People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1009: Demotion, Minister of the Ministry of Industry

"Your Majesty, the political affairs hall has sent a memorial." Wang Fulai placed a pile of memorials on the imperial desk, and then carefully stepped away.

Li Zhi opened the pages one by one, and all the words written on them were small characters. He then calmly pushed towards Empress Wu and said a little tiredly: "Meiniang, please read it."

"Yes!" Empress Wu nodded, then picked up the memorials and read them one by one, then her face was full of surprise.

Li Zhi caught a glimpse of the look on Empress Wu's face and asked, "What's wrong?"

"In addition to the memorials submitted by Dali Temple, the Ministry of Punishment and the Yushitai, there is only one more." Empress Wu looked at Li Zhi in disbelief and said, "This is Chengsi's confession."

"Chengsi confessed." Li Zhi was deeply surprised, and then asked: "What did he say?"

Empress Wu opened the memorial and read in a deep voice: "My heirs are guilty, and I regret that I should not have listened to the instigation of traitors, made the prime minister sick, and framed the officials in the court. I feel guilty and ashamed...

I am willing to take all the blame for the crime, and kowtow in front of the prime minister's bed to apologize. I am willing to repay a hundred times for all the harm caused. If the prime minister refuses, I am willing to kill myself in front of the couch...

As for other matters, I have never done anything about them. If I want to know about the matters in the East Palace, I can just ask His Highness the Crown Prince directly. There is no need to do anything about it. The affairs of the secret guard are even more ridiculous. I am a villain, how can I dare to pry into secrets... "

Empress Wu gently placed the memorial on the table, and finally turned to look at Li Zhi: "Your Majesty, the matter in the East Palace has nothing to do with Chengsi. The secret guard reported that Chengsi has been close to the East Palace since Shun'er was born. I don’t have any unnecessary thoughts and say that he is planning to become a minister, and my concubines believe him, but it may not be true if I spy on the East Palace and secret guards.”

"The matter of the East Palace and the Secret Guard will not be dealt with for the time being and the investigation will continue. However, a decision must be made today on the matter of Prime Minister Zhang." Li Zhi looked calm.

"First let him go to Prime Minister Zhang's residence to plead guilty, and then send someone to deliver the decree and demote Chengsi to leave the capital. As for this traitor... Your Majesty, I have not heard from my concubine Shi Yin for several days." Empress Wu couldn't help but frown. .

Li Zhi nodded gently, he understood that the scapegoat chosen by Empress Wu was Ming Chongyan.

Moreover, it is very likely that Ming Chongyan was behind this case.

"Pass an edict to Master Shiyin Ming Chongyan to go to Qingguan on Maoshan Mountain to pray for Prime Minister Zhang on my behalf." Li Zhi looked at Empress Wu and said, "If he shows up, let him return to the capital. If he doesn't show up, let him return to the capital." …”

"I know what to do." Empress Wu nodded seriously, with a cold expression on her face.

What Ming Chongyan did this time was really too much. He plotted against the prince, against the secret guard, and especially against the heir...

If something like this is done wrong, Wu Chengsi will immediately follow in the footsteps of He Lan Minzhi.

How could Empress Wu endure this?

"The other thing is the East Palace." Li Zhi lightly knocked on the table and said, "Zhang Da'an was too dangerous and was demoted to the position of Chief of the Governor's Office in Changzhou. Zhang Qing transferred the crown prince Zuo Shuzi to assist the crown prince. How about that?"

"Your Majesty has taken care of it." Empress Wu nodded seriously.

Zhang Daan was demoted to a foreign post as his punishment for this matter.

After all, without his original idea, none of these things would have happened.

The most important thing is that he clearly knew that someone was going to harm Zhang Wenguan, but he never stopped him and allowed Zhang Wenguan to get hurt.

This is his guilt.

Zhang Wenguan was relieved of his post as a servant and transferred to the East Palace to assist the prince. After this incident, the prince's behavior should be corrected.

It’s just that Zhang Daan was transferred to Changzhou Governor’s Office, Changzhou. This may not be a punishment!
The Crown Prince Zuo Shuzi is in the upper rank of the fourth rank, and the chief historian of the lower governor's office in Changzhou is in the lower rank of the fifth rank.

The punishment of being demoted five levels may seem severe, but in fact it is not inevitable.

The King of Nanchang was the frontline governor who held military power. Zhang Daan was equivalent to half of the frontline governor in Changzhou.

