Chapter 609
His Majesty probably really wants to abdicate!
The heavy palace doors closed behind Chongzhen, shutting out the warm air inside, the unresolved controversies, and the hesitant expressions of the several grand secretaries.
The emperor left, taking with him the bustling excitement and the unquestionable orders, as well as the exhilarating news of victory.
Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, silence returned. But this silence was different from the tranquility before the emperor's arrival, when everyone was busy with official duties, and also different from the deathly silence of shock when the emperor announced his abdication.
It was a heavy silence filled with unspoken words, complex emotions, and huge questions.
Only the charcoal fire in the copper brazier continued to burn tirelessly, emitting a continuous and monotonous crackling sound, occasionally bursting into a spark or two, reflecting the ever-changing, preoccupied expressions on the faces of several important officials of the court.
The indoor temperature seemed to be gradually decreasing as the emperor left and the cold air from outside continued to seep in, but the turmoil in everyone's hearts showed no signs of cooling down.
Grand Secretary Zhang Zhifa was the youngest and had a rather straightforward personality; he was the first to break the suffocating silence.
He raised his hand and rubbed his temples hard with his fingertips, as if to make sure he wasn't having a bizarre dream. His gaze swept over the faces of Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan, Second Grand Secretary Jiang Dejing, and others, his voice dry, filled with deep confusion and disbelief:
“This… Grand Secretary, Lord Jiang, Lord Fan… what exactly happened today? His Majesty… what His Majesty just said… could it be that we are exhausted from working these past few days and are hallucinating? Or… was His Majesty joking with us?”
This… abdication… the retired emperor…”
He shook his head, as if trying to shake the terrible word out of his mind.
"Never before has such a thing happened in history! Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, with outstanding achievements. It is the perfect time for you to rule the world and realize your grand ambitions. How could... how could you suddenly have such a thought? This... this is simply like talking in a dream!"
He became more and more agitated as he spoke, the flush on his face from the earlier argument and his current confusion not yet completely fading.
The events that occurred in less than an hour were so numerous and impactful that they completely overturned his understanding.
Grand Secretary Jiang Dejing also had a furrowed brow, so furrowed that he could trap a fly.
He slowly sat down in his chair, and upon hearing this, he let out a long sigh, a sigh filled with incomprehension and deep worry.
He shook his head, his gaze fixed on the door the emperor had left through, as if he could still see that dark figure in black.
“A joke? No words are taken lightly before the Emperor. Your Majesty’s expression and tone today were clear to both of us. It was not a child’s play, much less a test.”
Jiang Dejing's voice was low and slow, each word seemingly carrying a thousand pounds of weight.
“His Majesty is serious. He really… has the thought of abdicating, and judging from his words and actions, this thought… has probably been brewing for more than a day.”
He paused, his expression of confusion deepening:
"But... I really can't understand why Your Majesty would do this. With great victories in Liaodong and Korea, the hearts of the people are with you, and your prestige is at its peak. This is the perfect opportunity to govern diligently and create a golden age for all time! Why would Your Majesty choose to retire at this time? This... this is unreasonable and difficult to understand!"
He raised his head, his gaze finally landing on Xue Guoguan, who sat silently in the prime minister's seat, his eyes filled with inquiry and hope.
"Prime Minister, you are a wise and experienced strategist who has served His Majesty the longest. Do you know... what secrets lie behind this?"
In an instant, the eyes of Fan Jingwen, Zhang Zhifa and others also focused on Xue Guoguan.
This veteran of three reigns and the Grand Secretary has become their biggest mystery, and the key figure they hope to uncover the truth.
Sensing the attention of everyone, Xue Guoguan finally made a move.
He slowly reached out and picked up the cup of tea that had long since gone cold from the desk in front of him.
The celadon teacup was icy to the touch, but he seemed unconcerned, bringing it to his lips and taking a small sip.
The cool tea went down his throat, bringing a refreshing stimulation. He put down the teacup, making a soft "click" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet duty room.
He raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over the faces before him, faces filled with anxiety, confusion, and thirst for knowledge. His face was expressionless, devoid of the excitement of Jiang Dejing and others, or the panic of Zhang Zhifa. Instead, there was a bottomless calmness and the unfathomable profundity unique to those who had long held high positions.
"The will of Heaven is unfathomable."
Xue Guoguan spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but with a calm and steady tone.
"Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, and your thoughts and considerations are beyond the comprehension of us ministers. Since Your Majesty has such thoughts, there must be a deeper meaning behind them. Perhaps... Your Majesty is truly weary."
