Emperor Zhengde had just woken up and was sitting on the dragon chair enjoying a cup of agarwood cooked water.
He didn't understand why the late emperor had to get up early every day for eighteen years.
Wouldn’t it be possible to govern the world poorly if you don’t get up early and go to the royal gate to listen to the noise of civil servants? During the early morning court at Yumen, the emperor and all the officials were drowsy and sleepy. Can the decision made really benefit the country and the people?
Just after taking two sips of agarwood cooked water, Emperor Zhengde heard a loud shout: "Why is the emperor absent from the morning court!"
The energetic drink comes from Liu Jian. Emperor Zhengde was startled and almost choked.
The three assistants had no intention and broke into the Qianqing Palace.
If we look at it from the above, Liu, Li, and Xie Wuzhi entered the palace in a menacing manner, and they were suspected of assassinating the king.
Emperor Zhengde was surprised: "Three gentlemen, why are you here?"
Liu Jian didn't even kowtow and asked Emperor Zhengde directly: "Why was the emperor absent from the morning court?"
Emperor Zhengde said perfunctorily: "My dragon body is not in good condition."
Xie Qian said angrily: "How does the emperor look like he is sick?"
"I have been your teacher since you were eight years old. I teach you every day to be a diligent and caring prince. To be a good emperor like the previous emperor."
"Have all the students forgotten the teacher's sincere teachings?"
Emperor Zhengde was stunned. Teaching? Is the minister pretending to be a teacher in front of the emperor?
Li Dongyang's tone was gentler than that of Liu and Xie: "When the late emperor was in power, he would not miss the morning court even if he felt ill. When he became seriously ill in the 17th or 18th year of Hongzhi's reign, even if he was seriously ill, he would be carried by his eunuchs to attend the morning court. .”
Xie Qian added: "That's right! The emperor must learn from the previous emperor. Don't learn from Jie and Zhou!"
Emperor Zhengde couldn't bear it anymore!
No matter how much he lives in the city, he will always be a young man of fifteen years old. Just a few days after he ascended the throne, Xie Qian said that he was imitating Jie and Zhou?
Who are Xia Jie and Shang Zhou? That is a famous tyrant in history books!
Emperor Zhengde's attitude was no longer as humble as that of a student: "I just missed the morning court for one day and became the king of Jie and Zhou?"
"Yao and Shun taught me, but Jie and Zhou did not teach me. If I were the king of Jie and Zhou, you gentlemen would be unable to teach me the right way!"
The three of them looked at each other in shock: You are dead! How dare students talk back to their teachers? The three of us are the auxiliary ministers of the late emperor Tuogu! It’s good that I didn’t ask you to call me “xiang father”.
Emperor Zhengde shouted: "Gu Dayong! Send these three gentlemen out of the palace!"
This was the first time that Emperor Zhengde expelled three assistant ministers from the palace.
Liu Jian and others came out to Qianqing Palace.
Xie Qian suggested: "Chief Assistant, please submit a memorial! Let the six ministries, nine ministers, and civil servants in Beijing jointly sign. We must let the emperor know who has the final say in this court."
The most ridiculous thing in the world is that employees think they are the bosses.
Liu Jian and others were busy cooperating with civil servants to write memorials and admonish Emperor Zhengde to be diligent in his administration.
Over at Jinyiwei, Chang Feng and others were also very busy.
In the duty room, Chang Feng squinted his eyes and listened to the report of the new commander Qian Ning.
Qian Ning said: "In the thirteenth year of Hongzhi, Liu Chengan, the nephew of the first assistant Liu Jian, sold illicit salt, amounting to 15,000 shi. He was arrested by the Lianghuai Salt Patrol Yamen."
"Liu Cheng'an revealed his identity. Salt patrol officer Gao Bin enforced the law impartially and without mercy. Two months later, the cabinet recommended that the emperor move Gao Bin to Guangxi to serve as an academic administrator. Soon, Liu Chengan was released by the new salt patrol officer."
Chang Feng sneered: "Ah, a typical example of using power for personal gain, protecting his nephew and avenging his personal revenge. Where is Gao Bin now?"
