Chen Ning never expected that Hu Weiyong, who had been silent all this time, would suddenly take action when no one expected it!
You must know that Gu Zhengchen was very popular at this time and was entrusted with important tasks. He had just completed the design of Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes, which won Zhu Yuanzhang's favor.
Now Gu Zhengchen is preparing the bank, and he is still responsible for the rules and regulations. It is when Zhu Yuanzhang relies on this person that Hu Weiyong unsheathes his sword and seals his throat with one sword!
Chen Ning felt how scary Hu Weiyong was. He had never expressed his dissatisfaction with Gu Zhengchen, never directly refuted or questioned Gu Zhengchen, and even beat himself up several times not to provoke this person.
For a long time, Chen Ning believed that Hu Weiyong had been despising Gu Zhengchen and believed that this person's existence did not pose any threat to him, so he was cautious and did not ask about Jurong's affairs.
But now, Chen Ning found that he was wrong, very wrong!
Hu Weiyong's city is unfathomable. He will not reveal his thoughts at all, and will not let others see what he is thinking deep in his heart. He is a tiger that has restrained its claws. See blood!
Chen Ning did not go to the Zhongshu Yamen Office. The fire was already burning. There was no need to find the person who started the fire. Instead, he could find Yan Dui, Liang Lai and others to add some dry firewood.
Gu Zhengchen, who was originally a minister, suddenly became the target of impeachment by many officials in the court.
In just five days, some officials have summarized Gu Zhengchen's ten crimes:
First, it is linked to Buddhism and Taoism, resulting in huge amounts of corruption.
Secondly, the craftsmen were not guilty and were lynched and flogged, abusing the laws of the country.
Third, they engage in business as an official, seek personal gain, and harm the people and the country.
Fourth, using the daughter of a guilty minister to commit adultery violates the etiquette of the court.
…
Ninth, buy Jurong officials with money and buy people's hearts.
Tenth, levying heavy taxes on the three major courtyards in Jurong, pretending to be public and private.
Any one of the ten deadly sins could make Gu Zhengchen take off his clothes and even his skin.
Nan's Mansion in Quanzhou County.
Zhang Xiwan looked at Gu Zhengchen with a worried look.
Gu Zhengchen yawned, sat under the shade of a tree, shook the cattail leaf fan in his hand, and glanced at Zhang Xiwan: "If you keep washing, all that's left on this peach will be the peach core."
Zhang Xiwan handed the peach to Gu Zhengchen and said uneasily: "Father said that the imperial censor wrote a letter to impeach my husband again, and this time he also found out one of the ten deadly sins. Isn't your husband going to write a letter to defend himself and explain the situation to your majesty?"
Gu Zhengchen tasted the sweet peach and said with a smile: "Who should I write to defend myself? Those who know do not need to defend, and those who do not know will not listen if they defend."
"But I'm always being impeached by people like this, I'm worried..."
Zhang Xiwan's eyes were a little moist.
Gu Zhengchen put the peach down, took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands, gently caressed Zhang Xiwan's cheek, and gently comforted him: "Although my husband has only been an official for a short time, he has offended many people, and many people are jealous. He has been impeached." It’s not just once or twice. Which time was it not safe and sound?”
Zhang Xiwan shook her head slightly.
In previous impeachments, at most one censor took the lead, and His Majesty stepped in to suppress it, but this time it was different. There were not only censors, but also officials from the Ministry of Justice, Dali Temple, and officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs.
In the past, impeachment was mostly based on hearsay, or His Majesty’s approval but the censor was unaware of the situation. The impeachment charges were single and would not cause much harm. But this time it was different. The content of their impeachment was sharp and deadly!
Gu Zhengchen stood up, took Zhang Xiwan's hand, and said seriously: "Don't worry, you have forgotten that both your Majesty and the Queen have invited your husband to the palace for dinner. This little disturbance is nothing."
Zhang Xiwan finally felt more at ease seeing Gu Zhengchen so determined.
Zhang Pei hurried over and reported, "Master, Uncle Cheng is here."
Gu Zhengchen raised his eyebrows slightly. Liu Ji was really brave. He dared to visit from home at this time. He patted Zhang Xiwan's arm and said with a smile: "Go and appease Miss Qian'er. The censor is talking nonsense this time. I accidentally injured her, let’s write this down first, if we have a chance in the future, those who have teeth will pull out all their teeth, and those who have no teeth will have their third legs broken!”
Zhang Xiwan was very bitter.
Liu Qian'er was indeed hurt by the censor. This matter was not allowed to be mentioned in the Gu family. However, when Liu Qian'er was working in the sugar shop, the censor stood outside the door and muttered, and spread rumors to the unsuspecting people.
After learning that Gu Zhengchen was implicated because of her, Liu Qianer ran home crying, saying that she was the broom star and an unlucky person. She wanted to go to the Yushitai to help Gu Zhengchen make it clear. Then she ran away from home, but was killed by Gu's mother. After a scolding, he is now locked up at home, accompanied by Qingqing.
Zhang Xiwan nodded, looked deeply at Gu Zhengchen, then turned and left.
Liu Ji came slowly on crutches and with the support of his old servant.
Gu Zhengchen stepped forward to take over from the old servant, helped Liu Ji sit down, and said with a smile: "At this juncture, others are afraid of avoiding you, but you dare to come here. Aren't you afraid that Yushitai will arrange for someone to impeach you?"
