Daming talker

Chapter 651 Winter Solstice Storm (Part ) Please give me your monthly vote!

The development trends of many things can be clearly seen from the perspective of hindsight, but it is difficult for the parties involved to perceive it. This has nothing to do with whether one is smart or not.

For example, at this time, Prime Minister Shen believed that he was the most qualified person to be the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty, and no one could do better than himself.

The emperor would not fail to realize this as long as he possessed the ability to coordinate the upper and lower levels and maintain the overall stability of the court.

All of Prime Minister Shen's actions and ideas are based on this foundation, which is also the experience he gained from successfully serving as Prime Minister for eight years.

But no one, including Prime Minister Shen, realized that after several years of tug-of-war with the ministers of the outer court, the emperor's patience had reached a critical point.

At this time, Emperor Wanli was extremely dissatisfied with the cabinet's compromise style, which would not solve the problem at all.

He already wanted to strengthen the cabinet and force it to stand firmly on his side, or at least help him fight back against external pressure.

The emperor's mentality of "forcing good women into prostitution" is obviously completely misaligned with Prime Minister Shen's idea of ​​continuing to fool both sides.

Not realizing the change in the emperor's mentality, Prime Minister Shen began to doubt the contents of Lin Tailai's secret bag.

However, considering the high accuracy of Lin Tailai's past predictions, Prime Minister Shen had to take it seriously, so he asked Hao Daer:

"If Lin Jiuyuan believes that the emperor will use the method of leaking secret documents, then has Lin Tailai left any countermeasures or solutions?"

Shen Yongmao shook his head and said, "No, this is the end of Lin Jiuyuan's treasure bag."

"That's all, nothing else?" Prime Minister Shen said in disbelief. "Lin Jiuyuan has always been a meticulous thinker. He always has a solution after raising a question. But this time he doesn't have one?"

Shen Yongmao answered with certainty: "There really is nothing below."

Prime Minister Shen made the final judgment, "It seems that Lin Jiuyuan's real purpose is just to stop me from submitting a secret explanation by exaggerating, rather than there being any serious consequences."

Shen Yongmao felt a little uneasy and urged, "Father! Just listen to Lin Jiuyuan!"

Seeing Haodaer's blind obedience to Lin Tailai, Prime Minister Shen became a little rebellious again, and said in a serious tone: "As the Prime Minister, I must maintain effective communication with the Emperor and must not let the Emperor misunderstand. This is the most basic principle!"

Seeing that his father was unhappy, Shen Yongmao dared not persuade him anymore.

Because the Imperial College was on year-end holiday, Wang Ci Fu's eldest son Wang Heng, who was studying at the Imperial College, also returned home.

When he was talking with Wang Xijue, the father of the Second Assistant, news suddenly came from the Shen Mansion that the First Assistant Shen was still bedridden, so he politely declined Wang Cifu's request for a meeting.

Wang Xijue smiled bitterly, stood up and went to the study, and said to Wang Heng, "You go down and have a rest first. I will write the memorial for you."

Wang Heng asked curiously, "It's late at night, what urgent memorial do you need to write?"

Wang Xijue explained a little: "Today, due to pressure from public opinion, the cabinet had to submit a joint petition to oppose the emperor's dismissal of Luo Wanhua. When I drafted the petition, I wrote the name of the prime minister.

Now that the Prime Minister refuses to see me, it means that he is completely determined to pretend to be ignorant of the matter, so I, as the Deputy Prime Minister, will become the person primarily responsible.

Therefore, I must write a secret letter to the emperor to explain my difficulties and make it clear that this was not my original intention, so that the emperor will not misunderstand me. "

Wang Xijue is not the kind of fool who would refuse to explain clearly even though he knows that misunderstanding may arise.

Wang Heng said, "This is a serious matter. I won't bother you, father."

