The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 375 Chang Feng, pimp me out

In the twelfth year of Zhengde, winter. Emperor Zhengde returned to Beijing in triumph.

Yang Tinghe, the second assistant who stayed in Beijing, led all the civil and military officials to greet the Holy Emperor at Andingmen.

Emperor Zhengde did not ride in a dragon chariot, but on a war horse. Wearing the armor from the Battle of Yingzhou, with a big sword hanging on his waist. It was really majestic and heroic, with the legacy of Taizong.

The generals around Emperor Zhengde were all wearing armor. The escorting border soldiers all had a murderous aura about them.

Jin'an Marquis, Chang Feng, the commander-in-chief of both armies, shouted: "The great Ming Dynasty has invincible divine power and destroyed the bandits. Guangwu avenged his humiliation and displayed his might. He was invincible and invincible and swept across the northern barbarians. Great Emperor Shengwu is returning to the capital!"

This strange emperor title was not self-proclaimed by Emperor Zhengde, but was improvised by Chang Feng as he had an idea.

As soon as the emperor's name was shouted, Emperor Zhengde was stunned for a moment. Then Long Yan was overjoyed and thought to herself: Chang Feng, it has to be you! Civil servants all said that Jiang Bin and Qian Ning were good at flattering. But when it comes to flattery, I don’t accept anyone but you, Chang Feng! You are simply the best flatterer in the world! The photo was quite useful to me, haha.

The tens of thousands of soldiers escorting him shouted in unison: "The Emperor is mighty! Mighty! Mighty!"

The rows of shouts shook the heavens and the earth. All the civil servants who greeted him were greatly shocked.

Emperor Zhengde excitedly walked towards his teacher, his second assistant Yang Tinghe. He said: "Mr. Yang, please get up quickly."

Yang Tinghe stood up and said, "I respectfully welcome the emperor on his triumphal return."

Emperor Zhengde said to Yang Tinghe with excitement: "Mr. Yang, this is a great victory in Yingzhou. I personally went into battle. I also killed a Tatar cavalry with my own hands."

Yang Tinghe was stunned after hearing this.

Emperor Zhengde looked around at the ministers: "Where is Chang Ponu?"

Chang Ponu stepped forward and cupped his hands: "I'm here!"

Emperor Zhengde glanced at Zhang Yong beside him: "Declaration!"

Zhang Yong unfolded the imperial edict of yellow silk cloth: "The emperor is destined to be carried by heaven, the edict said. Chang Po Nu, the right servant of the Household Manager, was born in a loyal family for generations. He has noble character, smart and capable, and is diligent in his duties. If Chang Po Nu arranges the army's pay and food well, , how can there be a great victory in Yingzhou? I have specially decreed that I should be promoted to the right minister of the household department and promoted to the third rank. I admire this!"

Emperor Zhengde's first imperial edict after returning to Beijing was to promote Chang Ponu. The civil servants knew that the power of the Chang family would become even greater in the future.

And the thirty-year-old minister, there is no second minister since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. As long as Chang Ponu continues to mix up his qualifications, it will be a matter of time before he joins the cabinet.

Chang Ponu kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

Next is the entry ceremony. The Ming Dynasty had a system. The emperor personally conquered the country and fought victorious battles abroad. The duty of the border troops was to escort the emperor to Anding Gate and generally would not enter Beijing.

This time is different. The brave frontier soldiers and regiment soldiers entered Beijing majestically.

The emperor returned in triumph and held a grand banquet in Fengtian Palace. All civil and military officials gathered together.

Before the grand banquet began, Emperor Zhengde ordered Bingbigu Dayong, the eunuch of etiquette, to read out the imperial edict of honoring the heroes of Yingzhou's great victory.

Veteran general Wang Xun was granted the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Rear Army and was granted the title of Yansui Bo.

Zhang Yong, the chief seal of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, was given the title of "Mighty Eunuch" and the title of Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army, and concurrently served as the Commander-in-Chief of Northern Zhili.

Jiang Binyao led the general troops of the four towns of Xuanfu, Datong, Liaodong and Yansui. Specially enter Guanglu doctor's Sanshi rank.

