West Garden, the Palace of Nourishing the Heart.

Zhu Youzhu quietly listened to the whole process of Wang Xiang's report, but there was no anger on his face, and he even continued to drink tea very calmly.

Hey?

Liu Jin never expected that a small brocade-clothed guard would dare to point the finger at the dignified Imperial History of the Left Capital of the Imperial Palace, but he was ready to clean up the broken porcelain pieces on the ground at any time, but found that things were not the same as he thought.

Wang Xiang came with Mu Bin to face the saint this time, and he was kneeling respectfully on the ground at this moment.

Thinking of the ridiculous things he did in Jinyiwei, although he had nothing to do with him, he was so weak at the moment that he didn't dare to look directly at the emperor in front of him.

Mu Bin felt the majesty of this emperor, and he also knew that it was not easy to walk here from the palace road, and he did not dare to breathe roughly.

Sandalwood rose up, and the whole hall was a little silent.

Zhu Youzhu blew the hot tea slowly, but asked lightly: "The six of them are good seedlings, and none of them have been disabled by injuries, right?" ”

"When Weichen heard the news and arrived, the four people who were tortured were all whiplashes, and they will definitely be healed after half a month of recuperation." Mu Bin was the first to arrive, and even responded honestly.

Wang Xiang thought of the endless methods of Jinyiwei, and he was secretly lucky in his heart.

If it weren't for Mu Bin's timely response today, he still wouldn't know that Ma Shu had done such a ridiculous thing, and even now he would have obtained the testimony against Wang Yue.

Zhu Youzhu took a sip of hot tea, and then changed his words: "Wang Xiang, I have let you secretly investigate for so long, and Zhu Ji's matter is still not clear?" ”

The current problem of Jinyiwei is far more than the problem of Zhu Ji, the commander of Jinyiwei, but the entire middle level of Jinyiwei is a variety of related households, and even many of the lower levels are confidants of powerful people.

Changing a few leaders alone can't solve the core problem of Jinyiwei at all, and the best solution is to carry out a major operation to directly clean the middle and upper layers of Jinyiwei.

It's just that Jinyiwei is the emperor's nominal pro-army after all, and there are also Jinyiwei who have been loyal to the emperor for generations, and they are recognized as the most loyal army in the world.

Even if you know that there is a problem with Jinyiwei, you have to sort it out slowly, instead of dismissing and dismissing officials on a large scale without asking questions, not to mention that some hereditary hundreds of households need a good reason for the dismissal and dismissal.

Although the emperor has always claimed to be a loner, he can't really be a loner.

Zhu Youzhi had already seen through Jinyiwei, and he also planned to purge him, but he couldn't find the right time. The reason why Zhu Ji has been kept is actually to start from Zhu Ji, so as to find flaws and clean out those martial artists, the second generation of officials and the second generation of the army.

It's just that the ideal is very plump, and the reality is very skinny.

Although he sent Wang Xiang to target Zhu Ji very early, and he had already investigated Zhu Ji's economic uncleanliness, he still had no substantive evidence of the crime.

This......

Wang Xiang found that it was better to watch Zhu Youzhu smash things, and responded embarrassedly: "Your Majesty, the minister has found out that Zhu Ji obtained the income through a pawnshop under his name, but these incomes ...... Seems legitimate. ”

"Pawnshop? This pawnshop is mainly engaged in Beijing bonds, right? After Zhu Youzhu learned this unexpected information, he couldn't help but feel a slight move in his heart.

Wang Xiang was taken aback, and blurted out: "Your Majesty, how do you know?" ”

Zhu Youzhu couldn't help but smile coldly, this was naturally guessed.

Originally, I didn't pay much attention to this Beijing debt, but after an in-depth understanding, I found that the danger of Beijing debt was much more serious than I imagined.

Beijing debt is not a product of the Ming Dynasty, but it can be traced back to the Tang Wuzong period.

"Old Tang Dynasty Book - Wuzong Benji" records: Bingyin in February of the second year of Huichang, the Chinese book is played...... With the monthly payment, the year-end accounting and household application department, and go to the election of officials to pay off the debts, so that they are greedy, and they do not do this.

According to the statistics of later generations, the Beijing debt of the Ming Dynasty reached the highest level in history, and the situation of officials borrowing Beijing debt was becoming more and more intense.

Nowadays, the lending of Beijing bonds is no longer limited to officials who have not yet taken office, and some officials who have been in office for many years have also begun to borrow Beijing bonds repeatedly.

Although his cotton cloth business is very profitable, compared with Beijing debt, he is simply a younger brother.

It's just that these pawnshops dare to lend usury, and they naturally have the support of power behind them, otherwise how dare a businessman issue usury to the court officials?

