Ming Dynasty: I took Emperor Chengzu to cultivate immortality, which drove Emperor Jiajing mad.

Chapter 9 The Retired Emperor Regent, First Imperial Edict

The retired emperor?

Regent?

Everyone was stunned.

They are still reeling from the shock of the "resurrection of Emperor Yongle".

To make an emperor who has been dead for over a hundred years... the retired emperor?

Then, he appointed the boy who looked only seventeen or eighteen years old beside him as regent?

This...this conforms to which family's ancestral rules? Which dynasty's legal code?

The Jiajing Emperor, standing at the bottom of the steps, was completely dumbfounded.

He, the legitimate emperor, is still here! Although he just got a good beating from his ancestors, at least the imperial seal and robes are still intact. How come he's become just a decoration in the blink of an eye?

Power, just like that, has been taken away?

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but when he met Zhu Di's cold gaze, he swallowed all his words back.

He dared not object.

He was afraid of getting slapped again.

In the square, they were like dead bodies.

The officials looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

Who's in favor? Who's against?

No one dares to answer this question.

Agree? That would be tantamount to openly denying the legitimacy of the current emperor and handing over the reins of power to a boy of unknown origin.

If this gets out, the world will surely descend into chaos.

Oppose?

Are you kidding me!

Whom were they opposing? Were they opposing the Yongle Emperor?

Although the man wasn't carrying a sword, his eyes were sharper than any blade. Anyone who dared to utter a word of "no" would likely have their head rolled in the next second.

What's more, there was a "true immortal" standing next to him who could conjure fire out of thin air.

This is no longer a political struggle on a human level.

This is a divine intervention by the gods and ancestors, who have descended to earth to rectify the political situation.

What right do mortals have to object?

In the suffocating silence, a figure emerged shakily from the crowd.

It was Xu Jie.

He walked to the center of the square, straightened his clothes, then lifted his robe and knelt down again in the direction of the dragon throne.

This time, he knelt not before Jiajing Emperor, nor before the dragon throne, but before Zhu Di and Zhu Zaiyi, who were standing beside the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Xu Jie, seconds this proposal!"

His voice sounded exceptionally clear in the silent night sky.

Everyone stared at him in shock.

They never expected that the first person to stand up and express his opinion would be Xu Jie, who was known for his composure!

Officials close to Xu Jie, such as Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, were initially taken aback, but quickly realized what was happening.

They understood Xu Jie's intention.

The current situation is beyond the control of ordinary people like them.

Rather than reaching a stalemate or foolishly opposing it, it's better to go with the flow and accept the fait accompli.

Because this "fact" is a great thing for those of them who want to change the government and eliminate the Yan faction!

A powerful, ruthless, and domineering "living ancestor" emperor.

The eldest grandson of the emperor, a regent with supernatural abilities and seemingly detached from worldly affairs.

Isn't this a million times better than the Jiajing Emperor, who didn't attend court for twenty years and devoted himself to alchemy?

This is the only chance for the Ming Dynasty to be revived!

"Your subject, Gao Gong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, second this motion!" Gao Gong was the second to stand up and kneel beside Xu Jie.

"Your subject, Zhang Juzheng, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, seconds this proposal!" Zhang Juzheng followed closely behind.

With these three leaders of the Qingliu faction taking the lead, other officials who had long been dissatisfied with Yan's faction and Jiajing also reacted one after another.

"Your Majesty, Yang Bo, Minister of War, second this proposal!"

"Your Majesty, I am the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate..."

"minister……"

The voices of "seconding" rose and fell.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the people in the square knelt down.

The remaining majority were mostly former protégés and associates of Yan's faction. They looked at each other, sweating profusely.

Their master, Yan Song, was still lying on the ground like a lump of mud, his fate unknown.

Given the current situation, if they dare to oppose it...

Yan Shifan, supporting his father's stretcher, was even paler than Yan Song. His usual arrogant demeanor had vanished without a trace.

He looked at the boy standing beside the dragon throne and felt a chill run from his tailbone to the top of his head.

He recalled the rumors about Wudang Mountain.

It turns out, it was all true.

His father was defeated by this "true immortal".

"Thump!"

Yan Shifan also knelt down, his voice trembling like a leaf.

