"Your Majesty, I am all responsible for the failure of the relief effort this time. I ask the Emperor to punish you." The three people said in a deep voice.
Seeing the three cabinet ministers kneeling down to plead guilty, other officials immediately knelt down one after another. A large group of officials knelt on the snow. They all shouted: "Please punish me. I am guilty. I am willing to accept the punishment."
Punishment.”
Zhang Mao and Xu Guangzuo sneered on their faces, their eyes full of disdain. Zhang Yanling also sneered in her heart. This group of people was obviously going to play the trick of not blaming the public and using group coercion. This was the specialty of the Ming Dynasty civil servants. A group of self-righteous people
These guys, relying on Emperor Hongzhi's modesty and respect for them, started to engage in this coercive trick. It's really shameless.
Zhu Youtang frowned and looked at the people in front of him. He was indeed hesitant. Of course he did not want to punish others. People like Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and others were the mainstays of the imperial court. Although it was annoying for them to do this, they were the central government after all.
Important minister, it seems that I should give them this face.
Facing the situation of the ministers kneeling on the ground, Zhu Youtang was a little shaken. His eyes wandered and fell on Zhang Yanling's face. Zhang Yanling's expression was quite playful. He looked at himself with a trace of pity in his eyes. Although
In just such a short moment, Zhang Yanling's eyes turned respectful, but Zhu Youtang's heart was greatly stung.
Zhang Yanling felt sorry for himself. He could see that he was coerced by the actions of the officials. He could see his struggle and hesitation. Officials want face, but I don’t want face anymore? I can’t even punish a derelict official.
Do you want to look at the eyes of the outer court? I am the emperor, I just respect them, but it does not mean that I will be coerced by them.
Zhu Youtang was a decisive person. After he first ascended the throne, he used thunderous methods to eliminate some Taoist priests and other people who were causing trouble to the country, and purified the court atmosphere. He also dismissed the three former cabinet ministers who had been serving as vegetarians.
Ge Lao, six ministers, punished traitors such as the eunuch Liang Fang, the minister Li Zisheng, and Concubine Wan Guifei's brother Wan Xi. His methods were not unscrupulous.
He is not a person who can be coerced. Once he feels that his authority and face are being slighted, he will use absolutely no means.
"Cabinet Liu Jian, Xie Qian, Li Dongyang..." Zhu Youtang spoke in a deep voice.
Everything around him became quiet, even the sound of the wind seemed to have stopped, and everyone listened attentively to Zhu Youtang's next words.
"...If he is responsible, all of them will be fined three months' salary...Zeng Jian, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was fined for half a year for failing to coordinate the relief efforts, and he wrote a letter of self-examination. The imperial censors Shi Daishan and Shi Lin were fined one month for their failure to supervise. The others will not be punished."
It's just self-examination when it comes to his momentum. The Minister of Household Affairs has neglected his duties and failed to provide relief, which has caused a bad impact. Considering his years of hard work, I can't bear to punish him more and allow him to retire as an official today." Zhu Youtang's firm voice reached everyone's ears.
, the voice is as cold as ice and snow, leaving no room for doubt.
"Your Majesty!" Liu Jian shouted.
"My decision has been made, Liu Shoufu cannot say anything more." Zhu Youtang interrupted in a deep voice.
Liu Jian frowned and pondered for a moment, and finally said softly: "My lord, I obey the order."
"I am waiting! I obey the order!" Li Dongyang and Xie Qian also said in a deep voice.
"My lord, I obey the order!" Others also said in a deep voice.
Zhong Zhong's whole body felt cold, and he knew that he had been completely abandoned. In the face of the emperor's strength, Liu Jian and the others could not save him. To retire from office would be to be dismissed from office. Everything he had struggled for most of his life would be in vain from today on.
. He kowtowed slowly, buried his forehead in the cold snow, and said in a deep voice: "Old minister, I thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhu Youtang breathed a sigh of relief. He did not glance at Zhong Zhong, but said in a deep voice: "Where is Han Wen, the Minister of Household Affairs?"
"I'm here," Han Wen said quickly.
