Zhang Juzheng was startled when he heard this and looked at Zhu Yijun. Zhu Yijun said: "Concubine Qi died unexpectedly, and the two palaces were furious. It is the Empress Dowager Cisheng who is here."
Hearing this, Zhang Juzheng bowed five times and kowtowed three times to the screen: "I, Zhang Juzheng, kowtow to the Queen Mother. I, the minister, acted like a prostitute and disturbed Ci'an. There is no greater crime."
Empress Dowager Li had met Zhang Juzheng a few times by chance when she was at Prince Yu's Mansion, and Mu Zongbin had met Zhang Juzheng that day.
At the beginning of Mu Zongbin's reign, there were several important state affairs. The two of them were separated by a screen and had several conversations in public.
After the situation in the court was stabilized, the communication between the two people was relayed back and forth through Feng Bao. After Feng Bao was expelled, the Queen Mother became lazy in politics. Zhang Juzheng had not consulted Cisheng on something for a long time.
At this time, listening to Zhang Juzheng's apology, Empress Dowager Li said from behind the screen: "When the late emperor was still alive, he told me that Taizu and Chengzu taught me that it was not allowed to discuss the appointment of a prime minister. If a minister has something to say, he will be executed. The late emperor regretted it at the time.
I thought that Gao Huzi, Mr. Zhang and others would do the job of prime minister, but they would not have any status."
"Why does the emperor say this today? Doesn't it violate the family law of our ancestors?"
Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "Empress Dowager, Taizu taught you not to open the sea, and the previous emperor also opened the sea. In the 17th year of Hongwu, an iron sign was set up that said, "Ministers are not allowed to interfere in political affairs, and offenders will be killed." Today, the Chief of Ceremony has the palm seal of the prime minister. "
Empress Dowager Li was speechless after hearing this. After thinking for a while, she timidly said: "If the emperor has any ideas, I will not interfere. However, it cannot be interfered with and a court dispute arises."
Zhu Yijun said yes and replied: "Don't worry, Queen Mother, my son will not worry about it." He looked at Zhang Juzheng again, his eyes were full of meaning and said: "I plan to give the old gentleman a 'prime minister's cabinet' after staying for a few years.
In the name of the minister, I will try to figure it out again."
Zhang Juzheng's heart skipped a beat after hearing this. When the platform called him, Zhu Yijun had already expressed his intention to change the law. What is "reform"? Change the "ancestral family law"!
At that time, he persuaded the emperor to stop him, but after a year of getting along with each other, Zhang Juzheng no longer doubted the emperor's character - his perseverance was the only one in this dynasty that Taizu had.
Therefore, Zhang Juzheng once said to Qi Jiguang, "People like Taizu today can't see the sand in their eyes." These words were indeed sincere.
Listening to the emperor's intention at this time, "a few years later" should be the wedding period. At that time, it will be announced to the world, the queen mother will be adopted, and the emperor will personally take charge of the political affairs from a legal perspective.
The emperor today is equivalent to making a promise to give himself the title of "Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister" when he takes office. By then, he will indeed be one step away from the prime minister. The emperor is hanging on this big cake. Who will suggest that the emperor delay his wedding for a few years?
Besides, I have to risk my life with him.
Zhang Juzheng let his thoughts fly and thought that although this official name was not found in the ceremony, the emperor had such a clever idea and the name was very nice.
At that time, by mixing political orders, measuring the land, and promoting the "one whip method", we will surely be able to rejuvenate the country and strengthen the army. It can really be said that "ambition will be rewarded". This is how a man should be!
After making up his mind, Zhang Juzheng reported: "To the Queen Mother, I have been favored by three generations of emperors. When planning for the country, I must first worry about the world and forget about myself. Please rest assured, Queen Mother, I will not worry about anything."
Empress Dowager Li was relieved when she heard what the emperor and Zhang Juzheng said behind the screen. She then asked: "The Dongchang has always been like this. Is there any inconvenience if it is abolished?"
After Zhang Juzheng heard this, he hurriedly said loudly: "Back to the Queen Mother, Chengzu set up the East Factory to visit and conspire against demons and treachery, and share power with the Jin Yiwei. When he first established himself, he could still be cautious and self-defeating. Don't let it go in vain. But after becoming the ancestor,
, completely deviates from the original intention!”
"For hundreds of years, they have been racking up crimes, falsely accusing officials and people, and extorting money. They have tortured officials, falsely accused ministers, and killed each other unjustly. Their evil deeds are too numerous to write down. When they give orders to the government and the public, the world has been suffering for a long time!
"
"Today, the Lord wants to abolish it, which is the greatest virtue policy since the founding of the ancestors! And the Queen Mother's kindness will definitely benefit the world! As for the worry of the dominance of the Jin Yiwei, one will set up a supervisory bureau in the future, under the personal leadership of the emperor; the other is the Metropolitan Procuratorate
Even after the revolution, we can check and balance it, and our ministers can also curb its power. Please be at ease, Your Majesty the Queen Mother."
