The court discussion finally disbanded. Zhu Guozhen walked out of Wenhua Palace with some staggering steps, while Sun Chengzong and Han Yu walked beside him. The dozens of other officials who participated in the court discussion did not dare to disturb the three cabinet masters because their status was quite different from that of several and three. They all silently and automatically distanced them apart.

Just as they walked down the steps, an accident happened. Because of a dazed state, Zhu Guozhen's feet stepped on the air and fell down towards the stone steps.

"not good!"

Seeing this, several sharp-eyed officials couldn't help but shout, but because they were too far away from Zhu Guozhen, they could only watch Zhu Guozhen fall into the front.

If Zhu Guozhen, who is 74 years old this year, would have to lose most of his life even if he didn't die. Fortunately, Sun Chengzong, who was walking next to him, saw that the situation was not good, stepped forward and grabbed his belt, then grabbed his arm and pulled his body back.

"Ping Han Gong is careful!"

Although Sun Chengzong is over 60 years old this year, he is one of the few people among the Ming officials who are both civil and military. He is very strong and quickly supported Zhu Guozhen's body.

At this time, Han Yu on the other side also rushed over, and the two of them limped and helped Zhu Guozhen down the steps, one on the left and one on the right.

After Zhu Guozhen walked down the steps, Sun Chengzong and Han Du helped him sit on the stone steps, and then asked, "Don't you be fine, are you?"

"I'm fine." Zhu Guozhen shook his head withstood the pain.

"Although it's okay."

When Sun Chengzong saw his appearance, he frowned: "Please ask the imperial physician to take a look."

Two quarters of an hour later, next to a bed in Wenyuan Pavilion, an imperial physician's hands loosened from Zhu Guozhen's already swollen foot comb, and shook his head and said, "Old Zhu Ge's injury is not a big deal, it's just that the tendons are twisted, but as the saying goes, it hurts the tendons for a hundred days.

In addition, Zhuge is already old and it will take at least three to four months to recover if he wants to recover. During this period, the official advises Zhugege to stay at home and not to come to Wenyuan Pavilion to pay the price.”

"How can this work?"

Han Yu, who was standing by, was anxious. Now there were only three of them left in the Ming Dynasty's cabinet. He was so busy that he had to touch his heels every day. If there was one more person, would they still be alive?

"Then the officials have no choice." The imperial physician spread his hands, "The officials can only see a doctor, and they can't help with national affairs at all."

Han Yu looked at Zhu Guozhen who was lying on the bed and enduring the pain and silently saying something, and looked at Sun Chengzong again. The two of them sighed at the same time. Such a mess had just happened in Wenhua Palace, and now Zhu Guozhen is lying down again. It's really a disaster.

"Old Zhu Ge's foot is sprained. Can't go to Wenyuan Pavilion to be on duty for at least three months?"

In the imperial study room, Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Chengzong and Han Dong who were coming to report, and his face was stunned.

He had just announced the punishment for those officials who endorsed interests of the Jiangnan Gentleman Group, and Zhu Guozhen sprained his foot. Isn't this a coincidence?

When Sun Chengzong saw Zhu Youxiao's expression, he immediately guessed what he thought and quickly explained: "Your Majesty, Mr. Ping Han did sprain his foot accidentally. The old minister saw it with his own eyes. It was indeed a coincidence. But when Mr. Ping Han fell like this, the matter of the cabinet could not be handled by Lao Chen and Han Ge Lao, so the old minister begged His Majesty to add manpower to the cabinet."

"That's how it works!"

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but ponder.

Since the Ming Dynasty had a cabinet system, the number of people ranged from one to seven, and there was no fixed number. However, overall, the number of people in the cabinet generally remained around three to five. But one thing is that the number of people in the cabinet has never been odd and never even. This is the same as the number of people in the highest elder group in China in later generations that has never been even.

In fact, Zhu Youxiao also knew that the number of people in the cabinet was too small, which also led to the busyness of Sun Chengzong and the other two being busy every day, but he never had the idea of ​​increasing the number of people in the cabinet. The reason was very simple. In the past, the court was filled with people from the Donglin Party. It was almost impossible for him to arrange someone he liked to enter the cabinet.

But the situation is different now. With the establishment of the Beijing Camp and the New Army, he already has an army baptized and loyal to him in his hands. In addition, the gradual prosperity of the imperial court's finances and the abundant small treasury, he has rich and soldiers already has enough confidence to support him in doing what he wants to do.

Zhu Youxiao pretended to be pondered for a while and said slowly: "I have worked so hard for the court in the past two years. The number of people in the cabinet has always been insufficient. Since Zhu Aiqing was unfortunately injured this time, I will screen the candidates after I go back. I plan to increase the number of people in the cabinet to five, so that it will also reduce the burden on you and Han Aiqing."

"Increase the number of cabinet members to five?" Sun Chengzong was shocked, but then he seemed to understand something and said with a bow: "The old minister understands, let's go and draw up the list so that your Majesty can judge."

Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Chengzong and showed a sincere expression on his face: "Go, I am the teacher I value and trust the most. I am very relieved to do things."

"Thank you Your Majesty to express your love, I'm leaving!" Sun Chengzong bowed to Zhu Youxiao, took a few steps back before leaving the cabinet.

The Ming Dynasty was a sieve where air leaks everywhere, and there was basically no privacy. Soon the news that the cabinet would increase its number immediately spread throughout the capital, and the entire officialdom immediately became excited.

As Napoleon said, a soldier who did not want to be a general was not a good soldier. For the Ming officials, an official who did not want to enter the cabinet was not a good official.

As soon as the news came out, almost all officials who were qualified to join the cabinet jumped up like chicken blood. You must know that three new places will be added this time. If you move on, will there be hope?

As a result, the attention of the entire capital officials was attracted to this matter.

"Your Majesty is such a good method!"

In Wenyuan Pavilion, Han Yu pointed to the basket of memorials next to him and said to Sun Chengzong with a wry smile: "Your Majesty's methods of governing have become more and more perfect. Originally, His Majesty sent those people to Nanyang, which made the Donglin Party unable to sit still and prepare to attack again.

But I never thought that because of such a small matter that Ping Han Gong made a mistake, it would be enough to turn the world around in His Majesty, attracting all the officials' attention, and at the same time, it also eliminates the most likely major events without a trace. The officials really admired it."
Chapter completed!