When Sun Chengzong arrived at the Heart Cultivation Palace, Zhu Youzhen's face was a little pale.

"Sun Aiqing, I feel a little guilty about yesterday's incident, I can't hide this matter from Su Aiqing, I think, I still have to let Su Aiqing know."

"Your Majesty, yesterday the minister also thought for a long time, the emperor had this worry, the minister thought it was not surprising, the emperor since he ascended the throne, all the time hard work, hard work, now the eradication of the rogue, the people everywhere can live and work in peace and contentment, this is the emperor's credit, Lord Su guards the border pass, holds heavy troops, every word and deed is related to the prosperity of my Ming Dynasty, more blame and suspicion, it should be, the minister thinks that Lord Su can understand."

"Aiqing said this, I feel even more guilty in my heart, I have experienced a lot of things since I ascended the throne, if it weren't for Su Aiqing to turn the tide and exterminate the rogue, I would have a headache, and now the situation is finally better, but a lot of suspicions make me a little at a loss."

Sun Chengzong lowered his head and did not speak, such a suspicion involves the stability of the imperial power, no one will speak easily, as a courtier, if he can't understand such a thing, it will be a joke.

"Sun Aiqing, you once wanted to go to Dalinghe City to have a look, and I also wanted to go and see it, but unfortunately I couldn't leave the capital easily, this time, I thought that you would go to Dalinghe City on behalf of me to have a look, and at the same time tell Su Aiqing what happened in the capital, you have to tell Su Aiqing that I believe him."

"Obey."

"It's a long way to go to Dalinghe City, Sun Aiqing take care of your body."

When Zhu Youzhen said this, he paused slightly.

Sun Chengzong felt that the opportunity had come, he was already seventy-seven years old, and his energy was really not good, and the matter of the first assistant of the cabinet. You have to think about it, I have talked to the emperor a few times, but the emperor has not let go, and there is an opportunity in front of him.

"The minister is grateful for the emperor's mercy, the minister is old, all these years. More and more feeling powerless, the court has a lot of things, the minister is the first assistant of the cabinet, for fear of delaying the government and going against the emperor's trust, the minister wants to resign from the position of the first assistant of the cabinet, and implore the emperor for permission. ”

Zhu Youzhen was silent for a while, and finally spoke.

"Sun Aiqing is old, and I can't bear it. Sun Aiqing should have been recuperating for a long time, after all these years of hard work, I feel that Sun Aiqing is getting older and older, this time, I am not ready to force Sun Aiqing, Sun Aiqing is so hardworking, I think of Xu Aiqing. ”

Zhu Youzhen is talking about Xu Guangqi, and Xu Guangqi is also because of his age. Eventually, he died of illness while serving as a cabinet minister, at that time. It was the most difficult time for the imperial court.

Sun Chengzong didn't speak, in fact, his current age has surpassed Xu Guangqi back then, Xu Guangqi died of illness at the age of seventy-two, and he was already seventy-seven years old.

"Sun Aiqing has such thoughts, and I can't force it. I also hope that Sun Aiqing will recommend the candidate for the first assistant of the cabinet. ”

Zhu Youzhen's favorite cabinet chief assistant was Tang Shiji, but this time he changed his decision, and there was a need for balance in the court. But this kind of balance, if it affects the government and damages the interests of the Ming Dynasty, it is not a good thing, Tang Shiji's heart has changed a lot, and he has become the first assistant of the cabinet, and he will inevitably have a contradiction with Su Tiancheng, there is discord inside and outside the court, and the first assistant of the cabinet and the Jiliao Governor have contradictions, which is a very fatal thing, if the contradiction between the two intensifies, it may shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, and this kind of thing can never appear.

Therefore, Zhu Youzhen thought that Sun Chengzong could recommend candidates, of course, in his heart, there were also candidates.

"Your Majesty, the minister is bold, and the minister recommends Yang Sichang, the secretary of the Ministry of War, to serve as the first assistant of the cabinet."

Zhu Youzhen showed a smile on his face, this is a sincere smile, it seems that Sun Chengzong is indeed from the perspective of the stability of the Ming court, if Sun Chengzong proposes Liu Zongzhou to be the first assistant of the cabinet, Zhu Youzhen will be very uncomfortable and sad.

"Why did Aiqing recommend Yang Sichang?"

"Your Majesty, the minister was originally going to recommend Lord Tang, but after the matter of the Jin treachery, Ling Chen felt that if Lord Tang made mistakes in dealing with it, at least he should look at such issues from a middle position, impartiality is the right way, and the preconceived idea will definitely be lost, if it is not for the emperor's quick decision, this matter will definitely affect the stability of my Ming Dynasty."

"The minister thinks that Lord Liu Zongzhou is a great Confucian, and it is needless to say that there is no need to say that there is still some difference between knowledge and reality.

"Among the cabinet ministers, the rest can not be mentioned, either because they are old or they are not physically strong."

"The minister recommended Lord Yang because Lord Yang has good ability, and is familiar with the government and politics, so he can assist the emperor very well, and Lord Yang is familiar with military affairs and civil affairs, and can grasp the situation in Liaodong."

