Things were in trouble. Even without considering the possibility of criticizing Sang and Huai, Zhao Jiu knew that things were in trouble from the beginning.

The reason couldn't be simpler.

First of all, based on Hu Yin's experience of being almost drowned by his parents when he was just born and then being adopted by his uncle Huan Guo, as well as the guy's bad temper, the impeachment content in this memorial is 90% true... It is impossible for Hu Mingzhong to put himself

Biological parents should be parents who take good care of themselves.

And considering that this guy is already in his mid-thirties, he and his parents probably already have countless experiences and excuses that cannot be concealed, and these excuses have already been widely known in Fujian Township.

Secondly, filial piety these days is very harsh, especially when it comes to officials. Of course Hu Yin will be tolerated by public opinion because of his experience in future generations, but at the moment, it is impossible to be recognized by public opinion...or even worse

Furthermore, it is okay to say that it is directly illegal.

You must know that even the Zhao Guan family supports three queen mothers as memorial arches.

Find someone to go to the Shaolin Temple to interview Emperor Daojun. Emperor Daojun will definitely say that he is only grateful to the officials.

I couldn't help but ask a few more questions, and I had to talk with tears about the tragedy in Wuguo City that I was too embarrassed to mention in my memoirs, and then pointed out how filial and grateful it was for Zhao Guan's family to bring him back to enjoy the influence of Buddhism.

To be fair, thinking of this, Zhao Jiu had a rough feeling that this matter was probably not just a matter of criticizing Sang and Huai, but it was really an impeachment against Hu Yin.

After all, to put it bluntly, who am I afraid of now? Who of the domestic opposition forces can say anything in front of me?

Although Zhao Jiu knew that his experience as an official in the court, the organizational form of private schools, and the natural dislike and opposition to the Northern Expedition in Jiangnan as a tax-rich area, made an opposition indeed exist in the southeastern region of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, but he could not

Throw all the dirty water on people's heads.

That group of people had not yet evolved to the point where they would become the opposition parties in Korea in later generations.

if not?

Who is the leader of this Daoxue-Jiangnan-Xiaye official faction?

Li Gang, or Liu Dazhong? It can't be Xu Jingheng, right? In fact, Xu Jingheng, Lu Haowen's old partner and a great hero in the early days of Jianyan, really has a much stronger influence in the southeast than Liu Dazhong.

Xu Jingheng did this to himself at this time?

Moreover, who will provide stable funding for this opposition faction?

How to maintain transportation network?

Has Southern News, which has been making trouble for a long time, come out?

At this time, what do these people want to do by provoking me again?

Not to mention Lu Yihao!

To put it bluntly, even if there was such a person who secretly financed, instigated, and promoted this incident, and was really criticizing Sang and Huai, it was probably his own fault... It was similar to Wang Cweng's case, and it was a lone wolf crime.

Therefore, the key to this matter actually lies in how to save Hu Yin.

It should be noted that Hu Yin, as the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, was long ago regarded by Zhao Jiu as the Minister of Indifference when the court lacked the finances to carry out large-scale construction projects, and then he actually became the general person in charge and the general contact person of the preparations for the Northern Expedition.

All surplus money and food were given directly to the Ministry of Industry. He was almost all responsible for the coordination and arrangement of the expansion and distribution of ordnance production capacity, the construction and investment of warehouses, the renovation and connection of roads, and the arrangement and adjustment of mobilization plans for troops and civilians.

.

If it was fine at this time last year, there was no money at all, and Hu Yin had no job at all. If something like this happened, it wouldn't hurt to replace him... Chen Gui, Liu Ji, and Lin Jingmo could all do it.

But now, as the imperial court is almost exhausted and has gained financial prosperity, a lot of work has been started. Is it just Hu Yin's problem to let Hu Yin go away at this time?

In early summer, the weather was actually not too hot. Zhao Jiu sat in the stone pavilion until dusk fell before he got up... In fact, he had made up his mind from the beginning. It was pointless for Hu Mingzhong to advance or retreat. Even if he was criticized, it didn't matter.

, it’s not like he hasn’t tolerated it for so many years? But the problem is that he will never allow this matter to shake or affect the overall situation of the Northern Expedition, whether it is deliberate or accidental, it will not be allowed.

However, Zhao Jiu also knew that this kind of thing was really difficult to deal with, because Hu Yin would face the pressure of the entire society, and even someone as stubborn as him might not be able to withstand this kind of hard work.

