July 22, early morning.
After the ministers arrived at Fengtian Hall, Zhu Youtang did not come for a long time. He did not give any reason for his absence or delay, and just asked the ministers to wait there.
Both civil servants and military officials knew that there would be an unusual "competition" in the court today. After the earthquake, Zhu Youtang had a reason to punish traditional civil servants. As for how far he would go to use the topic, They don't know yet.
It seems that the later the emperor comes, the bigger the matter will be.
But in fact, Zhu Youtang was responsible for his two brothers-in-law at the Qianqing Palace at this time. As the key figures in Zhu Houzhao's disappearance, Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were "caught" by the Jinyi guards and were kneeling at the gate of the Qianqing Palace, accepting Cross-examination by Zhu Youtang.
"Your Majesty, it was all forced by the prince. The prince said that if he didn't listen to him, he would beat the two brothers to death with bricks. He also said that he would tell me about the construction of the family temple. "Queen"
"Don't talk nonsense about building a family temple, second brother"
"Yes, you just want to kill us"
Zhu. Youtang rolled his eyes after hearing this.
This pair of brothers-in-law, who have no abilities, are actually able to help their son sneak out of the heavily guarded palace and get out of the city smoothly
Xiao Jing asked hurriedly, "Two uncles, what are you doing?" Just say, finding someone is more important than anything else.”
“I don’t know,” the Zhang brothers said almost in unison.
Zhu Youtang said angrily, "How dare you say you don't know when you took people out of the city."
Zhang Heling said, "After leaving the city, the prince first took the two ministers to the east. They arrived at a After the place, the internal officials of the East Palace drove the carriage. The two ministers did not even have a carriage and walked to the capital on two legs. When they came back, they were exhausted. As for the prince, it should be that the carriage of the two ministers continued southward. He said he was going to see Duke Lai. Yichen guessed that this was probably the instigation of Duke Lai. "
Zhu Youtang said with anger on his face, "At this point, you actually did it. You still want to put the blame on others. If you weren’t usually arrogant and domineering, how could the city gate officials not search your carriage? If you hadn’t taken him out of the city, he would have been able to get out with the ability to fly."
Correct With that said, Yang Peng came up and said, "Your Majesty, we have found the carriages of Shouning Marquis and Jianchang Bo in a farmland thirty miles outside the city."
"Where are they?" Zhu Youtang asked sharply. .
Yang Peng hesitated and said, "No one was seen, but all the money, silk and other belongings were taken away. I guess they took another bus. Maybe they were going to Tongzhou and took a boat on the canal to go south."
Xiao Jing asked coldly, "Jinyiwei's fast horse has been chasing eastward for so long, but it didn't catch anyone."
Yang Peng said, "Around the farm, it was said that someone bought a carriage. "Going north."
"Going north" Zhu Youtang's voice trembled when he heard it.
Finally, I have several younger sons, and now my eldest son has run away and I have to lose each one. Calculating this transaction, I still made a "loss" because it is not easy to raise my eldest son to such an old age. After all,Children who get sick and cause trouble will easily not grow up.
On the contrary, at Zhu Houzhao's age, it is unlikely that he would be able to jump out of an accident.
Yang Peng looked anxious and said, "My servant carefully checked and found that there are not many people in the carriage going north. We are already chasing it, and at the same time, we have deployed manpower around Tongzhou."
Zhu Youtang said sternly, "What's the result of the interrogation by those in the East Palace?" Yang Peng said, "The interrogation has been completed. I told you that the prince often asked about things in Xishan before leaving the palace."
"Okay." Zhu Youtang looked annoyed, "This is an attack from the east and an attack from the west. He deliberately pretended to be going in the opposite direction. He also pretended that the carriage was going north. His goal was to go to the Western Mountains. Going east was just a pretense. Did anyone send people to go to the Western Mountains?"
Yang Peng was stunned for a moment.
It was beyond his imagination that Zhu Houzhao, a naughty kid, actually went to the Western Mountains
Wait a minute
Who said that the prince was going to the west? Why are you going to Xishan? Is that place fun?
Xiao Jing said with a scolding look on his face, "Why don't you just send someone there if you are still stunned?"
"Yes." Yang Peng also said His head was so big that his head was as big as two.
The key is not that Zhu Houzhao's move is difficult to predict, but that the emperor also stepped in and said that if the prince went west, wouldn't it mean that he would have to allocate manpower to chase him west? Even if Dongchang and Jinyiwei have a lot of manpower, if they really want to chase someone and the other party is willing to hide, it's really like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Zhu Youtang said angrily, "Are you going to piss me off if a living person can escape under your eyes? No one can worry about this."
