The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Zhang Mao captured Liu Jing and prepared to fulfill a great cause, but the result was just as he expected. He should be impeached, but he was still impeached.

The impeachment memorials against him from Ningxia, Gansu, Yansui and other places were sent to the capital like snowflakes. The only reason is that Zhang Mao had made many enemies before. In addition, he was neither a member of Zhang Zhou's faction nor an old man. There is a faction of civil servants, so this time he was pushed down by the wall and pushed by everyone.

cabinet.

Liu Jian was still drawing up the draft plan that day, and Li Dongyang presented several comprehensive memorials to him.

Zhang Mao took a few copies and read them, and immediately frowned.

Obviously, these impeachment memorials have reduced Zhang Mao to nothing, and many people are adding insult to injury, preparing to completely destroy Zhang Mao this time.

Li Dongyang said: "It seems that we should make good use of this matter. It doesn't work on the surface, and sometimes some twists and turns are needed."

This is to remind Liu Jian that our many battles with Zhang Zhou have all ended in failure. Now we have a good opportunity in front of us. If it doesn't work on the surface, we will use some "dark tricks" to make it work secretly. There was an internal fight between Zhang Zhou and Zhang Mao.

Zhang Mao asked: "No one interceded for him?"

Li Dongyang shook his head and said: "It seems that there is none at present, but in terms of fault in this battle, Anyuanhou is obviously the bigger one, but after all, Anyuanhou was just following orders. The British Duke was deceived by the Tatars and sent troops without authorization. After knowing that he was deceived, , and immediately withdrew the troops, but the troops were not withdrawn in time, which led to the attack on the forts around Huamachi and the loss of troops. It is impossible not to pursue this matter. "

Zhang Mao thought for a while, took out another memorial, and said: "Here are those who participated in the impeachment of the British Duke for embezzling Beijing's salary in the past few years, and they will be dealt with together."

"Well." Li Dongyang nodded, but said in a stern voice, almost gritting his teeth, "All roads are impassable, and it seems that it has become a dead end, so we can only rely on some extraordinary means. This is also for Daming, this It’s nothing short of benevolent.”

At this time, of course Li Dongyang still wants to stand on the moral high ground.

It's just that he himself doesn't have much confidence, because he didn't need to say this before, but now he needs to emphasize it, which shows that he is also shaken in his heart.

……

……

West Nuan Pavilion.

Zhu Youtang had just decided on two things that day, one was about the main examination of the general examination, and the other was about the time of farming. He was also preparing to appear in front of his ministers after the new year.

But at this time, news of military changes in the northwest and the impeachment of Zhang Mao also reached him. More than a dozen memorials came out at once, almost unanimously wanting to denounce Zhang Mao.

"Cough cough."

After Zhu Youtang heard about it, he was also coughing.

Chen Kuan stepped forward, replaced the tea with hot water, and then said: "Your Majesty is the most important thing. I'd better leave these trivial matters to the slaves."

"Leave it to you?" Zhu Youtang said with a displeased look, "Do you know how to decide the British Duke's affairs? Should you ignore it? Or should you accuse him? There are some things that I have to do personally."

"Yes." Chen Kuan lowered his head.

Zhu Youtang picked up a few copies and read them, and sighed: "It's really not a horse, just a mule, maybe even worse than a mule. It seems that I had too high expectations for them before."

Chen Kuan thought about it for a while, and realized that the emperor was criticizing Zhang Mao's incompetence. He was probably also talking about people like Zhu Hui and Liu Jing. It was probably because the emperor was dissatisfied with the abilities of his old ministers.

Chen Kuan said: "Fortunately, the Tatars also withdrew."

Zhu Youtang said: "It is mentioned here that ordnance was robbed. Why is there no mention of this in the Ningxia local report? What kind of ordnance was robbed?"

Chen Kuan hesitated: "It seems...new artillery. It is said that two divine cannons were robbed, as well as a dozen light cannons, and there were also reserves of fire bombs... and even some firecrackers. There are probably hundreds of them..."

"Incompetent! They are all incompetent!"

Zhu Youtang cursed, "Are all of them idiots? With firearms standing guard, how can they be successfully attacked by the Tatars? Why didn't the reinforcements rush up to help? Didn't the soldiers in the bunker resist desperately? Or are some people rebelling and rebellious? He took the initiative to open the city gate to surrender? "

Chen Kuandao: "Back to Your Majesty, the situation reported so far does not say there is civil strife. Instead, it is said that the Tatars attacked the castle at night. The soldiers in the city did not know the situation and resisted, but the locals used gunpowder to blow up the city wall. At that time There was an early warning in the castle, but the garrison in Huamachi did not rush to help, and the distance between the two sides was only... ten miles. "

"Ten miles?" Zhu Youtang frowned.