"Hard work, Zhengfu, give this thing to Hu Mingzhong, and then tell him..."

After Zhao Jiu stood up, he directly handed the complaint document to Yang Yizhong who didn't know when he appeared beside him. But halfway through the words, he felt that he was doing something unnecessary, so after a while, he could only laugh. "This is just this.

Give it to Hu Mingzhong, and he will understand."

Yang Yizhong paused slightly and stepped forward to take the document. Without even looking at it, he folded it and put it away. Then he stepped back, then turned around and strode out - Hu Yin, as the minister of the Ministry of Industry, had already received it at the Jingyuan in the north.

In a house, Huan Guo's father and son, and even Huan Guo's wife and concubines who came over later, all lived there together.

It was a good time to leave the palace and go home.

Just like that, not to mention Zhao Jiu's thoughts, only that Yang Yizhong arrived at Hu Mansion. Hu Yin had just returned from the public house in the south not long ago. The two of them greeted each other and let them into the hall. Without any more polite words, Yang Yizhong

Submit that paperwork to:

"The official asked the subordinate to deliver this thing to Hu Shangshu."

Hu Yin took it under the lamp, opened it in his hand, and after a slight sweep, he was completely awakened, but his expression did not change at all, and he just remained silent.

After a while, seeing that the other party was speechless, Yang Yizhong stood up and said to him: "The official's instructions have been fulfilled. I will retire."

It was only then that Hu Mingzhong raised his head and asked seriously: "May I ask Yang Tongzhi if there is anything else the officials can say to me?"

"Just tell me to give this to Hu Shangshu, and Shangshu will understand." Yang Yizhong raised his hand in response.

Hu Yin nodded and stood up, then put the document in his hands and handed it over directly: "Tell the officials for me that I already know about this."

Yang Yizhong was stunned for a moment, but he still took the document and said yes. Then, full of doubts, he went back to the palace to hand over the document, regardless of the fact that it was getting late.

Not to mention how Yang Zhengfu dealt with Zhao Guan's family again, only that Hu Mingzhong returned the documents. He knew that he might encounter the biggest setback in his life, but he still did not show any emotions. He went back to the study and wrote a few simple letters.

After sending the letter, he went to have a leisurely meal without mentioning it to his adoptive father and adopted brother.

After finishing the meal, he went directly back to the study and continued to deal with the official documents he had brought back from the office.

The next day, nothing happened, and he calmly went to the public house opposite Xuande Building to handle official duties.

However, no matter how determined Zhao Jiu is, or how aware Hu Yin is, what should come will always come...Those things cannot be covered up, because even if the documents were given to Zhao Guan's family, the few people who complained are still alive and well.

, not to mention that since this kind of thing has gone the way of impeachment, those who complained will also exchange information with their fellow townsmen and friends early to prepare for public opinion.

Therefore, although the Zhao Guan family tried to cut off the matter directly from the Ministry of Justice early that day, they still could not stop the relevant words and impeachment content from gradually spreading among the officialdom and the Imperial Academy.

Three days later, as the relevant details of Hu Yin's unfilial piety were gradually proved by the Fujian people in Beijing, even the people became agitated... Everyone knew that the officials were deceived, and that Hu Yin, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was a big man.

How can a shameless person hold this position?

Under the fierce momentum, almost everyone wanted to be the Minister of Punishment!

At this time, Zhao Jiu also received an official report from the Ministry of Punishment. The people who wrote the letter were indeed the same group of people who sued Fansi last time. They were all scholars in Beijing and had connections with Fujian.

The source of the specific materials they used to appeal was also very clear. It was a Jianzhou native named Liu Mianzhi... This man was a real fellow countryman and old friend of Hu Yin and his father Huan Guo, and he was also a famous young Neo-Confucian scholar in Fujian.

, and also had a very good relationship with Liu Ziyu's second brother Liu Ziyi, and such a well-known figure had witnessed Hu Yin's refusal to worship his biological father and mother in his hometown in his early years, and he had publicly criticized Hu Yin in his hometown at that time.

I almost broke up with Hu and his son... But Hu Yin later went to Taixue to become a high official, Huan Guo also came to Tokyo, and Liu Mianzhi happened to be a true Neo-Confucian who hated the imperial examination and devoted himself to studying knowledge, so this matter was dropped.

Let it go.

