There is a small two-entry house in the Fangjia Hutong of Chongjiaofang in Andingmen, which looks simple and unpretentious, but its owner identity is very unusual.

The mansion of Li Yuzhi, the secretary of the ministry.

The Ministry of Officials, one of the six departments of the Ming Dynasty, consists of the Department of Officials, the Department of Seals, the Department of Honors, and the Department of Examination and Merit, which is in charge of the appointment and dismissal of officials under heaven, examinations, promotions, awards, transfers, etc., and is the real power department in the six departments, and it is also the most corrupt department in the hardest-hit area, and the reason is understood by everyone.

It was late at night, Li Yuzhi sat in the lobby and looked at the dark courtyard in a daze, the tea around him was out of heat, and the housekeeper walked in cautiously, master, it's too late, maybe the person won't come, rest early, you will go to court early.

Li Yuzhi retracted his gaze, picked up the teacup and glanced at it and put it down, he will come.

In the evening, when Li Yuzhi was just about to fall asleep, the fan of Dongchang came to inform him that the great eunuch Chang Yu would come to visit him later, which made him immediately feel restless.

Since the sudden resurgence of Dongchang a few months ago, the actions have continued, and its leading eunuchs have been even more shocking, resisting the hundreds of thousands of thieves with their own strength, crushing their plans to attack the capital, and then fighting the Qing army to defeat it for thousands of miles and sue for peace, so that the government and the opposition will raise their eyebrows and breathe.

At present, even many people who are hostile to Dongchang can't help but praise it.

And Li Yuzhi is one of them, you must know that he and the eunuch party were incompatible, Wei Zhongxian's coercion and temptation were to no avail, it can be said that the stone of the dung pit is smelly and hard, so it was favored by Emperor Chongzhen and entrusted with a heavy task!

But what did this little eunuch do when he came to the door just after the war?

The battle for the portal, settling old accounts? Because after Emperor Chongzhen overthrew Wei Zhongxian, it was Li Yuzhi who was responsible for copying the house and clearing the stolen goods.

Or have you found a big case related to the Ministry of Officials? Recently, the emperor ordered the three departments to work together to investigate corruption and fight corruption, and many Beijing officials and officials have been arrested.

When a crow comes to the door, it is no good thing.

"Master, master, the people from the East Factory, the people from the East Factory are here......" The porter ran over in a panic, and Li Yuzhi, who was in a daze in the lobby, stood up in a daze, refreshed his appearance and scolded the porter: "What are you panicking about" and then strode out.

The watchdog in the alley barked non-stop, and outside the gate of the Li Mansion, a few torches flashed dozens of figures, which was unsettling, too much like the scene of Dongchang coming to pick up people.

Li Yuzhi couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he walked through the door, but soon his eyes fell on a smiling young man, he knew that this person must be the big eunuch from Dongchang.

The government and the opposition have heard of the prestige of the great eunuch of Dongchang, but except in the army, there are very few people who have seen him in the capital or in the court, and few people even know what his real name is, because Chang Yu is too low-key, and as soon as he enters the capital, he hides behind the scenes and never shows his face.

Li Yuzhi didn't see it either, but he still recognized this great eunuch of Dongchang at a glance! I was surprised to be so young!

"What's the matter with the factory supervisor coming to the door late at night?" Li Yuzhi's face was solemn and he hugged his fists, and his heart was slightly uneasy.

"I heard that there is a good tea in the house of Lord Shangshu who came to ask for a cup" Chang Yu smiled and looked harmless to people and animals, Li Yuzhi was stunned, and hurriedly said: "The coarse tea in the cold house is not comparable to the palace inside, the factory governor does not dislike it, please!" ”

"I can't ask for it, why don't I dislike it" Chang Yu smiled slightly, walked into the house with only one entourage, and all the attendants behind him stayed outside the door, Li Yuzhi saw it in his eyes, and his heart was relieved, but he didn't know what this little eunuch was doing here.

