The emperor appeared at the noon gate, before the throne.

Before the ministers saluted, they found that in addition to the several eunuchs who were following the emperor, there was also Zhang Zhou.

What surprised them even more was that Zhang Zhouzhi passed by them in a dignified manner and walked outside the doorway of the noon gate.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day of the trial release of the list, and some things should be decided." Zhu Youzhu said, "Dongchang, bring people in." ”

Later, after Xiao Jing got the order, he walked out of the noon gate quickly and gave an order to Jinyiwei.

The ministers present were also very curious, what was the emperor going to do, and after waiting for a while, they saw a group of scholars in green shirts, escorted by the brocade guards, and they were even more confused.

And Zhang Zhou, who had walked out before, turned around and stood with this group of people.

Together, the number of these men was forty or fifty.

Liu Jian glanced back at the scholars in the distance, and hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, what is this going to do?" ”

Zhu Youzhu pointed to the scholars in the distance and said: "Among them, many of them were people who met Cheng Minzheng when they went to Beijing to prepare for the exam, and some of them were just people who were discussing issues outside. ”

"This ......"

Liu Jian's face was not very good.

It's nothing that the emperor wants to try the case himself, but if so many ordinary scholars are called at once, the matter will not be too small.

This seems to be contrary to the original intention of calming people.

"Bring the other people involved in the case with you." Zhu Youzhu ordered again.

"Yes."

This time, Xiao Jing was much more relaxed and indifferent.

As Dongchang escorted a few more people, the officials present could only recognize the leader of the leader, Cheng Minzheng, a bachelor from Hanlin, and behind Cheng Minzheng, there was a sloppy-looking scholar, who was actually Tang Yin and Xu Jing, and there were three people behind him, who didn't look like they were reading, but more like servants who were doing chores.

"Read it out."

Zhu Youzhu said it to Dai Yi this time.

Dai Yi walked out and took a note, but he didn't read it out immediately, but explained: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Xu Jing's confession, he confessed in the Fusi of Beizhen, that when he entered Beijing to see Cheng Minzheng, he bribed the Zhike of the Cheng Mansion with gold coins, and there is a confession of the Zhike of the Cheng Mansion. The three intellectuals also recognized the person, and it was determined that it was Xu Jing...... At the same time, in the hands of the intellectuals of the Cheng Mansion, a booklet of bribes was found, listing in detail the bribes paid to them by the scholars who had visited the Cheng Bachelor in the past few years. ”

"Your Majesty's intentions, before September last year, do not count, just take the move of going to Beijing to participate in the examination in October and later, and call the people who go to visit, so as to make on-site identification, to see who has gone to pay respects, and bribes, and those who seek progress!"

Wait for Dai Yi to finish speaking.

Immediately, he read out Xu Jing's confession and Cheng Minzheng's recital in public.

The ministers present were in an uproar.

Even Liu Jian, Xu Qiong and Bai Ang, who learned the news in advance, thought that the emperor was ready to sacrifice Cheng Minzheng and Xu Jing as a result to calm down the discussion outside and calm the people.

Now they know...... The emperor is ready to play big.

Doesn't it mean that Zhang Zhou, Xu Jing and Tang Yin are involved in the question, and in the end, there is only evidence that Xu Jing and Tang Yin went to visit Cheng Minzheng?

Then don't just get involved in the case, but everyone who went to see Cheng Minzheng, especially those who sent property to Cheng Minzheng's family, took it all!

What is it called?

Expand influence and divert contradictions.

Almost everyone was targeting Zhang Zhou, Tang Yin and Xu Jing before, but with this group of people, things become complicated, and the role of those three people in it is no longer important, and public opinion will turn to criticize the style of scholars.

Min Jue hurriedly came out and said, "Your Majesty, does such an implication and expansion damage to the prestige of the imperial court?" ”

Zhu Youzhu said coldly: "A good test, without any evidence, can be stabbed into a big case, which makes the government and the opposition uneasy." Now I'm just looking for an answer, isn't that what you want? ”

The emperor almost said, you Min Jue now think it's not good to expand your influence?

When you attacked Cheng Minzheng and involved the issue, it seemed that none of them thought about the stability of the court, and now you feel that things are beyond your control, so you have to persuade me to stop?

"Identify it!" Zhu Youzhu said sharply.

……

……

More than 50 candidates present at the scene are all lifters of this examination, and there are many people who go to visit Cheng Minzheng, and those who are not lifters will not be arrested.

On-site identification of this kind of thing always requires some irrelevant people to come over as a foil.

"It's him, Yuan Ye of Shuntian Mansion, when he went to the mansion, he took six taels of silver, and a mention of tea leaves in the south of the Yangtze River......"

said that it was the three acquaintances of the Cheng Mansion, including the housekeeper, the doorman, and the nursing home, and directly went over to identify those who had gone to the Cheng Mansion and gave gifts, and they were directly pulled out by the Jinyi Guard.

