"Xuan all the ministers are approaching to listen to my instructions."
After hearing the call, all the civil and military officials walked silently to the railing. The relatives, cabinet ministers and six ministers stood close to the railing, and the other officials stood in sequence, so the order was inevitably a little chaotic.
The imperial censor and Honglu officials held their breaths, forgetting to correct their etiquette. Except for the sound of large court clothes and the very slight sound of boots soles scraping the floor, there was no other sound. Chongzhen looked at everyone's downcast faces.
Look, he didn't speak immediately.
Just now, his eyes were so angry that they seemed to be on fire. Now, although the anger has not disappeared, there is more pain and melancholy. He knew in his heart that he had previously put Huang Daozhou and Ye Tingxiu in court who opposed his national policy.
He handed Liu Zongzhou, another person who also opposed his formulation of national policies, to the Ministry of Punishment for discussion. Although he could also see that most of the civil and military officials standing respectfully in front of him were so frightened that their faces were gray and they did not even dare to express their anger, but he knew
The power of his thunder did not overwhelm Huang Daozhou and the other three people, nor did he win the sincere admiration of the officials. He felt that he was isolated from everyone's looks, and it seemed that most civil and military officials did not really understand his difficulties. On weekdays,
When he went to court, he usually spoke in a dignified tone, but now he suddenly changed from usual and said in a rare tone of weakness and self-blame:
"Since I ascended to the throne, there have been internal and external strife, wars, floods and droughts, and disasters have occurred one after another. I have been thinking to myself all night long: I am not talented, and cannot inspire the loyalty of the ministers to serve the country; I am not wise, and cannot distinguish right from wrong.
Honest, loyal, traitorous, virtuous and foolish; without martial arts, I cannot suppress the rebellion as soon as possible and put our people on the throne. This is because I have little virtue and few talents, and I am unclear about how to deal with things. I have failed the gods above, and I have shamed the people below. Therefore, the emperor has made a difference to warn me.
I bow'!"
Officials rarely heard the emperor blaming themselves when he went to court, and many people were moved. But everyone also understood that he would be completely different another time, so only one courtier said to Chongzhen.
A few words of flattery and persuasion. Others remained silent.
Chongzhen took a sip of tea and said: "The human heart is related to the fate of the country, so sometimes the human heart is more terrifying than the heart of heaven. There is a class of people who are cunning and deceitful. They can't share the worries of the king and father. They only like the party and fight against differences. They pretend to be public and benefit their own interests. The court has no choice but to implement a new policy.
They don't think about the country's difficulties at all, and they obstruct and slander people in every possible way. If people like this are talking about the laws of their ancestors, what should they do? It seems that these thieves are easy to control, but it is very difficult to get rid of thieves of clothes and clothes. This will happen again in the future.
If so, I will set up a heavy ceremony. All ministers should cleanse their lungs and intestines, eliminate any differences, and practice their duties together. Praise me for Zhongxing, and share the blessing of peace."
All civil and military personnel knelt and chanted: "I will obey the imperial edict!"
Chongzhen called everyone up and warned them not to be hijacked by Huang Daozhou and Liu Zongzhou. Like them, they had no father and slandered the court. They obstructed the increase in recruitment and training, and were severely punished. Finally, he asked:
"What else do you ministers have to say?"
Several cabinet ministers took the opportunity to kneel down and plead for Liu Zongzhou, saying that he had lived in Jishan, Shaoxing for many years - in the northern suburbs of Shaoxing, there was Jishan Academy, where Liu Zongzhou lectured. He was just a scholar, not the same as Huang Daozhou.
Party, please ask the emperor to forgive him. Chongzhen said:
"Since Wanli, scholar-bureaucrats have used lectures to build up party members to fight against the court, which has formed a very hateful atmosphere. Liu Zongzhou has been giving lectures in Jishan for many years. Is there any situation of forming a party?"
A cabinet minister reported: "Although Liu Zongzhou has lectured at Jishan for many years, scholars all over the world respect him as Mr. Jishan, and he has never heard of any party formation."
