When the tide rises, the banks are wet.
When the tide goes out, the beach is full of shrimps and crabs.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not have a very good temper, especially when dealing with officials. If anyone makes fun of himself with government affairs, the matter will not end well.
As officials stood up one after another, the faces of Hu Weiyong, Chen Ning and others gradually became ugly.
Obviously, these are the officials who impeached Gu Zhengchen a few days ago.
Zhu Yuanzhang was not polite and shouted majestically: "I opened the way to set the record straight, but you guys deceived me with malicious speculation, false rumors, and false accusations. If this matter is not severely punished, hundreds of officials will be killed in the future." Conjectures will be regarded as the truth, and false accusations will be regarded as the truth. All officials will be frightened. Where can integrity exist? Wang Zhongli, you said that Gu Zhengchen was corrupt, where is the evidence?"
Wang Zhongli was trembling. There was no evidence.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Yan Pu and Liang Lai: "As censors, you should have inspected Jurong, but you chose Jurongwei as the place for your inspection. I have said there that no one can visit Jurong without my permission and Gu Zhengchen's permission." You are not allowed to set foot. You lost your teeth in the hands of Gu Zhengchen and are filled with resentment, and now you are jumping out to falsely accuse Gu Zhengchen!"
"If the supervisory censors are like you, who ignore the facts and use private information to retaliate against the public! I have to ask, is the purpose of giving you the power of supervision so that you can act as my eyes and ears, see clearly the truth about officials and the local government, and listen to officials clearly? With the voice of the people, or do you want to intimidate officials and pursue your own selfish interests?"
Yan Dui and Liang Lai knocked their heads on the cold floor tiles, sweating profusely.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Xiao Ren, the head of the Ministry of Personnel, and said: "Mr. Xiao, you said that all wealth in the world has a certain amount. Illegally accumulated wealth is gathered in Jurong and scattered in Jurong. Only one place is rich and the world is in ruins. Haha, I think so. Let me ask you, you are not an official of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and you have not looked at the accounts of Jurong, the accounts of other places, and you have not checked the accounts of the Taxation Department. Where do you start with your statement that you are the only rich place and the world is in ruins?"
Xiao Ren took courage and said, "Your Majesty, there is only so much wealth in the world. If you earn more in Jurong, you will inevitably earn less in other places."
Ma Gui, the Minister of Household Affairs, stood up and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I do not agree with what Chief Xiao said! The world's wealth does not have a fixed number, but can increase or decrease. If the number of acres increases, the people farm diligently, and the weather is smooth, the harvest will naturally increase. , wealth will rise with the tide. If no one cultivates the wilderness, the people will be restless in the fields, and disasters such as floods and locusts will occur one after another, the natural harvest will be reduced, and the wealth will be tense."
"The increase in wealth in Jurong will help increase the wealth in the world. There is no such thing as a rich place that will ruin the world. Moreover, the commercial tax collected by the Ministry of Revenue from Jurong has exceeded that of Shangyuan County. This is a benefit to prosperity. If I believe Master Xiao’s words. If Jinling is prosperous, doesn’t it mean that the whole world is poor? What is the purpose of Your Majesty’s hard work in governing the world?”
Xiao Ren was refuted and was speechless.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, and after appreciating Ma Gui, he said to Xiao Ren: "You are an official of the Ministry of Personnel. If you don't know anything about the affairs of the Ministry of Household Affairs, you can come and ask. If you don't know anything, opening your mouth or keeping silent is a false accusation. You are bad to the core." !”
Xiao Ren didn't dare to speak.
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and shouted loudly: "Li Guan, the doctor of the Ministry of Punishment, you said that Gu Zhengchen hid the beauty in the golden house and that he took possession of the daughter of the guilty minister. Haha, it's not like I haven't seen Liu Qian'er before. The chamberlain once went to the sugar store to look around and found that she was Perfect body, how did you know that she was hooking up with Gu Zhengchen? Did you see it with your own eyes, or did you go to his house and listen to it?"
Li Guan, the doctor in the Ministry of Punishment, kowtowed repeatedly: "I am guilty."
