Turning to Xi Zhicai, he remembered the recommendation and said: "Sir, Kui knows that you have always had great ambitions and full of knowledge, but it is difficult to implement them. Today, I will recommend you to the emperor in front of the Holy One. Your Majesty has promised to meet you next time. I hope you can seize the opportunity."
"
"General!" Xi Zhicai stood up straight and thanked him, "General, Zhicai will never forget his kindness."
"Hey!" Zhu Kui quickly stepped forward to grab his hands and said, "Sir, it's not like this. You and I have been together for many days, and we are already close friends, right?"
"The general's righteousness is inferior to his ambition and talent!"
"Too modest, sir."
The next day, morning.
The ministers did not wait long. The Ling Emperor, dressed in imperial robes, arrived in a carriage. The eunuchs and eunuchs shouted loudly: "Your Majesty has arrived, and all ministers will come to court early."
"Long live my emperor, long live, long live!"
After the same slogans and etiquette, the party members took the lead and took the lead. Taiwei Yang Ci took the lead and participated in the crime of Dong Zhuo's defeat and the crime of negligence of inspection by Chang Rang. Bei Zhonglang acquitted Lu Zhi.
Lieutenant Yang Ci spoke out a long list of accusations and pleas fluently in one breath, obviously having memorized them by heart.
Then came a series of counterattacks by Zhang Rang and other eunuchs.
Seeing that there was another quarrel in the court, Situ Yuan Wei stood up and said: "Your Majesty, since we agreed earlier that it would be fair to summon General Weilu, the general who defeated the Yellow Turbans in Nanyang, since he has entered the capital, why not announce him to the palace?
.”
Ling Emperor Liu Hong waved his long sleeves, nodded and said: "Well, I said so, then I will announce him to the palace."
"Xuan, General Weilu is coming to the palace!" the eunuchs outside the palace screamed one by one.
After a while, Zhu Kui entered the palace. Under the eyes of many ministers, he fell to the ground and said, "My minister, Zhu Kui, pays homage to my emperor."
Ling Emperor Liu Hong stretched out his hand to indicate that he was standing flat, and said: "Ai Qing, please rise. I let you come to the capital this time because you are familiar with the Yellow Turban. You are the judge. Let me tell you, Lu Zhi, Dong Zhuo, Zhang Rang
Is he guilty?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that Lu Zhi is not guilty, Dong Zhuo is guilty, and Zhang Rang is guilty. Please ask Your Majesty to judge!"
Twelve words, two different expressions, all the princes looked at the eunuch opposite with a smile, almost without even popping their crowns to celebrate.
The eunuchs such as Shi Changshi were grimacing, and Zhang Rang was the worst among them. In their hearts they only scolded Zhu Kui for not keeping his word, and lamented how they could be fooled so easily.
Before the princes in the court could decide Zhang Rang's punishment one by one, Ling Emperor Liu Hong announced his decree first: "Beizhong Lang General Lu Zhi did not show self-respect as a thief, but he fought slowly, but he betrayed the Sacred Heart and was punished with a reduced sentence of death."
, and returned to the position of Minister."
"Dong Zhuo, the general of Dong Zhonglang, defeated Guangzong. However, victory or defeat is a common matter for military strategists. He was removed from the post of Zhonglang general and returned to the post of governor of Hedong to atone for his sins with money."
"Zhongchang's servant Zhang Rang is guilty of negligence and is fined one year's salary. He will also use money to atone for his crime."
After Emperor Ling finished speaking, everyone was in an uproar. This decision was to absolve the three of them of all their faults, and Feng Qingyun dealt with it in a low-key manner. Emperor Ling had his own calculations in mind. He knew that Lu Zhi's family had no money, and he would not buy it even if he had money.
Fortunately, Zhang Rang and Dong Zhuo were absolved of the crime. Both Zhang Rang and Dong Zhuo had wealthy families, so they could use some money to make money.
After listening to Zhu Kui's explanation, he thought that since none of them had committed any serious crimes, it would be better to exchange them for some money. After all, this Yellow Turban Rebellion had depleted his internal funds a lot.
When the party members headed by Yuan Wei heard that the emperor's financial obsession had relapsed, they quickly persuaded him: "How can money be used as a pardon for a major national crime? Please take back your Majesty's order and re-condemn Zhang Rang and Dong Zhuo."
"The greatest crime of the country? Yuan Situ has said this too much." Liu Hong, who was sitting at the supreme table, shook his head and slowly said Zhu Kui's analysis yesterday one by one.
“What do Yuan Situ think?”….
Liu Hong looked at Yuan Wei and others in the hall and exchanged glances. He wanted to continue to refute, but he felt unhappy and his expression suddenly dropped.
At this time, the general He Jin went out and announced: "Your majesty is wise, although Zhang Rang is guilty, his merits and demerits are balanced. With the family assets of being a regular servant, he can greatly supplement the food and salary of Guangzong's army."
