high official

Chapter 234 The Cabinet
While Wang Xian and Zhu Zhanji were discussing, the prince was also talking to several masters in the East Palace study.

"Unexpectedly, Zhou Xin was arrested and imprisoned as soon as he arrived." The young Jin Wen said with a serious expression on his face: "Unexpectedly, Ji Gang has turned the tables!"

"This was predetermined," Yang Pu said in a deep voice, "We forwarded Zhou Xin's report, but the emperor didn't even read it. It's clear that he only listened to Ji Gang's one-sided words."

"Although Zhou Xin is the presiding judge, His Royal Highness is the person in charge. The emperor can't just listen to Ji Gang's one-sided words." Huang Huai frowned and said: "As long as the emperor reads the crimes that Zhou Xin has tried, he will be able to realize it." Ji Gang's sinister intentions."

"It makes sense!" Jin Wen praised.

"It's not that simple..." Zhu Gaochi shook his head slowly. He is a big fat man, and he can't stand it when the weather is hot. At the moment, everyone else is wearing strict official uniforms, but he is only wearing a single shirt. It is the case that Zhou Xin was involved in Jianwen, and there is evidence in hand, which can prove that he is inextricably involved, so the father will be furious. Therefore, this case is not easy to turn over."

"So that's how it is!" Several East Palace lecturers showed surprise on their faces. They believed in the crown prince's words. As the crown prince's most trusted confidantes, they knew that although Zhu Gaochi looked obese, he had a deep city and had eyeliners in the palace. There must be evidence.

"But this person, we have to save him." Yang Pu said in a deep voice: "After all, in the eyes of the world, Zhou Xin was ordered by His Highness to investigate Jin Yiwei. Now he is imprisoned because of this case, if His Highness refuses to What he said will inevitably be disappointing." After a pause, he said, "What's more, Zhou Xin's reputation is too great, and his official voice is excellent, which will have a far-reaching impact."

"That's right, an upright official like Zhou Xin has to be protected. Otherwise, it will inevitably make the world centrifugal..." Huang Huai nodded, hesitated and said, "It will give the King of Han an opportunity."

"Don't steam the steamed buns to save yourself, let the world see that His Highness loves loyal ministers!" Jin Wen also echoed.

"Zhou Xin..." Zhu Gaochi pondered for a long time before Fang slowly asked, "What do you think?"

"The sharp weapon of the country!" Jin Wen said loudly.

"Well said!" Huang Huai praised.Yang Pu nodded and said: "It can be called the soul of a civil servant."

"The sharp weapon of the country, the soul of civil servants." Zhu Gaochi patted the book case, then leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes: "Well said, well said..."

Several lecturers knew that he was pondering, so they looked at him quietly.

Sure enough, after a cup of tea, the prince opened his eyes and made up his mind: "Is there any way to save this person?"

"We can only fight..." The lecturers are all gentlemen with profound knowledge, but they are weak in making suggestions.The matter is of great importance, and he dared not make any random decisions, so Yang Pu said: "Tonight I will go to see Brother Shiqi first, and report to His Highness for your order."

The so-called brother Shiqi is called Yang Yu with the word Shiqi, and this person is known in the world as a character, so they are all called Yang Shiqi.As the name suggests, this is a strange person, talented and intelligent, and has a good memory for reading, but he was poor since he was a child, and he remarried with his mother to an official. Unexpectedly, only one year later, his stepfather was demoted to the frontier for crimes... In the Hongwu Dynasty , This is really normal, it is not normal for officials not to be convicted... The life of Yang Shiqi and his mother is once again in trouble.

Studying is an expensive job. Because of his poor family, he could not take the imperial examination like other scholars, but could only start from the basics... He taught in a private school at the age of 15, and later mixed into the system and became a county The teacher in the school... the teacher is the assistant of the teacher, the teacher of the county school, and finally has an official status.Life had just started to improve, and he tragically lost his official seal... This is a felony that will lead to imprisonment, but Yang Shiqi is not an honest bookworm, he just abandoned his official position and ran away, and then lived in the rivers and lakes for 20 years.In the Ming Dynasty, where household registration was strict and identity checks were required everywhere, Yang Shiqi was able to live in exile for 20 years, which is enough to show his ability.

During his escape, he still insisted on studying hard, and unexpectedly gained a good reputation in the circle of scholars.In the second year of Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen summoned Confucian scholars to write the "Records of the Taizu". The 36-year-old Yang Shiqi was recommended as the editor and successfully went ashore to clean up his crimes.What's even more amazing is that he was appreciated by Fang Xiaoru, the editor-in-chief of this book, because of his knowledge and responsibility in the compilation work, and he became the vice president of "Taizu Shilu" in one fell swoop!

In the Yongle Dynasty, Yang Shiqi was really reused. Together with Xie Jin and others, he was appointed as one of the seven great scholars in the first cabinet of the Ming Dynasty. Since then, he has become an important minister of the court and the confidant of Emperor Yongle!
Although Zhu Di adhered to the ancestral system everywhere, the great emperor was actually a pragmatist in essence. He followed two principles, and when the ancestral system was in his own interests, he followed it.If it doesn't meet the requirements, just pretend to be stupid, and do whatever you want, such as the cabinet.

