mtlumby2d Chapter 1672: The Dispute over the Temple Name
Chapter 1672: The Dispute over the Temple Name
The next day at dawn, it was still dark.
The March morning breeze, carrying the fragrance of newly opened apricot blossoms in the Imperial Garden, blows past the white marble dragon-shaped pillars in front of the Golden Throne Hall.
The copper bells hanging from the eaves rang softly in the wind, blending with the subdued chatter of the court officials gathered outside the hall.
Wu Mingzhe, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was holding his ivory tablet when he suddenly felt his shoulders sink.
Turning around, he saw Zhao Rucheng, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, twisting his graying beard and whispering, "Master Zhou, have you heard? This morning's court will discuss the late emperor's temple name."
The white breath he exhaled as he spoke dissipated in the morning mist, and there was a hint of inquiry hidden in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.
"This matter should have been drafted by the Ministry of Rites..." Before Wu Mingzhe could finish his words, he was interrupted by the crisp sound of jade pendants colliding.
The Minister of Rites, Deng Hongwen, was seen walking across the steps in a crimson-purple official robe. The peacock embroidered in gold thread on the patch on his chest sparkled brightly under the palace lanterns.
The six officials from the Ministry of Rites who followed behind him were like stars surrounding the moon, and the jade pendants on their waists made crisp sounds in unison with their steps.
A general suddenly sneered: "Master Deng, what a grand ceremony."
He had not yet taken off his armor, and the armor plates were still stained with dew from patrolling the camp last night.
This remark caused a few sneers from the military ranks, but the civil officials all saluted Deng Hongwen.
Two distinct camps suddenly formed in the morning mist.
"The auspicious time has arrived!" The shrill voice of Zhang Dequan, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, pierced the morning mist.
The vermilion-lacquered palace door creaked open, revealing the gilded coiled dragon caisson inside.
As the ministers straightened their hats and stood in a solemn manner and filed in, the Minister of War Feng Anguo deliberately glanced at Deng Hongwen, but seeing that he did not show any surprise, he could only smile bitterly and shook his head.
The military generals under his command were all reckless men who did not know how to respect civil officials.
"Your Majesty is here!"
With three cracks of the whip, Chu Ning came from the side hall in the first ray of sunlight at noon.
Twelve white jade beads swayed gently in front of the forehead, and the golden patterns on the black dragon robe appeared and disappeared with each step.
The young emperor sat down on the dragon throne, his fingertips running across the ferocious dragon head on the armrest, and his eyes swept over the crowd of people bowing to his highness.
"See Your Majesty!"
Amidst the roar of the mountains, the corners of his lips lifted up imperceptibly: "Today we will only discuss one matter."
The voice was not loud, but it silenced the bronze bells on the eaves. "The late emperor's honorific title."
Suddenly, the rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other could be heard in the hall.
The secretaries of the Ministry of Rites trotted into the hall, holding the bamboo slips of "Examination of Posthumous Titles" from past dynasties. When the scrolls were unrolled, fine dust was raised and danced in the sunlight that came through the carved window lattices.
Deng Hongwen was the first to step forward, his tablet covered in small characters: "I believe the posthumous title should be Emperor Wenzong."
As he spoke, his three long strands of beard moved without a breeze: "The late emperor revised the Yonghui Law Commentary and valued civil officials. This text is well deserved."
Immediately behind him, seven or eight Hanlin scholars echoed him, holding up their green jade tablets like a bamboo forest.
"Ridiculous!" Minister of Revenue Liu Shouren suddenly spoke out.
The old minister who was in charge of the treasury and grain of the country spoke in a loud voice, shocking all the ministers to turn their heads and look:
"The previous emperor reduced taxes and opened up the grain transport system, so he deserves the title of Xuanzong!"
He threw a yellow book from his sleeve, and when it fell to the ground and unfolded, it turned out to be a "Record of Tax Exemptions" over a meter long.
During the debate, the Minister of Personnel, Lü Xiuwen, took the initiative to step out of the group, a smile plastered across his plump, white face. "My Lords, wait a minute."
When he bent down, the goldfish bag on his waist almost drooped to the ground: "The late emperor reigned for thirty years and provided disaster relief twenty-seven times. He should be called the Renzong."
