Xu Jie's solution was still to bring up Prince Yu. Otherwise, if this continued, not to mention three days, not even three hours would be bearable.
These capital officials dared to use social violence against him, Xu Jie, but they absolutely did not dare to do so against Prince Yu. Whether Prince Yu accepted their memorials or not, they were powerless.
Thinking of this,
He walked to the door and shouted,
"You all come back!"
"Go make trouble at the palace?"
"Have you forgotten the rules of the Great Ming Dynasty?"
This statement, delivered in his somber tone, carried a certain pressure.
The leader, Wu Shi, thought: What's the point of going to Prince Yu's place? It's still useless. Sooner or later, it will all end up at the palace. Can you, Xu Jie, really stop it?
Although he thought this,
He said aloud, "Fine! Then please, Grand Secretary Xu, accept our memorial, and then please submit it to the Directorate of Ceremonial, and finally to His Majesty!"
"Right! Right!"
"Xu Jie, stop with the nonsense! Sign for the memorial first!"
"What's the use of boasting? Xu Jie, the country is in such disarray, you are the head of the Grand Secretariat, give us an explanation!"
"That's right! Don't push everything onto Prince Yu! We are asking you!"
"Xu Jie, the Great Ming is about to fall, what are you people in the Grand Secretariat doing?"
"Your Grand Secretariat must take responsibility for the national crisis!"
"..."
When Xu Jie heard "The Great Ming is about to fall," he was instantly enraged and shouted, "Who says the Great Ming is about to fall? Who? Stand up and speak! You officials, instead of doing your proper jobs, if you continue to cause such a commotion and delay important state affairs, whose responsibility will it be?"
As soon as he said this, carrying the authority of a senior official, the entire scene immediately fell silent.
Seeing that the crowd was somewhat intimidated, Xu Jie slowly continued,
"It takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice! Why do we immediately say the Great Ming is about to fall? The eunuchs in the Directorate of Ceremonial hear this, aren't you also asking for trouble? Listen to me, the court has its own ways..."
"What ways?"
Someone again questioned loudly.
Xu Jie, suppressing his anger, said,
"Qi Jiguang has returned to defend... Yu Dayou's Fujian navy has also secured the sea! For Myanmar and Annan, I am also thinking of solutions. In short, the Great Ming's sky will not fall! You all go back, cooperate with me in handling this, and this difficult period will naturally pass..."
He felt he had humbled himself sufficiently with these words, even using a pleading tone.
However, from the crowd, someone suddenly burst into laughter and said loudly,
"Xu Jie! Don't try to muddle through here! We are pleading for the people of the world, demanding an explanation from the Grand Secretariat. As the head, why are you always beating around the bush? We ask you one thing—Wu Shi's memorial, are you going to accept it or not?"
"Hiss!"
The crowd erupted again.
"Xu Jie is faking it!"
"What's the use of saying this nonsense!"
"The country is so rotten, and you are still using honeyed words! The Great Ming will fall because of people like you!"
"Trying to push it onto Prince Yu again! You've got it all figured out!"
"Xu Jie is incompetent!"
"Xu Jie, what the hell are you talking about?"
"We asked you to accept the memorial, what the hell are you spewing?"
"Hahaha..."
When Xu Jie heard the word "nonsense," a surge of anger rushed to his head, his eyes went black, and he instantly began to tremble with rage.
He knew that the few who were spewing profanities were minor officials sent by Yan Shifan, and wanted to retort, but he opened his mouth and could not speak.
The officials in the entire hall burst into laughter.
Xu Jie took a long breath, slowly recovered, and muttered, "Control anger, use patience, control anger, use patience... let's get through this first, get through this first..."
After a long while,
He slowly recovered, thinking that his own life was the priority. He had to lead them to Prince Yu, then they wouldn't be staring only at him.
He coughed a few times and shouted at the top of his lungs,
"I, am indeed incompetent... the country is in such disarray, I bear responsibility! But to say that all the blame lies with me alone is to wrong someone... Think about it, how many months has it been since I took over the Grand Secretariat? What can I do? What about Grand Secretary Yan? What about Grand Secretary Li? Do they have no responsibility? You are all coming at me alone, I am not convinced!"
He had always been considerate and rarely offended people. With these words, many felt a bit of sympathy, thinking it was truly unbearable to push this old man to such a state.
But at this moment, someone suddenly shouted,
"Xu Jie! Don't pretend to be pitiful! We only want you to submit the memorial, where are we forcing you? If you act like this, are we wrong? Are you going to punish us then?"
"Hiss!"
The crowd stirred again.
It should be known,
The reason why the officials came to the Grand Secretariat today was that Yan Shifan had been instigating behind the scenes. More than half of them were coerced, having no choice but to come. If they didn't come, they would offend the Yan family, and then they couldn't get by in the capital.
But at the same time, they were also afraid, worried that if they pushed Xu Jie too hard, he would retaliate. After all, Xu Jie was the most senior Grand Secretary, second only to Yan Song. If he really wanted to deal with a few troublemakers, he could do it.
Upon hearing this person's words, the officials immediately realized this and became a little flustered. And Xu Jie secretly thought it was bad.
As expected,
Under their fear, the sympathy that had just arisen in many officials disappeared completely, and many shouted—
"Xu Jie! We are not forcing you!"
"Don't wrongly accuse good people!"
"We are pleading for the country, we have committed no crime! Whoever retaliates, the world will have its judgment!"
"Right! Xu Jie, don't even think about retaliating!"
"Well said, Xu Jie! Truly insidious and venomous!"
"Xu Jie, if you want to mess with us, we won't be afraid of you!"
"Are you going to submit it or not?"
"Stop the nonsense! You have to submit it today, whether you want to or not!"
"..."
Xu Jie took a deep breath, shook his head, waved his hand at the crowd again, and slowly said, "I am also at a dead end. I will take you to see Prince Yu... Let's see what he says..."
After speaking,
He walked towards the palace gate without looking back.
It should be known,
According to the custom of the Great Ming Dynasty, for memorials that openly questioned state policy and sought to hold Grand Secretaries accountable, even if he submitted them, the Directorate of Ceremonial would likely withhold them. Once withheld, the officials would naturally be dissatisfied. They would not dare to target the Directorate of Ceremonial, so they would come back to pressure him, Xu Jie. At that time, if he went to the Directorate of Ceremonial to inquire again, it would be like siding with the officials to pressure the Emperor.
Kicking the ball to the Emperor, especially to this Emperor, would not lead to any good outcomes. Therefore, Xu Jie was truly helpless, and could only swallow his grievances. Living to over sixty, he was being put on the spot, and at this moment, he was filled with despair.
The Yan family's henchmen among the officials were also thinking: It doesn't matter if we go to Prince Yu's mansion first. Prince Yu won't show up, nor will he make a statement. It's just a necessary procedure. But if this procedure is not completed, the matter cannot be temporarily pushed to the Yu Xi Palace.
So, a few people shouted,
"Let's go!"
"Let's see what Prince Yu says!"
"The country is in disarray, and Prince Yu, as the Crown Prince, must also have an explanation!"
"Let's go!"