Qian Ning replied: "Gao Bin's future has been ruined by offending the big boss in the cabinet. The official position is getting smaller and smaller, and now he has been reduced to the general judge of Guilin Prefecture in Guangxi."
Chang Feng ordered: "Send a capable person to Guangxi. Get Gao Bin's testimony about the salt smuggling case in the 13th year of Hongzhi's reign."
"Also tell Gao Bin that the court will not forget upright people. Within a year, he will receive a promotion order."
Qian Ning nodded: "Okay."
Shi Wenyi said: "Xie Qian's family participated in smuggling and colluded with Japanese pirates. They did a large porcelain smuggling business in Ningbo. It is said that out of ten pieces of porcelain at sea, five pieces came out of Xie's family."
Chang Feng said: "The Shuangmu Society's account books are still in my hands. I will copy the accounts about the Xie family as evidence of the crime."
Zhang Caidao: "I really can't find any decent dirt on Li Dongyang. This person is too meticulous in his work, and it will be difficult for the factory guards to deal with him. In my opinion, it's better to frame him?"
Chang Feng did not answer Zhang Cai's words. Instead, he smiled and said, "I almost forgot about a big happy event. The Queen Mother has arranged for Quanzi to get married! All of you uncles will come to my house for a drink while waiting for the engagement ceremony."
Qian Ning said: "The Queen Mother proposes marriage to Po Nu? He is a new Jinshi and a person close to the Emperor. I think my future wife must be a lady of the family."
Chang Feng nodded: "That's right! She is indeed a lady from a well-educated family. She is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. She is as good as a man in the Four Books and Five Classics."
Zhang Cai asked: "Master Handsome, don't be too pretentious. Which family is this girl from? Your in-laws, our brothers will have to take care of them from now on. If you encounter trouble, our brothers will help solve it."
Chang Feng's answer surprised everyone: "The fourth lady of Li Dongyang's family, the second assistant to the cabinet."
Everyone looked at each other.
Marrying one of the top civil servants? Factory guards and civil servants are on the same page!
Chang Feng smiled slightly: "Li Dongyang is different from Liu Jian and Xie Qian."
Leaders don’t need to be straightforward when speaking. Just click until you reach it.
Chang Feng's attitude is already obvious: Our Jinyiwei will mobilize Chief Assistant Liu Jian, cabinet member Xie Qian and the ministers below them this time. Be open to Li Dongyang.
Qian Ning asked tentatively: "May I ask, handsome master, whether it is the queen mother's intention to marry Li Dongyang or..."
Chang Feng replied: "The Emperor reminded the Queen Mother that there is a young lady in the Li family who is not yet married."
Everyone understands. It was not Chang Feng who wanted to protect Li Dongyang, but the emperor who wanted to keep Li Dongyang.
Chang Feng said: "Okay, let's get down to business. I will give you three months. Within three months, we must find enough evidence to make those rotten scholars who talk about benevolence, justice and morality lose their official positions."
Everyone raised their hands in unison: "Follow Commander Jun's order."
Two days later.
A thick memorial was placed in front of Emperor Zhengde.
The content of the memorial is actually very short, only a few hundred words. The general idea was to advise Emperor Zhengde to be diligent in his duties and not to miss the morning court again in the future.
The long one is the signature!
Among the 1,994 civil servants in the capital, including the three cabinet ministers, the six ministers and nine ministers, the Kedao Yanguan, and the Hanlin officials, there were about 1,800 signatures.
The memorial contains more than fifty pages of signature pages alone.
Emperor Zhengde sat behind the dragon case, staring at the fifty-page signed memorial in a daze.
Chang Ponu stood beside Emperor Zhengde.
Emperor Zhengde was silent for a long time and asked Chang Ponu: "What did you see?"
Chang Ponu replied: "I saw an iceberg on the court. It is an iceberg that is made of a piece of iron and cannot be penetrated by a needle. If it is damaged, both will be damaged and both will be prosperous. Those who follow it will prosper and those who go against it will perish."
"They are deceiving you! Not deceiving you, but bullying you!"
Chang Ponu was always young and spoke straightforwardly, without the slickness of an officialdom veteran. This was very popular with Emperor Zhengde.
