Jinyi Night Walk

Unable to get back on his horse, his face was flushed, and he said in embarrassment and indignation:...My lord, we...we...can't make it through! ", Zhu Di was stunned" and said in surprise: "Can't we get through? Why can't we get through? Isn't that bridge very good?"

Zhu Neng murmured: "Your Majesty, people from the Inspection Department at the bridgehead said that the imperial court has issued an edict not to allow kings to go to Beijing for funerals. They said..." When Zhu Di heard this, his face swelled as red as chicken blood. His face turned even redder." It was a little dark, and he said angrily, "How unreasonable!Nonsense!The imperial court does not allow the kings to go to Beijing for funerals?How is it possible, how can there be such a reason in the whole world, when the father dies, can't I, a son, wear hemp and filial piety to see my father die? As soon as Zhu Di picked up the reins, he rushed towards the bridge, followed immediately by a group of guards. Zhu Neng hadn't finished speaking. The inspector said just now that the imperial envoy had arrived at the bank of the Wazi River, because Knowing that the kings will go back to Beijing for the funeral immediately when they get the obituary, I’m afraid I’ll miss it if I make an order to stop it, so the imperial court sent a large number of envoys far away from the capital to block all the main water and land routes to intercept the vassal kings. They have already sent people Go and invite the emissary who is waiting.

"My lord, my lord, please stay!"

Seeing Zhu Di rushing over with a dark face, followed by a group of guards, the inspector at the bridge knew that this must be His Royal Highness Yan Wang, so he quickly bit the bullet and greeted him: "My lord, the imperial envoy...","

"Get out of here!"

Zhu Di let out an angry roar, which made the inspector tremble in fright, and quickly stepped aside, Zhu Di turned his horse and rushed towards the bridge.

"King Yan, stay!"

At this time, the imperial emissary had already received the news, and when he caught up with the bridge, he immediately shouted when he saw King Yan charging towards him.

The emissary strode up to the bridge alone. Zhu Di had already rode his horse onto the bridge, and when he saw this person coming from the opposite side, he immediately reined in the rein. He stood up, then stomped heavily on the wooden bridge with a pair of iron hooves, and stood firmly.The person on the opposite side didn't stop, and walked forward steadily step by step." When he reached the center of the bridge, he stopped.

On the other side of the bridge are the inspectors, the people waiting for the inspection, and the guards under the command of the King of Yan. On the opposite end of the bridge, there appeared a group of soldiers in the uniform of the imperial guards. Zhu Di stood at the end of the bridge by himself." Qiao Xin, although facing the majestic Zhu Di, was not at all intimidated by his majesty, and his demeanor remained calm.

This is just a small official, wearing a green robe of a nine-rank civil official, very young in his early thirties, with a white face and a slight beard, not a very special person.But on his shoulders, there are four small flags "four small flags made of blue silk fluttering in the wind, just like the flags on the shoulders of generals on the stage. Four small cards are hung around his waist. The golden light is shining, it is a brand made of basswood painted with gold lacquer, and there is only one word on the gold medal and the triangular blue flag: "Ling! ", Wang Ming Banner!

The emperor actually used the king's order flag "Whoever holds the king's order flag has the power to punish disobedient officials on the spot!

There were many people on both sides of the wooden bridge, but no sound was made. Everyone watched with bated breath, only the wind on the flowing water bridge under the bridge "ignored whether you were a vassal king or an imperial envoy representing the emperor's life and death, Still flowing and blowing without any scruples.

"His Royal Highness the King of Yan, the last emperor's decree, all the kings are crying in their own countries, and there is no need to go to Beijing. Please hurry back to the place where you are now."

"nonsense!"

Zhu Di's forehead rose up like an earthworm, he held the reins tightly, and said furiously: "You are a false edict! It is a false edict! I am the son of the first emperor." The emperor passed away. Send father to die?How can there be such a reason in the world? ", the little official was not angry, just smiled lightly, and said: "I want to teach the prince to know that the late emperor has already been buried in Xiaoling, and it is too late for the prince to arrive at Yingtian Mansion, so please be more careful with your words." You go on Is it a false imperial edict passed on by the official? Please first see clearly, is the Wang Ming flag on the lower official a fake one?"

Zhu Di shouted without hesitation: "How could the father make such an unreasonable decree? Even if it is not a false edict, it is a false edict!"

The little official with the flag of Wang Ming smiled, and said solemnly: "The King of Yan is saying that the current emperor is correcting the imperial edict?"

