Sometimes the palace is sunny

Although His Majesty was exempted from the morning court, the morning classes did not stop. As a bachelor, Li Congyuan was naturally happy that His Majesty was eager to learn, so he stepped on the morning frost to Xiyuan early in the morning.

The morning light has not faded, and it is obvious that His Majesty and the Empress are both living in Xiyuan. The huge palace is still less lively than in previous years. The palace people come and go, but it only makes people feel frosty and cold, and the slanting wind frightens the magpies. .

Sitting in the warm sedan chair all the way to Chaohua Garden, Li Congyuan suddenly thought of why he never felt that Xiyuan was so deserted.

If it were this time in previous years, the branches would have been framed with colorful forgings, and lanterns of various colors would be hung everywhere. Your Majesty is fun, and the eunuchs below will naturally think of ways to match what they like, wearing colorful clothes early in the morning. The colorful clothes listed the battles and wrestling for His Majesty to see. When the river freezes, there will be various ice shows and ice sculptures.

This year... there is no intention of making arrangements at all?
When Li Congyuan was about to put down the sedan chair curtain, he watched from a distance a group of eunuchs and a group of maids being led forward.

He couldn't help laughing at himself.

Although His Majesty is more appropriate than before, he is still the king of a country, so how could he not have the slightest desire to enjoy himself?

That's all, now His Majesty is willing to get rid of the old malpractices and focus on finances, and he will not mention the Northwest issue, and he even used General Cai, who opposed the Western Expedition in the past, which is much better than before. He is a courtier, and he cannot be blamed. , Let Your Majesty be a saint who wants nothing.

As soon as he entered Chaohuayuan, he saw Sanmao eunuch walking over with a hot pot. Sanmao nodded quickly when he saw him:

"Mr. Li Ge! The emperor has been counting the time. Knowing that you are coming, he specially ordered our family to make you a soup that clears away heat and relieves phlegm. It is cold and windy. You must take care of yourself. Our emperor is really busy. You coughed a few times and remembered it in your heart."

"Thank you for your majesty's grace, and thank you to the three cats."

Li Congyuan stopped, first saluted in the direction of the Nuan Pavilion, and then politely returned the salute to Sanmao.

Sanmao's eyes narrowed into two slits again.

No wonder Li Ge was able to come from behind and sit firmly in the bureaucracy. Just because he didn't have the sourness of trying to show his nobility to the eunuchs, he didn't know how much higher than others.

Following Sanmao and walking slowly to Nuan Pavilion in Chaohuayuan, Li Congyuan looked up and saw Emperor Zhaode standing in front of the map looking at the location of the headquarters of Doer in the west, and he couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.

Now the court is arguing endlessly over the auditing of Shagong, Chagong and Taipu Temple. If His Majesty brings up the Western Expedition again at this time, I'm afraid there will be a lot of troubles in the already turbulent court.

"His Majesty?"

"Li Shangshu, you drink the winter bamboo shoot soup first. The extremely tender winter bamboo shoots are boiled with broad beans and soybean sprouts. Not only is it delicious, but it can also relieve phlegm and cough."

Picking up the vegetarian soup in front of him, although he already knew from Sanmao that His Majesty specially ordered someone to cook this soup for him, even though his heart was still hanging, Li Congyuan still felt a burst of heat in his chest:
"Sir, thank Your Majesty Long En."

"What is there to thank for a bowl of soup? Nowadays, everything in the court is complicated. If Li Shangshu didn't share my worries, I wouldn't be in the mood to study any soup."

Hearing the sound of Li Congyuan putting the bowl back on the table, Shen Shiqing turned around with a smile on her face:
"Li Shangshu, I have read the papers you sent up. Many people in it were relegated by me before. It seems that no one in the court can use them. In desperation, I have to mention some people who are against me. up."

Li Congyuan lowered his head and said slowly:

"Your Majesty, I wanted to show this excerpt a few days ago when I went to the court, but now that the court is in chaos, I just presented this excerpt privately without discussing it with others. If Your Majesty blames it, I will blame Wei Your servant."

Walking to the table and picking up the memorial that she had left behind, Shen Shiqing let out a sigh of relief:

"Song Qi and others used to be from the Ministry of Industry. They were demoted because they failed to build the palace for me. That's all. Qin Tongxi, the Prime Minister of the South Taipu Temple... the Taipu Temple has been emptied so far. He has successively served as the Shanxi Xing Taipu Temple Can Shaoqing and Nantaipu Sicheng be exonerated?"

