The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 66
While Zhang Zhou was teaching Zhu Houzhao.

However, Zhu Youtang participated in the court meeting at the Meridian Gate and listened to the ministers' teasing.

Hu Xian, the supervisory censor, is participating in the impeachment of Li Guang's bribery case: "...the minister Qizou said, 'There is Li Guangjin, the traffic eunuch, among the officers. You have to be promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Yushi Wang Yuede, who lives idle in the capital, can afford to return to the censor of the left capital, and Li Hui, the censor of the right capital, is promoted to the censor of the right capital. Rectify the crime, and then execute the punishment in sequence'..."

Although Li Guang is dead.

But there are not a few people who want to make a big fuss about Li Guangzhi's death.

In the mid-Hongzhi period, the positions of the six ministers and nine ministers were the most stable. The positions of the six ministers often remained unchanged for three to five years, forming a solidified position. The lower-level officials could not see hope, so they finally seized the opportunity. Of course, they had to use full firepower. .

Zhu Youtang said coldly: "Didn't I say that Dongchang will investigate this matter?"

Ai Hong came out during the military affairs department and said: "Your Majesty, if the case is not found out, it will definitely be the beginning of evil deeds. There is a law, but it is difficult to investigate the crime. This case should not be investigated privately. It should be investigated and dealt with by the Ministry of Criminal Justice." , so that the world can return to its heart in peace."

"Department of punishment!" Zhu Youtang said coldly.

Bai Ang, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, came out and said, "Your Majesty, I am old and ill, please return me to the field."

At this time, Bai Ang is not stupid.

I myself may be listed in that book, let me check myself?
Since there are not many people impeaching me, if I don't hurry up to find a way out of the sea of ​​suffering, will I really fall into the hands of you group of science officials and become notorious from now on?

Tu Yu came out and argued: "I beg the officials to pursue Li Guang's records. If there is a name of the minister, I will execute the minister Ling Chi to thank the officials. If there is no one, I will also beg for the minister to clear up the case, so that the common people will not be framed and tarnish their reputation! "

Tu Yu was also in a hurry.

What he meant was, didn't you impeach me?
I will ask Your Majesty to look into Li Guang's booklet. If my name is really there, I will ask Ling Chi to execute me. If not, please clear my grievances.

Tu Yu is not aimless.

When Li Guanggang died, no one was more nervous than him, but after the emperor handed over the case to Dongchang, Dongchang didn't even ask him, which made Tu Yu feel that Li Guang should not be so stupid and should not name him The Dao surname recorded the details of the bribery, and said that the person is dead, and some things can be denied.

Anyway, Chief Assistant Liu Jian encouraged him to do so.

Now he thinks that Li Guang probably didn't remember himself, and setting the flag with "Ling Chi" is obviously more convincing, so that the people who eat melons will think that he has a clear conscience before he dares to say so.

This passage is also the original words of Tu Yu recorded in "Records of Emperor Xiaozong of Ming Dynasty".

After hearing this, Zhu Youtang became even more angry.

Are you, Tu Yu, looking for death yourself?You didn't give Li Guang a gift, did you have any doubts in your mind?

But Zhu Youtang listened to Zhang Zhou's words and didn't attack.

But this was not the only thing that made him angry. It would be fine if he only participated in the impeachment of Tu Yu, Wang Yue and Li Hui. Even Xu Jing, Minister of the Ministry of household affairs, was also included in the impeachment.

In the end, Zhu Youtang was afraid that the situation would expand further, and it would be difficult to deal with it, so he hastily ended the court meeting.

……

……

"Cough cough cough..."

Walking back from the Meridian Gate, Zhu Youtang kept coughing.

Xiao Jing walked over and said: "Your Majesty, you'd better take a ride, your health is important."

"Cough... I'm fine, but what are you talking about, what are they arguing about? Is it because I let go of my words and didn't pursue it too early, that I made them push their noses?"

Zhu Youtang's tone was a little annoyed, probably because he felt that this group of people were bullying him, ignorant and deceitful.

Dai Yi hurried over and said, "Your Majesty, maybe those ministers are more loyal."

"Loyalty? Can you even say what you want to ask Ling Chi? Xiao Jing, go and show that brochure to the people in the cabinet. After reading it, bring it back to me and let them figure it out for themselves!"

Dai Yi, Xiao Jing and others saw it immediately.

The emperor didn't just push his nose on the face of the officials, perhaps the emperor felt that those officials were doing their duty.

But what the emperor was angry with was that Tu Yu thought that he was not on the booklet, so he dared to boast of being lofty in the court and said, "If there is a minister's name, the minister Ling Chi will be executed".

