Lao Zhu looked deeply at Zhu Biao: "Biao'er, we are doing this all for you. Liu Ji is a very deep man, very smart, and has ulterior motives. You respect him like a god and obey his words. We will. If we don’t get rid of him, a hundred years from now, this country may have changed its surname.”
Zhu Biao's face turned red and white at Old Zhu's words, and he hurriedly handed over his hands: "Father, your ministers are no longer as independent as in the past. Father, you don't have to worry too much. Besides, the founding hero of the country, the prince's teacher, was poisoned in the capital. It was not the work of a wise king in the prosperous age."
Lao Zhu said: "For the sake of your future stability, we will not hesitate to be this evil person."
Zhu Biao said: "Father, the emperor is wise and the ministers are naturally virtuous. There is really no need to kill them all."
The key point is that everyone with some ability has been killed, and when he comes up, there will be no one available.
Lao Zhu narrowed his eyes: "Then what do you mean, we are no longer Mingjun?"
Zhu Biao pursed his lips: You are so murderous, and you still want to be regarded as a wise king?
The two father and son froze again.
well……
I never expected that in the end I would be the one who broke up the fight.
Zhu Bai sighed secretly and coughed dryly: "Father, my sons and ministers also don't like Master Liu. However, this man has a relatively high prestige among the people, especially scholars. He has not made any big mistakes, and he is also the teacher of his eldest brother. . If we kill him directly, not only will our father's reputation be damaged, but our eldest brother will also be scolded."
Lao Zhu glanced at Zhu Biao.
He spent so much energy and did not hesitate to wrong Zhu Bai to establish an image for Zhu Biao as a wise king who was diligent and loved the people. It is really not cost-effective if Zhu Biao's character collapses because of Liu Bowen.
Zhu Bai said: "If Mrs. Liu retires and returns to his hometown, then my father, let him go. As long as he is not in the court, no matter how talented he is, he is just a magician who is good at fortune telling. What big disturbance can he cause?" "
Lao Zhu nodded slightly: "Okay. If he wants to understand, then let's let him go this time."
Zhu Biao hurriedly raised his hands to his father: "Thank you, father."
Liu Bowen was indeed smart. He asked Song Lian to cross Zhongshu Province early in the morning and deliver the memorial directly to Lao Zhu.
He said in the memorial: "After I took the medicine prescribed by Mr. Hu, I suddenly felt a hard object like a fist-sized stone blocking my chest, which became worse and worse. I am afraid that my time is running out, and I do not want to die in a foreign country. I beg you to The emperor has given me permission to retire and bury these old bones back in my hometown of Qingtian while I can still move around."
When Lao Zhu saw the words "a handful of old bones", he couldn't help but feel a little sad.
I think Liu Bowen has served us for so many years, forget it, let him go back.
He then approved it and asked Zhu Biao to submit it to the Ministry of Officials for record.
Zhu Biao and Zhu Bai secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Lao Zhu will definitely murder Liu Bowen in the future, Liu Bowen is at least free of risk for the time being.
Song Lian also brought out a note: "Your Majesty. I also want to ask for a favor from the Emperor and go home to retire."
Lao Zhu frowned: "Why do you even want to leave..."
Liu Bowen wanted to avoid Hu Weiyong, and why did Song Lian do it?
Song Lian Zhan Zhan Weiwei knelt down and said: "Thanks to the Emperor for not disapproving, I have allowed me to teach the crown prince and other princes for many years. I am now in my seventies, and I really can't do anything anymore."
Lao Zhu was stunned for a while, and then stepped forward to help Song Lian up: "It turns out that Master is already so old. Time flies so fast, we haven't realized it yet. Okay. Master, you have worked really hard, so just go back well." Let’s rest at home.”
Song Lian shed tears and saluted: "The emperor's kindness is so great. I am old and of no use anymore. I cannot repay the emperor. I can only pray for prosperity and good weather for our Ming Dynasty every day."
Lao Zhu gently patted Song Lian's shoulder, everything was silent.
Although Song Lian was confused sometimes, he was a good minister who was knowledgeable, upright, dared to give advice and incorruptible.
Lao Zhu was indeed a little reluctant.
-----
Song Lian and Liu Bowen retired and returned home at the same time, causing quite a shock in the government and the public.
Lao Zhu rewarded them with a lot of property and land, and also ordered people to escort them back to their hometowns.
Regardless of whether they were sincere or not, the ministers flattered Lao Zhu in the court, saying that he was "a wise king of a generation", "the emperor's grace is as vast as the waves of the sea, and his holy virtue is as boundless as the mountains."
Anyway, pick and choose whatever sounds good to you.
Now that the leading figures in Yanguan have returned to their hometowns, the remaining people should stop being stupid and confronting Lao Zhu.
Otherwise, it will have no effect and will lead to a dead end.
The happiest person here is Hu Weiyong.
Now, no one can stop him, whether it is the enemy faction or his own faction.
Now it's time to go big.
I want to become an absolute courtier who is unprecedented in the world!
I want to learn from Sima Yan and Xiao Yan, and one day I will definitely sit in the Golden Palace and accept the worship of hundreds of officials! !
However, Lao Zhu poured cold water on him the next day. In the morning, he greatly praised Liu Bowen's eldest son Liu Lian for his integrity and uprightness in presiding over the imperial examination this time. He was promoted to the position of minister of the Ministry of official affairs and concurrently as the supervisory censor.
This directly changed Liu Lian from a seventh-rank Imperial Prince Supervisor without real power to a third-rank official.
It was even more exaggerated than Zeng Bingzheng last time, and it simply soared into the sky.
Lao Zhu’s meaning is very obvious.
With Liu Bowen and Song Lian gone, Yan Guan's power suddenly became much weaker, so he had to replenish his "troops."
If you want to supplement Yan Guan's military strength, Liu Bowen's son is naturally the most suitable.
If Song Lian's two sons, the eldest could only write calligraphy and the second was a bit dull, Lao Zhu would definitely promote them as well.
Yan Guan also understood. Although everyone felt very unhappy, but think about it, except for An Ran, the minister of the Ministry of Industry and the censor of Taiyou, who was a second-rank official, they had no other high officials.
Hu Weiyong's side is getting bigger and bigger day by day.
If Yan Guan doesn't promote someone who can speak and dare to act to compete with him, Yan Guan will have no chance of survival in the future.
Therefore, although Yan Guan was unhappy, he did not object out loud.
Naturally, the Huaixi sect would not agree.
Li Cunyi came out and said: "Although Liu Lian performed well in this imperial examination, he was promoted so quickly, which is a bit against the rules. It is not good for him to encourage the young people."
In fact, he wanted to say, who is Liu Lian? He has no military merit. Before today, he was not even qualified to enter the main hall. Why should he be equal to my son Li You? !
His father, Liu Ji, was only a third-grade man when he left the court.
Lao Zhu said calmly: "We have been observing Liu Lian for a long time, and he is quite capable. If Liu Ji had not suppressed Liu Lian in order to prove his innocence and not allowed anyone to recommend him, Liu Lian would not have been thirty. It has been several years since he was only a seventh-rank official. What is even more rare is that he has never complained, is serious in his work, and is willing to live in poverty. There are very few young people like him nowadays. Unlike some people who rely on me for some merit, He has no ability or character but wants to become a marquis and prime minister."
