Zhou Zhixin, the supervisory censor, looked at the document sent by Zhang Bo, a good friend of the Xingren Division, and was surprised and asked: "Is this really a document written by Fu An's son?"
Zhang Bo solemnly promised: "There will be no mistakes."
Zhou Zhixin said seriously: "It is a shame for us as ministers that such a loyal minister is forgotten by the court! You can tell Wang Quanzhen and Fu Lin that I will help them deliver this document to the emperor's desk!"
"So, thank you Brother Zhou."
Zhang Bo bowed.
Zhou Zhixin drafted the memorial overnight, and early the next morning he brought two documents and asked to see Zhu Yunwen.
On weekdays, when Zhu Yunwen was not in court, the imperial censor usually delivered memorials and ran directly to Wenhua Gate. Not many people insisted on seeing Zhu Yunwen. After all, the emperor has many things to do, and he is already tired from reviewing the memorials. If nothing happens, he should face the emperor directly, which will waste time.
Zhu Yunwen was discussing the northwest military strategy with Zhu Di, Xu Huizu, He Fu, Tie Xuan and others. The chamberlain came to report: "Yu Shi Zhou Zhixin asked for an audience. He blocked it several times and refused to leave. He said there was something urgent."
Something urgent?
Zhu Yunwen narrowed his eyes, showing displeasure. The most important thing for the Ming Dynasty at the moment is not to go through the Northwest War. If the imperial censor reports, you can just hand in the memorial according to the procedure. Why bother to come here?
"Your Majesty, you might as well rest for a while."
Seeing that Zhu Yunwen was a little tired and that the military strategy had been discussed for a long time, Xu Huizu suggested.
Zhu Yunwen thought for a while and arranged for Zhu Di, Xu Huizu and others to rest in the side hall, and asked the chamberlain to introduce Zhou Zhixin to the hall.
Zhou Zhixin strode into the hall and saluted.
Zhu Yunwen looked at Zhou Zhixin, who looked impressive and talented, with an inexplicable smile on his lips. This person entered the Imperial College in the late Hongwu period, and was later discovered by Yang Shiqi, who called him "selfless". After studying in the Imperial College for several years, he was transferred to the Imperial Procuratorate by Zhu Yunwen and served as the censor.
Zhou Zhixin is worthy of being a man with an iron face. The first target of his impeachment was Xie Jin. He said that Xie Jin's family built mansions and repaired big ships in Jiangxi, and acted like a vassal. Jie Jin was so frightened that he quickly pleaded guilty and even wrote a letter of appointment. Well, fortunately, the Security Bureau reported that the mansion was real and the big ship was real, but they did not belong to the Jie family. They belonged to the local wealthy gentry. They just invited the Jie family as guests.
Although I have been a guest for a long time and have lived there for three years, the ownership of the house is really not owned by Jie. Zhu Yunwen did not let the Security Bureau dig deeper, but he also gave Xie Jin a warning and a two-month fine before the matter was over.
As soon as he became the censor, he dared to attack the current cabinet ministers. He was also the most effective minister in impeaching Zhu Yunwen. Zhou Zhixin instantly became famous. After that, he continued his efforts and then targeted Cao Guogong Li Jinglong for impeachment. Impeaching Li Jinglong violated the will of the court. In winter, a large amount of coal was purchased in excess of the standard.
Li Jinglong is about to scold Zhou Zhixin's whole family for eighteen generations. He has kept a low profile to the point where no one cares about him, and he is still forcing himself to impeach? Isn't this a clear sign of bullying?
Even though Li Jinglong lost power, he still had some connections. He hired several officials to investigate Zhou Zhixin's problems and prepared to impeach him. Unfortunately, the problem was not found yet. Zhou Zhixin impeached Li Zengzhi for raping civilian girls, which was against the law and interfered with Yingtian Mansion. Judgment.
The matter got big and Yingtian Mansion was involved for no reason. The matter went on for two months. As a result, five Yingtian Mansion officials were dismissed. Li Zengzhi was removed from all posts, his salary was also suspended, and Li Jinglong was reprimanded. , ordered to copy "Spring and Autumn" twenty times.
Zhou Zhisheng is very fierce, never accommodating, and has no mercy. He will do it when he is sure, and he will kill one person and then start another. He can be said to be a powerful person among the censors.
But so many people were offended that even his colleagues in the Metropolitan Procuratorate couldn't stand it anymore. They found an excuse and arranged for Zhou Zhixin to go on a tour in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. He recently returned to the capital.
So when Zhu Yunwen saw this person, he thought that he was going to impeach a big shot again.
Zhou Zhixin said with a serious face: "I came to the palace today not to impeach the minister, but to give advice to the emperor."
"oh?"
Zhu Yunwen was a little surprised. This guy couldn't find anyone to deal with him, so he targeted him directly. He said, "Jin Yan? Are you opposed to moving the capital, or are you opposed to the Western Expedition?"
Zhou Zhixin shook his head: "Moving the capital will benefit the world, and I have no objection. Since Timur has decided to march eastward, it is natural for me to march westward in the Ming Dynasty, and I have no objection."
Zhu Yunwen asked doubtfully: "Then why are you suggesting this?"
Zhou Zhixin solemnly said: "I have informed you that there was a loyal minister in the Ming Dynasty who was detained by Timur in the Western Regions under the orders of the Western Regions. He has not returned for nine years. His life and death are unknown and there is no news. The imperial court not only stopped paying his salary, but even His family members worked hard and had no one to rely on, and they forgot about these loyal ministers for nine years! I have Su Wu and Fu An in the Ming Dynasty, but I don’t have the Hongyan of the Han Dynasty. Isn’t it shameful?"