"Yes, less than ten miles, maybe only seven or eight miles. The castle was besieged for six or seven hours and was not lost until noon the next day. The reinforcements only arrived at sunset. At that time, the Tatars After plundering and escaping, the subsequent pursuit... also failed." Chen Kuan just reported the truth to Zhu Youtang about what he had learned.

"Where is that person?" Zhu Youtang asked.

"The British Duke did not return from the city, and did not return to Huamachi until the afternoon. He then sent troops to pursue him, but after two days, no results were achieved, so he withdrew again. At that time, the person guarding Huamachi was Marquis Anyuan. He... based on military intelligence For unknown reasons, he ignored Tubao's call for help and missed the opportunity to rush for help. "Chen Kuan seemed to have found his goal this time, which was to make Liu Jinglai take the blame.

Zhu Youtang's face was already ashen.

"I originally thought that the Tatars came out in force, and the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty fought bloody battles, with each winning or losing. I never thought..." Zhu Youtang said, "Sure enough, some people still shouldn't think highly of them. Let them go back. You can go wherever you need to go, and you won’t have to stay away.”

Chen Kuan said: "Your Majesty, this matter is relatively clear. In this battle, the biggest fault comes from Marquis Anyuan, followed by the British Duke."

Zhu Youtang said: "I think the biggest fault should be borne by the British public."

Chen Kuan asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, how should I judge the crime?"

This time Zhu Youtang did not answer immediately.

……

……

Time passed by, and Zhu Youtang seemed to be thinking about how to deal with this matter.

At this moment, a young eunuch came in at the door. Chen Kuan went over to inquire about the situation and then came back and said: "Your Majesty, it is the Empress Dowager who invites you to come over."

Zhu Youtang said: "Anyuanhou is the in-law of the emperor's grandmother, and the emperor's grandmother must have interceded for Anyuanhou."

Chen Kuan said: "Your Majesty, even if you are an in-law, you should sometimes put court affairs first. How can you ignore the legal principles? From what I can see, the Queen Mother may be considerate of Your Majesty and will not interfere in such matters."

"You seem to know everything?" Zhu Youtang frowned.

Chen Kuan quickly lowered his head. Then Zhu Youtang stood up and didn't explain to anyone where he was going.

This made Chen Kuan also wonder, is he sick or not? Just like this, why do you still say that you have been ill for a long time?

……

……

Inside Qingning Palace.

The Queen Mother Zhou was sitting on the phoenix throne, looking at her grandson with his head down with a leisurely expression, and sighed softly: "Emperor, don't think that the Ai family is putting pressure on you, just deal with it how you want! The affairs of the Liu family, It is no longer my Zhou family’s business, and the court’s laws cannot be disregarded because of this.”

Zhu Youtang said: "Thank you for your understanding, Grandmother Royal. I just feel that the British father should be held responsible for this matter."

Queen Mother Zhou shook her head and said, "You are wrong. No matter what you say, Duke Ying is a minister of honor for generations. He has made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. Before Zhang Tingmian went to the northwest, I thought you were just angry with him. It was you who pushed him to his current position. No matter how well he behaves, it concerns your face."

Zhu Youtang felt puzzled by these words, and he even looked up at the old lady.

"Do you think the Ai family should plead for the Liu family instead of the Zhang family?" Queen Mother Zhou asked.

Zhu Youtang did not answer, but it was equivalent to acquiescing.

Empress Dowager Zhou said: "No matter how the Liu family is, it is not the cornerstone of the Ming Dynasty, but the Zhang family is different. The Ai family knows that in your heart, you cannot balance the two Zhang family princes with a bowl of water, but you must also remember that you cannot just One Zhang, and completely abandon the other.”

Zhu Youtang argued: "But isn't Bingkuan's ability obvious? Imperial Grandma, do you think there is any comparison between the British government and Bingkuan?"

Empress Dowager Zhou sighed: "This is for the stability of the court. Zhang Tingmian...it can be said that the Ai family watched him grow up. He became famous at a young age, but there is really nothing worthy of praise. He is sleek and worldly, and the older he gets, the worse he becomes." He likes to be clever, so just treat him as someone who takes orders, and don’t rely on him for important matters!”

Zhu Youtang was silent.

"If you spare him this time, he will burst into tears, and he will do his best to help you in the future, which will also reassure you." Empress Dowager Zhou said, "Originally, women in the inner palace should not ask about court affairs, but this time The Ai family can make the decision for you and take care of the Liu family! The more severe it is, the better. It will shock the tiger! As for Zhang Tingmian, just give him a small punishment and a few words of reprimand, call him back, and leave him alone first. That’s it.”

Zhu Youtang asked: "You are not guilty of such a big mistake?"

