that made this child understand some learning and principles."

Li Imperial Consort glared at her: "Speaking of this, I haven't settled the account with you yet!"

Zhu Yijun blinked, puzzled.

Li Imperial Consort knocked on his forehead: "The eunuch on duty in the Wenhua Hall today said that you were absent-minded during the daily lecture, were you distracted?"

Zhu Yijun knew what she was referring to as soon as he heard it, and sighed in his heart.

This black report was really endless; he was thinking about Zhang Juzheng's court response at the time, and he was distracted, and it could be reported to Li Imperial Consort.

No need to think, he knew it was the eunuch on duty, who passed it to Feng Bao.

Fortunately, he was not the predecessor, otherwise he would really have suffered a dull loss.

Zhu Yijun restrained his smile, stood up in front of Li Imperial Consort, and then bowed long.

Li was puzzled.

Zhu Yijun didn't explain anything, just knelt on the ground and began to recite the content of the daily lecture word by word: "Tai Jia was established, but was muddled; Yi Yin banished him to Tong, and after three years, he returned to Bo..."

Although Li Imperial Consort didn't understand much, she understood what he was doing, so she listened quietly and nodded frequently.

After a while, Zhu Yijun recited the entire paragraph.

But he didn't stop, and began to explain the meaning of this article.

Li Imperial Consort was satisfied in her heart and recognized that her son had studied seriously today.

She opened her mouth: "Alright, get up."

Zhu Yijun didn't move

Until Empress Li began to grow somewhat impatient, Zhu Yijun finally finished reciting all of today's lessons.

But he did not take the opportunity to stand up; instead, he buried his head even lower: "Mother, yesterday I promised you face-to-face that I would advance my studies and cultivate virtue, and would not let anything go to waste."

"Now, I am naturally diligent and conscientious, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent."

"Yet, Mother, you recklessly believe the slander of petty men, demeaning the dignity of the heir apparent. In this, how are you any different from Gao Gong?"

"I dare to ask, Mother, that in the future you trust me three parts more, and personally watch to see if I make any mistakes or missteps. That would also save petty men from being able to slander me further."

Empress Li was caught off guard by Zhu Yijun's sudden outburst and, blushing, helped him up.

Turning her face away, she said, "My son has grown sensible; he knows how to lecture his mother now."

Zhu Yijun was unrelenting: "It is not lecturing you, Mother, but you trust outsiders more than you trust your own son. To be accused without cause—I feel aggrieved in my heart."

Empress Li gave a light cough: "Alright, alright, Mother knows."

Seeing that Empress Li's attitude had finally softened, Zhu Yijun's expression cleared from cloudy to sunny, and he hurriedly began to massage her shoulders again.

Perception is turned around bit by bit in just this way.

If you want people to feel you are worthy of trust, the optimal solution is to be gentle in attitude but unyielding on your bottom line, using a humble demeanor to argue your case based on reason.

This is especially true between mother and son; otherwise, once you become a mama's boy, no matter how much you age, it will all be in vain.

Empress Li came to her senses, still feeling she had lost some face, and added by way of compensation: "It is not that Mother doesn't trust you."

"Look, another censor has submitted a memorial saying that the 'heavenly dog eating the sun' is a warning from Heaven, largely caused by the lack of virtue in the sovereign, and asking you to reflect on your own sins, copy Daoist and Buddhist scriptures, and offer sacrifices to Heaven."

"Mother is only helping you check for omissions and fill in gaps, so that you don't truly offend the Heavens."

Having said this, Empress Li took out several memorials and handed them over.

Zhu Yijun was speechless and couldn't be bothered to take the memorials.

These kinds of memorials have always been devoid of substance, yet they occupy the high ground of political correctness, leaving one with no way to refute them.

As for who is so wicked... it is most likely Zhang Juzheng.

Once you start copying these Buddhist and Daoist scriptures, you won't be able to stop for half a month; it drains your heart and energy.

Aside from attending the morning court and the daily lectures, I'm afraid all my other time will have to be poured into this.

In the past, it was always me drowning the leader's desk in miscellaneous and useless documents; now, I've been paid back in my own coin.

Retribution is swift indeed.

What is frustrating is that I truly cannot ignore these kinds of memorials; this is also a part of the current ritual system.

Just like praying for rain during a drought or issuing an edict of self-reproach when the palace catches fire, there is no escaping it.

Moreover, Empress Li's attitude in bringing out these memorials was also very clear: copy the Buddhist and Daoist scriptures—it's a good thing, hurry up and start copying.

Zhu Yijun could only agree: "I will copy them carefully when I return."

Empress Li nodded with satisfaction, considering the matter closed.

——

Note 1: Empress Xiao'an, née Chen, was from Tongzhou. In the ninth month of the 37th year of Jiajing, she was selected as the secondary consort of Prince Yu. In the first year of Longqing, she was created Empress. The Empress had no children and was often ill, residing in a separate palace. — "History of Ming, Biographies, Volume 2"

(End of chapter)