Hearing Liu Ximing talk about the reform of the rule of officials, Chongzhen tried hard to think about it, and finally remembered such a thing.

It was still the ninth year of Chongzhen, and Liu Ximing had just been made an earl when he first entered the officialdom.

At that time, Chongzhen asked Liu Ximing about the plan of sufficient food for the soldiers, and Liu Ximing suggested that the system of officials among the officials should be reformed.

The reason he put forward was that officials must govern the people through officials, but now corruption is rampant, not only to take advantage of the court, but also to take advantage of the people.

Therefore, he proposed to formalize the officials and weed out the treacherous among them.

It's just that Wen Tiren was in power at that time, and the first thing he thought of was to use the reform of official governance to eliminate dissidents, but he couldn't do it under the opposition of the ministers of the court.

Now that he heard Liu Xi's old story mentioned again, Chongzhen thought about it and asked cautiously:

"Does Aiqing think that this reform of official governance will really help the current situation?"

"Your Majesty", Liu Ximing arched his hand, "Everything in the world starts from a young age, and this reform of government governance sounds insignificant, but if it can be persisted in, then it will definitely be able to improve governance in the future." ”

"Now there are not many methods that the imperial court can use, and it is even more unlikely to change the situation quickly, why don't you give it a try, if it is successful, the money and food saved can recruit more soldiers and horses, if it is not successful, then it will be canceled."

Chongzhen was a little moved when he heard this, he has been busy for more than ten years, and he wants to calm down the world as soon as possible.

So when Yuan Chonghuan offered advice for five years, he believed it.

Yang Sichang offered a plan to suppress thieves for three years, and he believed it again.

Looking back now, Chongzhen sighed in his heart, perhaps, his strategy was really wrong?

This world has to be governed step by step slowly?

After thinking about it for a while, Chongzhen, who had never been able to figure it out, had to admit in his heart that at least for now, only what Liu Ximing said was still orderly and operational.

Well, what if I believe you?

"I agreed, you can reform the officials of the ten provinces of the Central Plains at will."

Liu Ximing arched his hand with admiration: "In this way, even if the minister knows that there are tigers in the mountains, he dares to go to the tiger mountains." ”

"Hey, it's all up to you."

Liu Ximing is not as senior as a group of old ministers, Chongzhen directly reached out and patted him on the shoulder and sighed.

"I still have to discuss the matter of your entry into the cabinet, and I have to push it to the court, the Qing family will prepare first, and I will arrange it when the court meeting tomorrow comes."

Speaking of Shoufu, Liu Ximing flashed a figure.

Zhou Yanru.

At the end of the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, under the vigorous promotion of the Donglin Restoration Society, Zhou Yanru finally got his wish and reverted again, becoming the only minister in the Chongzhen Dynasty who served as the first assistant twice.

I don't know what handle the Donglin Party people caught Zhou Yanru, the entire government was controlled by Zhang Pu and others for a period of time, such as the Donglin Party, Wu Changshi and others who were even more arrogant.

However, as Liu Ximing said to Chen Zilong and others before, since Zhou Yanru has reverted, how can he be willing to act as a puppet of Zhang Pu and others.

Three months later, Zhang Pu died of illness inexplicably, which also caused the southeast Shilin to shake, and countless people ran and wept for it.

Thinking about the virtue of this duke, for the sake of insurance, Liu Ximing took the initiative to ask Chongzhen for help:

"After all, the minister is young, and I'm afraid that Shoufu is also worried, so it's better for Your Majesty to let the minister go to Shoufu to explain the future strategy, and it will be convenient for Your Majesty to summon him."

Chongzhen showed a satisfied look on his face, he was really a good courtier, and it was really rare to be able to solve the difficulties of the king.

"Okay, I'm ready, you go first."

Liu Ximing immediately bowed and withdrew from the Qianqing Palace.

The weather in July was the hottest time, and when Liu Ximing arrived at the Wenhua Palace, it was already so hot that his heart and back were sweating.

Looking for the palace people on duty in Wenhua Palace, he asked for a wet towel to wipe his sweat, and Liu Ximing found Zhou Yanru's courtyard non-stop.

Zhou Yanru is not yet fifty years old this year, due to good maintenance, there are not many wrinkles on his face, and he was only thirty-six years old when he first became the first assistant.

"Why did Xin Amber have time to come to this pavilion, could it be for the sake of today's military report?"

As soon as Zhou Yanru heard that Liu Ximing asked to see him, he immediately went out to welcome him in, while testing Liu Ximing's intention with a little sadness.

Liu Ximing looked back at the door, and Zhou Yanru immediately asked people to close the door, leaving only the two of them in the room.