Chongzhen thought for a while and said: "I think he is old and ignorant, so I will defer the prosecution at the request of the gentlemen. He lives in Duxian, and is so rude to the emperor and his father. He has forgotten what he has learned in his life. I hope he will reply to you as usual. If you don't know the crime, you will definitely be punished more severely and will never be tolerated!"
He wanted to say a few words about Ye Tingxiu, but just as he spoke, a gust of wind suddenly came with sparse heavy raindrops and hail. On the Wufeng Tower, there was thunder and lightning. A thunder exploded and knocked down the owl kiss of the Huangji Gate, shaking The doors and windows moved wildly. The throne called the Golden Platform shook violently, and at the same time the strong wind blew back the yellow umbrella hanging on the throne. Chongzhen's expression changed, he stood up quickly, and ran back in the chariot surrounded by eunuchs. In the Qianqing Palace, the officials disrupted their shifts and rushed out of the Meridian Gate in panic. The majestic honor guard also ran away in the wind, rain, hail, thunder and lightning.
After returning to the Qianqing Palace, Chongzhen regarded the accidental phenomena such as the thunder that shook the emperor's gate, shook the throne, and the strong wind blowing down the yellow umbrella as very unlucky. His mood was very gloomy and heavy, so he had to go to the Fengxian Palace to pay homage to his ancestors. pray to the gods.
Fortunately, Liu Zongzhou did not go to the Ministry of Punishment for discussion and returned home. Many of his colleagues, disciples and old friends in the court were afraid of trouble and did not dare to come to visit; some only sent family members to ask about the situation with greeting cards to express concern. However, There were still many people who came to see him in person. Some of these people were motivated by righteous indignation and had infinite admiration and sympathy for Liu Zongzhou. Their indignation gave rise to courage; some of them had close relationships with him on weekdays and planned to persuade Liu Zongzhou not to touch Liu Zongzhou again. Angry, he tried to turn this incident into good. Liu Zongzhou was well aware that the emperor was suspicious and kept a close eye on him. He ignored all the people who came to see him and returned all invitations to express his guilt. Don't be embarrassed.
After returning from the court, he meditated alone in the study. His family brought a simple lunch to the study for him, but he ate very little and almost took it away in its original form. Liu Zongzhou took a nap as usual on weekdays, so he took a nap in the study A small bed was placed for him. Today, he lay down and could not fall asleep. Soon he got up, sometimes sitting in front of the case, sometimes pacing back and forth with staggering steps. His family was not allowed to disturb him. At first, his family thought he was He was thinking about how to write the book and did not dare to disturb him. After a while, seeing that he had not yet started writing, the whole family became anxious and frightened. His son Liu Zibo Sheng, who was about forty years old, was also slightly famous among the scholars at that time. He was famous and was serving in Beijing. Before dusk, he came to the study at the order of his mother, stood in front of the old man with his hands lowered respectfully, and said:
"Sir, my mother has asked her son to come and have a look. It is not advisable to delay the reply to the order. It is best to complete the book today and hand it to the palace to relieve her anger."
Zong Zhou sighed and said: "I came back from the court today. I wanted to close my door to save myself from mistakes and quickly write a reply. However, I silently thought about current events, feeling burning and restless. You go back to the back house and say to your mother: I have already decided how to reply. .Written the book tonight and deliver it to the palace at dawn tomorrow. It’s not too late.”
Liu did not dare to urge his father, and added: "My mother was very worried because the emperor was angry and scolded the Lord for being so angry. She wanted to come to the study to see her father in person, but her son had to catch a cold because of her. It was windy and rainy today, and there was water in the courtyard. She was deeply moved and persuaded her to stop. She said to her son: Since ancient times, there has never been a bad king or father. I hope you will blame yourself for the crime and never have to defend yourself. The country is so corrupted that no one can save it with just one hand. At present, But after reading this book, God's power will be a little stronger, and I can still give advice slowly in the future."
