Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 998 0993 [The Queen of Luoyang leaves]

The atmosphere at the grand court meeting was tense.

The Ming Dynasty restored the Tang system, and officials above the fifth rank were allowed to sit during court sessions. But at this moment, many chairs were empty, and they were as unsightly as they could be placed in the hall.

The king and his ministers looked at each other in silence for a long time.

According to the established court meeting procedure, the emperor should speak at this time, but Zhu Ming just sat there without saying a word.

Because the eunuchs had been suppressed and denied power, the eunuchs in attendance were not allowed to enter the palace, and now they were standing outside the side exit of the hall.

The ceremonial officer on duty who presided over the court meeting stood there extremely anxiously, but did not dare to say or do anything.

Suddenly, Zhu Ming started to call out names: "Meng Zhao."

"I'm here." Meng Zhao stood up and stepped out.

Zhu Ming said, "Your brother-in-law opened a calligraphy and painting shop in the capital. Did you know about that?"

Meng Zhao replied: "I know."

Zhu Ming asked again: "How much do you know?"

Meng Zhao was a little confused, and suddenly a little scared. He quickly said, "I have not agreed to anyone's request!"

Zhu Ming sneered: "If you really had your hands in some things, you wouldn't be standing here today. You would have gone to the Dali Temple to drink tea long ago. You can retire early. Your official title and position will remain unchanged, and you can receive half of your salary every month."

"Your Majesty, please tell me clearly where I made a mistake." Meng Zhao was very unconvinced.

Zhu Ming said angrily: "I'm giving you face, so don't be shameless. If you still have any questions, go home and ask your wife!"

Meng Zhao wanted to speak several times, but hesitated and finally took off his official hat.

Zhu Ming said: "Put on your hat. I just retired early, not dismissed directly."

Meng Zhao put his hat back on, bowed, and then stepped back.

A cabinet minister retired early in this way, and countless officials in the court were shocked.

Min Zishun was even more trembling, because his case was much more serious than Meng Zhao's. Not to mention early retirement, even dismissal from office was a light sentence, and in serious cases, he might lose his head.

Sure enough, the emperor continued to call out names: "Min Zishun!"

"I'm here." Min Zishun stood up and stepped out.

Zhu Ming said: "You go to the Dali Temple and explain your crime honestly, maybe you can save your life."

"According to the decree..."

Min Zishun's throat was dry and he took his leave with great difficulty. Two guards were already waiting for him outside the hall.

Maybe he could save his life, which meant he would at least be exiled!
There was silence in the main hall.

If we only consider the number of important officials at the central government level who were investigated, this case is much bigger than any previous one.

So far, one cabinet minister has been forced to retire, one minister has been demoted to a prefect, and one minister of public administration, one minister, two left vice-ministers, and three right vice-ministers continue to be under investigation.

Zhu Ming shouted again: "Li Hanzhang, Qian Chen!"

"I'm here." Both of them stepped out.

Zhu Ming said, "You two will lose your three-master promotions and be demoted to junior tutors. Go back and manage your followers! Of course, there are some people you don't need to manage, the three judicial officials will help to deal with them."

"According to the order."

Li Hanzhang and Qian Chen returned to their seats, their vests already soaked with sweat. They didn't even dare to deny that they had followers.

Zhu Ming glanced at the ministers: "Wei Yingshi!"

Wei Yingshi stepped out and said, "I am here."

Zhu Ming said, "Your promotion will be revoked and your salary will be fined for three months. From now on, you should work honestly in the Ministry of War and don't get involved with old friends. You have one son-in-law of Mi Fu, one grandson of Wang Yuzhen, and one nephew of Qian Weiyan. Where did your family get so many old friends? Do you want the court to give all your old friends in the Wei family official titles? Why did Qian Weiyan's nephew not ask Qian Chen, who is from the same clan, for help but came to you?"

"I am guilty!" Wei Yingshi's forehead was covered with sweat.

His crime was not serious because the old friends he promoted were all officials themselves.

Wei Yingshi did not accept any expensive gifts, but relied on his influence to ask the Ministry of Personnel to arrange good positions for those old friends who asked him to do so without violating any regulations.

From beginning to end, he only helped three of his family friends to get official positions, and even ignored his own brother.

But two of the three old friends he helped were involved in the case this time!
Zhu Ming continued, "Ling Gu Xu."

"The minister is here."

"Meng Zhao has retired, and you will be appointed as a cabinet minister."

"I will devote my life to the country and share its worries!" Ling Guxu shouted loudly.

Zhu Ming called out again: "He Su."

"The minister is here."

"You are transferred to the post of Minister of the Imperial Court."

"According to the order."

Zhu Ming is still appointing officials himself:

"Hu Anguo has been transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel."

"Pan Lianggui, transferred to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. You will stay in the Ministry of Justice to continue trying cases, and the Ministry of Revenue affairs will be temporarily handled by the Left Vice Minister."

"Li Gang, transferred to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice, to participate in the trial of cases."

"Zhao Fengji has been promoted to Minister of Works."

"Zhang Jun has been promoted to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."

"Li Guang was promoted to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel." "..."

A large number of officials were transferred or promoted. Even Liu Shiren, the first prefect of the Ming Dynasty who had been implicated and demoted earlier, was transferred back from Guangxi to serve as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

There is also Xu Ying, the son of the implicated former Shangshu Xu Fuyan, who was also transferred back to serve as the prefect of Luoyang.

Zhu Ming said to the ministers: "The cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel should discuss the candidates for the remaining positions and submit a list as soon as possible. The court is adjourned!"

