After eating and drinking, Master Zheng, the imperial historian, stood up and saluted: "Thank you Your Majesty for the food, and the minister is full." ”

The emperor nodded, pointed to the tea on the table, and said, "Say, you want to talk about the affairs of Shudi, I listen." ”

"Your Majesty, since ancient times, Shu has been rich, especially Chengdu, and it is the country of abundance in the world. The bureaucrats in Shu are generally several times higher than those in other places, and although it is difficult to be promoted to the bureaucratic system outside Shu, it is not a very good choice for them to live in Shu. Master Zheng laid out a few words, and then cut to the chase: "But this has also led to the corruption of Shu officials, because of wealth and corruption, of course, this truth does not make sense, but wealth, coupled with the inaction of the Shu Prince's Mansion, has aggravated this corrupt atmosphere." Your Majesty, the minister thinks that it is better for us to go deep into Shu to investigate and give them a certain amount of deterrence. ”

The emperor was noncommittal, looked up at the imperial historian, and pondered for a moment before saying: "The imperial history platform went to Shu, which is too obvious to show his distrust of the king of Shu, who has always been loyal to the imperial court." ”

Doctor Yu Shi said: "That's okay, Your Majesty, I think the people can understand Your Majesty's approach, and the people of Shu must be very happy to see that Your Majesty attaches so much importance to the rule of Shu officials." Although life is still passable, the minister thinks that whether it is the people of Shu or the people anywhere, everyone wants to be more clear. ”

The emperor shook his head slightly: "Maybe, but I want to ask Lord Zheng, what if the Imperial Historical Observatory finds out the problem?"

Zheng Dadao: "If we find out the problem, we will solve it and give the people an explanation." ”

The emperor shook his head: "What if it is found out that it is not one or two, but a group of people? What if it is even implicated in the Shu Palace? Do you still want to enter the Shu Palace?"

Lord Zheng was speechless for a while, he didn't think about it so much before, but he knew that there was such a thing, and he figured out that it was probably not made up, and he had always had doubts about the rule of Shu Di, so he came to find His Majesty. After thinking about it, he said: "Your Majesty has considered it very comprehensively, and the minister also knows Your Majesty's scruples, but this is the key point of the rule of Shu officials. Your Majesty must know that there is a limit to the patience of the people..."

The emperor said: "Then you tell me what you think, how to check it and how to do it." ”

Lord Zheng got down, drank saliva and stood up again and talked endlessly, first starting from how many imperial historians were sent to Shudi, how long did it take on the road, this time can't be wasted, how to use it, and then where to start after arriving in Shudi, and then start collecting information from all the counties in Shudi.... How long will it take to sort out all the information, and then start to analyze, start to implement one by one, and set up a temporary imperial history office in Shudi, which is dedicated to accepting inquiries and complaints and answers to all the questions of officials, and the audience is the people of cloth...

I didn't stop talking for half an hour, and I was impassioned...

In the process of speaking, Lord Zheng, who was in his sixties, made the emperor not feel that he was standing in front of an old man in his sixties, but looked like an eighteenth boy who had just won the imperial examination. The spirit of directing the country to seek the well-being of the people is blowing in the face.

"Your Majesty, what the minister said is to think twice, although I dare not guarantee that we will be able to purge the rule of Shu officials, but at least within five years, the corruption of Shu officials will be greatly reduced, it will definitely be done, Your Majesty, the people can't wait, how many people have been displaced and uprooted because of the corruption and inaction of officials, and the ministers feel ashamed of the court and Your Majesty!"

After hearing this long remark, the emperor felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. Both happy and helpless.

Lord Zheng is so dedicated to the people, these can definitely be regarded as words that can be said against His Majesty, which is enough to prove that he is okay as an emperor, otherwise there would not be a general who spoke rudely yesterday and a doctor of the imperial history to do it today. The reason is very simple, only an emperor who can listen to advice can have courtiers who are willing to speak out.

But helplessly, it is helpless that what Lord Zheng said is very right, but no matter how reasonable it is, he, the emperor, can't just do it.

"Your Majesty, whether it is the overall situation or Shu Di alone, the rule of officials is an important task that must be rectified. Seeing that the emperor didn't speak, Lord Zheng said again.

The emperor knows in his heart that the overall situation is not the same as the overall situation, and the current overall situation is very different from the future overall situation. The emperor said: "Aiqing, I understand what you mean, but I can't do this, I still want to leave a good reputation in the history books..."

Lord Zheng was stunned, silent for a long time, and then sighed: "Your Majesty's heart, is it what Your Majesty said." Your Majesty must have your Majesty's difficulties, and the minister believes in Your Majesty's decision! What the Minister said today is to do his duty as a courtier, and he has fulfilled his duty, and the minister cannot make a decision for His Majesty. Minister, retire. ”

After all, he left without waiting for the emperor's permission.

"Look at it, look at it, these courtiers are about to rebel, and they are extremely rude!" The emperor couldn't help but shake his head when Lord Zheng's back disappeared.

The eunuchs and guards who stood looked away, and no one dared to respond to the sage's complaints. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, the emperor glanced at the eunuchs and guards, and said, "I see that you are also in the same group as them, be careful that I am in a bad mood and cut you all down one day." ”

The eunuchs and guards thought to themselves, Your Majesty, you have warned us many times that if it is a matter of putting the beak on the court, it is not a pity to die, and now we don't speak for fear of being beheaded by you.

"But I heard the sage say that the more unpleasant the courtiers are, and the more unpleasant the courtiers are, the more it means that the king is a wise king. So many people are rude to me, it seems that I am also a wise man. The emperor couldn't help but laugh as he spoke.

Only then did the eunuch next to him speak: "Your Majesty is a wise monarch who has no one before and no one after him. ”

"Sycophants are always infallible and cunning. "The Emperor said.

"Then Lord Zheng, the leader of the Imperial History Stage, can be regarded as a loyal minister. I was full of interest to give me advice, but in the end I had no choice but to refuse. Although the words are not very good, it can be said to be heartfelt. The hidden meaning of those words is that everything that the minister should have said has been said, Your Majesty, there must be a reason why you don't adopt it, Your Majesty, you are a Ming Jun, you can definitely think of it in front of us. The words of the minister must be done, and His Majesty has his own considerations, and he should do so.

Isn't this kind of behavior that he knows is useless but has to say it for the sake of upsetting His Majesty, and is not it a good quality possessed by a loyal minister? The emperor said to himself.