"Don't panic, just take this trip as a normal summons, the prince will answer the emperor with his heart, and he doesn't have to deliberately welcome the holy will." Wu Yuan is a square gentleman and has always advocated honesty and honesty.

Zhao Minwang and Wang Ben nodded: "As soon as the empty seal account book case comes out, Your Majesty will definitely be angry, and you will inevitably think hard about how to rectify the rule of officials, and it is inevitable to kill a group of officials involved in the case. ”

None of these people had any experience as officials at the grass-roots level, nor did they have the experience of holding specific affairs and economic positions in the six ministries, so as soon as the empty seal case was discovered, these people did not consider the actual situation of the officials involved and the problems of the imperial court system, and all of them were extremely indignant, and they all advocated severe punishment to set an example.

Du Yi has always been the last to speak, he has always been the deepest among the four people, the most unique vision, the sharpest insight, and the most Zhu Biao, after listening to the opinions of the three, Du Yi said quietly: "What the three said makes sense, but have you ever thought about it, since the officials of the household department are involved, if the prince can protect the next group of household officials, these officials will be grateful to the prince, and they will definitely become the loyal wings of the prince in the future, and the prince will be more popular in the court." Moreover, in the past two years, His Majesty has gradually let the prince deal with government affairs, especially the government affairs of the Ministry of Households, and the Prince has been involved in many things. If the prince firmly strikes at this group of people and brings them to justice, then who will dare to get close to the prince in the future, and who will dare to get closer to the prince, do you want the prince to become a real loner? You know, Qin Jinyan and the others have not been idle for a while, although they are not in the capital, but they are always staring at the movements of the court, and they are all secretly actively encircling the courtiers, just waiting for the day when the prince is lonely, they will fight like a poisonous snake, and at that time, there is not even a person among the courtiers to speak to the prince, how can the prince deal with it? Therefore, at this time, if the prince advocates severe punishment of the household department and the officials involved in various places, who is the happiest? The prince must not do what is good for his relatives and enemies. ”

After listening to Du Yi's analysis, Zhu Biao's heart suddenly brightened, but he still couldn't make up his mind, Du Yi's words, although they were completely based on his own long-term interests, but if he really did so, it was tantamount to going against his father, what would his father think of himself: "But will my father be ...... like this?"

Of course, Du Yi knew Zhu Biao's worries, and immediately rushed to say: "Of course Your Majesty will not agree with your proposition, and once you advocate finding out the reason, being lenient, and focusing on admonition, Your Majesty will definitely be angry, and even question that you are not good at handling government affairs and cannot control the courtiers." ”

Zhu Biao nodded vigorously, Du Yi deserved to be his confidant, and he said what he was most worried about.

Du Yi continued: "Even if Your Majesty is angry, or even blames you, you have to fight on the basis of reason, first, once the severe punishment does involve too much, it will appear that you are not effective in taking care of the household; Second, you have always given His Majesty the impression of generosity and benevolence, and if you behave differently this time than before, it will arouse His Majesty's suspicions. More importantly, this time, you not only want to subdue the household officials and local officials involved in the case, but also make a gesture, a gesture for the courtiers and the world to see, so that everyone you know that you are benevolent, and establish a future benevolent style for the world, what you want is not only the hearts of the household and the local officials, but also the hearts of most officials in the court and the hearts of the world. ”

When he came out of the East Palace, Zhu Biao was full of confidence, and Du Yi's analysis of the court situation and this case gave Zhu Biao a backbone, and made it clearer how to summon him to deal with it this time. Therefore, when he arrived outside the Wenhua Palace, Zhu Biao was not in a hurry or hurry, and calmly greeted and kowtowed.

Zhu Yuanzhang was pacing back and forth in the Wenhua Hall with his hands behind his back, holding Fang Keqin's concert in his hand, but the concert was closed, Zhu Yuanzhang held it in his hand and shook it back and forth, Zhu Yuanzhang also seemed a little absent-minded today, sometimes looking at the incense burner on the main hall, sometimes looking at the window lattice, but he didn't see it at all. Hearing Zhu Biao sign up for the audience, Zhu Yuanzhang did not let the prisoner summon him, but walked slowly to the gate, he gently pushed open half of the door, the door opened, a ray of sunlight suddenly shone on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, he couldn't open his eyes, and quickly raised his right hand to block the sun, under a block, his hand slipped, and Fang Keqin's recital in his hand fell to the ground, at this time Zhu Biao, who was kneeling outside the hall and waiting, hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the recital, presented it to Zhu Yuanzhang with both hands, and said in a low voice: "Today's temperature suddenly dropped, the wind outside is a little strong, and my father is dressed thinly, Let's go back to the temple. ”

