Chapter 335 335 How

The weather in the capital was still cold in February. At Yinshi, the night ban in the capital had been lifted, but there were still very few pedestrians on the streets.

At this time in previous years, there would have been people on horseback and sedan chairs on the streets of the capital rushing to go to court. However, the current Emperor Jiajing has not gone to court for many years. Therefore, although the current officials in the capital also get up early, they do not go to court. No need to rush to the Forbidden City against the stars.

But today seems to be different. Many figures suddenly appeared on the street where there were no people in the past. They divided into several groups and ran around the various gates and market intersections in the capital, constantly posting stickers in their hands on the walls.

In the past, people who posted such things were mostly government officials, but they would come out and post a circle in broad daylight and be done with it. They would not come out in the middle of the night to do such things.

Seeing them coming and going in the middle of the night and moving furtively, you can naturally tell that what they posted is definitely not a beautiful article.

An hour later, when the sun illuminated the entire capital, there were more and more pedestrians bustling on the road.

But at this time, most of them were in a hurry. They had to run around for the day, and naturally they didn't have time to notice any difference between the streets and yesterday.

Until the major city gates of the capital were opened, people from outside the city poured into the city, filling the entire streets. The city of Beijing once again regained its vitality and became as prosperous and lively as before.

Not long after, passers-by discovered the stickers posted at the city gates and major intersections. Although literate people could not fully recognize what was written on them, they could even guess roughly what the stickers said. What.

However, these people all fell silent immediately after reading the words on the sticker. They ignored the people around them who were busy asking him to explain the specific meaning and decisively got into the crowd.

Soon more and more people gathered around the sticker, attracting many readers who were shopping around to watch.

They were no better than the passers-by who could read a little before. They were shaking their heads in front of the onlookers and reading the content on the stickers. However, halfway through reading, their voices suddenly became quieter. Only a few simple-minded and pushy scholars were still there. The content on the sticker was read aloud, but the ordinary people who understood the meaning quickly dispersed, leaving good seats to those behind them.

In just half a day, the content of the sticker had already spread on the streets of Beijing.

Although everyone was very frightened by what was written on the sticker, they still couldn't help but reveal the secret they had just learned in front of people they knew well.

"Have you heard? Some people are complaining about Prince Yu. They say that the emperor did not make Prince Yu the crown prince because it was the traitorous prime minister Yan Song who defrauded the emperor's trust and planned to make Prince Jing the crown prince."

"There is such a thing. Where did you get the news?"

"Go to the streets and see. Someone posted stickers on the streets to expose this matter."

In fact, this is not a secret. In the past, we have spread similar topics when we were free. But today, I saw that the sticker said "nose and eyes". Many people believed what it said, and only a few old people heard it. When he heard the news, there was a look of worry on his face.

For a time, there was a lot of discussion in the capital. The only private discussion spread through the mouths of the people entering and leaving the city gates of Beijing, and soon spread to the surrounding villages and towns around Beijing, and gradually spread outward.

On the way back to the city, Lu Bing issued an emergency order to immediately confiscate the stickers posted everywhere. The people in the capital must not be allowed to continue spreading rumors like this.

In fact, not only Jinyiwei discovered the news about the stickers, but the Bingma Division, Shuntian Mansion, and even the Daxing and Wanping county offices already knew about it, not to mention Dongchang.

The other party was able to put stickers all over the huge city of Beijing overnight. It was obvious that he was well prepared and was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment move.

As the order was conveyed, Jin Yiwei, Yamen servants, and soldiers and horses were all dispatched to forcibly disperse the crowd of onlookers, tear off the stickers, and take them all back to the Yamen.

Such a big incident, of course, is not just about destroying it, but also about tracing it and analyzing the clues on the stickers to find out who is behind it.

There were rumors on the streets of the capital that Yan Song wanted to murder King Yu and support King Jing. As a Beijing official, he naturally learned about this from his subordinates at the first time. Most of the officials in the capital could smell something different behind this incident. It means someone is going to cause trouble.

The Metropolitan Procuratorate was a mad dog raised by the imperial court, but after the emergence of such major market rumors, it uncharacteristically did not take any action, and no one filed a petition for impeachment.

But this is actually not surprising. Zhou Yan, who is currently the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, heard the news and immediately summoned all the censors in Beijing and strictly ordered not to participate in the matter.

Zhou Yan was a Jinshi in the second year of Jiajing. He had witnessed the entire political struggle in the Jiajing Dynasty after the Dali Conference. He naturally knew that this sticker incident may represent the beginning of another fierce political competition in the Jiajing Dynasty. Under his leadership The Metropolitan Procuratorate must not be used as a weapon.

So Zhou Yan publicly said at the rally, "I really can't control any of you who want to get involved, but you should be careful about your future."

This was Zhou Yan's naked threat.

