Chapter 285 Liu Zhi: A villain has no friends, but a gentleman does!
Therefore, the two palaces issued an edict, ordering the Censor Zhongcheng Li Chang and others to lead the officials of the Censor Platform to the throne.
When the edict came to the Yushitai, Li Chang was still a little stunned.
I even felt that I heard it wrong: "All in attendance?"
After he repeatedly confirmed the text of the edict, he immediately summoned all the censors and admonishers in the entire censorship station.
Twenty or thirty censors and admonishers put on their official uniforms, put on Xie Zhi crowns, took their imperial huts, and set off from the censor's platform.
It immediately attracted the attention of the entire Bianjing city.
The Yushitai came out in full force, this is no small matter!
So, everyone started to get curious.
"Isn't today the day to listen to the government?"
"Could it be that something big happened?"
Countless gossipy hearts began to beat.
In this cold and boring winter, only gossip can make the people of Bianjing City feel a little bit more energetic.
…
When Li Chang led the censors from the Censorship Station, the admonishing officials entered the Chui Gong Hall in a hurry.
Looking at the prime ministers standing in the palace, everyone's eyelids jumped, including Li Chang.
Because they keenly discovered that the prime ministers in the Chui Gong Hall were not only the four prime ministers from the East Palace, but also two from the West Palace!
Not only that!
Deng Runfu, a Hanlin bachelor, and Fan Chunren, a Hanlin bachelor from the Academy of Sciences, also appeared in the hall.
what's going on?
Why is the formation so big?
Everyone felt a little nervous. Li Chang could only lead the censors to walk behind Zaizhi and bow to him with a phoenix in his hand: "I am the censor, Cheng Chang, and I have been ordered to lead all the censors and admonishers in the capital. I will bow to you two more times."
Gong Cisheng, His Majesty the Emperor, I wish both Gong Cisheng and His Majesty the Emperor long blessings!"
Zhao Yanruo, the Zhijianyuan, also followed and bowed twice.
The other censors and admonishers automatically divided into two teams and bowed with their hands in hand.
"Li Zhongcheng, Zhao Jianyuan..." the voice of the Empress Dowager came from the curtain.
"I'm here!" Li Chang and Zhao Yanruo quickly answered with their hands in hand, and then Li Chang asked: "I don't know why the compassionate sages and ministers came to the palace?"
"I, the Empress Dowager, and other officials have invited you to enter the palace to bear witness!" The Empress Dowager said, "I also have all the ministers in the capital hall to witness this time..."
"And two maesters!"
What does it take to witness the need to summon the two governors, the Hanlin bachelors from the Academy of Sciences, and the censors and admonishers from the entire Yushitai?
Li Chang didn't understand.
Just listen to the Empress Dowager saying: "I am the Queen Mother and the officials. I want to hear the explanations of the two censors..."
Li Chang swallowed, Censor? Explain?
He was a little flustered.
These days, he has been doing nothing at Yushitai.
"Dare I ask Ci Sheng? I want to ask those two censors?"
"Liu Zhi, the censor of the palace, and Wang Yansou, the censor of the palace!" The Empress Dowager's tone was devoid of warmth, cold and hair-raising.
When Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou heard this, they were both clever.
They had no idea why the Empress Dowager called their names in such a cold tone.
And the battle is so big!
What mistake did they make?
Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou couldn't understand it at all!
However, they still followed the rules obediently and came to the palace with their imperial huts in hand and said: "The imperial minister in the palace, Shi Chenzhi..."
"Supervise the censor Yansou..."
"I respectfully send my regards to the two benevolent sages of the two palaces. May your majesty, the emperor, bow down to you and be blessed!"
"Huh!" The Queen Mother snorted coldly, as if she was already impatient even listening to the two of them talking.
Queen Mother Xiang remained silent.
Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou could only bow again and say the holy bow and blessings again.
At this time, the emperor, who was sitting upright, finally spoke.
"Your Majesty, please get up and explain it carefully in front of me, my mother-in-law, my queen mother, and all my ministers and beloved ministers..."
"Those bullets that have been posted recently!"
Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou looked at each other.
Bullets?
We are censors, and it is our duty to load bullets. Is there anything wrong?
The two first denied this possibility.
They are all old officials.
They still had some confidence in the writing. They were sure and certain that their bullets did not violate any of the taboos of the late emperor, empress, and ancestors of the two palaces.
It seems that he didn't say anything special.
So Liu Zhi first bowed and said: "I am stupid, please make it clear to your majesty!"
Wang Yansou also followed suit and said, "I second your proposal!"
"Haha!" The Queen Mother in the curtain looked at the unrepentant expressions of the two ministers and immediately laughed angrily.
Queen Mother Xiang quickly patted the Queen Mother on the back.
Zhao Xu listened to the movement in the curtain and said: "The sage said: Sin without teaching is cruelty!"
"Let's first distribute the two censors' bullets to all the censors and admonishers..."
Therefore, several internal ministers immediately distributed the copies copied during the period when the Yushitai ministers entered the palace.
The memorials of Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou fell into the hands of the censors at the Censorship Station.
Especially in the hands of the censors of the New Party.
These censors immediately put into use the word-picking and censoring skills they had honed in the Yuanfeng era, screening word by word and picking out mistakes.
Then, they all showed a fierce look.
When it comes to playing with words, the censors of the Yuanfeng era can be called the best in the Song Dynasty!
These people got memorials from Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou.
Don't say that these two people have big problems.
Even if there is no problem, they can still create problems.
So, everyone was gearing up and eager to try.
