Needless to say, almost all the officials in the palace were surprised by his words, but considering that Su Zongshan was the prime minister, they did not dare to make a loud noise. They only whispered behind him, like the sound of mosquitoes. It was unclear, but it made Su Zongshan even more nervous.
The prince was also shocked for a moment. It took him a long time to regain his composure and looked at Ming Huiguang with dull eyes: "Ming Qing...what do you have to say?"
Immediately afterwards, dozens of pairs of eyes followed the prince's gaze, either worried or questioning, with various expressions. However, Ming Huiguang didn't seem to take this to heart at all. He walked out of the train with his head high and his chest high, looking forward with vigour, and knelt down neatly in front of the palace: "Wei Chen is very grateful to Prime Minister Su. Appreciation, this is your honor. However, the power lies with the prince and your majesty. Ming is just following orders. But if this burden is entrusted to me, I will do my best to live up to the emperor's kindness!" After saying this, he lifted it up. At first, the excitement in his eyes was beyond words, but it was not the desire for fame and wealth, but more the passion spurred by longing.
Faced with this complicated situation, the prince's thoughts were completely confused. How could he listen to his answer? He thought hard and couldn't think of the reason why Su Zongshan did this, so he agreed a few times hastily, and then turned to ask Su Zong Shan: "Although this man belongs to a prominent family and is commendable for his loyalty, he is appointed as a minister and then as a provincial minister. Is there anything wrong with him?"
As soon as the prince finished speaking, the people who had passed by Hunan impatiently stepped forward to speak, but Chen Tongpao grabbed him and persuaded him in a low voice: "Sixing, please wait, I know what you are going to do. But Su Zongshan Now there are many party members who can compete with us. If you really argue with him, won't you be turning friends into enemies?" The people of Hunan accepted it unwillingly.
At this time, Su Zongshan had already said: "Your Highness, the Minister of Ming Dynasty is talented and learned. It is reasonable to promote him faster. It will promote the way of respecting the virtuous in our court. I think that this man is worried about the world and is spotless. The Ministry of Punishment has repeatedly judged him in recent years. The person who can clearly discern the details of all major cases has a lot to do with him as an official. Today's recommendation, even if you have other opinions, I will not change my opinion."
"What opinions do we have?" Cai Xianqing shouted as he walked out and glanced around, "We fully support Prime Minister Su!"
After Ye Yongjia and the two officials from the Ministry of Industry heard this, they also responded: "His Royal Highness Fu Wang recommended Ming Huiguang to be the provincial minister!" When all the officials saw it, they all looked horrified, even Zeng Liang, who was always known for his "loyalty and uprightness". He remained silent in the crowd, just looking left and right vigilantly to observe the current trends.
Seeing that no one objected, the prince became more and more puzzled. He raised his neck and looked again, but the scene was the same. I had no other choice but to say to everyone: "Since there is no one to recommend others, then choose Ming Huiguang to join the Zhongshu Province and take part in political affairs!" After saying that, he winked at the eunuchs beside him, and several young eunuchs Then he carried a square table, grinded the ink, covered it with paper, and asked the prince to write the memorial.
"This is a memorial recommending the Minister of the Ming Dynasty to join the Secretariat of the Central Government." The prince folded the written document and showed it to everyone. "If you agree, please write your name below and state it in the couplet."
The young eunuch respectfully accepted the order and ordered the ministers to write in turn. The prince stared at the memorial paper closely, but there were more and more names on it, and they were densely packed, such as 'Chen Tongpao', 'Zeng Liang', 'Ye Yongjia'... without exception, there were only a few important officials of the imperial court. He still stood still and refused to sign.
With all kinds of doubts, the prince put away the memorial, immediately ordered everyone to retreat from the court, and returned to the palace to prepare to present himself to the emperor.
"Master Chen."
Tongpao Chen was walking slowly on the corridor leading to the Ministry of Civil Affairs when he suddenly heard someone calling him from behind. When he turned around, he saw Ge Mingwei, who had recently become the censor Zhongcheng, standing upright under the arch.
"Oh, what's the matter with you?" Tongpao Chen bowed from a distance.
Ge Mingwei stepped forward and gradually showed a worried face: "Master Chen, it is inexplicable that Ming Huiguang can be elected in today's meeting. Seeing that Ye Yongjia is so supportive, he must be one of his party members. Why do you Why don’t you fight?”
Tongpao Chen said with a smile: "You don't have to say that. In his opinion, we may also be regarded as forming a clique for personal gain."
Ge Mingwei raised his sword eyebrows and said, "No! Although we are forming a party, we are not selfish. We are doing it to benefit the world and carry out the way of saints. We are what the world calls a party of gentlemen, gathered together with morality. As for Ye Yongjia, I have also heard that in my daily actions, although I keep talking about promoting the people and the country, I still want to use the name of innovation to destroy the current government, and my discussions are extremely extreme, without any honesty and fairness at all! This sage's book is probably learned from the dog's belly. Got it!"
"Your argument is also wrong."
"Where did I... go wrong?"
As Chen Tongpao walked, he said: "The so-called gentleman's party never competes with villains for any interests, sees people being arrogant but does not complain, sees people being proud but does not get angry, there is only one word for it, 'straight' . If you remonstrate angrily today, it will not only destroy the harmony of the court, but also offend others. This is not the way of a gentleman."
"Mr. Chen is so noble and upright," Ge Mingwei looked at him like a saint, with tears in his eyes and his fists clenched tighter, "I sincerely admire you! Ge Ming has been an official for so many years. I just lament that the world has declined and people's hearts are not as old as they used to be. I finally found a true Confucian scholar and a true gentleman like you. I will see the rule of sages in this life! Please accept my next bow!"
As he was about to kneel down, Tongpao Chen quickly grabbed him, patted his arm and said, "My lord, I accept your sincerity. But when you kneel, you can only kneel to heaven, kneel to the ground, kneel to your parents, and kneel to the emperor." , I absolutely cannot bear it.”
Why was Ge Ming willing to go against his words? He stood up straight and said a few more words of gratitude. Chen Tongpao answered them all with a smile before saying goodbye.
When Chen Tongpao returned to the official department, he saw a Hunan man sitting in the second hall with a sullen face. He suddenly knew what he was thinking, so he asked intentionally: "Why is Sixing so depressed?"
The Guoxiang man slowly raised his head: "Why did you indulge Prime Minister Su at that time? If you say it was for the sake of the harmony of your colleagues, it would be too much. Since Su Zongshan has done something unjust, we should also retaliate. Do you want to Watching them fall to the Ye Party?"
Tongpao Chen remembered the conversation he had just had with Ge Mingwei, but at this moment he changed his words: "Sixing is very shrewd, but it's a pity that he didn't think it through fully. We have excepted the Liu Party and have taken over all their power. It is in the ascendant, and we have to be on guard when our achievements are high and the master is shaken. Now if we cut off the flame of this development and take the initiative to eliminate the momentum, we will be safe."
"Then you are not afraid of the success of the Ye Party?"
Tongpao Chen smiled coldly: "I understand this."
