At this time, there were only three people in the cabinet: Fang Congzhe, Ye Xianggao, and Sun Chengzong, and the ministers asked the emperor to increase the number of cabinet places, and Zhu Youxiao asked everyone to push the court, and then elected Xu Guangqi to enter the cabinet, and the post of secretary of the ministry is still concurrent.

This is a new thing in the Ming Dynasty, generally speaking, the secretary of the cabinet is just an honorary title, in order to improve the status of the minister, but now Xu Guangqi is both a cabinet minister and a minister, which has not yet appeared.

Xu Guangqi asked to resign from the Ministry of Justice, but was rejected by Zhu Youxiao. Xu Guangqi played again, and Zhu Youxiao said: "I am arbitrary, and the minister is not allowed to mention this matter again." ”

Xu Guangqi had no choice but to give up, and the ministers who were waiting for the opportunity next to him had to be disappointed. The reason why Zhu Youxiao did not let Xu Guangqi resign from the Ministry of Officials was because Xu Guangqi's performance in the past three years of the Apocalypse in Beijing was extremely satisfactory, and all the officials in Beijing were evaluated according to their fulfillment of their tasks, without considering their party affiliation.

This is a modified application of Zhang Juzheng's examination method, and the effect is excellent. Officials who can only talk are demoted or even cut down to serve the people, while officials who do practical things are rewarded or even promoted, so that officials understand the emperor's likes and dislikes for officials' behavior, and to a large extent, officials begin to pay attention to doing practical things instead of only talking.

At this time, on the 22nd day of the lunar month, there was an earthquake in Yingtian, Suzhou, Songjiang, Fengyang, Sizhou, Huai'an, Yangzhou, Chuzhou and other six prefectures and two prefectures in Nanzhili, especially Yangzhou. Yangzhou collapsed more than 380 city walls, more than 20 city shops. The walls of the sky should be shaken, the beams and pillars of the roof have their own sounds, the battlements of the city walls collapsed, the Gaochun earthquake sounded, the houses poured, the water overflowed, and the Jurong tiles fell and the roof collapsed. Changzhou, Zhenjiang, and Yangzhou, the sound was like a huge thunder, shaking down countless houses and crushing many lives. Huai'an Lake turned over and moved. The walls of Taizhou shook, and the rivers roared. The walls and houses of Changshu are shaking, and the walkers are all servants. The east brake float also shook its top, and the ground inside and outside the city was cracked. Chongjiao Xingguo Temple, the top of the tower is inclined to tilt. Wujiang, Zhenze, Jiading, Jiangdu, Tongzhou, Taixing, Wusong, Yixing, Changzhou Prefecture, all trembled like thunder. Songjiang Mansion Huating, Shanghai, Nanhui Imperial Palace, Yisha Castle, Wuxi, Jingjiang, all the houses are shaking, and the water of Wujin Bad House Lake is flying. Yingtianfu, Shangyuan, Jiangning, Liuhe, Wuxian, Jiangyin, Danyang, Jintan, Dantu, Liyang and Jiangxi were all shocked on the same day.

The urgent report reached Beijing on the evening of the 23rd, and Zhu Youxiao urgently convened the ministers to discuss disaster relief. Fang Congzhe said: "Although this catastrophe is quite powerful, it has limited injuries. However, the post-earthquake relief is very important. The weather is cold and freezing, and the victims lack food and clothing, and if they are not handled properly, they are afraid that they will starve all over the wilderness. ”

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said: "For today's plan, I should order a minister of justice to inspect the disaster area for me and save the people from hunger and cold. ”

Ye Xianggao stepped forward and said: "Yang Lian is in the middle of the matter, he has always been honest and self-disciplined, and he is jealous and hateful, so he can take this position." ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at Yang Lian and said, "I don't know if Yang Qing is willing to share my worries?" ”

Yang Lian bowed down and said, "The minister is willing to go." ”

Zhu Youxiao said: "Let Yang Lian be the Qin mission, go to Nanzhili to preside over disaster relief matters, and order Dongchang and Jinyiwei and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to assist, give you Shang Fangjian, and officials below the third grade can be cut first and then played." ”

