After the civil servant Wu Xun arrived at Fengtian Hall, before the emperor came, the ministers were whispering to each other about the recent events, and the one they were most concerned about was naturally the release of the test results yesterday.
"...Zhang Zhou actually passed the Huiyuan exam in the examination. How can we say that he was not the result of private teaching? Isn't the Ming Dynasty examination just child's play?"
Yuan Shouzhi, the official in charge of general affairs, was very angry.
He had an upright temper and couldn't get rid of the dirt in his eyes, but there was someone pulling him next to him, it was Zuo Tongzheng Shen Lu, because Shen Lu was an in-law of Queen Zhang's family, and his status among civil servants was not very high. Yuan Shouzhi ignored it. It’s better to keep talking.
Li Dongyang was listening, feeling very uncomfortable.
This group of people talked a lot, saying that Zhang Zhouzhong's Huiyuan was unreasonable, but the problem was that he had chosen this Huiyuan. The article ranged from the classic meaning to the intention, and then to the ambition of governing the country. The feeling of benefiting the world came from What is deep in one's heart is sincere and sincere without any hypocrisy.
Who knew it would be him after opening the seal?
Xu Qiong, the Minister of Rites, couldn't help but walked up to Li Dongyang and asked: "Zhang Zhou was appointed as Huiyuan, but was it the result of pressure from the middle officials?"
Li Dongyang frowned and glanced at him.
What do you mean Xu Qiong?
Are you putting pressure on me? Do you look down on the emperor, or do you look down on me?
How could the Ming Dynasty's examination, such a solemn and solemn event, involve fraud in matters like dianhuiyuan? Then why attack Cheng Minzheng, and just say that I am the culprit of the problem?
"From the grading inside the curtain to the comments and the selection of tributes, everything was in accordance with the process. Zhang Zhou was the founder. His article was revised twice and no changes were made to any of them after it was sealed."
Li Dongyang wanted to say that he wanted to suspect that the results of this conference were unfair. Please provide evidence.
Yuan Shouzhi added: "In the imperial examinations of the Ming Dynasty, officials should not be criticized by historians just because of one person!"
Facing such a hot-tempered and aggressive person, Li Dongyang just turned his eyes aside.
Also follow the emperor's attitude and turn a deaf ear to things without evidence.
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…
Just when everyone was talking about it, Xiao Jing appeared in Fengtian Hall.
This did not surprise them. What was surprising was that Zhang Zhou, as the Huiyuan of this examination, actually appeared in the court again, this time following Xiao Jing.
Xiao Jing first walked up to Liu Jian, cupped his hands to the three cabinet ministers and said, "Three ministers, there are matters involving military affairs today, and we need Zhang Gongshi to come and discuss them together. Can you arrange a position for him?"
There were people nearby who heard this and started talking among themselves.
Liu Jian frowned.
Now no one can figure out what the emperor is going to do.
Xie Qian smiled and said: "Even if we have something to discuss, should we wait until he becomes a Jinshi and ranks behind the court class first?"
"Today's matter cannot be delayed, so Your Majesty has made this arrangement and asked a few pavilion elders to help." Xiao Jing looked very embarrassed.
Xie Qian wanted to joke again, but was stopped by Li Dongyang.
Li Dongyang has a very bright mind.
The emperor asked Xiao Jing to ask the three ministers for instructions and let Zhang Zhou, who was still a tribute, choose a position. This actually reflected the emperor's trust in the three of them. Otherwise, the emperor would just bring Zhang Zhou and assign him a position at will. The location is enough, why bother?
The emperor took the initiative to show his kindness.
If Xie Qian came out to ridicule or object again at this time, irritating Xiao Jing and the emperor behind him, it would not be a good thing for the relationship between monarch and minister.
"It's better to let him stand after all the six subjects have been dealt with." Li Dongyang said.
The six subjects are all given to Shi Zhong, who is closest to the end in the East class. Behind them, it doesn't actually mean that... just let Zhang Zhou stand at the end of the civil service?
