I studied in modern times

Chapter 698: Layered Dolls (1)

Soon, almost the entire Bianjing city knew that two "honorable and selfless" secretaries resolutely returned the title of governor that the Empress Dowager had given to a shameless villain!

All kinds of rumors were flying around in an instant.

The Bian Jing Xin Bao even started follow-up reports!

On the 19th day of December, the Bian Jing Xin Bao was the first to release a breaking news - the Minister of Rites Zeng Xiaokuan went to the palace to apologize to the two empresses and the emperor for recommending Ye Kangzhi.

The two palaces and the emperor all comforted and encouraged him!

This further stimulated the minds of the people in Bian Jing!

Even the person who recommended him went to apologize.

Is this really false?
As a result, Zeng Zhao and Su Che became famous!
Immediately, the Censorate began to follow up.

Because Fu Yaoyu had already been appointed as the prime minister, but the new Chief Censor had not yet been appointed.

The position of Palace Attendant Censor in Charge of Miscellaneous Affairs, the second-in-command of the Censorate, has remained vacant since Liu Zhi was demoted.

Therefore, the Censorate is now leaderless, and the censors of the three courts (Taisui, Dian, and Cha) each do their own things.

As a result, the Left Counselor Xianyu Qun, the Censor-in-Chief Shangguan Jun, the Right Corrector Lu Tao and others wrote letters to criticize and criticize.

Among these people's memorials, Zeng Xiaokuan was mediocre and incompetent, and was just a mediocre official who relied on his father's favor to occupy a high position.

Ye Kangzhi is a shameless traitor who has lost the ideals and morals of the scholar-officials.

As for Li Xian?

Eunuchs and treacherous ministers, relying on the power of the emperor, bring chaos to the country and destroy the law!

Kill!

Zeng Xiaokuan immediately announced that he would close the door to visitors and stay at home to await punishment.

At the same time, he wrote a letter to express his position: everything must be in accordance with the laws of the court, and he will firmly cooperate with the court investigation!
He again wrote a letter requesting a reduction in punishment.

The wording of the memorial was extremely humble, just like a child who was caught doing something bad by an adult.

In the eyes of Zeng Zhao, Su Che and the crows in the Censorate, Zeng Xiaokuan's statements were tantamount to surrendering.

This deeply stimulated the crows in the Censorate.

The crows screamed and rushed to follow Xianyu Qun and others.

A flood of impeachment letters poured into the Tongjian Division.

On December 21, the Bian Jing Yi Bao published the full text of the impeachment memorial by the Censor-in-Chief Shang Guan Jun two days ago.

As the runner-up in the third year of Xining, Shangguan Jun should have been the top scorer.

However, because of his articles criticizing the new law and making irresponsible remarks about the prime minister (Wang Anshi), he was moved to second place.

The original third place, Ye Zuqia, was chosen because of a sentence: Our ancestors mostly followed the old ways and implemented simple policies. Your Majesty came to the throne and made reforms...

This made the emperor very pleased, and he appointed him as the top scholar.

Over the years, Shangguan Jun has been brooding over this and working hard to improve himself.

As a result, his personal articles became better and better.

This memorial was written in passionate language and quoted from classics, listing the past events of the Tang Dynasty in which powerful eunuchs caused chaos in the country and appointed villains, which led to the decline of national strength, the weakening of imperial power, the division of the country, and the civil wars between local warlords.

At the same time, he also cited the various precautions taken by the ancestors of the Song Dynasty to prevent the eunuchs from "taking advantage of the power and usurping authority."

At the same time, stories of punishing eunuchs since Taizu are listed.

Therefore, he came to the conclusion that as long as there were eunuchs who dared to "serve the emperor's majesty", they could be "killed".

And Li Xian is a typical example!
The punishment must be clearly stated to serve as a warning to others!
But he heard that "the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager could not bear to punish Xian because they thought he was an old minister of the previous emperor."

How is this possible?

Weren’t Li Fuguo and Cheng Yuanzhen of the Tang Dynasty old ministers and confidants?
But they brought disaster to the country and the people, as can be seen in history!

To be honest, even Zhao Xu applauded after reading Shangguan Jun's impeachment.

It’s really well written!

He is indeed a top scholar.

The article is so well written, of course we have to help promote it!
So, Zhao Xu immediately sent the article to the Bian Jing Yi Bao.

Well, ever since Sima Kang returned to his hometown to observe mourning and Yan Jidao fled to Dengzhou, the Bian Jing Yibao has been handed over to Tong Guan by Zhao Xu.

The Bian Jing Yi Bao still followed the ideas and policies of Sima Kang when he was in power.

