Chapter 8: The Monarch and the Minister-

When things got to this point, Zhang Juzheng had already lost more than he lost. )

This is a blow to confidence and prestige.

He kept his father's funeral and did not leave the phase, at first it did not start from the si heart, at least not all the si heart, or it was understandable. However, at the beginning of the matter, he overbelieved that the power of the emperor could overwhelm public opinion, and forgot that Wanli was not yet sixteen years old. Sixteen years old is an age when IQ is fully developed and EQ is basically absent. When the wave of vetoes broke out, young people at this age suddenly panicked and took wrong measures, so that they were passive step by step, and completely lost the initiative of public opinion.

In the end, Wanli could only rely on high-pressure means to extinguish public opinion, thus paying the greatest moral price...... However, the most painful loss was not the emperor, but he, the person who won the love, and the result was that Wanli had a conflict with the minister in order to keep him.

Zhang Juzheng knows very well that up to now, the benefits of preserving the phase are far less than the loss of losing people's hearts, and he has long wanted to return to his hometown and stay away from right and wrong. So after Wu Zhongxing and the other four people were punished to kneel at noon, he asked the emperor for the third time to ask the emperor to allow him to go home to guard the system, this time Zhang Juzheng's attitude was very resolute, and even said, if you don't promise, I will hang up the crown and leave. However, the stubbornness factor in the Zhu family's bloodline is very obvious in Wanli, and he replied with a more resolute attitude: "Sir begs a hundred times again, and I will forbid it!" This has been said, and Zhang Juzheng has no room for maneuver. Although he longed for the emperor to have such a resolute attitude of consolation, back to reality, he really had to stay.

So Zhang Juzheng went up for the fourth time, and explained the harm he left behind very thoroughly, hoping that the emperor would change his mind after reading it. However, things have long since changed from the conflict between him and the ministers to the insistence of Wanli and the ministers. The little emperor is not steaming steamed buns now, so he doesn't care what happens in the future! He asked someone to bring a message to Zhang Juzhengdao, even if Mr. wants to leave, he has to wait for this matter to settle down. But I must not leave now, otherwise where will my authority remain?

Zhang Juzheng was completely dumbfounded, the little emperor was playing with fire! The ancients have long said that the mouth of the defense is worse than the defense of Sichuan, and the reason why Wu Zhongxing Aimu and others are willing to take the risk of committing Yan Shangshu is because they firmly occupy the morality - the country rules the world with filial piety, and if they do not go home to guard the system, they are not filial, and those who are not filial piety can command the world? That's why it has received so much support, unless Confucianism is banned and everyone who reads the books of sages is killed, how can it block the mouths of the people in the world?

When no one was around, Zhang Juzheng also introspected himself, and he and the emperor made mistakes in the handling of this matter. For himself, it was a moment of brain fever, and after the emperor expressed his intention to stay, he was distracted, counting on the minister to be obedient. Who knew that the judgment was wrong, and the voice of veto suddenly rose, and it was self-defeating all of a sudden, and outwitting it turned into a power fight. Emperor Yu is too frizzy and paranoid, and he believes too much in the power of imperial power. As everyone knows, although he sits on the throne where his ancestors sit, he is called Long Live, but the world has changed, where does the current emperor still have the authority of Emperor Taizu?

You must know that the reason why Emperor Taizu has supreme authority and every word and deed is regarded as a code that is not easy for a hundred generations is because he established this dynasty as the founding monarch, and the civil system as an administrative tool was also established by him. In Han Feizi's words, the 'divine power' is unified, and it is natural to have supreme authority, cancel the prime minister if you want to cancel the prime minister, and withdraw the lost province if you want to withdraw the lost province, and act without restraint.

But what is the Wanli Emperor? He was just destined to be reincarnated in the royal family, and he became the heir to the throne by luck. After inheriting the throne, it is true that you can obtain legitimacy that cannot be swayed. This makes the emperor moral himself in the face of any rebellious acts. However, the emperor did not have authority himself, he had to make correct decisions on major matters in order to establish his power, except that it was much less difficult, and the nature was no different from that of ordinary ministers.

And before Wanli established his power, he first thought about emphasizing his power, and what was worse was that this was not in line with what the temple insisted on. In the eyes of the people of the world, Shimiao's insistence on succession without heirs is completely tenable, so there will be supporters to join in and help him defeat the powerful civil official group. However, what the Wanli Emperor insisted on was completely immoral...... To rule the world with filial piety, to put it bluntly, Emperor Taizu asked everyone in the world to be filial piety and loyal ministers in order for future generations to be able to sit firmly in the country. Now Wanli's decision is tantamount to self-destruction of the Great Wall in the eyes of the ministers, and his authority naturally falls to the bottom.

