Above the Golden Palace, Li Ding read Zhang Yue's charges loudly.
All the princes frowned when they heard this. Cai did know in advance that Li Ding was going to criticize Zhang Yue, but he was also a little shocked when he heard that there was actually Ye Luhong.
Zhang Yue even kept Yelu Yixin's illegitimate son by his side. Could this be something he was planning?
The officials heard from the Imperial City Department that Zhang Yue had accepted bribes, and felt that they could tolerate it. After all, in Zhang Yue's position, it is not so casual for you to remove a prime minister.
There is a process here, which usually involves eliminating party members first, replacing key positions gradually, and finally overthrowing Zhang Yue in one fell swoop.
Li Ding's criticism was too reckless, and the officials had no intention of pursuing Zhang Yue.
But now I heard that Zhang Yue kept Yelu Yixin's sons by his side, which is different. Li Ding's impeachment of Zhang Yue can be considered excusable.
There must be an explanation for this matter.
The officials slowly suppressed their anger and continued to listen to Li Ding impeaching Zhang Yue in the palace.
After Li Ding finished reciting, he looked at the official and asked, "Zhang Yue accepted a box of northern pearls from Yelu Yixin, worth tens of thousands."
"Your Majesty issued an order to Zhang Yue. Is what he said false? Is it true?"
The official frowned when he heard this. Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, this is a fact. This box of Northern Pearls is still in my house, but I haven't touched it at all."
Yes, I took the money, but I didn't spend a penny.
As soon as Zhang Yue said this, all the officials looked surprised.
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, now Li Ding is impeaching the minister as the censor Zhongcheng. If this matter is really justified, then the minister should be dismissed from his position and everything will be handled by the national law. If this matter is unreasonable, then Li Ding is falsely reporting and slandering
Prime Minister, this crime is not a small one."
"But in any case, if the censor Zhongcheng impeaches me, I should first retreat to wait for disposal. Please allow me to wait in the side hall. Your Majesty will make a decision after discussing with the princes."
"In this way, you don't have to take into account the feelings of your former colleagues and can speak freely. Such ministers have nothing to say."
When Prime Minister Zhang Yue is impeached, he should avoid his position and await punishment. Otherwise, if you stand in front of the emperor, no minister would dare to speak ill of you to your face.
"Precisely! Shi Deyi, please accompany Zhang Qing to the side hall to rest."
Accompanied by Shi Deyi, Zhang Yue retreated from the main hall to a side hall to rest.
Shi Deyi looked at Zhang Yue with a melancholy look on his face. He had a good impression of Zhang Yue.
Shi Deyi brought the tea soup from the waiter and served it to Zhang Yue himself. Zhang Yue nodded to Shi De, took the tea soup and drank it slowly.
After hesitating for a moment, Shi De said: "Don't worry, Mr. Zhang, he must be putting the overall situation first."
"The overall situation is the most important thing?" Zhang Yue smiled and said, yes, the overall situation is the most important thing, and I am the overall situation!
…
Within the main hall.
No one dared to speak at this moment.
At this time, only Wang Anli came out and said: "Your Majesty, it is tacitly understood by everyone that the envoys of Song and Liao secretly accepted some jewelry during their interactions."
"In fact, when envoys from the two countries are on envoys to each other, their entourage often carries valuables privately and sells them to both sides. These are things that are known but not spoken."
Li Dingdao: "But Zhang Yue was responsible for the collection during the negotiations between Song and Liao. Did Zhang Yue act to harm the public and enrich himself at that time?"
"What's more, what's the point of taking Yeluhong into hiding in a place close to Bianjing?"
Wang Anli was speechless and was forced to retreat.
Cai Quedao: "This can't be explained clearly in a few words. I believe in Zhang Yue's loyalty, but it is difficult to say whether it is detrimental to public welfare or personal gain."
The official heard Cai Quezhi's words and said, "This is the right thing to say."
Xue Xiangdao: "Your Majesty, I guess Zhang Yue is not greedy for money, but is collecting Beizhu to win Yelu Yixin's trust."
The official said: "I heard that Yelu Yixin held a high position in the Liao Kingdom and said, 'This is no violation of Wei Wang Bai's post'."