The most important thing is that once King Nanchang succeeds King Peng, the position of chief historian of Prince Peng's palace will be vacant.

By doing this, the emperor not only imposed a layer of restrictions on the King of Nanchang, but also brought a layer of foreign aid to the East Palace. In the end, Zhang Daan still had hope for the future.

Whether he serves as the chief historian of Prince Peng's palace in the future or succeeds Li Xuan as the governor of Changzhou, it is possible.

This time, Donggong's rejection won't be too drastic.

……

"As for the secret guard." Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "Let Yuan Qing torment him and tell him that if something like this happens again, I will be the first to take his head."

"Yes!" Empress Wu nodded. The secret guard had indeed neglected his duties in this case. Although the emperor was displeased, he had already taken action against Ming Chongyan, so he was naturally more tolerant towards Yuan Wanqing.

"The last one is Chengsi." Li Zhi took a gentle breath and said, "He must obtain Zhang Qing's understanding, otherwise he will be dismissed from office and removed from all positions. If he can obtain Zhang Qing's understanding, he will be demoted..."

"Zhenzhou." Empress Wu gritted her teeth and said harshly: "Deport this useless guy to Zhenzhou."

"That's not necessary." Li Zhi looked down at the memorial in front of him and said softly: "Without this apology letter, I would have demoted him to go to Jiazhou to be the governor. But now that I have this apology letter, if I can get it again Zhang Qing understands, then let him go to Fenzhou to think about his mistakes behind closed doors."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Empress Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiazhou is the former Yiling County of Sui Dynasty, and Fenzhou is Fenyang.

Wu Chengsi was from Wenshui in Bingzhou, and Wenshui in Fenyang was only a hundred miles away, so he had already returned home.

"Finally, it's Gao Wei." Li Zhi frowned. After all, Gao Wei is Gao Shilian's grandson, so he has some family ties with him.

A figure suddenly flashed in the corner of his eye. Li Zhi subconsciously raised his head and saw Wang Fulai standing on one side, looking embarrassed but not saying a word.

"What's the matter?" Li Zhi asked directly.

"Your Majesty, the eldest princess of Dongyang wants to see you." Wang Fulai bowed deeply.

"This is for Gao Wei." Empress Wu understood immediately.

Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "Gao Wei is Gao Shenxing's son. I'm afraid the imperial sister will be forced to come here." After all, the eldest princess of Dongyang married into the Gao family, so she naturally had to take some care.

Li Zhi waved his hand and said: "I feel unwell and disappeared. Tell Sister Huang that Gao Wei's matter will be handled by Dali Temple according to the law. I will not care about it here."

"Yes!" Wang Fulai bowed and then stepped back carefully.

"Your Majesty, if you come here, Gao Wei may not survive." Empress Wu gave Li Zhi a funny look, but then she said with emotion: "Before the New Year, it would be better if fewer people died."

"Yes, it is quite unlucky to see blood a year ago." Li Zhi nodded, and then said: "Gao Shenxing was not strict in educating his children, so he was removed from the post of Minister of Hubu, and transferred Wang Dezhen to the post of Minister of Hubu, and transferred Zhang She to the position of Central Supervisor of the Palace. Cen Changqian was appointed secretary-supervisor, and Gao Shenli was demoted to Suizhou governor and fined one year's salary."

"Your Majesty is wise." Empress Wu nodded lightly.

Wang Dezhen was originally the central eunuch of the palace. This position was transferred by his deputy Zhang She, the fifth son of Zhang Wenguan, which was regarded as the emperor's compensation for this matter.

Cen Changqian is the nephew of former Prime Minister Zhongshu Ling Cen Wenwen, so it would be appropriate for him to be transferred back to serve as secretary-supervisor.

However, Cen Changqian belongs to the literati lineage, and they also have a faction in Beijing. Wang Dezhen, Ouyang Tong, and the imperial censor Ge Fuyuan are all from this faction.

Ge Xiyuan, Ge Fuyuan's elder brother, joined the army for Luozhou Judiciary. He was recruited by Li Xian and annotated "Book of the Later Han" with Liu Nayan.

A lineage of literati!

"What about the position of Minister of the Ministry of Works?" Empress Wu looked at Li Zhi, that's all. The key was the position of Minister of the Ministry of Works.

Li Zhi's brows suddenly wrinkled. All the disputes at the moment were because of the position of Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

This is true even if Zhang Wenguan is injured.

"Ask Liu Shenli to be in charge of the service, and to be the minister of the Ministry of Public Works. Don't move for the time being." Li Zhi shook his head slightly and said, "Although I have some candidates in my mind, I still feel that they are not suitable."

