A grain of sand of the times becomes a mountain when it falls on everyone's head.
The emperor can take care of everything and forget about his anger in a blink of an eye, only to recall it the next time he encounters it.
But for those who were angry with the emperor, they would be in panic all day long, and they might wake up from their dreams in the middle of the night.
No, the day after Chongzhen saw Zuo Liangyu's impeachment, and the two days before Yang Sichang's report was delivered, several officials in the capital had already begun to lose sleep every night.
The first person to bear the brunt is undoubtedly Shen Tingyang, the doctor of the Transportation Department of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
The person being impeached was his own son.
He was notified of this news by his immediate superior, Minister Jiang Dejing, in the evening of that day when the Ministry of Household Affairs was leaving the office.
At that time, Jiang Dejing called Shen Tingyang and asked him to get together after the office and have a drink.
Shen Tingyang was of course flattered and immediately made the most decent arrangements, including good wine, good food and the most beautiful oiran to accompany him.
Anyway, the Shen family is so rich, these are no big deal.
As a result, when they arrived at the place, Jiang Dejing immediately changed his expression as if facing a formidable enemy. Even the oiran was not interested and asked directly: "Ji Ming, what happened to your son? What trouble did he cause in Huangzhou?"
Shen Tingyang was completely confused and very worried: "Brother, why did you say this? My son has been careful in his official duties since he was sent abroad. How could he cause trouble?"
Jiang Dejing was worried: "He never writes letters to his family and talks about the difficulties he encountered in Huangzhou?"
Shen Tingyang thought for a moment: "That's true. By the way, a month and a half ago, I received a letter from home, which talked about some official matters, which are related to the management of money in our household department.
He said that when he was in Huangzhou, he discovered bandits in Yinghuo and Tongbai Mountain areas. Due to inconvenient roads, they mostly relied on water transportation to communicate with the outside world. Due to the isolation of trade routes and government inspections, the prices of certain supplies in the bandit areas were very high. Unfortunately, there are some profit-seeking profiteers who, for the sake of this price difference, take desperate risks and engage in business that finances the enemy and colludes with thieves.
After he took office, he temporarily organized navy ships to escort legitimate merchant ships on the Huangzhou section of the Yangtze River, secretly monitored their movements, and captured bandits and profiteers. The government also had some expenses, so it asked the merchant ships to collect commissions from the escorts. , the price is not much, only one cent per trip to the state capital.
He suggested that I wait until the end of the year for the results of the pilot project to change water transportation to sea. When His Majesty is happy, he takes the opportunity to propose collecting lijin along the river in the south as a supplement to the commercial tax, so that farmers and merchants can share the royal tax to prevent farmers from being exploited too much - could it be that , is this suggestion leaked and offending people?"
This was the first time Jiang Dejing heard about this, and for a moment he felt that it was a bit of a joke. He waved his hand impatiently and said anxiously:
"I don't know the specific reason, but it's like this. People around His Majesty said that yesterday Zuo Liangyu from Wuchang came to write a memorial. I don't know the content. Anyway, it was about your son's affairs!
It is said that Zuo Liangyu went above and beyond to report, and also involved Huguang Governor Fang Kongzhen to help cover it up, which aroused His Majesty's suspicion and thought that the officials in Huguang's suppression of thieves were working together to deceive the superiors and conceal the truth.
I only got the news this afternoon. His Majesty seemed to have specially brought Hou Xun out of prison and asked him some questions about Zuo Liangyu - if Your Majesty really thinks that Zuo Liangyu is a 'loyal and good man', he dares to follow The other Huguang civil and military authorities have drawn a clear line and become a solitary minister, which will muddy the waters!"
Shen Tingyang was frightened when he heard this: "Then...is there anything I can do? My son is thousands of miles away. What happened, I have no place to ask in such a hurry."
Jiang Dejing first asked the question he was most concerned about: "Brother, tell the truth, do you have a close relationship with Fang Kongzhen, the governor of Huguang? Do your two families have officials protecting each other?"
Shen Tingyang was stunned: "How is it possible that a subordinate with a humble position can reach such a high level that he befriends Governor Fang? I don't know him at all!"
Jiang Dejing actually still didn't believe it: "Really? His son Fang Yizhi and his son are good friends who were ranked in the same year, and they had a good personal relationship before high school. You two families have no friendship? I thought Fang Kongzhen was going to treat his daughter I’m getting married to your son.”
Shen Tingyang smiled helplessly: "No, really. If Governor Fang is really covering up for Quan Zi this time, I would be really ashamed."
