"Old minister Sun Chengzong is here to see Your Majesty!"
"Mr. Sun, I have finally come to you. Get up and talk."
"My dear companion, please give me a seat and some tea!"
Hearing the sound, Chongzhen immediately stood up from behind the dragon case.
Sun Chengzong's eyes turned red when he heard Chongzhen's words about Mr. Sun.
Standing up and looking at the young Chongzhen, Sun Chengzong's face was full of sighs. This new emperor looked too much like his elder brother.
That sentence from Mr. Sun made him almost think he saw Zhu Youxiao.
Sun Chengzong looked at Chongzhen, and Chongzhen also looked at Sun Chengzong.
The old man in front of me has mixed praise and praise throughout history.
Some people say that he is the sinner of the Ming Dynasty, and a Jinning defense line brought down the Ming Dynasty.
Some people also say that the Jinning line of defense blocked the cavalry of Jiannu and continued the Ming Dynasty.
Fang Zhenghua also said a few days ago that if you stay for a long time, you will lose.
But Chongzhen knew that every era has its limitations. The Ming Dynasty did not have powerful cavalry, and it did not have a field army that could compete with the slaves. The Jinning line of defense seemed to be the best choice.
If calculated according to this, Chongzhen should have thanked Sun Chengzong properly. If it were not for the Jinning Defense Line, Jiannu might have defeated Shanhaiguan long ago. This is very possible.
If Jiannu defeated Shanhaiguan, it is hard to say whether he could become the emperor or not. How could he sit here?
Putting aside the rights and wrongs of Jinning's defense line, Sun Chengzong's own abilities were definitely among the top five among the civil servants of the late Ming Dynasty.
Moreover, his family was full of loyalists. In November of the 11th year of Chongzhen, the slaves attacked Gaoyang. Sun Chengzong, who was idle at home, led the entire army and civilians to defend the city. After the city was broken, he was captured and hanged himself to death.
His five sons, six grandsons, two nephews, and eight grandnephews died in the battle, and more than a hundred members of the Sun family were killed. How tragic.
This person is absolutely trustworthy.
After sighing in his heart, Chongzhen walked to the door of Dongnuan Pavilion and looked outside the palace. Through the void, he seemed to see arrests all over the city.
"Mr. Sun, Wei Zhongxian was killed, and the remaining eunuch criminals are being liquidated. Do you know this?"
"I heard about it when I entered the city, Your Majesty is wise!"
Even though it took time to digest the distance from the street to the palace, Sun Chengzong's heart trembled violently when he heard the news again.
Wei Zhongxian had power in both the government and the public. He had people in the cabinet, six ministries, nine ministers, four governors, and governors, and his forces were intertwined.
He really couldn't imagine how the new emperor could wipe out all the eunuchs in one fell swoop.
"Wang Cheng'en, declare the decree!"
Wang Chengen immediately took an imperial edict from the dragon case and shouted: "Sun Chengzong accepts the edict!"
"The Emperor of Heaven has issued an edict saying that the situation in the dynasty has changed... He summoned Sun Chengzong to join the official position in his original position, and added a bachelor of Zhongji Palace to take charge of the cabinet affairs immediately. I appreciate this!"
"I would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace!"
After Sun Chengzong thanked him again, he struggled to stand up. Then he staggered and almost fell down, but was supported by Wang Chengen next to him.
"Mr. Sun, what is this?"
Faced with Chongzhen's doubts, Sun Chengzong smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, I received the order to return to Beijing yesterday morning, so I rushed to Beijing non-stop, my legs..."
Chongzhen and Wang Chengen suddenly realized.
Sun Chengzong was idle in Gaoyang, which was more than 300 miles away from Beijing. He traveled more than 300 miles a day and a night. Whether riding a horse or a carriage, this was a great challenge for an old man in his sixties.
If he hadn't been extremely perseverant, he would have been lying down long ago.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Sun!"
Chongzhen comforted him and then said: "Mr. Sun, Li Banghua and Li Guopu are clearing out the remaining elements. Your first task is to preside over the cabinet, stabilize the six ministries, and maintain the normal operation of the court.
I have also appointed the eunuchs of the Chief of Ceremonies and the Eunuch Bingbi. You can go to the Supervisor of Ceremonies later and communicate with them.