Zong Zhou glanced at his son painfully: "I understand how a scholar behaves in the court and serves as a king. You don't need to worry about it, your mother."
Liu lowered his head and said "yes" twice, but did not back out. He had something in his mind and wondered whether he should tell his father. The old man noticed that he seemed to be hesitant to speak and asked:
"Is there anything else you want to say?"
Liu took half a step forward and said in a low voice: "Sir, starting from the last half of an hour, there are often people acting suspiciously near our mansion and in the teahouses and restaurants at the intersection of East and West Streets."
The old man was startled, but then he calmed down and asked slowly: "How do you know?"
"My son went out to see off guests. I saw my family going shopping on the street. The neighbors also whispered to each other and told them to be more careful. My son has ordered his family to close the door tightly. In the future, any gentleman from the court will come to the mansion to pay a visit, or
I sent someone to deliver greetings, but the door was never opened."
Liu Zongzhou nodded and said with emotion: "They must be from Dongchang and Jinyiwei."
"Definitely yes."
"The emperor is so suspicious of his ministers, and relies so much on the Xinchang and Wei, what hope can there be in the affairs of the world!" After a pause, the old man said to his son: "The sage is so angry. Today I am not worried about myself, but Huang and Ye.
I'm worried about my life. After dinner, go to the Zhenfu Si Yamen in person and ask about their condition after being sentenced."
"Sir, since the Holy One is suspicious and hates his subordinates' cliques, how about my son go to the Zhenfu Division?"
"Everyone in the court knows that I have no party. I have a bright mind and can face the sun. You just go to see whether Mr. Shi Zhai is alive or dead, so why be afraid!"
Seeing that his father was determined, Liu did not dare to say anything and respectfully withdrew. Regarding Shang Ben's reply, he had no choice but to ask his mother to persuade him politely.
In the evening, Liu Zongzhou began to draft a memorial. The window was closed tightly. The wind blew in through the gaps in the paper, causing the lamp to sway. His eyes were already tired, but because the lamp kept shaking, writing became more and more difficult.
Difficult. If it were other ministers, they would definitely ask a staff member or retainer who is good at writing to write a manuscript. He only needs to think about it, revise it, and hand it over to the clerk for revision. But Liu Zongzhou has never been willing to do this. He always
He would always write the manuscript himself with infinite sincerity, cleanse his hands first, burn incense, and then sit upright and draft the manuscript meticulously. What's more, this letter was of great importance, and he would not leave it to anyone else.
He had just struggled to write two paragraphs when his wife braved the rain and came to the study with the support of her maid Mei Xiang. He stopped writing, raised his head and looked around, and asked:
"It's raining so heavily and the whole courtyard is full of water. You just have a cold. What are you doing here?"
The old lady walked tremblingly to the desk and sat down. She sighed softly and said, "Oh, I'm not worried! Fortunately, all the officials came to my rescue today. The emperor's grace was so gracious that he didn't punish the crime immediately. He asked you to come down and give me a reply. You
How do you plan to reply?"
"Don't worry. I would rather cut down my position to serve the people. I will never flatter and seek favor, fail what I have learned in my life, and be laughed at by future generations."
The old lady said sadly: "Oh my God, I knew you would be stubborn to the end! Wouldn't this make the emperor even more angry?"
He deliberately comforted her and said: "The emperor is a wise master. He was temporarily deceived. After reading this article, he will suddenly wake up."
"Even though the emperor is a sage, he must beware of the unpredictable power of heaven. What if he doesn't wake up?"
"When a loyal minister serves the emperor, he only asks whether what he says is good for the country, not whether it is good for himself. When the country is in danger, he does not care about his own honor or disgrace, but speaks out and gives advice to correct the mistakes of the court. This is what we scholars do when we set up the government.
