Two days later, the imperial examination ended, and Zhao Cijing, the Minister of Rites, anxiously informed the emperor to prepare for marking the examination papers.
The emperor agreed, and on the grounds of physical discomfort, ordered Du Ruhui and Xue Shou to act as full agents.
In a small room in the political hall, Du Ruhui and Xue Shou organized a group of people to start marking the imperial examination papers.
The rustling sound of correcting test papers could be heard all the time, which was particularly sobering in this quiet room. However, the environment was quiet, but Du Ruhui's heart was not at all quiet.
Even irritable.
He knew that His Majesty was angry and no one could predict the consequences.
Although the incident in the Liangyi Palace was not spread widely, some officials still heard the news to some extent. Many people felt that the emperor's acceptance of the emperor's wife was extremely outrageous, and it was natural for the princes in the court to oppose it.
But they have all forgotten that this is not an era when scholar-bureaucrats and the emperor rule the world together, let alone hope that aristocratic families and the emperor will rule the world together. Because the emperor is the lord of the people, not to mention that the emperor is an emperor on horseback.
The first emperor conquered the world, and the later emperor ascended the throne to destroy the Turks, wipe out the grasslands, and establish himself as an emperor with great martial arts achievements.
Will such an emperor surrender?
Just kidding.
As Du Ruhui expected, in the afternoon, he received news that the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Punishment, and the three official offices were reprimanded by the emperor for their affairs, dismissed from office, and sent back to their hometowns.
The master of Taiji Palace was angry, the court was in turmoil, and all the ministers were in danger for a while. At this time, they remembered that the current emperor was not a good person. In the past, before he ascended to the throne of prince, he would clean up the palace.
The prince and former emperor's former ministers.
Now the years have passed, memories have emerged, and many ministers are breaking out in cold sweat.
They took it for granted and underestimated the emperor!
Unfortunately, it's too late.
The next day, among the nine temples, six young ministers and twelve prime ministers and subordinate officials were reprimanded by the emperor for failing to do things well and were handed over to Dali Temple for investigation.
But, it's not over yet.
Another day passed, Wang Changxie, the minister of Honglu Temple, and Li Gaoqian, the minister of Guanglu Temple, were demoted by the emperor to be the governor of Yizhou and the governor of Lingzhou respectively due to their faults.
The wind direction was like a great purge, making many ministers' hairs stand on end.
The emperor is angry and terrifying!
The ministers were all in danger, and they regretted following Wei Zheng in the Liangyi Hall.
The emperor is indeed not a weak person.
After get off work, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng, and Xue Shou gathered in Du Mansion.
"Xuancheng, you brought up the matter, and now it has become like this, you have to clean it up." Xue Shou drank milk tea and put his hands on the armrests of the chair with a matter-of-fact expression on his face.
Wei Zheng's face turned red and he retorted dryly: "I'm right."
"You are indeed right." Xue Shou said: "But you made His Majesty angry. If His Majesty hadn't known about your loyalty, I would have thought that you wanted to imitate Cao Shenfu Zuo Xiaohui."
"When have I ever thought of this!" Wei Zheng retorted loudly, while sweat dripped down his forehead unconsciously.
Speaking of Cao Shen, people think of an idiom, Xiao Gui Cao Sui. But who knows the story behind this idiom?
After Emperor Xiaohui of the former Han Dynasty came to the throne, Xiao He passed away and recommended Cao Shen as the prime minister. After Cao Shen became the prime minister, he did nothing all day long, feasted and drank excessively, and did not care about the affairs of the court at all. All the systems were implemented according to Xiao He's time.
Emperor Xiaohui wanted to stretch his muscles and display his political ambitions. Seeing that Cao Shen was so "interested", he asked Cao Shen's son to test it out.
This then led to the following conversation.
First, Emperor Xiaohui said to Cao Shen's son Cao Cheng: "Emperor Gao has been doing great things, and I have grown strong. When the prime minister and the country are in trouble, they all follow the old system and don't report it to me. What's the point?"
After Cao Cheng heard this, he went home and asked his old father. As a result, Cao Shen beat him up and then told him, "You should serve the king, and state affairs are not what you think about."
Later, Emperor Xiaohui and Cao Shen had a question-and-answer session with the emperor and his ministers.
Emperor Xiaohui: "Why punish Cao Cheng? I ordered him to ask the public."
