In the first year of Hongzhi, the twelfth lunar month was the twenty-third, a small year.
Chang Feng's family happily went to his father-in-law Liu Bingyi's mansion to celebrate the New Year.
Liu Bingyi is now an idle little Jiuqing, with status, money and leisure.
I saw my daughter, son-in-law and grandson coming home to celebrate the festival. When he was happy, he would cook himself and make dumplings for his good son-in-law.
At the same time, in a courtyard in the south of the city. A group of people are planning something big.
Every inch of land in the capital is precious. Some low-ranking officials of the sixth and seventh grades had meager salaries and could only rent courtyard houses in the south of the city.
This courtyard is the home of Tang Nai, the censor.
At this moment, Tang Nai was sitting around the fire with his friends Zou Zhi, a scholar from the Shu Ji family, Ji Ren from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Li Wenxiang, a Jinshi scholar.
The supervisory censor, whose name sounds quite impressive, is actually just a minor official of the seventh rank.
Zhongshu Sheren Jiren is only from the seventh grade.
Li Wenxiang doesn't even have a grade. He ranked third and 198th in his undergraduate program and was also a candidate for the Ministry of Civil Service.
Only the Shuji scholar Zou Zhi had a higher status. Although he is only from the seventh rank, Shujishi has a future far beyond that of ordinary officials.
All in all, these four are officials the size of sesame seeds and mung beans in the capital city where there are many high-ranking officials.
Tang Nai added a few pieces of charcoal to the stove, poked it with a stick, and then said: "Brother Zou, Brother Ji, Brother Li. The Paper Paste Pavilion can always appear in the Chenghua Dynasty, but it must not appear in the Hongzhi Dynasty." "
"Liu Ji was doing nothing in the Chenghua Dynasty, and his body was a bare meal. He occupied the position of a cabinet member because of his thick skin."
"When the new dynasty was first established, I don't know what method he used to deceive Shengting. He actually stole the position of chief minister."
"This person's talent and learning would probably make him a county magistrate. How can he be the head of the cabinet?"
"I am going to write a letter to impeach Liu Ji. I suggest that the emperor investigate his culpability and punish him severely."
Everyone agreed. Ji Ren said: "Brother Tang wants to join Liu Ji, and I will sign on. Liu Ji has done so many evil things this year!"
Li Wenxiang said: "I will also sign."
Zou Zhi said: "I can also sign jointly. However, the four of us have always been in low-ranking official positions, and we speak lightly. Even if the four of us jointly sign, I'm afraid it won't make a splash in the court."
"In my opinion, it is better for us to contact our colleagues. If conscientious colleagues in the Hanlin Academy and the Metropolitan Procuratorate can jointly sign a discount, we will be able to overthrow the mediocre Prime Minister Liu Ji just around the corner."
Tang Nai said: "Okay! I will contact my colleagues in the Imperial Academy. Brother Zou will contact my colleagues in the Hanlin Academy. Brother Li will contact the Jinshi of the New Science Division. Brother Ji will contact the Sixth Branch to give Shizhong."
These four people's status was too low to appreciate Emperor Hongzhi's intention of using Liu Ji as a substitute.
The four of them went to contact each other, but there were a lot of responses.
The reason why there are so many responders is that Emperor Hongzhi carried out drastic reforms in the court. All matters that harm the interests of civilian officials will be handled in the name of Liu Ji, the chief assistant of the cabinet.
To put it bluntly, Liu Ji took the blame for Emperor Hongzhi. The resentment and anger of the civil servants were all directed at Liu Ji.
A "prison between officials in two capitals" that has gone down in history has begun.
The twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.
Chang Feng came to Beizhen Fushi to check in at Dianmao.
There are 8,000 Jinyiwei households, five in the Northern Division and three in the Southern Division.
Chang Feng and four other colleagues from Si Qianhu chatted over the fire while waiting for the arrival of Sun Luan, the envoy of Beizhen.
Qianhu Zhonghao, who specializes in tracking hundreds of officials, is nicknamed "Zhong Qianer". If there is any trouble among the officials, he will be the first to know.