These words He probably scolded Yu Chaoshang together with the ministers who were waiting for him to go to court.
Yang Peng was obedient and did not dare to refute.
Xiao Jing said, "The purpose of the prince's leaving the city is probably to go to Yingtian Mansion to find Duke Lai. The prince doesn't know anyone outside."
Zhu Youtang glanced at him and said "Then do you know which path he takes? Or maybe you are the roundworm in his belly and know where his mind is?"
Xiao Jing quickly lowered his head and stopped answering.
"Take these two back. They are not allowed to leave the house within three months. No one can intercede." Zhu Youtang finally turned his anger on the Zhang brothers, "If it is the prince, If something bad happens outside, I will blame you again."
"I am wronged," Zhang Heling was still shouting at the back of Zhu Youtang, who was walking away. "It's all Zhang Bingkuan's fault. He was the one who instigated the prince to leave the city. The two Chen brothers were also victims."
"You two, please."
As Zhu Youtang led the After Xiao Jing and other eunuchs went to Fengtian Palace, Yang Peng cautiously said to the Zhang brothers.
Zhang Heling got angry at Yang Peng, "Well, you have the surname Yang, but you haven't found the prince yet. What are your intentions?"
Zhang Yanling said, "Brother, it's not us who brought this person back." He couldn't find it, which just proves that we took him out well."
"Boy, you got kicked in the head by a donkey.Now we have to learn to blame others so that we can be safe and sound. "Zhang Heling finished teaching his younger brother loudly, and then got angry at Yang Peng, "He must be going east. That guy even asked about Tongzhou, but you didn't find it."
Yang Peng said helplessly, "The carriage along the way. I've checked them all, but there's no one there. ”
“Who said he must go by carriage and he might not follow the official path? Look at that kid, there are five or six of them, but they are very smart. They are calling a ghost along the way.” When Zhang Heling mentioned Zhu Houzhao, he felt itching with hatred.
Before, Zhang Zhou was the only one who plotted against him, but now he was also tricked by Zhu Houzhao and the more than 6,000 taels of silver he had been cheated of before. This was the second time. This time I suffered a big loss.
Yang Peng reminded: "The two uncles are talking about the elders around the prince, so be careful what you say. "
The one on the left is "that boy", and the other is "five people and six people". You, Hou Ning, are afraid that others will not know that you are disrespectful to the prince, right?
Zhang Heling was angry He said, "You know who it is, but I don't believe it. He went out to take a few big people, and he can still escape. You Dongchang and Jinyiwei are all working for a living."
Yang Peng said, "Marquis Shouning, Jin Yiwei doesn't need you to give any advice when it comes to matters. You'd better mind your own business and don't leave your house in the past three months. There are people in Dongchang who are watching you in front of your house. If you find out, you still have to report it truthfully. "
"How dare you threaten me?" Zhang Heling said angrily.
"Don't dare, our family is just doing business. Come, please invite the two uncles back home. They will be taken care of on the way, but the carriage must not be hijacked by anyone again. The safety of the two uncles is important, even if people want the convenience of the carriage, it will not work. ”
Yang Peng is riding a tiger now.
The prince has not been found yet. If the Zhang brothers make some trouble again, then this matter will be really lively.
In Fengtian Palace.
Many ministers thought that Zhu Youtang was afraid that there would be aftershocks before the earthquake ended.
Who dared to hold court meetings in the palace. Knowing that Zhu Youtang only knew about the earthquake once from Zhang Zhou, he didn't panic at all and showed up in Fengtian Palace with the three eunuchs, the Superintendent of Ceremonies.
He came from Zhu Youtang. When the ministers saw the emperor's expression, they probably knew that there was going to be a bloody storm in the court today, but they didn't know that the emperor was still angry. Youtang is angry that his son is missing. It has been a day and two nights and there is still no news.
“My dear friends, you all experienced yesterday’s earthquake, so why don’t you say this to me? What?" Zhu Youtang made the opening remarks after the courtesy of the court.
Liu Jian came out and said, "There was a disaster. It was because Nai Chen and others were not helping the country properly. Your Majesty approves. ”
“I am guilty of this. "Many people came out, as if they wanted to take the initiative to take responsibility for yesterday's earthquake.
