novelaction Chapter 140
Chapter 140
The so-called Great Rites Controversy, which changed the name of Emperor Taizong of Ming (Zhu Di) to Emperor Chengzu of Ming, was not necessarily a matter of necessity.
According to the rules of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, a maximum of seven memorial tablets can be enshrined in the entire temple. For each additional tablet, one must be removed. There are also rules about which tablet to remove: the one removed must be the one furthest from the current emperor.
If Emperor Taizong Zhu Di was not changed to Emperor Chengzu of Ming, and Zhu Houcong wanted to enshrine his father in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then Emperor Taizong Zhu Di would have to be removed.
Even without the Great Rites Controversy, when Zhu Houcong died and was enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, according to etiquette, Emperor Taizong Zhu Di would still have been carried out.
Therefore, the reason why Jiajing insisted on changing Zhu Di's name from Emperor Taizong of Ming to Emperor Chengzu of Ming was entirely out of filial piety. The main deities worshipped in the Imperial Ancestral Temple were Emperor Taizu of Ming and Emperor Renzu, who was posthumously honored. As the ancestor of Zhu Houcong's lineage, Jiajing naturally hoped that Zhu Di could remain in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. It was just unknown whether Zhu Di was willing to do so.
Whether Zhu Di liked it or not, this matter was already inevitable.
As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhou Chu's major actions always brought about significant changes to the political landscape.
This time, Zhou Chu arrested nearly twenty officials, including Zhang Ting from the Ministry of Personnel. These officials were all extremely corrupt. Zhou Chu did not rush to deal with those who were less corrupt.
By the time Yang Tinghe and the others left the court, Zhou Chu had already finished the trial and started confiscating their property.
Upon receiving the news, Yang Tinghe immediately felt that all was lost.
Inside the prison of the Northern Garrison, Xiao Dao watched Zhang Ting being beaten half to death by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. In truth, she didn't feel much. She had lived with Jin Youcai since childhood and had little memory of her biological parents. It was unrealistic to say that she had any deep-seated hatred for them. However, in any case, for Xiao Dao, it was a fulfillment of her master's wish to avenge her parents.
Soon, Lu Wanshan arrived with great excitement, carrying the documents for confiscating the property.
Having learned from the previous example of ransacking houses, every department of the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to profit from this raid. So, they came to Zhou Chu's office to have Shen Qing participate in the raid. Zhou Chu naturally wouldn't refuse their requests, and with the participation of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the raid was extremely efficient.
Zhou Chu flipped through the documents of the confiscation. Nearly twenty officials had been arrested, and a total of more than 500,000 taels of gold, more than 35 million taels of silver, not to mention copper coins, and countless antiques and paintings.
To Zhou Chu's surprise, although Zhang Ting was only a fourth-rank official, he was far more corrupt than others. This was mainly because he was backed by Yang Tinghe and acted with impunity. Among the antiques and paintings confiscated from his home was a memorial to his nephew, Twelfth Brother, which Zhou Chu immediately took a liking to.
Zhou Chu allocated 300,000 taels of silver from the proceeds of the raid and instructed Lu Wanshan to distribute them.
The Imperial Guards grew increasingly respectful and devoted to Zhou Chu. They knew very well that although the Commander had bestowed the gifts upon them in the name of His Majesty, they were all aware that it was the Commander's decision, and His Majesty was only giving them the money out of respect for the Commander.
As members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, no one understands better than them the pressures their commander faces every day.
This would have been unthinkable for the old Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Even the two deputy commanders, Feng Shi and Zhao Hai, who had not shown themselves since Zhou Chu became commander, had long been impressed by Zhou Chu and came to report to him.
They were mainly responsible for land reclamation, training, and official duties. They had been busy in the suburbs of the capital and had some reservations about Zhou Chu as the commander, so they had not shown their faces before.
But by this time, both of them were completely convinced of Zhou Chu's abilities.
"Feng Shi, Zhao Hai."
Zhou Chu glanced at the two of them and said.
"What are your orders, sir?"
The two hurriedly stepped forward and said.
"I will send several hundred new recruits to your area to train her. This is of utmost importance; it is His Majesty's secret order. You two must keep it a secret."
Zhou Chu said in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, the two men immediately felt the commander's high regard for them. They exchanged a glance and then solemnly bowed to Zhou Chu.
"Please rest assured, sir, we will definitely not let the news leak out."
The two made a solemn vow.
However, when the two saw that Zhou Chu was talking about a little girl who looked only eleven or twelve years old, they immediately felt a sense of absurdity. Using such a little girl to train soldiers? Wasn't this ridiculous?
"You think she can't train troops?"
In front of Yun Jin, Zhou Chu looked at Feng Shi and the other man with a hint of teasing.
Upon hearing this, both of them looked constipated, wanting to say something flattering, but unable to bring themselves to say it.
That's incredibly unethical.
"Since you don't believe it and are not convinced, then let's settle this with strength. Here's the deal: each of you will lead eight hundred men for a battlefield confrontation."
Zhou Chu knew that Feng Shi and the other man were hard to convince, and not only Feng Shi, but also the new recruits of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would find it hard to convince a young girl.
What Zhou Chu needed to do was naturally to help Yun Jin establish his authority. Without authority, it would be extremely difficult to train troops.
"Isn't this inappropriate?"
Feng Shi hesitated for a moment.
They could tell that this little girl's identity was definitely extraordinary. Whether it was her relationship with the commander or with His Majesty, she was not someone to be trifled with.
She's such a young girl. What if they make her cry? Wouldn't that be bullying a child? Whether they win or lose, it's not something to be proud of, even though they never thought they would lose.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. If I want to establish my authority in the army, I naturally have to defeat the two of you.”
Yun Jin said expressionlessly.
Hearing this, Feng and Shi were somewhat surprised. From Yun Jin's words, they could tell that the young girl in front of them seemed to have some experience in leading troops into battle.
Since that was the case, they could no longer refuse, after all, it was His Majesty's decree.
Soon, the group arrived at the training ground, and each person selected eight hundred people.
The eight hundred men under Yun Jin felt insulted and looked down upon being assigned to work under a young girl, and they were all extremely dissatisfied.
"If any of you are dissatisfied, you may step forward. If you agree to my request, you may choose your own formation. If you lose, you will be punished with thirty strokes of the cane."
Yun Jin looked at everyone and said.
As the saying goes, a person cannot stand without integrity. Yun Jin's first task is to establish authority within her own ranks before she can better command them; otherwise, all talk is futile.
Of course, those who provoke us should also be punished accordingly; otherwise, if provocation comes without any cost, these people will not learn their lesson.
"Let me do it."
From the formation, a boy of fifteen or sixteen stepped forward. These new recruits of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were mostly boys no more than seventeen years old.
Yun Jin glanced at the man, then casually took out a wooden training sword.
"Take action."