Wang Xijue thought of something and instructed: "Go find Fang Congzhe, the Imperial Academy's tutor, and ask him to take the trouble to persuade his fellow countryman, Luo Wanhua, the Minister of Rites, to resign!
This is good for all parties, otherwise it will become a deadlock."

Wang Heng flattered him by the way: "Seeing father reconcile the affairs of state, you really have the qualities of a prime minister!"

Wang Xijue urged, "It is not convenient to entrust this matter to outsiders, you should go and do it!" How could it be so easy to become the Prime Minister? Unless Shen Shixing was stupid this time, and Wang Xijue's understanding could be recognized by the emperor.

But given Shen Shixing's experience and tact, how could he make a mistake during such a sensitive period?
The cabinet's joint opposition to the emperor's order was a very eye-catching and special event, especially at a time when the issue of the country's foundation was extremely intense.

After this matter spread, I don't know how much discussion it caused in the court.

Zuodu Yushi Lu Guangzu risked "forming a clique" and secretly visited Sanfu Wang Jiaping in person.

The current situation is too sensitive, and the Qingliu Party is at the center of the storm. He must obtain first-hand information to avoid any misjudgment.

Wang Jiaping analyzed, "The emperor probably wants to see the cabinet's attitude. Now that the cabinet has jointly submitted a petition opposing the removal of Luo Wanhua, it should be able to draw the emperor's anger away."

Lu Guangzu asked with concern: "Will it affect you?"

Wang Jiaping replied easily: "The chief minister is Shen Wumen, and the person who presided over and wrote the document is Wang Taicang.

With the two of them in front, the board won't hit me, so what can happen to me?"

Lu Guangzu was also very happy and said: "If you can be as steady as a mountain, that would be great!
At this point in the winter solstice, if the emperor focuses his attention on the cabinet, we, the officials in the outer court, will be safe for the time being.

You also know that we, the censors of the same profession, cannot afford to lose any more manpower."

Now the Qingliu Party, especially the censors, are in a very awkward situation. In the struggle for the national foundation, they have to take part, but if they do, they are afraid of losing manpower.

After being swept up by Lin Tailai year after year, the Qingliu censors, who originally had abundant human resources, began to feel stretched to the limit.

At its peak in the past few years, the six departments and thirteen ministries combined, the Qingliu forces were able to put together a lineup of about forty censors.

After a series of events such as the Seven Gentlemen in Jin Ping Mei, the illegal trip to Xizhimen, and the false accusations against the heroes who won seven battles and seven victories, the number of Qingliu Party censors is now less than half of what it was at its peak.

Wang Jiaping could only helplessly say: "While Lin Tailai is not in the capital, take advantage of the time to recuperate and select a group of censors."

Lu Guangzu nodded. Now that he had figured out the situation, he could say goodbye.

The pressure from below is all on the cabinet, and the censors outside the court can take a breath for the time being.

No matter what people discuss, everyone thinks that the fourth cabinet minister Zhao Zhigao should be the one with the least pressure in the cabinet.

But the opposite was true. Zhao Si couldn't sleep tonight.

The situation report that Lin Tailai made within the Renewal Society two or three months ago kept echoing in his mind.

"History has its inevitability! When the struggle over the country's foundation intensifies, the emperor will be fed up with the cabinet's attempts to smooth things over and will force the cabinet to step down!"

"History has a certain degree of contingency! Who knows, at some point in time, it could lead to an inevitable result!"

Many people may have heard of Lin Tailai's almost metaphysical views, but only Zhao Zhigao believed them and remembered them without a doubt.

The key point is that before Lin Tai came and left, he said something in private: "Zhao Zhigao! In the opportunity period of one year, whether you want to be the first assistant or the second assistant, you can make your own choice!"

Tossing and turning, old man Zhao couldn't help but keep thinking, could this be the "opportunity" that Lin Tailai mentioned? Was the so-called historical inevitability about to happen?
Why is Lin Tailai not in the capital at such a critical moment?

Without Lin Tailai's hands-on guidance, I would feel uneasy.

(End of this chapter)