Nightwatcher Chapter 600

Published at 21st of April 2023 06:39:06 AM

In two minutes!

Outside the Meridian Gate, the cold wind howls.

After that, the officials arrived at the Imperial Palace by carriage and then walked to the Meridian Gate.

The howling cold wind is like a steel knife, swaying the lanterns hanging on the city floor, and the stone lamps on the roadside, and the torches in the hands of the guards are shaking violently.

The officials are wrapped in thick cloaks and windproof hats. Careful people can find that no matter how high or low the grade or power is, everyone wears plain clothes.

The cloak is made of wool and the hat is made of rat skin.

People who are a little more affluent in Beijing can also afford to wear this dress...

The attitude of the Beijing officials is very obvious. They are all poor people. How can they get money to donate?

At this time, half an hour before the meeting, officials gathered in twos and threes to discuss in a low voice.

The censor of regulatory order turned a blind eye to this.

"Your Majesty is determined to make trouble for us every day."

"Yes, if not, it's not much to donate some silver."

"Lord Yang is confused. He said that he only asked us to donate three months' salary. In fact, it was his Majesty's bluff. I just want to ask you, when the time comes, Wang Shoufu will offer to donate one year's salary. Will you respond or not? Do you really think this donation is enough? It's just prying open my mouth first. "

"This... Mr. Zhu is right. Mr. Yang understands."

...

"this matter must not be let go, as we discussed yesterday. As long as we keep up with the steps of the princes and don't let go and give in, your majesty will grind us for a few days at most. "

"Well, I've got nothing to do. I'm still renting the house. The capital is already short of food. I'll donate my salary later. How can I live? "

"Like Mr. Zhao, we are all scholars with clean hands."

......

"my Lord, it's freezing. I don't feel well. I can't stand it. Why don't you just give it to your majesty. "

This is an official who is in a wait-and-see state and is inclined to donate money in his heart.

The officials around him immediately showed an angry look: "Mr. Li is too confused. There are continuous snowstorms all over the country. He is short of food, charcoal and silver. How can we fill the national treasury with our meager salary?"

"Mr. Li only saw it in front of him, but he didn't think about it more deeply. The reason why the princes clench their teeth is really the beginning. One will have two, and two will have three. After a while, your majesty is short of money. Can we make another donation? Shall we wait for a drink?"

"Such a simple truth, that Shu Ji Shi Xu can't understand."

"I don't understand. I'm pretending to be deaf and dumb to please your majesty."

"This son is self righteous and defiant with his cousin's prestige. Recently, I've been near the chief assistant, and I'm a little bit adrift. "

"Hey, don't be a man."

An official spat hard.

On the other hand, Zhang Xingying, who was promoted to be the censor of Youdu, leaned slowly towards Liu Hong and sighed in a low voice:

"Your Highness's idea is very good. If you can call on the literati and bureaucrats to donate money, and then the local governments call on the squires to donate money, you can greatly alleviate the disaster and curb the refugees.

"As long as people can survive this winter and see the hope of spring ploughing, they will not make trouble everywhere.

"Unfortunately, your majesty has just ascended the throne. His reputation is not enough and his foundation is not stable. The Duke of Wei has died again. Otherwise, he will join hands with Wang Shoufu to promote donation.

"Now... Alas, some of us are dissatisfied."

His highness Huaiqing encouraged Xu Erlang to play. They didn't know about the former Wei party at first.

After discussion, several key personnel have always thought that this plan is difficult and will encounter great obstacles.

First of all, it is extremely difficult to collect wool from the pockets of civil and military officials. We are all from the period of emperor Jing of Yuan Dynasty. Can we know each other's virtue?

If you want to take a card, you will make a lot of money.

Dafeng's national strength has been weak so far. Is it really the pot of the first emperor? If the emperor was not upright, the people at the bottom would follow him.

It's too late to collect money at ordinary times. I expect to collect a handful of wool from these old gluttons. I can imagine how much resistance there is.

Secondly, who knows when the "cold disaster" that almost killed the camel's last straw will come to an end. It's only a month into winter, and the colder time has yet to come.

At that time, the court will still have no money. What will your majesty do? Another call for donations?

Finally, this is essentially a court game.

In fact, emperors and officials belong to two opposing camps. The new king's superior position has made the civil service groups smell a bad smell.

Whether out of standpoint or out of love for money, instinctive resistance and resistance.

