Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2 The Return of the King (Part [-])
In the twelfth lunar month, the cold wind howled in the capital, and although the heavy snow had rarely stopped early this morning, the nearly one-foot-deep snow still made the streets quite deserted.This is already the case in the capital, let alone outside the city. Anyone who can avoid traveling will never be willing to go out.

However, outside Yongding Gate today, a large number of officials braved the biting cold wind and lined up along the roadside according to their ranks.Looking at the number, people who don't know may think that the emperor's personal conquest returned to Beijing triumphantly, and it was only necessary to mobilize the emperor's personal army wearing flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives at their waists to maintain order.

But having said that, with so many officials gathered here, not to mention that Jin Yiwei must have secretly hidden a large number of people nearby just in case, even the East Factory, there must be some people to watch at any time.

But these officials are confident today, and they are not afraid of these eagles and dogs reporting, just because they are not welcoming anyone else, but the emperor's teacher and former Wenyuange University scholar Gao Gong Gao Suqing who is "named monarch and minister, and loves father and son" with today's son!
What's more, besides Zhao Zhenji who "occasionally felt unwell" a few days ago and said that he went to Yuquan Mountain to recuperate for a few days among the four academicians in the cabinet, the three academicians in Beijing, headed by the chief assistant Li Chunfang, have not been left behind. All come.Since the Chief Assistant is leading the charge, what's so strange about them coming here together?Don't you see, even the Metropolitan Procuratorate, who has always had a tense relationship with Gao Gong, has many people here?
Amidst the hustle and bustle, a group of carriages appeared at the end of the official road under the guard of dozens of soldiers, and the flag declaring on behalf of the emperor was fluttering in the cold wind. No matter what the officials thought about the restoration of Gao Gong, they couldn't help it at this moment. Qi Qi choked, and secretly called out: "Here we come!"

Li Chunfang, the chief assistant at that time, was born in the number one scholar, although she was extremely gentle, she was also very good looking, and when she saw Gao Gong approaching, she quickly straightened her appearance.Apart from his slightly dark complexion, the Prime Minister of Qingci also had clear eyes and good eyesight.He is 59 years old this year, almost sixty years old, three years older than Gao Gong.However, Gao Gong was a Jinshi in the 20th year of Jiajing, but Li Chunfang was the number one scholar in the 26th year of Jiajing. According to the practice of the Ming court, Li Chunfang was a latecomer, and his qualifications were not as good as Gao Gong.

Seeing the action of the first assistant, all the officials also arranged their appearances one after another.The one on Li Chunfang's left is handsome and elegant, looks about 58 years old, looks about [-] years old, is so handsome and stable, who else is Zhang Juzheng?As for the one on the right of Li Chunfang, it is Chen Yiqin, who is also the emperor's teacher with Gao Gong, this man is already [-] years old, but his body seems to be in good condition, he stands with his hands behind his back in the cold wind, his expression is normal.

It is strange to say that Li Chunfang, the chief of the officials and chief assistant, seemed to be more earnest than Zhang Juzheng and Chen Yiqin who were beside him. He loudly greeted all the officials to stand up one by one, and then personally took the lead to meet them.

Seeing this situation, Chen Yiqin's expression turned ugly, and he snorted lightly.Li Chunfang seemed deaf, completely unmoved, and left in a hurry.Chen Yiqin turned his head slightly, and cast a sidelong glance at Zhang Juzheng, but he didn't know what the expression in his gaze meant.

Zhang Juzheng smiled, and said softly: "Mr. Songgu [Note: Chen Yiqin's name Songgu.] and Mr. Zhongxuan [Note: Gaogong's name Zhongxuan.] Although they were in the same year as the Xin Chou Gold List in the 20th year of Jiajing, after all, Mr. Zhongxuan Step into the cabinet first... As for the first assistant, he and I were both Jinshi in the 26th year of Jiajing. In front of Duke Zhongxuan, he was a latecomer, so it is reasonable to welcome him. Besides, the emperor has long hoped for Duke Zhongxuan Returning to Beijing, that can really be regarded as hopeless."

I have to mention here that when Zhang Juzheng took the exam, although the hosts were Sun Chengen and Zhang Zhi, but because he was taking the "Book of Rites" test, Chen Yiqin, who read the "Book of Rites" test paper at that time, was one of his room teachers [Note: The other master is Wu Weiyue].The No. 1 Jinshi Yijia in that subject is Li Chunfang, the current chief assistant.This subject is very good, and there are Yin Shidan, Wang Shizhen, Wang Daokun, Wang Zongmao, Wu Baipeng, Liu Yingjie, Wang Lin, Yin Zhengmao, Ling Yunyi, Lu Guangzu, Yang Wei, Song Yiwang, Xu Shi, Yang Jisheng and so on.All in all, having a first-rate prime minister, a first-rate literati, a marshal who has done meritorious service on the frontier, and a loyal minister who impeaches a power sycophant are really very talented.

