"I saw Zhang Xuan when I came over just now." As soon as Zhang Xuan was sent away, Yang Tinghe saw Yang Yiqing talking and walking towards the duty room.

"Yang Xiang, I called him over." Yang Tinghe pointed to the chair: "Sit down." ”

"Such a slippery villain, what are you looking for him to do?" Yang Yiqing was very unhappy.

Yang Tinghe said lightly: "Just ask about the situation of the river engineering case." ”

Yang Yiqing was even more annoyed, and said unexpectedly: "Shoufu, if you want to ask about the river engineering case, you can consult me directly." Yang Yiqing stays in the cabinet all day long, and he is afraid that he will not be able to find anyone? ”

Yang Tinghe knew that Yang Yi had a clear and upright personality, and he had one thing to say, which was certainly a good quality that a scholar should have, but sometimes he would inevitably offend people. Fortunately, he and Yang Yiqing are colleagues of the three dynasties, and he also knows the roots, but he doesn't take it to heart.

Yang Shoufu did have his own intentions when he came over to Zhang Xuan today, but it was inconvenient to explain this meaning clearly to Yang Yiqing.

Yang Tinghe didn't explain directly, but said: "Your Majesty asked Zhang Xuan to serve as the imperial envoy, and I came to him, in addition to learning about the Hegong case, I also wanted to talk to him about the Supervision Yuan." ”

Yang Yiqing said with a calm face and hatred: "This kind of villain, if it was placed back then, when I Yang Yiqing was in charge of the three sides, I would have been cut by military law a long time ago." It is really ridiculous that such a despicable person should be a speech official. He was originally a mad dog, and he really became an envoy, and he didn't open his mouth to bite indiscriminately? This matter must not be decided. According to Yang Yiqing, it is better to conclude the Hegong case as soon as possible and send him back to Nanjing. Back then, Lord Shoufu sent away villains such as Zhang Xuan and Huo Tao one by one, and the atmosphere of the court was invigorated. In this way, wouldn't it make the upright gentleman of the government and the opposition cold? ”

Yang Yiqing's attitude is very bad, and he is the only one who has the qualifications and prestige to get angry in front of Shoufu.

Yang Tinghe was not angry, but said: "Ying Ning's words are wrong. ”

Yang Yiqing didn't sit down, just stood in front of Yang Tinghe: "What did I say wrong, and I still ask for advice?" ”

Yang Tinghe patiently explained: "Indeed, as Ying Ning said, the officials of the Inspectorate should be people of high moral character, so that they are qualified to hear about things, so that they can be the eyes and ears of the court, and so can they be upright and upright." But don't forget, the most important thing for a speech official is that he must be independent, Zhang Xuan is now shouted and beaten by everyone, and no one is close to him. However, isn't this the most qualified official, with no friends and no party, and a maverick. ”

Yang Yiqing sneered: "He has no friends and no party, but Lord Shoufu, Sun Xun said, a gentleman has a party, a villain has no friends, and a person can be a man to the point of not having a friend, this Zhang Xuan has done this, doesn't it explain the problem?" ”

"Isn't a lonely man who doesn't have any friends a qualified speaker? Besides, that's what Your Majesty meant. ”

"It's a mess." Yang Yiqing was very disapproving: "Your Majesty has been giving birth to such a mess since he ascended the throne, and we can't sit idly by." This Zhang Xuan must go back to Nanjing. ”

"Even if you want him to go back to Nanjing, you have to wait for the Hegong case to be completed." Yang Tinghe knew that he couldn't convince Yang Yiqing, so he sighed unconsciously, and the wrinkles on his face became more and more profound.

"Okay, it's enough to have Shousuke-sama's words." Yang Yiqing sat down on the chair and said loudly: "It's not easy to conclude the river construction case, you just need to ......."

"All it takes?" Yang Tinghe's wrinkles were deeper, but his eyes looked at Yang Yiqing sharply.

Yang Yiqing didn't notice Yang Shoufu's abnormality, and said loudly: "It's very simple, Wang Shu is greedy for Mohe silver, the amount is huge, and it has a great relationship with Suining Dashui, so he can rebel and make a decision; The master and apprentice of the Cao Gang Wind and Fire Dragon are the murderers who blew up the embankment of the Suining River and cut them down. After all, he was the former trilateral general system and led the Shanxi border army, and he did not hesitate to kill people.

Yang Tinghe said "oh": "What's next?" ”

Then, those officials who took bribes should not be spared, and such moths must be severely punished by the law of the land. I am going to arrest them one by one according to the account books, and to recall those who should be removed according to the amount of bribes they should take, and those who should be sent to prison. ”

Yang Tinghe shook his head again and again: "It's not proper." ”

Yang Yiqing saw that Yang Tinghe did not agree, and his voice became louder: "These corrupt officials have violated the law of the country, so naturally there is a Ming law to control them." Could it be that Shousuke-sama has any other opinions? ”

"Hey." Yang Tinghe sighed again and said patiently: "Ying Ning, governing the country is not governing the army, and blindly using thunder means will not succeed."

