Brocade clothing as the country

Chapter 807

After Wang Tong said this, Emperor Wanli was stunned for a moment. He had heard it clearly, but he still couldn't confirm it. He wanted to listen again.

"Wang Tong, you are reckless and reckless. You really are a treacherous person with evil intentions. Your Majesty, Wang Tong intends to implicate you. This intention is very evil. Please be aware of it!!"

Chen Jingbang, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, came out and shouted angrily, but Wang Tong looked at Emperor Wanli with a resolute expression, and Pan Jixun, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, also came out and said:

"Your Majesty, the smooth flow of speech is the key to a clear and clear administration, and the innocence of the speaker is also a rule set by the ancestors. What Wang Tong said, isn't it blocking the way of speech and preventing people from expressing their feelings? Isn't it blocking the mouths of the people and preventing them It is worse than Fangchuan, if you follow what Wang Tong said, it will lead to a catastrophe sooner or later!"

While talking, Pan Jixun looked at Emperor Wanli's expression, but Emperor Wanli's expression was indifferent, Pan Jixun gritted his teeth, his tone became a little more passionate, and continued to speak:
"Your Majesty, Wang Tong wants to gather public anger, break the rules of his ancestors, and plunge His Majesty's country into chaos. How can such thoughts not be unpredictable, how can we not say that they are evil intentions, please be aware of them, and punish them severely!!"

Wang Lin, Minister of the Household Department, Yang Zhao, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Pan Jixun, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and Chen Jingbang, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, are all on the list. They are all Zhang Siwei and one party. They communicate with each other and help each other.

Zhang Xueyan, Minister of the Ministry of War, did not move at the side. In the cabinet, the first assistant Shen Shixing and the second assistant Wang Xijue did not care about the ministry. Turning his eyes around several Shangshu and Wang Tong, he sneered softly and said:
"This Wang Tong can't hear the officials barking!"

Wang Xijue's resentment towards the officials was well known in the government and the public, and it was normal for him to say this. Shen Shixing, who had always looked calm, gave him a sideways glance, and said in a low voice:

"Yuan Yu, be careful!"

Wang Xijue's behavior is quite different from that of ordinary civil servants. He has served as a priest of the Imperial Academy and as a bachelor in charge of the Imperial Academy. With these two qualifications, he is the number one Qingliu scholar. During the fifth year of Wanli's debate on seizing love, only five officials were lured out of the cave by Zhang Juzheng. During the execution of seizing officials, no one in the court stood up to speak out, but Wang Xijue went to rescue.

Everyone already knows the ending. Those five people who were exiled were exiled, and those who were demoted were demoted. Wang Xijue also stayed at home until the 11th year of Wanli under the pretext of going home to visit the sick.

After returning to the capital in the 11th year of Wanli, he worked as a minister in the Ministry of Rites as usual, and then entered the cabinet. Zhang Siwei's party in the middle of the court almost drove all Zhang Juzheng's forces out of the center. Everyone in the world knew that the wind had changed, and everyone was denying Zhang Juzheng. Merit, criticize him for anything.

But at this time, Wang Xijue affirmed Zhang Juzheng's achievements, thinking that when Zhang Juzheng was in power, there were many good policies and policies that should be preserved, so he is an anomaly in the Ming Dynasty. But a rare pragmatist.

Wang Tong's management in Tianjin Wei sent so much silver to the palace every year. The two victories outside Xuanfu and Gubeikou were considered by Wang Xijue to be Wang Tong's ability. Huacheng, although he also thought it was reckless and aggressive, but after the army was dispatched, he was also urging the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Households, and the relevant yamen to provide military supplies and provide all the convenience for the army.

In those days when the news was cut off, there were more and more memorials and criticisms. Wang Xijue also said in the cabinet that if the army is undefeated, it is a serious crime to create such rumors that damage morale and people's hearts. Preparation is the right thing to do. What's the use of such confusing rumors and troubles.

Only Shen Shixing heard Wang Xijue's cynicism at the court meeting, and it had no effect on the current situation in the court hall. After the two censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate hesitated for a while, they also stepped forward and just said:

"The speaker is not guilty. Wang Tong's move to block the way of speech will definitely cause chaos in the country's government. Please be careful, Your Majesty!!"

If it is a normal memorial, or a motion proposed by other ministers, this is not a big deal, but Wang Tong’s first memorial just now made the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Yan Qing, to think behind closed doors. Is it because Emperor Wanli and Wang Tong have been in contact for a long time?
This idea made people feel even more alarmed, but Emperor Wanli was obviously a little hesitant. From the courtiers who came out, he saw Wang Tong, and then turned his head to look at the supervisor of ceremonies.

The courtiers Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue and Zhang Xueyan all looked like they had nothing to do with them. Behind them, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Jing, all the ceremonial supervisors, looked indifferent, but Zhang Hong and Tian Yi were all indignant.

"Wang Tong, you said severe punishment, but the others disagreed. They have already stated their reasons, so you should also explain yours?"

