Chapter 1015: Oil and salt are not allowed to enter
Coming out of the palace, almost all of the important ministers in the court had thoughtful expressions on their faces.
Although today's memorial is simple, the amount of information is very large. Except for the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites, almost all other ministries and the Metropolitan Procuratorate are involved.
Moreover, each of them is a major event that may directly affect the situation in the court, so they cannot help but think carefully about it.
After leaving the palace gate, it was almost noon. Several people walked slowly towards the outside of the palace. Before leaving the palace, Yu Qian suddenly sighed.
"During this period, I have been away from the capital, and the prelude to the palace is correct, but I feel a lot unfamiliar."
The meaning of the words is difficult to understand, and there is a hint of rawness.
When the others heard this, their expressions changed slightly, but in the end, they pretended not to have heard it. Only Yu Shiyue's expression changed, and he wanted to say something, but considering the occasion, he said nothing in the end.
So, Yu Qian didn't say anything more and went straight out of the palace.
Looking at his leaving figure, the expressions of all the ministers present were a little complicated, with a hint of expectation, but at the same time, there was also a bit of guilt.
After looking at each other, everyone was speechless and each said goodbye and planned to leave.
However, at this moment, Hu Hui, who had been silent from beginning to end, spoke up and said.
"Shang Shu Shen, I have something that I need to coordinate with the Ministry of Household Affairs. I wonder if Mr. Shen will have time in the afternoon to discuss it with the Ministry of Etiquette?"
After hearing this, all the ministers present were a little surprised.
As the New Year approaches, there are many ceremonies held by the Ministry of Rites and many places where money is used. It is not surprising that there are many places that need to be contacted by the Ministry of Household Affairs.
However, these are all things that we are used to doing, and Xiao Guicao does it casually.
What kind of things could make Hu Hui, the eldest uncle, ask questions in person, and also invite Chen Yi in front of so many ministers?
You must know that communication in the officialdom is very particular. Especially since Hu Yiming said that he was looking for Chen Yi for official business, there are many things that need to be paid attention to in the way of invitation.
Normally, even if there are complex matters that require the coordination of the Ministry of Accounts, the Ministry of Rites should first write down the details of the matter in an official document and send it to the Ministry of Accounts, and then the Ministry of Accounts will also send a reply in an official document.
If the deliberation is complete, a memorial will be submitted to the emperor for approval, and then it can be implemented. If it cannot be decided, then it will either be raised at the court meeting, discussed again, and the emperor will make the decision, or the two ministers will come together to discuss.
But the latter situation is rare, because anything that can be discussed by two ministers together will not be something that can be easily solved. Although the power between the ministries may be greater or less, after all, they are all ranked in the Qingqing, and they are mutually exclusive.
There is no major restrictive relationship between them.
Therefore, even if you give in a little to save face, it will not help solve such a complicated problem. Moreover, the ministers are more or less proud of their status and come to the door in person, but they cannot solve the problem. It would be embarrassing to spread the word.
Therefore, in most cases, court affairs are still settled in the morning. If there are disputes that need to be discussed in private, they are basically settled in front of the emperor.
It seems that it is rare for Hu Xi to directly invite Shen Yi to the Ministry of Etiquette. Moreover, the invitation in front of so many people shows that Hu Xi does not intend to avoid people.
This had to attract the attention of others. Shen Yi was naturally familiar with the joints. After thinking for a while, he tentatively said.
"It's fine in the afternoon, but I don't know if the eldest uncle has anything to discuss. I'll order someone to sort out the relevant official documents in advance so as not to waste the eldest uncle's time."
After the words fell, everyone's eyes moved to Hu Hui.
Mr. Hu naturally did not hesitate and said with a smile.
"In recent years, the population of the clan has increased day by day, and things like the abolition of rituals and ethics have occurred from time to time. Therefore, after discussions between the Ministry of Rites and the clan's office, they plan to reorganize the clan's laws. I have already discussed the specific regulations with Prince Min. Several times later, I also invited His Majesty to play."
"It's just that some of them require the cooperation of the Ministry of Revenue, so I would like to ask Shen Shangshu to go to the Ministry of Rites to discuss it in detail so that I can report back to His Majesty."
Reform of religious affairs?
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of all the ministers present could not help but change.
Although Hu Xi didn't say this explicitly, that's what he meant.
Could it be said that at this moment, the emperor wants to disturb the clan?
After taking a look at Shen Yi, everyone thought of Zong Feng.