Second, work with the court officials to recommend some officials to fill the vacancies in the six ministries and nine ministers. "
"I accept the decree!"
"Oh, by the way, there is also Shaanxi disaster relief work, you must also do a good job."
Chongzhen continued: "Your old friend Yuan Keli is now the governor of the three sides and the imperial envoy responsible for disaster relief. After the Shaanxi affairs are finished, he will also join the cabinet to participate in aircraft maintenance, so that you can do more things."
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
When Yuan Keli was mentioned, Sun Chengzong was a little happy. He had cooperated with Yuan Keli for many years and was the proposer of the Liaodong tripartite strategy.
With such an old partner around, things will undoubtedly be handled more efficiently.
"Mr. Sun, Huang Liji, the chief minister of the cabinet, was imprisoned by me because of the disaster and civil unrest in Shaanxi.
Shi Fenglai flattered Wei Zhongxian. Although Zhang Ruitu was better, he could no longer be reused. In addition to you and Li Guopu, there was also Yuan Keli who was far away in Shaanxi in the cabinet.
After the remaining eunuchs have been eliminated, I have too much to do. The three of you in the cabinet may not be able to handle it. I want to add two more. What do you think? "
"Your Majesty, please judge!"
Sun Chengzong wanted to say that it would pass the court's approval, but he gave up when the words came to his lips.
He had been in and out of officialdom for decades, and his mind was so quick. The new emperor seemed to be asking for his advice, but in fact he already had a candidate in mind.
He was also curious about which two ministers the emperor had in mind.
Chongzhen thought for a moment and then said: "I have two candidates in mind, Han Huang and Li Biao. What do you think of Mr. Sun?"
After hearing this, Sun Chengzong looked thoughtful.
"Your Majesty, Li Biao was a Jinshi in the 35th year of Wanli. He served as a reviewer of the Hanlin Academy, an official of the Prince's Mansion, You Zanshan of Youchunfang, Shao Zhanshi of Zhan Shifu, and Right Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
If you are an upright official and have an upright personality, regardless of your experience or character, you can be admitted to the cabinet. "
"As for Han Huang, he served as the chief minister in the fourth year of Tianqi. Later, the rebel Li Lusheng was instructed by Wei Zhongxian to impeach Han Xu, remove him from the post, and deprive him of his official status. If he acts upright, is honest and upright, he can join the cabinet."
After Sun Chengzong finished speaking, he turned to Chongzhen and said, "Your Majesty is really as wise as a torch, which is the blessing of our Ming Dynasty."
Chongzhen smiled. He came from later generations, so he naturally knew who were capable and loyal ministers in the late Ming Dynasty.
In the 17th year of Chongzhen's reign, there were 18 chief ministers and deputies in the cabinet, and 50 bachelors in the cabinet.
In the entire first two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty, there were only 164 bachelors in the cabinet. This shows that Chongzhen changed his chief ministers and assistant ministers at will. It was strange that the cabinet could handle political affairs well so frequently.
The most speechless thing is that Chongzhen appointed a cabinet bachelor for the first time after he ascended the throne. In order not to offend the Eunuch Party and the Donglin Party, he chose to draw lots, which was referred to as the Bu Mei Dadian.
But among the 50 cabinet bachelors, Han Huang and Li Biao can be among the top five.
Li Biao was upright, respectful, considerate of the overall situation, discerning right from wrong, and dared to speak out to the emperor.
Han Huang served as prime minister one after another. He was mature and prudent, introduced righteous people, suppressed evil parties, and was praised by the world as a virtuous person.
Frankly admonishing the emperor and being mature and prudent, these two qualities are especially needed by Chongzhen now.
"Since Mr. Sun agrees, I will leave this matter to Mr. Sun and summon the two of them to Beijing immediately. There are five of you in the cabinet. I believe that the Ming Dynasty will get better and better."
"You go and have a rest first. After the remaining criminals of Wei Zhongxian are cleared, we, the king and the ministers, can have a few more drinks."
Chongzhen waved his hand.
Sun Chengzong stood up and kowtowed again, and slowly retreated outside Dongnuan Pavilion. He just took a few steps back, as if he remembered something.
After hesitating for a while, he said: "Your Majesty, I have something else to say."
Chongzhen, who had just sat down, was stunned for a moment, and then said: "Mr. Sun, please speak!"