As the saying goes, county magistrates are not as good as current officials. The censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate have freedom of speech and can impeach other officials. If you go and write a letter to impeach, then Zhou Yan will send you to patrol Yunnan and Guizhou, and it will be great fun.

Transportation is inconvenient these days, so naturally no one wants to leave the capital and go to remote places like Yunnan and Guizhou, thousands of miles away.

As for the Ministry of Rites and other government offices, the officials also gave similar hints to their subordinates. After all, this big-character poster was not made by any one party. Now, whether it is the officials who support Prince Yu or the officials who support Prince Jing, they are still wondering whether it was the other party who made the incident.

Such news was naturally reported to Emperor Jiajing by the East Factory as soon as possible, and then the Jinyiwei also reported the matter secretly.

"Are there any memorials about Prince Yu and Prince Jing?"

Emperor Jiajing looked at Gao Zhong below indifferently and asked.

"Reporting to the emperor, I did not see any memorials about Prince Yu and Prince Jing in the trend sent by the cabinet today."

Gao Zhong hurriedly replied.

"If there are any memorials about them, send them to me as soon as possible."

Emperor Jiajing just said it very calmly. The court officials did not understand who made the big-character poster this time, and Emperor Jiajing was also muttering at this time.

After Gao Zhong took away today's memorial, Emperor Jiajing asked Huang Jin again: "Who did Prince Yu and Prince Jing contact these days? What did they say?"

There is no smoke without fire, and there must be a reason for everything. Emperor Jiajing also suspected his two sons, wondering if one of them finally couldn't hold back and came up with such a method to test him.

"Your Highness has been in the mansion recently and has not gone out, nor has he contacted outsiders."

Huang Jin immediately bowed and replied.

"Check it again."

Emperor Jiajing just gave an order and then started today's practice.

At this time, the news of the mutiny in Nanjing Zhenwu Camp had not yet reached the capital, and the messenger was still on the road in the wind and snow.

Although the stickers were confiscated by the soldiers and yamen runners in the capital in just half a day, the rumors in the market continued.

Guo Xiyan sat on the chair and was basically satisfied with the news that his trusted servant had found out.

Although he failed to cause a big turmoil in the officialdom, the public was suspicious and the outside world was full of opinions. Moreover, he wanted to take the lead and he calculated from the beginning that the officials in office might not dare to act on their own because of their doubts.

One day later, Guo Xiyan put on his official uniform and went to the Tongzhengsi to submit a memorial that he had prepared after three days of deliberation.

The memorial he submitted was naturally based on the theory of "ensuring the crown prince".

In his memorial, he bluntly stated that the emperor had issued a sacred edict of "establishing an emperor and establishing a crown prince", and the rumors spread on the streets, and everyone congratulated each other on "establishing a crown prince".

The so-called "establishing a crown prince" means appointing the crown prince, who is also called "crown prince", "crown prince", and "national foundation".

However, "establishing a crown prince" is difficult, so it is better to mention "ensuring the crown prince", and the so-called "ensuring the crown prince" means ensuring the safety of Prince Yu.

In order to ensure the safety of Prince Yu, the emperor and the prime minister, the two princes and the prime minister, the princes and the princes, and the emperor and the princes must trust each other and remove suspicion.

He also made an in-depth discussion on the core personnel relations and power distribution in the court, such as the two kings and the prime minister, the two kings, and the emperor and the two kings. He proposed that the emperor should summon the two kings and Yan Song separately and inform them; Prince Yu should stay in Beijing, and Prince Jing should go to his fiefdom as soon as possible.

Guo Xiyan attacked the real with falsehood. On the surface, he said that he was afraid that the prime minister and the prince would suspect each other, but in fact, he said that this was the fact, and it was so serious that it threatened the safety of the "national foundation".

He pretended to care about Yan Song on the surface, but in fact, he charged him with a crime of shaking the "national foundation", which made Yan Song unable to resist.

Guo Xiyan's memorial fell into Luo Longwen's hands. Although he felt that submitting this book would make it difficult for Yan Song to deal with it, Guo Xiyan submitted the memorial through formal channels, and the Tongzhengshisi had already filed it. He had no way to hide it directly, so he had to take the memorial to the cabinet alone.

When he arrived at Yan Song's duty room, he learned from the clerk that Yan Shifan had not arrived yet, so he had to let someone inform him, and then he entered the room and handed Guo Xiyan's memorial to Yan Song.

Such things cannot pass through other people's hands. If they fall into Xu Jie's hands, who knows how they will vote.

Of course, Xu Jie may not vote, but pass it to the next door.

However, although Xu Jie always maintains respect for the Yan family in front of and behind people, Yan Shifan has repeatedly told Luo Longwen that he should be careful of Xu Jie's son.