"Wronged!"

"Wronged what? If you hadn't seen it, how could you have been recognized? Even the gift is right! ”

The people of Jinyiwei are not used to problems, and they identify one and pull out the other.

In just a short time, more than 20 people have already been pulled, and these people have more or less given gifts.

The identification over there is still continuing, and Cheng Minzheng, who was kneeling in front of the noon gate, looked remorseful, bowed his head and blamed himself for being annoyed, he was simply hating himself for being a human being.

said that it was a gift to his subordinates, but in fact, most of them didn't go into his own pocket?

Cheng Minzheng is also thinking, everyone else does this, why can't I do this?

"Uh-huh."

Zhu Youzhu cleared his throat.

Those ministers who looked back and identified the excitement all turned their heads.

"Ladies and gentlemen, is it unfair for me to inquire like this?" Zhu Youzhu asked.

None of the ministers present knew what to say.

Now is it a matter of Xu Jing giving gifts alone? There are so many people who give gifts, and there is more than one Xu Jing, strictly speaking...... It's fairest to check like this.

Zhu Youzhu said: "I also know that when the examination is approaching, candidates from all over the world will gather in Beijing, and there will always be people who want to cling to the famous Confucians in the court in order to gain fame. I believe that in addition to Cheng Minzheng, there are not a few people who have been interviewed and received by scholars, right? ”

The ministers were silent.

All of them were Wenchen, who hadn't seen the candidates? When the candidates came to meet, there were a lot of people who brought some gifts, and some who didn't know or were valuable also gave their resignations, but there were many who were old friends of the family, and who would refuse to give some gifts?

It's like Li Dongyang...... There are hundreds of scholars who visit him every year, so is it possible that everyone goes empty-handed?

"I have set a rule here, before the big competition and the spring festival in the future, no official is allowed to meet with scholars from all over the world, even if they usually want to meet, they are not allowed to be restrained and apprenticed, but they are not allowed to talk about examination questions and other things when they meet."

Zhu Youzhu set the rules on the spot.

"Obey the royal decree." The ministers present don't seem to be able to hate Cheng Minzheng now.

Cheng Minzheng sacrificed himself and set a rule for the imperial court.

Some people are still thinking, fortunately, this time His Majesty asked Cheng Minzheng to be the main exam, and the dirty water of the question was only poured on his head, otherwise I would have been the main examiner, and the result might be the same.

……

……

After Zhu Youzhu finished setting the rules, he fell silent, as if waiting for the end of the identification.

After waiting for half an hour, everyone was finally identified, and there were less than ten of the more than fifty candidates standing there, and Zhang Zhou was still standing there.

"Your Majesty, I have made inquiries clearly." Xiao Jing came over and said in front of the minister, "Now those who have been taken down are all candidates who went to see Cheng Minzheng, there are forty-two people, and thirty-six of them have brought more than two taels worth of property to meet first, this is a detailed list and financial gifts." ”

With that, Xiao Jing presented the list of gifts to the emperor.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Have those scholars recognized it?" ”

"There are a few who don't recognize it." Xiao Jing said, "It's just a few. ”

"Hmm."

Zhu Youji's face was somewhat annoyed.

Even the ministers felt that those candidates who were killed and didn't recognize it were looking for death, and the people in the Cheng Mansion recognized them, and the others also admitted it honestly, but these few still refused to admit it, this is to go to the edict to loosen their bones?

Xiao Jing said: "Most of the people who don't recognize it are talking about the topic of the party, and a few of them are still making a big deal outside, saying that Cheng Minzheng has secret correspondence with Zhang Zhou, Tang Yin, Xu Jing, etc......."

"Bastard!"

Zhu Youzhu said angrily, "They themselves have done the things they have done to seek progress, but they have deliberately slandered others, such people are the most unforgivable!" If they are on the list of candidates for the examination, they will be removed from the list of candidates, and they will never be allowed to participate in the examination, nor will they be officials! This kind of person, the court doesn't need it! ”

Xiao Jingzuo asked: "Back to Your Majesty, I have checked the list of tributes submitted to the Gift Department, and these people are not listed. ”

The ministers present understood this.

The more bullshit the article is written, the more I like to engage in clinging to the powerful and finding the back door, and after the thing fails, the more untargeted the discussion of others tries to stir up the government and the opposition.

"The atmosphere of the scholars is to be disturbed by this group of people, the people's hearts are scattered, and they even have to attack the righteousness of the Ministry of Rites, what is the intention?"

Zhu Youzhu seemed to be not afraid of the expansion of the influence of the case at this time.

Because there are already ready-made "back-pot heroes", these chivalrous men ran to give gifts to Cheng Minzheng by themselves, but they didn't get the question, but they turned around and attacked others......

But as long as the matter is made public, the venting point of public opinion is no longer the fairness of the test, but on these few villains.

