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When Prince Zhu Heyu left Beijing to handle the case, he arrested nearly a hundred corrupt officials in one go. After returning to Beijing, he publicly impeached Zhou Shangjing, Huang Yourong, and Shen Changmao, three powerful cabinet ministers!
This news was so shocking that in just one day, it spread throughout the capital and the public!
Some people praised Prince Zhu Heyu's actions, thinking that Prince Zhu Heyu had eliminated the official ills between the northern and southern Zhili in one fell swoop, and frightened the ghosts and monsters in the temples. The atmosphere in the court would definitely change drastically because of this! However, some people criticized that the prince's move was too reckless, would inevitably cause chaos in the government and the public, jeopardized the credibility of the court, and was only treating the symptoms rather than the root cause!
Originally, this day was the day when the results of the imperial examination were revealed. Everyone was paying attention to who would win the top prize, the second prize, and the top prize. However, Prince Zhu Heyu made an extraordinary move and diverted people's attention in an instant. The officials and people in the capital immediately forgot about the palace examination, and just discussed the upcoming turmoil in the temple!
After losing a large number of cronies and being impeached by Crown Prince Zhu Heyu in public, can the three cabinet ministers Zhou Shangjing, Huang Yourong, and Shen Changmao really swallow this sigh of relief? What kind of revenge will happen next?
What should Emperor Deqing choose next? Are you supporting Prince Zhu Heyu and taking the opportunity to suppress the three elders? Or reject the impeachment of Prince Zhu Heyu to calm the chaos in the temple?
There is also Prince Zhu Heyu. He has always been a man who never looks back. What will he do next? Is it dying down? Or keep up the good work?
Every question and every possibility caused a lot of discussion among the court and the public, thinking that there would be a fight at court the next morning. [Read the full text] Above the temple, there was a tense atmosphere of imminent rain.
However. Under the surging undercurrent, the final result. But it was beyond everyone’s imagination!
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The next day, in the morning court, the situation was unexpectedly smooth and stable, and it turned out to be a harmonious scene where the king was virtuous and his ministers were respectful.
First of all, the three cabinet ministers Zhou Shangjing, Shen Changmao, and Huang Yourong simultaneously submitted pleas to Emperor Deqing for the impeachment of Crown Prince Zhu Heyu. However, Emperor Deqing rejected their pleas and offered condolences. Ichiban.
Then, Emperor Deqing affirmed the results of Prince Zhu Heyu's trial and handling of the "Southern Tour Preparation Fraud Case." He praised Prince Zhu Heyu for being "quite like Emperor Taizu Gao", and then rejected Prince Zhu Heyu's suggestion to impeach the three cabinet ministers.
Finally, Emperor Deqing discussed the southern tour with the officials, and appointed Crown Prince Zhu Heyu as the Prince Supervisor, while Huang Yourong was appointed as the Assistant Minister. The officials all agreed with this decision.
During this period, although there were some twists and turns, it was generally calm. There were no storms or storms as imagined, there were no quarrels or attacks on each other, and the elders of the three major pavilions did not suffer much loss. Prince Zhu Heyu did not lose much prestige, and Emperor Deqing also used this to stabilize the situation in the temple. It can be said that everyone is happy!
Such a situation. It was beyond everyone's expectations, after the news came out. Both the government and the public were doubtful for a while, but they thought about it for a long time. But I can’t figure out the reason!
In fact, throughout the ages, whether in China or in the West, decisions and resolutions that really have a major impact are often made by a small number of people in power who discuss and decide in private, while the discussions and speculations of lower-ranking people cannot have any impact. As for the aftermath, The public deliberation and voting are just superficial procedures to fool the people.
This time, the same is true!
On the day when Prince Zhu Heyu returned to Beijing, when the people of the government and the public were discussing and speculating and panicking, Emperor Deqing secretly summoned Zhou Shangjing, Huang Yourong, and Shen Changmao in the evening. During this period, Emperor Deqing and these three people Not many people know what the three pavilion elders discussed!
However, within a few days, news came out from the inner court that because Dongchang "used wealth and hatred, regarded officials as holes, unjustly related the dead, and created countless unjust, false and wrong cases", Emperor Deqing was quite angry and ordered A rectification order was ordered, and then a large number of people in the Dongchang Yamen were purged from the factory supervisor Feng Desheng down, and even the twelve inner court supervisors were affected by this.
Then, between the northern and southern Zhili, in the four provinces and thirteen prefectures, a large number of official positions appeared due to the "Southern Inspection Preparation Fraud Case". These official vacancies naturally required the selection of new officials to take over, and because Zhou Shangjing, Huang Yourong, As well as Shen Changmao, the three cabinet elders were "highly respected, discerning, and well aware of the character and style of hundreds of officials in the court." Therefore, Emperor Deqing gave half of the candidates for the officials to be discussed and drafted by the three cabinet elders!
These matters were naturally a secret deal between Emperor Deqing and the three pavilion elders.
However, at this time, these messages were still secret and not many people knew about them. When they spread, it was already after Emperor Deqing started his southern tour.
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Zhao Junchen was not surprised by this ending.
In fact, it was Zhao Junchen who proposed to put all the responsibility on the Dongchang Yamen and calm the anger of the three major pavilion elders to Emperor Deqing.