Not to mention emperor Yongxing, Emperor Jingdi of the Yuan Dynasty encountered resistance when he was in power.

Liu Hong took a look at the officials who were gathering and whispering to each other:

"maybe his highness Huaiqing was watching coldly at this time. Who are in favor of donation; who are in favor of donation but dare not make public anger; who are too stingy to give up a cent. "Zhang Xingying suddenly said, "she knows this plan is not feasible?"

He frowned: "in this case, it is not harmful to Xu cijiu."

Liu Hong said with a smile: "no, he has the support of Wang Shoufu. At most, he has been on the bench for several years."

Zhang Xingying nodded and sighed:

"I still hope this can be done. There is no money left in the national treasury. Now the refugees are making trouble everywhere, and there are signs of chaos. Sooner or later, there will be chaos. "

Liu Hong showed a meaningful smile. At this time, a commotion in the distance attracted them.

Liu Hong and Zhang Xingying squint at the past. They see a young official in green robe standing in front of Xu Xinnian, who is also wearing green robe. They scold and spit.

Liu Hong's eyes didn't work very well. After looking for a long time, he asked:

"who is that?"

Zhang Xingying said with a smile: "today's exploration, Qian Mu."

Liu Hong also laughs:

"are they the young people who write a letter accusing the Minister of the Ministry of officials of corruption and bribery, together with many officials of the Ministry of officials?

"It seems that I've been sitting on the bench for a long time and I can't stand the cold. I've come here to cast my name."

Zhang Xingying shook her head: "be a gunner. There will be profits in a short time. In the long run, he wants to have some good fruit to eat if he angers his majesty. "

Liu Hong said with a smile: "it doesn't matter. If you have a registration certificate and joined the youth party, you can be a good official. In the future, as long as you keep a low profile, can your majesty still keep an eye on him? "

On one side, there is talk and laughter, on the other side, there is tension.

Qian Mu pointed to Xu's new year and said aggressively:

"it's very cold in the old age. The incorruptible people in the court are short of rice and charcoal. Not everyone is like Xu Tanhua. His family has thousands of taels of gold and rich food.

"Three months' salary, how do you let your colleagues spend this winter?"

Without waiting for Xu Xinnian to speak, he sneered and said:

"in order to please your majesty, you have come up with such a ridiculous plan, villain. I'm the same as you, and I feel that I have no face. "

Officials from the surrounding area echoed.

Xu new year's face expressionless, said: "this official is for the people, a clear conscience."

"What a clear conscience

Qian Mu laughed three times and said in a high voice, "I am willing to give up my family property, fill the national treasury and help the victims. Xu Tanhua, since you have a clear conscience and are for the common people, do you dare to donate all your family property like my official? "

After that, there was a cheering voice all around:

"Mr. Qian is very noble."

"Lord Qian is very righteous."

A narrow eyes to see Xu new year.

Xu new year frowned, Qian Mu's words are really rogue, Xu family has a lot of shops, Liangtian, and big brother left chicken essence dividends, and what does the other side have?

Although not destitute, but sitting on the bench for such a long time, I'm afraid there are only a few Dou rice, a few Liang silver at home.

But he couldn't make a theory, because no matter Qian Mu, the people behind him or the officials around him, they didn't reason with him.

They are here to find fault.

If you ignore it, I'm not sure that after the meeting, he will have another name of "hypocrite" in the new year.

At this time, Wang Shoufu came over, did not speak, just a cold glance around the officials.

The officials were silent immediately.

Qian Mu smiles, no matter whether Xu new year should answer or not, what he wants to express has been conveyed.

After that, there was no movement until the time came and the drum sounded.

The civil and military officials kept silent, crossed the Meridian Gate, crossed the Jinshui bridge, and lined up in turn from the rank.

Only that small group of people can enter Jinluan hall.

Xu Xinnian, as one of the key figures in the storm, was also allowed to enter the hall, but had to stand at the gate of the hall.

After a few minutes, Emperor Yongxing arrived.

He sat high in the Dragon chair and looked down on the ministers, and said in a high voice:

"the disaster situation is serious everywhere. As the king of a country, I feel very sad. Do you have any good disaster relief strategies?"

The nobles and nobles at the bottom showed their "early knowledge" expression and put forward several suggestions, such as reducing taxes, calling on the squires to donate money and so on.