Zhu Youzhen nodded frequently.

"What Aiqing said is yes, this time I went to Dalinghe City, and after returning to the capital, I agreed with Aiqing Zhishi."

After ten days of traveling, Sun Chengzong finally came to Ningyuan.

Along the way, Sun Chengzong had too many feelings, stepping on this familiar land, he had a very different mood, thinking that when he was in charge of Liaodong, the fight with Houjin was small-scale, and several times were all because of the battle situation in Liaodong, especially the battle of the Daling River, which was the main reason why he finally went home.

Sun Chengzong was still familiar with the situation in Liaodong, but this time, after entering Shanhaiguan, he was surprised to find that Liaodong had indeed changed, and this change had never been felt before.

Since the beginning of the Apocalypse, because of the frequent wars in Liaodong, there are almost no people here, that is, there is some vitality in the city, the people outside the city can not gain a foothold at all, the Houjin Tartars are harassed all the time, the people do not dare to farm at all, and they have fled to the Guannei, that is, the sergeants stationed in the city, strongholds and fortresses are rarely out, and the Guanning Jin defense line of four hundred miles is very desolate.

But now the situation has changed dramatically, from Shanhaiguan to Ningyuan, two hundred miles away, along the way to see countless shacks, there are many people working in the fields, some are clearing the farmland, some are reclaiming the farmland, these shacks, must be the place where the people live.

Su Tiancheng once played the imperial court, and talked about the resettlement of more than 100,000 Han people, including hundreds of thousands of military tun households, specializing in farming, Sun Chengzong couldn't believe it, more than 200,000 people, where to settle, Guanning Jin defense line, always beware of the harassment of the Houjin Tartars, although the city of Dalinghe was recaptured, but the Houjin can still dispatch the Eight Banners Army.

Hearing is false, seeing is believing, this time, Sun Chengzong completely believed it.

When he was still more than ten miles away from Ningyuan City, Sun Chengzong saw Su Tiancheng.

Because of his health, Sun Chengzong couldn't walk very fast, he basically stopped and went, a thousand miles, and actually walked for ten days, which is indeed old.

Sun Chengzong and Su Tiancheng directly entered the Governor's Mansion.

Sun Chengzong is straight to the point, what should be said must be said, it is useless to conceal it, what happened in the capital, he has the responsibility and obligation to tell Su Tiancheng, and Su Tiancheng needs to understand this matter. This is the emperor's trust, and it is also related to the stability of the Ming Dynasty, such a big thing will eventually be revealed.

After Sun Chengzong finished speaking, he felt nervous for the first time, no matter what, Su Tiancheng is young after all, young people are angry, fighting outside, bleeding and sweating, but they still have to suffer from suspicion, it is impossible to feel good in their hearts, but in his opinion, Su Tiancheng is not an ordinary young man.

Su Tiancheng quickly spoke.

"What the adults mean, the juniors understand, don't worry, the juniors won't take it to heart, this time, Huang Taiji suddenly attacked Dengzhou and Laizhou, and the juniors also felt it, Huang Taiji is by no means an ordinary person, there are thousands of cranes in his chest, in the future, there will be a lot of things happening, the competition between the juniors and the Huang Taiji will not stop, whether it is open or secret, it will be carried out all the time."

Sun Chengzong was finally relieved, he knew that Su Tiancheng was very cautious when he spoke.

"Kun Yuan, the old man has proposed to the emperor, resign from the position of the first assistant of the cabinet, the old man is old, he is really powerless, over the years, the old man has not done much, he is deeply ashamed, and he wants to let Xian, to be honest, the old man wants to recommend you to be the first assistant of the cabinet, but unfortunately the timing is not good."

"The younger generation also thinks that the adults should rest, the adults have done too many things over the years as the head of the cabinet, exterminated the rogues, pacified the northern provinces, and the emperor's merits, presumably the emperor knows."

"Needless to say, the old man has retired, the only thing to worry about is Liaodong, the situation in Liaodong is complicated, if Kun Yuan does not get the full support of the cabinet, it is difficult to make a difference, as long as someone questions it, the impeachment will be uninterrupted, in this case, how to stick to Liaodong and exterminate Houjin, the first and auxiliary candidates of the cabinet recommended by the old man are Yang Sichang, the secretary of the Ministry of War, fortunately, Lord Yang knows the situation in Liaodong and knows how to run Liaodong."

Su Tiancheng sighed softly, this day is coming sooner or later, Sun Chengzong's age is indeed not suitable to continue to serve as the first assistant of the cabinet, and he must retire, but Yang Sichang has become the first assistant of the cabinet, there must be disadvantages, Yang Sichang in history, there is also some taste of great joy, and there is also some taste of rejection of dissidents, of course, his own situation is different, Yang Sichang is the first assistant of the cabinet, and he does not dare to move a finger easily.

"Kun Yuan, the old man knows what you think, but this day is coming sooner or later, and the old man still thinks that he can see you destroy the golden tartar in his lifetime."

"Adults, the younger generations will definitely work hard, and the adults are in good health, and they will definitely see this scene." (To be continued......)