Before he finished speaking, Ling Haoran, the Minister of Justice, suddenly narrowed his eyes and took the initiative to come in front of everyone.
"Emperor Gaozong!" The cold-faced minister in charge of prisons uttered two words.
Several officials from the Ministry of Justice said, "The late emperor pardoned many prisoners, so he should be called Gaozong."
The temperature in the hall suddenly rose.
The green smoke from the incense burner twisted into a ferocious shape, and the sound of armor clashing suddenly broke out in the ranks of generals.
Minister of War Feng Anguo strode out, his face solemn as he said, "I think..."
He swept his fierce eyes over the team of civil servants: "He should be called Xuanzong!"
With a "crash", more than ten generals knelt on one knee at the same time, their iron armor reflecting the morning light like a silver mountain that suddenly appeared.
"I believe the late emperor should be called Xuanzong!"
The debate is heating up.
The scholars of the Hanlin Academy who advocated "Wen Zong" quoted from classics, and the bamboo slips of "Shang Shu" and "Spring and Autumn Annals" were piled up into a small mountain in the hall.
The Ministry of Revenue officials who supported "Xuan Zong" kept throwing out granary account books, and the yellowed pages flew like snowflakes.
Chu Ning suddenly raised his hand.
This action stopped the ministers who were discussing it heatedly. They knew that the emperor would have the final say on the matter.
"Lord Ling," the emperor said in a playful tone, "Did you just say Emperor Gaozong?"
Ling Haoran's iron-like back straightened a little more: "In his later years, the late emperor abolished thirty-one cruel punishments. This is the virtue that covers all things."
Although he supported Chu Ning's ascension to the throne, he also had a good relationship with the late emperor. Now that the late emperor had passed away, he naturally wanted to win a good title of honor for the other party.
A strong wind suddenly blew outside the hall.
Chu Ning looked at Ling Haoran deeply, then looked at Feng Anguo and said softly, "General Feng, do you know what the word 'Xuan' means?"
Feng Anguo was stunned, and the generals looked at each other. Of course, Xuanzong and the others knew what it meant.
But Your Majesty, since you asked this, could it be that you are dissatisfied with this honorific title?
Someone in the ranks of the civil servants murmured quietly, "Black also implies a mysterious and unfathomable world."
"His Majesty!"
Deng Hongwen suddenly knelt forward and said solemnly, "The Book of Posthumous Titles says: The one who governs heaven and earth is called Wenzong."
"no!"
Liu Shouren was unyielding. He stared at Deng Hongwen with a gloomy face and said in a deep voice, "In the tenth year of the Yonghui reign of the late emperor, the grain transport system was reformed..."
Lu Xiuwen frowned and said in a deep voice, "Master Liu, the late emperor's merits were not limited to this. The one with the greatest merit should be chosen to receive the title."
"That's right!" someone echoed, "The title should be chosen based on the late emperor's greatest achievement."
"You don't have to argue."
Chu suddenly stroked the bright glass eye on the dragon head armrest: "Since you think the title should be determined according to the greatest merit, it shouldn't be superficial achievements."
"What do you all think is the greatest achievement of the late emperor?"
Everyone was stunned when they heard this and looked at each other.
The late emperor had contributions in all aspects, but when it came to his greatest contribution, they really couldn't name it at the moment.
For a moment, all the officials present were stunned.
"You don't know, so I'll tell you!"
Chu Ning put his hands behind his back, glanced at the ministers, and said loudly: "The greatest achievement of the late emperor was giving birth to me!"
"If there was no late emperor, where would I come from?"
This sentence made everyone dumbfounded?
Can this be considered a credit?
If these words were not spoken by the emperor himself, they would even curse directly.
You don't mention the many contributions of the late emperor, but only talk about things like this?
Your Majesty, what does this mean?
"Practice."
Chu Ning's voice startled everyone and they all looked up. "His temple name is Gaozong, and his posthumous title is the Emperor of Fatian, Longyun, Zhicheng, Xianjue, Tiyuan, Liji, Fuwen, Filial Piety, Benevolence, and Divine Purity!"
Everyone was slightly stunned, then bowed and saluted: "We obey your orders!"