Hearing His Majesty mention two irrelevant things first, Li Congyuan was very calm:
"Your Majesty, Qin Tongxi's family has raised horses for generations, and they are very familiar with the cost of raising horses. Since he took the post of Wai Lang, a professional vehicle driver in the Ministry of War, he has written many times to explain that Taipu Temple's extravagant horse breeding and redundant personnel, His Majesty also valued his "On Raising Horses" very much, so he was promoted to the Shaoqing of Shanxi Xingtaipu Temple, and was later relegated by His Majesty. Qin Tongxi's fault was not his fault. As for the dispute between Nantaipusi and the Ministry of War last year Your Majesty, to this day, the Taipu Temple's many years of evils have been exposed to the public, which actually confirms what Qin Tongxi said at the beginning. There is nothing wrong with it. It is time for the government to employ people. Qin Tongxi is not only good at raising horses, but also good at arithmetic. .”

Shen Shiqing lowered her head. Qin Tongxi was her uncle. Although they hadn't seen each other for three or four years since his uncle was promoted to the position of Shaoqing at Xingtaipu Temple in Shanxi, she still remembered his ambition and knew that his uncle was an official in Ma's political affairs. When Zhao Surui mentioned that she could recover a group of ex-officials from Nantaipu Temple, the first thing she thought of was uncle.

It's just that the matter of clearing up accounts and eliminating fraud is extremely risky after all. If she directly promotes someone in the capacity of Emperor Zhaode, this person will definitely become the top rafter and receive countless criticisms.

So she has been waiting, waiting for an opportunity to promote the person she wants to use.

I thought I would attack the Ministry of War a few times, and then find another excuse to investigate the old case to rehabilitate Qin Tongxi, but Li Congyuan thought ahead of her.

"Leave this matter to your official department to consider." Looking over Li Congyuan's notebook, Shen Shiqing's finger on the desk moved slightly.

"Ming Ruoshui, the head of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, I remember that he was the one who sued Zhang Yong for personal revenge, intending to kill the good and pretend to be meritorious."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the report on Zhang Yong is exactly what Master Ming did. He is the biography of Mingkang for 17 years. He was supposed to be in the Imperial Academy. Prince Duansheng praised him for his ability to do practical work. His Majesty made an exception and allowed him to join the Ministry to observe politics." , Although there have been many ups and downs, the heart of serving the country has not changed. This person is proficient in mathematics and has traveled around.

When Li Congyuan was young, he was also a crazy student who thought he had the talents of the world, and he was tempered later to be steady and steady. He admired Ming Ruoshui's informality, and he was even more optimistic that Ming Ruoshui knew the choice at a young age, and he dared to resign for the sake of the Han family. The spirit of the official.

"This Ming Ruoshui has already resigned before, so he can't be regarded as the head of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs. Since Li Shangshu is optimistic about this person, let him temporarily take over a military department to Shizhong, and let him inspect the horse farms and horse farms of various Taipu Temples in the Zhili generation. Warehouse of the Ministry of War, let's see what he can do, if he can make a difference next spring, I will make another plan."

After finishing speaking, Shen Shiqing lowered her eyes and hooked the corners of her lips:
"Li Shangshu, go and tell Ming Ruoshui that as the head of the criminal department, he was sent by me to assist in the suppression of bandits, but he always said that he would resign. He really violated my entrustment. This time, I will take care of you. Don't pursue it, once again, he doesn't have to resign, and he can go directly to serve in front of the Nine Towns Army."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, Mingji has reflected on this matter a lot, and will definitely not act like this again in the future."

Both of them had smiles on their faces.

In order to sue Zhang Yong, Ming Ruoshui resigned on the spot in front of the head of the Ministry of Criminal Justice. If it is pursued for "disrespect", it is impossible to escape, and it is even more impossible to be rehabilitated after a short period of time. Even if this part of Ming Ruoshui's fault is smoothed out, if someone mentions it in the future, it will be that Ming Ruoshui has the endorsement of the old man behind him, and His Majesty's approval.

Putting Ming Ruoshui's recovery into practice, Shen Shiqing looked at the last name on the list.

"Chu Jiyuan."

She didn't speak, but looked at Li Congyuan, pinched the memorial with two fingers, and fell silent.

This is a memorial that Li Congyuan would never have handed over if the "Emperor Zhaode" was still the former "Zhao Surui".

Chu Jiyuan, former servant of the household department, ranked second in the second year of Mingkang, and was promoted to be the servant of the household department in 12 years of Mingkang. He is good at accounting and financial affairs. to greatness.

But it was such a person who was questioned by Emperor Zhaode three times.

The first time, Emperor Zhaode, who had just ascended the throne, asked him in the court hall: "Chu Shilang, I want to send troops to the northwest, may the court come up with money?"

Chu Jiyuan replied: "Your Majesty, thieves and eunuchs are rampant in the court, and all industries in the world are exhausted, and they are really unable to send troops."

The second time, Emperor Zhaode, who had already eradicated Zhang Wan, went to the Ministry of Households and asked him: "Chu Shilang, I have already killed Zhang Wan. Maybe the court will give me money to send troops to the northwest?"

Chu Jiyuan replied: "Your Majesty, the world is full of waste, and it will take 20 years to send troops to the northwest."