Their actions also cut off the way for others to cling.

In the future, if you want to visit the famous Confucian to accumulate fame before passing the exam, this road will not work.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Ladies and gentlemen, do you think it is inappropriate for me to deal with it like this?" ”

No one in the room wanted to come out and be this bad guy.

Li Dongyang, who hadn't spoken in the court for a long time, came out and said: "Back to Your Majesty, the minister also thinks that the fame of these people should be abolished, and they should be dethroned as the people, so as to set the record straight." ”

"Okay."

The emperor was not in a hurry.

Anyway, now that the contradiction has been transferred, maybe some of these people have really been wronged?

Before, it was hoped that public opinion would calm down sooner.

Now I hope that public opinion will slip through more.

Zhu Youzhu nodded: "Elder Li Ge has always been an example of literati, and I think your suggestion is very appropriate. First detain these people in Beizhen Fusi, and after the interrogation is over, they will be punished! As for the rest of the people who have given gifts to Cheng Minzheng......"

Originally, Xu Jing thought that his career was over, but now he seems to have some hope.

The law does not blame the public.

I'm not the only one doing this.

So many people were arrested together, or would Your Majesty and all the elders and scholars be merciful?

Li Dongyang proposed again: "Yichen believes that if there has been a move to seek progress, if he passes the examination in this meeting, he will be deposed, and he can be redeemed with a cane and sent to serve as a servant." ”

Xu Jing's heart sank, but it was over.

Those who have given gifts, those who have been in the middle of the jinshi will be deposed, and those who have not been in the jinshi will also have to pay money to ransom the place where the sentence was issued to be a small official, so doesn't that mean that there will be no chance to take the examination in the future?

It's just a little better than the villain who is famous.

Zhu Youzhu said: "Then there was no gift, but there was a visit?" ”

"Don't ask."

Li Dongyang said this, in fact, he also took into account his own situation.

So many people come to visit him, and there are a lot of gifts, and the emperor doesn't investigate it deeply, it's good, if he just goes to see Cheng Minzheng, and there is no evidence of the question, he will be asked, then I am afraid that the ministers and scholars in the court will be in danger in the future, and the social interaction between the literati will also be cut off.

"Makes sense." When Zhu Youzhu said this at this time, he was actually slapping the civil officials present in the face.

Anti-customer-oriented.

Zhu Youzhu said again: "Cheng Minzheng, as a bachelor of Hanlin, does not avoid suspicion when he is rich, and he has a defiled Wenheng all over the court, so that he can become a master, and he will no longer ask about court affairs in Beijing!" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

Cheng Minzheng knelt down and thanked him.

When he had not been punished, he achieved the result of Zhishi, which could not only calm the discussion, but also make himself a little better, and Cheng Minzheng did not dare to complain.

Zhu Youzhu looked at Xiao Jing again and asked, "By the way, Zhang Zhou shouldn't be involved in this case, right?" ”

Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Back to Your Majesty, Gongsheng Zhang Zhou, since the beginning, he has never been to the Cheng Bachelor's Mansion, and the two have not exchanged letters, so naturally they will not be involved." ”

"Hmm. You should also hear it, you should not talk about it anymore, and you will be a minister in the same hall in the future. Zhu Youzhi nodded, also to remind the civil officials present.

Zhang Zhou is my confidant and favorite general, and it will be a bit uninteresting for you to talk about it again.

I will tell you that now that Zhang Zhou is already a Jinshi, you will not look up and look down in the future, be kind to him, and be good to yourself.

"What about Tang Yin?" Zhu Youzhu pointed to someone who was kneeling down.

Xiao Jing said: "Tang Yin only followed Xu Jing to visit, and he didn't know about the gift-giving, and there was no empirical evidence for the so-called question. ”

Zhu Youzhu said: "Then I won't ask about him." As for the other one...... The household department gives things to Zhonghuachang, and hears about it, and there are many untruths that are not investigated, and they should be severely punished. ”

The people involved in the case have basically their own belongings.

And there is one person left, that is, Hua Chang.

In terms of crime, in fact, Hua Chang is not guilty, but he is the initiator and the culprit who expanded the situation.

The emperor hated Hua Chang even more and had to involve Zhang Zhou, which was what the emperor felt that Hua Chang was unforgivable.

"Your Majesty, you shouldn't be held accountable." Min Jue said.

Zhu Youzhu shook his head: "If everything is played without detailed investigation, it will be done by hearsay, as soon as this wind opens, what prestige does the court have?" Ordered Huachang to transfer the master of Nanjing Taifu Temple and punished him for half a year...... The rest of the people involved in the case will be punished according to the severity of the circumstances and as appropriate. ”

"The matter has come to this point, and the trial list and the agreed matters of this case can be announced to the public at the same time."

"And there are those who speak presumptuously, and they will be on the same page as the sinners!"

(End of chapter)