Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the ministry, revised the examination method overnight after returning last night, and then only slept one time, but he was still full of energy, and the next day, today, he rushed to the ministry and Jiao Fang to work with the Literature and Anthology Division to make the final revision of the examination method.

And the officials of the Ministry of Officials are also very active in cooperating with Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang's arrangement, because they all know that Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang are the people who are about to enter the cabinet, and even as soon as the original three cabinet ministers of the cabinet retire, Ma Wensheng will soon become the first assistant.

And Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang themselves think so, so they are full of ambition, and even Ma Wensheng feels that he will definitely become the first assistant, changing the old rule that the ministers can only come out of Qingliu Hanlin after Li Xian.

In addition, Xu Jin, the secretary of the Ministry of War, also made changes to the examination method of military attachés overnight, just like Ma Wensheng.

Therefore, when the celebrant came to announce that the three of them had entered the palace, the three of them thought that it should be the resignation of Liu Jian and others from the cabinet, and they should have entered the palace to listen to the order and enter the cabinet to do things, so the three of them were still very excited.

Zhu Houzhao directly summoned these three civil officials at the celebrant supervisor, after all, in the future, Longzongmen will not only hang the sign of the celebrant but also hang the cabinet sign.

As soon as Zhu Houzhao saw that the three civilian officials were all in high spirits, like the generals who were about to go to the battlefield, they seemed to be more than ten years younger, and even Jiao Fang, who had poor emotional control ability, began to smile, and said:

"Don't be too happy too early, things are not as simple as we imagined, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, only two of them resigned, and Li Dongyang did not resign."

As soon as Zhu Houzhao's words came out, it was like a slap in the face of each of the three people, and the three of them were shocked, especially Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the ministry, who knew that Li Dongyang would not resign, and the position he had been looking forward to for a long time would still not belong to him.

And Jiao Fang, who has always been straightforward, snorted directly: "Why is this Li Dongyang so thick-skinned!" ”

Xu Jin also said speechlessly: "Your Majesty, it seems that our Li Gechen is waiting for Liu Jian to resign so that he can be the first assistant, and he can be described as a power-hungry person!" ”

"This variable is unexpected, but it doesn't change my determination to innovate, but before getting rid of Li Dongyang, only two of the three of you can enter the cabinet, and then Ma Aiqing, you still have to enter the cabinet, I can add you to the position of the third prince, and make a clear decree to let you sit at the head of the cabinet."

Zhu Houzhao was not in the mood to evaluate how Li Dongyang was, and only talked about business.

But Ma Wensheng prostrate on the ground, with a hint of determination and regret in his tone, and said: "Thank you for Your Majesty's love, in order not to mess up the rules, the minister can be under Li Binzhi (Li Dongyang's character Binzhi)."

Since Ma Wensheng refused, Zhu Houzhao didn't say more, but looked at Xu Jin: "Xu Aiqing, you won't enter the cabinet for the time being, the military department still needs you to bear it, Yang Yiqing continues to serve as the governor of Shaanxi, after all, the little prince often harasses the Shaanxi area, and there is also a need for a capable official." ”

Although Xu Jin was a little disappointed, he was not an unbearable person, and when he saw His Majesty the Emperor Zhu Houzhao say this, he hurriedly said yes.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao nodded to Xu Jin, and then looked at Jiao Fang: "Jiao Aiqing, you and Ma Wensheng are still in the cabinet." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Jiao Fang hurriedly made a big salute.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Jin: "Liu Jin, first approve the resignation of Liu Jian, the first assistant of the cabinet, and Xie Qian, a scholar of Dongge University, and allow them to resign and return to their hometowns." ”

"Yes!"

Liu Jin answered, then picked up the red pen and criticized it, originally Liu Jin had been looking forward to this moment, looking forward to the refreshing feeling that as soon as his red pen fell, the usually high-ranking cabinet ministers would be deposed.

But at this moment, Liu Jin didn't have the slightest pleasure, just because the resignation in front of him was not three but two.