"Your Majesty, tell me." Empress Wu took a cup of tea from behind and placed it in front of Li Zhi.

Li Zhi sighed softly and said: "Cui Zhiwen, the minister Zuocheng, and Su Liangsi, the governor of Jizhou, will be the great craftsman Yang Wulian."

Empress Wu immediately looked solemn. Cui Zhiwen was from the crown prince, Su Liangsi was the former chief historian of the British king, and Yang Wulian was a general craftsman. It was most reasonable for him to be promoted to minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Yan Liben and Liu Shenli were both first appointed as generals and great craftsmen, and later promoted to ministers of the Ministry of Industry.

"Yang Wulian is not suitable. He is too focused on what he is going to do." Empress Wu couldn't help but shook her head. Yang Wulian was suitable to be a craftsman, but not suitable to be the minister of the Ministry of Works.

"Indeed." Li Zhi nodded slightly. Empress Wu was right. Yang Wulian was indeed too slow in political affairs: "Su Liangsi..."

"If Su Liangsi is suitable, Guo Zhengyi, Wei Fangzhi, Ouyang Tong and others will be suitable." Empress Wu couldn't help but shake her head.

"Let's leave it for now, it's the Ministry of Works anyway..." Li Zhi shook his head in his mind. Neither his subordinates nor the Ministry of Works were yamen with too complicated affairs.

"That's it for the time being. I'm sending a message to the Wannian County of Chang'an. Before the New Year, the ground in Chang'an should be kept clean for me. Don't cause any trouble and worry me." Li Zhi looked unhappy.

"Yes!"

……

The carriage swayed slowly and gradually entered Duke Zhou's mansion.

Wu Chengsi got out of the car a little tiredly, and his wife Gong had already taken the lead to greet him. Seeing Wu Chengsi come back, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's good if you come back." Gong came over and held Wu Chengsi's hand.

Wu Chengsi smiled gently, looked at the gentle and virtuous Gong, and said, "Okay, it's okay. Go prepare some warm water, I want to take a bath."

"Well!" Mrs. Gong led the people away, while Wu Chengsi walked to the study alone, thinking about today's events in his mind.

With a "squeak", the door opened, and Wu Chengsi walked towards the inside of the study. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned back: "Who is it?"

"Squeak." The door closed, and Ming Chongyan, dressed in Taoist robes, walked out from behind the door: "Dong Zhou."

"It's you, how dare you come to see me." Wu Chengsi stretched out his hand and pulled out the long sword directly on the table. Ming Chongyan's reflection flashed on the blade.

Ming Chongyan shook his head slightly and chuckled carelessly: "Why should the Duke be angry? It is risky to seek the position of minister. Besides, the Duke only lost some money. Zhang Daan and Pindao are unlucky."

"Zhang Daan?" Wu Chengsi was slightly startled and asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"Your Majesty will issue an imperial edict tomorrow. Zhang Da'an acted carelessly, causing secrets to be leaked, and he was demoted to the post of Chief of the Governor's Office of Changzhou." Ming Chongyan couldn't help but sigh.

"Did the East Palace bear the heavy responsibility for this matter?" Wu Chengsi was a little surprised, and then he suddenly got excited: "Changzhou, are they trying to win over the King of Nanchang?"

"We can't win over him. The King of Nanchang and the East Palace are not the same people." Ming Chongyan shook his head slightly and said, "Zhang Daan is afraid that he will completely break off the relationship with the East Palace in the future."

"This..." Wu Chengsi really didn't expect that the situation would be so serious.

"There is also Pindao." Ming Chongyan shook his head bitterly and said, "The one who suffered the biggest loss this time was Pindao. They used Zhang Daan to defeat Pindao."

"You deserve it, you guys are using me as a pawn in your plot." Wu Chengsi glared at Ming Chongyan fiercely.

"What does this mean? During the Xianqing period, even the prime minister could be slaughtered like a dog at any time, let alone when there was Li Yifu later. When would it be peaceful?" Ming Chongyan shook his head and said softly: " This time it’s just the beginning.”

"It just started, what do you mean?" Wu Chengsi's face suddenly became solemn.

"Haha!" Ming Chongyan did not answer Wu Chengsi, but said softly: "I didn't expect the King of Nanchang to let you go so easily this time."

"You have already said that he is not the prince's person, he always wants to see the queen's face, and we are not outsiders."

(End of this chapter)