Under normal circumstances, by this time, the monarch and his ministers should have met long ago.
But Emperor Wanli didn't want to come out of the inner palace, so everyone could only rely on guesswork, as if they were slowly groping in the fog.
Only Mr. Zhao Ge thought that he was an exception. Others were in the fog, but he had opened the entire map, so how could he lose?
But Huang Zhengbin, who has been in the limelight recently and is known as a righteous man, never dreamed that he would actually enter Fusi, Jinyiwei North Town.
It was just a criticism of the chief minister, and the emperor was not involved. Why did he bother to bother the royal guards?
I heard that Yang Jisheng, a famous minister of the Jiajing Dynasty, was imprisoned for impeaching Yan Song. Do you want to be Yang Jisheng's second?
But after all, Yang Jisheng is a serious two-ranked Jinshi, and he is nothing. Can he earn this reputation?
In the Criminal Justice Department, the commanding officer in charge of the trial slapped the case hard, awakening Huang Zhengbin who was still confused.
"Who instigated you to impeach the chief minister? Come from the truth!" Luo Sigong shouted.
Huang Zhengbin habitually gave the standard answer: "I exposed the crimes of the chief minister all because of my passion and no one instigated me."
The meticulous Luo Sigong immediately scolded: "How dare you speak nonsense! Many of the contents in your bullets are confidential matters between the elders!
You are a small member of the Central Academy of Sciences. Although you are in the cabinet, you are not a close confidant of the cabinet minister. You just do miscellaneous things on a daily basis. How can you know so many inside stories?"
Huang Zhengbin couldn't explain it at the moment and could only be speechless.
Luo Sigong pressed forward and said: "There must be someone supporting you. If you fool me again, I will make you taste the torture tools of Beizhen Fusi!"
Huang Zhengbin used up the last of his arrogance and said: "Everyone in the world discusses the affairs of the world and does not need instructions from others!"
Luo Sigong did not continue to talk nonsense, and waved his hand to ask the left and right flag masters to carry the torture instruments.
After being hit with the stick a few times, Huang Zhengbin was so painful that he no longer wanted to imitate Yang Jisheng, and kept shouting: "I've done it! I've done it all!"
Seeing that Jin Yiwei is going to take action, whoever likes to learn from Yang Jisheng should learn it!
Besides, I don’t even have a serious reputation, so it would be difficult to cash in my reputation!
It’s already worth it if you can get the first assistant to step down! There is really no need to continue to forcefully show off in Jinyiwei!
Luo Sigong took the confession and immediately went to the inner court.
He was very happy in his heart. He was so quick to get the results of the trial, which was simply a waste of effort. The big bosses above him would definitely praise him for his ability to do things well.
Because the factory owner Sun Siam avoided suspicion and the eunuch Chen Ju, the eunuch Bingbi, was fully responsible for this project, Luo Sigong went directly to the Huiji Porch Room.
Eunuch Chen, who was sitting by the brazier, took Huang Zhengbin's confession, rolled his eyes a few times, and said doubtfully: "Fourth Assistant Zhao Zhigao?"
Luo Sigong replied: "Huang Zhengbin did confess. It was Mr. Zhao Ge who instructed him to expose and impeach Shen Shoufu."
Eunuch Chen asked again: "Is it because you were beaten to death?"
Luo Sigong answered truthfully: "He didn't confess at first, so he got on the stick, and then he confessed."
Eunuch Chen put down the confession casually, "If the torture continues and Huang Zhengbin cannot stand it any longer, he might have to confess again that he was ordered by his third assistant Wang Jiaping.
So which one is true and which one is false?”
Luo Sigong: "."
Suddenly I felt that my job was meaningless.
Eunuch Chen got up and went to Yude Palace. When he arrived, he found that Zhang Cheng, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, was also there.
"The first assistant, Shen Shixing, and the second assistant, Wang Xijue, have already submitted their resignations. How should I respond?" Zhang Cheng asked Emperor Wanli for instructions.
The decision of whether to condone or approve can only be made by the emperor.
Emperor Wanli asked with a sullen and fat face: "Did they say anything else? Have they made a public statement about Mi Shu?"
Zhang Cheng replied: "Not really."
Emperor Wanli, who was sitting on the soft couch, suddenly sat up straight and said angrily: "I asked Shen Shixing to join the cabinet before he was fifty, and to become the first minister in his early fifties!
Such deep kindness and kindness are rare in ancient times! But is this how Shen Shixing treats me? After all, are you still unwilling to stand by me wholeheartedly?
The density on the left and right has been leaked, so why can’t we break the jar and throw it away?”
Eunuch Chen secretly sighed that the emperor was really wishful thinking.
Perhaps because the promise of establishing a crown prince during this winter solstice brought too much pressure, the emperor was also seriously ill and sought medical treatment.
After losing his temper, Emperor Wanli also felt tired, waved his hand and said: "Since they asked to go, let them all be granted!"