Jiang Dejing shook his head helplessly: "That's all, as long as there is no collusion. Brother Ji Ming, your tutor must be stricter in the future! If something happens in the place, he should report it as soon as possible! Every enemy knows the inside story, you The father is still kept in the dark, which makes us all passive!
I don’t care what happens to Zuo Liangyu, but I can’t allow Hou Xun to regain His Majesty’s trust because of Zuo Liangyu! Let’s do this, tomorrow you can think of a way to simply put forward the idea of ‘Lijin’ that your son told you two months ago. Write a note.
The day after tomorrow, we will use the excuse to report to His Majesty the Ministry of Revenue’s future commercial tax reform, and ask to see him for a while. If your Majesty really causes a big trouble, Your Majesty will definitely scold you, so you should quickly apologize and let His Majesty calm down!"
Shen Tingyang thought about it, and it turned out that this was indeed the case. He had to give in before giving in. It was better to let the emperor's anger be vented in several batches than to spew it out all at once.
If Chongzhen's anger is suppressed for a long time and explodes all at once, the ministers will definitely be killed!
"I understand!" Shen Tingyang quickly accepted the order.
"Remember! The memorial for Lijin's reform must be written in a more presentable way. Although it is just a pretense, it must be acted realistically, as if we are really asking for a meeting for a serious matter and know nothing else!
Otherwise, with His Majesty’s paranoia, he will definitely suspect that you and I are friends with internal officials, and that’s why we are so well-informed about his happiness and anger!”
Jiang Dejing finally added a heart-felt detail, which has been summarized over many years of being with you like a tiger.
Chongzhen was too suspicious and hated the eunuchs around him for making friends with foreign ministers and passing news.
…
Two days later, Jiang Dejing and Shen Tingyang finally wrote the memorial, made excuses, and asked to see the emperor to discuss Lijin reform.
Chongzhen was furious and immediately met with Shen Tingyang in Wenhua Palace.
Shen Tingyang gritted his teeth and pretended not to know that someone was impeaching his son, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of Lijin's reform in a serious manner.
In fact, Chongzhen didn't hear a word.
When Shen Tingyang relayed it, he mentioned that all this was related to Shen Shuren's practical experience in escorting private merchants in Huangzhou and cracking down on bandits and profiteers. Therefore, he summed up this method, and Chongzhen began to accumulate anger points. .
Halfway through listening, Chongzhen finally couldn't help but slapped the table and burst out: "Shen Tingyang! You have the nerve to introduce your traitor's governance experience in Huangzhou. Look at what he has done!"
With that said, Chongzhen directly threw Zuo Liangyu's folding book at Shen Tingyang's face. Shen Tingyang could only kneel down and admit his mistake, and quickly took it and took a closer look.
Halfway through watching it, Shen Tingyang turned pale and tried his best to explain to his son, saying there must be a misunderstanding.
Jiang Dejing was standing by, and after learning the inside story, he relaxed a little. It seemed that the specific crimes Zuo Liangyu accused were not very serious. The emperor was angry mainly because he thought there were local officials protecting him.
Therefore, Jiang Dejing also plucked up the courage to intercede for Shen Tingyang confidently, saying that he could testify that Shen Tingyang and Fang Kongzhen had no friendship, but it was probably a misunderstanding.
Chongzhen had a good impression of Jiang Derjing and knew that this minister had always been diligent. As an outsider, he begged for mercy, and Chongzhen temporarily put away his anger.
Not long after the situation reached a stalemate, Wang Chengen, the eunuch beside Chongzhen, suddenly came to the palace with an urgent memorial in his hand.
Chongzhen didn't look good when he saw this: "Don't you see that national affairs are being discussed here?"
Wang Chengen lowered his eyebrows and did not complain. He just said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, it is a memorial sent by Mr. Yang Ge from Huguang, involving the case of Zuo Liangyu and Shen Shuren. His Majesty said the day before yesterday that whenever Yang Ge Old memorials must be submitted as soon as possible."
Chongzhen then changed his expression, cleared his throat, and received Yang Sichang's urgent report. Before he opened it, he said to himself: "Shen Tingyang, just wait. This memorial from Yang Sichang will inevitably be sent to your son." It’s also related to Zuo Liangyu’s dispute!”
The ghost of Shen Tingyang was there, sweating like rain, like a prisoner waiting for trial and execution. His heart was in extreme torment, and his days were like years.
Jiang Dejing also looked nervous, fearing that Zuo Liangyu would further gain the emperor's trust because of this incident.