Empress Dowager Zhou said helplessly: "No matter how big a mistake is, how big can it be? There were not many generals who made such mistakes in the past? It was just that some soldiers were killed and wounded, and some people were robbed! This was a common occurrence when the late emperor was here. . The Ai family knows that you are unhappy, but even if you deal with it impartially, others will think that you are targeting him intentionally. "

Zhu Youtang said: "My grandson understands it, but in fact my grandson just wants to level a bowl of water. Since Bingkuan can do it, others should do it too, otherwise he will not be qualified to be ranked in the court."

Empress Dowager Zhou nodded and said: "Your imperial grandmother can understand your mood, but this is also the best way. If this incident harms the morale of the military, then let Bingkuan or Wang Bo'an send troops again , get the place back.”

Zhu Youtang explained: "Now the focus of the imperial court's military deployment is in Liaodong, and I don't want to change it casually."

"Then ignore it!" Empress Dowager Zhou said, "You must not punish Zhang Tingmian for this. His power in the court is far greater than you think, and his power is also intricate. It's just that he has been pampered for a long time. He may seem like a docile cat, but don’t let him have evil thoughts.”

Zhu Youtang frowned.

He didn't have the nerve to say that he would still put a high hat on the man named Zhang?
Since he is so capable, he can show it on the battlefield. How can he be capable just by being in a den?
"My grandson will remember it." Zhu Youtang could understand the old lady's difficulties and understood that the old lady was doing it for his own good, so he agreed.

……

……

Immediately, Zhu Youtang made arrangements, summoned Yang Peng and gave some instructions, and then Yang Peng conveyed his meaning.

Yang Peng then went to Fusi, Jinyiwei North Town, and called Mu Bin and Wang Shi.

"Eunuch, what's the big deal?" Wang Shi glanced at the door and saw that people were already being called outside. This meant he was preparing to send someone on business.

Yang Peng said: "The people outside are going to search the Anyuan Hou Mansion. There are as many people as there are in the Hou Mansion. Don't run away. Once you get it, keep it in custody until further punishment."

Mou Bin asked: "Is this to settle accounts with the queen? Or..."

"What do you know?" Yang Peng said impatiently, "This is Anyuan Hou committing another crime. Originally, the British Duke would also be affected, but fortunately, the young master made a contribution, so the merits and demerits are equal to each other. Wang Qian's incident, I'm afraid I’d like to trouble you and go to the northwest.”

Wang Shi asked: "Are you going to get Marquis Anyuan?"

"Not only Marquis Anyuan, but also several others, most of whom were unable to contribute in the previous wars. If you go there in person, it will build your reputation." Yang Peng looked at Wang Shi with a smile on his face, as if he was worried about it. The king entrusted him with important responsibilities.

Mou Bin asked for instructions: "This trip is very hard. I am humble enough to send someone to assist Wang Qian."

Yang Peng smiled and said: "Your mission is different. There are many errands waiting for you. Don't forget what I told you. Wang Qianshi, during your trip to the northwest, in addition to escorting Marquis Anyuan and others back, you also have to accompany the British Come back together."

"The British Duke..." Wang Shi felt that maybe the emperor also planned to deal with Zhang Mao as well, but he just felt that Zhang Mao had military power in the northwest and it was difficult to do so.

We have to wait until we are on the way back to deal with Zhang Mao.

Yang Peng said: "He is only returning to Beijing to recuperate. You may have to accompany a new general to Ningxia this time, so you have to go to Datong first."

"Who?" Wang Shi asked.

"Ma Yi, the Pinglu Hou who was originally transferred to Liaodong, is now transferred to Ningxia as the commander-in-chief. By the way, the deputy commander-in-chief Zhang Rui is the son of the British Duke... At the same time, your majesty is also preparing to send a new commander. The Lieutenant Commander went to Ningxia to supervise the war." Ma Yi said with a smile, and said casually, "This person is not an ordinary person, but he is the admiral of the Yanwu Hall."

"Ah?" Wang Shi was surprised.

Wang Shi and Liu Jin had worked together before. He didn't think Liu Jin was incompetent, he just thought... this person's call was a bit funny.

In short, people are transferred wherever there is a gap, and then transferred away soon after. They look like screws, but in fact they are just a tired dog leg.

Yang Peng said with a smile: "If you go over this time, you can still meet your brother. Marquis Weining has not had the opportunity to send troops recently. But I heard that after the spring, Your Majesty will lead his troops to the grassland to reappear in your royal family." Glory. He is currently in Pianguan, but it is said that he will be transferred back to Datong soon.”

The current Marquis of Weining, Wang Chun, was appointed as the general commander of Datong in the first year, and was later transferred to Piantou Pass.

This time Ma Yi was transferred away, and Wang Chun had to return to work under Wang Shouren.

If Wang Chun is going to conquer the grassland, it basically means that the emperor plans to let Wang Shouren lead troops into the grassland again, which can be regarded as a revenge for the Tatar attack. (End of chapter)