The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 117 Meeting someone who is not human

Before night falls on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

A batch of new memorials were sent to the cabinet from the Minister of General Affairs.

Among them, the most important ones have been specially marked. Some of them involved reporting directly to the emperor. Two copies, naturally related to the Xinye earthquake in Henan.

After Xie Qian got this batch of memorials, he picked out the first two copies in advance according to the instructions of the visitor.

Among them, the Shangzuo in Xinye, Henan Province was made in duplicate, one copy was sent directly to Shang Datian Ting, the Supervisor of Rites, and the other was sent to the Cabinet through Guan Baiyu, the Secretary of General Administration.

"Old Liu Ge, the words are still true."

Liu Jian didn't have to be on duty that night and was about to leave. After hearing the news, he hung the cloak he was wearing back on the hanger.

Li Dongyang also leaned over.

A memorial made by Xinye, stating the content of the earthquake, was displayed in front of the three of them.

"At the end of the [-]th day of December, the ground in Xinye, Henan Province shook like a mountain, and the sound was like thunder, and the houses collapsed, causing damage to fifty miles of the county. Humans and animals were injured, but the situation outside the city was particularly serious, and the villagers did not take precautions because they did not believe in rumors..."

Roughly speaking.

That is, after the Xinye District received the emperor's special decree, it took some precautions in the Xinye County, so that nothing happened to the residents in the city.

But when the news was sent to Xinye, it took about three days until the earthquake occurred, and it was too late to convey to every part of the county. In addition, many people did not believe this. The farmhouses outside the city were built more loosely and were more likely to collapse. The damage outside the city will be heavier.

Now the local government is also busy with rescue.

It is estimated that in the next few days, more detailed information will be reported to the capital.

After reading it, Liu Jian let out a breath, with a helpless sadness on his face.

There was no joy in the slightest because of the court's early warning, but an indescribable worry.

"Is the local report accurate?" Li Dongyang asked.

Xie Qian immediately took out the second copy.

It was reported by the supervisory censor in Henan Province, which forms a kind of supporting evidence. Although the supervisory censor’s report is not as detailed as the local county government’s report, it is true in major events. When the earthquake happened, the sound was like thunder.

In addition to earthquakes, plus some bad omens, it is equivalent to a warning from heaven in this year.

Liu Jian sighed quietly: "I don't know how to deal with it in the hall tomorrow. Let's prepare the memorial for resignation first."

Among other things, since once a disaster occurs, the imperial court will definitely feel that it is a punishment from heaven, so the three members of the cabinet are duty-bound and must bear the responsibility.

Although even the cabinet itself knows that this kind of thing has nothing to do with them.

But that's the rule.

Believe it or not, the main thing is that the people of the world believe in this thing.

If the emperor doesn't want to be scolded for taking the blame, then the ministers will take the blame.

Even after the Qingning Palace fire, these ministers repented and resigned because of this, and the earthquake happened so inappropriately, it just happened when someone gave an early warning and they didn't believe it.

This involves another issue.

Emperor's trust.

If they don't express it in the court, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the emperor to rely on the cabinet or even civil servants in the future.

……

……

That night.

Zhu Youtang took the silver mirror given to him by his son to Kunning Palace, and gave it to his wife as if borrowing flowers to present Buddha.

By the way, Zhu Youtang also mentioned to Queen Zhang that Zhang Zhou accurately predicted the earthquake in Xinye, Henan.

Empress Zhang has a lot of resistance to Zhang Zhou, Zhu Youtang is well aware of this.

So he came to tell his wife this time, just to tell her, don't think that Bingkuan is a charlatan who talks nonsense like Li Guang, Bingkuan has real skills.

I believe in him, not because he is a partial believer, but because he really has a "knowledge of people".

Believe it or not, I believe it myself anyway.

Am I the kind of fool who likes to appoint treacherous villains?

Empress Zhang was also shocked when she heard this: "Your Majesty, you mean the earthquake was calculated by someone? Then... has anyone calculated it before?"

When it comes to earthquakes, even Empress Zhang is a little nervous, because in the past, whenever any disaster happened, the officials were used to putting the source of the disaster on her, Empress Zhang, as if they were sloppy.

It is said that because the emperor only married a queen and did not accept concubines, God would warn him one after another.

So Queen Zhang was also quite afraid that these things would happen one after another.

Zhu Youtang sighed: "Since ancient times, according to official history, no one has such ability. Even if some unofficial records have been recorded, they are all ground-breaking. Like Bingkuan, he can accurately predict the time and place of earthquakes in advance. Never one."

Empress Zhang was a little worried: "Then... Could it be caused by him?"

Although Empress Zhang is favored by the emperor alone, she thinks she can control her husband, but she is not the kind of woman who has too much scheming and too many palaces, and she even has very little knowledge.

She is worried.

That Zhang Bingkuan won't feel the empress's hostility towards him, so he will do some magic tricks later to kill me, right?
Heart to heart.

She turned her hostility towards Zhang Zhou into fear of Zhang Zhou.