Zhang Juzheng, as the head of the civil service, was afraid that the Empress Dowager would oppose the abolition of Dongchang, so he even said the words "The world will be reassured by his kindness." Zhu Yijun laughed secretly in his heart after hearing this.
Empress Dowager Li did not have much experience or opinions in political affairs, so she was easily persuaded by Zhang Juzheng. She thought to herself: "Mr. Zhang said so excitedly, it is better to abolish the Dongchang." She said: "In this case, the emperor and Mr. Zhang just do it.
." Zhu Yijun and Zhang Juzheng both agreed.
Seeing that she agreed, Zhang Juzheng breathed a sigh of relief. After waiting for a while, Zhu Yijun saw that Queen Mother Li did not continue to ask questions, so he asked about the five-year plans of various ministries, and Zhang Juzheng began to make reports.
Queen Mother Li listened for a while and murmured in her heart: "What's the fun in this political matter? It's really weird that these two are talking about it with such enthusiasm. I won't listen anymore, so I'll go to mahjong."
Someone from behind the screen interjected and asked: "Concubine Qi is in trouble, how should we deal with it?"
Zhang Juzheng heard this and said to himself that he just said "discuss the matter according to the facts", but you didn't understand it after a long time of fussing. He had to repeat: "I thought it was better to 'discuss the matter according to the facts', pursue the responsibilities and punish them seriously according to the law. I also set up a reform capital procuratorate as a precaution.
It’s better to worry before it happens.”
After hearing this, Empress Dowager Li said: "In this case, I don't see Zhu Heng anymore. The emperor and the old gentleman can handle it themselves." After saying that, he stood up from behind the screen. Zhang Juzheng heard the sound of the chair and the unique fragrance of perfume. He hurriedly leaned down and knelt down.
, did not dare to raise his head and said: "Best farewell to the Queen Mother." Zhu Yijun also stood up and said farewell to the Queen Mother.
Zhu Yijun had already dismissed the inner prison of the palace before. At this time, he shouted loudly and several internal officials came in to serve the Empress Dowager Cisheng and left through the main entrance.
Zhang Juzheng heard the footsteps getting further away, and then he raised his head. Zhu Yijun said: "Old sir, please get up." Zhang Juzheng said in his heart that the emperor was reorganizing the inner court today, dismantling the East Factory and other major events, and mixed it up with the death of Concubine Qi, because
Since she was present, the Queen Mother had nothing to say, so she didn't have to go back to the palace and waste her words. How could she have such a heart at such a young age to be so twisted.
...
On that day, Zhu Yijun still accompanied the two palaces to live in Xiyuan. Due to the incident last night, the Director of Ceremonies inspected every palace in Xiyuan during the day and found that nearly a hundred parts of the side halls had rotten materials, peeling paint, and holes in the footpaths.
I reported all the bad things and sent them to the East Factory.
Chen Ju, the eunuch serving in Dongchang, the imperial envoy governor, personally took charge of the editing factory outside Donghuamen, and ordered Qianhu, the chief of punishment, to lead people to torture Wang Li, Yang Song and more than a hundred Xiyuan officials and officials for a day.
These officials all had some extravagant wealth in their families. When they saw that their mainstay was captured and sent to Dongchang, they all sought relatives and friends to make money for people. This was the most pleasing thing for the Dongchang officials.
Yang Song, a foreign minister from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, had a great reputation. His brothers at home asked someone to go to the Chen family of Gu'an Bo. He greeted Zheng Ru, the chief minister, and gave him a hundred taels of red gold as the first payment.
Although Zheng Ru knew that the stakes were very important, the people in the East Factory saw gold like flies see blood, so how could they let it go. While he was handing the compiled transcript to Chen Ju, he whispered: "Mr. Factory, the Yang family is willing to
I gave Yang Song a thousand taels of gold to survive in Dongchang."
After hearing this, Chen Ju rolled his eyes up and down and looked at Zheng Ru. Seeing that the situation was not good, Zheng Ru knelt down, kowtowed and fanned his mouth vigorously. Each palm hit with great force, and it didn't last long.
Subcutaneous rupture and bleeding.
When Chen Ju saw this, he sneered a few times, then sighed, and just said: "Get out yet!" Zheng Baihu crawled on the ground and went out as if he had been pardoned.
Chen Ju first looked through the transcripts and then the conclusions. Seeing that the chain of the Xiyuan corruption case was clear and the evidence was conclusive, he took the file and went to Xiyuan to see him.
Zhu Yijun opened the file and saw a piece of paper tucked in front of the directory, which read: "Princess Qi was indeed killed by a blunt instrument blow to the skull. She was not poisoned and had no other external injuries. Chen Ju." nodded.
In front of the internal supervisor in the palace, Zhu Yijun said: "Go and report the results of today's trial to the Queen Mother. Come to me at night. I have something to tell you - it is related to the abolition of Dongchang. You should think about the pros and cons first."
Zhu Yijun wanted to dismantle Dongchang and had already discussed it with Chen Ju. At this time, Chen Ju heard what he said, and there was no wave on his face. He only responded loudly: "I obey the order."