The news that Guo Yunshen, the commander of Jinyi Guards, was imprisoned soon spread in Beijing.
The officials were like sharks smelling the smell of blood, and they all rushed towards Qin Yan.
Among them, Wang Zongmao from Jingshan was the most hardworking.
Wang Zongmao, courtesy name Shiyu, was born in Jingshan (today's part of Hubei Province). He was a Jinshi in the 19th year of Zhengzheng Dynasty, was awarded the title of Xingren, and was later promoted to the imperial censor.
The official Shangshu impeached Qin Yan, saying that his father and son had committed corruption, accepted bribes, and sold their official positions to gain titles.
This is not just a rumor, but an actual example.
In the memorial, Wang Zongmao said that Li Xiyan, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was a member of the Qin Party. Every time the Literary and Selection Department selected civil servants, the Qin family would have twenty quotas and sell them at a price according to their official rank. Everyone in the officialdom knew this.
For example, a seventh-grade state judge sells 300 taels of silver; a sixth-grade general judge sells 500 taels of silver.
Every time the Ministry of War selects and appoints military attachés, their families also need more than ten places, which are sold according to rank.
For example, if the command price is 300 taels, the command price is 700 taels.
Crime 2: Manipulating the selection of officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War.
Wan, the literary selector of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, who was responsible for the order, promotion, and transfer of civil servants, and Fang, the military selector of the Ministry of War, who was responsible for the selection, promotion, replacement, and merit awards of military attachés, were Qin Yan's party members. He is known as the "Literary Butler" and "Martial Butler" of the Qin family.
The two departments select officials, each holding bookkeeping, and let the father and son of the Qin family fill out the books.
The third crime is to play with countless gold and silver treasures. According to eyewitnesses, the Qin family has gold and silver enamel beauties that are two feet five inches tall, and even the drowning utensils (urinal utensils) are made of gold and silver.
The fourth crime is to plunder land and hoard gold and silver. In the Qin family's place of origin, "the land and property were cultivated, and the land and houses were donated, not to mention everything." There were also five empty rooms behind the prime minister's house in the capital, "with a chisel of one foot and five feet underneath, large stones on the sides, and solid boards on top." "They were all filled with precious gold and silver utensils." Qin Yan's private savings "can provide for the needs of all sides for several years."
The fifth crime is that powerful slaves and fierce servants run rampant in all directions. They raised more than 500 domestic slaves, extorted prefectures and counties, and harassed post offices. Even if the country's grain-carrying ships were in the canal, "they would be allowed to pass first."
The sixth crime is extravagant feasting and drinking.
The seventh crime is, "The prime minister wants money even though the son is in front of the door." Not long ago, when the Tatars besieged the city of Beijing, Qin Yan not only had no plan to defend himself against the enemy, but also took advantage of the situation to demand bribes. At that time, there was a folk song that spread throughout the capital and as far away as the desert: "The smelly son is at the door, but the prime minister still wants money."
The eighth crime is that people gather together to encourage evil. He took in more than 30 foster sons and adopted sons as his minions to help him torture the flames.
As soon as Wang Zongmao's memorial was announced, a huge storm suddenly arose throughout the court.
Officials who were familiar with Qin Yan were all trembling.
Li Xiyan even went to the government office for several days and stayed at home to write a self-impeachment book.
However, it was said that it was self-impeachment, but after the memorial was handed over, it was spread to the Sixth Section, which almost made the members of the Sixth Section angry.
This is not impeaching oneself. This is clearly self-defense.
The dignified Tianguan of the Ministry of Civil Affairs refused to admit Wang Zongmao's accusations in the memorial, and only said in some corners that his behavior was shameless.
For example, the banquet was extremely extravagant.
People admit this.
But what’s wrong with someone’s top official having something to eat and drink at home?
It’s not like we don’t have the money!
As for forming a party with Qin Yan?
False accusation, absolutely false accusation.
Compared with Li Xiyan's [sincere attitude], the civil servants and military stewards named by Wang Zongmao were a bit shameless.
