Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 66: Our Emperor is Virtuous, and the World Celebrates Together (Please Read)
"These dog slaves."

"Sure enough, they have no good intentions. They are just as hateful as those civil servants out there!"

Empress Dowager Zhang was a person who was easily instigated.

According to historical records, she was instigated by her two uncles-in-law to have several conflicts with Zhengde.

In addition, Empress Dowager Zhang did not have a very good impression of the eunuchs of the Zhengde Dynasty, because she always felt that it was these eunuchs who led her son astray and caused her son to be not very close to her.

Naturally, she wouldn't think that there was something wrong with her.

So, now that Huang Jin's old friend Xi Que had instigated her, Empress Dowager Zhang believed it and was extremely angry.

"Those civil servants out there are using me to gain fame."

"They're using me to make money!"

"The emperor hasn't bullied an old widower like me yet, but these bastard servants have already bullied me."

Empress Dowager Zhang continued to complain incessantly, and then she started crying while complaining, as if she had really suffered a great injustice.

then.

She ordered sternly: "From now on, all eunuchs who are doing official work are not allowed to come to see me, so as not to make the emperor suspicious that I, the empress dowager, have bad intentions. If there are any important matters in the future, let the servants outside go to the empress, and then let the empress come to me!"

"Yes!"

……

After leaving Renshou Palace, Zhu Houcong handed Meng Qi's memorial to Qin Wen and said, "Send it to the cabinet."

Qin Wen bowed and said yes.

After Qin Wen left, Zhu Houcong ordered Wang Chunjing to come and help him go to bed.

Zhu Houcong stretched out his hand and asked Wang Chunjing to take off his clothes while recalling any loopholes in today's arrangements.

For Zhu Houcong, changing the granted land into a granted imperial store was just the beginning of his plan to use the two foreign relatives of the Zhang family as pawns.

What he wanted to achieve completely was to turn these two people into tools for him to make profits.

At first.

Zhu Houcong sold the imperial store in order to win people's hearts, just like the emperor would show some grace after ascending the throne.

But Zhu Houcong knew that these imperial stores would not fall into the hands of ordinary merchants, but would only be sold at a low price to powerful bureaucrats.

Therefore, when Zhu Houcong issued an imperial decree to sell the imperial store, saying that it was to benefit the people, it actually did not benefit ordinary merchants and common people, but only benefited the powerful bureaucrats.

Now Zhu Houcong used the method of giving silver to allow the two brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling to buy the Imperial Store, which was equivalent to giving the Imperial Store to them. At the same time, it also prevented the Imperial Store from being sold at a low price to other powerful bureaucrats, and took the opportunity to make a fortune, thus minimizing the loss of winning people's hearts.

Zhu Houcong was not afraid of the greed of his foreign relatives such as Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling.

In his view, as long as the greed of these relatives by marriage was not focused on annexing land, but was directed in other directions, he would be able to prevent them from conflicting with his and the empire's interests in making money, which would instead only bring benefits to him and his Ming Empire.

"Tell the East Factory to go to brothels and wine shops to spread the news, saying that the emperor decided to give the land to Empress Dowager Qiu Jujin because she asked for it."

When Zhu Houcong was about to go to bed, he suddenly thought of a way to make the issue of granting silver to buy a store from his foreign relatives have a more favorable effect on himself, so he called the eunuch Mai Fu and asked him to inform the East Factory.

After giving these instructions, Zhu Houcong fell asleep.

Wang Chunjing, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, felt quite distressed watching this, and secretly sighed that his master had obviously been more worried than before since he became emperor. So when he was fanning Zhu Houcong, he allowed Zhu Houcong to suddenly rest his head on his arms without disturbing him.

Let’s talk.

On this day, after Liang Chu met Zhu Houcong and got the red-lettered document allowing the withdrawal of the eunuchs in charge of garrison, deputy garrison and the Maritime Customs, Zhu Houcong hinted at him to find the censors to dissuade the emperor from granting land to the Zhang brothers. So Liang Chu summoned his disciple Meng Qi and gave him instructions and promised to do so.

Meng Qi was eager to have such an opportunity to enhance his reputation, so he immediately started writing.

After Meng Qi submitted his draft, Liang Chu invited Jiang Mian and Mao Ji to come, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty has approved the withdrawal of the eunuchs in charge of the garrisons and the eunuchs in charge of the Maritime Customs."

As Liang Chu spoke, he placed the memorial signed jointly by the three ministers of their cabinet on the table in front of them.

Jiang Mian first picked up the memorial, unfolded it and took a look. When he saw the vermilion word "approval", his eyes suddenly turned red:
"Our emperor is virtuous! Every family should celebrate!"

"Your Majesty is a true saint!"

Mao Ji also said this with tears in his eyes, and then couldn't help grinning.