Although Zhu Di was in a rage, he couldn't help being startled when he heard his words that implied murderous intentions, and said: "Today, the world knows that you are humble, benevolent and filial, so how could you do such an unreasonable instruction?" This must be... This must be because there are treacherous ministers around the emperor, pretending to alienate the royal family! "

The little official rolled his eyes, and said coldly: "The late emperor passed away, King Yan, as a prince, was deeply saddened, and he spoke disrespectfully in anger."But this emperor's order is not fake, His Royal Highness King Yan should return to Beiping immediately, if the prince refuses to obey the order and forcibly breaks into the Waji Bridge, this crime of resisting the order, the lower officials would not dare to bear for His Highness. "

"You...you..." Zhu Di pointed at the little official, his fingers trembling, and he couldn't say a word for a while.

Seeing this, Zhu Neng was afraid that Zhu Di would disregard everything and give someone a handle, so he hurried off his horse and ran to the bridge." Grabbing Zhu Di's horse rein, he begged: "My lord, since your majesty does not allow the kings to go to Beijing for funerals, let's... go back to Beiping to set up a bridge. Sacrifice, my lord, "This is the emperor's will, and I have to follow it."

Zhu Di trembled for a while, his fingers drooped weakly, and the water flowing under the bridge seemed to make a whimpering sound. Seeing this, Zhu Neng quickly took the reins of the horse and brought Zhu Di's war horse back.

The soldiers and civilians at the bridgehead stepped out of the way and looked at Zhu Di silently. The horse walked down the bridge. Zhu Di raised his face to look at the sky. Neng was taken aback, quickly got on his horse, and led all the guards to catch up.

The bridgehead official sneered, curled his lips in disdain, turned and walked away.

Zhu Neng led his men to chase over a hill, "I saw King Yan's horse stopped there, and the saddle was empty." His heart tightened, and he hurriedly rode his horse to catch up, and saw Zhu Di kneeling in the weeds, facing the direction of Jinling, Beating his chest with both hands, weeping loudly: "Father is not allowed to go to the funeral, how can there be such a reason in the world?As a son of man, you are not allowed to be filial before your soul. Why do you insult me ​​like a close relative of the same flesh and blood? "

Zhu Neng and the others looked at each other and stood there quietly, not daring to say a word.

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Xia Xun has been very happy and happy these days. "After the busiest days of the first emperor's burial and the new emperor's ascension to the throne, he asked for leave because of the unhealed wounds on his mouth and shoulders." These days, he has been enjoying the blessings at home like an old man.

Thank you for coming today too. Now that the relationship has been clarified, it is much more generous than before. Xia Xun, Zi Qi, Xie Xie, and Xiao Huo, the four of them are sitting in the newly completed back garden, under the shade of willows above their heads, and under their feet. A kang table was placed on a smooth mat, full of fresh melons and fruits, and several cups of tea.

Several people were chatting about some drastic political changes that Zhu Yunfen had made just after he took the throne.

The emperor decreed that the six ministers should be promoted from the second grade to the first grade, and the subordinate officials would naturally be promoted in turn. Officials who were above the fifth grade and recommended by the prefectural and county officials were appointed on a large scale. : Shi Lang Qitai of the Ministry of War was promoted to Shangshu of the Ministry of War, Hanlin Xiuzhuan, and Huang Zicheng, the emperor's teacher, were promoted to Taichangqing, and joined the army and state affairs; the provincial sentence was reduced, and many officials who were originally sentenced to death for corruption and bribery were pardoned. Xing: These measures "have won the praise of many officials", saying that the current emperor implements a lenient policy, which relieves the harsh policies of the late emperor when he was in power, like a spring breeze blowing on the face, defusing severe frost.

Xia Xun rested on Ziqi's tui, "introducing what happened in the court recently." Peng Ziqi and Xiao Di said happily after hearing this: "In this way," the current emperor is really a wise king. "

Thank you for listening, but she sneered and said nothing, Xia Xun glanced at her and said with a smile, "What do you want to say? ", Xie Yuli snorted and said nothing." Xia Xun said: "There are no outsiders here, so why not talk about it?"

After hearing these words, Xie Yuke felt sweetened, and said, "But I feel that this is just the emperor buying people's hearts, but what he did may not be so wise."

Xia Xun smiled and said, "Oh? Seriously, it's not wise at all."