Zhu Youtang saw that many people wanted to follow the trend and resign, and felt that thisThe group of people were putting pressure on themselves in a special way, and then they raised their hands and said, "I have already said that disasters and strange things are all accidental. Whether it is a sin from God is another matter. If there is any disaster, it must be treated as a punishment." Whoever takes responsibility for this is me."
"Your Majesty." Liu Jian wanted to say something, but Zhu Youtang reached out to stop him.
Zhu Youtang said, "Because Bingkuan predicted in advance that there would be an earthquake, the people around the capital were on guard, and so far no injuries have been reported. Shuntian Mansion"
"I'm here." Zhang Xian, Yin of Shuntian Prefecture, came out and raised the wat board. "The earthquake affected only forty miles around the capital. No earthquake was felt in Tongzhou fifty miles away. There were no injuries to humans and animals. Only the people outside the city were injured." There are houses that have collapsed, but there are no people or animals inside. Shuntian Prefecture and subordinate county offices have patrolled everywhere to ensure that the people are safe. "
"Very good"
Zhu. Youtang nodded with satisfaction. This probably meant that the credit for disaster prevention should be attributed to Zhang Zhou.
"Bing Kuan deserves the most credit." Zhu Youtang concluded.
The following ministers who jointly participated in the impeachment of Zhang Zhou were very angry, but the problem is that Zhang Zhou was right even about the earthquake. If we still want to attribute the "cause" of the earthquake to It was caused by the emperor's favor and trust in Zhang Zhou, and he also said that the disaster was caused by heaven. The emperor would probably repeat his old tricks and directly send people to prison.
For those who make excuses about disasters, don’t blame me for punishing you directly with disasters
I have already said that this is a natural phenomenon. You have to think about it, but you have evidence. Does it mean that this has something to do with Zhang Zhou? Since there is no evidence, my words are evidence. Whoever comes out to look for trouble will be in trouble himself.
Zhu Youtang said, "I have read the previous memorial of Tu Qing's resignation from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. He is old and sick, and has asked me to resign many times. I have given my permission. ."
"Thank you for your understanding." Tu Yu knew that his political career was over.
It had been expected for a long time, but I didn't expect it to end in this way. After he left, he would have recommended him to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and it was supported by traditional civil servants. People who are related to people and belong to the faction behind him can get the greatest benefits from this fluctuation.
At least several of the six ministers can be counted.
But now it seems that even if those people are still ministers, they will probably be transferred to Nanjing.
Zhu Youtang said, "The court discussed before, who is the person who will succeed the Minister of Civil Affairs?"
Liu Jian looked in the direction of Tu Jian, then walked out and said, "Yes. Ni Yue, the former Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing, was a "tragic figure" in the Ming Dynasty. He originally served as the Minister of Rites, but he was sent to Nanjing as an official to make way for his relative, Dang Xu Qiong. The Minister of the Ministry of War was later moved to Nanjing as the Minister of the Ministry of War. In Nanjing, the Minister of the Ministry of War was responsible for controlling the military power of Nanjing. He was a real power faction like the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Nanjing, and his status was higher than the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Nanjing.
ThisThe next time Xu Qiong retired, the ministers felt that Ni Yue had been treated unfairly, and they all wanted to use his qualifications to come back and become the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Zhu Youtang said, "Ni Yue does have this ability. For the post of Shangshu of the Ministry of War in Nanjing that he left behind, I recommend Zhang Zhou, the Duke of Lai. Do you have any objections?"
Specify candidates directly.
What the imperial court recommended, I just won’t play that trick with you. I agree to follow your instructions for Ni Yue, but I must give up the military power in Nanjing to facilitate my Bingkuan. Nanjing is working for me.
Liu Jiandao, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Lai is still young and has been in office for less than three years. I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to bear such a heavy responsibility."
Zhu Youtang asked, "What about Bingkuan?" He used troops several times in the northwest and Liaodong. I felt that he was very calm every time he did things. Some people said that he took the risk of invasion when using troops, but when he conquered the Jurchens in Liaodong, he survived stably and was not impatient. The reputation of the border towns around him They are all very good. Even Datong Governor Ma Zhongxi, who once had a strong opinion against him, recently proposed that Bingkuan should replace him. You can say that Bingkuan has no qualifications."
Li Dongyang came out and said, "But he has already He has a military title."
"Can't he be both civil and military?" Zhu Youtang said, "I didn't ask him to be a distinguished garrison minister in Nanjing. Besides, Nanjing still has garrison officers, coordinated garrison, etc. Do you think Bingkuan went to Nanjing to use troops?"