Xu Jie was sent to the local area by his father Yan Song at the beginning, but he didn't expect that he could return to the court after a round, and even in the absence of a suitable candidate, Yan Song was forced to choose him as the only candidate to successfully enter the cabinet.

Xu Jie is Xia Yan's disciple, and he dare not forget this easily at any time, so he is always on guard, but Xu Jie is cunning enough and can never find a handle to kill him.

"En Xiang, this is the memorial of Guo Xiyan, the former Zuo Chunfang Zuo Zhongyun of the Zhanshi Mansion, proposing to establish Prince Yu as the crown prince."

After receiving the report, Luo Longwen stepped into Yan Song's duty room, handed Guo Xiyan's memorial to Yan Song, and then briefly explained the content of the memorial.

"Guo Xiyan? Didn't he go back to Jiangxi?"

Guo Xiyan is a fellow villager from Jiangxi. During the assessment of the Ministry of Personnel last year, Guo Xiyan was a little arrogant and was disliked by many colleagues, so Yan Song did not choose to help him.

I thought this fellow villager should go back to his hometown, but I didn't expect him to be still in the capital.

"En Xiang, take a look, those stickers from the past two days, maybe he asked someone to post them."

Luo Longwen analyzed in a low voice. He got through Yan Shifan's relationship, talked to his father, and got the official position of Zhongshu Sheren. Later, he was sent to Tongzheng Shisi by Yan Shifan, so now he calls Yan Song En Xiang.

Yan Song frowned when he heard Luo Longwen's words, and then he opened the memorial and read it carefully.

Not long after, he finished reading Guo Xiyan's memorial. Considering the reactions of all parties and his memorial, Yan Song didn't believe that this was written by Guo Xiyan on impulse after hearing the news.

"I didn't expect Xiyan to have such a strategy, haha."

Although Yan Song was laughing, Luo Longwen still saw murderous intent in his fierce eyes, which really made Yan Song angry.

He couldn't be an official and couldn't stay in the officialdom, but he actually hated me. It's your business to make suggestions for the establishment of a crown prince, but you keep saying that the king and the prime minister are suspicious, and you have to ensure the safety of Prince Yu. What's your intention?

Sima Zhao's intention is known to everyone.

However, like Luo Longwen, Yan Song couldn't suppress this memorial. Now the matter of this memorial is probably spread in the six ministries and major government offices in the capital.

But Yan Song thought a little more at this time, and then Yan Song picked up the pen and drafted: "Submit it to the Ministry of Rites for detailed discussion."

As for the matter of establishing a crown prince, it is natural that the Ministry of Rites will discuss and decide and then report it to the cabinet, so Yan Song's draft can be said to be in line with the rules.

He put the memorial among the memorials waiting to be sent to the Silijian, and chatted with Luo Longwen for a few words, and Luo Longwen withdrew tactfully.

The memorial arrived at the Silijian and in the hands of Gao Zhong. After reading the memorial and the draft, Gao Zhong did not dare to delay and hurriedly sent it to Emperor Jiajing in Yongshou Palace.

After reading Guo Xiyan's memorial and Yan Song's draft, Emperor Jiajing's face instantly turned cold.

Yan Song's draft was sent to the Ministry of Rites for detailed discussion. What is there to discuss? I am the emperor. I have the final say on who to establish and who not to establish.

"Write it down."

Emperor Jiajing glanced at Gao Zhong and said contemptuously: "You are going to submit it to the Ministry of Rites. What do you want to do? If you follow his advice, just report it to the ancestral temple."

Gao Zhong picked up the pen in his hand, but did not dare to put it down easily.

Huang Jin on the side hurriedly bowed and said: "Your Majesty, write it like this, the old man..."

"Who cares about him? They can decide who is the crown prince. They only need to discuss with the Ministry of Rites. Why report it to me? If there is a result, report it directly to the ancestral temple. Just write it like this, without changing a word."

Emperor Jiajing said angrily, and his tone was also very unfriendly. "Just send someone to send the memorial to the cabinet, let them discuss with the Ministry of Rites, and go directly to the ancestral temple and say that I approve it."

When Guo Xiyan's memorial was sent back to the cabinet, Yan Song was immediately shocked.

"Dad, you are confused, how can you guess the emperor's intention."

At this time, Yan Shifan was on duty. When he saw the memorial with red approval, he was anxious.

He saw that his father thought that this memorial might have been submitted by someone who instructed Guo Xiyan, so he voted like this.

Yan Song was also confused at this time. Now it seems that he really thought too much at that time, and the palace didn't know about this at all.

"I am confused, how should I re-submit the vote, you come."

Yan Song could only choose to trust his son at this time, Yan Shifan, who is commonly known as a "genius", to make the decision.

Yan Shifan looked at the memorial and picked up the pen to re-submit it without hesitation: "The intention is suspicious. The current Ministry of Rites will discuss the public opinion of the three judicial departments, and the deduction will be stopped."