Then, about a few days ago, some people participated in the daily entertainment among the Fujian Township Party members. Some of them talked about the outstanding people in Jianzhou Township. First they mentioned Hu Guo, Hu Yin and his son, and then naturally someone mentioned Liu Mianzhi.

.

Unexpectedly, some people then said that Liu Mianzhi could have entered the capital and become an official. Lu Benzhong, a celebrity close to the official family, had recommended him. The reason why he was still in vain was because of Hu Yin... Then others remembered the entanglements in the past.

, and took advantage of the situation to bring up this topic, which soon aroused serious dissatisfaction among one of the people who had participated in the Taixue Fu Que, so that they had a series of discussions on the spot, which directly led to the Kaiyuanmen Fu Que incident.

In other words, Ma Shen's meaning is very clear. This incident happened spontaneously and suddenly in Tokyo. It was an accident. It has nothing to do with Jiangnan, Taoism, those officials, the Supreme Taojun Emperor, or any accusations against Sang and Huai.

...Please don’t make any speculations or implicate the officials.

In this regard, Zhao Jiu did not mean to speculate too much about the involvement. He had already made similar guesses, but at that time he made the guess from the perspective of the situation in the court, the size of the opposition forces, and whether the organization was tight or not. And Ma Shen

The submitted information verified his idea from another angle - judging from the dates and the social circles of these people, it was indeed a group of Fujian people inside Tokyo who started the riot, and the time and interpersonal relationships were closely related to it.

The opposition in the southeast cannot match it.

Moreover, Zhao Jiu also vaguely remembered that Lu Benzhong had recommended this person in a public way, because he felt that this person was a real scholar and could be transformed into the original school. However, Liu Mianzhi did not know whether it was because of the school or because of the school.

I really didn’t want to become an official, so I refused directly.

Of course, even if everything was correct, Zhao Jiu still ordered Yang Yizhong to keep up with the verification again, and then waited carefully for the development and changes of the incident.

Let's also say that the Ministry of Punishment issued a formal document to clear the accusers and let them move freely... This is something that can't be helped. There is no reason to implicate the innocent. Even if Zhao Jiu is itchy about these people, he has to admit that they are innocent.

...But in this way, the authenticity of Hu Yin's unfilial piety was verified from an official perspective.

The remarks reproduced in the complaint document, that is, the words of the great scholar Liu Mianzhi criticizing Hu Yin for being unfilial, can withstand the test of the court's judicial organs.

Immediately, in a slightly dull atmosphere, one day later, Li Guang, the censor Zhongcheng, took the lead, and almost everyone in the censorship station officially submitted a letter to formally impeach Hu Yin, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, for being involved in the case and being accused of being unfilial.

Hu Yin explained.

This is a matter of course, Li Guang and his subordinates are fulfilling their duties.

Not only that, after Ma Shen compiled the case files, he also reported the matter in the name of the Ministry of Punishments. It is worth mentioning that this was also Ma Shen performing his duties.

For a time, bullets and bullets were fired, and they went straight to the front of the emperor.

Next, according to political rules, Hu Yin should defend himself and at the same time ask to resign to clear his name.

This was the situation that Zhao Jiu was most worried about at the beginning... No one did anything wrong, and there was no big political conspiracy. On the contrary, it seems that almost everyone in this matter is following political rules and ethics.

For those who performed their duties under the rules, even those who made the first accusation seemed blameless, but the equally innocent Hu Yin had to pay a political price, even if it might affect the court's preparations for the Northern Expedition.

This has nothing to do with political opposition, it is the opposition between the ethical laws and human nature in the feudal era.

However, Hu Yin did not resign or defend himself, but just kept working.

But this aroused the anger of the imperial court, the public opinion of scholars, and even the people in the market, because indulging in love is the most taboo thing among scholar-bureaucrats these days, and it is itself a moral dilemma second only to unfilial piety.

For a time, even the Taixue students who had only discussed in private before began to accuse Dibao of shielding senior officials and not publishing relevant memorials in public. They even began to post notices in Taixue directly questioning Professor Huan Guo... But at the same time, Zhao Guan's family

But still maintained an extremely strange silence.

This seems to explain why Hu Yin can be confident.

In the next few days, in the court, perhaps because they sensed the attitude of Zhao Guan's family, and because the horse capital was already stinking but they were still passed around from door to door, there was some concern.

The bullets gradually began to fall apart.

It seems like things will end here.
To be continued...