Then, Zhu Houzhao instructed Liu Jin again: "Draft, Ma Wensheng and Wu Yingdian University scholars will enter the cabinet to do things, and the regents will do things!" ”

"Intended purpose, Jiao Fang Jiadong Pavilion University Scholar, Household Department Scholar, Household Ministry Affairs!"

"Proposed purpose, the secretary of the military department Xu Jin Prince Shaobao!"

"Proposed decree, restore the king's official department Shangshu and the prince Taibao, the official at least Fu and the prince's original position, and immediately enter Beijing to take charge of the affairs of the ministry!"

After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, he sat back, looked at Ma Wensheng and the others and said: "Although Li Dongyang doesn't want to resign, it's not that I can't help him, now the real power of the Ministry of Officials, Households, and Military is still in your hands, and the reform can still be carried out. ”

Zhu Houzhao's tone was very resolute and stern when he said this, and he did this to show his determination to reform.

However, what Zhu Houzhao didn't expect was that Ma Wensheng suddenly fell to the ground and said to Zhu Houzhao in a pleading tone:

"Your Majesty, the minister has the courage to beg Your Majesty not to severely punish the sins of the former three cabinet ministers! In the end, they are a cabinet minister, the power should not be underestimated, until the last resort, Your Majesty should not destroy the righteousness of the monarch and ministers, the minister is for His Majesty to consider and for the Ming Dynasty, the minister does not want the Zhengde Dynasty to be like the first emperor only 18 years! ”

Zhu Hou illuminated the meaning of Baima Wensheng, nothing more than hoping that he would not be too cruel to Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others, but also have to be benevolent, after all, once the relationship is too stiff, it will be unfavorable to himself in the end, which will make these scholars and doctors take extreme revenge measures against themselves and no longer take into account the righteousness of the monarch and ministers.

Zhu Houzhao was very moved that Ma Wensheng could think about himself, but he didn't think that Ma Wensheng was right, so he only said coldly: "But the death of the first emperor can't be so unclear, if the first emperor dies unexpectedly, the benevolence of the first emperor can't make the traitor have benevolence and righteousness, why should I treat him with benevolence and righteousness?" ”

"That minister dares to ask Your Majesty not to raise a big prison until the evidence of the murder of the monarch by Liu Jian, the former head assistant of the cabinet, is clear!"

Ma Wensheng kowtowed directly again earnestly.

Xu Jin and Jiao Fang saw this: "Your Majesty, the ministers also ask Your Majesty not to set off a big prison unless there is evidence of killing the monarch, otherwise it will be detrimental to the great cause of reform!" ”

"Your Majesty, if they really have the evidence of killing the king, they don't need Your Majesty to come forward, the ministers are willing to be the vanguard, and kill the traitors and disrupt the party in the city for the first emperor!"

Ma Wensheng saw that Zhu Houzhao had been silent, so he simply compromised one step further, saying that once Liu Jian and others really killed the king, he was willing to kill Liu Jian and others for Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao saw that Ma Wensheng and others had said this, and thought that if the fundamental interests were not touched, the civil officials were really unwilling to kill the civil officials, but Zhu Houzhao also found that he wanted to rashly kill Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others, and there was really a lot of resistance.

"I can promise you! However, from now on, you are only allowed to devote yourself to reforming the rule of officials, and you must not interfere with the prison, otherwise I will clean you up as soon as I find out! ”

Zhu Houzhao slapped the table and roared.

Ma Wensheng hurriedly arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty, rest assured, the ministers don't dare!" ”

Thereupon.

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: "Stand down!" ”

Ma Wensheng and the others all left because of this, and Zhu Hou only smiled slightly at their backs as they left, and said in his heart:

"You civil officials can not put each other to death, but you dare to put me to death, in the previous life, Zhu Houzhao did not make a dead hand, and he still fell into the water? In this life, I want to persuade me that I can keep safe without moving the knife, who believes it! As long as the butcher's knife is lit up, I can be safe! There is no doubt that the longest-lived Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and he is also the most ruthless to civil officials! ”