The candlelight in the lobby is swaying, the tea is fragrant, Chang Yu took a sip and put it down lightly and couldn't help but praise: "The Taiping Monkey Kui of Huangshan in Huizhou, there is no good tea in the palace!" ”

The words were amazing, and Li Yuzhi was discolored: "The factory supervisor actually knows this tea species, this is a niche tea gift from friends, and few people in the north know it, and I never thought that the factory supervisor is actually a master of the tea ceremony!" ”

You must know that although this Taiping Monkey Kui is the top tea, but its real fame is not until the Qing Xianfeng period, this fashion name is unknown only in the small circle, Chang Yu is broken, how can Li Yu not be frightened, if it is an old man who has seen a lot of knowledge, but it is a weak crown boy, his heart is really horrified, out of Beijing can calm the chaos, go into battle to kill the enemy, back to the city is a tea friend? This little eunuch is also amazing.

"The master can't talk about it, I once drank it from a friend, Fang Zhi has this superb" Chang Yu smiled slightly, Li Yuzhi sighed, looked at Chang Yu's gaze and became cautious again: "The factory supervisor won't really come here late at night to drink tea."

"Then judging from Lord Shangshu, why is this governor here?" Chang Yu smiled lightly, and looked light.

"I'm afraid I'm here to settle accounts, right?" Li Yuzhi sneered: "I just don't know whether to turn over the old accounts or calculate the new ones."

Chang Yu laughed and suddenly asked, "Lord Li, what do you think of this person?" ”

Li Yuzhi was slightly stunned and then shook his head: "It's all rumors, don't judge, but the factory supervisor turned the tide and defeated the thief army, and the retreat of the Tartar army is obvious to all, and the lower officials are very admired."

Chang Yu sighed: "Then Lord Shangshu thinks that this governor is the kind of person who will repay him?" ”

Li Yuzhi's face suddenly darkened, and he was silent, Chang Yu smiled: "Lord Shangshu, have you ever heard that this governor has ever retaliated against anyone because of the grievances between a certain court official and Dongchang?" ”

This...... Li Yuzhi shook his head: "I haven't heard of it."

"The eunuch party is the eunuch party, the east factory is the east factory, Wei Zhongxian is Wei Zhongxian, and the governor is Chang Yu!" Chang Yu picked up the teacup and took a sip: "Master Li understands?" ”

Li Yuzhi understood, the little eunuch didn't come to settle accounts and make friends!

Thinking about it carefully, although the court and the central government had various critical voices for this little eunuch, such as unauthorized power, perverting the law, and corruption, it was just a matter of hearing and disappearing, but the little eunuch never responded positively to these voices, and he also took many things that made people praise the case, such as strictly investigating the private use of the public weapons of the nobles in Beijing, which is a super offending thing, which shows its great courage, and of course it has also provoked many enemies.

can stand at the time when Li Yuzhi and these honest officials look at the responsibility.

So if you think about it carefully, whether it is Dongchang or this little eunuch, no one is angry about anything, and his sense of rejection of him is just a subconscious innate hostility.

But why did he befriend himself? Li Yuzhi was a little confused.

"This governor has no intention of fighting and no energy for internal friction, he just wants to revive my Ming heroism" Chang Yu put down the teacup and looked at Li Yuzhi with a sincere face: "I am willing to encourage you together!" ”

Forehead...... Li Yuzhi was still confused.

"Tomorrow, the emperor will promote a group of capable officials and loyal ministers, but they will be envied, jealous and hated by some people, and they will be accused of irresponsible remarks, and Lord Li's attitude towards the secretary is very important" Chang Yu finally opened his words, and then took out a few letters from his arms and put them in front of Li Yuzhi.

It turned out that it was for this matter, Li Yuzhi finally woke up, the emperor is going to fight with some people in the court, as a veteran of the four dynasties, Li Yuzhi is also an old oilman in the officialdom, and immediately understood, reached out and took the letter in front of him and read it, and suddenly his expression changed greatly: "Out of nothing, the lower official body is not afraid of the shadow, but please ask the factory supervisor to strictly investigate!" ”

It turned out that someone in the letter secretly reported that Li Yuzhi had taken bribes, and the amount was huge and widespread.

