Emperor Chongzhen sat on the central throne in the main hall of Qianqing Palace. Many eunuchs stood inside and outside the hall, waiting for the arrival of the courtiers.
When he summoned ministers in Qianqing Palace on weekdays, he would usually be in Dongnuan Pavilion or Xinuan Pavilion. If he was not in Nuan Pavilion, he would go to the side hall, namely Wende Hall or Zhaoren Hall, and sit on the throne in the center of the main hall to summon ministers like today. It is rare and obviously adds a bit of royal dignity.
A large group of courtiers had already entered Qianqing Gate one after another and were walking inward with bows.
Emperor Chongzhen raised his head from the document and watched with cold eyes as the Liubu, Jiuqing, Ke, Dao and other officials who came one after another performed the usual court rituals three feet away from the throne in batches. After standing in groups, he slowly said: " I have called you here today to tell you about my old assistant minister Yang Sichang.
During his lifetime, many of you attacked him, but no one could give me a good plan or offer a good strategy, and no one could go out to the capital to suppress the thieves on my behalf.
Now that Yang Sichang has died and the attacks have become more intense, I cannot even put myself in Yang Sichang's shoes. "
He couldn't help but sneered with his nostrils, and continued angrily: "Yang Sichang is my special official. If the troops are ineffective, I will judge myself. What's more, Yang Sichang still has talents, I know it."
But when you officials saw that I wanted to discuss the crime, you attacked me vigorously, and there was a lot of discussion, but few of them spoke frankly. If you don’t want to go into details, I will leave them alone and tell you to find out! Go down! "
All the officials in the palace trembled when they saw the emperor's anger. No one dared to say a word, so they had to kowtow and resign.
They just walked down Danqi. Emperor Chongzhen ordered the eunuchs to call back several ministers. The ministers were also in a state of confusion. They returned to the palace and saluted again, and fell down on the ground, waiting for the emperor's rebuke.
Emperor Chongzhen only said lightly: "Gentlemen, wake up!"
The cabinet ministers kowtowed and stood up to peek at Chongzhen, but saw that he looked sad and had tears in his eyes. After a moment of silence, Chongzhen sighed and said: "I dreamed last night that my former assistant minister Yang Sichang knelt down and kowtowed to me here and said a lot. I can’t even remember the words after I woke up.
I just remember what he said: "I have dedicated my life to death." The ministers in the court have been unfair and slanderous, so I will sue the emperor today. '
I asked him: 'Are all memorials unfair? Someone’s memorial seems to make some sense, right? '
He shook his head and said: 'That's not the case either. The ministers who live in the capital rely solely on their will, using their pen and tongue to catch wind and shadow, and discuss military plans. They have not personally experienced the situation and the events, so how can they tell the truth! '
I asked him again: "Not only is the Central Plains in danger now, Liaodong is also in danger. What can you do?" '
But he shook his head and didn't answer.
I asked again, but suddenly a strong wind came and the window lattice shook, waking me up. "
After Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, he sighed repeatedly. The cabinet ministers said some words of comfort, but since the emperor had nothing else to do, they withdrew.
…………
Since it was agreed with Chen Xinjia the day before yesterday that Ding Qirui would be transferred to replace Yang Sichang to go to Huguang to supervise the division to suppress the bandits, there was an urgent need for Jian to send a military minister to take over as the governor of Shaanxi and the three sides to fill the vacancy left by Ding Qirui after he was promoted to the division commander.
But after much thought, he really couldn't find a suitable person to lead the army. Finally, he thought of Fu Zonglong, who was still in prison, and planned to use him again to lead Shaanxi and the three sides to "suppress the invasion". .
After Emperor Chongzhen made up his mind, he immediately summoned Chen Xinjia, Minister of War, in Wuying Palace.
Since Luoyang and Xiangyang fell into the hands of thieves one after another, Chen Xinjia has tried his best to keep the minister's calmness in front of his colleagues and subordinates. He still criticized various important documents related to military matters, handled matters more tactfully, and left no documents in the case.
However, he could not help but harbor doubts and fears in his heart, feeling that life was very difficult, as if a Shangfang sword was always hanging on his neck, and it might suddenly fall down at any time due to the emperor's anger and chop off his head.
Today, the eunuch heard the emperor's order telling him to hurry up to Wuying Hall, and the emperor was immediately waiting to be summoned.
Chen Xinjia immediately ordered his servants to help him change his court uniform, but in his mind he was wondering why the emperor had summoned him. He was worried that someone would attack him and anger the emperor.
