The emperor summoned Chen Tingjing to speak in the Hongde Palace, and all the kings and the three princes and nine kings listened according to the routine. Chen Tingjing talked about "The Gentleman and the Villain Chapter" this time, in order to detect the holy will. It turned out that he had heard someone talking privately recently, and the emperor seemed to be dissatisfied with Mingzhu. But whether it was time to participate in the pearl, he was still unsure. He deliberately talked about "The Gentleman and the Villain", which was really painstaking.

Chen Tingjing first read according to the script, and then made a comment, saying: "The emperor's will has never been issued, and the people's sufferings have not been heard, all because the villain is making trouble in the middle. When the villain has no ambition, he must be good at flattery; After the villain succeeds, he is often accustomed to vicious and treacherous schemes. The harm of villains is innumerable. Therefore, far villains, near virtuous ministers, and ancient lords have warned themselves with this. ”

The emperor said: "I often warn myself to beware of villains, but are there villains around me?" There must be. ”

When the emperor said this, his eyelids drooped, and no one looked at him, but the ministers all felt itchy on their faces, as if the emperor was looking at him.

Chen Tingjing also said: "The gentleman is above board, never pretending, occasionally making mistakes, and is easy to be noticed, so the gentleman always seems to have such and such small problems." The villain is good at disguising, dripping water, and looks flawless, so once the villain is favored, he will be greedy for a long time and become a tumbler. The villain is also good at exposing people's shortcomings and revealing his strengths, so that the lord will not doubt his trust. Therefore, since ancient times, there have been many great evildoers, and they are often seen many years after their deaths. ”

The emperor said: "In this way, the harm will be greater." I am not a sage, and there are times when I can't see the truth clearly. I would like to remind all my ministers that they must be open-minded, open-minded, and go straight on the right path. Ting Jing continued. ”

Chen Tingjing said: "The gentleman is the natural mortal enemy of the villain, so the villain's favorite thing to do is to kill the gentleman." And the villain mutilates the gentleman, not in public, but at the time of the feast and whispering. That's why the saints call the villains the thieves of the night, but the Lord of the Holy Wisdom can detect them and prevent them from achieving their will! ”

The emperor nodded for a long time and said, "Although Tingjing's words are not very fresh, they are also something I often feel. Listening to him today, I am still deafening! A gentleman has always been able to tolerate a villain, and a villain must not be able to tolerate a gentleman. I don't want to be a faint king, and I am determined to go only to the villain! That's all for this talk. Give tea to Wenyuan Pavilion, the ministers will go to Wenyuan Pavilion to wait for the driver, and I will come after saying a few words to Tingjing. ”

On weekdays, the ministers knelt to see the emperor off, but this time they only kowtowed and retreated. The ministers were secretly strange, and couldn't help but sneak a glance at Chen Tingjing. Suo Etu's face was colorful, and he glanced at Mingzhu, as if he knew who the villain the emperor was talking about. Mingzhu was privately frightened, but still smiling as usual.

Only the emperor was left in the palace, and Chen Tingjing's heart couldn't help but jump. He didn't know what the emperor had to say when he left him. Suddenly, the emperor asked: "Tingjing, you must have some intentions for me to talk about gentlemen and villains." Tell me, who is the villain in your mind? ”

Chen Ting looked at him left and right, and said tentatively: "I don't know if Zhang Wang and Wang Jiwen's generation can be regarded as villains?" ”

The emperor said: "I know that Zhang Wang is your son and daughter. A scholar, when he became an official, forgot all the books of the sages and began to be greedy for silver, and I was very sad! ”

Chen Tingjing said: "The minister didn't dare to say half a word of pleading for Zhang Wang. Ranchen thought that Zhang Wang was not a greedy person by nature. When he was in Dezhou, Shandong, he was honest and self-controlled, and offended his boss for this. Nowadays, he is getting bigger and bigger, and he is getting more and more money, but he is greedy, and there must be a reason in the middle. ”

The emperor said: "Ting Jing didn't say it thoroughly, you want to say that Zhang Wang's position as governor was bought with money, right?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "It is difficult to have real evidence for this kind of thing, and the minister does not dare to talk nonsense. ”

The emperor said: "I advocate rumors and rumors, just because of this reason!" Otherwise, everything must be taken very accurately before daring to speak, and it is useless for me to let go of so many officials. ”

Chen Tingjing pondered the emperor's thoughts, and deliberately said: "The officials have been ...... by Ming Xiangguo for many years."