Cao Shen: 'Your Majesty, please think about it. Compared with the emperor, who is more powerful?'
Emperor Xiaohui: ‘I dare not compare myself to the emperor.’
Cao Shen: "Your Majesty, who is stronger, I or Xiao He?"
Emperor Xiaohui: ‘Your Majesty is not as good as Prime Minister Xiao.’
Cao Shen: ‘What your Majesty said is correct. In the past, Emperor Gao and Xiao He pacified the world. The law was clear, the people were at peace, and the country was stable. Now your Majesty is ruling with an arch, and the ministers abide by the old system without changing it, and the world is safe.'
It seems normal, but actually there is another meaning in it. Emperor Xiaohui wanted to implement his own political philosophy, but Cao Shen ruthlessly spurned him back.
What is the meaning of curing by hanging the arch?
The emperor can govern the world without managing the government.
Is this possible?
Of course it's impossible.
Now, Xue Shou said that Wei Zheng learned from Cao Shenfu Zuo Xiaohui, which means that he was loyal and obstructed the emperor from doing things.
"Okay." Du Ruhui interrupted them, rubbed his temples, and said distressedly: "Your Majesty's anger has not subsided, and there are constant twists and turns in the court, so what's the point of your quarreling."
Wei Zheng gritted his teeth and said, "I am the one your Majesty is really angry with. If your Majesty wants to remove me, I have nothing to say."
Xue Shou said: "You are talking nonsense. If your Majesty is really angry with you, you will not be able to escape when the Liangyi Palace is in Liangyi Palace. What your Majesty is really angry with is the person who provoked him. Your Majesty knows that you are loyal, so he will not punish you but reward you."
This shows that His Majesty is not angry with you."
Wei Zheng stopped talking and sighed: "Okay, I admit, I shouldn't have been the first to cause trouble in Liangyi Hall."
In fact, he also regretted a little, he shouldn't have said so harshly and made things worse.
If he had taken a step back then, he would not have made the emperor so furious now.
"You still need someone to tie the bell to untie it." Du Ruhui murmured: "Right now, there is only one person who can temporarily extinguish His Majesty's thunderous wrath."
Hearing this, Wei Zheng said: "I'll go, but I'll make it clear in advance that I won't admit my mistake, because I am absolutely right about this matter."
"You?" Du Ruhui shook his head, "It's useless if you go. Your Majesty is already angry. This matter is irreversible. No matter who is right or wrong, Your Majesty will never compromise."
He knows very well that the current emperor is domineering and powerful. You can persuade and scold him, but you cannot persuade him by 'forcing', because the emperor does not accept that method at all.
Moreover, the emperor was most afraid of his ministers doing this.
"Then who will be useful?" Wei Zheng asked.
"Princess Qin." Du Ruhui said slowly.
Xue Shou nodded, "That's right. Only Princess Qin can persuade His Majesty now."
"Isn't it okay, Queen?" Wei Zheng frowned.
Xue Shou said angrily: "Do you think the Queen will not avoid suspicion? If the Queen extends a helping hand this time, wouldn't it be suspected of the harem interfering in politics? Do you think the Queen will agree?"
Hearing this, Wei Zheng was unconvinced and said: "But how can Princess Qin go? This is unreasonable!"
"Then do you have a better way?" Du Ruhui asked.
"I..." Of course he had no choice. He was trying to persuade the emperor out of his heart, but who knew that things would develop like this.
"Then, who will inform Princess Qin?" Xue Feng asked.
The three of them looked at each other and were speechless for a moment.
Xue Shou continued: "Furthermore, your Majesty wants to accept Princess Qin. Do you think we should continue to stop it?"
"Of course." Wei Zheng said, "His Majesty must not be allowed to bear such a stigma."
Xue Chan showed an expression that was indeed the case, and said helplessly: "In this case, there is no need to invite Princess Qin, because the core of the problem has not been solved at all."
Wei Zheng frowned and said: "You don't want to agree to His Majesty, do you? You should know how His Majesty will be arranged in the future once you agree to such a scandal!"
"well!"
Du Ruhui sighed heavily and leaned back on his chair with a lifeless look on his face.
After all, this is the crux of the problem.
Should we stop His Majesty from accepting Princess Qin?
To do it or not to do it, that is a choice, a question.