Capital.
The officials were already aware of Li Qing's deeds, and they were angry and shocked at the same time.
They did not expect that Li Qing could successfully reopen the weaving bureau, and within a few months, he would open all three Jiangnan weaving bureaus. To them, this was simply unbelievable.
Several big guys gathered together and talked all over the place.
"What do the people in Nanzhili do for food? What good will it do to them if the imperial government reopens the weaving bureau?" Wang Zuo, the Minister of Household Affairs, frowned.
"I'm afraid they don't want to, but they just have no choice." Wang Wen, the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, said: "This Li Qing is a bit evil. If you think about it carefully, every incident in these years seems to have his shadow. We kind of underestimated him before."
"Yes, Yu Qian had an affair with him, and Yang Pu also helped him many times. In the final analysis, we still underestimated him. Who would have thought that he could be so capable even if he was in trouble." Wang Zuo sighed, "Wang Shangshu, Li Qing is from the Ministry of War, so what do you think about this matter?"
"What can I think?" Wang Ji spread his hands, "To be honest with you, I, the Minister of War, will soon be over."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.
"Old Wang, what have you done?"
"Hey, hey, what are you talking about? I have always been honest and upright, what can I do?" Wang Ji rolled his eyes and said angrily: "That's why I led the troops to win the battle. The emperor doesn't like the interference of civilian officials. Army, you know this.”
"Why is the emperor like this?" Wang Wen was indignant and complained for Wang Ji, "Don't worry, Old Wang, I will ask a few imperial officials to help you and say, now the emperor is getting more and more excessive. How can anyone treat a hero like this? Is this burning bridges?”
"No need." Wang Ji waved his hand, "As the saying goes, if you let your subjects die, they will have to die. The emperor just wants to remove me from the post of minister. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, haha..."
Wang Wen retorted: "Why doesn't this matter? Lao Wang, you have made great contributions to the country. How can you be treated like this?"
Wang Zuo glanced at Wang Ji meaningfully and asked, "Old Wang, we are all colleagues and friends, so don't hide it. Tell the truth, does the emperor reward you with anything else?"
"Ahem... so be it." Wang Ji endured his pride, "Actually, it's nothing. The emperor promised to make me a count afterwards."
"Old Wang, you are so confused!" Wang Wen said anxiously, "Don't be offended when I speak harshly. You are already this old, and you still have many more years to live. A title is good, but you will lose everything after you die. , how can there be any benefit from real money?"
After a pause, "You are the hope of our civil servants. With you as the key, in the future our civil servants will join the army..."
"The emperor said it was Spyke." Wang Ji interrupted him. He could no longer hold back his pride and laughed out loud: "If I die, my son can still inherit, and my son's son..."
It can be said that as long as Daming is here, the Wang family will be there. This is a long-term meal ticket.
There were only three kinds of titles in the Ming Dynasty: Duke, Marquis, and Earl; although the Earl was at the bottom, it was still one level above the rank of official.
Ordinary relatives of the emperor couldn't get it, and none of Queen Qian's family was ennobled.
Wang Ji was already very satisfied if he could catch a count.
Furthermore, he was from Baoding Prefecture in the north of Hebei Province, and Tianjin Port was right in front of him. He did not dare to interfere in the maritime trade, and he could not interfere in the trade in the south of the Yangtze River, so he did not care about it.
"Everyone, I'm here to tell you that you don't need to call me when discussing matters in the future." Wang Ji said sarcastically, "I'm afraid the emperor will misunderstand."
Wang Wen's expression froze, and the others also had ugly expressions.
For a moment, the atmosphere was extremely awkward.
"Everyone, take my leave." After the words were said, Wang Ji didn't have the shame to linger any longer, and promised: "Don't worry, I will pretend that what happened before has never happened, and I will not say a word."
These words are of a very high level, just to tell Wang Wen and others, don't blackmail me with the past, I also have your handle, everyone can live their own lives in the future, and no one can make anyone unhappy.
Watching Wang Ji walk away, Wang Zuo said angrily: "This two-faced and shameless person."
"If you ask me, you shouldn't have actively cooperated in the first place." Wang Yan snorted, "Otherwise, how could he do this?"
Wang Zuo hesitated for a moment, then retorted, "What you are talking about is a war. It is an official document from the Ministry of War and an oral order from the emperor. Why don't you ask me to cooperate?"
