The atmosphere in Dongnuan Pavilion was solemn. Everyone lowered their heads and did not dare to make any move. It was obvious that no one expected that this time the storm would come so urgently.
Especially Zhou Yanru, the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty, who was at the center of the storm, no longer looked as calm as before, his face was very pale and ugly.
As for the cabinet ministers on the side, they were expressionless. Even Wu Sheng, whose conflict with Zhou Yanru became clear, did not show the slightest gloating at this time.
After all, we are all decent people, how can we openly add insult to injury at this time?
This is not in line with the way a gentleman should behave. The best way is to watch the other person fall into the pit, then chuckle a few times in your heart, and then secretly rub the ground
Go and drive away all the rescuers.
Everyone knows that Wu Changshi is just an introduction. For the officials of the Ming Dynasty, there is no sense of accomplishment in killing an insignificant doctor selected by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, but if they can kill a chief minister, it will be different.
.
At this time, Lin Jing was also inside, but he felt somewhat helpless in his heart. Speaking of it, he didn't want to accompany everyone here to have a verbal war. If he had the time, he could do some practical things - he only wanted one result.
That means Zhou Yanru must step down from his position as chief assistant.
Just when everyone had different thoughts, Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty glanced at the ministers with a livid face, and finally fixed his gaze on Zhou Yanru. The expression in his eyes was unclear whether it was anger or disappointment.
"Zhou Yanru, what I said in the imperial court on the first day of the first lunar month is still vivid in my mind, but aren't you prepared to give me an explanation?"
Zhou Yanru closed his eyes, but let out a deep sigh. He knelt on the ground and pressed his forehead to the cold ground.
"The matter has come to this, I have nothing to say."
"You have nothing to say? Humph, but I have something to say."
Chongzhen said angrily: "Now the world is in chaos and the people are suffering, but I can't do anything. Today I know that I am the only one in this court."
I am so worried that I am the only one who is working hard every day... You guys, what are you doing?"
"Your Majesty, calm down! I deserve to die!"
As soon as the ministers heard Chongzhen's words, they all knelt down. Everyone's face was heavy, as if they wanted to die for their father.
Chongzhen took a deep breath, forced himself to hold back the angry words that had reached his lips, regained his emotions, and said in a deep voice: "I am not willing to kill the ministers at will, but please don't make the mistake. In three days
After that, I decided to investigate the case of adultery with Zhou Yan, a scholar and friend, when I personally executed Wu Chang in the Wenhua Palace!"
Lin Jing was slightly shocked. The emperor's personal prosecution was not a trivial matter. Generally speaking, even if it was a heinous case, it would be a joint trial of the three law divisions. And the cases that could really bring about the emperor's personal prosecution would not be related to the shock to the imperial court.
Big case.
Obviously, the current case of Wu Changshi and Zhou Yanru being friends must be of sufficient weight, and this can basically sentence Zhou Yanru to step down, because no matter how favorable the outcome is to Zhou Yanru, he will not be able to continue to serve as prime minister.
Auxiliary position.
The cabinet ministers were surprised, but also somewhat hopeful. If Zhou Yanru stepped down, who would take over as the next chief minister?
Obviously, judging from the current situation, Chen Yan, who is good at confrontation, has the best chance. Although Chen Yan was left speechless by Lin Jing during the last confrontation, his image in Chongzhen's heart was not too favorable.
damage.
In addition, the former chief assistant Zhang Sizhi may also re-enter the cabinet to assume the position of chief assistant.
However, for Lin Jing at this time, these people were not what he expected, and after working hard with Luo Yangxing to do so many things, Lin Jing did not want to be replaced by a mediocre chief assistant who was not as good as Zhou Yanru, so he
It is also hoped that Bachelor Jiang Dejing will serve as the next chief assistant.
Jiang Dejing was originally a Jinshi in the second year of Tianqi, and his qualifications were also very old. This man was upright and dared to give advice. When he was serving as Qian Shaozhan, he was unwilling to rely on Wei Zhongxian, so he was ostracized at the same time as Wen Zhenmeng until he was dismissed from office.
