Ye Xianggao said ashamedly: "Although the minister is known as the head of Donglin, but now Donglin is divided into two factions, and Wang Qia no longer gives face to the minister. ”

Zhu Youxiao suddenly remembered that this Liu Zongzhou came, the last time Yuan Chonghuan went to Beijing to report on his work, he recommended Yuan Chonghuan to enter the military department together with Wang Qia, and I heard that this person was a cadre of Donglin, why did he change a person in Ye Xianggao's mouth?

He cautiously asked Ye Xianggao: "Old Ye, I seem to have heard that this person likes party strife a little?" ”

Ye Xianggao replied: "Liu Zongzhou was originally a political envoy, and he likes to promote Donglin Tongmai. But later, because of Yang Lian's matter, he was already a little dissatisfied with the actions of some people in Donglin, and he once said that the origin of our generation is silent, and it is also negotiable. Often for the sake of fame, you can't really serve the country. So Lao Chen thinks that this person can fight for it now. ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at Fang Congzhe and Xu Guangqi, and both of them nodded again and again. So he said to Ye Xianggao: "Then trouble Ye Lao, if Liu Zongzhou can speak upright, he can help me get out of the embarrassing situation now." ”

Ye Xianggao said: "It is the duty of the old minister to share the worries of the monarch's father. Please rest assured that Your Majesty will do his best to persuade Liu Zongzhou, and I believe that he can understand the deep meaning of His Majesty's rent reduction. ”

At this time, a little eunuch came in and reported: "The eunuch of the country is crying in the Taimiao. ”

The ministers were shocked, and Zhu Youxiao was furious. Let Wei Zhongxian be called and scolded: "What's the matter? What does the East Factory do to eat? ”

Wei Zhongxian was sweating profusely, and hurriedly replied: "Don't worry, the saint, I'm hurting my body." It was the slave and the maid who were useless, and the slave and maid immediately asked people to check. ”

Fang Congzhe came back to his senses and said, "Don't panic, let's go and take a look." Ye Xianggao and Xu Guangqi also nodded yes.

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said: "I don't believe that they can turn the sky upside down, I will go and see for myself what they cry." ”

Ye Xianggao said: "Your Majesty, it's better for the ministers to go and see it first, so that there is room for maneuver." ”

Xu Guangqi also said: "Your Majesty, the ministers will first understand what they want, and then report back to Your Majesty, so that it will not be abrupt." ”

Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said: "No, this matter still has to be faced after all, I want to hear it for myself, what are their requirements, they have to go to the Crying Taimiao." ”

When the ministers saw that the emperor had made up his mind, they naturally didn't say anything more. Zhu Youxiao took the ministers to the Taimiao. The temple is outside the Forbidden City, on the opposite side of the Sheji Altar. When the emperor's guard of honor came to the outside of the temple, he saw a group of prisoners in long robes kneeling under the steps in front of the temple, crying something. To the left of the prisoners, there was a man in his forties who was talking about something.

Ye Xianggao said: "It's Liu Zongzhou." ”

Zhu Youxiao smiled coldly and said, "It seems that there is no need to convince him, he uses this method to persuade me." ”

At this time, a fan from Dongchang came to report: "The students are coming to cry Taimiao, and the small ones can't stop them." Someone was about to storm the temple, and Liu Zongzhou, the head of the Ministry of Rites, was dissuading them. ”

Ye Xianggao didn't dare to look at the emperor, Zhu Youxiao smiled and said, "Old Ye, I misunderstood Master Liu." ”

Ye Xianggao said: "Liu Zongzhou is the head of the Ministry of Rites, which is originally his duty. ”

Xu Guangqi said: "Your Majesty, why don't you let the ministers go and persuade you?" ”

Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said: "I want to face these students in person, I have grown up, and my husband is already old, so I can't let you old people rush to the front for everything." ”

He walked forward, and at this time, some prisoners had already seen the emperor's honor guard and were quieter, but Liu Zongzhou didn't see it, and was still speaking: "The heart is reason, and the emperor's purpose is to change the situation that a few people occupy a large amount of land. You are all scholars, and you naturally understand that if this is the case for a long time, the peasants will have no way to live, and the situation in the Ming Dynasty should be precarious, and you will all oppose such good governance. The induction of heaven and man is indeed reasonable, but the earthquake or the emperor's courage is shocked, why must it be said to be a warning? ”

Zhu Youxiao is a little strange, a righteous gentleman like Liu Zongzhou would come up with such a reason, it seems that Confucian students are not all old-fashioned gentlemen.

At this time, Liu Zongzhou saw the emperor, and immediately knelt down and said, "Liu Zongzhou, the head of the Ministry of Rites, has seen Your Majesty. If the ministers do not do anything, they will disturb His Majesty, and they will be punished with death. ”

The prisoners were already kneeling on the ground, kowtowing together, and said, "The students have seen Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Youxiao walked up to the top of the steps and said, "Get up." ”

Liu Zongzhou stood up, but the prisoners did not dare to get up, still kneeling on the ground. Zhu Youxiao said: "I want to let the cultivators have their fields, and this matter is the only way for my Ming Dynasty to survive forever." Moreover, I only meant to reduce the rent, and I did not say that the rent rate should be set to a point that was unacceptable to a landlord. How can this cause a warning from heaven? ”

"There are two kinds of earthquakes, one is indeed a warning from God to cultivate virtue and strengthen people's livelihood, and the other is just a normal shaking of the earth. Could it be that there were no earthquakes and no disasters in the reign of Zhenguan, the prosperous era of Kaiyuan, the year of Hongwu, and the year of Yongle? Does it make sense to attribute all disasters to me? Do you have ulterior motives? ”

This accusation is too big for the prisoners to bear, and one of the prisoners seems to be the leader, and kowtows: "Your Majesty, the students and others are just worried about the earthquake and the life of the victims, so they came to cry in the Taimiao." ”

Zhu Youxiao sneered and said: "Why did you come to Taimiao, you know it in your heart, and I also know it in my heart." As a prisoner, it is good to care about the world, if there are officials who are corrupt and bribe-taking, bullying and oppressing, you can stand up, not to mention crying Taimiao, it doesn't matter if you block the palace gate. ”

"But now you want to influence the policy of the country, and it is a policy that is beneficial to the world, and that is beyond your responsibility. Students, first of all, must learn knowledge, master skills, and then do their part for the country and the people. The policies and laws of the state are not something that you can criticize right now. ”

The prisoner did not dare to refute, but kept prostrating. Zhu Youxiao said: "The affairs of the world are indeed discussed by the people of the world. However, each person has his own areas of expertise, and you scholars have some experience in quoting scriptures and classics, but as for how to increase the yield per mu of the farmer's family, and how to make the farmer's economy prosperous, it is not your strength. Without knowing the specific situation, I was instigated by someone to come to the temple to coerce the monarch, and I want to ask you about your sacrificial wine and how you teach you on weekdays. ”

At this time, an official in his fifties hurriedly ran over, knelt in front of Zhu Youxiao and shouted: "The prince of the country is the priest Liu Sizai, there is no way to discipline him, please ask Your Majesty to surrender his guilt." ”

Zhu Youxiao glanced at him and said: "You really have to reflect on this sacrificial wine, Guozijian doesn't study the courses of the Jingshi University Hall, and concentrates on studying the study of the sage, and the students he teaches are not very good." ”