GBP Chapter 673 Zhu Meichu's Crisis
Chapter 673 Zhu Meichu's Crisis
Although the imperial edict was not read aloud in public, Wen Tiren did not deliberately conceal it when drafting it, and the civil and military officials already knew its general meaning. Although opinions were divided—civil officials lamented that it was a "treaty under duress," while military officials were filled with envy—in any case, this price should satisfy the appetite of the person outside the city.
The Grand Secretary emerged from the palace gates carrying the imperial edict, along with everyone's hopes. Everyone wished this coup drama would end soon, allowing them to leave the palace safely. Otherwise, when gods fight, mortals suffer; attending the morning court in the Golden Palace and encountering problems would be incredibly unlucky.
Outside Chengtian Gate, Liu Ye, who was getting impatient, finally saw Wen Tiren arrive again.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree was still Fang Zhenghua, a court eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Wen Tiren urged Liu Ye to set up an incense table to receive the decree.
Liu Ye said with a grin, "Your Excellency, it's just you and Eunuch Fang here, and there are no outsiders. Let's skip these formalities. Besides, I've brought troops here to prepare for war. Where would I find incense tables and such things in such a hurry?"
Wen Tiren said helplessly, "If you don't have the goods, then at least kneel down to receive the imperial decree, right? The procedure has to be followed."
He chuckled again and asked, "Grand Secretary, can you reveal some inside information? Is it good news or bad news? If it's the latter, I won't keep you company any longer; I'd just get my clothes dirty..."
Seeing his lazy appearance, Wen Tiren said speechlessly, "I personally drafted it, would I cheat you?"
"Alright, I'm relieved to hear you say that." Liu Ye lifted his robe, knelt down on one knee, and the others followed suit, all kneeling on the ground.
Receiving an imperial edict was a very formal process; one had to kneel on both knees and bow deeply. Liu Ye's posture was clearly improper and too perfunctory. Fang Zheng pretended not to see it and did not correct him, but opened the edict and began to read it aloud.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: General Liu Ye of Qionghai Town led his troops to defend the Emperor, drove out the Tartar army, relieved the siege of the capital, saved the people of the capital region from suffering, and beheaded thousands of enemy soldiers. His merits are immense..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ye chuckled softly. This foolish emperor only spoke when a knife was held to his throat. If only he had known this earlier!
"To reward Liu Ye for his unparalleled achievements, he is hereby granted the title of Marquis of Pingnan, appointed Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, promoted to Left Commander-in-Chief of the Five Military Commissions, and granted the rank of Grand General of the Extra Rank, above all other generals, to command the troops of Shandong, Guangdong, and Guangxi provinces, and to assist in the administration of state affairs. His own troops are beyond the authority of the Ministry of War to mobilize; however, in the event of resistance against the Tartars or bandits, he may be reinforced by nearby garrisons. It is hoped that he will dedicate himself wholeheartedly to serving the court, strengthening the army, and resisting foreign invasion. Furthermore, the garrisons of Shanxi and Xuanfu have both rendered meritorious service, and each is awarded ten thousand taels of silver. Hu Dawei and Yang Guozhu are both promoted to Associate Commander-in-Chief of the Five Military Commissions. This is the imperial decree!"
Liu Ye was both surprised and delighted, as his requests had been largely fulfilled. But what was the plan of this general?
After receiving the imperial edict, he asked impatiently, "Your Excellency, what exactly is the rank of this Grand General? I've never heard of him before."