Usually, Shi Deyi and Tong Guan only supervised the finances of the Bian Jing Yi Bao and did not interfere with its printing and distribution, allowing it to maintain the ideological color of the old party literati.

Only when Zhao Xu needs it will he mix in some private goods.

This trick is often used by modern news media and works very well.

Even in modern times, readers’ worldviews are often influenced by the media without them realizing it.

What about now?
As a result, as the Bian Jing Yi Bao published the full text of Shangguan Jun's impeachment, public opinion began to boil. From the students in the Imperial College to the literati in the officialdom, everyone who had read Shangguan Jun's article had nothing bad to say about it.

Of course, the Bian Jing Xin Bao was not idle either.

Under Zhao Xu's instructions, countless negative information about Li Xian had already been published in a continuous stream.

All the things that Li Xian did and did not do in Xihe were published one by one.

For example, Li Xian once took off his shoes and asked Peng Sun, the military commander of Jingyuan Road, to hold his shoes for him. Peng Sun even flattered Li Xian: "How fragrant are the feet of the general!"

He almost licked it!

For example, Li Xian once criticized an official in Xihe, which frightened the official so much that he abandoned his post and fled.

For example, after Li Xian conquered Tiandu Mountain and burned down the Xixia Palace, he secretly hid many treasures belonging to the Xixia king.

Dozens of such negative news were published in just three days from December 19th to nd!
Some of these things are true, some are false, and some are even extremely absurd. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell that they are fabricated.

But public opinion is boiling.

How can the general public have any ability to distinguish?
Aren't you just following the crowd?
So, he was led astray.

But some smart people still found the problem.

Lu Gongzhu put down the Bianjing Newspaper in his hand and let out a sigh: "Why do I feel something is wrong with the things published in this Bianjing Newspaper?"

"Sir, what's wrong?" asked his son Lu Xichun.

Lu Gongzhu handed the tabloid to Lu Xichun and said, "Take a look..."

"The stories about Ye Jingwen (Ye Kangzhi's courtesy name) and Li Xian, the 'slave' and 'flatterer' published in this tabloid, are too true!"

"As if Ye Jingwen really did it!"

But he knew Ye Kangzhi's character well and knew that he would never do such a thing!
Lu Xizhe took it and looked at it, which described in detail the story of how Ye Kangzhi had been servile in front of Li Xian.

He also frowned, sensing something was wrong, and even felt a sense of déjà vu.

He looked at the words above and suddenly an idea came to his mind.

He looked at his father: "Sir..."

"I seem to have heard of this story before..."

"Ok?"

"But it's not about Ye Jingwen and Li Xian..." Lu Xichun lowered his head and said, "I seem to have heard similar discussions in the Taichang Temple..."

"This seems to be the story between Mu Changshu, Sun Zhengfu and Wang Zhongzheng..."

"Mu Changshu...Sun Zhengfu..." Lu Gongzhu pondered and frowned: "Mu Yan, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Finance, and Sun Lu, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Rites?"

"That's right!" said Lu Xichun.

"But..." Lu Gongzhu raised his head: "I have seen these two people before, and I have ordered them to do things!"

"These two are both polite gentlemen!"

The Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Finance and the Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Rites were both officials under the Secretariat.

Especially the Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Finance, which is particularly important.

Because, what it manages is money!
Not only were all the money supervisors in the world under his control, but the account books of the left and right treasuries were also in his hands.

Moreover, after the first year of Yuanyou, its powers continued to expand.

As far as Lu Gongzhu knew, once the pawnshop completed its merger with the pawnbroker and the purchase was completed, the Ministry of Finance would take on the responsibility of supervising the pawnshop.

Relevant regulations will also be improved and promulgated by the future Ministry of Finance.

Therefore, Lu Gongzhu attached great importance to the Gold Department.

He knows even more about Mu Yan, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Finance.

"What is going on?" Lu Gongzhu was completely confused.

no way!
The current situation is too chaotic.

The Bian Jing Yi Bao and the Bian Jing Xin Bao were both firing, bombarding Li Xian and Ye Kangzhi!
He looked like he would not give up until he strangled these two men to death.

But it just so happened that Lu Gongzhu knew Ye Kangzhi.

Therefore, Lu Gongzhu knew that all the current accusations and charges were most likely false.

At the same time, he also knew who was controlling the Bian Jing Xin Bao and the Bian Jing Yi Bao?
So, he didn't understand at all.

"What exactly is the emperor's will?"

He was a little out of control.

Just as he was thinking about it, his grandson Lü Haowen came to report: "Sir, Zhang Jiedu has just sent someone to deliver a visiting card, saying that he will come to the mansion to ask for an audience later."

"Zhang Andao?" Lu Gongzhu stood up and asked, "Why does he want to see me?"

(End of this chapter)