Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 101: The scattered civil officials were alienated by Zhu Houcong

Zhu Houcong, who was looking down at these court officials, couldn't help but laugh in his heart.

especially.

When he saw Mao Ji, Wang Xian and others looking at him crying.

However, Zhu Houcong did not intend to make Shandong officials such as Mao Ji and Wang Xian too sad.

Because his purpose was not to really cut off the path to progress for the scholars and people of Shandong.

His purpose was simply to use the grace of the imperial examination to pressure the scholars and people of Shandong.

At the same time, he also intended to use this to make the already fragmented bureaucratic group easier to control, and even to allow all classes within Shandong to be defeated one by one.

although.

He has just ascended the throne, and the Jinyiwei force under his control is not yet strong enough to deploy a backbone force to spy on and investigate all affairs across the country.

but.

Zhu Houcong could take advantage of the fact that all classes in the world were in competition for existing resources, competing with each other, and wanted to eat up each other. He could use one gang to fight another and achieve his own goals, so that he could cultivate and expand his own base more calmly.

What's more.

Although the imperial examination was a tool for Zhu Houcong to control the scholars of the world, it was also a tool for Zhu Houcong to maintain his rule over the world.

It was also impossible for him to really let Shandong lose the opportunity for imperial examinations and let the scholars in Shandong stop focusing on the examinations and instead focus on theft, prostitution, fraud and deception.

As far as Zhu Houcong knew, in the late Ming Dynasty, because the number of scholars increased but the number of official positions and Jinshi did not increase, many scholars gave up the imperial examinations and therefore focused more and more of their energy on other things.

It's okay to indulge in sensual pleasures and write a few erotic novels.

The key point is that many scholars also learned from the ancients and became bandits, robbing merchants and travelers while studying for exams.

Among them, the most famous is Gao Gong’s younger brother Gao Jie, who was a notorious bandit before he passed the imperial examination.

exactly.

Zhu Houcong's real purpose in cracking down on Shandong gentry this time was to find out the real culprit behind the scenes, and even to deal with the Confucius Mansion of Duke Yansheng, which was the biggest threat to the imperial power in Shandong, rather than to deal with Shandong gentry.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong also pretended to sigh at this time and said: "Fu Xian Wang Shizhong is not wrong. When parents abandon their children, it must be a heart-wrenching pain for the children! As the emperor and father of all people, how can I be willing to abandon my own people and not show my grace?"

"I don't want Thunder's wrath either."

"But the people of Shandong really disappoint me."

"How about this!"

"I will follow Wang Shizhong's advice and give Shandong scholars and people one month. If they can help the government to get to the bottom of the imperial envoy's boat trip within one month and make Shandong people safe, I will not revoke this favor."

"The Tao Te Ching says, 'I have three treasures, I hold on to them and protect them: one is kindness; two is frugality; three is not daring to be the first in the world.'"

"Although I govern the country with Confucianism, why don't I want to act like a loving father?"

After Zhu Houcong finished speaking, he waved his hand and said, "Dismiss the court!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

Mao Ji, Wang Xian and others kowtowed and spoke with gratitude, and they all glanced meaningfully at officials such as Zhang Run and Jia Yong.

Zhang Run and Jia Yong were somewhat disappointed.

Mao Ji had to admit that officials from other provinces really hoped that the emperor would not give Shandong scholars the opportunity to advance.

It is just like when the Southerners did not give the Northerners a chance even though the Emperor Taizu was so harsh and clearly stated that he would give them a few appropriate quotas.

When it came to the division of official positions, the scholars and officials in all provinces were so stingy that they were unwilling to give up even a Jinshi position to outsiders.

So.

Mao Ji couldn't help but say to Wang Xian:

"The emperor is a holy ruler, not an ordinary monarch, so we must immediately send a letter back by express horse, telling the villagers not to do anything to offend the court, otherwise the outsiders will be the ones who benefit in the end!"

Wang Xian nodded: "You are right. Your Majesty must know that Shandong belongs to the emperor, not to others. The emperor's great grace should not fail to benefit Shandong."

At the same time.