Seeing He Jin suddenly interceding for Zhang Rang, everyone in the party changed their minds, and they didn't understand how everything was suddenly out of their control.
After He Jin read Zhu Kuina's anonymous letter the night before, he felt more and more that the Shi Chang Shi could only be suppressed, but it was under his control, but it could not be destroyed. Otherwise, the party's next target would be him. Little did he know that the party was among the three parties.
, the most powerful, the Emperor's Party has been in power for more than ten years and is still powerful.
"The general's words are reasonable. So, if Zhang asks you to fine you to pay for the food and fodder used to pacify Guangzong, will you be convinced?"
"Your Majesty is wise, I am willing to be punished!"
Zhang Rang, who was lying on the ground in response, breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He glanced sideways at He Jin. He was surprised and jealous. He was surprised that the other party spoke for him, and he was jealous that the other party made him bleed. Originally, the Ling Emperor wanted to fine him, but as for the
The amount of the fine is not up to them, the chamberlains.
"Retreat!"
Under the orders of the courtesy officer and eunuch, Emperor Ling slowly returned to the palace.
On the stairs outside Deyang Palace, Yuan Shao caught up with General He Jin in a few steps and shouted loudly: "General, why did you retreat just now?"
He Jin turned around and saw Yuan Wei, Yang Ci, Cui Lie and other party members looking at him, waiting for his answer.
But since He Jin begged for Zhang Rang, he was naturally prepared.
"You guys don't see that your majesty wants to protect Zhang Rang? If we wait to remonstrate to death, are we afraid that the Shichang attendants will fight back on the verge of death? What should we do if Cao Jie's incident happens again?"
Seeing that everyone was silent, knowing what they were thinking, it would be enough to welcome a new emperor. Anyway, this emperor was not liked by the party members, but this was not in line with He Jin's interests. His power came from Queen He, that is, from
Liu Hong.
"The Yellow Turban Rebellion has not yet been calmed down. There should be no chaos in the court. Everything should be planned slowly. Benchu, please come to my house tonight and I will explain it to you in detail."
The foreign minister conspired with the party members again. I don't know whether it was He Jin's excuse, or the party members themselves still couldn't do without He Jin's support, or both. The two sides reached a consensus again that night, and Yuan Shao had already planned it.
Why go into the tent and do things?
As for Zhu Kui, as if he had completed his mission, after accusing Zhang Rang in the court, he became an idler in Luoyang City, and the party members no longer paid attention to him.
This made him feel relieved. The whirlpool in the court cannot be interfered with by a person like him who has no background, otherwise he will not know whether there will be a dead body next time.
This time it was purely a matter of luck that He Jin's sudden plea diverted everyone's attention, otherwise others would have known about him entering the palace to meet Emperor Ling alone.
If there is no progress, it may be suspected that he approached Liu Hong with the intention of atonement with money.
The whirlpool he was accidentally involved in this time allowed him to escape. But as long as he did not leave Luoyang City, the blood of the whirlpool in the court would one day splash on him.
Lang Guan was originally a close servant of the court in the Western Han Dynasty. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, he served as an official subordinate to the Minister. Later, as the power of the Shangshu desk increased, the Lang Guan became more and more important. Like Guang Luxun, he was ready for the emperor to consult at any time, but he did not participate.
The official position in the government also required serving at the Shangshutai.
"Your Majesty, Minister Zhu Kui is outside asking for an audience!"
At this time, it was in the afternoon. Liu Hong usually just woke up from his nap and was in a good mood. This was the news he bought with a lot of money from several small Huangmen.
"Oh, tell him to come in."
"I bow to your majesty, may your majesty be blessed!"
"Pingsheng!" Emperor Ling waved his hand and said, "Tell me, what do you want to say?"
"Your Majesty, do you still remember that I recommended a person? Now this person is waiting outside the palace."
"Oh, let him come in too!" After saying that, he motioned to the small yellow door on the side. After a while, Xi Zhi followed the small yellow door and came in.
"I will show you my talent and show my respect to His Majesty the Emperor!"
"No need to be polite!" Liu Hong looked at the twenty-five young people in front of him with an air of elegance and fondness in his heart. He said lightly: "Who is from Qing's family? Where did you learn from him?"
Xi Zhicai once worked under the general's account, so naturally he can also be regarded as Liu Hong's minister.
"I am a native of Yingchuan. I studied at Yingchuan Academy before and caused trouble in the Taiping Dao. The teacher closed the academy and only then met the general and saw the beauty of heaven."
"Then you are Xun Shuang's student?" Liu Hong raised his eyes and asked.
"It's the teacher."
"Since he is a disciple of Mr. Ciming, he is naturally a talented person, and he also serves as a minister in the Shangshutai like the Zhu Qing family." Liu Hong said with a smile.