Xiao Jing was not demanding about this and said with a smile: "Thank you three elders for being so accommodating. Mr. Zhang, please do it."
Xiao Jing turned around and called Zhang Zhou, letting the surrounding civil servants know that Zhang Zhou was nominally standing behind the civil servants as a tribute, but because of the trust he received, even the elders might have to step aside.
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…
After Zhang Zhou stood still, Xiao Jing hurriedly left the hall.
Most of the people on Wu Xun's side were sizing them up, and seemed to hope that Zhang Zhou would come to their side. Unfortunately, Zhang Zhou had already passed the imperial examination and could become a civil servant after taking the imperial examination. At present, it seems that Zhang Zhou should go As for Wu Xun, unless Zhang Zhou participated in some major war and obtained a title for meritorious service.
This possibility does not seem to exist for the time being.
Then the emperor arrived.
The court meeting begins.
After the minister finished saluting, before the minister could come out to perform the duties, Zhu Youtang pointed at Xiao Jing and said, "Say!"
Xiao Jing said: "The captives entered Kaiyuan and other places in Liaodong, killed and plundered people and animals, and prepared and defended the troops. They all commanded Wang Zong not to advance when encountering the enemy. Huang Yan, the right-hand supervisor, and the garrison commander Jiao Yuan, the Qianshi, did not lead the troops to retreat, causing the captives to withdraw. Although there was a pursuit afterwards, no gains were made..."
The first thing he did when he came up was a head-on blow to the ministers present.
Di Yi was in trouble again.
But it's not at the three sides, nor at Xuanda, nor at the Piantou Pass.
Still in Liaodong.
Still Duoyan Sanwei.
However, the "Great Victory of Yizhou in Liaodong" had just happened less than a month ago. The imperial court had just rewarded the guarding eunuch Ren Liang, the chief military officer Li Gao, and the imperial censor Zhang Yu. With a twist of his face, the three guards of Duoyan came again!
Is this because you are poor and crazy? A cornered beast still fights? You know that there are tigers in the mountains but you choose to go to the tiger mountain?
Is Duoyan Sanwei crazy?
Knowing that Wang Weining is out of the northwest of the town and there is no one in Liaodong, why do you still dare to come? Aren't they afraid that the Ming Dynasty will use their three Duoyan guards as whetstones?
After General Xiao Jing announced the matter, Zhu Youtang said with an annoyed look on his face: "The three guards of Duoyan just invaded the country a month ago and suffered a defeat in Yizhou. Later, there was a battle at Pianguan to enhance the prestige of the Ming Dynasty. Why do the three guards of Duoyan dare to invade Liaodong again now?" Kaiyuan? Dear gentlemen, shouldn’t the Ming Dynasty’s nine-border defense focus be tilted towards Liaodong?”
The emperor's words seemed to be asking, but they were actually questioning.
Please analyze it for me. What did the three guards of Duoyan eat? The last time they came here they were killed and they came back defeated. They knew that the fire sieve was defeated miserably, so they still dare to come?
They actually allowed them to successfully retreat after looting and killing this time? Are the officers and soldiers of Ming Dynasty and Liaodong all useless?
Ma Wensheng came out and said: "Your Majesty, is there anything worthy of discussion about the results of the battle in Yizhou, Liaodong?"
Ma Wensheng had experience and immediately saw the problem.
Since the three guards of Duoyan were defeated last time and still dare to come now, it does not mean that the three guards of Duoyan are strong-willed. It can only mean that there was something fishy in the last battle report.
To say it's debatable is putting it mildly.
It would be more appropriate to simply say falsely reporting military exploits.
Zhu Youtang said coldly: "I have sent people to Yizhou more than ten days ago to cooperate with the inspection censor and others to inquire about the results of the battle in Yizhou. I expect that there should be a detailed report in the next few days."
The ministers were immediately confused.
We just felt that there was something wrong with the outcome of the war in Yizhou, Liaodong, and His Majesty has already sent people to Liaodong to investigate?