Just because I am tolerant to you does not mean that you can use my tolerance to show your integrity.

So now I will show the "book" you have been thinking about to the three members of the cabinet to see for themselves whether you are really listed on it.

At the same time, let me tell you, I just don't care about it like you do!
"Yes." Xiao Jing accepted the order.

Dai Yi also looked over with weird eyes.

Up to now, apart from Zhu Youtang and Xiao Jing who have read the booklet in its entirety, at most it is possible that Zhang Zhou has read the whole book, while Dai Yi, Chen Kuan and Wei Bin have only glanced at the title page. Then Xiao Jing told it.

They also wanted to know which ministers were involved in it, could it be...the whole court has a share?
"Where's the prince?" Zhu Youtang was in a bad mood, suddenly thought of something, and asked.

Xiao Jing was about to go to Qianqing Palace to pick up the pamphlet, when he heard the words, he replied: "Your Majesty, today is the day when Zhang Jieyuan enters the palace to give lessons to the prince, I guess he has already arrived."

"Okay, you all perform your duties, Dai Yi, you go with me to the Wenhua Palace, I want to see if Bingkuan is serious about teaching."

At this time, Zhu Youtang probably felt that only by seeing how Zhang Zhou taught his son could he feel more relaxed and even have some expectations.

……

……

Cabinet value.

When Xiao Jing arrived, the three members of the cabinet were still discussing the court affairs together, what they said was the Li Guang case mentioned in the court hall earlier.

Knowing that Xiao Jing was coming, the three of them went to the door to greet each other.

"Three elders, your majesty asked our family to forward this. He just asked a few of you to take a look. After a while, our family will bring back the original." Xiao Jing took out Li Guang's booklet recording bribery.

Liu Jian refused to pick it up, and Li Dongyang took it on his behalf.

Xie Qian asked, "What is this?"

Xiao Jing smiled wryly but did not answer.

After Li Dongyang opened the booklet, the three cabinet ministers gasped. Although the content was somewhat obscure, they could still tell that it was a roster of bribes.

Among the names recorded on the front page, Tu Yu was impressively listed.

"Renzi in the third month of the Bingchen year, received by Zuodu Yushi Tuyu, 650 shi of yellow rice and [-] shi of white rice. Jimao in June of Bingchen year, plus [-] shi of white rice..."

The records are so detailed that even Liu Jian, who knew about Tu Yu's gift in advance, was surprised.

Liu Jian was in a dilemma.

Chaozong clearly said that it was for the operation of the ministry hall, so he had to give gifts, but this is not the case in the above records. The year of Bingchen happened to be the year when he entered the Ministry of Officials. Can it be said that this is not because he bribed to get an official position?
Your Majesty has clearly said that if someone gets an official by befriending and bribing Li Guang, he needs to be dismissed. Why do you, Tu Yu, think that your gift is more noble than others?
Li Dongyang read very fast. After flipping through a few pages, he looked up at Xiao Jing and said, "Eunuch Xiao, what does your majesty mean?"

Xiao Jingdao: "Your Majesty's intention is not to let the situation escalate, but not to punish anyone. I also ask the three elders to mediate and eliminate the impact of this matter. As for other things, please forgive us for being difficult to describe in detail."

Because there is only one incense stick of time to look through the booklet, the three of them couldn't write it all down, but Li Dongyang still tried his best to remember the people and things listed above in his heart.

This is equivalent to a book of criminal evidence, held in the hands of the emperor, whoever he wants to deal with at any time can be dealt with.

It belongs to the art of controlling ministers by emperors.

"Three, have you finished reading? Our family has been ordered to take it back. Mr. Li Ge?"

Li Dongyang had just flipped through the last page and had no choice but to return the booklet.

Xiao Jing didn't say anything extra, got the brochure, saluted and left.

When they left, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian looked at Liu Jian at the same time, implying that Liu Jian would come to make up his mind.

Liu Jian sighed: "Actually, I knew about this a long time ago, and I even talked to Mr. Xiao in private."

"Why didn't Your Majesty mention it before?" Li Dongyang went straight to the point.

"It's not that I didn't mention it, it's that someone has played it, urging His Majesty to press this matter down." Liu Jian said.

Li Dongyang asked: "Who?"

Liu Jian sighed: "It's Zhang Bingkuan, a Gongsheng from Nanyong who predicted the disaster in Qingning Palace. According to Mr. Xiao, after Li Guang's death, he and Zhang Bingkuan found out this place in the Li Mansion together. Please, dissuade His Majesty to reduce the big issue to a small one, and accept it after careful consideration by His Majesty."