"Perhaps there is a hidden agenda behind this matter."
Wang Anli said: "Your Majesty, if I continue to protect Zhang Yue, he is loyal and trustworthy!"
Xue Xiang also said: "I second the proposal!"
Then the other ministers spoke one after another, including Wang Gui. They all spoke very carefully and did not add insult to injury. They did not even intend to force Zhang Yue to abdicate.
Of course there are no officials either.
While he was speaking, the chamberlain came into the palace and said: "Your Majesty, Yushi He Zhengchen wants to see you!"
…
Under the sun, He Zhengchen arrived at the temple with sweat on his forehead.
He hurriedly stepped into the hall, ignoring the surprised looks of the officials on the left and right and Yu Longzhi.
Li Ding felt somewhat confident when he saw He Zhengchen entering the palace.
At this moment, Han Zhongyan, the chief of staff of Zhitong Jintai Department, also came to the palace.
The other party seemed to be one step ahead of me.
Han Zhongyan entered the palace ahead of He Zhengchen without any hesitation, handed over the memorial and said: "Your Majesty, please come to the state to deliver this urgent memorial!"
The emperor glanced at Han Zhongyan and He Zhengchen, who was sweating profusely at the side.
"Dengzhou?"
The officials could not think of anything in Dengzhou that was worthy of being reported urgently on horseback.
He Zhengchen was about to speak but stopped, so he had to stand aside and wink at Li Ding frequently.
After reading the urgent report from Dengzhou, the official couldn't help but move and glanced at His Highness Li Ding.
Li Ding actually saw a hint of ridicule in the official's eyes.
Zhang Qing, Zhang Qing, you really belong to me... The official thought, even you are included in this plan.
"Show it to Li Qing." The official handed the memorial to Li Ding.
Li Ding took the memorial and read it with suspicion. After reading it, he suddenly lost control and his face became dejected. The memorial fell from his hand to the ground.
According to his own impeachment chapter, the memorial to Dengzhou arrived in less than half an hour.
Everyone in the hall was speculating on what kind of memorial could make everyone lose their composure.
Cai Que bent down and picked up the memorial from the ground that made Li Ding lose control. He glanced at it briefly and said: "The magistrate of Dengzhou reported that a ship came from the Liao Kingdom on the sea. A man claimed to be Yelu Yixin, the King of the South Court of Liao Kingdom.
Please ask the imperial court to take this person into custody."
After Cai Que finished speaking, the palace was extremely silent.
At this time, the official said: "I remember that when Zhang Yue was the prime minister, the imperial court was experiencing constant internal and external troubles."
The official sighed silently and said: "I was seriously ill at the time, and I really felt that I was powerless and unable to take charge of the overall situation, so I entrusted the state affairs to him. In the past year and a half, all the ministers have clearly seen what happened in the court and state affairs.
.”
"I always think that Zhang Qing's temperament is indeed a bit stubborn and he often goes against my wishes. But he comes from a poor family and is always honest and self-responsible. With the strong recommendation of the Empress Dowager, it is appropriate for me to use him to turn the tide. As for whether it will last long
As prime minister, I didn’t think much about it.”
"Outsiders say that at his age, Zhang Qing can govern with black hair, and it is normal for him to serve as prime minister of Taiping for ten or twenty years. But a few months ago, he told me that he would not be prime minister for more than five years, and he would resign at the end of his term. But
In these five years, he wants to do something for the imperial court, and he is not afraid of scolding or resentment."
"I didn't think much about this. In fact, it's obvious to everyone who loves you over the years how talented Zhang Qing is. But I will put my words here today."
"In the future, when the imperial court involves political reform, Zhang Qing's will is mine! The world must not disobey it!"
The official said this and walked away to the side hall.
In the entire hall, the ministers were speechless for a moment. After a while, they left silently. Only then did they say something.
A rustling sound reached Li Ding's ears. He closed his eyes and stood motionless in the hall.
PS: The biography of Yelu Yixin, the history of the Liao Dynasty, states: "Later, he planned to go to the Song Dynasty and secretly hid soldiers and armor, and he was found guilty and hanged."
