serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 346
The Imperial Garden is located at the northernmost part of the central axis of the imperial city. It was a place for the emperor and his concubines to rest and play.

From a distance, two eunuchs in red clothes carrying a large mahogany box, sweating profusely, came over.

When they walked outside the gate of the Imperial Garden, the two put down their boxes and stretched their necks to look inside. A senior eunuch on duty glanced at them, turned around and walked towards the depths of the Imperial Garden.

The two of them didn't dare to leave, so they stood there lifting up a corner of their robes and fanning themselves desperately.

A eunuch said: "Oh my god, it's so hot before I'm in ambush. I don't know how hot it will be when I'm in ambush!"

Another eunuch said: "If you bear with it any longer, it will be time to make herbal tea and distribute it in a few days."

A eunuch touched the mahogany box, sighed, and said: "We can't survive a flat-haired beast. Not only do we have to eat black mutton, we also have to eat fresh meat. Just these few steps, we have to use ice cubes. .”

Another eunuch said: "How can people like us compare with it? It is Haidongqing presented to His Majesty by the Prince of Beining County."

Suddenly, a familiar eagle call came from the sky. The two looked up and saw a huge eagle soaring over the imperial garden.

At this time, a sharp whistle came from the Imperial Garden, and the giant eagle swayed and disappeared into the Imperial Garden in an instant.

The two people hurriedly carried the mahogany box into the imperial garden. Sure enough, the eunuch on duty came out, waved, and led them deep into the imperial garden.

In the imperial garden, Emperor Jianwu was sitting on the railing couch under the wisteria trellis.

Dai Quan stood beside him, holding a stack of memorials and reading: "The governor of Gansu reported that the cavalry led by Zhongqin Bo Zhao Yi arrived in Anxi Prefecture on the second day of April. On the third day, they crossed the Surai River and marched all the way. Attacked Hami and captured the city occupied by rebels on April [-]th. The governor of Gansu also said: "

Emperor Jianwu: "What else can you say?"

Dai Quan: "Since all the Han people in the city were massacred, Uncle Zhongqin issued an order to massacre the city. The governor of Gansu hoped that the imperial court would issue an edict to reprimand Uncle Zhongqin and prohibit him from massacring the local people."

After a "hum", Emperor Jianwu said: "Just give him a reply and ask him to help and distribute the food and grass for the army."

Dai Quan: "Yes." He replied and read the second memorial, "This memorial was sent from Jiangning by Lin Ruhai, the governor of Liangjiang on April [-]th. He invited him to come to Beijing during the Mid-Autumn Festival to report on his work."

Emperor Jianwu: "Oh? Is Jia Hu's wedding date set?"

Dai Quan shook his head: "I haven't heard of it. However, Lin Ruhai must have come to Beijing to marry his daughter."

Emperor Jianwu thought for a while: "Okay. Tell him to arrange the affairs of Liangjiang before going to Beijing."

Dai Quan: "Yes." He opened another memorial, and his expression changed at first glance.

Emperor Jianwu: "What's wrong?"

Dai Quan: "Yes, it is a memorial written by Li Mao, the right deputy of the Imperial Palace."

Emperor Jianwu: "What are you talking about?"

Dai Quan: "Li Mao. Li Mao impeached Jin Shuqing, the Minister of Household Affairs, for accepting property from Japanese people and seeking benefits for Japanese people."

Emperor Jianwu stood up suddenly, grabbed the memorial, took a quick look at it, and asked with a cold face: "Did Jin Shuqing really accept gifts from the Japanese?"

Dai Quan replied: "These gifts were originally intended for the King of Beining County. The King did not see them and directly drove away the Japanese people. These gifts were sent to Jin Shuqing's house. There are not many valuable items, and the total value is estimated Around 1 taels.”

After a pause, "It's to thank Jin Shuqing for transferring An Guogong and the Liaodong Army away from Liaodong. Well, the Korean Tatars gave more, I heard that there are more than [-]."

"Oh?"

Emperor Jianwu turned around, his eyes flashing coldly, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Dai Quan lowered his head: "I am afraid that my Majesty's strategy will be ruined."

Emperor Jianwu snorted coldly and asked again: "Li Hao knows this, and it's impossible for others not to know. What is Li Shouzhong doing? And what are the censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, big and small, doing?"