Even Li Dongyang was shocked and said: "This Zhang Bingkuan is really not simple."

Xie Qian also said with emotion: "Jiangnan Jieyuan has such a mind that takes the overall situation into consideration? Could it be that he also figured out the questions for the Jiangnan rural examination?"

Liu Jian didn't want to answer such unreasonable speculation.

Xie Qian added: "So what, I'm going to see Tu Chaozong to explain this matter?"

"No!"

Liu Jian immediately denied the proposal, "The Emperor's words are so full of words in the court. If he knows, how can he stand among the courtiers? If your majesty didn't expose it on the spot, it means that you don't want to be held accountable, or you think that Li Guang is dead, most of his one-sided words are not credible. At this time, His Majesty is asking us to appease people's hearts and calm down the situation in the court, this is our responsibility."

"Put down the matter at hand first, and walk around the yamen to dissuade the officials from making people talk about Li Guang's accomplice."

Li Dongyang asked: "What about the Qingning Palace disaster?"

Liu Jian nodded: "It can be said."

……

……

Zhu Youtang took Dai Yi and a few followers and walked all the way to Wenhua Hall.

This time there was not even a eunuch watching outside the Wenhua Palace, because Zhu Houzhao was playing in the open and aboveboard, and it was rare for Zhu Houzhao to be so stubborn and ignore his father.

When Zhu Youtang entered the apse of Wenhua Hall.

Gao Feng, who was watching the excitement, felt a hand on his shoulder, turned around suddenly, and saw Zhu Youtang standing in front of him with a stern expression.

"Shut up!"

Zhu Youtang looked at a large group of people inside, and the loudest voice was his son, "What are you doing?"

In the apse of Wenhua Hall, dozens of tables are being put together at this time, and there are dozens of strange-looking wooden boards put together, and on the wooden boards, there are paper boxes. There are things that look like mountains when erected, mountains and sand made of sand and gravel, and the outline of a city made of simple clay...

There are also things that look like clay figurines, either riding horses or holding spears, accompanied by various strange and marked flags, inserted on this large spliced ​​wooden pallet.

Gao Feng replied softly: "Your Majesty, Zhang Jieyuan said that this is called a sand table drill."

Zhu Youtang straightened his face and said, "I told you that I was here to teach, so why are you just playing? The sand table..."

Even though Zhu Youtang felt that his son was having fun, he couldn't help but take a few more glances at such a spectacular "sand table exercise".

At this time, Zhu Houzhao was still shouting loudly: "My three-way troops have surrounded your soldiers and horses in the isolated city. It seems that I will win."

It is no longer the usual "Ben Gong" and "Ben Gong". Zhu Houzhao looks domineering, but seems more approachable.

This made Zhu Youtang feel that his son had made some progress.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "His Royal Highness, don't say it too early. There is still an ambush on my side, which has not been revealed yet. Do you know what soldiers are on this road? Eunuch Liu, please announce."

Liu Jin picked up the card on the side, corresponding to the number of the flag, but said pleasantly: "His Royal Highness, Zhang Jieyuan only deployed [-] light cavalry and [-] infantry here, which are much less than your siege troops! His Royal Highness then You can withdraw the city."

Zhang Zhoudao: "Eunuch Liu, do you understand the rules? There must be more than three times as many soldiers and horses in a siege to have a chance of winning. If there is a war, the loss ratio will be one to three. Your Highness, are you sure you want to attack me with your current troops?" Lonely City?"

Zhu Houzhao was like a tactician, he laughed and said: "I can besiege the city and fight for aid, but I don't believe that you have enough food and grass in your city. Liu Jin, tell me, how much food and grass does he have in the city?"

As the magistrate, Liu Jin continued to read the records in the booklet, and said, "Six hundred stones can last for ten days."

Zhu Houzhao said proudly: "Then my soldiers and horses will be stationed here for ten days to see if you send reinforcements. If you send reinforcements, I will attack your city on the left. If you don't send them, the palace will wait until you run out of food and grass. Attacking the city, attacking your hungry soldiers, what is the battle loss ratio?"

Liu Jin said happily: "Five to one."

Zhang Zhou said with regret: "It seems that I can only find an opportunity to break through."

Zhu Houzhao said: "Your [-] light cavalry can walk three steps a day and may run away, but your [-] infantry can only move one step a day, and my heavy cavalry can take two steps a day. They will guard them to death. Look at you." How to run!"

(End of this chapter)