In the cabinet duty room, Zhang Juzheng, Gao Gong, Zhao Zhenji, Guo Pu, Yang Bo and others stood uneasily. Among them, Gao Gong kept walking around, looking very impatient.
Yang Bo, who had always been steady, also wiped his sweat and looked outside.
Outside the duty room, Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, and Li Chunfang, the second minister, were facing dozens of officials who were surrounding them and questioning them.
They were all dissatisfied with the emperor's remarks yesterday and came to advise the emperor.
"Why doesn't the cabinet speak out to His Majesty?" asked a goatee, "We sent an email yesterday, but there was no reply, and neither did the cabinet. Can you please explain this matter?"
It turned out that many of them had already submitted the memorandum yesterday, but the emperor did not return it to the cabinet at all. Faced with this embarrassing situation, the cabinet did not know how to reply, so these memos remained in the cabinet.
After these officials learned about this, more people came to personally deliver the memorial to the cabinet today, and asked why there was no reply to yesterday's memorial.
In fact, I was just dissatisfied with Zhu Zaijing's remarks yesterday.
In their view, the emperor and these civil servants are in the same group. We are helping you rule the world. In this case, it is us who are corrupt, and we are the prey of the common people. You should also turn to us. How can you expose this in front of those unruly people? Why are you calling us dog officials for doing something shameful?
What frightened them even more was the power that seemed to destroy the world after the common people were incited by the emperor.
Fortunately, this is the emperor's feet, and they don't dare to do anything to the people in the capital. If they were in remote areas, these people would have been taken down in the name of rebellion.
"His Majesty the Emperor spoke uncontrollably and said some dirty words in front of those people. As ministers, we should correct His Majesty's mistakes. Sirs, did you not report these memorials, or did His Majesty not read them at all?"
"Yeah!"
"Your Majesty has a history of swearing in court meetings before, and it is still like this now. This is a sign of injustice!"
"Although Yin Zhengmao and others are said to be corrupt officials, they are still court officials. Beheading is a heavy punishment. Your Majesty still publicly insults them in front of those unruly people. What is the reason?"
"A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!"
"The cabinet must give an explanation!"
…
Facing a series of these questions, Xu Jie's mind went blank. He was already old and had never seen anything like this before, and his heartbeat began to accelerate.
Nothing could be seen on Li Chunfang's face, it was still as calm as ever.
"Quiet!" he shouted, and the scene fell silent.
"You are making such trouble, what is your duty as a minister?"
"I just went to the meeting yesterday, and I'm going to the meeting again today. Your Majesty is busy with everything, so it's normal that you can't see it, and the cabinet didn't say no to you!"
These literati groups always have the so-called self-esteem that a scholar can be killed but not humiliated. You can deal with me, but you cannot insult me.
Of course, it’s up to them how the insult is done…
It's an insult for you to call me harsh words. It's an insult for you to announce that I'm going to chat about life with a brothel girl. It's also an insult for you to let me get scolded in court.
Anyway, not only are their moral bottom lines very flexible, but their definition of insult is also very flexible.
When the Queen Mother asked them to shave their heads 70 years later, they did not think it was an insult, and they thought the Tunguska hairstyle was quite refreshing.
I want them not to feel insulted when they bow three times and kowtow nine times, and when they kneel down, it’s really a real thing.
I don't feel insulted when I kill millions of them.
Don’t feel insulted when you offer gold, silver, jewels, and daughters to the Lord Nuzhen.
The bottom line is that the TMD Zhu family is too good to them!
One word, slap your nose in the face!
Of course, there are also many civil servants who are good. Although their moral character is not very noble, and they are not very dedicated to the country and the people, they are loyal to the emperor and the court.
For example, a few officials really admonished the emperor for swearing. After all, it was the first time the new emperor appeared in front of the people, and his image was very important.
But what they don't know is that the image of the so-called emperor brings fear to the people more than respect. On the contrary, Zhu Zaicheng, who made a foul speech yesterday, brings them more intimacy.
Such was the rule of feudal dynasties.
"You all have a heart for the country. The cabinet understands it, and your Majesty also understands it. Go back today! Stop surrounding us like this!"
Li Chunfang looked at Xu Jie as he said this, meaning that you should have said something!
Li Chunfang remembers clearly, aren't there several of them your disciples? You just let them make trouble like this?
"Everyone!" Xu Jie knew that he could no longer pretend to be dead, so he said, "Go back and wait for the news! It's not easy for everyone. Your opinions will naturally be answered. It's not easy for the cabinet to handle it! Go back!"
As expected, the words of the chief minister of the cabinet were listened to. Several officials who were still fuming just now have calmed down, looked at each other, and prepared to go back.
"slow!"
A voice attracted everyone's attention.
The speaker was a minor official, and the blue official uniform showed that his rank was only fifth to seventh.
"I'm in Wanglin. I have a question from the Ministry of Household Affairs."
Xu Jie looked over and saw that he was probably not his disciple, so he put on a cold face and said, "What's the matter?"
"Yin Zhengmao's case went through the Dongchang. It did not go through the cabinet, the Ministry of Justice, or the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Since it was a corruption case, it should have been handed over to the above two departments. Didn't the cabinet explain this?"
Gao Gong, who was walking around in the cabinet duty room, couldn't bear it when he heard this and rushed out of the door.
Damn it, Xu Jie and Li Chunfang, two old fritters who could not offend anyone, actually caused these petty officials to question the emperor.
"You!" Gao Gong blushed and shouted loudly, "Are you questioning His Majesty's handling results?"
"My subordinates are questioning the cabinet. Your Majesty privately allowed Dongchang to execute famous officials of the Sanming court. Didn't the cabinet just ignore it?"
"How your Majesty handles it is your Majesty's business. As ministers, we just follow orders. Doesn't everything your Majesty need to get your consent?"
What makes them proud is that they question their own students here.
Gao Gong absolutely supported the emperor in both public and private matters. Putting aside the decades of teacher-student relationship, if it weren't for Prince Yu's protection in the Jiajing Dynasty, Gao Gong would have been killed by Yan Song long ago. I know how many times.
Because of Gao Gong's bad temper and straightforward nature, Yan Song was often offended. If it weren't for King Yu behind him, a man like him who was not afraid of offending anyone might have remained a low-level official like Hai Rui in history.
"Since you are in charge, your duty is to supervise the work of the Household Department, not to question His Majesty here! And the Sixth Section belongs directly to the emperor, don't forget it!"
"It is precisely because I belong directly to the emperor that I cannot turn a blind eye to His Majesty's mistakes!"
There was smoke coming from the high-arched ears.
"You...you...rebellious!"
"Old Xu, you don't care!"
Xu Jie, who could not speak at all beside him, was inexplicably slapped and became angry.
"Am I in charge? When it comes to taking care of them, I, the Chief Assistant, don't have as much power as you, the Minister of Household Affairs!"
Gao Gong glared at him and then looked at Li Chunfang.
Li Chunfang shook her head helplessly.
Just when the place was in chaos and in full swing, a sharp sound silenced the scene instantly.
"Your Majesty is here!"
