"My uncle is my uncle, I am the same as my uncle. I am my uncle and my uncle, I am a wandering son."
The tense situation in the court did not ease as Song Du gave birth to the emperor's eldest son.
There was no need for Empress Dong to send someone home to signal for anything. Taiwei Dong Cheng, who took advantage of this, recently personally presided over the interrogation of Tingwei and persisted in the pursuit of the Song family. While the emperor turned a deaf ear, several crimes of the Song family were revealed. It soon surfaced; the first was to bring in love potions to disrupt the palace, the second was to be superstitious and the alchemists were plotting evil, the third was to indulge the family and annex the land and households in Youfufeng, the fourth was to take over everything and use their power to collect money to solve people's problems...
The evidence for various crimes is conclusive and unconcealed, which all means that Song Hong, who is paralyzed in prison after suffering a stroke, will not survive this autumn.
With the fall of the Song family, a large group of powerful people related to the Song family were uprooted. Youfufeng, who originally had difficulties in implementing the household registration policy, has achieved remarkable results recently. The new prefect Yang Fu, who was transferred from Liangzhou to Hongnong, is a He was powerful and upright, and had no interest entanglements with local powerful people. As soon as he took office, he began a vigorous and vigorous investigation with the cooperation of Shaanxi Ling Gaorou.
Gao Rou is a descendant of the former prefect Gao Gui. Gao Gui was once the prefect of Shu County. In his early years, he cooperated with Lai Min and others during the imperial conquest of Yizhou and made meritorious deeds. He was transferred to Hongnong and serves as the prefect until now. Because the Chenliu Gao family and the The Yuan family was related, and his descendant Gao Qian even surrendered to Yuan Shao and served him until his death.
The price of making a wrong bet is heavy. Although Gao Yu has always been honest and peaceful, his situation in the court is still very embarrassing. In this regard, Gao Yu had to seek the protection of powerful forces, so he and his subordinate Hongnong Yang family naturally They came together, Gao Yu acted as a local protector, and the Yang family cleared the stains of the Gao family. The two parties always got along harmoniously. Even though the imperial court strictly ordered various places to investigate hidden households, Gao Yu resisted the pressure and did not conduct a thorough investigation. .
As a price, after Gao Yu was deposed, Gao Rou, the only remaining young talent of the Gao family, successfully graduated from the Department of Civil Affairs and served as the county magistrate in Shaanxi County, Hongnong County.
Originally, according to the trend, Gao Rou should inherit Gao Yu's policy and continue to protect local powerful people in order to make good friends. However, after the new governor Yang Fu took office, the two people, who were both impartial and upright, hit it off. Soon, they hit it off. Hongnong Haoqiang was miserable. He didn't expect that after the "loyal" Lord Gaofu left, his nephew would be so unkind.
The story of Hongnong spread quickly. After the emperor learned about it, he specially sent someone to tell him that Yang Qi, a minister in charge of the affairs of state, was just a gossip in the eyes of others, but there was a deep coldness in it: "Gao Yu and Yang Qi Is Gao Rou really a family? Why do they do so different things?"
"Even if father and son are brothers, it is difficult for them to have similar temperaments, not to mention that Gao Yu and Gao Yu are just from the same race?" Yang Qi has become much older than before recently. Not only does his forehead have gray hair, but his voice is not as strong as it once was. , but I have a lot more caution and scruples than I had before, as if the sword that was once extremely sharp has finally become dull.
Such changes cannot simply be explained by the reason of "aging". Yang Qi's strengths and courage that once dared to confront and defend two generations of emperors are now gone. Without his sharpness and strengths, his words and deeds are almost the same as those of a mediocre person. The old man is no different: "Gao Yu was tolerant in his administration, did good to the people, streamlined common affairs, and gained popularity among the people. But Gao Rou upheld integrity and strictly enforced the law. Therefore, the people in the county were hidden and the people lived in peace. The politicians actually There should be a balance between leniency and severity, as the two people uphold, but in fact they both have deviations. If they can complement each other's strengths, it would be great."
"Then Mr. Yang, in your opinion, is it better for the imperial court to be more lenient or stricter today?" The emperor stood up and invited Yang Qi to walk down the verandah.
Yang Qi was stunned for a while, as if this simple question made him feel embarrassed. After a while, he hesitated and answered: "I believe that now that the world relies on your Majesty's kindness and the world is quiet for a long time, it is appropriate to implement lenient policies."
"This is not you, Mr. Yang." The emperor suddenly shook his head in disappointment. He tilted his head slightly and said, "If it were in the past, how could Mr. Yang praise me casually? But with Mr. Yang's strong point of being honest, even if he has to seek good governance now,
, and he is not a person who is either lenient or strict." At this time, he had seen the panic on Yang Qi's face, and sneered: "What happened to Mr. Yang recently? You might as well talk about it, even if it is not a state matter, it is a family matter.