Zhu Youtang said: "Bingkuan is only able to calculate the secrets of the heavens. As an ordinary person, you think he has the ability to attract fire from the sky and shake the earth? If that is the case, what kind of courtier is he? If you see him, you will bow down!"

The emperor really didn't regard Zhang Zhou as a threat to Ming Dynasty.

"Besides, queen, don't forget that your daughter Xiurong and the emperor's grandmother all came forward to save them. As a member of the royal family, you must not be ungrateful."

The emperor made it very clear that Zhang Zhou was a courtier of Ming Dynasty, and he should be rewarded for his meritorious service.

If you are like you, after the disaster happened, you should go directly to guard against Zhang Zhou according to Zhang Zhou's prophecy... Are you sick?

Empress Zhang was obviously a little restless. She felt that Zhang Zhou was too scary in the mind of a woman.

In other words, his potential opponent is too scary.

I don't dare to fight anymore.

"Then how does His Majesty plan to reward him?" Queen Zhang asked nervously.

Zhu Youtang also felt very strange.

I have good news for you. An earthquake was predicted by Bing Kuan, and some precautions were taken in advance to reduce the damage to humans and animals.

Why is the queen not only not happy for me, but also seems to be very worried?

Zhu Youtang said: "I didn't intend to reward him for this matter alone. I will use him a lot in the future. Besides, he is busy preparing for the national exam. I hope he will pass the Jinshi exam as soon as possible. After he enters the court, he will , it is much more convenient for me to use him."

"The Qin Tianjian..."

Empress Zhang wanted to remind him, why don't he arrange an errand for Qin Tianjian.

This can be regarded as her taking the initiative to lower her status and speak for Zhang Zhou.

This thing really scared her.

I am not fighting with others. I used to be able to fight those court ladies and eunuchs, even ministers. How can I fight against someone who is not human?
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "Even if I give him a supervisor of the Qin Tianjian, I feel that I have humiliated him. He has high ambitions and wants to be a Jinshi and a champion. Besides, he is already a Jieyuan in the Jiangnan provincial examination, so he is so talented. Well, why only guard the Heavenly Supervisor in the future? Empress, don't think too much, Daming has such courtiers, it's really God's favor for me."

As he spoke, Zhu Youtang took his wife into his arms.

Suddenly found that his wife is also much more well-behaved than usual.

Although the emperor didn't know what happened, Zhu Youtang still had a manly feeling.

Thinking about the future... I feel more comfortable.

Finally, he was able to act aggressively in front of the minister again.

……

……

The next day is the big dynasty.

Inside Fengtian Temple.

Civil servants are listed in the eastern class, while Wu Xun and Jilu officials are listed in the western class.

The ministers held their breaths, because they all knew about the earthquake in Xinye, Henan. Although the damage reported by the earthquake was not very large, it was the first earthquake in China that had been accurately predicted in advance since ancient times. The court also made a detailed report. defense.

Originally, the emperor might have to issue another edict of guilt because of this.

But because someone gave an early warning, guilt turned into credit.

The imperial court can even publicize it, showing that the emperor is favored by the heavens, and the heavens send people to help the king save the common people in the dawn...

Scholars don't believe this, but Shengdou Xiaomin does.

In order to maintain the rule of the Ming Dynasty, sometimes the court had to cooperate to talk about those unreliable metaphysics.

The meeting begins.

Coming up is naturally an earthquake.

But the emperor didn't say he was very proud, nor did he pursue Liu Jian's previous criticisms, and he didn't even mention the unhappiness in the previous court.

"...Your Majesty, many memorials were urgently sent to the capital last night. Now the disaster relief in Xinye is still going on. There are houses collapsing inside and outside the city. The people also praised the imperial court for their precautions. There is no population yet. The report of the damage..."

Dai Yi, on behalf of the supervisor of ceremonies, reported the local situation and announced it to the ministers present.

All the ministers also knew that there was really a capable person beside the emperor.

That ability... is not covered.

Zhu Youtang said: "Let the Henan chief envoy send someone to assist the good places in disaster relief."

"Yes." Dai Yi replied.

The ministers sounded awkward.

The emperor did not make a public declaration of victory, but what he said was no different from showing off his might.

No place reported it as a major disaster, that is to say, the earthquake was not that serious.

Your Majesty, you care so much, and ordered the Henan Fantai Yamen to send people to relieve the disaster. Is that necessary?
Don't you just want to tell us that you are very concerned about this disaster, but you are actually very proud of it?

At this time, the British Duke Zhang Mao came out and said: "Your Majesty, since someone in the court can accurately report the time of the earthquake, he should be rewarded to show His Majesty's concern for all people."

All the civil servants were staring at Zhang Mao.

Old man Zhang, what's the matter with you here?

Come to participate in a big court meeting, you still have to shiver, right?
"No need!" Zhu Youtang refused very simply, "There is no need for rewards for such things. As I said before, this is to prevent problems before they happen. I just want you to remember that such warnings in the future come from the same person. Mouth, you can put it in your heart."

It's Hongguoguo showing off again.

The stomachs of the ministers were about to explode.

(End of this chapter)