Ye Xianggao hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, can it be denied to be below the fourth grade?" ”

Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said: "Nanzhili officials have many high positions, and they can't even manage a prefect below the fourth grade, and they can be cut first and then played if they are set at the third rank and below." ”

Yang Lian kowtowed again and again: "The minister has thanked Your Majesty for your trust, and the minister hereby swears not to let Nan Zhili die a person who should not die, in order to repay Your Majesty's kindness." ”

Zhu Youxiao smiled: "I am waiting for your good news. ”

Xu Guangqi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, can the affected people move some of them to Taiwan and other places to relieve the pressure of local food?" ”

Zhu Youxiao thought for a while and said: "It's hard to leave the homeland, I'm afraid that they don't want to go overseas." ”

Xu Guangqi said: "People's hearts are different, if someone is willing, it is actually a good thing." ”

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said to Yang Lian: "Yang Qing, you can ask the local people to collect the destitute people who are willing to immigrate to Taiwan, which must be voluntary, and then transported from Yangzhou to Taiwan, give them food for three months, and resettle them according to the original immigration policy." ”

Yang Lian naturally did not allow it. When he left the palace, Liu Siyu, the head of the East Factory, had already brought 30 fans, Xu Xianchun, the commander of Jinyiwei, with 50 subordinates, and Liu Jingwen, deputy director of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, with 20 investigators, were waiting outside. And the carriages and horses are all ready.

Yang Lian said with a smile: "Your Majesty's love for the people is so urgent, how can we delay time, let's just leave." After that, he called his family who was waiting outside and asked him to go home and report the news, and he went straight away.

Everyone walked by water overnight, and finally came to Yangzhou City two days later. Everyone was so tired and out of breath that Xu Xianchun looked at Yang Lian and Liu Jingwen, who were embarrassed but still persevered, and couldn't help but sigh, the current civil officials and military attaches are not much more ruthless than others.

Yang Lian came directly to the Yangzhou Mansion, and the door came to stop him, but he was slapped open by Xu Xianchun. When they entered the yamen, they saw that the hall was empty. Xu Xianchun directly beat the Dengwen drum, and after a while, a pot-bellied official shook out of the back hall and scolded: "Which one is beating the drum indiscriminately." ”

At this time, the official also rushed in, and the doorman pointed at Xu Xianchun and said: "Master, it was this barbarian who was beating the drum and was injured, please take him to prison." ”

When the official saw Xu Xianchun's flying fish suit, he was startled, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "I don't know that the Lord of Jinyi Wei has arrived, and he is not welcome, please come in and take a seat." ”

Xu Xianchun ignored him, but Yang Lian stepped forward and said, "I don't know what the Ming Mansion is busy with?" The lobby was empty. ”

The official said: "The official occasionally has a small illness, and he is resting in the back hall." I don't know who you are? ”

Xu Xianchun shouted: "When I see Lord Qincha, I don't kneel yet." ”

When the official heard the word Qincha, he immediately knelt down on the ground and said, "Li Shiyu, the prefect of Yangzhou, respectfully invites Sheng'an." ”

Yang Lian said: "Holy bow, get up." ”

Li Shiyu got up and said, "Please let Lord Qincha in, and the officials will serve tea." ”

Yang Lian shook his head and said, "No need." I don't know how many casualties there are in Yangzhou and what is the distribution of disaster relief materials? ”

Li Shiyu said: "The city wall of Yangzhou collapsed, crushing many people, and now the victims have been properly resettled. ”

Yang Lian said: "Take me to see the situation. ”

Li Shiyu said: "Lord Qincha, it's cold, it's better to let someone report the situation, so as not to frostbite your lord." ”

Yang Lian said angrily: "If you go out, you will get frostbitten, and those victims whose houses collapsed would have frozen to death a long time ago." Ben Chin sent out to see, so he didn't bother the prefect. ”

All kinds of requests, thank you for your support! Happy New Year!