Liu Ji put down his crutches and took a few breaths. Seeing that Gu Zhengchen was calm and neither arrogant nor impetuous, he nodded and said, "You have a big heart. You have a butcher's knife on your neck and you still don't change your expression. You are so stable." Maoshan.”
Gu Zhengchen signaled Zhang Pei and others to exit the yard and poured tea for Liu Ji: "With the knife on his neck, he is panicking and crying will not help, let alone letting others succeed. I can't do this kind of thing."
"Have some backbone!"
Liu Ji praised, took a sip of tea, and raised his eyebrows: "I'm afraid this storm will not be easy to pass. You are a smart man, you should know who is behind all this, right?"
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly.
The magnitude of this action, the dispersion of the officials involved, and the concentration of power were obviously beyond the control of Chen Ning of the Yushitai. The wind and rain came all at once. Among the civil servants in the dynasty, the only person with the ability to call for wind and rain was the Prime Minister Hu Weiyong.
Liu Ji sighed: "I have seen the prototype of the treasure banknote you made. It is exquisite. If it can be done, it will be recorded in the annals of history. However, you should not mention the government first. Where are the officials? There are those who are willing to take risks.”
Gu Zhengchen insisted on his point of view: "Baobao is issued by the government. If the government cannot accept the change of grain salary into banknote salary, how can the people accept it?"
Liu Ji picked up his crutch and banged it on the ground: "As an official, if you want to stand firm in the court, you cannot stand against most officials! Have you ever thought about why officials would rather get their salary? If you don't want to spend money on salary, once your proposal is accepted by His Majesty, how many of the officials will be in panic, worrying that the money in their hands may turn into waste paper at any time!"
"Insisting on food and salary, treasure money failed, the most is that the imperial court seizes the wealth of the people, merchants, gentry, big households, rich peasants, and common people. They suffer losses, while the imperial court has no losses, and officials will not suffer any losses! But if it is If the situation changes and the imperial court bans the circulation of gold and silver, the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes will be reduced to waste paper like the Yuan Dynasty treasure banknotes, and the officials' wealth and family properties will disappear in an instant!"
"There is no doubt that your proposal is correct, but it touches the interests of too many people, so it is wrong. Some people don't want you to continue to stay in the Baochao Office, and they don't even want you to stay in the officialdom. Tang. You are still too young to understand officialdom."
Gu Zhengchen felt bitter.
After the birth of the Ming Dynasty Baochao, it did not become the main salary in the Ming Dynasty. Even when Zhu Laosi took a bunch of spices as salary, he did not use the Baochao as the main salary. The feeling was not that Zhu Laosi did not want to cheat officials, but There are no fools among officials who are unwilling to take this treasure. Everyone knows that this stuff is worthless, so they resist.
Although the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes have not yet been officially printed and are not in circulation, officials are already avoiding the risks of the treasure banknotes. One of the ways to avoid this is to insist on grain stipends and not accept banknotes, even if the imperial court has given the treasure banknotes the value of silver and copper. , and named them directly, allowing treasure banknotes to be exchanged for gold and silver at equal value.
Gu Zhengchen just wanted to put forward a fair suggestion for the circulation of treasures and money, and put forward the idea of letting officials take the lead, but he encountered crazy suppression from the civil servant group!
"I will not take back this suggestion. Even if His Majesty asks him personally, I will insist on it. If officials dare not use treasure banknotes and have no confidence in treasure banknotes, why should they expect businessmen and people to use treasure banknotes in large quantities? The order is enforced on People, why can’t the government lead by example and take the lead?”
Gu Zhengchen was not going to bow his head.
Liu Ji looked at the strong Gu Zhengchen and shook his head: "Every tree that is as beautiful as the forest wind will destroy it. If you don't know how to bow your head and bend down, you may be put in jail or even in danger of your life. Those few in the court No one will be merciful. You should know that Yang Xian died in a fight! He was Zhongshu Zuocheng at the time, and you were just a seventh-grade county magistrate!"
Gu Zhengchen understood that Liu Ji's advice was right.
Although Yang Xian cannot be said to be from the Zhedong Group, he is indeed one of Zhu Yuanzhang's confidants and a nail planted in Zhongshu. However, this nail failed in the struggle with Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong.
What fails is the official career, what dies is life.
The cruelty in the Hongwu officialdom often involves life or death.
Liu Ji is reminding himself that if he goes against Hu Weiyong, if he doesn't compromise, he will probably be another dead person. He has the energy and the means.
Gu Zhengchen picked up the tea bowl, pondered for a long time, and still shook his head: "Uncle sincerity, if you want to prevent banknotes from depreciating and becoming waste paper, and to eliminate the counterfeiting of banknotes, you must allow all officials to accept banknotes. If the officials take it seriously, If you care about your own interests, then use all means to protect the value of treasure banknotes, instead of avoiding the use of treasure banknotes or reducing treasure banknotes!"
This may be a trap, but everyone must come down.
Whether officials or the royal family, everyone in the Ming Dynasty needs to be involved. Only in this way, once there is a problem with the treasure, everyone will feel pain.
In order to collectively protect the treasure banknotes and for the treasure banknotes to be circulated all over the world, if officials don't go in the front, who will go in the front?