Liang Chu and Jiang Mian also laughed and said in unison:
"An imperial decree should be issued immediately and sent to all the garrisons, sub-garrisons and the Maritime Customs Offices!"

For the three of them, this was a merit that would allow them to gain great reputation among the scholars, so they would naturally be very happy.

What Liang Chu and others did not know was that now in the court and the country, many bureaucrats and literati were complaining about them, just like Yang Tinghe, because they had facilitated the Ministry of Revenue to borrow the imperial treasury, especially Liang Chu, the chief minister of the cabinet.

May 26, the 16th year of the Zhengde reign. Hanlin Academy.

"Although Liang Shunde was brave enough to take on the task and clean up the farmland in the capital, he did not dare to offend the inner court. He was honest and upright but lacked courage."

Editor Shu Fen complained to Liang Chu in front of his colleagues in the Hanlin Academy because he knew that the Ministry of Revenue had borrowed money from the imperial treasury.

Xu Chengming, the editor who was looking at the two newspapers, also echoed:
"Just as the military official Yao Gong of the Wen Bao said, with Shunde in power, the eunuchs' arrogance may be difficult to suppress!"

"It is this Yumin Newspaper that is infuriating. Not only is the text too straightforward, but apart from praising the emperor, it only talks about Liang Shunde's merits and does not mention his faults."

As Xu Chengming spoke, he picked up a newspaper in his hand and started talking.

"The Wen Bao was not much better. It only talked about how Shunde was cowardly in borrowing the treasury, but did not talk about the virtue of clearing the farmland and pacifying the people."

at that time.

Zhang Cong walked over and said this.

Xu Chengming and Shu Fen said nothing more.

"Bingyong, come quickly!"

"I just bought the latest reprint of the Yumin Newspaper, which contains an imperial decree to remove all eunuchs from the garrison, division and maritime affairs departments."

"He also stated the reason, saying that it was because three cabinet elders jointly submitted a petition requesting the removal of the eunuchs in charge of the garrison, the eunuchs in charge of the division, and the eunuchs in charge of the Maritime Customs, so the emperor approved the removal of all of them."

Jiang Rubi couldn't hold back his excitement at this moment. He stood up from a secluded place, walked over here, and handed over the latest newspaper.

Zhang Cong took it immediately.

Xu Chengming and Shu Fen also stood up immediately.

"Our emperor is truly a sage!"

"The Prime Minister and the other ministers are truly good ministers!"

Zhang Cong immediately sighed after reading it.

Xu Chengming and Shu Fen also became excited: "Is this true?!"

After the two of them watched, Xu Chengming couldn't help but sigh:

"It seems that I was wrong!"

"Mr. Liang was not afraid of offending the eunuchs, but in order to promote a great policy, he compromised on the matter of requesting the transfer of the imperial treasury."

"I understand too!"

"Mr. Liang doesn't want to be arrogant and threaten His Majesty by relying on his position as a senior official. He just wants Your Majesty to trust him first, and then persuade Your Majesty to implement such a great policy!"

"Mr. Liang, you are truly a mature and experienced politician!"

Shu Fen also started talking.

Yang Shen also came to the Hanlin Academy to find out about the opinions of the court about the "Wen Bao" founded by his fourth and fifth uncles. However, he saw Xu Chengming and others gathered together to talk, so he walked over and asked:

"Who are you talking about who is mature and capable of serving the country?"

"Of course it's the Prime Minister Liang Gong!"

"Yes, the editor does not know that your majesty's kindness and Lord Liang's actions can really comfort the people of the world, like a sweet rain from heaven!"

Xu Chengming and others all replied with a smile.

After hearing what everyone said, Yang Shen's face darkened.

At this time, Hanlin Zhang Cong said with a smile:
"I thought that the Grand Tutor was not in the cabinet. Although the emperor worked hard to govern the country, I am afraid that it would be difficult to find good ministers to assist him."

"Now that I think about it, I was just worrying too much."

"The emperor is indeed gifted and intelligent. He has long known that an old minister like Duke Liang who is patient and persuasive will lead to better harmony between the ruler and his subjects. Therefore, he is willing to accept Duke Yang's request to recuperate and let him take the position of Grand Tutor to recuperate, while Duke Liang will be in charge of the country!"

"Because if you think about it carefully, borrowing from the treasury instead of directly using it is indeed more in line with the loyal and filial way of a minister not to use power to subjugate the emperor! And this method of being loyal to the emperor and loving the people is something that only an upright and loyal person like Lord Liang would be willing to do!"

Everyone nodded.

Yang Shen became more and more uneasy after hearing this, so he asked, "What happened?"

"It is a matter of issuing an order to remove all the eunuchs in charge of the garrison, the eunuchs in charge of the division, and the eunuchs in charge of the Maritime Customs."

Yang Weicong came over at this time and said to Yang Shen with a serious expression.

(End of this chapter)