Zhu Yuanzhang rolled up his sleeves and said sternly: "Is it enough to say guilty? Come here, take Li Guan, the doctor of the Ministry of Punishment, into custody and behead him in public!"
"Your Majesty, spare your life!"
Li Guan was almost frightened and hurriedly begged for mercy.
Zhu Yuanzhang shouted angrily: "Spare my life? Because of your words, I chilled the heart of an upright official who served the country, and almost caused him to lose his life! Such a fabrication was made out of nothing, and it was made up. You are still an official of the Ministry of Justice, how can I keep you!" Drag him down and kill him!"
The golden melon warrior took Li Guan and walked out of the hall. The court was full of civil and military officials, but no one spoke for him.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Wang Zhongli, the Minister of Punishment, and said sternly: "Wang Zhongli, as the Minister of Punishment, you don't distinguish between black and white, right and wrong. Take off your official hat and go home to farm."
Wang Zhongli's body went limp, his glory and wealth disappeared, so he had to take off his official hat and kowtow to thank him.
"Xiao Ren, the head of the Ministry of Personnel, was not a good official, and had no basis for impeachment, so he was demoted to the chief clerk of Huguang Qianjiang. Zhang Qi, the head of the Ministry of Works, listened to slander, made false accusations at will, and was dismissed from his post for the people. Sun Feng, a foreign minister of the Ministry of Rites, did not know what was right and wrong. , malicious speculation, unworthy of being removed from office for the sake of the people as a matter of etiquette..."
"Yanshitai Yandu and Liang Lai, as supervisory censors, only seek revenge on their colleagues and maliciously framed them for their own selfish interests. They were ordered to be kicked out of the censorship station and no longer held the position of censors. They were sent to Taicang Prefecture to guard the warehouse. Bar."
The court was shaken, and all the officials were horrified.
The emperor's series of orders can be described as fierce, including killing, degrading, retreating, and driving away!
And all this is because of Gu Zhengchen!
Zhu Yuanzhang swept the crowd with his sharp eyes and said in a deep voice: "In the court, you should sit upright and speak out for the country and the people. You should not maliciously accuse your colleagues for your own selfish interests! I am happy to see that the way of speech is open, and all officials I would like to advise, but before you write the document, you should at least ask yourself whether this matter is true or false, false or true! You have heard rumors, but reported the truth, are you worthy of the official uniform you wear?"
"As evidenced by the words of Supervisory Censor Han Yike, Gu Zhengchen was not involved in corruption. The other nine crimes have been refuted one by one. The Ministry of Punishment should immediately release Gu Zhengchen from prison. I think he has performed meritorious service under his rule. Hu Weiyong, a promising official and prime minister of Zhongshu, has recommended that Zhang Hao, the prefect of Quanzhou, is not suitable for the soil and water. The officials should promote Gu Zhengchen to be the prefect of Quanzhou Prefecture, and let him settle down and take up his post in Quanzhou."
Li Yan and Liu Weiqian, ministers of the Ministry of Justice, and Lu Xi and Sheng Yuan, ministers of the Ministry of Personnel, went out to take orders.
Hu Weiyong raised his eyebrows slightly.
Some time ago, the emperor refused when Gu Zhengchen was recommended to go to Quanzhou. Why did the emperor agree now?
oh.
It turned out that the emperor wanted Gu Zhengchen to rectify Quanzhou. Oh, it was a swampy place. If he went there, he would probably sink deeper and deeper.
"Retreat!"
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his sleeves and turned around.
As soon as the farewell sounds from Fengtian Palace ended, officials began to whisper in groups.
No one expected that this afternoon could actually lead to loss of life.
Of course, Li Guan has probably been beheaded, and he is just one less person. Anyway, he is not a big shot, there is nothing to sympathize with, and there is no need to visit to express condolences, so that's it.
Sheng Yuanfu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, looked at Lu Xi and asked, "Do we need to see His Majesty?"
Lu Xi stopped, his eyes full of questioning.
Sheng Yuanfu sighed: "Your Majesty only mentioned that Gu Zhengchen would be promoted to the prefect of Quanzhou Prefecture, but he did not say that he would be relieved of his duties as magistrate of Jurong County and commander of the Jurong Guards. It is impossible for him to become the prefect of Quanzhou Prefecture. , and he also serves as the county magistrate of Jurong. This is inappropriate and there is no precedent for this."