You must know that although the number of clans in the Ming Dynasty is not particularly large, the annual expenditure on clan stipends is already a huge amount.
If it is just about religious reform, then why do we need to go to the Ministry of Household Affairs?
Therefore, there is a high probability that the religious reform mentioned by the Ministry of Rites will involve the issue of stipends. Thinking of the issues just discussed in the palace, everyone has a vague direction in their hearts.
To put it bluntly, the hole in the military camp is too big. It is very difficult to fill the hole just by confiscating the property and delaying time. Maybe it is also possible to find a way from the clan.
but……
The matter of rectifying the military garrison has not yet been completed. It is conceivable that when the results from the Ministry of War come out, the next step will be the transfer of civilian land. This alone will be extremely complicated.
The military government is currently investigating corruption and planning for next year. Since the Ministry of Punishment is involved in it, it is conceivable that the turmoil caused will not be small.
In addition, the emperor also ordered all prefectures and counties to prepare grain. When all these things were added up, it was already hectic enough.
At this time, the Ministry of Rites actually wants to intervene again and reform the religious affairs. With so many things added up, is it true that they will not care about one thing and lose the other?
The elders present felt complicated and wanted to ask a few questions, but when they saw Hu Hui's firm attitude, they swallowed it back.
If what Hu Hui said is true, then preparations for this matter have already begun, and the emperor has most likely taken a clear path.
They don't even know the specific situation now, and rashly opposing it will only make themselves passive.
However, after learning the news, many people's eyes flashed with a hint of worry...
At night, in the study room of the mansion.
After all, Yu Shiyue still felt worried. After leaving the office, he hurried to Yu Qian's mansion. The latter had obviously expected this, and had prepared tea and snacks waiting for him early.
"Tingyi, what do you think of today's events?"
The two sat opposite each other, and Yu Shiyue spoke straightforwardly without talking nonsense.
When he said this, Yu Shiyue's eyes were fixed on Yu Qian, as if he wanted to see him into a flower.
In contrast, Yu Qian had a calm expression. He took a sip of tea and gently placed the cup on the table. From beginning to end, he didn't make a sound, and then said.
"I have been away from the capital for a long time, and I don't know much about the affairs of the court. Today's preface is correct. Your Majesty has thought deeply, planned the whole situation, and made arbitrary decisions. Naturally, we, the ministers, can only follow the principles."
His tone was calm and without any emotion, but Yu Shiyue's face suddenly became a little ugly, and his brows furrowed into a Sichuan pattern, Yu Shiyue said.
"Tingyi, you are very dissatisfied."
This sentence is not a question, but a statement.
Yu Qian said nothing. He looked up at Yu Shiyue, neither admitting nor denying.
Seeing this situation, Yu Shiyue was a little anxious and said.
"Don't be impulsive!"
"What your Majesty does naturally has its own reasons. At least so far, the government and the country are developing in a good direction, right?"
This time, Yu Qian did not remain silent.
His expression was a little complicated, and he was obviously struggling in his heart. However, after a moment, he still shook his head and said.
"Your Majesty is wise and wise, but after all, you are only one person. Being arbitrary for the king may bring you peace of mind for a while, but it will eventually lead to disaster."
As he spoke, Yu Qian sighed and looked at Yu Shiyue and said seriously.
"Brother Shi Chao, you and I should both know this. The Supreme Emperor Yin Jian is in front of us, how could we not notice it?"
This time, Yu Shiyue was silent.
In fact, since Yu Qian returned to Beijing this time, he realized that something was wrong. Compared with before leaving Beijing, the feeling Yu Qian gave him after returning to Beijing became even sharper.
Yu Shiyue was aware of this in the memorial about Yu Qian's intervention in the border at that time, but at that time, he only felt that Yu Qian was not in the capital, so in order to attract the emperor's attention, his words were deliberately fierce.
However, after actually meeting Yu Qian, Yu Shiyue discovered that it was not that simple after all.
During the conversation a few days and nights ago, although the two only talked about what happened in Beijing recently, Yu Shiyue always vaguely felt that Yu Qian had something on his mind.
During today's duel, his feeling became stronger and stronger. Maybe for other people, it is low-key to stick to their duties and not talk too much casually, but for Qian, this is definitely not normal.
This was also the reason why Yu Shiyue hurried over, and the current situation obviously confirmed his guess.
"At that time, I had this idea when I heard the news about His Majesty's reform of science and technology. However, on the one hand, I had urgent matters at hand at the time and couldn't get away from it. On the other hand, I always felt that the princes in the capital, such as Gong Gong, were like this.