The two eunuchs Zhang Cheng and Chen Ju looked at each other and sighed together, the third era of the Wanli Dynasty was coming.
The ten years or so of Zhang Juzheng were the first era of the Wanli Dynasty, the eight years when Shen Shixing was the chief minister were the second era, and the following years will be the third era.
Now that the boots have landed, it’s time to start cleaning up the mess.
Zhang Cheng asked for instructions again: "How will the cabinet arrange it in the future?"
Emperor Wanli cheered up and asked Chen Ju: "How is your investigation going? What's the progress?"
Chen Ju reported: "After interrogation by the Jinyi Guards, Huang Zhengbin, a former member of the Central Academy of Sciences, revealed that the crime of impeaching the first assistant Shen Shixing was at the instigation of the fourth assistant Zhao Zhigao."
"Zhao Si?" Emperor Wanli was very surprised. That honest man who usually had no sense of existence could still do this?
Zhang Cheng, the chief seal officer of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, couldn't help but laugh and commented: "I didn't expect that a loyal and honest elder would also learn bad things. Does it count as someone who is close to Mo in the cabinet?"
It’s just that the technique was really clumsy and unfamiliar, leaving such a big flaw, yet it was easily detected.”
Then he asked Eunuch Chen: "What is Zhao Zhigao's motive? He has been following Shen Shixing most of the time. What is the benefit of instructing others to expose and impeach Shen Shixing at this time?"
Eunuch Chen replied: "After much thought, the only explanation is that Zhao Zhigao tried his best to convince the third assistant Wang Jiaping to frame the first assistant, and tried his best to create public opinion in this regard to relieve the pressure on Shen Shixing.
It’s just that Zhao Zhigao’s abilities were limited, and perhaps he wasn’t good at fighting, so he ended up doing nothing but scolding Wang Jiaping in the cabinet every day.”
Eunuch Chen's summary is quite consistent with Zhao Zhigao's usual personality.
Emperor Wanli suddenly looked at Zhang Cheng and asked, "Tell me! Who could have posted the post to slander me?"
Mainly I want to hear the views of Zhang Cheng, an "outsider", maybe bystanders know better.
Zhang Cheng said: "If we only talk about possibilities, there are too many people with motives inside and outside the palace.
For example, if the announcement had not been made, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue might still have the slightest chance of returning to the cabinet.
But once the announcement comes out, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue will definitely not return to the cabinet, and then the third assistant Wang Jiaping will be completely stable."
This statement is not difficult to understand. If it is just a secret leak, as long as the skin is thick enough, the first and second assistants may still be able to stick around.
But if you still refuse to leave even though you know you are being tricked by the emperor, how big of a heart must you have?
Then Zhang Cheng added: "Even in the palace, there are many people who have benefited. If the disclosure is approved, then wouldn't Sun Yong, the young prisoner in the clerk's room, be innocent? His godfather Dongchang Sun Xian will definitely be very happy."
Eunuch Chen next to him was very speechless. As expected of a senior eunuch, he really dared to say anything.
Emperor Wanli couldn't help but pointed at Zhang Cheng and cursed: "You are really a bunch of bastards! No wonder even Zhao Zhigao had to learn to frame others after he entered the imperial court!"
Zhang Cheng laughed a few times and said, "Your Majesty, don't be upset. I just don't dare to hide anything from Your Majesty, so I just say everything I think.
Even if we talk about Zhao Zhigao, he is not without suspicion, and he is still likely to post an expose."
Originally, the leak of secrets could be obscured, and it would be okay if the truth could not be found out.
But after the revelation was sent out, the emperor had to find out a result in order to prove his innocence. This situation was very beneficial to Mr. Zhao.
The guilty Emperor Wanli interrupted Zhang Cheng impatiently, "Stop talking! There are really no good people in Hongdong County!"
Then he put pressure on Eunuch Chen and said: "Rumors are increasing day by day, we can't delay it any longer! You should settle the matter as soon as possible!"
I just want results! If I can’t do it well, you, the eunuch with a pen, don’t do it anymore!”
Eunuch Chen had no choice but to say: "The leak of secrets may be related to the third assistant Wang Jiaping, but he needs some dignity."
Letting others take the blame is the only way so far.
Now there are only two people left in the cabinet. If Mr. Zhao is allowed to take the blame, others will not believe it!
Could it be that Old Man Zhao framed the first and second assistants just to make Wang Jiaping the first assistant?
Emperor Wanli said without hesitation: "Then give him dignity!"
Eunuch Chen added: "Wang Jiaping has a very good reputation. There will probably be a large number of memorials and treatises on how to save him."
Emperor Wanli said wittily: "If all the ministers come to rescue him, then there will be no time to quarrel with the country. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone. When the time comes, I will see the opportunity to do it."
Eunuch Chen: "."
To be continued...