Li Qing looked at Zhu Yunwen, looking at this new king in his early twenties, feeling helpless in his heart.
It is undeniable that Zhu Yunwen wanted to be a wise king and a good emperor, and he had been working hard for this.
Diligent, tax-reducing and benevolent, polite and virtuous corporal... In terms of work enterprising spirit, he is no worse than his father Zhu Biao and grandfather Zhu Yuanzhang.
But the problem is, wanting to be a good emperor and being a good emperor are not the same thing at all.
It would be fine if he just had poor abilities, but Li Xian's corporal also had poor abilities. What's even more outrageous is that he still reused these people.
Li Qing realized clearly what it means: a scholar ruins his country!
It's true that Qi Tai was the Minister of War, but he was just a scholar. He was promoted to Minister in the 28th year of Hongwu's reign. However, in just three or four years, he didn't even know how deep the water in the court was, yet he dared to talk to nobles and feudal lords
Wang Daozi is simply ridiculous.
If the nobles and feudal lords could move easily, those senior civil servants and elders with personal qualities would not be so aggrieved.
Not to mention Huang Zicheng and Fang Xiaoru, they didn't even have official official positions. The former was the East Palace Attendant, and the latter was not in the capital. At best, he was a local teacher.
It is sheer nonsense to let a teacher who talks about his ideals do things that countless people in the officialdom would not dare to do.
These three people are indeed sincere and loyal, but loyal ministers and good ministers are not the same thing!
It is not difficult to understand why four idealisms are mixed together to create such a situation.
"Please teach me, sir." Zhu Yunwen bowed his head and even changed his name.
Li Qing felt bitter in his heart. The situation had reached this point and was close to getting out of control. What could he do?
"If the emperor doesn't listen to his ministers, how can he teach him?"
"I listen." Zhu Yunwen promised swornly, "Sir, please speak."
Li Qing pondered for a moment and then said: "First, stop the action of cutting down the vassal immediately;
Second, depose Qitai, Huang Zicheng, and Fang Xiaoru and tell them to get lost;
Third, appease the vassal king and honor him."
Zhu Yunwen frowned deeply: "First, third, I will consider it as appropriate. Second... Sir, Grandpa Huang has left a few of you as his confidants. I cannot agree to this."
Li Qing raised his eyebrows, he really couldn't figure out how old Zhu Yingming I could choose such three top-notch products for his grandson.
Logically speaking... it shouldn't be!
At this time, Xiao Guizi hurried over and reported: "Your Majesty, King Yan is here."
"King Yan?" Zhu Yunwen turned pale and asked in a trembling voice, "Where did he kill him?"
Xiao Guizi was stunned and said calmly, "I don't understand what the emperor means. King Yan has settled in the royal palace in the imperial city and wants to see the emperor."
"That's it!" Zhu Yunwen's face was stern, as if he felt that he was too embarrassed just now, and he said coldly, "Let him come to see me immediately."
"Yes, I obey the order." Xiao Guizi bowed hastily, turned around and left. After taking two steps, he paused and turned around and said, "Your Majesty, where can I ask King Yan to pay my respects?"
"Here..." Zhu Yunwen glanced at Li Qing, "In the Yongqing Marquis Mansion."
He had a natural fear of his fourth uncle, and because of his guilty conscience, he really didn't want to face it alone, so he had to ask Li Qing to support him.
Li Qing was also stunned, not because Zhu Yunwen wanted to meet the vassal king at his home, but because he didn't understand that at this juncture, Zhu Di dared to come to the capital.
Aren't you afraid that Zhu Yunwen would arrest him directly?
Isn’t this a meat bun hitting a dog?
But no matter what Li Qing thought, Zhu Di was already here.
Half an hour later, Zhu Di entered the Hou Mansion at a fast pace.
Zhu Di is a tall man. He is nearly forty years old and has been tempered by fighting on the battlefield, making him look more mature and stable.
In comparison, Zhu Yunwen is like a young boy.
At this moment, Zhu Di exuded the same aura as when Li Qing first met Lan Yu.
Li Qing even had the illusion that Zhu Di was going to chop Zhu Yunwen into pieces at the next moment.
Not only did he feel it, Zhu Yunwen was also frightened by his fourth uncle's momentum and took a few steps back. The guards on the left and right immediately stepped forward, and at the same time, the sharp blade was unsheathed three inches.
Zhu Di paused, took a deep breath, and paid homage: "King Zhu Di of Yan, long live my emperor!"
"Ping, Pingshen." Zhu Yunwen slowly calmed down and said in a friendly manner, "Why didn't my fourth uncle tell me in advance when he came to Beijing?"
Zhu Di cupped his hands and said, "I was presumptuous, and I am guilty."
"Hey? Let me just say, there is no intention of blaming the emperor's uncle, come..." Zhu Yunwen wanted to order someone to serve tea, but suddenly he realized that this was not an imperial palace, and there was no servant in front of him, and he couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.
Li Qing stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I will send someone to prepare."
…
In the pavilion, Zhu Di and Zhu Yunwen sat opposite each other, with Li Qing accompanying them, and the atmosphere was barely harmonious.
"Fourth uncle came to Beijing this time, why did he come?" Zhu Yunwen took a sip of tea, "There are still more than two months until the death anniversary of the emperor's grandfather. You won't stay here for so long, right?"
Zhu Di put down his tea cup and said with a smile: "I am here this time because I have something to ask the Emperor for."
"Oh?" Zhu Yunwen was stunned for a moment, then said with a smile, "We are all one family, why should my fourth uncle see you outside? Just say it, I will not allow it."
