Just when Liang Hong and Liang Jin were talking in his study about the fact that Tao Pu, the deputy assistant of the cabinet, was poisoned to death, time was moving forward-

The prefect of Jingshi City sat in a carriage and hurried towards the location of the palace.

When he entered the palace gate, he was stopped by the guards, so the prefect hurriedly got out of the carriage and said to the guard: "Shen Yan, the prefect of Jingshi City, has urgent business to meet His Majesty, yes, it is about the poisoning of the second assistant of the cabinet." ”

When the guard heard this, his face was immediately terrified, this guard obviously heard for the first time that the second assistant of the cabinet had been poisoned, and he immediately felt sensational, and he immediately said: "Lord Shen, please wait a moment, and someone will go to inform the saint." ”

"So, it's hard work." Shen Yan, the prefect of Jingshi, said.

Waited in place for a while, because the Forbidden City is not allowed to ride in a carriage, of course, it is not absolute, as long as the emperor feels that whoever has a great merit can be given grace, not only can he ride in a carriage, but even some can ride in a sedan chair and ride a horse.

After waiting for a while, soon a guard hurried over with an inner eunuch, and the inner eunuch said, "Lord Shen, it's been a long time, Your Majesty has an invitation." ”

So Shen Yan, the prefect of Jingshi City, was taken to the inner hall of the Qianqing Palace.

After kneeling down to worship the mountain and shouting long live as usual, he was "flattened" by Emperor Jingtai, Shen Yan stood up, and immediately took out the bronze medal found on the female assassin and handed it to Emperor Jingtai.

and explained, who was found in it, and before and after the cause of Tao Cifu's death.

Emperor Jingtai looked at this bronze medal, and according to Shen Yan's explanation, Emperor Jingtai said: "So, this is Zhang Qing's mansion, only the most trusted slave is qualified to wear this bronze medal?" ”

The prefect Shen Yan wiped the sweat on his forehead, this cold winter weather, naturally not hot, but frightened, he said in a trembling voice:

"It's Your Majesty, but Weichen thinks that this may be a frame-up, although the son of Zhang Shoufu before had some disputes with Tao Cifu, but Weichen thinks that just because of this, Zhang Shoufu should not send assassins......"

It's just that before the prefect finished speaking, Emperor Jingtai interrupted him: "Qing? ”

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty," the prefect asked in a somewhat panicked voice.

Emperor Jingtai suddenly said indifferently: "Qing, whose person is it?" ”

When the prefect heard this, he was a little stunned at first, and he didn't know why His Majesty asked this, but then he still understood, His Majesty is going to play big this time, this is to let himself stand in line in advance, but at this time, does he still have a choice?

So Shen Yan, the prefect, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, he knew that his answer this time was related to his future career, and he had to show which way he was going.

"The minister has always been His Majesty's person, his Majesty's courtier, and he has always been the courtier of the Dakang Dynasty!"

"Well," Emperor Jingtai, who was sitting on the dragon throne, was obviously quite satisfied with this answer, and said: "Shen Qing, there is nothing to trap, this assassin was sent out by the first assistant." ”

"Ah......" Although he had already had a premonition that His Majesty on the throne would also mean the same thing, Shen Yan suddenly heard it, and he still felt chills all over his body and cold limbs.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty was so decisive, and he would make a move when he said it, which was obviously because he saw the cabinet in chaos, and His Majesty would be happy.

After all, the second assistant of the cabinet was poisoned by the assassins sent by the first assistant, so the cabinet is obviously not monolithic, taking advantage of this incident in the cabinet, there is chaos, Your Majesty can take advantage of this good opportunity to collect some civil servants for Your Majesty's use;

Not only does it stop there, but when the two factions of the first and second assistants are infighting, His Majesty can be in the back, and this cabinet can also be used for his own use, and then it will be truly the "Imperial Cabinet".

The emperor's trick can be said to be "drawing salary from the bottom of the kettle" and "taking advantage of his illness to kill him"!

The emperor had long been fed up with the constraints of the cabinet, otherwise he would not have supported the cheesemaster and fought with the cabinet.

Thinking of this, Shen Yan, the prefect, suddenly thought of an extremely terrifying and terrifying thing: "Could it be that the second assistant of the cabinet was poisoned by an assassin sent by the emperor?" And it was the head of the cabinet who did it!

If, if this is the case, how terrible the mind of His Majesty the Emperor must be! ”

The prefect Shen Yan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat on his head at this time, and he hurriedly wiped his sleeve.

Knowing that he was a little out of shape just now, he only exclaimed "Ah", but at this time, Shen Yan hurriedly fell to the ground again: "Minister, the minister knows what to do!" ”

In the Forbidden City.

In a side hall.

At this time, those who were in the cabinet were the first assistant Zhang Shouyan, and Xu Qiushan, a scholar of Dongge University in the cabinet.

At this time, the two were reviewing the recitals played by the ministers, and the cabinet had the power to approve the recitals.

However, it is just an instruction, also known as a "blue batch", and in the end, it has to be decided, and the celebrant has to use vermilion pen and ink to give instructions,—— which is also called Zhu Batch.

Before Zhu Pi, the person in charge of the celebrant would hand over the particularly important recital to the emperor, and the emperor could give instructions as he liked.

In short, the celebrant is an institution that helps the emperor deal with government affairs, and the emperor sometimes has full authority to authorize the celebrant to act on behalf of the "Zhu Approval".

Just when the two of them were giving instructions, they suddenly heard a sound of footsteps outside.

Zhang Shouyan and Xu Qiushan both stopped their pens and looked over.

At this moment, I saw a eunuch and an internal official walking into the cabinet room outside, and this internal official was still holding a thing in his hand, yellow,—— that was the holy decree!

When Zhang Shouyan and Xu Qiushan saw this, they immediately stood up, and then walked out of their seats, only to hear the eunuch unfold the yellow cloth-holy decree, and shouted in a loud and narrow voice:

"The first assistant of the cabinet, Zhang Shouyan takes the order!"

"Minister Zhang Shouyan, take the order!" Although Zhang Shouyan didn't understand why this holy decree was suddenly given to him, he still knelt down and said loudly to accept the decree.

Xu Qiushan, who was standing on the side, also knelt down at this time, there was no way, whether the holy decree was given to him or not, it was like the presence of the saint in person, so naturally he had to kneel and listen.

Xu Qiushan thought in his heart: This holy decree was awarded to the first assistant, will it be another official and knight, but he is already the first assistant, what else can he promote? Do you want to add three princes? But isn't this Long's to the deceased minister?

Xu Qiushan was full of doubts, but it didn't take long for Xu Qiushan's doubts to be relieved, because the holy decree began to be read in the tone of the inner official:

"Fengtian carried it, the emperor summoned and said: Zhang Shouyan, the first assistant of the cabinet and a scholar of Huagai Palace, disregarded the grace of the saint in vain, and sent someone to assassinate Yu Cabinet's second assistant and Jianji Temple University Shi Taopu until he died, although the evidence is slightly insufficient, but Zhang Qing has no prestige to serve as the first assistant again.

I Yiqing, temporarily dismissed from my post and waiting to participate, I appreciate this! ~”