Lu Xi understood, thought for a while, and asked: "Your Majesty was angry today and did not miss any official who had impeached Gu Zhengchen."
Sheng Yuanfu frowned: "You mean - His Majesty deliberately didn't mention this matter because he wanted Gu Zhengchen to continue to manage Jurong?"
Lu Xi smiled and said: "What your Majesty said is to ask him to take up the post in Quanzhou after settling the Jurong affairs. You have to listen clearly. He is to settle the Jurong affairs, not to hand over the Jurong affairs. Your Majesty is very thoughtful, and you don't want to come here." It would be careless. Besides, Jurong has just started to improve. Without Gu Zhengchen at the helm, the people and people there may not feel at ease."
Sheng Yuanfu shook his head bitterly, what the hell is this? How can someone who is a prefect do it in front of the county magistrate...
However, Jurong is indeed a special case. Gu Zhengchen implemented many new policies in Jurong. Once mistakes or problems occurred, Gu Zhengchen had to take action. If Jurong is replaced by a new county magistrate, and the policies that benefit the people are likely to become policies that harm the people.
"Your Majesty has only two thoughts on his mind: First, Gu Zhengchen's appointment as magistrate in Quanzhou is only a temporary arrangement. He may be transferred back in less than half a year to continue to govern Jurong. Second, although Gu Zhengchen left Jurong, Jurong can The policy still needs to be continued, and the reason for not removing Gu Zhengchen’s county magistrate is to allow the Jurong County magistrate, chief registrar, and historian to safely follow Gu Zhengchen’s instructions and ensure that the new policy is stable and does not disturb the people or abuse the people.”
Lu Xi analyzed it carefully.
Sheng Yuanfu thought about it and realized that these possibilities were indeed possible. It was important to understand the holy will. Some things were not suitable to be discussed publicly.
Punishment Department Dungeon.
Li Yan and Liu Weiqian, Ministers of the Ministry of Punishment, hurriedly reached the depths of the dungeon. They looked at Gu Zhengchen talking and laughing, and felt very uncomfortable. However, thinking that Wang Zhongli had already been decapitated and Li Guan had his head taken off, they felt a little relieved. Accidentally, things above his neck may not be able to be saved. Li Yan started to flatter: "Quickly, open the door to Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu, haha, misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding..."
Zhao Yihui felt a little dreamy when he saw the Minister of Punishment arriving in person with a smile on his face.
Liu Weiqian was also able to bend and bend, and he took the initiative to hand over: "Mr. Gu County, we also acted according to the order, but we were deceived by Wang Zhongli, Li Guan, Yan Du and others, and this led to the misunderstanding. Now the case has been found out, and the false accusation How can what you said be true? Your Majesty has given you a decree, and Mr. Gu County can go home."
Gu County man said with a serious smile: "Is it a misunderstanding? During the interrogation, the two of them wanted to kill me several times, and they wished that I would be killed thousands of times for the ten deadly sins. Now it's just a misunderstanding. Isn't it too simple? Already?"
Li Yan and Liu Weiqian knew that Gu Zhengchen was difficult to deal with and looked at each other. Li Yan said: "We also have our own difficulties. Besides, it is His Majesty's order to arrest you and put you in jail. It is not because we have any grudge against the county man. You and I are still colleagues, and there will be more in the future." How about taking care of it?"
Gu Zhengchen laughed coldly: "I don't dare take care of you. Your Majesty's decree - is it just for me to go home alone?"
Li Yan and Liu Weiqian glanced at Wu Rong, why hasn't this guy left yet?
But whether he can leave or not does not require His Majesty's order. He only needs Mu Ying to come over and lead him.
Liu Weiqian said seriously: "His Majesty's decree is to promote the county man to the prefect of Quanzhou, and he will be able to take up his post soon. He did not mention anything else. I would like to see the county man before he leaves, and your majesty will give him instructions."
Gu Zhengchen frowned and glanced at Zhao Yihui. He asked Lao Zhu for this person, but something unexpected happened, and he didn't agree. He didn't know that he needed a local to make things easier...
