Li Ding rubbed his sore temples, then opened the window and looked outside.
It's daylight!
He stood up and blew out the oil lamp that had been burning all night.
Then he checked the results of his hard work over the past few days one last time.
He let out a slight breath: "Mr. Wu Dun, you can't blame me!"
There is nothing he can do!
A fire broke out in the Gongyuan in mid-February, killing so many people.
Especially the two teachers who burned Xinjun to death.
He is the official responsible for the imperial examination, so naturally he is also the first responsible person. He cannot escape the blame and will definitely be settled by the queen.
In particular, the two palaces posthumously gifted the two Zishantang officials who were burned to death a few days ago, and ordered officials to appoint one of their descendants as officials.
While the emperor's favor is great, it also means that he will be held accountable for the fire in the Gongyuan.
Li Ding knew that if he didn't think of a way to save himself, he would definitely be demoted from the capital.
It is very likely that they will be thrown directly into those remote military states, and they will never be able to return to Bianjing again in this life!
This is unacceptable to Li Ding!
It took him half his life and all his efforts to climb from a remote prefecture and county to Bianjing and to his current position.
He sacrificed everything for this!
He even did not hesitate to bear the infamy from the world, even after his biological mother died, he did not go back to observe mourning.
How could all his efforts be wasted because of a fire?
Therefore, he knew that he wanted to stay and continue to be an official and a high official.
You can only drag another person into the water.
What Wu Juhou did on Jingdong Road could not be hidden from anyone at all.
It's just that Emperor Daxing blocked it for him in the past, and no one was willing to lift the lid of Jingdong Road.
Now, Li Ding knew that he was going to lift the lid!
what does that mean?
Li Ding knew it very well.
Once the cover of Jingdong Road is lifted, the horse-preserving method will immediately face the wind and smell.
All the new party's excuses and whitewashing in the past will lose all convincing and turn into jokes because of what Wu Juhou and others did on Jingdong Road.
The only thing the new party can do is cut.
Cut now!
He even went one step further and expelled Wu Juhou from the New Party!
But, this is just the beginning.
When one lid on Jingdong Road is lifted, more lids will be lifted.
Since Yuanfeng, the truth about the so-called financial management methods under the new law will be exposed to the two palaces and the government and the public.
His former benefactor Wang Anshi may have been implicated in what he did today.
But……
"I don't do this, there are people who do it..."
Jingdong Road is not Jiangxi or Fujian.
The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. It would take half a month at the fastest for what happened there to reach Bianjing.
Jingdong Road is on the side of Bianjing!
Within two or three days, the imperial envoy could make a round trip.
Jingdong Road has so many merchants, scholars, and officials doing business in Bianjing...
They also all know what is happening locally?
No one said it in the past because they didn’t dare.
Now, the two palaces are in charge of politics, and everyone is ready to make moves.
Regardless of the new party or the old party, there are countless people who are preparing to use Wu Juhou as their starting point.
After blowing on the ink on the paper, Li Ding carefully put away the letter he had written.
Then he opened the door and told the servant at the door: "Get your horse ready for me. I want to enter the palace to duel!"
"only!"
…
Li Ding rode his horse to Xuande's gate, then dismounted and entered the imperial city.
When he arrived at the Hubu room in the capital, Li Ding took a short rest and then went to You Zhaoqing's door to submit a message requesting admission to the two palaces.
But he met Zhang Dun who came to his door.
"Why are you here?" Li Ding was a little panicked when he saw Zhang Dun coming to the door.
Because Wu Juhou was Zhang Dun's capable general in the development of Meishan, and he played a great role in the development process, he was personally recommended to Emperor Daxing by Zhang Dun, and thus he was reused.
"Brother Senior, do you want to enter the palace to seek justice?" Zhang Dun asked in a deep voice.
Li Ding nodded, he knew he couldn't hide it, and there was no need to hide it.
"I have already heard about what Wu Dunlao did on Jingdong Road..." Zhang Dun looked deeply at Li Ding and said to him seriously: "But now Emperor Daxing has just been promoted to immortality. Zi Palace has just been moved to Jinling Palace by the ministers..."
"The senior can't wait to impeach Mr. Wu Dun... I'm afraid it will damage the holy name of Emperor Daxing!"
"Why don't you take it easy?"
"Wait two months later, after the Daxing Emperor and the Divine Master respectfully attach themselves to the ancestral temple, then I will submit a letter to the two palaces together with Senior, and then report everything on Jingdong Road to the two palaces one by one!"
Li Ding shook his head firmly.
Wait two months?
It has been preempted a long time ago!
Besides, he couldn't wait two months! Maybe next month, the court will discuss the outcome of the fire in Gongju.
"Zi Hou, you and I can wait two months..." Li Ding sighed: "Millions of people up and down Jingdong Road are in trouble. Every moment, someone is destroying their families. Can they wait?"
Seeing this, Zhang Dun could only sigh again, then took a deep look at Li Ding, cupped his hands and said: "A senior person has a heart for all people, which is beyond my reach!"
Li Ding looked at Zhang Dun suspiciously, and for a moment he couldn't figure out what medicine Zhang Zihou was selling in Hulu?
Was he here to stop himself?
It doesn’t seem like it!
So what is he here for?
Li Ding would not know that Zhang Dun had already known about his investigation of Jingdong Road these days.
Zhang Dun even sent many people to assist him in the investigation privately.
Also worried that his investigation was not clear enough or careful enough, Zhang Dun directly ordered that many documents from the capital hall be sent to Li Ding's household department.
