On the early morning of the 10th day of March, the spring cold was approaching. At the hour of the hour, the court bell rang. The civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty who had been waiting for a long time entered the palace one after another and arrived at the square outside Fengtian Palace. They filed into the palace along the high steps to pay their respects.
Today is an eye-catching day, because this court meeting will discuss the report of Li Mengyang, the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs. The emperor was silent for three days without giving any response to the report on the sixth day of March. Just when the ministers in the outer court were planning to go to the meeting again
When Zhezi urged the emperor to respond, the emperor issued a decree to discuss the matter in court.
The officials in the outer court were bound to win, because they believed that the emperor had no reason not to punish the daring behavior of Liu Jin and others in the inner court and the reckless behavior of the Zhang brothers, Marquis Jianchang of Shouning. As long as they succeeded this time, not only could the disharmonious forces in the inner court be eliminated, but also the discordant forces in the inner court could be eliminated.
You can knock the mountain to shake the tiger, beat the Xungui Group hard, let them understand that the outer court can now liquidate the arrogant Zhang brothers, and can also take action against anyone in the Xungui Group.
After Liu Jin and others around the emperor in the inner court were eliminated, the people around the emperor were all controllable people. Similarly, the Xungui Group is splitting up, and the liquidation of the Zhang brothers can also greatly speed up the process.
No matter which aspect you look at it, today's meeting will be a significant turning point for the entire Ming Dynasty political situation.
Not only the officials in the outer court paid great attention to this court meeting, but the inner court and the nobles also paid great attention to today's court meeting. After Li Mengyang's memorial was presented, it soon shocked the government and the public. The nobles responded quickly, and the British Duke Zhang Mao made an appointment that night.
Xu
Guang Zuo discussed the matter. After some deliberations, the two of them unanimously decided that the Xungui Group would not take action in this matter. Even if Zhang Yanling is the son-in-law of Dingguo Gongfu, he cannot easily come forward to speak for them.
Avoid being dragged into this matter.
No one knows how far this matter will develop. The matter mentioned in Li Mengyang's memorial that Zhang Heling had associates with bandits is too serious. If there is conclusive evidence, it is a serious crime. The Xungui Group must not get involved in these matters.
, that will directly provide the outer court with excuses and grounds for criticism.
At the beginning of the hour, there were already a lot of people in the main hall. Led by three cabinet ministers, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, there were Ma Wensheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Han Wen, the Minister of the Ministry of Hubu, Zhang Sheng, the Minister of Rites, and Liu Da, the Minister of the Ministry of War.
Xia, Min Gui, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Dai Shan, the censor of the left capital, Shi Lin, the censor of the right capital, Tu Xun and other big figures from the outer court were all present. Except for Zeng Jianshang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, who was supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum, no one else
One is absent.
Many princes and princes who rarely attend court meetings came today. In addition to the British Duke Zhang Mao, the Baoguo Duke Zhu Hui, and the Ding Duke Xu Guangzuo, there were also seven or eight tuanying princes and several princes.
My young father-in-law also came.
Compared with the excitement and arrogance of the civil servants in the outer court, the atmosphere among the nobles was much duller. The three princes were expressionless, and the young prince and the marquis also frowned. Although they had no intention of helping Zhang
Brothers, but they are members of the Xun family after all. If the Zhang family brothers are punished today, although it may not implicate other people, after all, as members of the Xun family, they will feel shameless.
"The Emperor has arrived!" A loud shout resounded through the hall. The chaotic noise in the hall suddenly became quiet.
At the entrance of the side hall, Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, come to the hall!"
In the past, the emperor's personal attendants such as Liu Jin or Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng were the ones who came to the palace to announce their orders. Today, it was Wang Yue, the chief minister of etiquette. This detail was quickly caught. This may mean that Liu Jin and others have been abandoned by the emperor.
.This seems to indicate the outcome of today’s court discussion.
A group of Han generals and internal officials filed in, and surrounded one person into the palace. The man was thin and pale, with a look of childishness and panic on his face. He was none other than the current emperor Zhu Houzhao.
"Long live my emperor!" The civil and military officials all knelt down and shouted in unison.
Zhu Houzhao walked up to the throne and sat down, with a look of exhaustion on his thin and pale face.
"All the ministers are exempt from courtesy." Zhu Houzhao said softly.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone thanked and stood up one after another.
Zhu Houzhao covered his mouth and seemed to be yawning. He glanced at His Highness and his ministers and saw the hundreds of eyes and serious faces looking at him. He felt a little panicked.
"My lords, today I am going to have a special meeting to discuss something that Li Mengyang, the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, will discuss. I will not get involved in other matters for now. You should be aware of this."
"I understand!" the civil and military officials said one after another.
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "That's good. Li Mengyang's excerpt... I have already read it. The things in this excerpt... I don't know what you think. Who can tell me first?"
Liu Jian stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "I am going to report to the Emperor. The words in the memorial of Li Mengyang, the head of the Household Department, are extremely pertinent and urgent, and all the things he said hit the point. The veteran believes that the Emperor should pay attention to what he has mentioned.
, to eliminate the bad government one by one. The lawless people involved in the memorial should be severely punished without mercy, as a warning to others, and should not be tolerated. We will start from today on the evils of the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty."
Li Dongyang stepped forward and bowed in agreement: "Your Majesty, what Mr. Liu said is absolutely true. The Emperor should take this as an opportunity to make up his mind to eradicate the bad government. The ministers should fully assist the Emperor, eradicate the bad government of the Ming Dynasty, and punish the lawbreakers in the court. Your Majesty
Eliminating evil and restoring a clean and bright atmosphere in both the court and the public during the Ming Dynasty is a contribution to the country and a blessing to the people of the world."
