A few days later, Zhu Gaoxu met with Liu Ming again, and this time he took the initiative to summon Liu Ming.

Hearing the sound of bowing and praising from outside the Rouyi Palace, Zhu Gaoxu picked up the chapter on the bookcase, and the notebook he had fallen on it in anger just now. Hearing the eunuch's response that allowed Liu Ming to meet him, Zhu Gaoxu turned his head to look at the eunuchs and palace maids beside him, and they consciously retreated.

Liu Ming entered, knelt on the brick floor again and bowed.

"Flat." Zhu Gaoxu said expressionlessly. He had restrained his irritation and calmed down.

When Liu Ming got up, Zhu Gaoxu handed over the piece in his hand.

Liu Ming bent down to catch it with both hands and flipped it open. His face quickly became very ugly, and he buried his head. Quietly rubbed his forehead with his sleeve. I don't know if it's because of the hot weather or if I'm nervous.

This recital was written by an official of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the content was the impeachment of Liu Ming. It is said that his stepfather, the Li family, and a group of people, colluded with Zhejiang businessmen to lend money at high interest rates in Nanchang Mansion, Jiangxi, and forcibly seized more than 200 hectares of fertile land in a short period of time. There are a lot of credentials mentioned in it, if the officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate dare not deceive the king, then all kinds of credentials can completely confirm the Li family's illegal deeds.

Liu Ming watched the recital for a while, and was about to kneel, when Zhu Gaoxu's eyes were quick, and he suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm. He raised his head in surprise and looked at Zhu Gaoxu in a daze.

Zhu Gaoxu immediately asked, "Did you know in advance?" ”

The two looked at each other, and Zhu Gaoxu kept observing, Liu Ming's subtle eyes at this time, as if he wanted to capture something.

Liu Ming's arm pressed down with less force, he should have given up kneeling, and then replied, "Weichen doesn't know. ”

Zhu Gaoxu listened, let go of his arm, and nodded his head slightly.

Liu Ming said again: "But the minister still can't escape the blame, and he doesn't dare to have the slightest quibble. ”

Zhu Gaoxu took two steps behind his back, and his tone softened a lot: "They are them, and you are you." Liu Tiju must argue and clear up the suspicion of complicity. ”

Liu Ming's voice said: "In this way, the minister is unfilial." The stepfather also has the grace of nurturing, and if a colleague impeaches a minister from filial piety, isn't it more serious? ”

Zhu Gaoxu immediately turned around, looking a little surprised, and a slight smile appeared in his eyes.

When a person speaks out the not-so-glorious thoughts of his heart, he is already showing trust. Zhu Gaoxu immediately believed the truth of Liu Ming's claim that he "didn't know".

Liu Ming said again: "After the minister left the palace, he left the official seal and official hat in the yamen of the criminal department, and went home to listen to the interrogation. ”

He said that he was acting normally, and that civil officials must at least have a face on the surface, and if they are impeached by name, whether they are guilty or not, they cannot show that they are greedy for power.

Therefore, Zhu Gaoxu did not dissuade him, he just said in a deep voice: "Liu Tiju's stepfather may have really broken the law, but the key to this matter is because you offended people." After all, you are not the only one who has annexed land. ”

This time it was Liu Ming's turn to be surprised, and he looked at Zhu Gaoxu and was stunned for a moment.

At this moment, a military general wearing a python robe and a black veil came to the door of the Rouyi Palace, and entered after asking for an order. The person who came was Zhang Sheng, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, Zhang Sheng walked up to Zhu Gaoxu, and then hugged his fists and said, "The minister, please ask the Holy Lord." ”

Zhu Gaoxu raised his chin, Liu Ming understood the meaning, and took the piece to Zhang Sheng.

"Find out who the Zhejiang businessmen who colluded with the Li family are, immediately arrest and put them in prison, and interrogate who is behind the scenes." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Zhang Sheng hugged his fists and said: "The minister obeys the order!" Then he simply retreated to the door.

Liu Ming frowned and asked, "The Holy Lord thinks that someone is premeditating this matter?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand and said, "Who knows?" But if anyone wants to play this game with me, I will let him walk around without eating. ”

Zhu Gaoxu is also notoriously cunning, and he often calculates others. If some people want to calculate on him, he must be unconvinced, so he put aside what he just said.

Liu Ming whispered: "The minister's stepfather is not a highly respected person. Even if he did do those things, the minister felt that it was 'reasonable'. ”

"Hmm......" Zhu Gaoxu made a voice.

For the next moment, Zhu Gaoxu just paced in front of the bookcase in silence. He spoke again: "Iron has to be its own." ”

Liu Ming hurriedly said: "The holy lesson is yes. ”

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at him and said, "As long as you are not that kind of person, you don't have to be afraid." ”

Liu Ming thought for a moment, then bowed down and said: "Holy kindness, the minister doesn't know how to repay it." ”

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu suddenly stopped talking about impeachment, and asked instead: "What is Liu Tiju's cousin called?" Do you have a good relationship with him? ”

Liu Ming bowed and said: "Back to the saint, the cousin of the minister is named Chen Zhang. Chen and Chen Zhang grew up together since childhood, and their brotherly affection is very strong. However, when Chen Zhang was alive, Chen probably thought he was just a relative; It wasn't until Chen Zhang died that Chen felt a little empty in his heart. Or maybe he died too miserably, and the ministers were haunted. ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said, "Then you go home and stay first, and then I will allow you to go to the south with the army and make up for your achievements." ”

Liu Ming said: "Thank you Shengshang Longen." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said again: "Your stepfather's clan, there should be no big deal, but the encroached fertile land must be spit out in order to convince the public." ”

Liu Ming thanked him again.

Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand and asked Liu Ming to go back.

The summer heat is getting stronger, and it seems that the temple is even hotter today than it was yesterday. Zhu Gaoxu walked to the door, still didn't feel a little wind, and his mood became a little irritable.

The silk on his body was very thin, but there were also two layers, except for the inner lining, and the outer part was a blue dragon robe. According to etiquette, no matter how hot the weather is, people who are particular about it cannot show their arms openly, and can only endure it in long clothes.

After a while, the eunuchs and palace maids came in again. The two palace maids glanced at Zhu Gaoxu, and hurriedly stepped forward to fan with a fan, and he felt a lot better. But the palace maids are not comfortable, the two little ladies who have been fanning have their hairlines covered with sweat, and their hair is stuck to their skin. Sweat soaked their dresses, and a faint smell of women was permeated in the wind, which made Zhu Gaoxu even more impetuous, and he couldn't bear to turn his head to look at them.

Zhu Gaoxu stayed in the Rouyi Hall for an afternoon, and left this place before he arrived at the unitary time, and went straight to Kunning Palace in a sedan chair. When he came to Guo Wei's dormitory, he took off his robe and hat, and then rolled up his sleeves and sat motionless on a cool floor.

"The saint is afraid of heat and cold." Guo Wei's voice said.

Then she took a bowl of chilled white fungus wolfberry soup from the palace maid's hand, brought it up, and began to talk unhurriedly about many trivial things, none of which were important. Zhu Gaoxu sat there and listened, not interrupting her at all, only giving some brief responses from time to time.

However, Guo Wei came back to her senses and asked carefully, "Is the concubine talking too much?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu adjusted his troubled mood, shook his head and smiled: "I like to listen to you, so I didn't say much." ”

Guo Wei's fair face suddenly showed joy: "Really? ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said, "We have been married for so many years, why should I coax you again?" The beauty is not only good-looking, but also comfortable to listen to. I listened to Wei'er's voice very beautiful and cool, and I felt that the weather was not so hot, and it was very relieving of the heat. ”

Guo Wei covered her mouth and giggled non-stop, "Even if you coax me, I'm very happy." However, the concubine is a queen, not a beauty. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "The beautiful queen." He then casually said more specifically, "Wei'er is not like the burly Guo Ying, you are born with thin bones. These years have grown plump, but they still have a slender waist, and their figure looks slender and feminine, and they are a little more charming, which is very eye-catching. ”

Although the two are husband and wife, Zhu Gaoxu does not see Guo Wei every day, and his attitude when they meet has always been very good.

He simply said a few words casually, but Guo Wei was overjoyed. She was so happy that she turned around twice in front of Zhu Gaoxu, deliberately making him see more clearly. With her usual dignified appearance, she seems to have become a pet girl at this time.

She also said more, "The concubine saw her father in the palace a few days ago, and her father praised the saint. It is said that the Holy Ascended to the number of years, and the world has changed a lot. The river is full of merchant ships and cargo ships, there is an endless stream of cars, horses and pedestrians on the post road, and there are more and more houses living in the attached city. The weather of the soldiers of the Beijing camp and the guard station is also very different from before. It's just that the concubines don't know much about military affairs, if it weren't for their father's story, the concubines wouldn't know that the saint is so powerful, and he is really a Ming Jun of civil governance and martial arts. ”

Originally, Zhu Gaoxu was not interested in the content of her chat, but when he was inadvertent, he suddenly felt a lot better. Guo Wei made him think that his new policy was effective, and there must be people in the world who would agree with him.

Guo Wei didn't know what she remembered, her little face turned sunny to cloudy, and she said softly: "It's a pity that the Guo family couldn't help the saint, but took a lot of rewards and benefits." ”

"The queen has helped me a lot." Zhu Gaoxu said very sincerely, at least there are no chickens and dogs jumping in the harem for the time being. He paused and said, "Besides, when people get to the position of the emperor, they don't care about money the most, and it doesn't matter if they share some of it." ”

Guo Wei asked, "What is that?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said lightly: "Power." ”

Guo Wei finally quieted down, sitting on the bamboo mat next to Zhu Gaoxu, as if thinking about something. Zhu Gaoxu recalled her sister Guo Yan and felt that Guo Yan was smart and exposed, while the queen was more simple and kind, but she should also have her own opinions. It's just that Queen Guo Wei may be a little less knowledgeable than the imperial concubine Mu Zhen.

Zhu Gaoxu put his palm on her soft chest, her hand was slender and smooth, cooler than Zhu Gaoxu's palm.

Outside, the sky is getting darker, and the temperature is getting cooler. For a while, Zhu Gaoxu felt a little comfortable.