Now the situation has gradually become clear, although Zhu Ji did not make money on the surface, he made a lot of money from Beijing bonds, and was even one of the important lenders of Beijing debt institutions.

Zhu Youzhu originally suspected that Wang Xiang had betrayed him, so he softened his expression slightly: "Get up!" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Xiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then got up from the ground with Mu Bin.

Heaven and Earth are the princes, and now the king is very thorough, if it were not for the emperor's special favor, he would not have any status in Ruianbo Mansion at all.

Zhu Youzhu held the teacup in his hand and made a decision: "You conduct an internal investigation in the name of Ma Shu's dereliction of duty, just take him into custody first, and then I will make arrangements, step down!" ”

"Yes!" Wang Xiang and Mu Bin couldn't help but be slightly stunned, but immediately bowed their hands respectfully.

Zhu Youzhu watched the two leave, but couldn't help sighing.

"Your Majesty, Ma Shu is just a small character, and he can't be angry with this kind of person!" Liu Jin saw that Zhu Youzhu still didn't show his joy and anger after all, so he comforted him seriously.

Zhu Youzhu was about to put down the teacup, but he was suddenly stunned: "I always thought you were a roundworm in my heart, but now it seems that it may not be!" ”

"Your Majesty, weren't you angry just now because of Ma Shu's matter?" Liu Jin couldn't help but be stunned.

Zhu Youzhu shook his head slightly, and then a smile appeared on his face: "How can I be angry because of Ma Shu's matter, I have to thank Ma Shu for the stupid thing he did this time." I've always wanted to clean the brocade guards, but there has never been a good time, after all, I can't purge the most loyal guards for no reason, isn't this a joke for the world? ”

Liu Jin listened carefully, but still didn't understand.

Zhu Youzhu brought the tea cup that he was about to put down to his mouth, took a sip of tea and continued: "Ma Shu should have been instructed by someone this time, but he wanted to take this opportunity to target Wang Yue, and he deliberately created a trial fraud case to discredit the court. It's just that Ma Shu is not a civil official, nor is he a military general of the Ming Dynasty, but a hundred households in brocade clothes of my pro-army. Now all fools know that I want to reuse Wang Yue, and as a result, Ma Shu actually arrested and tortured those who were loyal to me, now don't say that I want to investigate and send Ma Shu, even if I want Zhu Ji to get out, no one in the Manchu Dynasty dares to say that I am not! ”

Jin Yiwei can be disloyal to himself, and can even ask the officials he wants to be imprisoned as ancestors, but he doesn't want to openly confront him.

It is immoral to clean the Jinyiwei for no reason, and it also chills the hearts of the meritorious soldiers in the world, but it is natural to treat a Jinyiwei who is working against him.

To borrow a classic saying: We know they're lying, they know they're lying, they know they're lying, and we know they know we know they're lying, but they're still lying.

The Emperor and the Jinyi Guard were inseparable, and they knew each other's positions, but they couldn't pierce the layer of window paper.

Others may think that Ma Shu is for justice, but the people in the officialdom know at a glance that Ma Shu is pointing at Wang Yue, and this is an important minister who wants to be reused against the emperor.

It is precisely like this, Zhu Youzhu really has no reason to be angry, after all, Ma Shu took the initiative to send his neck over, and even provided him with a reason to clean the brocade guard.

"Slaves are stupid! It's just that since it's a good thing now, why did Your Majesty sigh just now? Liu Jin reacted and immediately apologized happily.

Zhu Youzhu put down the teacup in his hand and said bitterly: "Jinyiwei is my personal guard, and it is not easy to verify it. If Jinyiwei is verified by the East Factory, this matter will definitely be strongly opposed by the government and the opposition, and the East Factory may not be able to get the matter done. Now the best way is for the Metropolitan Procuratorate to intervene, but it's a pity that Wang Yue is now lacking in skills, and the heavens will not fulfill people's wishes! ”

Although the Shuntian Gongyuan was unsealed on the ninth day of the closure, the area of Jukui Hall was still closed, and Wang Yue led the other nine examiners to judge the candidates' test papers.

According to the usual practice, not to mention people inside, even a note cannot be delivered.

Zhu Youzhu didn't say that he wanted Wang Yue to help with things, even if he suddenly summoned Wang Yue to discuss.

If an order was issued to bring Wang Yue out of the heavily guarded Jukui Hall area, so that people outside would think about it, there would naturally be various versions of fraud.

Although Zhu Youzhu really wanted to call someone immediately, and even more wanted Wang Yue to directly investigate the people behind the scenes from the case of Ma Shu, but the talent ceremony can't be messed up, and the rules are the rules.