Among the remaining soldiers and generals who participated in the battle, those with the highest merit were promoted to three levels in a row, and the rest were also promoted to one level. In addition to the silver reward for beheading, the soldiers were also rewarded with twenty taels each.

As for the Chang family. In addition to Chang Ponu becoming a full-time official, Jin'anhou and Chang Feng, the commander-in-chief of the Chinese army, also served as the commander-in-chief of the former army.

Liu Xiaoyan was granted the title of Madam Wei Guo.

Chang Qingyun granted him the fifth rank of reading companion.

The family guardian dog of the Marquis of Jin'an was awarded the title of "Incorruptible Imperial Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate", with a rank of fifth rank.

Gu Dayong took two hours to read this long edict of award.

The people in the imperial court were shocked to find that among the more than 360 people awarded in the imperial edict, only Chang Ponu of the Chang family was a civil servant. The rest are all generals.

This doesn't make sense. You know, not only were all military generals accompanying them in this battle, there were also many civilian officials.

Emperor Zhengde's intention is obvious: to use the momentum of a great victory to attack the civil power.

After reciting the imperial edict of conferring rewards, Emperor Zhengde did not announce the explosive edict of relinquishing the military power of the world to the emperor in Fengtian Hall. He directly ordered the banquet to be held.

In an instant, there was great music, and the eunuchs were carrying wine and food back and forth in Fengtian Hall.

Yang Yiqing sat on Chang Feng's left, and his old brother Xu Guangzuo sat on his right.

Xu Guangzuo smiled and said: "I tell you, Mr. Chang, today the emperor returns home in triumph, and the Chang family is the one who is most in the limelight! Even your dog has been made a fifth-rank official."

"This reminds me of the first year of Hongzhi, when Concubine Huai'en returned to the capital, and Lord Xiaozong went out of the city to welcome him. That was also the day when Mr. Chang was the most popular."

Chang Feng took a sip of his wine: "Don't keep talking about Master Chang anymore. You have to call me uncle in a serious manner."

Xu Guangzuo scolded: "You took advantage of me! When did you become my uncle?"

Chang Feng said: "Then we have to have a good talk. Your Ling'er will marry my Qingyun in a few days. Do you have to call me uncle-in-law? Uncle-in-law is also an uncle. You won't suffer any disadvantage when you call me uncle when we meet in the future!"

Xu Guangzuo laughed and scolded: "Go to hell!"

Yang Yiqing reminded Chang Feng: "Have you noticed that my fellow civil servants are looking at you a little wrong during the big banquet today."

Chang Feng took a sip of wine: "That's not right. They have now regarded the Chang family and the Chang family's dogs as enemies."

Yang Yiqing was a little worried: "The emperor's favor to the Chang family today has pushed the Chang family into the opposition of civil servants."

Chang Feng said: "It doesn't matter. I have been an enemy of the civil servants since Liu Jian and Xie Qian took charge of the cabinet."

Yang Yiqing added: "I have received some rumors. It is said that the emperor will take the world's military power into his own hands. From now on, the power to command and deploy troops will be in the hands of the emperor alone. Is this a thing?"

Chang Feng replied: "Yes."

Yang Yiqing said: "If the emperor orders this matter, it may cause a political uproar in the capital."

Chang Feng asked: "Who do you choose to support? The emperor or the civil servants?"

Yang Yiqing was silent for a long time and then said: "I will choose to remain silent."

Chang Feng said: "Well, you have difficulties. I think the emperor will understand."

After the big banquet, Emperor Zhengde Xuan Changfeng and his three generations went to the Leopard Room to drink tea.

Emperor Zhengde first asked Zhang Yong to pour tea for the Chang family.

After the cup of tea, Emperor Zhengde asked Chang Feng: "Do you know why I invited you to drink tea today?"

Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Please forgive me for being stupid, I don't know."

Emperor Zhengde said seriously: "I plan to let you pimp me."

As soon as he said this, Chang Feng choked on his throat with a sip of tea.

Emperor Zhengde said: "Why are you surprised? I'm not joking, I really want you to pimp me. Who do you think I asked you to pimp?"