He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat distant, as if recalling something:
"We both know a little about the kind of life His Majesty has led over the past twenty years. He has worked tirelessly day and night, pouring his heart and soul into his work. Now that Liaodong has been recovered and Korea has submitted, His Majesty's greatest wish has been fulfilled. His Majesty wants to rest and enjoy the pleasures of family life... Thinking about it carefully, it seems... not entirely incomprehensible."
This statement is ambiguous, neither affirming the emperor's decision to abdicate nor denying the reasons for the advice given by Jiang Dejing and others; it merely provides a perspective for "understanding."
But then, Xue Guoguan abruptly changed his tone, his voice still calm, but carrying an invisible pressure, and his gaze sharpened as he slowly swept over the crowd:
"As for His Highness the Crown Prince..."
He deliberately slowed down his speech.
"In the Liaodong campaign, the Crown Prince was the actual commander-in-chief; in the Korean campaign, the Crown Prince made great contributions; and even in today's great victory in Dongfan, the Duke of Jinghai was someone the Crown Prince promoted and trusted. His Highness the Crown Prince's wisdom, martial prowess, and strategic talent are already known to all. His Majesty's trust in the Crown Prince is unprecedented."
His words, seemingly evaluating the crown prince's abilities, actually pointed out a key point: the emperor's abdication was not a hasty decision, nor was it due to distrust of the crown prince. Rather, it was likely based on absolute trust in the crown prince's abilities and a tacit understanding that had already been reached between father and son.
Moreover, the Crown Prince has already proven himself capable of shouldering great responsibilities with a series of tangible achievements.
Finally, Xue Guoguan leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the desk, his gaze sharp as lightning, staring directly at each cabinet minister. His voice suddenly turned stern, carrying an undeniable authority and warning:
"The matter discussed by His Majesty in the Wenyuan Pavilion today concerns the imperial succession and the very foundation of the nation! Until His Majesty issues a decree to proclaim this to the world, every word and phrase discussed here today is an absolute secret!"
He slammed his hand on the table. Although the force wasn't strong, the crisp "smack" sounded particularly startling in the silence!
"Anyone who dares to divulge even a single word, to spread rumors and make wild guesses, causing turmoil in the court and panic among the people... don't blame me for turning ruthless and showing no mercy to my colleagues! And don't expect His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince to forgive such a reckless person who threatens the foundation of the nation!"
This sudden and stern warning was like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, making the cabinet ministers, who had different thoughts, shiver and break out in a cold sweat.
They then suddenly realized what earth-shattering news they had heard today was, enough to cause an earthquake in the government and the public! This was no longer an ordinary political disagreement or advice, but involved the transfer of supreme power, a vortex that could cause countless heads to roll!
"Your humble servant understands!"
"I will obey the Prime Minister's command!"
"Rest assured, Your Excellency, we understand the importance of this matter!"
Jiang Dejing, Fan Jingwen, Zhang Zhifa, and Hong Chengchou quickly clasped their hands in greeting and expressed their views with solemnity and seriousness.
Even if they had a hundred lives, they wouldn't dare leak this information. Not only would they lose their official positions, but they risked the extermination of their entire families!
Seeing that his warning had worked, Xue Guoguan's expression softened slightly. He leaned back in his chair, regaining his calm demeanor, and waved his hand dismissively.
"Go about your business. The affairs of Dongfan are numerous and complex, and we need to come up with a plan as soon as possible. His Majesty is waiting to see."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon. However, with a belly full of unresolved questions and heavy thoughts, they all bowed and silently withdrew from the Grand Secretary's office, returning to their respective desks.
However, even though he sat down, he could no longer concentrate on the official documents in front of him.
Jiang Dejing picked up his pen to write a suggestion on the selection of officials for Dongfan, but the emperor's words, "I am really tired," kept echoing in his mind; Fan Jingwen looked at the figures of money and grain reported by the Ministry of Revenue, but the emperor's relieved yet resolute expression appeared before his eyes; Wu Sheng and Zhang Zhifa were even more confused, sometimes thinking of the joy of the great victory in Dongfan, and sometimes being pulled back to reality by the horror of "the emperor is going to abdicate."
Xue Guoguan's last words, especially the part about the Crown Prince's abilities and His Majesty's trust, were like a stone thrown into a still lake, creating even deeper ripples.
They were not fools; upon closer examination, they discerned a deeper meaning—it seemed that this matter was not merely a whim of His Majesty, but rather a pre-arranged step that His Majesty and the Crown Prince had tacitly agreed upon, or even planned in advance.
The Grand Secretary's attitude seemed to confirm this. If that were truly the case... what use would it be for them, as his subjects, to offer further advice? Did they really intend to defy two generations of monarchs simultaneously?