The only thing to consider now is whether to accompany the emperor to persevere. If you persist, you will have to carry the notoriety on your back, and if you get out, the emperor will have to carry a notoriety. Out of the consciousness of a courtier, Zhang Juzheng can only grit his teeth and die, he can't pit the emperor, right?

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However, no one told him about his hardships, and in the face of Zhu Heng's questioning, Zhang Juzheng could only prostrate on the futon and replied hissedly: "In mourning, I can't take care of the outside affairs, please forgive Zhu Lao." You are old and virtuous, why don't you go up and down yourself, the emperor will promise. ”

"The emperor is in anger, how can he listen to the old man." Zhu Heng twisted his beard and shook his head, and said, "As I said just now, only Taiyue can come forward to persuade the emperor and take back the will of the court staff." ”

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and prevaricated: "The emperor is in a rage, Wu Zhongxing Aimu and others are not offended by me, but by the emperor, in this case, how can I persuade the emperor." ”

Zhu Heng knew that Zhang Juzheng hated these people and refused to help, but in the current situation, only his words could make the emperor change his mind, in order to save people, he had to beg bitterly: "Taiyue, the emperor's anger is caused by the matter of taking love, and the matter of taking love broke out because of you." If you want Wu Zhongxing and the four people to be rescued, only you can come forward. ”

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said, "You can't come forward!"

"Why is that?" Zhu Heng asked puzzled.

"This is the first time that the emperor has personally used his authority in the imperial government, if the ministers come forward to interfere, where will the emperor's face go?" Zhang Juzheng pointed out.

"You ......" Looking at Zhang Juzheng's vigorous appearance, Zhu Heng suddenly felt discouraged, but his sense of responsibility to save the good class made him persuade again: "Taiyue, there is a sentence that the old man has to say, but if he says it, I am afraid it will cause you to be angry." ”

"Say it." Zhang Juzheng said in his heart, the mouth is on you, can I block it?

"Although it is Wu Zhongxing and other four people who receive the court rod this time, it will be all the scholars in the world who are saddened by it." Zhu Heng twisted his beard and said slowly.

Zhang Juzheng was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then sneered, and sneered at each other: "What does Master Zhu mean, I, Zhang Juzheng or the emperor, want to be enemies of the world's scholars?" ”

"That's what the old man meant," Zhu Heng hurriedly argued: "But the matter of seizing love is easy to cause misunderstanding among scholars." ”

Speaking of talking about returning to the love affair, Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but be anxious, he said coldly: "The emperor insists on keeping me, what do you say?"

"You can hang up your crown and go!" Zhu Heng is humane with himself.

"Don't you want me to be unfaithful?" Zhang Juzheng said in a muffled voice.

"This is to Jun Yaoshun, to avoid the conflict between the emperor and the hundred officials, how can it be disloyal?"

"Forgive me!" The voices of the two are getting higher and higher, and there is a tendency to quarrel.

"Shoufu, don't you remember that Wu Zhongxing and Zhao Yongxian are all your protégés?"

"How can they have me as the master in their eyes, they keep saying filial piety, but I, the teacher, are going to do it!" It doesn't matter if you don't mention this stubble, as soon as you mention it, Zhang Juzheng can't suppress his anger, and shouted: "You pedantic defenders, you still have double standards!" With that, he reached out and pulled out a paper cutter next to him.

Zhu Heng was immediately frightened, could it be that Zhang Juzheng was angry and ready to take a knife on himself? Just as he was preparing his last words, something even more unthinkable happened...... I saw that Zhang Gelao, who was arrogant by nature and had always refused to hang his head, knelt down for him.

Without waiting for Zhu Heng to understand, Zhang Juzheng put the knife on his neck, and his eyes spurted blood: "The emperor wants me to take away my love, you want me to keep the system, what you are doing, don't you want to force me Zhang Juzheng to a dead end, if you insist on your own opinion, you can only be freed from death!" ”

Since the seizure of love, in the face of countless accusations, Zhang Juzheng has been silent. He hoped that someone would understand his plight and see things from the perspective of the country...... Why should we let the decadent and backward policies hinder the pace of reform? Why did he resolutely choose to be loyal to the country, but was attacked by one-sided attacks?