If it were a duller official, he would definitely answer the names of a few coquettish married women. Who doesn't know that the emperor likes other people's wives?
Chang Feng is the best among the people in the court. The thousand-year-old bastards in Yongding River are not as good as him.

Chang Feng thought for a moment and replied: "I forgive you for assuming the holy will. You probably want me to win over Yang Tinghe."

Emperor Zhengde smiled and said: "Continue talking." Chang Feng replied: "The emperor wants to take over the military power in the world, and all the civil servants in the dynasty are resisting. Military power is the lifeblood of the civil servants. If you forcefully take away military power, it may lead to a political dynasty."

"Just after the war, the last thing the court needs is a storm of political chaos in the city."

"If the civil servant leaders can stand with the emperor, the situation will change immediately."

"It is said that the civil servant leader is the chief assistant of the cabinet. This is not the case today. Although Liang Chu is the first assistant, he is loyal. The real civilian leader is the second assistant Yang Tinghe."

"If Yang Tinghe supports the emperor in seizing military power from civilian officials, it will be a matter of course."

Emperor Zhengde exclaimed: "Chang Feng, you are really a maggot in my belly! Oh no, roundworm!"

"I just said the word 'pimp', and you guessed what I was thinking. You are indeed an old minister who has watched me grow up!"

"The late emperor not only left me the country of the Ming Dynasty, but he also left me a close relative and minister who is worthy of my trust!"

Emperor Zhengde is learning Chang Feng's technique of wearing a high hat, and reversely teaching Chang Feng how to wear a high hat.

Chang Feng, however, was very calm: "Your Majesty, if you want someone to change his position, you have to offer a price that can seduce him."

"When I try to persuade Yang Tinghe with just one mouth, I won't be able to persuade him."

Emperor Zhengde understood: "I will not let you go to see Yang Tinghe empty-handed. My price is that Yang Tinghe replaces Liang Chu and serves as the chief minister of the cabinet and the chief civil servant."

"Yang Shen, the son of Yang Tinghe, was promoted to an official at Jingyan. He became a master of two emperors in the Yang family."

Chang Feng thought for a moment and said: "This price is big enough. It should make Yang Tinghe change his stance."

As an aside, there are two lines running through "Records of the Ming Dynasty". One line is the war between the Central Plains Dynasty and the Northern Barbarians and Jurchens.

Another line is the game between the emperor and the civil servants.

The relationship between the emperor and the civil servants was by no means a simple monarch-minister relationship. The two sides sometimes cooperate and sometimes oppose each other. Sometimes the emperor even needed to offer a price to bribe civil servants.

Now Emperor Zhengde wanted to bribe Yang Tinghe if he wanted to achieve his own goals.

Emperor Zhengde said: "I know Mr. Yang well. After Li Dongyang left office, I let the loyal and mediocre Liang Chu suppress him for several years. He didn't say anything, but he was very dissatisfied."

"This time, I will let him get what he wants! As long as he follows my wishes!"

Emperor Zhengde was in high spirits today and simply revealed his plan to the Chang family.

Emperor Zhengde said: "Everyone thinks that I am a warlike king! But they don't know the reason why I am warlike!"

"The reason why I have been obsessed with conquering the Tatars in these years is to win a war and build up unparalleled prestige in the army. Let the military's heart return to me."

"Only when the military's morale returns to me can I take back military power from civilian officials!"

"Taking back military power is only my first step!"

"Since the Tumubao Incident, it has become normal for civilian power to check and balance or even suppress imperial power. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty has almost become a puppet of the civilian officials!"

"Grandfather Taizu knows well, I'm afraid the coffin boards in Xiaoling Mausoleum won't be able to hold it down!"

“The reason why civil servants engage in wanton corruption and bribery, exploit the people, and take advantage of the people in the capital and local areas is ultimately because they have too much power!”

"The second thing I want to do after I have military power is to start depriving civilian officials of their power!"

"For this purpose, I need to re-employ a group of people to replace the civil servants."

