In the palace, in the royal garden.
Zhu Houzhao placed a set of fishing gear next to the flower pond and was in great spirits ready to fish when Yang Tinghe arrived.
Liu Jin stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, Academician Yang is here."
Zhu Houzhao nodded without getting up.
Yang Tinghe bowed down and bowed down. Because from time to time in formal occasions, officials of third rank or above were not required to kneel down and bow down. "Old minister, I pay my respects to my emperor. Long live my emperor."
After Yang Tinghe finished the salute, he pretended to stand up, raised his hands and said, "No courtesy, I'll give you a seat."
"Old minister, I would like to thank your majesty for your kindness." Seeing his majesty's attitude, Yang Tinghe felt a thump in his heart and thought to himself, he still can't forget it.
If Zhu Houzhao knew what he was thinking at this time, he might not laugh out loud. He could see that this old guy, who was always graceful, quiet and cautious, and polite and law-abiding, was also panicking at this moment, and he felt relieved. It feels so good, as if all my thoughts are clear. It seems to have left a deep impression on this body.
"Yang Qing's family entered the palace, I don't know, but for your son?" Zhu Houzhao asked deliberately.
Yang Tinghe nodded and said, "Your Majesty clearly sees that Quanzi can become an official without going through the imperial examination. It is his blessing to be promoted by your Majesty. However, the old minister can't help but worry in his heart whether the official position given by your Majesty is too hasty. The General Affairs Department is the official of the imperial court. It's an important hub connecting the government offices below, and I'm afraid Quanzi may not be able to handle it."
This Yang Shen's father should be the one who wants to win. It seems to be reminding the emperor of his worries, but in fact, he is retreating to advance and giving you a vaccination first.
Zhu Houzhao heard Xian's understanding, smiled and waved his hands and said, "The Qing family's worries are unreasonable. Your son's talent is enough to take on the responsibility. The Qing family can rest assured. I remember the teachings that the Qing family gave me when they were in the East Palace. They were every word. , Now that I think about it, I am also alert. Could it be that the Qing family is worried that I will remember some misunderstandings in the past, so they are worried about your son?" The misunderstanding between the two Zhu Houzhao was deeply bitten.
Yang Tinghe is worthy of being an old fox. He understood the whole story at once. His Majesty has already told what happened in the past. If he still doesn't express his position, then all the years of lectures as a bachelor will be in vain.
"Your Majesty, if the old minister's previous actions have made your majesty displeased and disgusted, the blame will be borne by the old minister alone. For the sake of the late emperor, your majesty, please be generous. The old minister is willing to resign from office and work hard, and never set foot in the court again. Please give your Majesty's permission for this matter." Yang Tinghe stood up and knelt down. For the sake of his son, this upright old man also knew that he had to compromise.
In his mind, one emperor and one courtier, especially in Zhu Houzhao, what happened to Liu Daxia, what happened to Jiao Fang, and what happened to Wang Qiong. Apart from three senior ministers, half of the six ministers were dismissed from office and imprisoned. Although a large part of it was his own fault, it also made the veterans of the late emperor's dynasty worried.
Unexpectedly, today, it was Yang Tinghe's turn. It was retaliation. When he was still in the East Palace, he was often teased by Zhu Houzhao. He often went to the late emperor to complain. These were all bad consequences.
Zhu Houzhao pretended to be solemn and said: "Are you really willing?" In fact, he was already happy. Yang Tinghe's reputation was very high in the government and the public. Zhu Houzhao had his own plans, so he had to hammer it out carefully. There are some things that will happen next, and Yang Tinghe Wait for a few ministers to use it.
When Yang Tinghe heard this, he sighed and smiled; "There is nothing to care about. If you want me to die, I have to die. I have no regrets." He fell to the ground and touched his head to the ground.
Zhu Houzhao also felt that he had gone too far, but if he did not suppress this veteran minister this time, it would be more troublesome in the future. A loyal minister has his own stubbornness, let alone a very talented and ambitious minister who is also known as a loyal and upright minister in both the government and the public. Then he must seize this opportunity to win over Yang Shen in one fell swoop. His weakness is Yang Shen.
