Chapter 25 There are also two people in the Office of the Secretary
Update time:2012-10-01
The basic functions of the six yamen from ancient times to the present have been executive agencies. By the Ming Dynasty, they had become relatively complete. The chief minister was the chief minister, and the minister was the deputy. Government orders were executed at three levels in each department: Lang Zhong, Yuan Wai Lang, and the principal. Shangshu Hu Ying If it is an internal matter, the basic procedure is to hand it over to the assistant minister or the doctor first, but there is almost no rule to directly approach the chief minister. According to administrative rules, doing so is suspected to be illegal.
Therefore, if Hu Ying was in a hurry to find Yu Qian, his supervisor, it was probably not related to the government affairs of the Ministry of Rites, but for other matters. Today he took over the imperial case in a hurry, and immediately went to Yu Qian because he felt it was too eye-catching, so he planned to wait for two days before talking.
Hu Ying has been in officialdom for more than 20 years and is still very calm.
When he returned to his house after a busy day, the housekeeper named Yan came over to report something.
"About the Lord's visit, I have already sent a fast horse this morning to deliver a message to the interviewer in Nanzhili. News will be available within ten days or within half a month at the earliest..." Yan Laobiao narrated respectfully, with a strong tone. Without any emotion but clearly and fluently.
His name is Yan Ruofei. Of course he was not born lame otherwise he would not have been given this name. He used to be a figure in the world and was quite famous. Many of the senior generation in Wharf Village had to use the honorific title after hearing his name, but he His current status is just that of a slave of the Hu Mansion. Even if Hu Ying is not treated like a slave, things in the world are somewhat unpredictable.
Hu Ying nodded lightly: "I heard that Zhou Ne confessed to a gang called Peach Blossom Villa. I was also puzzled at the time. We know a lot about the merchant gangs and guilds in various places, and we know the places like South Zhili very well, but we really don't know. I have heard of Peach Blossom Villa. I asked you to pass it on to the following interviewer for confirmation. Unexpectedly, it may have other uses now."
The so-called interview envoy has no rank and no establishment. He has other official positions in various places, most of which are additional officers. The name interview envoy is just for convenience of calling him in the memorial. Hu Ying accepted a secret order and a list of his subordinates. , everything you do must be reported regularly, and the funds are provided by the Ministry of Rites, but only the emperor's people can manage the detailed accounts, and the censor cannot check them.
Yan Ruofei was silent for a moment, waiting for Hu Ying to explain. If Hu Ying didn't say the specific "other uses", he wouldn't be able to ask.
Hu Ying paused and then said: "The emperor gave me a task today, asking me to investigate the imperial meal poisoning case. He believes that the person behind the scenes should not be the King of Han, but those people."
After hearing this, Yan Ruofei said: "I thought Zhou Ne was arrested because he falsely framed the Yingtianfu Examination Cheating Case, and someone took the opportunity to add insult to injury. I don't see any connection between him and 'those people'. The Peach Blossom Villa he confessed to I’m afraid it doesn’t matter much.”
Hu Ying nodded: "It may not work. Let's give it a try. It's just a hunch I have: the mastermind behind the scenes wants to set up a scheme to assassinate the emperor. It can be said that he has a long-term plan. He first sends people to infiltrate Xiu Nu, and then the assassin can be selected. The palace is a palace maid, otherwise there would be no chance to get close to the emperor; this palace maid must have unknown origins, how did she become a show girl? She must have colluded with the officials. And the Peach Blossom Villa is said to be just a gang that traffics in illicit salt. Why did they do this? Collaborating with Zhou Nehang? This gang has nothing to do with officialdom. It may not be as simple as trafficking in illegal salt."
"My lord, what you said makes sense." Yan Ruofei said. When he saw that Hu Ying had no intention of talking about the poisoning case, he added, "There is one more small matter. Zhang Ning from Nanzhili went to Yu Qian's house tonight. Yu Qian He was invited to go."
"Yu Qian?" Hu Ying blurted out unintentionally, mainly because he was thinking about Yu Qian in court, and Yan Ruofei mentioned it again.
Yan Ruofei calmly repeated: "Yu Qian, the head of the Ministry of Rites."
"Oh..." Hu Ying looked thoughtful.
Seeing that he was interested, Yan Ruofei added: "There was another thing a few days ago, which I didn't mention because it was very small. On the day Zhang Ning went to meet Lu Shilang, Yang Shiqi's daughter Luo Yaoniang held a banquet in the Jugulou. I met him alone."
