As we all know, Fang Xuanling is Li Shimin’s backbone supporter.
But now, Fang Xuanling actually stood up to oppose it, which really shocked the ministers present.
"Fang Aiqing, do you mean to oppose the agreement between me and Fang Shilang?"
Li Shimin pretended to be indifferent.
He couldn't believe that Fang Xuanling would refute him.
Fang Xuanling has always supported herself and almost never refuted her in the court.
Nowadays, he actually refutes himself in front of the ministers. This is not a good signal, and it will make some ministers have their own thoughts.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I believe that the position of the six ministers should be those with high moral character and high prestige."
"He doesn't need to be very talented, as long as he has enough prestige to be able to manage the development of this film."
Fang Xuanling said slowly.
In these years, Fang Yuan has risen too fast.
Except for completing the normal time when he was the county magistrate, the rest were promoted quickly.
The promotion is okay, but the path taken is cross-level promotion, which is also not a normal promotion.
This form of promotion is completely confusing the rules of the officialdom. How much harm will it cause to the officialdom in the future?
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
Some ministers stood up and supported Fang Xuanling's rebuttal.
Cui Zhentang listened and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
With such respected ministers as Fang Xuanling standing up, Fang Yuan would most likely not have a chance.
Li Shimin's face was a bit ugly. He looked at Fang Xuanling and then looked at the ministers present.
He can still refute, but as an emperor, he can't always speak for Fang Yuan. He also needs ministers to speak for Fang Yuan.
"Your Majesty, Wei Chen's words are slight, but as the supervisory censor, Wei Chen has something to say!"
Suddenly, there was a sound.
Ma Zhou walked out of the last corner.
"Speak!"
Li Shimin's eyes lit up and he asked Ma Zhou to speak.
He remembered Ma Zhou as a man who was eloquent and capable.
During the period when he was appointed as the supervisory censor, he did a very good job and did not form cliques with anyone.
The ministers looked at Ma Zhou one after another. They were quite unfamiliar with Ma Zhou and did not know that there was such a person in the court.
"Wei Chen thinks that what the Prime Minister said is correct and incorrect."
Ma Zhou said loudly.
After the words fell, the officials were in an uproar.
This is the first person who dares to say that Fang Xuanling is wrong in front of the court.
Fang Xuanling raised her eyebrows, but she was not dissatisfied. Instead, she looked at Ma Zhou, waiting for Ma Zhou's explanation.
"That's right: high moral standing is very important and can suppress many people."
"What's wrong is: being virtuous and distinguished is related to living a long time. The longer you live, the more virtuous and distinguished you are. But you don't know that being old and not dying is a thief. The elderly often lack vitality and innovation. If there are too many virtuous and distinguished people in a place,
People who are like this are the historical regression of that place!"
Ma Zhou spoke sharply.
The officials at the scene suddenly lost their composure after hearing this.
"Presumptuous!"
"Who are you shadowing?"
"Your Majesty, please punish Ma Zhou for his rampant crimes!"
Some elderly ministers stood up and accused Ma Zhou.
Li Shimin frowned, feeling that what Ma Zhou said was a bit excessive.
But Ma Zhou ignored his colleagues who stood up to rebut, and continued to speak louder.
"To offend people, Tang Jiande, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is highly respected, but everyone knows his abilities, and he is too lazy to go to the Ministry of Revenue only every ten days."
"With people from such a noble family holding great power, if the Household Department were not supported by two ministers, the Household Department would become a decadent institution, and it would be difficult to pay everyone present a monthly salary!"
"Furthermore, it was fifteen years after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, thirty-seven years after the Sui Dynasty, and going back further, when did the Ministry of Household Affairs earn tens of thousands of gold per day like it does today, with more than three million in just over ten days?
”
"If the Ministry of Household Affairs is rich, our monthly salary can be higher, and our year-end bonus can be more generous. Whether to choose a highly respected person to take charge or to choose a talented person to take control, I am afraid you can think about it with your toes."
Ma Zhou’s voice was sonorous and powerful.
At the end of the sentence, I almost felt like I was shouting, with spit flying and my face turning red.
The scene was deathly silent. He looked at Ma Zhou like a monster. He never expected that Ma Zhou would dare to say such sharp words in the court.
Not only did he point out Tang Jian's laziness on the spot, but he also refuted Fang Xuanling's opinion of being highly virtuous and respected. He also said that everyone present could think clearly with their toes.
So, if you don’t think clearly and don’t agree with Ma Zhou, does that mean your IQ is not as good as your toes?
For a while, no one spoke.
Fang Yuan was also shocked and subconsciously gave Ma Zhou a thumbs up.
But he is also worried that Ma Zhou will be targeted by Tang Jian. After all, Tang Jian is already blushing with anger.
"Your Majesty, Ma Zhou slandered me, please make the decision for me!"