"From now on, you will act as the agent of the Ministry of Household Affairs and take over the relief work in an all-round way to ensure that all the victims are properly resettled and no more people will freeze to death. Here, the relief work will be properly handed over to the Marquis of Jianchang. Ask for advice humbly and work carefully. You must do
It’s just as good as the previous one. Do you understand?”
"Your Majesty, I obey the order!" Han Wen said loudly, trying his best to conceal the excitement in his heart. The day has finally arrived.
Han Wen has been an official for many years and is also a veteran of the DPRK. He recently resigned from the post of Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing and returned to Beijing. He was appointed as Zuo Shilang in the Ministry of Household Affairs. Unexpectedly, in just a few months, the opportunity came. To act as an agent in the Ministry of Household Affairs, that is
He was about to be promoted to the position of Minister of Household Affairs, which was a day he dreamed about day and night.
Liu Jian and others also breathed a sigh of relief. Although the Zhongzhong was over and the outer court lost its face, fortunately, the Minister of Household Affairs gave it to Han Wen. Han Wen was a pioneer who firmly advocated the civil servant group to dominate the government, and the power structure of the outer court did not
It's good to be broken. What's most scary is that if the emperor appoints a person who doesn't agree with him, he will have to fight for his reasons and resolutely oppose it no matter what.
Zhu Youtang nodded, scanned the audience, walked slowly to Queen Zhang, reached out and grabbed Queen Zhang's hand, and said softly: "Queen, let's get in the car and go back to the palace."
Queen Zhang smiled and said: "Okay."
When Zhu Youtang joined hands with Queen Zhang to board the carriage, the high-pitched voice of the Han general of the Imperial Guard rang out: "The emperor and the queen are driving back to the palace!"
Everyone knelt on the ground, shouted long live, and respectfully sent Luan Jia off. The officials got up and followed him, and slowly entered the city.
After the Holy Spirit entered the city, Zhang Mao and Xu Guangzuo also wanted to get in the car and leave. Before leaving, Xu Guangzuo waved to Zhang Yanling and whispered: "I will come to my house for wine in two days. I have a jar of aged bamboo leaf green and I plan to drink it. I must drink it.
Come."
Zhang Yanling smiled and agreed, and Xu Guangzuo lowered the car curtain and left with satisfaction.
The emperor and queen left, the civil and military ministers left, the princes and princes also left. The people also dispersed. Everything became quiet.
Han Wen, the Minister of Household Affairs, stayed, and he wanted to hand over the relief affairs to Zhang Yanling. Of course, Zhang Yanling actively cooperated. From now on, he can safely hand over the relief affairs to the court. Because no one will neglect this matter anymore, and Zhang Yanling's
The purpose was also achieved.
When everything was handed over and the personnel from the Ministry of Revenue took over the camp, Zhang Yanling, Axiu Yuancheng, Huang Si and others were leaving. The people didn't know where they got the news, so they gathered one after another to see him off.
This Zhang Houye came to help them and saved them in times of crisis. To these victims, Zhang Yanling was truly a great benefactor.
When they arrived at the entrance to the city gate drawbridge, the city gate defenders stopped the people who were seeing them off.
Zhang Yanling turned the horse's head, waved his hand and said with a smile: "Fellow folks, please go back, and don't leave here. You don't have to worry, the emperor has issued an order to provide relief to the victims with all his strength, and you will not be allowed to freeze or starve again. It will snow in a few days.
After you are healed, you can return home. Let's say goodbye. I hope I won't see you in the capital again suffering from another disaster next time. I wish God good weather and wish you all a happy life."
All the people knelt down one after another, some wiped away tears, and some thanked him repeatedly.
"We will always remember Mr. Zhang's great kindness and kindness. God bless a good man like Mr. Zhang to be rich and happy in his life."
"Mr. Zhang is the savior of the people like us, and we will never forget him. With people like Mr. Zhang in the court, the people like us will have a way to survive. I hope everything goes well for Mr. Zhang."
This situation is really touching. Zhang Yanling was also quite moved. Although his motives at the beginning were not pure, at this moment, Zhang Yanling truly felt how much the love of the people means to an individual.
satisfy.
Zhang Yanling repeatedly held up his hands, waved goodbye, finally turned around, urged his horse, and drove off with his whip raised.