Xu Youzhi entered the palace and was taken directly to the cabinet.
With his status as a member of the fifth rank, in the cabinet, not to mention his seat, he had to bow down even when standing.
The few people sitting in front of him were all big shots that he couldn't even try to curry favor with.
"Xu Yuanwailang, now that Ye Shoufu is here, you have to tell the truth. Is the Tiger Flag thing true?" Han Xu asked bluntly.
Xu Youzhi bowed and said in a solemn tone: "Xiaoguan is definitely not exaggerating. Not only did Xiaguan see it with his own eyes, but also several Jinyi guards who went to Qingcheng with him saw it with their own eyes. Mr. Ge found someone. Come and ask and you will find out.”
"You don't need to tell me, I will also send someone to ask the Jin Yiwei who left the capital with you." Han Xu said.
When he heard the news that Xu Youzhi brought back, he felt a huge wave of emotion in his heart. For such a big event, he called his chief assistant Ye Xianggao into his office room.
"Wait a minute, it's almost time for the people who went to question the Jin Yiwei to come back." Ye Xiang, the master, stroked his beard.
Although he was also shocked by the news, he still looked calm after having been an official for many years.
Facing two cabinet elders, one of whom was also the chief minister of the cabinet, Xu Youzhi tensed up and wiped the sweat on his forehead with his sleeves from time to time.
The room was quiet for a while, except for the sound of drinking tea from time to time.
Not long after the time passed, the door of the room opened from the outside, and Wang Wenyan, a member of the middle school room in Ye Xianggao's room, walked in from the outside.
"Two pavilion elders, we have already asked clearly. The Jin Yiwei and Xu Yuanwai Lang said the same thing. Qingcheng has indeed fallen into the hands of Tiger Flag." Wang Wenyan said to Ye Xianggao.
At this time, Xu Youzhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
In front of the two elders of Wenyuan Pavilion, even though he knew that what he said was the truth, he still couldn't help but feel nervous.
"I didn't expect that a small business could do such a big thing. I really want to see this Liu Heng. What ability does he have to make the Mongols surrender?" Ye Xianggao said, twirling his beard.
Han Xu, who was standing aside, said with an ugly face: "What is there to see about a rebellious minister and traitor? I would like to tell you that we should have sent a large army to destroy this tiger-character flag earlier. That would be the main topic."
"The slaves and bandits in Liaodong have not yet been quelled. How can the imperial court still have food and pay to mobilize the army?" Ye Xianggao said.
Han Xu said coldly: "Today the Tiger Character Banner can capture Qingcheng, and tomorrow it can attack our Ming Dynasty. If we continue to let it go, cholera will sooner or later come to our Ming Dynasty. Only by eradicating it earlier can peace be restored in the universe."
"With no soldiers and no pay, how can we destroy this Tiger Flag? Do we have to rely on the soldiers and horses of Xuanfu and Datong? If the soldiers and horses of these two towns really had this ability, they would not have waited until now and no news has been sent to the capital." Ye Xianggao looked at Han Xu and said.
As the first assistant, he has more to consider than Han Xu, the second assistant.
Since the end of the three major levies during Wanli's reign, Zhang Juzheng has spent almost all the money he had saved for the court for many years. After Taichang ascended the throne, in order not to compete with the people for profit, he canceled various taxes, and the court was already unable to make ends meet.
The last bit of silver was also taken to Liaodong by Sun Chengzong to resist slave thieves.
"If the soldiers and horses of Xuanfu and Datong cannot be trusted, they will dispatch troops from Jizhou Town and Yulin Town. If that doesn't work, there are still soldiers and generals from Liaodong who can be dispatched." Han Xu said with murderous intent.
"No." Ye Xianggao shook his head and said, "We must not mobilize troops from Liaodong. Once the defenders of Liaodong are separated and the slave thieves capture Shanhaiguan, it will be a smooth journey straight to the capital."
Han Xu said: "Even if we don't mobilize troops from Liaodong, we can still mobilize troops from Jizhou Town and Yulin Town."
"Even the soldiers and horses in Xuanfu and Datong towns can't stand the tiger-character flag. Do you think Jizhou Town and Yulin Town can destroy the tiger-character flag?" Ye Xianggao snorted.
Among the nine towns, Xuanfu and Datong were already at the forefront compared to the other towns because they had been invaded by the Mongols many times.
Even if Ye Xianggao didn't go to Jiubian to check in person, he knew that the situation in Jizhou Town and Yulin Town would not be good.
It is a tradition for civilian officials to suppress military generals. Except for one Li Chengliang who was granted a title, the other border towns will receive collective suppression from civilian groups no matter who is the commander-in-chief.
Every time the Ministry of Revenue allocates part of the food and salary to several border towns, part of it is to suppress the generals and not give them a chance to rise. Therefore, even if the generals are left with empty pay, no one will care.
We are not afraid that the general will fall, but we are afraid that the general will not fall.
Han Xu snorted coldly and said: "I'm afraid those officials in Xuanfu and Datong have been bribed by this tiger character flag a long time ago, and they are no longer trustworthy."
He didn't believe that the people in Xuanfu and Datong didn't know that Huzi Banner had done such a big thing on the grassland.
However, the cabinet has not seen the memorials sent by Xuanfu and Datong for such a long time. In his eyes, the officials in these two places have long been untrustworthy.
"Pei Hong, the imperial censor of Datong, once sent a letter to the capital and told about the situation of the tiger-character flag. However, there was no evidence, and Wei Wei's favoritism towards the tiger-character flag prevented him from moving the tiger-character flag." Wang Wenyan suddenly interrupted.
At this time, Xu You, who was standing in the room, could not lower his branches any lower.
Hearing so many things he shouldn't have heard, he panicked and wanted to block his ears with his hands.
"You and I should stop arguing here. We should go to Qianqing Palace to see the Holy One. The Holy One will ultimately need to make a decision about the tiger-character flag." Ye Xianggao said.
Han Xu nodded expressionlessly.
Two people stood up from their seats.
"You stay here first. If the Holy One wants to summon you to meet the Holy One, I will send someone to find you." Ye Xianggao told Xu Youzhi.
Xu Youzhi hurriedly bowed and said: "Everything must be obeyed by the chief minister."
Ye Xianggao put on his black gauze hat and walked out of the room, followed closely by Han Xu. The two of them left Wenyuan Pavilion and went to Qianqing Palace.
When the two people arrived at Qianqing Palace, Tianqi was busy with carpentry work accompanied by Wei Zhongxian.
The young eunuch hurried over and brought the news that the two pavilion elders had arrived at Qianqing Palace.
"Sir, come with me to meet the two pavilion elders." Tianqi cleaned his hands, put on his dragon robe, and walked towards the main hall of Qianqing Palace.
Although Wei Zhongxian didn't like Ye Xianggao and Han Xu, he also knew that with the identities of these two people, even Tianqi had to treat them seriously and could not just throw them aside.
Soon, Tianqi returned to Qianqing Palace.
"Old minister, I pay homage to Your Majesty."
Ye Xianggao and Han Xu saluted Tianqi.
Tian Qi returned to the imperial court, then raised his right hand, and said in a warm tone: "The two beauties are equal."
Only then did Ye Xianggao and Han Xu straighten up.
"The two beloved ladies came together, could something happen?" Tianqi took the bowl sent by the palace maid, held it in his hand and blew the hot air inside with his mouth.
