After a night of fierce fighting, the Prime Minister's Mansion was almost razed to the ground, with only a few side buildings surviving.
Moreover, there were broken limbs and broken arms everywhere, and there was blood ice everywhere. In some places, residual fires rekindled from time to time, with sparkling fire and black smoke rising into the sky. It was really impossible to entertain guests.
After leaving the imperial city, Zhu Chong and others had a tacit understanding. They walked straight past the gate of the Prime Minister's Mansion and arrived at the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites next door, which had not been affected by the previous night and was still intact.
In the spacious, tall, elegant and pleasant hall, Zhu Chong and others took their seats in order according to their official positions, and soon someone brought them some fragrant tea.
Bai Changkong had a gloomy face and said nothing after sitting down.
His face represents his attitude.
He suffered a loss at the court meeting today.
Because of General Le Wu's "friendly help", it can be said that everyone in the world knew that Lu Qian, who was engaged to his granddaughter Bai Changkong, had fallen down and joined the eunuch party.
In this incident, the reputation of the Bai family was damaged, and Bai Changkong's reputation was also affected.
Although Bai Changkong used tricks such as twelve talented people to come to the door to ask for marriage, he more or less saved some public opinion.
But this little trick can fool the unsophisticated people. For these shrewd and experienced colleagues in culture and education, this little trick is of no use. Everyone knows that what Lu Qian did is a scam.
The big-eared shaving blow made Bai Changkong completely disfigured.
Therefore, at the court meeting, Bai Changkong mobilized so many disciples, as well as the gang members and lackeys they gathered, to attack Lu Qian.
Even if Huang Luqian's knighthood cannot be completely disrupted, his title must be reduced by two or three levels.
Only from this can he reflect Bai Changkong's will.
Only in this way can Bai Changkong's damaged reputation, reputation, and all kinds of tangible and intangible things in the hearts of many people be restored.
Otherwise, if a young man who joined the eunuch party and broke his engagement with the Bai family could actually be promoted and made a fortune in a short period of time, where would you put Bai Changkong's old face? Where would you put the Bai family's face?
Where to put it?
Some people may even think that Lu Qian regretted his marriage and refused to marry the little lady Bai Lu, so he became a public official?
Once this word gets out, it will be a fatal blow to Bai Lu's reputation.
If Bai Lu's husband-in-law cannot be granted a public title in the future and cannot surpass Lu Qian in terms of "fame, fame, wealth, and wealth," no matter how much the Bai family and Zhu Yu try to build momentum for Bai Lu, her reputation will not be much better.
The contrast is there, the contrast is too strong.
Therefore, Bai Changkong was determined to take action against Lu Qian at the court meeting.
However, Zhu Chong's glance made Bai Changkong stop and helplessly watch Lu Qian gain huge benefits.
Granting titles, conferring festivals, conferring imperial seals, receiving ceremonial guards, and having so many fields, mines, pastures, etc., it can be said that Yinyuan single-handedly helped Lu Qian build the skeleton of a wealthy family.
The more benefits Lu Qian gets, the greater the 'slander' suffered by Bai Changkong, the Bai family, and Bai Lu, and the more severe the losses to their reputation and prestige will be.
As one of the flags promoted by Wenjiao and displayed in the Haojing court, Bai Changkong suffered a great loss today.
Therefore, he must tighten his face and give everyone a clear signal. Because of your affairs, I have been damaged. It is up to you to decide how to deal with the aftermath.
Zhu Chong held the tea cup and drank a few sips of tea.
He looked at Bai Changkong, then at the dozen or so key ministers of culture and education in Haojing who were silent in the hall, put down the tea cup, and sighed softly.
"Master Bai, I have been wronged today."
Bai Changkong was silent for a while, put down the tea cup, stood up, and bowed to Zhu Chong.
Zhu Chong, a direct descendant of Zhu Sheng's lineage and the current prime minister.
Bai Changkong was promoted by Wenjiao and was one of the flags on the Haojing court, but it was just a flag and a signboard.
But Zhu Chong is the representative of Wenjiao in Haojing. He is the supreme leader of Wenjiao in Haojing. His words and deeds represent the will of the entire Wenjiao.
Flags and signs can be changed at any time; leaders cannot be changed easily.
Moreover, Zhu Chong is nearly twenty years older than Bai Changkong.
From all aspects, Bai Changkong could not disobey Zhu Chong in the slightest, unless he wanted to ruin his reputation and renounce culture and education.
Otherwise, if Zhu Chong glared at him casually during the meeting, Bai Changkong might have just obeyed and stopped?
However, Bai Changkong originally thought that Zhu Chong would give him an explanation. Unexpectedly, Zhu Chong's attention was not focused on the matter that Bai Changkong was worried about.
After he mentioned it casually, the conversation quickly changed.
"I feel like something big is going to happen in Anping Prefecture." Zhu Chong tapped the armrests of his seats with his fingers, staring at the many ministers present with his faint eyes: "Nearly 20,000 dead soldiers, armed with a full set of government-made ordnance, launched a desperate attack on the Prime Minister.
Mansion."
"What a great gesture, such great power, such amazing power of action." Zhu Chong stood up, slapped the coffee table next to him vigorously, and said loudly: "My lords, who is behind this matter?
"
"imperial clan?"
"Honorable?"
"Princes?"
"Even……"
Zhu Chong pointed at the top of his head. What he meant was whether one of the Queen Mother or the Emperor was the mastermind behind this incident.
"Or, is it one of our own?"