In the end, Emperor Deqing also adopted Zhao Junchen's suggestion. However, Dongchang was unlucky. The major forces in the DPRK and China were satisfied, and the situation in the temple became stable.
Because of this, while the government and the public were discussing it, in the eyes of Zhao Junchen, the matter had been settled. He didn't pay much attention, and was just busy with his next plan!
But on this day, after the morning court, when Zhao Junchen finished his work at the Hubu Yamen and returned to the mansion, it was already approaching evening.
At this time, in the study room of Zhao Mansion, Wei Huai, a thousand households in Xichang, had been waiting for a long time.
Wei Huai helped Zhao Junchen manage the West Factory, and his identity was quite sensitive. In order to reduce the traces of "factory guard" on himself, Zhao Junchen rarely met Wei Huai and only controlled the situation secretly. However, this time it was Zhao Junchen who took the initiative. Summoned Wei Huai.
…
When Zhao Junchen walked into the study, Wei Huai bowed in his wheelchair and said: "I have met the factory governor in this humble position."
Zhao Junchen smiled broadly and walked towards his desk. While raising his hand, he said: "You don't have the convenience of your legs and feet, so you don't have to be polite. You and I can be more casual."
While talking. Zhao Junchen was already sitting behind the desk and asked Wei Huai, "Do you know about Dongchang?"
Wei Huai nodded and said: "Such a big thing, the humble position naturally knows about it. Dongchang became the victim of the fight between the prince and the three elders. His Majesty has secretly ordered a rectification and purge. Now, including Feng Desheng, the director of Dongchang , the officials of Dongchang were secretly arrested one after another. In this way, Dongchang’s vitality has been severely damaged, and I am afraid it will take a long time to recover.”
Zhao Junchen nodded and said: "Since the reconstruction of the West Factory, there have been many overt and covert battles with the East Factory. Now that the East Factory is weak and there are no constraints, you must seize the opportunity to expand the power of the West Factory and reduce it. The influence of Dongchang in various places and yamen."
Wei Huai replied: "Don't worry, factory supervisor, I know these things well."
Zhao Junchen added: "Also. Now that the East Factory is weakening, the West Factory will naturally become more powerful. And as the power of the West Factory expands, I am afraid that Your Majesty will be even more worried about handing the West Factory into my hands." I estimate that the date for His Majesty to take back the West Factory from me will be further advanced, so you secretly control the plan to bribe the West Factory personnel. It must be further accelerated... By the way, Your Majesty, he was not in the West Factory a few days ago Have you installed a person named Luo Xiang? How has he performed recently? "
Wei Huai pondered for a moment. He replied: "I understand the concerns of the Factory Supervisor. Now our plan to secretly control and bribe the West Factory personnel is progressing smoothly. Even if you hand over the West Factory now, I can guarantee that many people in the West Factory will continue to work." We serve in secret, so the factory governor doesn’t have to worry. As for Luo Xiang... he’s not restless. He’s been trying to win people’s hearts everywhere these days. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have as much power and wealth as we do, so the progress is not going well.”
Zhao Junchen nodded and said: "Your Majesty inserted Luo Xiang in order to smoothly take over the West Factory from me in the future. I am afraid that what he did was all His Majesty's intention, so you don't have to stop him and let him Just do it, anyway, under our supervision, he can't make any trouble... By the way, I'm coming to you this time. In addition to some inquiries, there is one more thing I need you to do. "
"Sir, please speak."
"With your eyes, you can naturally understand that the reason why Dongchang is in bad luck this time is because His Majesty wants them to become the scapegoats for Crown Prince Zhu Heyu. But although you can understand this matter, in the end, the world will still be full of misfortune. There are more confused people, and I am afraid that many people in Dongchang still haven’t figured out what happened, so I want you to spread this matter secretly, so that all the eunuchs in Dongchang and even the 12th Inner Palace know about it. They are unlucky this time because of Prince Zhu Heyu!"
Speaking of this, Zhao Junchen said coldly: "Now that the prince has completely offended the three pavilion elders and hundreds of officials in the court, as well as many local gentry and merchants, if such news is spread now, then from now on Later, even the eunuchs in the inner court will be hostile to the prince. At that time, the prince will have enemies on all sides, and it will be easier for me to do things!"
When Wei Huai heard Zhao Junchen's instructions, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes! I just feel that Zhao Junchen has become more and more clever in his strategies and sophisticated in these days. Although he is used to the wind and rain, he is now gradually a little in awe of Zhao Junchen.
However, these thoughts only passed by in a flash. On the surface, Wei Huai just agreed with a calm face!
Then, after Zhao Junchen told Wei Huai some things, he let Wei Huai leave and did not invite Wei Huai to have dinner with him as usual.
Because Zhao Junchen had already made dinner arrangements today. He was going to have a banquet with the new scholars who had joined him. Speaking of which, this was the first official meeting between Zhao Junchen and these new scholars.
After Zhao Junchen explained the reason, Wei Huai did not have any dissatisfaction. He just said goodbye to Zhao Junchen and left.
After Wei Huai left, Zhao Junchen took advantage of his free time and began to deal with the papers on his desk. Now that Emperor Deqing was about to tour the south, there were many things that Zhao Junchen needed to arrange in advance.
However, just after a stick of incense, someone from the Zhao family suddenly came to report that Wei Huai had left and returned, and asked to see Zhao Junchen again, saying that he had important news!
...(To be continued...)
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