Yang Yiqing said angrily: "What did Shoufu say, could it be that you still let these corrupt officials go?" ”

Yang Shoufu stretched out his hand and pressed it downward, signaling Yang Yiqing to calm down, but said something else: "I am the official's money...... Since ancient times, hundreds of officials have been thin, and there has never been such a thing. A cabinet minister like you and me is only eighty-seven stone a month. ”

Yang Yiqing didn't understand why Shoufu said this, and felt strange in his heart, so he sat on the chair: "It's really relatively meager, please say, adult." ”

Yang Tinghe continued: "Eighty-seven stones are physical objects, but officials need silver everywhere to maintain their family's livelihood, and it is not possible to distribute white rice completely. The month of the servant in the house, the salary of the officials under him, which is not a huge expense. But my Ming Dynasty is peaceful all over the world, and the country is rich. This price is so low that it can't be. When you receive the rice and exchange it for cash, you will lose a lot of money in the middle. In fact, all the officials in my court are very poor. If they don't feed the officials, how can they contribute to the country? ”

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Yang Tinghe's Adam's apple rolled with difficulty: "Like Wang Shu's case, so many officials are involved." In fact, many officials live a hard life, and the annual ice and charcoal fire account for the vast majority of their income. This is also a customary rule in officialdom, as long as there is no favoritism, the court will also turn a blind eye. If this road is also closed, the court will not be able to sustain it. Many of the officials involved in this case are actually quite honest and have made great achievements in government. If you are indiscriminate and catch them all, you will be reckless. ”

Yang Yiqing was furious and stood up with a loud voice: "Shoufu means to let them go, we are admitted to the imperial examination, we are to serve the monarch, the country and the people, not to be promoted and make a fortune." Shoufu said this, Yang Yiqing did not dare to agree. ”

Yang Tinghe smiled bitterly: "Catch them all...... Hey, Ying Ning, you don't belong to the family, you don't know that firewood and rice are expensive. I'm old, and I won't be able to do it for long. Actually, the three old men of our cabinet are also tired, it's time to come down. His Majesty has ordered Zhai Luan to enter the cabinet as the left servant of the Ministry of Rites, and several newcomers will be promoted in the future. I'm leaving, and I have to hand over all this belongings to you. Ying Ning has you thought about it, more than 100 officials were arrested at once in the river engineering case, and if you dig deeper, you don't know how many people will be implicated. In this way, the six ministries are empty, how can the imperial court still operate? There is an old saying in our hometown, a hero has three gangs. There is also a saying that the prime minister can hold the boat in his belly. There are things that can't be taken too seriously. ”

Whether it is withholding taxes or accepting filial piety from local officials, it is a customary rule in officialdom, and everyone has been like this for more than 100 years. Now, Yang Yiqing wants to break this stereotype, how else can he be this first assistant. How could Yang Tinghe put this courage in his hands with confidence?

Yang Shoufu only felt powerless in his heart: "Ying Ning, you have offended all the officials, who will be willing to contribute if there is something in the court in the future." In the final analysis, we are just a pastemaker, where there are loopholes, we will fill them, so why do we need to divide black and white good and evil? ”

"Fallacy" Yang Yiqing sneered.

"Ying Ning." Yang Tinghe is still struggling to persuade each other.

"This is a fallacy" Yang Yiqing was so angry that his throat was dry, and he couldn't care about that much, so he picked up the cup of tea that Zhang Xuan had drunk just now, only took a sip, and spit it out. shouted angrily: "Come on, what kind of tea is this, it stinks, change a cup"

"Yes." A small official hurriedly brought a cup of tea and sent it over.

Yang Tinghe waved his hand and said, "I have something to say to Yang Xiang, and no one is allowed to come in." ”

Waiting for the little official to go out, Yang Yiqing took a sip of tea and continued: "Shoufu, people's hearts are not enough to swallow elephants. Although the sage said that where people are, nature is good. But in this world, who is not selfish, if he is left alone, Yang Yiqing does not think that those officials who are greedy for ink will find out with their conscience. Taizu used severe punishment to punish corrupt officials, and the effect was good. On the "Brief Record of Awakening Greed", Taizu said that those who are officials are valued by the imperial court, but they are not satisfied, they are unwilling to benefit the people, and they are greedy and corrupt the law, and they can complain about the death of their families? Now, if we don't set out to commit crimes and indulge in indulgence, this officialdom will continue to rot until it is out of control. ”

Yang Yiqing said it righteously and strictly.

Yang Tinghe sat softly in the chair, with a deep tiredness in his tone: "Ying Ning......"

"Shousuke doesn't need to say anything."

Yang Tinghe: "I'm old, I can't think about things in my heart, and I feel tired when I think about it." The old man is going to submit his resignation to His Majesty in a few days, asking for his resignation as the head of the cabinet. Ying Ning, you are an old minister of the Three Dynasties, and the position of the first assistant will definitely be handed over to you. In the future, you will be the head of the hundred officials. But have you ever thought about it, if you use this river worker case to sweep away the six ministries, and even cut off the livelihood of officials, what good will it do to the country, without the support of hundreds of officials, how can you still govern. Your Majesty is getting older day by day, long live this, that is a person with an arrogant heart, with ideas and means. If you follow the old story of Wuzong, bent on smashing, and without constraints, where is this country going? ”

There was a bag of old tears in Yang Tinghe's eyes: "People are old, they should let go when they should let go, but why can't I rest assured?" Ying Ning, we don't really have anything to do as cabinet members, as long as we coordinate the relationship between the various ministries, the local government and the central government, and the relationship between the hundred officials and His Majesty, it is enough. ”

Hearing Yang Tinghe's heart-wrenching words, Yang Yiqing's eyes suddenly became a little hot: "Shoufu, as soon as you leave, hand over such a big stall to me, so that Yang Yiqing can afford anything?" He suddenly understood the reason why Shousuke asked him to let go of the officials, that is, he was afraid that the emperor would take the opportunity to expand the imperial power and swell to the point that no one could restrain him. The state needs a strong central power, but it does not need a strong monarch.

[Dedication]