"As long as you think about it, there is always a way." Wang Nu teased, "Aren't you still afraid of taking responsibility?"
"I'm afraid of taking responsibility?" Wang Zuo said angrily: "How do you have the nerve to say this? Haha, I don't know who it is. As soon as the emperor said to repair the merchant ship, he tried his best to do it, for fear that he would not be able to flatter him. .”
"Wang Zuo!"
"Wang Xin!"
Among civil servants, the next sentence after calling someone by their first name is usually a curse. Wang Wen quickly smoothed things over, "Calm down, calm down."
He pretended to be a good guy and said, "The reason why the Ministry of Household Affairs helped us so much was because our civil servants could join the army; the Ministry of Industry repaired the merchant ships that went to sea, but the number was not large. Don't let your anger get angry. Now is not the time for internal strife." !”
He is now the top leader of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and his words still have some weight. The two of them turned their heads and did not look at each other.
Wang Wen had a headache, "The most important thing now is how to solve the current dilemma, otherwise the imperial government's national policy of going to the West will be issued in less than a year."
"What else can I do? I have used almost all the tricks that can be used." Wang Zuo said bitterly, "Why didn't I think about getting rid of Li Qing as a scourge before? Now it's better. He has really become a climate."
"It's not too late now." Wang Yan hummed, "After all, it's just a matter of failure. If we are determined, we won't believe that the emperor will not give us this face."
Wang Wen sighed, "I'm afraid it won't be easy. It's not like he has never been impeached before, but the emperor always ignores him. Now that he has made meritorious service, the emperor will naturally favor him more."
"In the past, it was the Yushi Yanguan who took the lead, but this time we will end it personally." Wang Yan said, "This Li Qing has been rebelling against us since he entered the court. If we don't get rid of him now, I'm afraid it will be more difficult to deal with in the future."
"Is it possible?" Wang Wen frowned.
"Whether it will work or not, we will know if we try it. As long as we are willing to work hard, it may not be impossible." Wang Nu said.
Wang Zuo slapped the table, "Then give it a try."
Wang Wendao: "The afternoon court will be here soon, let's make some plans first."
~
At noon, Fengtian Hall.
As usual, the ministers entered the hall early and discussed things in low voices before the emperor came.
The eunuchs on duty maintained order from time to time, but the officials only gave them a token gesture and soon started talking again.
After all, although the eunuch group has entered the political system, it is still not a group after all, and the officials do not buy it at all.
A quarter of an hour passed, two quarters of an hour passed, and half an hour passed... It was almost noon, but the emperor still didn't come.
Wang Zhi asked: "Eunuch, won't the Emperor go to court today?"
"Um..." The eunuch on duty shook his head in confusion, "We don't know either."
Yu Qian said, "Excuse me, father-in-law, to urge the emperor."
"No need to rush." Xiao Liuzi walked into the hall and said proudly, "The emperor is discussing things with Mr. Li. There will be no afternoon meeting today. My lords, please go back."
The ministers were startled and looked surprised.
Li Qing is back?
Immediately, the court became noisy.
"How can the emperor do this?"
"How can a small favor be such a big deal? We have major official duties."
"How can the emperor ignore the importance?"
"Is it the officials or Li Qing who is more important?"
…
Xiao Liuzi thought about Li Qing's kindness, so naturally he couldn't listen to this. He himself didn't have a good impression of this group of officials.
"Quiet!" Xiao Liuzi said sharply: "Isn't it right for the imperial envoy to return to the capital and reply to the emperor's decree?
The emperor is considerate of the people's sentiments and cares about Southern Zhili, shouldn't he?
If you sirs have a copy of the memorial, please leave it for reading. "He said sadly, "We want to see who is speaking ill of the emperor. "
Ministers: "..."
His face was angry, but his mouth was honest.
Xiao Liuzi curled his lips and said: You are not the same when you say that we eunuchs are cheap, you just read more books;
We are real bitches; you are a bitch, but you also want to erect a memorial arch!
~
Qianqing Palace.
The monarch and his ministers sat opposite each other.
Li Qing spoke out his thoughts, "Your Majesty, what do you think of this matter?"
Zhu Qizhen pondered for a moment and said decisively: "I don't agree."
Li Qing: "???"