Brother Yang, I’m going to lend you a favor again. Anyway, I’ve already taken advantage of you once. If I do it again, I’m sure you won’t mind. Hehe.
He gestured towards Liu Jin. Liu Jin nodded and passed the wine glass on the table. A glass of fine wine was filled in it. In ancient times, kings were more particular about giving wine. This wine could be a poison that penetrates the intestines, or it could be a favor from the emperor. But as Yang Tinghe saw, Come on, it doesn’t look like grace.
At this moment, he realized that his seemingly prestigious status and position were not worth a glass of wine from the king. Those who opposed the emperor had a bad ending since ancient times. Yang Tinghe smiled bitterly, but he simply did not expect to enter the palace today. , he definitely came here to die. Judging from His Majesty's attitude, it was clear that he was waiting for him to come and see you. He had already planned it. He was so cruel.
"Master Yang, this is the grace given by His Majesty, Master Yang, please." Liu Jin was very good at acting, with an expression as if he was a villain.
He jokingly said in his heart, you, Grand Scholar Yang, are sometimes afraid. Back then, you almost caused our family to be beaten to death by the late Emperor's imperial staff. This time, you have finally avenged your great revenge. See if you still look down on others so much in the future. Our family can't cure it. You, His Majesty may have cured you, hey, enjoy it.
Zhu Houzhao turned his back, leaning on the reclining chair, holding a fishing rod in his hand, acting very unfeeling. Yang Tinghe was heartbroken beyond words. That's all, I have reaped the consequences of my own misfortune. My late emperor, I am here to accompany you.
If he were in front of Zhu Houzhao instead of behind him, he could see how hard it was for Zhu Houzhao to hold back his smile, and his face was twitching and deformed.
"Your Majesty, take care, I'll take the first step." After Yang Tinghe finished speaking, he drank the wine in one gulp, neatly.
After he finished drinking, he closed his eyes and waited for death. Liu Jin on the side laughed and joked: "What are you talking about, Grand Scholar Yang? Do you think that what His Majesty gave you is poisonous wine? Grand Scholar Yang, you How can you mistake His Majesty's grace for malice, Mr. Yang, do you know your sin?"
Zhu Houzhao finally couldn't bear it any longer. He burst out laughing and said, "Yang Aiqing, you, you, when did I say I wanted your life? Haha, Aiqing, please get up, get up quickly." Then he Then he ordered Liu Jin: "Hurry up and help Yang Aiqing get up."
Yang Tinghe felt that he had gone to hell again, but it was just a misunderstanding. Suddenly, his face became hot and flustered. He didn't know why the emperor had humiliated him. He seemed a little angry, so he remained silent and let Liu Jin help him up.
After Zhu Houzhao laughed for a long time, he regained his breath. The ancients liked to play with these imaginary heads. Not to mention, I like them very much.
"Yang Aiqing, you are a veteran of three dynasties. Now Master Liu is old, Xie Qian is in poor health, and Taifu Li has also been feeling unwell recently. He has asked to come back many times, but I have not agreed, because I have not been on the throne for a long time. Shang Qian needs the prestige of the three pavilion elders and the assistance of loyal ministers like you, Aiqing, so how can I destroy the Great Wall and kill the ministers? That is what a foolish king does, and I don't want to." Zhu Houzhao calmly said looked at him and said.
Yang Tinghe listened quietly and glanced at the emperor. With this glance, he understood a lot of information.
Zhu Houzhao sat him down, with his hands behind his back, looking at the fish in the pond, and said in a slow voice: "Since I came to the throne, I have had many troubles. King Ning Zhu Chenhao and his party rebelled, and I will destroy them with thunder. Some people say that I I don’t care about family ties. I want to open sea bans and benefit ships. Some people say that I am too casual and ignore the ancestral system. I don’t care what you say. I want the sun and moon in this world to illuminate all the territory of the Ming Dynasty. I want the Ming Dynasty to last forever. Don’t pull it out, no matter if you think I’m fooling around or thinking I’m ridiculous, I have no complaints or regrets.”