Emperor Yongxing said:

"if you want to donate money, you should set an example by the imperial court and the Aiqing. Only in this way can the squires be willing and warn the officials, so as to avoid them filling their pockets. "

If we only call on the squires to donate money, it is no accident that the money will be exploited at all levels.

Several party leaders and dignitaries came out one after another with tacit understanding, shouting "no".

At this time, the Minister of Dali Temple appeared and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, the atmosphere of corruption and corruption prevailed in the court, so that the Treasury was empty, and donations could cure the symptoms but not the root cause. If we want to relieve the disaster, we must first clean up the unhealthy tendencies. "

Voice down, the militant, the Ministry of household affairs to come out in a high voice:"Your Majesty, I want to impeach Xu Xinnian, a scholar of Imperial Academy, and accept bribes."

There was no one in the hall to speak, and no one questioned what bribes the scholars of the Imperial Academy could accept. It seemed that they had expected such a thing.

"Your Majesty, I want to impeach Xu Xinnian, a scholar of the Imperial Academy, and accept bribes under the banner of Wang Shoufu."

Then, the six departments came out one after another to impeach Xu Xinnian.

Those who can stand in the Jinluan hall are old timers. They immediately understand what tricks these people are playing.

This is their counterattack.

Taking Xu Erlang as the starting point, he rebelled against emperor Yongxing and Wang Shoufu.

This will not completely infuriate emperor Yongxing and Wang Shoufu, but also give his own attitude and tell emperor Yongxing that we are going to kill your soldiers, one by one.

At the same time, he gently warned Wang Shoufu that although the Wang party is powerful, it has not yet covered the sky. Moreover, there are voices of disapproval in the Wang party.

Do you accept gifts for the new year?

The answer is yes.

As Wang Shoufu's future son-in-law, members of Wang's party gave him many gifts. In officialdom, he was the only one who received gifts.

If he wants to join the Wang party as a student of Yunlu academy, he can't be too high.

Although many valuable gifts may be put off in the new year, it can't change the fact.

"In officialdom, it's good to clean up and accomplish nothing, and it's easy to become the handle of the enemy's attack and annihilation at the top of the storm. Therefore, the core problem is that the power is not big enough.

"The solution is to get more people."

Xu new year's heart suddenly have insight.

Some of the princes in the hall are observing the look of emperor Yongxing, while others are examining Wang Shoufu.

See how they take it.

If emperor Yongxing sheltered Xu Xinnian, they would still have a later move. If Wang Shoufu came forward, they would also have a later move. For example, they would pull him into the water and impeach him together.

Now they're on the dominant side.

No one noticed that Liu Hong stepped out slowly and bowed: "Your Majesty, I think that the Minister of Dali temple has a point, the Treasury is empty, and it is difficult to collect taxes, all because of corruption and bribery.

"Therefore, I ask your majesty to investigate all officials and rectify the atmosphere."

Interesting... All the ministers and Xun GUI in the hall look at Liu Hong.

Liu Hong was regarded as Wei Yuan's "successor" in the imperial court and took over Wei Yuan's team. After the new monarch came to power, many members of the former Wei party were demoted and dismissed, and their power was reduced by nearly 50%.

The vacant position was divided up by the royal party and other parties.

In officialdom, this is an appropriate concession.

Now Liu Hong stands out. It is obvious that the former Wei party, who is in charge of the imperial censor and the watchmen, wants to take advantage of this opportunity.

Emperor Yongxing laughed: "Liu Aiqing is right. Go on."

Liu Honglang said:

"since the death of Duke Wei, the number of watchmen has declined, and my ability is not as good as that of Duke Wei. I would like to recommend a person to your majesty to take charge of the watchman yamen instead of my minister.

"To better supervise all officials."

All of you were stunned. This is not the line they imagined. Liu Hong, at this juncture, gave up his duty and gave up his position as a watchman?

Emperor Yongxing pretended to be surprised: "who does Liu Aiqing want to recommend?"

Liu Hong glanced at the confused or wary princes and Xun GUI, and said in a loud voice:

"the former watchman, the silver Gong, Xu Qi'an!"

PS: go on to the next chapter, but I suggest you read it tomorrow. Because it is likely to be updated tomorrow morning, I habitually code until midnight, and then sleep for a while. Don't wait.

I finished the nucleic acid test today and went home in a few days.

Chapter end