"The lower officials are here for this matter", Liu Ximing sat down with Zhou Yanru at this time.

"Your Majesty has already talked to the lower officials, and wants the lower officials to take over Ding Xingru's position and go to the Central Plains to supervise the division."

Zhou Yanru's heart moved, and his gaze at Liu Ximing became complicated.

Is this hairy boy really stunned or fake stunned, the Central Plains has just been defeated now, and anyone with a discerning eye can see that there is a big pit, and you dare to jump into it?

However, Zhou Yanru is already old and sophisticated, and he said with praise at the moment: "Not afraid of danger, Wujiang is really a young hero, but the old man sees himself when he was young from you, which is really terrifying." ”

A shameless thing.

Liu Ximing complained in his heart, immediately smiled and said a few words modestly, and by the way, he picked up some of his conversations with Chongzhen in the Qianqing Palace.

"Duke Ming, since Your Majesty has plans to let the lower officials enter the cabinet, and has approved the reform of the governance of the lower officials, and the Ming Duke is the first assistant, the lower officials want to come to ask for your opinion first."

After listening to Chongzhen's promise to Liu Ximing's conditions, Zhou Yanru's heart had already set off a big wave, and now when he heard Liu Ximing speak like this, he immediately thought about Liu Ximing's intentions.

"Wujiang's advice is a good word, but I don't know what you need the old man to do?" After thinking for a moment and not finding an answer, Zhou Yanru immediately became vague.

Liu Ximing didn't intend to bend with him, and directly explained his intentions: "The lower officials are here to ask for two things, one is naturally what His Majesty said about entering the cabinet, and if Ming Gong can nod, there will not be much resistance from the court." ”

"Liu did not seek this position for himself, so he was upright and not afraid of what people said. Second, it is for the reform of the rule of officials, although it does not involve officials, but the hundreds of officials in the DPRK and China will definitely discuss it, and this matter also needs the approval of the Ming Duke. ”

Knowing that this kind of talk was not enough to impress Zhou Yanru, Liu Ximing made a straightforward smile and said:

"Xiaguan is a straight man, and he has always been a loner in the court, so he is afraid that after Xiaguan leaves Beijing, the hundreds of officials in the court will do everything possible to attack this matter, so he wants to ask for a reply from Ming Gong."

"Ming Gong rest assured, the lower officials know that they are young and have little qualifications, and they don't dare to think about anything else, and now they only ask for many things to do in the court, and in the future, Ming Gong is in the court, and the lower officials are in the locality, and many things are in the Ming Dynasty.

As soon as these words came out, Zhou Yanru, who was still hesitating, suddenly laughed.

Liu Ximing is a big celebrity in front of the emperor, and now he has made a special trip to meet, and there is already a meaning of refuge in these words, how could Zhou Yanru, who was worried about the lack of party henchmen, let go of such a good opportunity.

He laughed out loud at the moment: "Xin Amber is young and promising, and he dares to do things, the old man is old, if he can cultivate one or two pillars of talent for the imperial court, even if he is the enemy of hundreds of officials, you can rest assured, the old man just said that he knows it, and he will live up to you." ”

"Thank you Ming Gong for your success", Liu Ximing got up with a happy face and thanked him.

The court meeting on 12 July was held as usual, but every official who attended the court meeting felt that this court meeting was different.

The news of the Central Plains and Liaodong spread like a virus in the mouths of hundreds of officials, attracting all kinds of disturbing speculation and speculation, and sighs and wails were endless.

finally survived to the last court, and before the ministers woke up from Wang Chengen's sharp voice, Chongzhen on the dragon chair spoke directly.

"Have you read yesterday's military report?"

There was silence in the Imperial Palace, and hundreds of courtiers didn't dare to gasp, for fear that they would touch their heads.

In the entire hall, only Chongzhen's indifferent voice could be heard, constantly floating in the sky above the Imperial Palace.

"Ding Qirui and others lost their teachers and humiliated the country, and ordered Yousi to discuss the aftermath as soon as possible, which can neither make the front-line civil and military cold, nor can they lose the law of the imperial court."

The hall was still silent.

Chongzhen indifferently looked at the group of turtle-like ministers of civil and military affairs, and the tone in his mouth became a little heavier.

"In view of the situation in the Central Plains, I will appoint Xin Anbo and Liu Ximing, the secretary of the household department, as the second assistant, the scholar of the Jianji Temple and the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, worship as the prince and the prince, give the sword of Shang Fang, the banner of the king's order, supervise the soldiers and horses of the world, and specialize in the task of suppressing thieves."