He never mixed his own thoughts when he told the story, which Hu Ying admired very much. When Hu Ying heard it, he would also guess that the two young men and women had a secret relationship? But he also wondered: How did Zhang Ning get involved with Yang Shiqi? Who did her daughter befriend? Last time Luo Yaoniang and Zhang Ning went to Beijing together, Hu Ying had no way of knowing. He didn't expect that Yang Shiqi would send his daughter to do things.
Hu Ying pondered for a moment and said: "I understand. From now on, your people should not monitor him too closely. Just know where he is. It would not be good if he was discovered... What if there is an opponent in the East Palace inexplicably in the future? Isn’t this just looking for trouble?”
"yes."
Hu Ying stood up and said casually: "Last time I heard Yang Shiqi mention Zhang Ning, I just checked it a little as usual. In fact, after ten years of Yongle, there were not many people sneaking in. But it's Zhang Ning's fault. It is a coincidence that I am just twenty-one years old and I am from Nanjing, which makes me more attentive."
…
Two days later, a pavilion was vacated in the courtyard of Jinyiwei Mansion. Several officials and a group of scribes selected by Hu Ying moved in. The formation was a bit like a modern task force, with Hu Ying's assistants and a group of scribes. There are three judicial officers. The location was chosen at the Jinyiwei Yamen, not only to facilitate the interrogation of prisoners, but also to find personnel. The Jinyiwei commander could send the school captain to handle the matter on the spot.
The errands of the Jin Yiwei, such as arresting bandits and secretly investigating the enemy's situation and the people's situation, are all deputy duties. Their main targets are officials. Zhu Yuanzhang originally established it to clean up his own family... Usually, what the factory guards are has nothing to do with ordinary people. None. They basically don't care about civil cases or care about people's lives. Of course, they don't all fight against officials. Except for the Jinyi Guards of the Zhenfu Division, they sometimes serve as bodyguards to protect the emperor's trusted ministers. Jinyiwei should not do evil. Fake, but their reputation was so bad probably because the civil servants who controlled public opinion hated them so much that they were exaggerated. For example, the later scholar-bureaucrat's "Tombstone Story of Five People" had such a huge impact that it was included in textbooks hundreds of years later.
Hu Ying arranged the staff in the office, and then the successor called Yu Qian to his study. As a minister, he had his own separate room to handle documents and receive guests. There was even a bed in there for him to take a nap in case of emergency. When I was there, there was a suite upstairs with all the facilities for food, clothing and accommodation. You could just squat in the Yamen and concentrate on your work without going home.
The clerk heard that Hu Ying was coughing a little unnaturally, so he picked up the tea cup and went out.
"Your Majesty, please see Mr. Hu." Yu Qian clasped his fists and saluted, looking calm and unhurried in front of the senior officials.
The grade difference was too big, so Hu Ying sat on the chair and nodded in response, saying, "Is Mr. Yu from the Department of Ceremony and Cleaning?"
Yu Qian said: "Back to Mr. Hu, I am the head of the Department of Ceremony and Cleaning of Officials."
"There are two people in the Department of Ceremony and Qing Officials." Hu Ying didn't want to talk to Yu Qian for too long here, so she got to the point as soon as possible, "The emperor has decreed that the imperial case will be heard, and there are people from all the yamen. I, Yue Chu, will preside over the hearing on my behalf. There is one missing person." Deputy, Chief Yu will temporarily put down the official duties of the Ministry of Rites and come over to handle this matter."
After hearing this, Yu Qian's expression changed slightly and he bowed: "Master Hu has given an order, how dare I disobey you?"
Hu Ying smiled and said, "What do you think?"
Yu Qian was silent for a while, of course he didn't want to. As soon as Hu Ying finished speaking, Yu Qian immediately understood his plan. He was just doing it so that he would not offend the people on the prince's side; as a public servant, Yu Qian did not feel that this matter would have any impact on the court or the East Palace. No matter how much help there is, he really doesn't have to rely on Hu Ying to support his career for personal reasons, so this matter really doesn't mean much to him, and it's easy for rats to get into the bellows, so why take the risk in vain?
The silence made Hu Ying look a little embarrassed. So far, he was still at the level of a minister.
At this time, Yu Qian said calmly: "Master Hu, there are also two people in the Department of Rites and Affairs."
After saying that, Yu Qian felt that this was not a good job, so he convinced himself in his heart: I have no intention of harming anyone. Zhang Ning can't achieve much political achievements in the position of Secretary of the Ministry of Rites. Maybe Hu Ying can be promoted, which can avoid suspicion and Give him one more chance to improve; besides, it's not all bad if someone is watching the case.
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