"The imperial court is nothing more than five groups of people. Civil servants, military generals, clan members, eunuchs, and nobles. Chang Feng, which group of people do you think I should appoint to gradually replace the civil servants?"

Chang Feng talked eloquently: "Military generals are not good enough. This is a lesson learned from the separatist rule of vassal towns in the late Tang Dynasty. The Jiedushi of each town managed both the troops and the people, just like the emperor of the earth. It is strange that the world will not be in chaos."

"The clan also failed. We can learn from the Rebellion of the Seven Kings in the Han Dynasty and the Rebellion of the Eight Kings in the Jin Dynasty."

Emperor Zhengde interrupted Chang Feng: "You haven't said enough about the Battle of Jingnan. After the Battle of Jingnan, Taizong spent several years weakening the power of the vassal king. In order to prevent the second Jingnan Battle. service."

"I know, but you don't dare to say this. I said it for you."

Chang Feng continued to take stock: "The eunuchs can be used, but we cannot completely let them go and give them heavy power in case a second Liu Jin appears in this dynasty."

Emperor Zhengde laughed dumbly: "After all, only the nobles are left. You, Chang Feng, are one of the nobles!"

Chang Feng was silent. In fact, that's what he was thinking.

Emperor Zhengde said: "You and I want to go together. This time I rewarded the Chang family generously and promoted you all over the Chang family. I just want to create a leader who will make good use of the nobles."

"I will issue an edict soon, ordering Nanjing to be on guard. Wei Guogong Xu Pengju will supervise the land and acres in Nanjing and assign the power of governor to Yingtian."

"In addition, Ding Guogong Xu Guangzuo should also come out to take charge of the affairs. I will order him to go to the Ministry of Household Affairs to supervise the write-off of the accounts for this year's autumn tax."

"There are also several dukes, marquises, and earls, and I will arrange real assignments for them."

No one is a fortune teller. No one would have thought that Emperor Zhengde's idea of ​​weakening the power of civil servants would directly lead to his untimely death. Naturally, these are all things for later.

Chang Feng cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, you are a saint!"

Emperor Zhengde turned to look at Chang Ponu: "You have to take charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue for me. In three or four years, I will promote you to the rank of minister and let you be my purse! As long as you work hard, you can use it. In less than ten years, I will let you join the cabinet and worship the prime minister!"

Chang Ponu quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust."

Emperor Zhengde sighed: "Well, you and I have played together since childhood, and you have been my best friend since childhood. If I don't trust you and your father, who can I trust?"

Emperor Zhengde turned around and looked at Chang Qingyun again: "You are getting married to the daughter of Xu Guangzuo's family. On the wedding day, I will be there to officiate for you."

"Ah, that's right. Just stay in the Leopard Room tonight!"

Modern people have bachelorette parties before wedding. Emperor Zhengde was an avant-garde thinker and wanted to give Chang Qingyun a bachelor party. Let the big sisters in the Leopard Room be wild and debauched with him.

Chang Qingyun's eyes lit up after hearing this: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! Your Majesty, you are a saint!"

Chang Qingyun's tone of howling "Sheng Ming" was exactly the same as his grandfather's.

That night, Chang Feng went to the house of Yang Tinghe, the second assistant.

The two were drinking tea and chatting in the back garden.

Chang Feng took a sip of tea and said, "Good tea, good tea."

Yang Tinghe asked: "Brother Chang, tell me, why are you here today?"

Chang Feng smiled and said: "We have known each other since the early years of Hongzhi and fought side by side at Yongning Acropolis in Fujian. In total, we have been friends for thirty years."

"In front of you, I won't say nonsense."

"The emperor wants to take over the world's military power and return it to his hands. From now on, the Ministry of War will become a decoration. The governors of various places will also lose the power to control the garrison troops within the territory."

"The emperor hopes that you can support him. Your support is not in vain. The emperor's price is, first, that you will be promoted to the position of chief assistant and become the head of the hundred officials."

"Second, promote your son Yang Shen to be an official at the Sutra Banquet. Let the Yang family produce two imperial masters."

Yang Tinghe stood up: "What an attractive price."

(End of this chapter)