Zhu Di said with murderous intent: "Qi Tai, Fang Xiaoru, and Huang Zicheng have deceived the public with their evil words, alienated the family relationship between our royal family, and caused us to kill each other by blood. Please, the emperor, punish these three people for the crime of bewitching the emperor, and give them the correct punishment!"
Zhu Yunwen's smile froze, and after a while, he slowly said, "Fourth uncle, King Xiang, King Zhou, they have indeed committed serious crimes, and the court has not wronged them."
After a pause, he added: "If they were like you, Fourth Uncle, who obeyed the law and made military exploits many times, how could I be like this?"
Li Qing secretly smiled bitterly: It's okay for you to coax a child, but you are really good at coaxing your fourth uncle...
"Your Majesty, I kindly ask you to deal with these three people!" Zhu Di asked again.
Li Qing's heart moved. Somehow, he had the illusion that this was Zhu Di's last chance for Zhu Yunwen. As long as Zhu Yunwen chopped off three people, everything would be fine.
When he thought of it, he quickly put down his tea cup and said, "Your Majesty..."
"Stop talking." Zhu Yunwen's face turned cold and he said calmly: "Fourth uncle, you are the vassal king guarding the border. Your duty is to guard the border. It is over the law to discuss the government affairs arbitrarily.
I think my fourth uncle is taking care of family ties, so I won’t care about it, but... please respect yourselves!"
Zhu Di narrowed his eyes slightly and clenched his fists tightly under the tea table. After a while, he forced out a smile, cupped his fists and said, "I'm sorry."
"Well, Fourth Uncle has been working hard all the way, so please go back to the palace to rest. I will have some free time the next day and will show you the April weather in Jinling."
"I obey the decree."
Zhu Di stood up and gave a long bow, then nodded to Li Qing, and Li Qing returned the salute with clasped fists.
After the simple etiquette, Zhu Di turned around and left.
As Zhu Di left, Zhu Yunwen's expression changed from cloudy to clear, and he said sincerely: "Sir, please accompany me back to the palace, I need you."
"..." Li Qing lost his temper because of this guy, "I have a sick body..."
"I will change my mind and listen to your good advice." Zhu Yunwen said sincerely, "I hope you will give me a chance."
To be honest, this is Zhu Yunwen.
If it were Lao Zhu, no matter if you are sick or not, if I ask you to do it, you have to do it, and you have to do it even if you don't.
It is indeed rare for an emperor to be so courteous and courteous to his corporals.
Seeing his sincerity, Li Qing said to himself: "That's all, for the sake of Lao Zhu's face, let's give him one last chance!"
The two of them came to the royal study room of the palace. Qi Tai, Fang Xiaoru, and Huang Zicheng were helping to process the memorial. They put correction suggestions on paper and sandwiched them in the memorial. They were very busy.
Seeing the two people coming in, the three of them stood up and saluted.
Li Qing avoided the holy ceremony and then said a few perfunctory words.
After a while of pleasantries, everyone took their seats.
Zhu Yunwen smiled at Li Qing and said, "The three gentlemen are talented and knowledgeable, but they do not have rich political experience. I would like to trouble Mr. Li to go through it and see if there is any unreasonableness."
Qi, Fang, and Huang were very magnanimous and did not show any dissatisfaction. They handed over their hands to Li Qing and asked Li Qing to read it again, as if they were asking for advice modestly.
I have to say that in terms of character, the three of them are indeed worthy of being gentlemen.
Li Qing was not polite and picked out one of the memorials that the three of them had reviewed, and quickly frowned.
Fang Xiaoru craned his neck and glanced at it. Seeing that he had reviewed it, he raised his hands and said, "If the student's suggestions are inappropriate, I hope Marquis Yongqing will make it clear."
"There is indeed something wrong." Li Qing unfolded this disaster relief petition, "There are only five thousand victims, but one thousand dan of food was approved. It is too much, two hundred dan is enough;
Disaster relief is only relief to relieve the immediate needs of the victims, rather than continuous support from the court;
The remaining 800 stones can be used to build a road, build a bridge, provide relief to the victims, and also build up the local area;
Another example is to ask the local government to come forward and provide jobs to these victims first. Although other people who have food will lose their income, they will not starve;
Furthermore, by approving so much food for disaster relief in one go, local officials have too much room for transfer, so it is inevitable that the food will not be intercepted, and the food that actually reaches the hands of the victims... will be much less."
Fang Xiaoru digested Li Qing's words for a while, nodded with deep understanding, and then said with concern:
"When students were professors, they also heard about the phenomenon of officials blocking water. If they only approved 200 shi, on average, one person would only have about seven kilograms of grain. If officials continued to block water..."
"No, if the victims starve to death, the local officials will have to punish them. The local officials can still pick up a little food or official position, which is more important." Li Qing said with a smile, "Furthermore, the local officials will report it, especially if
Everyone likes to exaggerate when it comes to disaster relief, but the actual number of victims is not that many."
"Aiya." Fang Xiaoru stood up and gave a long bow, "Students, please be taught."
Li Qing touched his nose and continued to read, but the more he looked, the more speechless he became.
At first glance, the suggestions are all fair, but... they are really wasteful. They reduce taxes and allocate money. Fortunately, the national treasury is strong at the moment, so it doesn't have much impact.
But if we keep this up, even this golden mountain will be ruined.
Li Qing felt very tired. These three people should go to the Hanlin Academy to write articles, books, and compile history. They could not be officials with a strong sense of justice, which was fine, but they were not the materials to govern the world.