, I may also be able to relieve your worries."
"Your Majesty..." The emperor's gaze was like a heavy weight, which made Yang Qi almost breathless. Back then, his spine was not straight. Even when Emperor Xiaoling was there, he dared to ridicule him in person. But now Yang Qi's body is not strong.
Beginning to stoop, he leaned down slightly, not daring to look at the emperor, and said in a low voice: "I am just an unworthy member of the family, so I spent more energy."
"Which disciple?" The emperor walked to a curtain under the verandah. The bamboo curtain was slightly rolled up, revealing a huge lake and withering lotus leaves. He looked at the early autumn scenery and guessed knowingly: "No.
Is it Yang Zhong?"
Yang Qi's legs immediately went weak and he fell to his knees on the ground.
Although he had been prepared, he was still inevitably panicked when he heard this sentence from the emperor. Yang Zhong was the most radical and arrogant among the Yang family.
Yang Qi, Yang Zan and others were incompatible with each other, and even Yang Biao, who strictly adhered to neutrality, had a bad relationship with him. They came from different houses, and they were all Hongnong Yangs in name.
It is inevitable.
In order to dominate others at home and become the leader of the Yang family in the court, Yang Zhong did not hesitate to collude with Song Hong, and even came up with such an idea for him that was harmful to others and himself. Now that Song Hong is behind bars, it is timely
He suffered a stroke in prison, but who doesn’t know how much Song Hong confessed before the stroke. Now it seems that the emperor may have known everything he should know!
So why is the emperor summoning him now? To raise an army to accuse him? Or to humiliate him beforehand? Since he did not immediately issue an edict to arrest Yang Zhong and demote the Yang family, maybe things can still turn around. For example, Yang Zhong just had an idea.
The collection and use of tools were all done by Song Hong, and Yang had no involvement here.
Yang Qi knelt on the cold ground, his mind spinning rapidly, and finally came to the conclusion that he and the emperor still had "some talk". In his opinion, the Yang family was in this state of being in a state of being either light or serious. If the emperor
To deal with it strictly, it would be difficult to convince everyone with Song Hong's words alone, and the confrontation and turmoil carried out by the Yang family under the overthrow of the nest was not what the emperor wanted to see. But if he were to let it go,
The emperor must be even more dissatisfied, which is why the current dialogue between the emperor and his ministers is in the hope of reaching a compromise that satisfies both parties.
The emperor's dignity must be respected, and Yang must pay the price of punishment. However, how big the price must be to satisfy the emperor, and what the crime for which Yang paid the price depends on the subsequent conversation between the two.
"Your Majesty is wise, it is none other than General Yang Zhong with five sense organs." Yang Qi reminded him unintentionally: "Yang Ru, the former captain of the Qiang Guard, had a deep friendship with him. Now that Yang Ru died at the hands of the Qiang Di in Liangzhou, Yang
We have been deeply grieved for more than a year, and our health has begun to deteriorate. I caught a cold yesterday, and I am still at home debating whether to send a letter to the court on his behalf, asking for his remains."
The emperor seemed to be very concerned about the physical condition of his ministers. As soon as he heard that Yang Zhong was feeling unwell, he immediately asked: "Have you seen the imperial doctor? Did you say when will you feel better? Will you feel better?"
Yang Qi said without hesitation: "This disease has gone deep into the root of the disease. I'm afraid that even if I am cured, my energy will not be as good as before, and I will no longer be able to serve the court and your Majesty."
"Really?" The emperor responded with some pity, but his expression did not reveal any pity. He suddenly said: "Yang Zhong has been serving as the general of the five senses for so many years, and the man he promoted
There are many officials, and they are strong and unwilling to admit defeat. Will they be willing to ask for dismissal?"
"If you are a minister, you are not worthy of your responsibilities, so why should you stay in the position? Yang Zhong knew that he was not physically strong, so he had already prepared to ask others to draft a memorial and submit it." Yang Qi said righteously, as if all this was absolutely correct for him.
It's over.
The emperor sneered in his heart, thinking that using Yang Zhong's resignation as a condition for the emperor's resignation was too good, so he simply pointed out the matter directly: "Hu Chong was recommended and promoted by him, because Hu Chong is good at making progress.
Forbidden objects, Yang Zhong really has nothing to do with such a big thing happening in the palace? How could Song Hong, the father of a noble man, send such objects into the palace casually?"
Yang Qi was startled and said quickly: "Your Majesty, although Hu Chong was recommended by Yang Zhong, Hu Chong is guilty, and it may not be Yang Zhong who instigated him."
"Did I say it was him who instigated it?" The emperor smiled calmly and said, "I have set the rules for recommendation a long time ago. Within three years, the recommender must vouch for the person being recommended. Hu respects this.
How can people's moral depravity and collusion with foreign countries be achieved overnight? Therefore, Yang Zhong cannot escape the blame."