"What the two gentlemen said is true, and I agree with you."
"I second the proposal!"
"I also second the proposal!"
The civil servants all agreed. Zhu Houzhao frowned and looked at Liu Jianda: "What do you want me to do?"
Liu Jian said in a deep voice: "If the emperor agrees to report Li Mengyang's proposal, he should first punish the people involved in the report. The internal servants Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and others are acting illegally, blatantly soliciting bribes, interfering with courtiers' visits to the emperor, and committing dereliction of duty and deceiving the emperor. Foreign relative Zhang
clan
Brothers, you have taken advantage of others, acted unscrupulously, and bullied men and women. You have also kept bandits as slaves, which is suspected of collusion. The emperor should punish him today to show his determination to eliminate the evil. All the people in the world will celebrate with their foreheads and praise the emperor for his wisdom and courage."
Zhu Houzhao nodded, waved his hand and said: "Okay, let's do this first. Wang Yue, please tell them to come to the palace."
Liu Jian and others looked happy, it seemed everything went well today.
"Xuan Shouning Marquis Zhang Heling, Jianchang Marquis Zhang Yanling, Qianqing Palace eunuch Liu Jin, Zhang Yong, Mayong Chenggu Dayong... are waiting to see you!" Wang Yue stood in front of the throne and shouted loudly.
Everyone's eyes turned to the entrance of the hall, and figures swayed between them. Zhang Heling, a bloated man with an earthy face, staggered over. Behind him were the expressionless Zhang Yanling, Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and other eunuchs from the Qianqing Palace.
The civil servants looked at these people with mocking smiles and contempt in their eyes. Some of the nobles on the other side frowned and had solemn expressions. Some looked indifferent and had nothing to do with them.
Zhu Lin looked anxious and called out when Zhang Yanling passed by: "Marquis Jianchang, you..."
Zhang Yanling waved her hand and smiled at him, grateful in her heart. He saw his father-in-law Xu Guangzuo and uncle Xu Yande turning their heads. They didn't even want to look at him and offer comfort. In comparison, Zhu Lin was better than them.
Much more benevolence and righteousness.
"I'm waiting to see you, Your Majesty!"
"Slave, wait and see your Majesty!"
The Zhang brothers, Liu Jin and others kowtowed and saluted under the throne.
Zhu Houzhao frowned and said: "Marquis Shouning, Marquis Jianchang, do you know why you are here today?"
"I know." Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling replied in unison.
"Oh? Since you know, I don't need to waste any more words. Do you have anything to say about the things Li Mengyang, the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, reported in the memorial about you?" Zhu Houzhao asked in a deep voice.
Everyone looked at the Zhang brothers quietly. The civil servants were already prepared. Once the Zhang brothers denied it, they would show more evidence to refute it.
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to say. The two brothers did behave improperly." Zhang Yanling said in a deep voice.
"What?" Everyone in the hall was stunned. Is it that simple? Zhang Yanling recognized it like that?
Not only the civil and military officials were surprised, but Zhu Houzhao was also extremely surprised.
"Marquis Jianchang, what did you say? Did I hear you correctly? You have nothing to defend yourself?"
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to defend. My brother Changshou Ninghou did take the women of tenant farmers as concubines to offset the rent they owed. This is true. Although he is not the only one to do this kind of thing, but
As a relative of the emperor, what he did is obviously too much. He should be punished for being rich and unkind. Please forgive him." Zhang Yanling said solemnly.
Zhang Heling kowtowed repeatedly and said: "Your Majesty, I am shameless and I made a mistake. Please punish me. However, I am definitely not forcing you to do so. I have here a contract for the sale of a daughter written by the tenants, the Li family and the Chen family. They voluntarily used their daughter to pay off the debt. I don't have it.
It's the slightest bit of coercion. But even so, I am extremely ashamed."
Zhang Heling took out two contracts, raised them above his head and kowtowed. The contracts were delivered to Zhu Houzhao, who looked at them twice and threw them aside.
"What about the robbery of the Zhou family's property? Is it true that the land was taken by force?" Zhu Houzhao asked with a frown.
"Reporting to the emperor, it is indeed the truth." Zhang Yanling said solemnly.
There was a commotion in the hall. Zhu Houzhao said: "You admit it easily."
Zhang Yanling said: "Your Majesty, it was the two brothers who did it, and I will not deny it. But there is a hidden secret in this matter. The reason why we forcibly bought the 40,000 acres of land in Baodi was because we couldn't stand the low price of the Zhou family.
The people sold the land to them at a low price. The price we paid was twice that of the Zhou family. We actually thought about the people of Baodi. Indeed, the 40,000 acres of land was indeed approved by the late emperor.
The Zhou family went to buy it, but the late emperor did not allow them to lower the price and force the people to sell it at a low price. The Zhou family teamed up with the Baodi County government to force the people to sell their property at a low price. When our brothers learned about this, they took advantage of it. In fact, the people
They were sold to us on their own initiative, and we also removed the pests for them. They are very grateful to my brother. If the emperor does not believe it, you can ask the people of Baodi Manor."
Liu Jian sneered and said: "According to your opinion, your Zhang family brothers saved the people from disaster? Is this a great act of kindness?"
Zhang Yanling said solemnly: "We didn't say that. My brother knew that he was wrong and should not have seized the land from the Zhou family. Your Majesty, our brothers are willing to dedicate 40,000 acres of Baodi fertile land to the imperial court as the land of the imperial village. To express our gratitude,
The guilt in our brothers’ hearts.”
"..."
There was silence in the hall. No one expected that the Zhang brothers could be so decisive and vomited out 40,000 acres of fertile land at once. They really had the courage to cut off the wrists of a strong man.