The crows at Yushitai are not only capable of biting others.
When biting the censor, it was equally powerful.
This is talent!
Killer instinct too!
Then, a pair of eyes looked at Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou with evil intentions.
But the censors and admonishers of the old party lamented in their hearts: "What a disaster!"
From the perspective of bystanders, they naturally saw the problems of Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou.
However, they didn't know the inside story yet, they just thought that Wang Yansou's words had angered the officials and the Queen Mother.
Immediately the idea came up to cut off Wang Yansou and save Liu Zhi as much as possible.
In their opinion, Liu Zhi's problem is actually not that big.
It's just an overstep of authority and a violation of the order. If you run it properly, maybe it can be washed away as a mistake.
This may only require fines of copper and additional grinding and surveying, but it will not be possible to send the provinces and counties to other places.
As for Wang Yansou, there was no hope.
The officials will not let him off easily.
Just as these people were thinking, the Empress Dowager inside the curtain had already spoken.
"Liu Zhi, Wang Yansou, have you two finished reading?"
Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou paid their respects: "I have finished reading it!"
"Is there anyone who wants to tell the difference?" asked the Empress Dowager.
Liu Zhi held the imperial hut and bowed to him: "I am the censor, and there are no taboos in what the censor says... So I don't know what my crime is?"
Wang Yansou also followed suit and said: "Although I am the supervisory censor, I am not allowed to overstep my authority and comment on the government affairs according to the regulations. However, I believe that everyone in the world can have a say in the affairs of the world... There is no distinction between censor and admonishment officer..."
It is naturally impossible for the two of them to admit their mistakes.
Because this is not only their duty as censors, but also the foundation for their livelihood.
Censor, if you admit your mistake.
That means there is a stain, and once there is a stain, there is no possibility of recovery.
On the contrary, if you resist hard.
Even if you are demoted today, you can still have a good reputation in the public opinion of the government and the public.
If anything changes in the future, you can return to the court at any time.
The Queen Mother listened and sneered angrily.
The Queen Mother let out a long breath.
Zhao Xu paid attention to the changes inside the curtain and made the 'reaction' he should have in a timely manner.
He immediately pretended to be angry, patted the throne's mattress, and almost stood up, but he seemed to consider sitting in front of him because he was in the palace.
The Empress Dowager in the curtain laughed at this moment and said: "So, the two censors admitted to ending the party?"
Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou suddenly raised their heads.
Form a party?!
Both of them?
I wanted to open my mouth to retort, but the words were stuck in my throat and I couldn't say them out at all.
Because the New Party censors at the Censorship Station have been talking about it a lot.
And they dare not refute.
Because there are countless personal and material evidences that can prove that they often communicated with each other.
These things may be nothing in normal times.
It's just communication between colleagues.
But when the Empress Dowager slapped the label of clique on her head, those things that were usually insignificant immediately became irrefutable evidence!
If they dare to deny it, they will immediately be charged with bullying the emperor.
Then no one can save them!
Liu Zhi had no choice but to follow the old wisdom of his predecessors and hurriedly bowed to him: "I know the compassionate sage...I heard that Ouyang Wenzhonggong once said: A villain has no friends, but a gentleman does..."
"The minister and the supervisory censor Yansou... are truly gentlemen's friends, and are not involved in the slightest personal gain... Fu Qi, a compassionate sage, will see clearly!"
Of course he knew what the consequences of saying this would be? It confirmed that he and Wang Yansou were forming a party.
But he had no choice.
Because he could not explain that he and Wang Yansou had close personal contacts and did not shy away from others even in Yushitai.
Instead of being labeled as a party member by the New Party members and relegated from the court.
It is better to take the initiative to bind with the Qingli gentlemen.
In this way, even if they are demoted, they can still tell others - We were killed by the villains of the New Party, just like the gentlemen of Qingli!
The gentlemen of Qingli later became the Optimus Primes of the Song Dynasty!
Duke Fan Wenzheng, Duke Wei of Han, Duke Fu Han and Grand Master Wen Lu who are currently in the court...
They were all Qingli gentlemen back then!
Liu Zhi's voluntary admission made the Empress Dowager inside the curtain choke for a moment, and then became furious, without any regard for decency: "How dare you use the words of Ouyang Wen Zhonggong and compare yourself to Qingli, a gentleman?"
Qingli gentleman!
That was the role model that the Empress Dowager admired and longed for when she was growing up.
Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, Han Qi, Wen Yanbo, Ouyang Xiu...
Which one is not a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty? Which one is not a pillar of the country who cares about the country and the people?
Now, this shameless villain dares to compare himself with Qingli gentleman?
The anger of the Empress Dowager is naturally conceivable.
Her reaction at this moment was probably similar to that of a modern star-chasing girl who discovers an 18th-level tax evader.
The volcano was completely ignited!
But Liu Zhi still knew nothing. He choked his neck and bowed: "I behave upright and sit upright. Although I dare not compare with the Qingli princes, I am willing to take the Qingli gentleman as a role model!"
The Queen Mother was furious at his shameless words.
"Since you compare yourself to a gentleman in Qingli..."
"I would like to ask you, Mr. Qingli, have you ever used words to peer into the palace and test the Sacred Heart?"
"Has the Qingli gentleman ever regarded the Emperor as a child?"
"Master Wen is in Bianjing now!"
"If you don't believe it, I can invite the Grand Master here and ask the Grand Master to question you personally!"
Liu Zhi was completely stunned when he listened to the government. He had no idea how the Empress Dowager could understand his bullets like this!