In the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, older age does not count as seniority, it counts whoever becomes a Jinshi first—of course, whoever enters the cabinet first also counts.Therefore, Zhang Juzheng, who is 44 years old, and Li Chunfang, who is about to be [-], are the same age; but Li Chunfang, who is the chief assistant, who is nearly [-] years old, is a laggard in front of Gao Gong and Chen Yiqin, who are both younger than him.As for Zhang Juzheng's self-confession in front of Gao and Chen that he was an underachiever, it didn't matter, because he was a few years late in getting out of middle school, after all, he was born late, so there was really no need for embarrassment.

Zhang Juzheng brought up these two items. Although Chen Yiqin was still unhappy, he could only accept his dissatisfaction and followed up resentfully. He also had to laugh at himself: "Hey! Brother Cheng Taiyue should take care of my picture." Old face, Gao Suqing was born as a Jinshi back then, but I, Mr. Chen, was only born with the same Jinshi background. He was an editor and I was only a review. Can't compare to him!"

In fact, although Chen Yiqin's temper is not very good, he is not stupid after all. He knows that what Zhang Juzheng said just now is actually all nonsense. It has not been a year or two since these guys have been dealing with each other. Who doesn't know who? qualifications?Only the meaning of the last sentence is really important - the emperor is watching the situation here today, any embarrassment to someone Gao at this time is the same as embarrassment to the emperor.

What kind of face would you give the emperor?
Cabinet ministers are not speech officials, or even ordinary civil servants. Is it a joke to give the emperor's face?I don't even think about what kind of life the officials lived when the late emperor was still there two years ago!That's really staring at the emperor's face all day long, afraid that he might be mistaken!Although today is benevolent and generous, he, Old Chen, is indeed one of the emperor's teachers, but the emperor's teacher and the emperor's teacher are also divided into relatives and estrangements. In today's eyes, he is the number one emperor's teacher, the most loyal minister in the world, and the number one good minister. Who it is, there is absolutely only one candidate: Gao Gong!The rest of you are waiting... You always please move, yes, that's right, go there and stand aside in line.

As soon as the three moved away, the Liubu, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Imperial Academy and other respectable officials in Beijing saw that the three elders had already stepped forward together, no matter how they felt, they had no choice but to follow up.In fact, there is nothing to consider. Since they are all here, what kind of posture should they make?Anyway, the three key people who had a deep hatred with Gao Gong are all settled now, and have nothing to do with me:

First of all, Xu Jie, who was barely able to be regarded as retired, as the "mastermind" of "Inverted Gong", not long after driving Gao Gong away, he resigned and returned to the field. Now he has already returned to his hometown in Songjiang Youyoulinxia, Enjoy your old age.Moreover, Mr. Xu is well-known at home and abroad. Even if he retires to the countryside, his every move will attract the attention of the world. It is not a joke to deal with him. What's up.

Then there are the two crucial go-getters in the process of defeating Gao Gong last time: Hu Yingjia and Ouyang Yijing.

At the beginning, Hu Yingjia impeached Yang Bo because of his personal anger, denounced the officials, and shielded his fellow countrymen, which led to a series of changes. In the end, Gao Gong was forced to retreat by Xu Jie's power of speech, and Hu Yingjia himself transferred Jianning to push the officials.After Gao Gong left, he was promoted from Zheng Qipin Jianning Tuiguan to Sipin Huguang Chief Envoy Si Zuo Counselor in one fell swoop.However, it is said that after he learned the news of Gao Gongqi's recovery, he had already sent a petition overnight, asking him to resign from all official positions, but due to the tight schedule, he has not yet received an answer.

If it is understandable for Hu Yingjia to resign immediately after being frightened by Gao Gongqi's recovery, then Ouyang Yijing, who is known as "cursing God", can only be ridiculed.

This man had a remarkable record: he had previously impeached more than [-] civil and military officials of the third rank or above, including one marquis and two earls. .

And Ouyang Yijing's biggest achievement happened in the first month of the first year of Longqing during the Beijing-challenge incident.At that time, Yang Bo was impeached by Hu Yingjia for "covering Shanxi officials", which officially triggered the struggle between the Xu Party and the Gao Party.Ouyang Yijing, the god of scolding, is obviously not a person who is willing to be silent. Of course, he must participate in it. Not only did he participate, but he also compared Gao Gong to Cai Jing, the treacherous prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty. "As a result, Gao Gong was successfully forced to retreat, and Gao Gong's disciple Qi Kang was impeached and dismissed later, which won a seemingly brilliant victory for Xu Jie's party.

Who knew that Gao Gong, who had been defeated by the "raging public opinion" in embarrassment, could still recover, which completely shocked Ouyang who had previously opened the invincible mode.Ouyang Yijing was like an egg whose shell had been cracked, and the yolk flowed all over the floor—like Hu Yingjia, he resigned from office and returned to his hometown on the day he heard the news, and he was a hundred times more decisive than Hu Canyi: he didn't wait for a reply, Go directly to the crown.Unexpectedly, before halfway through, this big man actually died of fright - this way of death is a bit embarrassing, after all, Gao Gong didn't say anything, he didn't do anything, you always put yourself Frightened to death, the courage is a bit ugly.

Of course, if you look at this matter the other way around, it can be seen that Xuanwei's reputation in high school can be seen if he can scare his opponent to resign or die.The only thing to worry about is whether this prestige is good or bad, it's hard to say.

(End of this chapter)