From the beginning, the anger of grievance and disbelief has accumulated in his xiong, and now his patience has finally reached the extreme. Zhang Juzheng knelt in front of Zhu Heng, put a knife on his neck, and roared with red eyes: "You kill me!" Kill me! ”

Zhu Heng was immediately stunned, the old man who has never let go of his mouth all his life, where has he seen this kind of pomp? He was afraid that he would really force Zhang Juzheng to death, so he was at a loss in a hurry, so he had to hurriedly salute and retreat.

As soon as Zhu Heng left, Zhang Juzheng dropped the knife, turned around and cried loudly in front of his father's tablet, crying hoarsely, extremely sad, and extremely aggrieved......

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The next day was the day of the morning dynasty, and the early morning was covered with lead clouds, which made people breathless. Around the square in front of the noon gate, there are three steps, one post, five steps and one sentry, and they are full of brocade guards and horses, and they are heavily guarded. On the side of the north side of the square by the noon gate, a wooden platform has been erected, a long table is placed on the wooden platform, and there are two people sitting behind the table, one is Zhu Xixiao, the new governor of Jinyi Guard, and let a prince preside over today's execution, which shows the emperor's attention to the level of the court staff. The other is the gloomy face of the cabinet Shoufu Shen Mu, the first assistant is the teacher of a hundred officials, even in front of the prince and the marquis, it is also the main seat, so Zhu Xixiao sits, he didn't dare to let Shen Mo stand, invited him to the stage, and sentenced him together.

Under the wooden platform, hundreds of officials stood in two compartments according to their ranks, like their first assistants, all with grim expressions and pale faces.

Zhu Xixiao, these hardcore princes, have a Qinghua status, but they have no rights. Maintaining a huge family business depends on a little friendship in officialdom. Standing in the face of Baiguan's insistence this time, he naturally had a hard time, and when the time came, he first nodded apologetically to Shen Mo, and then handed a color to the thousand households in front of him.

The thousand households took a step forward and let out a long cry: "Take the prisoner! ”

As soon as the words fell, a team of brocade-clothed guards, escorting Wu Zhongxing, Zhao Yongxian, Ai Mu, and Shen Sixiao, who were wearing iron and wooden shackles, came from the duty room next to the left door and came to the square.

On the brick floor in the center of the square, four felt cloths had already been laid, and as soon as the cane was finished, the executioner only had to drag the felt cloth, and the person who was caned was dragged out of the noon gate square and handed over to the family members who were already waiting there.

Wu Zhongxing and the other four people were escorted to the four pieces of felt and stood facing the wooden platform. The wind whimpered, the lead cloud hung low, this is the first time in the past twelve years since the accession of Emperor Longqing to the throne, the court staff official, the atmosphere in the square is particularly depressing,

Zhu Xixiao looked at the four people in front of him, and said in a tone that did not stimulate the civil official: "Unload the flail." ”

"Unload the flail...... Qianhu shouted.

A few brocade guards stepped forward and skillfully unlocked the locks and took the flail. Only a loud bump was heard, and the iron and wood shackles around the necks of the four people were removed. Before a few people could enjoy the feeling of relief, they heard Zhu Xixiao say in a deep voice: "There is a will." ”

Wu Zhongxing knelt down slowly, it wasn't for them to hold it up, but they had been wearing the flail for a long time, and the bones in his body were about to be broken.

Zhu Xixiao picked up a roll of yellow silk from the table, unfolded it and read it aloud:

Wu Zhongxing, Zhao Yongxian, Ai Mu, and Shen Si vetoed Zeng Shichu, Chen Sanmo and other proposals to win affection, and they were called to maintain Gangchang. In fact, it is a discord between the monarch and the minister. Although he was in a flail for the public, he still did not want to repent. Today, wearing brocade clothes and guard staff, Wu Zhongxing, Zhao Yongxian, sixty ......"

Zhu Xixiao's voice echoed in the air, and more than 1,000 people in the square were silent. Many of the officials present had already heard this holy message, but they still could not believe that such a severe reward and punishment was a decision made by an emperor who was not yet sixteen years old.

After reading it, Zhu Xixiao took away the will and looked at the four of them coldly: "There is also an edict, although the four of you are extremely evil, but the Queen Mother is merciful and has the virtue of a good life. He sighed lightly and said, "You heard, how merciful the emperor is, why don't you hurry up and seize this last chance to live?" ”

After finishing speaking, his eyes were firmly fixed on the four of Wu Zhongxing, and the eyes of thousands of people in the audience also fell on the four of them.

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The second watch, tomorrow will continue two shifts...... ro@