Li Yuzhi has a clear name, this Chang Yu knows, but he knows better that no matter how clear people are, they can't afford to investigate, but he doesn't plan to check it.

Don't worry, Lord Li: "Let's take a look at the ones in the back."

Li Yuzhi's face became even more solemn when he saw it, it was originally the meritorious examination department and the division of the Ministry of Officials, and there were several second- and third-in-command officials involved in serious corruption incidents, and there was even a servant of the Ministry of Officials, and the evidence of human and material evidence was conclusive!

"The governor believes that Lord Li has a clean sleeve, but he should be investigated in the spirit of suspicion, but the emperor does not let him investigate, and even if there is no this section, the corruption of the officials is collapsed, and Lord Li must also be responsible, this post of Shangshu is afraid that he will not be able to sit down, once it is passed out, how can your political enemies miss it, even if the emperor wants to protect you, he can't keep it." Chang Yu seemed to be smiling.

"The emperor asked you to come?" Li Yuzhi felt that he smelled something, but the little eunuch shook his head: "The governor himself came, but when he talked about it in the evening, the imperial city once said a word to the governor: Li Yuzhi is the elder of the four dynasties, and he is also a rare courtier who is loyal to the Ming Dynasty and loyal to me!" ”

Yes! Li Yuzhi couldn't sit still for an instant, and stood up excitedly: "Did the emperor really say so?" ”

"If that is not the case, why would the Governor come to bother you in the middle of the night"! Chang Yu smiled slightly, Li Yuzhi was still excited, you must know that for an eighty-year-old minister, this sentence is the greatest relief and reward.

Although Emperor Chongzhen did not say this to Chang Yu, but Li Yuzhi was indeed a loyal minister, after Emperor Chongzhen was martyred in history, he died on a hunger strike for seven days!

"Lord Li, our Ming Dynasty has reached now, and there are few people who are willing to contribute to the emperor, but the emperor's heart is not blind, and he knows very well who is good and who is false, so try his best to leave some capable officials and loyal ministers in useful places, and those who are useless vegetarian and corpse should go back to their hometowns to enjoy happiness."

It took a lot of effort for Li Yuzhi to calm down a little, and asked tremblingly: "Who does the emperor want to mention tomorrow, and how can he ensure that he is loyal and dutiful?" ”

Chang Yu chuckled: "I just said that the emperor is not blind, and the eyes of Dongchang and the governor are not blind" As he spoke, he took out a list and handed it to Li Yuzhi: "Lord Shangshu, it's getting late, you rest early, and the governor will come back another day to bother" said and got up and left with his fists folded.

In the middle of the night, Chang Yu closed his eyes in the carriage to recuperate, Zhu Cihong frowned and pondered and couldn't help but say: "Li Yuzhi regards Dongchang as an enemy, and he is too old to be useful, why don't you take the opportunity to take it down?" ”

"He is old, he has the most weight in his high morality, and he is loyal to the emperor and has done his best to die, and more importantly, he is a cabinet minister and a minister, who will he be replaced?" Chang Yu smiled slightly, sighed and said: "As long as he is decided, the emperor will have one more chance of winning, at least he can be invincible!" ”

"What's next, Qiu Yu or Fang Yuegong?" Zhu Cihong was very curious: "Is this also the kind of candy you said with one hand and a stick in the other?" ”

Chang Yu shook his head: "To see a doctor, you have to prescribe the right medicine, depending on which set the other party likes to eat, I am afraid that the oil and salt will not enter."

"You mean Wu Fu?" Zhu Cihong is also a smart person.

Chang Yu nodded slightly.

"Do you want to get rid of him?" Zhu Cihong said viciously, Chang Yu couldn't help laughing: "Get rid of whoever manages the vegetable garden for your family, we can't learn from Wei Zhongxian to fight dissidents by unscrupulous means, sometimes it's a good thing to have different opinions!" ”

Zhu Cihong smiled and nodded.