This realization significantly weakened their resolve to dissuade him, but their inner anxieties and unease did not diminish. Instead, the realization of the "irreversibility" of the situation made them feel even heavier and more confused. The stark conflict between traditional loyalty to the emperor and the unconventional political reality left them feeling unprecedentedly lost and bewildered.
Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, the charcoal fire had cooled down considerably, the leaping flames had diminished, the indoor light had dimmed, and the temperature had noticeably dropped.
Several high-ranking officials in the imperial court, under the increasingly cold air and the flickering firelight, each with their own heavy thoughts, forced themselves to turn their attention back to the most urgent and most anxiety-relieving task at hand: the "post-war settlement of the Eastern Barbarians".
The snow outside the window has fallen silently again, covering every glazed tile of the Forbidden City without a sound, as if to bury all the secrets that happened today deep under this vast white expanse.
In stark contrast to the slightly anxious atmosphere of the Wenyuan Pavilion, which was heated by charcoal fire and filled with heavy national affairs and startling thoughts, the warm pavilion deep inside the East Palace was a relaxing and warm tranquility.
Several large, carved wooden windows were tightly closed, completely shutting out the biting cold wind and swirling snow of the twelfth lunar month in the capital.
Inside, several exquisite brass animal-head charcoal stoves were burning silently with fine silver-boned charcoal, emitting a steady and gentle heat that warmed the entire space like springtime, while the air was filled with a faint and elegant aroma of fruitwood charcoal.
On a high table in the corner, a pot of daffodils is in full bloom, their tender yellow flowers quietly releasing their fragrance in the warm air, adding a touch of vitality to this wintery indoor space.
On the heated kang bed by the window, there was a thick, soft velvet cushion.
A small, exquisite rosewood low table is placed in the center, on which are placed several delicate court dishes: a plate of thinly sliced venison, a plate of bright green stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a plate of golden and crispy fried rolls, and a pot of fragrant aged Shaoxing wine warmed with hot water.
The dishes were few, but elegant, clearly a casual family dinner decided on the spur of the moment to accompany conversation.
Zhu Cilang had already changed out of his heavy court robes and was now wearing only an apricot-yellow casual robe with dark patterns, a jade belt loosely tied around his waist. He sat cross-legged casually on one side of the heated kang, his posture relaxed and a leisurely smile on his face.
Zheng Chenggong was dressed in more formal everyday clothes, but he also removed his outer official robes and sat opposite him, his posture respectful yet approachable.
Zheng Xiaomei was dressed quite casually today, in a lotus-colored palace dress that made her skin look like jade. She was kneeling quietly beside her brother and husband, holding a pot in her fair hand and slowly pouring warm wine into the jade cups in front of them.
The amber-colored liquor swayed gently in the glass, shimmering with a soft sheen.
"Brother-in-law, try this. This is a new deer jerky recipe from the Imperial Kitchen. It's marinated with spices from Southeast Asia, and the taste is quite unique."
Zhu Cilang used silver chopsticks to pick up a paper-thin slice of venison and placed it on the plate in front of Zheng Chenggong, speaking in a relaxed and casual tone, as if he were simply entertaining an ordinary relative or friend.
Zheng Chenggong quickly picked up the small plate with both hands:
"Thank you, Your Highness. The food here is always the most exquisite."
He picked up a piece of venison, put it in his mouth, chewed it slowly, and nodded in approval:
"It was indeed delicious. The spices were used just right, removing the fishy smell and enhancing the freshness without overpowering the original flavor."
"Use more if you like."
Zhu Cilang smiled and picked up a slice for himself, then turned his gaze to Zheng Xiaomei.
"Little sister, don't just serve her, have some too. There are no outsiders here, so don't be shy."
Zheng Xiaomei smiled gently and shook her head slightly:
"I'm not hungry. Just let Your Highness and my brother eat."
Her gaze swept over their faces, her eyes filled with tenderness and contentment.
On such an afternoon, when her husband and brother could sit and drink together, chatting about everyday things, it was the most comforting and blissful time for her.
Zhu Cilang did not insist, and chatted with Zheng Chenggong about interesting things in Korea, such as the unique "warm floor" custom in winter, the spicy kimchi he tasted in Seoul, and the anecdotes of the noble sons in the Beijing garrison. The atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.
The charcoal fire occasionally crackled softly, and the delicate fragrance of daffodils mingled with the aromas of food and wine, creating a warm and tranquil atmosphere, as if secluded from the world.
The howling snow outside the window seemed to belong to another, distant world. (End of Chapter)