Zhang Dun did this for only one reason - he couldn't stand Wu Juhou either.
He even despised what Wu Juhou did for a long time!
However, Wu Juhou was the most trusted local minister of Emperor Daxing during his lifetime.
He is also the star of local supervisory officials since Yuanfeng.
It was neither suitable for Zhang Dun to touch him nor to impeach him.
Li Ding is willing to take the lead, but Zhang Dun is too late to be happy!
Because, like Wu Juhou and the entire Jingdong Transportation Department under his command, they are already in ruins.
They are the sores on the new law.
Intelligent people have long known that in order for the new law to be maintained, these sores must be scraped off!
Now, Li Ding is determined to do this, and Zhang Dun will not do anything to stop him except silently assisting him.
As for why Zhang Dun came to Li Ding and said those words?
He didn't tell it to Li Ding.
He was telling it to the young master of Funing Hall, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty.
I, Zhang Dun, Zhang Zihou, am the most loyal minister to Emperor Daxing!
Zhang Dun knew that the young master was only eight years old.
Even if his lifespan is only as long as that of Emperor Daxing, he can still rule the world for at least thirty years!
Don't take advantage of his youth to behave in front of him.
It will be too late when he grows up.
…
Although Li Ding felt confused after being inexplicably disturbed by Zhang Dun, he still followed the existing plan and took the written letter to You Zhaoqing's door, handed in the post, and requested a duel in the two palaces.
Soon, a decree came from the palace: Li Ding, the direct bachelor of Longtuge and the minister of household affairs, came to the Yingyang Gate.
A chamberlain was sent to bring him in.
Li Ding was surprised when he saw the minister.
Because he recognized that it was Feng Jing, the emperor's chief minister and the most intimate minister around the young master.
The other party understood Li Ding's surprise, so in the process of leading the way, he whispered to him: "Everyone has also read the last letter from the Minister... These days, everyone has been thinking about the results of the Minister's investigation... "
"Everyone has a good saying..."
Feng Jing bowed in the direction of Jingling Palace: "'My father, the emperor, always thought of the people of the world. He often wore no more than three or five sets of clothes. He often told me: Before the people of the world have enough food and clothing, I will be alone. Don't dare to slack off!"
Li Ding bowed deeply and said: "Emperor Daxing loves the common people and cares about the world. He is truly a wise king through the ages!"
Feng Jing nodded, very satisfied with Li Ding's answer, and then told him: "Therefore, everyone said: If there are ministers who deceive the emperor, corrupt the sacred political virtues of the Daxing Emperor, act recklessly in the local area, and harm the common people, then It is true that both humans and gods are angry, and he has betrayed the holy virtue of Emperor Daxing... He is a rebellious minister who has trapped the emperor and his father in a dishonest manner!"
"Yes...yes..." Li Ding listened and nodded repeatedly.
He understood.
The mistakes were all the fault of Wu Juhou and the ministers under his command.
If even a little stain fell on Emperor Daxing, it would tarnish the virtue and glory of Emperor Daxing.
Then you are just like those rebellious ministers.
only……
Li Ding was not sure whether what Feng Jing said was the young master's intention or the empress dowager's intention. Or is it the common opinion of the two palaces and the young master?
However, he quickly figured it out.
No matter which one it is, it is not a supreme will that he can resist and disobey!
…
Yingyangmen arrived soon.
Li Ding straightened his clothes, then took the Zhiqiu and carefully placed the written letter in his sleeve.
Then he stood respectfully in front of the temple.
After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, a bell rang in the palace.
Then he heard the sound of the ceremonial guards entering the palace, and then a strange minister appeared in front of him: "The Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Emperor, please invite Long Tu to come into the palace to speak!"
Li Ding couldn't help being surprised when he heard this.
The young master is here too?
Is he also concerned about this matter?
Li Ding took a deep breath, not daring to be negligent, and quickly bowed his head and worshiped: "I obey the decree!"
Then he took the imperial hut and followed the minister respectfully into the small hall under the Yingyang Gate.
In the hall, the ever-lasting candlelight is still shining.
On the mattress on the east side of the hall, the young master, wearing Chu yellow uniforms and a small hooded headband, sat quietly on it.
Although he couldn't see his appearance clearly, his demeanor and sitting posture were upright and upright, as the saying goes: he has the emperor's laws and the traditions of his ancestors.
Behind the young master, the curtain lowered, and between the bead curtains, the figures of the two palaces could be vaguely seen.
Li Ding held the Chao Hut and bowed respectfully twice to the empress dowager on the west side behind the curtain, then bowed twice to the young master on the east side and the empress dowager behind the young master twice each.
Then he said: "My lord, the direct bachelor of Longtuge and the minister of household affairs, Ding, wish His Royal Highness the Empress Dowager, His Royal Highness the Empress Dowager, and His Majesty the Emperor long blessings!"
After saying that, he bowed deeply again.
"No gift for dragon pictures!"
The two palaces behind the curtain said.
"Give Long Tu a seat and tea!" the Empress Dowager continued.
The young master who was sitting on the throne said nothing and just sat quietly.
But Li Ding could feel that the young master was looking at him.
Thank you: the year between reincarnations, the motherland is gone, yi~~~~yi, the 500 starting points for the reward.
Thanks to: Book Friends 20201227200121638, Love is a word, Book Friends 150807220639732, Dirk Cat, Book Friends 20180811233316774, Lin Santian, 100 starting points for the reward
(End of chapter)