Xie Yu said: "Here, the six ministers have been promoted from the second rank to the first rank. In the past, only military commanders who had made military exploits lived in the first rank. This is a division of civil servants and military commanders. In fact, civil servants are usually in charge of political affairs. As for the real power, it is still above the ranks of the generals, and now the position of the civil servants is mentioned as equal. From then on, the civil servants will dominate the military generals. It seems to be balanced, but in fact it breaks the balance. Of course, those civil servants are shaking their pens and desperately flattering? Look again In this imperial decree, civil servants of the fifth rank and above and prefectural and county magistrates recommend talents, why specifically specify that they must be civil servants?"

"Little" Di couldn't help but said: "What's wrong with reusing civil servants?I think the military commander is illiterate and very rude. You see, my young master is a scholar, so sensible. In this world, everyone is in charge. "Isn't it a lot more peaceful?"

Xie Yu rolled her eyes and said: "As small as a family, as large as a country, there must be a balance." No matter which side it is, too strong and no checks and balances will not be a good thing.Recommend talents, who else can they recommend?Of course, it must be a person tied to a rope, a person who is willing to listen to them.But what is the purpose of annexing states and counties here and reducing redundant staff?

In the Ming Dynasty, there were no more than four or five officials in a county, plus a dozen or so officials, and only about 20 people in the economic system. This is the official who manages a county. How much is it really?To reduce officials, we have to rely more on local gentry. Some of those who studied and became officials came from poor backgrounds. I don’t believe it if they say that they encourage the emperor to make this decision without any scruples.

In terms of redundant staff, it is not without them, but they are all white staff, they are helpers and relatives who have been recruited by the official officials of the economic system. More and more?Besides, look, what government officials are the ones who are abolished?Those from the Ministry of Punishment, the Ministry of Households, the Inspection Department, and the Department of Salt Tax and Tea Tax Zero Tax, these yamen are either in charge of punishment and justice, or in charge of private households, or they are responsible for collecting taxes. Our Daming Thirty Tax One, Since ancient times, there has not been such a low level." Even if they are abolished, you say that no one can use them and relax management. Who will benefit?

You have to pay attention, the emperor didn't just lay off people, these yamen laid off a lot of people, but some yamen doubled the number of people.Didn't you just say that?The number of officials in places like Guozijian and Hanlinyuan has more than doubled, and their power is much greater than before. Where will the talents recommended by local state and county officials be arranged?Naturally, they were all placed in the local yamen to play with their pens. Who do you think is beneficial to this? "

Xie Yucuo curled his lips, and said disdainfully: "Students, hehe, those scholars are darker than helping generals who don't study, and they are full of benevolence, righteousness, [morality] and morality" to hide their ugly thoughts inside. "

Speaking of which, she groaned, stuck out her tongue, and said to Xia Xun embarrassedly: "I... I didn't say you..."

Xiaodi and Ziqi laughed secretly in their hearts: "He" is not a real scholar. ", Ziqi thought for a while and said: "At least, it's a good thing to save the sentence and reduce the prison sentence?"When the first emperor was around, the criminal law was really cruel. "

Xie Yu lifted his spirits and said, "That's natural, it's a good thing, I used to cheat Jianghu...uh..."

Although a few people knew about her past, she was still a little embarrassed when she said that she said, "I used to... I was also very scared, but I was holding my head..., now I'm fine." For those who are involved, the judiciary will not be allowed to be strict if it is judged according to the "Law of the Ming Dynasty".The "Da Gao" with severe punishments is tantamount to being abolished quietly.However, the first emperor's legislation involved the death penalty the most for officials who broke the law and were corrupt.I doubt very much that "the few officials he trusts the most are civil servants, I look behind this", "

Xia Xun coughed, and said solemnly: "I still agree with the lenient sentence and the reduction of prison. I agree with it with both hands and feet. You know, I am also an official."

The three girls giggled when they heard this. At this time, Guanshi Xiao walked in. Xia Xun was joking with the three girls. Seeing him coming in, he sat up and said, "What's the matter?"

Guanshi Xiao said: "Master, a messenger from the Jinyiwei Yamen has come, and he said his surname is here, and he wants to see you."

Xia Xun said happily: "Is it Liu Yukuai? Invite him in quickly."

Guanshi Xiao hesitated and said, "This..."

Xia Xun saw that Zi Qi, Xie Xie, etc. were not wearing formal clothes, but the Yanju ordinary clothes of the family members at home, and couldn't help laughing