The emperor's attitude was very firm.
Liu Jian and Li Dongyang just came out to oppose "as usual" to show their attitude. It was not that they thought they could really make the emperor take back his life.
Isn’t it good to let Zhang Zhou become the Minister of War in Nanjing? In fact, from the perspective of top civil servants such as Liu Jian, this is a good thing.
Since there is no stopping Zhang Zhou from becoming the Minister, it would be better to let him become the Minister of the Six Ministries of Nanjing, at least out of sight.
"I have sent people to investigate Min Gui, the imperial censor of Zuodu in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. There is no corruption or violation of the law. However, he is old and confused, and it is really difficult for him to hold a big position. He has been ordered to return to his hometown in the past few days. A new candidate for Zuodu Yushi will be selected. As for other matters, we will consider them as appropriate in the past few days. I don’t want to replace too many courtiers at once. Everything is based on stability.”
The court meeting is over.
The emperor did not get angry in the court, and everything seemed to be under control. However, the matter of impeaching Zhang Zhou seemed to have been suppressed by a hailstorm and an earthquake.
The ministers were united to kill Zhang Zhou, but when things came to an end, they found that "God's will cannot be violated". When Zhang Zhou's mouth was always able to congratulate him with disasters and extraordinary things, the ministers still wanted to take " If Zhang Zhou continues to be criticized, the emperor will feel that the ministers are deliberately targeting him.
After leaving the Fengtian Palace, the ministers became much more taciturn.
The appointment of Tu Jian to the official position means that the former vanguard of Zhang Zhou’s opposition has ended his political career. It seems that Ni Yue will be transferred to Beijing, but because of the long distance from Nanjing to Beijing, at least one more person is needed. It took many months for Ni Yue to take office.
Of the official departmentErrands are basically handled by Han Wen, who is the right servant and will probably be the left servant.
It seems that the rest of the six yamen have not been transferred for the time being, but the emperor also made it clear that he does not want to change too many at once, but he will not be polite when selecting recent replacements.
"What to do"
Bai Ang, the Minister of Punishment, looked sideways at Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others.
He knows very well.
After Tu Jun retired, he was next in line. Because there were many unfinished tasks in the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works, Zhou Jing and Xu Guan had to postpone their appointment to official positions, while the errands of the Ministry of Punishment were relatively delayed. It's easier to take over.
Moreover, Min Gui and Bai Ang have a close relationship. They are both heads of the Sanfa Division. Now Wang Shi, the minister of Dali Temple, is not qualified to be the minister. The person who was originally selected to succeed Bai Ang as the minister of punishment. It was also Min Gui who took up the official post, and Bai Ang felt that the succession order of his prison system was completely disrupted.
"Please ask for orders again." Li Dongyang said the next sentence calmly.
The words seemed ambiguous, which made Bai Ang feel that the cabinet seemed unable to protect the Sanfa Division.
It’s also because Min Gui fought so fiercely with Zhang Zhou before. After Zhang Zhou entered the court, Min Gui would come out to oppose anything involving Zhang Zhou in the court, and this time he even spoke out. Well, Min Gui was just ordered to serve, which seemed to be considered "extraordinarily merciful" by the emperor.
Liu Jian and Li Dongyang walked in front.
All the ministers also dispersed one after another. Only Xie Qian took a few steps back and came to Bai Ang and said, "Go around more with the people in Nanjing and ask about things over there. Over there at the Hanlin Academy Maybe someone else will be transferred back to Beijing."
"Who?" Bai Ang didn't quite understand why Xie Qian suddenly came to tell him about the Hanlin Academy. It had something to do with who succeeded him as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice
Xie Qian sighed, "Who else could be the one who had been in prison before?"
There was no need to say who it was, Bai Ang understood instantly that it was Cheng Minzheng.
When the Six Ministries were considering candidates to succeed Shangshu, Cheng Minzheng, who was in charge of the Southern Hanlin Academy in Nanjing, was not included at all, or in other words, this person was ignored.
But after the earthquake in the capital, the emperor clearly wanted to use someone close to Zhang Zhou. As a Hanlin scholar, Cheng Minzheng had the qualifications to join the cabinet or become a minister.
The emperor would probably start with Cheng Minzheng and cooperate with Lin Han after entering the court. The people who are close to Zhang Zhou, or the Zhang faction, are equivalent to two ministers. Please remember to bookmark, the latest and fastest website is free to read without anti-theft