Go to and from get off work in a dignified manner, as if nothing is wrong.
In the end, the staff of the sixth section broke into the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War. The two sides fought with no regard for the dignity of the officials. This incident even alarmed Xu Song in the cabinet.
Xu Song went to suppress it personally and finally suppressed the matter.
As for the Qin family father and son, under such high pressure, the two have not shown up for many days in a row.
Just when everyone thought that the Qin family would shed their skin this time, Emperor Zhizheng suddenly issued an edict.
Wan, a doctor selected for literature in the Ministry of Personnel, and Fang, a doctor selected for military affairs from the Ministry of War, were dismissed from their posts and will never be used again.
Li Xiyan, when the country was in difficulty, did not know how to behave and indulged in extravagance, and was fined three months' salary.
Qin Que was dismissed from his post and Qin Yan was fined one year's salary.
…
what's the situation?
The whole court was stunned.
If Wang Zongmao's impeachment was followed, eight deaths would be enough for these people.
No matter what happens, Qin Yan will have to step down.
Just a salary?
But what everyone didn't expect was that Emperor Zheng issued another edict. Wang Zongmao exaggerated, falsely accused his ministers, and was demoted to Pingyang County Prime Minister.
Pingyang was in Zhejiang, and was now a war zone. He was demoted from censor to war zone county magistrate, which shocked everyone.
This was not over yet. Wang Zongmao's father, Wang Qiao, the chief envoy of Guangdong, resigned from his post and returned to his hometown, never to be used again.
Is there any royal law?
Are there any laws?
The censor impeached Qin Yan, but in the end Qin Yan settled the matter with a fine. The censor himself was demoted to the county magistrate, and his father, the chief minister of a province, was dismissed from office and never used again.
Even for Qin Que, a minor official from Taipu Temple, the emperor did not mention that he would never be used again.
What happened?
Emperor, why don't you speak?
Who instigated me to impeach the chief minister in the first place?
Who said: "It is not easy to know whether the assistant prime minister is a virtuous person or not, and how a gentleman and a villain are like each other"?
You scumbag, what you say doesn't mean what you say, are you kidding us?
Compared with the low-level officials at the bottom of Beijing's officialdom who are confused, the big bosses have more information and can see the problem much more clearly.
"Wang Qiao is from Wu Xingbang. They studied in the same year, and Wang Zongmao's younger brother also married the niece of his second assistant!" Xie Kun revealed the unknown imperial network!
Xu Song said: "Although the second assistant lost one of his generals, the first assistant will not have a hard time. Guo Zhu's visit to Beijing this time will probably be another big prison!"
Xu He and Xu Song were both rejoicing at this moment. Fortunately, they didn't act rashly that day.
Now it seems that Wu Xingbang's every move is indeed under the supervision of Emperor Zhizheng.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for Emperor Zhizheng to suddenly attack Ci Fu when he already wanted to touch Qin Yan.
This is telling Wu Xingbang, don’t think that I don’t know about your tricks, what?
Are you using me as a knife?
Just poke whoever you want?
Wang Qiao's dismissal from office is a warning.
Wu Xingbang was probably scared to death by now.
…
To March 5, the thirty-seventh year of Zhengzheng.
The day of the Bingchenke Palace Examination finally came when the roll call was called outside the Meridian Gate and the yellow list was put up.
Just yesterday, the record reader of Bingchenke went to the emperor to kowtow and wait.
Standing in front of Wu Xingbang, Qin Yan, the cabinet bachelor and chief assistant, took the first, first and third examination papers in order to enter.
After listening and reading, Emperor Zheng wrote and personally determined the ranking of the three people in the first class.
However, there were not that many words that really required the emperor's own handwriting.
Emperor Zhizheng only wrote the six characters "First A, First Place" in the upper right corner of the Zhuangyuan policy roll and it was considered a success.
At this time, the reader kowtowed and thanked him.
According to the rules, the emperor should give a banquet at this time, give money after the banquet, and then the examiner will withdraw, then open the second-class and third-class test papers, and fill in the name on the yellow list.