Zhu Chong's eyes were dark as he looked around at the many courtiers present: "Da Sikou, tell me, is there someone who is dissatisfied with my Zhu family's position in culture and education and wants to replace it?"
Gongyang Xu rolled his eyes.
The Gongyang family has an ancestor who specializes in teaching the Dharma and is the "lesser sage" of the "Fazong" of culture and education.
Zhu Chong's words are a bit heartbreaking.
He said this because he suspected that the attack and killing last night had the shadow of certain forces within the culture and education. Someone was interested in their position as the leader of the Zhu family's culture and education and wanted to replace him?
Gong Yangxu rolled his eyes. He stood up, smiled at Zhu Chong and said, "The Prime Minister's words are too much. Of the hundreds of millions of disciples of our culture and education, only Zhu Sheng's lineage is following the lead and has no two minds."
Zhu Chong smiled: "The Gongyang family studies with 'legal principles' and abides by the rules. The true nature is clear. But other people..."
More than a dozen important ministers stood up one after another, swearing that this matter had absolutely nothing to do with themselves or the various schools of culture and education behind them.
Zhu Chong's eyes flickered and he smiled calmly: "That's great, we can work together to meet the challenge."
He pressed his hands to indicate that everyone should sit down again, and he also sat back in his original position, picked up the teacup, and took a sip.
"So, can this matter be regarded as a provocation to our culture and education?"
"Clan, nobles, princes, or... which one do you think is most likely?"
Bai Changkong felt unhappy.
He had made such a huge sacrifice, but Zhu Chong didn't even mention it?
He coughed lightly and said, "The Prime Minister's words are too harsh. The attack last night was probably just a crazy attack on you, the Prime Minister."
This was said with a hint of resentment.
Of course, there is also a little doubt.
Zhu Chong looked at Bai Changkong and said softly: "If it is just an attack on the Prime Minister's Mansion, maybe it is the Prime Minister's personal enmity that wants revenge. If this is the case, it is a trivial matter. The Prime Minister has been in charge of the government for more than 40 years and has accumulated countless grievances, such as
In the case of Ye Guogong...someone wanted the head of the original prime minister, which is a matter of course."
"However, last night's incident involved Anping Prefecture. I'm afraid this is not just based on the truth."
Bai Changkong frowned slightly.
His doubt was, why did Zhu Chong, including these court officials, care so much about Anping Prefecture?
In the hall, except for Bai Changkong, a dozen other purple-robed ministers all had their eyes flickering, or had doubts on their faces, or a fierce look in their eyes. Some of them pinched their fingers carefully, not knowing what they were planning.
Bai Changkong carefully watched the changes in everyone's expressions.
Gong Yangxu raised his head and looked at Bai Changkong. He remembered what his brother Gong Yangyao had said to him a few days ago, and he decided to drag Bai Changkong into the water.
"In the final analysis, this matter has been going on for eighteen or nineteen years." Gong Yangxu looked at Zhu Chong.
Zhu Chong held the tea cup and said nothing, apparently acquiescing to Gong Yangxu's explanation to Bai Changkong.
Bai Changkong straightened his waist.
The purple-robed officials at the scene obviously knew the real inside story of the Anping Prefecture incident...but Bai Changkong didn't know.
This feeling made Bai Changkong feel very uncomfortable, feeling ashamed and humiliated that he was excluded from the small circle.
Therefore, he pretended to be attentive and wanted to listen carefully to what Gong Yangxu said next.
At the same time, he was calculating that eighteen or nineteen years ago, he was only a doctor from the Imperial College.
Given Bai Changkong's status and power in culture, education, and the court at that time, there were some things that he was not qualified and had no channels to know.
"It's easy to say." Gongyang Xu said sternly: "It should be the first year of Jiayou, when the emperor just ascended the throne, there was a natural disaster in Anping Prefecture."
“The earth dragon turned over, floods followed by drought, locusts, and plagues.”
"Anping Prefecture is 20,000 miles long from east to west and 9,000 miles wide from north to south. According to the household registration book, there are more than 87 million households, 300 million men and 400 million women. Other slaves who are not listed in the household registration book
, probably so many.”
Bai Changkong stared at Gongyang Xu.
Gong Yangxu said slowly: "Such a natural disaster affects the entire Anping Prefecture, so disaster relief is naturally required."
"There's a little problem with the disaster relief."
"In terms of money and food, the loss is a little bit larger."
"During disaster relief, the efficiency is a little slower."
"The disaster relief lasted for more than a year from the first year of Jiayou to the second year of Jiayou. The plague spread and caused countless deaths and injuries. There were more than 87 million households in the household registration book, but by the fourth year of Jiayou, only more than 3,000 were left.
The ratio of casualties among male and female households per 10,000 households is probably higher than the loss of households."
Bai Changkong took a breath of cold air.
Gongyang Xu looked at Bai Changkong and said softly: "The new emperor has just ascended the throne. People's hearts are uncertain and the country is unstable. This matter should not be made too big to avoid uproar in the world. Therefore, this matter was finally handled quickly.
Very neat... Some of the officials responsible for the disaster relief were convicted by Dali Temple, exiled, and died of the plague along the way."
Bai Changkong was silent for a long time. He looked at Zhu Chong, hesitated for a while, and finally asked something that he knew he shouldn't ask.
However, he also vaguely felt that it might be better to ask this sentence now than to keep it in his heart.
If you want to board something like a pirate ship, you have to do it without hesitation. If you want to board it, why don't you just hand in a surrender certificate?
So, he asked.
"Then, what about those lands in Anping Prefecture?"