Coming to the familiar conference room of Wenhua Hall again, everyone's mood was not the same as the first time, the mood seemed a little heavy, and there was obviously one less person. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

According to the previously arranged seats, everyone did not compete for anything, and sat down quietly in turn. When Zheng De arrived with Shi Xuan, the ministers present were all surprised, why wasn't Wang Tingxiang this time?

Could it be that the emperor has changed his new favorite?

A new favorite? Fortunately, Zheng De didn't know what the ministers here were thinking at this moment, otherwise he would have to spit out a mouthful of old blood.

What new favorites? Yaya's phew, Lao Tzu is a man, and he has never been a base.

However, this is not the time to think about this, and the ministers present stood up and saluted, "Ministers, please see Your Majesty." ”

"Sit."

Zheng De glanced at everyone, and when he swept over the vacant seat where Zuodu Yu Shi Daishan was supposed to be, he paused for a moment before looking at everyone.

"Everyone should also know that the right capital Yu Shi Lin has died of illness. I feel very sad about this, and I also feel sorry for the loss of another pillar of the Ming Dynasty. And now Zuodu Yu Shi Dai Shan has also fallen ill, causing me to suddenly have a question in my heart, why did my Ming ministers fall ill one after another? He paused, glanced at everyone, and then said, "I wonder if Zhongqing can answer my questions, why is this happening?" ”

The ministers present thought that what the emperor wanted to say was the candidate for the imperial history of the right capital of Tingtu, but they didn't expect the emperor to ask such an inexplicable question.

Although it is too strange that the left and right imperial histories fell ill one after another, but as the saying goes, 'illness comes like a mountain', and such a coincidental thing comes together, who can really say it clearly? It can only be attributed to the fate of the time!

Seeing that all the ministers present were silent, Zheng De continued, "I feel heartache when I think of the right capital Yu Shi Lin who died for the Ming Dynasty and finally died in office. At the same time, it was all my fault, and if I had done it earlier, I might not have done so. ”

Regarding the illness and death of the right capital Yu Shi Lin, the ministers also felt a little regretful. However, I didn't expect the emperor's attitude to surprise everyone present, and it was really unexpected that his death was attributed to himself.

Doesn't it mean that because of the matter of Xuanfu, this right capital imperial history does not please the emperor?

So what's going on now?

Did we hear it wrong, or did the emperor have a convulsion?

And what does "do that" mean, does the emperor still have the art of resurrecting the dead?

The ministers were confused, but no one spoke. They all understood that since the emperor said so, there must be something to follow.

Seeing that no one answered, Zheng De looked a little embarrassed, coughed, and had no choice but to continue, "In order to prevent the situation that the left and right imperial historians fell ill one after another, resulting in no one in charge of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, I decided to implement a compulsory retirement system among civil and military officials first. ”

This is a plan that he has been brewing for a long time, and the successive illnesses of the left and right capital Yushi have given him a good opportunity to implement this retirement plan through this matter.

Retirement system? The ministers were stunned when they heard this, but they really didn't understand the meaning of this term.

Liu Jian stood up at this time, "Your Majesty, what is the retirement system?" ”

"The so-called retirement system is that from the first year of Zhengde, all those who have reached the age of 70 from the second rank or above, including those who have reached the age of 70 from the second rank, are forced to retire; Those who have reached the age of 65 from the fourth rank or above, including those who have reached the age of sixty-five from the fourth rank, are forced to retire; All officials of the fifth grade, including civil and military officials below the fifth grade, who have reached the age of 60, shall be forced to retire; All retired officials may continue to receive the salary according to the rank of the official before retirement until the end of their lives. ”

Zheng De stood up directly and said with a slight explanation, "I hope that all the civil and military officials of my Daming Dynasty can take care of their old age after working for most of their lives for my Daming Jiangshan Sheji, and they can enjoy their old age after retirement." I also hope that there will never be a situation like the right capital Yu Shi Lin who dedicated his life to the Daming Dynasty and the society, but in the end he died in office before he even had time to enjoy his old age. That's why I hesitated for a long time before I finally made the above provisions. ”

He paused slightly and glanced at the ministers, "I know that after I make this decision, most of you here will be forced to give in. You are all ministers of the Ming Dynasty, so you will feel helpless and sorry for Shi Zhen. Maybe you will feel that you are old and strong, and you can also make another contribution to the Daming Jiangshan Society. Perhaps you will think that my purpose in doing this is to purge the old ministers left behind by the first emperor. But I don't care about that, whether it's slander or whatever. I only hope that you, the civil and military officials who have dedicated most of your lives to the Ming Dynasty, can enjoy the rest of your life and stop working hard for the affairs of the Ming Dynasty. ”

"But in the end, I still want to ask Zhu Qing what he thinks, after all, I'm not a person who likes to force people. If most of you don't agree with my decision in the end, I won't force you and will simply revoke this decision. ”

When Zheng De finished saying this, he felt that he was sweating all over his body. This was the first time he had given such a speech in public in front of these important court officials, and when he finally finished speaking, his mind was blank, and he couldn't even remember what he said.