Zhu Yunwen still knew the allusion of Hongyan's biography, and Su Wu was able to return to the Han Dynasty because of this.
"Fu An?"
Zhu Yunwen recalled and gradually remembered. This person is very famous in the diplomatic history of the Ming Dynasty, a figure comparable to Su Wu.
It's no wonder that Zhu Yunwen forgot that Fu An was not sent out by Zhu Yunwen, but by his grandfather, and it was in the 28th year of Hongwu. Zhu Yunwen was not in charge yet, and then planned the country, the north and the south, and waited for the attention of the Western Regions. At that time, I set my sights on Tamerlane and the entire Western Region territory. I couldn't think of Fu An or anything like that.
Zhou Zhixin handed over two documents, one of which was written by Zhou Zhixin himself, accusing the court of not handling personnel affairs and suspending people's salaries before they knew whether they were alive or dead, and also impeached Yang Shiqi. Although Yang Shiqi He should not be responsible for this matter, but whoever allowed him to stay in the position of Minister of Rites, the envoy's business is the business of the Ministry of Rites.
The other document was written by Fu Lin, Fu An's son. Fu Lin did not complain about the court's forgetfulness, nor did he ask Zhu Yunwen to make up for his father's salary for the past nine years. He was very precise and made only one request:
Follow the army to the Western Regions to explore and find Fu An's traces.
Zhu Yunwen was a little ashamed. The court did not handle this matter correctly. If it is confirmed that Fu An is dead, the court should also issue a pension. After all, he died in the line of duty. If Fu An is still alive and detained, then he is still an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, and his due salary should not be stopped.
"Let the Ministry of Household Affairs investigate why this is happening!"
Zhu Yunwen ordered gloomily.
The chamberlain took the document and walked out tremblingly.
Zhou Zhixin breathed a sigh of relief. Judging from Zhu Yunwen's attitude, he understood that the court had done something wrong. However, nine years had passed since the incident, and officials had changed several times. It would not be easy to find out the reasons. Zhu Yunwen pointed to Fu Lin's document and said to Zhou Zhixin: "Fu An is an envoy of the Ming Dynasty. Regardless of life or death, he is a member of the Ming Dynasty. His family should not be treated wrongly. Since you submitted this document on your behalf, I believe that If you can see others, go and ask Fu and Fu Lin to come on my behalf, I want to meet them personally."
Zhou Zhixin quickly thanked him and retired after receiving the order.
Zhu Yunwen put down the document and sighed.
In history, Fu An returned to the Ming Dynasty. However, in history, Timur did not go on an expedition to the east in advance. But now, with the help and support of the Ming Dynasty, Yili repeatedly invaded the Timur Empire, causing Timur to The Eastern Expedition is ahead of schedule. Will Fu An still have a chance to come back alive during the war?
The war between Zhu Di and Tamerlane was a head-on confrontation between the East Asian hegemon and the Central Asian hegemon. It was an event that related the rise and fall of an empire, its glory and disgrace, its grand ambition, and will be recorded in history forever. It was also a confrontation that did not originally exist in historical time and space. !
Once this confrontation begins, it will probably be the time when he changes the trajectory of history the most. Zhu Yunwen is not sure of the consequences and impact it will bring. He cannot predict how many people will die.
Everything will lose its measurement and prediction. What is left can only be written by relying on one's own prudence, vision and knowledge, relying on the wisdom of the officials of the Ming Dynasty, and relying on the soldiers, people and officials.
Zhu Di, Xu Huizu, Tie Xuan and others came out again to discuss the battle strategy.
He Fu pointed at the map of the Western Regions, pointed in the direction of Guazhou, and said: "The Anxi area, Guazhou, Shazhou, Adan City, etc. are actually under the control of our army. I think that in Timmu At the same time as Er's Eastern Expedition, King Yan should be stationed in Dunhuang and look for opportunities to compete with Timur's army in the Gobi Desert from Dunhuang to Hami."
Xu Huizu agreed with He Fu's view and said: "Hami, Dunhuang, Anxi and other places are more than 800 miles of Gobi and desert. The roads are difficult to travel. It is difficult for Timur's army to deploy here. The long desert march, It will also weaken its cavalry combat effectiveness. If you can find an opportunity to fight here, it is indeed a good choice."
Tie Xuan looked at the map, frowned at He Fu, and asked: "Timur will definitely be fully prepared for his eastern expedition. Once he arrives in Hami, he will definitely use Hami as a place to rest and recover, and then look for opportunities to fight again." . If we abandon Hami, blood will flow into rivers in Hami. In such a tragic situation, how will our government take back Hami and govern Hami in the future? I believe that there is no room for loss in Hami, and the battlefield for the decisive battle should at least be in Hami."
He Fu opposed Tie Xuan: "Tie Shangshu only cares about Hami. Have you ever thought that it would be difficult for the Ming Dynasty to directly choose Hami as the battle line? If the decisive battle with Tamerlane's army is in Hami, it means that King Yan will need to bring hundreds of thousands of main troops. Going deep into the Gobi desert and walking more than 800 miles, our troops are exhausted. How can we win a decisive battle?"
Tie Xuan argued hard: "Since the Ming Dynasty wants the Western Regions, then the people of Hami are also the people of the Ming Dynasty, not to mention that Tuotuo of Hami is still the loyal and submissive king of the Ming Dynasty. Once we give up and let them face Timur's butcher knife, our Ming Dynasty will lose the support of the people. .”
Zhu Di knocked on the table, interrupted Tie Xuan and He Fu, stared at the map and said: "What you mentioned is only one of the possible march routes that Timur could choose. What about the other route? Have you thought of it?"
ps:
There may be two chapters to be written in these two days. There are many things on the weekend, so please be considerate...
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