Yang Tinghe hesitated to speak, and opened and closed his mouth. He didn't know what to say. Your Majesty had always seen so clearly. What else could he say? Just now, he was still complaining about His Majesty's ruthlessness.
Zhu Houzhao was moved by his sensationalism, but Liu Jin's face was full of admiration and excitement, but he had to keep pretending. He took a deep breath and said, "The imperial court has been suffering from long-standing abuses. If it is not changed, the Ming Dynasty will be like the Song Dynasty." Following the same footsteps, I don’t want to feel ashamed when facing my ancestors a hundred years later. If you want to change, there is only one way to go, innovation. My dear, do you see that Ming Dynasty is sick now? Are you willing to do it for me? Do you share your worries?"
Yang Tinghe didn't know it, but innovation was extremely difficult and easier said than done.
"I am ashamed, veteran." Yang Tinghe did not dare to answer.
Zhu Houzhao glanced at him and said calmly: "Ai Qing, you dare not say it, or you don't want to worry about me. I know that you think I am young, and you don't know the depth of it. You stick to the old rules, stand on your own feet, and clamor for prosperity every day. As a result, Well, in the most virtuous place in the capital, there are people who are harvesting and cutting crops. My imperial desk is full of such memorials. I don’t know how many there are in the country. Wang Qiong is an official in Hejian Mansion. He maintains his identity and does not accept it. People say that the disaster in Hejian is serious and hundreds of thousands of people are crying for food. Whose fault is this? You must blame me in your heart, King Qiong of the imperial staff, for being a coward."
Yang Tinghe's resentment had subsided, and cold sweat began to break out on his forehead. This was more frightening than the poisoned wine given to him by Zhu Houzhao. His Majesty's words were heartbreaking. At that time, he really wanted to stand up and accuse him like this.
"I would like to ask you again, in the former Song Dynasty, the officials and gentry paid for the food together, the court was at war on three fronts, and the treasury could still have a balance of millions. Is it possible for me in the Ming Dynasty? Why? You are opposed to me collecting business taxes and competing for profits with the people. The court and the people Competing for profits? The businessmen and gentry are the people? Then why are the farmers who cultivate the land not the people? They pay grain taxes, why can't the businessmen and the gentry do it?" Zhu Houzhao became more and more excited as he talked.
Yang Tinghe could no longer sit still. He stood up and bowed in obeisance. The sweat on his back wetted his red court clothes.
Zhu Houzhao intended to collect business taxes, but the imperial merchants refused to cooperate and also colluded with ministers in the DPRK. In the past few days, he had received many memorials to impeach Dongxi Factory and Jin Yiwei, saying that they were lawless, forced merchants, and collected bribes. The merchants in the capital closed down one after another, causing depression in all industries. The people were extremely resentful and asked the emperor to punish them.
Liu Jin has also been watched closely by the imperial censor in the past few days. He is even cautious when leaving the palace. It is really a wave of uncertainty. Just yesterday, a secret memorial from the Jinyi Guards of Yingtian Prefecture came to Beijing, saying that the censor of the Nanjing Inspectorate , impeached Jiao Fang, Zhang Zhong and others for driving civilians to the state capital under the pretext of unwarranted temporary recruitment. Now Yingtian Mansion is overcrowded, causing a large number of people to be displaced. People are extremely angry and complaining. Now Yingtian Mansion is in chaos. , requesting the imperial court to support and punish the two men to quell public anger.
Zhu Houzhao was very worried because of the chaos. Since it was a secret performance, it was faster to enter the capital. If he waited until the imperial censor entered the capital, there would probably be another big storm. Now there is a mixture of dragons and snakes in the capital. Wang Qiong, who wants to cause trouble, is from Qufu. The eldest son, the scholar, the rebellion of the imperial merchants, the severe drought in Hejian Prefecture, and the natural disasters in the seven cities of Yingtian Prefecture, they all got together.
"The imperial court has become dull and stagnant. It needs fresh blood. The flowing water will not rot the door hinges and will not be beetrooted. I love you, the court needs your family, and I need your family to help take care of it."