He hurriedly changed his clothes and left the Ministry of War Yamen with his confidant Chang Ban and a clever boy. They had just crossed the Jinshui Bridge in front of Wuying Gate when they happened to meet an acquaintance Eunuch Liu coming out and giving way to him. .
He also quickly returned the courtesy, stepped forward and grabbed Eunuch Liu and asked in a low voice: "Eunuch Liu, has the Holy Driver arrived?"
Eunuch Gu Hui Liu pursed his lips and said, "The emperor is impatient in dealing with matters. He has been waiting inside for a long time."
Chen Xinjia asked again tentatively: "Do you know why your Majesty summoned you today?"
Eunuch Liu replied: "I don't know yet. I think it is just to suppress thieves and capture prisoners."
Chen Xinjia asked carefully: "How is the emperor feeling today?"
"He always looks sad, but fortunately, he doesn't have an angry look today."
Chen Xinjia felt relieved after hearing this. He briefly bowed his hand to Eunuch Liu and continued walking to the Wuying Hall in the north.
Here, Eunuch Liu was not in a hurry to leave. He winked at Chen Xinjia's long shift, Gao Fu. Gao Fu stopped and waited for Eunuch Liu's instructions. Looking at Eunuch Liu's kind smile, he already felt like it in his heart. I'm pretty sure I guess.
Eunuch Liu whispered to Gao Fu: "When you go back, tell your master that you don't have to worry about things in the palace. If there is any movement, I will send someone to tell your master at any time.
Oh, by the way, we borrowed two thousand taels of silver from your master during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year. We always promised to return it, but we never came up with it and haven't paid it back yet. Yesterday, my nephew came in and said that he had bought a house for me near Xicheng. He had already written an agreement, but there was still a shortfall of 800 taels of silver.
You go back and tell Mr. Chen if you can lend me another eight hundred taels, and we will pay you back later. "
After he finished speaking, he specifically warned: "But it's an urgent matter, don't dare forget it."
Gao Fu quickly said with a smile: "I don't dare to forget, I don't dare to forget."
"Okay, I'll send someone to the house to pick it up tomorrow." Eunuch Liu said again, smiled slightly, and hurried away.
Gao Fu looked at Eunuch Liu's back, silently greeted his ancestor in his heart, and then hurried to catch up with his master.
…………
Chen Xinjia was led to Wuying Hall by a young eunuch who was waiting for him, leaving Gao Fu and the young man waiting outside Wuying Gate.
Emperor Chongzhen was sitting in the Dongnuan Pavilion of Wuying Hall. When he saw Chen Xinjia bowing in and saluting, he put down the document in his hand and waited until Chen Xinjia knelt down and kowtowed.
He then said with a hint of worry: "Ding Qirui was promoted to governor, but there is still no one to fill the vacancy. I have thought about it for a few days, and I am suffering from the lack of military-savvy ministers in the court. However, although Fu Zonglong is guilty and in prison, it seems that he can still be used. Chen What do you think?"
Chen Xinjia had long known that Fu Zonglong was one of the few ministers who knew military skills, but he was suffering from the fact that he had no chance to exonerate him in front of the emperor. Now seeing Chongzhen mention this topic, he hurriedly took the opportunity to say: "Zonglong has experience in leading troops, and he was recognized by His Majesty. He was appointed as a soldier. Occasionally he was condemned to prison for a minor offense, but now he has learned to repent of his crime.
Now is the time when the imperial court is in urgent need of employing people. If Zong Long, a member of the Holy Family, is again employed by Jian, he will do his best to repay the emperor's favor. Kuang Zonglong is a simple and loyal man, well known by his colleagues and well known by His Majesty. "
Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said: "I just want to use his Pu Zhong."
Chen Xinjia knelt on the ground and waited for a while. When he saw that Emperor Chongzhen had nothing else to do, he kowtowed and resigned.
…………
Emperor Chongzhen issued a decree in the Nuan Pavilion of Wuying Hall, announcing that Fu Zonglong would be released from prison on the same day and await summons.
Immediately, he issued an order to clear up the attack suffered by the governor Yang Sichang after his death, praising him for "two years in the army, he has repeatedly achieved great success; he died of exhaustion, and his hard work is hard to lose."
In the handwriting, he ordered Song Yihe, governor of Huguang, to send officials to escort Yang Sichang's coffin back to his hometown and offer an altar for sacrifice.
He then ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare a sacrificial text on his behalf and submit it for reading tomorrow.