Major matters will not be decided by His Majesty."
"However, after looking at it today, my guess was indeed good. His Majesty was able to discuss such a major matter without any courtiers and settled it with one word. It can be seen that during my absence in the capital, the atmosphere in the court has indeed changed...
"
These words contained a hint of barely concealed dissatisfaction, which made Yu Shiyue smile bitterly.
Of course he understood where Yu Qian's dissatisfaction came from.
Before he left the capital, the emperor had the image of a holy emperor who listened to advice and governed with dignity. However, after he returned to the capital, when he was in the palace, there was almost no room for discussion on all major matters.
Take today's matter as an example, whether it is ordering the treasury to prepare food or getting the Ministry of Punishment to participate in the plan, it is a very involved matter.
Logically speaking, such matters should be discussed more in court, and then finally decided and implemented.
However, during this memorial process, almost all of these matters were decided directly by the emperor, without even the intention of consulting them.
Of course, Yu Shiyue believed that Yu Qian had no objection to the emperor's decision, but was somewhat dissatisfied with the emperor's style.
This dissatisfaction comes from today's memorial, and not only from today's memorial.
To be honest, Yu Shiyue noticed the emperor's changes earlier. First, he was involved in the reform of science and technology. Later, he directly mobilized the capital camp and ordered Yang Hong to leave the capital without greeting the courtiers.
There is also the big plan this time, and even the religious reform that Hu Hui mentioned today. These things are almost all directly instructed by the emperor, or simply issued directly.
Qian Gang's arbitrary use in the emperor's performance during this period is indeed appropriate!
but……
"Tingyi, I know what you are thinking, but to this day, everything your Majesty does is for the sake of the country. Although all the border issues have been twists and turns, they have been resolved safely in the end."
"Today in the palace, Your Majesty made a big plan without consulting with the ministers. It is indeed slightly inappropriate. However, you are also aware of the situation in the Ministry of Household Affairs. In the final analysis, it is to ensure that the follow-up affairs of the military camp can proceed smoothly."
After sorting out his thoughts for a while, Yu Shiyue spoke.
"Even if you argue with Your Majesty about these matters, it is probably useless. What's more, things are not as bad as you think. If something really goes wrong, the ministers in the court will remonstrate with Your Majesty. But now, everything is going against your Majesty's will.
It is developing in a good direction, how can I advise it?"
"You can't just oppose His Majesty's decision because His Majesty is too arbitrary. In that case, what's the difference between fighting with a party that doesn't take any position?"
"The affairs of the imperial court are not disputes of will. You know your Majesty's character. There have been many affairs in recent days, so your Majesty sometimes has no time to discuss with your ministers. However, your Majesty is by no means a person who always has his own way. If something really happens,
What's wrong? It's not too late for me to take the opportunity to remonstrate with you later."
These words were spoken with sincerity, but Yu Qian's expression did not improve.
His character and determined things are not people who will be moved by a few words.
Seeing this situation, Yu Shiyue felt helpless and said.
"How are you doing?"
"Now that His Majesty's decree has been issued, is it possible that you really want to stop this matter? How can the follow-up matters of the military camp be solved without Your Majesty's method?"
This sentence stopped Yu Qian. He said nothing, but his expression softened slightly.
So, Yu Shiyue continued.
"So, it's not that the atmosphere in the court has changed, it's that His Majesty has always been wise and decisive. Even if this momentum cannot be let go, you must find a suitable opportunity and cannot make rash remonstrances."
"opportunity……"
Yu Qian's face was a little complicated. Under the flickering candlelight, he seemed to have remembered something, and there was a hint of contemplation in his eyes.
After a while, he finally spoke.
"I see."
Although he said this, his expression clearly didn't look like he was giving up.
Seeing this situation, Yu Shiyue wanted to speak again.
However, Yu Qian obviously had no intention of continuing the conversation, waved his hand and said.
"Thank you very much, Brother Shichao, for coming to persuade me today. Brother Shichao, please rest assured that Yu will not act recklessly. It's getting late today, so I won't keep Brother Shichao..."
Well, with this expulsion order, all Yu Shiyue's words were suppressed.
Having said that, he had no choice but to stand up and said.
"Then I'll take my leave. Tingyi, you... can take care of yourself."
This was the second time he said this to Qian in just a few days, but the other party obviously still didn't listen.
However, there was only so much that Yu Shiyue could do. Seeing Yu Qian's helpless look, he sighed, said no more, stood up, said goodbye and left the Yu Mansion...