How could Dai Quan respond? He could only remain silent.

At this moment, a great eunuch who was the Supervisor of Ceremonies came over with the Haidongqing and handed it to Emperor Jianwu.Emperor Jianwu: "Are you fed?"

Chief eunuch: "Yes."

Emperor Jianwu: "You didn't hurt anyone anymore, did you?"

The Great Eunuch: "Your Majesty, it was because I was too hungry that day, otherwise this Haidongqing would not have hurt anyone."

Emperor Jianwu: "Take good care of it. When the weather cools down, I will call the noble leaders from Outer Mongolia and other tribes to come in and hunt in the Western Mountains. Then let him help me get more prey."

"Yes."

The great eunuch carried the Haidongqing and walked out.

Emperor Jianwu: "Why did Li Hao write this memorial?"

Dai Quan replied: "Your Majesty, Li Hao wrote this memorial probably because he couldn't stand what Jin Shuqing did."

Emperor Jianwu asked: "Jia Hu hasn't been out for the past two days?"

Dai Quan: "Yes."

Emperor Jianwu: "Didn't you see anyone?"

Dai Quan: "Yes."

Emperor Jianwu shook the memorial in his hand: "Send someone to deliver Li Hao's memorial to Jia Hu. There is no need to say anything."

Dai Quan: "Yes." He answered, put the stack of memorials in his hand on the railing couch, took Li Hao's memorials, bowed and retreated.

Watching him go away, Emperor Jianwu sat back, picked up a memorial and read through it.
The sun has set to the west, and the light in the room is gradually dimming.

The desk of the cabinet duty room is still full of official documents, and the chief assistant Wang Hetang is lowering his head to deal with the official documents.

At this time, Li Shouzhong walked in hurriedly.

Wang Hetang raised his head from the pile of official documents and looked at Li Shouzhong: "How is it?"

Li Shouzhong sighed: "There is news from the Metropolitan Procuratorate that Li Hao was taken away by people from the Beining County Prince's Palace. I heard that his memorial to impeach Jin Shuqing was sent to the Beining County Prince's Palace."

Wang Hetang's face immediately turned ugly, and his voice trembled with anger: "It is unheard of that a memorial from the third-rank right deputy censor of the capital was sent to the palace of a king with a different surname! Li Hao is an official of the imperial court, not a retainer of the prince of Beining County. ! If you are not secretive, you will lose your ministers. What your Majesty did today is not the way of a monarch and his ministers! It is not a blessing to the country!"

Li Shouzhong: "Your Majesty may have his own plan."

Wang Hetang sneered: "Planning? Do you need so much planning to govern the government?"

Li Shouzhong hurriedly interrupted him: "Okay, okay! Just stop saying a few words." He turned around and sat down on the chair under the window, looking at Wang Hetang, "I have said it before, corruption and bribery alone are You can't move Jin Shuqing. Your Majesty now needs Jin Shuqing to help him suppress and weaken the forces of all parties. His Majesty will not deal with him for serious crimes without solid evidence."

Wang Hetang smiled bitterly: "Why did the Japanese give such expensive gifts to Jin Shuqing? A quick investigation will reveal evidence of betrayal of the imperial court's interests. Your Majesty is feeding a tiger into trouble!"

Li Shouzhong: "The Chief Minister is obsessed with the Prime Minister. It is impossible for His Majesty not to know that he is just waiting for an opportunity. As the saying goes, 'If you want to make him die, first make him crazy'. With this incident, Jin Shuqing and the royalists will become even more We just have to wait patiently."

After a pause, "There are rumors that the Royalist Party, Mei Party, Jia Yucun and others are planning to start with military pay and trophies, check the accounts, and attack the county king!"

Wang Hetang was surprised: "Is this okay?"

Li Shouzhong: "The Ministry of Revenue has this power, but almost no minister of the Ministry of Revenue dares to check the military's accounts. People will die."

After a pause, he said, "A young man who succeeds in his ambition will be met with great misfortune. If his virtue is not worthy of his qualifications, there will be consequences."

Wang Hetang stood up, walked to the north window and looked at the big tree in the courtyard. After a long time, he said: "We lost again."

(End of this chapter)