But in the past February, the imperial court had successively achieved good results in Yizhou, Pianguan, Yansui and other places, and Yizhou had launched the first round of comprehensive suppression of Diyi. How could your majesty be so concerned about this? Is it doubtful that Yiju’s victory will be so great?
"I originally wanted to wait until the results of the matter are known before we talk about it. Now I will make it clear. As early as a month ago, someone warned me that the Liaodong War may be suspected of false reports, killing good people and taking merit, etc. At that time, I still If you don't believe me, I sent someone to investigate after many days of delay. As a result, you have also seen that the three guards of Duoyan came back and repeatedly invaded the territory of Liaodong. If I don't make some response, it will appear that the Ming Dynasty's border army is weak. How can we determine the three armies? Military morale?”
Zhu Youtang immediately made it clear.
The things you didn't mention have been mentioned to me a long time ago, and they told me clearly that they were false claims of military exploits, and suggested that I go check it out.
I even listened to him!
The ministers present are also quick-thinking...
They suddenly thought of a change in the court today, that is, the emperor asked Zhang Zhou, who was only a tribute, to come to Fengtian Hall in advance, and said that he wanted to participate in the discussion because he had something to do. This did not mean to tell the civil servants present Wu Xun that the emperor just listened. After receiving Zhang Zhou’s opinion, did you send someone to investigate?
Besides Zhang Zhou, who else could skip the court and ask the emperor to investigate the meritorious behavior of the border army officers and soldiers?
"Gentlemen, please tell me, how should I respond?"
The emperor threw the problem to the ministers present.
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…
Among the civil servants and military officials present, many had actual experience in the northwest battlefield, some could talk on paper, and some liked to speak out and give advice.
But when faced with such a tricky question from the emperor, no one knew how to answer it.
Duoyan Sanwei has committed a crime for the second time in a month.
The Liaodong official army claimed to have won for the first time and achieved a "great victory", and the emperor rewarded them.
The second time, Di Yi plundered a lot and then left.
If you ask the ministers how to deal with Wang Zong, Huang Yan, Jiao Yuan and others who stood still and caused Di Yi to become arrogant, they can come up with a hundred ways.
But if asked how to let Di Yi know how powerful Ming Dynasty was, they all chose to pretend to be dumb.
They are thinking about it too.
Your Majesty, can we not be so irritable?
Are you because Wang Weining has achieved such a great victory in the northwest, and you feel that the Ming Dynasty can change the nine-sided defense into an offensive, so now you can't tolerate a little trouble in the nine-sided war?
Just like before, if Hu Lu ran away, we could just close the door and beat the child. Why do we have to hold on to Yang Guowei?
Should Wang Weining be transferred to Liaodong and let him go to Liaodong to fight?
"Your Majesty, we must severely punish the frontier generals, garrison officers, etc. who are afraid of advancing in the northwest, so as to serve as a warning to others." Yang Mi, who had just been transferred to the right minister of the Ministry of War, came out to make a speech.
After Wang Yue, the left minister of the Ministry of War, became the censor of the left capital and took charge of the northwest military affairs, and was promoted to the title of Marquis of Weining, now the governors of the three northwest sides are actually equivalent to holding the official positions of civil servants and military officials.
The minister also knew that Wang Yue's civil service would soon be removed, but who would take the position in the trilateral or even the six-sided general system was a problem.
To be able to control the Marquis of Weining and Wang Yue...
It would be embarrassing to go there without two brushes.
Now in the Ministry of War, Wang Zongyi was promoted from Right Minister to Left Minister. The position of Right Minister was given to Yang Mi, who had served as governor of Shaanxi and Xuanfu and had rich experience in running the army in the northwest.
But Yang Mi himself was a conservative minister, and he would not casually suggest that the emperor send troops when faced with this kind of problem.
Zhu Youtang said: "The Liaodong border generals still have to defend the border to defend against the enemy. Let's record the demerits for the time being. If I can predict the enemy in advance and attack Di Yi head-on the next time he invades the border, will it be more able to boost the power of the three armies? ?”
"Your Majesty, you must not..."
