The next morning, the snow stopped.
The red, white, gold and green in the Forbidden City complement each other, and the wind is gentle and cool.
The court meeting had just dispersed, and the ministers were walking in twos and threes on the way out of the palace.
Nowadays, the Ming Dynasty is peaceful and the people are peaceful, with no strong enemies externally and no party disputes internally. Coupled with the benevolence of the new emperor, the life of the central officials is much easier than before. Especially when the emperor just revealed a message to the ministers during the court meeting, it is even more disappointing.
Officials expressed their gratitude to Shengde.
"Sir, please stay!"
Ling Han, the Grand Scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the Supervisor of the Censor and the veteran minister of the Imperial Academy's ritual wine, was slowly walking out with the support of Hou Yong, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, when suddenly a call came from behind.
Ling Han looked back and saw that Zheng Yi, the Minister of Rites, had indeed come over. "I haven't seen you for a long time. Is your body still strong?"
This is a typical way of talking between civil servants. They are both cabinet ministers, so they haven’t seen each other these days since the emperor is not in the capital. Why haven’t they seen each other for a long time?
"It doesn't matter whether it's hard or not. I won't die for a while!" Ling Han laughed heartily, "Why did Zheng Shangshu call me?"
Zheng Yi looked at Hou Yong next to Ling Han. The latter understood that this was a conversation between the two ministers. He wanted to get out of the way, but he didn't want to be pinched by Ling Han secretly before he could move. Therefore, Hou Yong
Yong pretended not to see Zheng Yi's eyes and simply stood still.
"I have something to ask you, sir!" Zheng Yi had no choice but to bite the bullet and said with a smile.
"We are all ministers in the same palace, so why ask for advice!" Ling Han smiled, turned around and continued walking, "I don't have a scholarly temper. I am used to talking to others quickly. If Master Zheng has something to say, just tell me!"
Zheng Yi smiled and followed Ling Han. Seeing that there were no other officials in front of him, he asked in a low voice, "My lord, what did the emperor mean when he said raising honest silver during the court meeting?"
Ling Han's eyelids suddenly sank, "Do you really not understand, or are you just talking like this?"
Zheng Yi almost choked to death with this sentence, "Of course I don't understand..." He said with a smile, "I don't understand everything. Raising honest silver must be a favor from the emperor. He wants to increase the salary of the officials, but the juniors don't
What I understand is why Yang Lian is used, and where does the money come from?"
"There is a saying that officials are corrupt because their salaries are low and life is difficult. Of course, I don't agree with this statement. It's nonsense. In the previous Dynasty, during the Yuan Dynasty, officials' salaries were high enough to allow usury, but were they honest?"
Ling Han spoke loudly, "The government of this dynasty is far more stringent than other dynasties, but it is still banned repeatedly. The emperor is kind and gives everyone an extra sum of money with the Yanglian Silver, in order to make the officials in the world restrain themselves."
Zheng Yi seemed to have some realization, "Then... I dare to ask, Mr. Boss, is it a common practice to raise honest silver, or is it?"
"Hey, Liangyu? Is that Liangyu?" Ling Han suddenly pointed to the back of a person in front of him and said, "Is that Liangyu in the scene (characterized by Hou Yong)? Hurry, catch up, he still owes me a painting
Woolen cloth!"
After that, the two people left quickly.
The boss, Ling Han, is over eighty years old, and he walks as fast as he can. He doesn't look old at all.
~~
"Sir, you've gone far!" Hou Yong said with a smile after passing two passages.
Ling Han looked back, smiled and cursed, "You want to trick me, huh!"
Hou Yong pondered for a moment and said, "My lord, since the emperor has said this, it is not something unspeakable!"
"You are still young!" Ling Han taught, "The emperor just raised his head, and there is no conclusion yet. Do you think we should discuss it openly?" He continued to whisper, "I think raising Lian Yin should be done in the future.
Every year, officials try to determine where this money will come from, how it will be distributed, and how much it will be distributed. I believe His Majesty has already made a decision in his mind."
Hou Yong wondered, "Then why not at the court meeting...?"
"How did you get promoted with such a simple mind?" Ling Han rolled his eyes at him, "Look, as soon as the emperor made a revelation, ministers like Zheng Yi couldn't sit still and jumped out. Where are the people below?
