Xue Zhen is Xue Baochai's father. He also passed the imperial examination that year. Unfortunately, he failed in the next two spring exams. In the end, his father sacrificed his dignity and begged the emperor to appoint him as the head of the household department.
After working hard for several years and earning a lot of money for the emperor's internal funds, Zhu Xianming certainly remembered his kindness.
So Zhu Xianming asked casually: "The Xue family is still effective in running errands, but his son has not filled the vacancy. Why is this?"
Thanks to Lu Tongbo's knowledge, otherwise he wouldn't have known about the ruins of the little Xue family.
"This... is just because my son hasn't entered school yet, so he can't fill the gap!"
To be an official in the Ming Dynasty, at the very least you had to be a scholar. The Confucian scholar Xue Pan was not even a scholar, so filling the vacancy was a joke.
Although the head of the Household Department is a minor official, he is still a high-ranking official of the sixth rank, and not everyone can be a cat or a dog.
"There are so many children in the Xue family, why don't any of them go to school?"
"exactly!"
"It's true that one generation has become worse than the last. Back then, my ancestor was a close minister of our ancestors and was highly trusted and relied on as his confidant. Who would have thought that the Xue family has declined like this..."
Lu Tong nodded and replied: "Yes, it's just that Xue Zhen died too early!"
After waving his hands and not wanting to continue this topic, Zhu Xianming asked in a deep voice: "Is there anything else important? Tell me quickly..."
"The Ministry of Punishment reconsidered the crimes of Liu Deyan, Qian Ruiming, Hu Jinan and others..."
Since it was a re-negotiation, it meant that it had been discussed before and the emperor was not satisfied and sent it back.
Without going to receive the memorial, Zhu Xianming asked in a deep voice: "Just tell me the result of their discussion!"
"Qian Ruiming and Liu Deyan were dismissed from office and stripped of their titles; Hu Jin'an harmed the people, was dismissed from his post by twenty, and was sent to Annan..."
Before Lu Tong could finish speaking, Zhu Xianming said impatiently: "Okay, okay, call back... let them discuss it again!"
Lu Tong was a little surprised. This was already heavy enough, but the emperor was still not satisfied?
"Their sins are not just what appears on paper..."
This sentence made Lu Tong even more surprised, and at the same time made him think deeply.
Not just on paper? what else? Could it be... meddling in Tianjia's affairs?
Lu Tong was worthy of being Lu Tong. He figured out the key points at once and immediately understood the emperor's intention. very
He can figure it out, are those people in the Criminal Department stupid?
Those people are very good at pretending to be stupid. At the moment, they are just hurting others, trying to give as light a sentence as possible, and testing the emperor's bottom line step by step.
"Tell them, if it doesn't work, I will let Dongchang come to trial!"
In Zhu Xianming's view, the fact that the Jinyiwei captured people and handed them over to the Ministry of Punishment was a great honor to the civil servants.
These people are shameless, so just stay where it's cool.
"Yes!" Lu Tong replied.
"What else?"
Of course there is something else, and it is the most difficult thing to report. Lu Tong solemnly said: "Today, the Supervisor of Ceremonies received fifteen more impeachment memorials..."
“Who to impeach?”
Lu Tong replied: "I impeached Zuo Chunfang University scholar Gao Shuyan, saying that he had bad conduct and taught the prince..."
If Jinling arrests so many officials and students, there will definitely be a reaction in the imperial court. The imperial censor's impeachment has never stopped.
It's just that the prince is the crown prince, and it is against etiquette for his ministers to scold the emperor, so the officials targeted Gao Shuyan.
But in essence, attacking Gao Shuyan is attacking the prince, which has never happened before.
"knew!"
After listening to Lu Tong's answer, Zhu Xianming only replied with three words, which meant "stay in the middle but not send out", and continued to suppress public opinion on behalf of the prince.
Again, as long as the prince does his job well, Zhu Xianming can forgive him for any mistakes he makes.
"It's getting late, and the Queen is not in good health recently. I have to go and take a look... You should go back too!"
"yes!"
Lu Tong exited the main hall, and after walking out of the Qianqing Gate, several young eunuchs followed him immediately, and everyone walked south.
Returning to the Supervisor of Ceremonies, Lu Tong entered the main hall and saw that the two deputies were still there.
Seeing Lu Tong come back, one of them immediately stood up and said with a smile: "Eunuch Lu, you are finally back!"