Wen Tiren chuckled and replied, “During the Hongwu reign of this dynasty, Xu Da and Lan Yu held the rank of Grand General, commanding the armies of the realm. However, this was limited to leading troops in battle; their positions were abolished after the war, making it a temporary post, not a permanent one. His Majesty is quite troubled by your position as a mere General overseeing three provinces, so I suggested that he emulate the ancient system of the Han dynasty and re-establish the Grand General position, giving you a title and salvaging some face for the court. However, while this Grand General position is prestigious, it is considerably less than the position of the Han dynasty's Grand General, which ranked above the Three Dukes and head of all officials. You will have to make do for now…”
Liu Ye laughed heartily: "It's truly commendable that you, Grand Secretary, came up with this idea. I gained substance, and the Emperor gained prestige. So be it if it's scaled back; it's just an empty title anyway. As long as it allows me to legitimately wield power, that's all that matters. But speaking of which, I do want to control the three provinces. With this honorary title of Grand General, it's certainly more legitimate than that of a Commander-in-Chief. Thank you for your trouble, Grand Secretary!"
Wen Tiren stroked his beard and said, "You've finally gotten what you wanted. But you're bound to be obliged by those who feed you. His Majesty has made such a big concession; do you still insist on killing Yang Sichang? His Majesty values his reputation, and because of the peace negotiations, he won't easily hand over Yang Sichang. I'm afraid taking his life at this critical juncture is a bit of a stretch..."
“I understand the Emperor’s thoughts. The peace talks can be done but not talked about. Protecting Yang Sichang is protecting his reputation as a wise ruler. Since we have gained benefits, let’s leave Yang Sichang’s head on his neck for now and retrieve it later. Once I withdraw from the capital, the dragon will enter the sea and the tiger will return to the forest. I don’t think Yang Sichang will be able to cause any more trouble.”
Fang Zhenghua chimed in, "Congratulations to Marquis Pingnan for achieving his wish!"
"Hehe, going from earl to marquis, it's still a bit of an adjustment!" Liu Ye said with a smug smile.
Wen Tiren shook his head, pointed at him, and laughed: "Zhiwen, you're just being hypocritical after getting a good deal. As long as you maintain your current momentum, becoming a Duke is only a matter of time..."
Liu Ye flattered, "Your Excellency is quite impressive. Thanks to your 'merit' in 'suppressing the rebellion,' your position as Grand Secretary is even more secure. As for Eunuch Fang, with Your Excellency's secret support, his rise to power is only a matter of time..."
Fang Zhenghua replied with a smile, "With the Grand Secretary backing us in the court and the General providing external support, we have no worries about not having opportunities."
The three exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.
While the three foxes, old, middle-aged, and young, were sharing the spoils of victory, Zhu Meichu in the palace encountered a crisis.
After Emperor Chongzhen sent Wen Tiren to deliver the imperial edict, he waited anxiously in the Golden Palace with his civil and military officials. Half an hour later, Gao Qiqian finally brought good news: the Qionghai Army at Chengtian Gate had retreated first, followed by the Shanxi Garrison at Dong'an Gate and the Xuanfu Garrison at Xi'an Gate, and the siege of the imperial city had been lifted.
A suppressed cheer erupted from the main hall. The crowd dared not be too unrestrained, nor did they celebrate excessively. Instead, they discussed the matter in small groups.
"That jinx is finally gone, and all the officials have escaped a calamity!"
"Exactly. I've been thinking about how we should face the mutinous soldiers if they storm the imperial palace—should we offer our necks to be slaughtered or try to survive..."
After the civil and military officials dispersed, Emperor Chongzhen grew increasingly furious. He felt utterly humiliated to be forced to abdicate in such a disgraceful manner by a mere military man, and to agree to extremely harsh conditions. He stormed back to the Qianqing Palace and roared at Wang Chengen, "Has Kunxing arrived yet?"
Wang Chengen quickly replied, "We have already sent people to search outside the palace. Perhaps the army has just retreated and the streets are in chaos, and the princess was delayed on the way."
Not long after, Zhu Meichu arrived at the Qianqing Palace and cautiously asked, "What does Father Emperor want with me?"
Emperor Chongzhen stared intently at her, the kindness in his eyes vanished, and asked sternly, "Did you trick me into giving you the imperial edict just to save Liu Ye?"