"
Hou Yong seemed to understand, "You mean...?"
"I didn't say anything!" Ling Han laughed.
This is the so-called emperor's mentality. When giving grace, you don't give it all at once, but slowly extend it over a long period of time and give it to the people below when they are scratching their hearts and lungs.
Ling Han looked at Hou Yong, his future successor, and said, "Besides, raising Lian Yin has another meaning."
"I would like to ask you to enlighten me!"
"When Lord Hong Wu was in power, it was difficult to be an official, right?" Ling Han said.
Hou Yong nodded, it was indeed true.
During the most stringent years of Emperor Hongwu's rule, the years after he killed Grand Master Li Shanchang, officials in Beijing had to explain their funeral arrangements to their families when they went to court in the morning, for fear of accidentally offending the emperor and being taken away by the royal guards.
At that time, even a small corruption case involving a few hundred taels of money would involve a large number of people, and everyone was in danger!
"Now that the emperor is in power, let alone killing ministers without permission, there are no major cases of corruption, right?" Ling Han asked again, "But do you think that just because it didn't happen, it means it didn't happen?"
Hou Yong shook his head and said seriously, "I feel that the more prosperous the times, the easier it is for corruption to breed!"
"The emperor said that he wanted to support the Integrity Agency, but on the contrary, look at the new office of the Integrity Academy built by Baozhao. Hehe, that person is selfless and hard to deal with. Logically speaking, he is in charge of the Integrity Academy, and he should kill everyone at this moment.
The only thing to do is to catch traitors and eradicate corruption, but do you see any movement from him?" Ling Han said again, "Think about the relationship between this!"
Hou Yong thought deeply, "What do you mean...?"
"That's not what I meant!" Ling Han whispered, "It's what the emperor meant, to catch the corrupt first and then provide money to the honest ones." He said with a smile, "Our long live master, looking at the benevolence and temperament of the emperor,
It's exactly the same. It's just that the Supreme Emperor is a strong man, but the Emperor..." He lowered his voice again, "It's because he has a good reputation, and he will do the surgery after he has been convicted!"
For a moment, Hou Yong felt a chill in his heart.
Behind the seemingly calm and even harmonious court, it turns out there is such a hidden worry.
"After the emperor ascended the throne, some of his distinguished ministers thought that the new emperor's benevolence could be bullied. Haha, let them cry, sooner or later they will cry!" Ling Han laughed, "A two-pronged approach!"
Hou Yong said again, "What about these words...?"
"Are you really stupid or are you pretending to be stupid?" Ling Han glanced at Hou Yong, "You are one of our own and Zheng Yi is an outsider. Can I tell him this?"
In fact, this is just one point. These words to Hou Yong are the end point for him. But what he said to Zheng Yi is the starting point for the outside world.
Suddenly, Hou Yong thought of something. Before leaving the capital, the emperor appointed Chen Di, the former chief minister of Shandong, as the minister of the Ministry of Rites. Does this mean that the Minister of Rites is about to be replaced?
It is even more thought-provoking when we consider that the emperor has recently summoned the deputy chiefs and deputy chief soldiers of each province.
The emperor's ascension to the throne only requires the support of the senior ministers in the court to ensure the smooth handover of the country's affairs. Now that the emperor has gained power, many people are about to move their butts.
The two walked out of the Meridian Gate, and Hou Yong helped Ling Han get into the sedan.
"It's almost the end of the New Year. You should take more care of things in the yamen." Ling Han opened the sedan curtain and whispered, "The evaluation and rating of provincial officials involves future promotions, so we must treat it carefully. I am old and dim, and this kind of thing is still
We need you young people to help!”
"Yes!" Hou Yong said nothing, bowed and clasped his fists in salute.
"You are too old-sighted to do these offending tasks, just push them if you can!" Hou Yong watched the other party's sedan go away, smiling bitterly in his heart.
Seeing Ling Han's sedan go away, he was just about to look for his own sedan when he saw Cao Guogong Li Jinglong coming out of the Meridian Gate and catching up with Song Guogong Feng Sheng's carriage.
Immediately afterwards, Feng Sheng, who had already gone up, was helped down again and entered the palace again in a soft sedan.
This chapter has been completed!