Emperor Zhengde said: "Well said! He is indeed the son of Chang Feng! Let me tell you, I plan to ask your father to make a chisel to break this iceberg."
"You give an oral message to your father for me. The matter must be dealt with as soon as possible. The day when the year name is changed will be the time for me to expel those people."
The "things" mentioned by Emperor Zhengde naturally refer to the fact that he ordered the factory guards to investigate the illegal affairs of the cabinet, six ministries and nine ministers.
There is less than half a year left before the year name is changed at the beginning of the first month of next year.
Chang Ponu said: "I must pass the oral instructions to my father word for word."
Emperor Zhengde asked Chang Ponu: "Do you think I should follow the example of Grandpa Taizu and set off the Kongyin case, the Guo Huan case, the Hu Lan case, and kill many civil servants in the world?"
Chang Ponu thought for a moment and then replied: "Your Majesty, civil servants are like leeks. If you cut off the old ones, new ones will emerge."
"No matter how wise and powerful your emperor is, you are only one person. In the end, we still have to rely on civil servants at all levels to govern the world. Just relying on the word "kill" cannot solve the problem."
Emperor Zhengde asked: "Oh? Do you have a good solution?"
Chang Ponu said: "Your Majesty, I have nothing to do. I am not Zhuge Kongming, I am just a stupid person who ranks last in the top three."
Emperor Zhengde proudly told Chang Ponu: "I have figured out a way. Civil servants at all levels cannot be completely abandoned. If they are all abandoned, the Ming Dynasty will come to a halt."
"But I must take away the power from the civil servants at the top of the iceberg. Then I will appoint people who I trust to lead the civil servants at all levels in the world."
Chang Ponu asked: "May I ask, Your Majesty, who do you mean by trustworthy people?"
Emperor Zhengde smiled and said: "Your father is one of them. In addition to your father, there are a group of people worthy of my trust."
The group of people Emperor Zhengde mentioned refers to the Eight Tigers.
The young emperor knew in his heart that the emperor needed to rely on civil servants at all levels to govern the world. If you want to avoid being backlashed by civilian power, you must support a group of people. Let everyone in the civil service fear these people, and let everyone in the civil service fawn over these people.
This group of people will become "officials superior to officials."
Emperor Zhengde's accession to the throne was not long, and he already felt the pressure of civil servants in just over a month. He began to understand why Yingzong wanted to reuse Wang Zhen; why Xianzong wanted to use Wang Zhi first and then Shang Ming.
Eunuchs may have a lot of shortcomings of one kind or another. But they have one greatest advantage: loyalty to the emperor.
Eunuchs have only one home, and that is the palace. There is only one object of allegiance, and that is the emperor.
Emperor Zhengde changed the topic: "Besides, Li Dongyang is our teacher. It is a great thing for you to marry his daughter. The cost of the wedding will be paid by my internal transportation treasury."
Chang Ponu cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."
He thought to himself: Could it be that Mr. Li is also a member of the "officials" mentioned by the emperor?
Emperor Zhengde seemed to see through Chang Ponu's doubts.
He asked Chang Ponu a question: "Has your family ever bought a horse?"
Chang Ponu replied: "I bought it."
Emperor Zhengde asked again: "If the horse you bought is a fierce horse and keeps kicking, will you kill it or keep it?"
Chang Ponu thought for a moment and then replied: "Whether to kill or to keep depends on whether the fierce horse can be tamed and whether it can be used by the ministers in the future."
Emperor Zhengde smiled and said: "That's a good answer. Your future father-in-law will be a fierce horse in my eyes!"
In the evening, Changfu.
Princess Chang Tian returned to her parents' home with her guest Huang Yuan.
The eldest brother was promoted to three levels in a row and became a "handsome man"; the eldest sister-in-law was awarded a first-class imperial title; the nephew got a real job and stayed with the king. Chang Tian was happy from the bottom of his heart.
The family sat down. Liu Xiaoyan said: "Tangtang, you haven't been back to your parents' home for a while."
Chang Tian said half-jokingly: "Our family is now a wealthy family. How can I, a married daughter, throw away the water and keep returning to her parents' home to catch the autumn breeze?"