Before he finished speaking, the emperor said angrily: "What Ming Xiangguo!" The dynasty does not have the duty of the country! ”

Chen Tingjing deliberately said again: "The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are called Mingzhu Lord Ming Xiangguo, and the ministers are also used to it. ”

The emperor darkened his face and said, "Has Mingzhu become the second emperor?" ”

Chen Tingjing was shocked, and finally knew that the emperor wanted to remove the pearl. He wanted to deliberately provoke the emperor, so he said: "The emperor said this, the minister didn't dare to reply!" ”

The emperor asked, "Why don't you dare to reply to what I asked you?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Everyone is afraid of death, and ministers are afraid of death!" ”

The emperor was even more angry: "If you offend Mingzhu, you will have to worry about your life?" Whose world is this? ”

Chen Tingjing bowed his head and was silent, wanting to wait for the fire in the emperor's heart to burn again.

The emperor said: "I originally planned to seize the post of Zhang Wang and Wang Jiwen together, but Mingzhu secretly said that Wang Jiwen's crime was ten times worse than Zhang Wang's, and if it was dealt with the same, it would be difficult to convince the world." ”

Chen Tingjing said at this time: "The emperor's eyes are as clear as a torch, and he has seen it very clearly. Mingzhu wishes that Wang Jiwen would die soon, and Zhang Wang had better be killed. ”

The emperor said: "Ting Jing specially told me about the villain, and I took great pains!" I understand your intentions! ”

Chen Tingjing saw that the time had come, so he boldly said: "The minister has long noticed that Mingzhu has too much power. The official's suggestion needs to be seen by the pearl first, otherwise it will attract the crime of slandering the government; The South Study drafts the holy decree on behalf of the pearl, and it must be revised by Mingzhu, otherwise it will be said that we have distorted the emperor's will; The excerpts that come up from all over the country must also be sent to the Mingzhu Mansion for revision first, otherwise the general political envoy will not dare to send them to the south study; Every time there is an official vacancy in the ministry and the governor, Fu and Dao, he first proposes the candidate, and then submits it to the Jiuqing meeting for discussion. ”

The emperor was extremely angry and scolded: "Mingzhu is hateful! ”

Chen Tingjing also said: "Originally, the excerpts between the provinces and the imperial court could be delivered in ten and a half months, and the farthest was less than two months. Now because Mingzhu is doing tricks and feet in it, it must be sent to his home for review and revision, and some folds will take three or four months to be delivered to the emperor! ”

The emperor said angrily: "He's not the second emperor, what is it!" ”

Chen Tingjing knocked and said: "The emperor is angry! The money and grain left by Wu Sangui were counted, if Wang Jiwen didn't rely on Mingzhu's backstage, how could he dare to hide it? Hunan asked for free money and food, but Mingzhu asked for 300,000 taels of ministry fees, and privately allowed Zhang Wang to be the governor of Huguang, otherwise how could Zhang Wang be greedy? ”

The emperor said: "The ministry is the head of the six departments, and the selection and appointment of talents is related to the fortune of the country." I want you to transfer to the Ministry of Justice! And the Prime Minister's South Study! ”

Chen Tingjing was taken aback, thinking that this was not a good thing, it was equivalent to putting him on the fire to roast. He originally wanted to save Zhang Wang by participating in Mingzhu, but he never thought that the emperor would ask him to replace Mingzhu as the secretary of the ministry! Others don't know what to do, hasn't he become a villain with power?