Although in front of the emperor, ministers should keep their heads down, and anyone who dares to raise his head to peek at the emperor's face is a breach of etiquette before the emperor. But at this moment, Jiang Dejing couldn't help it, and repeatedly glanced up, frantically peeping at Chongzhen. expression.
Chongzhen's expression changed from anger, to surprise, and then to ecstasy.
"Yang Sichang has indeed lived up to my expectations! Hahaha, you don't trust people when you hire them, and you don't use people when you doubt them. It's wonderful! It's wonderful!"
Jiang Dejing breathed a sigh of relief and was the first to congratulate: "I congratulate Your Majesty, but what great victory is it?"
"What a great victory in Huangzhou! Liu Xiyao's troops in the fifth battalion of Ge Zuo were completely wiped out! Liu Xiyao himself was beheaded, and his head has been sent to Beijing with the letter! In the battle of Huangzhou, those who showed weakness and delayed before were just the result of a tired and arrogant enemy. Just the art of war!
God bless our Ming Dynasty. After more than a year since I started the army, for the first time, for the first time, the Thirteenth anti-king-level thieves who dug up the Fengyang ancestral tomb were beheaded!"
It was impossible for Chongzhen not to be ecstatic about this kind of victory.
In the eighth year of Chongzhen's reign, Zhang Xianzhong took the lead in organizing the Thirteenth Route Anti-King to join forces and jointly participate in the excavation of the Fengyang Ancestral Tomb of the Ming Dynasty. From then on, these Thirteenth Route Thieves were taken more seriously in the court than ordinary people. The thief is gone.
These thirteen groups included Zhang Xianzhong, Li Zicheng, Luo Rucai, Gezuo Fifth Battalion, and Junzhou Fourth Battalion, so Liu Xiyao also participated in this activity.
Eight years after Chongzhen, the newly emerged bandit leaders, as long as they had not participated in digging up the ancestral graves of the old Zhu family, had a lower status. Over the years, the government and army have repeatedly encircled and suppressed the bandits, and they have won some battles, but they have not really made any money. I have seen the results of killing the veteran thief king several times.
Chongzhen was so ecstatic, and Jiang Dejing and Shen Tingyang, who were kneeling next to them, were even more stunned.
This roller coaster of ups and downs, one second in hell and one second in heaven, is unbearable even to those with weak hearts.
Shen Tingyang stammered and murmured: "Your Majesty... Huangzhou's great victory, but Quanzi participated..."
Chongzhen jumped down from the steps, ran to Shen Tingyang in three or two steps, and pulled him up with his own hands without caring about the emperor's manners:
"Qing Shen, you have given birth to a good son! Of course, didn't Yang Sichang's memorial make it clear? Shen Shuren used the strength of a regiment to train the guard station, and designed several times to weaken the exhausted enemy Liu Xiyao, and defeated him in the final battle. !”
Shen Tingyang was breathing heavily, even more so than Fan Jin had passed the exam, and asked tremblingly: "So what Zuo Liangyu said... is just a misunderstanding of military strategy, right?"
Without thinking, Chongzhen slapped Shen Tingyang on the back several times, harder than Hu Butcher slapped Fan Jin, and said without hesitation:
"Of course! Zuo Liangyu is just telling the truth out of ignorance! Or Sun Wuzi said it right, the general will not accept the emperor's life. How can people who are not immersed in the situation understand the rapid changes on the front line and whether the decisions are right or wrong? As long as you understand the situation, you shouldn’t point fingers!”
Shen Tingyang, who was already ecstatic, had a tendency to be obsessed with phlegm like Fan Jin. Being slapped on the back so hard by the emperor, he couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of phlegm and spray it on the floor tiles of the Wenhua Palace.
He was so frightened that he quickly knelt down and apologized for his misconduct in front of the emperor. However, Chongzhen didn't take it seriously and gave Wang Chengen next to him a look: "Why don't you bring a cloud broom to wipe it with Shen Qing?"
Shen Tingyang was so flattered that the emperor didn't blame him for spitting in front of the emperor, and even let the eunuch wipe it off with his broom. What a courtesy!
Shen Tingyang couldn't help but burst into tears.
Chongzhen was still immersed in the contrast, and just like Murong Fu, he casually appointed officials and made a wish: "This time, according to Yang Sichang's request, let's quickly make Shen Shuren the magistrate of Huangzhou. Wait until the spring of next year, and then add troops to prepare him for the title of Qian. , pursue He Jin and Lin Chengcheng together!"
Shen Tingyang cried bitterly and thanked him: "I kowtow to the dog son to thank the emperor for his great kindness!"
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