Zhu Biao said sincerely, Zhu Yuanzhang is very satisfied, for this eldest son, he has always been satisfied, Zhu Biao's personality is not as strong as himself, but like his mother Queen Ma, but sometimes he seems too benevolent and tolerant, Zhu Yuanzhang even feels too weak, and Zhu Yuanzhang's troubles come from this, although the successor he wants, although he is not too strong and strict like himself, but he never wants a successor who lacks the determination to kill. Zhu Yuanzhang always believed that excessive leniency is indulgence, and he will not be able to control the courtiers and the world. But Zhu Biao is not only the eldest son, but also suffered a lot in the southern and northern wars with him when he was young, from the heart, Zhu Yuanzhang loves the deepest, so although he scolded Zhu Biao several times, he still expected Zhu Biao to be tough, of course, Zhu Yuanzhang also made second-hand preparations as a last resort. On the one hand, he constantly admonished Zhu Biao, instilling the idea that governing the country with leniency and severity should not be only lenient but not strict, and on the other hand, he continued to use various excuses to carry out a purge plan, and killed a group of old ministers, a group of old ministers who he thought the prince would not be able to control in the future, killed their heads one after another, and seized power, especially through Hu Weiyong's case, Zhu Yuanzhang found an excuse to kill a large number of old ministers, and only then did he feel a little at ease.

Looking at this filial and somewhat weak son at this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed with emotion: "Fang Keqin's case, I have just tried it personally, Fang Keqin is a loyal minister, he knows that if it is exposed, he also has the crime of killing, but for the sake of the court, for the sake of the society and the people, he still exposed the empty seal fraud case without hesitation, do you think, how to deal with such a loyal minister?" ”

Zhu Biao had already made a bamboo in his chest, and his answer was not sluggish: "For Fang Keqin, the minister feels that he can be punished slightly, admonished, demoted by one level, and still let him return to his original post and make meritorious contributions." Half a year later, he can be promoted to the political envoy or the six ministries as a squire, such a loyal minister is really rare. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang's lenient attitude towards Zhu Biao was not surprising at all, but he did not expect such a big promotion of Fang Keqin, and he couldn't help asking: "After all, Fang Keqin is also involved in the case, and he is also one of the criminals of the empty seal, so deal with him so easily, what about other officials?" Do you want to let them go? ”

Zhu Biao replied calmly: "The other officials in this case naturally have to be punished, but they are all demoted and retained, mainly to observe the after-effects, after all, the matter of empty seals has a reason, and the officials have used expedient measures in order to facilitate official business." Zhu Biao had been observing his father's face, and seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was silent and thoughtful, obviously listening to his own words, he continued to talk eloquently: "In order to put an end to this kind of malaise, Erchen suggested reforming the household department's account cancellation system, so as not to let those officials in charge of finance and taxation go back and forth in order to redeem accounts and write off accounts, which not only saves the trouble of officials, but also improves the efficiency of the yamen in various places." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed secretly, and his tone was slightly heavier: "When Li Yu was in the case, you said that it was not appropriate to implicate too widely, since Li Yu was afraid of the crime and ruled on his own, the case should be understood, so as not to shake the Beiping Ping Domain." Now you say that this matter is not suitable for investigation, do you know, for the way of the king, leniency and severity, if only leniency is not strict, those officials will not be afraid of you, they will do everything to deceive you, deceive you, and then empty you, and finally one day, those who have different intentions and strength will try to replace you. ”

"The way of heaven, the virtue of a saint." Zhu Biao brought out the words of the sage: "If the monarch cultivates virtue, the ministers will obey, the people will admire, and the people will return to their hearts." The monarch has no virtue, even if the art of power and scheming reaches its peak, in the end it is just the Qin Emperor Sui Yang, whether the country is long-lasting, whether the country is stable, and there is no danger in virtue. ”

This remark just stabbed the weakness in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, and completely angered Zhu Yuanzhang, he raised the fold in his hand and threw it towards Zhu Biao, Zhu Biao lowered his head and dodged, and the fold flew over Zhu Biao's head, Zhu Yuanzhang was still angry, raised his fist and strode forward to hit someone, Zhu Biao turned around and ran, and did not forget to turn around and glance at it when he ran, and at the same time reached out to his arms while running, and after taking out a thing, he deliberately put it on his chest, and this thing fell down "naturally". Zhu Yuanzhang chased a few steps but didn't catch up, and he couldn't help but breathe, so he slowed down, saw Zhu Biao's thing falling, and walked forward to pick up the thing, which was a painting made of silk cloth, and the painting showed a middle-aged woman carrying a boy on her back. In the painting, the woman has a pair of heavenly feet, her face is anxious, there seems to be a pursuer behind her, she turns back vigilantly to look at the situation behind her, and at the same time her steps are running forward quickly, and the child on the woman's back also looks nervous, while looking back, while wiping the sweat on the woman's forehead.

Zhu Yuanzhang instantly left tears, he knew at a glance that this woman was clearly Queen Ma, and the boy on her back was Zhu Biao. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was full of tears, looked up at Zhu Biao, who was hiding behind the pillar, stretched out his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said to the prisoner on the side: "Go and call the prince back and give him this too." ”

Zhu Biao walked back with a twist, his eyes kept looking at Zhu Yuanzhang, and all this was seen by Zhu Yuanzhang, he had a very complicated mentality towards this son, he had expectations, and he also hated iron and steel, and even occasionally thought about whether this son was suitable to be the emperor, but Zhu Biao was the eldest son after all, and because of his generosity, he has always been quite prestigious among the courtiers.