After the Hu Weiyong case, Zhu Yuanzhang announced the permanent abolition of the position of prime minister.And leave the ancestral precepts, the descendants of later generations shall not be reinstated as prime ministers, and those ministers who dare to speak up will be dealt with seriously.In this way, all the power of the country belongs to the emperor alone. The emperor's authority is unprecedentedly great, and of course the emperor's burden has also become unprecedentedly heavy.

For example, from September 17th to 21st, Hongwu 160th, during the eight days, a total of 390 various documents and reports across the country were sent to Zhu Yuanzhang's desk, of which 20 were involved in various matters.On average, Zhu Yuanzhang has to read 420-word memorials and deal with 20 three state affairs every day.Even if you don't eat or sleep for twelve hours, you have to read more than [-] words an hour and make decisions on more than [-] state affairs.Only people like Zhu Yuanzhang who are unsurpassed in physical strength, intelligence, energy, and ability, and who love their work infinitely can persevere.

But even Taizu felt too hard when he was old, so he set up Huagai Hall, Wenhua Hall, Wuying Hall, Wenyuan Pavilion and Dongge to select those who are of lower grade, older, and mediocre political achievements. The civil and historical officer of the government will act as a document and report for himself, so as to prepare for consultants, but he cannot participate in political affairs.

Although Emperor Yongle is a heroic hero of a generation, he is not as capable as his father. In order to be freed from the state affairs like hard labor and focus on more important things, Zhu Di began to let those great scholars participate in military and state affairs disposal.Although his official rank is only five ranks, he has no subordinates, no governing organization, and even no special office space, so it can be said that he has neither the name nor the reality of a prime minister.But these great scholars are all the emperor's close confidantes, serving the emperor every day, running under the palace and pavilions, especially they can participate in the maintenance, and their powers and responsibilities are not insignificant, so they are regarded as prime ministers at home and abroad.

However, in order to avoid the word prime minister, which has become ominous, and its name is "Wenyuan Pavilion", which handles affairs in the inner court, people vaguely call it "cabinet".

The Cabinet and the Six Sections are the only two institutions that work in Miyagi. The Zhilu of the Cabinet is located in the Wenyuan Pavilion behind the Wenyuan Hall in the Donghua Gate...Wenyuan Pavilion is the library of the palace. The Cabinet University Scholars naturally cannot be on duty in the book pavilion, but work in the low wing rooms on both sides of the Wenyuan Hall, and the conditions are very poor.Not to mention the low and cramped houses, they are like steamers in summer and icehouses in winter, and water will accumulate when it rains, which is miserable.

Just looking at the value of the house, the cabinet scholar is indeed not hooked with the dignified prime minister, but it is the emperor's confidant advisory body, and the emperor has to discuss with the cabinet before making decisions on matters such as war, employment, and even the establishment of a prince. The inner court is well aware of the emperor's movements, all of which make it the focus of attention of all officials.The status of several Grand Scholars will naturally rise. Although they are only fifth-rank, they dare not neglect even the second-rank Shangshu.

At this time, the cabinet was not full of people, and the first seven academicians... Xie Jin was imprisoned, Hu Guang, Dingyou, and Huang Huai were in charge of tutoring the prince. In order to avoid suspicion, they had not returned to the cabinet for a long time. The next three are Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi and Jin Youzi.But the rest are all elites. The three of them assisted the emperor in handling the state affairs in an orderly manner, and they won the trust of Zhu Di. Whenever there are important affairs in state affairs, the three scholars must be informed first.

The three of them were at work that day, and the eunuchs next to the emperor came to deliver an order saying that they would be there to interrogate the traitorous minister Zhou Xin in the Wenhua Palace tomorrow, and asked them to be there at that time, and figured out how to question this person, so that he would not be able to quibble.In order to let them have a target, Zhu Di also sent the dossier of Zhou Xin's rebellion case.

After reading it, the three of them stood there in a daze, and no one spoke. They were shocked, extremely shocked.

After a long time, Yang Rongwang sighed: "Unbelievable, really unbelievable!"

"That's right." Jin Youzi nodded and said, "There are people who testify and have material evidence. Zhou Xin's case of falsifying the Zhejiang capital's transfer order and letting go of the Zheng family's fleet should be true." Tie, actually cheated and broke the law, no wonder the emperor will be furious!"

The two scholars expressed their opinions, but Yang Shiqi, who was highly respected by Yang Pu, didn't say a word, he just looked at the sunset outside the value room, and only when the sun was about to set, the sun would shine into the value room of the cabinet. .

"Brother Shiqi, please tell me." Jin Youzi has always been self-satisfied with the two Yangs in the cabinet, so when encountering something, he first asks their opinion: "Tomorrow, the Wenhua Palace will have a trial, what should we do?"

"Since there are all personal and material evidence, why does the emperor want us to refute him?" Yang Shiqi came back to his senses and asked.

"Although the emperor didn't say it clearly, the meaning is very clear, that is to alert all officials." Jin Youzi said.

Yang Shiqi shook his head.

"Actually, it's because there are loopholes in the evidence." Yang Rong is a Jinshi on the second list, but he is not a nerd, but extremely resourceful, and he is on par with Yang Shiqi. A person who had been carefully screened and made sure that there was no such person was allowed to board the ship. And the emperor did not have a clear order to destroy the Zheng family. It was Tang Yun's wishful thinking and good opinion. Saving the Zhao family is not treasonous, but forging the military order of the capital, and convicting him like this, the emperor will definitely be dissatisfied."

(End of this chapter)