PS: Thanks to book friend Yi Yihu Qilin for the tip.
When the memorial for Xing Youwei's impeachment was sent to the capital, a similar memorial was sent from Sihaizhi.
Beijing.
Two memorials from the Xuanfu were sent to the cabinet at almost the same time.
"How can this be!"
When Gu Bingqian, the chief minister of the cabinet, saw the contents of these two memorials, he slumped in his seat, his face turned gloomy and became very ugly.
"Mr. Ge, what's wrong with you!"
The person in the middle school room thought something had happened to Gu Bingqian's body, so he hurriedly walked over and tried to help Gu Bingqian with his hands.
When he walked to Gu Bingqian's desk and saw the two memorials open on it, he glanced at it subconsciously. His whole body suddenly stopped, and his arm stretched out to Gu Bingqian stayed in the air.
"I'm fine." Gu Bingqian waved his hand to the person from Zhongshu who came over, left the back of the chair, closed the memorial on the table, and asked at the same time, "Have you seen the content inside? "
Zhongshu Sheren nodded with a sad face.
Gu Bingqian said: "Go and find Mr. Huang Ge!"
Zhongshu Sheren was ordered to leave.
Not long after, Huang Liji, the second assistant, quickly came to Gu Bingqian's room.
As soon as he entered the door and saw Gu Bingqian in the room, he asked eagerly: "I heard that Xing Youwei was defeated in Yanqing and all 50,000 Guanning troops were killed in the hands of thieves. Is it true?"
"Read it yourself!" Gu Bingqian pointed at the two memorials on the table.
Huang Liji picked up one of the memorials on the table and looked through it.
"Xing Youwei has harmed the country and his crime is unforgivable. He should be arrested and returned to Beijing to be punished." After reading the memorial from the supervisor in his hand, he scolded Xing Youwei with an angry face.
Gu Bingqian pointed to another memorial with his hand and said, "Look at this one again. Xing Youwei sent it."
"What he can write is nothing more than making excuses for his defeat." Huang Liji said while picking up another memorial in his hand.
When he flipped through the memorial and read the contents, his expression became uncertain.
"Which of these two memorials do you think is telling the truth?" Gu Bingqian asked.
Huang Liji hesitated for a moment and said: "No matter who is telling the truth, Xing Youwei, as the commander-in-chief of the army, destroyed the imperial court's 50,000 elite troops. There is no way he can escape his involvement."
"Xing Youwei was recommended by me, and the supervisor was recommended by Tu Wenfu, the internal minister. Are you afraid of offending me by saying this?" Gu Bingqian stared at Huang Liji.
Hearing the other party's question, Huang Liji showed bitterness on his face and said: "No matter who recommended the supervisor, now that the imperial army has suffered such a huge defeat at the hands of Liu Thief, Xing Youwei, as the coach, cannot escape his responsibility. Mr. Gu Ge should know this."
"You are right, but the main responsibility still lies with the supervisor. If he had not acted randomly, Guan Ning's 50,000-strong army would not have been trapped in Yanqing Prefecture." Gu Bingqian said.
Upon hearing this, Huang Liji understood that Gu Bingqian wanted to protect Xing Youwei and put all the responsibility for the destruction of Guan Ning's 50,000 army on the supervisor.
The supervisor was the person of the internal minister Tu Wenfu, and behind Tu Wenfu was Wei Zhongxian.
The army coach Xing Youwei is supported by his first assistant Gu Bingqian, who is also from Wei Zhongxian's line.
He really doesn't want to get involved in this kind of intra-party struggle. Unless Wei Zhongxian gives clear instructions, no matter which side he supports, he will offend the other side.
"What? Mr. Huang Ge thinks what I said is wrong?" Gu Bingqian asked in a calm tone.
Huang Liji smiled bitterly and said, "Why don't we talk to Senior Official Wei about such a big matter first?"
Unable to make up his mind, he put the problem on Wei Zhongxian.
"How long do you think the cabinet can delay such a big thing like the imperial army's defeat in Yanqing Prefecture? The top priority is to see the Holy One, and before meeting the Holy One, I hope that the cabinet can come up with a unified attitude. Don't forget Huangge. , you and I both come from two rankings." Gu Bingqian pressed Huang Liji step by step.
And reminded Huang Liji of his status as a civil servant.
Feng Quan, who was originally the Minister of Household Affairs of Wuyingdian University in the cabinet, was alienated by Wei Zhongxian at the instigation of Cui Chengxiu and was dismissed from his post not long ago.
There are not enough ministers in the cabinet, and all matters of the cabinet are decided by Gu and Huang. .
"Don't Mr. Gu Ge want to see the Holy Emperor? You'd better hurry up and go!" Huang Liji said to Gu Bingqian.
Gu Bingqian had a smile on his face after hearing this.
Understand that Huang Liji agreed to stand with him, speak for Xing Youwei, and put all the responsibility for the defeat of Guan Ning's 50,000 army on the head of the supervisor.
The two people came out of Wenyuan Pavilion and headed all the way to Qianqing Palace.
Although the two of them are cabinet ministers, they are still foreign ministers. If they want to see the emperor, they need to convey it through the eunuchs in the palace.
The weather has warmed up, and there is a bit more greenery in the Forbidden City.
"Two pavilion elders, come with us!" The young eunuch who came out of Qianqing Palace brought the two of them into the palace.
The two people entered the inner hall, saw Tianqi leaning on the dragon couch, and bowed to salute.
"The two beloved princes are equal, and I will give you a seat." Tianqi asked the young eunuch in the palace to move the embroidery pier.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Gu Bingqian and Huang Liji thanked Wan'en and then straightened up.
But when they saw the palm print eunuch Tu Wenfu standing next to Tianqi, looking at them with a smile but not a smile, their hearts sank.
The first thought that came to mind was that the other party came because of the defeat of Guan Ning's 50,000-strong army.
"Two pavilion elders, please take a seat!"
The little eunuch placed two embroidered piers behind Gu Bingqian and Huang Liji respectively.
"Thank you, father-in-law." Gu Bingqian said politely, and then he and Huang Liji sat on the embroidered pier respectively.
Tianqi picked up the tureen on the table with one hand and said in his mouth: "The two beauties arrived just in time, and Tu Daban also just arrived. Let me guess, you must be here for the same thing?"
As he spoke, he looked at several people respectively.
Gu Bingqian stood up and bowed slightly towards Tianqi.
Before he could speak, Tian Qixu pressed his hand and said, "No need to get up, Gu Aiqing can just sit down and talk."
"Yes." Gu Bingqian agreed, returned to the embroidered pier, and continued, "Wei Chen doesn't know why Eunuch Tu met with the Holy Majesty, but Wei Chen and Huang Ge Lao met with the Holy Majesty because the cabinet had just received Xing You, the Governor-General of Xuanda. For the memorial sent."
"Tell me quickly, how is the situation of suppressing bandits?" Tianqi sat up straight, with a look of concern on his face.
Tu Wenfu, who was standing aside, knew that he could not let the people in the cabinet speak first, so he hurriedly interjected: "Your Majesty, what I want to say is also about Governor Xuanda."
"It seems that I am really right. Daban, please tell me what happened that made you come to me together." Tianqi asked.
Before Gu Bingqian could speak, Tu Wenfu said first, "Your Majesty, the Chief of Ceremonies has just received news that Governor Xing Youwei failed to fight effectively, resulting in Guan Ning's 50,000-strong army falling into the hands of thieves. The two generals were full of soldiers. Gui died in battle, Jiang Yingzhao disappeared, and only deputy general Li Quansen led the remaining soldiers to escape back to the Sihai Administration."