This man was Dai Quan, the Superintendent of Ceremonies, who was ordered to supervise Dongchang. Officials outside the country also respected him as "Internal Prime Minister".
Taking the towel handed by the young eunuch, Lu Tong wiped the sweat on his forehead and asked, "Why are you still here? It's almost dark and you won't go back?"
Just like the cabinet has the Zhongshu Department on duty, the Chief of Ceremonies also has eunuchs on duty at night. Dai Quan and his two men have already left early on weekdays.
"Eunuch Lu, I have to ask you to make up your mind on something!"
The usually dignified and stern Governor of Dongchang looked particularly amiable at this moment.
"What's up?"
"This time the Beijing camp is heading north, we will send four people to accompany the army. We have drawn up a list!"
The speaker's name is Liu Zhong, who is also the Eunuch Bingbi, the Supervisor of Ceremonies, and also holds the palm seal of the Royal Horse Supervisor.
Among the twenty-four yamen of the inner court, the Si Li Jian is a transcendent existence, then the Dongchang and Yuma Jian are on the same level, and the rest are on the same level.
Sending eunuchs to accompany the army on expeditions is actually the so-called eunuchs who supervise the army. These people are selected from various yamen in the inner court.
When an army goes out for an expedition, in addition to the Inspectorate, it will also send censors to supervise the army, and the inner court will send eunuchs to supervise the army.
In other words, the military power of frontline generals was under strict supervision. When necessary, the eunuchs could reach an agreement and even remove the generals leading the troops.
It has been rare since the founding ancestors for people like Zhu Jingyuan to be granted military and political power in Jinling and be able to deal with civil and military officials.
The list was sent to Lu Tong. After reading it carefully, he nodded: "Okay, I will submit it to the Lord for approval tomorrow!"
"yes!"
Both Dai Quan and Dai Quan were overjoyed. They thought the list would not pass, and Lu Tong also wanted to squeeze people in.
But they both thought too much. In recent years, Lu Tong had not thought much about promoting his own people.
After all, he is already the Chief of Ceremonies, and his journey as a eunuch has come to an end. Now all he needs to do is serve the emperor well.
…………
Let's talk about Kunning Palace. Zhu Xianming entered the main hall, and the queen had already prepared a meal.
"I thought your Majesty wouldn't come today!"
"How could it be possible... It's just that Lu Tong was so long-winded that he wasted time!" Zhu Xianming explained.
While the two were eating, they started chatting just like a normal couple.
"Next March, Old Thirteen will turn sixteen..." Yang Qingyin suddenly mentioned.
"Um!"
"His royal title hasn't been decided yet?"
Zhu Xianming said slowly: "The Ministry of Rites discussed it, but I still feel dissatisfied, so I asked them to reconsider it!"
"What did they discuss?"
"King Qi, King Sheng, King Chu..."
While talking, Zhu Xianming was still making gestures on the table, trying to let the queen know those words.
"I don't think we should let these people discuss it. None of this is appropriate!"
"If we don't let them discuss it, who will discuss it? It can't be you!" Zhu Xianming said with a smile.
But seeing his wife's serious expression, Zhu Xianming stopped laughing.
"You already have an idea?"
Yang Qingyin said expressionlessly: "Just make me King Xiang!"
"Prince Xiang?"
"Fifty years ago, the last King of Chu died suddenly and the country was wiped out. Otherwise, I would still want to make him King of Chu!"
From Yang Qingyin's point of view, the sudden death of the King of Chu brought bad luck to his title, so she took a step back and asked for a king to support her son.
As for not choosing the King of Qi, King Han, etc., it is also because the time for the removal of these big kings is closer than the King of Chu, and it is not good to re-activate them in a short time.
Seeing that the emperor didn't speak, Yang Qingyin suddenly became unhappy: "What? Lao Liu is the King of Rui, and you plan to confer the title of King of Wisdom on Lao Thirteen?"
Zhu Xianming waved his hand and said nonchalantly: "Forget it, let's support King Xiang!"
Prince Rui's royal title was decided by the Ministry of Rites. Old Thirteen was Yang Qingyin's treasure. If she wanted to choose the royal title, it was up to her... Zhu Xianming comforted himself in this way.
As for whether the Ministry of Rites will agree to it, it is something that does not need to be considered at all.
(End of chapter)