This time Tu Fu, the Minister of Civil Affairs, came out directly to oppose it.
Is this emperor crazy?
The battle at Piantou Pass achieved a victory. Did the emperor think that he was so capable that he thought he could replicate it again?
Are you still expecting the enemy to be ahead of you?
Are these expectations too high?
You don’t want that boy Zhang Zhou to pinch your fingers again, do you?
Zhang Zhou...
Zhu Youtang looked at Tu Tong and said, "Tu Qing's family, do you have any better suggestions?"
"Your Majesty, I think that since Di Yi has retreated now, why not tighten the defenses in Liaodong to prevent Di Yi from attacking again... If you mobilize your troops rashly and affect the whole body with one move, I am afraid it will affect the defense of other places. .The Pianguan Fortress has not yet been repaired, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to resist Di Yi’s second invasion..."
Tu Jian was on guard against the emperor and said that the next step would be to transfer Wang Yue to Liaodong and have a fight with the three guards of Duoyan with real swords and guns.
Probably the civil servants also felt that the emperor would not rashly ask Wang Yue to fight against the Huo Si tribe, or to fight the main force of the Dayan tribe.
You have to be picky about the soft persimmons. Since the three guards of Duoyan are so ignorant and attack repeatedly, if the emperor wants to achieve great achievements in military and political affairs, the best way is to take action on the three guards of Duoyan.
But this also goes against the position that civil servants hold firm to.
Zhu Youtang said: "I didn't say to mobilize troops from the side. How can I say that one move can affect the whole body?"
"this……"
Tu Yu was speechless.
Don't you, Your Majesty, want to transfer Wang Yue to Liaodong?
If you don't adjust, do you still want to have sex with Duoyan Sanwei based on other people's abilities?
It's unrealistic.
Your Majesty, you obviously have a capable minister like Wang Yue and want to take the initiative to fight. Why don't you use Wang Yue and insist on finding someone else? You don't want to find Zhang Zhou, right?
Zhu Youtang said: "My idea is just to set up a pocket in Liaodong. When the three guards of Duoyan dare to invade again, I will let them come and go. I don't necessarily expect them to go out in full force. They will trap as many as they come and kill as many as they come." how many."
The minister almost wanted to vomit blood after hearing this.
Your Majesty, you still said you were not drifting?
This is almost floating to the sky!
Kill as many as you come... It sounds very unreliable.
"Dear gentlemen, I just want to ask you whether this pocket formation can be set up?" Zhu Youtang said sharply.
The ministers looked at each other, no one knew how to answer.
Li Dongyang came out and asked: "Your Majesty, I wonder how this pocket formation should be set up? Who will preside over it, and who will affect the situation in Liaodong to resist Di Yi?"
Compared with Tu Jun who came out to be a "prophet", but was actually a troublemaker, Li Dongyang's question was considered to be on the point.
Li Dongyang can see it.
This matter must be what the emperor wanted, so he asked Zhang Zhou and Zhang Zhou made suggestions.
Now that the emperor has this idea, it is actually very difficult to stop it. The only thing the civil servants should do is to ensure that the so-called pocket formation does not affect the situation on all nine sides.
Just like the meaning of sending Wang Weining to Piantou Pass...
Take precautions first. As long as you don't take the initiative to attack, wait for the three guards of Duoyan to attack on their own, and then attack if they fall into a trap.
If he doesn't come, he won't fight.
Anyway, apart from a little trouble, Liaodong suffered no big losses.
Li Dongyang also realized that if the civil officials objected without any reason, the emperor's trust in them would gradually decrease.
Although no one believed that Zhang Zhou could replicate the glory of the first battle at Pianguan.
"What I want is the support of your noble families. How to set up the pocket formation and how to fight this battle. I will not talk too much in the court to prevent the news from leaking. Who will I use and how will I make arrangements? In addition to the cabinet,
The Ministry of War and the Governor's Office will fully cooperate, and the Ministry of Household Affairs will allocate enough money and food for disposal. The rest... I also want to wait for the development of the situation."