The ministers here were silent when they heard what they said, but they didn't expect the emperor, who seemed to be a little weak in the eyes of everyone, to say such a thing. Although this decision will cause most of them to lose their current high-ranking officials, many of them bowed slightly, obviously not much resistance to the emperor's words.

At least for now, it seems that Zheng De's speech was a success.

"What Your Majesty said is very true, Weichen is willing to return to his hometown, and he does not need to continue to receive the imperial court." Liu Daxia, the secretary of the Ministry of War, was the first to stand up, and looked at Ma Wensheng defiantly.

Zheng De didn't expect that Liu Daxia, who seemed to be strong, would be the first to stand up and agree with his decision, after all, according to his age, he had only just turned seventy. And don't look at its thin body, but its body is very strong. Even if he does it until he is 80 years old, like Ma Wensheng, there is no need for him to do it at all. After all, high-ranking officials are not like Li Dongyang, who can be regarded as dung and can be directly discarded if he says to give it up.

However, someone stood up to support him, which also made him secretly relieved. At least what I said was still somewhat useful.

"Aiqing doesn't have to shirk, these are your pensions after retirement. You have worked hard for most of your life for the Ming Dynasty, and you deserve it. ”

After listening to the emperor's words, Liu Daxia wanted to say something. However, at this time, Min Qi, the secretary of the Criminal Department, also stood up and arched his hand, "Weichen is over seventy years old, and he is willing to resign and return to his hometown, and I hope that His Majesty will approve it." ”

"Please take a seat, two Aiqing."

Zheng De waved his hand to the two, and after seeing the two of them do it. Looking at the ministers present, he said slowly, "Don't misunderstand, I am implementing a retirement system. Not just for you, but for the entire court, civil and military officials, a rule that must be followed. Therefore, I decided to take the first year of Zhengde next year as the starting point for the implementation of this retirement system, which means that there is no such system in this year, that is, in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi. ”

"So there is no need for all of you here to rush to the office, and even if you really have this idea, I will not approve it. After all, the first emperor has just died, and the entire court also needs you to stabilize. When the retirement system is implemented next year, I will agree with you, and it can be regarded as a successful end to the entire Hongzhi dynasty. ”

Everyone present bowed their heads slightly when they heard this, feeling that what the emperor said was indeed reasonable. And this unhurried and impatient attitude also made them believe that what the emperor said before may not be a decision made to purge the heroes, but just to allow them to enjoy their old age in peace, and the resistance has also been greatly reduced.

"Your Majesty, the minister is already at the age of sixties, and he is willing to return to his hometown next year" Liu Jian was a little hesitant at first, but stood up at this time to express his support.

Originally, he thought that the emperor was messing around again, and he was worried that if he and others became officials, the court would be controlled by ordinary traitors and villains, wouldn't it be worthy of the dying trust of the first emperor.

However, after listening to Zheng De's last words, he also understood that the emperor did not make this decision on impulse. After all, this group of old ministers has a high reputation in the imperial court, and if the emperor is in a hurry to drive them back now, I am afraid that the entire imperial court will be turned upside down, and I am afraid that it will not be able to end at that time.

However, if the old ministers of the imperial court were allowed to stay until next year, firstly, the civil and military officials would already be psychologically prepared, and secondly, they would not be given the feeling that the emperor was eager to purge the old ministers of the previous court, which would make the entire imperial court panic.

Such a result is the most beneficial for the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court and the emperor.

The emperor was able to make such a decision, and combined with today's performance, he is at least mentally mature. This also made Liu Jian breathe a sigh of relief, and said secretly, "At least after I leave, if the emperor has this performance, and with the assistance of Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, the foundation left by the first emperor should also be able to be preserved." In this way, when he came to Jiuquan in the future, he would have an explanation for the first emperor. ”

Seeing Liu Jian, one of the two bigwigs in the imperial court, stand up, not only Zheng De also made the ministers present feel a little surprised.

Xie Qian even stood up directly, and arched his hand towards Zheng De, "Your Majesty, Liu Ge Lao is the minister left by the first emperor, and he can't be a minister!" ”

Zheng De was a little unhappy when he heard this, why couldn't Liu Jian be a minister, just because he was the head of the ministers who took care of his life left by his cheap father?

He was about to say something, but at this time, one of the two bigwigs in the court, Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the Ministry who had been with the old god, couldn't sit still at this time, stood up tremblingly, and arched his hand, "Your Majesty, the minister is also willing to pay tribute to the minister, and he will return to his hometown next year." ”