The court discussion finally dispersed, Zhu Guozhen walked out of the Wenhua Hall with some staggering steps, and Sun Chengzong and Han Yi walked beside him. The other dozens of officials who participated in the court meeting did not dare to disturb the three elders because their status was quite different from that of a few or three, and they all silently and automatically distanced themselves from them.

Just as they walked down the steps, an accident happened, due to a trance, Zhu Guozhen's feet stepped into the air, and the whole person fell towards the stone steps.

"Not good!"

Several sharp-eyed officials couldn't help but shout when they saw this, but because they were too far away from Zhu Guozhen, they could only watch Zhu Guozhen fall forward.

If Zhu Guozhen, who is 74 years old this year, is allowed to fall like this, I am afraid that if he does not die, he will have to lose most of his life, but fortunately, Sun Chengzong, who was walking next to him, saw that the situation was not good, and stepped forward with an arrow and grabbed his belt, and then grabbed his arm and pulled his body back.

"Ping Hangong be careful!"

Don't look at Sun Chengzong, who is also in his sixties this year, but he is a rare talent among Ming officials who is both civil and military, and he quickly supported Zhu Guozhen's body with a lot of strength.

At this time, Han Yi on the other side also rushed over, and the two of them limped Zhu Guozhen down the steps with one left and one right.

After Zhu Guozhen walked down the steps, Sun Chengzong and Han Yi helped him sit on the stone steps, and then asked, "Ping Hangong, are you okay?" ”

"The old man is fine." Zhu Guozhen endured the pain and shook his head.

"And said it was fine."

Sun Chengzong frowned when he saw his appearance: "Let's ask the imperial doctor to take a look." ”

Two quarters of an hour later, next to one of the beds in Wenyuan Pavilion, a imperial doctor's hands were loosened from Zhu Guozhen's already quite red and swollen footk, and he shook his head and said: "Zhu Ge's injury is not a big deal, it's just that the hamstrings have been twisted, but as the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to hurt the muscles and bones."

In addition, Zhu Ge is very old, and if he wants to recover, it will take at least three to four months, during which the lower officials suggested that Zhu Ge should still recuperate at home, and not come to Wenyuan Pavilion to be on duty again. ”

"How can this work?"

Han Yi on the side was anxious, there were only three of them left in Daming's cabinet now, and they were so busy that they had to touch their heels every day, if there was one less person, would they still be alive?

"Then there is no way for the lower officials." The imperial doctor spread his hands, "The lower officials can only see a doctor, and they can't help at all with national affairs." ”

Han Yi glanced at Zhu Guozhen, who was lying on the bed and was silent, and looked at Sun Chengzong again, and both of them sighed at the same time. There was just such a mess in the Wenhua Palace, and now Zhu Guozhen is lying down again, it's really a disaster.

"Old Zhu Ge's foot is sprained, and he can't go to Wenyuan Pavilion for at least three months?"

In the imperial study, Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Chengzong and Han Yi who came to report, and his face was stunned.

As soon as he announced the punishment of those officials who spoke for the interests of the Jiangnan gentry group, Zhu Guozhen sprained his foot, which is too coincidental, right?

When Sun Chengzong saw Zhu Youxiao's expression, he immediately guessed his thoughts, and quickly explained: "Your Majesty, Ping Hangong did accidentally sprain his foot, and the old minister saw it with his own eyes in the back, it was indeed an accident. It's just that as soon as Ping Hangong fell like this, the affairs of the cabinet could not be handled by the old minister and Han Ge alone, so the old minister implored His Majesty to add more manpower to the cabinet. ”

"That's it!"

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but groan.

Since the Ming Dynasty had the cabinet system, the number of people ranged from one to seven, and there was no fixed number, but in general, the number of people in the cabinet was generally maintained at about three to five people, but there was one point, that is, the number of people in the cabinet has never been an even number, which is the same as the number of the highest elder group in China in later generations has never had an even number.

In fact, Zhu Youxiao didn't know that the number of people in the cabinet was too small, which also caused Sun Chengzong and the three of them to be busy every day, but he never had the idea of increasing the number of cabinets, the reason was very simple, the previous court was full of people from the Donglin Party, and it was almost impossible for him to arrange his favorite people into the cabinet.

But now the situation is different, with the establishment of the Beijing camp and the new army, he already has an army that has been baptized in actual combat and loyal to him, coupled with the gradual abundance of the imperial court's finances and the abundance of small coffers, he has enough confidence to support him to do what he wants to do.

Zhu Youxiao pretended to be silent for a while and then said slowly: "Aiqing has worked hard for the imperial court in the past two years, and the number of cabinet members has been insufficient. Since Zhu Aiqing was unfortunately injured this time, it is up to Aiqing to screen the candidates after she goes back, and I plan to increase the number of people in the cabinet to five, so as to reduce the burden on you and Han Aiqing. ”

"Increase the number of cabinet members to five?" Sun Chengzong's heart was shocked, but then he seemed to understand something, and lowered his head and said: "The old minister understands, so he will go down and draw up a list, so that His Majesty can make a holy judgment." ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Chengzong, with a sincere expression on his face: "Go, Aiqing is my most important and trusted teacher, I am very relieved to do things." ”

"Your Majesty is in love, the old minister has taken his leave!" Sun Chengzong bowed to Zhu Youxiao, and took a few steps back before leaving the cabinet.

The court of the Ming Dynasty is a sieve that leaks everywhere, and there is basically no privacy at all, and soon the news that the cabinet is going to increase the number of people immediately spread throughout the capital, and the entire officialdom immediately boiled.

As Napoleon said, a soldier who does not want to be a general is not a good soldier. For officials in the Ming Dynasty, an official who does not want to enter the cabinet is not a good official.

As soon as the news came out, almost all the officials who were qualified to join the cabinet jumped up like chicken blood, you must know that this time there will be three new places, if you move a little, is there hope?

As a result, the attention of the officials of the entire capital was attracted to this matter.

"Your Majesty is really a good means!"

In the Wenyuan Pavilion, Han Yi pointed to the basket full of baskets next to him and said to Sun Chengzong with a wry smile: "Your Majesty's imperial methods are becoming more and more sophisticated, and your Majesty's original dispatch of those people to Nanyang has made the Donglin Party unable to sit still, and they are ready to attack again."

I never thought that just because of such a small incident of Ping Hangong's misstep, it would be enough to turn things around in the hands of His Majesty, attract the attention of all officials, and at the same time eliminate the major events that are likely to happen without a trace, and the lower officials really admire it. ”

Sun Chengzong stroked his beard and said quietly: "Your Majesty's means are not enough, you can watch it." Those people can't grow their rabbit tails, and when Xinguo Gong returns to the capital after exterminating the Liukou in Jiangnan, it will be the day when His Majesty will completely settle accounts with those people. ”