Hearing this, everyone immediately understood that Emperor Wanli and Wang Tong should not have communicated beforehand, and everyone felt a little relieved, but Wang Tong replied:
"Admonitions from the officials, suggestions on how to improve and correct government affairs, such remarks, even if there are omissions and mistakes, but after all, they are out of good intentions and want to do things well, which is beneficial to His Majesty and beneficial to Ming Dynasty. In such a situation, one should not blame the speaker. This is the innocence of the speaker. If a person relies on his status as a speaker and an amulet of innocence as a speaker, he speaks lies every day and makes troubles. Any real evidence to incite the scholars and the people, to shake the morale of the people, to attack the government and officials, how can such evil deeds be said to be innocent!"

Wang Tong said sonorously, and the ministers in the court suddenly found that there were not many reasons they could come up with. It was nothing more than the ancestors' rules, and the words were blocked. They were too vague. Yang Zhao, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, frowned and said:
"Wang Tong, you just said that these man-made rumors have chilled the loyalty of the meritorious soldiers, so wouldn't your motion to severely punish the officials and officials be chilling the minds of the loyal scholars!?"

"If you were really loyal, you wouldn't say such rumors. In the current situation, what the officials say has nothing to do with actual government affairs, and has nothing to do with truth or falsehood. But I want to be able to shock people, what I say is what I say, not what I say. Is there any real evidence, but I want to be scary and tempting. Shang Shuyan said that the Northern Expedition Army was defeated, and Shang Shuyan that the Northern Expedition Army would kill those who were killed by the Northern Expedition Army. If it is defeated, how should the capital defend itself? If there are no generals left, who should be selected to replace them? They only care about deceiving and bluffing people with empty words. If they listen to many people, they will become celebrities and direct ministers, and have the opportunity to be promoted and make a fortune. , but what about the practice and people he harmed by spreading rumors? No one cares about it. If it is pursued, a flirtatious statement of innocence can cover it up."

Wang Tong paused and continued:

"Spreading rumors, slandering the good, no one will hold them accountable after making mistakes, and you don't need to take responsibility. Instead, you can become famous all over the world. Even a three-year-old child can see the gains and losses. If things go on like this, who is willing to concentrate on state affairs? I am still willing to keep my feet on the ground. I only need to think about how to say big things, tell lies, and deceive others to be famous all over the world and get promoted step by step. If you are willing to do errands and do things, you will flock to become such 'famous people', so who will manage the place for His Majesty, and who will run the finances for His Majesty?"

The hall became quiet again. Except for the left and right of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, all the people in the hall were in charge of the censors, and they had to fight. The rest of the people in high positions had not been sprayed by the censors below. There is nothing to say if I did something wrong, but the paint on the front door of the house is too bright, and the seasonal fresh fish eaten at home is too much, and there are people who have impeached me. If I want to calm this matter, I have to ask someone to discuss it privately , but also to give Yinzi a position, and there are ranks in the officialdom to distinguish high and low, but now, the senior officials of the third rank and above have to be wary of the young officials of the sixth and seventh ranks, for fear of being caught by these people.

If it's true that Hai Rui waited for the straight ministers, it's fine. Out of a sense of publicity, everyone is in awe, but right now the officials in the capital are clean and quiet, and people only feel resentment and helplessness.

People who can reach the positions of Qiqing (Shangshu and Du Yushi) naturally feel that they have achieved their success by relying on their true talents and learning, and they will not have a good impression of those who bully the world and steal their names. Some are not reconciled.

However, everyone immediately became a little terrified. Could it be that they were persuaded by Wang Tong? If such a memorial was approved, wouldn’t it mean that Wang Tong had completely suppressed everyone in the court as soon as he came to the court? It will be like this again, what right do you have to speak.

But if he wanted to deny it for a while, he couldn't find any solid reasons. Wang Tong's words were true, and the reasons for his refutation should not be too vague. The hall was actually quiet.

Shen Shixing looked at the people in the hall, and said in a deep voice:
"What Mr. Wang means is that the officials themselves are not at fault, but those who spread rumors, slander, and turn the truth around should be punished?"

"Exactly what Elder Shen Ge said."

After Shen Shixing asked this sentence, he didn't speak, and he remained silent. Since Wang Tong didn't want to abolish the speaker system, but just wanted to punish some of it, then take it as Wang Tong's personal revenge and agree to If you leave him, why bother to entangle too much on this, if entangled for a long time, what should Wang Tong do if he makes things worse.

The rest of the people gradually came to their senses, and when they were about to speak, Emperor Wanli asked:
"Zhang Banban, what do you think of what Wang Tong said?"

"Long Live Lord, it's inconvenient for slaves and maidservants to talk about matters outside the court, but in the inner court, if anyone says something wrong, there will be rules and punishments in the ceremonial room. They are the people of Ming Dynasty, who receive the grace and salary of the Lord Long Live, and they must be held accountable for their mistakes."
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(End of this chapter)