Minister of Rites Mao Cheng could not help but feel deeply moved by today's court meeting. He felt that the emperor's means of exercising his imperial power were simply superb, and he obviously knew the gentry of the world very well. This made him even more afraid, and when he left the court, he sighed to several of his fellow officials:

"We, the Suzhou gentry, must take this as a warning!"

At this time, Lu Shen, the chief priest of the Imperial College, also said to several officials from his hometown:

"We, the Songjiang gentry, should take this as a warning and not follow the example of Shandong!"

"We must write a letter to tell our fellow villagers. We, the Changzhou gentry, should take this as a warning and not act recklessly, lest we lose the opportunity to receive the emperor's grace and serve the court loyally." At this time, Shao Tianhe, the Chief Censor of the Ministry of Personnel, told several of his fellow villagers from Changzhou about his thoughts after attending this court meeting.

"Aren't you all from Nanzhi?"

The Minister of Personnel Shi Yan happened to hear these people's muttering and couldn't help but ask a question.

These officials all ignored Shi Yan.

Because the only thing they are consistent in is that they dislike Shi Yao, the celestial official.

Shi Yan chuckled at this, straightened his chest a little, walked out of the palace alone, and returned to the Ministry of Personnel alone.

Let’s talk.

The Left Censor-in-Chief Zhang Zan looked even uglier, and said to his relative Deng Tingguang, the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Household Department, "Wang Yangming finally made it to the capital!"

"Yes!"

"We, the kitchen owner, have not yet avenged ourselves!"

Deng Tingguang replied frustratedly.

Zhang Zan suddenly couldn't help but smile and said, "Your Majesty is really wise, but I wonder how Your Majesty will feel after knowing that the person behind the scenes is Duke Yansheng?"

"What else can I think? I can only show some mercy! He is from a saintly family!"

Deng Tingguang also replied with a smile.

What Wang Yangming did in Lianghuai had indeed already been gradually spread to the capital.

Many officials, especially those who had connections with many salt merchants and salt farmers in Lianghuai, were naturally shocked and angry about this.

Although they were very clear about Wang Yangming's style, they knew that nothing good would happen if Wang Yangming went to Lianghuai.

But after learning about this situation, they couldn't help but hate Wang Yangming so much that they wanted to eat his flesh and sleep on his skin.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Zhang Zan, Deng Tingguang and others hated Wang Yangming.

"I have already told Liang Shunde not to use Wang Yangming."

"He just wouldn't listen, that's why so many things happened, so many ministers were killed, so many wealthy businessmen were executed, but the fact is that whoever uses Wang Yangming will become a traitor!"

"Wang Qiong used Wang Yangming, so Wang Qiong ended up like this today!"

"If you continue to use it like this, your Majesty's virtue will be affected."

"And now, unless Your Majesty can kill Wang Yangming at this time to vent the anger of the people of the world, this situation can be avoided."

After learning about Wang Yangming's affairs in Lianghuai, Yang Tinghe was very depressed and expressed his opinions to Yang Shen and others.

Yang Shen said: "Father, it's easy for you to say that. Your Majesty would never be willing to kill Wang Yangming."

"If you kill one person for the sake of the world, you deserve to be killed!"

"Your Majesty is a wise ruler, you should understand this principle."

Yang Tinghe replied.

then.

Yang Tinghe sighed again and said:

"However, the fact that things have come to this point is related to your Majesty's excessive love for the people and his lack of understanding of the essence of governing the country through the Filial Piety Temple. He even thinks that the ministers are selfish in asking him to follow the Filial Piety Temple system. But in fact, if your Majesty had not insisted on bringing more than 200,000 refugees to the capital for resettlement, I would not have been so eager to resign, and the ceremony would not have become what it is now, and Wang Yangming would not have had the opportunity to be reused, and I would not have had to kill him!"

"I really hope that His Majesty can understand his own mistakes!"

……

"Yang Tingyi, do you think I have done anything wrong?"

Yuntai Gate.

Zhu Houcong was asking Yang Tingyi who was summoned.

Yang Tingyi said: "Your Majesty is a wise ruler born of heaven, and there is no fault on your part!"

"Since there is no fault, then why do you publish this "Wen Bao"?!"

"Aren't you trying to manipulate public opinion so that I feel I have done something wrong?"

Zhu Houcong asked Yang Tingyi in a stern tone.

(End of this chapter)