The way of the king. The imperial court set up the official position of censor of the capital, and wanted it to be dedicated to correcting the baisi - refers to all yamen, and also refers to the hundred officials. To identify grievances and grievances, the admiral should supervise each channel - refers to the thirteen censors in the country and
I am the envoy of the Emperor. I am the official of the emperor's ears, eyes and ears. As the governor of the capital, if something happens to me, I will be obedient and timid. I will not be able to admonish the emperor to make clear rewards and punishments. I will not be able to save innocent ministers from being punished. I will not be able to make the emperor give up his opinions and implement a lenient and benevolent government.
, to win back the hearts and minds of those who have been lost is not only a debt of gratitude to the country, but also a debt to the people. It is also a deep debt to what I have learned in my life."
"What you said is right, but I'm afraid... Well, you are already over sixty years old, how can you survive another setback? If you are severely punished, how can you survive it?"
"Just because I don't have much time left in this life, I can't help but give you loyal advice."
"I'm afraid that if you read this book in the morning, you will be like Mr. Shizhai by night. In the second half of today, people from Dongchang and Jinyiwei who are investigating the incident have been snooping nearby. I heard from the servants that until now, the night is quiet and sparsely populated.
The wind and rain are not stopping, and there are still suspicious people acting in front of the door from time to time. The Holy Heart is suspicious of this, and it has no intention of being a graceful minister. I advise you to go in less often and give direct advice. Save your life, and there will be a day to repay the Lord in the future.
.”
"Nonsense! Even if I die under the imperial staff, I will tell the emperor about the current situation. You and I have been husband and wife for decades, and we usually study and understand. Why are you so ignorant today? Go ahead and stop talking about it!"
Seeing that he was angry, the old lady looked at him in silence for a while, wiped her tears with her sleeves, and stood up. She still wanted to persuade her husband, but when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them again, shook her head, and sighed deeply,
Then he held the maid's shoulders and left the study tremblingly, thinking in his heart: It seems that there is no escape from a catastrophe!
Liu Zongzhou turned on the lights and continued to draft. He knew that the Ming Dynasty was in danger, and he would rather die than sit back and watch the situation deteriorate and remain silent. He thought that in recent years, the emperor had reused eunuchs as eyes and ears; he sent his trusted eunuchs to
To supervise the army and treat it as the official city of the country; and to use the study of harsh punishments and punishments as the way to govern the country will not only fail to make politics clear, but will also make government orders cumbersome. In this way, the state affairs will only become worse day by day, and it will be so bad that there is no way to do it today.
The situation to be cleaned up... Thinking of this, he was indignant and sad, as if his bones were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't help but spit out, so he wrote bluntly:
The ears and eyes are with the servants, the heart and soul are in Qiancheng; the administrative skills are mixed with the names of punishments, and the political system is returned to Congyu. Things in the world are getting worse day by day and out of control! The sound of rain outside the window is getting louder. The thunder is deafening, and the houses and the earth are shaken. Lightning flashes from time to time.
The window paper suddenly lit up and the lights swayed. Liu Zongzhou put down his pen, stood up slowly, and walked around in the simple and elegant study room. Many important questions came to his mind, making him very excited.
, sighing in his heart: "If this continues, the country will have no hope of rejuvenation!" The more he thought about it, the more determined he was to write out all the major malpractices of the imperial court. Even if the emperor could adopt one-tenth of it, it would be good. While he was staggering, he
While pacing, thinking about whether this letter would be accepted by the emperor after being submitted, he unknowingly stopped in front of a bookshelf, as if he saw himself being dragged outside the Meridian Gate, beaten to a bloody mess, and died under the imperial staff.
, the body was carried home, and his wife lay over the body and cried bitterly, complaining that he did not listen to dissuasion, which led to this disaster...
After a while, he waved his right hand holding the white beard, and the phantom in front of him disappeared immediately. He walked a few more steps, then sat down at the table, picked up the pen, and felt a pain in his heart. There was a possibility that the country would be destroyed.
The secret pain of home had appeared in the past, but it was even more intense now. He couldn't help but blurt out and whispered:
"Write! I must write it truthfully!" Piaotian Literature registered member recommends this work