Zhong Qian'er said mysteriously: "Master Chang, you may have to take on a big business recently. Our Weili's private treasury will be a little fatter."
Although Chang Feng is the youngest among the Eight Thousand Households. But because of Emperor Hongzhi's favor, he had the highest status.
The rest of the thousands of households did not call him by his official title, but only called him "Chang Ye" to show their respect for him and to show their closeness to him.
Chang Feng said: "Oh? What big business?"
Zhong Qian'er said: "The censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate are secretly working together to impeach Liu Ji. I know more than eighty of them."
"There are still more than 30 Hanlin officials and more than 20 new academicians who are ready to co-sign."
"I'm afraid Liu Mianhua will not be able to escape this time. If he is convicted and imprisoned, won't your inspection of Qianhu Office's big business come?"
Officials in the capital privately called Liu Jian and Xu Pu "Liu Ge Lao and Xu Ge Lao", but called Liu Ji directly "Liu Mian Mian". Because few officials looked down upon Liu Ji.
Chang Feng shook his head slightly: "I'm afraid it's not that simple. He is always the head of the cabinet. It is not something that a group of sixth- and seventh-grade censors and imperial officials can easily get involved."
Zhong Qian'er said: "Although this group of people is of low rank, they are large in number. I will make a bet with Mr. Chang, for fifty taels of silver. Liu Mianhua will not be able to escape this disaster."
Chang Feng smiled and said: "It seems a little inappropriate to bet on the appointment and dismissal of the cabinet."
At this time, Sun Luan walked in.
Everyone drew their pledges on the dianmao book.
Sun Luan said: "In the past few days, Zhong Qianhu, you have to keep your eyes and ears on the censors and officials. If there is any trouble, report it as soon as possible."
"Liu Ji, the chief assistant of the cabinet, also needs to keep a close eye on him. I want to know exactly who Liu Ji has met, what things and women he has done."
Zhong Qian'er cupped his hands and said, "Yes. Envoy of Zhenfu."
Sun Luan asked Chang Feng again: "Chang Qianhu. How many groups of people have returned to Beijing after ransacking their homes recently?"
Chang Feng replied: "There are two groups. One group went to raid the home of the former magistrate of Laizhou, Shandong. They recovered more than 400 taels of gold, and another 2,000 taels of silver and other valuables."
"One group went to the home of the former magistrate of Weishi County, Kaifeng Prefecture, Henan Province. The silver and valuables they copied came back at a discount of 1,800 taels."
Sun Luan said: "The group that went to Laizhou bought three hundred taels of gold. Don't you know about this?"
"In the past few days, you should hurry up and interrogate me clearly and enforce family laws. It's the first month and you can't kill anyone before February 2."
Chang Feng was surprised: "Is there such a thing?"
Chang Feng noticed two things from Sun Luan's words. The first thing is to check if there is someone in Qianhu who has unclean hands and feet.
Not surprisingly. Since ancient times, money has attracted people's hearts. In the face of real money and silver, it is not surprising that there are occasionally a few money-obsessed and courageous people.
The second thing. How did Sun Luan know that someone had taken money from a corrupt official? Unless he has eyes and ears in the inspection department. The ears and ears went with him to Laizhou for business.
Chang Feng is worth the room. He immediately called Fatty Xu and led a hundred strong men to the home of General Banner Wang Yuanwei.
Wang Zongqi was the person in charge of going to Laizhou to confiscate the property. Chang Feng felt that it was hard for him to go out on business and asked him to rest until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
In the courtyard of General Wang Banner.
Chang Feng led people into the courtyard with cheers.
A shabby householder in the capital was signing a house sales contract with Mr. Wang Qi.
Wang Zongqi was shocked when he saw Chang Feng coming: "Chang, Mr. Chang."
Fatty Xu scolded him angrily: "You also call me Master Chang? It's taboo to refer to an official."
Wang Zongqi said quickly: "Yes. I have met Chang Qianhu and Xu Deputy Qianhu."
Chang Feng picked up the sales contract and looked at it, and sneered: "Ah, Sanjin House in Beicheng. It's quite close to Jinyiwei. Wang Yuanwei, have you made a fortune recently?"
(End of chapter)