For the third time, Emperor Zhaode, who had defeated the Duqin Tribe, went to his house and asked him: "Chu Shilang, it took me less than a year to defeat the Duqin Tribe, and the rest of the Duqin Tribe It's nothing to me, why, you still think I need 19 years to succeed?"

Chu Jiyuan took off his official hat, knelt down and replied: "Your Majesty insists on sending troops, and the people in the world are really fishing out the water. It won't last long. I am afraid that Dayong's centuries-old foundation will sink and be irretrievable. I really don't want to do it." Sinners of the world."

He even resigned.

Zhao Surui was so angry that he was imprisoned in the internal prison and ransacked his home.

But this servant of the household department, who had been in charge of Dayong's treasury for ten years, had only 30 taels of silver in his family, and Zhao Surui was so angry that he called him a "thorn".

Later, Zhao Surui simply put him in the prison van and took him to the west. After the victory, Zhao Surui asked him with a smile: "Chu Jiyuan, look at my country, where does it look like it is about to sink and decline?"

Chu Jiyuan still only asked to resign.

Zhao Surui is violent and irritable, and he has done things like beating courtiers to death directly at the court, but Chu Jiyuan, a veteran of the two dynasties, has made meritorious service to the state. Did he remove him from his official position and send him to the southwest for a year at the begging of the courtiers? .

Such a Chu Jiyuan, according to Zhao Surui's temperament, how could he be willing to use it again?
In the Nuan Pavilion of Chaohua Palace, Li Congyuan was already kneeling on the ground.

He knew how bold his paper was, but he still decided to give it a try, just like Zhuang Changxin persuaded him.

Believe, believe that their majesty really has a heart of goodness, believe that their majesty really has the people of Li in his heart.

Your Majesty is willing to use Cai Zhi and keep Chen Shouzhang, why don't you ask Your Majesty if he can give Chu Jiyuan who is loyal to Dayong a chance?

"Your Majesty, no one is more suitable than Chu Jiyuan to take care of finances all day long."

The young monarch did not speak.

Li Congyuan slowly closed his eyes and opened them again.

Chaohua's Nuan Pavilion used to be a pile of treasures and countless toys. I don't know when the luxurious toys on the shelves gradually disappeared. On the contrary, there were more and more books and newspapers. Zhang Shuo's map of Dayong no longer showed His Majesty's military ambitions as before.

Their majesty also doesn't know when he prefers to wear straight body and slacks compared to Yisa.

All these things made him think that something had changed.

So far, he felt a little ridiculous.

Your Majesty, after all, Your Majesty.

"Crack." The booklet was placed in front of him.

Li Congyuan raised his head and saw His Majesty squatting beside him.

"I crossed out Chu Jiyuan's name from your notebook."

The hem of the brocade dress was spread on the floor.

Li Congyuan looked at that corner with a bleak smile.

"Yes, sir..."

"Chu Jiyuan, the former servant of the household department, I remember that he wrote very well in Guange style. If I recall him, the former Youqin Capital Censor Shi Wence would probably be willing to return to the court?"

Li Congyuan raised his head suddenly, but saw that Emperor Zhaode had straightened up.

"Li Shangshu, if Chu Jiyuan returns to the court, there will be great upheavals in the court. You and him are old friends. It is inevitable that someone will use this to attack the two of you. It is better to let me bear the storm. Chu Jiyuan, he should be I have issued an order to invite you personally, and it is only right to return to the court."

"……Yes."

The young emperor was standing by the window, and the light coming in from the sky was so bright that it seemed to hurt the old eyes.

Li Congyuan's eyes were sour, and he endured and endured, but he didn't let his tears flow out.

"Sir, thank you, Your Majesty!"

All the way out of Chaohua Garden, Li Congyuan took a deep breath of the cold wind rushing from the withered forest, and finally calmed down his heart.

Looking up, he saw eunuchs and female officials standing in two rows.

The chief eunuch Yiji, who was in charge of the chief inspector of ceremonies, was lecturing them:

"Your Majesty is kind and considerate of your talents. I promise you to serve in front of the imperial court. Your ancestors have accumulated virtues in the past generations to have such blessings. As long as you work diligently and do your duty, you will have your own future in the future. Your Majesty specially ordered this morning, As long as you don't hide your selfishness, you won't pursue it even if you bluntly offend him, but if you hide your selfishness and put your own selfishness above your errands and the lives of others...the iron law in the palace will never tolerate it."

Li Congyuan was stunned for a moment, then he remembered that these court ladies and eunuchs were the ones he had seen before entering the palace. He thought that these people were used by His Majesty for fun, but he never imagined that they were also going to walk in front of the imperial court.

A blue warm sedan chair went all the way south and east from outside Chaohua Garden to the direction of Xihua Gate.

Sitting in the sedan chair, Li Congyuan finally couldn't help covering his old face with his sleeve.

Believe, he believed, he believed His Majesty.

He believed it.