Tang Jian stood up and said angrily.
Having his background exposed in public, he lost all face.
I was still able to be a successful official, but after being screwed up like this, I was left hanging.
Li Shimin did not speak, and the ministers present did not echo Tang Jian.
Ma Zhou's sharp words have made everyone afraid, and they don't want to get into trouble for the time being.
"Tang Shangshu, why did my subordinates slander you?"
"The lower official is the supervisory censor. He has the power to supervise all officials, and he can also hear and report things!"
"Moreover, do you really not know whether what the official said is true or false, or do you not know whether it is false?"
Ma Zhou didn't have the slightest fear and snorted coldly.
"You, you, you are arrogant!"
"Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly and give me justice!"
Tang Jian was so angry that he pointed at Ma Zhou and was speechless.
He was so angry that he forgot for a moment that Ma Zhou was the supervisory censor and had special privileges.
Then I understood that it was useless to argue with Ma Zhou. Only Li Shimin could give him dignity.
"Okay, let's stop this matter for now. I will let people investigate it after I leave the court."
"Let's go back to the agreement between me and Fang Yuan. The conclusion hasn't come out yet."
Li Shimin waved his hand and let the matter go.
He knew Tang Jian's situation and didn't want Tang Jian to be too embarrassed.
I have worked hard for the country for half my life, and I have to be dignified when I retire.
"Your Majesty, I believe that high moral character and high prestige are important, but ability is equally important."
"A place, an institution, or a department cannot be promoted or demoted based solely on virtue and prestige. Capacity is also very important."
"I would like to ask all the ministers present, who can fill the national treasury with more than three million yuan in just half a month, who is the best minister in Shefang?"
Ma Zhou said loudly.
The sound was so loud that it echoed in the Tai Chi Hall.
The expressions of the ministers changed again and again, and finally they all looked at Fang Xuanling and Cui Zhentang.
After all, Fang Xuanling and Cui Zhentang are the protagonists of the incident.
"Your Majesty, roar in the court and fight with ten sticks!"
Cui Zhentang looked ugly and said in a deep voice.
When everyone heard this, they were all stunned and looked strange.
Indeed, there is such a law that those who roar in court will be beaten with ten sticks.
But when Cui Zhentang said this, why did he feel like he couldn't afford it?
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
Fang Xuanling said expressionlessly.
This time, the expressions of the ministers became even more exciting.
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
Tang Jian also stood up and said loudly.
"Take them down and fight with ten sticks!"
Li Shimin thought for a while and finally said in a deep voice.
Ma Zhou's expression remained the same, he accepted it calmly, and followed the imperial soldiers out.
Soon, the muffled sound of sticks was heard outside, and it rang ten times.
But Ma Zhou didn’t cry out in pain even once.
Ma Zhou came back again, and more people were watching him.
"Continue the discussion!"
Li Shimin said calmly.
"Your Majesty, I still feel that ability is more important than virtue, and I support the agreement between Your Majesty and Shilang Fang!"
Ma Zhou was the first to respond, but his voice was still loud.
"Your Majesty, I would like to correct what I just said."
"I feel that having high moral character and high prestige is important, as is ability. When selecting officials, it would be best to have high moral character and high prestige while also taking into account ability."
"In addition, I did not deny Shilang Fang's ability. I just opposed the agreement between His Majesty and Shilang Fang. I feel that there are rules for promotion in officialdom, not a betting method like Your Majesty."
Fang Xuanling stood up again and said loudly.
He did not want official promotion to become an agreement between the emperor and his ministers.
It's like a bet, making the court a mess and affecting future generations.
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
"We in China have had a complete path to promotion for thousands of years."
"This method, which is like a bet, not only denies the contribution of the ancestors, but may also greatly affect future generations."
Cui Zhentang stood up and seconded the opinion.
After Ma Zhou's sharp words, it was meaningless to refute Fang Yuan alone.
Then we should start from the perspective of the overall situation, saying that this approach is not advisable and is not good for the predecessors and future generations.
"Not bad!"
"This kind of agreement is like a bet, how can it be brought into the solemn and sacred court."
Tang Jian supported.
Li Shimin listened, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
He took the initiative to negotiate the agreement with Fang Yuan, not Fang Yuan who approached him.
Listening to the objections of Fang Xuanling and others, Li Shimin felt as if he was being accused by them, which was very uncomfortable.
As the three people came forward one after another, many ministers also stood up to oppose and support Fang Xuanling's statement.
Li Shimin looked at it and his face became even more ugly.
Fang Yuan's face was equally unsightly, his brows furrowed from time to time as he thought about countermeasures.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say!"
Suddenly, someone from the front row of ministers stood up.
When the ministers saw the people who stood up, they all became uneasy.
Because he is Wei Zheng!
Everything he targets will rarely end well.