After Chongzhen succeeded to the throne, Jiang Dejing, as a Qingliu minister who was incompatible with the eunuch party, was naturally promoted and important. He became a bachelor and took the first step to join the cabinet. In the following more than ten years, Jiang Dejing
He also fully demonstrated his integrity, which was completely different from his colleagues, and was valued by Chongzhen.
In fact, from Lin Jing's point of view, there is one thing about Jiang Dejing that he admires very much, that is, unlike other ministers, Jiang Dejing is a minister who attaches great importance to agricultural production. He has put forward many suggestions to correct current abuses, such as stopping occupation
It is a good idea to encourage people to reclaim land, encourage reclamation, and restore production, but it is a pity that it has not been recognized by the successive chief ministers, so it has not been implemented.
The key point is that Jiang Dejing showed a completely different stance from other ministers on the issue of Yang Sichang.
In order to raise military expenditures, Yang Sichang once offered four strategies to raise military expenditures, including grain, overland, examples, and postal services. These four policies were all harmful to the people. Therefore, Jiang Dejing believed that Sichang advocated raising military expenditures.
, increase the payment and improve the payment, causing the people of the world to be poor and use all their wealth to steal. They also hide the accident and show off their merits. It is appropriate to pursue Qiu Luan's crime according to his actions.
To put it bluntly, in Jiang Dejing's view, Yang Sichang was not a good person like Qiu Luan back then.
In addition, what Lin Jing admires even more is that Jiang Dejing is one of the rare practical talents at present, and he is not just pragmatic.
In fact, in the 16th year of Chongzhen in the original history, Jiang Dejing, through careful investigation and detailed textual research, detailed the pay rolls of each border, planned the system of nine borders, and successively added the East-West Association, Chang, Tong, Jin, and Deng.
, protect five places, a total of 16 towns, all new and old training rates for soldiers and horses, salt harvesting, grain delivery, horse prices, various original amounts, cash amounts, painstakingly compiled, divided into categories, written clearly, even the situation
The key points, as well as the nearby tribes, and the past and present opinions that were admissible were all clearly written down. They were compiled into an "Imperial Reading and Preparatory Book" and submitted to Emperor Chongzhen.
It is a pity that the Ming Dynasty was exhausted by this time. Even though Jiang Derjing's painstaking efforts were not implemented in the end, it still only ended up being shelved in the high cabinet.
It was not until February of the 17th year of Chongzhen that Chen Yan, the chief minister of the cabinet, resigned. Chongzhen then remembered Jiang Dejing, introduced him to the cabinet, and made Jiang Dejing responsible for the issue of salary training. However, Jiang Dejing bluntly stated that the salary training was to blame for the people, and he had an affair with Chongzhen.
After a quarrel, he finally chose to resign on March 2. At this time, there was only half a month left before the fall of the capital.
Of course, Jiang Dejing's accusation was not that he was running away from danger. In fact, he deeply felt that as the chief minister, he failed to save the building from collapse and failed to save the people. Therefore, although he left the throne, he did not leave the capital.
He had always lived in the outer city, and did not choose to leave the capital until Chuang Jun contributed to the capital.
Later, during the Southern Ming Dynasty, King Fu Zhu Yousong, led by Ma Shiying and others, supported the supervision of the state in Nanjing and summoned Jiang Dejing to join the cabinet. Jiang Dejing thought that he was incompetent and confessed three crimes, so he refused.
When the Tang King Zhu Yujian was established in Fuzhou, Jiang Dejing, Huang Jingfang and others were summoned to assist the Tang King Zhu Yujian. Later, after the defeat, Jiang Dejing chose to go on a hunger strike to show his loyalty and integrity.
It is precisely because of Jiang Dejing's talent and character that Lin Jing thought about recommending Jiang Dejing to the position of first assistant in advance. However, this step was not easy to take, mainly because Jiang Dejing had just joined the cabinet not long ago. If he was promoted to the position immediately, I'm afraid that Chongzhen and the ministers will not agree.
What should I do?
Lin Jing couldn't help but feel a little headache. This chapter has been completed!