When the emperor saw that Chen Tingjing forgot to thank him, he didn't blame him, and said: "Tingjing, you go to Wenyuan Pavilion to give tea, I don't want to see that face today!" ”

Chen Tingjing then said the order, and thanked him for retiring. He turned around and retreated, and the emperor called him back again, saying, "I will order someone to draft the bullet seal of Shen Mingzhu, you don't have to come out." ”

Chen Tingjing listened and breathed a sigh of relief.

Mingzhu waited in Wenyuan Pavilion and chatted. Suddenly, someone said that it would be Ming Xiangguo's birthday in a few days. Mingzhu was busy saying that it was rare for everyone to remember, and he was too busy with business and didn't want to bother everyone. Some people said that birthday wine should still be drunk, and Ming Xiangguo should not want to rely on it. Everyone was talking and talking, and they went with Xu Qianxue. Gao Shiqi said: "Master Xu, Shiqi recently read your "Reading Rites and General Examination", and benefited a lot! ”

Someone next to him hurriedly chimed in: "Xia Guan also read it, and the mouth is suddenly open!" ”

Xu Qianxue said with a smile: "Reading Rites and General Examinations" is my reading experience when I was worried about my mother Ding for three years, I can't talk about opinions, just the words of the sage. ”

Suo Etu said: "Master Xu doesn't have to be modest, your old man has also read the book." ”

Xu Qianxue hurriedly arched his hand and said, "How dare you work to read my book!" ”

Suo Etu also said: "Among the Manchu ministers, Ming Xiangguo is the most knowledgeable, and Ming Xiangguo will also write a book for the old man to read?" ”

Mingzhu nodded at Suo's forehead casually and laughed. At this time, the eunuch opened the curtain, and the ministers hurriedly got up, bowed their heads and prepared to take over. Everyone was about to kneel, but they saw Chen Tingjing coming in.

Chen Tingjing said: "The emperor said that his body is a little tired, so he will not accompany you Aiqing to drink tea today, and give tea as usual." ”

The ministers still thanked them and sat down in their seats. The eunuchs served tea in turn. The tea was still served first from the pearl position, but the pearl said: "Give tea to Lord Chen first." ”

Chen Tingjing knew that Mingzhu was polite, but in fact he embarrassed him, so he said: "Ming Xiangguo is above, and the etiquette must not be messed up." ”

After finishing the tea, the ministers left the Wenyuan Pavilion and went back to the yamen. Suo Etu heard the emperor talk about villains today, and every sentence was like explaining the beads. It seems that Chen Tingjing's lecture on "Gentleman and Villain Chapter" is also painstaking. Suo Etu always regarded Chen Tingjing as a person who was the pearl, but now he saw that he was counterattacking the pearl, which showed that he was also a white-eyed wolf. What Suo Etu despises most about the Han officials is their capriciousness, both ends of the first rat.

However, today, Suo Etu showed a rare city government, and specially caught up with Chen Tingjing and said: "Lord Chen, you talked about villains today, you spoke well." ”

Chen Tingjing hurriedly said: "Master Suo has won the award. ”

Suo Etu asked: "The emperor gave you this question, it is intriguing!" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "It's not the emperor's topic, it's my recent reading experience." ”

Suo Etu suddenly realized, nodded and said, "Oh, so that's the case." But you just happened to talk about the emperor's heart. Lord Chen, you know in your heart, if you want to go with the emperor, you will have an excerpt! The emperor said, but the villain should go! ”

Chen Tingjing said with a smile: "Tingjing just sat and talked about it, talking in generalities, and there was no real point. ”

Suo Etu shook his head and said, "Ting Jing still can't trust the old man!" ”

Chen Tingjing smiled and said perfunctory, and said goodbye to Suo Etu. Suo Etu thought that Chen Tingjing was a villain who forgot his friends, and he would definitely get rid of him if he had the opportunity in the future!