Among all the ministers, if there is anyone who is least likely to be trifled with, it is Wei Zheng, who will show no mercy when he sprays people with insults.
"Speak."
Li Shimin’s face turned dark.
Be prepared to be scolded by Wei Zheng on the spot.
But Li Shimin also felt strange, why did Wei Zheng say he had something to say instead of opposing or supporting?
"The first point I want to make is: Tang Jian, the Minister of Household Affairs, is highly virtuous and highly respected, but he is also known to be lazy and inactive. It can be seen that it is not enough to select officials solely based on their high moral character."
Wei Zheng said loudly.
The voice is full of energy and sonorous.
Tang Jian on the side listened, his old face once again lost his temper.
It’s so embarrassing to be publicly accused once again of being lazy and not doing anything.
If this continues, I'm afraid Zhishi will really lose his dignity.
"The second point I would like to make is: Ma Zhou, the supervisory censor, has outstanding abilities, but he is of low position and speaks lightly. It has nothing to do with high moral standing and high prestige. He does not know the etiquette and roars in court. It can be seen that promotion based on talent alone is not enough." Wei Zheng spoke again.
Accusing Ma Zhou of being disrespectful.
Ma Zhou's face changed after hearing this, and he did not dare to refute.
"The third point I want to make is: I wanted to complain about what the Prime Minister said the first time, but I couldn't agree with what he said later about his high moral standing and ability."
"But there is one thing I want to say about the Prime Minister. The agreement between His Majesty and the Minister of Household Affairs Fang Yuan is not a bet, but a very common appointment and removal mechanism."
"It's just like His Majesty usually says to our ministers, if you go and help me complete this matter, I will promote you and give you rewards. It's the same reason. Don't change your mind secretly, Prime Minister!"
Wei Zheng continued to speak.
From blaming Tang Jian and Ma Zhou to Fang Xuanling.
Everyone listened, stunned for a moment, and couldn't help but admire him.
As expected of Wei Zheng, after spraying this and that, he can tell everyone he is wrong.
Li Shimin even blinked, unable to believe that Wei Zheng was speaking for him.
"Wei Zheng, don't accuse me wrongly. I never thought about changing my concept!"
Fang Xuanling pursed her lips, feeling that she had been wronged.
He just said that the agreement between His Majesty and Fang Yuan was similar to a bet.
It was Cui Zhentang and Tang Jian who came later who imposed definitions on his words, making it sound like a bet.
"Do I deserve to have wronged you?"
"Shilang Fang is the Minister of Hubu and is qualified to be promoted to Minister of Hubu."
"At this time, His Majesty told Mr. Fang that if you do this well, I will promote you. It is a normal method of appointment and dismissal. But you said it is like a bet. Isn't this a sneaky change of concept?"
Wei Zheng said with a cold snort.
I haven't said that you deliberately misrepresented His Majesty's meaning.
"Wei Chen seconded the proposal!"
"Wei Chen even felt that the Prime Minister deliberately misrepresented His Majesty's meaning."
Regardless of the risk of being punished, Ma Zhou interjected.
Wei Zheng was originally very dissatisfied with Ma Zhou's sudden interruption.
But I didn't expect that I actually expressed my feelings, which was a big surprise.
"Your Majesty, I don't have one!"
"I was just talking about the similarity, I didn't change the concept, and I didn't deliberately distort it!"
Fang Xuanling felt innocent and speechless towards Wei Zheng and Ma Zhou.
But Wei Zheng understands that it doesn’t make sense for him to be so stubborn.
So I could only explain the situation to Li Shimin to avoid misunderstanding.
"I understand what you mean and I won't blame you for this."
"Does anyone else have any objections to the agreement between me and Fang Yuan?"
Li Shimin waved his hand and did not hold Fang Xuanling accountable.
Fang Xuanling itself has no responsibility, and Li Shimin also hopes that Fang Xuanling will stop objecting.
Sure enough, after hearing what Li Shimin said, Fang Xuanling opened her mouth, but did not object again.
The ministers looked at each other in disbelief. After receiving sharp words from Ma Zhou and Wei Zheng, their opposition became much less intense.
And what Ma Zhou said just now is very good, that is, if people like Fang Yuan fill up the treasury, they can not only have a higher monthly salary, but also have a thicker year-end bonus.
Now, only Cui Zhentang and officials from the Qiwang family with the fifth surname are left who are not calm.
"Your Majesty, I have an opinion!"
"You and Fang Shilang agreed to ignore Tang Shangshu's recommendation, which is very unfair to me."
"You are biased, unfair, and not beneficial to the unity of officials. It will cause officials to only know how to please their superiors and ignore their normal work."
Cui Zhentang said in a deep voice.
Directly point out Li Shimin's partiality and unfairness.
As the ministers listened, their expressions changed.