"Your subject... Your subject, Yan Shifan, Vice Minister of Works... seconded... seconded..."

His kneeling was like toppling dominoes.

All the officials of the Yan Party knelt down in a rush.

"We second that proposal!"

At this point, not a single official in the entire court stood up.

Everyone knelt on the ground, accepting this unprecedented political arrangement jointly devised by "ancestors" and "deities".

Zhu Di looked at the group of people kneeling below, his face expressionless.

All of this was within his expectations.

He turned his head and glanced at Zhu Zaiyi beside him.

Zhu Zaiyi remained indifferent, as if none of this concerned him. He was merely there to go through the motions.

Zhu Di was very satisfied.

What he wanted was Zhu Zaiyi's detached attitude. Only by not being tempted by worldly power could one truly and justly exercise the power of regent.

He himself, the "retired emperor," could retreat behind the scenes and use his prestige and methods to clear all obstacles for Zhu Zaiyi.

"Very well." Zhu Di's voice rang out again. "Since no one objects, then this matter is settled."

He leaned on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall, and his voice suddenly became stern.

"The Regent Grandson issues the first imperial edict!"

Everyone perked up their ears.

They knew that the first spark of the new dynasty was about to ignite.

Zhu Zai Rui stepped forward and stood beside Zhu Di. He didn't look at anyone, but spoke slowly in a calm, almost indifferent tone.

"deliver an imperial order."

"Grand Secretary Yan Song formed cliques for personal gain, deceived the emperor, and embezzled without restraint, causing the court to collapse and the people to be filled with resentment. His crimes are heinous."

"He is hereby stripped of all his posts and all his property is confiscated."

"His son, Yan Shifan, abused his power to bully others, sold official positions and titles, and committed countless evils. He was guilty of the same crime as his father."

"All key members of the Yan faction will be jointly tried by the three judicial departments to conduct a thorough investigation and show absolutely no leniency!"

This imperial decree, like a thunderclap from the heavens, resounded in the ears of all the officials.

fast!

too fast!

ruthless!

Too bad!

Upon hearing these words, Yan Song, who was lying on the ground, tilted his head to the side and fainted.

Yan Shifan collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.

Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and others were overjoyed.

They have fought against Yan's faction for so many years, but have failed to bring them down.

Unexpectedly, the newly appointed Regent Prince's first decree resolved their biggest worry!

What a thunderous and ruthless tactic!

Zhu Zaiyi's decree was not yet finished.

"Secondly," he said, his voice still completely calm.

"The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War shall immediately conduct a thorough investigation of the national treasury's funds and grain reserves, as well as the national military arsenals. Within three days, I require to see the most accurate accounts."

Thirdly, the imperial treasury was opened, and grain was distributed to relieve the refugees in the capital and surrounding areas.

"Fourth, I order Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou to immediately reorganize the military preparations along the southeast coast. I grant them permission to act as they see fit, and to allocate provisions, provisions and weapons as a priority."

Fifthly…

Zhu Zaiyi issued seven or eight edicts in succession, each of which directly addressed the most critical problems plaguing the Ming Dynasty at that time.

From punishing treacherous officials to reforming the finances, from pacifying displaced people to strengthening military preparedness... each measure is clear and interconnected.

The officials were increasingly alarmed and impressed as they listened.

They were aware of these problems, but they were deeply intertwined and could affect everything if one thing was done, so no one dared to make any moves lightly.

When Zhu Zaiyi finished delivering his final decree, the entire square remained completely silent.

Everyone was stunned.

Zhu Di watched all this, and a satisfied smile finally appeared on his lips.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

Break the old order as quickly as possible.

Establish a new order with the strongest power.

He turned around and said to Jiajing, who was still standing at the bottom of the steps, as still as a wooden or clay sculpture:

"Did you hear that?"

Jiajing was startled and quickly nodded, "I...I heard it."

"From today onwards, you will stay obediently in the Qianqing Palace and copy the *Zizhi Tongjian* for me! You may only come out when you have copied it one hundred times!"

Zhu Di's voice was beyond question.

"As for your West Garden..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Rui'er".

"exist."

"Burn it all down. I don't want to see anything related to 'alchemy and immortality cultivation' in Beijing anymore."

"That place is too dirty."