Chang Feng said: "Tangtang had an accident recently and learned to wear a high hat. What kind of high-ranking family is it? No matter how high-ranking it is, it can be higher than your princess's mansion?"
The family laughed and chatted while eating.
Chang Tian suddenly mentioned something: "Liu Jin gave me a Maitreya Buddha made of five hundred taels of gold the day before yesterday."
Chang Feng was speechless: "It is said that Liu Jin got rich after he ascended the throne. Unexpectedly, he became a local rich man directly. Such a big gesture, one gift is five hundred taels of gold."
Chang Tian said: "I originally planned to return it to Liu Jin. No matter how valuable five hundred taels of gold are, in my eyes it can't compare to the summer cicadas he sticks to me with his own hands every summer."
"But Liu Jin said that if I didn't accept it, he would sink the golden Buddha into the Yongding River. I had no choice but to be disrespectful."
Liu Jin really had nothing to say to Chang Tian. The two are named aunt and nephew, and they are actually the same father and daughter. How can an old father not love his daughter?
Chang Feng said: "Don't let our old nephew live up to his kindness."
Chang Tian added: "Liu Jin also told me that he will let my Huang Yuan take up the actual position in half a year."
The ceremonial guests are not allowed to hold actual positions. This is the ancestral rule set by Taizu.
Liu Jin seemed very confident. After half a year, he will have enough power to change the ancestral system.
If the great ancestor knew that a eunuch had the ambition to change the ancestral system he had set, he would probably not be able to hold it down even the coffin boards of Xiaoling Mausoleum.
After the family banquet, Chang Ponu conveyed Emperor Zhengde's oral instructions to his father.
Then Chang Ponu said: "Father, do you know how the emperor approved the letter signed by more than 1,800 civil servants urging the emperor to be diligent and diligent?"
Chang Feng asked: "How was it approved?"
Chang Ponu replied: "There is only one sentence: 'I know that I have made a mistake, and I should listen to the advice of virtuous ministers'."
Chang Feng sighed: "Only when you endure what ordinary people cannot endure can you become a great monarch. Forbearance usually requires much more courage than anger. Your Majesty is amazing!"
The remonstrance incident ended with the victory of the three assistants.
Liu Jian was in a good mood and invited Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and the Six Ministers and Nine Ministers to his mansion for a banquet.
In addition to Ma Wensheng and Liu Daxia, all the six ministers and nine ministers have arrived.
Liu Jian said with a smile: "The emperor is young and inexperienced. It is understandable that he occasionally behaves absurdly. As ministers, we only need to correct him and teach him from time to time. In time, he will definitely become a wise monarch like the late emperor. .”
Xie Qian agreed: "That's right! There are more than 1,800 signatures. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there has probably never been a memorial with such a large number of co-signers. The ideal of 'co-governance by monarchs and ministers' of civil servants in the past dynasties can definitely be achieved in our generation." accomplish."
Liu Jiandao: "That's well said! However, the emperor is always young and busy. It is too early to talk about joint governance between the king and his ministers. It should be 'the ministers rule on behalf of the king'."
"From now on, all colleagues should work harder to help the emperor manage the whole world well."
When a person has power, he will become arrogant and arrogant.
Give me a chestnut. A certain fat internet writer in later generations served as the president of the school student union in his junior year. This guy got so far that he not only ignored his classmates, but even ignored the Youth League committee teacher. More than ten years later, whenever he recalled this incident, the fat writer would blush with shame.
That's not enough for a big-ass student union president, let alone the chief minister of a powerful cabinet?
This bunch of civil servants talk about the king, the king, the minister, the father, the son, and the son all day long. But at this moment they have forgotten who is the king and who is the minister.
They forgot that the supreme ruler of the Ming Dynasty was the emperor, not a civil servant.
When they popped their hats to celebrate, celebrating the victory of the remonstration incident. Dongchang and Jinyiwei are like sophisticated machines, working at full speed to collect their dirty information. Waiting to give Emperor Zhengde a fatal blow to the civil servant group when he needs it.
(End of chapter)