"Your Majesty, we have to wait another five days before the release of the list!" Liu Jin also felt that things were tricky, so he calculated the days in a hurry.

Zhu Youzhu actually made a decision in his heart: "I've been waiting for so long, what's the harm of waiting for another five days?" This time, Wang Yue will examine who Ma Shu is instructed by, and I will take this opportunity to dig up the Jinyi Guard, maybe I can really dig out a bunch of black sheep! ”

From all kinds of indications, this incident is inseparable from Zhu Ji, and there is even a mysterious force behind it.

In mid-February, the weather in the capital has warmed up, and the snow has already melted away without a trace.

The time has come to the release day, and more than 4,000 candidates are looking forward to being favored by Lady Luck, waiting for today's leap into the dragon gate.

What is the reason for the cold window in the past ten years? Naturally, it was known to the world for a time.

Although people can also be officials, but now the official position of the Ming Dynasty has already been more monks and less porridge, and the people don't know how long they will have to wait with the waiting list, and if they want to seek a better fill, they have to borrow Beijing debts to make up and down.

On the other hand, looking at the fame of Jinshi, not to mention the opportunity to enter the Hanlin Academy, even if the place is released, it is also the real shortage of the magistrate of the county or the government of the seventh grade, and there is a chance to display what he has learned all his life.

Dongsheng Inn, the golden morning sun falls in the courtyard here.

Shopkeeper Zhang walked back to the front hall from the courtyard bathed in the morning sun, looking a little more nervous than the candidates, just fidgeting back and forth.

It is said that the location of his inn is so good, he should make a lot of money. It's just like hitting an evil spirit, and there have been no jinshi in several consecutive subjects, and as for the second-class jinshi, none of them have appeared.

However, the bloody case earlier affected the reputation, if you can't turn the tables against the wind today, then your inn will definitely be spurned next year.

Not to mention making money to marry a concubine with a big ass to give birth to a big fat boy and inherit the lineage, even if it continues to operate, it will become a big problem.

Shopkeeper Zhang almost bumped into someone, and when he looked up, he saw that it was the laziest Xiao Er and taught him a lesson: "Today is a good day to report good news, you give me your hands and feet to be diligent and smart!" ”

"Cousin, it's good for you to put 10,000 hearts, usually I am occasionally lazy, but today I promise to be the most diligent!" The clever young man immediately squeezed his eyebrows and slapped his chest to assure.

Shopkeeper Zhang thought that this cousin and his 200-pound daughter seemed to be in the right eye, and pointed to the table angrily: "What are you doing standing stupidly?" Wipe the table again, if there's anything unclean on it, I'll have to skin you today!" ”

The young man saw that the shopkeeper was angry, and he no longer dared to play tricks, and when he was working obediently, he looked up and saw the six people who appeared, and warmly entertained: "Ladies and gentlemen, please take a seat!" ”

Xu Hong and the other six people are already friends in distress, and they have just come to the front hall together.

After a few days of recuperation, the four people who were flogged have improved significantly, but some of their wounds are still aching. It's just that I can't take care of these anymore, but I hope to be able to be named on the gold list today.

Juren looks at the scenery on the surface, but he also has his own dissatisfaction.

"If I can't pass the exam again this time, I will be waiting for the officer's department!"

"It's not easy to live in the capital, I owe ten taels of Beijing debts now!"

"If I can't pass the exam this time, I'm going to take the exam next year, I don't believe I'm worse than others!"

……

The six people sat together, because the results of the Guangdong entrance examination have always been relatively poor, even if 600 places were admitted this time, Haikuan and the others looked worried.

Xu Hong saw that the atmosphere was gloomy, so he cheered up: "Don't forget, we all did well in the second exam, maybe all six of us present have won!" ”

"If all six of you can go to high school this time, my son will write his name upside down!" Tan Bo happened to come to the front hall, and when he opened the paper fan, he mocked.

Xu Hong didn't like this son-in-law who always looked down on them, and even had an idea: "If we are six high schools, you go to the gate of Fusi in Beizhen to scold Zhu Ji, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, for being a turtle bastard!" ”

"What if you don't win?" Tan Bo found that he had played quite big, but he asked rhetorically without flinching.

Xu Hong picked up the egg he had just sent and snorted it lightly on the edge of the table, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly: "If the six of us don't win, the six of us will go to the gate of Fusi in Beizhen to scold Zhu Ji for being a turtle bastard." ”

"Okay, it's a deal!" Tan Bo folded the paper fan and slapped it on the palm of his hand, looking very confident in making this bet.

At this moment, a shadow walked in from the door, carrying a weighty food box in her hand.

(End of chapter)