"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"

Everyone bowed in unison, and the oppressive atmosphere in the hall finally dissipated a little.

The ministers left one after another, no one whispered to each other, and they all went back to their work.

……

The official residence of the cabinet ministers.

Yu Shanwei looked at her husband in surprise: "Why are you back so early?"

Meng Zhao was too lazy to ask his wife what she had done. He just said, "Pack up your belongings and prepare to move out. This mansion must be vacated for the new cabinet minister."

Yu Shanwei was struck by lightning when he heard this, and asked cautiously: "Were you dismissed from office, or were you temporarily demoted?"

"Your official position and title will remain unchanged, and you can retire early and receive half salary for the rest of your life," Meng Zhao said, "Your Majesty has given us some respect out of consideration for our old friendship."

Yu Shanwei sat down silently, with an expression of regret and annoyance.

After a long while, she said, "Don't you ask why?"

Meng Zhao said, "With my ability, being a prefect is already the limit. I was promoted to a cabinet minister without knowing why, all thanks to your help behind the scenes. What's the point of asking more now? I am lucky to be able to stay in office and retire."

"I'm sorry." Yu Shanwei said.

Meng Zhao waved his hand and said, "Pack your things and move out of the cabinet minister's residence as soon as possible. Ask the government to sell the house granted in Luoyang, and we will move to Wangchuan Valley to serve the emperor. The happiest time of my life was when I was teaching in Daming Township. I didn't have to think about anything or worry about anything, I just had to teach the children in the village. Let's all teach for the rest of our lives."

Yu Shanwei smiled bitterly: "Okay, then go teach."

Yu Shanwei was actually a little reluctant to leave, because she was too popular in the capital. Countless noble ladies and rich girls centered around her, and a popular circle was formed in Kaifeng and Luoyang.

They set the trend for ladies in terms of dressing, leisure and entertainment, often invited celebrities to hold literary gatherings, and occasionally held scientific seminars. Poetry, painting, music, science... all kinds of writers, artists, and scientists were their guests.

And she, Yu Shanwei, is the queen of fashion, literature, art and science in Beijing!
She probably knew where she had offended the emperor.

First, the small circle she led had become a communication platform for women of high rank. In this case, many wives of criminal officials formed cliques and factions through her circle, including Qin Hui's wife, Wang!

Second, her brother opened a calligraphy and painting shop in Luoyang, helping members of the circle to consign various artworks. Many calligraphy and painting works were sold at prices far higher than the market price, but many people came to buy them, which was actually a disguised form of bribery.

Works by the couple Meng Zhao and Yu Shanwei are also sold at high prices in this store.

Yu Shanwei was a little worried at first, but gradually he felt it was commonplace and even believed that his work was worth the price.

When people are exposed to unreasonable things for a long time and become accustomed to them, they begin to think that they are reasonable!

In ancient times, there are four ways of corruption: elegance, business, theft, and tyranny.

【elegant--

That is, selling officials' literary and artistic works at high prices, including charging extremely high fees for writing inscriptions or articles for others.

Or when selling artworks to officials, the briber buys at a high price, while the bribee buys at a low price. 】

【business--

The more senior ones use their positions to let their trusted ones do related business.

The lower level ones open pawnshops or casinos. The briber takes a new robe worth a thousand strings of cash to a pawnshop and treats it as a worn-out cotton jacket. Or they go to the casinos opened by officials and lose a lot of money.

【Thief——

This is corruption in the usual sense, withholding money and grain, deducting military pay, levying heavy taxes, etc.

【Ba——

That is, using the power in their hands to bully men and women, seize wealth by trickery, and seize all kinds of property from wealthy businessmen, gentry, and ordinary people. 】

Yu Shanwei belongs to the category of “elegant”, and she really thinks it is an elegant thing.

The sharp increase in the price of Zhao Kai's paintings was also due to Yu Shanwei's hype.

She has more than 30 paintings by Zhao Kai, all of which were purchased at relatively low prices in the early days. She takes them out at every literary gathering for everyone to appreciate, and as a result, the prices of the paintings continue to rise.

Fortunately, the ladies brought their artworks on consignment for sale, and Yu Shanwei only charged a small fixed consignment fee, and did not make crazy profits based on the proportion of the selling price.

Otherwise, it would not be as simple as Meng Zhao retiring early!
For Yu Shanwei, making money is just a by-product; she enjoys the glory of being the center of attention more.

Yu Shanwei ordered the servants to pack up his belongings and then took a car to the calligraphy and painting shop opened by his younger brother.

She said to her brother, "All the consigned calligraphy and paintings will be returned to their original owners. Including my calligraphy and paintings and your brother-in-law's. Make a list with the names and prices, and I will personally go to the palace to present it to His Majesty."

Yu Shanwei was very nostalgic for this place. To put it another way hundreds of years later: it was the number one salon in the capital!
The clothing that becomes popular here will soon become popular in Luoyang and even gradually spread throughout the country.

The prices of artworks that are sought after here immediately skyrocket.

The poems that became famous here became household names overnight.

Even scientists came here with their research results to announce them. Although most of the noble ladies could not understand them, the emperor and the retired emperor liked them, so they also warmly received the scientists and introduced them to their husbands.

Countless down-and-out scholars who wanted to become famous racked their brains to get an invitation just to show up at an event held by Yu Shanwei.

All of this will no longer exist!

At this moment, Meng Zhao was hiding in the study, drunk and falling asleep in tears.

(End of this chapter)